5. Not able to perfect it when it is begun to our hands Isa 26.12 Lord thou hast wrought all our works in us or for us So Rom. 7.18 To will is present with mee but how to perform that which is good I finde not There is a partial impotency in the hearts of the best and this is more or less according to the vigor and power of corruption in us As you see in Rom. 7.18 For I know that in mee that is in my flesh dwels no good thing for to will is present but not to perform But there is a total universal impotency in unregenerate men Every Imagination motion figment of his heart being evil only evil every day But admit wee could do any thing could make as many prayers as stars in Heaven weep as many tears as the Sea holds drops Nay could wee do as much as the tallest Angel in Heaven all this would be too short to winde us out of our misery that sin casts us into 2. Wee are not able to suffer and by our sufferings to help our selves out of this If wee should macerate and afflict our bodies suffer all the miseries in the world in way of satisfaction for the least sin Alas all would bee too little too short would not amount and come up to the least debt But what do I speak of this If wee could suffer as many thousand millions of years torments in hell as the World hath stood minutes from the Creation Nay and God should widen the capacities of the Soul make a man more strong and able to bear more wrath make a man a larger vessel to receive more torments that so in time the springs of his Justice may bee drawn dry the treasures of his wrath might bee expended and a full satisfaction bee made yet there would bee no time no eternity of torment wherin there would bee enough endured as a full satisfaction for the least sin for the least oath thou hast ever sworn for the least idle thought thou hast ever conceived c. The reason is all this is but finite and therefore cannot come up to satisfie for an offence of infinite demerit Thus Faith empties a man not only of opinion of Righteousness in himself but of opinion of helping himself by any strength of his own out of this Faith will tell thee There is an eternal Law violated and thou canst not make up that there is guilt of sin and thou art not able to satisfie for that God is an enemy and thou art unable to make him thy friend God is angry and thou art unable to appease him thou art liable to wrath and not able to avoid it thou art under the Curse and art unable to undergo it art cast into debt and art unable to make payment All which being discovered to the soul the soul falls down at Gods feet and saith not with him in the Gospel Have patience with mee and I will pay thee all But Have mercy upon mee for I am unable to pay God bee merciful to mee a sinner Oh! This will make a soul fall down at the feet of God and implore that mercy of God that hee would cancel all the obligations reverse all his Proceedings cross all Books pardon all debts between him and the soul Fourteenth Royalty 14. Royalty of Faith It s an Heart-inriching-Grace 14 Faith is an Heart-inriching and filling-Grace When Faith hath once emptied a man of himself makes him a fit receptacle then it fills his soul with Christ when it hath strip'd a man of his own rags then it puts on the Garments of Christ when it hath made a man poor in himself it inriches the soul with Christ when wee are nothing in our selves then Christ is made all to us Cor humile est vacuum spirituale Wisdome Justification Sanctification and Redemption 1 Cor. 1.30 An humble empty heart is the vessel of all Grace So much Emptiness so much Grace Because humility doth empty the heart for God to fill it If the heart bee emptied once it must needs bee filled Non datur vacuum Nature abhors emptiness Grace much more Faith doth inrich the soul with all the merits of Christ with the Spirit of Christ Christ imputed Christ imparted Christ infused with the Righteousness of Christ for Justification with the Holiness of Christ for Sanctification Faith will not want it if Christ have it Faith will not bee poor if Christ bee rich will not bee empty if Christ bee full Ego non sum meriti inops quamdiu ille non est inops miserationum Bernard I cannot bee poor saith Bernard so long as God is rich his Riches are mine Of his fulness I receive Grace for Grace Christ indeed is a Fountain but hee is a Fountain sealed up Hee is a Treasure but hee is a Treasure lockt up to an unbeleeving heart Faith is the Key that unlocks this Treasure opening the Treasuries of Heaven making an inlet of all the Glory of Christ Faith gives the soul communion with all the Riches of Christ So far as it is possible for Christ to bee communicated hee is made ours by Faith by it there is a conveyance made of all the great revenues of Christ. The great stock which Christ did purchase by his Blood is passed over to the beleeving soul There is a Deed of Gift made to such wherein I say Not the whole Righteousness of the Mediator Non tota Justitia Mediatoris sed Justitia tota Mediatoria his essentiall and incommunicable Righteousness but his whole Mediatory Righteousness that Righteousness which Christ purchased for us as Mediator the Righteousness of his active and passive obedience by the one doing our services by the other bearing our scourges by the one as was said before answering Gods commanding Justice by the other answering Gods condemning Justice the one in Praemium to free us from wrath the other in Pretium to intitle us to Glory all this is made ours As Boaz said to his Kinsman Marry the Woman and the Field is thine So when once by Faith wee are married to Christ his Blood is ours his merits ours his Spirit ours all are ours Faith gives us a propriety in all Tu vita mea ego mors tua Tu coelum meum ego gehenna tua Tu Justitia mea ego pâ—ccatum tuum Tu divitiae meae ego paupertas tua So that Faith may break forth into this rapture with that Father Lord I am thy death thou art my life I am thy Hell thou art my Heaven I am thy sin thou art my Righteousness I am thy poverty thou art my Riches And all the Riches which Christ did purchase with his Blood and sit down and think what the Blood of Christ the Blood of God as the Apostle calls it by communication of Properties what this might buy out at the hands of a Father why all this is made thine by Faith So that you see Faith
it is sufficient to evidence a mans sincerity Indeed if a man had a Male in his flock and should offer to the Lord a female If â—â—ee had a better and should give God a worse If hee had strength and yet served the Lord with weakness this would declare the heart to bee unsound But when a mans strength is in the work though that strength bee but weakness yet it will evidence the sincerity of the heart And there is no reason that you should look upon those Prayers as cast as lost Prayers where your strength is in them When thou hast been with God and performed a duty although but weakly many imperfections in it much unbeleef much hardness much deadness and coldness yet if your strength have been in the duty you may rise up without confusion and shame upon this ground your strength hath been in it your heart doth not condemn you you are able to clear this to your spirit your strength hath been in the work But now such are here condemned and cast who have a Male in their flock and offer to the Lord a Female God curseth such Cursed c. Mal. 1.14 When you have strength and serve God with weakness when you will turn off God with your cold your lazy sleepy and formal devotions and will not take any pains with your own hearts in these holy works This discovers your spirits to bee unsound and false to God 2. Character Where the heart is sincere in Prayer there is no rest or content to the soul till the heart bee wrought into the work A sincere heart in Prayer is an heart-sincerity in Prayer not a tongue in Prayer not an head in Prayer but an heart in Prayer Prayer is not lip-work or head work but heart work And where the heart is sincere hee is not content till the heart bee in the work Hee is not content to bee down on his knees if his heart bee not up To have an hand in the work if his heart bee not also in it A sincere heart labours to get his heart into the work Hee prayes in prayer Jam. 5.17 There is an affective collation with the duty If hee confesseth sins hee desireth to get affections sutable to the confession of sin An heart wounded and broken under the sight and sense of sin If hee prayes for pardon hee labours to get an heart apprehensive of the want and also of the worth of mercy and seeks a mercy as a condemned man a pardon If hee pray for Grace or the subduing of lusts still hee labours to get an heart sutable to the things hee wants and that which hee doth desire It was the speech of Bradford that hee would never leave a duty till hee had brought his heart into the frame of the duty Hee would not leave confession of sin till his heart was broken for sin Hee would not leave petitioning for Grace till his heart was quickened in desire He would not leave gratulation till his heart was inlarged with the sense of the mercies he enjoyed and quickned in the return of praise But now an unsound heart if hee can but post over a duty If but say his prayers though hee have never laboured to get his heart into them yet he is well enough This is to draw neer with our lips when yet our hearts are far from God This is to offer God a bulk and carkass of duty without the life and spirit of duty and so it is abominable to God A body without a soul stinks so here your Confessions of sins are Commissions of sins Iterations of sins when your hearts are not sensible and affected with sinnes you confesse Hee that remembers sinne with delight doth commit the sinne again He that remembers sin without sorrow doth but revive his former guilt hee removes it not A man may displease a man as much with the Confession of a fault as in the Commission of the fault If a man had offended you and should come in a sleight way to confess his fault you would be more offended at him for his confession than for his fault So when you shall come before God and confess your sins without any compunction for your sinnes without any sense of sin or sorrow for it you do aggravate your sins and increase guilt instead of removing guilt from your souls An hard heart and a dry eye in the confession of sin is an aggravation of your sins 3. Character An heart sincere in Prayer doth thirst