that very spirit which is in Christ being in us thereby we are united unto him grow in him live in him and he in us rejoyce in him and so are kept and preserved to be glorified with him He is the second Adam from whom we receive the influence of all good things showring down and distilling the graces of his spirit upon the least of all his members That look as it was said of Aaron who was a type of the second Adam and of that holy Oyl representing the graces of his spirit Which did not only run down his head and beard but the skirts of his garment also and all his rich attire about Psal. 133.2 So when I see the Oyl of Christ's graces and spirit not only rest upon the head but also descend and run down upon the lowest of his members making me now as one of them in some sort another man than I was or my natural state could make me by the same spirit I know I am united unto Christ. To this purpose is that which Christ to stands upon in Joh. 6. unto the Jews where speaking of the eating of his flesh and that bread of life which came down from heaven lest they should be mistaken he adds It is the spirit that quickneth the flâ—sh profiteth nothing the words that I speak unto you they are spirit and they are life So that we see it is the spirit that gives a being to a thing And therefore the Apostle proceeds to shew As many as are led by the spirit of God they are the sons of God Rom. 8.13 That look as Christ is the â—â—ue natural Son of God so we as truly by conveyance of the same spirit into us are his Sons by Adoption and so heirs with God yea and joynt heirs with Christ this he begins to shew vers 13. So that being in this excellent estate they were not only servants and friends a most high Prerogative but they were now the Sons of God having the spirit of Adoption whereby they might boldly call God Father In which Verse the Apostle opposeth the spirit of bondage which doth make a man fear again unto the spirit of Adoption which frees a man from fear Now two things may be observed hence 1. The order the spirit of God keeps e'er it comforts it shakes and makes us fear This the Apostle speaks to Heb. 2.14 where he shews that the end of Christ's coming was That because the children were partakers of flesh and blood he also himself took part of the same that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death that is the Devil and deliver them who through fear of death were all their life time subject unto bondage The first work then of the comforter is to put a man in fear 2. Here is shewed that until the spirit doth work this fear the heart will not stoop The Obstinacy is great yea so great that if hell gates were open ready to swallow up a man he would not yield until the spirit set in to convince the heart Therefore St. John tells us Joh. 16. That when the spirit it come he will reprove the world of sin that is he will convince and shew a man that he is but a bond-man and so from this sight he makes us to fear No man must think this strange that God deals with men at first after this harsh manner to kill them as it were before he make them alive nor be discouraged as if God had now cast them off as none of his For this bondage and spirit of fear is a work of God's spirit and a preparative to the rest yet it is but a common work of the spirit and such a one that unless more follow it can afford us no comfort But why then doth God suffer his children to be first terrified with this fear I answer That in two respects this is the best and wisest course to deal with us or else many would put off the matter and never attain a sense of mercy First in respect of God's glory Secondly in regard of our good First in respect of God's glory and that first because as in the work of Creation so in the work of Redemption God will have the praise of all his attributes for as in the work of Creation there appeared the infinite wisdom goodness power justice mercy of God and the like so will he in the work of our Redemption have all these appear in their strength and brightness and when we see and acknowledge these things to be in Gâ—d in the highest perfection hereby we honour him as on the contrary when we will not see and acknowledge the excellency of God's infinite attributes we dishonour him yea and I may safely add that the work of Redemption was a greater work than the work of Creation for therein appeared all the treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge in the conveying of it unto the Church Herein appeared first infinite Wisdom in ordering the matter so as to find out such a way for the Redemption of Mankind as no created understanding could possibly imagine or think of And secondly for the Mercy of God there could be none comparable to this in not sparing his own Son the Son of his Love that so he might spare us who had so grievously provoked him And thirdly there could not be so much Justice seen in any thing as in sparing us not to spare his Son in laying his Son's head as it were upon the block and chopping it off indeed the death unto which he gave his Son was not only more vile than the loss of his head but far more painful and terrible to nature the death on the Cross in renting and tearing that blessed body of his even as the Veil of the temple was rent which was a type of him so was he rent and tore and broke for us when he made his soul an offering for sin This was the perfection of Justice And thus was he just as the Apostle speaks and the Justifyer of him him that believeth in Jesus God would have Justice and Mercy meet and kiss each other and that for two reasons for the magnifying of his Justice and for the magnifying of his Mercy First For the magnifying of his Justice The spirit must first become a spirit of bondage and fear for the magnifying of God's Justice Thus the Prophet David having sinned was driven to this practice Psal. 51.4 Against thee thee only have I sinned and done this evil in thy sight that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest and be clear when thou judgest Thus he a holy man was brought to confess his sin to give God the glory of his Justice And so to this end that a man might pass through or by as it were the gates of hell unto heaven the Lord will have his Justice extended to the full for which cause lessening or altogether for a time abstracting all sight of mercy he turns the
