most lamentable crosses that ever he had as is clear Psal 13.3 Lighten mine eyes said David that is let me behold and be satisfied with thy face and the motive that he backeth it with is this Lest I sleep the sleep of death David thought himself a dead man if Christ did withdraw his presence from him also it is clear Cant. 3.1 compared with the following verses where absence from Christ and want of communion with him was the greatest crosse the Spouse had and it is clear from John 20.11.12.13 where Mary had a holy disdain of all things in respect and comparison of Christ But I will tell you what an hypocrite doth most lament and that is the want of reputation amongst the Saints that is the great god and Idol amongst hypocrites and thee which when not enjoyed hypocrites and Atheists lament most the world and the lust of their eyes when they want these then they cry out They have taken away my gods and what have I more They think heaven can never make up he losse of earth And certainly if many of us would examine our selves by this we should find our selves most defective I would pose all you who are here who have taken on a name to be followers of Christ whether or not ye have been content to walk thirty days in absence from Christ and yet never to lament it Hath not Christ been thirty dayes and more in heaven without a visite from you And yet for all this you have not cloathed your selves with sackcloath I will not say that this is an undeniable evidence of the totall want of the grace of faith but it doth eminently prove this that the person who hath come this length hath lost much of his primitive love and much of that high esteem which he ought to have of matchlesse Christ what can you find in this world that maketh you converse so little with heaven I think that it is the noble encouragement of a Christian when he is going down to his grave that he hath this where with to comfort himself I am to change my place but not my company Death to the believing Christian being a blessed transition and transportation to a more immediat constant and uninterrupted enjoyment of God But I believe that if all who have the name of Believers in this generation should go to heaven they might have this to say I am now not only to change my place but also my company For these seventy years I have been conversant with my Idols but now I am to converse with more blessed divine and excellent company O that ye might be perswaded to pursue much after an absent Christ Were it not a sweet period of our life to breath out our last breath in his arms and to be living in the faith of being eternally with him which might be founded upon his Word II. There is this second evidence of one that is in the Faith They do endeavor to advance that necessary work of the mortification of their Idols according to that word 1 John 3.3 Every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself even as he is pure Acts 15.9 Faith it purifieth the heart And concerning this evidence least any should mistake it I would say these things to you First the mortification of a Christian as long as he is here below it doth more consist in resolutions than in attainments it is certain that there are high attainments of a Christian in the mortification of his Idols but his resolutions go far above his performances Secondly we would say this That those Christians who never came this length in Christianity to make that an universal conclusion and full resolution What have I to do any more with Idols They may suspect themselves that they are not in the Faith For a Chrâ—stian that is in Christ he is universal in resolutions though he be not so in practice but defective in performances A Christian may have big resolutions with weak performances for resolutions will be at the gate of heaven before practice come from the border of hell there being a long distance betwixt resolution and practice and the one much swifter then the other And thirdly We would likewise say that ye who never did know what it was to endeavour by prayer and the exercises of other duties the mortification of your lusts and Idols ye may be afraid that ye have not yet the hope of seeing him as he is And I would say this to many who are setled upon their lees and who never did know what it was to spend one hour in secret prayer for mortifying an Idol that they would beware lest that curse be past in heaven against them I would have purged you and ye would not be purged therefore ye shall not be purged any more till ye die That iniquity of refusing to commune with Christ in the work of â— ecret mortification I say that iniquity shall not be purged away And we would once seriously desire you by that dreadfull sentence that Christ shall passe against you and by the love you have to your immortal souls and by the pains of those everlasting torments in hell that ye would seriously set about the work of spiritual mortification that so ye may evidence that ye have believed and that ye have the soul-comforting hope of eternal life I would only speak this one word to you and desire you seriously to ponder it What if within twelve hours hereafter a summons were given to you without continuation of dayes to compear before the solemn and dreadful Tribunal of that impartial Judge Jesus Christ what suppose ye would be your thoughts Will you examine your own conscience what you think would be your thoughts if such summons were given unto you I am perswaded of this That your knees would smite one against another and your faces would gather paleness seeing your conscience would condemn you That you had been weighed in the ballance and found light O think ye that ye can both fight and triumph in one day Think ye that ye can fight and overcome in one day Think ye your lusts and unmortified corruptions so weak and faint-hearted an enemy that upon the first appearance of such imaginary champions as most part of us are in our own eyes that your idols would lay down arms and let you trample on them Believe me mortification is not a work of one day or one year but it is a work will serve you all your time begin as soon as you will and therefore seeing you have spent your dayes in the works of the flesh it is time that now you would begin and pursue after him whose work is with him and whose reward shall come before him III. Now there is this third evidence by which a Christian may know whether he be in the faith or not it is that Christ is matchless and incomparable unto such an one according to that word 1. Pet. 1.7
content to bestow some hours upon it according as other necessary employmeÌ„ts would permit And now having sought out all the Notes of these Sermons which we could find from other hands and compared them with the Copie above mentioned we do again present them unto the Lords people not with anie confidence that our pains hath put anie new lustre upon them onlie we have some hopes that the whole subject being now before them and these things in the way of expression helped which either might seem to be somewhat unpleasant or lyable to mistakes they shal not now be less edifying nor less acceptable then formerlie they were We did not think fit to make anie considerable alterations as to the method or other things of that kind lest haplie by straining his excellent purposes too much to shape them to the ordinarie rules or to reduce them to that order which might best have pleased our selves vve should have vvronged the matter it self at least have put them to a loss vvho did hear him preach and it may be now upon their reading things in that same order as they heard them vvill be the more readilie brought under the impressions of that liveliness power and vveights which it may be formerly they felt upon their heartvvhen he vvas speaking If the method do not altogether satisfie some spir rits or the explication seem not so full or if they firse some introductions which possibly lead not in so close or seem not so sutable to the subject of the Sermons or haply now and then there be some little digressions from the main purpose we shal desire that this may not at all be constructed to be the Authors ignorance of rules and method or his want of abilities in humane learning it being well known to those who were best acquainted with him that he had a scholastick spirit and was in reading far beyond his age and opportunities for studying but as to all these we shal intreat you rather to consider 1. His age and that his gift was but in the very moulding and breaking as we speak in the point of order and method when the Lord was pleased to call him home from his work 2. That every man hath his proper gift of God who in his great wisdom and certainly for the good of the Church doth so order that there is somewhat singular and peculiar almost in every mans way as to these things 3. For any thing we know he had never that high esteem of this or any other of his labors as to design any of them for publick view and these are but Notes taken from his mouth 4. We are perswaded he studied more his hearers then himself Ye will easily perceive when ye have but read a little that he hath been a man of a very zealous temper that the great benfil of his spirit and that which he did wholly spend himself about was to make people know their dangerous condition by nature and by all means to perswade them to believe and lay hold upon the great salvation And truly that a man in such a frame should less attend to these lesser things is not to be wordered at And indeed though these things be good in themselves and worthy to be looked to in their own place yet for a Minister of the Gospel in all Auditories and upon all occasions to pin upon every purpose to such a method and insist unto such a measure of explications and criticismes upon words it is but to setter himself and to starve his people 5. Consider the dulness of the most part of hearers in this age and how hard a thing it is to awake a sleeping world and to get them but to think that it doth concern them to hear in earnest and possibly it was not a small piece of spiritual wisdom in him and it may be not unfit to be imitated by others to bâ—gin or end all his Sermons with an awaking word concerning Heaven or Hell or Judgement and the danger of choosing the evil and refusing of the good 6. For digressions the truth is that his soul was so filled with such longings after Heaven and Glory and so inflamed with the love of Christ especially toward the latter end of his race that when he fell upon those subjects upon which you will see most of these digressions are he could not well contain himself nor easily bring off his own spirit a thing not unusual to the Saints in Scripture And howbeit such things might seem somewhat singular in the time and not so coherent yet now we have grounds to apprehend that they were often strong influences of the Lords Spirit stirring up a lamp as it were into a sudden blaze that was not to burn long in his Church But now we shall detain you no longer only this we may assure you of that although these Sermons are neither so exact nor so full as doubtless they would have been if they had come from the Authors own pen yet as I dare say they were studied with prayer preached with power and backed with success so also if ye shal read them with consideration meditate with prayer and practise with diligence ye shal never find your time nor pains ill bestowed but shal have cause to bless the Lord for this amongst other helps that he hath given for making you meet for the inheritance of the Saints in light That it may be blest to this end is the earnest desire and prayer of your servants in the work of the Lord RO. TRAIL JO. STERLING THE MYSTERY OF FAITH OPENED UP SERMON I. JOHN 3.23 This is his Commandment that ye should believe on the Name of his Son Jesus Christ c. THIS everlasting Gospel in which there are drawn so many precious draughts and divine lineaments of the transcendent beauty of a crucified Saviour and of the riches of his unsearchable grace is a most precious and excellent thing not only because it doth contain most absolute sublime precepts commands in the exercise and obedience of which we do not only attain unto the highest pitch in holiness but likewise because it containeth most rich and precious promises in the possession and fruition of which we are advanced to the highest pinacle of eternal blessedness this is clear in the grace of Faith for what doth more purify the hearts and stamp it with the Image of the invisible God then this grace of Faith And what richer promises are annaxed to any duty then to this duty of believing to wit everlasting life and fruition of God so that if we had dwelt forty dayes at the foot of Mount Sinai and had been under the greatest discovering and condemning power of the Law we may yet come with boldness to Mount Sion and there embrace Jesus Christ who is the end of the Law for righteousness to such as believe Upon which Mount he standeth holding forth the golden Scepter of his peace desiring us to embrace him