after Communion with God in Prayer If a duty leaves the soul on this side God unlesse it have carried the soul over to God and brought a man to some further Communion with him with his mercy his love his grace his Spirit the soul is not content with duty Others they make duty the end of duty prayer the end of prayer And therefore if they can but rid their hands of a duty though they had no communion with God in it yet they are well enough But now a sincere heart hee looks above a duty hee looks upon duty but as a bridge to convey him over to God as a means to bring God and his soul into neerer communion and if yee have not seen God and found God in a duty if his spirit hath not conversed with God as a Father as a friend as a child with his father as a man with his friend he hath no content in duty Obj. But you will say how shall a man know when he hath Communion with God in duty Answ For the answer of this I must first tell you that there is a great mistake among men and women of a tender spirit about this point that they think they have no communion with God unles they have met with God in an heart-chearing and an heart-comforting way when God comes in with joy with comfort with chearings and inlargements Then they are willing to grant you they have had communion with God But if God have come in in an heart breaking humbling and casting down their souls in the sight and sence of their sinnes and imperfections They do not think they have Communion with God And therefore I must tell you first in the general That you may have Communion with God as well in an heart humbling as an heart reviving an heart Comforting way In the life to come in heaven all our Communion with God is with Comfort with fulness of joy At his right hand is fulnesse c. Psal 16.11 with thee there is a fountain of joy Then all tears shall bee wiped away from our eyes But in this life on earth we have mixed communion and have communion with God as well in humblings as in comfortings You go upon a duty and you think to meet God one way and hee comes in another way Sometimes you expect God in a comforting and God comes in in a quickning way Sometimes thou expects God in an heart breaking way and God comes in in a comforting
dear are you precious to him let him bee dear and precious to you Whatever God doth to the soul it makes an impression in the soul of the same to God Hee loves us and thereupon wee love him so his heart is taken with us thereupon our hearts are taken with him You see here the mutual Indeerments betwixt Christ and his Church Cant. 5.16 Pauls heart was so much taken with Christ that hee was ever in his thoughts ever upon his tongue Hee names him sixteen or seventeen several times in one chapter 1 Cor. 1.1 as Chrysostome notes Peter did but let a word of Christ fall and it is a door to open to further discourse of him Hee takes occasion upon the naming of him to enter into discourse concerning him As you see 1 Pet. 1.7 8. So greatly were their hearts taken with Christ that they could think nothing but Christ speak nothing but Christ No sentence compleat wherein Christ was not part of it Hee was the one of their esteems the one of their affections the one of their desires the one of their delights And so ought hee to bee of ours Get your hearts taken with Christ this will make you Christians indeed this will make you humble active chearful Christians An heart taken with Christ is Heaven on this side Heaven An Heaven on Earth Glory in Clay It is the Paradise where Christ delights to walk It is the House where Christ delights to dwell It is the Throne where Christ sits in his glory It is the Habitation of the blessed Spirit It is the Delight of all the blessed Trinity An heart taken with Christ is the humble soul indeed is the active soul the living soul which breathes forth nothing but love and desire after Christ It is an heart dead to the world for the World can never take that heart which once is taken with Christ All is empty to him whom fulness fills All is blackness where Beauty shines Oh! then get but an heart taken with him and thou livest a Life of Glory and a Life of Grace This is the Porch of Glory the suburbs of Heaven I told you before there were four speciall times in which the heart was taken with Christ I might adde a fifth which I hope is our times When Christ goes forth in his glory for the redemption and deliverance of his Church and punishment of his enemies Then is the heart taken with him 1. Taken with his Wisdome 2. With his Justice 3. With his Power 4. With his Mercy and goodness Which are the visible attributes Christ doth manifest in the deliverance of his Church You see this Isa 25.9 when God went forth in his Glory to deliver his Church the Saints were taken with him even to admiration and speak glorying Loe This is our God wee have waited for him and hee will save us This is the Lord wee have waited and will bee glad in his salvation Here was a Triumphant song of the Church This is our God This who appears so glorious so full of Majesty This This is our God not yours And good reason 1. Christ never appears in his Glory to his Church but hee makes his Church glorious You see when God delivered his Church from Babylon hee did appear in his Glory Psal 102.16 When the Lord shall build up Zion hee shall appear in his glory And you see as hee appeared in his Glory so hee made the Church glorious Isa 54.11 12 13. speaking of the same time Behold I will lay thy stones with fair colours and lay thy foundations with Saphires I will make thy windows of Agates and thy gates of Carbuncles and all thy borders of pleasant stones 2. Christ now comes in with the Performance of Promises and needs then must he be glorious and the Church be taken with him If Christ were so glorious when hee made those promises what is hee when hee comes in to make good those Promises Christ hath reserved abundance of his visible Glory to bee seen by his Church now at the end of the World Our Fore-Fathers have seen him but an obscured Christ a persecuted and kept-down Christ Though glorious yet humble-glory But it will not bee long before the Church see him in his Glory when hee comes to destroy that man of sin with the brightness of his comming Blessed bee God for what our eyes see Let us follow him with admiration with the Church This is our God follow with spiritual triumph This is our God And let our hearts bee taken with his goings forth who is set forth in his glory now to redeem and to deliver his Church and People A TREATISE OF THE NATURE AND ROYALTIES OF FAITH BY SAMVEL BOLTON D. D. And MASTER of C.C.C. LONDON Printed by Robert Ibbitson for Thomas Parkhurst and are to be sold at his Shop over against the Great Conduit in Cheapside 1656. A TREATISE OF THE NATVRE ROYALTIES OF FAITH JOHN 3.15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have eternal life I Have intended with Gods assistance to enter upon a Discourse of Faith which might last till we come to the place where faith shall be no more And although my preaching of faith may end before yet your practising of it must not The just shall live by faith and the just must dye in faith This Text I have chosen for the foundation of this Discourse Which before I come to handle in particular I shall shew what coherence and dependance it hath with the former words For which purpose you must know that this Chapter from the beginning to Verse 22. contains a discourse between Christ and Nicodemus In which you may observe 1. The Occasion of the Discourse 2. The Discourse it self 1. The occasion of this Discourse most likely was a Question put by Nicodemus which is not here expressed but is probably implyed in Verse 3. in that it is said That Jesus Answered and by the Answer you may guess what the Question was It may be such an one as this What he must do that he might be saved 2. We have the Discourse it self Which was partly continued and partly interrupted Continued by Christ and partly interrupted by Nichodemus in divers places by his Objections Cavils and fleshly Reasonings This Text is a part of Christs continued discourse and hath special relation to the foregoing verse As Moses lift up c. so must the Son of man be lifted up Verse 14. That whosoever believeth in him be he who he will Jew or Gentile bond or free Barbarian Scythian c. Or be his sins what they will for nature never so hainous for number never so many for continuance never so long practised Yet whosoever believeth c. if they believe they shall be as readily and certainly pardoned and saved as other less offendors Whosoever believeth In which words we have 1. The Promise 2. The Condition of the Promise Or here is 1. An act Believe 2. The object Christ
Person 2. The Conveniency This is fully made out in the necessity of it and that with an advantage there is such a conveniency as that it riseth up to a necessity in all the former particulars so that to an holy heart there is a moral impossibility of the contrary How can I do this great wickednesse and sin against God said Joseph Gen. 39.9 This is the first way of Faiths purifying the Heart Argumentativè or by way of Argument 2. Operativè As Faith doth operate and work for the cleansing of our nature making use of Christ who is called A Fountain Zach. 13.1 A Refiner Mal. 3.3 A Purger Joh. 15.2 Hee is said to come with Refiners fire with Fullers Sope to purge and purifie us And thus Faith makes use of Christ by the least touch of whom the sinfull flux of sin is dryed up and staid And Faith makes use 1. Of the Merit of Christ the Blood of Christ which is apt to purge us and cleanse us from sin And for this end was his Blood shed even to cleanse us from sin Tit. 2.14 Hee gave himself not only to bee a Redeemer to redeem us from Hell and the guilt of sin but to purifie to himself a peculiar people zealous of good works Ephes 5.26 27. Hee gave himself for us that hee might sanctifie us and cleanse us by the washing of Water through the Word So Faith makes use of this Fountain to wash and cleanse the soul it opens this Fountain to the washing of the soul 2. It makes use of the Prayer of Christ John 17.17 Sanctifie them through the Truth thy Word is Truth 3. Faith makes use of the Promise of Christ wherein his Fidelity and Truth is ingaged for our Purification Jer. 33.8 I will cleanse them from all their iniquities whereby they have sinned against mee Ezek. 33.25 I will sprinkle clean water