justifie though in the act of justification it be alone yet in existency it is not alone but it hath good works together with it as signs and marks of the same as 1 John 1.6 If we say we have fellowship with him and walk in darkness we lye and doe not the truth Hereby we may know that we are deceived we may think we have faith and so fellowship together with him yet if we walk in darknesse we may know we lye for this could not be if we had fellowâ—hip with God So 1 John 2.4 He that saith I know him and keepeth not his commandements is a lyar If a man should once think that he knows God with the knowledge of faith and yet keeps not the commandements of God by this very thing he may know that he is a lyar Hereby shall all men know ye are my disciples if ye love one another saith Christ and as it is a sign to others so it is a sign to a mans own self Hereby we know that we are passed from death to life if we love the Brethren He sets down one good work in stead of all other if we bring forth the works of new obedience and if our hearts be purged of God iâ— we bring forth the fruits of holiness this is a signe we have faith for faith makes a man to choose God for his God and raises a man up to see him to be the chiefest good of all and to see all happiness in him and a supply of all the good we need in him and so it makes a man to love God and by love to doe the works of God Fourthly Good works are necessary also by necessity of commandement not onely to be effects and signes of faith but they are also such things as are commanded of God God hath commanded good works that we should walk in all holiness of conversation to be holy as he is holy that we should be holy in our carriages and behaviour Tit. 3.8 The same God that commands us to believe commands us to maintain good works as we may see there we see that Ministers are to urge people and maintaine it against all gainsayers that there is a necessity of good works and that the Lord will have us to go on in them for faith through the Object of it as it justifies is the promise of God in Christ for forgiveness of sins yet faith in it selfe looks upon the whole word of God and looks whatsoever it seeth joyned together by that it joynes together of it self as the Promises and Commandements are bound together by an inviolable knot so faith joynes them together it cannot take the promises of God but it must take the commandements of God also faith looks upon God and as it seeth him to be gracious whereby it comes to have faith to rely upon him so also it seeth him to be holy a God that is severe against sin and hateth unrighteousness so that it is necessary that works be together with faith for the commandement and nature of God require it Fifthly They are necessary also by necessity of end for God hath ordained his people to this end that they should bring forth good works Eph. 2.10 We are his workmanship created in Christ to good works which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them We are created in Christ Jesus not onely that we should be saved but that we should bring forth good works Now good works are necessary by necessity of end in divers respects First to this end To glorifie God in the world Let your light so shine before men c. Matth. 5.16 So 1 Pet. 2.12 the Apostle saith Having our conversation honest amongst the Gentiles that whereas they speak against you as evil doers c. For when a Christian that professeth he believes in God and Jesus Christ is plentiful in all manner of good works this stops the mouth of all gainsayers You know Piety and Religion is hated in the world the Gospel finds opposition among men Now when those that are Professors are loose and licentious in their lives this opens their mouths against the truth but when our lives and conversations hold forth Jesus Christ as we take up the profession of his holy name so they are agreeable to his will they are just and holy and righteous and good this makes men think in their conscience this is of God this stops their mouths that they cannot rail at the Gospel Secondly They are necessary to doe good to others and convert others as the Apostle instanceth in women that believe if they be zealous of good works if they be chast and humble and meek and discreet by this means they may be instruments to convert their husbands that believe not 1 Pet. 3. The Lord looks that his people all that believe in him should be fruitful in good works that they may winne and gaine others to the faith Thirdly Another end is to purifie our selves for it is vertue that must throw out vice we are all borne by nature filthy and unclean and full of noysome lusts and the way to expel these is by the contrary vertues 1 Pet. 1.22 Seeing you have purified your soules by obeying the truth Fourthly Another end is to qualifie us for Heaven we cannot be qualified for the Kingdome of heaven unless we be holy and godly in Christ Jesus except we have our conversations honest as becometh Saints for though it be faith that entitles a man to the Kingdome of Heaven and gives a man right to the Kingdome of God yet holinesse and conformity to the minde of God and the image of God is that which doth fit and qualifie a man for to enter into the Kindome of God as Christ saith Except your righteousness exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees you can in no wise enter into the Kingdome of Heaven Though it be true we are saved by grace and so good works have no causality no proper efficiency in our salvation yet notwithstanding they are a cause sine qua non without them there can be no salvation we cannot enter into Gods Kingdome except we be humble and meek and lowly except we fear God and be according to his minde in all things in some measure we cannot enter into his Kingdom Mat. 5.8 Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God A man cannot be admitted to the Beatifical Vision of God except he be pure in heart and he cannot enjoy the Kingdome of grace neither here unless he be pure in heart Rev. 21.27 Without holiness no man shall see the Lord Heb. 13. It is impossible we should enter into Gods Kingdome by having actual possession of it except we be holy and fitted for it as the Apostle saith Col. 1.12 It is impossible that drunkards and unclean persons should have society with the blessed Trinity with the eternal God with the Spirit of holinesse to dwell with them for evermore we
