Troubles of the world Faith lifts a man above the troubles of the world If you could suppose a dwelling above the Clouds above the Thundrings and Lightnings and terrible Storms would it not be a peaceable a comfortable habitation Such is the condition of a Christian who lives by Faith in regard of Eternal Life He lives above the clouds of worldly Troubles What if such a Trouble should come as may take away his life Faith will smile in the face of that Trouble Alas poor Trouble says Faith thou thinkest to do me a great deal of mischief when indeed thou dost but set my Soul at liberty to go out of an earthly Prison into a heavenly Palace Job 5.22 A man that lives by Faith for Heaven is above the clouds of the lower Region Heb. 12. Act. 4. he can endure the Cross he can despise the shame he can rejoyce that he is accounted worthy to suffer persecution for the Name of the Lord Jesus He can refuse to accept of life upon base terms that so he may obtain a better Resurrection Heb. 11. He can set an higher esteem upon the very reproach of Christ than upon all the Treasures of Egypt so long as he hath Faith enough to see him who is invisible and thereby to have respect to the Recompence of Reward He lives above the Troubles of the world 2. He lives above the Pleasures Profits and Honours of the world Let the Devil shew him all the Kingdoms of the world Mat. 4. and the glory of them as he did to Christ himself Faith in Christ will teach him to slight the proffer Alas says the believing Soul what is all this to the glory of Heaven Through Gods Mercy I am above all these I look at these as flitting fading empty Nothings gilded Pictures upon a rotten Post I know God hath put all these in subjection under my feet and therefore I will not put them as a Crown upon my Head or place them as a Treasure in my Heart but keep them there where God hath set them and that 's under my feet 'T is wonderful indeed but 't is not so strange as true Rev. 12.1 2. Thus the Church and every true believer is cloathed with the Sun of Righteousness whose powerful beams in the grace of Faith and Love draw up his Soul so far above the world that he tramples the Moon and all sublunary things under his feet He looks at all worldly excellencies of Pleasures Profits and Honours as changeable as the Moon On the other side he looks at the Word of God and Gods love in Christ and the fruits of that love in the glory of Heaven as the onely unchangeable good things and therefore these he wears as a Crown upon his Head but the other he puts as a Footstool under his feet We use to distinguish worldly things into Moveables and not moveables but we must go to heaven to make good one part of the distinction Heb. 12.27 28. Qu. But what means should I use Means to assure Eternal Life that I may live by Faith in regard of Eternal Life my sin hangs on so fast that I may as soon raise up by Body above the clouds as raise up my Soul heaven-ward Mean 1 Ans 1. Lay hold on Christ that is the way thither and the meritorious cause and the Loadstone there to draw thy Soul after him Christ is the great Engineer who hath a Pulley to draw thee to Heaven Joh. 12.32 When I am lift up I will draw all men unto me I have seen an artificial Instrument a device quo trahens trabitur So the more we lay hold on Christ by Faith the more strongly are we drawn to Christ so is fulfill'd the Promise Jam. 4.8 Draw near to God and he will draw near to you Mean 2 2. Act thy Faith upon the Promises of God for thy Spiritual cleansing from the burthen and filth of sin Rev. 21. ult No unclean thing shall enter Therefore 2 Cor. 7.1 Let us cleanse our selves from all filthiness of the flesh and Spirit And some Promises God hath made in special for that very work of cleansing the Soul See Ezek. 36.25 c. Like as Jeremy lying in the Dungeon when he took hold on the Cord that was let down he was drawn up by the men that stood aloft So we lying in the Dungeon of Sin and Misery whilst by the hand of Faith we take hold of the Cord of Promise which is let down from Jesus Christ now sitting at the Right hand of God in heaven we are drawn in Soul and Spirit heaven-ward Mean 3 3. Be sure thy Faith be fruitful in good Works if thou wouldst be sure of heaven 2 Pet. 1.5 Adde to your faith vertue and to vertue knowledge c. for so ver 11. An entrance shall be administred unto you abundantly into the everlasting Kingdom Not that good Works merit any thing but because God will encourage his people in well-doing by shewing to such the salvation of God Ps 50. last Mean 4 4. As a means of both under Christ Be careful to sanctifie Gods Sabbath which is a sign and a pledge of heaven and the resting of that day a powerful means under Christ to prepare Gods people for eternal rest However we are not tied to the observation of the Jewish Sabbath yet there remains a rest to the people of God Heb. 4 9. As the full rest and Sabbatism does remain and will remain not to be fully possest by them till the general Resurrection so that percursory Rest and Sabbath which is ordained to be a sign and a pledge of the other must needs remain till we come to enjoy that whereof this is a pledge If this Sabbath be a sign and pledge of heaven and of Gods perfect sanctifying of his people in Souls and Bodies Exod. 31.13 then it must be kept till we come there for if we lose the pledge of a Benefit we lose the evidence of that Benefit whereof it is a Pledge Consider further the Sabbath was not onely ordained to be a pledge of Eternal Rest to assure us of it but to be a Means also to fit us for it The Sabbath was made for man for mans benefit and that not onely for his bodily rest but especially for the rest of his Soul that he might cease from the works of sin and learn to do the work of God And experience shews the right sanctifying of the Sabbath is a powerful means under Christ to sanctifie us to increase Faith Love Zeal and all saving graces It takes a man off from the world for such a man thinks not his own thoughts speaks not his own words does not his own works I say it takes a man off from the world and puts him as it were into heaven for the time As Paul was caught up into heaven so such a man as is in the Spirit on the Lords day Rev. 1. as it were in heaven on the Lords day You cannot have a more lively resemblance of heaven on this side heaven than is a Sabbath sanctified in an heavenly manner It onely differs in degrees of glory and durance for what is heaven but
of question but that the vanity and petulancy of mens fancies and opinions begins to call all into question in these dayes and so this That which starts the Question is the wresting of certain Scriptures which they pervert as they do many others as 1 Corinth 1.30 He is made to us amongst other things Sanctification Therefore say they there 's no other Heb. 10.14 He hath by one offering for ever perfected those that are sanctified Therefore say they Christ is our Sanctification and it can be no other because it is perfect Before we Answer these Scriptures we shall shew the contrary by the full evidence of other Scriptures which will give us the clearer light in answering those former alleged places Solut. There is therefore a Life of Sanctification inherent in every true Christian besides that which is inherent in the person of Christ himself Which is proved by these Arguments 1. Because there is a Sanctification of the whole person in parts and faculties by the Spirit of Grace 1 Thess 5.23 And I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless c. Every believer is thus sanctified as Water is warmed or the Air enlightened all at once 2. There is a Sanctification of the Conversation 1 Thess 4.3 For this is the will of God your Sanctification 1 Pet 1.15 As he which hath called you is holy so be ye holy in all manner of conversation 3. This is part of the New Covenant Ezek. 36.25 26 27. Then will I sprinkle clean water upon them and they shall be clean c. 4. Argument is drawn from an absurdity If there were no Sanctification in a Christian besides that in Christ then there should be a confusion of these two great Benefits of Justification and Sanctification but the Apostle doth every where distinguish these as in the forementioned place 1 Cor 1.30 Righteousness Sanctification c. So 1 Cor. 6.11 But ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justifiâ—d And indeed there is a great deal of difference for 1. Justification is imputed Sanctification is imparted John 16. Of his fulness have all we received and grace for grace 2. Justification is without a man Sanctification is within him 3. Justification absolves a man from all his sins Sanctification does not so Who can say I am clean from my iniquity 4. Justification is perfect and compleat Acts 13.39 Being justified from all things Sanctification is imperfect so saith the Apostle Phil. 3.12 Not as though I were already perfect Christ hath laid hold upon me that I may lay hold upon him to draw still further vertue from him therefore it is not perfect at the first But what then shall we say to that place of Scripture Heb. 10.14 He hath by one offering c. Ans 1. The words import no more but this as appears by the context That what is wanting in our own works and duties and so in our Sanctification Christ hath perfected by the benefit of our Justification or 2. By that offering of his he hath sanctified and set us apart to be his own peculiar people For sometimes to sanctifie signifies no more than to set apart from a common use to some special service So Times Things Persons are said to be sanctified Then whereas it is said 1 Cor. 1.30 He is made to us sanctification c. The meaning is no more but this That he is the Author and Finisher of our Holiness as well as of our Faith as we shall see in the resolution of the third Question In the mean time let us come to the second Question Quest 2. What Sanctification is Sol. 2. What this Sanctification is and wherein it doth consist And it may be thus described It is an inward and powerful change of a person justified whereby the image of God is renewed in him by the work of the spirit It is a change and a powerful change to distinguish it from that work that may be in a civil man whereby his corrupt nature is suppressed and restrained though his corruption be not mortified 2. An inward change to distinguish it from outward reformation such as was in Herod who heard John gladly and reformed many things and yet his heart was not changed but true grace doth ever begin at the fountain it purifies that in the first place and then the streams which flow from thence Mat. 23.25 Psal 51.10 3. It is the change of a justified person to shew that however Justification be not Sanctification nor Sanctification Justification yet Sanctification is a necessary fruit and an inseparable companion of Justification That person that is once justified is also sanctified as in the place before-named 1 Cor. 6.10 4. The form of Sanctification consists in the Renewing of Gods Image in which Image Man was created at the first having not onely a spiritual substance a Soul and spiritual faculties of that Soul Reason and Will but spiritual and divine Properties of those Faculties Light in his Reason to know the Truth a sweet flexibility in his Will to obey the Truth according to the Will of God Now after the Fall though man have the same Soul and the same Faculties yet he hath not the same divine Properties of those Faculties for as he fell by the Devils temptation so he fell into the Devils sin and condemnation The Devil fell by Pride he would needs be above God or as God so he tempted our first Parents to fall by the same kinde of Pride and ever since man in the state of corruption would be some-body in those two main Faculties of his Soul Reason and Will and therefore we are all naturally Papists and Arminians in this Point his Reason he would lift up above the Word of God as they do their Traditions and his VVill above the VVill of God whereby it come to pass that his Pride makes him very wilful in sinning against God Jer. 44.16 or else presuming upon a false supposed liberty of converting himself to God at his own pleasure whereas the Apostle saith flatly It is not in him that willeth c. Rom. 9. But this is the condition of Man in the state of corruption the Image of God is thus fearfully defaced Now when grace comes in the work of Sanctification there is presently a change wrought not in the very substance and faculties of the Soul but onely in the properties of them presently the lofty looks of man are humbled and the haughtiness of men is bowed down and the Lord alone exalted in that day Isa 2.11 There 's no more My Reason but Thy Word Lord shall be my guide then no more My Will but Thy Will be done Let it be done in earth as it is done in heaven then no more I will do this or that by my own strength I will repent when I am old I can convert my self to God when I list No but as poor Ephraim cries out Turn thou me and I
