placeth a Christian upon the top of mount Pisga and there letteth him see a sight of the promised Land And doth open a door in Heaven thorow which a Christian is admitted to see Christ sitting upon His Throne And Faith hath not only a kind of Omnipotency as is clear That all things are possible to them that believe but it hath a kind of Omnisciency and all knowledge that it can take up and comprehend the greatest mysteries of heaven according to that word Prov. 28. 5. He that seeketh the Lord shall understand all things As if hee said there is nothing dark to a believing Christian as there is nothing impossible to â— believing Christian. As likewise Faith â—s that grace that must take aside the vail that is spread over the face of a crucified Christ. And Faith is that precious spy that goeth forth and taketh up these wonderfull excellencies that are in him The grace of love as it were is born blind and it hath nothing wherewith to solace it self but that which is presented unto it by this noble and excellent grace of Faith Now before wee shall speak any thing to these things that wee did propose to speak of it at the last occasion wee shall yet speak a little unto some things which are necessary to be known for the distinct up taking of the nature of justifying Faith which is the great commandement of this everlasting Gospel and that which wee would first speak to shall be this What is the reason and ground that the Gospel conveyance of righteousnesse and life and of the excellent things of this everlasting Covenant should be through the exercise of the grace of Faith For it is not said in the Scripture that repentance justifieth that love justifieth or that mortification justifieth but it is Faith only that justifieth and it is Faith by which a Christian inheriteth the promises so that is clear that Faith is that Conduit-pype through which are conveyed to us the great blessings of this everlasting Covenant I. And the first ground of it is this it is through Faith that all our blessings may be known to be by love and by free and unsearchable grace as is clear Rom. 4. 16. While the Apostle is giving a reason why the inheritance is conveyed to a Christian through Faith It is of faith saith he that it might be of grace for if the inheritance were conveyed to a Christian through a Covenant of Works then these spotlesse draughts of infinite love and of unsearchable grace should not be written on our inheritance as is clear Rom. 4. 25. And it is that great designe of Christ to make his grace conspicuous in conveying salvation to us through Faith II. There is this second ground likewise of it that all the promises and blessings of this everlasting Covenant might be sure and stedfast to us therefore they are conveyed to us through the exercise of the grace of Faith as is clear Rom. 4. 16. They are of Faith saith he that they might be sure or as the word is that they might be settled when the promises of life and of eternal salvation were conveyed to us through mans obedience were they not then most uncertain and unstable But is not heaven your everlasting crown now stedfast unto you seeing you have that golden pillar of Christs everlasting righteousnesse to be the foundation of your Faith and the strength of your confidence in the day of need III. There is this third ground why the promises and excellent things of this Gospel are conveyed to a Christian through the exercise of Faith that all boasting and gloriation might be excluded according to that word Rom. 3. 27. By what law is boasting excluded Not by the law of works but by the law of Faith And certainly seeing Christians have all the great things of heaven conveyed to them through the exercise of Faith think yee not that this shall be your first song when yee shall be within the gates of that new Jerusalem Not unto us not unto us but unto thee doth belong the glory of our salvation O what a precious dignity were it but for one half hour to be admitted to hear these spotlesse songs that are sung by these thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands of holy Angels that are round about His Throne Doth not David that sweet singer of Israel now sing more sweetly noâ— he did while he was here below Doth not deserted Heman now chaunt forth the praises and everlasting song of him that sitteth upon the Throne And doth not afflicted Iob now sing sweetly after his captivity is reduced and he entered within that land where the voice of joy and gladnesse is continually heard Would ye have a description of Heaven I could give it no tearm so suitable as this Heaven is a rest without a rest for though there remain a rest for the righteous yet Rev. 4. 8. These four beasts that stand before the Throne they rest not night nor day crying holy holy holy is the Lord God Almighty yet there is much divine quietnesse in that holy unquietnesse that is above IV. There is this last ground why the blessings of the Gospel and life and righteousnesse are conveyed to us thorow the exercise of Faith that the way to attain to these things might be pleasant and easie we are certainly perswaded that the way of winning to Heaven by a Covenant of Works was much more unpleasant and difficult But is it not an easie way of entring into the holy of Holies to win unto it through the exercise of Faith Are not all wisdoms wayes pleasantnesse and are not all her paths peace Was not that just self-denial in one that said he would not take up a Crown though it were lying at his foot But oh that cursed self-denial doth possesse the breasts of many so that though that Crown of immortal Glory and eternal blessednesse be lying at your feet yet ye will not imbrace it nor take it up Is not the hatred of many to Christ covered with deceit and therefore Your iniquity shall be declared before the Congregation Now that what we have spoken upon this might be more clear and that the nature of â—ustifying Faith be not mistaken We would have you taking notice of these things 1. That the grace of Faith doth not justifie Christian as it is a work or because of any inherent excellency and dignity that is in this grace above any other graces of the Spirit â—ut Faith doth alone justifie a Christian instrumentally and objectively that is it is â—hat by which a Christian is just by laying hold â—n the precious object of it the righteousness of Christ. And to clear this we would only have you knowing this That Faith doth juifie as it closeth with Christ but not because 〈◊〉 closes with Christ which some vainly are â—old to assert because there is not any digâ—ity or worth in the act of Faith in closing with Christ
