here I know in whom I have believed there is the act of faith I have believed in him he expounds himself there he means I have committed my self to him all I have all I am this was the act of justification and intitling him unto him but now saith he I know this this is an act of assurance whereby he reflects upon himself that God was his God and intended to save him but this was not the thing that justified him No I believe on him and committed myself unto him and I know this this act is but the knowledge of a â—hans justifying faith and not the thing it self For the use of the point here First we sâ—e that it is no absurdity to say that Use 1. Then â—â—ab â—â—dity to say faith is 〈◊〉 the heart as well as in the minde true justifying faith is in the heart as well as in the minde many good Divines as Master Perkins say that faith is only in the minde and this is the opinion of the Papists also the reason why good Divines say so is because they do make faith to be the full perswasion of a man that God hath intended Christ to him particularly but this is not an act of a justifying faith but comes after it it is a consequent of it The reason why the Papists say so is this because they hold that a justifying faith is nothing else but a firâ—e assent oâ— the minde to the general promises of the Gospel and in particular the promise of the forgivenesse of sinnes in and through the Lord Jesus Christ generally taken they say this is a true faith now when we say this may be a read faith 't is true say they therefore a man is quickened and enlivened by charity and good works so that this faith and good works will justifie a man but this is Antichristian leaven but I say that true justifying faith is not in the mind only but in the heart also Object But you will say is it not absur'd that one grace should be in two Object powers of the soul that it should stand stradling like a colosse with one foot in the minde and another in the heart Answ 1. I answer it is but a conceit for ought we know we can have no Answ 1 firme ground for it that the understanding and will are two several powers of the soul really and distinct many good â—ivines both Proâ—testants and Papists â—eny it as Scaliger and others But they are two several offices of one and the self-same soul the self-same soul able to understand is called the understanding and the self-same soul able to will is called the will the self-same soul iâ— able to understand and will 2. But suppose that the understanding and the will were really different one from another yet I say it is not properly to be said that faith is either in the understanding or in the will but it is properly in the soul of a man the reason is because faith is an act of the new nature a believer is born of God 〈◊〉 Joh. 5. 1. and regeneration or the new nature is not in the understanding or will only but the whole soul is regenerate the very soul hath a new nature I do not remember that Aquinas speaks of regeneration but only in this place and he saith that regeneration is in the soul and the soul is regenerated not is though the substance of the soul were altered but this new nature is as deeply rooted in the soul as the understanding and will it self as it is with the old nature in a man unconverted this old nature moves the understanding to think of worldly things and savour them and moves the will and affections to love worldly things and go after them the old nature moves both minde and will to go this way the old nature is the inclination of a man to the world to the creature to the things of this life now when the new nature comes in and a man is renewed this new nature inclines the minde to minde Jesus Christ and inclines the will to affect Jesus Christ and moves all the soul to go that way so that the very soul is renewed and faith is as deeply â—ooted in the soul as any thing else Nay as low as the very faculties themselves in some sence for it reacheth so far forth as to move them after Christ and this faith puts forth the mind to assent to the truths of the Gospel and puts forth the will to relie upon Christ Thirdly the Scripture plainly seates faith in the heart as well as in the minde Rom. 10. 10 With the heart a man believeth unto righteousnesse neither may a man say that the heart is put for the whole soul of a man it is not put for the will the text plainly shewes he meanes the will because the Apostle puts the believing with the heart to distinguish this saith from all other to exclude hypocrisie and all counterfeit faith for an hypocrite may confesse with his tongue he may have braine faith and notional saith so much as to work upon the outward man but with the heart a man believeth unto righteousnesse if it be a sincere cordial-cordial-faith as he notionally believes these truths so his heart runnes after them and is set upon them and this is unto righteousnesse so when the Eunuch had asked Philip for baptisme I am a believer and what lets but I may be baptized saith he if thou belieâ—â—â— with all thine heart thou mayest As who should say thou saiâ—st thou art a believer but take heed do not deceive thy soul may be thou â—â—st an intellectual faith but is it an heart faith Nay thou maiest have some kinde of cordial faith a temporary faith but doest thou believe with all thine heart Doest thou place all thine heart upon Christ Doest thou place all thy ends and aimes upon Christ Doest thou so reach thy self forth to Christ that in all things Christ have the preheminence Doest thou wholly resigne thy self up unto Christ minde and heart and all that is in thee If thou believest with all thine heart I dare be bold to baptize thee and seale thee up unto eternal life so that the Scripture makes faith to be not only an assent of the mind but an affiance of the heart in Christ Fourthly it is no absurdity to say that faith is in the heart and in severall powers of the soul because faith is such a thing as must purifie the whole man and all the powers of the soul it justifies and sanctifies the whole man it is faith that reneweth the whole man therefore no wonder it is such a thing that the whole man must put forth it self in it is like leaven Matth. 13. 33. That leaveneth the whole lump so faith is such a thing that he which hathie purifieth himself himself is the agent all himself is the patient all himself is set to strive against sin and to please God and to
everlasting Covenant I will never let them goe I will put a strong fear into their hearts that they shall not doe as the wicked doe they shall stand in awe of God it is a strong light others shall be deluded they shall not be deluded it is a strong apprehension of the Word and Will of God this is the Covenant of God Now when a man shall come to have this sealed when God shall give this Sacrament to make this good and he takes the Sacrament upon it that he will walk according to this Covenant according to the grace that God hath given him this man hath all the witnesses in heaven and earth why should he be weak in faith then There be but three witnesses in 1 John 5. heaven he hath these that hath faith there be but three on earth the spirit water and blood by spirit is meant the same spirit that works true faith and obedience in the hearts of his people then water that is the water of Baptism and blood that is the blood of the Lords Supper the Lord doth witnesse eternal life to this mans heart therefore what can this man want Thirdly This Sacrament is Communion with Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 10. 16. The cup of blessing which we bless is it not the Communion of the blood of Christ c. So that when a man comes to the Sacrament aright he hath communion with Jesus Christ therefore he must needs be strengthened though he were never so weak before as Solomon saith of the Contes they are a feeble folke and yet they make their houses in the Rocks Prov. 30. 26. So true Christians are a feeble folk yet they make their houses in the Rock where they eat this spiritual meat and drink this spiritual drink they drink of that Rock Jesus Christ when they draw neer to this Table they draw neer to Christ and therefore must needs gather strength they come to this Rock to be rooted and established in this Rock and therefore must needs get strength Fourthly Because this Sacrament is a Sacrament of communion with the members of Christ a man that rightly receives it doth increase the Communion of Saints over all the world though he never saw them yet he is loved more and more of all the Saints therefore he must needs grow stronger Take a man that is woven into every man there is hardly any man of any power but loves him he hath friends everywhere this man is a strong man as it is said of Absolom he grew strong for the people increas'd continually with him 2 Sam. 21. 15. So a Christian must needs grow strong that truly hears the Word and receives the Sacrament for people still come flocking more and more unto him for still as the Church comes to grow or any soul comes to believe in Christ he strengthens himselfe as Paul was strong in every Town where he went in regard of the Communion of Saints such a man is strong in regard of his infirmities he hath many to help him to bear them he is strong also in regard of advice and counsel he shall have the counsel of the Saints Job 4. 3. If a man be doubtful what course to take when instruction comes it strengthens a man much Now when a man hath communion with all the Saints what abundance of counsel hath he you may see how weak David was he was not able to 1 Sam. 25. beat down his wrath and impatience Now when Abigail came with her good counsel he blessed God for it Let us have a care to come so to the Sacrament that we may be strengthened in all good things that we may be more quickned up to every good word Vse 1 and work for it is a strengthening Ordinance it is appointed of God for the very nonce to strengthen Gods people in all business and employments they have to doe from day to day When Moses and all Israel received the Passeover God smote the first borne of all Egypt Psal 105. 30. This was a seal that God smote all the strength of the Egyptians but there was not one weak person among the Israelites So if we did receive the Sacrament aright there should not be a weak Christian among us God would smite the Egyptians and weaken the strength of all their lusts and corruptions is therefore any among us weak and he cannot do this and that his lusts are like the sons of Zerviah to David too hard for him Though I be anointed King I am weak c. 2 Sam. 3. 39. So dost thou say I am very weak this day and though God hath anointed me King over my lusts and I am a Christian that should have power over my lusts yet these base lusts and cursed corruptions are too hard for me I say if we did but wisely and carefully as we ought to do goe to the Word and Sacrament and the rest of Gods Ordinances we should have marvellous supply and help to carry us on in our Christian Combate It is a very remarkable thing that when God would have Joshua and all Israel goe about that same hard work to goe and encounter with 31 Kings of Canaan at one clap and they were now newly come into the Land of Canaan and were hemmed in the waters of Jordan came back and they could not goe back again it is to be noted that before God would have them strike a blow he would have them take the Sacrament of Circumcision you know the Canaanites might have come and cut their throats when they were sore nay when they were circumcised God would not Josh 5. have them goe fight yet but they must take the Sacrament of the Passeover which would cost them seven dayes one would think this was not the way to be strong but this was indeed the way to be strong to go in the strength of heaven this made the spirits of their enemies melt for they were now within the Covenant of God therefore how should we help our own souls if we would but go in the strength of Gods Covenant to prayer and every business we have to do and if we would but rightly partake of this Sacrament as a seal of the Covenant nothing would make it so strong as this This may seem to condemn the most of us all generally How do Christians misse of the partaking of the Sacrament what a deal of weakness is Vse 2 there among us where is there a strong Christian they can hardly doe any thing or suffer any thing whence is all this this comes from not receiving the Sacrament as they ought to doe as the Apostle saith of bodily weakness 1 Cor. 11. 30. For this cause many are weak and sickly among you and many sleep He speaks there of their unworthy receiving the Sacrament this is the cause that your bodies are weak So this is as true of the weakness of the soule for this cause many are weak among you and many have such
in heaven and in earth and in hell to all the world to all eternity Though Israel be not gathered if you be obstinate and will have your sinnes take them and perish with them I shall never â—e your absence in heaven therefore Christ is at a point if you will have him here he is if you will not assure your selves you shall die in your sinnes except you beleeve in him you shall die in your sins COL 1. 23. If ye continue in the faith grounded and setled and be not moved away from the hope of the Gospel which ye have heard and which was preached to every creature under heaven whereof I Paul am made a Minister WE have spoken of a Christians call by the general indifferent propounding of the Gospel to every creature without exception now the effectualnesse of this call lieth here that the Lord doth put in a little hope into the soul though the man be one of Gods chosen he doth not presently give him faith but doth open a little door of hope to the soul First the Lord brings his Law to a man and layeth him dead in Law utterly undone past all hope of recovery in himself he is a lost creature a miserable wretched creature having no hold to stay upon but a fearful looking for of vengeance he seeth nothing but wrath now when God hath a minde to call a man home at the hearing of the Gospel of peace the Lord lets in a little hope into the soul whereby he doth draw the soul to seek out unto him and makes it look out with hope of salvation the soul seeth now that there is mercy in Christ and grace in Christ and eternal life in Christ and he seeth this is generally and freely tendred to all that will have it and out of these two branches of general faith spirings this hope now thinks the soul I may have it as well as another the dole is free the mercy is free and why may not I be saved why may not I finde mercy and forgiveness and be ingraffed into the Lord Jesus Christ before this the soul was groaping for hope if it could have told where to have had it as Acts 2. 37. they were there groaping where to have it Men and brethren say they what shall we do they do not say there is nothing to be done there is no hope but what shall we do as who should say there is something to be done some course to be taken you that are Ministers of God is there no way whereby we may be pardoned whereby we may be saved whereby we may have a new heart and the favour of God and be delivered from the wrath to come but when the Gospel comes they see now a possibility and this breeds this hope so that this is the next point That when God doth effectually call a soul by his Gospel at the hearing Doct. The general tender of mercy workes some hope in the soul of this gracious tender of eternal life and grace in Jesus Christ the Lord doth let in a possibility of mercy and every grace into the soule and this doth help the soul with hope and this doth make the soul to trace God in all his wayes and he hath some encouragement that God will be found of him and that he may attaine salvation this the first thing the Lord pâ—ts in hope attaining of it the Lord deales with his people in this kinde as he dealt with his people in delivering them out of Babylon Zech. 9. 12. they were prisoners in Babylon now when God would deliver them out of Babylon he did first put in hope into their souls he made them prisoners of hope there was first a pouring of hope into their souls and then he opened the prison doors So the Lord makes his people prisoners of hope that though they be in the captivity of sinne and Satan yet they are prisoners of hope and the Lord gives some hope that the prison doores shall be opened and this we have here in the text for though the Apostle means here by hope the things hoped for yet we call it hope because as soone as ever they dawn in the soul they breed hope if they be the servants of God so that this Gospel breeds hope in a mans bosom Now here be five things I would shew unto you First what this hope is Secondly how iâ— agreeth with that hope that follows justifying faith Thirdly how it disagrees with it Fourthly the Reasons of the point And fifthly the Uses For the first what this hope is and it is an hope that ariseth out of the 1. What is this hope faith of possibility when the Lord lets in a possibility of faith and makes the soul believe that his sinnes may be forgiven and he may attaine everlasting life and he may come to be a Saint and one of Gods dear and faithful children he lets in such a possibility into the heart and this hope slows out of this faith of possibility and this faith of possibility is another-gesse thing then people take it for every drunkard will say he beleeves that it is possible to be saved and to finde mercy with God but you will finde it is a greater matter then so it is spoken as a great commendation of Abraham that he did beleeve that God was able to raise up his sonne Isaac Heb. 11. 19. so our Saviour Christ speaking to the blinde man asks him this question do you believe that I am able to do this for you Mat. 9. 23. it was a great matter for him to believe that he was able to do this for him Sarah though an excellent woman for faith otherwise yet she stuck mightily here and thought it was impossible for her to have a childe nay Moses as faithful a man as he was he could not believe that all the people could be fed in the wildernesse it is a greater matter then you think for for every sinful wretch thinks it is an easie matter to believe that Christ died for sinners and that they may be saved it is an easie matter for the faith of presumption but if a mans eyes be opened and his conscience awakened and he comes to have a sight of his sins now Cain will say his sinnes are greater then can be forgiven and Jâ—das is not able to flie unto Christ to believe a possibility of pardon but goes and hangs himself and despairs totally of the businesse this faith of possibility it comes within the compasse of a definition of faith it is the evidence of thiâ—gs not seen it is far above our nature and flesh blood cannot reveal it that there is salvation in Christ and that there is such a thing as a pardon to be had at Gods hands let a man have his understanding enlightned to see what a wretch he is and how fearfully he hath provoked Gods wrath against him and â—t is not in his power to beleeve that
other doth not now this coming is by faith and this we have here in the text He that cometh unto me c. Now before I come to handle this point I must premise something concerning faith Namely that it is not only a bare assent of the minde that all good things are in Christ but it is a confidence for the having of all the good things that are in him it is not only the first act of faith Namely an assent to the truths of the Gospel that God hath put all treasures of eternal life in his Son this I will not speak of because all both Papists and Protestants agree in this that faith is an assent of the minde this is a controversie on neither side therefore I will omit it But it is the second part or act of faith which is the believing that in the Lord Jesus Christ he shall have eternal life which is an act of the heart and this is that which I will stand upon it is a confidence in God and Christ for all good things when a man doth not only believe that all the promises of God are yea and amen in Christ but when a man doth fiducially and confidencially bear himself and rest upon Christ for all these things he comes to Christ for all good he looks for this I will prove to be an act of a justifying faith and that I may not be mistaken I will distinguish 3. Confidence in natural man 1. In the power of God There is a confidence in the power of God a natural man may believe the power of God and yet not have a justifying faith all that had miraculous faith did believe the power of God but the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 13. 2. If I had all faith that is all miraculous faith even to the removing of mountaines without charity it were nothing Secondly there is an unrooted confidence of the will which may be in a natural 2. Unrooted in the will man as a natural man may believe that Christ is the only hope of Glory the only way the Truth and the Life the only one for whose sake he shall be accepted as he may assent to this so he may have a kinde of unrooted confidence in these things which may procure a great deal of peace to his conscience this is that which Divines call a temporary faith Mat. 13. for a time they do believe c. A natural man may not only believe Christ but believe in Christ in some sense truly he cannot but in an unrooted manner there may be such an act put forth though it be not rooted in the heart this you may see John 2. 23 24. Many believed on Christ saith the text yet he would not commit himself unto them he would not trust them with mercy and grace and favour he would not trust them in regard of his own body and safety they were not right for all that and yet they did not only believe Christ but in some sense and in an unrooted manner they believed on Christ therefore there is not only a firme assent to the truth which may be in a natural man but also some kind of confidence Thirdly there is a presumptuous confidence in God and Christ for salvation 3. Presumptuous which the workers of iniquity may have they may not only believe the general truths of the Gospel but have some kind of confidence in Christ though not so good as the former for that reformes a man and makes him follow Christ till persecution come and may be in persecution too till he be weary but this is not so good you shall have a drunkard a prophane person he hath confidence in Christ that God heares his prayers accepts his duties and will provide for him our Saviour Christ speaks of such Matth. 7. 22. He tells us of many that shall be confident in him how they have done wonderful works in his Name and eate and drank in his presence and have heard him preach in their streets and yet are but workers of iniquity I do not mean this neither these are but false confidences Now there are two godly considences gracious ones such as are only in Gods 2. Confidence in the godly 1. Special perswasion of Gods love Elect and not in all Gods Elect neither but only in such as are effectually called and yet come not within this definition of faith The first is that full special perswasion of the heart a man may have true justifying faith though he never attaine to this for justifying faith is a confidence in Christ for justification now this special and full perswasion of the heart is not only an affiance in Christ for justification it doth not only apprehend Christ for justification but it apprehends justification it self now this must needs be after justifying a man must needs be justified before he can confidently apprehend justification he must first be justified before he can say he is justified the object must be before the act Thus it goeth justifying faith must needs be before justification and justification must be before the sense and feeling of justification before a man can feel and apprehend he is justified the cause goeth before the effect in order of nature for a man is justified by faith Now if a man know he is justified then the thing must be true before he knows it is so now here they differ that faith is a confident apprehending of Christ for justification and this full special perswasion of the heart is not only a confident apprehending of Christ for justification but an apprehending of justification it self Now true justifying faith may be without this Job 13. 15. Though he kill me yet I will trust in him That is suppose that I were at an utter losse that I knew not whether God will slay me yet slay me or not slay me perish or not perish I will trust in him Imagine God deliver me up and will none of me yet though he kill me I will trust in him I do not say I am at this losse that he will kill me blessed be God I am not in this case but if I were at this losse that he would kill me for ought I knew yet I would trust in him so that we see this confidence may be without this full perswasion of heart Secondly there is another good confidence that comes not within this definition 2. A constant expectation of faith and that is a constant expectation and this is the daughter of faith Ephes 3. 12. This confidence whereby the soul hopes in God differs from the confidence of faith for this confidence is an effect of faith it is by faith Now these two differ thus the confidence of hope is that which a man hath for the future having of those things that for the present a man believes now the confidence of faith is the confident apprehending of Christ for the having of them John 3. 36. He that believeth in