5.1 Therefore being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. p. 136 Sermon XVIII Rom. 5.1.2 Therefore being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ by whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand and rejoyce in hope of the glory of God p. 145 Sermon XIX Rom. 8.15 16. For ye have not received the spirit of Bondage again to fear but ye have received the spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba Father The spirit it self beareth witness with our spirit that we are the Children of God p. 157 Sermon XX. Rom. 8.16 The spirit it self beareth witness with our spirit that we are the Children of God p. 167 Speedy Conversion The only Means to prevent IMMINENT DESTRUCTION HEBREWS 4.7 Again he limiteth a certain Day saying in David to day after so long a time as it is said to day if you will hear his Voyce harden not your hearts I Have entered on these Words in the other Vniversity on a day of Publick Humiliation as being suitable to the occasion the chief matter of them being the Doctrine of the Conversion of a sinner For as much as God's Judgments are abroad upon the Earth and hang over our heads the only means to prevent and remove both temporal and eternal is our speedy conversion and return unto God Else he will whet his sword bend his bow and make it ready to our destruction Psal. 7.12 God did bear a deadly hatred against sin in the time of the Psalmist and so he doth still for his nature cannot be changed If we return not we are but dead men The eternal weight of God's wrath will be our portion both here and in the world to come if we repent not In the Words there are three observable Points though not expresly named yet if we weigh the Context sufficiently implied 1. Continuance in sin brings certain death it hinders us from entring into God's rest and out of it there is nothing but death Or For sin God's Judgments are on particular Nations and Persons 2. If particular Nations or Persons turn away from their evil courses no hurt shall come near them or if temporal calamities surprize them they shall be made beneficial unto them God takes no delight in the death of a sinner nor that he should despair of his mercy but would have us turn out of the broad way which leads to destruction 3. It behooves every one speedily to set about the work of conversion Esteem not this therefore a vain word I bring you those things whereon your life depends Obeying it you are made for ever neglecting it you are undone for ever Unless you embrace this Message God will bend his bow and make ready his arrow against you or rather the arrows which he hath drawn to the head he will let fly upon you Know therefore 1. That continuance in sin brings certain death There will be no way of escaping but by repentance by coming in speedily unto God The words of this Text are taken from Psal. 95. Harden not your hearts as in the Provocation and as in the Temptation in the Wilderness If when God calls us either to the doing of this or leaving that undone yet we are not moved but continue in our evil ways What 's the reason of it It 's because we harden our hearts against him The Word of God which is the power of God to salvation and a two-edged sword to sever between the joynts and the Marrow The strength of the Almighty encounters with our hard hearts and yet they remain like the stony and rockie ground whereon though the Word be plentifully sown yet it fastens no root there and though for a season it spring yet suddenly it fades and comes to nothing We may haply have a little motion by the Word yet there 's a rock in our souls a stone in our hearts and though we may sometimes seem to receive it with some affection and be made as it were Sermon-sick yet it holds but a while it betters us not Why because it 's not received as an ingrafted word Therefore saith St. James Receive with meekness the ingrafted word James 1.21 Let the word be ingrafted in thee one sprig of it is able to make thee grow up to everlasting life Be not content with the hearing of it but pray God it may be firmly rooted in your hearts this will cause a softning To day if you will hear his voyce harden not your hearts against Almighty God If you do expect him also to come against you in indignation Hearken what he saith by his Prophet I will search Jerusalem with candles and punish the men that are settled on their lees that say in their heart the Lord will not do good neither will he do evil Zeph. 1.12 Mark I will search Jerusalem with candles and punish those that are settled on their lees When a man is thus settled and resolved to go on in his sins to put the matter to the hazard come what will come there 's a kind of Atheism in the soul. For what do's he but in a manner reply when God tells him by his Minister that he is preparing the instruments of death against him do you think us such fools to believe it What does this but