and is crying out that word in Isai 65.1 Behold me behold me O may we not summon Angels and those twenty four elders about the Throne to help us to wonder that ever such a command as this came forth that we should believe on the name of the Son of God after that we had broken that first and Primitive command That we should not eat of the forbidden tree VVas not this indeed to make mercy rejoice over judgement And O may we not wonder at the precious oath of the everlasting Covenant whereâ—…y he hath sworn that he delighteth not in the death of sinners What suppose ye were poor Adams thoughts when at first the doctrine of free-grace and of a crucified Christ Jesus a Savior was preached unto him in Paradise What a divine surprisal was this that Heaven should have preached peace to earth after that earth had proclaimed war against Heaven Was not this a low step of condescendency to behold an offended God preaching peace and good-will to a guilty sinner What could self-destroying AdaÌ„ think of these morning first discoveries of this everlasting Covenant Christ as it were in the morning of time giving vent to that infinite love which was resting in his bosome precious heart before the foundatioÌ„ of the world was laid We know not whether the infiniteness of his love the eternity of his love or the freedom of it maketh up the greatest wonder but sure these three joyned together maketh up a matculess and everlasting wonder Would any of you ask that question what is Christ worth We could give 〈◊〉 answer so sutable as this It is above all the Arithmetick of all the Angels in Heaven and all the men on earth to calculate his worth all men here must be put to a divine non plus This was Jobs divinity Job 28.13 Man knoweth not the price of wisdom and must not Jesus Christ who is the precious object of faith and wisdom of the Faither be a supereminent excellent One who hath that name of King of Kings and Lord of Lords not only engraven on his vesture which pointeth out the conspicuousness of his Majesty but even also upon his thigh to point out that in all his goings motioâ—s he proveth himself to be higher than the Kings of the earth And howbeit the naked proposing of the object doth not convert yet if once our souls were admitted to behold such a sight as Christ in his beauty and Majesty and to be satisfied with the divine rayes of his transcendent glory then certainly we should find a blessed necessity laid upon us of closing with him for Christ hath a sword proceeding out of his precious mouth by which he doth subject subjugat his own to himself as well as he hath a sword girded upon his thigh by which he judgeth and maketh war with his enemies We confess it is not only hard but simply impossible to commit an hyperbole in commending of him his worth being always so far above our expressions our expressions alwayes so far beneath his worth therefore we may be put to propose that desire unto him Exalt thy self O Lord above the Heavens But now to our purpose being at this time to 〈…〉 discourse upon that radical and precious grace of Faith we intend to speak of it under this twofold notion consideration First we shal speak of it as it is justifying or as it doth lay hold upon the righteousness of a crucified Savior making application of the precious promises in the Covenant of free grace which we call justifying Faith And in the second place we shal speak a little unto Faith as it doth lay hold upon Christs strength for advancing the work of mortification and doth discover the personal excellencies of Jesus Christ by which we advance in the work of Holiness and divine conformity with God which we call sanctifying Faith However it is not to be supposed that these are different habits of Faith but different acts flowing from the same saving habit laying hold and exercising themselves upon Christ indifferent respects and for diverse ends Now to speak upon the first we have made choise of these words The Apostle John in the former verse had been pointing out the precious advantages of the grace of ObedieÌ„ce of keeping of his CoÌ„mands that such an one hath as it were an arbitrary power with God doth receive many precious returns of prayer As likewise that one who is exercised in the grace of Repentance is Gods delight which is included in this that he doth those things that are well pleasing in his sight And now in these words he doth as it were answer an objection that might be proposed about the impossibility of attaining these precious advantages seeing his commands were so large and that hardly could they be remembred This he doth sweetly answer by setting down in this one verse a short compend or breviary both of Law Gospel viz. That we should love one another which is the compend of the Law and that we should believe on the Name of his Son which is the compend of the Gospel by this he showeth the Christian that there are not many things required of him for attaining these excellent advantages but if he exercise himself in the obedience of these two comprehensive commandments he shall find favor both with God and man And as concerning this precious grace of Faith we have 1. The advantages of it implyed in the words clear also from the scope as no doubt all the coÌ„mands have infinite advantages infolded in their bosom which redouÌ„ds to a believer by his practising of them And 2. the excellency of it holden forth in the words in that it is called his command as if he had no other command but this And the Greek particle is here prefixed which hath a great deal of emphasis and force in it and this is his Commandment But 3. there is this also the absolute necessity of this grace holden forth here in this word his Commandment as if he had said by proposing of this command I do set life and death before you and that you would not conceive that it is an arbitrary indifferent thing for you to believe or not but be perswaded of this that as an infinite advantage may constrain you to the obedience of it so absolute necessity must perswade you to act that which is of your everlasting concernment And lastly ye have the precious object upon which Faith which is justifying doth exercise it self and that is upon the name of the Son of God and no doubt faith is that excellent grace which doth elevate the soul unto a sweet inseparable union with Christ and is that golden precious knot that doth eternally knit the hearts of these precious friends together Faith is that grace that draweth the first draughts of Christs precious image on our hearts by love doth accomplish and perfect them No Faith
would tell the worst company that one shal have in hell it is alwayes this ye shal go to that place where hypocrites and sinners are and so it would be of your concernment that by the candle of the Lord ye would search the inward part of the belly before ye go down to the grave with a lie in your right hand a deceiving heart having turned you aside We confess it is sad to consider those anxious disappointments that many in these days shal once meet with IV. But there is this last difference betwixt justifying Faith and temporary Faith that there are three precious effects of justifying Faith which a temporary believer cannot win to 1. To be denyed to all his enjoyments and attainments and to walk humbly under them for we may say that it is impossible for an hypocrite to be denyed to his enjoyments he maketh such a Deity of them and worships them or rather he worshippeth himself in them There are three great Graces that an hypocrite doth pursue after though he rather seeketh them as gifts then as Graces knowledge prayer and humility And though it be but little he can attain of any of the three or rather nothing in a saving way yet least of all can he attain to the last yea we may judge that there is always within his bosom a standing conviction that he could never win unto that gracious Grace of Humility O! could ye never win to this to count your own righteousness as filthy rags and to rejoyce alone in the righteousness of a crucified Savior I would press this upon you by the way O Christians of this generation forget your perfections and remember your imperfections have an holy oblivion of your attainments but have a divine remembrance of your short-comings look more to what is before unperfected then to what is behind and thus shal you evidence true justifying Faith 2. It is an effect of justifying Faith to be under some constant and divine impression of the preciousness of Jesus Christ according to that word 1 Pet. 27. To you who believe Christ is precious It is not said that Christ was precious or shal be precious but it is said he is precious which doth import as we use to speak a continued act Did ye never know what it was to dwell twenty four hours under the impression of the matchless excellency and precious worth of a crucified Savior I will pose you with this Are there not some here and else where that pass under the notion of Saints that never knew what it was to dwell half an hour under these high and elevating thoughts of the preciousness of Jesus Christ So that we profess we cannot tell whe◅er we shal call him precious or undervalued but we may conjoin these two together that he is a precious and yet undervalued Christ 3. By justifying Faith a Christian winneth to mortification of his invisible predominant lusts which is impossible for a temporary believer to win to And is there not a great difference betwixt an Idol when it is cast out and an Idol when it but goeth out I will tell you the great mortification of hypocrites the devil was living in them as one that was a black one and now he cometh again and transformeth himself into an Angel of light He