things from us he dealeth plainly with us What sufferings troubles persecutions What difficulties and hardship we shall meet with in the way to heaven he tels us afore-hand of them The devil and the world they come with their pleasures for the present they tell us not how bitter they will be at the latter end But the Lord Christ he informeth us of the worst that may fall out 2. From this prediction we should arm our selves against all temptations whatsoever Being fore-warned we should be fore-armed Oh how blessed is that man who under the greatest affliction can say This I knew before It is not strange to me the Scripture gave me warning of it and hath furnished me with all due qualifications thereunto 3. From the evil fore-told being accomplished assure thy self also the good promised shall be fulfilled As the Scripture proveth true in all the troubles and miseries it speaks of so it will be as true in all the comforts honour and happines it speaks of This is our sinfull narrowness of heart we many times look to that evil threatned not to the good promised Oh we say Now all those texts I feared are fulfilled in me not remembring that all the promises shall also be accomplished What shall the Scripture be true in one part and not in the other Shall it be true to a wicked man and not true to a godly man Are they not called The sure promises of God As therefore thou art to prepare for all that hardship and difficulties which will be in the way of godliness so do thou as assuredly expect and look for all those joyes that peace and happiness which the same word of God affords to thee SERMON LXXIV Of the Scripture JOHN 17.12 But the Sonne of Perdition that the Scripture might be fulfilled A Second Doctrine from the reason alleadged in the Text That the Scripture might be fulfilled shall be That whatsoever the Scripture saith is sure to be made good Our Saviour saith Matth. 5. It 's surer then the heaven and earth and that every tittle of it is more enduring then the Heavens themselves It 's of great consequence to establish you in this point For if the Scripture be true and will be made good in every particular then the godly may lift up their heads with joy and the wicked bow down with fear and trembling To open this Consider the expression That the Scripture may be fulfilled The word of God is called the Scripture which is as much as the written Word The word of God in respect of the accidental communicating of it may be divided into that which is Traditum or Scriptum that which was immediately delivered either by God himself or inspired into the Prophets to be communicated to the Church or else that which was commanded to be written and so to be a perpetual standing Rule according to which the Church should walk in soever shall come to passe And herein it will infallibly prove true for as we read of many predictions of old they were accomplished at that time and in that manner as God had fore-told so we may justly conclude for the future that it will be in the like manner Whatsoever God hath fore-told by the Scripture concerning a day of Judgement and the everlasting torments of the damned that there shall be a Resurrection of the body and that every one shall give an account for what hath been done here Expect it and believe it as surely as if it were already done Oh what a deal of security and boldness is there in sinners because they believe not this Did they think they heard the sound of the Trump of the last day ringing in their ears Arise and come to judgement What holy fear and trembling would possess them whereas because they live for the present in jollity and so many years the world and all things have continued as they were therefore they think there will never be any change such were those mockers Peter speaks of 2 Pet. 3. saying Where is the day of his coming Know then that all those places of Scripture which speak of such a dreadfull time will one day be fulfilled never think that those Texts will fall to the ground thy lusts will prove a lie thy pleasures a lie to thee but Gods word will abide for ever Thirdly We have the promising part of the Scripture The Land of Canaan did not more richly flow with milk and honey then the Scriptures abound with all kinde of promises both for this life and that to come This heaven is full of such glorious starres The Apostle 2 Pet. 1.4 cals them precious promises precious both in respect of the things promised and also of the certainty and truth of them There is the grand promise of all the Charter of the Covenant of Grace I will be their God and they shall be my people and this is subdivided into many particulars so that there is not a good thing to be desired nor an evil thing to be avoided but we have a promise for it and certainly if the word and promise of a great man in place and power be able to refresh the heart of an indigent man how much more must the promise of the Almighty and holy God revive those that depend on it All the children of God are with Isaac called the children of the promise Gal. 4.28 so that they are the children of the promise efficiently as it was the meer promise of God that gave them a supernatural being all humane power being as impotent for that purpose as Sarahs womb was to conceive and further They are the children of the promise as I may say objectively because they live on that and are nourished by it and as they say in naturals so it is true in spirituals Ex eisdem constamus è quibus nutrimur The procreating and conserving causes are of the same nature hence we may read of the godly looking up to Gods promise in all their difficulties Psal 77.8 and when God stirreth up himself to do good to his people it 's because he remembers his holy promise Insomuch that heaven and salvation it self is called The hope of the promise Act. 26.6 Though therefore the people of God have not all the good things they desire in present possession yet they have them in promise and Gods truth is bond and security enough A man that hath not his estate at command yet if he have it in sure bonds and good security looks upon himself as a rich man Oh then the unbelief and vile doubtings of thy heart Are all the promises of God of no repute with thee Are they of no credit Should they not as much assure thee as if every thing were accomplished already Hence as the Scripture when it speaketh of a future thing useth the present tense to shew the certainty of it as the learned instance in many places so should the faith of a godly man turn the future
the flames and yet expect Gods power to keep thee this is to tempt God Peter will be in the High-Priests hall and where wicked company is and no wonder if it prove a Temptation to him he that handleth pitch shall be defiled with it He that cometh near an infected person may blame himself if the plague seaze on him Thirdly Be thankefull unto God for every daily assistance Be much in praise and acknowledgement of this his gracious power Unthankfulnesse makes God withdraw his mercy how often hath God assisted thee both by preserving in what is good and from what is evil yet thou hast not called upon thy Soul and all within thee to blesse his holy Name Therefore thou shalt to thy woe finde what a sad thing it is to be left to thy own self and not to have his grace to help in time of need The second Interpretation takes Name for the Knowledge of God and Faith in him So that the sence is Keep those thou hast given me by Faith as 1 Pet. 1.5 This is part of the meaning and from thence we observe Obs That the people of God are kept to Salvation through Faith Faith is a special Instrument to preserve us We are not only justified but sanctified and preserved through Faith hence the Apostle John cals faith our Victory over the world 1 Joh. 5.4 And Eph. 6. when we are exhorted to put on the whole Armour of Christianity he saith Above all take the Shield of Faith he giveth the preheminency to that To open this Consider 1. That whatsoever priviledge is attributed to Faith either in respect of Justification or Salvation it 's not for any merit or dignity in Faith Therefore it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is through faith not for Faith for if it were for Faith as a work then the Apostle Rom 4. would not oppose working to beleeving and the worker to a Beleever so that to put any confidence in our Beleeving to trust in our trusting is to give that to Faith which the Jews did to works and in this sense not only those that seek to be justified by the Law or works fall from Christ and make him to die in vain but also those that set up Faith in this Consideration 2. Therefore though Faith be instrumentall thus to our Conservation yet Faith it self needeth Gods help as well as other Graces We need his help to beleeve as well as to love God and arise from sinne Therefore though the power of God keeps us by Faith yet it also keeps Faith Vt nos custodiat per fidem ipsam custodit fidem We should fall from our Faith as well as other graces did not God strengthen and confirm that Onely when that is established God by it doth preserve us in the exercise of other graces so that being confirmed by God this confirmeth and establisheth us rather then other graces and that in these particulars Faith is that grace to which the promise of Gods power is made preheminently To him that beleeveth all things are possible Mar. 9.23 So that as all the promises are yea and amen in Christ as the Foundation and meritorious cause so they are yea and amen to Faith as instrumentall It 's of Faith that the promise may be sure Rom 4.16 What promises then or deeds of gift God hath made over to his people They are all made effectuall to the beleever No Faith no help no assistance 2. Faith only receiveth into the Soul Christ who is the authour and procurer of all strength Paul saith He can do all things through Christ that strengthens him Phil. 4.13 But how shall we make Christ ours How shall he come to dwell in us The Apostle saith By Faith Eph. 3.12 So that herein Faith is greatly instrumentall to keep us because it brings Christ with all his power into our soul It deriveth all ability from him It 's not Faith but Christ by Faith received that doth thus enable It was not Sampsons hair the weakest part about him but Gods power whereof that was a Symbole or sign that did confirm him No wonder then if Faith be thus serviceable to preserve us Seeing that by it Christ is wholly made ours in whom all Fulnesse both of grace and power dwels 3. Faith doth instrumentally preserve us in that it renounceth all our abilities and carrieth out to God onely This Faith hath peculiar to its nature above all other graces it emptieth a man of himself it makes a man renounce whatsoever priviledge and righteousnesse he may seem to have Thus Phil. 3 Paul refuseth all priviledges accounts all gain losse in respect of Christs Righteousnesse which is by Faith As the Criple cast his eye upon the Apostles hoping to be healed he had no thoughts of his own Sufficiency but their power only So it is here Faith makes a man cast his eye upon God and look up to him only for ability Oh then prize and nourish this grace of faith which doth so nullifie thee and omnifie God 4. Faith is serviceable to keep us by improving and making effectuall those instituted means appointed by God for to preserve us Such is the Ministery of the Word preached c. These are ordained by God to keep a man in holinesse Those that think they are above these and can be kept without them Let them think as well that they can live without food But how come these iustituted means of grace to be effectuall in us the Scripture attributes it to beleeving The Word did not profit when it was not mixed with faith Heb. 4.6 So that as the Word preached is used by God to beget Faith in us at first so afterwards Faith doth improve the means of grace for all encrease If therefore we would expect to have the Ministry and the holy means of grace to keep us in the way to heaven it must be faith that makes all these profitable 5. Faith is a means to preserve us because by that the devil who doth most sollicite our undoing is repelled No grace but Faith doth so immediately and formally repell him Whom resist stedfast in the Faith 1 Pet. 5 9. And by Faith we overcome the wicked one for Faith is not strong with its own strength and therefore it must needs overcome the devil as David overcame Goliah not by his own valour but in the Name of the Lord. 6. Faith is therefore helpfull to our preservation because in some sence it stirreth up and acts all other graces What the Papists say of Charity that it is the assistant form of all other graces we may say of Faith That it doth direct act and stir up all other graces to work Therefore faith is said to work by love Gal. 5.6 Thus it works by patience it works by repentance Therefore Heb. 11. all the glorious atchievements that those Worthies wrought are attributed to Faith Thus we see how many
make it an opposition to Legall Customs For whereas the Priests of the Old Testament being to enter into the Sanctuary did not only first wash their hands and their feet but put on glorious Garments Thus say they Christ prayed that those Apostles whom he was commissionating to preach the Gospel over the whole world might be though not externally sanctified yet internally by a more plentifull and copious enjoyment of the holy Ghost But this is too much restrictive Others there are that understand it finally 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sanctifi◠them to the Truth that they may be fitted and furnished to publish it Others by truth understand Christ who is the essentiall Truth but the words following demonstrate what is meant by Truth even The word of God So that our Saviours purpose is to informe what is that saving Medium and instituted Organ of our Sanctification even The word of God From hence observe That the word of God made known to us is the instrument of God to our Sanctification It 's by this waters side that a godly man being like a tree planted doth bring forth much fruit Are any lusts too strong for thee Are any corruptions too powerfull This is a two-edged sword to be the death of them Art thou dull cold and lukewarm in matters of Religion This is the fire to inflame thee Art thou fainting and dejected with divers temptations This is the Apothecaries-shop that hath all kinde of refreshments for thee no disease but may be cured no doubt but may be answered Hence the Scripture is commended unto us 2 Tim. 3.16 for that which is profitable to instruction correction so as to make a man of God much more a private Christian perfect and thorowly furnished to every good work But this Point deserveth some Explication First We say the Word of God made known unto us is thus an instrument and this bringeth in the necessity of Officers in the Church who by their Gifts and Ministry are to interpret and publish the Word of God to us For if the Scriptures be kept in the Originall Tongue they are unknown to most people and so are like a Candle under a Bushell or like a Fountain sealed up God therefore who hath appointed his Word as a Rule hath also given gifts to men that there may be such who shall divide this Word aright and give his children fit meat in their due season So that if a man ignorant of the Tongues should have a Bible in Hebrew and Greek What good could he get by it till translated and interpreted This is like a veil upon the Scripture and therefore doth as much hinder our understanding as if we had a veil upon our hearts Hence it hath been the good Providence of God to raise up such able and willing men who have been ready to translate the Scripture into all kinde of Languages that so every Nation might have it in their known Tongue We say therefore the Word of God made known to us is thus powerfull Secondly We say it 's Instrumentall Now there is a two-fold Instrument as to our purpose both which meeting together the Word produceth it's compleat effects There is Gods Instrument that which he hath appointed on his part And then There is that which is Instrumentall on our part and that is Faith As in the fore-mentioned place of 2 Timothy 3.16 The Scriptures are able to make thee wise to salvation through faith So that as Christ who is the essentiall Word of God dwels in our hearts by faith Thus the Scriptures the revealed Word of God become effectuall to us by believing The Word did not profit the Israelites because not mingled with faith Heb. 4.6 So that as the Word of God is a necessary instrument on Gods part Thus faith is a necessary instrument on mans part Whensoever God causeth his Word to be published be thou ready to prepare a believing heart This is that which diffuseth the Word through the whole soul The Word is Bread but it 's faith that eats it and digests it No Sermon can ever doe thee the least good unlesse Faith write it down in thy heart Goe home believing such places of Scripture and this will antidote against sinne If humane Faith can turne a man wholly upside downe How much more may divine Faith Thirdly We say it 's Instrumentall therefore the Word of God preached is not the principall or the efficient No though we have ten thousand Teachers and they all like Angels yet truth could never sanctifie us unlesse God give a blessing to it and therefore you see here Christ prayeth to God that he would sanctifie them by his truth intimating That though they understood it never so clearly and remembred it never so firmly yet if God blesse it not to this sanctifying use they are like a Rock under much rain that never brings forth any fruit and in three particulars we must necessarily acknowledge Gods efficiency First Though men be never so expert and diligent in the Scripture yet if God blesse them not with a seeing eye and a spirituall understanding in stead of being sanctified by the Word they are through mis-interpretations corrupted Doth not the Apostle Peter tell of some who through their ignorance did wrest the Scripture to their perdition 2 Pet. 3.16 There are many Heretiques and erroneous persons who are full of Scripture will alledge many places of Gods Word but putting their corrupt glosses upon it it 's no more Gods truth but mans errour and therefore are not sanctified by it in which sense Luther called the Bible The Heretiques book because they would all confidently boast they grounded their opinions upon that Book when indeed it was upon their own corruptions Oh then besides frequent knowledge and excellent memory of the Scripture know a further thing is requisite even the Spirit of God to lead thee by this Rule into the truth else it is with the Scripture as it was with that pillar in the wilderness it was light to the Israelites to guide them but darkness to the Egyptians 2. The Word of God is not blessed to sanctifie our affections and reform our corruptions unlesse God come in as the principal cause As the Prophets servant could do no good in raising the dead childe till the Prophet his Master came so though thou take up the Scripture reade such a place an hundred times over against that very sinne thou livest in yet it doth not sanctifie till God set it home upon thee Nicodemus was grosly ignorant about the work of Regeneration yet no doubt being a Master in Israel he had often read that promise That God would take away an heart of stone and give an heart of flesh and doth not sad experience tell us of many that have great knowledge in Scripture yet they live prophanely and grosly It 's true such men are to look for greater condemnation then others