upon you and you shall bee clean from all your filthiness and from all your Idols will I cleanse you Isa 4.4 The Lord shall wash away the filth of the Daughter of Zion and purge away the blood of Jerusalem from the midst thereof Hence they are called Purging-Promises Thus Faith makes use of Christ of the Merit of Christ of the Blood of Christ of the Prayer and Promise of Christ whereby it sets on the work of Self-cleansing whereby it purifies the soul By vertue of which it washes the soul from all filthiness of Flesh and Spirit 2 Cor. 7.1 Third Royalty Faith is a Heart-commanding Grace Christs Vice-Roy here in the Soul which Governs Rules Third Royalty Faith It s an Heart-commanding-Grace and bears sway in the soul by vertue of the power and Scepter of Christ Christ hath made Faith his Deputy here in the Soul and not any other Grace but Faith Hee knows Faith will rule by Christ by his power not its own So Rule as not to wrest the Scepter out of Christs hand It will rule for Christ and to Christ for his Glory and to his Glory not its own and therefore hee hath given Faith jurisdiction in the Soul So that it is a Soul-commanding Grace It is the Taskmaster of the Soul puts every Grace upon its work and burden It will not suffer any Grace to bee idle but puts every Grace to its work Nay it inableth the Soul to Doe what it Commands the Soul to Doe To every Precept wee have still a Promise Nay every Precept is a Promise Where God Commands us to Repent and Beleeve to make our selves new hearts to wash and cleanse our selves to circumcise our hearts Hee hath promised in his new Covenant to do what hee hath commanded to give us Faith to work Repentance in us to make us new hearts to circumcise the heart to wash and cleanse us from our filthiness And Faith urging the Precepts of God makes use of the Promises of God sues out the Promise and fetches strength from the Promise to perform the Precept Lord thou hast commanded mee to make mee a new heart and thou hast promised to take this stony heart from mee and to give mee an heart of Flesh Lord performe thy Promise to thy Servant in which thou madest mee put my trust Thou commandest mee to bee Holy and thou hast promised to make mee holy Thou art the Lord that Sanctifies Lord make mee Holy Da quod jubes jube quod vis sic enim implebitur voluntas tua obedientia nostra give what thou commandest and command what thou wilt and so both our obedience and thy Will shall bee fulfilled Thus you see as God so Faith ruling by God from God doth not only authoritatively impose commands and lay duties upon the soul but mercifully and friendly helps and inables the soul to do what is commanded It is not a Rigid-Master Reaping where it sows not commanding fruit from that ground whereon it sows no seed but sows strength to reap Obedience inables to do what is commanded to do It is said by Faith Abraham obeyed Faith did inable him to obey and made his obedience fruitfull and acceptable Faith inabled him to obey even in that great act of Obedience when his Son his only Son the Son of his Love the Son of the Promise the Son of his Old Age c. was to bee taken away by death killed murdered and that by his own hands c. And yet Faith inabled him hereunto Fourth Royalty Faith is an Heart-quieting Grace an Heart-calming and stilling-Grace It is a Grace thay layes all the tumults in the Soul all the insurrections in the Soul Fourth Royalty of Faith It s an Heart-quieting-Grace When Passions are up and unruly Affections do stir Faith doth allay and hush them When Passions of Fear are up Faith laies them will not suffer unruly fears to come into the Throne to command the Soul When Passions of Anger are up Faith doth quench their heat when Grief stirs Faith doth bridle and moderate this when Discontent is up and the Soul is ready to murmur and quarrel against God and his dealings Faith doth lay all these risings Faith hath a special art to still the Soul to strike it dumb in these cases Hence you see David I was dumb and opened not my mouth because it was thy doing Faith struck him dumb Wee read indeed Zacharie was dumb but Infidelity struck him dumb David saith here hee was dumb but Faith struck him dumb The former was a Penal-dumbness God silenced his Tongue because hee suspended his Faith But this latter was a dutiful-Dumbness such a Dumbness as Faith hath caused in the Soul which shut up his lips from murmuring not from praying Psal 39.9 hee praies there I was dumb and opened not my mouth and yet Take thy Plague from mee I am consumed by the stroke of thy hand c. The like power of Faith you see in the case of Aaron when it silenced his Soul in such a sad condition Levit. 10.3 4. And Moses said unto him This
Christ is such a Rock as doth derive vertue and strength unto the structure and building Indeed a man may build a weak house upon a strong foundation and the house fall for all that because the rock is a dead thing and cannot impart any of its strength unto the structure But it is not so here Bee the building never so weak yet this Rock can hold it up because it diffuseth its strength into the building Hence 1 Pet. 2.4 5. Christ is called a living not a dead Rock A living stone To whom comming as to a living Stone wee also as lively-stones are built up a spiritual house Which shews the transformation of the building into the nature and firmnesse of the Rock Thus you see Faith is a soul-securing-grace It sets a man upon a soul-securing-bottome It makes God our security who is called The strong-God The mighty-God The Rock of Refuge A defense A Shield A Tower A Fort. An High-place Mich. 4.8 The Tower of his Flock The strong hold of the daughter of Sion A Covert from the storm Isay 32.1 2. Faith makes All-God our security It ingages all-God to be our security His Power And is not this able to secure us His Wisdome And will not this secure us His Truth And will not this secure us His Mercy And cannot all this secure us Hee who trusts in the Lord Mercy shall compasse him on every side Hee is hemm'd in with Mercy Or mercy imbraceth him on every side to secure him As trust doth compasse mercy so mercy doth compass trust As trust imbraceth mercy so mercy imbraceth trust It is not Faith it self that doth secure us But Faith doth make God our security It sets a man upon a soul-securing-bottome on a soul-securing-God on a soul-securing-Power on a soul-securing-Mercy Therefore needs must a Beleeving a Trusting-soul be secure 2. It instates the soul in soul-securing-promises The promises of preservation from trouble Promises of Deliverance out of trouble All the promises which God hath made of Security Faith instates the soul into them all Hee hath promised When wee passe through the waters he will be with us and the waters shall not overflow us When we pass through the fire the flame shall not kindle upon us Isa 43.2 Hee hath promised Hee will stand at our right hand and wee shall not bee moved Psal 16. He will never leave us neither forsake us Heb. 13.6 The Gates of Hell shall never prevail against us Mat. 16.18 Hee hath promised to bee a Tower a Rock a Refuge a Covert from a storm an hiding place in time of Danger c. And it is faith that doth instate us into these Soul-securing-Promises As there is no promise to us till wee beleeve so if once wee beleeve all the Promises are ours Look into the word of God and what promises soever there are made for securing the soul All these are thine 3. Faith doth instate us into soul-securing-Priviledges 1 It makes us the Sons and Daughters of God John 1.12 13 As man as received him to them hee gave power or priviledge to become the Sons of God Even to as many as beleeved in his name Gal. 3.26 You are the children of God by faith in Christ And will not a father secure his child 2. Faith makes us the Spouse of Christ the members of Christ It ingrafts us and unites us into him And will he not secure his members 3. It make us the inheritance of Christ Hee hath promised to bee a Tower to his Flock A strong-hold to the Daughters of Sion These are all soul-securing-priviledges And therefore beleeving souls shall be secure Oh! Then Would you bee secured from the evil-day would you bee secured in the evil day Labour for Faith This alone secures the soul It sets a man upon a soul-securing-bottome Instates a man in soul-securing-promises Gives him right to soul-securing-priviledges Abrogate fears Surrogate Faith Down with fears which betray the succour of the soul and set up beleeving Sixth Royalty 6 Faith is an heart-humbling Grace 6 Royalty of Faith It s a soul-humbling Grace Whether it bee a Legal or whether it be an Evangelical Faith it works humiliation The one a Legal humiliation and casting down The other an Evangelical-humiliation we shall in this cheifly deal with the first It is said of Ahab that he humbled himself put on sackcloath and went softly And this was the fruit and effect of his Legal-Faith whereby hee beleeved the truth and certainty of Gods Judgements denounced against him and his house The men of Nineveh when Jonah preached that sad Sermon Jonah 3.4 Yet forty days and Nineveh shall bee destroyed It is said They beleeved God That is The truth of that message which Jonah brought from God And it follows as an effect of this Faith They humbled themselves and proclaimed a fast and put on Sack-cloath and sate in ashes from the King upon the Throne to the meanest of them And my Brethren Faith hath a great influence into the work of self-humbling 1 It takes up self-humbling Considerations From God the justice of God the threatnings the curses God hath denounced against sin 2. Faith doth Realize all this to the Soul which God hath said against sin Faith doth not make these things more reall then they are but doth Realize things to the Soul not imaginary but real things which being lookt upon as reall things do humble This is the Reason why one when he hears of Gods threatnings denounced against Sin goes home and lyes in the dust is humbled and cast down as Josiah when hee read the book of the Law And another stands up out-faceth Hell and the curse He is never humbled nor cast down It is because the one he looks upon these things are reall and true the other hee looks upon them as fancies Imaginary things If men beleeved that all that evil which God hath threatned against Sin were true they could not drink down sinne as water nor eat the bread of Sin with such delight as they do If the swearer did beleeve there were a flying Rol gone out against him as Zachary saith If the Drunkard did see death in the Pot c. If I say wicked men beleeved the Reality and Truth of these things they could not go on so quietly in their wicked courses but would be humbled Hence the Apostle sets this down for the ground why the Preaching of the word was not profitable to them Because it was not mixed with Faith in them that heard it They did not beleeve what they heard and so neither the word of Terror nor the word of Comfort did profit them As the promises of God are not quickning raising comforting except there bee Faith so the Threats are not Killing humbling working if Faith be not there Wee may preach till our spirits fail and spend our labour in vain our strength and pains for nought if the things which God speaks and we preach be not beleeved If you