for a Christian not to grow A Christian should out-grow others as much as the Palm-tree exceeds ordinary Plants Psal 92.12 13.14 15. therefore labour to grow 1. In * Prov. 2.7 10.14 15.7 Isa 11.9 Col. 1.10 Pro. 2.3 18 2.1 5 8 9. Phil. 1.9.10 Knowledge Let the word of Christ dwell plentifully in you Col. 3.16 2. In Faith to be rich in faith though poor in the world Jam. 2 5. Col. 2.7 3. In Charity and in good Works Phil. 1.9 The poor Macedonians were rich in their liberality 2 Cor. 8.2 The abundance of their joy and deep poverty abounded to the riches of their liberality It is the best riches of rich men to be rich in good work◠1 Tim. 6.18 Let not rich men give poorly while poor men give richly let not a poor Widow cast in more than all the rich men into Gods Treasury However we grow in wealth let us labour to grow in Grace 1 Motive to incite us to it may be à decoro Motives from the comeliness of it It is the sweetest sight that can be 1. Comeliness to see a Christian flourishing as the Palm-tree and growing like the Cedar in Lebanon as Psal 92.12 Such are indeed the excellent of the earth as Psal 16.2 We say of tall persons they are proper persons Oh what comely persons should we be if we were tall in grace without this the best of natural perfections are but as so many Jewels in a Swines snout Prov. 11.22 Let us therefore labour to grow in grace as we desire to be comely in the eyes of Jesus Christ Cant. 7.6 7. Christ saith of his Church How fair and how pleasant art thou O love for delights thy stature is like a Palm-tree O let us not be as low shrubs but as tall Palm-trees if we desire to be comely in his eyes Simile 2. Pleasantness 2. A jucundo from the pleasantness of it Prov. 3.17 Her ways are ways of pleasure and all her paths peace So that the further you go the more pleasure still you meet with the deeper you drink in this cup the sweeter still the more you grow in grace in ordinary course of dispensation the more you grow in comfort Rom. 14 17. The Kingdom of God is righteousness peace and joy in the Holy Ghost The more righteousness the more you increase your peace and joy till you come to enter into the joy of your Lord such as grow in grace get nearer heaven from day to day For grace and glory do onely differ in degrees Therefore as that sweet Bird of the morning the Lark sings and mounts upward raising her Body and her Note both together rising still higher and higher nearer heaven and further from earth So a Christian raised up upon the wing of heavenly Affections Meditations Prayers holy Actions whilst he thus grows in grace through the strength of Christ he gets nearer heaven and further off from the earth Col. 3. Phil. 3. He sets his affections on things above and not on things on the earth His conversation and City and Trade is in heaven and thus he riseth higher and higher and is translated from glory to glory even as by the Spirit of our God and is not this a pleasant life and what is it but to begin heaven upon earth even to sit with Christ in heavenly places 3. Ab utili from the profit of it 3. Profit Though we could earn nothing but damnation by all our obedience as of our selves yet God is so merciful that he rewards every man according to his works Psa 62.12 Also to thee O Lord belongeth mercy for thou renderest to every man according to his works So that if we yield our praise and increase to God the earth shall yield her increase to us Psal 67.6 Then shall the earth yield her increase and God even our God shall bless us when the people praise him But if we withdraw our service from God the creatures shall withdraw their service from us Hos 2.9 I will take away my corn in the time thereof c. But if we yield our increase to God then heaven and earth and all creatures yield their increase to us ver 21. I will hear the heavens saith the Lord and they shall hear the earth c. Some are of opinion that we shall not onely have more blessing upon earth but more glory in heaven conceiving that there shall be degrees of glory according to our degrees of grace There are Arguments on both sides Some conceiving glory shall be equal because the Merit of Christ is equal Therefore in the Parable of the Vineyard he that laboured most received no more than he that laboured the shortest time every man receives his penny Mat. 20. But the Parable cannot be meant of eternal life for there are no murmurers in heaven such as you finde in the Parable that murmured because they had no more But that other Parable in the 19 of Luke doth rather set forth the state of glory upon the return of the Nobleman where he that gained most received most reward he that gained ten talents was made ruler over ten Cities and he that gained five was made ruler over five Yet this doth not infer merit of Works neither but a gracious disposition in God to encourage his servants in a way of well-doing It is the Apostles argument to quicken up Christians to be upon the growing hand 1 Cor. 15. ult Therefore my beloved brethren be ye stedfast unmovable always abounding in the work of the Lord for your labour shall not be in vain in the Lord. However suppose it were in vain in respect of our glory yet we are sure it is not in vain in respect of Gods glory You know what Christ saith Joh. 15.8 Herein is my Father glorified that you bear much fruit Now we should prefer Gods glory before our own Salvation therefore we should be upon the growing hand 4. Equity 4. Ab aequo from the justice and equity of it for God affords us as great means for our increase in these Gospel-times as ever he did he puts us into fat pastures and well watered Psal 23. therefore it is a shame for Gods people not to grow not to bring forth twins as Cant. 6.6 They should grow twice as fast bring forth twice as many Lambs twice as much Wooll twice as much Milk as those that go upon bare Commons All the world may cry shame on such a man that is high fed and often fed with fat and sweet Ordinances if he be still like Pharaohs lean Kine as lean and ill-favoured as ever he was before Certainly fat Ordinances and lean Souls do not well agree We are to look upon it as the greatest of Judgements to have as Psal 106.15 leanness sent into our souls while we are fed with Manna We look on it as an affliction to have an over-lean Body but it 's a far sadder condition
not say As many as believed were ordained unto life eternal but contrariwise As many as were ordained to eternal life believed To intimate That Faith foreseen 1. From Election was not the cause of Election but Election was the cause of Faith and so the same Election is the cause of Perseverance in Faith or else their Life should not be eternal Therefore that strong conclusion of strong Consolation Rom. 8.35 is fetcht as far as from that everlasting VVell-head of Gods Fore knowledge and Predestination ver 29. For whom he did fore-know he did predestinate and whom he did predestinate them he also called and whom he called them he also justified and whom he justified them he also glorified Therefore the Apostle is bold to make that brave challenge Who shall charge us Who shall condemn us Who shall separate us As if he should have said Neither Sin nor Affliction nor Men nor Devils shall ever be able to break this Golden Chain of Gods Election till it ends in glory Therefore the just perseveres God hath elected him to no meaner a life than that which is Eternal and therefore he shall certainly have it Rom. 11. the Election must needs obtain it 2 Reas From Gods Love from which 2. Gods love this Election springs in order of working Gods love is an Everlasting love As God is from Everlasting to Everlasting so is his Love for whatsoever is in God is God Jer. 31.3 I have loved thee with an everlasting love therefore with loving kindness have I drawn thee which I conceive is not to be understood à parte post after we are drawn to believe and obey but even before also à parte antè Gods love here is made the cause of our being drawn to believe and obey and not our obedience a cause of his love Obj. But is it not said Joh. 14.21 He that hath my Commandments and keepeth them he it is that loveth me and he that loveth me shall be loved by my Father and I will love him and will manifect my self to him therefore our love of God goeth before Gods love to us Resp. There is a love of Benevolence whereby we bear good will to another and a love of Beneficence whereby we testifie our love in doing good to him Gods love of Benevolence is before our loving of him Joh. 4.19 We love him because he first loved us but Gods love of Beneficence at least in part doth follow our love to him and is the reward of it according to his free grace If Gods love therefore be everlasting this must needs be an everlasting fruit of it even the life of Grace and Glory to all eternity 3. The Covenant 3 Reas From the Covenant of God made with his People which is an everlasting Covenant well ordered and sure 2 Sam. 23.12 Jer. 32.40 I will make an everlasting Covenant with them that I will not turn away from them to do them good but I will put my fear in their hearts that they shall not depart from me Whereas the poor Soul might say God indeed saith he will never depart from us so long as we do not depart from him but then he might justly depart from us Therefore Gods Covenant is That we shall not depart from him I will put my fear in their hearts and they shall not depart from me Therefore the just lives not from any stability in himself but from the stability of Gods Covenant 4. Gods Unchangeable nature 4 Reas From the Unchangeable Nature of God Mal. 3.6 I am the Lord I change not therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed You are not consumed not because there is no principle of change in you but because there is none in me As if God should have said When I first entred Covenant with you I saw you polluted in your blood and I foresaw full well how ignorant how impotent how unconstant how untoward you would be afterward but I am resolved as I did not choose you at the first for the good I saw to be in you so I will not reject you for the evil that I see in you but will forgive it and heal it for my gifts and calling are without repentance Rom. 11 29. 5. Reas From the Power of God 5. Power of God If Gods people do not persevere it is either because God will-not preserve them or because he cannot But 1. Not because he will not for it is his own good pleasure moved him to make an everlasting Covenant and his own unchangeable Nature moves him to fulfil it to this day 2. Not because he cannot for nothing limits Gods Power but his Will Psal 135.6 Whatever the Lord pleased that did he in heaven and earth c. Therefore if the Lord will preserve his Saints in a state of grace for ever he is able to do it Though we are not able to stand of our selves yet he is able to make us stand Rom. 14. or in case we fall he is able to raise us up again Psal 37.24 Though he fall he shall not be cast off for the Lord putteth under his hand 6 Reas From the Merit of Christ 6. Merit of Christ c. the Prayer of Christ the Spirit of Christ As Christ hath merited Eternal Righteousness and Eternal Salvation Heb. 5.6 So he applies his Merit eternally by his Intercession and the operation of his Spirit Wherefore Heb. 7.25 Intercession of Christ he is able to save to the uttermost all that come unto God by him seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them Wherefore we must either deny That God the Father hears the Prayers of his Son which is blasphemous to imagine and contrary to Christs confession 1 Joh. 11.42 I know that thou hearest me alwayes or else we must need acknowledge That all such as are once in a state of Grace shall persevere and be saved to the utmost Further they that are Christs And Spirit of Christ have the Spirit of Christ and so long as the Spirit doth not depart from them they shall never depart from God for the Spirit leads into all Truth But the Spirit of God doth never depart from them Isa 59.21 As for me this is my Covenant with them saith the Lord My Spirit that is upon thee and my words which I have put in thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth c. Therefore they shall never finally depart from God Thus we have the Reasons Why the just shall persevere 2. Why perseverance through Faith Now see the Reasons Why they live this life by Faith 1. Faith layes hold on the Promise 1. Because Faith lays hold on the Promise of Perseverance 1 Cor. 18. He shall confirm you to the end that you may be blameness in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ Phil. 1.6 He that hath begun the good work in you will perform it unto the day of Jesus Christ Mat 16.18