most powerfull means of grace are It was thus with the Jews Col. 6. who enjoyed besides the ordinary Ministry of their Priests the instructions of extraordinary Prophets and yet the truth of God did not sanctifie them But go saith God to the Prophet make their eyes blinde and their hearts hard and this our Saviour did apply to their posterity also who enjoyed Christ himself and saw all the wonderfull miracles he did This is a dreadfull and terrible thing to consider of when in stead of sanctifying God shall say Harden them blinde them and make them more wicked by the truth It 's not the Word worketh thus of it self but wicked hearers through their unbelief and unprofitableness provoke God to give them up to believe a lie and for the abuse of heavenly light they are given up to vile affections To many cursed sins which is a greater judgment then to be cast into the mouth of wilde beasts for they will only devoure the body but these will damn the soul Vse of Direction to all the people of God whose burden and grief it is that they have no more holiness who cry out like the horsleech It 's not enough and their souls refuse all comfort because they cannot climb up this hill to Heaven faster let such be directed to take the right way How willingly is the earthly man ready to hear how he may get more wealth and the languishing man how he may get more health and strength Why then shouldst not thou rejoyce to know which is the way to purifie the heart more Few know the divine efficacy of Gods Word but such who set themselves to get the vertue of it And that this may be instrumentall to your Sanctification In the first place Remember faith without which it can do no more good then excellent medicines if they be not applied set faith a work and then the word of God will powerfully work upon thee It 's with thee as thou believest Believe and those high mountains of lusts shall be thrown down 2. Bring an humble tender and trembling heart at the teaching of it Such an heart King Josias had and he is commended for it yea Ezra 9.4 it 's the character of the godly to tremble at his Word The hard heart no more then the hard Rock can receive the seed sown into it 3. It 's not enough to receive the Word of God at first but keep it there The Apostle Peter cals it the ingraffed Word the Word that turneth us into the nature of it that we are walking Bibles as great Schollers are called walking Libraries David said He had hid Gods word in his heart This is the leaven that will diffuse it self 4. Rest not in the bare hearing but joyn earnest and fervent prayer that the Spirit of God may teach inwardly while the Word doth outwardly Vse 2. Of Instruction How terrible a thing it is to see men grow more wicked and ungodly by how much the more plentifully they enjoy the Word that the Word should work contrary to it's nature upon thee that this light should put out thy eyes that this life should bring thee to death Oh the rivers of water that should run out of our eyes for this matter and yet is there any more common judgment then this Oh bewail and cry out for fear of it Lord every thing I take doth me more hurt SERMON XCII Of the Truth of the Scriptures JOH 17.17 Thy Word is Truth THis is a Description or Explication of what was meant by Truth Thy Word is Truth which is a Proposition Wherein you have 1. The Subject 2. The Predicate The Subject is described by its Name and Nature with the propriety thereof Thy Word The Word of God is sometimes called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and sometimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It 's called Gods Word because spoken by him and that two waies Either 1. Immediately when God himself spake as unto the Patriarchs of old Or 2. Mediately when he inspired the holy Prophets and made them to publish his Word It 's called at other times 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All Scripture is given by Inspiration 2 Tim. 3.16 So Search the Scriptures and in many other places This is a Description of Gods Word from the accidentall form of it as it is put into writing Sometimes God did govern his Church by his Word as revealed only Thus it was with the Church at first In this latter Age he guides it by the Scriptures only There is no other Word of God but what is written In Christs time there was both for there were the Books of the Old Testament and they were Gods written Word and what Christ while on the Earth did with his own mouth speak to the Church that was the Revealed Word and Will of God We reade not that Christ wrote any thing but once upon the Ground and what that was though there are many and severall Conjectures yet none can certainly tell But what Christ spake and did the Evangelists afterwards being guided infallibly by the divine Spirit of God did commit to Writing Object If then you ask What Word of God it is our Saviour doth here mean I answer Both the Word that was written the Scripâ—ures that were the Oracles of God committed to the Jews and that Word which he did manifest to his Disciples of which he had spoken ver 6. Some indeed by Word understand Christ and it 's true that Christ is the Essential Word of God and so also the Essential Truth but the Context doth evidence it that he speaks of the Revealed and Preached Word Now this is called Gods Word because whether immediately delivered by God or commanded to be written It 's still Gods Word Speaking and Writing are but accidentall to it It 's the same Essentiall Word as it is the same man though he alter his Garment and the same wine though put in divers Vessels The Word of God written ought with as much Faith and Reverence to be received as if God did immediately speak it from Heaven and though it seem incredible yet our Saviour confirmeth it Luke 16.31 that he who doth not beleeve the Scriptures the Word of God written would not beleeve though there were miraculous waies of publishing it In the next place we have the Predicate its Truth Interpreters judge this to be taken out of the Psalm 119.151 They are therefore said to be Truth not true in the Abstract to shew the Fulnesse and Universality of Truth in them Obs That the Word of God is Truth This Doctrine if beleeved may work wonderfull changes in the mindes and lives of men for Certainly the Foundation of all Heresie and Impiety is because Gods Word is not received as true In the Scripture it is often called the Word of Truth Colos 1.5 2 Timoth. 2.15 James 1.18 And sometimes Truth in the Abstract 1 Peter 1.22 2 Peter 2.2 To Open this Consider That it 's not my purpose
at this time to prove the Verity of the Scriptures I am only to shew in what sence and wherein it is true and the nature of this Truth We take it for a principle granted by Christians that the Word of God is true and although Learned men have by unanswerable Arguments demonstrated the Truth of the Scriptures yet that was to Heathens and Pagans or that were not Beleevers of it It is true the work is necessary also to those that are Christians to make their faith more solid certain and clear and the rather because there are some wretched men rose up of late that cry down the Scriptures and that pretend to be above them yea that bid us prove the Scriptures to be Gods Word but I am not to deal with such at this time Certainly every good Christian having received this principle into him doth finde such authority and Divine Majesty coming from the Word that he doth no more desire Arguments to prove the Scripture to be the Word of God then he would have another Sunne to see this Sunne-shine Austin long agoe speaks of such a disposition with great Indignation O Lord Thou hast taught me to abhorre all such who say Vnde scis hos Libros esse Canonicos This then being laid down as a sure Foundation Let us proceed to shew in how many particulars Gods Word is true And First It 's Truth in regard of the Efficient Cause God and Christ who are the Authour of it so that the Scripture can no more lye then God or Christ could The Scriptures then are the Truth of him who is the Supream Truth So that as Truth it self cannot be false so neither can Gods Word Humane Truth is Truth but yet because every man may erre Therefore we cannot have such a Faith in it Cui non potest subesse falsum but when we come unto Gods Word and his Truth it is impossible that there should he any Errour Secondly It is the Rule of all Truth That as God is the primum principium essendi of giving being to all Truth so the Scripture is the primum principium cognoscendi the first principle to teach and inform us The Scripture then is true because all Divine Truth floweth from that and every thing is true so farre as it is commensurated according to that Rule Whatsoever men say whatsoever Reason saith whatsoever Traditions and Customes say yet if against Scripture away with all This is the Standard of all Truth all Truth I say necessary to Salvation It is the Christians Metaphysicks Ethicks and Politiques the Rule of all Speculative and Practicall Truth To the Law and to the Testimony if they speak not according to this it is because there is no light in them Isaiah 8.20 Therefore it is so often called a Light unto our Feet If this principle were kept too Neither Superstitious Traditions on the one hand nor subtle Delusions of pretended Revelations on the other hand could ever have molested or troubled the Church Thirdly It 's true materially that is all the matter contained therein is true The Historical part The Dogmatical part The morall part The predicting part all contain un-erring Truth in them Whatsoever Doctrine is there revealed it is to be received without any further disputing or asking How can it be so The first Truth hath said it therefore the Understanding must submit If it be made clear Thus saith the Lord then all must yeeld and so for the Threatnings of it whatsoever God saith against the wicked man all the evil that is there said to come upon him doubt not of the Truth of it though for the while a wicked man may live in all ease and jollity It is not so much a Threatning as the Truth of it that makes it so dreadfull what were the Names of Hell and Damnation of a Day of Judgement if there were not Truth in them and thus the promissory part is full of Truth Though a Godly man be cast down with many Temptations weaknesses and Discouragements yet the Truth of Gods Promises should be a Pillar of Marble to him and a brazen wall He may sooner fear the falling of the Heavens and the removing of the Earth out of its place then doubt in the least of the Truth thereof Hence Gods Word is said to be like Silver seven times refined So that there is no errour no drosse or falshood mixed with it It it true in the matter of the Scripture in the Historicall part especially there are some appearing Contradictions and to some Learned men they have been insoluble but this ariseth from the weaknesse of our Understanding not from the Scripture it self As there is no defect in the Sunne because the Owles Eye cannot stedfastly look upon it yea as God himself So the Scriptures because they have most Truth in them so are most intelligible if there were capacious Subjects as the Sunne is Maximè visibilis if there were a fit Eye to behold it Fourthly It is true in respect of the Adjunct or quality of it Truth is an affection cleaving to a Proposition and thus the Word of God is true qualitatively yea the Truth of the Scripture is affirmed by all to be more firm and strong though not so evident then any thing in the world Those things we receive by Reason or by Sence are nothing so true and firm as those that we receive by Faith It is said indeed that all Truth consists in indivisibili and so nothing can be truer then another This is graeted in respect of Truth it self But then if you do regard the Foundation or the Cause of Truth so is one more certain then another Thus all the Truths of Faith are transcendant to those of Reason and Sence We are more securely to rest in what God saith then in what we know or feel and the reason is because the Truth of these latter things is founded only upon a Creature but of the former upon a Creator upon God himself Oh that we did thus beleeve Gods word what manner of persons should we be who could terrifie the Godly who could trouble their Spirits if this were received And for the wicked with what Fear and Trembling would he go up and down Oh the Scripture is true that speaks against such sins that discovers my wickedness it is so true I cannot deny it Fifthly It is true Instrumentally Because the Spirit of God directs us into all Truth and this is chiefly the intendment here The Scripture is in Gods hand and by the Spirits working leadeth us into all Truth we are all in darknesse till the Scripture like the Sunne doth arise Man liveth in Errours he is nothing but a Lye till the Scripture inform but though the Scripture doth shine yet as the Sunne cannot make a blinde man to see so neither doth the Scripture of it self till God give a Seeing Eye The Scripture works onely Objectively but the
then all those places of Scripture which speaks of our Election so as to praise God to have Confidence in him to triumph over all Afflictions would all be in vain for a man that is dead cannot perform these Duties Vse 1. of Consolation to all Beleevers What holy boldnesse and Confidence may they have for the time to come Did Christ think of thee before ever thou wast born or come into this world and will he not now thou hast a being in this world Did he minde thee before ever thou hadst any Grace and not when thou hast it He that did the greater will he not doe the lesse Vse 2. Of Admonition To search for the Effects and Fruits of Election in your Lives and Conversations For if you are of God and do belong to him you will hear his Word The Word one time or another will be effectuall to you SERMON CVII Of Faith the severall Kindes of it And especially of Justifying Faith It 's Object and Seat c. JOHN 17.20 Who shall believe in me through their word WE are now come to the Description of those who are here prayed for 1. The person in it's qualification 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. The Object of this Qualification 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So that in this Description two things are very observable 1. The Action 2. The Object The Action or rather the Quality is in those words Who shall believe 2. The Object in those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For the gracious disposition viz. of believing I shall God willing treat more generally of the Nature of it vers 21. where it's again mentioned and so shall passe over the Act and come to the Object that specifieth it And the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is emphatical for it 's observed by the learned that no prophane Authors use that phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it 's peculiar to the Scripture So that as the thing it self viz. recumbency and resting upon Christ for salvation is onely known in the Church of God so is the phrase I shall not at this time examine that ordinary distinction of credere Deum Deo and in Deum it will be more pertinent at vers 21. where the whole Nature of faith in it's latitude is to be examined At this time I am to consider the restriction of it to it 's principal and chief Object and that is Christ For there is a two fold object of Faith the generall and that is the whole truth of God revealed in the Scriptures and the special that is the Lord Christ making an atonement for us and as Faith doth respect this special object so it justifieth a mans faith doth not justifie him as it believeth the threatnings or historical part of the Scripture but as it receiveth Christ and resteth on him It 's true the habit of justifying faith puts it self forth into all those general acts as a man by his rational soul accomplisheth the acts of sense which are common to a beast but that which doth specifically constitute him as a man is rationality so justifying faith doth inable a man to believe every truth revealed in Gods Word but that by which he is justified is when he wholly depends upon Christ and as was said This is emphatically expressed in Scripture by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not that this doth every where signifie the act of saving and justifying faith for John 2.23 many are there said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To believe on the Name of Christ to whom yet Christ would not commit himself but only for the most part is so The Scripture often expresseth it by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 especially by the Evangelist John sometimes with the Dative case Act. 18.8 Act. 27.25 sometimes it hath the Dative case with the Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 9.33 Rom. 10.11 sometimes with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Accusative case Rom. 4.5 Rom. 4.24 sometimes on the Name of Christ sometimes on Christ sometimes on God and all these expressions do come to the same effect only hereby is expressed more then a meer intellectual assent or speculative belief There is also included the fiducial and cordial inclination of the whole heart to rest solely upon Christ renouncing every thing else that may be thought to reconcile God to us Doct. That the faiâ—h which justifieth and saveth us maketh us wholly to depend and rely upon Christ So that it is with the believer in the matter of Justification as it was with Peter when sinking into the sea he cried out to Christ who took him by the hand and leaning on him was saved Thus the believer he is even sinking and dropping into hell he crieth out I am damning I am damning and then Christ putting his hand forth faith taketh strong hold of it and so is supported or as the Israelite stung with a Serpent it was not the looking upon other objects but only upon the Serpent and it was looking or meer beholding not applying any medicinal things that did cure So it is here It 's not the believing of every truth but only on Christ that justifieth and it is only believing not repenting not loving though they be necessary graces in the persons justified but only believing upon which we are justified Seeing that this is the quintessence of all practical Divinity and the life of faith is that which we are to be exercised in continually and also there are many corrupt doctrinal opinions that oppose it Let us the more diligently consider the whole nature of faith as it justifieth And First You must know that Protestant Writers consonantly to the Scripture make four kindes of Faith 1. Historical which some call Dogmatical whereby we do believe the truths of Scripture revealed therein because of Divine Authority because God saith so for if it be only from custom or education or other humane ends then it 's not so much as a Divine Historical faith and this faith all Christians are supposed to have though it 's to be feared few have any more then a bare humane faith 2. There is a Temporary Faith called so because it doth abide but for a season it being not able to endure the force of persecution and this is a degree higher then the former for that was only in the understanding and so had no efficacy upon the heart or affections at all but this temporary faith is carried out with some affections both to the person revealing and the matter revealed for Mat. 13. They received the Word with joy who believed but for a season 3. There is the Faith of Miracles which was granted in the primitive times of the Church for the confirmation of the Gospel and that sometimes to those who were not justified persons and this had for the object of it a peculiar and special promise for the doing such or such miraculous effects and answerable to this some learned Divines do acknowledge still a special faith whereby the
an evident comprehensive knowledge for then it would be science strictly so called but it hath a plain knowledge of the testimony or authority that revealeth it and also some apprehensive though not comprehensive knowledge of that we do believe Hence Paul saith I know whom I have believed 2 Cor. 4.13 And again How shall they believe unlesse they have heard Rom. 10. And this discovers the sad condition of thousands who say they believe in Christ and yet have no true knowledge about him 2. There is required to this justifying faith a firm and lively assent to the whole word of God For unless this be laid as a foundation there cannot be any building upon it Insomuch that we see the Scripture sometimes attributing salvation to the belief that Christ was able and that God was powerfull not that by that object they were justified only that was the particular in which the doubt and difficulty did seem to be so that it was not exclusive of that special act of faith but inclusive of it and indeed this is necessary to be known that justifying faith doth carry a man out even to Historical or Dogmatical matter respectively to Justification So that when a justified person believeth any temporal promise or the power of God it doth not simply and ultimately believe them as such but as they represent God a Father in Christ so that he believeth the power of God as of a Father in Christ and all the temporal promises are looked upon as Yea and Amen in Christ so that this is to be observed by the believer There is nothing true in the Scripture but justifying faith fetcheth filial arguments from it and makes him sensible of that peace and reconciliation with God in Christ And indeed to believe all the truths in Scripture doth beget fear and horrour unless this justifying faith qualifie it The devils believe and tremble so the meer dogmatist he believeth but hath cause to tremble for till every thing be brought to Christ that as God reconciled all things in heaven and earth through him so if thou reduce all things in the Scripture to Christ even the threatning part to him because fulfilled by him thou wilt have solid comfort Thus as it 's with man because he is rational all those animal acts which are common to him with beasts yet are reductively and participatively rational so in the godly man all those general acts of faith are reduced to justifying as the summe of all SERMON CVIII Of Justifying Faith Shewing what things are necessary thereunto And how or in what method the Spirit of God enableth the humbled soul to beleeve JOH 17.20 But for them also who shall beleeve on me SEveral particulars have been given in to the clearing of the nature of justifying Faith The last we were upon was to inform what goeth to the being of it and two Ingredients have been dispatched viz. Knowledge and assent Proceed we therefore to a third thing and that is 3. A deep sence and feeling of the burthen of sinne with some sorrow and humiliation thereupon The Law must work in the discovery of the disease before the Gospel doth in manifestation of the Remedy There must be the pain and smart of a sting felt ere there be any earnest beholding of the brazen Serpent Our Saviour said The sick needed the Physician When Paul by the light of the Law found himself out of measure sinfull then he began to seek after the unsearchable Riches of Gods grace Come unto me all ye that are heavy loaden and I will ease you saith Christ Mat. 11.28 Faith that is the easing and reposing of the troubled Spirit It is disputed whether Repentance go before Faith and indeed there is an Evangelical Repentance whereby the heart is melted with grief for sinne because God is so gracious a Father in Christ and this must necessarily follow Faith but then there is a Legal sorrow for sinne arising from Gods just hatred against it which breeds great trouble and confusion in the soul before it hath laid hold on Christ and this precedeth Faith Of this our Saviour speaks Mat. 21.32 Ye repented not that ye might beleeve And so Peters hearers Act. 2. were pricked at the heart before they were directed into Evangelicall Repentance and Faith There is then a fence of our undone estate going before this justifying Faith whereby a man findes himself utterly lost all his desirable things perish sinne that was once so beloved by him is as Tamar to Amnon hated more then ever he loved it Now he would throw it out of doors the sight and memory of it is grievous to him I presse not such a measure or degree of sorrow it worketh so much in all that there is a displacency and abhorrency in sinne as that which is the cause of all misery Hence in the 4th place followeth a conviction and perswasion of minde that there is no Creature in Heaven or Earth no nor nothing that he can do is able to justifie him or bring Reconciliation with God The Spirit of God Joh. 14. that doth convince of sinne in the first place doth afterward of a Righteousnesse That there is no Righteousnesse to be had but in Christ only If so be a man be no further convinced then of his sinne and disease thinking to make medicines and plaisters of his own thereby to heal himself This man will alwaies be kept in a wandring Wildernesse What was it that made so many run into Monasteries undertake strict waies of Discipline and mortification They had but an half Conviction They felt wofull troubles and agonies in their Souls for sinne They could not tell what to do as Luther professed of himself while a Papist but not being convinced of true Righteousnesse They ran to miserable Comforters and so skinned the Soar when the putrifying humour was still within but that Soul which the grace of God will carry on to Justification doth not only finde sinne manifested but the insufficiency of all Creature Righteousnesse he seeth with Noah that unlesse he get into an Ark there is nothing but overflowing waters every where While then this stone is squaring for an Heavenly building he is instructed in his own lost and undone Condition Being therefore thus fully perswaded that in himself he is a dead and a damned man In the 5th He proceedeth to an actual renouncing of every thing but Christ He seeth there is no remedy in the world for him but by Christ He abhorâ—eth all those Doctrines and practises in Religion which he did put confidence in as if they could save him Phil. 3. You see this method in Paul when once his eyes were opened then all the priviledges that were formerly counted gain he looked upon them as losse yea as dung in comparison of the Knowledge of Christ Now certainly this is a great work of Gods Spirit not only to make a man renounce his sinnes but his works of Righteousnesse also for this