accounting this your principal and total and main good and accordingly affecting this these are the works of faith and if you have these works you may be quickned believe in the Lord Jesus Christ set your hearts upon him and seek after him and you shall have all manner of good even life it self The second meanes is a careful learning of the Word of God preached When the Corinthians were marvellously blocked up in their minds and hearts and were straightned in good things 2 Cor. 6 12. mark what the Apostle saith v. 11. Our mouth is open to you c. as who should say In our Ministery there is abundance of grace abundance of life and largenesse of heart abundance of gracious things all manner of good things we bring with us in our Ministery peace and comfort and hope and all the promises of God and all the rich treasures of Jesus Christ we come with our armes full you are not straightned here but you are straightned in your own bowels as who should say you may be enlarged sweetly by our Ministery we deliver unto you abundance of grace and mercy and abundance of supply all those deadnesses and lockings up of heart in you would be healed by the Ministery of the Word so may I say if your hearts are locked up certainly it is for not taking what the Word offers if you would come hungerly and greedily to the Word of God with an heart desirous to be edified and instructed and to apply what the Word speaks to your soules certainly you shall here meet with abundance of grace and life for the Word is the Word of life and the Ministery of the Word is the Ministery of the Spirit of God and life so that the deadness of all people is meerly from their own bowels you are not straightned in us saith the Apostle no in the Ministery of the Word is abundance of life The third meanes is A careful shunning of all those causes of deadness which we named formerly we must take heed of sin for if we give way to sinne it will dead the heart it will make a make a man shy of God and put a man to woful tasks and breed lothness to goe about duties it will make a man to have a guilty conscience and dead a man that way it will grieve the spirit of God and quench all the operations and sweet influences and gracious motions of the Spirit that the sweet livelinesse of his workings will be gone away if a man give way to sinne if he give way to the world or slackning in a godly course if a man give way to pride or vanity or any sin this will dead the heart a mans heart will presently be deaded if he give way to the Devil and to his temptations In particular you must take heed of niggardlinesse in Religion they that love quickning must labour for a frank and free spirit that will rather overdoe in Gods service then underdoe as long as a man hath a free heart he shall have a quickened heart therefore labour to preserve it doe as Philemon I know thou wilt doe more then I say Paul knew he had a free spirit that if he commanded him a little he would doe more he would rather overdoe then underdoe our Saviour Christ calls for this free spirit If a man take thy coat give him thy cloak also rather overdoe then underdoe in any good thing have a free heart if God bid thee pray pray three times five times a day rather then not often enough there be many duties that God doth not set down how often and how frequent and how long now labour for a free spirit rather do twice as much then underdo Again Take heed of lownesse of Religion of taking up a low and base and mean kinde of Religion that will not reach the Kingdome of God there is a low kinde of Christianity that wil not be able to attain to salvation a low faith that doth not make a man to have his conversation in heaven a low repentance that reacheth not to mortification a low profession of Religion that comes not to the power of Godliness Prov. 15.24 The way of life is above it is an high thing therefore take heed of low Religion for people think that any kinde of righteousness will serve turn if they have but a little Reformation and Religion they presently think this is godliness but let us take heed of this low Religion that will never do the deed Again We must take heed of want of Watchfulnesse we must set up a gracious and Christian watch in our hearts from day to day when the Lord had found fault with the Church of Sardis for being dead in the next words he bids them be watchful as who should say the want of this watchfulness and looking to your selves and having a care over your thoughts and affections lest you should be drawn aside the neglect of this is the cause of all deadness Again We must take heed of vanity as David saith Psal 119.37 Turn away â—â—ne eyes from beholding vanity and quicken me O Lord. Again We must take heed of covetousness for we shall never have any gracious work upon us if we give way of it Again We should take heed of slacking and abating private duties we should carefully call upon God every day in secret when there is no body by but God and our own souls if we finde backwardness to this duty know it comes from the Devil that would drown us in perdition if he could therefore we must resist him and goe about it for certainly otherwise we cannot be quickned Again We should take heed of slighting inward duties the holy ordinances of God in our bosoms holy meditations gracious strivings against corruptions when they arise setting the Lord before us seeking Gods presence in all places we must have a care we have gracious purposes and endeavours and strivings inwardly in our bosomes Lastly Let us take heed of contenting our selves with any pitch we have attained but still labour to grow in grace lest we fall short and never enter into Gods rest The next meanes is to be earnest with God to quicken our hearts to pray to God for his grace that God would be pleased to put life into us we should make Elijahs prayer that prayed to heaven for fire to come downe upon the sacrifice so pray earnestly to God to send down his celestial fire into thy heart to warm thee and heat thee and stir thee up to that which is good as the Church doth Psal 80.18 Quicken us and we will call c. Of all Petitions under heaven we should pray most of all for life next unto the glory of God and the salvation of our souls nay indeed as the very means for both we should pray that God would quicken us into all our prayers let us put in this Petition that God would quicken us evermore to have it as