there 's nothing but Sin in us in stead of beauty blackness in stead of comliness deformity It discovers there 's nothing but Damnation and Hell in us nothing but Hell in our parts Hell in our Principles Nay Hell in our prayers That not our persons only but our prayers stand in need of Christ that if hee save not our prayers as well as our persons our Prayers will damn us Faith is such a Grace as is raised up upon the ruines of our selves not the Substance but the Sin the ruine of our sinful selves the ruine of our self of Pride of Self-confidence self-sufficiency all which are thrown down before Faith bee raised As the Shipmans Fatal Star which they say is never seen but before wrack and death so Faith is never seen but before the wrack and death of sinful nature which hath one wrack by Faith but the Universal wrack by death And this is the first work and the mighty work of Faith which must bee done before wee come over to Christ As the Opinion of something in themselves was that which kept off the Jews from comming to Christ so it doth us And therefore Faith empties us of this Opinion makes us poor that so wee may bee fit to receive the Gospel The poor receive the Gospel The Gospel is but a merciful Hospital for the relief of the Poor Blind Naked Lame and lost sinners Here 's nothing for those who are Rich and Full and think they want nothing Faith empties the Soul of that Opinion of strength to help it self Though a man were convinced hee had nothing yet if hee have such a conceit as this That hee can help himself that hee is able to recover and winde himself out of that condition wherein hee is hee would then stand upon his own bottom bee a Buckler to himself and would never come over to Christ That which kept the Prodigal from his Father was not the Opinion of any worthiness in himself hee saw hee was poor and ready to famish but hee thought hee could recover himself live of himself without the help of a Father And this conceit kept him off So the Woman with the Bloody-Issue It was not her opinion that shee had no need of Christ which kept her off from comming to Christ but shee thought shee was able to purchase help out of her own store without going to him And even to the last penny shee conceited shee should have help when shee had spent all not before Then shee came And whilest a man hath a conceit that hee is able to work out his own Peace compass his own happiness Though hee bee poor yet conceits hee is able to inrich himself Though naked yet hee is able to weave a web of Righteousness to cloath himself Though in debt yet hee is able to make payment Though undone yet hee is able to recover himself I say so long as a man hath this conceit thinks hee hath any strength of his own to winde himself out of the misery into which hee sees himself to bee plunged so long hee will never come over to Christ This conceitedness will keep off the Soul from Christ Men you know will rather make use of their own gold than of others of their own cloaths than of others of their own friends than of others of their own power than of others Men will dig to the Clay as Pliny saith before they will go borrow water of their neighbours Such a spirit there is in man that hee will sound the bottome try the utmost what hee can do before hee will call in for anothers help But now when Faith comes and discovers us not only to bee miserable but unable to extricate our selves out of this misery not only to bee poor but unable to inrich our selves not only under the burden of sin but unable to cast off this burden not only indebted but unable to pay in prison but unable to come forth then will the soul hasten and come over to Christ Now this is that which Faith doth It doth not only empty a man of all opinion of Righteousness in the discovery of his misery but also it empties a man of all that opinion of strength to help himself out of this misery 1 Neither do 2 Nor suffer That hee can neither do nor suffer any thing to relieve himself That all his doings and sufferings are too short to help him That the state of nature is not only a state of misery but a state of impotency and utter disability to do any thing to help it self Hence the Apostle saith Rom. 5.6 8. That wee were not only sinners but without strength not able to help our selves out of this condition of sin Wee were dead in trespasses and sins So that wee were unable to do or if any thing yet dead works such as set us further in debt but wipe off no score Hence Christ saith Without mee yee can do nothing All our actions are so many Cyphers so many Nothings 1. Wee can do nothing to please God our best works but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Gift of an Enemy The Sacrifice of Fools They that are in the flesh cannot please God 2. Wee can do nothing which is truly really and substantially Good What Nathaniel spake doubtingly concerning Christ Joh. 1.46 Can there any good thing come out of Nazaret may preremptorily bee here affirmed No good can come out of an evil heart No good fruit from a bad root Do men gather Grapes of Thorns or Figs of Thistles Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean It 's impossible 3. Wee can do nothing to settle a sound and substantial Peace in our Consciences though wee skin them over for a time calm and still them for a time yet wee cannot work a sound cure nor settle a substantial Peace there 4. Wee can do nothing which may purchase any blessing or favour from God Non ex merito operis sed ex largitate donantis Though God reward the works of wicked men sometimes as hee did Ahab Jehu Nebuchadnezzar yet it is not That the works deserve a reward but because hee is a plentifull rewarder Thus Faith discovers the impotency and utter dis-ability to help our selves Hence wee are said 1. Not to bee able to think a good thought 2. Cor. 3.5 Not that wee are sufficient of our selves to think any thing as of our selves All our sufficiency is of God 2. Not to bee able to understand 1 Cor. 2.14 The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness to him nor can hee know them because they are spiritually discerned 3. Not able to will any thing that is good Phil. 2.13 God worketh the will and the deed of his own good pleasure 4. Not able to begin a good work Phil 1.6 Being confident of this very thing that hee that hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ
from the Death of inward Troubles As the sense of Gods Love the apprehension of his favour is the life of the Soul Psal 30.5 In his favour is Life So the sense of Gods Displeasure is the Death of the Soul Psal 88.10 Shall the Dead arise to praise thee Hee speaks of that spiritual Desertion in which hee was labouring under the sense of Gods wrath and displeasure which hee calls the Death of the Soul Shall the Dead arise to praise thee Shall my Soul dead and sunk with discouragements and apprehensions of thy wrath Shall it arise to praise thee So that this is the Death of the Soul Now Faith doth raise the Soul up from this Death When the Soul seems to bee sunk and buried under the apprehensions of Gods displeasure is slain with discouragements lies gasping and breathing for comfort The least touch of the Promise by Faith doth raise up and revive the Soul and fetches a man to life again All the while that sense works a man sinks deeper and deeper into this sad condition But let sense sit still and Faith come in and act its part and the Soul cannot lye so low in Trouble but it will raise it up Psal 77.10 I said this is my Death yet will I remember the years of the right hand of the most high c. What a precious thing is Faith It is call'd precious Faith And so it is indeed that is able to work such wonders in the Soul in an instant What a Cordial is this when a man is in swounding and fainting-fits that one taste of the Promise by Faith will fetch him to life again when the soul lies in the dust under sad apprehensions heavy Agonies sinking and dying one dram one grain of Faith will fetch him to life again set him on his feet again walking and leaping and praising God This is precious Faith indeed Now for the manner how Faith doth work for the raising up of the Soul from under these spiritual Troubles wee will only adde these particulars 1. Faith doth in this condition look back upon soul-raising-Experiences It causes a man to consider the dayes of old the years of ancient time as David did in the same condition Psal 77.5 It makes a man revive those former experiences of Gods Love those former workings those fore-past evidences those broken Rings Pledges Love-tokens which have passed betwixt God and the Soul Such a time hee took mee up into his Chariot and spake friendly to mee Such a time I sate down under his shadow and his Banner over mee was love Such a time hee took mee down into his Winecellar staied mee with Flaggons Such a time hee brake into my soul discovered himself to mee a Reconciled God gave mee an earnest of his love a testimony that hee manifested himself to mee came and supped with mee gave mee the White stone the Hidden Manna the New Name c. This is the Act of Faith Thus doth it produce the former evidences and experiences of Love and from these doth take up arguments to raise the Soul in this dark condition Why will Faith say Once a Father and ever a Father Once a Friend and never an Enemy Though wee change yet God doth not change With him there is no variableness nor shadow of change His carriage may alter his heart cannot His expression may vary his Affections cannot God hath spoken Peace and hee will never unsay