what a glorious sight would it be In Heaven the Saints shall behold the Sun of Righteousness in the highest firmament and the eye of their Soul shall be strengthned to behold his glory to eternity That 's the first Perfection of knowledge 2. Perfect love Faith assures That in Heaven there shall be a Perfection of Love both to God and one another Indeed this follows from the former Perfect knowledge of God begets Perfect Love The Saints then shall love God beyond all measure who is infinitely lovely Here it 's the grief of a gracious heart that it can love God no more there it shall be the joy of a glorious Soul that it shall love God above all yea above it self and both it self and all other things in God And in this respect the Apostle gives Love the preheminence 1 Cor. 13. above Faith and Hope that when Faith shall be turned into Vision and Hope into Comprehension yet Love abideth or endures to eternity Faith assures That in Heaven 3. Perfect obedience Obedience to the will of God shall be perfect and this follows likewise from the former Perfect Obedience springs from perfect Love If ye love me keep my Commandments Joh. 14.15 The Saints knowing God perfectly shall perfectly love him and perfectly loving God shall perfectly keep his Commandments Rev. 22.3 His servants shall serve him ver 4. And they shall see his face Here we see onely the back parts of God In Heaven we shall see him perfectly and serve him perfectly Faith assures 4. Perfect joy That in Heaven there shall be perfect Peace and Joy The Kingdom of Heaven is righteousness peace and joy Rom. 14.17 When our righteousness is perfect then is our Peace too Here indeed imputed Righteousness is perfect but imparted inherent Righteousness is not to be perfected till the life to come and then shall be perfect peace Peace with God with our fellow-Citizens with our own Consciences And perfect joy too At thy right hand is fulness of joy Psal 16. ult A full joy and so a full reward 2 Joh. v. 8. There is a double fulness Of the Object Of the Subject Faith assures the Saints of both First There shall be a fulness of the Subject Fourfold fulness of the subject in glory Every part of Soul and Body shall be filled 1. The Vnderstanding shall be full of light that every question shall then be put out of question 2. The Will so full of subjection to the Will of God that there shall be no reluctancy 3. The Affections so full of harmony there shall be no jarring 4. The Body so full of glory that it shall be made like to the glorious body of Christ Phil. 3. ult Fulness of the Object Secondly there shall be a fulness of the Object The Saints in glory shall have whatever may make them happy whatever they can desire Joh. 14.8 They shall see God and so see the Father as that it shall suffice them They shall have Rest 2 Thess 1.8 And that which hath rest hath obtained its perfection to the full In a word 1. We shall be freed from whatever may annoy us 2. We shall enjoy whatever we can desire Fivefold freedom in heaven We shall be freed c. 1. From all the labours of this life Here we are born to labour Job 5.7 as the sparks to fly upwards There is rest 2. From the Necessities of Nature There is no need of Meat 1 Cor. 15.28 Drink Physick Clothing Lodging God shall be all in all 3. From the filth and power of Sin Here the best cry out Oh wretched c. Rom. 7.24 There we shall never sin more 4. From the company of sinners Here is complaining Woe is me that I am constrained to dwell in Meshech Ps 120.5 There shall be a perfect separation without any mixture Wheat with Wheat and Tares with Tares like to like to all eternity 5. From all sorrows and pains Rev. 21.4 The life of the best here is an april-April-day it hath some gleams of comfort but many showers In Heaven shall be constant Sun-shine for evermore Secondly We shall be possess'd of whatever good can be desired There we shall enjoy the sweet society of God Christ Angels Saints and with all these an eternal Sabbath And thus Faith like Moses on the top of Mount Pisgah discovers the promised Land afar off or like the Spies gathers up some Clusters of Canaan and brings them to a Believer here in the Wilderness Thirdly 3. Faith assures That eternal life is the Believers Faith assures a believer of his peculiar interest in this Life Eternal And indeed this is the very life of this life to know our right to this Tree of Life in Jesus Christ For as 't is nothing so comfortable to a man that beholds another mans Temporal Inheritance adorned with Woods Orchards Gardens Rivers and goodly Buildings as to be able to say with good warrant All these are mine I have good Evidence to shew for them So is it nothing so comfortable to be able to discourse of the happiness of Heaven as by the certainty of Faith to say By the grace of God all this is mine I have good Evidence to shew for it Indeed otherwise it 's a punishment nay it 's a part of Hell it 's poena damni to know that there is such a Glory in Heaven while himself hath neither lot nor part in it This is like Balaam's sight of Heaven or Dives his beholding Lazarus in the bosom of Abraham while there was a great gulf between them This I say is part of the Torment of Hell But this is the Life of a Christians knowledge concerning Life Eternal when he can upon good grounds say This is mine The lines are fallen unto me in a pleasant place yea I have a goodly heritage therefore my heart is glad my glory rejoyceth my flesh also shall rest in hope Psal 16.6 9. I know that my Redeemer liveth c. For we know c. 2 Cor. 4.1 Now how is a Christian assured of this his interest in Eternal Life but by Faith For Eternal Life is the End or Ultimate Object of Faith Receiving the end of your faith even the salvation of your Souls 1 Pet. 1.9 There are indeed many witnesses of it Three in Heaven and three in Earth 1 Joh. 5.7 8 c. And this witness of Faith is one of the Three on Earth The Spirit and Water and Blood The Spirit witnesseth to our Spirits Rom 8.16 By Water is meant the Benefit of our Sanctification By Blood our Justification by Faith in Christ or Expiation by the Blood of Christ applied by Faith and it may here be observed That though Blood alone saves a Christian yet it doth not alone witness his salvation Sanctification goes not into the matter of Salvation as a cause yet it goes into the matter of witness But according to the former Exposition Faith laying
an Eternal Sabbath and what is a Temporal Sabbath but a short a little Heaven Therefore be careful to sanctifie the Sabbath as thou desirest in a lively manner to live by Faith in regard of Life Eternal The great Cloud of Witnesses in Gods manifold blessings temporal and Spiritual upon such as carefully sanctifie the Sabbath and his many remarkable judgements in both kindes upon those that profane it or contemn it doth proclaim a necessity of keeping this Rest as ever we desire by Faith to enter into that other Rest Heb. 4.9 which yet remaineth for the people of God Our delighting to sanctifie Gods Sabbaths on earth gives full assurance to our Faith grounded upon Gods Promise that we shall enter into Gods eternal Rest in Heaven For so runs the Promise Isa 58. last If thou call the Sabbath a delight c. then shalt thou delight thy self in the Lord and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth that is in sure and safe places that 's for earthly blessings and I will feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father that is with a heavenly inheritance For what is the heritage of Jacob but Canaan in the Type and Heaven it self in the Antitype Dost thou desire then to be assured of heaven by Faith if God raise up thy heart to delight in the sanctifying his Sabbath upon right grounds I can assure thee from the mouth of God that heaven is thine Thou shalt certainly be fed with the heritage of Jacob for as it follows in the very next words The mouth of the Lord hath spoken it And so much for Exhortation Vse 5 Vse 5. Of Comfort Comfort from our heavenly life 5. Here is Comfort and Encouragement against the Evils and Temptations of this present Life As our days are few so full of evil and tentation There are tentations on the right hand as well as on the left I mean Temptations of Prosperity as well as of Adversity The best things of this present life prove the worst without Gods special grace preserving the Soul Now living by Faith in respect of Life Eternal is a singular means to preserve the Soul under Temptations of both kindes Against Adversity First under the Tentations of Adversity which lie so sore and heavy upon the poor creature that if its hope were onely in this life it could not but apprehend it self of all creatures most miserable 1 Cor. 15.20 Hear what the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 4.11 Even unto this present hour we both hunger and thirst and are naked and are buffeted and have no certain dwelling-place and labour working with our hands being reviled we intreat being persecuted we suffer we are made as the filth of the world and the off-scouring of all things unto this day This is the common Lot of Gods people in this world and therefore if their hope were onely in this life they were of all men most miserable Yea but the assured hope of a better life bears up their heads and hearts from sinking in the midst of all these waves For thus he that lives by Faith in regard of Eteral Life will reason What though I hunger and thirst here and am pinch'd with famine yet I shall come to such a place where I shall hunger and thirst no more Rev. 7.16 Though I be ragged and naked here I shall be clothed with Robes of Righteousness there Though I am buffeted here yet those marks of the Lord Jesus those scars I received for his Names sake shall appear like so many Stars of Glory Though I labour here even unto faintness and failing of spirits yet I shall rest from all my labours when I come there And though I have no certain dwelling-place or if I have I know not how soon I shall be turned out of doors by my earthly Landlord or by my heavenly Landlord yet there I have a building of God a house not made with hands eternal in the heavens 2 Cor. 5.1 Though here I be reviled and though I be defamed here yet there God shall wipe away all reproach from my name as well as all tears from mine eyes for Psa 1 49. Such honour have all his Saints Though I be persecuted here afflicted and tormented yet I know my sufferings for Christ have not so much abounded in this life but my consolation in Christ shall much more abound in the life to come If we suffer with him we shall also reign with him 2 Tim. 2.12 Though I be here made the filth of the world and the off-scouring of all things yet I know I shall have honour enough there when I shall be glorified in Christ and Christ shall be glorified in me When he shall come to be glorified in his Saints and admired in all them that believe 2 Thess 1.10 Though I am ignorant here and at the best know but in part yet I shall have fulness of knowledge there and shall know as I my self am known Though here I am imperfect in all my graces and in all my duties so that there is more of sin than of grace in every duty yet there I shall never sin against God any more never grieve his Spirit more dishonour his Name more When that which is perfect is come 1 Cor. 13.10 that which is imperfect shall be done away Now what a comfort and encouragement is this in the midst of all our Troubles either of sin or of affliction Here we are sure to drink of a bitter cup Ye shall indeed drink of the cup which I drink of saith Christ but the Meditation and Application of Life Eternal by Faith is a Christians Sugar which is fetcht out of the Canaries of Heaven to sweeten this bitter Cup. Here we are sure of a troublesome Pilgrimage we pass through the valley of Tears but the Meditation and Application of Life Eternal by Faith will be like Elijahâ— Chariot or like Jacobs Ladder in his troublesome journey to Padan-Aram When he slept upon the stone he had a hard Pillow but a sweet Dream whilst God made his Bed he dreamed and behold a Ladder c. And what a refreshing was this to Jacob in his troublesome journey As if the Lord had said to him Jacob thou hast a long journey to go thou must not onely go to the remote parts of the earth but thou must travel as far as heaven how will you ever get thither where will you finde a Ladder long enough and strong enough If all the Ladders in the world were tied together can they reach thither Canst thou rear them up or darest thou venture upon them Shouldst thou joyn together all thy good desires all thy good Prayers and all thy good Works
would not believe the comfortable Promise that was brought to him from God by the Prophet Isaiah what saith the Scripture Isa 7.13 Is it a small thing for you to weary or grieve men but ye will weary my God also And with whom was God grieved fourty years in the Wilderness was it not with them that sinned through Vnbelief Heb. 3.17 Suppose a rich man should freely invite all the Poor of such a Town to a feast with Promise of kind and hearty welcome if they will but come c. Upon the Invitation first one and then another should begin to make exceptions against themselves and say Surely he did not intend that I should come c. If I do I 'll be sure to eat nothing I cannot think he should bid me welcome or if he do that he means as he says I am so unworthy I have nothing to pay for my entertainment Would not this grieve the Master of the Feast and displease him Might not his displeasure turn into wrath Luk. 14.21 24. The Master of the house was angry and said None of those men which were bidden shall taste of my Supper Doth God say Whosoever will let him eat of the bread and drink freely of the water of life Isa 55 1. Rev. 22.17 and shall any of us say Though I hunger and thirst also I cannot believe the Promise belongs to me How do we quench and grieve the Spirit of God by our Unbelief Thirdly 3. It pleases the Devil it 's a sin that doth exceedingly please the Devil It was the very first sin he tempted our first Parents to and 't is the main of all his Temptations to this day Let the Word be preach'd never so powerfully yea But is this true saith the Devil The Devil doth what he can to bring God out of credit with his People Luke 8.12 These by the high-way are they that hear then cometh the Devil and taketh the Word out of their hearts lest they should believe and be saved Mark the Devil knows that without Faith there is no Salvation therefore he that is an enemy to the Salvation of People is as great an enemy to Faith Thou canst not do a greater pleasure to the Devil than to say I question whether this be true or no or whether God will make this Promise good to me though I should cast my self upon the Word of his Free-grace O Christians think of this think seriously of this how you rejoyce that wicked Spirit The Father of Lies and how you grieve and vex the holy Spirit of God The Spirit of Truth by your Unbelief Fourthly consider the sin of Unbelief 't is a Mother Sin As the Devil is the Father so Unbelief is the Mother of all other sins The brood