his heart by faith without faith you can do nothing saith Christ and faith tells a man this it makes him know what a wretched creature he is and what a damned nature he carries about with him and that he must not follow and please and give satisfaction to that at any time Now a natural man may see his insufficiency of himself and the vilenesse of his nature but conscience only shewes him this but because he hath not faith it doth not humble him and put him down but he will follow his own thoughts and go after his own reason for all this he hath not true and saving faith to reveal these things in power to him but when faith comes into the soul it doth it to the purpose it makes a man not to be a little affected with his sinnes but â—oundly affected and makes him see that he is undone for ever if he go on in that course he was wont to do and thus faith working in this fashion delivers a man over to Christ by taking a man off from that which was his Pilate and guide before and making him to be guided by Christ Secondly Faith works obedience by carrying a man to God it 2. By carrying a man to God makes a man seek to God how to obey Teach me O Lord to do thy will Psal 143. 10. Faith carried him to God so faith doth wheresoever it is it brings a man to God that God would be pleased to strengthen our apprehension that so we may look upon his will and to fortifie our understandings that we may conceive of all his wayes with a Divine and heavenly understanding and to fortifie our wills that the feeblenesse of them towards God may be removed it crieth to God from day to day that he may not do as he hath done nor live as he hath done faith wheresoever it is drives the soul to God and to lie at him from day to day to guide him and teach him and instruct him and shew him his wayes and reveal unto him his Statutes as David Psalme 119. 35 36. Incline my heart to thy Testimonies and not to Covetousnesse As who should say Lord here is my heart will and whole man I beseech thee make me walk in thy wayes I am very loath and untoward I beseech thee put some strength into this will of mine when I go to thy Word let me heare it with trembling when I go to prayer let me go to it with an heavenly minde encline my heart this way and make it stand bent this way 't is true when naturall men are convinced that all strength is from God they pray too but this is not faith in prayer but faith makes the soul that it cannot be quiet but it must obey and stoop to him in all his wayes Thirdly Faith works obedience by making a man improve all the abilities that God hath given him already and this is the best way to 3. By making a man improve all his abilities encrease them Matth. 13. 12. When a man hath grace hath a Talent and makes use of it and hath it to some purpose and layeth it forth that man shall encrease his Talent and abound God will give him more now as faith works obedience by shewing a man his own wretchednesse that he must not yield to his own desires and be carried by his own vaine imaginations that for his part would conclude such a course is lawful and why not Though God saith the contrary faith makes him consider that and so drives him to God and so also it makes him go and improve those gifts and parts and strength that God hath given him already that he may lay it forth and use it to the uttermost as if a man be haunted and baited by any lust deadnesse security coldnesse in duty or some other lust Now Faith when it would make a man obedient to God to crucifie these lusts it makes a man look out to see what power God hath given him what abilities God hath lent what helps and furtherances God hath reached out unto him and he takes all to fight against that lust hath he understanding that he employes to think of the evill of the sinne to consider of the danger of the sinne how he may avoyde it and what course he may take to overcome it if God hath given him a memory he layeth it forth to remember and recollect such things as he hath heard and hath been told of he layeth all his Talents forth that ever he can to master that lust and so works obedience as faith drives a man to God for help so look what help God lends and what Talent God puts into his hand he layeth all forth for the working of obedience he will not let any one lye idle but will employ all to help him forward in obedience Fourthly Faith doth work obedience by making a man to relie upon Christ it doth look unto an union with Christ it doth make 4. By making a man relie on Christ a man to cast himselfe upon Christ for power against his sinnes it doth extract vigour from Christ against corruption it doth distill and draw down graces from him faith is the pipe whereby grace is conveyed from Christ to the soul and faith opens the passages of this pipe that it may descend down to the heart from the Lord Jesus Christ faith is a marvelous excellent thing it doth extract efficacy and validity and power from the life and death of the Lord Jesus Christ for the crucifying of the flesh for the mortifying of the deeds of the body and thus it changeth the heart and brings willingnesse to every duty by doing thus I say faith goeth to Christ and casts it self upon him for all things it wants for the performance of all good courses and wayes Thus David got power against his carnal â—eare when he was afraid of Saul on one side and the Philistins on the other side how doth he fence himself against this Psalme 56. 4. I put my trust in God and therefore need not feare what man can do unto me and so faith was able to root out his feares So it was with the remnant of Israel Zeph. 3. 13. They shall do no iniquity you will say how can that be Can flesh and blood do that As long as a man is flesh and blood he will be doing some iniquity or other how shall a man be able to do no iniquity and let no iniquity have dominion over him it goeth before in the twelfe verse They trust in God They trust in God and so shall 〈◊〉 iniquity When a man doth trust in God and hath faith to relie upon him aâ—d distill down power and strength from Christ this will help him to do no iniquity and help him to oppose himself against all his corruptions and fight against the strength of all his lusts as the Apostle saith Rom. 3. 13. let us therefore cast off the workes
of darknesse You will say this is very strange are we able to do this can we tame our own hearts or change our own minds are we able to purge out these corruptions is this possible how shall a man do this Why put on the Lord Jesus Christ in the next words go to him by a true and lively faith and then you may be strong in Christ and able to do every good Duty and subdue every sinne receiving strength from Christ when a man is to go through thornes and briars a man is not able to go through but if he put on his Bootes and his Gloves c. he may so when a man goes on in his owne wayes he cannot avoide sinne pride and covetousnesse and vanity how shall he avoide these things 't is true he cannot avoide them if he go naked but if he put on Christ he may it is a similitude taken from a garment and that in two respects First it must be fitted and then it must be put on so Christ first takes measure of all the infirmities and frailties of his people and communicates to them a sutable grace are they troubled with afflictions then he measures out patience to beare them are they persecuted then he makes them able to stand for his Name are they to pray to deny themselves to sight against Satan he measures them out a sutable proportion of his grace and Spirit to him and now when a man hath his Gloves and all provision on he may go about hedging or ditching or any businesse so when a man hath put on Christ and is armed with grace and strength from him what is it but a man may do In that very moment wherein a man casts himself upon God in Christ and doth lay hold upon Christ by a true and lively faith this grace is made over to him the same moment may be the grace of victory he must stay for a while but there comes a grace of sincerity from God that very moment that he believes in Christ though may be there comes not that power from Christ he would have yet that power that he shall be sincere and will never let corruption make him a slave he shall never walk after the flesh never be stubborne and worldly never do as the wicked do never depart from God as unbelievers use to do he shall depend upon God and waite upon him and adhere and cleave unto him and continue a faithfull Souldier to Christ fighting against sinne and corruption to the death a man shall have power from Christ to do this if he have a true and a lively faith By faith â—aith the text Hebrewes 11. 5 Enâ—ch walked with God how is it possible could he walk with God what a strange kinde of life is this How averse is the heart of man from it People cannot abide such strictnesse to have commerce and society and communion with God to keep close to God and not go away from him how could he do this Why By faith he walketh with God So Abraham God bade him leave his Countrey and all he had you must think a thousand things were objected to him you must think he had abundance of reasonings to and â—ro in his minde I am in yeares unfit for travell and I shall now travell God knowes whither and I am now where I was bred and brought up and I have hear meanes and maintenance and friends and know how to live and for me to go into a strange Countrey where I know no body and I know not what may become of me and for me to leave certainties for uncertainties all the world will count me a foole how did he do this By faith he obeyed saith the text c. Faith helped him with power to look up unto God and cast himselfe upon God that helped him against all difficulties that helped him against all the backwardnesse and dulnesse of his nature he committed himself to God and would do it he packt up himself never once standing upon the matter but away he goeth By faith he obeyed c. So By faith Abel offered up a more acceptable sacrifice then Cain Hebrewes 11. 4. How is that possible Was he not made of the same mettall Cain was was he not borne out of the same womb digged out of the same pit As apt and prone to serve God after an earthly manner as Cain How was he able to offer up a more acceptable sacrifice He had no better sheep then Cain Why it was done by faith he had faith in God he renounced himself and was divided from himselfe he was united to God by faith and resolved to hang upon him and so leaned upon him for every thing he had promised and so got acceptance with God So Rahab by faith entertained the spies Hebrewes 11. 31. It was a hard piece of service a marvelous difficult piece of businesse you must think she thus reasoned with her selfe shall I entertaine Traytors Shall I betray my owne Countrey The Town will see it it will come to the Kings eare and I shall become a Traytor to my Countrey and Prince and a thousand to one but I shall lose my life if I suffer them to be here but how did she overcome this By faith by faith she entertained the spies for all it was so hard for all death was at the doore yet by faith she was able to do it What shall we say to Gideon Baruch c. Who by faith subdued Kingdomes c. Hebrewes 11. 37 Out of weak they were made strong How did they work righteousnesse They were as weak as others but saith made them of weak strong faith strengthened their wills to that which was good faith corroborated their resolutions and purposes towards the pleasing of God and resisting corruptions faith made them strongly resolve that they would not be led by their owne wills they believed in God and so were able to do it What shall I say of Moses Hebrewes 11. 24 This is a wonderful thing that he should refuse to be called the sonne of Pharoahs daughter a meane man born and yet refuse to be called King Pharoahs Grand-childe who would refuse such excellent hopes of honours and preferments may be he might be King afterwards Nay when he was come to yeares to do it if he had refused it when he was a childe before he had come to yeares it had been no such wonder it might have been attributed to his childishnesse Nay but he was come to yeares and was a learned and understanding man what man would have done this Indeed rare are such persons that are able to renounce themselves in this fashion but you see what faith can do Quest Thus you see how faith doth work obedience and now if Quest How doth â—aith fetch power from Christ you would know how faith doth fetch power from Christ to do these things I answer it is by two wayes Answ 1. As an instrument First Faith
all vain hopes 2 By setting a look upon the Gospel 3 By removing all impossibilities Use 4. Labour not to diminish this hope p. 58 Dir. 1 Look to the power of God 2 To the freeness indifferency universality of the promises 3 Send often unto God by prayer John 6. 45. Doct. When God calls the soul he makes it hear a particular voice p. 60 Reas 1 Else no man could come to Christ p. 61 2 That we may have a ground for our faith Qu. Why is this act attributed to the Father Ans 1 Not as though Christ did not speak p 62. 2 Not as though we should set up a conceited distinction of works in the Trinity p. 63 Qu. What is this voice of the Father Ans Neg. Not distinct from the word preached Aff. 1 It consists in the opening a mans senses 2 In taking away a mans lameness 64 Called a voice 1 Because joyned to the Word 2 Because it hath a similitude of a voice Qu. How may we know whether the soul hath heard this voice p. 63 Ans 1 There is a power goes along wiâ—â— this word 2 This voice makes a man hear more then any creature can speak 3 It is the irrefragable propounding of the promise 66 The second act of faith which is the believing that in Jesus Christ he shall have eternal life 67 To distinguish 1 A natural man may believe the power of God 67 2 An unrooted confidence of the will ibid. 3 Presumptious confidence p. 68 2 Confidence of the godly ibid. 1 In special perswasion of Gods love ibid. 2 A constant expectation ibid. Confidence in Christ for life and salvation is justifying faith p. 68 Arg. 1 From the several expressions of faith in Scripture 1 Trusting 2 Relying 3 Staying on God 4 Rolling ones self on God 5 Adhering 6 Believing on God p. 70 Arg. 2 From the offer of Christ Arg. 3 Because faith is a coming to Christ p. 71 Arg. 4 Because the Doctrine of justifying faith is no proposition but Christ himself p. 72 Arg. 5 Because true faith is faith of union p. 73 Use 1 No absurdity to say faith is in the heart as well as in the mind 75 Use 2 A believer may not be sure in regard of sense True faith may be without sense and feeling Arg. 1 The event is not the object of justifying faith p. 77 Arg. 2 The event is conditional till a man believes p. 78 Arg. 3. 4. p. 79 Arg. 5. Not the truth but the strength of faith apprehends the event p. 80 Doct. It is faith that makes a man obey the call of God p. 83 Reas 1 Because faith seeth Gods purity and mercy to be inseperable attributes p. 83 Reas 2 Because faith looks on Christ not only as a Saviour but as a Lord p. 84 Reas 3 Because faith cleaveth the heart to the commandements as well as to the promises p. 85 Reas 4 Because faith looks for a fâ—tness for heaven as well as a title to heaven p. 86 Reas 5 Is eminently all that a man is to do p. 87 Qu. How doth faith make a man obey p. 88 Ans 1 By setting before a man his corruptions 2 By carrying a man to God p. 89 3 By making a man improue all his abilities p. 89 4 By making a man relie on Christ p. 90 Qu. How doth faith fetch power from Christ p. 90 Ans 1 As an instrument 2 In a moral way Use 1 See what little faith is in the world p. 93 Use 2 Of examination of our obedience 1 It is willing p. 94 2 Works resignation to God 3 It puts forth all a mans strength in God p. 95 Use 1. To condemn security 42 2 to reprove the neglect of it in the godly 3 to direct how to walk Dir. 1. Count watchfulness your life 43 2 Watch universally 3 Proportion it to the duty in hand 4 Take heed of hindrances 1 Vain company 2 spiritual drunkenness 5 Set God before your eyes 44 Use 4. To exhort to watchfulness Mot. 1. Otherwise it will be ill with us at last 2 Our soules are sickly 3 We are already awakned 45 4 The badnesse of the times places families we live in The New birth John 3. 6. Doct. The Spirit of God regenerates all the Saints 47 Qu. 1. What is regeneration 48 Ans 1. A renewing of a man 2 A renewing of the whole man 49 3 It is done by degrees 4 It is according to Gods Image 50 5 It is Gods Image in Christ Jesus Qu. 2. Why called Regeneration 51 Ans 1. To shew the great corruption of nature 2 Because great resemblance with generation 1 In both there is a father 2 In both there is a mother 52 3 A shaping in the Womb before life 4 Pain in bringing forth 5 A new being attained 6 New kindred gotten Qu. 3 Wherein doth it consist 53 An. 1 There is a passive receiving of Christ 2 An active power to become Sons of God Qu. 4 Why doth the Spirit work regeneration 54 Ans 1 It is the good pleasure of God 2 No other agent can doe it 3 Man of himself is totally against it 55 Qu. 5 How doth the Spirit work regeneration Ans 1 By the Word of life 56 2 By a secret supernatual power Use 1 To confute Papists Pelagians c. 2 To inform of our need of the spirit 57 3 To exhort 1 Not to grieve the spirit 2 To doe any thing for God 3 To pray for the spirit Use 4 For examination whether we be regenerated 58 Signe 1 When doing good is natural 2 When heart is a good soyl for grace 59 3 When a man cannot live in sin 4 When it is pleasant to do Gods will 60 5 When grace gets the upper hand 6 When a man loves the children of God 7 When a man loves to profit others spiritually Christians ingrafting into Christ Qu. 1 What is Christs body into which men are ingrafted 62 Ans 1 It is the Church of God 2 It is gathered out of all Nations 3 Predestinated unto life 63 4 Begotten again by the Word 5 Knit and combin'd to Christ Q 2 What is it to be put into this body 64 Ans 1 It is part of the ingrafting into Christ 2 It is done by faith 3 It makes us have a common life with all the rest of Christs members 65 4 It makes a man be of one consent with all the people of God everywhere 5 Is for mutual help care and sympathy 66 Qu. 3 Why doth the spirit of God doe this 67 Ans 1 None else is able to doe it 2 None else fit Qu. 4 How doth the spirit doe this Ans 1 By being one and the same spirit in all the members of Christ 2 By tying a knot between these members Use 1 Informs that the want of the spirit is the reason of the difference of men in the World 68 2 Let none put asuuder whom the spirit joyns 3 Try our acquaintance hereby
but saith he The Lord though I was one of his elect yet he let me fall to this pass that I might be a pattern to them which shall afterwards believe so we may say of Gods children after conversion David may say For this cause among the rest the Lord left me to my self the Lord let me fall so fouly and lifted me up again that I might be a pattern to many poor people to the end of the world that they may see the loving kindness of the Lord and the infinite compassions and bowels of mercy that is in the father of mercy towards them that trust in his name we should never believe the mercy of God the freeness of his grace the goodness of his nature towards his beloved towards those whom he hath effectually called were it not for such examples Secondly The Lord doth this for to punish the carelesseness of his people and their security many times what sin is there that is more apt to grow upon them then security it is a stealing sin it is a secret and cunning sin that comes closely and slightly upon a man before he is aware if he look not to himself now when a man grows to be secure the Lord takes this course many times to eat it out to punish the security of his people Peter when he had gotten faith in Christ and affection to Christ when he felt that his bowels did yearn after Christ and his heart was enlarged towards him he grow secure upon it though all forsake thee yet will not I he was Mat. 26. confident but it was carnal confidence for though the thing a man trusts in be the grace of God yet as long as it is grace received it is trusting in a mans self he therefore was carnally confident now he would venture himself into the high Priests hall though he thus affections will never be drowned he might go any whither well he comes into the high Priests hall and there comes into the very mouth of temptations and dangers he doth not dream how easily his heart may be caused to deny Christ he did not dream what a ticklish heart he carried in his bosome he grew to be bold and venturous now the Lord to heal this security let him fall in a desperate manner he let him get a knock almost to beat out his brains even Mat. 26. 74. to curse and ban himself not only to deny Christ but with abjuration the Lord seeth it is needful to do thus when people grow secure we ought alwaies to carry a covenant about our eyes to take heed where we look and when we are in company to have a bridle in our mouth to take heed what we speak now if we grow careless and negligent and this bridle is gone and this covenant is gone and our watch is taken away no marvel though the Lord be provoked against us to punish us and that soundly and let many of his people get a knock and who knows how great a one and how hard to heal again Thirdly the Lord sometimes leaves his people to themselves that so they may see they stand meerly by grace I doe not mean by grace received though they had all faith though they had never so much knowledge never so much experience and interest in God never so much sense and feeling of him never so much life and zeal and quickening whatsoever it be all the enlargements that ever any man had I doe not mean this for a man never stands by this but by the free favour of God that is the grace a man stands by the free good will and love that God doth bear unto him Now when a childe of God shall have received a great deal of grace a great deal of knowledge and faith c. he is apt to be remisse in seeking of God to direct him in that thing he knowes he thinks he can direct himselfe we see let a man have very good parts and knowledge and be able to preach how apt is he to be the lesse in prayer to God to help him to Preach and guide him to deliver the Word So let another man have a great deal of knowledge may be the man will be the less sensible of his own wretchednesse and ignorance and aptness to mistake and erre and goe aside and so to be lesse eager and earnest with God for his continual aid and teaching and assisting of him every moment So let a man have a great deal of zeal and life and quickening he is apt to discern the lesse pronenesse to coole again And suppose a man hath mortified a lust nay all his lusts he can hardly feel he hath any desire after such a sin hardly any motions or stirrings in his heart I tell you this man if he takes not heed will be a venturing oh he thinks he is cock-sure he is so taken off from the lusts of the flesh that he can never catch hurt and he may be sometimes will admit of occasions and admit of drawing something neer the pits brink he is so mortified he fears nothing Now the Lord in his infinite goodnesse to his people leaves them to themselves are you so mortified come let us see how mortified you are and so leave him to himselfe to see what the man can doe with all his knowledge and zeal and mortification and now this man falls Look how far God leaves a man so far he falls he will have his people see that they stand not by grace received but by the free grace and favour of God It is not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth but in God that sheweth mercy Rom. 9. No though a man have never so many gracious endowments and heavenly vertues it is not in him that willeth but in God that sheweth mercy it is in the fountain of mercy and loving kindnesse in God Let a man keep close to God let a man still observe the pleasing of God that there may be a continual fountain open running down upon him from day to day for if he grow secure and look not to himselfe he exposeth himself to woful dangers Fourthly The Lord leaves his people sometimes thus fearfully to themselves that he might teach us to be sensible towards our brethren to be mild and meek and piteous and full of bowels and compassion towards the weakest and meanest of all the Saints of God if we see but any thing of God nay but any likelihood that a man is of God to be tender for fear we should wrong a childe of God the Lord doth this of purpose to breed bowels and meeknesse and gentlenesse towards his people As God lets men fall horribly before conversion that they may carry themselves meekly towards those that are unconverted for fear any of them should be of the Elect of God so he lets them fall after conversion that they may carry themselves so towards them that are converted I say the Lord lets his