to be considered And they are these 1. It lifteth a man up above his natural reason It addeth many cubits to his stature As reason directs and corrects sense as we see in Astronomy so doth faith direct and correct reason As Zacheus because of a small stature went up into a tree to see Jesus Thus the reason of a man being too low in it self must ascend up to the Scriptures that it may behold divine things so that they wholly overthrow faith and change the nature of it who made it with Abailadus of old to be imagination or with the Socinians strength of reason Certainly Julian and the Heathens of old confound Christian Religion upon this ground because it was faith it was not a science 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it was Julians upbraiding now the Christians they gloried in this and Austin to confirm the Christian under many captious doubts saith thus Nomini te esse fidelem not rationalem To bring then divine truths to reasons comprehension is to put the Sunne under a bushell or to think to fit Goliahs shoe to Zacheus his foot 2. Though this faith lifts up reason yet it doth not contradict it When we say faith cometh by revelation not by reason flesh and blood cannot make such things known to us yet when once this revelation is discovered in the Scripture then reason doth wonderfully help to propugn and maintain this truth revelation must lay the foundation and then reason will build upon it so that inlightned reason and instructed reason out of the Word is of excellent use to explicate and clear divine mysteries Even as the Gold-smiths hammer is usefull to dilate and diffuse his golden mettal in many formes and this use all our learned Divines make against all Heretiques They doe by the help of reason and arguments out of the Scripture illustrate and confirm the Doctrine to be believed 3. This general nature of faith hath two excellent properties put together in one place Heb. 11.1 It 's there called The substance of things hoped for and evidence of things not seen It 's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We shall not dispute Whether this be a definition of faith it 's enough that two differential marks are given of it And First It 's the substance of things hoped for concerning which word learned men say divers things but it may comprehend these particulars First that Faith is not an empty flying fancy for so Aristotle useth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as opposite to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some manifestation meerly as the colours of the Rainbow or of birds feathers when the Sunne shines These have but an intentional being there is no reall solid being in them but faith is the substance of things hoped for and certainly this is greatly to be endeavoured after that thy faith be a reall substantial thing how many mens faith are but fickle fancies and uncertain notions and therefore with their dogmatical faith they are like the Apostle James his man without faith tossed up and down with every wave Jam. 1. The Apostle Ephes 4.14 saith Be not carried about with every winde of Doctrine that denoteth the levity and emptinesse of a thing Trees that are well rooted are not blowne up and down like feathers What then is the cause of instability and uncertainty of many mens Religion It 's because they have not faith wheresoever that is it is a solid substantial bottoming of the soul 2. The word substance doth imply that it makes the things hoped for though afarre off yet present to the soul and even to subsist in the soul for faith is not hindred in its actings by distance of place for that receiveth Christ enjoyeth Christ though in Heaven and he that believeth hath eternal life Hence we are said to be already translated from death to life John 5.24 because to faith these things are as sure as if they were already done Thus Paul you see him by faith speaking as confidently as if he were in Heaven already Rom 8. Who shall separate us from the love of God shall things present or things to come Shall life or death c Hence faith is called The beholding of things not seen 2 Cor. 3. Faith makes God present Heaven present Christ present as really and truly as bodily objects are present to sense and truly for want of this it is that we are so cold languishing dejected we doe not by faith make these things present if we did they would more divinely affect us and as it is the substance of things hoped for So of things feared likewise Noah by faith moved with fear prepared an Arke Heb. 11.7 Thus faith makes hell and damnation present it doth not look upon hell as a farre off but is affected as if it did see and hear those dolefull howlings in hell and so dare no more sin then if it were in hell already Oh what a mighty change would faith thus realizing things work upon us 3. The word comprehends Assurance Confidence and so indeed is hypostasis used both in Scripture and by humane Authours now this confidence of faith and assurance is seen in the knowing and assenting acts of faith as well as applicatory witnesse those resolute and confident deportments which the Martyrs had Had not they strong assurance of the truth who could endure such exquisite torments against subtil opposers And certainly the Martyrs in Queen Maries dayes are more to be admired then those in the primitive times for they suffered upon undoubted and clear points which only the Heathens gain-said But now these suffered by them that acknowledged a Christ and pretended the Glory of Christ as well as they So that this heavenly confidence and satisfaction of the soul that they care not for further disputing and doubting in the matters they do believe is a great property in faith And this manifesteth there is little faith now in Religion wherein men are apt to think all Religions alike and that one may do as well as another In these dayes to have such a substantiating reallizing and confident assurance is a great wonder The next word describing the generall nature of it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that doth imply First That the things believed bring an objective light with them As the object that is seen brings a visibility though faith in respect of humane reason be obscure and supernatural Arguments be inevident yet compared with the light in the Word it hath much evidence Hence the word of God is so often compared to light and that illumination which God worketh in the minde is partly faith as well as any other grace The things that are believed bring an evidence with them to the soul as the Sunne brings a visibility with it to be seen Therefore this believing is said to be by the Word set home in the demonstration of the Spirit and hence it is a man in some sense is passive
in believing as he is in understanding because the object doth so powerfully work on the minde that it cannot withstand it Even the Arminians could not but grant That the work of Gods Spirit upon the understanding is irresistible though not upon the will because they say that is an active faculty Secondly The Word doth imply such an evidence that doth convince and binde up the understanding that it cannot doubt or dispute any longer All evidence may not presently convince We see though erroneous persons reade never so many excellent books yet they are not actually convinced the evidence indeed is able to convince as the Sunne-beams are able objectively to make a blinde man see there is light enough if he had eyes but faith is here said to be the actual conviction of the soul to silence it that it hath no more to say according to the saying of the Schools Fides non est tantum apprehensiva sed quietativa Faith is not only apprehensive but quietative and resting of the soul that it is not learning and learning or seeking but never coming to the truth Fourthly This Faith hath unlimitednesse and universality in it's assenting The whole Word of God is the adequate Object of it and therefore whatsoever is revealed in the Scripture it believeth it doth not pick or choose believe some things and not others as they make for or against us but so farre as the Word is propounded it doth receive it Therefore such threatnings that condemn man that makes him dead in sinne and guilty of hell such threatnings that do speak terribly to such or such a sinne he is involved in though it be a troublesome and unwelcome truth to flesh and blood yet Faith makes a man to believe it Whether Faith be discursive or put forth by one simple act is disputed howsoever it cannot be denied but that there is an order in the things believed a connexion and dependance between one proposition and another though when believed faith is carried out with one uniform act because there is the same divine Authority in all Lastly The immediate opposites to Faith dogmaticall in whole or in part are these either expresse Paganisme and Heathenisme this is Negative unbelief They never so much as received these truths Or else Grosse and stupid Ignorance whereby though they say they do believe yet indeed they doe not no more then Pagans or else Heretiques who though they may hold some Fundamentall Truths yet oppose others or Apostates who having once professed do afterwards make shipwrack of their Faith Or lastly In some degree all doubts and waverings about the Truth doe oppose this divine Faith especially when set home by the Devil who many times hath as hot fiery darts about Dogmaticall Faith as justifying troubling them with doubtfull thoughts about a God and about the truth of Scriptures Now in such temptations it 's not good to hold a parlee but as Joseph to his Mistresse to runne away to have an holy pertinacy and with Paul to Peter Not to give way to any such doubt no not for a moment If Christs sheep will not hear a stranger but runne from him much more from the Devil who is the Arch heretique the Tempter as to all sinne so to all unbelief Vse Pray to God to increase and establish this Faith in thee and that especially in these dayes These are times when thy justifying Faith shall be assaulted by doubts and disconsolate fears these are times also when thy Historicall Faith may be puzzled and shaken with such heresies and cunning devices of men But oh let thy eyes and heart be up to Heaven for this substance this evidence Thou wilt then have that within which will establish thee against all errours SERMON CXXII Of the Glory which Christ communicates unto all his Disciples even in this Life And of Vnion with him as the Ground of it JOH 17.22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them that they may be one even as we are one OUR Saviour continueth amplifying his Prayer for the Union of Beleevers So that in this Text we may take notice of another argument or reason why the Father should make them one in him and one amongst themselves Here is a threefold Unity spoken of 1. That essentiall one of the father and the Son 2. That mysticall one of Christ as Head and Mediatour and believers 3. That charitative one of believers amongst themselves The Argument urged by our Saviour in the Text is he had given that glory to them which the Father had given him so that we may take the particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 causally for the glory thou gavest me I have given viz. in purpose and decree to such as shall beleeve All the difficulty is what is that glory which Christ receiving of the Father giveth to believers Some Learned men expound it of the Glory of the Apostleship and working of miracles and they make the sence to be thus The glory thou gavest me to give I have given them As Cbrist is said out of the Psalmist to receive gifts for men Now because he received them to give The Apostle Eph. 4. alledgeth it as giving gifts to men the Consequent being put for the Antecedent But this cannot be received because our Saviour is now praying for all beleevers in all successive ages and not the Apostles only Others by glory do understand immortality and that state of happinesse hereafter But to understand it aright we must know that the word glory when attributed to God is of a very large signification but more particularly when God doth by any works in a more remarkable manner declare his goodnesse wisedom omnipotency c. then he is said to give his glory Ezek. 39.21 Eze. 26.20 In the New Testament when we reade of Christs Glory we may Consider of 1. His essentiall glory which he hath as God spoken of Heb. 1. where he is called the brightnesse of his Fathers Glory 2. Of his Mediatory Glory which he had as Mediatour his humane nature being filled with all grace which glory though begun on earth yet was consummated when exalted to the right hand of God in glory 3. There were the many effects which did concomitate this essentiall and Mediatory glory some particulars whereof the Scripture mentions as all the approbation the Father gave from heaven to Christ with all his miracles doctrine and other signs of his divine nature is called Christs glory Joh. 1.14 We beheld his glory by way of wonder and admiration as the word signifieth as the glory of the only begotten Son of God Thus when Christ turned the water into wine Joh. 2.11 It 's said he manifested his glory and Joh. 11. the raising of Lazarus from the dead is called Gods glory as working of miracles So the love that the Father bestoweth on Christ is called Christs glory at 24 verse in this Chapter which may be a good Exposition of this Therefore by
knowledge from the inward reason of things we would grant it and think it to be only a strife about words for this is plain as Austin well Non ratio dicti sed dicendi autoritas suadet It 's not reason from the thing but the authority of the speaker that is the cause of faith Now for want of right understanding herein the Socinians they go too farre on the other hand The Papist thinks faith defined better by ignorance then knowledge the Socinian will have such knowledge as shall be fetcht from the inward reason of things and this is the cause why the Trinity and Incarnation of Christ are denied because reason is made the Judge of these things but the knowledge of faith is not like that of the Philosophers who searched into the causes and inward principles of things for then the Scriptures would not be commended to us but the Platoes and Aristotles of the world Therefore fifthly The knowledge faith brings is a knowledge respecting the testimony and revelation of a thing and the authority of him who doth reveal it that he is the supream verity and therefore cannot lie We see in an humane faith a man cannot believe that which he doth not know witnessed a thing that he never heard spoken of and this is that which we justly blame the Church of Rome for That it teacheth an implicit faith viz. That we believe what the Church believeth but now what is it that the Church believeth they know not and it may be never heard of it Therefore that is the way to lead men blindfold to hell for this implicit faith is indeed nothing but a simple grosse ignorance but faith divine knoweth the testimony or that word which revealeth such truth not that they only can believe who can reade for Faith cometh by hearing as well as reading so that they may know the truth confirmed in the Scripture though they cannot reade it Faith therefore is not blinde nor is the obedience of it in this sense blinde as if it did not know what it did believe with such blinde Sacrifices God is not well-pleased and the woman of Samaria is reproved because she worshipped she knew not what Joh. 4. and it 's no lesse guilt when we believe we know not what 2. There is not only a knowledge of the testimony but some though imperfect knowledge of the very things themselves Thus Paul I know whom I have believed 2 Tim. 1.22 and so in many places the people of God are said to know God to know Christ There is an apprehensive knowledge though not a comprehensive Therefore though God doth not give perfect knowledge in this life yet he could if he please turn faith into vision He that made the corporal blinde to see can also take away mental blindness but he is pleased to let us have but imperfect knowledge and that partly because we ought to be humbled in our selves for we see the pride and sinfull corruption of man when it gets any knowledge in the Scripture how ready to be lifted up to despise others to think we are wiser then Solomon which makes the Apostle say Knowledge puffeth up 1 Cor. 8.1 not that it doth so of it self for of it self it would rather humble and debase but such is our corruption and vanity that without the special grace of God as we grow in knowledge so also we grow in pride Again God keepeth us in imperfect knowledge here that so we might be in constant prayer and dependance on him to beg for knowledge and an understanding heart as also that we might study and meditate to be alwayes growing in knowledge as the Apostle exhorts Hence it is that there are so many difficult places in Scripture which will exercise the thoughts of the most learned and those things the ablest men do know yet they may grow in a more firm distinct and powerfull knowledge This Sun may arise upon them by degrees till at last it comes to its vertical point Now that our faith must either be knowing or have knowledge accompanying of it is plain 1. Because the word of God is given as a Rule and therefore compared to a light and a lantern because it doth direct and order our conversations If then faith had not knowledge to what use should the Word enlighten To what purpose also are those frequent exhortations to all private persons as well as Officers to attend to the reading of it to prove all things to try all things Can the Scripture be made use of Can these duties be put in practice and yet there be no knowledge 2. As the Word is light objectivè so the believer himself is light subjectivè Hence they are called light in the Lord light in the very abstract Eph. 5.8 and the Scripture speaks often of their illumination having their understandings and hearts opened insomuch that the soul is a meer chaos and confusion till God create this light in it faith then is accompanied with internal light as well as it requireth external 3. The obedience of a Christian is to be rational it 's called the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the reasonable service Rom. 12.1 and all the Pharisees worship is rejected because it had no word to be grounded upon we are to answer God when he shall say Who hath required you to believe thus to worship thus And how can this be without knowledge Though in Popery a blinde obedience is commended yet Christ requireth a seeing and knowing obedience 4. The just is to be saved by his faith Now if faith hath no knowledge this properly is another mans faith if faith hath no knowledge but believeth because the Church believeth so or a Councel believeth so then it 's not so much his own faith as the Churches faith that must save him Lastly If faith hath not knowledge then it 's impossible to discharge all those effects of faith that the Scripture speaks of as to cleave and adhere to the truth to refuse falshood and all cunning deceivableness of errour Now how can this be if faith hath no eyes of knowledge to discern Trees and men are all one to a blinde man Any Camel will quickly be swallowed up if there be not a knowing faith 2. How can we suffer martyrdom and lose all the dearest comforts we have if we have not knowledge Can a man be banished undone suffer death and all for that which he doth not know whether it be true or not 3. He cannot be thankefull unto God under the truth he enjoyeth neither can he make that practical improvement of them as he ought to do As Christ told the Samaritan woman If thou didst know who it is that asketh thee c. Joh. 4. so if thou didst know what Christ is what the Covenant of grace is thou wouldst make an heavenly use of it whereas now thou knowest no more what to do with it then a swine with a pearl Vse of Exhortation to get out