of Unbelief Unbelief was first the Devils Bastard and then he makes it his Concubine and by his incubation upon an unbelieving heart he begets a world of other sins As 1. Ignorance First of all Wilful and affected Ignorance For if the Devil can but perswade a Soul either that the Word is not of God or that it belongs not to it self in particular then the next Temptation is To what purpose shouldst thou labour for the knowledge of such a Word that concerns thee not And therefore Unbelief and Ignorance are coupled together and both proceeding from the Devil 2 Cor. 4.3 4. But if c. in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them that believe not lest the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ who is the image of God should shine unto them Whereby it comes to pass that so many are ignorant in the midst of so much light 2. Security Secondly another dangerous sin the off-spring of the Devil and of Unbelief is Sinful Security The Devil begets this sin upon an Unbelievers heart and when he hath done he rocks the Cradle When God threatens and the awakened Conscience begins to cry then Peace peace Gen. 3.1 saith the Devil Yea hath God said Ye shall die if ye eat of the forbidden fruit I say Ye shall not die The words of the Prophets are but wind Jer. 5.13 what need ye regard or fear the threatning Indeed God hath said The Drunkard shall be clothed with rags Prov. 33.21 Isa 33.1 The spoiler shall be spoiled and The flying Roll of Gods curse shall enter into the house of the Thief and of him that sweareth falsly by the Name of God Zech. 5.4 But do you not see threatned folk live long saith the Devil Doth not many a Drunkard Oppressor Thief and Swearer live many a fair day And thus the poor Soul is presently rock'd asleep again in its Unbelief and becomes resolute in an evil way Eccl. 8.11 Because sentence against an evil work is not speedily executed therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil They are secure in the midst of danger they fall asleep upon the top of the Mast Thirdly 3. Worldliness another dangerous sin springing from Unbelief is Worldly-mindedness for if we believe not what is promised concerning Heaven or what is threatned in regard of Hell why then saith Demas let us embrace this present world Let Noah preach of Judgement to the old World and righteous Lot to the Sodomites so long as their words seem to them as idle tales there 's no care to prevent the imminent Judgement but all their care is how they shall live another day when it may be they have not a day to live They ate they drank they bought they sold they planted they builded they were all for the world even to the very day that those dreadful Waters upon the one and that terrible Fire upon the other came down from the Lord out of Heaven And all this because of their Unbelief Fourthly 4. Hypocrisie another dangerous sin the fruit of such a cursed Parent is Gross Hypocrisie Counterfeit Faith ever springs from real Unbelief for durst a man make shew of Religion to serve his own turn and to serve his own lusts as many men do if he did believe that God was a God searching the heart and the reins and such an one as would smite all painted walls and whited sepulchres he durst as well eat fire as do such a thing O saith many a vile wretch I carried my self like a Saint whilst I was in their company and yet it may be the same man at another time and in another company carries himself more like a Devil incarnate than a Saint And why so from whence springs this gross Hypocrisie but from gross Unbelief For had he but Faith to believe the Omnipresence of God he would labour to be the same at all times and in all companies Fifthly 5. Heresie another dangerous sin the Daughter both of Unbelief and Hypocrisie is Heresie a departing from the Faith in some Points of Religion for a mans own outward advantage For if a
the World How shall this be saith she seeing I know not a man Luk. 1.34 And thus it was with that incredulous Lord when God foretold the plentiful relief of poor besieged Samaria within the compass of a day Behold saith he if the Lord would make windows in heaven might this thing be 2 Kings 7.2 And thus when God promiseth deliverance to his People in their greatest straights when there is no apparent or visible means to be seen when God promiseth the Resurrection of the body from the Grave and many such like things I 'll never believe it saith a natural man Why so It is altogether unlikely it is above the reach of Reason it is above the reach of all created strength And this is the second particular Impediment of Faith Well but how shall we remove it how shall we rowl away this stone Cure I answer By considering the infinite disproportion betwixt God and us What if the thing promised be above the grasp of our wisdom and strength is it therefore above the wisdom and strength of God It is the silliest thing in the world to measure God by our selves Hear what the Lord saith Zech. 8.6 If it be marvellous in your eyes should it be also marvellous in my eyes saith the Lord of Hosts Those things that are impossible with men are possible yea most facile and easie with God Note And therefore it is the proper work of Faith to lay hold upon the Power of God as well as upon the Truth and Mercy of God If God doth but speak a thing Faith doubts not of the Power of God to make his Word good When carnal reason saith How is it possible How can this be Faith gets aloft upon the head of Reason and seeth quite beyond it when Reason can see no further Faith saith It is so it is so and claps the hands as if it had the thing in present possession and so it is an evidence of things not seen by the eye of carnal Reason Heb. 11.1 Rom. 4.19 20 21. Thus Abraham believeth against all common Reason that he should have a Son because God had said it although he and his wife were as good as dead in the course of Nature Thus Joshua believed that the walls of Jericho should fall down at the blast of Rams-horns Heb. 11.30 which was against all reason Judg. 7.19 20 21 22. Gideon against all reason believes that he and his poor three hundred men should overcome the invincible Host of the Midianites with nothing but lamps and earthen pitchers in stead of better weapons These Worthies of God did not measure God by themselves but they considered the faithfulness and power of him that had promised and so should we And so much for the second particular Impediment of Faith and the way to remove it The third is the harboring of some beloved sin 3. Harbouring some Lust which we are loth to part with For Faith when it comes into the heart will come as a purifying Faith or else it will not come at all Now if a man prefers the satisfying of his lust before the satisfying of his Faith there 's the stop and there 's the check in the work of Faith Therefore saith Christ to those that were carried away with the lust of ambition How can ye believe which receive honour one of another and seek not the honour that cometh from God onely Joh. 5.44 Now to remove this Impediment Cure and to rowl away this stone Remember all fleshly lusts though they flatter us and make fair as if they were our intimate friends yet are our deadly enemies and under-hand they fight against us Dearly beloved saith Peter I beseech you as pilgrims and strangers abstain from fleshly lusts 1 Pet. 3.11 which fight against the Soul against the grace of it against the peace of it against the very life of it the spiritual and eternal life of the Soul And therefore suppose the lust be never so dear yet let thy Salvation be dearer Suppose it be an adulterous eye or suppose it be a deceitful hand a hand that bringeth in so much profit by the year and were it not for this thou couldst finde in thine heart to believe and to become a Christian in earnest O remember what this lust must cost thee that justles out thy Faith it will cost thee the precious life of thy immortal Soul and therefore were it as dear to thee as thy right eye or thy right hand away with it and cast it from thee Remember what Christ saith Mat. 5.29 30. It is better for thee that one of thy members should perish than that thy whole body should be cast into hell And so much for the third particular Impediment and the way to remove it 4. Our own unworthiness pleaded against the Promise The 4. Impediment Is the sight and sense of our own unworthiness O saith many a poor creature do you perswade me to believe What me you know not what a vile wretch I am you little think what sins I have committed what precious means and mercies I have abused and were it not high presumption in such a one as I am to offer to believe ot to lay hold of a Promise Thus men are apt to strain courtesie with God and to put a bar in their own way Cure But to remove this Impediment and to roll this Stone out of the way I beseech you to consider Was it presumption in Manasses or in Mary Magdalen to believe out of whom he cast seven Divels Is not the grace of God Free else it were no grace As no man is accepted for his own worthiness so no man is rejected simply for his unworthiness It is no hindrance but a furtherance to thy Faith for the Son of man came to seek and to save that which was lost Mat. 9. Thou art never like to find him till thou come to be at a losse in thy self And this is the fourth Impediment and the way to remove it 5. Laying much stress on the depth of humiliation The 5. Is this O but I have not been humbled to this very day at least so far as I ought to be humbled It may be I have grieved a little for my sins but not so much as I ought to do or as such sins call for at my hands and therefore why should I believe till I be further humbled To remove this Impediment Cure and to roll away this Stone we must know 1. God makes not a promise of Mercy to such a degree of Godly sorrow but to the truth of it Matth. 5.4 2. God accepts of the Will for the Deed if we would be further humbled and yet cannot And 3. Nothing humbles and breaks the heart more then the laying hold upon Christ in a promise of Free Grace Note It is impossible there should be through humiliation without Faith The Flinty heart of a sinnner
discharge of that Calling 1 Kin. 3.7 9. Now O Lord my God thou hast made thy servant King and I am but a little childe I know not how to go out and in Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people c. So the Apostle directs to live by faith in this case as well as other Jam. 1.5 If any man lack wisdom let him ask of God 3. It stirs a man up in the use of those gifts to seek not his own things but the things of other men Non nobis solum nati sumus No man is born to serve himself but his generation Acts 13.36 David after he had served his generation according to the will of God fell asleep A Christian hath not a private but a publick spirit 4. It stirs him up in serving his generation and in serving men to serve God Eph 6 5. Even servants there in serving their Masters are to serve Christ So again Col. 3.22 Israel is reproved Hos 10 1. because as an empty vine he brings forth fruit unto himself As one end of naturâ—l life is the civil life so the end of both is a religious life to the glory of God 5. It teacheth him to depend upon God in all for good Successe So we are taught Prov. 3.5 6. Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not to thine own understanding in all thy wayes acknowledge him and he shall direct thy paths Psal 1.3 Whatsoever the righteous doth the Lord shall make it to prosper 6. It teacheth him to make a voluntary humble and bold Resignation of his calling and so of his civil life and natural life also into Gods hands when he shall call for it As in the forementioned example of David Acts 13.36 who fell asleep according to the will of God as soon as he had served his generation So Aaron Numb 20.23 c. by faith put off his Office as willingly as a man puts off his clothes when he goes to bed Such a disposition there was in Paul 2 Tim 4.6 7. I have fought a good fight I have finished my course henceforth a crown of Glory c. As a believers success is from God so into Gods hands he resignes his place with his Spirit And then he may lay down his head he may lay down his life with comfort 5. Good Name for God sayes 1 Sam. 2.30 Them that honour me I will honour and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed And Psal 17.6 There is a promise that if the righteous trust in the Lord though they were under a night and cloud of reproach yet their name shall break forth as the light 6. Posterity Psal 112.2 He that fears the Lord his Seed is promised to be mighty and his Generation blessed As on the contrary wicked men can entail nothing but a curse on their children Psal 109.9 10 12 13. Onely understand all these Promises to be made in Christ Note and not to Duties abstractly considered out of Christ 7. Single state and Marriage He lives by Faith 1. For the blessings of single life when God calls him thereto especially in troublesome times and troublesome places and in unsetled conditions 1 Cor. 7.8 I say to the unmarried and widows that they abide even as I. Thus then he lives by faith in this condition in the use of means for the upholding him whether 1. Ordinary as moderation of diet exercise civil and religious company Or 2. Extraordinary as fasting and prayer and covenanting with himself as Job 31.1 He charged those Sentinels they should not betray the stronger Fort of his heart into the hands of the weaker vessel So Mat. 19.12 Some have made themselves Eunuchs for the Kingdome of Heaven 2 For the blessing of a Married condition when