provoke God to swear that we shall never enter into his rest What 's the reason of this It 's because men are not shifted they have no change they are settled on their lees Moab hath been at ease from his youth he hath been setled and hath not been emptied from vessel to vessel neither hath he gone into captivity Jer. 48.11 Consider we whether our security comes not from the same cause We have not been emptied from vessel to vessel we have always been at rest Why have we so little conversion There are two things hinder it the hardning of a mans heart against the Word and our setling our selves on our lees When we have no change in our condition we are secure we never see an evil day That makes us say with the Sensualists in the Prophet To morrow shall be as this day and much more abundant Isa. 56.12 And this is that which slays the foolish person Wo to them that are at ease It were better for thee to be emptied from vessel to vessel to go into captivity For as long as a man continues thus in an unregenerate condition he can look for nothing but troubles certain Judgments must necessarily follow and as sure as God is in Heaven so sure may they expect misery on Earth and they shall receive the eternal weight of God's wrath treasured up against the day of wrath Therefore there is a necessity of our conversion if we will keep off either temporal or eternal wrath Our Saviour makes it the case of all impenitent sinners to be liable to wrath One Judgment befel the Galileans another
will die It will quickly perish by famin So it is here unless Christ be pleased to nourish that life which he hath breathed into me in baptisme and by his Ordinances â—o give me anew supply and addition of grace I am a dead man I am gone for ever upon this ground that I receive not the never perishing food that endureth as Christ who is himself that meat teacheth us unto Everlasting life Joh. 6.27 Therefore upon examination being conscious and privy to the weakness of my faith to the manifold imperfections of my spirit to my want of knowledge the frailty of my memony my often doubtings the dangers of relapsing and falling back in my Christian progress I cannot but apprehend that it is no needless thing for me to come both often and preparedly to the Lords Table 2. The next action requisite before my coming to the Sacrament is the whetting of my appetite and preparing of my stomach I must come with an hungry desire as a man that comes to his meat that would live and be strong We think meat very ill bestowed on him that hath no stomach Unless we eat Christs body and drink his blood we can have no spiritual life All the question and the main business is whether I come hungry thirsty or not as an hungry and thirsty man with an Appetite after his meat and liquor longing after Christ as the Hart after the water brooks Psal. 42.1 When a man comes dully and as Children that play with their meat cares not whether he eats or not when a man comes I say without an appetite its time for God to take it away from him It s an unworthy comming to come with an unprepared stomach and without whetting our faith to feed on Christ Jesus crucified 3. The third action requisite to a worthy Comer is cleansing of himself I would fain come may a man say to the Lords Table having such need of it as I have and having such an appetite and desire to feed on Christ but I am to come before a great King therefore I must wash mine hands in innocency Psal. 26.6 In the Gospel according to Saint Mark the Jews found fault with Christs Disciples because they came with unclean or common hands For so the word signifies and is so used by the Apostles as equivalent thereunto I have learned to call nothing common or unclean Rom. 14.14 Now when I come to meet the Lord in his Ordinances I must put off my feet for the place where I stand is holy Exod. 3.5 Wash your hands you sinners and purifie your hearts you double minded Jam. 4.8 The purifying of the soul is that which is required of every worthy Communicant We come now not to receive life but strength and that it may strengthen us we must of necessity cleanse our selves A stomach over-clogged with choler whatever meat be taken into it it turns it into iâ—s own nature so is it here unless the vessel be clean Quodcunque infundis acescit Christ Jesus the purest thing in the world is to come into my soul as into a sanctuary and shall not I fit trim and garnish it to receive him but leave it as a Pigâ—sty Know therefore that thou comest unworthily when thou comest with unwashed hands The people were to be sanctified when they came to receive the Law Exod. 19.10 And so must we if we will receive the benefit from the business in hand But I cannot stand on all I pasâ— from this therefore to the second thing I proposed and that was 2. Those things which were required of us in the action And there we have the acts of the Minister in the administration I must not look on these as idle Ceremonies but as real Representations otherwise we take God's name in vain I must look upon the Minister who represents the person of Christ and by the eyes of faith see Christ himself offered for me when I see the bread broken the wine poured out Whosoever therefore thou art who wouldst worthily partake of Christ at the holy Table behold him offered to thee when the Minister bids thee take and eat take and drink And when the Minister bids thee take know that in as good earnest as the Minister offers thee the bread and wine the Lord ofâ—â—rs thee his Son Christ Jesus Take Christ my Son dead and crucified for thee Consider when thou seest the Minister set the bread and wine apart