remaining in him for ever he can never be a bankrupt and come to nothing he shall be a godly man and a child of God and one that fears Gods name for ever he cannot lose all though he lose much as it is said of Jehoshaphat though he yielded much to sin and gave way to the lusts of his own heart in an horrible manner yet there was something remaining in him though he had greatly dishonoured God and distempered his own soul so far forth as to love the ungodly and to help those that were the enemies of God yet saith the Text there are good things found in thee he was not quite deprived of all the graces of Gods blessed spirit but there were good things in him still so the five wise Virgins though they slumbred and slept and were exceeding secure yet their lamps were not gone out I may compare a Christian to a cup of right Canarie Wine that no frost in the world can quite freeze it may freeze it very much but yet there will be some spirits of the Wine remaining unfrozen so godly men are an everlasting foundation all cannot possibly be spent and consumed in them they shall have something remaining in them Now I will tell you First What is not the reason of this Secondly What is the reason of it First Not any thing in himself it is not any grace received in it self it is nothing in thee no not the image of God in thee nor any holiness nor mortification there is nothing in him keeps him from falling away for let a man have all the grace that ever any man had he may fall totally for all that nay if he were as holy inherently as Adam in his innocency he may fall away totally nay if he were as holy as the Angels in Heaven and were in the same estate that the Angels in Heaven are they are not immutable in their own nature therefore that they are confirmed in grace it is Gods goodness and mercy to them it is nothing in themselves those Angels that do stand may fall notwithstanding any thing that is in them no grace received will keep a man from falling totally away if he have not the fountain and the favour of God to keep him if he have not a better bottom then himself intrinsecal unchangableness is only a property of the Lord Mal. 3.6 All creatures may change if they had a thousand times more of the image of God yet they may change and fall and lose all notwithstanding any thing they have received it is nothing in a mans self Now I will make this appear that it is not any thing in a mans self First Because the godliest man in the world is bid to look upon himself as one that may fall absolutely into any sin in the world in himself for all the love he hath of God he may yet hate him for all the fear he hath of God he may yet slight him a child of God is commanded to look upon himself as left to himself to be in a woful case that he may fall finally and totally away to be nothing and worse then nothing as the Apostle saith Gal. 6.1 if a man be overtaken in a fault ye that are spiritual restore such a man knowing that ye your selves also may be tempted that is consider it may be thy case thou mayst be tempted to fall as well as he and worse too you that are spiritual though you be never so spiritual though your minds be never so wrapt up with God and taken up with spiritual things yet you are not so spiritual but if you will hearken to the counsel of your own hearts you may be carnal and brutish look upon thy self as a poor miserable creature though thou hast never so much grace thou canst not keep it unlesse thou hast a better keeper then thy self Secondly Because the people of God are bound to fear themselves I bring the very arguments that they bring that hold a child of God may fall away totally therefore I grant them that the arguments are good that in themselves they may fall away and I say a child of God is commanded to fear be not high-minded but fear that is though thou hast an excellent faith and standest by faith yet be not high-minded do not think thou art higher then thou art and remoter from the power of the flesh then thou art be not proud and conceited for all the faith thou hast thou mayst distrust God and if God leave thee to thy self thou mayst be an unbeliever and as vile an infidel as ever breathed upon the face of the earth in thy self thou hast as vile a wretched heart as any man which if thou wert left to thy self would quickly shew what it is Phil. 2.12.13 work out your salvation with fear and trembling for God worketh both the will and the deed As who should say I do not deny but a child of God both depend upon the good pleasure of God and is built upon his eternal counsel he is not built upon his own pleasure he doth not stand upon the hap hazard of his own will but upon the good pleasure of Gods will but saith he it is our part to fear for we for our part may fall we can do nothing no more then we are holpen no more then God doth stand by us and keep us from falling it is our part to fear and tremble from day to day as the Apostle saith Heb. 4.1 let us fear lest having the promises of entring into his rest any of us should fall short Let us fear as who should say we are in danger of coming short we are in danger to fall and not to reach the Kingdom of Heaven how many temptations are there what a vile flesh do we carry about with us therefore let us fear Thirdly The children of God are commanded to take heed lest they fall totally away where note they may for all that is in themselves for any grace that is received therefore God calls upon them to cling to him and â—o cleave to him that he may not be provoked to withhold himself from them as we may see Heb. 12.15 take heed lest any man fail of the grace of God c. Take heed look diligently to your selves lest any man fail of the grace of God if you mean to go to heaven I can tell you you must have care and diligence and look to your selves take heed you be not proud and worldly take heed you suffer not security nor any other corruption to steal upon you and hinder you from going on in a godly course take heed lest any of you fail of the grace of God what do these words import but that a man in himself is in greiveous danger in regard of falling totally away so 1 Cor. 10.12 he that stands let him take heed lest he falls though he stand never so firm for the present though he be