God calls thereunto especially in times of peace and prosperity He looks at a meet Help as a portion promised from God for the better bearing the manifold incumbrances of this present life Eccles 9.9 Live joyfully with the wife of thy youth all the dayes of thy life c. for that is thy portion in this life and in thy labour which thou takest under the Sun The truth is a good Conscience within and a good Consort without are two of the most comfortable helps under heaven for the better bearing of the greatest burthens upon the face of the earth The poor beast with a great burthen on his back goes cheer'd partly with his Provender partly with the musick of his Bâ—lls A good Conscience is musick within the Biâ—d in the breast A good consort is musick without the Bird in the ear who shall do thee good and not evil all the dayes of her life Prov. 31.12 Lastly The just lives by faith this natural life in respect of the prizing or valuation of his life 7. In thâ— valuaâ—ion of life so as neither to be a Prodigal nor a Niggard of it Faith teaches a man neither to undervalue nor overvalue his life A Christian holds the rein of life by the hand of faith neither too fast nor too loose Reason will teach a man a notional valuation of his life but onely faith will teach a man a practical valuation of it 1. Not to undervalue it Natural Reason tells a man That of all temporal blessings natural life is the greatest but every sinner sets more by his lusts than his life 1. The envious person whiles he envies another mans life pines away himself and destroyes his own He is neither fit to live by others nor enjoy his own life Prov. 14.30 Envy is the rottenness of the bones 2. The lustful and luxurious person he sins against his own body He falls not onely into a consumption of his estate but his flesh also Prov. 5 10 11. And mourn when thy flesh and thy body are consumed 3. The covetous person he loves his goods better then his life If it would save his life he hath not power to eat thereof Eccles 6.2 He punisheth both back and belly and so wastes his life and dies If a man had faith it would rectifie Reason in these particulars or rather fortifie Reason by Scripture Mat. 6.25 Is not life better than raiment c yea the Devil could allege That Skin for skin and all that a man hath will he give for his life Job 2. 2. Not to overvalue life An unbeliever overvalues his life when he prizeth it above his soul which is the life of his life yea above the Gospel and Christ who is the life of his soul Mat. 19.20 21 22. The young man there would not exchange his possessions for treasure in heaven But faith teacheth better husbandry not onely to lose goods but life also for the Gospels sake Acts 20. Neither count I my life dear so I may finish my course with joy Paul counted his life cheap in comparison of the Gospel and the preaching of it Heb. 11.35 Others were tortured not accepting deliverance that they might
for the Life of Justification is perfect at the first though it be a continued act Therefore do not onely hear the Word but Pray Hearing the Word is the laying the mouth to the breast but Prayer is the drawing of the breast Therefore draw hard new-years- new-years-New-years-day O thou that createdst the first Heaven and the first Earth of nothing O thou that createst the New Heaven and the New Earth wherein dwells Righteousness when sin had made the creature worse then nothing O thou that createst the New Jerusalem coming down from Heaven as a Bride O thou that createst the New Creature the New man fit to be an inhabitant of the New World of the New Jerusalem O thou that hast said Behold I make all things New Create thou in me even in me Psal 51. a clean heart renew a right Spirit in me Plead with God and say Lord thou hast commanded me whilst it is called Heb. 1. To day to hear thy voice and not to harden my heart I beseech thee therefore whilst it is called To day hear my voice and harden not thy heart against me For if thy heart be hardned against my Prayer my heart must needs be hardned at thy Word Say Father let others give what gifts they please to their friends if thou please but to give me grace Eph. 4. grace to put off the Old man with the Old year as the circled Snake casts her skin and to put on the New man Psal 103. as the Eagle renews her bill and her age both together I shall esteem it the best New-years-gift that ever was given And say Father I have fast hold on thee and I will not let thee go Gen. 32. except thou bless me except thou giv'st me this blessing this New-years-gift of a new heart Lord I lay hold of thee in thine own promise Thine everlasting Truth is a cord strong enough strong enough to hold Thee and Lord I must needs make bold to binde thee to thy VVord Hast thou not said Lord A new heart will I give you Lord for whom is this new heart laid up in thy Promise for them that have it or for them that want it c. Therefore I beseech thee of thy faithfulness to answer me and in thy righteousness say unto me Though thy faith be weak Be it unto thee even as thou wilt Let there be light Mat. 8. let there be heat let there be a new heart Be thou holy as I am holy that thou maist be happy for ever as I am happy Thus much for the third Question How and by what means this Sanctification is wrought in the Soul 4. Questions follow Quest 4. What Reason of the necessity of Sanctification What is the reason that such a life is necessary in all justified persons Reas 1 1. Reason Because this is one of the great Ends of our freedom by the Death of Christ He died not onely to redeem us from Hell and from Satan and all our Enemies but from our vain conversation also 1 Pet. 1.18 Tit. 2 14. He gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purifie to himself a peculiar people zealous of good works Yea he delivered us from the hands of all our enemies that we might serve him in holiness Luke 1.74 Reas 2 2. Because it was one of Gods great designs in the work of our Redemption to make us conformable to the Image of his Son as in suffering Rom. 8.29 so in sanctity that as we have born the Image of the Earthly so we might bear the Image of the Heavenly 1 Cor. 15. VVe look upon Christ by the eye of Faith as they look'd upon the brazen Serpent not onely to save us but to transform us and heal us The vision of Christ begets transformation and transformation satisfaction this is partly in this life but perfectly in the life to come Psal 17. ult I shall behold thy face in righteousness when I awake I shall be satisfied with thy likeness In the mean time there are degrees of transformation and satisfaction to the Soul so far as it is able to look upon Christ by the eye of faith in the glass of the Ordinances 2 Cor. 3. ult But we all as with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord are changed c. To be changed into the Image of Christ is a great part of a Christians happiness a great part of this happiness is his holiness without which even heaven it self and the glorified Presence of God would be a hell to him for so long as men are unregenerate and wicked they say unto God Depart from us we will not have the knowledge of thy wayes Job 21.14 Therefore that they may be made like Christ and take comfort in the fellowship of Christ it 's necessary they should live by Faith the life of Sanctification Reas 3 3. Because from the first Adam we stand guilty of a twofold sinfulness 1. Imparted Rom. 5.19 As by one mans disobedience many were made sinners so c. 2. Imparted Job 14.4 Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean Reas 4 4. This is for the honour of Christ Philip 1.27 Onely let your conversation be as becomes the Gospel c. 2 Sam. 10.4 Hanun's abusing Davids Servants was to cut off half their garments Reas 5 5. Because Gods free love in the Life of Justification cannot but stir us up to love God again 1 John 4.19 And love is active and full of inventions to do service for the beloved And so he must necessarily live the Life of Sanctification and so Sanctification is an evidence of Justification How doth Christ prove many sins were forgiven to Mary Luke 7.47 Because she loved much And how doth she prove her love by the fruits her cost and care and pains ver 37 c. If ye love me keep my Commandments sayes Christ Joh. 14.15 Faith works by love Gal. 5.6 As Faith applies Promises for Comfort so commands for Performance of Duty Psal 119 66. And so much for the first Branch in Sanctification viz. Renovation BRANCH II. THE LIFE of FAITH A LIFE OF FRUCTIFICATION SEcondly The just lives by Faith the Life of Fructification for we shall speak of the Use of both together in the fruits of New Obedience And this in these particulars How or in what manner faith hath influence into the life of spiritual Fructification 1. Faith makes us good trees 1. In making of us good Trees A man must be a good Tree before he can bring forth good Fruit Mat. 12.33 Now Faith makes us good Trees by grafting us into the Mystical Body of Christ Rom. 11.17 Thou being a wilde Olive-tree wert grafted in and partakest of the root and fatness of the Olive Thou derivest sap and juyce and life of grace in Christ and so thou dost not onely bud and blossom as Aarons Rod Numb 17. by good words and fair
heaven by the light of the knowledge of Christ through Faith but the light is never alone for it is ever accompanied with the heat of love Gal. 5.6 Faith works by love Therefore they slander when they affirm we teach the contrary For we teach That a Christian lives the life of Sanctification and Fructification in many powerful and quickning Considerations Wherefore let us by well-doing put to silence the ignorance of foolish and malicious men 1 Pet. 2.15 Vse 4. Exh. to faith c. as the root of conveying all godliness fruitfulness Fourthly for Exhortation and Quickning in three Branches 1. To labour for Faith and encrease in it Why because Faith is the Root of Holiness and Fruitfulness or the foundation as it is Col 2.7 Rooted and built up in him and established in the faith c. A man that would have a goodly and a fruitful Orchard will be sure to plant Trees with a good Root Otherwise have they never so goodly Tops they will but the sooner wither away and come to nothing So those that would be fruitful and flourishing Trees in Gods Orchard should be sure to look to the Root of Faith the root of all Holiness and Fruitfulness otherwise be the Top and Branches and Leaves of our Profession never so great all will soon wither and come to nothing Such will be as trees twice dead and plucked up by the roots Jude v. 12. 2. To live by Faith this Life of Sanctification 2 Exhort 1. Motives to live by faith the life of Sanctification Motive 1. Else we shall never manifest we live the Life of Justification for they are Twins as hath been said 2. This is the most excellent Life makes us like God and is therefore called The life of God How do men aspire to imitate great men in their speeches gestures 2. Eph. 4.18 actions O that we could aspire and desire to imitate the great and good God to be like him and live the life of Holiness It is something to live if but the lowest life but the life of grace is above all lives for this is to live the Life of God Holiness is the highest Attribute of Honour 3. Without holiness none shall see the Lord Heb. 12 14. Our happiness consists in the Beatifical Vision 1 Joh. 3.2 3. and He that hath this hope in him purifies himself as he is pure 4. This Life of Sanctification is the onely Life of Thankfulness A justified person should say What shall I render to the Lord Psal 116. And as David Psal 103. Bless the Lord O my soul and all that is within me bless his holy Name Nor is that enough but surely all that is without us too should bless him our Tongues our Hands and all our Members All our very bones Psal 35.10 All my bones shall say Lord who is like unto thee c. All our actions and so our Bodie as well as our Souls It is the Apostles argument Rom. 12.1 I beseech you by the mercies of God that you present your bodies a living sacrifice holy acceptable to God c. Let us therefore live unto him by whom we enjoy our lives Let us live to him the Life of Sanctification from whom we receive the Life of Justification Let us live to him the Life of Fructification from whom we receive the Life of Faith 5. This is The way to glorifie God Psal 50. last Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me and to him that ordereth his conversation aright c. God the Father is glorified Joh. 15.8 Herein is my Father glorified that ye bring forth much fruit God the Son or Jesus Christ for hereby it appears Heb. 7. he is able to save to the uttermost how by saving from sin as well as from hell Mat. 1.21 The Spirit is glorified for the fruits of the Spirit are love joy peace long-suffering goodness c. Gal. 5.22 'T is the way to glorifie and adorn our Profession Tit. 2.10 Servants are commanded to be faithful Why That they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things To glorifie Free grace Tit. 2.11 12. The grace of God hath appeared Teaching us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts and to live soberly c. Otherwise it is the greatest dishonor to the grace of God when we turn it into wantonness Jude v. 4. yea 't is to deny God Tit. 1.16 in works deny him Exhort 3. Resolve to be fruitful but take the present time 3. To do it timely Not onely resolve to be fruitful but take the Time Time is one of the most precious things God hath committed to the sons of men Redeem time Eph. 5. viz. at any rate How hath God laid out the glory of his wisdome and power in making so many glorious Bodies to measure out Time to us that we might learn to take notice of the preciousness of it and do all our works in time yet we squander it away as if we knew not how to spend it fast enough And we put off to the future what belongs to the present We hardly return brazen Performances for golden Opportunities Remember 1. 'T is excellent to know and take the time It was the commendation of the men of Issachar 1 Chr. 1.32 As on the contrary nothing more unpleasant than doing things out of time Pro. 10.26 As vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes so is the sluggard to them that send him 2. It is very difficult to know and take time The foolish Virgins lost their tide the wise had much ado to gain it Mat. 25. Jacob said Surely God was in this place Gen. 28.16 and I was not aware So may we say In this Time in this Providence and yet I was not aware of it In Cant. 5.3 c. The Church was but a minute too slow and she paid dear for it 3. It makes every duty easie if we do take it in time or else it is difficult 'T is easie to enter if the gates of a Castle be open and the Governour invites but if there be stay till it is shut and the Portcullis let down it may cost much blood 'T is easie to lift a great weight whiles many lift together but if each asunder most hard So while God sayes Hear now c. it is easie to move in grace or duties but if we go about it after we may move as Pharaoh's Chariots Exod. 14. with the wheels taken off And late fruit we know is kill'd with Winters frost 4. If we do not take it Opportunity may be irrecoverable A tree may be fruitful next year if not this if it stand but it may be the Ax may cut it down So it may be we may never have the like opportunity as now Time and Tide stay for no man We may happen on a day after the Fair. 5. We know not how soon the folding-doors of time shall be folded up together when the Heavens 1