how God from all eternity set apart his Son for us If we have not done this we must do it Exod. 12.3 See the manner of the setting apart of the Lamb which was a type of Christ In the tenth day of the month they shall take unto them every man a Lamb according to the house of their Fathers This Lamb was to be set apart and taken out of the flock And in the fifth verse It must be a lamb without blemish then you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of the same month From the tenth day to the fourteenth it was to be kept This typified that Lamb of God that was so set apart Then was the Lamb to be killed by whom Vers. 6. by all the Congregation of Israel And thus was Christ to be singled out and to be slain Every mother's son had a hand in killing this Lamb of God He is set apart to suffer for sinners picked out as a singled deer which being designed to the game the hounds will follow only and no other Thus was Christ hunted to death by one sorrow after another till he gave up the Ghost upon the Cross. In the Gospel according to St. John we read how the people took branches of Palm trees and went forth to meet Christ cap. 12.12 13. and that was the day the Lamb was set apart and he was so set apart till the Jew's Passover This concerns me saith Christ. Christ saw himself typified in the Lamb that was set apart Observe then on that very day Father sath he Deliver me from that hour On that very day in the Lamb he saw himself to be sacrificed by all the Congregation of Israel We were all of us actors in the business not one here but had a hand in the offering up of the Son of God in killing Christ Jesus Thus for these actions of the Minister the setting apart of the bread and of the wine Then follows the breaking of the bread and the pouring out of the wine At the breaking of the bread consider Christ's flesh torn asunder all the lashes which made such scratches in his flesh the ruptures which were made by the nails and the spear that pierced his side The breaking of him by his Father the word signifies crushing him to powder God would break him saith the Prophet even to powder Isa. 53.10 At the consideration hereof how should our faith be stirred and set awake Thou takest God's name in vain if with a dull eye thou canst see things and not take it to heart
unto it By the way then take notice of the filthiness of sin how filthy is it that the Lord compares it to the vomit of a dog Then there follows another comparison of it It is as the Sow that is washed and returns to her wallowing in the mire See another loathsome resemblance of this temporary faith the Sow was washed but how her swinish nature was not washed from her as long as the Sow is kept from the mire in a fair Meadow with the Sheep she looks as sleek and clean as they she was washed there is an external change but her nature remained bring the Sow and the sheep to a puddle the sheep will not go in because it hath no swinish nature but the other retaining its swinish nature though before in outward appearance as clean as the sheep was yet she goes again to her wallowing in the mire There may be the casting away of a man's sins and yet no new creature wrought in him That I may shew this to you take this example A man known to be as covetous a man as liveth he loveth his money as well as his God yet perchance this man is brought in danger of the Law and must be hanged for some misdemeanor committed this man to save his life will part with all he hath What is his disposition changed no not a whit he is as covetous as before he is the same man he doth it to save his life and to this end he is content to part with his money The same mind had those in the Acts of the Apostles who in a storm cast their wares into the Sea with their own hands Act. 27. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 willingly and yet half unwillingly for the saving of their lives they would part with these things yet it was with a great deal of repining and reluctancy As we read of Phaltiel when his wife was taken from him he followed behind weeping 2 Sam. 3.16 till they bid him be gone and return back So these men forsake their sins and hate them but it is but imperfectly they part with them but they part weeping Well at this parting there may be a great deal of joy it may taste not only the sweetness of the Word of God but because they are in a disposition and way to salvation they may have some kind of feeling of the joys and taste of the powers of the world to come as the Apostle speaks Heb. 6.4 It is impossible for those who were once enlightned and have tasted of the heavenly gift and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost c. There is a supernatural work wrought in them and they have tasted the good Word of the Lord they begin to have some hope and rejoyce in the glory of the world to come What is the difference then here is a tasting but as it is Joh. 6.54 it is not said he that tastes my flesh and tastes my blood but he that eats my flesh and drinks my blood hath eternal life There is a difference betwixt tasting and drinking there may be a tasting without drinking and the Text saith Matth. 