danger to be xalted above measure and the great contention among the Disciples themselves was Who should be the greatest If this was the Condemnation of the Devil and after that the Devils Temptation upon our first Parents that they might fall by Pride as he did I see not why any should secure themselves from this Temptation in the state of grace Therefore you that stand take heed lest you fall though you shall never fall finally by this sin yet you may fall fearfully if you look not well about you And surely this is one good means among the rest to keep us from falling to consider We are justified by the Righteousnesse of another We live as pardoned men we live upon mercy we live upon alms A poor creature who like lame Mephibosheth is fed at the Table of another and clothed with the garments of another and hath nothing that he can call his own hath little cause to be proud this is our condition We live at Gods finding for meat drink and clothing not onely for our Bodies but for our Souls also from day to day As God hath put meat into our mouthes so he puts words of prayers into our mouthes first Hos 14 2. Take unto you words and say unto the Lord Take away all iniquity and receive us graciously And so our blessed Saviour Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses c. Mark ye here are Petitions put into our mouthes every day as well as the first day of our conversion both concerning giving and forgiving though some are so proud now adayes they know not how to say that Prayer Shall Christ teach them how to pray or shall they teach Christ Is there a greater Soloecism than to be proud Beggar A Beggar and yet proud A Beggar and yet one that scorns to beg One whose wants beg and cry aloud and yet his tongue begs not I know no better means to cure this pride than the consideration of this We live not upon our selves but upon God the very life of our Souls the food of our Souls the clothing of our Souls all is from God Vse 2 2 Use Examination Whether we do live this life of Justification Examination Quest How shall we know Mark 1. Ans 1. It 's a Soul-humbling life if we lay hold on Christs Righteousnesse our hands are our own Psal 134.2 In thy sight shall no man living be justified Unjustified persons are proud of their pride Rev. 5. They cast down their Crowns Luke 18.14 The Publican as he was humble so justified Isa 64.6 All our righteousnesses are as filthy rags Phil. 3. I count all but dross and dung c. 2. A Soul pacifying life Isa 57.19 Mark 2. I create the fruit of the lips peace peace c. Rom. 5.1 Being justified by faith we have peace with God Obj. But I am troubled Ans 1. Yet thou art supported Cant. 2.6 His left hand is under my head and his right hand doth embrace me 2. There is the seed of peace and joy in thee Light is sown for the righteous and joy for the upright in heart Psal 112. 3. A God-glorifying life Rev. 4.10 Mark 3. The four and twenty Elders fall down before him that sate on the Throne and cast their Crowns before the Throne saying Thou art worthy O Lord to receive glory c. 1 In all holy Actions Rom. 6.15 16 c. 2. In humble Passion or Submission i. e. in all Sufferings He that is justified by God will even justifie God in all that befalls him He will not quarrel and say Lord I am a justified person why dost thou punish me but as David Psal 51.4 that thou maist be justified when thou speakest c. or as Ezra 9.13 Thou our God hast punished us less then our iniquities deserve c. 4. A Christ-magnifying life 1 Pet. 2.7 If we believe Mark 4. Christ is precious Luke 7. Kiss his very feet wash and wipe c. Vse 3 3 Use This should teach us 1. Instruction To acknowledge this life of Justification in others 2. To imitate God our selves and justifie those that sin against us Branch 1 1. Acknowledge this in others Let us justifie those whom God doth justifie when once it appears to us Receive such as God receives though weak in the faith Rom. 14 1 2 3. One that is made a Freeman of your Town a Member of your Corporation you receive into your Society and Communion upon all occasions Now all justified persons are made free ipso facto and admitted into Communion of Saints Eph 2.12 13. It was Simons sin he would not justifie that gracious woman whom Christ himself had justified and he might see it by the fruits too Luke 7. Luke 7.37 Like those Priests Ezek. 13.22 They condemn whom the Lord justifies and justifie whom the Lord condemns Branch 2 2. Imitate God in justifying or forgiving those that sin against us I mean so far as it concerns us Forbearing one another c. Coloss 3.13 Matth. 18.21 28. Forgive thy brother untill seventy times seven times God forgives more than we can Motive This Confirms the Assurance of our own forgiveness Matth. 