people fall horribly into woful evils that though they see a man fall never so much yet they may noâ— omit any thing to doe him good that they may not be taken off from their bowels and compassion who knowes but this man may be of God for I was as wretched as he once as Paul would have the Cretians take notice of this they were horrible sinners before conversion lyars slow-bellies now saith he Tit. 3. 2. Speak to them that they shew all meeknesse to all men Mark his reason ver 3. We our selves also were sometimes foolish disobedient c. We our selves were thus therefore let us shew meeknesse to all whatsoever and let us be kinde and full of bowels and compassion toâ—ards them studying how to doe them good and prevent all manner of evil and labour to win them if it be possible with all meeknesse and condiscending who knows but they may be of God for we our selves have been malâ—cious and spightful ignorant haters and have served divers lusts and pleasures so it is with people after conversion the Lord lets them fall into horrible sinnes and distempers that so they may be gentle and that they may have the spirit of meeknesse towards all men a man is apt to be severe and rude and rigid towards others if he hath gotten any thing himselfe if he hath gotten a little knowledge a little zeal a little faith a little humility a little ability to please God he is apt to think it such a deal and he is apt to cry down every one that is not as he is You are so proud and so thus and thus and to take off his heart from doing those duties which he owes towards him â— man is apt to be very insolent in the Church of God many are thus till God doâ—h take them down therefore the Lord by this means doth teach his people gentlenesse and meeknesse indeed God teacheth people many wayes besides this if they will take warning by his Word or some other course they save him a labour but if that will not doe God takes this course with a man to make him see his pride and conceitednesse and his want of mercy and unlikenesse to Christ in bowels and pity and compassion towards his brethren Fifthly The Lord leaves his own children to themselves sometimes to fall so foulely that he may humble them and bring them down low that he may make them see yet further into the corruptions of their own hearts that so he may make them capable of more grace for he gives grace to the humble Now when he would give more grace to a man may be he lets him James 4. fall into some horrible sinne that he may be the more humbled and see the naughtinesse of his own heart that he may be driven to God and may be deeper in mortification may be he thought he could goe no furthrer he did please himself in his prayers as I have heard of one that said when he had prayed he could hardly see any sinne in his prayer Now when the Lord is pleased to bestow upon them more grace he doth shew them the corruptions You know how often God let his people fall in the Wildernesse and that horribly by murmuring and repining and infidelity though they were his own chosen yet he let them all at the waters of strife and at the red Sea he let them fall he let them fall concerning Manna why was this the text saith The Lord thy God he proved thee he led theâ— up and down in all this â—arren wildeâ—nesse where were Scorpious and fiery Serpents that he might humble thee and doe thee good in thy latter end Deut. 8. 15 16 Meaning the Lord let them fall into those horrible evils that he might humble them that they might see the wickednesse of their own hearts and the infinite need they had of grace and the fear of God and standing upon their guard this d 〈…〉 to humble them and do them good in the latter end The first Use may seem to condemn those speeches that commonly go up down in Christians mouths let me tell you they are wicked speeches O say Vse they grace will not let a man have such pride and vanity in him grace will not let a man do thus and thus I say these speeches are not good they savour of a world of ignorance of the grace of God Indeed in three cases these are admirable speeches First Certainly grace will bring a man home to God that belongs to him it will put him into Jesus Christ it will certainly make him a new creature and bring him out of the estate of sinne he shall not live in the estate of sin grace will do that and God in the covenant of grace doth set down that it is a fundamental promise he will do this for every one as the Apostle saith Eph. 4. 7. this grace will surely undertake that a man shall be a believer if he belong to God and he shall be justified and sanctified in some measure he shall hate sin and love goodness in some measure and delight in Gods ordinances in some measure he shall be in the estate of grace and not in the estate of sin grace will do this this we may boldly say if a man have grace he must do this for God will teach him to do it Secondly Grace will undertake that a man shall not fall finally away that is certain that we may boldly say if a man be of God grace will teach him that he shall not fall away finally grace will uphold a man and maintain him when we see a man fall away finally we may conclude he had no true grace Gods children shall never fall finally away God will preserve and keep them whom he loves he loves to the end of all those that my father hath given me I have lost none saith Christ Joh. 17. neither life nor deaâ—k things present nor things to come shall ever be able to separate us from Joh. 13. 1. the love of â—od in Christ Jesus saith Paul Rom. 8. ult that is most certain blessed and happy is he that hath his part in the first resurrection for over such the second death hath no power Rev. 2 26. that is such a man can never come to be damned he can never fall finally away or perish everlastingly there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ that walk not after the flesh but after the spirit Rom. 8. 1. v. 30. whom God hath predestinated them he hath also called c. there is an individual necture of all the links of the chain of predestination in all the several buckles of it there is an indivisible connexion if a man be called he shall be justified and if he be justified he shall be sanctified and if he be sanctified he shall be glorified so that grace will undertake this that a man shall not â—all finally away Thirdly We may say
they come to let in the world again this doth mightily dead and damp their hearts this doth wonderfully lay bolts and fetters upon their soul that it cannot go on as formerly as the Apostle shews 1 Tim. 6. 10. as soon as ever a man gives way to look after the world presently if he had any faith he erres from it if he had any quickning before he is now deaded this deaded Demas his heart for a time he was so full of life that he was able to hold company with St. Paul but when this came once to take possession of him Demas hath forsaken me he was gone he was able to hold 2 Tim. 4. company with Paul no longer worldliness will quickly take off all the affections and all the quickning that was in the soul it will presently fail and die and decay therefore you shall see when the Lord would set down how dull Ezekiels hearers were and how heartless he sets down this as a reason oâ— it their heart is gone after their covetousness Ezek. 33. no marvel then they went not after Ezekiels Sermons for their hearts could not go after both at once so long as their hearts were after the world and profits they must needs be dead and untoward to the word of God therefore the Apostle saith Eph. 5. 3. let not covetousness be named among you as becometh Saints as who should say it will utterly dead and kill all your Saint-qualities and dispositions that are in you if you suffer your hearts to grow earthly the dames of the earth as one saith doth not more quench a candle and put it out then the love of the world doth damp grace and put it out presently and this is the cause of that deadness that is grown among us we are grown worldly and the world carries us away we are all for the world so that all our words thoughts affections carriages they are all little else but worldly most people have many businesses abroad in the world riding abroad into the world but who takes that short journey into his own heart people can tend businesse with every body else but themselves they know what is done beyond sea and the countries round about and yet hardly any one marks how things go in his own soul whither he goes backward or forward whither he gets or loseth every body can ask how others do but no man looks how his own soul doth people are grown at great distance from themselves I speak not of drunkards or prophane persons such as are absolutely dead in sins and trespasses but I speak of Christians in whom we should look for life we are grown strangers to our selves we are out of our own reach we are grown to a mighty distance from looking to our own estates and conditions as we ought to do our minds are scattered up and down about other things therefore no marvel we are so heartlesse towards God Seventhly The next cause is idleness and spiritual sloth when men let their minds go as a boat without a guide the boat goeth uncertainly when it hath no body to guide and steer it so people let their thoughts and hearts and minds run at all adventures people do not take pains with their own hearts and hold them to that which is good we let our hearts be like the field of the sluggard any thing may grow in them for all us we do not look to our hearts that we may have good things grow in them and that we may fence our hearts from those things which may make us untoward in the wayes of God if we have any stirrings at any time we are like idle huswives when the liquor hath done working they forget to stop up the bunghole so when men have any stirrings then they are in motion and action but when they are gone they let their hearts get a vent and they are deaded again as if they had nothing at all as Solomon shews Prov. 19. 15. though a man hath enough for the present yet if he grow idle when that is spent he will samish and starve and die the idle soul shall suffer hunger may be he hath something now but if he be idle and sluggish that may be all spent and then for want of supply he may famish so it is with the soul though it hath something for the present yet if it be idle and sluggish and slothful and take not pains from day to day it must needs go to wrack when God gives us knowledge of sin we should improve that knowledge to root out sin when God gives us insight into graces we should employ it that we may get those graces if God give us his ordinances if he give us a Sermon at any time we should presently work with it As it is with a graft that a man cuts off to plant and set if he lets it lie till it be dead it will never grow but if he presently plant it it will take in the ground and prosper so if a man would presently take a good motion when it comes if he would presently take hold of a reproof or counsel given him out of the word of God while it hath life in it and works upon his heart the heart might receive much benefit but when people are blockish and dull they are not willing to take any pains no wonder though they go down as they do Eccles 10. 18. by much slothfulness the building decayeth c. it is so in the spiritual building if people be slothful all gracious things must needs vanish away and go out more and more and this is a most grievous thing it is generally among all people nay among the better sort for wicked men that live palpably in sin they are struck dead in â—â—n and never had any colour of life but I speak of those that have had some kind of quickning yet notwithstanding suffer themselves to be deaded through idleness when we go to prayer we do not put forth our selves in prayer our prayers are dead when we go to the word we do not put forth our minds and therefore our hearing is dead our hearts are like to a sieve when it is in the water it is full but when it is once taken out again not a jot remains so it is while people are at a Sermon may be they seem to drink in something and their hearts are affected yet these people are rare too but when they are gone all is gone all leaks out again for want of stopping for want of observing the things they have heard this is the reason there is no more life among Christians because they are so idle and sluggish thou evil and slothful servant saith Christ when a man is a Matth. 25. slothful servant he must needs be an evil servant Christians will confer may be now and then of grace but with such loose thoughts that there is no edification or quickning nay their hearts grow dull and
there is no man is dead but he that hath no care to look after Christ and desire him if we would have Christ if our hearts be open to him if we doe but desire him and long for him if we have but these groanes and outgoings in our souls oh that I had but Christ shed abroad in my heart if I had him I should have life and quickning if I had him I should have right and title to all Gods heavenly comforts if our hearts did but goe up and down longing after Christ this is the way to attain to quickning Isa 55. 1. Ho every one that thirsteth come ye to the waters c. Come and ye shall have waters that shall never be dried up the want of faith is the cause of hardness of heart and of deadnesse as our Saviour Christ when he saw they were dead Matth. 16. he did upbraid them with unbeliefe if a man did but once believe if a man did but truly cast his soul upon God if he had but once his eyes opened to see the vanity of all other things to see the danger of sinne and iniquity the misery of all unregenerate people and to see the worth of Christ and the infinite goodnesse of God in Christ what an admirable pearl it is to enjoy him how it is better then life it selfe better then the whole world yea then thousands of worlds if a man did but see this and had his heart affected with this to be drawn to Christ and to have his heart and minde run after him to be possessed of him this is faith you that would know whether you have faith or no if you had all the faiths in the world you are infidels without this faith but if you have this faith you have true faith if you have a heart running after Christ minding him and longing for him and casting your soules upon him for all good accounting this your principal and total and main good and accordingly affecting this these are the works of faith and if you have these works you may be quickned believe in the Lord Jesus Christ set your hearts upon him and seek after him and you shall have all manner of good even life it self The second meanes is a careful learning of the Word of God preached Second means When the Corinâ—hians were marvellously blocked uâ— in their minds and hearts and were straightned in good things 2 Câ—r 6 12. mark what the Apostle saith v. 11. Our mâ—uth is â—pen to you c. as who should say in our Ministery there is abundance of grace abundance of life and largenesse of heart abundance of gracious things all manner of good things we bring with us in our Ministery peace and comfort and hope and all the promises of God and all the rich treasuâ—es of Jesus Christ we come with our armes full you are not straightned here but you are straightned in your 〈◊〉 bowels as who should say you may be enlarged sweetly by our Ministry wâ— deliver unto you abundance of grace and mercy and abundance of supply all those deadnesses and lockings up of heart in you would be healed by the Ministery of the Word so may I say if your hearts are locked up certainly it is for not taking what the Word offers if you would come hungerly and greedily to the Word of God with an heart desirous to be edified and instructed and to apply what the Word speaks to your souls certainly you shall here meet with abundance of grace and life for the Word is the Word of life and the Ministery of the Word is the Ministery of the Spirit of God and life so that the deadness of all people is meerly from their own bowels you are not straightned in us saith the Apostle no in thâ— Ministery of the Word is abundance of life The third meanes is A careful shunning of all those causes of deadness which we named formerly we must take heed of sin for if we give way to sinne it will dead the heart it will make a make a man shy of God and put a man to woful tasks and breâ—d loâ—hness to goe about duties it will make a man to have a guilty conscience and dead a man that way it will grieve the spirit of God and quench all the operations and sweet influences and gracious motions of the Spirit that the sweet livelinesse of his workings will be gone away if a man give way to sinne if he give way to the world or slackning in a godly course if a man give way to pride or vanity or any sin this will dead the heart a mans heart will presently be deaded if he give way to the Devil and to his temptations In particular you must take heed of niggardlinesse in Religion they that love quickning must labour for a frank and free spirit that will rather overdoe in Gods service then underdoe as long as a man hath a free heart he shall have a quickened heart therefore labour to preserve it doe as Philemon I knâ—w thou wilâ— dâ—e more than I say Paul knew he had a free spirit that if be commanded him a little he would doe more he would rather overdoe then underdoe our Saviour Christ calls for this free spirit Iâ— a man take thy coat give him thy cloak also rather overdoe then underdoe in any good thing have a free heart if God bid thee pray pray thrâ—e times five times a day rather then not often enough there be mâ—nâ— duties that God doth not set down how often and how frequent and hoâ— long now labour for a free spirit rather do twice as much then underdo Again Take heed of lownesse of Religion of taking up a low and base and mean kinde of Religion that will not reach the Kingdome of God there is a low kinde of Christianity that wil not be able to attain to salvation a low faith that doth not make a man to have his conversation in heaven a low repentance that reacheth not to mortification a low profession of Religion that comes not to the power of Godliness Prov. 15. 24. The way of life is above it is an high thing therefore take heed of low Religion for people think that any kinde of righteousness will serve turn if they have but a little Reformation and Religion they presently think this is godliness but let us take heed of this low Religion that will never do the deed Again We must take heed of want of Watchfulnesse we must set up a gracious and Christian watch in our hearts from day to day when the Lord had found fault with the Church of Sardis for being dead in the next words he bids them be watchful as who should say the want of this watchfulness and looking to your selves and having a care over your thoughts and aâ—fections lest you should be drawn aside the neglect of this is the cause of all deadness Again We must take heed of vanity as David saith Psal 119.
that understand it of things and not of persons and so it is in the Original Strengthen the things that remain that both Minister and people would strengthen the good things that were in them for the Minister was grown weak and remiss and the people weak in all good things Now the Spirit calls upon the Angel of this Church and in him upon all the Congregation to strengthen the good things that were in them So that the point of Doctrine is this that it is every Christians duty to Observation labour that he might be strengthened specially if he hath had more grace formerly then now he hath it is every Christians duty to strengthen the good things that are in him For the opening of this word strengthen it hath an opposition to weakness Now there is a double weakness First Of those people that are unconverted that are weak to the resisting of sin and doing any that is good they have some principles in them to resist sin and doe good but they are weak as common illuminations and natural conscience and fear of wrath and hope of Heaven and shame of others and the good example of others and living under the means and restraining grace and the like these things may do a great deal of good but they are weak and cannot make them resist sinne and doe good soundly thus unconverted people are weak This is not properly the weakness that is opposed to strength that he would have them get out of the weakness of unconverted people Therefore secondly There is another weakness and that is of the children of God themselves they have weakness to resist sinne and doe good and this is twofold First There is a weakness of Beginning Secondly of Declining First In beginning when a childe of God is a beginner in grace and is but a babe Heb. 5. 12. When for the time ye ought to be c. Such as are babes have need of milk they cannot digest strong meat they are too weak for that as may be a new beginner hath gotten faith but it is weak he is not able to apprehend the promises of salvation and the assurance of Gods goodness and mercy towards him he hath much ado to apprehend Christ himself and uphold his heart so a man may have some knowledge but it is weak and some resolutions and endeavours but they are weak corruptions bear him down and his mortification is weak he cannot master many of his heady and mighty lusts Now such people as these are to be exhorted to strengthen these good things that God hath begun in them Hath God begun any good things in thee any lively fear of his name any hatred of evil any love to goodness any longing and thirsting after righteousness any endeavour after eternal life any faith thou shouldst labour to strengthen these things that they may abound in thee and that they may be confirmed and established in thee that thou mayst be made unblameable against the coming of the Lord Jesus but 〈…〉 s is not the meaning neither Secondly therefore There is a weakness of declining when a man hath been stronger and now hath abated of his strength and is grown weaker a strong man may grow into a consumption which may spend him away till he comes to be an Anatomy and so is grown weak so many Christians that have been stronger they are now grown weak they are grown into a consumption o◠graces they are grown to be an Anatomy to be nothing but even skin and bone they were wont to have more faith to apprehend a promise but now they have more doubting they could pray strongly but now they are faint and weak they were powerfull in every good duty but now they are down the wind they are like a Jack that wants wanding up they had need be wound up again they are grown more cholerick and peevish and pettish and have less strength over their corruptions and are made more ready to be drawn away Now such persons are exhorted to strengthen these things and the rather because they are but remainders you have had more grace and have let it die and decay therefore strengthen that which remains and is ready to die so that there are two parts of this Doctrine First That every man should be earnest and use all manner of holy Part 1. meanes to strengthen himselfe 'T is true First it is every Ministers duty to labour to get strength into his people to strengthen their understanding and knowledge and judgement to strengthen them in the promises to hold forth Jesus Christ nakedly unto them to expound the free grace of God that they may be strong in faith So if a Minister sees they are weak to bear afflictions he should labour to support and bear them up and poure some spirit into them and enable them to bear So if he finde they are unable to bear temptations he should use all arguments to piece them up that they may stand against the wiles of the Devill a Minister hath his own strength given him of purpose to strengthen his brethren Isa 35. 3. the Lord saith Strengthen the weak hands c. He would have Ministers call upon people to get strength and to use all means by preaching and teaching and exhortations to get some strength into his people it is a Ministers duty not only to gather Saints but to perfect the Saints whither should the people come but to the Minister to get strength in grace Secondly It is every neighbours duty to strengthen his neighbour Christians should strengthen one another in all manner of good duties as coals of fire doe warm and heat one another when they are together but if they are severed they will be dead so Christians when they meet together should labour to warm and heat and quicken one another Saint Paul writes to the Thessalonians to mark all the weak and feeble people among them and to strengthen the feeble-minded 1 Thes 5. 14. But then thirdly Every man should doe this duty to himself to strengthen the good things that are in him we see all the world labours to be strong in outward things some to be strong in riches and wealth some to be strong at the Court and others to strengthen themselves in their friends and alliance as Abner laboured to be strong for the house of Saul for he knew he should be no body if that went down if a man have a case to defend he will make himselfe as strong as he can to desend himselfe if a man be to fight a battel he will make himselfe as strong as he can nay people will strengthen themselves in their wickedness Now if it be so then how much more should we labour to be strong in the grace of God If we have any good things given us of God we should strengthen them as Paul saith to the Corinthians when he saw they were babes still and were weak and never came to strength he
calls upon them at last to strengthen themselves 1 Cor. 16 5. Because we can have no comfortable argument to our souls that we are true 1. Reas Christians except we get strength every true Christian is a very able man as Paul saith Phil. 4. 13. I can doe all things through Christ that strengthneth me He was a strong man and able to doe great things what man of a thousand can be rich and not be proud and vain and let his heart follow after pleasures and the things of the world yet a true Christian can be rich and yet not be thus so what man almost can be poor and not be discontented and repine against God and take unlawfull courses yet a true Christian is able to be poor and yet not deny God nor distrust God nor fall a carking and caring so likewise a true Christian can have a peevish nature and yet not be peevish he can have as crabbed a disposition as any body else and yet not be crabbed he can have as vile a cursed nature as any man under heaven and yet have a good disposition he is able to doe all things as Job saith Job 9. 19. If you talk of strength God is strong So it is with a childe of God that hath the image of God in him if you talk of strength he is strong a man cannot have any true argument to his soul that he is a true Christian unless he be strengthened to doe the things of God unless he be lifted up of God to doe supernaturall things a true Christian is no weakling a man saith I cannot doe thus and thus it is my weakness then thou canst not say thou art a true Christian for a true Christian is an able man a mighty man nay all the graces of Gods spirit are strong that if a man hath any degree of them he may doe wonders with them 1 John 5. 4. This is our victory that overcometh the world even our faith He doth not say great faith but our faith a little faith though but as a grain of mustardseed is able to overcome the world a true Christian can overcome sin and the world and the Devil and whatsoever is contray to him a natural man may believe in some sense but he can nothing with his faith it is not of the right stamp but a true Christian he can doe wonders with his faith he can draw neer to God and cry Abba Father he is able to purifie his own heart all things are possible to him that believeth it is a powerful thing Jacob had power with God saith the Text he is able to fit Gen. 32. 28. himself against every lust and goe about every duty and please God in all his wayes in some measure a little faith is strong so love is a strong grace it is as strong as death Cant. 8. If a man hath but a little true love to God it will enable him to doe strange things it will make him suffer any thing doe any thing leave any thing for God Now natural people they say they love God but it is a weak love it cannot make them leave a lust for God it cannot make them doe any thing for God it cannot carry a man beyond nature but all the graces of Gods spirit are marvellous strong things therefore as ever we desire to have a sign and token that we are true Christians and have the grace of God in truth in any measure in us we should labour to strengthen all the good things that are in us for if we doe not strengthen them they are not of the right stamp Secondly We can never doe any act of new obedience unless we be strengthened 2. Reas as the Lord saith to Joshua Josh 17. Onely be then strong and doe my commandements c. He would have him strong that he might observe all the Law of God as who should say Joshua thou canst never be able to observe my Law there be mighty performances things that flesh and blood can never reach unto therefore unless thou hast strength and divine strength thou canst never be able to doe this therefore be strong strengthen thy sâ—lf labour to have all the courage and might that may be God bids us do nothing but he requires all the strength of the whole man Thou shalt love the Mar. 12. 30. Lord thy God with all thy heart and all thy strength it must be thus if the water-man be to rowe with the tyde and the wind he puts forth no strength the stream will carry the vessel but if he be to rowe against wind and â—yde now he must put forth all his strength else the boâ—t cannot â—o nay it will go the contrary way so if we would please God and work the works of God and attain to his heavenly Kingdom we must rowe against wind and tyde and without tugging and hailing and putting forth a great deal of strength we shall never do it as suppose a man be wronged and offered an injury he cannot be quiet an hour together but he is abused and misused and mocked and opposed now he cannot be patient unless he be strong and have great strength to deny himself as Col. 1. 11. Be strengthned with all might according to h 〈…〉 â—lorious power to all patience and long suffering with joyfulness As who should say if you would have patience you must be strengthned with all might specially if you would be patient with joy may be a man may be patient but then he is surly and lumpish and all amortâ— may be he bears but he is like a block or stock he cannot joy in tribâ—lation he had need have a great deal of strength to do this so if a man would pray can he pray without a great deal of strength it is not a little heave will lift up a mans heart to God I lift my heart to thee he gave a Psa 25. 1. great lift to his heart and Heb. 5. 7. it is said that Christ prayed with strong cries we cannot pray aright unlesse we come with strong cries and strong desires so if a man hear the word if it awaken him and quicken him he will lose all again and be as blockish as he was before unless he be strong 1 John 2. 14. we can do no good duty without strength and therefore we had need to labour for strength Thirdly We can never overcome temptations nor make our part good 3. Reas against temptations without strength nay we cannot resist them or combate with them or stand in the field against them but we shall be beaten out and be overwhelmed if we have not strength if we would go to heaven we shall be sure to meet with abundance of temptations and if temptations will put us out of the way we shall have enough of them if they can sway us and make us do this and that we shall not want temptations if a bowl hath bias