27.34 When they gave Christ Vinegar he tasted thereof but would not drink He that can take a full draught of Christ crucified he shall never thirst but shall be as a springing fountain that springeth up to everlasting life but it shall not be so with him that doth but taste The Vintner goes round the Cellar and tastes every Vessel he takes it into his mouth and spits it out again and yet knows by the tasting whether it be good or bad the wine goeth but to his palate it reaches not the stomach So a temporary believer tastes and feels what an excellent thing it is to have communion with Christ and to be made partaker of his glory but he does but taste it Look in Hosea 5.15 where we have another instance of this temporary Believer Ye would think they sought in God in a good sort and in as good a manner as one could desire well but how did they seek him It was only upon occasion in time of affliction I will go and return to my place until they acknowledge their offence and seek my face in their affliction they will seek me early and again Hosea 6.4 The Lord complains of them notwithstanding They will in their affliction seek me early Was not this a fair returning Come say they let us return unto the Lord for he hath torn and he will heal us c. What a deal of comfort did they seem to gather from the wayes of the Lord But see what follows Hosea 6.4 O Ephraim saith the Lord what shall I do unto thee O Judah what shall I do unto thee For your goodness is as the morning cloud and as the early dew it goeth away that is it is but a temporary thing wrought by affliction which will not abide As when a wicked man on his death-bed desires that God would spare him and restore him to his health and that he would become a new man all this comes but from the terrours of death for it oft proves that if God restores him he becomes as bad if not worse than ever he was before But that I may not hold you too long 2. Take this for another difference That Gods children can as earnestly desire grace as mercy The temporary desire mercy but never desire grace The believer desires grace to have his nature healed to hate his former conversation The temporary never had nor never will have this desire should one come to the temporary believer and tell him God will be merciful unto him you may go on and take your fill of sin you shall be sure of mercy he would like this well and think it the welcomest news as could be because he only fears damnation and self-love makes him only desire freedome from that but now the child of God hates sin though there were no Hell Judge nor Tormentor he begs as hard of God for grace as for mercy and would do so were there no punishment His nature being chang'd he desireth grace as well as mercy which the temporary never does 3. The last mark is from the words of the Apostle Neither circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision but faith which worketh by love Love and the new creature puts Gods children on work their hearts are first altered and changed by being made new creatures As the Scripture saith his flesh is circumcised he is a dead man dead not as formerly in trespasses and sins but dead unto them Ephes. 2.1 Rom. 6.11 Deadness argueth impotency of doing those things which a living man doth he cannot walk c. The temporary will not sin for fear of after-claps but this man cannot sin his heart is changed he is dead to sin we see how both abstain from sin but the temper and disposition is not alike The temporary believer perchance commits not the sin but he could find
selves know you not your own selves how that Jesus Christ is in you except you be reprobates Let us understand the words first we see then it is a thing that is possible to be known whether we are in the faith or no and this is flat against the Papists for they think a man can have but a conjectural knowledge that he hath grace and faith It may be probable they say but it cannot be certainly known but does not the Apostle say Examine your selves prove your selves know you not your selves c. No Papist can know it yet it is possible to be known Prove and try you shall not lose your labour If you take pains in it you shall attain it in this world Make your calling and election sure saith the Apostle 2 Pet. 2.10 on God's part it is sure enough for the foundation of God standeth sure 2 Tim. 2.19 but make it sure unto your selves in respect of your own knowledge Know you not your own selves that Jesus Christ is in you except ye be reprobates It is a thing may well be made sure of therefore search try examine c. Others are content with bare beginnings that never come to any maturity but those that have true faith are ever bringing themselves to the trial and touch-stone But may some say I have tryed and examined my self and I do not find that Christ is in me what am I a reprobate therefore No God forbid I say not the man is a reprobate that cannot discern that Christ is in him See what that is that will explain this 1 Cor. 11.19 For there must be heresies among you that thâ—y which are aproved might be made known there must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 men that are approved such as have endured the dint and shot of the Musquet such as have put themselves to the trial and come off well these are the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and are opposed to those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who are such men as taking things hand over head do not search and try and examine and put themselves to the proof it 's a sign these have not true faith for what is the having of Christ so slight or poor a thing as that they will take no pains for him or care not for knowing whether they have him or no what neglect Christ so much as not to adventure on the trial these are those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But he which has this saving faith he is ever putting himself to the trial Again God's child not only useth the means in himself to try himself but he prayeth for the aid of God also he knoweth that his own heart is deceitful and may cozen him but that