6.14 15. If ye forgive men their trespasses your heavenly Father will also forgive you c. The one the cause of the other Our forgiving others is a natural effect of Gods forgiving us Obj. By this Rule there should be no need of Courts of Justce among men If Offences must be forgiven no man should accuse one another no man witness no man judge and so as the Anabaptists say No Magistrate c. Of forgiving offences Ans Offences and wrongs must be considered in divers relations 1. As they concern our selves alone here we have power to forgive to hide and conceal them Love covers a multitude of faults Jam. 5. 2. As they are of a publike interest There is a threefold interest Reipublicae of State Ecclesiae of Church Dei of God As in Theft Murther Idolatry all have an interest every one of these is wronged Deut. 13.6 these we must not conceal He that is partner with a thief hates his own soul Prov. 29.24 Here the Accusers Witnesses and Judge must do their parts yea and their Justification and Redemption ties them to this Luke 1.74 that being delivered out of the hands of our enemies might serve him without fear c. Else they were abominable He that justifieth the wicked and condemneth the just even they both are an abomination to the Lord Prov. 17.15 So a man who hath his person justified by God may for some particular unjust act be condemned by the Magistrate Luke 23.41 And we indeed justly for we receive the due reward of our deeds c. Rom. 13 1 7. Onely have a care to do justly in judgement Observe Malach. 3.5 I will be a just witnesse against those that oppresse the hireling in his wages the widow and the
up from his dead condition c. Verse the last 2. It puts his Soul into a mourning confessing frame v. 18. I will arise and go to my Father and say unto him Father I have sinned against heaven and before thee 3. It subdues his heart to lay down all Opposition and to take any course for his living v. 19. make me as one of thy hired servants Observe he uttered not so much as he intended his Father prevented him with his mercy as Psal 32.5 I said I will confess my transgressions to the Lord and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin 4. It fixeth his heart upon his Fathers mercy not upon his own merit Faith tells him Though thou hast forgotten the duty of a Son thy Father hath not forgot the bowels of a Father The word Father runs much in his minde I will go to my Father c. Here now a Spirit of Adoption begins to work whereby he cryes Abba Father O dear Father Father I have sinned against heaven c. But yet thou art my Father This is the last act of justifying Faith by which the Soul is put into a child-like condition and fit to receive a childes portion of God All is of his free grace Jer. 3.19 And I said How shall I put thee among the children Thou shalt call me My Father c. Thus the just lives by Faith in the work of Justification Vid. Cotton p. 14. D. Downame ☜ Faith in the Renewing of justification in the Conscience of the sinner 2. For the Continuance and Renewing of Justification ☞ The just lives by Faith daily as well as at the first day that he believed So Abraham Rom. 4.3 4. He believed God and it was imputed to him for righteousness which is cited out of Gen. 15.6 and so it appears to be after such time as he was in Covenant with God and in the state of Grace Yet still his Justification is continued by a renewed act of Faith and so David sues out his Justification by a renewed act of Faith and Prayer Psal 51. though he were justified before And therefore Christians are much to blame who after they have once believed in God for Justification do not labour to renew this act from day to day and thence comes flatness in Spirit and deadness in Duties when we see not a daily need of going out of our selves into Christ And surely if Christ applies his own sacrifice daily to us by intercession with his Father Heb. 7.25 He ever liveth to make intercession for us Why should not we apply it daily by Faith and Prayer that God for Christs sake may forgive us our daily trespasses as we are taught to pray And this is to live by faith in a continued act of Justification Therefore it is put not in the Present Tense but in the Future it is not here doth but he shall live by his Faith that is as long as he lives Take heed the blood of Christ run not cold in the veins of Faith that you trust not more to grace received than to the fountain of grace and pardon in Christ The truth is our best duties stand in need of pardon and our best graces of quickning and nothing will quicken us more than the assurance of our Justification And therefore though a mans spirit be without guile and he knows nothing by himself he allows himself in no known evil yet even at such a time 1 Cor. 4. he is not thereby justified