wrapt up with God and taken up with spiritual things yet you are not so spiritual but if you will hearken to the counsel of your own hearts you may be carnal and brutish look upon thy self as a poor miserable creature though thou hast never so much grace thou canst not keep it unlesse thou hast a better keeper then thy self Secondly Because the people of God are bound to fear themselves I bring the very arguments that they bring that hold a child of God may fall away totally therefore I grant them that the arguments are good that in themselves they may fall away and I say a child of God is commanded to fear be not high-minded but fear that is though thou hast an excellent faith and standest by faith yet be not high-minded do not think thou art higher then thou art and remoter from the power of the flesh then thou art be not proud and conceited for all the faith thou hast thou mayst distrust God and if God leave thee to thy self thou mayst be an unbeliever and as vile an infidel as ever breathed upon the face of the earth in thy self thou hast as vile a wretched heart as any man which if thou wert left to thy self would quickly shew what it is Phil. 2. 12. 13. work out your salvation with fear and trembling for God worketh both the will and the deed As who should say I do not deny but a child of God doth depend upon the good pleasure of God and is built upon his eternal counsel he is not built upon his own pleasure he doth not stand upon the hap hazard of his own will but upon the good pleasure of Gods will but saith he it is our part to fear for we for our part may fall we can do nothing no more then we are holpen no more then God doth stand by us and keep us from falling it is our part to fear and tremble from day to day as the Apostle saith Heb. 4. 1. let us fear lest having the promises of entring into his rest any of us should fall short Let us fear as who should say we are in danger of coming short we are in danger to fall and not to reach the Kingdom of Heaven how many temptations are there what a vile flesh do we carry about with us therefore let us fear Thirdly The children of God are commanded to take heed lest they fall totally away where note they may for all that is in themselves for any grace that is received therefore God calls upon them to cling to him and â—o cleave to him that he may not be provoked to withhold himself from them as we may see Heb. 12. 15. take heed lest any man fail of the grace of God c. Take heed look diligently to your selves lest any man fail of the grace of God if you mean to go to heaven I can tell you you must have care and diligence and look to your selves take heed you be not proud and worldly take heed you suffer not security nor any other corruption to steal upon you and hinder you from going on in a godly course take heed lest any of you fail of the grace of God what do these words import but that a man in himself is in greiveous danger in regard of falling totally away so 1 Cor. 10. 12. he that stands let him take heed lest he falls though he stand never so firm for the present though he be never so stout and couragious no man ever went so far in the wayes of God but he might turn back if he lookt not to himself no man was ever so zealous but he might be lukewarm if he lookt not to it no man was ever so quickned but he may be deaded if he look not to it therefore he that stands let him take heed lest he fall Fourthly Because the children of God are commanded still to grow in grace because there is no grace yet received or that can be received in this world is enough to keep them from falling totally away if a man think with himself this grace I have is enough I need no more if he do stand at a stay and limit himself and think this will suffice he is mistaken there is no grace if it were a thousand times greater then that which the best Saint in the world hath that can secure a man from falling away therefore when the Apostle would perswade Christians to take heed that they did not fall away 2 Pet. 3. 17. he bids them grow in grace would you not fall but stand stedfast would you not be led away with the errours of the wicked know assuredly that all the graces you have received are not sufficient but grow in grace labour to be more humble and meek and patient and zealous labour to make more conscience of your wayes to have a more tender heart to be more taken up with God and more careful to please him to be more earnest and frequent in prayer to mark his word and look to your steps every day labour to stand firmer and stronger yet for all that you have attained to it is not so much but it may be weakned and born down Therefore grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Sixthly Because the examples of Apostates and backsliders are propounded to the very Saints for them to take warning by as the Apostle propounds the example of the Jewish Apostates to the Romans if God spared not the natural branches c. Look upon them see how they are fallen away Rom. 11. 21 how that Church is Apostatized therefore look thou to thy self lest that which befell them befall thee lest thou sin against God as they did and so that light upon thee which did light upon them so the Apostle doth propound tâ—â— example of Alexander and Hymeneus and Philetus even to Timothy though Timothy was elect of God yet he knew Timothy was of a flexible nature and might change and fall and fall totally in himself if he did not look to it O saith he hold faith and a good conscience c. 1 Tim. 1. 19 20. He propounds it even to Timothy that the falls of Apostates might make him wary and careful to stand upon his guard Seventhly Bee use the children of God are fain to pray that God would keep them from falling away finally totally which is a sign that they may fall away totally in themselves notwithstanding whatsoever acquaintance they have with God or whatsoever vertue they have gotten from Christs death yet they are to go to God to keep them from falling away as Psal 119. 43. 44. take not away the word of thy truth c. As who should say Lord for ever keep me do thou never forsake me utterly though I may provoke thee to forsake me very much yet never take away the word of thy truth utterly out of my mouth then I shall never be able to hold
gift of God that is in them and this is a signe that they never fell totally away for if they fell totally away they must have new repentance as if they had never had it and they must be converted again and regenerated againe with a second regeneration which was never heard of The first Use may serve for the confutation of those that hold that a childe of God may fall totally away here you see he cannot though he may fall never so grievously into foul sins and grievous distempers yet he shall never fall totally but some good things shall remain in him Psal 37. 28. The Lord preserveth his Saints And Jude 1. they are called a people sanctified by God the Father and preserved in Jesus Christ And as the Apostle speaks 1 Pet. 2. 10. He that doth these things shall never fall A childe of God shall never fall totally it is everlasting life that he hath that faith which he hath is an eternal grace he that believeth hath everlasting life so the fear of God is an everlasting grace The fear of God endureth for ever Psal 19. 9. And therefore those that totally fall away shew plainly that they were never the children of God as the Apostle faith If after they have been enlightned c. they fall away it is impossible they should be renewed by repentance Heb. 6. Because they were never right there was never any true grace in that mans heart but saith he I hope better things of you and things that accompany salvation Heb. 6. 19. As who should say they that have things accompanying salvation can never fall totally away The second Use is for comfort to Gods children Hast thou true faith or any good things wrought in thy soule thou shalt never lose it though thou mayst suffer a great deal of sickness and fall into many decayes of grace and goodness yet thou shalt never lose all there shall be some good things remaining in thee the Lord will not suffer thy righteousnesse to fall for ever he will have thee in everlasting remembrance therefore what a comfort ought this to be to every true beleeving soule Again This is a great comfort against all fears Art thou afraid thou hast no grace I beseech thee believe the Word of God rather then thine own sense and feeling thou hast heard the Word of God say a childe of God can never be without grace he can never fall totally away therefore though sense and feeling tell thee thou hast none yet believe the Word that saith thou hast 2 Cor. 5. 10. We walk by faith and not by feeling saith the Apostle The best of Gods children sometimes are put to this to live by faith and not by sense at all though God help thee not in prayer nor quicken thee in good duties and though thy sense and feeling tell thee thou hast no grace believe it not but believe the Word of God that tells thee a childe of God shall never be without grace to the worlds end but something shall remain in him for evermore therefore be of good comfort though thou see nothing and thy neighbours see nothing yet believe neither thy selfe nor thy neighbours but rather believe the Word of God then a thousand witnesses for it is certain a childe of God shall never fall totally away Again It may be a comfort against all manner of temptations God knows how thou mayst be tempted assaulted the Devil may be let loose upon thee but still remember and think with thy selfe I was told a child of God can never fall totally away one whose heart God hath once inclined one whose soul God hath once sanctified one whom God hath once turned brought home to him in some measure I have been told he shall never fal away therefore hold this principle even to death against all the Devils in Hell God is my God and I have grace and shall have grace and shall never be totally off the hooks as long as I live as David though he said God had forsaken him in regard of sense and feeling yet he holds this principle still My God my God Psal 22. 1. Again This is a great comfort against all persecutions we know not what persecutions and what troubles we may come to and what may become of us before we goe hence Now it is a great comfort to hear this that come prosperity come adverâ—ity come what can come come temptations on the right hand and on the left hand come fire and faggot come prison come banishment I tell you a childe of God shall never be a bankrupt he shall never be void of all the spirit of God and all the graces of God he shall have something in him still remaining 'T is true a childe of God may be brought to that pass that persecutions may be heavy to him and may be a grievous cut and he may be ready to put off this and ready to consult with flesh and blood to put it off and unless a childe of God provide for persecution it shall be harder for him to bear it but yet if thou be a childe of God the Lord will never leave thee nor forsake thee as the Apostle saith Heb. 13. 5. though the cross and affliction be never so bitter and irksome to thee yet thou shalt have something or other that shall make thee able to bear it and to go on in it though thou dost but hang by the fingers ends yet something shall bear thee up so that thou shalt not fall Lastly Labour to make it sure to our souls that we are godly for we see what an happy estate it is to be godly once godly and ever godly once a believer and ever a believer a man that is a godly man shall never fall totally away therefore labour to make it sure that thou art a child of God and hast the grace of life in thy heart and then be of good cheer and take that comfort the Prophet takes to himself the Lord is my hope I shall never be greatly moved Psal 62. 2. As who should say I do not indeed deny but I may be moved but though I be moved I shall never be greatly moved I shall never be so moved as to break my neck and be utterly undone to be quite and clean forsaken and given over for gone so as to be removed from all hope of the Gospel and fear of Gods name a man may be horribly assaulted yet a child of God shall never be at such a pass as that the Lord shall leave him utterly We come now to the second Motive and that is that these remainders were ready to dye we may take these words to concerne the whole Church or every particular soule that was guilty of it but we will speake of them only as they have reference to the Church From whence we observe that a particular Church may be ready to dye A particular Church may perish this must not be
is holiness and righteousness that is a sign of our effectuall calling Thirdly They are signs of justification also as the Apostle sheweth but you are washed c. 1 Cor. 6. 11. you see if we be justified we are also sanctified so 1 Joh. 1. 7. if we walk in the light as he is in the light c. We have not one drop of the blood of Christ sprinkled upon our souls by Gods eternal spirit through faith unless we walk in the light and bring forth the works of the light Fourthly They are signs of adoption John 8. 39. If you were Abrahams children you would bring forth the works of Abraham so if we were Gods children we would do the works of God the will of God The Apostle having spoken of the adoption of Saints behold what love the Father hath shewed to us c. presently he tells us that holiness and righteousness follows from hence he that hath this hope purifieth himself as he is pure So Rom. 8. 14. As many are led by the spirit of God are the sons of God this is an infallible sign if we be the sons of God we are led by the spirit of God so that we have no mark that we are the children of God but rather of the Divel unlesse we walk in purenesse of conversation from day to day Fifthly They are the marks of our love to God as Christ saith if you love me keep my commundements John 14. 15. we love not God except we keep his commandments as ever you would be able to say in truth you love me keep my commandments look that you yield not to the corruptions of the world look that you renounce the Divel and all his works I will conclude you love me not at all if you keep not my commandments and he that loves not Christ let him be Anathema Maranatha saith the Apostle Secondly Consider this that the reason why we cannot pray better is Motive 2. because we are no more abundant in good works not only because we want faith but because we want good works for certainly this is a great help to prayer a great support to the soul a great encouragement to go to the Throne of grace and a great sign that God means to hear a man when God hath given him an heart to fear him and love him and make conscience of his wayes as the Apostle saith 1 John 3. 22. Whatsoever we aske we receive of him because we keep his commandments and do the things pleasing in his sight As who should say when we go to God and intreat him to be merciful to us and intreat such and such favours that we stand in need of we know that we shall receive them because we keep his commandments These are admirable supports to hold up the hands to the Throne of grace and to make us importunate in prayer and confident because we know God hath poured forth his gracious good will and pleasure into our hearts and hath given us a mark he loves us and beares us good will indeed Why can we pray no better our hands are weake and our knees feeble there is no power in our supplications to the Almighty the spirit of grace is departed from us why the spirit of holiness is gone there is the reason of it when people are loose and do not mortifie their lusts when they are not abundant in following God in fearing God and serving God and obeying the commandments of God they cannot have confidence at the Throne of grace Thirdly Consider this would be a great chearing and rejoycing in the Motive 3. evil day whatsoever afflictions come upon us in this world if we can carry letters testimonial in our own conscience that we do serve God with a pure conscience in this world as Paul saith 2 Cor. 1. 12. God knows what evil may befal us before we are a little older what temptations may await us what distresses and calamities may fall upon us happy are we if we have the testimony of a good conscience that we walk in the wayes of God and fear him and love those things that are beloved of God if we love his children his Ordinances his glory and are tender of it a good conscience tender of the commandments of God and his waâ—es is the best comfort a man can have in the world setting aside his faith in God and this is an evidence of his faith too how can we tell what may be may be the best of us may come to Davids pass you know hoâ— he was put to it once in the time of his misery and affliction he was fain to look if he could see an honest life and conversation whither he had pleased God saith he I communed with my spirit and made diligent search Pâ—al 77. 6. How have I pleased God and followed God what manner of â—e have I led he ransacked all his life and conversation and would be glad to see he had done the things pleasing to God iâ— would be more comfort thâ—n if all the Angels in heaven had spoken comfort so temptations or afâ—â—ictions may be upon us that we would be glad to see signs and tokens of Gods favour in sanctifying our hearts and making us to be obedient to his will and tremble at his word and if we cannot see these things woe unto us 1 Tim 6. 19. charge them that be rich in the world that they be not high minded c. So we do not know what times may come we had need lâ—y a good foundation for comfort against the time to come and charge rich men that they be rich in good works charge all Christians all that desire to had in the evil day to be rich in good works and abound in them and lay up in store a good foundation against the time to come that they may lay hold of eternal life Lastly Consider that your want of obedience and good works is the cause of all Gods temporal judgements why God doth stop the bottles of Heaven and turns the Earth into dust and parcheth our Corn we see God hath begun the plague among us in the principal place of the Kingdom wherefore is all this see what the Prophet saith Jer. 3. 3. therefore have the showers been withholder because you have been wicked thou hast an whores forehead and refusest to be ashamed thy carelesseness and barrenness under the means of grace thy impenitency and hardness of heart these have caused the showers to be withholden and have made God to deny the former and latter rain The second point is this As the Covenant of grace requires works so it Doctrine The Covenant of grace requires perfect works Objection requires perfect works he tells the Church of Sardis that he looks for works and perfect works but câ—nnot find them so that the second Covenant requires perfect works But you will say how can that he Paul himself that was as forward a man and had as
the children of Judah fasted and that for 70. years together four times in a year they sought the Lord extraordinarily yet because they did not seek him thoroughly he did not count it sincerely done Zach. 7. 4 5. As who should say You did not fast unto me Doubtless they themselves thought they were very religious what not only to doe the duties of religion but to doe extraordinary duties no question they thought this was very much yet every one were cast off because their hearts were not upright before him Aâ—â—ziah the Text saith did those things that were good in the eyes of the Lord yet the Text makes this exception against him that it was not with an upright heart 2 Chron. 25. 2. Conâ—ider first That God delights only in an upright heart Prov. 11. 20. They that are of a froward heart are an abomination to the Lord but those that are upright in their wayes are his delight Upright Prayer and upright hearing of the Word and upright Preaching of it upright walking in a mans Family and upright carriagâ— in a mans conversation when a man carries himself uprightly in all his wayes this man is a delight to God as he saith Isa 66. 2. I can look over heaven and earth but at him will I look that trembleth at my Word The prayer of the upright is his delight Prov. 15. 8. When a man can make faithful pleas to the throne of grace for mercy faithful pleas that God would pardon him faithful pleas that God would enable him and accept him and he doth not make these pleas falsly but his own heart can say there is no sin but he sets himselfe against it and there is no commandement but he sets himself to obey it but the sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to him he cannot abide it let them pray a thousand prayers God abhors their prayers if they have not upright hearts So 1 Chron. 29. 17. see what David saith as who should say Lord thou hast pleasure in uprightness and then certainly thou hast some pleasure in me for with an upright heart and in the sincerity of my soule have I sought thee Now on the contrary if a man be not upright before God if a man have a loose conversation and he be not sincere the Lord abhors that man Secondly Consider that this is the totall summe of all that God requires in the Covenant of grace that they should be upright and faithful in his Covenant as when he made his Covenant with Abraham Gen. 17. 1. he saith Walk before me and be upright This is that God requires and he would be an Almighty God unto him and bless him and do him good to all generations 1 Sam. 12. 24. It is the saying of Samuel to the people Only fear the Lord and walk before him with an upright heart As who should say this is the onely thing and God requires no more if God had required more he might lawfully have done it if he had required the fulfilling of the Law to the utmost rigour he might have done it but this is the onely thing that God doth stand upon that we should be upright before him he doth not look that we should be Angels upon earth but that we should be sincere and noâ— goe a whoring from him wittingly and willingly Thirdly Consider The least faith the least grace and goodness if it be with uprightness is better then all the goodly performances of the whole world God liked more of the poor womans two mites then of all the abundance that the Scribes and Pharisees cast into the Treasury And he that gives a cup of cold water to a Prophet in the name of a Prophet shall noâ— lose his reward Therefore you shall see many poore beggarly things over those things that other men have done have been accepted whereas the building of Hospitals and Colledges have been rejected though a man have but a little knowledge as many of the Martyrs hardly knew how many Sacraments there were yet having uprightness died at stake so if a man have but a little faith with sincerity it shall pass when a thousand presumptuous fools shall goe to hell Fourthly Consider God will wink at manifold and grievous faults so there be sincerity and uprightness Asa his faults were horrible faults 1 Kings 15. 14. yet his heart was perfect What a company of faults had he what an horrible failing was this that he should cast the very Prophet of God into prison that reproved him Now God answers he had his failings and horrible ones yet he was a good man for his heart was upright before me Asa was not himselfe in that businesse Asa was not Asa then his heart was upright with the Lord. So good Jehosaphat a man that was grievously besmeared with corruptions and infirmities and those no small ones how fearfully did he marry his daughters into a most devillish Family as if he had no fear of God before his eyes he married them to the house of Ahab and another time he helped the enemies of the Lord and loved them that hated the Lord I know not how he was hooked in to joyn with Ahab and goe up to Ramoth Gilead and when he had done this and had humbled himselfe for this he did it again 2 Kings 3. 7. And the Reformation he wrought was not thorough as it ought to have been yet saith the Text 2 Chro. 19. 3. There are good things in thee because he was upright the Lord was pleased to accept him nay I will tell you more look upon the people at the Passeover in the dayes of Hezekiah what a company of people came to Jerusalem to keep the Passeover and came horribly unprepared the Text saith they were not prepared according to the Law of Moses which was a grievous thing yet the Text saith the Lord heard the prayers of Hezekiah for them because they prepared their hearts to seeke the Lord they did endeavour to grieve and be ashamed for their failings and want of preparation now on the other side what goodly men doth God reject not being upright and sincere as Jehu what a glorious King was he I warrant all the good people of Judah and Israel blessed God that ever he sate upon the Throne what to root out Baal and to destroy all the Idolatrous Priests and to be zealous in it come and see my zeal for the Lord these were admirable things yet the Lord doth discharge him and would have none of him because he was not upright Look upon the Scribes and Pharisees the none suches and mirrours of their times that was a Proverbe in Israel that if but two men in the world should go to Heaven the one should be a Scribe and the other Pharisee they were thought to be the holiest men in the world yet when the Lord saw this was not with an upright heart he denounceth woe upon woe against them Fifthly Consider That if we be upright it