God is greater than his heart and knoweth all things And therefore he cryeth unto God to try him as Psal. 139.23 Try me O God and know my heart prove me and know my thoughts look look well whether there be any way of wickedness in me and lead me in the way everlasting there is an everlasting righteousness and an everlasting way that leads unto it about which these are not content to try themselves only but they desire God to try them also and to make them know the uprightness of their own hearts and not to suffer them to be deceived thereby Now that I have done with Consider now what that justification is that is obtained by this true lively faith I shewed unto you that justification is ordinarily taken for an acquittance from a debt It is derived from justice or righteousness therefore I shewed that justification and righteousness are taken for one and the self-same thing for if there had been a Law given which could c. that is justification had been by the Law Now as there is a double righteousness so there is also a double justification Not that I hold there is any other justification as it comprehends remission of sins but only one but other ways as many righteousnesses as there are so many justifications there are Now there is a double kind of righteousness the one imputed and the other inherent the one is the righteousness of Christ an act transient from another which cannot be made mine but by imputation Besides this there is another which is inherent a righteousness in us S. James speaks of the one and S. Paul of the other One is opposed to condemnation and the other to hypocrisie The soundness of the heart is respected of God for righteousness in respect of the graces inherent in us Now to give you a touch of the difference between the one and the other and therein to declare the difference between us and Rome Know then that the question between us and Rome is not Whether justification be by faith or no but whether there be any such thing as justification or no The Doctrine of the Church of Rome is that there is no such Grace as this But concerning the first of these that justification which is by the imputation of Christ's righteousness I shewed unto you that imputation in this case is as when a man comes to hold up his hand at God's Bar as it were and it 's demanded of him what he hath to say for himself why he should not die and then this justification by Christs righteousness is opposed to condemnation Then justification by faith is that when I come to stand before God though conscience say I am guilty of a thousand sins yet I may go boldly and plead my pardon which will acquit me as if I had never sinned at any time God was thus in Christ reconciling us the world unto himself not imputing their sins unto them Now sin is a thing past which being done cannot be made undone the sin remains still murder is murder still and adultery is adultery still it cannot be undone again Now how shall this man that is guilty of murder and adultery be made just it cannot not possibly be but by not imputing his sin unto him so that God should account it to him as if it had not been done at all by him he puts it upon Christ's account Account The word is used in the Epist. to Philemon v. 18. where S. Paul saith If he hath wronged thee or oweth thee ought put that on mine account A mans sins being thus put upon Christ's account he is accepted of God as freely as if he had never owed him any thing or as if he had never offended him Now this is done by transferring the debt from one person to another so that we see this imputation of sin to Christ and of Christ's righteousness to us is most necessary It must be so And if there were no testimony for it in Scripture yet reason sheweth that there can be no righteousness but by God's acceptation of us in Christ as if we had never sinned there is the difference then To him that worketh not but believeth in him that justifieth the ungodly his faith is accounted
mouth First He convinceth the Gentile which was easie to be done after he convinceth the Jew that there is righteousness to be had in another though none in my self He shall convince the world c. As if he should say To be shut up under unbelief is to be convinced of all sins Now consider what is the nature of unbelief it is to fasten all sins upon a man and when I have faith all my sins are put out of possession they are as if they were not but if we are shut up under unbelief we are dead The second work of God's Spirit is the Ministry of the Word He shall convince the world that there is righteousness to be had by a communion with another though we are guilty in our selves yet he will set us free and the reason is because I go to my Father As if he should say though you be convinced of your sins that you are wholly dead in trespasses and sins and have no means in the world to put that away yet notwithstanding the second work of God's Spirit is to convince of righteousness that there is a righteousness to be had in Christ because he was our Surety arrested for debt he was committed to prison where he could not come out till he had paid the utmost farthing There is a justification to be had in me I go to the Creditor I have made no escape not like one that brake the prison and ran away but I am now a free-man I have not made an escape before the debt is paid then I might be brought back again but the debt is discharged and therefore I go to my Father to maintain my plâ—ce and standing I was given unto death for your sins but I am risen again for your justification and I now sit at my Father's right hand this is the second thing But is