he please It is this be much in the grace of Faith this is clear from Eph. 3. 17. That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith By the exercise of all other graces Christ is but a sojourner That turneth aside to tarry but for a night but by the exercise of this grace he cometh to take up house with us I will tell you what faith is It is a ladder that reacheth betwixt heaven and earth by the steps of which a Christian doth daily go up to heaven and converse with the higher House Faith is that grace as the Apostle speaketh by which wee have accesse to the Throne of his grace Faith ushers in the Believer to the Throne and without it hee cannot have accesse there nor joy when he is there V. Here is this advantage that attendeth the exercise of Faith A believing Christian is a praying Christian according to that word in Mark 9. 24. where these two are conjoyned together Lord I believe and then hee falleth to his prayer presently after that confession Help thou my unbelief And it is clear from Psal. 63. 1. O God thou art my God early will I seek thee my soul thirsteth for thee And sometimes Faith is a most impatient grace but we may alwayes say of it that it is a most diligent grace Oh is it not the neglect of this precious exercise of faith and of the duty of secret Prayer that makes our leannesse testisie to our Face and maketh our souls as a barren wildernesse I am perswaded of this that since Christ had any followers and since ever this everlasting Goâ—pel was preached in Paradise the exercise of secret prayer was never so much neglected Wee have turned over all our prayers into complements with God We know not what â—t is to rise at mid-night and call upon God and to inquire after our Maker under the silent watches of the night O but it is a sweet diâ—ersion from sleep to retire our selves in the â—ilent seasons of the night from all thoughts â—bout worldly matters and to converse with â—hat invisible Majesty VI. There is this sixth consideration to â—oint out the advantage of Faith That Faith â—s that grace that doth facilitate a Christians obedience and maketh it most pleasant and â—asie This is clear from Heb. 11. 8. By faith Abraham when commanded to go to a strange land obeyed and went out not knowing whether â—e went The word may be rendered He did â—hearfully obey And ver 17. By faith he ofâ—ered up his only Son Would ye know the reaâ—on why his commands are your burden and why his precepts are your crosses It is beâ—ause of this Yee do not believe And so it is most certain that it is impossible for a Chriâ—tian to attain to a pleasant way of obedience â—ithout the exercise of Faith Faith holdeth â—p the Crown to a Christian and this crown â—aketh him to obey Faith gathereth strength â—rom Christ and that strength maketh obeâ—ience very easie Faith â—aketh up the excellency of Christ and this maketh a Christian to look upon his duty more as his dignity then his duty And we are perswaded of this that our chariot wheel should move more swiftly like the chariots of Aminadab if we were more in the exercise of the grace of Faith Would ye know an answer to that question What is the first most requisit for a Christian while here below Faith And what secondly is most requisit Faith And what thirdly is most requisit for a Christian even Faith Faith above all things and above all things Faith VII There is another advantage of it that by Faith our service and prayers are accepted of God Would ye know what is the prayer of a Christian that is not in Faith Iâ— is a smoak in his nostrils and a fire that burneth all the day The unbelievers sacrifice is an abomination to the Lord. This is clear from Heb. 11. 4. By faith Abel offered up unto God a more acceptable sacrifice then Cain and we conceive that there are many unanswered prayers which we do put up because we want that noble exercise of Faith VIII And lastly we shall likewise addâ— this that Faith is the graâ—e by which a Christian hath that perfect and immediate sight as it were of great things that are promised to him Faith bringeth a Christian withiâ— sight of Heaven and Faith bringeth a Christian within sight of God according to thaâ— word Heb. 11. 1. Faith is the evidence â— things not seen and that noble paâ—adox thâ—â— is said of Faith Heb. 11. 27 By faith Mosâ—â— saw him that is invisible Is it not an impossible thing to see that which cannot be seen But the meaning of it is this That Faiths discoveries of God are as certain and sure as the discoveries of our bodily eyes are Faith is an intelligent grace yea it is a most sure and infallible grace What will Faith not do And what can yee do who want Faith Now to enforce the advantages and excellencies of Faith a little more wee shall propose to you the disadvantages of that wofull sin of unbelief I. There is this disadvantage of the sin of unbelief that all the actions that proceed from an unbeliever they are impure and defiled according to that in Tit. 1. 15. But unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure but even their mind and conscience is defiled Their prayer is unclean yea as Solomon speaketh their plowing is sin yea their going about the most excellent duties for matter is an abomination to God according to that word Rom. 14. 23. What ever is not of faith is sin So the want of Faith is the great polluter of all our actions and of all our performances II. There is this second disadvantage of misbelief that it is impossible for one in the exercise of unbelief to moâ—tifie a lust or idol and wee may allude unto these words in Matth. 17. 20. When his disciples came to him and asked this question Why could wee not cast out this devil That was given as an answer because of your unbelief Unbelief is that which taketh up arms for our idols and doth most strongly defend them for there is nothing that will kill corruption so much as the exercise of faith and when that is laid aside we have laid by our weapons and have in a manner concluded â— treaty of peace with our idols that we shall not offend them if they offend not us III. There is this disadvantage that waiteth upon the sin of unbelief that such an one cannot win nor attain to the grace of establishment but is alwayes as the waves of the sea tossed to and fro untill once hee win to the exercise of Faith as is clear from Isa. 7. 9 Except ye believe ye shall not be established IV. There is this disadvantage that waiteth on it it is the mother of hardnesse and stupidity of heart according to that word in Mark 16. 14. Where he