will help us to profit by all Gods Ordinances take the preaching of the word Micah 2. 7. the Prophet brings in the Lord speaking thus that the word shall do such people good is there any man in the world that walks uprightly that my word doth not do good unto that it doth not comfort his heart and quicken his soul to obedience is it not a light unto his feet and a Lanthorne to his paths so that an upright man when he comes to the Ordinances of God he shall be the better for it when he goes to prayer he shall be the better for it when he comes to the Sacrament he shall be the better for it all the Ordinances of God shall doe him good whereas if a man have a false heart the word hardens him prayer deads him if he come to the Sacrament it is not for the better but for the worse if he be reproved for his sins if he have not a sincere heart he is so much the worse it will do him no good it will make his heart rise up against those that reprove him and hardens his heart so much the more Sixthly Consider that if we be upright what a deal of comfort this will be to our hearts there is no comfort in the world comparable to the comfort of one that hath walked uprightly as Hezekiah when he had received the sentence of death what did comfort him did all his wealth and greatness and renown comfort him no but remember Lord how I have walked before thee with an upright heart marke what he saith he doth not say Remember Lord how I have reformed the Church and purged the Temple and thrown out all the abominations in the Land and purified the Passeover and set the Ordinances of God in his house in due order no none of all these comforted his heart but looke what he did he did with an upright heart as who should say I might have done all these things but if it had not been with an upright heart it had been nothing that which I did I did from my heart with a fear of thy command I sought thee in it and no by-ends all my care was to approve my selfe before thee how Lord remember this remember the infinite goodnesse and promises that thou hast made to those that are upright before thee Nay if thou hast an upright heart whatsoever troubles come upon the earth or upon thine own soul if thou beest cast into prison or made to flie from one Country to another I tell thee in the midst of all thy afflictions and troubles if thou hast an upright heart thou shalt have peace and comfort Psal 97. 11. in the midst of darkness in the midst of afflictions there is some light some cranney some hold some comfort for the righteous on the other side if a man be not upright what a woeful case is this man in nay though a man be upright yet if he doe not apprehend himselfe to be so what a lamentable case is he in he can have no comfort all the skilful Physitians in Gilead can hardly fasten comfort upon that man tell him of all his reformations and prayers and good duties he hath performed O saith he all this is but hypocrisie I am so dead and dull God hath not all my heart tell him of his good desires and purposes and endeavours he is affraid he is not right tell him of Gods promises to pardon him he saith I am not sincere I am not upright Lastly If we be upright we shall be blessed our selves and not only our selves but our very posterity shall be blessed as the Prophet David saith Psal 112. â— His seed shall be mighty upon the earth he speakes of the upright nor onely himselfe shall be blessed but he layeth up a blessing for the generation that shall come out of his loins so Prov. 20. 7. his very children are blessed after him if thou set thy selfe to serve God uprightly with all thy heart though thou canst not leave thy children any great outward matters yet thou shalt leave them a blessing from Heaven thy children shall fare the better for it if we would know what shall become of our children and would faine provide for them let us be upright and that is the way to â—ay up a blessing in store for our children now on the other side if a man be not upright he is so farre from treasuring up mercy for his children that lie rather treasures up wrath both for them and his own soul nay though a man hath been never such a convert to outward appearance never so strangely reformed that all the Country admires at it as it was the case of Simon Magus he was a Conjurer yet this man was converted very much to see too he was wonderfully reformed and gave over his Conjuring and embraced the Gospel and would follow the Saints and joyned himselfe to Peter and to Philip also when he came to Town yet having not an upright heart the Text saith he had no Lot nor portion in Jesus Christ nor in the Covenant of grace and mercy but was in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity The fourth Use is for examination To examine our selves whither we be Vse 4 upright or no and this is a very necessary Use because those that are noâ— sincere are most subject to think they are sincere and they that are sincere indeed are most afraid they are not sincere Therefore first Consider A sincere man is universal in regard of all the Signes of uprightness commandements of God he doth set himself in all his wayes to obey God in all his statutes as we may see Psal 119 6. This is an upright man that hath respect to all Gods commandements but a false-hearted man may be he will do something he will pick and choose and take what he likes of the commandments of God some things he will doe others he will not doe he cannot be gotten to stoop to all Gods holy will he will never yield to that may be he will not commit adultery but then he will drinke horribly may be he will not swear but then he will lye if he be good in one thing he will not be good in another if he be diligent in his particular calling he will be negligent in his general calling he will not be holy and strict and one that doth walk in Gods holy Laws a true upright man doth not deal with the commandements of God as the swine doth with the pease-cods that will squeeze them and then leave the rest but an upright man digests all the commandments of God Secondly An upright man he is universal in all graces he is a man of all graces for why is God said to be the God of all grace but in respect that his people have all graces in them and he is the Author of all 2 Cor. 8. 7. the Apostle saith therefore as you abound in every
thou mayst be sincere therefore believe not conscience when thou hast the Word of God on thy side nay may be God himselfe will seem to accuse thee and to be thine enemy and discountenance thee and will not own thee for one of his children when thou commest before him he will seem to dash thee under his feet and give thee no countenance but look upon thee as an enemy yet be not dismayed if thou hast these things in thee in any measure the Lord doth this that he may doe thee good in thy latter end he doth it that he may humble thee and try thee whether thou wilt live by faith or by sense and whether thou darest trust him but if thou hast not these signs of uprightness thou art in the gall of bitternesse and bond of iniquity and thou canst have no true comfort to thine own soul The next point is That as we must be perfect so we must be perfect before Doctrine We must labour to be perfect before God God I have not found thy works perfect before God As who should say I lookt thou shouldst be perfect before him and I have not found it so Well then for the meaning of the word perfect before God that is so as God may approve and allow of them Now a mans works may be perfect so as God may approve of them two wayes First So as God may approve of them in his strict Justice and so no mans works can be perfect Psal 143. 2. Enter not into judgement c. No man living can be justified before God So Rom. 3. 20. By the deeds of the Law shall no man be justified before him This therefore is not the meaning Secondly To be perfect before God so as God shall approve of â—s in his mercy in Jesus Christ for his owne faithful people as it is said of Zachary and Elizabeth Luke 1. 5. This is the meaning of the place Now if you would know what it is to be perfect before God it is this in one word when a man is for matter and for manner right in the eyes of God not only right in the eyes of men to be a 〈…〉 ed of men but right in the eyes of God to be approved of God for matt 〈…〉 n a man doth those things that God commands him and for manner 〈◊〉 he doth them as God commands him out of faith in God and love to God and fear of God when a man doth it with all his heart soule and strength when a man doth it constantly and frequently and livelily in some measure this is to be upright before God you may see both these set down in one verse Deut. 6. 25. Here is the matter If ye observe to doe his commandements and then here is the manner right in the eyes of the Lord as he hath commanded If we doe thus then we are upright before God Now if either of these be wanting we are not upright before God if we doe not for matter what God hath commanded if we lye or swear or be covetous or proud or worldly these things are of the Devil and not of God we doe the thingâ— of the Devil and not the things of God Again If a man should bow the knee to Baal and doe the inventions of men this is not to be unright before God but if we doe the things that God doth not bid us God will say as he did Matth. 15. 9. If we doe for the matter the things that God hath commanded yet if the manner be wanting if we doe them not as God hath commanded if we doe them not with faith and love to God with conscience and fervency and quickning all is nothing as it is said of Amaziah he did those things that were right in the eyes of the Lord but the Lord cared not for it 2 Chron. 25. 2. it was not with an upright heart Therefore when both these concur this is to be upright before God First Because God hath so commanded thou shalt have no other gods Reason 2 before me that is I will have thee sincere before me As who should say thou mayst vow and swear and protest thou dost love God and fear God but if it be not so indeed thou hast a false heart if thou hast carnal ends if thou lovest the world more then God and thou lovest thy lusts more then him if it be so woe unto thee God will have thee upright before him As God saith to Abraham Gen. 17. 1. Walke before me and be upright As who should say Abraham if there be any way of wickedness in thee thou art not for me look thou be perfect before me if thou dost acknowledge that I am God Almighty and I am able to help thee and succour thee in all estates then be upright before me when a man sins it is for something he sins now what is there that is good but we may have it in God God is Almighty and therefore he would have us upright before him and if we be not upright he is Almighty and can crush us and destroy us for ever so that we should not only be upright before men but before God Secondly As the Law is so so is the Gospel if a man hath not faith in Christ Jesus that man is no true Christian howsoever he may hope to be saved by Christ yet if he be not upright before God in all his wayes and commandements in some measure in studying and endeavouring to keep himself unspotted of the world in all things he hath not faith he doth not believe in Jesus Christ Psal 116. 9 10. as David saith I will walke before the Lord in â—â—e land of the living how comes David to speak that O I believed therefore I have spoken if a man believe in God it will make him walke well not only before men but before God who is privy to all his thoughts and affections privy to what he doth both at home and abroad privy to what he doth alone and in company in his shop and in the market unless he be upright before him that knows all things he is not a believer though Simon Magus were baptized and did partake of Christian Religion and had some kinde of faith and joyned himselfe to Philip and the Church as a member of the Church and gave over his witchcraft and wicked courses yet when Peter saw his heart was not right before God marke what he saith Acts 8. 21. God hath sworne an oath that whomsoever he delivers from sin from Satan from Hell from the wrath to come they shall be holy and righteous before him Luke 1. 73. God will not be forsworne if thou dost hope to be saved by Jesus Christ and prayest and howlest and criest in thy afflictions from the bottom of thy heart with all thy eagerness to be saved by Jesus Christ God hath sworne an oath thou shalt not be saved by him unless thou wilt walk in holiness and
should sâ—â—rch us oâ—t is it good for us to leave all this wâ—â—â— to him to neglâ—â—t 〈◊〉 soules to lay aside our lives and consciences and bosâ—mâ—s and never to â—ansick thâ—m from â—ay to day never to enquire into our owne bosomes that we may reforâ—â— our selves but leave all to God to search us doe you think this â—ill doe will saith Job Then when afflictions and death and judgement shall come that then God should search you and lay before you your works therefore as you desire when God shall search you you may be found upright be careful to search your selves FINIS 2 TIM 1. 9. Who hath saved us and called us with an holy calling not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began IN this verse the Apostle declares what God hath done for him and for Timothy he hath saved us that is he hath redeemed us with the blood of his Son and freed us from sin and from Satan and from hell and hath given us title to eternal life he hath saved us 2. He hath called us that is he hath given us a pledge of this that we shall be saved that we shall The reasons of Gods mercies to Paul and Timothy certainly have salvation compleatly and fully for he hath called us Now he illustrates this two wayes first by shewing what kinde of calling it is which he here means and that is an holy calling he hath called us with an holy calling and then 2ly By shewing the reason why God would do these things for him and for Timothy these are great things what to save them and make them heirs of his Kingdome and to call them to the fellowship of Jesus Christ and give them interest in all Gods goodness and mercy what should be the reason that should move God to do so much for Paul and for Timothy he doth here expresse this three wayes First by removing all false causes not according to our works as who The removing of false causes should say it is not for any thing in us there was nothing in us that moved God to do this 2ly He layes down the true cause of it in the next words but according to The true cause of it his own purpose and grace that is he hath done it freely out of his own mercy and love and according to his own purpose Lastly He proves this and that by three arguments that this must be the Proved by three arguments cause and no other the first is this it was a gift that was given us therefore it must needs be free 2ly It was given in Jesus Christ as who should say he did not look at any thing in us there was nothing in us that was in his eyes no it was meerly for the merits of the Lord Jesus Christ Lastly Another argument is taken from the time when and that is from all eternity before the world began The point that I will handle out of these words is this that it is an excellent Doctrine thing for a man to be able to say that God hath effectually called him the Apostle here speaks it as a great comfort to his soul and the soul of Timothy and as a pledge of Gods everlasting love and salvation to them both that the Lord had called them and had been pleased to take them out of the world and to make them partakers of his Kingdome and glory Now for the opening of the point I will here first shew you what kinde of For the opening of the point calling it is that is here spoken of and it is not that calling whereby God doth call people to an office as of a Magistrate or a Minister but he speaks of a general calling of a calling out of the Kingdome of sinne and Satan into the Kingdome of his dear Son to be made partakers of eternal communion with himself 2ly It is not an outward call whereby wicked men that go on in their sins are called for so a reprobate may be called he may be called out of his own sinful courses and wretched estate and condition to the participation of Jesus Christ thus every man is called all men are called by Gods Ministers as Mat. 22. 9. the King sent out his servants to bid all that they found to the marriage Secondly A reprobate may be called inwardly by Gods Spirit I mean the How a reprobate may be called Spirit of God may go along with Gods Ministers to strive and wrestle with the soul and conscience of a man that remains in his sins Prov. 1. 24. because I called and ye refused therefore will I laugh at your destruction and mâ—â—ke when your fear cometh Thirdly A wicked man may be called not only with an outward call of How a wicked man may be called the Minister and with an inward call of the Spirit but with some efficacy it may go a great way so far forth as to make a man come in some kindâ— as it was with the man Mat. 22. 12. He was called together with the râ—sâ—â—â— come to the wedding and he came but he came without a wedding garment nâ—w one of these callings are meant here for in this sence many are called but 〈…〉 sâ—n Mat. 22. 14. But the calling here meant is a different calling from them and that in three things First It is a call according to Gods own purpose when God calls a man and hath a purpose to make a man come in deed and to come home this is A calling to Gods purposes the calling here spoken of Rom. 8. 28. We know that all things worke together for the best to Gods children that are called according to his purpose as God calls them so he doth purpose to make them come to himself and make them partakers of everlasting mercy God hath no such purpose when he calls the reprobate he hath a purpose indeed to do them good if it be not through their own default but yet notwithstanding he hath no such purpose and absolute intention to do them good he hath no such purpose to bring them to his Kingdome and carry them quite through in the business Secondly This is a secret in Gods own bosome and that is another difference How one calling differs from another wherein this calling differs from the other it is such a calling wherein God puts forth his power and the greatness of his power too God called the light and it came God called the Heavens and they came when as they were not God calling of them they were made to come so when God doth call a man by his Spirit he calls a man powerfully he doth powre in divine instincts of grace and faith and all other holy vertues whereby the soul is made able to come to God the Lord gives the heart a kinde of touch that being touched by his Spirit it must and
mans senses in opening a mans understanding a mans understanding is quite blinded and cannot see the things of God and though a man literally know all the cripture yet notwithstanding there is a veile upon his eyes and he doth not see the excellency and glory of it now when the Spirit of God comes and anoints a mans eyes and takes away the scales that they fall off from his eyes the man now begins with open face to see the glory of God and the glorious Gospel of God the natural man saw the Gospel to be a glorious thing yet the God of this world blinded his eyes that he could not see it in this glorious manner now when the Spirit of the Father comes to call a man effectually he doth anoint a mans eyes Esay 35. 5. The eyes of the blinde shall see he makes a man to see the wonders of Gods Law to see his gracious promises in Jesus Christ the freenesse of them the indifferency of them that they are propounded to every man that hath an heart to them and hungers and thirsts after them so that the Lord doth as it were say to the soul here are the promises here you see them beleeve in me this is the speech of the Father these are the promises this is the happinesse if you will embrace it you may be happy for ever now the world and profits and pieasures are not such a thing you may be damned for all them therefore come unto me and you shall have eternal happinesse thus the Spirit of the Father sheweth the soul the glory of the wayes of Jesus Christ and the glory of the promises here they are beleeve that is the first Secondly he opens the sense of hearing for as the minde of a man is stark blinde and cannot see the things of God so the heart of a man is stark dead and cannot hearken to God a man hath no ears by nature to hear God speak to him till the Lord comes and opens his ears as the Prophet speaks Esay 35. 5. The ears of the deaf shall hear when the Lord comes to open the ears of the deaf now the soul begins to hear before it was like the deafe adder that could not hear the voice of the charmer charme he never so wisely though he heard never so many Sermons he yet heard none his hearing was to no purpose in hearing he heard but perceived not but when the Lord comes and takes away the uncircumcision of the eare the soul now begins to heare and hearken to him now the stone begins to vanish out of the heart and flesh and feeling comes in the place thereof the soul is ready to say as Samuel Speak Lord thy servant heareth now the soul begins to hear a Sermon to hear a counsel to hear a threatning when the Lord begins to open the ear this is another thing whereby the soul is able to hear what the Lord saith Again this voice consists in taking away a mans lamnesse for as a man was 2. In taking away a mans lameness perverted and this was taken away by opening the ear yet now a man is lame and cannot come to Christ therefore the Lord takes away his lamenesse Esay 35. 5. The feet of the lame shall walk First he makes the soul walk and afterwards run and at last to flie as an Eagle First it walks you shall walk in my statutes and afterwards runnes and flies as an Eagle thus you see what this voice is Now there be two reasons why it is called a voice First because it is a Called a voice 1. Because it is joyned to the word thing joyned with the Word because it is all one together with the Word as Rom. 10. 17. Faith comes by hearing he doth not mean their onely outward hearing for faith will not come by outward hearing but he means the hearing of the outward ear and this hearing of the Father speaking to the heart and so faith comes Secondly because it hath a similitude of a voice the soul doth as it were 2 Because it hath a similitude of a voice hear a voice speaking to it not as though the acts you heard of even now can distinctly be known he doth them not vocally he doth not open the eyes and open the ear vocally but as the blind man said One thing I know that whereas I was blind now I see but how he came to see that he could not tell so when the Spirit comes and speaks to his heart a man can tell no more the way of the Spirit then he can tell how the wind blows or the fashioning of the bones in the womb what man can expresse the manner of Gods secret working could the Apostles see the breath of Christ breathed upon them when he said receive ye the holy Ghost no they could not the acts of the Spirit upon the soul cannot be discerned but as the blind man said once I was blinde but now I see so a man may say whereas I was deaf now I can hear the voice of God and happy is the man that can say this but the things cannot be discerned but at the same time when the Lord works these acts the soul doth as it were hear a speech mentally and spiritualy in the soul Esay 30 22. Thou shalt hear a voice behind thee saying this is the way walk in it so the Lord speaks to the soul this is the way and this is the promise and this is the Gospel of peace and this is the mercy that I offer unto thee beleeve it the Lord makes the soule as it were heare a voice the Lord speakes and the soul hears it is done after such a manner so effectually as if the Lord did speak to the heart I will allure her into the Wildernesse the Lord doth as it were entice a man thus and thus it shall be with thee if thou wilt follow me it is done after such a manner therefore it is called a voice The third thing is how we may know whether the soul hath heard this Quest How may we know whether that 〈◊〉 hath heard this voice Answ 1. There is a power goes along with this Word voice or no I answer first there is a power goeth along with the Word when this voice of the Father goeth with it there is a power put into the promises not only the Minister speaks them or the bare letter of the word utters them but when the Spirit speaks with them there is a power goeth along with them as John 6. 44. there is a power to draw the heart when the Lord calls a man when he speaks to a man he puts a power into the promise that it draws the heart of a man the truth the goodness the excellency freenesse attainableness of it the Lord puts a power into these things to draw the heart so that that man is drawn to look after heaven and come to God from day to day