there not a third thing that the work of the Ministry must do Yes to convince the world that there is judgment or righteousness inherent There is a hard place I shall speak of it it is usual in Scripture to joyn righteousness and judgment together The words of the Lord are righteousness and judgment And the integrity of a man's heart which is opposed to hypocrisie is called judgment as God liveth who hath taken away my judgment Job 27.2 How did God take away his judgment is it meant that he had taken away his wits No but he hath put his heavy hand on me that hath put a conceit in the mind of my friends that I am an hypocrite though to confront the error of his mis-judging friends he was resolved to persist in his integrity vers 8. My righteousness I hold fast and will not let it go my heart shall not reproach me so long as I live His judgment was taken away i. e. the opinion they had of his integrity And this will expound another place in Matth. 12.20 A bruised reed shall he not break and smoaking flax shall be not quench until he send forth judgment unto victory What is that until he send forth judgment This judgment signifies nothing but those inherent graces those infused qualities that God sends into the heart of a Christian which being produced in the children of God by the spirit of judgment through which they are eâ—abled to judge what is right and acceptable to God in Christ who is their wisdom are themselves called judgment You read therefore of washing away the filth of the Daughters of Sion and purging the blood of Jerusalem which is the sanctification of the Church by the spirit of judgment Isa. 4.4 In a man's first conversion there are but beginnings of grace what is faith hope patience and fear it is like a smoaking flax i. e. like the smoaking wick of a candle made of flax as when a candle burns in the socket it is now up now down you know not whether it be alive or dead so in the first conversion of a Christian infidelity and faith hope and despair mount up and down There is a conflict in the beginning of conversion but he will not give it over until he bring forth judgment until he get the victory of all opposition from the flesh And what is the reason Because the Prince of this world is judged He shall convince the world of an inherent righteousness in spite of the Devil's teeth because he is condemned He that before worked in the children of disobedience is now cast down The strong man is cast out and therefore upon that ground you have the third point Besides the grace of justification following upon Christ's death there is another the grace I mean of sanctification through which the Devil shall be dispossessed the Devil is strong where he doth wicked things but he shall be disarmed he shall not touch thee the wicked one shall not hurt thee thou shalt overcome him I now go forward The third thing I noted besides faith and justification was Thaâ— we must observe what relation one hath to the other and how it comes to pass that justification is attributed to faith there being more noble graces in us than faith I answer the reason is because faith is brought as the only instrument whereby we receive our justification purchased by the merits of Christ's death When we say faith is an instrument we must understand it right well we say not faith is an instrument to work my justification Christ alone must do that it is no act of ours nothing is in us faith is said to be an instrument whereby we get our justification in respect of the object it is a nearing us to Christ it is the instrument of application the only instrument whereby we apply the medicine and the plaister of Christ's blood whereby we that were strangers and afar off are made near faith is the only hand which receiveth Christ wâ—en the hand layeth hold on a thing it layeth hold on a thing without it self so is faith a naked hand not as a hand that gets a man's living but like a beggar's hand that receives a free alms given by the donor as the Apostle speaks Rom. 5.17 For if by one man's offence death raigned by one much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one Jesus Christ. There is abundance of grace and a gift of righteousness faith is the only means whereby we receive this gift Whereupon I inferred this which was of great consequence seeing faith did justifie not as an active instrument but as it did râ—ceive the gift of grace it did follow that the weakest faith that was did get as much justification as the strongest faith of any whatsoever because faith justifieth not as a work but as it did receive a gift therefore our Saviour saith O ye of little faith Matth. 8.26 yet as little as it was it was builded upon the Rock and though Satan desired to winnow them and fift them as
be married to me if we refuse the Son takes it wonderfully ill Therefore Psal. 2.12 he says Kiss the Son lest he be angry and ye perish in the way when his wrath is kindled but a little blessed are all those that put their trust in him So in the Hebrews God swore that because of infidelity those unbelieving Jews should never enter into his rest All the rest of the threatnings of the Law were not backed with an oath there was some secret reservation of mercy unto them upon the satisfaction of Divine Justice but here there is no reservation God hath sworn such shall never come into Heaven Look not for a third thing in God now as a mitigation of his oath it cannot be he hath sworn that an unbeliever shall never enter into his Rest. These five things are the grounds of Faith even unto the worst and unworthiest persons that may be and by all or some of them he creates