was living in them before by his spirit of prophanity and now he liveth in them by the spirit of hypocrisy and counterfeiting of those things that were never clear attainments while it is the noble dignity of Faith Acts 15.9 to purifie the heart but are there not many here who never knew what it was to mortify one lust for Christ Can such a delusion overtake you O Atheists that ye shall reign with Christ if ye die not with him There is an opinion vented in these dayes that there may be repentance in heaven I think it would seem that the Christians of this age have much of that opinion we are so little in repentance while we are here below but know that Faith and Sanctification are two inseparable companions And let me tell you if you will know the compend of the precious exercise of Faith it is this Faith hath three great things that it perpetually contemplates and views 1. Faith looketh to the promise and there it doth rejoyce and rest upon it 2. Faith looketh to the duties that are commanded and there it cryeth out Here am I I will obey and hearken unto the voyce of the Word And 3. Faith looketh to the crown and there it doth exult and sweetly rejoyce in divine expectation And O what a sight is that to behold that everlasting Prince standing at the end of our race having a crown in his right hand with this Motto engraven on it He that persevereth to the end shal be saved And what a Faith suppose ye it shall be thought when we shall get on that immortal crown of blessedness What think ye is the exercise of those that are above O Heaven Heaven if we did know it would we not be in an holy extasie of desire till we were there And blessed be he eternally that hath purchased that precious felicitie to us Now we shal at this time shut up our discourse by speaking a little to those things in which a Christiā doth ordinarily meet with assurāce of this interest in God and is put to the divine actings of the Grace of Faith for there are some sealing times to a Christian I. The first time of the sealing is after the mortification of some predominat lust and Idol then they are admitted to read their names in the precious and ancient records of Heaven and to see in these books their unworthy names written by the hand of that everlasting Prince This is clear Rev. 2.17 To him that overcometh wil I give a white stone and in the stone a new name written that no man knows saving he that receiveth it And from that 2 Tim. 4.8 Believe me more mortification would make more believing but would ye know the original of misbelief It is the want of exercise of spiritual mortification of our lusts I know not where the most part of us intendeth to lodge at night but this is certain that we live with much contentment with our lusts and these predominat Idols that do so much possesse us II. It is secondly a sealing time to a Christian when he is admitted to the divine enjoyment of these satisfying delights that are to be found in Christ When was it that the Spouse cryed out so often My beloved is mine and I am his Was it not when she was brought to the banquetting and his banner over her was love Believe me more communion with an absent Christ would make more intimation in a divine manner of our peace with him We desire to bless those that are above the reach of all these disputings and questions that we are so much subject unto III. This is a sealing time to a
we will not delight our selves in loving of him And I would say this to you that though ye should weep the one half of your dayes and pray the other half yet if ye want this noble grace of Faith your righteousness shall be but like a monstruous cloath and filthy rags before him For what is praying without believing but a taking of his blessed Name in vain What is our conferring upon the most divine and precious truths of God without believing it is not a lying to the Holy Ghost and a flattering of God with our mouth And we would have you knowing this that there is a sweet harmony that is now made up betwixt Moses and Christ betwixt the Law and the Gospel The Law bringeth us to Christ as a Savior and Christ bringeth us back again to the Law to be a rule of our walk to which we must subject our selves So then would ye know the compend of a Christians walk It is a sweet travelling betwixt Mount Sinai and Mount Sion betwixt Moses and Christ betwixt the Law and the Gospel And we conceive that the more deep that the exercise of the Law be in a Christians conscience before his closing with Christ there is so much the more precious and excellent advantages waiting for him I. There is this advantage that waiteth on the deep exercise of the Law that it is the way to win to much establishment in Faith when once we begin to close with Christ O Christians would ye know that which maketh the superstructure and building of grace to be within you as a bowing wall and as a tottering sence of that oftentimes ye are in hazard to raze the foundation it is this ye were not under the exercise of the Law before your believing in Jesus Christ There are some who do not abide three days at Mount Sinai and these shall not dwell many days at Mount Sion II. There is this advantage that waiteth on the deep exercise of the Law it maketh Christ precious to a mans soul What is that which filleth the soul of a Christian with many high and excellent thoughts of Christ Is it not this to have the Law registrating our Bond and putting us as we use to speak to the Horn That is to have the Law cursing us and using the sentence of condemnation against us That which maketh us have such low and undervaluing thoughts of precious Christ is because the most part of us are not acquainted with the deep and serious exercise of the Law that is a mystery to the most part of a Christians practise Ye know that there were four streams which went out from the Paradise of God into which man was first placed and so may we say that there are four golden streams by which lost and destroyed man is brought back again to this Eden and Paradise of everlasting delights First there is the precious stream of Christs righteousness by which we must be justified And secondly there is that stream of his Sanctification by which we must be purified Thirdly there is that stream of the wisdom of Christ by which we must be conducted through this wilderness wherein we have lost our way And fourthly there is that stream of Christs Redemption by which we must be delivered from the power of our enemies and must turn the battel in the gate it is by the Redemption of Christ that we shall once sing that triumphant song O Death where is thy sting O Grave where is thy victory O but all these streams will be sweet and refreshing to a soul that is hotly pursued by the Law So long as we see not the ugliness of our leprosie in that glass of the Law we have our own Abana and Parpher that we think may do our turn but when once our case is truly laid open to us then will we be content to wash our selves in Jordan seven times III. There is this advantage that waiteth on the deep exercise of the Law that it maketh a Christian live constantly under the impression of the sinfulness of sin What is it that maketh sin exceeding sinful to a Christian Is it not this he hath been fourty dayes in Moses School And we conceive that the ground why such fools as we make a mock of sin is because we know not what it is to be under the power of his wrath and the apprehensions of the indignation of God But now to come to that which we intend to speak of we told you at the first occasion that we spake upon these words that there were many excellent things concerning the grace of Faith holden forth in them The first thing which was holden forth concerning this radical grace of Faith was the infinite advantage that redoundeth to a Christian through the exercise of Faith and giving obedience to this command which we cleared to be holden forth not only from the scope but also from the nature of this command And now to speak a little to the point we shall propose these cosiderations that may abundantly show how advantagious a thing this excellent grace of Faith is I. The first consideration that speaketh it is this that Faith maketh Christ precious to a soul according to that word 1 Pet. 2.7 To you that believe Christ is precious And we would have you knowing this that Faith maketh Christ more precious to a soul then sense or any other thing can make him And first Faith maketh Christ more precious then sense because the estimation which the grace of Faith hath of Christ it is builded upon the excellency of his Person but the estimation of sense it is builded upon the excellency of his actings so that because he is such to them therefore they love and esteem him But that heroick grace of Faith it taketh up the excellency of Christs person and that maketh him precious to them Secondly Faith makes Christ more precious then sense because sense looketh to that love which Christ manifesteth in his face and in his hands and in his feet But Faith looketh to that love which is in his heart Sence will cry forth Who is like to thee whose countinance is like Lebanon excellent as the cedar whose hands are as gold rings set with beril and whose legs are like pillars of marble set in sockets of gold Sense will look to the smilings of Christ and will wonder it will look to his dispensations and actings and will be constrained to cry out Who is like unto thee But the grace of Faith solaceth it self in the fountain from whence all these springs and sweet inundations of love do flow Thirdly Faith maketh Christ more precious then sense because Faith looketh not only to what Christ is presently but unto what Christ is from eternity before time and what Christ shall be unto eternity after time but sense only doth look to what Christ is presently And ye must conceive that the sweet travelling of Faith betwixt infinite love from eternity before