and flesh-pots and others to humour their fancies as in the matter of the calf and others to fulfill their filthy delights as in the matter of Baal-Peor your brethren went away from God as if they might have comfort and delight and good elsewhere they went from God but you cleave to God and are all alive to this day that is as you did look for good in God you had it your brethren looked for good elsewhere and they are disappointed where are their profits and pleasures They went away from God and are dead but you followed God and are alive to this day So 2 King 18. 6. it is said of Hezekiah that he clave to God c. that is he did not only conceive that the chief good was in God but he did stick to God in all his wayes he did cleave to God and would not go away Lastly a true justifying faith is expressed in Scripture by believing on God 6. Beleeving on God or believing in God a phrase that is not used in any Greek Authour but only in the Scripture and those that have been acquainted with the Scripture now why doth God pick out a new phrase but to imply a new work What is it only to assent to the truth Then the old phrase would have served the turne but when a man believes on God or in God this is the expression of a justifying faith as you may see 1 Pet. 2. 5. So John 3. 16. God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Sonne that whosoever believeth on him should not pâ—rish c. So Rom. 4. 5. and Rom. 3. 26. What do all these phrases import onely a naked consent and belief that all the things in the Gospel are true No but when a man can believe on these things when a man can submit to all the Ordinances of God and embrace Christ in all his wayes and believe that all the good things spoken of in the Gospel are to be had in him I confesse sometimes simple believing Christ without on or in is put for a justifying faith as Ro. 4. 3. it is said that Abraham believed God and it was counted Arg. 2. From the offer of Christ to him for righteousnes he doth not say he believed in God but that is the meaning of it and if you look into Gen. 15. you shall find through the story that he beleived in God he did not only believe that God was good but he committed himself to God in all his wayes and did relie upon him that God was Almighty and that made him walk before God in uprightnesse and that made him live a different life from all the rest of the Countrey this shews that it was a confidence and affiance in God that was accounted to him for righteousness The second Argument is taken from the offer of Christ which is the giving Arg. 2. From the offâ—r of Christ of Christ to be a propitiation for sin and to be a Mediatour between God and man to be the only means of eternal life this is the offer of Jesus Christ in the Gospel Christ is given to be a redeemer to them that do believe now what can answer this giving Can only an act of the mind answer this gift 'T is true indeed he is the only Mediatour the only Messias the only way the truth and the life and he is freely offered and given in the Gospel I believe this and assent unto it is this taking No this is only believing he may take him therefore true faith must be a taking of Christ that only answers to the giving of Christ giving is a relative which answers to taking a gift is no gif◠èxcept it be taken the nature of the gift returns back again to the giver if it be not taken so it is here God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Sonne that whosoever believed in him should not perish but have everlasting life He gave his only begotten Sonne that hath a relation to taking of him he gave him that whosoever believeth on him might not perish that is God gave him that whosoever takes him might not perish but have eternal life though a man offer himself to a woman yet if the woman do not take him he is not her husband the match is made up by taking so though Christ be given to the world in the Gospel yet Christ is not ours but by taking of him when you take Christ then you are in the number of those that shall not pâ—rish but have everlasting life when you take Christ that is when you take him to be your chiefe good when you take his promises to be your stay and propp to be the the life and comfort of your hearts when you take his Commandements to do them when you take his ordinances to walk in them when you take his people to have society with them when you take Christ and all Christ now you shall have everlasting life this is to take Christ though the woman assent firmly that the man is a proper man and a goodly man and a godly man and a rich man this makes not up the â—atch but when she takes him to be her husband then she hath interest in his person and all that he hath so when a man takes Christ then he hath title to Christ and all the good things that are in him It is said of the faithfull that they did not only see the Promises afar off but they did embrace them Heb. 11. 13. the word signifieth they hugged them they kist them many see the Promises afar off but embrace them not they embrace the things of this present world they hugg them but never take the promises of God home to there soules true faith therefore is such a faith as takes Christ and then it followes that it cannot be an act of the mind but an act of the heart in relying and taking the thing to himself to hang upon it and live by it The third argument is this Faith is an act of coming unto Christ Christ you Arg. 3. Because faith is a coming to Christ know is the righteousnesse of God now when a man is come to it he hath it now what motion of coming is this is it only a motion of the mind a Contemplation of the mind when a man seeth Christ afar off I may see a goodly man a goodly thing afarr of my eye sight may go to it but if my whole man do not come to it I am not come to it this cannot be only the Contemplation of the mind when the eye of a mans understanding discovers Christ for this makes him the more foole and the more inexcusable if he comes not to him no this motion of coming unto Christ it is a spirituall motion of all the whole man a mans minde goeth to Christ and a mans heart and a mans affections and all the strength of a mans soule goeth to Christ
this is coming to Christ Mat. 11. 28 Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden that is beleive in me he puts it into that phrase this true faith makes the soul come to Christ so 1 Pet. 2. 4. to whome coming as to a chiefe corner stone There are two tearmes in this coming to Christ the one from whence a man comes from all his owne wayes from all his owne desires from all his owne ends and aimes and the other tearme is to what a man comes and that is to Christ to â—as promises to his Commandements to live and dy with him this is coming unto Christ as you may see Acts 26. 18. there both these tearmes are set downe to open their eyes saith the Text and to turne them from darknesse to light that they might receive forgivenesse of sinnes It is this coming that receives forgivenesse not only an act of the mind when that goeth to Christ but an act of the heart when that goeth to Christ when a man comes from darknesse to light from pride to humility from the world to God when a man passeth from the one tearme to the other tearme and so cometh to this righteousnesse of God in Jesus Christ now he is come to Christ and now he shall receive forgivenesse of sinnes so that you see faith is not only an assent of the mind but an a 〈…〉 of the heart both these together make up this coming of the soule to Christ Fourthly true justifying faith the proper object of it is no sentence no Arg. 4. Because the object of justifying faith is no proposition but Christ himself proposition in the Word I mean the act of a justifying faith in that act whereby it justifieth the proper object of it is no sentence or proposition in the Word no complext truth in the Word but it is Christ himself t is true a man must beleive that the Word of God is true and the promies true and Yea and Amen but that act doth not justifie it may be in a reprobate or in a â—â—vill therefore it cannot be an assent of the mind for that supposeth that the object must be a proposition neither can it be a sure and certain perswâ—â—on that God hath elected me and intended Christ to me this may be the 〈◊〉 an after faith but not the act that justifies but Christ himself iâ— the object oâ— a justifying faith I am the way the truth and the life I my self it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God by Christ when a man beleives in Christ or by Christ beleives in Goâ— this is the object of a justifying faith it is no proposition or text of Scripture that is the object of a justifying faith that is the thing that is a justifying faith as it justifyes doth assent unto but the object of a true justifying â—aith as it justifies is Christ himself the cause of forgivenesse of sinnes the cause of eternall life the cause of the derivation of all these blessings to us it lookes for all in Christs own person 't is true the propositions of the Scripture about Christ are the ground of a justifying faith as he that believes in Christ shall be saved that is the ground of a justifying faith but these propositions though they must be acknowledged at the time by faith yet these propositions do not justifie a man for a wretch may do this but when a man believes in Christ that is propounded and tendered in the Word when a man hath aâ—â—iance in him and commits himself to him faith seekes for all good in Christs own person first it layes hold on the person of Christ and taking him it takes all good things with him indeed it takes the propositions of the Word for its ground because the Word saith thus and thus that eternall life is in him and he openeth the Kingdom of heaven to all believers and he is a sufficient Saviour this is the ground of faith but the object of a justifying faith is Christs owne person so that believing cannot be an act of the mind but when a man believes in Christ and is rooted and built upon him it is the person of Christ I will make this appeare to you you know God doth count it Idolatry for a man to believe in any creature when a man believes in the Son of man God forbids this as an Idolatrous thing for a man to believe and put his confidence and affiance in any creature now what is the meaning of this what is this Idolatry to assent to such a creature to believe that such a man is his friend and tenders him and is faithfull unto him this is a truth about a friend is this Idolatry No but when a man makes a friend his staffe a creature his staffe when a man makes riches his Idol is this onely to assent that riches can do much in the world can buy meate and cloathes and lands and inheritances is it the knowing these things are so No but when a man makes riches his prop and stay and believes in them and that is the stay that he hath It is not the beleiving these things about riches for so a man that believes only in God may know these things about riches and a friend Jer. 17. 5. Cursed is he that maketh flâ—sh his arme he doth not say cursed is he that apprehends that a man is his friend and willing to releive him but cursed is he that maketh flesh his arme that lâ—ans upon this man that trusts unto him that is the thing so what is the meaning that we must not trust in Chariots and in horses doth the Scripture mean that we may not assent and affirme these truths about them that they are many and strong and potent that they are admirable horses is this it No but woe be to them that go down to Egypt for help and put their trust in Chariâ—ts and Horses Isa 31. 1. When a man rides a journey and makes his Horse his stay when a man goeth about a businesse and makes his purse his prop when a man walks from day to day and the creature is the thing he hangs upon he doth not see God and draw near to God he doth not set his heart upon God he doth not relie upon him to have God with him in his journey and what he goeth about No he hath an Horse with him and means and maintenance with him and God shall have a prayer may be now and then but he makes not God his arme and this is idolatry so our believing it is not the believing the propositions about a thing but when a man believes in the thing it self and makes the thing his stay his buckler his aide his help and comfort Lastly the maine Argument is this true justifying faith is a faith of union it is such a faith as unites a man to God and Christ and in him to God the Arg. 5 Because true faith is a faith of union
Apostle saith 1 John 5. 20. We know that we are in him that is true his meaning is we are in him by faith that is we have such a kinde of faith whereby we do not only assent to him that he is the Sonne of God and all things are true that are spoken of him but we are in him we are in him that is true that is we are united to him and 2 Cor. 17. 5. Whosoever is in Christ is a new creature and Paul saith of Andronicus and Junia they were in Christ before him Rom. 16 7. So Christ is said to be in them Know ye not that Christ Jesus is in you except you be reprobates it is the faith of union He that hath the Sonne hath life 1 John 5. 12. That is he that believes in the Sonne of God that is so believes that he hath him and is united to him that man hath life and none else so that it is a faith of union that justifies a man not as though faith of it self doth this for its own worthinesse as though it were able to unite a man to Christ it is only by vertue of Gods Ordinance that faith unites a man to Christ God of his infinite mercy and goodnesse hath appointed faith to be such a thing that upon putting forth of that act he shall presently have relation to Christ and Communion with him by grace are we saved through faith saith the Apostle we are saved through faith but not for any worthinesse of faith but by grace this is the thing the Lord hath appointed such a kinde of faith shall justifie as shall unite a man to Jesus Christ Nay if faith did not do this faith could not justifie and sanctifie and purifie and intitle a man to Heaven for it doth all these by vertue of union first it unites a man to Christ and makes Christ one with him and him one with Christ and so he comes to have right and title to all the merits and all the good things that come by Christ so then if thou hast not this faith of union though thou hast all faiths besides historical faith temporary faith and if it were possible miraculous faith Nay if thou hadst ten thousand thousand faiths more if it were possible yet if thou hast not such a faith as to be united to Christ thou art in thy sins and art under the law and under the curse of the law and under Gods justice if thou shouldest pray never so much and give thy body to be burned yet if thou do not dwell in Christ and Christ in thee if thou be not one with Christ and Christ one with thee thou art nothing but as â—ounding Brasse and as a tinkling Cymball though thou hast been a professor these twenty yeares together and hast been taken for a godly man through Town and Countrey yet if thou art not in Christ thou arâ—â— still in thy sins faith doth unite a man to Christ through the Ordinance oâ— God by the Grace of God it doth unite a man to Christ 1 John 4 15 whaâ— confession doth the Apostle meane there Only a confession of historiâ—â— faith when a man believes that God is so and so and confesseth him No the Apostle expounds himself 1 John 3. 24. as who should say it is such a faith as wholly resignes a man unto God to be ruled and guided by him as well as saved by him it is such a faith as makes a man with minde and heart and will and all that is in a man to cast himself upon Christ so that all obedience and all conformity to the Sonne of God will follow he that hath this faith to keep his Commandements dwelleth in God and God in him Now what kinde of faith can this be can it be only the act of the minde whereby a man believes all the truths concerning Christ doth this unite a man to Christ It were blasphemy to say so for by this Argument the union between Christ and a true believer were no better then the union between a true believer and the Devil because a true believer believes all the truths and assents unto them that God hath spoken concerning the Devil as well as concerning Christ this doth not unite a man there is a kinde of union indeed in the minde but that union is only notional and intentional and rational as for example when I think of an horse or a tree there is an union of the tree with my minde for the tree is in my minde in the notion of it but this is a bare intentional and simple union the maine union of all is in the heart when the heart is united to a thing an heavenly minded man he may have an union of his understanding with the things of this world he may understand carnal men understand their courses and wayes and there is a notional intentional union with these things in his understanding but he is not truly united to those courses except his heart be set upon those courses then he takes them up so untill the heart is set upon Christ a man is never heavenly never godly never a true Christian till he is thus united into Christ Nay I will tell you more and I will prove it and it is a thing to be considered that were it possible Suppose God should reveal he might if he would to any man that he is elected before he is converted Suppose this I do not say God doth thus to any of his Elect but suppose an Elect man that is yet unconverted and yet out of Christ he is a natural man and yet an elected man â—uppose I say God should reveal to this man thou art elected to eternal life I have intended from all eternity to give my Son to thee all his merits and death and passion I have intended them to thee and I have intended thou shalt have fellowship with him God reveales this and the man firmly assents to the authority of the speaker that he is elected to eternal life doth this faith justifie a man A man is in his sins yet for all this though he knoweth and God hath revealed such a thing to him that he hath intended Christ to him as long as he hath not revealed that he is in Christ this doth not put him into Christ this sheweth him that he shall be in Christ but this act of believing doth not put him into Christ therefore the children of God that are converted and are believers and can believe that God hath elected them and eternally intended Christ to them this act of their faith doth not justifie them this only is an act to know that they are justified already and converted already I will shew you an excellent place for this 2 Tim. 1. 12. For which cause saith the Apostle I also suffer these things for I know in whom I have believed and that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day Mark
draw the whole man to God his whole self is both the agent and the patient faith comes in to justifie the whole man and sanctifie the whole man and renew the whole man therefore no wonder it is such an act as the whole man doth put forth not only the mind by assenting but the heart by relying and the affections by placing themselves upon God Fifthly there be abundance of graces besides faith that are in all the powers of the soul as livelihood is in the whole and unblameablenesse 1 Thess 5. 23. and perseverance is in the whole man so that the mind must not only persevere in saving knowledge but the heart also in saving confidence perseverance runs through all the soul and why not faith many graces have a complext and compounded nature in one regard they may be said to be in the minde in another in the heart in another in the memory in another in the affections in another in the body so it is with faith in one regard in regard of assent it is in the mind in regard of confidence and affiance it is in the will Here we see that though faith be sure of salvation and justification in regard of the event yet it is not alwayes sure of it in regard of sense and feeling Use 2. A believer may not be sure in regard of sense for true faith is not the apprehending of salvation it self but the apprehending of Christ for salvation when a man placeth all his affiance in Christ and all the good he looks for spiritual good temporal good help comfort meanes and maintenance and particularly the pardon of his sinnes this is justifying faith though for sense and feeling there is much uncertainty faith is certaine for the event the man that believes is justified and shall be sanctified and saved but in regard of sense and feeling it is not alwayes certaine Joh. 3. 15. He doth not say whosoever believes he shall have eternal life hath it but whosoever believes in me he shall have it though he be afraid he shall not have it yet if he believes in me he shall have it certainly if with heart and minde and soul and all he resigne up himself to me to be guided and ruled by me in all his wayes if he commitâ— himself to me he shall have eternal lifeâ— may be he is afraid he shall not have it a man hath that affiance in Christ that is confident in Christ for salvation and commits himself to Christ for all his comfort and hope and stay and is â—â—lly resolved by the Grace of God never it have him he is inwardly purposed never to forsake him he will ever set hiâ—self to please him he will eveâ— follow his Commandements and ever striv◠〈◊〉 his corruptions and whereas he may be tempted to be carried from 〈◊〉 he hath an inward principle in his soul for a rule which he goeth bâ— that he must please God and not man there is an inward rule rooted in his 〈◊〉 that thus iâ— is and this man commits himself to Christ for audience in his prayers for acceptance in his duties for the resisting of his corruptions 〈◊〉 for the salvation of his soul when he dieth and for the comfortable resurrection of his body at the last day yet notwithstanding this man would give a world to be assured of Gods favour though he casts himself upon God for it and commits himself and betrusts himself with Jesus Christ he doth so believe in him that he dares follow him in all his wayes and he dares cast himself upon him whatsoever it will cost me I will follow Christ may be it may cost me the ill will of my friends may be of my husband may be it may cost me the ill will of all the Countrey yet that way I will walk thought it cost me 〈◊〉 and faggot may be I shall be persecuted and imprisoned it is no matter herâ— is eternal life and no where elsâ— here I come for it and here I trust that Christ will give it to me it is he only that can help me he only that can give me audience in prayer he only can bring me to acceptance in heaven here I come to him for it and cast my self upon him in all my wayes yet may be this man would give a world for this favour that he hath committed himself to Christ for he would give all the world to the shirt upon his back that he had the sense and feeling of it many times between hope and despaire he even staggers and knows not what to think yet he will cast himself upon Christ and trust to him yet he hath much ado to believe certainly there is a great deal of feares and doubtings in his faith the reason is when a man hath trusted in Christ and lookes upon his faith he shall finde may be such strength of worldly allurements such yieldings to the assents of the flesh and himself sometimes foiled with a paultry and petty lust he shall finde such a deal of deadnesse and so much untowardnesse and such a company of corâ—â—ptions marching before him that he is afraid 't is true I have cast my self upon Christ but I doubt my faith is not of the right stamp not as though a man can believe in hugger mugger and a man knows not what he doth for a man sees it and knows it for the spirit of a man knows what is in him ask the man Sir do you not do thus and thus Yes have you not these and these workings in you he cannot deny it do you not hate your self for every sinne you know and do you not know your own sinnes and do you not grieve to see what a vile creature you are do you not labour after more sincerity in your wayes and more quickning in good duties He cannot deny but he hungers after these things and 〈◊〉 you not still follow Christ and cleave still to Christ and do you not still labour to deny your selfe He cannot but confesse it why then you have faith 't is true saith he I go out of my self but it is I know not how I am at this passe if I perish I perish here I stick and here I wil adâ—â—re but yet I fear I am not right the Scripture saith true faith doth thus and thus and thus but here I see such a corruption so strong and such a lust so mighty I say true faith may be without sense and feeling of it there may be much fâ—â—re and â—remâ—â—ing in regard of assurance of salvation though a man do truly and confidently cast himself upon Christ and I will prove this unto you by five Arguments First the event is not the object of a justifying faith that a man shall be Arg. 1. The event is not the object of justifying faith â—ustifiedâ— sanctified and saved this is the event of a justifying faith that he lookes for Now the object of a justifying faith is not the
creature in the eyes of the world yet he hopes for great matters he hopes for a glorious resurrection and for an excellent triumph over sinne and death and hell and to have his body and soul for ever in the Kingdome of Christ Jesus you will say he seeth none of these things he hopes that God will blesse him in all his wayes and be with him in sicknesse and in health in misery and prosperity and in all estates and that he will do him good while he lives and when he dyes he seeth none of these things No saith the Apostle Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen though many think there is no substance in these things yet faith doth deliver the substance of them unto him and it is an evidence that he shall certainly have them and it is as it were a Sacrament therefore the Fathers call it the Sacrament of faith and the Sacrament of hopes and the Sacrament of repentance because they are certaine and sure tokens and pledges of those things that a Christian looks for Secondly the Apostle commends faith by a long Catalogue of believers of Holy Fathers and Patriarchs and Prophets and Judges and Worthies from the beginning of the world and he shewes there was no worth in them but it did proceed from faith and this he doth First generally in the second verse By it the Elders obtained a good report he speaks of them all ingeneral he calls them Elders a reverend grave company and he amplifies this by giving a general ground and reason why faith can build upon nothing as it were to see to and yet is able to gather great matters though it see little or nothing â—â—rse 3. You may see this saith he by Historical faith For through saith we understand that the worlds were made by the Word of God so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appeare though nothing was before a mans eyes yet through this faith he might see an whole world out of nothing so though the world and flesh and blood see nothing yet he that believes in God he is able to raise a world out of nothing he may look for these things at the hands of God though for the present he sees nothing Secondly he doth divide these believers into foure several rankes The first is the Holy Fathers before the Flood and he instanceth onely in three for all the rest as Abâ—l Enâ—ch Nâ—ah Verse 4 5 6 7. Secondly the Holy Patriarchs from the Flood to the time of Moses and he instanceth in five not as though there were no more but he contents himself with these Abraham Sarah Isaac Jacob Joseph from ver 8. to the 22. And then in the third place he takes all those Worthies from Moses to the time of the entrance into the Land of Câ—naan and he doth instance in Moses's Parents and then in Moses then in the children of Israel then in Rahab from Ver. 23. to 31. In the fourth place he reckons up all those Heroes from that time to the time of the Maccabees and Names Gideon and Barach and Sampsâ—n and Jophtah and David and Samuel and then he reckons them up only in generall the Prophets and Martyrs and Confessors under the persecutions of cursed Anticchus Now in all this Catalogue he shewes the admirable effects of true justifying faith what faith is able to do when a man is a true believer in God what great matters he is able to atchieve it gives a man the testimony of a good conscience and makes him able to do the things acceptable to God it makes a man believe things incredible to sense and reason it makes a man forsake all and follow God it makes a man do or suffer any thing for Christ it makes a man so precious that the world is not worthy that he should dwell among them that there should be any such person in such a base place as the world is it is an excellent thing and it is set out most admirably what glorious things faith doth enable a man in the strength of God to do and his scope in all this is to exhort them to abound in faith and they that have it not to use all meanes for the obtaining of it and come by it and lye at God and to be trading in the meanes of Grace and never be at quiet till they have it and when they have it to endeare it and labour to abound in it and persevere in it to their dying day now among all this grave and venerable and revâ—rend society of believers that he here reckons and summes up he calls out Abraham in this text to speak of him and that he speaks of him in this place is this that when God called him to leave his Countrey and Kindred and Fathers house to leave his inheritance and all his friends and acquaintance by faith he was able to obey this call By saith saith he Abraham being called out to go into a place which he should afterwards receive for an inheritance obeyed and he went out not knowing whether he went Doct. So that the Doctrine which I observe from hence is this that Doct. It is saith that makes a man obey the call of God it is faith that makes a man obey the call of God the command of God whether it be the first call and command for the coming out of sinne or all after commands whatsoever it is faith that makes a man obey them if a man have faith though he had never so stubborne and perverse an heart before though he were never so set upon his lusts and sinfull courses before faith is that which will make a man lay it downe and disavow it and oppose himself against it and he shall no longer live in it as soone as ever faith comes into the soul it makes a man obey God it brings a man home to God to do his will and to walk according to his directions and to be at his dispose and to commit and commend and resigne himself wholly to God in all his wayes this is the onely thing that heales a mans backslidings this is the onely thing that drawes a man home to God this is the onely instrument whereby a man is tyed to God himself whereby a man doth fetch downe all the graces from above so long as a man is stubborne and perverse and walks after the flesh and goeth on in any evil way he hath no faith as the Psalmist speaks Psal 78. 32. For all this they sinned yet still and believed not his wendrous works that is they were disobedient therefore certainly they had no faith for if faith once looked into their hearts it would have made them to discard their sinnes and it would have made them obedient to God it would have pared them from the flesh and weaned them from their owne desires and would have made them to give up themselves to