your closing with Christ and of your coming out of Egypt and we may allude unto that command if not more then allude unto it in Dent. 16. 1. Observe the month of Abib and keep the passeover unto the Lord thy God For in the moneth of Abib the Lord thy God brought thee out of the land of Egypt And secondly We would have you much in marking these experiences which have increased your Faith and which have strengthned your love and which have made you mortifie your idols These are experiences especially to be marked 2. Faith is keeped in exercise and we win to the lively assurance of our interest in God which we would presse upon you by being much in the exercise of secret prayer O but many loveth much to pray when abroad who never loved to pray when alone And that is a desperate sign of hypocrisie according to that Matth. 6. 5. It is said of hypocrites They love to pray standing in the Synagogues and in the corner of the street s that they might be seen of men But it is never said of these persons that they love to pray alone onely they loved to pray in Synagogues but it is secret and retired prayer by which Faith must be keeped in exercise 3. And there is this likewise that we would presse upon you that ye would be much in studying communion and fellowship with God that so your Faith may be keeped in life And O what a blessed life were it each day to be taken up to the top of the mount Pisga and there to behold that promised land to get a refreshfull sight of the Crown every morning which might make us walk with joy all alongs that day The heart oâ— a Christian ought to be in heaven his conversation ought to be there his eyes ought to be there And I know not what of a Christian ought to be out of heaven even before his going there save his lumpish â—abernacle of clay which cannot inherite incorruption till he be made incorruptible And I shall say no more but this many of us are readiâ—â— to betray him with a kisse and crucifie him afresh then to keep communion with him but wo eternally be to him by whom the Son oâ— man is betrayed and that doth crucifie Christ afresh it were better that a milstone were hanged about his neck and he were cast into thâ— depth of the sea I remember an expressioâ— of a man not two dayes ago who upoâ— his death bed being asked by one what hâ— was doing did most stupidly though mosâ— truly reply That he was fighting with Christ and I think that the most part of us if he prevent us not shall die fighting with Christ. But know and be perswaded that he is too sore a party for us to fight with He will once tread you in the wine presse of his fury and he shall return with dyed garments from treading such of you as would not imbrace him He shall destroy you with all his heart Therefore be instructed lest his soul be disjoynted from you as that word in Ier. 6. 8. And lest your soul eternally be separted from him Be instructed I say to close with him by â—aith Now to him who can make you to do so we desire to give praise In the two Sermons next following you have the rest of these sweet Purposes which the worthy Author Preached upon the same Text Never before Printed SERMON V. 1 Joh. 3. 23. This is his Commandment that ye should believe on the Name of his Son Iesus Christ c. THere are two great rocks upon which a Christian doth ordinarily dash iâ— his way and motion toward his rest 1. The rock of presumption and carnal confidence so that when Christ dandleth them upon his knees and satisfieth them with the breasts of his consolations and maketh their cup to overflow then they cry out My mountain standeth strong I shall never be moved And 2. The rock of misbelief and discouragement So that when he hideth his face and turneth back the face of his Throne theâ— they cry out Our hope and our strength is perished from the Lord we know not what iâ— is to bear our enjoyments by humility noâ— our crosses by patience and submission â—â— but misbelief and jealousie are bad interpre ters of dark dispensations they know noâ— what it is to read these mysterious character of divine Providence except they be writâ—â—â— in the legible characters of sense misbelieâ—â— is big with childe of twins and is travelliâ—â— till it bring forth apostacy and security anâ— no doubt he is a blessed Christian that haâ—â— overcome that woful idol of miâ—belief anâ— doth walk by that Royal Law of the Worâ— and not by that changeable rule of dispensatâ— on s We conceive that there are three greâ—â— Idols and Dagons of a Christian that hindereâ—â— him from putting a blank in Christs hand concerning his guiding to heaven there is pride self-indulgence and security Do we not covet to be more excellent then our neighbour Do we not love to travell to heaven through a valley of Roses And doe we not ambitiously desire to walk toward Sion sleeping rather then weeping as we go Are there not some words that we would have taken out of the Bible That is sad divinity to flesh and bloud Through many tribulations must we enter into the Kingdome of Heaven we love not to be changed from vessel to vessel that so our scent may be taken from us There are three great enemies of Christ Misbelief Hypocrisie and Profanity Misbelief is a bloudy sin hypocrisie is a silent sin profanity is a crying sin Those are mother evils and I shall give you these differences betwixt them Misbelief crucifieth Christ under the vail of humility hypocrisie crucifieth Christ under the vail of love and profanity putteth him to open shame Misbelief denyeth the love and power of God hypocrisie denieth the omnisciency of God â—nd profanity denyeth the justice of God Misbelief is a sin that looketh after inherent â—ighteousnesse hypocrisie is a sin that lookâ—th after external holinesse onely and proâ—anity is a sin that looketh after heaven without holinesse making connexion between â—hese things that God hath alwayes sepaâ—ate and separating these things which he â—ath alwayes put together So that their faith shall once prove a delusion and flie away as a dream in the night But let us study this excellent grace of true and saving Faith which shall be a precious remedy against all those Christ-destroying and soul-destroying evils But now to come to that which we did propose thirdly to be spoken of from the words which was the sweetnesse of this grace of Faith no doubt it is a pleasant command and it maketh all commands pleasant it is that which casteth a divine lustre upon the most hard sayings of Christ and maketh the Christian to cry forth God hath spoken in his holinesse I will rejoyce Wee need not stand long to clear that Faith
