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A37260 A sermon preached at the funeral of Mr. John Bigg to which is added another sermon upon the same subject : also a narrative of Mr. Bigg's conversion, &c. / by R. Davis ... Davis, Richard, 1658-1714. 1691 (1691) Wing D432; ESTC R8513 40,311 39

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own Bed of eternal Happiness thou wouldst climb up to Heaven by thine own Methods and find out a way for thy self to eternal Glory But thou will find in Death thy Plaisters will not stick Isa 28.20 Thy covering will be too narrow for thy Soul to wrap it self in Thy Bed too short for it to stretch it self upon thy Ladder unlike Jacobs will not reach to Heaven Thy own way to Glory how fair soever a Prospect it may have at first does so wind and turn that at last it will lead directly down to the Chambers of eternal Death I should have improved this Branch in several uses but having done somewhat of that under every Head I shall only now answer a Question which I suppose some if not many may be ready to ask under the Conviction of their miserable and lost Estate by Nature May be some now under present awakenings are enquiring Q. WHAT shall I do to be saved Ans I answer in the Words of the Apostles Acts 16.31 Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved c. Obj. WHAT nothing else but believe on Christ That I do already and did it ever since I was born and so do all that are not Turks and Pagans Ans I answer First They that say they believed ever since they were born never yet believed at all Rea. FOR Faith grows not in Nature's Garden neither is it born with us But it is the Gift of God Ehp. 2.8 and 't is written Phil. 1.29 For unto you it is given on the behalf of Christ not only to believe on him c. Whence observe that to believe on the Lord Jesus must be given from above Therefore 't is not born with us Ans THEY that think Believing an easy thing I dare engage never yet believed FOR Reas Nothing less than the Almighty Power of God in Christ can work this Faith in us even the same Power that created the World must be put forth to an Act of Faith 2 Cor. 4.6 God who commanded the Light to shine out of Darkness viz. in the Creation of the World Gen. 1.3 hath shined in our Hearts to give the light of the Knowledge of the Glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ Whence observe That to believe is to have a view of the Glory of the Eternal Godhead especially of the Glory of the Father's Grace and Goodness shining through Jesus of Nazareth 2. That this Divine Beam of eternal Light is infused into the Soul by the same powerful Command that sent down the creating Light to inform the dark Chaos God who commanded Light to shine out of Darkness c. Nay a greater Power must be put forth to an Act of Faith than to the World's Creation because in the World's Creation there was no Opposition though there was Indisposition but in the sinful Soul where Faith is wrought there is Indisposition and Opposition too Ans 3. They that do not painfully feel the Evil of indwelling Unbelief never knew what Faith meant John 16.7 8 9 10 11. there when the Spirit is said to convince of Judgment and of Righteousness he is said to convince of Vnbelief too And where-ever Faith is the contrary Principle of Unbelief rises always to oppose it Rom. 7.15 to the end Gal. 4.22 to the end chiefly v. 29. where though the Apostle speaks chiefly in both places of the contrary effects of the working Law and the working Gospel in the same enlightned Conscience yet the mutual opposition and warring of Faith and Unbelief is also especially included I apprehend that to be a typical instance of this spoke of to Rebeccas Gen. 25.23 Two Nations are in thy Womb c. This is evident That no sooner a grain of saving Faith is sown in the Soul but Unbelief that afore lurked undiscovered in the Soul rises instantly in Arms to war against it Ans 4. They that are under no influence of the indwelling Spirit have no Faith Rom. 8.9 Now if any Man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his and he that is not in Christ has not a drachm of Faith They that have the Spirit walk after the Spirit v. 1. and are led by the Spirit v. 14. they mind the things of the Spirit v. 5. and their mortal Bodies are quickned because of the Spirit of Christ that dwelleth in them v. 11. Now they that are never spiritually but carnally minded that know nothing what the indwelling of the Spirit means nor his blessed Influences and Operations but are so far from knowing all these that they reproach and blaspheme his blessed Person and Operations as Whimsies heat of Brain Fanaticism Enthusiasm and the like how can it be said That such Enemies of the Spirit have the Spirit And if they have not the Spirit they are not only wholly ignorant of but utter Enemies to the Grace of Faith Ans 5. Dare the Drunkard the Swearer the Blasphemer the Sabbath-breaker the prophane ignorant carnal vile Person say he has Faith His prophanity enmity and wickedness always give him the Lye to his teeth and his sinful practice is an undoubted Test of the badness of his Faith and that he professes a Lye when he professes Faith in Jesus Shew me says the Apostle Jam. 2.18 thy Faith without thy Works and I will shew thee my Faith by my Works The Heart is purified by Faith Acts 15.9 Nay Faith sanctifies throughout Acts 26.18 Faith purifies the Conversation 'T is this Grace of God this great Grace of Faith that teaches us That denying Vngodliness and worldly Lusts we should live soberly reghteously nnd godly in this present World Tit. 2.11 12. Nay let me tell you that such have no more Faith in Christ than Turks or Heathens They have no more of Christ and his Righteousness than the chiming of Words in their Heads and the sound of Phrases rolling in their Memories They have heard of one Jesus Christ and that is all but they know him not As to any Soul Bellef and Conscience Persuasion concerning him his pardoning Grace and his Righteousness they have as little as the very Heathens that never heard of his Name But they are worse than the Heathens because they abuse his holy Name to patronize their Lust and wickedness Object 2. BUT I can shew my Faith by my Works I reform hear pray meditate weep mourn for Sin and profess And have not I Faith then Ans THOU mayst do all these very commendable in themselves yet not growing on the root of Faith and as trusted in they are an abomination to the Lord. There is a vast difference between the Fruits of Holiness flowing from Faith and good Works set up instead of Christ the Object of Faith Thou mayst do all these and much more and yet make Saviours of them and so be void of saving Faith that looks to Jesus and him alone at God's Right Hand for Salvation and at last be damned for idolizing thy good Works