yoke in the world they have found such comfort in it And this I say makes much for the honour of the Master 2 Reason 2. For their own support God will have the just live the Life of Consolation that the comforts of God may Support their Spirits in the midst of many Troubles Afflictions and Temptations they meet withall in their Christian course You know it is a Statute-Law of Heaven We must through tribulation enter into the Kingdom of God Act. 14.22 Therefore God in much Wisdom and Faithfulness proportions the comforts of his Servants to their sufferings lest they should faint in their minds and be weary Psal 94.19 In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul and so the more suffering for Christ the more comfort in Christ 2 Cor. 1.5 For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us so our consolations also abound by Christ As Christ himself had greatest comfort in his greatest temptation for then it was that Angels came and ministred unto him Mat. 4.11 so Gods People may expect greatest comforts in their greatest sufferings especially if it be in a good cause 1 Pet. 3.14 and 4.13 If ye suffer for righteousness if ye be reproached for the name of Christ happy are ye for the Spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you So that as it was said of him that knew not how to pray Let him go to Sea so we may say of the Christian that knows not how to rejoyce Let him take up the Cross that lie in the way of his calling let him be willing to go to the Prison or to the Stake if God call him thither Etiam hîc eris mecum bone Jesu said the good Martyr Even here Lord Jesus I finde and I feel thou wilt be present with me So he that would meet God and enjoy most of God on this side heaven let him not look for it in Princes Courts but let him look for it in the Dungeon of Adversity There God met with Joseph and there he met with Jeremiah and there he met with Peter and there he met with Paul and Silas Act. 16.25 They were so full of comfort they could not hold they must needs sing at mid-night Their hearts were never more at liberty than when their feet were fast in the stocks Simile Wicked men like other ordinary Birds can sing in a Sun-shine day of Prosperity but Gods People are Nightingals they sing best in the mid-night of adversity And were it not thus Gods People would not be so ready to suffer in the cause of God they would be ready to say Oh! there is a Lion in the way Pro. 22 13. I shall be slain in the streets But when they remember God can bring Honey out of the Carcase of the Lion he can bring Meat out of the Eater as he did Judg. 14.14 he can bring strength and nourishment to the Soul out of sharp destruction and devouring affliction they are not so much afraid of the Cross And that 's the second Reason why God will have his People live the Life of inward Consolation that they may the better live the Life of outward Affliction 3. To cause longing for heaven 3. God will have them live the Life of Spiritual Consolation in some measure upon earth that they may long the more to be in heaven Indeed the best estate of Gods People here below is but a mixt estate in respect of comfort Here is Night as well as Day Winter as well as Summer but there is Day and no Night Summer and no Winter It is true indeed he gives them some light some first-fruits of comfort here but to what end certainly that they may the more earnestly long for the Harvest When Paul was but a little while caught up into the third heaven he was never well till he came there again Phil. 1. I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ which is best of all God gives his People a taste to set the mouth of their Souls on water after heaven Taste of my Hidden Manna saith God and as you like that take more Now when they have once tasted they long to be at the Kings Banquetting-house where is fulness of joy Cant. 2. Psal 16. and pleasures for evermore The Martyrs had but a taste and they were ready to run through fire and water to get to a full draught And were it not thus did not God sometimes give to his People the first-fruits of his Spirit of heavens joys they would be ready either to be deter'd in their journey to Canaan by the perils of the Wilderness or else to be allured back again by the flesh-pots of Egypt or at best to take up their rest with the two Tribes and a half on this side Jordan Therefore God gives his People something of the very comfort of Heaven whilst they are in the way thither like the Bunch of Grapes that was brought out of Canaan before-hand that they may long to be in Heaven and so to enter into that joy there that doth but enter into them here 4. Here 4. To be able to comfort others God will have his People live the Life of Consolation themselves that they may the better minister comfort to others A Scholar that knows the World by Map can give some direction to a Traveller but nothing so exact as he that hath travelled the same way himself A man that never tasted of Honey may discourse of the sweetness of it but nothing so feelingly as he that hath suck'd the Honey-comb So a man that never tasted of the comfort of the Holy Ghost or peace of Conscience may discourse of it at random to others but nothing so effectually as he that feels the powerful working of it effectually in his own brest he will say Come Psal 34. and I will tell you what the Lord hath done for my Soul Whereas a man that never felt that comfort himself but is a meer stranger to the joy of Gods chosen he is very unfit to comfort others One sorrowful man is a miserable comforter to another Like the sad reflections of some doleful Echo that doubles and trebles the complaint and so one woe returns many Or like the answer of an evil Conscience that always prophecies evil and not good to him that inquires of it But such a one as hath felt the comforts of God himself is able to speak more feelingly to others Now that they may do so God reacheth forth the Cup of Salvation and the Cup of Consolation to some of his children that they may commend it to others upon their own experience that they may say O how sweet is the Cup of Gods Consolation will you not pledge me will you not drink of the same cup O taste and see that the Lord is good O how sweet is he in the forgiveness of sins how sweet in the comforts of his Spirit how sweet in
Discourse or a bare speculation of Heaven which will bring a man thither no more then the Reading of the History of such a Countrey or the Beholding of it in a Map which will transport a man to the place it self But there must be a sound and full Conveyance of it to the Soul And so the just must live by Faith in regard of Eternal Life 4. Reproof of not improving Eternal Life 4. It Reproves such who though they have somewhat to shew for their Inheritance Because they are Believers yet they live besides their Means because they do not act their Faith at least so much as they should in respect of Life eternal We say of many a worldly man because he doth not enjoy or improve his estate He lives besides his Means It 's one of the vanities that Solomon discovered under the Sun Eccl. 6.1 2. A man to whom God hath given riches wealth and honour so that he wanteth nothing of all that he desireth yet God giveth him not power to eat hereof This is vanity saith he and an evil disease And is it not a greater vanity when God hath given a man heavenly riches and honour and yet he lives not by Faith upon it improves it not to the best advantage Such an one lives beside his means How is it that Gods people are so cast down in Troubles Wants weaknesses in Reproaches in Persecutions Did they but act their Faith to believe that they shall one day as surely possess heaven as they possess the very house they dwell in upon earth how would the Apprehension of future joys drown and swallow up the sense of present miseries Why should the Kings Son be so lean from day to day Who hath such an Inheritance at the last and such a Father to provide for him in the mean time Luk. 12.32 Fear not little flock for it is your Fathers good pleasure to give you the Kingdom 5. This Reproves such as are Earthly-minded 5. Reproof of Earthly-mindedness for such live not by Faith in respect of Heaven or Eternal Life They live as if they were Terrae filii Sons of the earth as if that curse of God were fallen upon them Jer. 17.13 All that forsake thee shall be written in the dust The Church of the first-born are said to be written in heaven Hebrews 12.23 But these men as if they had nothing to shew but onely for the earth are said to be written in the earth as if God should say Go thy way thou art an Earth-worm and therefore Earth shall be all thy Portion It may be thou hast many writings to shew for a piece of the earth but nothing for heaven and therefore says God write him down An Earthly-minded man and An Earthly-portion'd man Psal 17.14 They are called Men of this world which have their portion in this life Give them but a fat portion in this life on this side Jordan take Canaan take Heaven who will for them The Devil casts so much dust in their eyes they cannot see to live by Faith in respect of Heaven Obj. But it may be these men will say We are too uncharitable for they are profess'd Christians and they well remember the two last Articles of their Creed Resurrection of the Body and Life Everlasting Answer shall be made to this in a third Use Vse 3 Vse 3. Of Examination Examination of Faith in respect of life Eternal 3. This is of use for Examination to examine whether we believe as we profess when we say We believe the Resurrection of the Body and Life Everlasting And we may know this 1. By our carriage in Life 2. By the respect we bear to Death By our carriage in Life 1. By our Carriage in life and that in respect of our 1. Affections 2. Meditations 3. Speeches And 4. Conversation 1. Our Affections 1. By our Affections A man that is far distant from his Native Country and dear friends he mingles many a Meal with his tears when he thinks of the distance of the place But how doth he rejoyce when he is once upon his return Especially when he comes within sight of land his very heart leaps within him and he cannot hold from saluting the place Oh my dear Country Blessed be God that I have lived once again to see thee and am so near to enjoy my surest friends within thee Just thus is it with a man that is bound for heaven that lives by Faith in regard of Life Eternal When he well remembers his great distance from God and Christ the Saints departed for whilst we are here at home in the body we are absent from the Lord I say when he remembers this it fetcheth many a sigh and tear and groan from his heart Psal 137.1 By the waters of Babylon we sate down and wept when we remembred thee O Sion See how they hang their heads and they hang their harps by the water-side as if they neither took delight in themselves nor any thing else whilst they are so far from their Native Country So 't is with a creature that is Heaven-born and Heaven-bound he cries and sighs and groans while he is so far from home 2 Cor. 5.4 For we that are in this tabernacle do groan being burthened c. And how glad are such when they come near their journeys end See how Paul skips in his desires like the Iron to the Load-stone I desire saith he to be dissolved and to be with Christ Phil. 8. which is best of all And old Simeon falls a singing as if his Deaths-day were his Birth-day Lord now littest thou thy servant depart in peace c. Therefore Examine thy self well what are thy chief Sorrows and what are thy chief Joys Dost thou sorrow most of all for thy distance from Christ and thy heavenly Country Dost thou rejoyce when thou thinkest of drawing near thy journeys end This is a good evidence that thou hast something to shew for Heaven But on the other side if all thy delight is in the World in the flesh-pots of Egypt and the remembrance of thy latter end is bitter to thee and thou art ready to say as an Atheist once I know what I have here Grand Atheist but I know not what I shall have hereafter That 's a shrewd sign thou hast onely thy portion in this life and no faith at all for the Life to come 2. Our Meditations 2 We may know by our Meditations For if we would flatter up our selves that we have heavenly Affections and yet want heavenly Meditations we do but deceive our own hearts and bring our selves into a Fools-Paradise for that 's most certain look where our Affections are there will our Meditations also be we cannot keep our thoughts off from what we love and prize dearly Where our treasure is Mat. 6. there will our heart be also there will our minde be Vbi amat non ubi animat where it