upon this will bring much Consolation Considering 1. Gods taking the more care of them 2. Their being quaiified as that come under Christs Fraier 3. And that God will ere long take them out of the world Quest Answ Observ How many wayes a godly man may be more sanctified 1. Inrensively 2. Extensively 3. In the deeper radication of grace in our hearts 4. Subjectively 5. Efficienter Growth in Sanctification illustrated by the contraries unto it which are these Reasons Vse Observ That the word of God is the instrument of our sanctification The explication of the point The necessity of learned officers in the Church The Word is Gods instrument and faith is mans The Word is not the principal or efficient but the instrumental cause The necessity of Gods efficiency Without Gods blessing men may by the Scriptures through interpretation be corrupted Instrumentall Causes are physical natural or moral One cause must not be opposed to other causes The Word is the ordinary means The word to some through their wickednes becomes an instrument of greater sinfullness Doct. The Word of God is Truth In how many particulars Gods Word is true I. In regard of the efficient Cause God II. It 's the Rule of all Truth III. It 's true materially IV. Qualitatively V. It 's true Instrumentally There is a threefold Truth we cannot attain to without the Scripture 1. True Doctrine 2. True Piety 3. True Consolation VI. The Scripture is true oppositely to all the Opinions Doctrines and Religions that men set up by their own fancy The excellent properties of the truth of Scripture 1. It 's the truth of God 2. It 's infallible 3. Eternal 4. Universal 5. Supernaturall 6. A holy truth 7. A precious truth 8. A bitter truth Doct. Truth and holinesse are requisite in Ministers of the Gospel Why it is requisite Ministers should be endowed with soundnesse of judgement Why Ministers must be holy Vse T Doct. 2. That Christ hath a peculiar love of those who are in Church-Office according to his rule and way In what particular Christs care is shewed to his Ministers Observ Christ was sent of the Father and did not of himself undertake that office he was imployed in while on the earth Of Christs Commission consider these things The necessity of Christs being sent Observ None may undertake the publike Office of the Ministry without a lawful Call thereunto Dist 1. There is a two-fold sending Mediate and Immediate Dist 2. The substance of the Ministerial Office is the same with that which every Minister hath Rules for private Christians exercising their Gifts Whether reading be preaching Heinsius Grotius Vocation to the Office of the Ministry consists in these things I. Inward qualifications II. Outward Distinct ult That there is a distinct Oâ—fice of the Ministry That none may enter into this Office without an authoritative mission Doct. That Christ set himself apart to be a Sacrifice for us In my Treatise of justification What Christs sanctifying himself implieth I. His purity and holinesse II His ready offering himself for us III. His fitnesse for the office of a Mediatour 1. The fitnesse of his Person 2. His fitnesse in regard of his Offices 1. Prophetical 2. Priestly 3. Kingly IV. He is prepared for this work Benefits of Christs sanctifying himself V. That he was wholly set apart for us VI. That if by faith we improve him not for those ends God appointed him we make him a Christ in vain VII It denotes him a sinner by imputation VIII That he was a Priest to make atonement for us Concerning Christs priestly-office Consider these things Wherein this prayer and his intercession in heaven differ The adâ—unct of his Priestly Office Observ That Christ was not only the Priest but the Sacrifice it self Propositions concerning Christs Priesthood I. That Christ was both Priest Sacrifice and Altar II. What things are necessary to a Sacrifice III. He offered himself to God IV. It was by way of Expiotion V. The necessity of it The properties of Christs Sacrifice I. It hath infinite worth in it II. Though Christ offered himself as a Sacrifiae yet the application must be as God hath appointed III. Christs bloud washeth away not only the guilt of sin but the filth of it IV. The vertue of his Sacrifice abides for ever V. It 's continually useful VI. It 's prevalent with God VII It 's that Christ presents to his Father VIII The purity of it IX The vertue of it Observ Christ died not only for our justification also Concerning this point consider I. How many wayes is the Christ is the cause of our Sanctification II. What is implied in our being sanctified by Christ III. What may be inferred from our being sanctified by Christs sanctifying himself IV. Wherein the truth of Sanctification lieth Doct. That Christ though God yet as man did pray unto the Father Upon what grounds Christ who was God as well as man did pray The difference between Christs praier and ours What advantage Beleevers have by Christ Doct. In what respects Christ did as much for one believer as another There is some difference between beleevers in respect of Christs Death Observ That such is Christs care and love to his remembred in his prayer and death even before they had a being Doct. Reasons Doct. That the faith which â—ustififieth and saveth us maketh us wholly to depend on Christ The several kinds of faith The object of faith It 's an act of the will as wel as the understanding The seat of faith These things are required to justifying faith I. Of faith under the notion of receiving Christ The receiving of Christ implyeth 1. That we have nothing of our own 2. That we are wholly passive in justification 3. That faith doth not justifie for any intrinsecal worth in it 4. Faith is excluded as it is a work 5. And why faith and no other grace doth justifie II. This receiving is not a bare receiving but an imbracing also III. In this act of faith there is a fiducial reposing of the soul upon Christ IV. An application of Christ V. This recumbent act of faith may not only thus receive Christ but we may be assured that Christ is ours Faith hath two acts a direct and a reflex Quest Observ God hath appointed a perpetual Ministry to the end of the world Quest Answ Doct. Consider That there is a two-fold Unity among the godly I. Invisible II. Visible III. 1. The excellency and necessity of unity among Christians appears by the vehement and affectionate praier for it 2. It s a means to bring the world to believe the truth 3. It s promised as a special part of the Covenant 4 Hereby a serviceable helping of one another in spirituaâ—l things is preserved 5. God suffers sad persecutions to befall them that thereby their discords may be removed 6. Unity strengthens 7. It is beautifull and comely 9. Divisions are the fruit of the flesh 10. Because all things
CXLV Expository Sermons UPON The whole 17th CHAPTER OF THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO St JOHN OR CHRISTS PRAYER Before his PASSION Explicated AND BOTH Practically and Polemically Improved By Anthony Burgess Minister of the Gospel sometime Fellow of Emanuel-Colledge in Cambridge and now Pastour of the Church of Sutton-Coldfield in Warwickshire LONDON Printed by Abraham Miller for Thomas Underhill at the Anchor and Bible in St Pauls Church-yard MDCLVI TO The Christian READER THe Evangelist John because of that admirable usefull and excellent matter which he hath left on Record for the good of the Church is dignified with some remarkable Titles That which is the principall and most to be observed is the name Christ himself gave him Mark 3.17 He with his brother James are called Sons of Thunder When our Saviour changed Peters Name there is the reason of that mutation expressed but because here is none given therefore the conjectures of Interpreters are various As for the application of it to John Some say It was because of the greatnesse and vehemency of his voice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but it is hard to prove that Grotius thinketh our Saviour doth allude to that of Haggai chap. 2.6 Yet once it is a little while and I will shake 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from which he makes Boanerges though other Criticks judge much otherwise the Heavens and Earth c. This Promise was fulfilled in the great Mutation and Change which was made by the Gospel in which this Evangelist was an excellent Instrument Some attribute it to the Secrecy and Sublimity of that matter which he delivereth as having more familiarity with Christ then others for he used to lean on his Breast and so might receive some peculiar instruction from Christ Thus Heinfius making Thunder to be no more then the Hebrew Shechina Gods Presence and Majesty applying that place Psal 81.7 I have heard thee in the secret place of Thunder But that which is most probable is Because of the admirable gravity and weight in the matter delivered as also the short and sudden expressions thereof Those Sentences in the beginning of his first â—hapter are like so many thunderbolts insomuch that if you do regard the Matter and Manner of his expression he might more truly be said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then Pericles in his Orations Whatsoever therefore we finde delivered by this Divine Pen-man we are with much reverence and awfull respect to receive it Antiquity also hath in a peculiar manner honoured him with some other names He is called the Heavenly Eagle and that because of the sublime Mysteries manifested by him in reference to the Godhead of Christ And to this purpose he is likewise styled Theologos the Divine where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not used in that sense as afterwards it was in the Church of God for it is opposed to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hence they say the other Evangelists do deliver 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Christ the manner of his Humane Nativity but this Evangelist doth the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Divine Nature of Christ although the Socinians have sacrilegiously perverted the beginning of that first Chapter of John to another sense then of Christs Eternal Deity which yet was used instrumentally to convert Junius from his Atheisme Now although the whole matter delivered thus by this Evangelist be so admirable and excellent yet this Seventeenth Chapter wherein is related the Prayer of Christ for believers not long before his Death and mentioned onely by him hath some appropriated Reasons for a more peculiar Attention and Affection towards it Hence it hath alwayes had a peculiar Presidency in the hearts of Believers So that the opening of this precious Box of Ointment must needs send forth a refreshing fragrant smell to those that are spiritual For it is truly said by Melancthon concerning this Prayer Nec digniorem necsanctiorem nec fructuosiorem nec magis patheticam vocem in Coelo ac Terrâ unquam fuisse auditam quam hanc ipsius Filii precationem There was never a more excellent more holy more fruitfull and more affectionate voice ever heard in Heaven or Earth then this Prayer So that we may call this Chapter as some of the Psalms are A Chapter of Degrees If this reason may be admitted of that Inscription because they did surpasse other Psalmes in Excellency as also thereby the soul was like Elijah carried up in a fiery Chariot to Heaven At the end of every verse we may write Selah There was a very superstitious Custome among Christians in Chrysostome's time which he doth severely inveigh against that they would hang this Gospel of John or part of it about their necks as an Anulete nor a Spell against malignant things But certainly a gracious heart preserving this Prayer of Christ and making a wise and skilfull improvement thereof will finde it wonderfully advantagious both for the increase of Godlinesse and Comfort here will be both Bread to nourish and Wine to refresh and comfort Although therefore multitude of Books be complained of as glutting the world So that we may justly think there are more Books then Readers yet the Excellency perpetual Usefulnesse and ravishing Consolations of the matter delivered by our Saviour in this Valedictory Prayer have prevailed with me to publish these Expository Sermons to the world and the rather not knowing of any English Writer who hath purposely made it his businesse to explicate and practically improve this Chapter whereas some other parts of Scripture have been diligently discussed In the managing of this Work I have occasionally entered into some Socinian and Arminian Disputes some Verses in this Chapter being the proper subject for them Although the greatest part of my Work is to make Honey rather then to sting to informe us how to believe and walk in a Christian life then to dispute and digladiate about Controversies for we seldome gather Grapes from such Thistles Yea sometimes in stead of Conviction they work confirmation in those Errours the mindes of men are prepossessed with And here I shall take leave to enter into a short Digression which would have come out more seasonably long before this time but I had no opportunity till this occasion was offered to me Not long since I published The Second Part of the Treatise of Justification wherein among other particulars my Work was to prove That Works though done by Grace are not the Condition of our Justification but that we are justified alone by Faith as the Means or Instrument receiving of it These two kindes of Justification viz. by Faith receiving or Faith and Workes as a Condition I conceive to differ specifically one from the other and that he who is justified the one way cannot be the other The former way as the Scripture doth maintain so generally the Reformed Churches have readily insisted in The latter way the Remonstrants have vehemently pleaded for opposing Faiths instrumentality in
it 's a good Rule that Divines have whereas Faith hath three acts ingredient to it 1. Knowledge 2. Assent 3. Fiducial application The Scripture describeth the whole nature of Faith sometimes by one act sometimes by another In other places it 's described by assent and most frequently by trusting but here by knowledge For whereas the Papists would make ignorance rather of the definition of faith then knowledge they shew plainly what an ignorant faith and Religion they would have people take up with In the second place there is the object which is twofold 1. The only true God 2. Jesus Christ That is both God in respect of his nature and attributes oppositely to those Heathens who worshiped Idols and 2. Jesus Christ that is opposite to the Jews who knew the true God but not Christ and withall that the knowing of the true God as a Creator by the creatures is nothing at all without the latter It must be as he is Father in Christ so that hereby is implied that the knowing of God absolutely is not saving it must be relatively in the glorious dispensation and mystery which is by Jesus Christ I shall not explain further on this only remove an Argument which the Arians and Socinians use to triumph in from this Text as their Achilles Oh say they here it 's plain That Christ is not a true God because they are distinguished God is the only true God and therefore Christ is not But this is absurd That the only true God is opposed to Idols and to the heathenish gods which were worshiped by them in which sence he is sometimes called The Holy One of Israel and not to Christ for if he were not God likewise how could eternal life be said to be both in knowing of God and Christ and that Christ is truly God take instead of many two undeniable places Rom. 9.5 Of whom after the flesh came Christ who is over all God blessed for evermore And the other which is an excellent Comment upon this place 1 Joh. 5.20 We are in him that is true even in his Sonne Jesus Christ This is the true God and eternal life and then addeth Keep your selves from Idols So that God the Father is the true God and Christ the Son is the true God and all other made gods are Idols This Answer is sufficient and indeed the Socinians themselves may be convinced for they grant this Rule that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 solus doth not exclude the inclusa or subordinate for they acknowledge Christ to be truly God though not essentially Whereas by their Argument Christ as true God should be excluded and nothing is more ordinary then to use the word solus not to exclude what is concomitant or homogeneall but diverse as Mat. 11.16 None knoweth the Father but the Sonne where the Father himself is not excluded nor the holy Ghost for it 's said 1 Cor. 2.11 None knoweth the things of God but the Spirit Others of old made this order of the words To know thee and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent to be the true God but this may seem too much forced Lastly Many answer that the restrictive word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth not determine the Antecedent te or Patrâ—m but the true God so that the sense is not the Father alone is the onely true God but that he is the only true God and then this expression doth not exclude the Sonne or holy Ghost but because by other places it 's evident they are also the true God therefore they are necessarily included Obs That by the knowledge of the true God and Jesus Christ we come to eternal life 1 Tim. 2.4 God would have all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the Truth Here you see the knowledge of the Truth is the way to be saved I shall not now treat upon the nature of this knowledge especially as it includeth faith but shall first handle it in the generall as it is opposite to ignorance and errour about the true God And to open this Consider 1. That all men by nature are ignorant of God in a saving true manner For although Rom. 1. it 's plain that God hath implanted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some imbred apprehension about a God so that Divines say there cannot be a natural Athiest yet this knowledge is so confused and dimmed that it is better called ignorance then knowledge Yet 2. This imbred knowledge may be actuated and perfected by the contemplation of the Creatures as Rom. 1. None that observeth such a curious Fabrick as the world is can conclude it made it self but it had some Creator Even as when a man heareth curious Musick upon some Musical Instrument every one will conclude there is some artificiall hand playing upon it that it doth not move it self Thus the Heathens have many expressions concerning a God whom they discovered no other way but by the creatures although this was accompanied with some hesitancy and doubting And their light was like that of the Moon and Stars yea not so much for it was not able to direct them in any manner acceptable to him Hence it is that the Scripture speaks of them as without God Eph. 2. and such as know not God Therefore 3. The true and right knowledge of God is only had within the Church That as God saith of his people You only of all Nations have I known so they only of all Nations have known God Hence the Samaritan Woman is said to worship she did not know what Joh. 4.22 because Salvation was only of the Jews viz. the knowledge and true revelation of it Hence is that saying of Divines Extra Ecclesiam non est salus As without the Ark every one perished For although some of the Ancients and others have been very prone to ascribe salvation even to a natural knowledge of God as if God would require no more of them Then in that condition thinking otherwise that he would reap where he had not sown yet this Text putteth out of all doubt as well as others that the knowledge of the true God and of Christ is necessary to Salvation Now whatsoever they might know of God yet it is plain they could not by the Creatures know any thing of Christ his Nature and Offices being of meer Revelation and from hence likewise it is apparent that even among the Jews though the knowledge of the Trinity and of Christ seemed more obscure and implicite yet those that were saved had some measure of the knowledge of it for saith Christ This is eternal life The way to it and those in the Old Testament went in the same way to Heaven as well as those in the new You see then our Saviour by this Proposition doth assure us that without the knowledge of God and Christ there is no eternal life and thereby that it is had only in the Church There are no flowers