and infinite love unto eternity after must make Faith to fall in a sea of wondering raiseth the thoughts to the highest pitch of desire and estimation Fourthly we may likewise add that the impression of the preciousness of Christ which sense maketh upon the soul is not so constant nor so single as that which Faith doth make O but the grace of Faith giveth the Christian a broad look of Christ and letteth him see Christ cloathed with ornaments of glory and divine Majesty Sense followeth Christ rather that it may see his miracles and love that it may be fed with loaves but Faith follows Christ for himself above all II. The second consideration to speak the advantage of it is that the grace of Faith it hath as it were an arbitrary power with God so that whatsoever a Christian shall seek in Faith he shall receive it It was the noble gift that was once given to Faith that it never should seek any thing and be denied according to that word in Matt. 21.22 And all things whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer believing ye shall receive it And that word in John 15.7 Abide in me that is believe and the promise is annexed to this Whatsoever ye shall ask ye shall receive And it is clear likewise from the preceeding verse to our Text that if we obey this command of Faith Whatsoever we shal ask of God we shal receive it And I would speak these two things to you from this First that oftentimes Christ putteth a blank in a Christians hand who is much in the exercise of Faith according to that in Matth 20.32 Is there not an ample blank put into that mans hand What wilt thou that I should do unto thee Christ desireth him to fill up the blank with what he would And secondly there is this which is one of the greatest steps of Christs matchless condescendency that oftentimes when his own have sought in their presumption a blank to be put in their hand Christ condescendeth to give it according to that strange passage in Mark 10.35.36 the two Disciples who present this desire to Christ We desire say they that whatsoever we ask thou shouldest give it unto us And presently that is answered What will ye that I shal do for you Christ hath an infinit good will to satisfie the desires of his own and that which yet more speaketh out Christs boundless good will to satisfie the desires of all that belong to him it may be decared in that word John 16.24 where he chargeth his Disciples with this Hither to saith he have ye asked me nothing ye must not suppose that Peter James and John never sought a suite of Christâ— but the meaning of that expression is this Ye sought nothing in comparison of that which I was willing to give and which your necessity did call for at my hands which ye should have sought III. There is this third consideration to poinâ— out the advantage of Faith it is that grace thaâ— keepeth all the graces of the Spirit in life exercise Faith is that higher wheel at the motion oâ— which all the lower wheels do move if so we may speak Faith is that Primum mobile that first moves and turns about all these lower graces of the Spirit according to that 2 Pet. 1.5 Add to your faith vertue and to your vertue patience and to your patience brotherly kindness First the grace of Faith keepeth in exrcise the grace of love as is clear Eph. 3.17 where these two graces are conjoined As likewise from Rom. 5.1 compared with verse 5. Being justified by faith Then this leffect followeth upon it the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts And so it is certain that Faith keepeth love in life Faith being the spy of the soul and that intelligencer and precious messenger it goeth out and bringeth in objects unto love Faith draweth and bringeth in objects unto love Faith draweth aside the vail and love sitteth down and solaceth it self in the discoveries of Faith Secondly the grace of Faith likewise it keepeth the grace of mortification in exercise as is clear not only from Eph. 6.9 but from 1 John 5.4 This is our victory whereby we overcome the world even our faith And it is certain that Faith keepeth mortification in exercise and advanceth holiness not only because of this that Faith is that grace that presenteth to a Christian the absolute purity and spotless holiness of Jesus Christ but also because it maketh them esteem their idols taste less as the white of an egg and they become unto them as their sorrowful meat The best principle of mortification is this the discoveries of the invisible vertues of Jesus Christ that mortification which ariseth from the lovely discoveries of the excellency of Jesus Christ is most real and abiding as those waters which rise from the highest springs are not only constant but likewise most deep and excellent Thirdly Faith likewise hath influence upon mortification as it doth take hold of that infinite strength that is in Christ by which a Christian is inabled to mortifie his coruptions Fourthly Faith likewise maketh application of the blood of sprinkling by which we are purified from dead works Fifthly likewise the grace of Faith keepeth in exercise the grace of Humility as is clear Rom. 3.27 By what law saith he is boasting excluded It is not by the law of works but by the law of faith Sixthly Faith keepeth in exercise the grace of joy as is clear Rom. 15.13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing So that ye see the proper fruit of Faith is joy in the holy Ghost And certainly did we believe more we should rejoice more Seventhly and lastly Faith keepeth in exercise the grace of Hope for it is impossible for hope to be in lively exercises except Faith once be exercised which may be a shame unto you for how can we hope to attain the thing that is promised except our Faith first close with the promise So there is this difference betwixt the grace of Faith and the grace of Hope the grace of Faith closeth with the promises but the grace of Hope it closeâ— with the thing that is promised IV. There is this fourth consideration thâ—… may speak out the excellency of the grace 〈◊〉 Faith It is that grace by which a Christian doth attain to most divine fellowship and constant correspondency with heaven Would yâ— have that question resolved and determined What is the best way not to stir up our Beloved nor awake him until he please It is this be much in the grace of Faith this is clear from Ephes 3.17 That Christ may dwel in our hearts by faith By the exercise of all other graces Christ is buâ— a sojourner that turneth aside to tarry but for 〈◊〉 night but by the exercise of this grace he cometh to take up house with us I will tell you what Faith is it is a
ladder that reacheth betwixt heaven and earth by the steps of which a Christian doth dayly go up to heaven and converse with the higher House Faith is that grace as the Apostle speaketh by which we have access to the Throne of his grace Faith ushers in the believer to the Throne and without it he can have no access there nor joy when he is there V. Here is this advantage that attendeth the exercise of Faith a believing Christian is a praying Christian according to that word in Mark 9.24 where these two are conjoined together Lord I believe and then he falleth to his prayer presently after that confession Help thou our unbelief And it is clear from Psal 63.1 O God thou art my God early will I seek thee my soul Christeth for thee And sometimes Faith is a most impatient grace but we may alwayes say of it that it is a most diligent grace Oh! is not the neglect of this precious exercise of Faith and of the duty of secret prayer that makes our leanâ—ness testifie to our face and maketh our souls as a barren wilderness I am perswaded of this that sinc0e Ch i st had any followers and since ever this everlasting Gospel was preached in Paradise the exercise of secret prayer was never so much neglected we have turned over all our prayers into complements with God We know not what it is to rise at mid-night and call upon God and to enquire after our Maker under the silent watches of the night O but it is a sweet diversion from sleep to retire our selves in the silent seasons of the night from all thoughts about worldly matters and to converse with that invisible Majesty IV. There is this sixth consideration to point out the advantage of Faith that Faith is that grace that doth facilitate a Christians obedience and maketh it most pleasant and easie this is clear from Heb. 11.8 By faith Abraham when he was commanded to go to a strange land obeyed and went out not knowing whether he went The word may be rendered he did chearfully obey And vers 17. By faith he offered up his only son Would ye know the reason why his commands are your burden And why his preceps are your cresses It is because of this ye do not believe And so it is most certain that it is impossible for a Christian to attain to a pleasant way of obedience without the exercise of faith Faith holdeth up the crown to a Christian and this crown maketh him to obey Faith gathereth strength from Christ and that strength maketh obedience very easie Faith taketh up the excellency of Christ and this maketh a Christian to look upon his duty more as his dignity then his duty And we are perswaded of this that our chariot-wheel should move more swiftly like the chariots of Aminadab if we were more in the exercise of the grace of Faith Would ye know an answer to that question what is first more requisite for a Christian while here below Faith And what secondly is most requisite Faith And what thirdly is most requisite for a Christian Even Faith Faith above all things and above all things Faith VII There is another advantage of it that by Faith our services and prayers are accepted of God Would ye know what is the prayer of a Christian that is not in Faith It is a smoak in his nostrils and a fire that burneth all the day The unbelivers sacrifice is an abomination to the Lord. This is clear from Heb. 11.4 By faith Abel offered up unto God a more acceptable sacrifice then Cain And we conceive that there are many unanswered prayers which we do put up because we want that noble exercise of Faith VIII And lastly we shal likewise add this that faith is the grace by which a Christian hath that pefect and immediate sight as is were of great things that are promised to him Faith bringeth a Christian within sight of Heaven and Faith bringeth a Christian within sight of God according to that word Heb. 11.1 Faith is the evidence of things not seen And that noble Paradox that is said of Faith Heb. 11.27 By faith Moses saw him that is invisible Is it not an impossible thing to see that which cannot be seen But the meaning of it is this that Faiths discoveries of God are as certain and sure as the discoveries of our bodily eyes are Faith is an intelligent grace yea it is a most sure and infallible grace What will Faith not do And what can you do who want Faith Now to enforce the advantages and excellencies of Faith a little more we shal propose to you the disadvantages of that woful sin of unbelief 1. There is this disadvantage of the sin of unbelief that all the actions that proceed from an unbeliever they are impure and defiled according to that in Tit. 1.15 But unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure but even their mind and conscience is defiled their prayer is unclean yea as Solomon speaketh their plowing in sin yea their going about the most excellent duties for matter is an abomination to God according to that word Rom. 14.23 What ever is not of faith is sin So the want of Faith is the great polluter of all our actions and of all our performances 2. There is this second disadvantage of misbelief that it is impossible for one in the exercise of unbelief to mortifie a lust or idol and we may allude unto those words in Matth. 17.20 when his Disciples came to him asked him this question Why could not we cast out this devil Thaâ— was given as an answer Because of your unbelief Unbelief is that which taketh up arms for out idols and doth most strongly defend them for there is nothing that will kill corruption so much as the exercise of Faith and when that is laid aside we have laid by our weapons and have in a manner concluded a treaty of peace with our idols that we shal not offend them if they do not offend us 3. There is this disadvantage that waiteth upon the sin of unbelief that such an one cannot win to attain to the grace of establishment but is alwayes as the waves of the sea tossed to and fro until once he win to the exercise of Faith as is clear from Isai 7.9 Except ye believe ye shal not be established 4. There is this disadvantage that waiteth on it is the mother of hardness and stupidity of heart according to that word in Mark 16.14 where he upbraideth them because of their unbelief and then that danger followeth to with hardness of heart this is clear also from Acts 19 9. where these two sister-devils are conjoined and locked together unbelief and hardness of heart because it is unblief indeed that hindereth all the graces by which the grace of Tenderness must be maintained 5. There is this disadvantage in the sin of unbelief that it is big with child of apostasie from