God therefore seeing they went on in their sinnes it is certaine they did not believe for faith only makes a man obey God and wheresoever it is a man obeyeth God Reas 1. Because faith seeth an indissolvable couple of attributes in God Reas 1 Because faith seeth Gods purity and mercy to be inâ—eparable attributes that cannot be separated and severed as it seeth his grace and mercy to draw him forward so it seeth his purity and justice and holinesse and righteousnesse that it dares not but obey God as it doth discerne his grace and mercy to make him perfectly to trust in God so it seeth another thing in God that God is of that nature that he must be served and worshipped and obeyed Therefore you shall see Noah though the building of the Ark were an endlesse work and a costly and chargeable work in the eyes of men it would cost him many yeares to build and he could not look after his calling and after the world but it would take him up for an hundred and twenty yeares and set all the world a talking of him and mocking at him for it yet when God commanded him to do it faith made him do it and how did faith make him do it Heb. 11. 7. By faith Noah being forewarned of God of things not seen as yet moved by feare prepared an Ark fear moved him faith made him do it but how did faith make him do it It moved him with feare and so made him do it it made him see God was an holy and righteous God that would not be dallied withal and this moved him with feare and he durst not but do it whatsoever it put him to he durst not omit it faith makes a man that he dares not be bold with God it takes away the impudency of the heart and the venterousnesse of the soul as long as a man doth not believe he dares make bold with such Commandements of God as he likes not he will omit them for all him but when faith comes it reveales God to the soul and shewes who he is and what nature he is of and that he is such a one as will not be dallied with but his Commandements must be done and his will must be obeyed or else woe to that man it shewes to a man the infinite Majestie of God and sets it before a mans face that he dares not go on in any thing contrary to Gods will but obey God in whatsoever he commands him and abstaine from whatsoever God forbids as Paul saith We dare not make our selves of the number or compare our selves with some that commend themselves 2 Cor. 10. 12. He knew God had forbidden it and he durst not but obey So 1 Cor. 6. 1. Dare any of you having a matter go to Law before unbeleevers As who should say you are not beleevers if you do it faith would shew you what God is and what an inglorious and what a bitter thing it is for you to do it how dare you do it Secondly Faith doth not onely look upon Christ as a Saviour and a Redeemer but also as a Lord and King when Christ comes to a man 2. Because â—aith looks on Christ not only as a Saviour but as a Lord when faith comes into the soul Christ is called our Lord Jesus Christ as he is a Jesus so he is a Lord and faith doth not only receive him as a Jesus but submits to him as to a Sovereigne Faith takes them both together faith will not let a man live Lordlesse it knowes he must take Christ as a Lord as well as a Redeemer as faith takes off the guilt of sinne so it puts the yoake of Christ on Is Christ divided saith the Apostle 1 Corinthians 1. 13. So I may say is Christ divided Can he be disjoynted himselfe from himselfe Can people mangle Christ in pieces and divide him asunder May be thou wilt have him as a Jesus but thou wilt not have him as a Lord then thou canst not have him at all as Peter saith Acts 2. 36. Be it known to all that God hath made the same Jesus whom ye have crucified both Lord and Christ As he hath made him a Christ by anointing him to be a Saviour to bring men from sinne and to bring them to Gods Kingdome and save them from wrath so he hath made him a Lord he hath set him up as a King upon his Holy Hill of Zion look as it was with Jephtah when the Gileadites would have him to save them from the Ammonites shall I be your head then saith he and he made them to sweare before the Lord that they would make him their Head or else he would not deliver them so if thou wilt have Christ to deliver thee out of the hands of thine enemies sinne is an enemy and the Law is an enemy and the Devill is an enemy and the world and thine own flesh is an enemy if thou wilt have Christ to deliver thee from these enemies shall he be thy Head He hath sworne an Oath That we being delivered from the hands of our enemies should serve him in holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of our lives Luke 1. 73. He hath sworne with an Oath that that man whom he delivers from his enemies shall serve him in holinesse and righteousnesse and shall not live as he list he shall not live Lawlesse he shall take Christs Lawes as well as his Merits as well Christs Government as the imputation of his truth and righteousnesse he shall take the one as well as the other Now it is an easie thing for a man to believe by a presumptuous faith that Christ is a Jesus but here is the difficulty to take him as a Lord No man can call Christ a Lord but by the Holy Ghost saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 12. 3. He doth not say no man can say Christ is a Jesus the Devill and presumption can make a man say so and every man hopes and beares himself upon this that Christ is a Jesus but no man can truly confesse him to be a Lord but by the Holy Ghost unlesse the Holy Ghost enable him as our Saviour saith David by the Spirit called him Lord he speakes of himselfe Matth. 22. 43. It is a great matter to submit to Christ as a Sovereigne as well as to take Christ for a Saviour now faith seeth both must be done it must take Christ under both relations as he must take him under the relation of a Redeemer so under the relation of a Lord as to be saved by him so to be guided and swayed by him in all his wayes and to be at his disposing in all his courses thus faith seeth Christ is propounded in the Gospell and thus Christ embraceth him it cannot have him in one respect but it must also have him in the other and so faith brings in obedience Thirdly Faith seeth another couple that cannot be disjoynted and severed one from
another and that is this as faith tyeth the heart to 3. Because faith gleweth the heart to the Commandements as well as to the promiâ—es the promises so it glueth the heart to the Commandements these go together and when faith reacheth forth the hand to the one it reacheth forth the hand to the other they are tyed with bonds of adamant that cannot be severed Psalme 119. 56. When faith will go to God in vertue of a promise to do this or that for him he reacheth forth the hand to the Commandements too I am the Lord thy God thou shalt have no other Gods but me As who should say if you will look upon me as your God by faith then look that you have no other gods but me look that you honour me in all my wayes and stoop to me and obey my Word as the Lord propounded the one so he set before them the other a man forgets that God is his God by faith if he keeps not his Commandements beware saith Moses least thou forget the Lord thy God in not keeping his Commandements How can a man believe in God when he forgets that which he should believe When a man forgets to be subject to God and to give up himself in all his wayes The Promises and Commandements are tyed together with bonds of adamant and no man can pull them asunder as it is with sinne and the threatnings if a man go on in sinne he shall be sure to have the threatnings light upon him they are bound together by bonds of adamant and everlasting coards let a man do what he can if he howle and roare to God to take away his plagues to take away Hell fire and damnation if he go on in sinne it will never be they hang together in an everlasting truth The way of the wicked shall perish and if a man soweth iniquity he shall reap misery saith the Wiseman As a man soweth so he shall reap do not deceive your selves We are marvelous apt to reason as Eve did to put in perhaps perhaps you shall dye Nay assuredly we shall dye if we go on in sinne and will not live that life which God hath set before us the life of faith the life of God the life of Heaven the life of true Holinesse and righteousnesse if we will not submit to this and give up our selves to be brought under it we shall assuredly perish never did any man live and goe on in sinne but he dyed in perdition Never any man lived a wicked and ungodly life but had a wicked wretched and damned death if a man do go on in sinne he shall be sure to have the threatnings of God light upon him he cannot avoyde them so it is on the other side the Promises and the Commandements go together and if a man do observe the Commandements ' of God by a true and lively faith he shall assuredly have the promises and if he reject the Commandements or be unâ—ound in the doing of them he cannot have the Promises if he have the one he must have the other he can never make a faithful Plea for Peace for Pardon for Heaven or any thing that God hath promised that bindes not himselfe over to God to do his will in every thing Nay the strength of Faith puts forth it selfe in as strong an act towards the Commandements as towards the Promises and if there be any difference it is on the Promises side for the Promises are more supernatural then the Commandements for they were once written in the heart therefore the Commandements are not so supernatural a man was once acquainted with them but the Promises of Mercy and Pardon and Redemption are more supernatural and we see this in poore weak beleevers that go on and are enabled to make good conscience of their wayes and to be very carefull of sinning against God and walk in very good strictnesse diligence and circumspection and yet have much ado to apply the Promises and appropriate them to themselves I say broken-hearted people that are weak in faith in regard of personall confidence may yet notwithstanding be very strong in the doing of the Commandements of God The reason is because obedience flows from a direct act of faith and this bearing a man upon the Promises from a reflect act of faith it flowes from a consciousnesse of obedience when a man is conscious that he is sincere then and never before can a man have confidence that the Promises are sealed to him this is a reflect act of faith but it is a direct act that makes a man obey Gods Commandements so that faith must needs work obedience for if there be this blessed couple propounded to the soule in the Gospel together with the Commandements Faith looking on both takes one as well as the other Fourthly there is another close couple that faith looks upon and that is as upon a Title to the Kingdome of Heaven so also to a fitnesse 4. Because faith looks to a fitnesse for heaven as well as a title to heaven for the Kingdome of Heaven and one is as needfull as the other as things without which a man cannot enter into the Kingdome of God Now Faith as it helps a man to a title to Glory so it helps a man more and more with fitnesse because it seeth it cannot be otherwise When David had committed his two fowle sinnes of murther and adultery though he had not lost his title to the Kingdome of Heaven yet he could not enter into it he could not have actual possession of it Why Because he was unfit Heb. 12. 14. Without holinesse a man cannot see God though a man hath all the titles in the world though he be elected to it before all worlds yet till he is made fit for it he cannot enter into it flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God as the Apostle Peter speakes it is an inheritance holy and undefiled and a man must be holy before he can be made partaker of it Joseph must shave himself before he come before Pharaoh Ahasuerus women must be prepared and purified with spices and odours and mirrhe Hest 2. 11. And then they came before the King when they were prepared and adorned and made sweet and persumed So a man must first be prepared and fitted for the Kingdom of heaven or else there is no admission into it heaven is too fine a place for adulterers and drunkards c. As soone as ever the Angels of heaven though glorious creatures began to sinne against God God thrust them out of heaven they left their habitation it was too fine for them and do you think the Lord will admit the Devill into heaven againe in his members what a thing is it when every drunkard and profane person shall think himself meet company for the blessed trinity it cannot be God will never take such foule loathsome creatures into fellowship and Communion with him they are too neare
him already in the world and therefore he will fling them out of his presence into Hell in Heaven is nothing but beatifical vision viewing of God and delighting in God and not thinking a thought but of God and therefore no roome for those that are empty of grace and not fitted and prepared for it now faith knowes this and believes this and therefore as it layeth hold on Christ for title so it never leaves till it hath gotten fitnesse from Christ as the Apostle speakes Col. 1. 12. Giving thanks unto the Father who hath made us meet c. God makes all meet for Heaven that he brings thither and till they are so they cannot be admitted thither if a man will go to heaven he must be a vessel of honour 2 Tim. 2. 21. Therefore Faith purifies a mans heart pares off a mans flesh weanes a man from the world and knocks off a mans cursed corruptions more and more and pulls downe a man before God makes a man stoop to Gods Covenant and to be holâ— and righteous as he is it knows unlesse he be made fit for Gods Kingdome he can never come there we should look to this and it should make us feare and tremble and look to our selves for unlesse we be fit for the Kingdome of Heaven we shall never have abode there John 3. 3. Except a man be borne againe c. That is except a man be made meet for the Kingdome of God he cannot come into it Except he have Heavens frame and disposition and Heavens conversation except his conversation be in Heaven here he can never come there and this is the reason we are so often called upon to be godly in Christ Jesus to walk in purenesse and holinesse of living because no uncleane thing shall enter into the heavenly Jerusalem without are Dogges the Lord counts them Doggs that shall never enjoy his presence this is another reason why Faith workes obedience because if he will have Title to the Kingdome of Heaven he must look to be fitted for the same Fifthly because Faith is eminently all that a man is to do it is the whole work of a Christian John 6. 29. This is the work of 5. Because faith is eminently all that a man is to do God c. That is this is eminently all the workes of God But is there no work but this Yes there are many other works but this is the work of God that ye believe because this is eminently all that God looks for as the Apostle speaks 1 John 3 22. This is his Commandement that ye believe c. Is there no other Commandement but this is this all we must do and no more No but this is eminently the Commandement there are other Commandements but all are included in this of beleeving so faith is eminently all graces all other graces are but the daughters and brood of faith they grow out of faith as out of the spring and root so that do this and do all do but beleeve in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ and what wilt thou not do it will make thee give over thy sinnes and be humbled and mortified it will make thee give over vaine company and delight in all goodnesse make thee zealous and servent and teach thee how to pray and be thankfull to God it will fill thy mouth with laughter and thy tongue with joy it will make thee do any thing if thou believe Acts 16. 31. As who should say believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and this will make thee do all there will be nothing left as Christ saith If thou believe all things are possible So I may say if thou believe all things will be done and thou wilt stick at nothing be backward in nothing but wilt be brought to obey God in every thing it is like the turning of the Cock if the Cock be turned the water will flow forth so if a mans heart be opened by faith all the heart runnes to God a Wind-mill if the Sailes go the stones and all go so if â—aith be once working and operating all the soul is turning it self towards God though never so Heavy and Carnal and Vaine and Earthly before yet now all is going in the wayes of God As the Mother of Christ said to the servants of the marriage Whatsoever he â—ids you do do it So faith saith thus to all the soul look whatsoever Christ John 2. commands look you do it minde those things he bids you minde affect that he affects retaine that he bids you remember it is like Abner that brought all Israel to be the servants of David so faith when it comes into the foul it brings all the faculties of the soul of the whole man to be subject to the Lord Jesus Christ thus you see that faith works obedience in a man The first Use is this to answer a demand that will arise out of the hearts of people when they heare that Faith makes a man to obey Quest. How doth it make a man obey Answ I answer by setting before a man the corruptions of his owne heart and what woeful stubbornenesse is in the same it makes a man see those innumerable corruptions in the soul and how deeply they have eaten into the soul it makes a man see what a loathsome creature he is and what a deal of rebellion there is in his will and minde and thoughts and affections and what oppositions there are against the doing of Gods Holy Will he seeth that if he will obey God what little help he shall have from himself from his own will his own reason his own parts his own nature though he had never so good a nature Nay how he shall be hindered and hampered and opposed by himself faith lets him see this and so pulls him down before God to abhor himself in dust and ashes it was thus in Paul Rom. 7. 24. O miserable man c. It made him finde this that he could not do the good he would thus faith empties a man of himself and makes him to renounce himself and makes him not to stand upon his own feeet never to stand alone never to go about any thing but with the help of Christ it makes a man see what a damned will he hath what a damned reason he hath what a damned heart and disposition he hath O! saith he here is Wisdome indeed here is a disposition indeed I will never be ruled by this disposition and he looks upon himself as an undone creature if he followes his own desires here be desires indeed and thoughts indeed and here is an horrible frame and this makes him renounce himself and thus faith works obedience in a man by driving of him out of himself and dividing a mans self from himself that he will not be led by his own thoughts nor carried by his owne imaginations it seeth ' Hell in all these and that he can do nothing without Christ live in
is an instrument whereby God doth by the acting and placing of it aright upon him let out that power which is in Christ to a poore soul that that power which is in Christ is to him and that goodnesse which is in Christ is to him that he shall have grace for grace an answerable grace for every grace in Christ Ephâ—s 1. 19. The exceeding greatnesse of his power to us-ward that believe When we believe the exceeding greatnesse of his power is to us-ward it is not only a power in God but it is for us and we may take that power and fetch it from God and obtaine of him to put it forth You know that Christ hath promised to take away the stony heart c. He hath made such promises as these to pull down strong holds to overcome Satan and all the enemies of our â—oules to poure out his Spirit upon his people as water upon the thirsty ground now as soone as ever faith comes into the soul it goeth to these promises and takes hold of them Lord here is such a promise Lord make me a new heart make me obey this Commandment and overcome such a sin and all the power that is in God it is to him-ward Secondly Faith doth fetch down power from Heaven in a moral manner 2. In a moral way by considering the exceeding greatnesse of the recompence of reward as it s said of Moses Hebrewes 1. 25. I say faith looks unto Christ looks unto the favour of God unto the forgivenesse of sinnes and Title to Gods Kingdome it looks unto eternal life unto those admirable joyes that are at Gods right hand for evermore which are promised to them that believe it seeth these things and this makes him able to deny any thing to overcome any thing to go about any thing shall I have Heaven the favour of God a Kingdome shall I be happy for ever Shall I have all these things if I will pray and heare the Word Obey God and give over vaine company and joyne to Gods people and hate all manner of evil if I will labour to crosse my own thoughts and desires and approve my selfe to God in all my wayes shall I have all these things this makes him able to do it he looks to this and so goeth about it and when the flesh shall object hardnesse and difficulty and opposition and losse of comfort and losse of carnal ease and delight faith goeth and sets these admirable things against them it sets Heaven and the Kingdome of Heaven and Christ and the joyes of Gods right hand against them and this makes him do it it sets the will of God against his will the favour of God against the favour of men the joyes of Heaven against carnal joyes eternal happinesse for evermore against the sufferings here for a moment weighs one in one scale and the other in the other and so works with them Here we may see what little faith there is among people certainly there Use 2. See what little faith is in the world is but little faith because if there were much faith there would be much obedience given to God we should have admirable Townes gracious Congregations we should have never a drunkard never a prophane person but all Saints and holy men and women every one would be thinking of God and his wayes and heavenly minded if there were much faith people would have their lives changed and their conversations altered as Christ saith When the Sonne of man comes shall he finde faith upon the Earth So may I say if the Sonne of man should now come among us should he find faith among us He should find it very rare for this is certain there are not very many that professe faith drunkards and the greatest company of prophane persons are such as have not the face of holinesse and faith and amongst this little number that professe it how few are there that have true faith indeed You see none have true faith but those that are obedient unto God true faith doth bend the soul to God it makes the soul spiritual and holy and humble and cleane another man from that he was before that he shall be resigned over to God to live at his dispose this is true faith therefore faith is hardly to be found upon earth it is a pitiful thing to see how little Gods will is regarded up and down and though God be our Maker and his hands have formed us though we professe we are his people whom he hath redeemed though we know he hath sent Christ into the world and the blood of his own Sonne is cried up and down in the streets and calls upon men to believe and take hold on it though we do know these things yet for all this equity of obedience to God and notwithstanding the necessity of obedience how do people sleight the will of God it is his will we should be fruitful under the meanes heavenly in holy duties fervent in calling upon his Name that we should have the true feare of his Name before our eyes it is his will that we should serve him in sincerity all the dayes of our lives that we should stand for him and glorifie him before men that we should walk with God and be strangers upon earth and wean our selves from the world and be taken up with him more then with any thing in this life that we should count nothing deare for him and deny our selves in every thing it is his will for us to do these things but who looks after these things As if we were possessed with a legion of Devils we go slighting and contemning and breaking all bonds of equity and necessity of obedience and Gods will is not obeyed his worship is not promoted his name is not feared few give their minds to do these things if God had not thrown millions of devils into hell for â—â—nning against him if God had not revealed his wrath against sinne and iâ—quity and all unrighteousnesse if God had not showen how jealous he stands upon keeping his Lawes and observing his Commandments and his holy and heavenly Word if God had not revealed himself unto us it had been another matter but he hath revealed these things yet how sâ—â—ure are we He hath made it appear Rom. 2. 9. Tribulation and anguish shall be upon every soul that doth evil and cursed be the man that obeyeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wâ—rds of this Covenant Jer. 11. 63. And he will come in â—laming fire to render vengâ—ance upon all that obey not the truth 2 Thes 1. 8. These things are spoken and delivered and we know these things and confesse them yet God is not respected for all this Nay such is the impudency of men that they will acknowledge that God ought to be obeyed and served and it is good to serve him and it is a dangerous thing not to serve him and yet for all this they will not do it as if it