can grow out of this garden No gold sanctified that is not in this Temple 4. Though the true knowledge of God and Christ is to be had in the Church yet all true knowledge that is most plentiful and exact is not presently saving knowledge Therfore in the Text when eternal life is said to be in knowing of God and Christ that is with the due concomitants and genuine effects thereof when we so know as that it is an acknowledgement of the truth after godliness Tit. 1. This is good to be considered by those who have obtained some good measure of knowledge how apt are men to be puffed up by it They swell with this winde as those in antiquity that were called Gnosticks because of the knowledge they gloried in but this light may be and often is without any heat at all Their heads are better then their hearts or their hands so that they are a kinde of a spiritual Monster A mans head above but bruit beasts below look then that with thy knowledge there be also a good conscience and a godly life otherwise thy knowledge will serve but to make hell hotter for thee 5. Though all knowledge be not saving yet without knowledge there cannot be any salvation I speak not of Infants They come not within the ordinary way of Gods dispensation For the Apostle saith Faith cometh by hearing Rom. 10.17 Even as Aristotle saith Disciplina est ex auditu the Ear is the organ of Learning No knowledge no faith no faith no godlinesse and so no salvation Isa 23.11 They are a people of no understanding therefore he that made them will not save them As without this there cannot be any salvation so neither any true piety Psa 14.3 All the wickednesse of man is because he doth not understand or seek after God and Hos 4.1 The Land was full of swearing lying and killing because there was no knowledge of God in the Land Knowledge then is the eye of the soul the needle to draw in the thread and to neglect this is willfully to refuse the Salvation of God offered to them 6. Although this Knowledge be thus necessary yet how woful is the stupidity and ignorance of most people Who can take up Lamentations bitter enough Who hath bowels tender enough to pity those ignorant and sencelesse people that are every where who know nothing of God or Christ we use to pity poor blinde people that are not able to step one step without danger but oh the sad and miserable estate of those who have these blinde and darkened understandings Every step they take they stumble and fall If Paul Heb. 6. did so severely threaten those that were but in their first principles and were not carried on to perfection What danger remaineth for them who have not so much as attained to first principles who have not yet laid a Foundation yet this is the sad condition of many who though in the Land of Goshen have Egyptian darknesse upon their hearts Though baptized in the Name of Christ yet know nothing of God or Christ but are become like bruit beasts that perish 7. It 's not therefore enough for a man to beleeve as others beleeve or as the Church beleeveth without some personall or explicate knowledge of his own He doth not say It 's Eternal life to know that others know To beleeve that others beleeve but he that would have eternal life he himself must know the true God and Christ So that this doth palpably condemn that strange but politique doctrine maintained in the Church of Rome That the common people need no more faith then this to beleeve as the Church beleeveth Politique I call it for hereby they keep the people in a blinde obedience They receive any kinde of worship any kinde of doctrine without triall or comparing it by the Scripture and thus they commend darknesse because their deeds are evil But the Apostles Exhortation is to all private persons as well as others Prove all things 1 Thes 5.21 Beleeve not every spirit 1 Joh. 4.1 Let the Word of God dwell plentifully in you Col. 3.16 Indeed it cannot be denied but that God hath appointed Officers and Guides in the Church and the people are commanded to hear them and to submit to them but all this is to be understood as Paul saith Follow me even as I do Jesus Christ Phil. 3.17 We must take heed of extreme errours either to make the Ministry infallible or else to account of it as nothing at all No there is a peculiar promise of assistance and direction to thee in their work though not of infallibility but this by the way to commâ—nd ignorance to praise blinde obedience and devotion is to offer God a Sacrifice without eyes Do not then think I am a poor ignorant man I have no leisure to minde Religion to enquire after the principles thereof Let those that have learning minde such things What is this but to say It 's not for me to look to salvation It 's not for me to be saved It 's for Learned men and knowing men to goe to heaven not for such as I am certainly our voices are to sound like the Angels Trumpet at the day of judgement to awaken men out of their ignorance Men in the dark are usually afraid Oh then why shouldst not thou be afraid who art all over darknesse Eph. 5 8. as the Scripture cals thee There are too many whom this truth concerneth Now let us consider why some measure of knowledge about God and Christ is necessary to salvation And First In respect of the Object it self there are many duties God and Christ require of us which we are never able to perform without some knowledge of them I grant that as the Starres do differ in their glory and light so one man may farre exceed another in knowledge yea God doth not require so much of some as he doth of others such a degree of knowledge will God accept of in some which he will not in others so that according to the means and opportunities of knowledge more or lesse is required We grant also some may know more then they can expresse through some impediments or other but there is none can be saved who lay not in some measure a competent knowledge in Christianity because there are severall duties required which he that knoweth nothing of God cannot perform acceptably As 1. Every man that will be saved must worship the true God and not the false But without some knowledge this can never be Why is the first and second Commandement so plain to have no other God but him and to worship him in his way and that he is a jealous God in this matter like an Huâ—band whose jealousie is his rage against his adulterous Wife Why is all this but to shew that of all sinners an Idolater is sure to be excluded from the kingdom of heaven Now the ignorant man
by the Revelation of God and in this respect though most people may have some generall apprehensions about God yet about Christ they have none at all unlesse by hear-say It behoveth us therefore who are called Christians to know what that Christ is whom we worship and trust in for salvation and the great ignorance of Christ is present death He is the door he is the truth the way and the life Joh. 14.6 All that misse of him are carried violently to death and destruction For 1. Where this ignorance of Christ is there cannot be any historical faith which is the least degree of faith that can be and where there is no historical faith there cannot be any justifying for how can a man trust in Christ for salvation whom he doth not beleeve to be so that historical or as some call it dogmaticall faith whereby we beleeve that there was a Christ both God and man is the first stone that must be laid in our Christian building and without this we have not so much as learned the Alphabet of our Religion yet this is the case of thousands that have no explicit formal faith in this fundamental Point I grant they have a traditional forme whereby they say they beleeve in Christ but they have no expresse faith concerning the person and natures of Christ Now that traditional form is not a reasonable worship of God as the Scripture expresseth it Rom. 12. where we are commanded to give up our selves as reasonable sacrifices But here men are as bruit beasts in respect of any expresse formal faith insomuch that hundreds of people if they be asked what they beleeve concerning Christ they cannot give any knowing or expresse answer Oh how near are such foolish and stupid persons to the very brink of hellâ— and if you should say If it be Faith then it cannot be knowledge Vbi rides non est fides and by all faith and knowledge are opposed but that is to be handled afterwards viz. how that Faith doth necessarily require knowledge and yet there is some kinde of knowledge that Faith is opposite unto for the present we conclude that where there is not some knowledge of Christ there cannot be so much as a bare historical faith They have no faith that have no knowledge I know whom I have beleeved saith Paul 2 Tim. 1.12 2. Where grosse Ignorance is if there cannot be historical Faith about Christ much lesse can there be saving and justifying Faith a fiducial relying and resting of the soul upon him as the Mediatour appointed by God The Scripture doth often speak that we are justified by faith Rom. 5.1 that we have remission of sinnes through Faith in Christs bloud Rom. 3.25 So that Justification and Faith are inseparably joyned together but where ignorance of Christ is there cannot be any of this saving faith for can any man trust in that which he doth not know of yea though such ignorant men say they trust in Christ yet because they know not Christ these are but traditional and customary words They speak falsly and say they do not know what Philosophers say there is actio hominis and actio humana an humane action is that which comes expresly or impliedly from reason but actio hominis is that which is done by a man but not as a man as the moving of the foot or lifting up a straw which came from the imagination meerly So truly we may say there is actio Christiani and actio Christiani a Christian action is that which comes from knowledge and faith either directly or indirectly but that is an action of one that is a Christian in name and profession only that doth such actions as others doe but not from any knowledge or faith within only from custome and meer tradition if then knowledge be in all the historicall and justifying acts of Faith where shall the stupid and ignorant man appear 3. The grosse ignorant man cannot admire blesse and praise God for Jesus Christ the Medtatour This is evident he that knoweth not the nature office and use of Christ what he was and why he came into the world what was that which he did for us it 's impossible he should ever be affected with the love of God or with the love of Christ This made the Apostle pray that they might know the breadth and depth of the love of God through Christ Eph. 3. For without this knowledge all Gods love and Christs love is disregarded We reade of Pauls divine raptures and holy extasies because of Christ I desire to know nothing but Jesus Christ and him crucified 2 Cor. 2.2 It is impossible in a lively manner to know this divine truth of God the Fathers love in sending his only begotten Sonne to die for us and not break out in heavenly praises and admirations but the blinde ignorant man seeth nothing of this admirable mystery As he said it fell out ill with Artificers when ignorant men judged of their works Thus certainly God loseth much of his glory-Christ much of his honour when ignorant men only speak of this Doctrine As Christ Joh. 4. said to the woman of Samaria If thou hadst known who it is speaketh to thee thou wouldest have asked for the water of Life So here if thou hadst known what is in this love of God and Christ if thy heart did meditate and study on it thou wouldst be more affected and enlarged in thy affections to Christ 4. Where grosse Ignorance is of Christ there cannot be any improving of him for all these blessed effects to which he is appointed by God Christ is of God unto us wisedom righteousnesse and sanctification 1 Cor. 1. Of his Fulnesse we all receive grace for grace Joh. 3. But the ignorant and unwise man cannot make any advantage of this The ignorant man knoweth not the vertue and good use may be made of such herbs as grow in the field but the wise Artist doth Solomon asketh Why is a price put into the hands of a Fool seeing he knoweth not how to make use of it If the man in the Parable that found a Pearl had not known it to be a Pearl he would not have sold all to have bought it So then let there be never so much fulnesse and sufficiency in Christ yet he is a Fountain sealed up and a garden enclosed to the ignorant man and this must necessarily exclude such from heaven because in Christ is all our salvation whatsoever conduceth to our happinesse is bound up in him now the ignorant man not knowing this treasure must needs perish in his sinnes 5. Where a man is ignorant of Christ he must needs be in a damnable condition because thereby he is also ignorant of himself he knoweth not his own sinfulnesse and misery and so cannot desire a remedy These two are necessarily known together or unknown Christ the Physician and sinne a desperate disease Christ a Saviour and the sinner that is lost But the
or man All the divine attributes of God All the peculiar and proper operations of God which only God can do are given to him and therefore in being God he must needs be from Eternity and for Christs Immutability you have a full place Heb. 13.18 Jesus Christ the same yesterday and to day and for ever By yesterday according to the Scriptures use is meant all time past so that although the Officers in the Church die and there are such in one age that are not in another yet here Christ the head he abideth for ever This is spoken by way of consolation and certainly Christs Eternity is a foundation of unspeakable joy to the people of God Argum. 3 3. There are plain Texts of Scripture which inform us of the eternal being of Christ as Joh. 8.55 Before Abraham was I am What man could say so I do not say Before Abraham was I was for so every Angel might say but I am to signifie there is no succession or difference of time in his being as he was God It 's an allusion to that name God takes to himself when he bid Moses say I AM hath sent thee Exo. 3.14 and this is the more fully confirmed Rev. 1.7 where Christ is said to be Alpha and Omega the beginning and the end who is and was and is to come That very attribute which v. 3. is given to God the Father is here given to God the Sonne called also omnipotent who would think any should be so wilfully blinde as not to see light out of this Text. Secondly Consider in that Christ was thus God from all Eternity when he became man he did not cease to be God for although the Scripture saith Phi. 2. That he humbled himself and emptied himself yet it doth not say he ceased to be God even in the midst of all his Infirmities and therefore Christs bloud is called the bloud of God Act. 25. not that he suffered in his divine nature but that he who suffered in his humane nature was also God and it 's no wonder he did not cease to be God for it 's impossible that God should cease to be God all creatures if they are not corruptible yet they are annihilable if they have no principle of dissolution yet they have stronger power without that is able to turn them into nothing Therefore God alone is said to have Immortality 1 Tim 6.15 So then he doth not pray for glory as if he had lost it but only the outward manifestation of it was suppressed for a time and therefore it is that he now praieth the Cloud may be withdrawn that so the Sun may appear in its full glory Thirdly In that Christ had an eternal being it's plain that even before his Incarntion he did many things tending to the Reconciliation of his people It 's true indeed he is a Mediatour in respect of both his Natures and it 's clear he could not make propitiation for our sins by his bloud till he was made man he could not be as a Priest to his Church but then even before his Incarnation he might be as a Prophet and a King to his people As a Prophet revealing Gods will and inspiring the Prophets of the Old Testament yea It 's maintained by the learned that he was the Angel that guided the Church of Israel and therefore the people in the Wildernesse are said to tempt Christ as was said So as a King though not incarnated he might govern spiritually Because this is not the intended Subject I come to what Uses may be made of it Is Christ thus of an Eternal being then Wo be to those Doctrines and heretiques that endeavour to spoil him of it That deny it to him making him but a creature only of an higher rank What creature can take the proper Name of God to him What creature can create the world What creature can be called God blessed for evermore as he is Rom. 9.5 What creature can say he is and was and was to come Rev. 1.7 If so be that opposing the members of Christ be so great a sinne that Paul from heaven is reproved for it and it 's called kicking against the pricks Men do not hurt Gods Children but themselves how much greater is it immediatly to oppose Christ himself Jews and Heathens and several heretiques have risen up against him and said there was a time when he was not but yet still he is God in heaven and the faith of Christians is firmly fixed on this No wonder if as the devil of old so of late he would destroy this Article for if this be denied what is Christianity but a meer humane Religion we worship a man We beleeve in a man Take this away and all satisfaction for sinne all reconciliation by his bloud is removed Take this away and the devils Kingdom will be promoted by Christianity as well as by Paganism For here will be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the honour due unto God will be taken from him and given to a creature And indeed in the Infancy of the Church it was no wonder if this darknesse spread it self But in these latter times after so much light of the Gospel that any should let such poisonous Snakes as these lodge in their breasts may make us cry out O the depth of mans presumption and Gods severity But you may say how can it come about that any under the Gospel light should deny Christ to be the Eternall God truly it may arise severall waies 1. When men will bring down matters of Faith to humane Reason They will be no longer beleevers but Rationalists Their Maxime in Religion is not God hath said so but this we can demonstrate Now it 's true indeed there is nothing in Religion contrary to sound and rectified reason for truth cannot be contrary to truth but yet there are many things above our reason Though we have sufficient testimony by faith to beleeve such things yet not capacity of reason to comprehend them insomuch that the Scripture is said to bring into captivity the understanding of man 2 Cor. 10.5 and it 's called the obedience of faith Rom. 16.26 and therefore for a man to come to the things of Religion with the same disposition as to humane Sciences hoping by his natural abilities to dive to the bottome of them is to think to hold the Sea in an Oister-shell or to put the Sunne under a Bushell Why are they called Mysteries and said to be revealed by God If Reason could finde them out Therefore lay aside all those cavils and arguments of reason where Scripture asserts these things 2. Many come to maintain such horrid and blasphemous things by the just judgement of God upon them for their sins they are guilty of For as Rom. 1. we see God as a just Judge delivering up men partly to vile affections to Idolatry to change the Image of God into the likenesse of an Oxe How should men become
Canst thou say of an earthly comfort or help that it is like an eternal God Again for thy Children thou many times thinkest what will become of them when thou art dead in the grave Thou thinkest thou hast no friend in the world will be a Father to them still remember that Christ is Eternal if they be his spirituall seed he will be an Eternal Father Oh that expression is full of comfort when you can say to your Children You have a mortal Father and a mortal mother but there is an eternal Father bring them up for Christ give them up to Christ then have you provided well for them if Christ be for them SERMON XXVIII Proveth That the world was not from Eternity but had its beginning in time And reduceth that Consideration into Practice JOH 17.5 Glorifie me with the glory I had before the world began WE come to the last particular observable in the Text Before the world began Here is briefly laid down that position which the great and wise Philosophers of the world did boldly gainsay for it tels us This great Vniverse had a beginning The world was not from Eternity This Truth will tend much to particular Edification for I shall not handle it in a meer speculative and metaphysicall way as some Philosophers doe while they debate this Point Obs That the world was not from Eternity but had its beginning in time The Sun and Stars though such glorious creatures yet began to be in time yea those glorious Angels which have no principle of corruption within them they were also made in time although it was the general opinion of most of the Ancients that the Angels were made long before this visible and corporeal world but that is not so consonant to Scripture For the proof of this Point we might alledge the first Chapter of Genesis where there is not only a relation of the worlds Creation but an exact description of the manner how and also all the effects of this Creation so that that Chapter hath more divinity and philosophy in it then all the books of the wisest Heathens put together and indeed whatsoever the Heathens have of Antiquity they have it from Moses though they have added thereunto many foolish Fables I shall adde one pregnant Text to confirm this Heb. 11.3 where the Apostle intending to commend faith in all the several effects of it begins with this as the foundation By faith we understand the worlds were made There is much spoken by the Apostle in few words 1. He saith By faith we understand the world was made for howsoever some Philosophers held the world was not from Eternity yet those that did hold it was made did grosly and foolishly mistake about the manner of it and though by true Philosophy we may prove the world could not be from Eternity yet the Word of God affirming this is the best Argument Therefore faith is better then all reason and philosophy in this matter Again he saith By faith we understand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so that you see Faith hath knowledge in it and is not as the Papists would have it to be defined by Ignorance He that beleeveth knoweth Therefore ignorant people have no faith because no knowledge Hence it is 〈◊〉 faith and knowledge are so often put for one another 3. He saith We understand the worlds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the plural number Not that there are many worlds but it 's usuall in Scripture to describe the world in the plural number because of the many ages and revolutions that are in the world one generation passing and another succeeding 4. He saith were framed This denoteth the excellent wisedom of God ordering all things therein called therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mundus 5. The manner how not as Artificers make a house by handy labour but by the Word of his mouth only And lastly here is the matter of which of things that did not appear that is either of nothing or else it 's an allusion to Gen. 1.2 where the earth is said to be without form and void darknesse covered it Thus here is a noble description of the Original of the world This being fully confirmed let us open the Doctrine And 1. Consider That the Christian faith doth only clearly and fully inform us of the beginning of the world It 's an expression the Scripture hath often Before the foundations of the earth were laid As for those Philosophers called Peripateticks whose Master was Aristotle they generally affirmed the world was from Eternity indeed it 's doubted what Aristotles minde was but it 's plain in his Topicks he makes this Proposition whether the world be eternall only a dialecticall Probleme a Proposition that might be disputed either way as having no certainty in it and indeed how can it be otherwise for that is a received Maxime with them Ex nihilo nihil fit This is the foundation of all their Philosophy and therefore grant this then the world could not be made but how ignorant were the great and learned men in the world of Gods power that which the least babe almost in Christianity doth know As for those disputes of some who though they acknowledge de facto that the world was created in time yet question whether it was possible that it might have been from the beginning It 's a needlesse and unprofitable Question What cause then have we to blesse God for Scripture-light when the great learning of the world was wholly in darknesse in this respect 2. Although Scripture be the surest and choicest argument yet there are many convictions from reason likewise that may convince men that it had a beginning As in the first place If it had been from Eternity so many thousands and thousands years would have been past that we should have had some reliques at least of some things done so long ago whereas it 's observed by the learned that even in all the heathen Antiquities though they brag much yet they record nothing that was done before the Floud The utmost of their antiquity reacheth but to persons and things that were done since the Floud and therefore Moses his History hath the most antiquity in it Now if the world had been so many millions of years before how comes there to be such a deep silence of all things done formerly as for that of the Aegyptians who speak of things done an hundred thousand years agoe Besides the fabulousnesse of that people it 's thought they accounted a year but for a moneth because the course of the Sun was not perfectly understood 2. This may convince the world had a beginning because it could not make it self and God was not a naturall Agent necessitated to make it For upon these two supposed grounds it might be thought that the world had no beginning and as for making it self that's plain it could not no more then an house or a musical Instrument or a Book