God and of defection from him according to that word Heb. 3.12 Beware lest their be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief and there the fruit of it to depart from the living God And certainly it is no wonder that unbelief travels in birth till that cursed child of apostasie be brought forth not only because of this that an unbeliever looseth the thought of the excellency of Christ but also because he increaseth in his thoughts of love towards his Idols for Christ doth decrease in those who misbesieve and their Idols do increase in their love and in their desires and in their estimation 6. There is this sixth disadvantage in the sin of unbelief it hindereth the communication of many single workings and tokens of the love and favor of the most High according to that sad word that is in Matth. 13.58 at the close He could not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief Unbelief as it were laid a restraint on Christ that he could not effectuat those things which he was willing to perform And to shut up our discourse at this time I would only add these two aggravations which may somewhat enforce what we have spoken I say there are these two aggravations in the sin of unbelief even in his own who have a right also his call to believe 1. That after that Christ hath given most sensible discoveries of himself Wherein we have seen him as it were face to face yet ye will not believe This is clear from John 6.36 Though ye have seen me saith Christ yet ye do not belive in me There is not a manifestation of Christs presence but it iâ— a witness against you of your unbelief Woulâ— you hear the voyce of sense that is rectified It iâ— this believe on the Son of God 2. That notwithstanding of the signal demonstrations of the power of Christ yet though it were the mortifying of some lust and Idol within them yet they will not believe but upon new temptations will doubt of his love to them Christ preacheth Faith by his Word he preacheth Faith by his sufferings he preacheth Faith by his dispensations he preacheth Faith by his promises he preacheth Faith by his rods and if these five instruments will not ingage your hearts to believe who can move them Doth not his two wounds in his precious hands preach out this point of Faith Believe him Doth not that hole opened in his side preach this doctrine That we should believe in him And these two wounds that he received in his precious feet do they not preach this That we should believe on a crucified Saviour And we would only say this that sometimes it is the caâ—e of his own that after the convictions of this that it is their duty to believe and also after some desires to close with Christ yet they find inability to close with him Is it not certain that to will to believe is sometime present with you but how to perform you know not And I would have a Christian making this fourfold use of such a dispensation as that which is most ordinarily when convictions of our duty to believe and some desires to close with Christ is not followed with actual performances 1. To study to have your convictions more â—eeply rooted within you for it doth sometimes â—…llow that resolutions and mints to believe are â—ot blest with actual believing because the conâ—iction of our duty to believe is not deeply imâ—rinted upon our conscience 2. Be convinced of that desperate enmity and â—hat mystery of iniquity that is within you that â—e can have some will to do without ability to â—erform We confesse it is not an ordinary disâ—ase in these dayes to have such a contrariety betwixt a Christians will and his practice our will â—or the most part being no better than our prastice but somtimes it is which may make you â—ry forth O wretched man that I am who shall deâ—iver me from this body of death 3. That ye would be much in the imploying of Christ that as he hath given you to will so also he might make you to do Christ is about to convince his own in such a dispensation as that That Faith is the gift of God Faith is so noble a grace that it cannot be spinned out from our resolutions not from our endeavors Faith is such a divine plant as the Fathers right hand must plant in our souls 4. Let it convince you of the excllency of the grace of Faith for the difficulty of the attaining to any thing may speak out the excellency of that thing there is no sin but it may be easily win at there is an easinesse and facility to overtake the paths of our Idols but the graces of the Spirit are so excellent things that we must fighâ— before we attain them And you who are straâ—gers to Christ Jesus and have never know what it is to close with him we would requeâ— you in Christs name to be reconciled to him What know ye O men or rather Atheists be this shall be the last summons that ye shal get 〈◊〉 believe And that because ye disobey this precious summons there shal be one presented tâ— you that ye cannot sit I remember of one maâ— who looking upon many thousands that weâ—… under his command weeped over them wheâ— he considered how that within a few years all these should be laid in their graves and should be in eternity O but it were much of our concernment to be trying our selves how it is with us we are not afraid that it is a breach of charit to wish that but one of each ten that are within these doors were heirs of the grace of life and had the solide and spiritual expectation of heaven I think if Christ were to come presently to speak to us He might not only say to each twelve that are here One of you shal betray me but we are afraid that he should say to each twelve that are here Eleven of you shal betray me and but one only shall passe free O doth it not concern you to enquire where you shal rest at night when the long shadows of everlasting evening shal be stretched out upon you I think there are some that are so setled upon their lees that if they were one day in hell and saw all the torments that are there and were brought from it the next day to live on earth they would â—ot repent And more there are some that take â—hem up on day to see the joyes of Heaven and bring them back again they would not pursue after these blessed and everlasting enjoyments O is not Christ much undervalued by us But I must tell you this One wo is past but behold another wo is coming O the searchings of those spirits who are entered into their everlasting priâ—on house out of which their is no redemption What shal be your choise when Christ shall come in the clouds I am
preswaded there are many to whom at that day this Doctrine would be ravishing viz. That there were not a death that there were not a God and that there were not an eternity O! will you believe That the sword of the justice of God is bathed in heaven and shall come down to make a sacrifice not in the land of Idumea nor in the land of Bezra but he is to make a sacrifice amongst his people who seemed to make a Covenant with him by sacrifice Ah ah shall we say that if that argument were used to many that within fourty dayes they should be at their long and everlasting home they would yet spend thirty nine of those dayes in taking pleasure upon their lusts I am perswaded of this that there are many who think that the way betwixt heaven and earth is but one dayes journey they think they can believe in one day and triumphant night But O it shal be short triumphing that such Believers as those shal have Therefore O dy to close with a crucified Saviour rest on hiâ— by Faith delight your selves in him with loâ—… and let your souls be longing for the day wheâ— that voyce shall be heard in Heaven O hoâ— sweetly will it be sung Arise arise arise my lovâ— my dove my fair one and come away for behâ—… your Winter is past your everlasting Summer is comâ— and the time of the singing of the birds is neâ—… When Christ shall come over these Mountains 〈◊〉 Bether he shall cry Behold I come and the sow shall sweetly answer Come blessed Lord Jesuâ— come O what a life shall it be that with those two arms you should eternally incircle Christ anâ— hold him in your arms or rather be incircled by him Wait for him for he shall come and his reware is with him and he shal once take home the weâ—ried travellers of hope SERMON IV. JOHN 3.23 This is his Commandment that yâ— should believe on the Name of his Son Jesuâ— Christ c. THere are two great and excellent gistâ— which God in the depth of his boundlesse love hath bestowed on his own First there iâ— that infinite gift and royal donation his own beloved Son Jesus Christ which is called The gift of God John 4.10 And secondly there is that excellent gift of the grace of Faith which God hath bestowed upon his own which is also called The gift of God Ephes 2.8 Faith is the gift of God And is it not certain that these two gracious gifts ought to engage our souls and hearts much unto him Infinite Majesty could give no gift greater then his Son and infinite poverty could receive no other gift so sutable as Christ It was the most noble gift that Heaven could give and it is the greatest advantage for earth to receive it And we could wish that the most part of the study and practise of men that is spent in purfuit after these low and transient vanities might be once taken up in that precious pursuit after Christ We could wish that all the questions and debates of the time were turned over into a soul-concerning question What shal we do to be saved And that all the questions controversies and contensions of the times were turned over into that divine contention and heavenly debate Who should be most for Christ who should be most for the exalting of the noble and excellent plant of renown And that all our judgings and searchings of other mens practises and estats might â—e turned over into the useful search to prove and examine our selves whether we be in the faith or not And I would ask you this question What are your thoughts concerning precious Christ seeing he is that noble object of Faith We would only have you take along these things by which Christ may be much commended to your hearts First there was never any that with the eyes of Faith did behold the matchless beauty and transcendent worth of that crucified Saviour that returned his enemy There is soul-conquering vertue in the face of Christ and there is heaâ—… captivating and overcoming power in the beautyâ— Jesus Christ This first sight that ever persecution Saul got of Christ it brought him unto an endleâ—… captivity of love Secondly there is this that wâ— would say of precious Christ which may engagâ— our souls unto him that for all the wrongs believers do to Christ yet hath he never an ill word 〈◊〉 them to his Father but commends them which is clear from that of John 17.6 where Christ doâ—… commend the Disciples to the Father for the gracâ— of obedience They have kept thy word And for thâ— grace of Faith vers 8. They have believed that the didst send me And yet were not the Disciple most defective in obedience both in this The they did not take up their cross and follow Christ and also that they did not adhere to him in the daâ— that he was brought to Cajaphas Hall And weâ— they not most defective in the grace of Faith as 〈◊〉 clear from Matth. 