at the pains to imbrace it but I say unto you there is but small pains in the way oâ— Godlinesse I say unto you it may so easilâ— be had that it is in your offer to day and 〈◊〉 ye will ye may put forth your hand and take it Consider therefore what yee will do O will ye despise it I say will ye still negleâ— and despise it will ye but read that dreadâ—â—ll word Act. 13. 40. 41. Behold ye despiâ—â—s and wonder and perish Tell me freely would ye have us to return this answer to him who sent us that ye are despisers of the Great Salvation Say to it Are there none of you who for all this will consent to partake of this Great Salvation O captives and prisoners and ye who are in the bonds of â—atan will ye come and partake of this Great salvation and you shall be made free I have 〈◊〉 act of release for you to day If ye will â—ome and make use of it ye shall be set at â—â—berty But Oh shall the prison doors be â—st open and yet none come forth But that I may come to a close I say yet unto â—â—on O poor prisoners go forth go forth and partake of this Great Salvation Oh will â—e not come forth What holdeth you in The foundation of your prison house is taken to day therefore if ye will but come â—orth and cast a look to Christ your very â—â—kels shall fall off your hands and ye shall â—â— as those who were never bound Now I â—ave this with you and to make you think â—pon it I shall speak these five words unto â—ou and I intreat you think upon them 1. First I have excellent tidings to tell â—â—u I hope some of you will give ear to â—â—em viz. There is a great Person come â—ere to day and that is the mighty Author â—f this Great Salvation who hath brought â—erlasting righteousnesse with him desiring â—ou to make use thereof It is his desire that yee would take his excellent Gift at his hand These I say are the tidingâ— that have to preach unto you and I hope never to be declared a liar for what I preach untâ— you I say yet unto you that Christ thâ— Author of the Great Salvation desiâ—eth to give it freely unto you if ye will but take it But O will yee not take it I think â—â— yee did see an hundreth men lying in prison or dungeon without all light bread oâ— water and a great Prince coming to them saying I desire you all to come forth anâ— partake of this Great liberty which I bring unto you and every one of them should answer I scorn to come forth at this time would yee not think them exceeding greaâ— fools And yet I fear this act of great foll fall out in many of your hands to day thaâ— when Christ hath given us the keyes of youâ— prison doors and they are opened yee wiâ—â— not come forth But I must intreat you yâ—â— to come forth and shew your selves Foâ— who knoweth but wee may bee commandeâ— to shut your prison doors again and to seâ— them with seven seals with an unalterabâ—â— decree from heaven never to bee recalled Wherefore O ye prisoners go forth go forâ— from your prison house 2. Secondly I would say this to you that it is not without much ground thâ— this Salvation offered to you is called Great Salvation I know a little Paper two or three sheets might contain all tâ—â— salvations that ever any man obtained bâ— the world would not bee able to contain 〈◊〉 the Books which might be written to the commendation of this Great Salvation yea unto any who will imbrace it I say First If thou finde not this Salvation above thy â—aith then go thy way when thou art come But I know thou wilt finde it both above thy â—aith and hope Secondly If thou finde it not above thy desires when thou aâ—â— come â—nto it then go thy way again but were thy desires as the sand upon the sea shoare thou shalt alwayes finde more in this Salvation then ever thou could desire Thirdly If this Salvation be not above what thou can conceive then go thy way when thou art come to it But think of it as thou can it shall alwayes be above thy thoughts of it Fourthly If this Salvation be not above thy opinion of it then go thy way when thou â—â—it come unto it but I know thou wilt â—â—nd it far above thy opinion of it Therefore seeing it is so Great a Salvation as that all the world could not contain all the Books â—ight be written in the commendation of it O will ye imbrace it even to day while it is â—o your offer 3. Thirdly I would say this unto you 〈◊〉 perswaded that there is no sin that will more provoke the Majesty of God to punish you then the sin of slighting the Great-salvation Bring forth these murtherers saith the Lord of the slighters of this invitation and slay them before me I intreat â—â—en enquire at your own hearts what ye will answer when ye are reproved for slighting of it Old men will ye ask at your own hearts what ye will answer to Christ when he shall propose that question to you Why slighted ye the Great Salvation Old woman what will ye answer when he shall say to you why slighted ye the Great Salvation Young men and young women inquire at your own hearts what ye will answer when Christ shall say to you why slighted ye thâ— great Salvation Can ye imagine any answer unto that question O dreadfull shall the wrath of God be that shall be executed upon the slighters of this Great Salvation 4. Fourthly I would say this unto you that heaven is waiting to hear what acceptation the offer of this Great Salvation doth get among you Here is the Great Salvation here is the offer of it and here is thâ— commendation of it what say ye to it iâ— it not an excellent Salvation Is it not 〈◊〉 free Salvation Is it not a Great Salvation Is it not an eternal Salvation Why then dâ— ye not welcome it Can any of you say anâ—thing to the discommendation of it I know you cannot Yea I daâ— say your own heart are admiring it as most excellent Anâ— therefore O will ye accept it Alas shal theâ— be none here who will be found accepters 〈◊〉 this Great Salvation so freely offered to day 5. Fifthly I would say this to you let a the Angels praise him who the Author 〈◊〉 this Great Salvation All the Saints rounâ— about the Throne praise him who is the Aâ—thor of this Great Salvation All these whâ— are expectants of heaven praise Him who 〈◊〉 the Author of this Great Salvation All yâ—â— to whom this offer is made praise him who is the Author of this Great Salvation O heaven praise him who is the Author of this Great Salvation O all ye fowls of the air praise him who is the Author