must be made meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light Fifthly To proportion our Reward for though we are saved only by grace yet God doth proportion our reward according to the multitude and zeal and fervency of our good works for Gods Covenant is a remunerating Covenant for mercy doth not consist only in the pardoning of a man but also in the sanctifying of a man and the inclining of a mans heart to new obedience that there may be remuneration for though God doth not reward people for their works yet according to their works he doth 2 Cor. 9.6 He that soweth sparingly shall reap sparingly c. Though a man be a Believer and a godly man if he be sparing in his godliness he shall fare accordingly and if he be abundant in the work of the Lord he shall reap abundantly for as there are differences and degrees of torments to the wicked so there be degrees in the Kingdom of God and in glory and the Lord doth reward his people according to their works Lastly Good works are necessary by necessity of thankfulness it is necessary that we having received the forgiveness of our sins and God being pleased to be our God and to deliver us from the wrath to come and the power of Satan that we should be thankful for these mercies as David saith Psal 118.19 Let the peace of God rule in your hearts and be thankeful Col. 1.15 When David had considered what the Lord had done for his soul saith he what shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits as soon as ever God hath been good to a man to open his eyes to let him see his damned estate and condition and to let him have hope and comfort and encouragement in him concerning deliverance from it and bestowing upon him his heavenly Kingdom and glory it cannot be but the soul must be thankful what shall I do unto the Lord for all his benefits you know there is nothing that we can do back again for these benefits except we will praise and glorifie him by living unto him and not unto our selves therefore when the Psalmist had reckoned up the benefits of God to Israel Psal 105.46 he concludes that they may keep his statutes and observe his Laws First Here we see how horribly the Papists wrong us when they say we Vse 1 do not teach people good works and therefore nickname us and call us Solifidians whereas we maintain a necessity of them and as great a necessity of them as they only we beat down the merit of them that no man may think to be saved by works as a reverend Divine Mr. Carter said we teach people holiness and righteousness and good works as if there were no way to be saved but by good works and again we teach that there must be as much hanging upon the grace of God as if we could shew no more to be saved then the vilest drunkard or adulterer all our righteousness is as a menstruous cloth and it is Gods mercy that any of us have an heart to do good you see how the world runs after their hearts lusts and every man is of this disposition and it is Gods grace and mercy to incline any mans heart to walk in that way that tends to his heavenly Kingdom and if God should not be infinitely gracious to pardon us for our best doings they would rise up in judgement against us God might condemn us for all our prayert and performances Secondly This teacheth Ministers how to preach to people to call upon Vse 2 them that they have an operative faith not only to believe but to have a faith that may be fruitful and make their lives not to barren in obedience and to be abundant in the works of the Lord and to serve him and fear him and glorifie him in the world as the Apostle having shewed how Christ gave himself for us to purchase to himself a people zealous of good works saith he these things speak Tit. 2.14 15. We must speak these things and rebuke our hearers with all authority rebuke evil workers and tell them they turn the grace of Christ into wantonness they trample the blood of the Covenant under their feet and kick at the spirit of grace and misconstrue the meaning of the Covenant of God in Christ and rend themselves off that they cannot enter into life for no man without holiness shall see God Ministers should tell people plainly and affirm constantly that unless they bring forth good fruit they shall be cast into the fire and that without holiness they cannot have license and dispensation to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven for God is an holy God and our faith is an holy faith and the promises are made to none but those that lead an holy and a godly life we must preach these things and reprove with all Authority and let people know that are loose Christians and Hell-hounds that if they do not depart from iniquity they shall see God as a Judge to condemn them for evermore Vse 3 Thirdly This confutes all the graceless conceits of men that think to be saved by Christ and yet walk not after Christ they cast not away from them the works of darkness nor renounce their wicked wayes and yet hope to be saved by Christ this is a cursed and blasphemous hope whereby a man blasphemes God 1 Joh. 3.6 whosoever sinneth hath not seen him neither known him if a man live in his sins still that is the meaning of it and walks not after the spirit but after the flesh that man hath not seen him neither ever known him he doth not know Jesus Christ otherwise then the Divels know him otherwise then Hell-hounds and reprobates may know him for the second Covenant is as holy as the first and rather more holy and before God hath done it shall bring a man to a nearer communion with God and a nearer likeness it will raise the powers and faculties of the soul so as I believe Adam in innocency never attained unto so much participation of God as God by degrees will bring a man unto by the Covenant of grace therefore no man can look to be saved by Christ except he mean to be ruled by Christ and to have him for his Lord and Master and to obey him in all things if a man should lie sick in his bed of a burning feaver and should say he were well would you believe him so if we see a man that is burning in lust wallowing in sinful courses that hath a carnal and a worldly heart unmortified and unsubdued to God if he should say that he were in Christ and hoped to be saved by him believe him not all the world cannot save this man for the Lord Jesus Christ hath this very name Jesus not only because he shall save his people from hell but also from their sins and make them fruitful in all the works of God Vse