to die an Eternal Death where the worm dies not and the fire is not quenched Isa the last and the last Consid 2 2. If we have not Eternal Life here we shall never have it He that believes hath everlasting life Joh. 5.24 He doth not say He shall have it hereafter but he hath it already though not in so full a measure Therefore get it now or never For a man to think to go to heaven when he dies that never cared for heaven all his life is a strong presumption Consid 3 3. It is the property of Gods People to look at heaven and happiness by the eye of Faith Heb. 11.13 And Unbelievers are blinde and cannot see afar off they look on present things 2 Pet. 1.9 But a wise man hath eyes in his head Eccl. 2.14 15. He looks as far as to Eternity he sees that which a natural man cannot see 2 Cor. 4. last Whilst we look not at the things which are seen by the eye of sense but at the things which are not seen for the things which are seen are temporal but the things which are not seen are eternal Consid 4 4. This will make a man of a heavenly conversation whilst he is upon earth To live by Faith in regard of Eternal Life this will bring down heaven to the earth If the creature cannot go to heaven yet a lively Faith will bring heaven to the creature and that both the grace of heaven and the joy of heaven 1. The Grace of heaven It will make a man of a heavenly conversation whilst he lives upon earth to consider what the company of heaven and what the work of heaven is 1. The Company of heaven are God and Christ holy Angels and the Spirits of just men made perfect And 2. The Work of heaven is without reluctancy without weariness to praise God for ever and ever The belief of this will bring down much of the grace of heaven into the heart and the creature will reason thus by Faith Shall it be a great part of my happiness in heaven to enjoy perfection of holiness and shall I not then endevour this work upon earth Shall I not endevour to perfect holiness in the fear of God 2 Cor. 7.1 and to do Gods will upon earth Surely if holiness becomes Gods house for ever holiness must needs become his houshold-servants Psal 93.5 so soon as ever they begin to wear his Livery of Christian Profession Do we believe we shall see the face of God without blushing and shall serve him without fainting Seeing we look for such things how diligent should we be that we may be found of him in peace without spot and blameless Yea what manner of persons ought we to be in all holy conversation looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God 2 Pet. 3.11 2 It will bring down much of the joy of Heaven And we might have added this by way of Reason why God will have his Servants live by Faith in regard of Eternal Life viz. That the full assurance of it might be a present Comfort whilst the possession of it is deferred But we will bring it in as a Motive For Christ being willing to cheer up the drooping Spirits of his Servants in the absence of himself and heaven seems to say of Faith as he said of his Spirit or if ye will of the Spirit of Faith Joh. 14. I will not leave you comfortless I will pray to the Father and he shall give you another Comforter What is this Comforter but the Spirit of Faith or the Spirit in the grace of Faith Oh! there is strong consolation in Faith and Hope It is true says Christ I must leave you Joh. 16. I must go to Heaven and whither I go you cannot come as yet but I assure you I go to prepare a place for you and to prepare you for the place and so soon as that is ready for you and you are ready for that Joh. 14. I will come and receive you to my self in due time And in the mean time that I may not leave you comfortless I will give you something of the joy of heaven as a Pawn and a pledge in hand before you come thither And what is that but the Grace of Faith and the Joy of Faith Let not your hearts be troubled says Christ though I go to heaven before you yet you shall be as sure of heaven at the last as if you had it for the present And how assured but by Faith 2 Pet. 1.5 You are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time And what of that why this brings Joy in the mean time For so it follows Wherein ye greatly rejoyce though now for a season if need be ye are in great heaviness through manifold temptations And speaking of Christ who is gone to heaven within a verse or two after he hath this expression Whom having not seen ye love in whom though now ye see him not yet believing ye rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory As if he would have said Though you cannot see Christ with your bodily eye with the eye of sense and so you are apt to be troubled as the People were when Paul said Acts 20. they should see his face no more yet you shall see him and do see him by the eye of Faith and rejoyce in that sight as if that heaven it self were come down into your hearts You rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory For what is joy full of Glory but joy full of heaven Like the Vision upon Mount Tabor where God did bow the heavens and came down in glory And that is the fourth Motive that it will be heaven upon earth to live by Faith in respect of Eternal Life Consid 5 5. That to live by Faith in regard of Heaven and Eternal Life will make the poor creature live above the world If it do not draw him quite into heaven it will draw him a great way above the earth That look as a Bladder or a thin shell that is filled up with the pure Dew that comes down from heaven do but lay it in the Sun and the power of the Sun-beams will draw it up from the earth heaven-wards So it is with the Soul that is filled with this heavenly dew of grace let it but look wistly upon the Sun of Righteousness by an eye of Faith and the powerful beams of his Love will draw it so far above the earth and all earthly respects that it shall live above the world above the pleasures of the world the profits and honours of the world and above all the troubles of the world And is not this an admirable is it not a desireable condition If you would be ambitious lawfully ambitious let this be your ambition to be thus exalted by the Grace of Faith 1. It lifts a man up above the
shall be turned convert thou me and I shall be converted for thou art the Lord my God Jer. 31.8 Thus truth of Grace sanctifies Reason and it sanctifies the Will and so it sanctifies the Affections to love God and by consequence to love that which God loves and to hate the contrary it sanctifies the Conscience to accuse and excuse upon just grounds it sanctifies the Memory to retain good things it sanctifies the Tongue to speak good things or at least it is pain and grief to keep silence Psal 39. it sanctifies the ear to hear good things and shut the door against the contrary it sanctifies the hand to do good things it sanctifies the feet the feet of the Soul to walk in good wayes In a word it sanctifies the whole man to the service of that God who hath redeemed him from death And thus the form of Sanctification consists in the renewing of the Image of God in righteousness and holiness Eph. 4.24 which implies also the defacing of the Image of old Adam and of Satan the pulling down of the old structure of sin before there can be a rearing up of the new structure of Grace a putting off the old man before there can be a putting on the new Thus you see the second Question resolved What this Sanctification is which by the way should teach us to examine whether we live this Life or no. Vse Examine whether we are sanctified Motive The just lives by Faith in the Trial of his Sanctification as well as Justification Psal 139.23 Search me O God and know my heart c. Master is it I 2 Cor. 11.2 I am jealous over you c. Is there any more in us then Civility or Morality can produce Is there an inward powerful universal change Quest VVhat difference is there between Morality and Sanctification Aâ—s This is a profitable question because many are deceived in this particular as the young man Mark 10.20 so many at this day rest in Civility c. Obj. Is there any hurt in Civility and Morality why do you Preachers speak so much against it Ans VVe speak not against the things themselves Of Civility but mens trusting to them and resting in them they are good in themselves and lovely dispositions as Christ looked upon the young man and loved him But when men rest in them and cry them up for true Sanctification there 's the danger Though Silver and Gold are the best Metals yet Brass Copper and Tin are good in their kinde but if a man will set the Stamp of good Coyn upon Copper Brass c. and gild it over that he may put it off for Gold c. he deserves to suffer for it So if a man will set the Stamp of true Grace upon Civility or Morality Jer. 6.28 30 Quest VVhat difference Ans A meer Moral mans Obedience is not general As 1. For Extent Difference betwixt Morality and Sanctification The Civil or Moral man his obedience is not general Herod must have his Minion Mark 6.17 Therefore Jam. 2.10 He that offends in one point is guilty of all but a gracious man doth all in purpose of heart Acts 13.22 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 è contra Saul 1 Sam. 15. will pick and choose 2. For Object The Moral mans obedience is more to the Law than the Gospel because the Law is revealed by nature Rom. 2.14 but the Gospel not so it is a mystery 1 Cor. 2.7 8. therefore he slights Christ Publicans and Harlots shall go into the Kingdom of God sooner than they On the other side Rom. 1.16 the Gospel is powerful to salvation 3. More in duties of the Second Table than the First because these are more known by nature than the first Hence profane ones take Gods Name and Sabbath in vain either in Oaths or ordinary talk as O God! O Lord though Deut 28.58 It is a glorious and fearful Name but Psal 119.228 I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right sayes a Saint 4. For Quality Moral men are onely for the form not the power of godliness they hate that as Vlpian the great Lawyer Galen the great Physician and Porphiry the great Philosopher great enemies to godliness Difficult duties exact walking loving enemies Matth. 5.43 these things they love not to hear of but especially that hard lesson of Self-denial Luke 14.33 as that young man Mark 10.22 5. His obedience is outward not inward so long as he abstains from actual Murther and Adultery Matth. 5.21 But Christ shews there the spiritualness of the Law 2 Cor. 10.5 Casting down imaginations bringing into captivity ever thought c. Rom. 6 17. Ye true believers have obeyed from the heart 6. He makes no bones of small sins as the Scribes and Pharisees Mat 5.19 20. 7. He hates such as are powerfully godly Acts 7 54. as they were out to the heart and gnashed on Steven with their teeth è contra 1 Joh. 3.14 We know that we have passed from death to life because we love the brethren 8. A meer Moral man doth commonly and willingly fail in the Principle End and Manner of Duty 1. Principle He doth all in his own strength but the other in the strength of Christ Phil. 4.13 I can do all things through Christ that strengthneth me 2. End His own glory Jehu 2 King 10.16 Come see my zeal c. So he See my gift in prayer Mat. 23.5 to be seen Contrà Psal 115.1 Not to us O Lord not to us c. 3. Manner as well as matter of actions either he rests in the notion Rom. 2.18 And knowest his will approving the things more excellent c. or if he be drawn down to actions yet affection is wanting Heb 9.14 dead works Chearfully Diligently Zealously Rom. 12.11 9. They love not to be touched in their Free-hold they love not discriminating differencing Doctrines according to Jer. 15.19 Separating the precious from the vile c. Luke 4.29 When they heard these things they were filled with wrath and thrust him out of the City But one that hath any grace loves to be tried and that God would send a messenger to search my heart to the bottom Psal 139. Luke 7.23 Blessed is he that is not offended i.e. offended with it or the messenger of it which Christ spake in the same case The poor receive the Gospel men of eminent parts for Civility and Morality are passed by and those men that renounce all these in point of Justification and are poor in spirit these are blessed Thus Faith tries Sanctification 1 Pet. 1.21 And if upon examination we be found guilty take the counsel Rev. 3.17 18. Because thou saist I am rich c. I counsel thee to buy of me gold c. If upon examination we finde we be truly sanctified prize Christ Phil. 3.6 7.8 What things were gain to us we count loss for Christ Be thankful 1 Tim. 1.13 17. who was before a blasphemer c.