of this Great Salvation O fire hail snow vapors stormy winds and tempests praise Him who is the Author of this Great Salvation All the tribes of the earth praise him who is the Author of this Great Salvation Our own soul praise him who is the Author of this Great Salvation and all that is within us blesse him who is the Author of this Great Salvation O who would not praise Him who is the Author of this Great Salvation Are there any here that will refuse to commend him O think upon him and let not this be a day of slighting him Now where are your hearts at this time I will tell you where many of your hearts are they are thinking upon the world but I am sure there are not many of them thinking upon this Great Salvation Now what resolution mind ye to go away with to day Oh have ye no resolution beyond what ye had when ye came hither to day Are there any here who have this resolution To whom shall we go but to him who is the Author of this Great Salvation who alone hath the words of eternal life Even the Lord breath it upon you Or is this your resolution that through Christs strength forsake him who will ye will never forsake him Or have ye this resolution That ye will esteem more highly of the Great Salvation then ever ye did O that the Lord may keep these in the imaginations of the thoughts of your hearts for ever But as for you who have no resolutions to imbrace this Great-Salvation O wherewith shall I commend it unto you Do not your own necessities commend it But if nothing can perswade you to come away and imbrace it then this place shall be a heap of witnesses against you For it hath heard all the words of the Law which he hath spoken unto you Josh. 24. Oh cast your eyes upon these pillars of the house and stones in the walls I take them as so many witnesses that they may speak and testifie against you in the great day of the Lord if ye neglect this Great Salvation to day Therefore as ye go away be thinking upon it and whether or not ye minde to imbrace it now while you may have it This day I have set life and death before you I have set before you both the Great Salvation and the great damnation And O that ye had understanding in all these things that yâ—â— being wise might be provocked at last to imbrace this Great Salvation the which we do yet again intreat you to think upon Is not heaven looking upon you at this time to see what ye will do with this great offeâ— of Salvation which I have this day from the Lord presented unto you Now â—â— Him that can perswade you to imbrace thiâ— Great Salvation this Gospel Redemption this blessed mystery into which the Angel desire to pry to Him Who can bring yoâ— back from the pit and can enlighten you witâ— the light of the living To Him who hath thâ— keyeâ— of your prison Who can open and none can shut and can shut and none can open To Him who hath all power in Heaven and in Earth communicate to Him who can deliver you from the power of the Grave and can set you free from all your enemies wee desire to give praise Amen SERMON II. Heb. 2. 3. How shall we escape if we neglect so great Salvation which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him THere are two great and most ordinary complaints in these dayes 1. There are many who complain that their Estates and Persons are in bondage and that they are sold for slaves to the hands of strangers But O that wee could also turn over the complaint to this that our souls are in bondage and that we are yet in the gall of bitternesse and in the bond of iniquity that so we might be provoked to long for the Great Salvation that is in our offer 2. There are many complaining and not without much cause that there is now such a tolleration of Errours But O will thou complain also of this that within thy heart there is a tolleration of lusts is there noâ— an act of tolleration concluded within thy breast that the devil and all his company may reign in thee at pleasure Oh have ye not need of Great Salvation Shall I tell you that Christ is couâ—ting you to imbrace it and that he putteth on all his most glorious robes and manifesteth himself unto you as a suiter making offer of himself and of his Great Salvation O tell me have ye seen him Or do ye think to see him this day What robes had he on There are five glorious Robes wherewith he cloaths himself when he condescendeth to manifest himself to his people First He cometh to his own with the garments of Salvation according to that word Zech. 9. verse 9. Rejoyce O daughter of Sion greatly shout O daughter of Ierusalem foâ— behold thy King cometh unto thee he is just and having Salvation ay your King is come here to day and will you not fall in love with him when he is cloathed with the garments of Salvation can ye ever have a more conqueâ—ing sight of Christ then when he is cloathed with such an excellent Robe and offering you Salvation Secondly He appeareth to his own sometimes in garmenes dyed in blood according to that word Isa 6. 3. verse 1 2. Who is this that cometh up from Edom with dyed garments in bloud as one that treadeth the wine fat And now I say to thee that will not look to Christ when he appears in the garments of Salvation have ye a heart to refuse him that have fought such a combaâ—e for you who hath trode the wine-presse alone and hath stained all His garments with the bloud of his enemies oâ— is there any here who dare refuse this Salvation when they see how he treadeâ—h his enemies in anger and trampleth them in his fury and thus sprinkleth their bloud upon his garments O tremble at this sight and seek quarter from him in time or he shall dy his garments with the blood of thy immortall soul. Thirdly Christ appeareth unto his own being cloathed with these humble Robes of condescendency when he came in the simititude of sinfull flesh O what a sight waâ— that to behold the Prince of Heavâ—n clâ—athâ—d with our nature What a sight was that to bâ— hold him that was cloathed with light as with a garment to be cloathed with our infirmities yet he condescended to cloath himself thus that we might have accesse unto Him and be partakeâ—â— of His gifts O can we refuse Him when love hath thus pressed him to put on the beggar weed that he might say to worms yâ— are my brethren and my sisters Fouâ—thly Christ somtimes manifesteth Himself being cloathed with the garments of beauty and ravishing Majesty such was the sight that the