another time he helped the enemies of the Lord and loved them that hated the Lord I know not how he was hooked in to joyn with Ahab and goe up to Ramoth-Gilead and when he had done this and had humbled himselfe for this he did it again 2 Kings 3.7 And the Reformation he wrought was not thorough as it ought to have been yet saith the Text 2 Chro. 19.3 There are good things in thee because he was upright the Lord was pleased to accept him nay I will tell you more look upon the people at the Passeover in the dayes of Hezekiah what a company of people came to Jerusalem to keep the Passeover and came horribly unprepared the Text saith they were not prepared according to the Law of Moses which was a grievous thing yet the Text saith the Lord heard the prayers of Hezekiah for them because they prepared their hearts to seeke the Lord they did endeavour to grieve and be ashamed for their failings and want of preparation now on the other side what goodly men doth God reject not being upright and sincere as Jehu what a glorious King was he I warrant all the good people of Judah and Israel blessed God that ever he fate upon the Throne what to root out Baal and to destroy all the Idolatrous Priests and to be zealous in it come and see my zeal for the Lord these were admirable things yet the Lord doth discharge him and would have none of him because he was not upright Look upon the Scribes and Pharisees the nonesuches and mirrours of their times that was a Proverbe in Israel that if but two men in the world should go to Heaven the one should be a Scribe and the other Pharisee they were thought to be the holiest men in the world yet when the Lord saw this was not with an upright heart he denounceth woe upon woe against them Fifthly Consider That if we be upright it will help us to profit by all Gods Ordinances take the preaching of the word Micah 2.7 the Prophet brings in the Lord speaking thus that the word shall do such people good is there any man in the world that walks uprightly that my word doth not do good unto that it doth not comfort his heart and quicken his soul to obedience is it not a light unto his feet and a Lanthorne to his paths so that an upright man when he comes to the Ordinances of God he shall be the better for it when he goes to prayer he shall be the better for it when he comes to the Sacrament he shall be the better for it all the Ordinances of God shall doe him good whereas if a man have a false heart the word hardens him prayer deads him if he come to the Sacrament it is not for the better but for the worse if he be reproved for his sins if he have not a sincere heart he is so much the worse it will do him no good it will make his heart rise up against those that reprove him and hardens his heart so much the more Sixthly Consider that if we be upright what a deal of comfort this will be to our hearts there is no comfort in the world comparable to the comfort of one that hath walked uprightly as Hezekiah when he had received the sentence of death what did comfort him did all his wealth and greatness and renown comfort him no but remember Lord how I have walked before thee with an upright heart marke what he saith he doth not say Remember Lord how I have reformed the Church and purged the Temple and thrown out all the abominations in the Land and purified the Passeover and set the Ordinances of God in his house in due order's no none of all these comforted his heart but looke what he did he did with an upright heart as who should say I might have done all these things but if it had not been with an upright heart it had been nothing that which I did I did from my heart with a fear of thy command I sought thee in it and no by-ends all my care was to approve my selfe before thee â—ow Lord remember this remember the infinite goodnesse and promises that thou hast made to those that are upright before thee Nay if thou hast an upright heart whatsoever troubles come upon the earth or upon thine own soul if thou beest cast into prison or made to flie from one Country to another I tell thee in the midst of all thy afflictions and troubles if thou hast an upright heart thou shalt have peace and comfort Psal 97.11 in the midst of darkness in the midst of afflictions there is some light some cranney some hold some comfort for the righteous on the other side if a man be not upright what a woeful case is this man in nay though a man be upright yet if he doe not apprehend himselfe to be so what a lamentable case is he in he can have no comfort all the skilful Physitians in Gilead can hardly fasten comfort upon that man tell him of all his reformations and prayers and good duties he hath performed O saith he all this is but hypocrisie I am so dead and dull God hath not all my heart tell him of his good desires and purposes and endeavours he is affraid he is not right tell him of Gods promises to pardon him he saith I am not sincere I am not upright Lastly If we be upright we shall be blessed our selves and not only our selves but our very posterity shall be blessed as the Prophet David saith Psal 112.2 His seed shall be mighty upon the earth he speakes of the upright not onely himselfe shall be blessed but he layeth up a blessing for the generation that shall come out of his loins so Prov. 20.7 his very children are blessed after him if thou set thy selfe to serve God uprightly with all thy heart though thou canst not leave thy children any great outward matters yet thou shalt leave them a blessing from Heaven thy children shall fare the better for it if we would know what shall become of our children and would faine provide for them let us be upright and that is the way to lay up a blessing in store for our children now on the other side if a man be not upright he is so farre from treasuring up mercy for his children that he rather treasures up wrath both for them and his own soul nay though a man hath been never such a convert to outward appearance never so strangely reformed that all the Country admires at it as it was the case of Simon Mâ—gus he was a Conjurer yet this man was converted very much to see too he was wonderfully reformed and gave over his Conjuring and embraced the Gospel and would follow the Saints and joyned himselfe to Peter and to Philip also when he came to Town yet having not an upright heart the Text saith he had no Lot nor portion in