what hee hath said Hee hath given mee sure evidences and hee will never take them away again though hee may withhold the comfort of them Hee that hath been gracious will bee gracious Men shut their hands because they have opened them but because hee hath once opened his hands hee will never shut them 2. Faith looks upon Soul-raising-Promises Such as are not only made for support but for deliverance I will not contend for ever nor will I bee alwayes wroth least the Spirit which I have made should fail before mee and the Soul which I have created I was angry with him I hid my face from him But I will heal him I will lead him also and restore comfort to him and to his mourners Isa 57.16 17 18. For a moment I have forsaken thee but with everlasting kindness have I had compassion on thee saith the Lord thy Redeemer c. Isa 54.8 9 10 11. Zion said the Lord hath forsaken mee My God hath forgotten mee Can a Woman forget her child that she should not have compassion on the Son of her womb Yea they may but I will never forget thee Behold I have Graven thee upon the Palms of my hands thy ways are ever in my sight These and such like promises Faith looks upon It doth not so much look at the Face of God Gods outward carriage and expression in the condition as at the Heart of God and his inward affection which lyes in the Promise Full well Faith knows The Ground of Comfort doth not lye in the Face of God the aspects of God If so then our comforts could not bee stable This alters as wee alter changeth as wee change But the ground of Faiths comfort lyes in the Promises and thither it hath recourse when from Outward appearance it can get no comfort Sense looks upon the face of God onely upon his outward presence But Faith looks upon the Heart of God in the Promise where it sees a Calmy heart under a Stormy countenance inward Smiles though outward frowns Inward Affections of Love under Outward expressions of displeasure As Joseph had the affections of a brother under the expressions of an Enemy Hee could put on expressions of an enemy An angry countenance but yet not put off Affections of a brother A loving heart so is it often with God And therefore Faith doth view him in The Promise hath recourse thither as you see poor David had in the like case Psal 77. to the tenth verse Hee was in sad Conditions and nothing could raise him God absented himself from him Hee fell to Praying to Complaining but yet no comfort came Hee complained and his spirit was overwhelmed Hee was so farre from Ease by this that his Spirit was more opprest Nay Hee cald to remembrance times past All this whie comfort came not in At last hee betakes himself to the Promise hath recourse to the Covenant and then his Soul revived ver 10. Thus Faith looks upon the firmness of the Covenant the stability of the Promise and is raised revived Read Isa 49.14 15. Isa 54. from seven to eleven which are Soul-raising-promises 3 Faith lays hold upon a soul-raising-Christ Upon whom whosoever doth lay hold hee will pull him out of the deepest waters If a man under water have hold of any thing above him it will pull him out hee shall not sink So here when wee are overwhelmed in these deep waters if by Faith the Soul lay hold on Christ it will bear him up and bring him forth John 12.46 I am come a
light into the world saith Christ that whosoever beleeveth in mee should not abide in darknesse The least touch of Christ by Faith doth raise up and revive the Soul in this sad Condition As the dead man was raised to life and revived but by touching the dead bones of Elisha 2 King 13.21 so the Dead Soul if it do but touch the Dead and crucified body of Christ by Faith is raised up and revived Such a vertue and influence comes from Christ as doth raise up and comfort the Soul Thus Faith doth raise the heart by laying hold of Christ He who raised up himself will raise up all his members If our head had been still under water wee had then perished but he being risen will raise us up also being his members 4 Faith inables a man to put up Soul-raising-prayers indites Soul-raising-prayers strong Prayers and cries to God As Prayer helps Faith So Faith helps Prayer It inables a man to wrestle with God now in the Dark of desertion as it did Jacob in the Dark of the Night Yea and to wrestle with him by his own strength the strength of his Covenant of his promise of his Christ In which Encounter Faith will take up arguments 1 From it self 2 From God 1 From it self By presenting its miserable Condition in the absence of God That all his own work is ready to sink and dy to come to nothing if hee help not Oh! will Faith say Lord my flesh fails my heart fails my strength fails my spirit fails Oh! Come down before I dye come strengthen the things that are ready to dye in me This argument David took up Psal 143.7 Hear me speedily O Lord my spirit fails Oh! Hide not thy face from mee lest I bee like unto them that go down into the Pit So Psal 39.10 12 13. Take thy plague from mee I am consumed by the stroke of thy hand c. Hear my prayer O Lord hearken to my cry Keep not silence at my tears for I am a stranger with thee a sojourner as all my Fathers were Oh! spare a little that I may recover strength before I go hence and be no more 2 Faith will take up arguments from God 1 From the justice and truth of God He hath promised never to leave nor forsake his people 2 From the immutability of God Thou art JEHOVAH thou changest not therefore the Sons of Jacob are not consumed Mal. 3.6 Thou never repentest of thine own work Thou never hast wooed my heart to lose it again Thou never tookest my heart to leave it again and take thy heart clean away Thou never didst set thy heart on mee to take it off again 3 From the power of God Abraham at a plunge was supported with this strong staff of Comfort when though by Gods command hee was to sacrifice his Sonne Isaac yet hee accounted that God was able to raise him up even from the dead Heb. 11.19 Lord if thou wilt thou canst Mat. 8.2 4 From the mercy of God Lord thou art gracious and merciful ready to relieve It 's true I am a sinner but thou art a Saviour I am sinful but thou art mercifull I am impious but thou art gracious I have done that Ego admisi undè me damnare potes Tu non amisisti undè me salvare soles for which thou mightest damn mee but thou hast not lost that by which thou mayest save mee True I am not worthy of a smile from Heaven I have deserved to bee sent from darkness here to everlasting darkness hereafter from this partial to total and universal darkness But Lord proportion not thy dealings to mee according to my deservings from thee Let not the strong God take a pattern from my weakness good God do not ever remember my evil least thou forget thine own goodness thine own mercy O bone Do-â—â— mine noli recordare malum moum ne obliviscaris bonum tuum But thou who art found of them who seek thee not Oh! Be mercifully found of a soul who seeketh thee Thus will Faith work it self out of trouble and gather arguments to prevail with God for deliverance It will take up arguments From Soul-raising-Attributes From Soul-raising-Promises From Soul-raising-Relations From Soul-raising-Experiences It will incompass God with Gods own strength And God cannot because hee will not deny God will not reject his own strength not strive against his own mercy not resist his own Spirit not falsifie his own Truth but will raise up and revive the Soul Thus you see Faith is a Soul-raising-Grace Where Unbeleef holds the soul under water buries the soul in these sad conditions Faith raiseth up and reviveth it A beleeving soul cannot long lye under trouble If all the Power Truth and Mercy of God will fetch him out hee shall bee sure to bee delivered Faith ingages and sets a work all these to help Oh! The Reason my Brethren why you lye so long in spiritual Agonies buried up in spiritual troubles is because you let not Faith come in to work for you let Faith have her perfect work and it will raise you Sixteenth Royalty 16. Faith is an Heart-chearing-Grace 16. Royalty Faith is an Heart-chearing Grace Faith is such a Grace as doth chear and comfort the soul with unexpressible Consolations It is such a Grace as makes an inlet of all the Consolations of God into the Soul Faith brings a report to the Soul that God is his God Christ is his Christ that his Name is written in the Book of Life his sins are pardoned his soul shall bee saved And such news as this must needs fill the soul with unexpressible Consolations with joyes unspeakable and full of glory All other joyes are but mad and disorderly joyes They are carnal not spiritual outward not inward joyes they are but painted not true Joyes imaginary not real Joyes unsatisfying not tull Joyes inconstant not stable Joyes The best false Raptures Anabaptistical Illusions not true Joyes But this Joy The Joy of Faith it is grounded joy it is 1. A spiritual Joy for the Nature of it 2. A Hearty Joy for the Nature of it 3. A Satisfying Joy for the fulness of it 4. A Constant Permanent Joy for the duration of it My Joy shall no man take from you Alas what are all other joyes to the Joy of Faith The least morsel of this Joy is worth all the full meals of worldly delights The least gleaning of this Joy is worth the whole Harvest of carnal mirth The least drop of this is worth an Ocean of any other There is more moisture in one drop of this than in a flood of temporal and carnal delights True Joy grows upon the stock of Faith Where there is no Faith there is no true Joy Faith is the Root and Joy is the Fruit. It is call'd The Joy of Beleevers Beleevers are the Subjects of it and a Joy in Beleeving Beleeving is the Root of it Rom. 5.1.2 Being justified by Faith wee have