but then he must fly to Christ for Justification and say Blessed is the man whose transgression is forgiven c. Psal 32.1 2. Faith in the assurance of being justified 3. For the Assurance of the Act the just lives by Faith 1. In moving a man to desire more Faith 2. In using and embracing such Means by which we come to Assurance 3. In the Tryal of Assurance 4. In Anâ—wering all such Objections and Doubts which do cloud and darken this Assurance 5. In Expectation of Assurance First In moving a man to desire more Faith In Motives to Assurance The reason is 1. Because true Faith if but as a grain of Mustard-seed moves man to desire more Faith Luke 17.5 Lord encrease our faith Mark 9.24 Lord help my unbelief And never rests rising higher and higher till it comes to full Assurance Therefore lazy faith is false faith that saith I cast my self on God and there 's an end I never desire more so I can but rub out c. This is a sign it is not true The just lives by Faith for the encrease till assured and true Faith suggests Motives to perswade us to seeke after full Assurance Quest What are those Motives Ans 1. 1 Motive Gods Commandment which Faith looks at as to believe 1 John 3.23 And this is the Commandment We should believe on the Name of his Son Jesus Christ So to be assured 2 Pet. 1.10 Give all diligence to make your calling and election sure Both 1 John 5.13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the Name of the Son of God that ye may know that ye have eternal life and that ye may believe on the Name of the Son of God 2. Because it 's the End why the Scriptures were written yea the end of the Seals 1. Publike the Sacraments 2. Privy the Spirit witnessing Therefore saith Faith Receive not the grace of God in vain There are many deceived Micah 3.7 Then shall the Seers be ashamed and the Diviners confounded yea they shall all cover their lips for there is no answer of God Mat. 7. 1 Cor. 6.9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God 3. A difficili that which would discourage another doth encourage a faithâ—ul man the more because many objections and temptations therefore strive Tu ne cede malis The kingdom of heaven suffers violence c. 4. A possibili Both are objects of Christian fortitude Example Job 19.25 For I know that my Redeemer lives c. Paul Rom 8. For I am perswaded neither death nor life nor angels c. Steven saw heaven opened Acts 6. 5. A necessario not ad esse but bene esse as health and vigour to the well-being of natural life 3 Joh. 2. I wish thou mayest prosper and be in health as thy soul prospereth Health comprehends life aliquid amplius so Assurance Faith and the joy of Faith Faith may be without Assurance but no true Assurance without Faith 6. Ab utili strong Faith is able to do that which weak Faith cannot as a strong man can work under a burthen though both receive Christ Nothing shall be impossible to you Mat. 15.28 O woman great is thy faith be it unto thee even as thou wilt Luther said Domine fiat voluntas mea Lord let my will be done Neh. 8.10 The joy of the Lord is your strength 7. A decoro or ab honorifico for 1. This brings more
Joh. 17.17 Sanctifie them through thy truth thy word is truth Not as if the Word had power to sanctifie without the Spirit but the Spirit doth it by the Word the Word is an instrument of cleansing in the hand of the Spirit 1 Pet. 1.22 Ye have purified your souls on obeying i. e. in believing the truth through the spirit As the Spirit makes use of the Word of Precept and Threatning Psal 17.4 By the word of thy lips have I kept me from the paths of the destroyer so of the word of Promise also 2 Cor. 7.1 Having therefore these Promises let us cleanse our selves What hath God promised to be a Father to me as it is in the words before and that I should be a son or a daughter to him this Lord God Almighty upon condition that I will separate my self and touch no unclean thing and shall not I be willing so to do Nay hath God promised to perform the condition for me namely to sprinkle clean water upon me that I might be clean Ezek. 36.25 and to subdue my iniquities and sanctifie me throughout in Soul Body and Spirit and shall not I make use of these his Promises Hath God shewed so much love to me in making the Promise and shall not I shew love to him in obeying his Precept And thus by laying hold upon the Word both of Promise and Precept the just lives by Faith the Life of Sanctification therefore Faith is called Most holy Faith Jude n. 20. namely from the effect because it works holiness in him that hath it Most holy Faith it is not said Most holy Love Joy or Peace but most holy Faith not Subjective sed Effectivê All lean on this building as the Foundation Christ is the foundation of Merit Faith of Order Christ is