great matter is not this a great matter for a man to be sure never to fall away but he shall stand and hold out for ever what a mercy is this yet this is not all for saith he so shall an entrance be made unto you into the Kingdom of Jesus Christ as who should say your effectual calling is the very entrance into the Kingdom and glory of Jesus Christ it is the very first entring into the way of eternal life if you are assured of this you are in a faire way you are in the gates of heaven you are in an excellent way if you have made this sure therefore make that pastlal peradventure that you were called indeed of God to partake of Jesus Christ Reas 1. The reason to urge this is first because effectual calling is such a first work that as God doth it at first so it stands for all a man shall never be called more God doth it once and will never do it againe look what God gives a man at first he gives him once for all you may see it Jud 1. saith he I would have you earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered to the Saints when God did effectually call his Saints he delivered to them faith and he delivered it to them then once for all never to give it to them againe but then they had it once for all as it is said of Christ he was once offered for all Heb 9. So when God doth effectually call a man he doth give him this call once for all he gives him faith once for all and grace once for all but you will say when God gives grace he reneweth it every day and affoards new helps and new assistances 't is true and without this no man can stand without supply from God continually the very elect could not persevere unto the end but yet God gives them no new graces he gives them more of the same love to God and more of the same faith and more of the same desires and endeavours after goodness but the thing is never to do againe as Christ saith to the woman of Samaria 1 Joh. 4.14 Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst when Christ brings a man to this well and gives him the first draught he shall never thirst more he shall never have it to do againe God doth it once for all that is that man that is once effectually called is never uncalled if he hath once faith given him he is never totally deprived of it it is once delivered to him for all times afterwards now this shews us that it concerns us nearly to be assured of this when a man hath done a thing that can be but once done it must stand for all and the thing is good and necessary would he not be sure of it such a thing is effectual calling Secondly Because all the promises meet here as all the streams meet where the fountaine opens its self so all the promises of God meet in a mans effectual calling when God effectually calls a man he saith take my Son come unto me cast thy self upon me and be ruled by me he doth this effectually and saith thus to him thou shalt have my Son and with him all things pardon of thy sins the peace of a good conscience I will give thee power against all thy lusts the gates of hell shall not prevaile against thee I will keep thee here in this world through faith unto salvation take my yoak upon thee and learne of me and thou shalt have all these things and therefore Rev. 19.9 Blessed is he that is called to the supper of the Lamb these are the true sayings of God as who should say though you may question it and doubt it and call it into controversy I tell you it is true these are the true sayings of God and you may build your self upon it you are blessed if you be once effectually called of God all the promises of God belong unto you Acts 2.39 the promises belong to you and to your children to as many as God shall call all that are called of God all the promises of God belong unto them as soon as ever Christ hath effectually called a man he opens his liver-veine and le ts out all his heart blood upon him all belongs to that man it is like the first joyning of hands between man and wife with all my goods I thee endow when God first takes a man out of the world to live unto him and seek his Kingdom and labour to please him and from this time forward to believe in his name with all his goods he him endows he gives him title to eternal life to all the helps and furtherances that ever he shall need for this life or eternal life he shall have all now what a needful thing is it when all the promises meet here as at a fountaine head here is the spring let forth how needful is it I say that a man should labour that he be effectually called of God we should look for it every day and pray to God to have it and strive to have it appeare unto us that our calling is sound here is the very in-let of all the comforts of the holy Ghost and all the hope that the soul can have here is all the satisfaction and content of the soul of man they are bestowed upon a man when he is effectually called there is a way set open unto him that he may have the same Thirdly Because this is the first of all obedience a man cannot obey God till he be effectually called nay it is not obedience till he be called if a man should heare Sermons come to the Sacraments give to the poore it is no obedience till a man be effectually called when once a man is bound apprentice and his indentures are drawn his running of errands and all he doth is service to his Master when thou art bound apprentice to Christ and thy indentures are sealed and thou art called to be a servant unto him now all thy works are obedience to him Come saith Christ learne of me c. Mat. 11.28 first he would have them come to him and beare his yoak and then learn of me then be meek as I am meek and humble as I am humble and then bear my burthen then it is obedience and you are able to go through Faithful is he that hath called you who will also do it effectual calling is the fill-horse of the cart that bears up the cart this is the first draught a Painter cannot lay any colour till the first draught be made this is the very ground of a mans workings this is the ground of all obedience of all prayer and hearing here is the ground of doing all aright otherwise God will say what hast thou to do to take my name into thy mouth unlesse thou wilt submit to my Covenant and be bound