were nothing to be damned and as if they would try whether they can bear hell nay such is the impudency of mens faces that notwithstanding they have heard they are unconverted and their hearts are not subject to God yet they hope they have true faith in God and their sins are infirmities whereas you see it cannot be true faith unlesse it make a man to be obedient to God in all his wayes and binde a man in a perpetual bond to God for ever never to depart from him Thirdly it may be an Use of examination to see whether we obey God Use 3 For examination or no for if our saith be the faith we hope it is it will make us obedient Evidences of true obedience First then true obedience is a willing affectionate hearty obedience 1. Willing and hearty Prov. 3. 1. My son let thy heart keep my Commandments the Lrod will have such obedience as proceeds from the bottome of the heart not when a 〈◊〉 heart is dull and dead and hangs off but when the heart pourâ—s forth it self in his wayes and performing his gracious pleasures from day to day this the Lord requires that it be done with the affection of the heart as well as the thing be done in the thing done the wicked may go as far nay further then the sincere they may multiply duties as well as the other for the things done but here is the thing a wicked man doth duties hearâ—lesly unaffectionately but a child of God doth them sincerely and willingly and le ts out his heart and affections upon them all God loâ—â—s a chearful giver 2 Cor 9. 10. He loves a giver that gives with all his affections so he loves a chearful comer to Church that is glad to hear a Sermon and his heart leapes to hear the Word of God and he is affected with it he loves a chearful praying one that in prayer poures out his soul before him he loves a chearful comer to the Sacrament that delights to shew forth the Lords death till he comes God doth not love a man unlesse â—e doth this with all his affections as it is said it is good to be zealous in a good matter the worship and Commandments of God are good matters now it is good to be zealous in these matters nay to have the creame and flower and chief of our affections set upon these things we are acquainted with the wayes and histories of grace and we can speak thereof but it doth not sink down into our hearts it doth not warme us nor put any heat into our souls we are not quickened and moved by these things we know Gods attribute his power and wisdome and mercy and justice c. But none sink down into our hearts they affect us not as they ought to do where are our affections in prayer We pray and come to Church and to the Lords Table but where are our affections in all these things The Lord cares not for these services that have not affections to spice them and sweeten them and beautifie them the Lord loves when a man serves him with all his heart when the will hangs off it is base service and the Lord regards it not as the Lord loves that we that are Ministers should preach with a ready mindâ— 1 Pet. 5. 2. That we should preach with gracious affections and be affected in the Pulpit and desire from the bottome of our souls to do good to the people and yearne over the people the Lord loves these things when we do them willingly and heartily so he delights in people when they heare and call upon his Name with affection when we go about Gods Commandments as a Bear to the stake God abhors it may be God commands a man to do such a thing he doth it but it is hard saith he when money is to be fetched out of his purse for good duties it is hard saith he and when he must go against the wicked and pull the ill will of the Countrey upon him may be he doth it but it is hard the Lord distasts this the Lord loves a chearful giver and a chearful worker a chearful Minister and chearfull people now if faith comes into the soul it will not only work obedience but chearful obedience and from the bottome of the heart Secondly true obedience makes a man resigne himself to God it makes a man to be altogether at Gods dispose I am thine saith David he looked 2. Works resignation to God upon himself as if he were altogether at Gods dispose as if he were his and not his own You are not your own saith the Apostle you are bought with a priâ—â— 1 Cor. 2 6. So that is true obedience when a man gives up himself to God many will do things that God commands but they know not how to do them with resignation to be altogether at Gods dispose they love to be called Gods servants but they will be only retainers as many will get to be servants to some Gentleman but it is only for their own advantage to save their purses to have the Gentlemans countenance these will not dwell with the Gentleman but in their own houses and when he hath some great strangers at a Feast or when he rides abroad in state then they will attend upon him but yet they will live at home and be their own men so most people are but the Lords retainers this is no obedience at all it is none of faiths obedience Thirdly true obedience puts forth all a mans strength to God Thou shalt 3. It puts forth all a mans strength to God love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and all thy soul and all thy strengh Praise the Lord O my soul and all that is within me praise his Holy Name Psal 103. True obedience lets forth all that is in a man to Christ Mat. 4. 20 When Christ called Simon and Andrew they flung away their nets and followed him it was all the living they had and yet they flung away all to follow him so when he spake to Matthew a Publican faith came no sooner into his soul but he followed him presently Mat. 9. 9 Though it was a rich office he was a Knight by his place as Cicero speaks it was worth five hundred pounds a yeare of our money yet as soone as ever Christ called him he leâ—t his place and went after Christ so when a man will part with purse and friends and all he hath and fling all at Gods foot and give up all to him this is true obedience now if we have not this we have not faithful obedience THE KILLING POVVER OF THE LAVV. Rom. 7. 9. For I was once alive without the Law but when the Commandment came Sin revived and I died IN these words the Apostle shewes Two things First The Division of the Text. What a jolly man he thought himself to be whilst he was a Pharisee
for Gods Kingdome but when a man is made poor in spirit when he hath a Privation of those things wherewith his soule was filled now there is room for the Kingdom of God the reason is because a man can never be brought to Christ till he is pinched with these Privations before he can never come to Christ his heart can never be brought to bid so much and stake down so much for Christ as he must do if ever he come to attain him unlesse his heart be pinched with poverty unlesse his heart be void of all these high imaginations he had of himself he will never come to Christ It is plenty that brings down the market and scarcity that makes it rise plentiful years will make Corn of no price almost but if there be famine and scarcity and no bread almost to be had but men are ready to dye for hunger then they wil give any thing they will give ten shillings a bushel twenty nay fourty shillings hath been given for a bushel of Corn as I have read in Chronicles it is poverty that makes men come to a price So must the heart be pinched with Spiritual poverty else it will not come to Christ men will give nothing for the Kingdom of God they will not part with a single groat for Christ the prophane Gallant will not part with a look for Christ the proud vain fool will not part with a foolish lace a foolish fashion for Christ the drunkard will not foregoe a pot for Christ men will not part with any thing for Christ they will not part with a paultry lust or base affection for Christ People will not stir they will not open their purses they will not open their hearts to give any thing for Christ the reason is their hearts are full already People count their profits and pleasures and lusts and vanities and delights their Jewels a man must be poor before he will part with his Jewels but if a man be throughly pinched with poverty he will part with his old Gold and Rings and Jewels and all but he will never part with his Jewels till he be forced to it by extremity So all the lusts of the heart all the things of the world that the mind and affections run upon men account them their Jewels and they will not part with them till they be pinched with poverty Thus it was with the Jaylor Acts 16. 30. when he was pinched with this poverty he cryes out Men and brethren what shall I do to be saved when his heart was pinched with this poverty he was content to part with any thing he was willing to do any thing to hearken to any terms that he might have mercy So that it is necessary for a man to have all these Privations wrought in his heart and be made poor else he will never take Christ upon those terms whereupon he is offered Secondly Suppose a man should conceive worth to be in Christ suppose he should put a great price upon him yet if a man be not under these Privations if he be not pinched with poverty with Spiritual need and want he will never use all means for the attaining of the Kingdom of God He will never betake himself to all those courses that God hath commanded himselfe to be sought in It was need that made Ahab send up and down all Countries and Soiles for water it was need that made the rich Women of Shunem to hazard her life and her family and houshold in a forraign Country she would not have gone a mile of that Journey but for her poverty as Divines use to speak Let two men go to the market the one hath need the other hath not he that hath need will go whatsoever the weather be though the weather be never so foul he will go bread he wants and bread he must have and bread he will have and if he cannot have it at an easie rate he will part with any thing he will pawn his very cloaths from his back for it Why Because he and his Wife and his Children want it But the other he will go according as he likes the weather if the weather be answerable to his mind it may be he will go and it may be not and when he is there it may be he will buy and it may be not according as the price goeth because he hath no need of it So it is in Grace let two men be called upon to seek out for Grace one doth not feel any great need he is not pinched with the want of Faith and Repentance and Pardon and Peace of Conscience though he want these yet he is not pinched with the want his heart is yet full he is not yet come to this Spiritual poverty It may be he will come to a Sermon it may be not it may be he will part with a Lust and it may be not it is according as the bargain pleaseth him he will never use all means nor take up all courses that are prescribed But a man that is ready to starve for want of Christ as Sisera said Give me drink or else I perish so give me Christ or else I perish This man will take any course use any means he must have Christ and will have him when he comes to the Word Christ he wants and Christ he will have and must have all Sermons and all hearing are but as Oile to the fire they do but pinch his Soul so much the more till Christ comes he must have Christ in his Ordinances because he is sensible of his Spiritual poverty So that it is he which is lost that will be found it is he which is a captive that will be freed it is he that is blind that must have his sight and it is he that is naked that must be cloathed he that lies under these woful Privations he must have the form he looks after it he cannot be without it Thus we see that Privation is necessary for Religion the true life of Religion can never come into a man till he be layed under all these woful Privations we read of in Scripture But now here is a Question which will arise which those that are godly Quest would be glad to have resolved and that is this Whether these Privations that the Apostle here speaks of makes a man the formal Object of mercy Saint Paul was alive once before the Law came but when the Law came and was charged upon his Conscience it deprived him of his livelynesse and made him a dead man I dyed saith he Now the Question is this Whether is such a man the formal Object of mercy When the Law hath deprived a man of his conceited riches and made him a poor man and hath proclaimed him a bank-rupt and a begger and made him a captive that he is not able to stir one foot he is not able so much as to think a good thought but he lyeth under wrath and is
5. 8. Be sober and watchful for your Adversary the Divel goeth about like a roaring Lion seeking whom he may devour The Divel is alwayes busie and therefore we had need watch and busie our selves and be careful at all times when we are secure and consider not God and consider not the good of our Souls and the peace of our Consciences Satan presently hath advantage against us If the Divel had any thing else to do it were something but the Divel hath nothing to do but to hurt us and lay Siege against us All his practice from the beginning of the world to this day is to go roaming and ranging up and down to do mischief it is all his employment from the beginning of the day to the end thereof If he get us alone he will ensnare us there if not there he will ensnare us in company if he cannot get us there he will get us in a Sermon and if any thing falls against our lusts he will cause our hearts to rise against it Now when we do not watch over our selves we are led away by Satan therefore we had need be careful for the Divel is alwayes watchful therefore we should labour to be alwayes provided to resist him Again we have the flesh that is continually about us it is an enemy within us it is that which doth betray us to the World and the Divel even our own hearts do betray us and therefore we had need be careful we have enemies from without and our own hearts within and all to undo us Take a man that is in a good way and hath all means and helps to make him Godly though there be no temptation from without yet he may de damned from his own heart if he be not delivered from it Jam. 1. 14. Every man is tempted by his own lusts and Jam. 4. 5. The Spirit that is within us lusteth to envy and covetousness and security and vanity and carnal ease it lusts after these things and therefore we had need to watch A Third reason is Because it will do us a great deal of good for as if we do not watch we are easily surprized so if we do watch it is an easie thing to The certain advantage of Watchfulness stand all our miscarriages in the duties of Religion lye in security whereas if we were watchful and would walk with eyes in our heads and would consider the snares that be laid for us and consider Gods threatnings and Commandments the duties of Religion would be easie For if we do not watch the Divel and the World and the Flesh have advantage against us but if we do watch this is as it were a fence to the hearâ— to hedge a man in to keep him safe Rev. 3. 2. There is an excellent place Be watchful and strengthen the things that remain it is the strength of the soul When a man watcheth let a man have but a little grace suppose a man be marvellously fallen off and hath but a little good remaining a few graces in him a little faith a little hope a little sanctified desire he hath but a little strength to go on against sin if a man doth but now watch if a man do but husband this little how strong will he be A little Faith is able to overcome all the Divels in Hell well managed a little hope is able to keep a man above water from sinking a little strength is able to maintain the Combate a little affection to goodness if a man have a carefull heart to improve it to the uttermost will go a great way if a man did but watch it would strengthen the things that remaine Though a man were never so infeebled and come to never so low an ebb watchfulnesse is a stay and strength to the heart Fourthly Again if we do not watch we cannot so much as pray to God to We cannot else expect help or pardon forgive us our consciences tell us unlesse the Lord save us we cannot be saved now how can we expect that God should save us if we do not pray unto him And we cannot pray to him to save us unlesse we watch it is to tempt God to pray to him to preserve us from evil when we do not watch over our selves it is to tempt God to pray to him to quicken us when vve deaden our selves to intreat God to give us an holy mind vvhen vve our selves let in vain thoughts Therefore see vvhat Christ speaks Mar. 14. 38. Watch and Pray that ye fall not into temptation As vvho should say You cannot Pray that you may not enter into temptation you tempt God if you intreat him to do any thing if you do not vvatch over your ovvn souls Though a man hath no Activity to do any good yet God vvill have him be vvatchful if he mean to purifie a man he vvill make him purifie himself if he mean to keep him from pride he vvill make his ovvn heart resist pride therefore watch that thou enter not into temptation if thou mean to pray to God not to lead thee into temptation But you will say All a mans watching will do no good except God watcheth over him Psal 127. 1. Except the Lord keep the City the Watchmen Object watch in vain I answer 'T is true indeed unlesse the Lord keeps a mans soul all a mans Answ watching is nothing But I tell thee If thou watchest thou hast Two watchers thou hast God to watch over thee and thy self to watch over thee thou hast God to watch over thee and keep thee in all thy wayes and then thou watchet over thy self and art sustained by God so that thou hast two watchers God above and thy own soul within thee employed about this work A Fourth Reason is Because this is the very means prescribed by God to do us good It is the very remedy that the Lord of Heaven hath appointed Gods appointment unto us to save us from danger and keep us from falling the Lord hath sanctified this means to this very end and purpose therefore when our Saviour Christ would disswade his people from carking and caring for the things of this life Luke 21. 36. see what means he prescribeth and layeth down to do it Be watchful saith he and pray the world is ready to get in therefore watch saith he and pray alwayes that you may be accounted worthy to escape these things So that we see this the means prescribed by God himself to escape the falling into sin Fifthly Again We should be so much the more careful in this watch None can Watch for us because no other can watch for us in outward things one man may watch while another sleepeth as in sailing when all the rest are asleep there is one watcheth so in war when all the Souldiers lye in their tents asleep it may be some few are watching that the rest may take their rest but it is not so in
of God the other of the Serpent Now Christ and all that are Christs are one and the self-same seed though they are different in Place different in Countrey different in estate and condition some Jews some Gentiles some Bond some Free some Noble some Mean yet they are all one in Christ Jesus as the Apostle saith Gal. 3 28. There is neither Jew nor Grecian there is neither bond nor free there is neither male nor female for ye are all one in Christ Jesus 'T is true you are different among your selves one is a master another a servant one is a rich man another a poor man so there is a difference but they are all one in Christ Jesus they have all one and the self-same Faith they have all one and the self-same Father there is but one Lord and one Spirit to quicken and unite them all Thus we see what this Body of Christ is Now in the Second place What it is to be put into this Body to be implanted VVhat putting into this Body is into it to be knit into this Body I Answer in a few words it is this It is a part of a mans Ingrafting into Christ by Faith whereby a man is ingrafted into the Body of Christ having one common life with all the rest of the Members for mutual consent and profit and care and help and sympathy or fellow-feeling First It is a part of a mans ingrafting into Christ For the ingrafting A part of our ingrafting into Christ of a man into Christ and into the body of Christ are not Two things but God doth them by one and the self-same act as you may see Rom. 12. 5. We being many are one body in Christ and every one Members one of another that is by being Members of Christ and by being ingrafted into Christ we come to have fellowship and conjunction and joyning one with another it must needs be the same work for the putting a man into Christ in whom are the other Members that very act makes a man to have fellowship with Christ together with all the other Members as the Apostle speaks Rom. 11. 17. Though some of the branches be broken off and thou being a wilde olive tree wast grafted in for them and made partaker of the root When a man is ingrafted into this Olive tree he is ingrafted with the rest of Christs Members and he doth partake together with the other Members of the same root and of the same Gifts and Graces God doth both under one Therefore though I handle this after the other it is because I cannot handle them both at once Saint John saith 1 Joh. 1. 7. If we walk in the light as he is in the light we have fellowship one with another So that if a man be in Christ he hath communion with the Body of Christ if he hath fellowship with Christ he hath fellowship with the Body of Christ so that you see the Spirit doth both by one and the self-same act as the Apostle saith Ephes 2. 12. Ye were at that time without Christ and aliants from the common-wealth of Israel It is all one thing to say that a man is out of Christ and an Aliant from the common-wealth of Israel without that corporation without that Body he is no Member of that Body therefore it follows on the other side If a man be in Christ and ingrafted into Christ then he is of this society he is of the common-wealth of the Israel of God So that this is the First Thing It is a part of a mans ingrafting into Christ Secondly This likewise is done by Faith When a man is ingrafted VVrought by Faith into Christ he is ingrafted into him by Faith As the Apostle saith Rom. 11. 23. And they also if they abide not in unbelief shall be grafted in for God is able to graft them As who should say If ever they have Faith they are ingrafted into Christ it is Faith that ingrafts a man into Christ and the same Faith that makes a man to be of the Body of Christ that puts a man into the number of the Members of Christ as Paul saith To Titus my Son in the common Faith Tit. 1. 4. that is it is such a Faith as doth not only ingraft this man into Christ but the very self-same Faith another man having it it doth ingraft him into the Body of Christ too So that it is a common Faith whereby one is ingrafted into the Body of Christ as well as another as Act. 2. 44. They were all of one minde and one heart they all hung together as one body they imparted their gifts and things they had even to their very Lands and Goods one to another here was a sweet communion but then what was the reason of this What was the Instrument that wrought this It was Faith for the text saith they were believers or else they could not have done it And therefore as we are said to come to Christ so to the Body of Christ as Heb. 12. 22. But ye are come to Mount Zion to the City of the living God the celestial Jerusalem and to the company of innumerable Angels and to the congregation of the first born which are written in heaven You are come he speaks of a spiritual coming by Faith So that this putting into the Body of Christ is by Faith Then in the Third place It makes a man have a common life with all the Making us have common life with other Members rest of the Members of Jesus Christ As you may see Col. 3. 4. When Christ which is our life shall appear ye also shall appear with him in glory Christ who is our life We that are the people of God Christ is our life we have one and the self-same life all one and the self-same minde in the wayes of God As it is said Act. 4. 32. The multitude of them that believed were of one heart and one soul all the people of God in the whole world would quickly be acquainted if they were brought together for they are all of one and the self-same disposition and mind As our Saviour speaks to his Father Joh. 17. 21. That they all may be one as thou art in me and I in thee so that all they may be one in us As the Three Persons in the blessed Trinity are three distinct Persons and yet are all one so in some sense the Members of the Body of Christ though they be of several callings and conditions in the world yet they are all one that they may be all one as we are one vers 21. They all live by the same rule and walk by the same rule they are all guided by the same Word and swayed by the same Commandment they all walk in one Way they all Pray by one and the self-same Spirit they have a life that is common look as one lives so lives another look as one repents so another repents