17 17. and likewise from John 14.1 he is pressing them to believe iâ— him and yet he doth commend them to the Father as most perfect in those things Thirdly there is this that we would lastly say of him who iâ— the noble object of Faith look to the eminent depths of Christs condescendency and then you will be provoked to love him Was it not infinite love that made Christ to ly three dayes in the Grave that we might be through all the ages of eternity with him Was it not infinite condescendency that made his precious head wear a crown of Thorns that we might eternally wear a crown of glory Was it not infinite condesendency that made Christ wear a purple robe that so we might wear that precious robâ— of the righteousness of the Saints And was it not matchless condescendency that Christ who know no sin was made sin for us that so we might become like unto him and be made the righteousness of God in him But to come to that which we intend mainly to speak upon at this time which is that second thing that we proposed to speak of from these words and that is concerning the excellency of this grace of Faith which we cleared was holden out in that that Faith was called his commandment which is called by way of eminency and excellency There are many things in Scripture which may sweetly point out the precious excellency of this grace of Faith and we shal only speak to these things I. The first thing that speaketh out the excellency of Faith is this it exerciseth it self upon a most noble object to wit Jesus Christ Faith and Love being the two arms of the immortal soul by which we do imbrace a crucified Savior which is often pointed at in Scripture and we shal point at these three principal acts of Faith which it exerciseth on Jesus Christ as the object of it 1. The first is to make up an union
betwixt Christ and the believer Faith being indeed an uniting grace and that which knitteth the members to the head and to make this more fully appear we would point out a little what a sweet harmony and correspondency there is betwixt these two sister-graces to wit Faith and Love Faith is that nail which fasteneth the soul to Christ and Love is that grace which driveth that nail to the head Faith at first taketh but a tender grip of Christ and then love cometh in and maketh the soul take a more sure grip of him Secondly ye may see their harmony in this Faith is that grace which taketh hold as it were of the garment of Christ and of his words but Love that ambitious grace it taketh hold of the heart of Christ and as it were his heart doth melt in the hand of Love Thirdly it may be seen in this Faith is that grace which draweth the first draught of the likeness and Image of Christ upon a soul but that accomplishing grace of Love it doth compleat these first draughts and these imperfect lineaments of Christs Image which were first drawn on the soul Fourthly by Faith and love the heart of Christ and of the believer are so united that they are no more two but one Spirit 2. There is this second act that Faith exerciseth on Christ and it is in discovering the matchless excellencies and the transcendent properties of Jesus Christ O what large and precious coÌ„mentaries doth Faith make upon Christ it is indeed that faithful spy which doth alwayes bring up a good report of him Hence it is that Faith is called understanding Coloss 2.2 because it is that grace which revealeth much of the precious truth of that noble object 3. And there is this third noble act of Faith exercising it self upon Christ viz. It maketh Christ precious to the soul according to that word 1. Pet. 2.7 unto you which believe he is pretious And if there were no other thing to speak forth its worth but that it is more then sufficient for no doubt this is the exercise of the higher House to be dwelling on the contemplation of Christs beauty and to have their souls transported with love towards him and with joy in him Reason and amazement are seldom companions but here they do sweetly join together First a Christian loveth Christ because of Christs actings and then he loveth all these actings because they come from Christ 2. Now secondly this pointeth out the precious excellency of the grace of Faith it is that grace which is most my sterious and sublime in its actings it hath a more divine and sublime way of acting then any other grace hence it is called The Mystery of Faith which speaketh this that the actings of Faith are mysteries to the most part of the world and I shall only point at these things which may speak out the mysterious actings of the grace of Faith 1. Faith can believe and fix it self on a word of promise although sense reason and probability seem to contradict the accomplishment of that promise Faith it walketh not by the low dictates of sense and reason but by a higher rule to wit The sure word of prophecy which is clear from Rom. 4.19 where Abraham believed the promise notwithstanding that sense and reason seemed to contradict it He considered not the deadness of his own body neither the barrenness of Sarahs womb but was strong in faith giving glory to God And it is cleâ—… from Heb. 11.29.30 where Faith believed their passing through the Red sea upon dry ground which was most contrary to sense and reason Faith be lieved the falling down of the walls of Jericho bâ— the blowing of rams horns which things are most impossible to sense and reason for sense will of tentimes cry out All men are liars and reasoâ— will say How can such a thing be and yet that he roick grace of Faith cryeth out Hath he spokeâ— it He will also do it Hath he said it Then 〈◊〉 shal come to pass 2. Faith can believe a word of promise notwithstanding that the dispensations of God seem to contradict it as was clear in Job who professed he would trust in God though he should kiâ—… him And no doubt but this was the practice oâ— believing Jacob he trusted that that promise should be accomplished that the elder should serve the younger though all the dispensations of Goâ— which he did meet with seemed to say that promise should not be accomplished 3. Faith can believe a word of promise even when the commands of God seem to contradicâ— the accomplishment of that promise this is cleaâ— in that singular instance of Abrahams Faith that notwithstanding he was commanded to kill his promised seed upon whom did depend the accomplishment of the promises yet he believed that the promises should be performed And though there were indeed extrordinary and strange tryâ—ls of his Faith as he had natural affections to wrestle with yet over the belly of all these believing Abraham he giveth Faith to the promise and bringeth his son Isaac to the Altar though he did receive him back again this is clear from Heb. 11.17.18.19 4. Faith can exercise it self upon the promise notwithstanding that callenges and convictions of unworthinesse and guilt do wait on the Christian this is clear 2 Sam. 23.5 that although his house was not so with God as did become yet he believed the promise as likewise it is clear from Psal 65.3 Iniquities prevail against me and yet that doth not interrupt his faith but he saith As for our transgressions thou shalt purge them away And certainly it were a noble and precious act of Faith to believe notwithstanding of unanswerable challenges of guilt the best way both to crucifie our Idols and to answer those challenges is believing and hoping against hope and closing with Christ this is clear from Isa 64.6.7 compared with ver 8. where after strange challenges the Prophet hath a strange word but now O Lord thou art our Father There is an Emphasis in the word now for all this yet thou art now our Father 5. And lastly this pointeth out the mysterious acting of the grace of Faith that it exerciseth it self upon an invisible object even upon Christ not yet seen according to that word 1 Pet. 5.8 Whom having not seen yet ye love in whom though now ye see him not yet believing 〈◊〉 I pose the greater part of you who are here whâ—ther or not these be two of the greatest paradoâ—… and mysteries unto you For is not this a mâ—stery to love him whom we never saw Whom having not seen yet ye love To love an absent aâ—… unseen Christ is a mystery to the most part of thâ— world and is not this a mystery to believe on his whom we never saw In whom though ye see hiâ— not yet believing And I shal add this that Faiâ—… can hold fast its interest with God notwithstanding the most
To you that believe Christ is precious And that word that Luke hath in his 7. chap. at the close That she to whom much was forgiven loved much Now lest this likewise should prove a discouragement to any I would only have you take notice of this that a Christian may be a believer and yet want the sensible discoveries of this that Christ is matchlesly precious to him but this is certain that when they are in the lively exercise of Faith it is impossible then for them not to esteem Christ matchless and I would speak this likewise to many who are here Have you not been living these ten years in Faith And I would pose you with this Esteem you not your Idols more matchless then Christ and more of worth then he It is impossible that there can be any lively exercise of faith and not esteem Christ matchless It is not to say it with your mouth and contradict it with your heart will do the business for if your heart could speak it would say I would sell Christ for thirty pieces of silver but mine idols would I sell at no rate Are there not many of you who love the world and its pleasures better then eternity of joy O! know you not that word O ye desperately ignorant of the truths of God! That he who loveth the world the love of the Father is not in him And yet notwithstanding of the light of the Word yet you would sell your immortal souls with Esau for a moss of pottage O! but it is a poor bargain when you have sold the eternity of joy for a passing world and for its transitory delights I would earnestly know what shal be your thoughts in that day when you shall be standing upon the utmost line betwixt time and eternity O! what will be your thoughts at that day But you are to follow on to endless pain by appearance and then you are to leave your idols I shall only desire that you may read the word Isai 10.3 What will ye do in the day of visitation and in the desolation which shal come from far To whom will ye flee for help And where will ye leave your glory You shall then preach mortification to the life though all the time of mortification shall be then cut off O but to hear a worldly minded man when eternity of pain is looking him in the face preach out concerning the vanity of this world might it not preswade you that the world is a fancy and a dream that shal flee away and shal leave you in the day of your greatest strait IV. And there is this fourth evidence of faith that a Christian who doth truly believe he is that Christian who entertaineth a divine jealousie and a holy suspition of himself whether or not he doth believe I love not that faith which is void of fear this was clear in the practice of believing Noah that though by faith he built the Ark yet he had fear mixed with his faith I know that there are some who are ignorant concerning this what it is to doubt concerning eternal peace and