all people which â—o man could number of all people nations and languages stood before the throne and before the Lamb cloathed with white robes and palms in their hands and they cried And how cryed they They cryed with a loud voice They would not mutter the song noâ— sing silently but cryed with a loud voice And what did they cry They cryed with a loud voice Salvation unto our God who sitteth upon the throne and to the Lamb. I would onely ask at you that are partakers of the Great Salvation what songs shall be put into thy mouth when the waters of Iordan shall divide themselves that the ransomed of the Lord must passe thorow when thou shalt sing that song Psal 115. ver 1. Not unto us not unto us but unto thee belongs the glory of our salvation O what a day shall that be when that excellent song shall be put in thy mouth yea what a day shall it be when thou shal the cloathed with these excellent garments that are made mention of Isa. 6. ver 10. for hee hath cloathed thee with the garments of Salvation and hee hath covered thee with the robe of righteousnesse O what robes are these Did yee ever see such excellent robes at these must bee I think wee will misken our selves O do yee not think wee will misken our selves when wee shall put on these excellent robes Now therefore is the bargain closed Or will yee go away before yee take this Great Salvation Dare yee go out at these doors and neglect â—he Great Salvation I would ask this at you Think yee it will not be most sad that Christ should tell this in heaven of you to night I was preached to a pack of stones that none of them would love me Will yee not bee feared that this report shall be carried back to heaven of you For what report can Christ carry back but this Now is the cord of this Great Salvation let down unto you Is there none of you that will take a grip of it O will ye flighter after it Will yee make this a rejoycing day in heaven that is a fasting day unto you and the way to make it so is to imbrace the Great Salvation Now what say yee to it old men let mee speak to you and ask your thoughts of the Great Salvation gray hairs should bee a Crown of Glory if it bee found in the way of Righteousnesse old men speak your minds that young men may not have your bad example What say ye of this Salvation Is it not a most glorious Salvation is it not a most excellent Salvation that is in your offer I intreat you speak your minds tell Christ ye are content to take the Great Salvation otherwise who ever he be that will not partake of this Gospel Salvation I in the Name and Authority of Christ our Master denounce eternal and irrevockable war against him put on your harnesse ye shall not boast when you put it off again the wrath and fury of God shall come upon thee to the uttermost if ye imbrace not this Great Salvation Other Wars are but for a time the greatest Captains that ever the earth did carry are now laid down in the sides of the pit and their swords broken under their heads Armies of ten hundreth thousand a hundreth years time have laid them all in their graves and ended all their contests but there is no discharge of his war that shall be concluded betwixt Christ and you it shall become an eternal and most terrible War which shall be but beginning when time is ended Now Peace or War which of them will ye choise Dare ye send a charge to Christ and say ye will defy him I am afraid there shall be two things that many of us shall report to day First I am afraid there will be many that will give Pharaohs report to the offer of the Great Salvation and say Who is the Lord that I should obey him I tell you who he is He is glorious in Holinesse fearfull in Praises doing wonders O imbrace him before he go hence and give not Pharaohs report lest yee bee drowned in the sea of His wrath whence there shall be no recovery Secondly I fear there will be many here to day that will give Demas report to this precious offer I will go and for sake Christ and â—mbrace this present world O bad exchange â—ursed be he that shall make it will ye be of Demas humor I fear there hath been many of that humor of a long time but I intreat you once be wise before you die I confesse that proverb old fools are twice fools I think old men that will not imbrace the Great Salvation I think ye are triple fools What wait ye for is there any thing can afford you any satisfaction but this Great Salvation Now are ye convinced old men that Christ is waiting for your answer I intreat you before ye go henâ—e speak your minds what ye think of the Great Salvation â—s it not a lovely Salvation Is it not lovely â—ow What say ye to it I am to go away and the offer is to be taken up at this time and it is hard to say if ever ye shall have an offer again I would only say this to you and be sure of it though I should never be â— partaker of this Great Salvation yet I shall be a witnesse against you that are not partakers of it I tell and declare unto yon shall be a witnesse against you if ye imbrace not the Great Salvation Now old â—en are ye perswaded to imbrace it Let â—e obâ—est you by the beauty of Christ come and partake of the Great Salvation ye that â—â—e travelling upon the borders of erernity â—ow if ye will give no more give this will ye go home and think upon it I shall not bee uncharitable nor enter to judge your thoughts I fear there shall bee many declared and found guilty among us that we have declared unto heaven wee will not imbrace the Great Salvation but have trod the bloud of the Son of God under foot Now I intreat you every one of you ask at your selves if yee be the persons that will presume in your hearts to do so Now I shall leave it with you let it not bee a witnesse against you I shall leave it with this O come away Old men Young men Old women and Maids come and imbrace this precious Gospel Salvation Yee may say Ye bid us come but we cannot come I desite no more of youâ— but to come with this Lord I am content to come but I cannot come Come once to that for if once yee bee content to receive it it will not bee long befor yee bee able to receive it Now shall Christ depart and will none of you say yet are content to take him Will yee charge your own Consciences with this Am I content to take Christ and the Great Salvation O blest blest