the Foundation which Faith findes and tries as the Workman c. Faith is like a strong purge that never leaves working so long as there 's any corruption in the body So Faith never leaves working so long as there is any corruption in the Soul and that is as long as we live Onely as Faith grows stronger corruption grows weaker from day to day but it is not wholly purged out till our daying day and therefore there is use of Faith as long as we live but because when we die our corruption shall die with us also there shall be no use of Faith any longer Means 5. Sacraments 5. He lives by Faith the Life of Sanctification in the application of the Sacramental Signs These are means of our Sanctification Eph. 5.26 Christ is said to give himself for his Church that he might sanctifie and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word And Tit. 3.5 He saved us by the washing of Regeneration But this washing is by Faith Philip said to the Eunuch Act. 8.37 If thou believest with all thine heart thou maaist be baptized Obj. Then Infants are not to be baptized because they cannot believe Ans God looks at Infants in their Parents faith Gen. 17. I will be thy God and the God of thy seed So far as want of faith might hinder circumcision so far it may hinder Baptism For 1. The Covenant is the same Rom 14.11 and the Seals are the same for substance 1 Cor. 10 1 2. 2. The Grace of God is the same yea more abundant Tit. 2. ver 12. The grace of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath shined forth Opposed to the shadows of the Old Testament And did God shine upon Infants in those times and shall we put them under a cloud now VVant of faith did not hinder them then and why now It hindred heathens then and so now No Proselytes were admitted but such as made profession of the Faith of Abraham So c. Means 6. Afflictions 6. He lives by Faith the Life of Sanctification in the right use and application of Afflictions Afflictions sanctified are a means of sanctifying us That may be one reason why they are called a Baptism Mat. 20.23 Christ said to the two Disciples Ye shall indeed be baptiz'd with the baptism that I am baptized with Meaning a portion of his Afflictions If Christ learn obedience by the things which he suffered much more may we Heb. 5.8 Afflictions sanctified work the quiet fruit of righteousness Heb. 12.11 Afflictions are like the Red-sea they drown some but they save and purge others And what is the reason of the difference Some have faith to pass through them but some have none They drown those that have no faith but they purge and preserve those that have Faith Heb. 11.29 By faith they passed through the Red-sea which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned And this was not onely a Baptism of Affliction but of Purgation and Sanctification 1 Cor. 10.2 And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea Thus the just lives by Faith in time of Adversity not onely as preserved therein which was handled before but as washed and sanctified thereby Revel 7.14 These are they which came out of great Tribulation and have washed their Robes c. Lastly The Prayer of Faith is a mean to sanctifie Means 7. Prayer and the just lives by Faith in the exercise of Prayer carrying the Soul to the Fountain of Life Joh. 4.10 Therefore if God be the Author and Effector of this Life of Sanctification go to God for it Dost thou feel the want of Sanctification of Spiritual Life Dost thou feel thou art dead in sins and trespasses It argues the beginnings of Life but go to God for more Life pray him to sprinkle and apply the Blood of Christ Psal 51.7 pray him to apply the Word to speak to thy heart in that voice behinde thee pray him that is Jehovah Isa 30.21 to give a being to his Promise pray him to make Sacraments effectual and to Baptize thee with the Holy Ghost and with fire Ma◠3. pray him to open thine ear to hear Discipline and seal thy Instruction that when thou art corrected Job 33.16 thou maist be sure to be instructed In a word pray him who is the Author of Sanctification to cause thee to live by Faith through all means the Life of Sanctification Go to God by Prayer by the prayer of faith For the just shall live by Faith in this respect Jam. 1.5 What S. James sayes of one saving grace Wisdom we may say of all If any man lack any grace or all grace let him ask of God c. But let him ask in faith Faith lives the Life of Sanctification in drawing holiness from the Fountain in the Conduit-pipe of Prayer Isa 12.3 With joy draw ye the waters out of the wells of Salvation Lye at the breast of the Promise if thou hast any life at all and draw out of the sincere milk of the word that thou maist grow thereby 1 Pet. 2.2 which must needs be meant of the Life of Sanctification