is insufficient to salvation Therefore it 's a pernicious assertion of Venator the Remonstrant that the Heathens they had the Light as it were of the Starres The Jews of the Moon The Christians of the Sunne and all might be saved by their respective Lights 4. God is manifested by the Scriptures in a common way of Light Many men by an Historicall faith beleeving the Scriptures must also beleeve a God for there is no such clear evidence any way as by that and thus we may judge of most Christians they know there is a God they beleeve him to be because the Word doth so fully affirm it Lastly There is a knowledge of God in a practicall obedient way so to know him as to fear him to obey his Commandments to walk humbly before him and to depend upon him and this is the manifestation or knowledge the truly godly only have and the number of these is very few so that if you set aside those who know God only upon a natural conscience or by education or by a general historical Faith The residue who know him by speciall illumination and sanctification are like the gleaning after harvest so that we may hence conclude that whatsoever parts learning understanding men have in Religion yet till inwardly sanctified they know not God They are wholly estranged from him They live without God in the world Eph. 2. God is not in their thoughts in their hearts neither have they any enjoyment of him Oh that we could make every Auditor sensible of this I live in the world I know much I have great acquaintance but yet am a stranger to God Now these following particulars will plainly discover that the godly only do truly know God R. 1 First Because though men have this speculative knowledge yet they do not love him and delight in him above all things It 's Gods command that we should love him with all our heart our minds and strength yea above Father Mother life and every thing that is dear Insomuch that the Scripture saith Whosoever loveth the world the love of the Father is not in him 1 Joh. 2.15 Now whence is it that we love these poor empty comforts more then God Is it not because we do not know God Had we clear manifestations of the goodnesse excellency and fulnesse that is in God our whole heart would be ravished with him As it is with the glorified Saints in heaven they have an immediate vision of God They behold him in this glorious beauty and hence it is that they cannot sinne The understanding seeth such infinite perfection in God that they abhorre all things that would divert from him As the eye dazled with the Beam-light of the Sun cannot behold any thing else As he that hath eaten honey findeth all things else unsavoury As the Saints in heaven do thus so the Saints on earth do in part and in some good measure They beholding the Image of God 2 Cor. 4. are transformed into the same Image The more we know God as revealed in the word the more our hearts pant after him as you see David often manifesting the breaking of his heart after God Well then by this you see that few know God if they did how could they leave the Ocean for a drop how could they part with God for every fading creature thy lusts thy sins are more then God in thy thoughts and affections Oh pray for a knowledge of God in Christ The blinde man doth not admire the glory of the Sunne because he cannot see it ignoti nulla cupido R. 2 2. No wicked man though never so great a Scholar knoweth God if he doe not fear him if he stands not in an holy awe and reverence of him who would not fear thee Isa 10. O thou King of Nations for to thee it appertaineth and sanctifie the Lord God let him be your dread Our Saviour likewise Fear not them that can kill the body Mat. 10.28 but I tell you whom you shall fear c. You see then that if we did rightly know God how pure and just he is how full of wrath and vengeance against impenitent sinners we would cry out with Joseph upon every temptation How can I do this and sinne against God I cannot I dare not Thus Paul Knowing the terrour of the Lord we perswade men 2 Cor. 5.11 Did men know the greatnesse and the terrour of God the power and Majesty he is cloathed with That no sinner though never so great can stand before him any more then the stubble before the fire That he can immediatly raise hellish torments in thy conscience That he can bid thee go out of this Church a trembling Cain a despairing Judas Did I say People know this God to be so great how could they riot it in all excesse as they do as our Saviour told the Woman Joh. 4. If thou hadst known who it is that asked water of thee thou wouldst have given him Had you or did you know that the God whom you offend all the day long is so great and terrible in Majesty it would have been a stop to all thy bold impieties but men know not God R. 3 3. Only the godly know God because they only are carefull to obey his Commandments and to walk in the way he requireth 1 Joh. 2. If we say we know him and keep not his Commandments we are lyars and abide not in the Truth Their knowledge of God and a carefull obedience to his commands cannot be separated The Apostle saith all others are but lyars and hypocrites Dost thou boast of knowledge and yet break his Sabbath wallow in the lusts of the flesh Thou art a lyar thou dost not know God Hence it followeth in my Text I have manifested thy Name to my Disciples and they have kept thy Word Oh then never talk of thy knowledge never speak of what thou readest or what thou understandest unlesse also thy obedience to Gods will be as manifest so that when we see any prophane wicked man indued with great parts you may say Lo there is such an one though he knoweth all Points in Religion though he knoweth every Chapter in the Bible yet he knoweth nothing of God for whereas God saith Be not drunk with wine c. and Wo be to those that are strong to drink yet every week if not every day he is drunk Though God saith Swear not at all yet some cannot speak without an Oath scarce Oh that these things might enter into you If you know God you would obey him you would say I dare not I must not do this or that God whom I know and serve commands the contrary Therefore the Prophet Hosea when he speaketh of much wickednesse in a Land swearing and whoring and injustice he saith There is no Knowledge of God in the Land Hos 4.1 Argum. 4 4. The godly man only knoweth God because he only hath these gracious effects of Gods grace upon his heart
thou wantest Oh that the Spirit of God would convince such of their danger their poverty and nakednesse though they think they want nothing I tell thee this good Samaritan as well as the Priest will passe by thee Christ as well as the Law speaks no comfort to thee yea the bloud of Christ speaks more terrible things then the bloud of Abel Thy condemnation will be the greater because Christ came 〈◊〉 the world because he was crucified All thy other sins have not that aggravation as thy rejecting of grace of how much sorer punishment saith the Apostle shall such an one be thought worthy Vse 2. of direction to the people of God if thou fittest mourning like Rachel and refusest to be comforted blame thy own self It 's thy ignorance and folly thy unbelief and doubts cause all this What could God have done more What could Christ have done more then they have done yet thou takest no comfort hereby Oh that thou shouldst onely aggravate thy sinne and thy unworthinesse and not be as diligent to study and finde out all the fulnesse in Christ Christ as a Mediatour ordained by God should be the Book thou art to reade alwaies not a Page not a word but thou shouldst be acquainted with it Oh bewail thy self and say how many comforts how many priviledges have I bereaved my self of I have kept my self in the dark yea in the Whales belly and thought of nothing but sin and hell and damation Oh what little cause I had to wrong my self and Christ so much Oh think Christ bids thee as the Prophet did that Woman bring as many cruses as thou canst I have Oyle enough to fill all and thou art so froward thou wilt not Oh think Christ saith to thee Was it not enough that I lived for thee I died for thee but thou wilt as much as lieth in thee make me do all this in vain Thou sittest complaining and bewailing and Christ he complains of thee Learn then at last that heavenly prudence and Evangelicall skill to make use of whole Christ and all of Christ for thy spiritual good SERMON XXXVI Of Obedience to all the Commandements of God Shewing That that only is truely Obedience And the Property of a Godly man JOH 17.8 For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me And they have received them c. OUR Saviour in this Verse doth more largely amplifie that to which he had in the 7th Verse spoken more briefly so that he doth still continue in narrating and commending the Disciples Obedience and Faith which are the Jachin and the Boaz the two Pillars of practicall Christianity Their obedience is commended in the former part 1. By their readinesse and willingnesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They have received as willingly as men do food or gold and silver They put forth their hands to take it with all delight I mean the hands of their soul viz. their affections which are both the feet and the hands of the soul 2. There is the Object Thy words Where 1. We see That is only true and proper obedience which Gods Word requireth Though we be never so diligent and industrious yet if the Word of God commands not such things it 's no obedience 2. The Universality Thy words that is collectively and universally They had an equal respect to all 3. These words are described by the Original of them The words thou gavest me So that Christ though head of the Church yet did not deliver any thing to be beleeved or obeyed but what he had received of the Father an excellent President for all the Ministers of the Gospel We see then every crum in this bread of life is nourishing and we will not lose any 1. Whereas we see that Obedience doth alwaies relate to some Word of God and that we may not of our own heads choose to do what we please in matters of Religion We observe That that only is proper and acceptable Obedience which hath the Word of God requiring it We are apt to make Religion and godlinesse that which our own humours fancie yea and sometimes our lusts do suggest Hence every one is apt to judge of another as religious and godly not by the rule of the Word but by such principles as he hath taken up for himself Thus in Popery he is judged a very pious and obedient man who is most industriously diligent in all that invented worship the Church of Rome abounded with Though there be not one iâ—â—a or tittle for it in Gods Word but as the Word of God is the rule of faith so is it of obedience Faith and the Word must accompany one another and so must obedience and the word commanding Therefore Christ tels the Pharisees their devotion it was a vain devotion because Who hath required this at your hands Mat. 18.9 See a notable expression Isa 66.3 They have chosen their own waies I also will choose their delusions You see Let a man have never such godly intentions never such pious purposes yet if he choose a way of his own in faith and obedience God is greatly displeased and therefore howsoever heresie or an heretick which is as much as a chooser of his own way be by Scripture and Ecclesiastical Writers limited to a way of faith yet the Word may be extended to any practical obedience We may say Superstition is heresie We may say drunkennesse whoredome are heresie because they are waies chosen of men to walk in contrary to Gods Word so he who would have comfort in his obedience must look to Gods command The grounds of this are First From the Supremacy and Soveraignty of God who alone is to prescribe to man his duty He is our great Lord and Master so that as it would be very absurd in a Servant to do that work which he thinketh fit and not what his Master enjoyneth no lesse is it for men to think that God will accept them in such and such waies when yet they cannot bring his Superscription and authority stampâ— upon it Hence it is that the Prophets do so often use this expression Thus saith the Lord It 's not their counsell or their commands but Gods Oh then examine thy actions thy waies thou puttest much confidence in them Thou hast much comfort from them but are they svch as God hath required Did not our Saviour at one word throw to the ground all that glistering golden Piety of the Pharisees There is no command for it This is the foundation you must lay else your building though never so glorious will have a terrible fall Secondly Obedience must have Gods command else it cannot enjoy Gods promise and blessing Whatsoever God commands he hath annexed a gracious promise thereto for our encouragement and reward Therefore it 's said In vain do they worship me There is no promise of Gospel-priviledges or salvation to such actions Now how sad a thing is it when the same
is so well-pleasing to God that we should believe in Christ our Mediatour It 's accepted of as well as our Repentance or love or any other obedience And 1. Because hereby God is exalted and magnified in his glory We cannot glorifie God more otherwise Now then if God aimed at his glory in the Creation of the world but much more in the redemption of his Children There is not a way to exalt his glory more then by beleeving Thus Abraham in that of his concerning a Seed which did relate to Christ it 's said he staggered not but gave glory to God Rom. 4.20 The glory of his power of his goodnesse he regarded not the dead womb nor any other difficulties Thus it is here when thou seest sinne against thee the Law against thee Justice against thee and that every thing hath a dead womb yea a damned womb for thee to overlook all in Christ is an high degree to glorifie God Oh then ckeck thy unbeleeving thoughts Say Is there any way in the world whereby I can glorifie God like to the relying on Christ and leaning upon his grace So much dishonour as despair casteth on God so much glory faith attributeth to him resist then all the buzzing temptations of Satan and say What shall I not glorifie God What shall I not give God honour 2. The acceptablenesse of it doth appear in the frequent and constant commands that Christ giveth about it It 's true he commands Repentance Love Self-deniall but above all he requireth faith The question he propounded to most that came to him was Do ye beleeve This is so great a duty in Christianity that the Heathens abhorred our Religion as irrational saying It 's only beleeved with them whereupon they called them in scorn Beleevers But this is the grand and primary duty Heb. 11.1 There is no coming to God without this and Eternal life is said to be in this Above all take the Shield of faith Eph. 6.16 If then we see the Scripture so constantly enjoyning this above all yea and threatning with damnation if we do not beleeve How is it that the godly stand aloof of and still are not resolved whether they should beleeve or not Thou dost not so about Repentance Thou never questionest whether thou shouldst grieve or mourn for thy sins Thou wouldst think it high wickedness to do so Why then shouldst thou doubt whether being burthened with sin thou shouldst seek ease by faith in him Is not the command as indispensable for one as the other 3. It 's acceptable Because hereby Christ as a Mediator is improved for all these glorious ends he was appointed by God and thereby Christ is also glorified What shall such unsearchable riches of grace as are bound up in Christ be buried Shall there not be daily acknowledgements of him Now consider that if by Faith thou dost not receive him thou declarest Christ lived in vain and died in vain by what reason thou dost not beleeve for one effect thou must not for another and so for all Thus it will be as if there had never been such a person as Christ We may in some sence call it thy Antichristian unbelief He that denieth Christ to be come in the flesh is Antichrist 2 Joh. 7 Doth not thy unbelief deny him For the denying of his office is by consequence the denying of his person Thy unbelief doth that practically which the damnable heresies of Socinians do doctrinally make as if Christ were not a Mediatour and such who had satisfied the wrath of God for us Oh then know it 's not all thy sins do so immediatly oppose Christ as a Mediatour as thy unbelief doth which makes Divines say that in some sence only unbelief damneth beeause that rejecteth the Mediatour refuseth the Saviour so that as we say It 's not the disease but the neglect of the medicine that kils 4. It 's very acceptable to God because It 's the most evacuating grace It emptieth us wholly of our selves God he delights in humility now nothing humbleth us and takes us off all our seeming worth like faith in Christ for therefore I wholly trust in him for righteousnesse because I have none of my own If I had any rags that could cover my nakednesse I would not be ashamed but now being all over impure and unclean my Faith makes me catch hold on him Thus Paul he counted all things dung or drosse Phil. 3. because of the righteousnesse which is by Faith in Christ Seeing then Faith gives all to God and Christ makes us miserable wretched and hopelesse in our selves No wonder if God doe so accept of it Consider therefore how it debaseth thee and carrieth thee off every thing that is thine and then thou wilt say this is the grace God loveth this makes me nothing and God all in all 5. Faith in Christ must needs be acceptable because hereby we bring a righteousnesse into Gods presence which doth best please him which satisfieth him to the utmost for Christ is made our Righteousnesse and the end of the Law to us he became sin that we might become the Righteousnesse of God through him 2 Cor. 5. ul Now then if we by Faith can bring the Righteousnesse of Christ in all our duties and performances we must needs please him This is to bring Benjamin with us Oh what satisfying Reasons doth Faith in the Mediatour bring O Lord It is not my Righteousnesse nor the Righteousnesse of Adam nor the Righteousnesse of Angels but of Christ who is infinite that I bring before thee O Lord doth not Christ please thee better then I can O Lord is not this obedience better then my Repentance Oh then that we should not be more sollicitous to beleeve in every duty in every approach to God for that brings Christ that presents not our persons or duties but Christ Thus Paul he would be found in Christ not having his own righteousnâ—sse Phil. 3.9 Ye know not how righteous God is nor the Law nor what God requireth that do not thus press to beleeve Other grounds of this excellent Evangelical Point I defer and come to the Vse which is of Direction to the people of God Oh what joyful comfortable and blessed lives might you live if acquainted with this Truth Art thou dejected filled with unbelieving thoughts it 's from thy ignorance of this Truth You would be more filial and Evangelical were you possessed with this Truth more The Devil labours to keep you off as Saul did Jonathan and the people from eating honey whereas if they had not forborn it their enemies had been quite vanquished he keepeth thee from this honey he knoweth if thou wert beleeving no sin or temptation could stand before thee Heb. 5.13 The babe Christian is said to be unskilful in the word of Righteousnesse what is that he knoweth not Christ and the righteousnesse by him Therefore the Spirit of God is said to convince the world of Righteousnesse Joh. 16.8 O