your selves II. Challenge That Death will present unto you will be for the killing of many precious Convictions which we have had What will each of you answer at death when your conscience proposeth this challenge to you thou met with such a challenge at such a time and went home and crucified it when at another time thou met with another challenge and went home and crucified it These challenges will be laid home to thy door therefore think on them III. Challenge Death will charge you for a formal hypocriticall way of going about duties I say your Conscience will then tell you that ye went to such a Communion with a selfish end and aâ— another time ye prayed hyporritically and formally and what will ye have to answer when ye meet with these challenges I confesse I know not what ye can answer to these but I charge you be thinking what ye will answer for it may be that these convictions shall ly on your consciences that even this day ye have heard two searching Sermons and did meet with some convictions but made no good use of them yea and â—â— may be ye did sleep all the time O what will ye answer when it will be said to you ye went to such a Sermon and sleeped all the time and ye went to such a Communion but had no other end before your eyes but to be seen of men I intreat you consider presently what ye will answer to these IV. Challenge Will be for your breaking of many precious resolutions It will be said to some of you that at the Communion in this place ye took on vowes and did break them I am sure ye cannot question the justice of this challenge therefore see what ye will answer V. Challenge Ye slighted many precious offers of the Gospel O men and women in this city what will ye answer to this I was often exhorted to take Christ and yet would never take him What will Conscience say to that when death shall table it before you I tell you what ye must then answer O cursed I that ever refused Christ in the Gospel and ye shall then be confounded because this is your sin Believe me there was never an offer of this everlasting Gospel and of Christ in it made unto you that shall not at death before or after be brought to your remembrance and O how sad and doleful will it be to you when Christ shall open the book where your sins are written and begin with the sin of slighting the Great Salvation thus I invited you when you were twelve years old and ye would not come I invited you when ye were thirty years old and ye would not come I invited you when sixty years old and ye would not come What will ye answer to this Have ye any thing to say Or must ye not stand speechlesse before your Judge when he shall put home this challenge unto you therefore think seriously upon it how ye will answer to it VI. Challenge will be for your sinning oftentimes against Light and O how sad and painfull a challenge will that be at the day of Death when it will be said thou sinned with a witnesse in thy bosome that thou wast doing wrong thy Conscience will say oftentimes did I tell thee this is sinfull yet wouldest thou not abstain from it And what will ye answer from this VII Challenge Oftentimes ye sinned upon every small temptations and what will ye answer to that Must ye not then confesse it and say O how often have I deserted Christ and imbraced my idols upon a small temdtation Now I intreat you be thinking what ye will answer to these seven most material Challenges which certainly shall be presented to you at death I assure you ye must either answer all your challenges in Christ else ye will not get them well answered Therefore I would exhort you to imbrace the Gospel and Christ in it that so let death propose never so many challenges unto you ye may answer them all as David did viz. God hath made with me an everlasting Covenant and that will answer all your challenges though my house be not so with God yet I have the everlasting Covenant to build my salvation upon Now to presse you to make use of Christ I shall give you these four Considerations Consideration 1. If ye imbrace not Christ now Death will be very unpleasant to you O what else can comfort thee when going through the region of the shadow of Death but this I am Christs I am Christs is there any other thing can comfort thee in that day but only this I am Christs and He is mine Consideration 2. If ye imbrace not Christ and the Great Salvation now It will be an hundred to one if ever ye get time or libertie to do it when ye are going to die For although many delay their closing with Christ till death yet scarcely one of a hundred getteth favour to grip Christ at death therefore think on it for ye will not get your mind so composed at death as ye imagine nor all things done as ye suppose therefore now imbrace the Great Salvation Consideration 3. If ye delay your closing with Christ till death seise upon you ye shall never be able to make up that losse For will the dead rise and praise God Or shall any come from the land of forgetfulnesse to take hold upon a crucified Saviour Therefor O will ye take him for your Salvation Consideration 4. If ye will take Christ now he shall be your guide When ye are going through the valley and shadow of death And O how blessed is the person that can sing that word Psal. 48. 14. This is my God he will be my guide even unto death If ye can sing that pleasant song O how may ye be comforted when your eye strings shall begin to break O how happy is hee who can say Though I walk through the shadow of death yet will I fear no ill 〈◊〉 I know that the Lord is with mee Now this is the acceptable day and the year of salvation therefore do not delay but imbrace Christ lest death surprise you ere yee be aware and so the acceptable day be lost But unto these who think they may delay till death I say surely there are many damned atheists in hell that sometime did think as yee think I will make all wrongs right when death and I shall meet I hope that three dayes repentance will satisfie for all my wrongs for I am sure there are many in hell who did never get three dayes to think upon their former wayes Therefore O come come and imbrace Christ presently Now are yee all perswaded of this truth that yee shall once see death Then study a tender walking for believe me there are many of us who shall go thorow death with many bruised bones because of untender walking before God We know it is not the multitude of words can perswade you to imbrace Christ for many of you never minded the thing but believe mee death will pâ—each these things to you in a more terrible manner then wee can do at this time Therefore I say â—o each of you O prepare to meet thy God for if death finde you in an estranged estate from God I defy the Angels in Heaven to free you out of that estate And the day is coming wherein thou shalt cry out O slighter of the Great Salvation that I am I would give ten thousand worlds for one Sermon again that I once heard wherein Christ was freely offered to me when thou shalt bee tormented without hope of remedy Therefore While it is to day harden not your hearts for your late wishes shall not bee granted when yee are gone if yee make not haste O therefore Haste haste in time and come out from the land of your captivity and from the house of your bondage and take Christ for your Redeemer the guide of your youth and old age Now unto him who can lead you thorow all these steps betwixt you and heaven be eternal praise Amen FINIS