But Johanan wanted Faith to beleeve there was safety where was no means of safety And therefore hee chose rarher to go down to Egypt than to abide at Jerusalem And if that mans reason might direct it 't was the likeliest way for in Jerusalem was nothing but Penury Want Famine and War In Egypt there was Plenty Peace and all abundance But now observe Though the way were never so likely yet following his own wisdome and rejecting the counsel of God I say following his own wisdome and counsel and neglecting the direction of God hee ran upon his own ruine it was his utter undoing You see there the thing hee thought hee should avoid hee fell into Hee thought to have avoided the Sword Famine and Pestilence but all these followed him God would make him know it was better to follow the guidance of Faith though the way were never so dangerous unlikely to carnal wisdome than to bee led by his own wisdome though 't were never so likely Men that would avoid danger out of Gods way do surely run into it Hee that will follow his own wisdome not Gods shall run into mischief You see this in Jeroboam It was a likely project in carnal reason in mans way To continue his Throne and Kingdome by making of Calves that so the people might bee kept from Jerusalem and might not revolt back to Judah But in Gods way it was the way to his ruine the overthrow of him and all his house Eighteenth Royalty 18. Faith is an Heart-establishing-Grace 18. Royalty Faith is an Heart-establishing-Grace It settles a man upon such a Foundation as nothing can unsettle him Psal 125.1 They who trust in the Lord shall bee as Mount Sion which cannot bee removed but abideth for ever Such a man is Homo quadratus Fall hee which way hee will hee lights upon his square Psal 112. His heart is fixed trusting in the Lord his heart is established hee will not fear Whereas Unbeleef doth unsettle the soul fills a man with unsufferable perplexities sets a man upon the rack of fears It is that which keeps a man in fears and that which causeth a fresh return of doubts and fears If you do not beleeve yee shall not bee established And Unbeleeving man is an house without a foundation a man without a bottom like a ship unballassed in a Tempest tossed hither and thither Faith on the contrary doth make a man a rock in a storm doth stablish and settle the heart in the greatest Tempest The lesse Faith the more Fear the more Unsettledness The more Faith the lesse Fear the more Stability Faith doth unburden our hearts of all our fears and all our cares When a man beleeves not all the burden lies upon a mans self But when wee beleeve wee cast all the burden upon the Lord. Wee are troubled and affraid what shall become of our souls what of our bodies what of our Children But Faith doth unburden the soul of these cares and thoughts it doth quit and discharge the soul of these fears Faith casts the whole burden upon the Lord makes God to bear all the burden not only the burden of sins but the burden of cares and fears comming to him weary and heavy laden and by Faith casting our burden upon him hee bears all Pro. 16.2 Commit thy works unto the Lord and thy thoughts shall bee established Psal 55.22 Cast thy burden upon the Lord and hee shall sustain thee There are two things Faith establishes the soul against 1. Against Fears 2. Against Falling 1. Faith establisheth the heart against fears When a man beleeves not hee is nothing but fears and scruples But when once Faith comes it doth answer all cases silences all doubts stablisheth the heart against all fears There are five Fears which Faith doth establish the heart against 1. The Fear of Men. 2. The Fear of Want 3. The Fear of Death 4. The Fear of Hell 5. The Fear of Judgement 1. Faith establisheth the heart against humane Fears the fear of men Faith will banish these unlawful and tyrannical fears It will not suffer them to enter the Throne and take possession of the heart Psal 27.1.3 The Lord is my light and my Salvation There was his Faith Whom then shall I fear The Lord is the strength of my life Of whom then shall I bee affraid Though an host should incamp against mee my heart shall not fear in another Psalm God is our hope and strength a help in trouble ready to bee found Therefore will not wee fear though the Earth bee moved though the Mountains bee hurled into the midst of the Sea Psal 46.1 2. 2. Faith doth establish us against the Fear of Want Many there are that fear to out-live their labours to out-live their Riches their Comforts Oh! say they I shall one day want and bee in misery Now Faith settles the soul against these fears Why will Faith say hath not God said The Lions shall hunger and suffer want That is as the Septuagint read it the mighty Nimrods the great ones of the World who have their baggs full They shall sooner want than they that fear the Lord shall want any thing that 's good Why will Faith say Doth God cloathe the Lillies feed the Ravens and will hee not take care for thee Mat. 6.24 to the 34. what hath not God ingaged himself to bear thy charges to Heaven Hath hee not promised to give thee all things necessary both for life and godliness not only for Godliness for Spirituals but for Life too for Temporals Hath not Godliness the promise of this Life that now is and of that that is to come Doth God take care for Ravens for the Beasts of the field Doth hee feed his Enemies and will hee forget his friends Hath hee given thee a Christ and doubtest thou hee will give thee a crumb will hee not give us all things who hath not withheld himself from us Thus the Apostle doth reason Nonnè dabit sua qui non dâ—tinuit se Rom. 8.32 Hee that spared not his own Son but freely gave him for us how shall hee not with him freely also give us all things Sure hee who trusts God for his soul will trust God for his Body Faith doth not single and chuse out its Object to beleeve this not that but all comming from the same Truth Fides non eligit Objectum the same God it beleeves one as well as another Hee who depends on God for the many will depend on him for the less Hee who trusts God for pounds will trust him also for pence If I tell you earthly things saith Christ to Nicodemus and you beleeve not how will you beleeve if I tell you heavenly things So if you will not beleeve God for earthly things how can you beleeve him for heavenly things If not for sustentation how then for salvation 3. Faith doth stablish the heart against the Fear of Death the King of Fears as Job
suffered to lye upon thy spirit in serious consideration would e'ne half work the cure it would cure all gross Hypocrisy strike down all by-ends and base ends which thy spirit aims at in the doing of holy duties and vvould do much in the cure of close Hypocrites in the mending of false Principles an honest heart vvould not bee false to God though God should not see him hee loves God hee is the friend of God and you knovv a friend vvill bee true to his friend as vvell absent from him as present vvith him vvhen hee sees him not as vvell as vvhen his eyes are on him But I am not novv to deal vvith a true sincere heart I am laying dovvn means for the cure of a false heart and a great one this is Think and beleeve there is a God and this God an all-seeing God vvho knovvs thy heart and spirit And as hee is all eye to see so hee is all hand to punish thee if thy heart bee not sound vvith him 3. Means 3. Means of cure is Thou must bee nevv made the vvay to mend thee is to nevv make thee thou must bee all undone again taken in peeces and made up again before ever thou canst be better Some peecing and patching up vvill not serve the turn but thou must have a nevv making before thou bee better There is no mending the stream till there bee an healing of the fountain The fountain and spring within thee is infected and corrupted the heart is unsound and what can bee expected from an unclean heart but unclean acts from an unsound spirit but unsound services and therefore this must bee made new before ever you bee cured Thou must have a new Judgement for thou seest by a false light Thou must have a new will for this is corrupt Thou must have a new heart for this is desperately wicked I tell thee there is no mending thee but by new making thee You may go and patch up your selves but it is but like the putting of a new peece of cloth into an old garment it breaks out again and the rent will bee made worse 4. Means 4. Is Prayer which is instar omnium Oh! desire God with David to make thy heart sound in his Statutes sound in Prayer sound in hearing sound in obedience That all thou doest may arise from right Principles have a right rise go by a right rule and bee directed to a right end Pray that God would give thee sound Principles and sound purposes That that little measure of Grace hee implanteth in thee may bee accompanied with abundance of sincerity and truth of heart And having gotten a sincere heart let it bee your care to fence and guard your heart against Hypocrisy I will give you but one preservative which is this 1. Before you go upon any duty clear the sincerity of your hearts make your end as high as may bee Set out aright loose off well begin in God in Gods strength in Gods grace in Gods assistance A good beginning will make as good a close 2. When thou art upon the duty then look to thy heart suffer no base no by-ends to steal in to poison all thou doest Keep thine eye stedfast upon God in the doing of the duty Do the duty as if there were no men no hopes no fears no rewards in the World as if none but God and thou were in the World 3. Afterwards when the duty is done if there hath been any thing if God have quickened inlarged inflamed humbled thy heart give God all the glory Beware least it bee with thee as it was with Paul and his company that when a fire is kindled a viper come out of the heat Hath God kindled a fire in thy heart warmed inflamed thy spirit Oh! beware that a viper come not out of the heat a viper of pride of vain glory Know this they that seek Gods glory in the work will give God the glory when the work is done If then there have been any good let God inherit all the glory but if any evil take it to thy self for it came from thee and let it bee thy work to lament it to bee humbled for it And now this Rule will bee of special use There are four uses 1. This will fence thy heart guard and strengthen thy heart against Hypocrisy this will keep out Hypocrisy here is no place of entrance for it 2. It will keep down Hypocrisy for Hypocrisy gets no ground so long as it is seen and mourned for 3. This clears the heart in the main that thou art no Hypocrite though there may bee Hypocrisy in thee yet being seen fought against mourned for resisted it reigns not it shall not denominate thee an Hypocrite 4. It will clear thee of the sin of Hypocrisy God will never charge thee for that which thou chargest thy self withall hee will not impute that to thee which thou imputest to thy self That which is thy misery God will never impute to thee as sin Hypocrisy seen mourned for sighed under resisted fought and prayed against shall never bee a condemning Hypocrisy And so much shall now serve