Faith in us which once wrought in the heart by the spirit of God secretly and we discerning the same this is the witness of our spirit Now our spirit having viewed all these things and the promises upon which they are grounded thus it witnesseth as if one should demand of a man Are these things presented to thy view true Yes will he say true as true as the Gospel then the next thing is is all good and profitable O yes says he all is very good and desirable then the upshot is I but is this good for thee If your soul answer now Yes very good to me if then thou accept of this and wrap and fold thy self in the promises thou canst not wind thy self out of comfort and assurance to be Christ Jesus for pray what makes up a match but the consent of two agreeing so the consent of two parties agreeing upon this message makes up the match betwixt us and Christ uniting and knitting us unto him There are also being now incorporated other means to make us grow up him by which time discovers what manner of ingrafting we have had into him for we see four or five scions are ingrafted into a stock yet some of them may not be incorporated with the stock but wither So many are by the Word and Sacraments admitted as retainers and believers of the promises who shrink and hold not out because they never were throughly incorporated into Christ but imperfectly joyned unto him But howsoever all that come to life must pass this way if they look for sound comfort And thus much shall suffice for the witness of our Spirit in Justification But the testimony of our spirit goes further wherein I might shew how in sanctification our spirit saith Lord prove me if there be any evil in me and lead me in the way everlasting he loves the Brethren and desires to fear God as Nehemiah pleads Nehem. 1.11 Be attentive to the prayer of thy servant and of thy servants who desire to fear thy name This is the warrant that I am partaker of that inward true washing and not of that outward only of the Hog which being kept clean and in good company will be clean till there be an occasion offered of wallowing in the mire again But when I find that though there were neither Heaven to reward me nor Hell to punish me if opportunity were offered yet my heart riseth against sin because of him who hath forbidden it this is a sure evidence and testifies that I am a child of God This is for the first thing in bringing of a man in to survey the promises belonging to Justification and Sanctification wherein our spirit seeing it self to have interest doth truly and on sound judgment witness the assurance of our Salvation Secondly when I find Christ drawing me and changing my nature that upon the former reasonings view and laying hold of Christ making me now have supernatural thoughts and delights for this a man may have then certainly my spirit may conclude that I am blessed for saith the Scripture Blessed is the man whom thou chusest and causest to come unto thee But some like Dreamers do dream of this only I know not on what grounds but do I this waking with my whole soul doth my spirit testifie it upon good grounds why then I may rest upon it it is as sure as may be Thus much is the testimony of our spirit Now it is clear how faith is wrought briefly two ways which the Lord useth to bring a man to the survey of those grounds upon which our spirit doth witness First he works upon the understanding Secondly On the will and affections It is a strange thing to consider how this work is begun and finished so that we may say hereof as the Lord poseth Job in Job 38.37 Who hath put wisdom in the inward parts Or who hath given understanding to the heart And in another place Where is the way where light dwelleth and as for darkness where is the place thereof First God enlightens the understanding with the thunderings of the Law when he shews a man such a sight as he could not have believed and convinceth hem in general that his estate is not good that without mercy Hell attends him this is a flash of Lightning from Mount Sinai Secondly comes a Thunder-clap laying all down laying flat the will and affections dejecting a man so that this first secret work of faith is a captivating of the understanding will and affections Now the act both of the understanding and the will is set forth in this case Hebr. 11.13 These all died in faith not having received the promises but having seen them afar off were perswaded of them and embraced them c. In this Scripture is set down the two hands and arms of faith First believing Christ out of sight Secondly laying hold and embracing the promises They in the old Testament did not receive Christ in the flesh and so are said to look afar off as the Apostle speaks 1 Pet. 1.8 Whom ye having not seen ye love in whom though now ye see him not yet believing ye rejoyce c. But the Apostle adds they were perswaded of the promises and embraced them This is the work of the spirit upon the understanding convincing the soul of sin shewing there is a remedy tells the soul all is marvellous true that God hath revealed in his word and then draws to this conclusion Christ came to save sinners whereof I am chief therefore he came to save me Yet all this while the will may be stubborn and rebellious and the affections disordered therefore here comes in the second arm of faith not only being perswaded of the word as a word of truth but as a good promise of good things to me so that here is another degree of the working of the spirit to compel the will and affections so sweetly grace having removed that perversness and disorder which governed them before Now this gentle enforcing and often