down arms and let you trample on them Believe me mortification is not a work of one day or one year but it is a work will serve you all your time begin as soon as ye will And therefore seeing you have spent your dayes in the works of the flesh it is time that now yee would begin and pursue after him whose works is with him and whose reward shall come before him III. Now there is this third evidence by which a Christian may know whether he bee in the Faith or not and it is that Christ is matchlesse and incomparable unto such an one according to that word 1 Pet. 2. 7. To you that believe Christ is precious and that word that Luke hath in his 7. Chap. at the close That shee to whom much was forgiven loved much Now lest this likewise should prove a discouragement to any I would only have you taking notice of this that a Christian may bee a Believer and yet want the sensible discoveries of this that Christ is matchlesly precious to him but this is certain that they which are in the lively exercise of Faith it is impossible then for them not to esteem Christ matchlesse and I would speak this likewise to many who are here Have yee not been living these ten years in Faith and I would pose you with this Esteem yee not your idols more matchlesse then Christ and more of worth then hee It is impossible that there can bee any lively exercise of Faith and not esteem CHRIST matchlesse It is not to say it with your mouth and contradict it with your heart will do the businesse For if your hearts could speakâ— it would say I would sell Christ for thirty pieces of silver But my idols would I sell at no rate Are there not many of you who love the world and its pleasures better nor the eternity of joy Oh know yee not that word O yee desperately ignorant of the Truths of God That he who loveth the world the love of the Father is not in him And yet notwithstanding of the light of the word yee would sell your immortal souls with Esau For a messe of poâ—tage O but it is a poor bargain when yee have sold the eternity of joy for a passing world and for its transitory delights I would earnestly know what shall be your thoughts in that day when ye shall be standing upon the utmost line betwixt time and eternity O what will bee your thoughts at that day but you are to follow on to an endlesse pain by appearance and then yee are to leave your idols I shall only desire that ye may read the word Isa. 10. 3. What will ye do in the day of visitation and in the desolation which shall come from far To whom will ye flee for help and where will ye leave your glory Ye shall then preach mortification to the life though all the time of mortification shall be then cut off O but to hear a worldly minded man when eternity of pain is looking him in the face preach out concerning the vanity of this world might it not perswade you that the world is a fancy and a dream that shall flee away and shall leave you in the day of your greatest strait IV. And there is the fourth evidence of Faith That a Christian who doth truely believe hee is that Christian who intertaineth a divine jealousie and a holy suspition of himself whether or not he doth believe I love not that faith which is void of fear this was clear in the practice of believing Noah that though by faith he built the Ark yet hee had fear mixed with his Faith I know that there are some who are ignorant concerning this what it is to doubt concerning eternal peace and more it is not every one that doubteth that certainly shal get heaven for I think an hypocrite may doubt concerning his eternal salvation however I think the exercise of a hypocrite under his doubtings it is more the exercise of his judgement then the exercise of his conscience And I may say That if all the exercise of the Law which is preached in these dayes were narrowly searched it would bee more the exercise of light then the exercise of conscience We speak these things as our doubt which never was our exercise and we make these things our publick exercise which was never our private and chamber exercise And I think that if all that a Christian did speak to God in prayer were his exercise he would speak lesse and wonder more We would be speechlesse when wee go to God for often if we did speak nothing but our exercise we would have nothing to say And certainly it is true that often wee fall into that wofull sin of desperate lying against the holy Ghost by â—lattering God with our mouth and lying unto him with our tongue And I shall only say these two words There are some who have this for their great designe viz. they would bee at peace with their conscience and also they would bee at peace with their idols they would gladly reconcile conscience and their idols together that is their great designe And there are some whose designe is a little more refined they study rather to be reconciled with their conscience then to be reconciled with God Their great aim they shoot at is this to get their conscience quieted though they know not what it is to have the soul comforting peace of God to quiet them V. Now There is this last evidence of Faith That justifying Faith is a Faith which putteth the Christian to bee much in the exercise of these duties by which it may bee maintained for wee must keep Faith as the apple of our eye Aod for that end I would only give you these three things by which Faith must be keeped in exercise aud a real Christian will bee endeavouring in some measure to attain unto these I. It keepeth Faith much in exercise to bee much in marking and taking notice of the divine exercise and proofs of the love of God wherewith a Christian doth meet as is clear from that word in Rom. 5. 4. Experience worketh hope I durst be bold to charge the most part that are indeed in Christ with this that they are too little in remarking and taking notice of the experiences of his love Yee should mark the place of your experience and much more yee should mark the experience it self as is clear from Scripture that the very place where Christians did meet with experience in such ane enjoyment of God they marked it Ezek. 1. 1. By the rivers of Chebar the heavens were opened and I saw the visions of God And Gen. 32. 30. Iacob called the place Peniel the place of living after seeing of the face of God it was so remarkable unto him And we conceive that ye would mark these two things mainly in your practice First Ye would mark if ye can possibly the first day of