power of God and do not limit the holy one of Israel the Lord may pardon thy sins and renue thy heart therefore look unto the power of God When Christ told his Disciples Mat. 16.24 that it is easier for a Camel to go thorough the eye of a needle then for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of heaven they were all astonished O say they who then can be saved Oh saith Christ look unto God 't is true with men it is impossible for the heart and affections of a man are so glued to the things of this world and he hath so much pleasure and delight in the things of this life that his heart cannot look after mercy with zeal and fervency it is as impossible as for a cable to go through a needles eye but saith he look to the power of God he is able to work it a rich man may be saved for all this if a rich man be touched with the sence and feeling of his sinnes and have a heart to come to God though he meet with never so many difficulties in his way let him look unto the power of God to whom nothing is hard Secondly look to the freenesse of Gods promises the indifferency and universality of the tender of them whosoever thirsteth let him buy wine and milk without money Esay 55.1 when a doale is tendred to all at the doore Why may not every beggar hope to receive it so if mercy be free for every one that comes to Gods door for it why mayst not thou look up with hope if thou hast an heart to it thou mayest if thou hast not an heart thou art none of Gods but if thou hast an heart look up to God and be not dismayed but see the infinitenesse of Gods mercy that as the heavens are higher then the earth so his mercies are far above our thoughts and apprehensions and where sinne abounds grace abounds much more there are many poor souls that would come to Christ but thorough their daily distempers and untowardnesse and the temptations of Satan they are repelled they would come to God but know not how they have hardly any hope these things are spoken for such poor creatures Thirdly send often unto God call upon his Name as it is said of Felix when he hoped to receive money of Paul he sent often for him to commune with him Acts 24.26 So send often to God and be often communing with God and calling upon his name above all duties under heaven there is no Ordinance helps a man more with communion with God then frequent prayer doth or that the heart is more against then that not pray out of formality or in a perfunctory manner but to pray indeed of all duties I commend unto thee that go to God and pray often if thou wouldest hope to receive mercy at his hands JOHN 6.45 Every man therefore that hath heard and learned of the Father cometh unto me WE come now to the second degree of effectual calling and that is a personal call of this or that man by a particular word when the Lord doth particularize his promises and tenders them to this or that man come unto me and here is free grace and mercy for thee come and believe and rest upon me for it when the Lord doth speak a particular word to the soul as you may see Esay 43.1 I have called thee by name thou art mine when God effectually calls a man he calls him by name he calls him with a particular word come unto me here is pardon rely upon me and thou shalt have it here is peace of conscience rely upon me and thou shalt attain to it thou art an undone creature in thy self here is mercy for thee not only when there is a general word propounded to the soul but when the Lord joynes with the word and follows it to the soul and conscience come to me man when God calls a man by name so it is said of Matthew Christ saw him sitting at the receipt of custom and said unto him follow me he called him in particular and directed a particular word to his heart and bid him follow him and depend upon him for all good so it was with Zacheus when Christ looked up and saw him in the fig-tree he said Come down Zacheus he directed a particular word to him this is the thing now I do not meane the outward word onely in the Scripture either preached or read But secondly when it is inwardly spoken by God himself to the soule and set on when God bids a man believe and come unto him this is the thing and this we have heard in the Text Every man that hath heard and learned of the Father cometh unto me for the coherence of these words you must know that in the former verses our Saviour Christ had told them that he was the bread that came down from heaven inviting them to come unto him ver 41 42. and you may see what effect this wrought in their hearts how they murmured at him they were so far from yeilding to his call that they fell a murmuring at him And secondly see how they alledge reasons for their murmuring v. 42. Is not this Jesus the Sonne of Joseph c. as who should say if he came from the earth how did he come from heaven therefore you may see what answer Christ makes v. 43. First he reproves them and said murmur not among your selves as who should say this is no murmuring matter it is a mourning and lamenting matter you should bewaile your condition and turne your murmuring into mourning Again he bids them not wonder at it v. 44. For no man cometh unto me except the Father draweth him as who should say it is no news to me that you stumble at my words and will not hear what I say for none can come to me except my Father draw him you care not for me but murmur against me and your hearts are stout against the Lord you cannot attain unto it for no man c. Thirdly he shews that some would come to him for all this though some would not yet some would even all his Elect therefore he quotes this saying out of the Prophets Every one that hath heard and learned of the Father cometh unto me the word shall not only come to the outward eare but they shall be taught of God and then they will come home to me and then concludes with the words of the Text Every man that hath heard c. as who should say though you will not yet I am sure every man that hath heard my Father speak to his heart that hath heard him preaching from heaven in his bosome that man will come to me so that God can call those things which are not as if they were though a man be never so rebellious and averse from Christ yet when he speaks a particular word to the soul it comes But you will say