your heart upon them Art thou in a troublous condition and dost not pour out thy Soul to God in Prayer O where is thy faith Hast thou not a plain Word Psal 50.15 Call upon me in the time of trouble and I will deliver thee and thou shalt glorifie me Art thou cast into Poverty or dost thou fear straights for want of Maintenance O where is thy faith Hast thou not a plain Word for it Mat 6.25 31. Take no thought for your life what ye shall eat or what ye shall drink c Or if thou saist How if such a Frind should die or such a Bond be lost Where is thy faith Hast thou not a plain Word Heb 13.5 I will never leave thee nor forsake thee Indeed if thou canst say How if Christ should die or the Covenant fail it were something So 3. in point of Elections there is to be Faith in them 3. Elections Heb. 11.25 Art thou to make choice of the place of thy Habitation and thou with Lot choosest to dwell there where thou maist have many advantages for Worldly riches rather than for Heavenly treasure O where is thy faith Hast thou not a plain Word Psal 27.5 One thing have I desired of the Lord and that will I seek after that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life to behold the beauty of the Lord and to enquire in his Temple And again Psal 84. I had rather be a door-keeper in the house of my God than to dwell in the Tents of wickedness Art thou to choose a Servant is thy main enquiry to know what skill or ability he hath to do thy Work and thou never enquirest how well he is fitted to do the Work and Service of God O where is thy faith Hast thou not a plain Word Psal 101.6 7. Mine eyes shall be upon the faithful of the land that they may dwell with me he that walketh in a perfect way he shall serve me He that worketh deceit shall not dwell within my house he that telleth lies shall not tarry in my sight Art thou to choose a Friend and thou enquirest how witty how wealthy how pleasant but never how Religious how faithful Where is thy faith in the mean time Hast thou not a plain Word Prov. 25.19 Confidence in an unfaithful man is like a broken tooth and a foot out of joynt Such a friend will fail thee when thou dost most stand in need of him The more thou leanest upon him the more he will vex thee Art thou to choose a Yoke-fellow thou enquirest what Portion and what Proportion how rich how beautiful but not how good how gracious how rich heaven-ward Where is thy faith Hast thou not a plain Word 2 Cor. 6.14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unblievers for what fellowship hath Righteousness with Vnrighteousness and what communion hath light with darkness Digression upon Election of the Town-Magistrates To come home to the Work of this Day Art thou to chuse a Magistrate or Inferior officer Dost thou enquire whether such a man be thy Friend or thy Kinsman or thy Customer or one that hath bespoke thy Voice and dost thou never enquire How just he is and faithful to men or how Religious in his carriage to God O where is thy faith Hast thou not a plain Word Exod. 18.21 Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the People able men such as fear God men of truth and hating covetousness And hast thou not a gracious Promise Isr 1.26 I will restore thy Judges as at first c. afterward thou shalt be called The City of Righteousness The faithful City O that you would live by Faith in this Word of God in the Work of this Day Do not judge Gods Messengers as busie-bodies in other mens matters whilst they give Magistrates their Charge from God and People their Charge also in the Choice of Magistrates for the Text before-cited will bear us out in both I shall not descend to particulars onely in general Be sure to discharge your Oaths and a good Conscience therein both as Freemen of this Town and as Freemen of Jesus Christ keep to your Charter and you shall not do amiss As I take it you have a Double Charter one from the highest Power upon earth the other from Jesus Christ who hath all Power in Heaven and Earth I suppose the first of your Charters will direct you to chuse honest and just Men in regard of Communicative and Distributive Justice I am sure your second Charter by vertue whereof you are the Freemen of Jesus Christ and of that Jerusalem which is above which is the Mother of us all I am sure this Charter doth charge you as near as you can to chuse men fearing God Religious men such as you apprehend to be really so I know we all profess Religion but all do not walk answerably to their Profession I would there were not some publick Contemners of the Means of grace and such as commonly and ordinarily walk contrary to the Rule of the Gospel You know it is a Gospel-Rule given to us Ministers Preach the Word be instant in season out of season and therefore you might well say Woe be to us if we preach not the Gospel accordingly And surely upon the same ground People are bound to hear in season and out of season in case extraordinary occasions take them not off I need not tell you unless it be in way of acknowledgement the great Charges you are and have been at for a long time in maintaining the Publick Ordinance twice in the Week upon your ordinary days I have heard it hath been one of the most Ancient Lectures in the Kingdom But I fear if you well observe one another in this particular though there are many constant and willing Auditors yet there are some that hear me this day upon this Civil occasion whose faces you saw not here of many days before no I am afraid many a week together For my part I do not see how such as are faithful to their Heavenly Charter and have to do in Election of Officers can shew any countenance to such persons as do usually discountenance and slight the Publick Ordinance If they judge the Ordinance not worthy of their Presence me thinks others should judge them not worthy of Publick Trust I confess for my own particular I have not desired in satifying a curious ear to speak to you in the enticing words of mans wisdome yet I hope I may say with the Apostle I have endevoured to approve my self to every mans conscience in the sight of God I desire to speak nothing but the truth of God in the patern of wholesom words and that word of Faith by which every one of you shall be judged in the latter day And in this case whosoever despiseth the weakest Messenger of Jesus Christ he despiseth Christ himself and whosoever despiseth Christ you know his doom
My hearts desire and prayer to God is for the contrary I hope I may say with Job My Record is in heaven that my principal aim is the good of your Souls and next to that the Publick good of this Town which is not likely to be advanced by such as despise and undervalue the Ordinances of Christ Such as render not unto God the things that are Gods are not likely to render unto Men the things that are theirs And therefore I beseech you exercise Faith in matter of your Election not onely of your Chief Magistrates amongst you for I hope there will be no scruple in that but of Inferior Officers Simile A man that would have a good Orchard hath the greatest care of his first Plantation and so I hope will you I must needs say your last years Work and some other passages of Providence do give grounds of hope that God intends yet further good to this Town For the present do that which is your Duty and leave the Success to God I shall forbear to speak further for this time desiring to second that by Prayer that hath been said already The end of this Sermon Vse III. Of Examination Vse 3 Examination Use of Examination and Trial First Of Persons Secondly Of Doctrines and Religions 1. Of Persons whether we are Just 1. For trial of Persons and in a state of Life of Spiritual Life or no for then we have Faith For the Just lives by his Faith There is no other Life there is no other Righteousness to be attained unto but that which is by Faith Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man unto whom God imputeth the Righteousness of Faith without Works Rom. 4 6. Well then that we may know whether we have Life or no or whether we have Righteousness or no the main Quaere will be Whether we have Faith or no And this is worthy the enquiring after and worth the trying The more precious any thing is in the true nature and quality of it the more exact we use to be in the trial of it lest we should be cozened with that which is false and counterfeit in stead of that which is right and good We do not use to be so exact in the trial of things of lesser moment but marvellous exact and accurate in the trial of Gold and Precious Stones and that which makes us so accurate in the trial of them is because they are so precious Now Faith in the Scripture is called precious Faith Now for what is it precious but for the rarity and excellency of it and so the trial of Faith is called Precious Trial whether it be tried by the Word of God or whether it be tried by the Works of God in the Furnace of affliction it is a precious trial 1 Pet 1.7 At this time we shall endevour to try it by the Word of God which is the Touchstone of Faith And this Trial if well applied may be very precious to us and of singular use For in case upon trial we finde through Mercy we have true Faith we shall have great cause to be thankful to rejoyce in the God of our Salvation But in case we finde we have not Faith as we shall have great cause to be humbled so as great cause to seek God in the use of means for this excellent grace of Faith for it is our very Life The Just shall live by his Faith Marks of true Faith from feigned But how shall we know whether we have Faith or no For as there is Faith unfeigned 1 Tim. 1.5 so there is feigned and counterfeit Faith also Quest How shall we know the one from the other It loves to be cried Ans 1. First to be sure this is one remarkable note of Distinction That Faith which is true loves to be tried that which is false cannot endure to come to the Trial. In this case it is just as it is betwixt a True man and a Thief The true man if he chance to be suspected he loves to come to the Trial that he may clear himself but the Thief declines it all that he may because he knows himself guilty A man that hath false and counterfeit Faith he loves to take all for granted that he doth believe he cannot endure to put himself to further trouble he doth not like these Uses of Trial and Examination Like a man that is false upon his Accounts he cannot endure his Books should be examined but he that hath true faith he desires nothing more than the through Trial of his faith O he would not for all the world be mistaken in a matter of so great concernment and therefore he likes that Ministery best that is most searching And when the Ministery hath done all it can do such a Soul goes to God by Prayer and saith Lord give me grace impartially to apply the searching Word I have heard this day nay do thou thy self search me O Lord examine me and prove me try my reins and my heart Psal 26.2 And that 's the first Discovery of true Faith and true Grace It loves to be tried But how shall it be tried 2. It is tried both by the Cause and by the Effect 2. It is known by the Cause which are the best means to come to the knowledge of any thing First by the cause Instrumental It is wrought by the Word Rom. 10.17 Faith cometh by hearing Though other means may help to Faith The conversation of the Wife 1 Pet. 3.1 And the Samaritans believ'd because of the Woman Joh. 4.42 Yet the Word of God is the onely ground of Faith And this Word works in the whole man 1. It works in the Vnderstanding a clear sight of our Misery by Nature and of the Remedy in Christ dying for sinners 2. It works in the Affection a godly sorrow to Repentance and a longing desire after Christ Act. 2.37 They were pricked in their hearts and said Men and Brethren what shall we do to be saved 3. It works upon the Will a closing with the Promise and Christ in the Promise suppose 1 Pet. 2.6 or Joh. 1.12 c. grounding upon his willingness to receive all such as come to him upon his ability also and faithfulness to make his Word good It receives whole Christ Prophet Priest and King into the whole man Secondly it is tried by the Fruits and Effects And by the Effects which are 1. A high prizing of the Word which is the Instrument of Faith 1 Pet. 2.2 As new born babes desire the sincere milk of the Word that ye may grow thereby If ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious An Unbeliever doth not so prize the Word he can set a humane Testimony Cheek by Jaw with the Word of God 2. A high prizing of Christ who is the Object of Faith 1 Pet. 2.7 Unto you that believe he is precious especially the Righteousness of Christ is very precious