for the first branch of the exhortation with the motives to get sincerity with the remedies to cure Hypocrisy and preservatives against it Second Branch of the Exhortation is Having gotten Clear sincerity labour to clear this to your own souls that your hearts are sincere It is a thing possible to bee cleared a man may come to evidence to himself the sincerity of his own graces and gracious performances And it is a thing necessary to bee known in respect of your peace of your comfort So necessary that you can neither live with comfort nor dye with comfort unless you bee able in some measure to clear the sincerity of your hearts the integrity of your spirits And being a thing so necessary I will here lay down some Rules and directions for the better inabling of you to this present duty 1. Rule 1. Make a through and sound search deceits lye low Hypocrisy is spun of a fine thread and is not discerned without diligent search A false evidence is the fruit of a superficial search Though gross Hypocrisy is seen without search yet close Hypocrisy must bee narrowly searcht into otherwise you shall not bee able to discover it Here you must not only read over your selves in your actions but in your affections not only in your practises but also in your Principles Hypocrisy lyes low it is a root sin The heart of man is deceitful above measure saith the Lord who knows it Jer. 17.9 like a crested picture on the one side an Angel on the other a Devil And I must tell you that sin lyes at the bottome of a deceitful heart and therefore it will ask some pains to discover it It was a fair speech of the Children of Israel Deut. 5.29 Whatever the Lord shall say unto us wee will do And it may bee they meant
for nothing So hee makes use of such means in straits for the deliverance of his Church as the enemies thereof do look upon with scorn as upon cast and despicable Creatures As God doth weaken and infatuate them hee intends not to prosper so hee strengthens and guides with a spirit of wisdome those hee intends for the deliverance of his Church You see this in Deborah in Cyrus who though hee were a weak Prince yet God made him an instrument for the overthrow of the most strong and puissant people in the World 4 When hee makes the Afflictions and persecutions of his Church a means of growth and increase of his Church As it was said of the Israelites Exod. 1.12 The more they were afflicted the more they grew so hath God still done for his Church The primitive times tell us of thousands who were brought in not by Sermons but by the sufferings of the Saints The blood of those Martyrs being the seed of the Church And Julian knew this so well that hee left off to persecute the Church as his Predecessors had done Non ex misericordiâ sed ex invidiâ not out of mercy but envy saith the Historian because hee saw The more they were afflicted the more they grew The more they were oppressed the more they increased And therefore hee left off that course But the Church lost more by Sun-shine than by Storms more by Peace than by Troubles by Smiles than by Frowns 5 VVhen God shall bring about the Peace of his People by the trouble of his People their healing by their woundings their comforts by their fears When God shall work his work by contraries bring joy out of sorrow life out of death create comfort out of discomforts This is a wonder and a wonder which God hath frequently shewed for the good of his Church How often hath God made the lusts of men even the malice and rage of his enemies to bee a means for the good of his Church and People making those things which in their own nature were for the ruine a means for the raising of his Church and People The stories of Pharaoh of Haman and others afford you plentiful proof of it Thus out of the Eater comes sweetness out of those things destructive in themselves comfort and deliverance This is to turn poison into food evil into good As God doth turn the evil of sin so much more the evil of trouble to the good of his Church Hee makes all troubles subservient to deliverance as pangs and throws are to the birth As it was in the waters of Bethesda the waters were troubled before the diseased were healed God made the trouble of the water subservient to the cure in the water So hee often makes the troubles of his People subservient to the growth and increase of his People As the VVhale which swallowed up Jonah hee made a means to bring him to the shoar So that trouble which wee think will swallow us up God makes to advance their peace here till hee set them on the shoar of eternity Wee our selves have had the experience of it But this is the Lords doing and it is wonderful in our eyes 6 VVhen then are nothing but thoughts and preparations for war and destruction And God shall please to compose our differences heal our breaches change the sad face of things beat our swords into Plow-shares and our spears into Pruning-hooks This is a wonder And this is a wonder which God can do a wonder which hee hath done a wonder which wee have had experience of and such an one as wee are now in expectations of which God of his mercy grant It will bee more destructive to our enemies than our wars In the mean time there must bee our prayers and indeavours for it 4. Quere 4 VVhen is the time which God takes to do these wonders for his Church 1 VVhen God shall get himself most glory of the enemies of his Church and People Then is the time God takes to do wonders If God had disappointed Haman at the beginning of his design hee might thereby have delivered his Church but hee had not then gotten so much glory out of him and therefore hee suffers him to go on with his design and bring it up to ripeness that now it is ready to bee put in execution and then God stepping in in a wonderful and unexpected way hee got himself a great deal of glory upon him Therefore doth God oftentimes stay till the enemies bee ripe till they have digged graves to bury themselves in twisted cords to binde themselves withall that thereby their confusion might be greater and Gods glory more visible 2 VVhen God shall get most praise from his â—wn people God is very desirous of the praises of his Saints As hee doth Bathe himself in their tears so hee doth delight himself in their joyes Hee loves to hear their Praises as well as their Prayers And you know the greater the straits out of which God doth help and deliver the more are the hearts of the Saints inlarged with praises to him And therefore God doth take such a time for the declaration of his deliverances as thereby the hearts of his People may bee mightily inlarged and affected with the mercy 3 When God can do the Church most good and work the compleatest deliverance for them Then is the time for God to do wonders for his Church You see this in the story of Pharaoh God could have wrought a deliverance for them had hee but unwheel'd his Charets as soon as hee came out of Egypt But it had not then been so compleat a deliverance as they afterward had Though God had delivered them from that present trouble yet their enemies had been alive and they should have heard of them again And therefore God he lets them go on and follow them unto nay into the Red-sea and then to work a compleat deliverance for them he shews a wonder upon them The like you have Mich. 4.11 12 13. Many Nations are gathered together against thee who say let her bee defiled and let our eye look upon Zion But they know not the thoughts of the Lord nor understand they his Counsell for hee shall gather them as sheaves into the floor Arise and thresh O Daughter of Zion for I will make thy horns iron and thy hoofs brasse and thou shalt break in peeces many people and I will consecrate their gain unto the Lord and their substance unto the Lord of the whole earth Where observe God suffers Nations and many Nations to gather themselves together against Sion And why did God do so certainly they thought they should have the day of Zion and so they say Let her bee defiled let our eye look upon Zion But they know not the thoughts of the Lord they understand not the Counsell of God For God suffers them to gather themselves together but for this end For the compleater ruine of the enemys and by
hee was for theirs 3 A third incouragement that wee have to these duties is from the consideration of Gods love to his Church and many precious ingagements to them in promises The Church is dear to him wee are his Spouse his Members such as hee dyed for c. Wee are his 1. By Choice 2. By Purchase 3. By Gift 4. By Covenant And being his hee will do great things for us also Gods love to his Church is that into which wee may resolve all the mercies hee doth for his Church and is the only ground of our Faith and hope to expect mercies from him It is the Sea the spring Well then having so strong incouragements to these duties I would now have spent a little time to have pressed these duties on you but I forbear 9 Information 9. Information This may inform us what is the reason that God suffers wicked men to conceive and to hatch mischief against the Church Nay and to bring up their designes to ripeness that they are ready for execution why God doth not disturb them all their way Here is the Reason Because hee can do wonders Though hee let them go on yet they can never get the advantage of God nor can they make it past Gods help It is but shewing a wonder at last and all is dasht Men when they see an adversary whom they can easily Master when they please they will let them go on counsel advise lay their heads and power together and seem to take no notice of them They know the further they let them go the fuller and compleater will bee their overthrow at last So doth God here Hee suffers wicked men to go on but is because hee knoweth hee can overtake them though they think they have got the start before they come to the goal or get the prize When men see there would bee some hazard at last when they had brought their design to ripeness or did fear that the adversary would bee too strong for them then they will labour to hinder the beginnings and gatherings they will indeavour to crush the birth of their counsels or they will set themselves against their power as soon as they can And this is the wisest way among men But now God hee can let them go on hee can let them bring their designes to ripenesse they can never swell so big as to bee too great for his power to conquer them can never