what Enemies are we to our selves because ignorant herein SERMON XXXIX Further sheweth How acceptable unto God it is to beleeve in Christ the Mediatour And setteth forth the dangerous Nature of Trusting in our own Righteousnesse JOH 17.8 And they have known assuredly I came from thee and have beleeved thou hast sent me WE are prosecuting this Evangelical Point That Faith in Christ as a Mediatour is acceptable unto God as well as obedience to a command That as love is the fullfilling of the Law so Faith of the Gospel Several Reasons have already been laid down we now proceed to give you more 1. Therefore Faith in Christ as a Mediatour is acceptable because of the difficulty of and opposition to it When we are seriously sensible of sinne yet to rely on the love of God in Christ is like Esthers venturing into Ahashuerus his presence If I perish I perish or like the Lepers into their enemies the Syrians Camp Thus saith the afflicted soul If I lye despairing under the burthen of my sin I am sure to be undone I cannot finde any hope within my self It 's therefore venturing on Christ It 's good to go to him I am like that woman of the bloudy Issue that had spent all she had on Physicians but yet could not be cured I have run to every refuge tried every conclusion but still my soul cannot have any safe bottome to stand upon Let me therefore by Faith fly to him as a Mediatour In the midst of these depths and agonies of heart to trust in Christ is an high heroical disposition like that of Job Though he kill me I will trust in him Job 13.15 Like that of the Canaanitish woman whose faith Christ so commended Though she were put off and called dog and told the bread did not belong to her Mat. 15.27 the promises of grace and pardon were not her due yet for all that she will hold upon Christ and not let him go Oh then consider that if thou like Peter wilt venture to go though upon the waters to him here is a special discovery of the noblenesse of thy Faith That thou regardest Gods command and his promise more then all Satans temptations and the sence or suggestions of thy own soul As it is with love to God when God doth afflict and chastise us yet to keep up a tender fervent love to God argueth the greatnesse and purity of thy love so in the midst of broken bones and trouble for sinne to depend upon the grace of God in Christ argueth the excellency of Faith Our Saviour when he said Blessed are they that beleeve and see not sheweth that he who beleeveth Joh. 20 9. when he hath the least prop of sence and encouragement from outward things doth put forth the purer and nobler acts of Faith Now for Abraham to beleeve though Sarahs womb was a dead womb argued stronger Faith then if she had been a fruitful woman Thus the difficulty and opposition in such temptations makes faith the more acceptable 2 Faith in Christ must be as acceptable as Obedience because there is great Obedience in Faith For although Faith in Christ doth not justifie us as it 's an Obediential act for then we should be justified by a work but as it 's an Instrument receiving the Righteousnesse of Christ an hand to take that inriching Treasure yet there is very great Obedience in every act of beleeving go over the several acts of it knowledge assent and fiduciall application all these are therefore put forth by a beleever because God saith it Hence it 's called the Obedience of faith Rom. 10.26 And we are said to captivate our understandings herein 2 Cor. 10.5 For a man in beleeving walketh not by sence or humane reason or principles of the world but the meer revealed will of God so that whether we regard the doctrine to be beleeved or the promises to be embraced we must conclude that faith is a spiritual Martyrdom It 's not reason but Gods Word moveth thee as we told you in the Jews They went about to establish their own righteousnesse and would not submit themselves to the Righteousnesse by Christ Rom. 10.3 You see by that expressien how a man must be much humbled and captivated ere he can yield up himself to Christs Righteousnesse Oh then think not that Faith is not an high degree of Obedience It 's a renouncing of all humane thoughts apprehensions and whatsoever seeming worth or righteousnesse may be in us Oh how deeply was Paul humbled ere Phil. 3. he would come to account all things dung and drosse and to be found not having his own righteousnesse but that which is by Faith in Christ So that although Faith as it is a work doth not justifie yet it 's a great work and that of pure and meer obedience For whereas in all other moral duties Love and Patience there is some ingrafted notions within that convince of that In beleeving there is nothing but the command of God and his promise that inviteth to this duty 3. Faith must needs be acceptable to God because that only of all graces hath a relative fitnesse to receive Christ and his benefits Rom. 3.23 and in many other places Remission of sinne and so the Spirit of promise and also Justification is still said to be by Faith not by Love or Zeal or any other grace because they are of an active nature and go out to God This of a passive nature and receiveth Christ so that the Scripture useth a peculiar phrase to expresse the nature of Faith making it a supernatural Instrument or organon to receive Christ as the hand of all parts of the body taketh a Treasure when given and thereby a man is enriched It 's true it 's not for the dignity or merit of Faith that we are justified Therefore the Learned observe well that it 's never said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not for Faith as a cause but by Faith as an Instrument so that it 's not properly Faith in Christ that justifieth but Christ apprehended by Faith as it is not the hand but the treasure taken by the hand that enricheth or as the Scripture excellently describeth it It was not the bare seeing of the brazen Serpent or any excellency in the eye but the brazen Serpent that did heal Seeing that Faith hath that aptitude of all other graces to apply Christ and God makes use of it and appoints it for this end no wonder if that be so well-pleasing to him 4. Faith in Christ as a Mediatour is well-pleasing because by this we also are enabled to all obedience to all duties of mortification and holinesse so that this Faith which receiveth Christ as a Mediatour receiveth him in his fulnesse of grace as an head and thereby we have strength and ability to every thing that is holy Act. 15. purifying their hearts by Faith That implieth both our Justification and our Sanctification Hence
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they take for propter for it answereth the Hebrew ב Beth which is sometimes used so Gen. 18.28 Luke 22.20 And indeed here is a truth in this because whatsoever God doth about his Church he doth it for his own glory There is no merit or worth in us to move him It 's his own glory only as Joshua urged What wilt thou do for thy great Name Josh 7.9 Yet this Exposition seemeth not to be so pertinent Others by Gods Name understand his power his strength his might and thus it 's often used Prov. 18 10 c. and then the Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 answers per and so the Hebrew ב is often used called therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 beth auxilii This seemeth very pertinent and is part of the meaning but last of all that which late Interpreters pitch most upon is that Name is here taken for the Truth Doctrine and Knowledge of God both for the Object the Doctrine that is known and the Grace is that Faith whereby we are enabled to know it being usuall in Scripture to call the Object of any affection by the affection it self That Name is here taken for the Truth and Doctrine manifested by Christ appeareth from ver 6. where it's so used where the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is expounded by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Those therefore that understand it of the true and pure Doctrine Christ hath delivered retain the proper sense of the Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Keep them in thy Name in thy true Doctrine So that they say Christ prayeth first for the purity of their Faith 2. their Unity of Love and Charity which are the two Pillars that bear up the Church of God Others take Name not for the Object but for our Knowledge and Faith of this Doctrine and so you have a notable use of the word Revel 2.13 and they make the Preposition instrumental Keep them through the knowledge and faith of thee as we have a like phrase 1 Pet. 1.5 They are said to be kept by the power of God through faith These three later Interpretations we take as one whole compleat sense for they are kept by the power of God in the true Doctrine and a true faith in Christ is the means whereby we are kept From the first Interpretation that God keeps us by his power Observe That it is not enough to be put into the state of Grace unless by Gods Power we are kept therein Or When a man is regenerated it 's not his own strength or ability but Gods power meerly that keeps him Let us take notice of that place again 1 Pet 1.5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith to salvation The Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is observed to be very emphatical for it 's properly used of those who keep a place by a Garison of Souldiers it 's a military word here it 's applied to the Power of God that doth keep us as safely as strongly and as securely as if we had an whole Army about us So that the word denoteth two things 1. The Defence and Custody in a strong manner the people of God have 2. The great Danger we are in from Satan sinne and the world for what needeth such a defence if there were no danger It 's then God that keeps us and that to salvation Though God did never so much for us at the first yet should he not keep to the very last to salvation it self we should suffer shipwrack in the very Havens mouth To open this Doctrine Consider First That the power of God is necessary both to the beginnings of grace and the progress Christ must be not only the Author but the finisher of our faith Heb. 12 2. When the Apostle 1 Pet. 1.3 had shewed that God through his abundant mercy had begotten us again he sheweth this is not enough but we are kept afterwards by his power only the power of God in working grace in us at first findes us in a different estate then when it preserveth or keepeth us At first the power of God findes us dead in sinne and in respect of any holiness like that Chaos at first without form and void Therefore Ephes 2. it 's a quickning power which infuseth supernatural life and so maketh us of spiritually dead to live It 's an Omnipotent insuperable Power like that of Creation which was out of nothing and therefore we are said to be created and his new-creatures But in the progress of Grace the power of God findes us not dead but with spiritual life only there cannot be any further motions or actings of this life without power from above Acti agimus and moti movemus it 's God that inableth us to believe to hunger and thirst after the enjoyment of him Even as Conservation doth not finde the creature in the Womb of nothing as Creation did only it continueth that being already existent which otherwise would fall into nothing Thus did not the Lord bear up daily by his power that heavenly building raised up by him at first in thy soul it would become a very ruine and not a stone left upon a stone It 's this later kinde of power the godly need all the day long if his right hand bear them not up they immediately fall to the ground Secondly Although we say It 's the power of God onely that keeps the godly and not their own strength yet it cannot be denied but that the Scripture as in some places it affirmeth Gods keeping of us So it also speaketh of a godly mans keeping himself Thus 1 Tim. 5.22 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Keep thy self pure James 1.27 Pure Religion is to keep a mans self unspotted from the world 1 John 5.18 He that is begotten of God keepeth himself Sometimes they are put together Jude v. 21. Keep your self in the love of God and not long after he addeth To him that is able to keep you So 2 Tim. 1.14 Timothy is exhorted To keep the good thing committed to him by the holy Ghost By these places we see a godly man is said to keep himself and Gods power likewise Doth not this seem to attribute too much to man or at least divide the work of preservation between God and our selves I answer No. For first Our own keeping is wholly insufficient and unable without Gods keeping when man attends to the utmost with all watching and diligence yet if God come not in with his power all is in vain We like Gehezi may lay the staffe to the dead childe but it will not rise till the Prophet himself come Satan and his power is greater then ours if considered in our selves Therefore no wonder if we of our selves cannot combate with him he that is with us is stronger then the devil but not we our selves And 2. Though we keep our selves yet this is wholly from and by
several waies faith helpeth to keep us Vse of Exhortation to the godly above all keepings to keep faith up The Just is to live by faith and we are to walk by faith and all the while we do so we stand immovable upon a Rock If thou growest secure or revolting if thou beginnest to decay all is because thy faith weakens The streams must dry up when the Fountain doth If the branches wither there is some defect in the Root Vse 2. of Instruction That it 's no wonder if wicked men grow worse and worse if they stumble and fall and never rise more if they become like the Blackmore and Leopard that cannot change their skins for they have no true lively faith in God and so have not whereby to be staid up Till God make a wonderful change in them expect no other but he that is filthy will be more filthy still SERMON LVIII The Greatness of the Mercy of being kept sound in the Truth And the Damnableness of Errour demonstrated JOHN 17.11 Keep through thy own Name those whom thou hast given me WE are now come to the last Interpretation which is part of the compleat sense here intended in this phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that is to take Name for that pure and sound Doctrine whereby God in a saving manner is known Thus Name is used at the 6th verse I have manifested thy Name which is explained by the word they had kept And then the Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is taken properly Keep in thy Name in thy Truth and Word which I have manifested to them For there is a two-fold keeping of Gods Word Obedientially by conforming our lives to it and Doctrinally by preserving the truth of it In this sense Timothy is exhorted to keep 2 Tim. 1.14 the good thing committed to his trust gold he hath received he must look this be not debased by erroneous dross Observe That it 's a special mercy to be kept in the truth and pure faith we have received Faith and Unity our Saviour prayeth for agreement in errour is not true peace and faith without Unity will like a live-coal quickly die of it self alone In these times of Errours and Heresies this Doctrine hath more than ordinary usefulness in it and therefore diligently attend to the grounds why it 's a special mercy to be kept sound in the faith and that we are more to rejoyce that our souls are kept from deceitfull errours than our bodies from infectious diseases And First It 's a special mercy because of the frequent and diligent Exhortations given to all that they fall not from the truth that they make not shipwrack of their faith 2 Pet. 3.17 The Apostle having spoken before that some wrest the Scriptures to their own destruction he bids even the godly beware a word used in matter of great concernment and where there is great danger lest they also be lead aside Therefore errour is not the way to Heaven and the Errour of the wicked it is called Wickedness is shewed in corrupt Doctrines as well as in prophane lives so as to fall from their stedfastness if you begin to shake to doubt it 's a sinne we must not fall from our stedfastness There is a notable place also Jude vers 3. when the Apostle gave himself diligently to write of salvation what doth he pitch upon to strive for the true Faith and he doth not barely write but exhorts his affections as well as his judgement are set on work and it 's not simply to believe or keep the faith but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be in an agony as they that are in a fight or race The faith should be as dear to us as our lives and the word implies a difficulty to keep it because of violent enemies to take away this live childe and put a dead one in the room Lastly you have the character of this faith it was once delivered so that new Revelations are not to be expected But we are to enquire What was once delivered Thus you see a Christian must not be cold and lukewarm in the truths of God but he must with all his soul imploy himself about it Secondly True Doctrine is a special mercy because one main end of the Scripture is to inform and keep us therein As God made the Sunne a fountain of all light and the Starres shine with a borrowed light from it so hath God put all spiritual light into the Scriptures and with this Sunne both Pastour and people are to be cloathed The Scripture is not only a rule of our life but of our faith principally 2 Tim. 3.16 The Apostle there reckoning up the admirable use and end of the Scriptures puts this in the first place That it is profitable for Doctrine How then dare a man say it 's no matter what Religion I am of all the doctrinal Disputes are but Scholastical Subtilties Is not this to blaspheme the perfection of the Scripture and is it not horrible ingratitude to God who giveth his Church the Scriptures as the most glorious Jewel it can enjoy This was the Jews priviledge to them were committed the Oracles of God Rom. 9. Thirdly It 's a special mercy to be kept in the truth because the Lord hath appointed Officers in the Church for this end among others to preserve and propagate the truth If it be then of such esteem with God ought it not to be also with us And wherein doth Gods regard to his truth more appear than in ordaining Officers in his Church whose main work and imployment should be to disseminate this pure seed wheresoever they come Ephes 4.14 There we have Offices given to the Church and one end is that believers be not tossed up and down with every winde of doctrine And though Timothy as some expound that place had prophesies concerning him what a glorious instrument he would be in the Church of God yet Paul doth again and again exhort him to keep the same doctrine he had delivered to him 1 Tim. 9.20 O Timothy keep that which is committed to thee That compellation is insinuating and argueth much affection in Paul and there is a reason even in the very expression of faith he cals it depositum as Aristotle observeth it 's a greater sinne to imbezil or alter that than any thing we have borrowed because this is committed to our Justice but a depositum to our faithfulness The Depositor doth rest upon us as trusty men So that by this all the Ministers of God are to be awakened Christian faith and doctrine is committed to you as the preservers of it The Priests lips are to preserve knowledge and the people are to require it at their hands The Apostle 2 Tim. 1.14 as if verbum sapienti sat est were not true in this matter doth again re-minde him to keep the good thing committed to him See with what esteem he speaks of the true Doctrine
say here is a greater then a Pythagoras here Deus dixit Therefore observe the Prophets they do often repeat this Thus saith the Lord because nothing could amaze and humble their hearers so much as that God said it and indeed when once it 's received as Gods truth then the heart doth readily obey as 1 Thess 2.13 you may there see wherein the truth preached doth work in it's due and proper manner even when it 's received not as the word of man but of God Divine truth will have divine operations but when received as mans truth it hath but humane effects such as Tullies Orations or Demosthenes had upon their auditors which is like the influence of the Moon that doth not give true heat and life but the word of God works like the Sun not only in respect of penetrating light reaching into all the inwards of the soul but also vivifical heat It makes men live a spiritual and heavenly life whereas moral truths help only to an external honesty It 's true that which Ambrose said Omnis veritas est à Spiritu sancto Every truth is of the holy Ghost even natural and humane truths are But as God is the author of nature and yet of grace in a more special way so the Spirit of God is the author of all truth but in a more peculiar manner of Scripture truths Therefore all Scripture is said to be given by inspiration 2 Tim. 3.16 Consider then the truths we deliver you out of Gods word are his truth Thus saith the Lord against the heretical person Thus saith the Lord against the prophane person Oh if it were only men that say thus it might be easily rejected but it 's God that speaks it and therefore none may oppose 2. Because it's Gods truth therefore it 's infallible it 's so certain that we can never be deceived whosoever believed according to Scripture and lived according to Scripture that a man was never confounded or ashamed he will never have cause to wish Oh that he had taken another way Oh that I had done otherwise Thus David Psal 119. Then I shall not be confounded when I have respect to all thy Commandments Have a conscientious respect to Gods Word in thy Religion and in thy conversation this will prove infallible this is the Israelites cloud and pillar upon their Tabernacle we are to go when that goeth we are to stand still when that stands still This is the Star that will certainly guide us to Christ All divine faith is infallible in Philosophy in humane Authorities we may be deceived but in the Scripture we cannot Venture all upon the truth of Scripture it will never deceive thee when thou wilt finde Satan and the world liars 3. It 's an eternal Truth Even as God doth abide for ever so will his truth Mat. 5. Heaven and earth shall sooner pass away then one iota or tittle of it Truth will abide when these heavens and earth shall not abide at least not in the same manner as they are now and excellently to this purpose speaks 1 Pet. 1.23 24 25. being born of the incorruptible word of God for all flesh is grass but the word of God abideth for ever and this is the Word which by the Gospel is preached to you Scripture-truth abideth for ever whereas all errours and false ways though they have overflowed for a while yet presently they withered again What is become of the Manichees Arrians Pelagians Nestorians and those thousands of Heretiques They had a time of glory a shew in the world but then died neither lamented nor desired Scripture-truth will prevail even as Christ the essential Truth As the Sun will at last get the better of all clouds and foggy mists and cannot alwayes be in an eclypse so it 's with the truth of God All errors are like men mortal they pass away if any error be so strong as to hold to threescore years it begins like man to be full of pain and sorrow They are compared to hay and stubble these will not long continue They are like Davids rich and great men in the world like the grass upon the house top not only homo but haereticus est bulla Truth will continue in the field when all errours will lie prostrate and conquered and have no other burial but that of an Ass as that despised King had 4. It 's an universal Truth within the bounds of Religion I do not say that all philosophical and mathematical truths are in the Scripture but all soul-saving truths are as 2 Tim. 3. The Scriptures are able to make thee wise to salvation There is nothing for doctrine or for practice but that can guide thee This sufficiency and perfection of Scripture-truth we do justly maintain against the Papists who as they foolishly set up their lighted tapers at noon-day so they add their traditions to the Scripture but it 's often said we may neither adde to it nor detract from it therefore it 's abundantly sufficient Now it 's good with Tertullian to adore this fulness of the Scripture for thy faith and doctrine to believe as thou readest to worship God as thou readest As the childe in the womb is nourished only by the mother through her nourishing Thus the Church of God is instructed nourished and enlivened only from God by the Scriptures We read the Manna fell from heaven but there fell a dew before it to constringe and bind the earth Thus truth fals from God but the Scripture is like the dew to keep it together that it may be for our use Let not then tradition custom antiquity multitudes nor such Gorgons heads lifted up by men terrifie thee but follow the word in thy faith and worship where that stands still do not thou go further where that goeth do not thou stand still And as for faith so for thy life know that hath all practical truth in it necessary to salvation that teacheth and that only how to repent how to be converted how to believe in Christ how to pray how to hear how to be in the world yet to have a conversation in heaven That teacheth thee how to be godly in thy relations a godly father a godly childe a godly master a godly servant Now this most people are greatly faulty in they will be of no Religion but what the Scripture commands yet they will live otherwise and do otherwise When thou seest an heretick thou will bring Scripture against him And is not Scripture against thy prophaneness and impiety as well as there are damnable heresies so are there damnable wickednesses in mens lives 5. It 's a supernatural Truth Many of the truths revealed in Scripture are such as no Plato's no Aristotles no wisdom of man though raised beyond Solomons could ever have attained unto such as the doctrine of the Trinity of the Nature Person and Office of Christ of the Resurrection of a day of Judgment and the