more it is not every one that doubteth that certainly shal get heaven fore I think an hypocrite may doubt concerning his eternal salvation however I think the exercise of an hypocrite under his doubtings it is more the exercise of his judgement then the exercise of his conscience And I may say that if all the exercise of the Law which is preached in these dayes were narrowly searched it would be more the exercise of light then the exercise of conscience We speak these things as our doubt which was never our exercise and we make these things our publick exercise which was never our private and chamber-exercise And I think that if all that a Christian did speak to God in prayer were his exercise he would speak less and wonder more We would be speechless when we go to God for often if we did speak nothing but our exercise we would have nothing to say And certainly it is true that often we fall into that woful sin of desperate lying against the holy Ghost by flattering God with our mouth and lying unto him with our tongue And I shall only say these two words there are some who have this for their great design viz. they would be at peace with their conscience and also they would beat peace with their idols they would gladly reconcile conscience and their idols together That is their great design And there are some whose design is a little more refined they study rather to be reconciled with their conscience then to be reconciled with God Their great aim they shoot at is this to get their conscience quieted though they know not what it is to have the soul-comforting peace of God to quiet them V. Now there is this last evidence of Faith that justifying faith is a faith which putteth the Christian to be much in the exercise of those duties by which it may be maintained for we must keep faith as the apple of our eye and for that end I would only give you these three things by which faith must be kept in exercise and a real Christian will be endeavoring iâ— some measure to attain unto these 1. It keepeth faith much in exercise to be much in marking and taking notice of the divine exercise and proofs of the love of God wherewith a Christian doth meet as is clear from that word in Rom. 5.4 Experience worketh hope I durst be bold to charge the most part that are indeed in Christ with this that they are too little in remarking and taking notice of the experiences of his love You should mark the place of your experience and much more you should mark the experience it self as is clear from Scripture that the very place where Christians did meet with experience in such an enjoyment of God they marked it Ezech. 1.1 By the rivers of Chebar the heavens were opened and I saw the visions of God And Gen. 32.30 Jacob called the place Peniâ—l The place of being after seeing of the face of God it was so remarkable unto him And we conceive that you would mark these two things mainly in your practice First you would mark if you can possibly the first day of your closing with Christ and your coming out of Egypt and we may allude unto that command if not more then allude to it in Deut. 16.1 Observe the moneth of Abib and keep the Passeover unto the Lord thy God for in the moneth of Abib the Lord thy God brought thee out of the land of Egypt And secondly we would have you much in marking these experiences which have encreased your faith and which have strengthened your love and which have made you mortifie your idols These are experiences especially to be marked 2. Faith is kept in exercise and we win to the lively assurance of our interest in God which we would press upon you by being
world without end And fifthly there is this difference less will satisfie the grace of Faith and the grace of Hope then will satisfie the grace of Love Faith it will be content with the promise and Hope will be content with the thing that is promised but that ambitious grace of Love it will be only content with the Promiser Love claspeth its arms about that precious and noble object Jesus Christ Love is a suspicious grace it oftentimes cryeth forth They have taken away my Lord and I know not where they have laid him So that Faith is oftentimes put to resolve suspicions of Love I can compare these three graces to nothing so fitly as to those three great worthies that David had These three graces they will break thorow all difficulties were it an host of Philistins that so they may pleasure Christ and may drink of the well of Bethlehem that well of everlasting consolation that floweth from beneath the throne of God Love is like Noahs dove it never findeth rest for the sole of its foot until once it be within that Ark that place of repose Jesus Christ And sixthly there is this last difference between them Faith taketh hold upon the faithfulness of Christ Hope taketh hold upon the goodness of Christ but Love it taketh hold upon the heart of Christ And think ye not it must be a pleasant and soul-refreshing exercise to be continually taken up in embracing him that is that eternal admiration of Angels Must it not be an excellent life dayly to be feeding upon the finest of the wheat and to be satisfied with honey out of the rock O but heaven must be a pleasant place And if once we would but taste of the first ripe grapes and a cluster of wine that groweth in that pleasant land might we not be constrained to bring up a good report of it But now to come to that which I purpose mainly to speak of at this time The last thing concerning Faith that we proposed from the words was the object upon which Faith exerciseth it self which is here set down to be the Name of his Son Jesus Christ And that we may speak to this more clearly we shal first speak a litle to the negative what things are not the fit object of Faith And then to the positive showing how this Name of God and of his Son Christ is that sure ground upon which a Christian may pitch his faith For the first ye must know that a Christian is not to build his faith upon sense nor sensible enjoyments Sense may be an evidence of Faith but it must not be the foundation of Faith I know there are some that ofttimes cry out Except I put my fingers into the print of the nails and thrust my hand into the hole of his side I will not believe And indeed it is a mystery unto the most part of us to be exercising Faith upon a naked word of promise abstracted from sense to love an absent Christ and to believe on an absent Christ are the two great mysteries of Christianity But that sense is no good foundation for Faith may appear 1. That Faith which is builded upon fense is a most unconstant a most fluctuating and transient Faith I know sense hath its fits of love and as it were hath its fits of faith Sometimes sense is sick of love and sometimes sense is strong in faith but ere six hours go about sense may be sick of jealousie and sick of misbelife as ye will see from Psal 30.6.7 Sense that bold thing it will instantly cry out My mountain standeth strong I shal never be moved but behold how soon it changeth its note Thou hidest thy face and I was troubled At one time it will cry forth Who is like unto him that pardoneth iniquity and that passeth over transgressions But ere many hours go about it will sing a long upon another key and cry out Why art thou become unto me as a liar and as waters that fail 2. That Faith which is built upon sense it wanteth the promise of blessedness for this is annexed to believing that is founded upon the word according to that in John 20.29 Blessed are those that have not seen and yet have believed Nor hath that Faith that is built upon sense such a solide joy waiting on it as Faith that is built upon the naked word of promise as may be cleared from that word 1. Pet. 1.8 where Faith exercising it self upon Christ not seen maketh a Christian to rejoice with joy unspeakeable and full of glory 〈◊〉 joy that doth not attend believing founded upon sense 3. That Faith that is built upon sense 〈◊〉 giveth not much glory to God for Faith that is built upon sense it exalteth not the faithfulness of God it exalteth not the Omnipotency of God I will tell you what is the divinity of sense Let me see and then I will believe but it knoweth not what it is to believe upon trust and because the Lord hath spoken in his Holiness And in effect Faith that is built upon sense is no faith even as Rom 8. Hope that is seen is no hope and therefore when the Lord seeth a Christian making sense an Idol that he will not believe but when he seeth or feeleth this doth often provoke the Majesty of the Lord to withdraw himself from that Christian and to deny him the sweet influences of Heaven and those consolations that are above so that in an instant he hath both his sense and his faith to seek 2. A Christian is not to make his graces the object of his Faith that is when a Christian doth behold love burning within him when he doth be hold influences to prayer increasing and mortification waxing strong he is not to build his faith upon them this was condemned in the Church Ezek. 16.14 compared with the 15. verse I made thee perfect with my comliness but the use that thou didst make of it thou didst put thy trust in thy beauty and then thou didst play the harlot It is certain that grace when it is the object of our Faith it doth provoke God to blast the lively exercise thereof and to make a Christian oft times have that complaint Wo to me my leanness my leanness testifieth to my face I will tell you three great mysteries in Christianity about grace The first is to ride marches between these two not to deny what they have and yet to be denyed to what they have Many times there is grace-denying and not self-denying but this is that we would press upon you to be denyed to grace according to that which is recorded of Moses His face did shine and he knew it not He did misken it as it were and was not at all puffed up with it for so the words we conceive may run Secondly it is a great difficulty for a Christian to be denyed to his self-denyal to be humble in his being humble for if pride