make their design so strong as to non-plus his wisdome and skill to help And therefore hee will let them go on because hee can dash them in their Man-hood as well as in their infancy in their strength as well as in their weaknesse It is but shewing a wonder and all is done And this was the Reason why God suffered the five Kings of Canaan to lay all their strength together that they might bee able to do that joyntly which they were never able to do singly Yet it is said The Lord hardened their hearts to joyn together to come against Israel Though they thought by this means to overthrow Israel yet Gods end was to make the quicker dispatch the fuller overthrow of them And therefore hee let Pharaoh also to go on did not stop him in his preparations nor hinder him in his setting forth but let him follow them to the utmost God knew hee could have him at the last hee could shew a wonder and break all in peeces The like of Haman God could if hee would have dasht his bloody counsel in the beginning hee could have set the King against it But hee lets him go on and bring his design to ripenesse and then declares a wonder and ruines him and his counsel too And this is the reason why God suffers wicked men to go on gather themselves together bring their designs to the utmost Because hee can break them in the end as well as in the beginning It is but doing a wonder at last which is familiar with God and all is broken in peeces And therefore Melancthon saith Non est judicandum de operibus dei ante quartum actum 2. Use Let it bee an Use of cautional Advise to wicked men 2 Use is for Caution to the wicked Let them beware of designing or attempting any thing against the Church and People of God seeing they have such a one on their side as can and will do Wonders for the relieving of them It was a truth which Zerish Hamans wife told him Esther 6.17 If Mordecai bee of the seed of the Jews before whom thou hast begun to fall thou shalt not prevail against him but shalt surely fall before him It seems it was a known truth of those dayes even among Heathens that there should bee no power nor counsel against the Church of God God would do wonders for them Gods people are dear to God they are all the riches hee hath in the World Hee calls them so His Inheritance his Portion his Jewels his Treasure Hee hath a great deal of lumber in the world besides but these are his Jewels only and it cost him dear to make them Jewels It was no lesser than the price of his own blood As the Apostle saith You were not redeemed with silver and gold but with the precious blood of Christ 1 Pet. 1.19 Gods people are all the Income Christ had for his blood and sufferings all that Christ desired all that God promised and all he enjoys As you see Isa 53.11 12. Hee shall see of the travel of his Soul and shall be satisfied c. And do you think then that God will not preserve his People yes certainly and will not stand to do wonders to preserve them Assure your selves God will never desert his cause his Church his People when things are brought up to their ripenesse that God is as it were drawn out to discover to the world in what cause hee will stand for what persons hee will fight Then he will declare it to the comfort of his Saints and to the cost of all those who are enemies to the Church of God God hath promised That hee will never leave us nor forsake us Hee hath said Hee will bee with us as hee was with Joseph in Prison And that not onely as a Spectator but as an Actor not as one to look on and take notice onely but as one to relieve and help us His power shall bee with us his Wisdome with us c. And as hee is with his Church so is hee against the Enemies of it His Power is against them before whom All the Nations of the Earth are but as the drop of a bucket And his wisdome against them his justice and truth against them And Woe bee to them whom God is against Thou maiest stand out against the power of men but not of God if he once prove thine enemy Hee hath a rod of Iron a Scepter of power an arm of strength to crush in peeces all his adversaries And
therefore as Pilates Wife said to her Husband Have nothing to do with that just man so I say to you Have nothing to do by way of offence against the Church and People of God you will but ruine your selves in seeking their ruine Gods Church is both too heavy and too hot for you see them both Zach. 12.3 There God saith of his Church That hee would make it a burthensome stone who ever lifteth at it shall bee crusht in peeces though all the Nations of the world be gathered together against her yet all will be to no purpose For God will make his Church a burdensome stone that whosoever lifteth at her shall be crushed in peeces Hee doth not say whoever lifeth it up for that cannot bee but whoever lifteth at it whoever seeks to hurt it shall crush themselves Their very attempt shall bee their destruction Haman lifted so long at this stone that it fell on him at last and crushed him to peeces Pharaoh followed the Children of Israel so long that there was no return at the last he was buried in the waters Julian attempted evil against the Church so long till at last God from heaven struck him slew him The Church God makes too heavy for his enemies and too hot too As you see in the 6. verse of that 12th Chapter of Zach. In that day will I make the Governors of Judah like an hearth of fire among the wood and like a torch of fire in a sheaf and they shall devour all the people round about All the encounters of wicked men against the Church is but like a sheaf of straw encountring with a torch of fire that burns themselves Whiles the iron is in its own nature you may handle it and deal with it but if once the nature of Fire be put to it then ware your fingers if you prove so bold and hardy as to touch it Wee say He that shoots in a peece overcharged strikes down himself not that hee aimed at There was never man who levelled peece against the Church but hee shoots in a peece overcharged and shall be sure at last to be struck down with its own recoil They shall but lay snares to take themselves dig graves to bury themselves in make rods for their own backs and pave a way for their own destruction at last Isa 54.15 16 17. Behold the enemy shall gather himself but without mee whosoever shall gather himself in thee against thee shall fall Behold I have created the Smith that bloweth the coals in the fire and him that bringeth forth an instrument for his work and I have created the destroyer to destroy No weapon made against thee shall prosper every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgement shalt thou condemn This is the heritage of the Lords servants c. God will work wonders for the deliverance of his Church and for the destruction of the wicked at last Let this bee for caution therefore to the wicked persecutors 3. Use Let this bee for incouragement of Gods People 3 Use of Incouragement to the People of God in these Times of danger and trouble Though our condition bee very sad at this time Our enemies strong we weak they full of rage and bitterness against us yet there is no cause of fears nor of discouragement 1 There is no cause of fear seeing wee have a God on our side and such a God as is able to do wonders for us You may set God against all the strength and provisions of the Arm of flesh Thus you see David did Psal 20.7 Some trust in Charriots and some in Horses but we will remember the name of the Lord our God He set God against all Alas what are Castles and Forts what are multitudes of men what are riches what is Provision of horse the Psalmist tells you Psal 33 17. A Horse is but a vain thing to save a man Isa 31.3 Their Horses are flesh and not Spirit Prov. 21.31 The Horse is prepared against the day of battel but safety is of the Lord. All this and whatever an adversary may have to glory in is but an arm of flesh but you have a God and a God that can do wonders for you I will boast in God saith the Prophet all the day long Give not way then to sinkings of Spirit you have no cause of fears if you look above as well as below if you converse with Heaven as well as with Earth Indeed if wee look below God for the relief of the weaknesse of our Faith hath stirred up the hearts of our worthys and People to afford so willing a concurrence in the service of the King and Kingdome at this time But this is not our strength Look above and you have a God who can who will do wonders for you Fear is utterly unbeseeming 1 A Christian who is the souldier of Christ 2 Religion which is the Cause of Christ 1 It is unbefitting a Christian For the Righteous should be bold as a Lyon Let the sinners in Zion be afraid not you who have so great a God as can do wonders for you Luthers spirit doth well befit a Christian especially in these days who when hee was disswaded from going to Wormes about some extraordinary businesse of the Church because of some Plots laid against him he makes reply Vocatus ingrediar etsi scirem tot esse Diabolos Wormatiae quot sunt tegulae in aedium tectis I am called to it and though every tile in the City were a devil I would go This was Resolution and courage befitting a Christian who is a souldier of Christ And 2 Fear is unbeseeming Religion which is the cause of Christ A good cause should have a good courage It was the speech of Luther to Melancthon who was an holy though a fearful man when Melancthon had discovered his fears to him If our cause be not good let us desist and leave it If it bee good let us go on couragiously Christs cause and a Cowards heart are ill coupled together Gods People are too apt to this And therefore doth Christ steel the heart of his Disciples against it Fear not little flock Though a little flock yet there is no cause to fear having so strong a Shepheard And fear not worm Jacob though a worm and weak apt to bee trod upon yet fear not Isa 41.13 14. I will help thee saith the Lord thy Redeemer the holy-one of Israel And Who art thou that are afraid of a man that shall dye and forgets the Lord thy maker Arguing if they had not forgotten God they would not have feared man VVhat though they bee carried on with all head-strong violence to seek our ruine what though their purposes be cruel God can 1 Calm them still them as hee did the Sea Peace and bee still as he did Esau when he came against Jacob. 2 Stop them in their way Hee that Sets bounds to the Sea and saith hitherto shalt thou come and