purifies a mans heart pares off a mans flesh weanes a man from the world and knocks off a mans cursed corruptions more and more and pulls downe a man before God makes a man stoop to Gods Covenant and to be holy and righteous as he is it knows unlesse he be made fit for Gods Kingdome he can never come there we should look to this and it should make us feare and tremble and look to our selves for unlesse we be fit for the Kingdome of Heaven we shall never have abode there John 3.3 Except a man be borne againe c. That is except a man be made meet for the Kingdome of God he cannot come into it Except he have Heavens frame and disposition and Heavens conversation except his conversation be in Heaven here he can never come there and this is the reason we are so often called upon to be godly in Christ Jesus to walk in purenesse and holinesse of living because no uncleane thing shall enter into the heavenly Jerusalem without are Dogges the Lord counts them Doggs that shall never enjoy his presence this is another reason why Faith workes obedience because if he will have Title to the Kingdome of Heaven he must look to be fitted for the same Fifthly because Faith is eminently all that a man is to do it is the whole work of a Christian John 6.29 This is the work of God c. That is this is eminently all the workes of God But is there no work but this Yes there are many other works but this is the work of God that ye believe because this is eminently all that God looks for as the Apostle speaks 1 John 3.22 This is his Commandement that ye believe c. Is there no other Commandement but this is this all we must do and no more No but this is eminently the Commandement there are other Commandements but all are included in this of beleeving so faith is eminently all graces all other graces are but the daughters and brood of faith they grow out of faith as out of the spring and root so that do this and do all do but beleeve in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ and what wilt thou not do it will make thee give over thy sinnes and be humbled and mortified it will make thee give over vaine company and delight in all goodnesse make thee zealous and fervent and teach thee how to pray and be thankfull to God it will fill thy mouth with laughter and thy tongue with joy it will make thee do any thing if thou believe Acts 16.31 As who should say believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and this will make thee do all there will be nothing left as Christ saith If thou believe all things are possible So I may say if thou believe all things will be done and thou wilt stick at nothing be backward in nothing but wilt be brought to obey God in every thing it is like the turning of the Cock if the Cock be turned the water will flow forth so if a mans heart be opened by faith all the heart runnes to God a Wind-mill if the Sailes go the stones and all go so if faith be once working and operating all the soul is turning it self towards God though never so Heavy and Carnal and Vaine and Earthly before yet now all is going in the wayes of God As the Mother of Christ said to the servants of the marriage Whatsoever he bids you do do it So faith saith thus to all the soul look whatsoever Christ commands look you do it minde those things he bids you minde affect that he affects retaine that he bids you remember it is like Abner that brought all Israel to be the servants of David so faith when it comes into the soul it brings all the faculties of the soul of the whole man to be subject to the Lord Jesus Christ thus you see that faith works obedience in a man The first Use is this to answer a demand that will arise out of the hearts of people when they heare that Faith makes a man to obey Quest. How doth it make a man obey Answ I answer by setting before a man the corruptions of his owne heart and what woeful stubbornenesse is in the same it makes a man see those innumerable corruptions in the soul and how deeply they have eaten into the soul it makes a man see what a loathsome creature he is and what a deal of rebellion there is in his will and minde and thoughts and affections and what oppositions there are against the doing of Gods Holy Will he seeth that if he will obey God what little help he shall have from himself from his own will his own reason his own parts his own nature though he had never so good a nature Nay how he shall be hindered and hampered and opposed by himself faith lets him see this and so pulls him down before God to abhor himself in dust and ashes it was thus in Paul Rom. 7.24 O miserable man c. It made him finde this that he could not do the good he would thus faith empties a man of himself and makes him to renounce himself and makes him not to stand upon his own feeet never to stand alone never to go about any thing but with the help of Christ it makes a man see what a damned will he hath what a damned reason he hath what a damned heart and disposition he hath O! saith he here is Wisdome indeed here is a disposition indeed I will never be ruled by this disposition and he looks upon himself as an undone creature if he followes his own desires here be desires indeed and thoughts indeed and here is an horrible frame and this makes him renounce himself and thus faith works obedience in a man by driving of him out of himself and dividing a mans self from himself that he will not be led by his own thoughts nor carried by his owne imaginations it seeth Hell in all these and that he can do nothing without Christ live in his heart by faith without faith you can do nothing saith Christ and faith tells a man this it makes him know what a wretched creature he is and what a damned nature he carries about with him and that he must not follow and please and give satisfaction to that at any time Now a natural man may see his insufficiency of himself and the vilenesse of his nature but conscience only shewes him this but because he hath not faith it doth not humble him and put him down but he will follow his own thoughts and go after his own reason for all this he hath not true and saving faith to reveal these things in power to him but when faith comes into the soul it doth it to the purpose it makes a man not to be a little affected with his sinnes but soundly affected and makes him see that he is undone for ever if he go on