there are these seven advantages which attend those who live within the continual sight of this truth that they must dye First the faith of approaching death will make a soul exceeding diligent in duty This was our blessed Lords Divinity John 9.4 I must work the work of him that sent me while it is day the night â—meth when no man can work That iâ— death is approaching therefore I must work It is clear also 2 Pet. 1.12 compared with verse 14. In the 12. verse Peter is exceeding diligent in his duty and the ground of his diligence is in the 14. verse Knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle c. Yea it is even the Epicures argument Let us eat and drink for to morrow we shal dye And should not the Christian much more cry out Let me watch and pray for to morrow I may dye I say if the Epicures did make use of that notion to make them vigorous in the pursuit of their pleasures O how much more should a Christian improve it for making him vigorous in the pursuit of his duty Therefore I say unto you all O! be diligent for your night is drawing near O Christians and expectants of heaven are you not afraid lest you be nighted before you have walked the half of your journey For if you be nighted on your journey to Heaven before you come to the end of your race there is no retiring place whereunto you may turn aside to lodge therefore O work work work while it is day for behold death is approaching and then shal we all be called to an account 2. The faith of approaching death will make a Christian exceeding active in his duty he will not only be diligent but also exceeding serious and zealous in the exercise of his duty This is clear from that notable exhortation Eccles 9.10 Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do do it with thy might and the reason is for there is no work nor device nor knowledge nor wisdom in the grave whither thou goest Wherefore O be active while you are alive for you shal never work any more after you are dead and if ye leave but one work undone there is no doing of it after death There is no work saith Solomon in the grave therefore O be active 3. The faith of this truth that we must all dye will help a Christian to be exceeding mortified to the things of a present World Oh covetous men and women would you shake hands with cold Death but once every morning I should defie you to pursue the World so much as you do Paul was much in the meditation of his change which made him 2 Cor. 4.18 to overlook those things that are temporary VVhile we look not saith he to the things that are seen which are temporal but to the things which are not seen which are eternal Therefore chap. 5.1 Knowing that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved we have a building of God an House not made with hands eternal in the Heavens therefore in this we groan earnestly desiring to be cloathed upon with our house which is from Heaven What aileth you Paul might one have laid may you not take a look of the World No saith he for I know that if this earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved I have a house with God not made with hands but eternal in the Heavens That is I know that ere long the pins of my Tabernacle will be loosed and it will fall down about my ears therefore I must look for another dwelling house And 1 Cor. 7.24 The fashion of this world passeth away therefore saith he verse 32. I would have you without carefulness caring to please the Lord. And Phil. 4.2 Let your moderation be known to all men the Lord is at hand As if he had said death is approaching and at hand therefore I intreat you be sober But I think many of us will be found like Saul hid amongst the stuff that is we will be lying amongst the midst of the pleasures of this passing World But I say to thee who art such an one that death will break the strings of thy harp and thy musick will quickly cease O! but death will make thee have a low esteem of the World O! blessed is the person who hath those thoughts of the World all along his way which he shal have of it at his death Have not the most cursed wretches been forced to cry out Oh! I would give ten thousand worlds for Christ Have not some persons who have had the Moon upon their head and that have made their belly their God being forced to cry forth at death O cursed person that I am that ever I made the world my God! Alace that I contented my self with the World Therefore I say unto thee who art such an one O! stay thy pursuit after the World for death is approaching that will cause all thy worldly comforts to evanish 4. When a Christian believeth this truth that he must dye it will be an exceeding great restraint to keep him from sinning as is clear Job 31.13 compared with verse 14. where Job reckoning over many good deeds done by himself saith What then shal I do when God riseth up And when he visiteth what shal I answer him As if he had said Sirs mistake me not I am not boasting much of my self for I could not have done otherwise else what should I do when God riseth up How could I answer to God if I had done otherwise I think it were a notable practise for each of you when temptations begin to assault you to say O temptation what shal I answer to God when he riseth up to reprove me if I should yeeld unto thee Likewise Eccles 11.9 where Solomon disswading young men to pursue after vanity bringeth this as a reason Know thou that for all these things God will bring thee to judgement Therefore I say unto thee who art often tempted to sin let death and reckoning with God be still in thy sight and I defie thee then to embrace half so many temptations as now thou dost I intreat you to answer all your temptations with that one word What shal I do when he riseth up And what shal I answer when he visiteth me 5. When a Christian liveth within the sight of this truth that he shal once see death it shal make him exceeding patient under every cross wherewith he meets Such a Christian will hardly meet with a cross but he will quiet himself with this Death will put me beyond this cross This is but a cloud that will quickly pass away And for this cause did David so composedly put up that desire Psalm 39.4 Lord make me to know mine end and the measure of my days He was sure that the knowledge of his end would put him in a sober and patient frame The sixth advantage is this The faith of approaching death will teach the person that hath
it to study saving wisdom this is clear Psalm 90.12 where David putteth up this request So teach us to number our days that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom As if he had said I will never think my self wise till I know that blessed piece of Aâ—ithmetick How to number my days I would desire every one of you all to think with your selves every morning when you arise Now we are an hour nearer unto eternity then we were before and at the end of every hour Now we are a day nearer unto eternity then we were before I say think often yea always thus We were never so near death as we are now for oh are we not all nearer to eternity to day then we were ye sterday The seventh advantage attending the faith of approaching death is this That it will make a Christian very careful in preparing for death it is impossible for one to believe really that death is approaching and not prepare for it Say what you will if you be not careful in preparing for death you have not the solide faith of this truth that you shal dye Believe me it is not every one that thinketh he believeth this truth that believeth it indeed And O how dreadful is it for an unprepared man to meet with death He desireth not to dye yea he would give a World for his life but dye he must whether he will or not for death will not be requested to spare a little when he cometh and therefore I say unto you Set your house in order for you shal surely dye Old men and women Set your house in order for surely ye must dye Young men and women Set your house in order for to morrow ye may dye and be cut off in the flower of your age Think not that there are any who can sell time for I say you shal never get time sold unto you Alace I feat the most part of persons that dye now death findeth them at unawares for indeed the persons that dye amongst us when we come to visite them we may give you a full account of them for we think they are all comprehended under these four sorts First when we go to visite some persons on their death bed they are like unto Nabal their heart is dying and sinking like unto a stone within them they are no more affected with death then if it were a fancy Alace for the great stupidity that hath overtaken many Therefore I intreat you delay not your repentance till death lest the Lord take away your wit so that you cannot then repent for your senslesness and stupide frame of spirit A second sort we find in a presumptuous frame saying They have had a good hope all their days and they will not quite it now they will go down to the grave with their hope in their right hand or rather they will go down to the grave with a lye in their right hand they live in a persumptuous frame and they dye in the same delusion for when we tell them that by all probability they are going down to hell they answer God forbid I was all my time a very honest man or woman But I love not that confession for there are many such honest men and women in hell this day The third sort we find have some convictions that they have been playing the fool all their days but we can get them no further I shal only say to such To go down to the Grave with convictions in their breast not making use of Christ is to go down to hell with a candle in their hand to let them see the way and truly the greater part that dye dye in this manner Fourthly there are some whom we find in a self-righteous frame trusting upon the covenant of works and their own merits and trusting by these to go to heaven yet neglecting the offer of Christs righteousness But alace we find not one of a thousand in this frame I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ that is best of all And scarcely do we find any in such a frame O wretched man that I am who shal deliver me from the body of this death Therefore I say unto you who are all here O will you mind death before it take hold on you Oh mind your work now for you will find that death shal be work enough for it self though you leave no work till then The eighth advantage that attendeth the Christian believing this truth that once he must dye is this Death will not be so terrible to him as it is to many when it cometh What think you maketh death a King of terrors What maketh many to shake like the leaf of a tree when they are summoned to appear before Gods Tribunal It is even because of this they have not been thinking on death before it came so as to prepare for it and I fear many in this place may be feared for death and that when it cometh to them they will say unto death as Achab said to Elijah Hast thou found me O mine enemy Surely death will take you and bring you to the Judgement-seat of Christ therefore study by all means to think ofren upon it and make ready for it for believe me death is a very big word for it will once make you stand with horror in your souls if your peace be not made up with God I know not a more dreadful dispensation then death and a guilty conscience meeting together The second thing that I shal speak unto from the first observation viz. That it is a most certain and infallible truth that all persons shal once see death shal be to give some good considerations for pressing you to prepare for death The first consideration is this that to dye well and in the Lord is a most difficult work therefore I intreat you prepare for death It is a difficult work to communicate aright it is a difficult work to pray aright and it is a difficult work to confer aright But I must tell you it is a more difficult work to dye aright then any of these it is true it is more difficult to communicate aright then to pray aright yet it is much more difficult to dye aright then to communicate aright for it is a most difficult work to dye in the Lord. Death will put the most accurate Christian that is here to a wonderful search and therefore I will tell you nine things that death will try in thee 1. Death will try both the reality and strength of thy faith it may be easy for thee to keep up faith under many difficulties but death shal put thy faith to the greatest stress that ever it did meet with Yea know this that the faith of the strongest believer may get and ordinarily doth get a set at death the like whereof it never got before therefore prepare for death 2. Death will try thy love to God some persons pretend much love to