state of men afterwards The former of these especially could never be discovered by natural light even Adam though created after Gods image yet needed a revelation of these We have no innate or acquired knowledge about them and though many worthy Divines have indeavoured to prove the Trinity by reason and humane similitudes yet the surest and most evident way is the Scripture so that we may say of them all which Austin speaks of one of them viz. Of Christs being God and man If you can give a reason it would not be mirabile and if an example it would not be singulare It 's true there are many things in Scripture which we know by natural reason as that there is a God but the knowledge by reason is nothing so evident and firm as that by Revelation so that the truth of God being in the chiefest parts of it supernatural It 's no wonder that the wisest Heathens became vain in their imaginations and that their greatest Religion was their highest impiety and within the Church The more men have forsaken Scripture and pleased corrupt reason in the doctrinal part and corrupt fancies in the worshipping part They have been very erroneous and absurd hence the truth of God is called a mystery and said to be revealed because mans reason could no more attain unto it then a dwarf can reach to the heavens Zacheus must get upon this Tree to see Christ Hence no others have been able to endure the glorious lustre of the Scripture because errours are natural the Scripture supernatural All heresies have runne up and down from one age to another like Cain fearing least every Text of Scripture should kill them Do not then judge of Scripture-truths by thy carnal reason The work is above thy natural understanding 6. It 's a godly holy Truth The holy Scriptures they are called and well may they be so called for nothing is a stronger argument to demonstrate the Divine Authority of Scriptures than the holiness thereof Take all the moral books in the world they do as much come short of the holiness of the Scripture as coals do of the glory of the Sunne Plutarch Seneca Epictetus these will teach you to have the clean skin of morality but not the inward life and sound vitals of holiness What transcendent holiness doth the Scripture teach us such as the men of the world know not Holiness in our natures first of all Regeneration neither the name nor the nature of it was known amongst the Heathens they knew not mans natural pollution neither did they see a necessity of such an internal renovation Again Such holy duties the Scriptures teach that not only the doctrinal but the practical part of it is a mystery to flesh and bloud such are faith in Christ love to our enemies self-denial and a readinesse to take up the Crosse Many of these duties are accounted folly and madness by wise men after the flesh It teacheth an heavenly life fellowship and communion with God to do all things from holy principles and to holy ends so that the holinesse that is in the truth of Scriptures should much affect us But oh how few reade and delight in the Scriptures because of the holinesse in them You reade them for dispute or to know the History and to be able to hold up Arguments but who is there that thinketh this the truths of Scripture are holy They are to make heavenly and pure they will forewarn of sin they quicken to grace they inflame to faith and love Oh minde this all Scripture-truth is for holiness As meat is not to be looked upon but eaten and digested 7. They are precious excellent Truths and therefore compared by David to fine gold and by Solomon preferred above all jewels Prov. 3.15 The Apostle also compareth true Doctrine to gold silver and precious stones 1 Cor. 3.12 and they are called precious promises as a precious faith 2 Pet. 1.1 4. These shew in what high degree and dignity the truths of Scripture should be with us Austin said Veritas Christianorum was incomparabiliter pulchrior Helenâ Graecorum If they did strive about her How much more ought we for the truth of God The Prophet complained of old None pleaded for the truth Isa 59 4. neither were valiant for the truth Jer. 9.3 The truths then of the Scripture should be more unto us then any earthly comforts whatsoever You see Christ makes this one main end of his coming into the world to bear witness unto the truth John 18 37. Ann thus the Martyrs they thought Gods truth more worth then their lives and how many millions have willingly endured the worst of deaths to bear witness to the truths of the Scripture So that it 's very strange how such a spirit of delusion should be upon men to make no matter of true Doctrine to think Heresies and Errours are nothing Certainly the godly Martyrs that burnt at the stake had other thoughts of it and the Scripture doth commend it as the great mercy of God unto a people Therefore God promiseth Jer. 33.6 He will reveal abundance of peace and truth and in many places truth is still joyned unto peace as if all the peace and earthly advantages in the world were nothing if we might not have the truths of God also Therefore the Apostle John told that elect Lady He had no greater joy then to see her children walking in the truth and the Spirit of God is promised as the greatest mercy we can have John 16.13 That he will guide us into all truth Natural truth is precious What pains and travel have many used to finde that out They have dispossessed themselves of their goods to finde it out yea they have been so ravished in the contemplation thereof that they have forgotten to eat their bread and have wholly neglected themselves and all pleasure Hence in their Sacrifices to Apollo whom the Heathens made God of truth they cried out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Truth is sweet Truth is sweet Truth is the natural food to the soul as meat is to the body but then divine supernatural truth which doth so immediately concern our salvation and eternal happiness how precious and dear should that be to us In other things ignorance is not damnable but here to misse of the truth is to fall into destruction It profits not a man to measure the heavens and the motions thereof To understand all the Laws of Nations with their cases thereupon or with Solomon to be able to speak of the nature of all things if a man want the knowledge of Scripture-truths Lastly This truth though precious yet because it 's opposite to a corrupt heart It 's very bitter and makes most men enemies to it It 's a truth requiring holiness hatred of sinne mortification of lusts and because it 's so therefore the vain corrupt hearts of men love errours and lies or deceits by the devil and sinne rather then the
every degree thereof is from the grace of God Therefore he that praied help my unbelief Mar. 9.24 argued that he could not have one degree of faith by his own power only Christ must bestow it on him 2. As sanctifying grace is very differently given to beleevers so those common gifts which are for service Christ giveth them in much variety Eph. 4. That all these gifts are the fruit of Christs death is plain and therefore the Spirit of God is given by Christ to his Church upon his Ascension Now 1 Cor. 12. The Apostle doth there excellently shew that though there be diversity of operations yet there is still but one spirit and the Scripture much delights in the similitude of a body where there is diversity of members with their peculiar operations and it 's hard for beleevers to be content with these various Administrations Every member would be an Eye Though Christ died equally for all yet he did not give gifts and offices alike to all This variety of gifts is represented by the Kings Daughter whose cloathing was of needle work and it should not tend to envy or division but to mutuall profiting and helping of one another 3 The means of grace are likewise differently administred For although Christ died alike for all beleevers yet the means of bringing them home are not alike Some live under more powerfull means then others Some have not the Spurs and encouragement that others have to that which is holy Again some live in clearer and more evidencing times of Gods grace then others all those that lived before Christs time are said to be in the dark in comparison of the Light that did arise by Christ Many Kings and Righteous persons desired to see what the Apostles did but could not But though all have not the like means yet there is not any one godly man though in never such remote and dark corners but the converting grace of God will finde him out and therefore that is not a sufficient reason which some pleading for Christs death universall for all when urged by this argument That if Christ died for all why then have not all the means of grace why is not the Gospel preached to every one if Christ died for every one They answer thus That even those who hold Christ died for all beleevers yet grant that all beleevers have not the same means of grace to some the Kingdom of heaven draweth nigh more manifestly and evidently then to others But this as I finde is insufficient because though the means of grace to one beleever may be more then another in respect of measure and degrees of Light yet not of efficacy That little means they have is blessed by God to be as effectuall as the most eminent and glorious means whereas by their opinion Christ is supposed to die for such who yet never were sanctified by any means whether more or lesse they did enjoy 4. Their temptatious either inward or outward are greatly different Every godly man hath no◠the buffetings of Satan as Paul had neither are all Martyrs Obadiah could live quietly in Ahabs Court when at the same time Eliah was pursued to death Rev. 10. The devil shall cast some of you into prison But some only yet in these different administrations all beleevers may take the same essential comfort and look to the same substantiall happinesse you must know also that none may nourish themselves in their weaknesses for those that grow and are more strong they have many priviledges which the weak attain not to As 1. The growing Christian shall grow more he that hath it shall be still added to him 2. The strong Christian doth in Gods ordinary way attain to more solid assurance and perswasion of Gods love Therefore 1 Pet. 1. by adding one grace to another they make their calling and election sure 3. God makes peculiar promises to such that do overcome and that do continue stedfast Rev. 2. They shall have the white stone they shall be made pillars in the Church of God 4. They are more serviceable to God The more grace the more improvement for God Others they blesse God for them Many are reformed and comforted thereby Lastly Their glory shall be greater in heaven Though some make the condition of all Saints alike in heaven yet it is more consonant to Scripture to affirm degrees of glory as there have been degrees of grace Vse of Instruction That the lowest Christian in Christs School is not to be discouraged Though never so blinde and blockish as thou art yet remember Christ is a Mediatour for such as are given to him and though some exceed others in grace yet all have the same Christ As though some men have better eyes then others yet all have the same Sun the poor as well as the rich the diseased as well as the sound SERMON CV Of Christs Love and Care of every one of his before they had a being JOHN 17.20 But for them also who shall believe in me through their word WE have heard our Saviour doth in this verse passe from the Apostles to all believers and it is Transitio perfecta as Rhetoricians call it for he mentioneth them he prayed for and so proceeds to others We are in order come to the object of this enlarged prayer and therein is considerable the circumstance of time who shall believe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as before and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It 's true some Copies which Grotius also followeth reade it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the present tense for those that do believe yet because it is most universally received in the future tense and our Bibles go that way I do adhere unto that onely here is the doubt which Austin also of old made why he prayeth onely for them who shall believe for there were many at that time besides the Apostles as Nathanael Joseph of Arimathea the godly Maries and others who did believe were they then excluded from Christs prayer Some answer though they did believe at that time yet because after Christs Resurrection their faith was more clear and explicit therefore they may be comprehended in the future tense their former faith not being worthy the name of faith respectively to that they obtained afterwards But the more genuine answer seemeth to be that by the future tense is included the present tense also it being ordinary in Scripture to expresse a thing that hath a permanent duration by the future tense not excluding the present but denoting the constant succession in 1 Tim. 1.16 Therefore I obtained mercy that in me first Jesus might shew his long-suffering for the instruction of those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who should believe in time to come That Doctrine of Christs long-sufferance was demonstrated to those that believed at that time in a more remarkable manner
for our comfort that every believer though yet unborn was in Christs purpose and intention when he laid down his life as if they had been existent in the land of the living In the sixth place By this intention of Christ in his prayer and death it will inevitably and immutably be brought about that they shall in time be converted they shall believe and be brought into communion and fellowship with Christ For seeing as we have heard Christ could not but be heard in what he prayed for and the Father alwayes granted his Petition therefore it cannot be but that all those who are given to Christ shall one time or other be wrought upon by the Word Thus it 's said They believed Act. 13.48 as many as were ordained to eternal life and the Apostles were to go and preach in such places because God had much people there Act. 18. and Rom. 9. the Apostle doth fully shew That Election is the cause of all mercies vouchsafed in time and those who were not elected they were hardened and given up to a spirit of slumber Oh then the admirable love of God to those that are his there shall not be one of them but the Word of grace will finde them out They that were not his people shall be made his people Joh. 10. I have other sheep saith Christ that are not of this fold and those he will bring home Hence Rom. 8. we have that golden Chain which all the Arminian subtilties can never dissolve Whom he hath predestinated he hath called and whom he hath called he hath justified and those he hath justified he hath glorified To expound calling only of vocation to afflictions and to the cross and Justification only of the vindicating of their persons and cause against the calumnies of the world is too dilute and repugnant to the scope of the Apostle in that place we may then absolutely conclude of the conversion and believing of such who belong to Christ and that the Word preached will sometimes or other be effectual upon them In the last place It 's plain from hence That Gods Election and so Christs dying for us is not conditional or upon the supposition of our believing but our belief is the true and genuine effect of Election and Christs death For whereas Christ here prayeth for those who shall believe The Question may be Whether this belief be supposed as a Condition Antecedent to Election and Christs death or as an absolute Effect of both so that Christ doth not only pray for believers but also that they may be believers There is a great Controversie between Arminians and the Orthodox for they say God elected some such persons to eternal life indeed and gave them to Christ as a Mediatour but it was upon a supposition and fore-sight that they would believe and persevere in that faith to the end But the Orthodox do more consonantly to the Scripture and to the greater exaltation of Gods grace and magnifying of Christ affirm That God by one single act of the same time did elect a man both to grace and glory both to salvation and faith So that God did not elect us because he foresaw we would believe but he did elect us to believe as well as to salvation So that faith is not a condition but the effect and fruit of our Election This is a necessary truth to be proved and therefore the next day it is to be considered for the present I take it for granted That those who shall believe are such not who by their own power shall either believe or dispose themselves to it but who by the grace of God shall be inabled thereunto For the present consider the aggravation of this love of God in Christ to us before we had a being And 1. There is remarkable freenesse in it of grace if positively and absolutely considered For what could there be in us to move God to this mercy when we could not think or cry or pray or do any thing for our good even then God set his love upon us It was nothing in us seeing we were in the womb of nothing 2. This freeness is aggravated if comparatively considered for it 's the grace of God that makes some to believe and leaveth others in their natural corruption The Apostle considered this discriminating love of God to Jacob and Esau Rom. 9. before they had done either good or evil Oh then sit and admire the depth of grace the unsearchable riches of grace for what art thou to so many learned and noble men in the world to so many of thy own kindred and family that God hath past by yet took compassion on thee Didst thou not lie equally in the same mass of corruption and bondage to all sin 3. There is the Eternity of this love it was before the beginning of the world So that we cannot imagine any moment of time wherein Gods thoughts were not upon thee Lastly The unchangeablenesse of this love for the Councels of God and his purpose are immutable There is no change or shadow of change in him and therefore if once loved alwayes loved he predestinated thee before the world called thee out of the world justifieth thee in the world and will glorifie thee after the world Vse What infinite cause of praise and glory the people of God have Well mayest thou call upon thy soul and all within thee to praise God Well may this be the burden of every Psalm For his mercy endureth for ever yea if thou hadst the hearts of all men and Angels this were not enough neither can Eternity be long enough to glorifie God in this particular SERMON CVI. Of both the Moving Cause and Effects of Election and of Christs Prayer and Death Against Arminians and others JOH 17.20 But for them also who shall beleeve in me through their Word WE come to a Second Observation from the circumstance of the future tense Who shall beleeve in me For as was intimated there may be a twofold sence of these words 1. That this future Faith is mentioned as an effect and fruit of being given to Christ as also of Christs Prayer and Death for them So that he doth not only pray for them which shall beleeve but also that they may beleeve and in this sense the Orthodox interpret it Or 2. It may be interpreted as if Faith were here supposed as a condition on our part antecedaneous both to Gods Election and also Christs Intercession and death So that the sence should be These were given to Christ and Christ he praied and died for them because it was foreseen by God that such would beleeve upon the means of grace offered and others not In this sence Meisner a Lutheran urgeth it and thus all Arminians and others must take it who hold that we were Elected from a foresight of our Faith and perseverance therein But that this cannot be the meaning of our Saviour is evident because the ground of
Christs Prayer even in respect of those who shall beleeve is because They were given to him by the Father as appeareth vers 9. I pray not for the world but for them which thou hast given me Seeing therefore the Foundation of Christs Intercession is because they were given by Election to Christ as a people to be saved through him it 's plain that Christ praied not because he foresaw that they would beleeve but because they were Elected It 's true the Arminians do in a most violent and strange manner wrest that phrase of being given to Christ They understand it not of an action of the Father but of the disposition of the Subject Hence it is they speak so much of a probum ingenium or a docilis indoles as if it were some towardly disposition in man that fitted him for grace but thus it would be rather who have given themselves to Christ rather then that the Father had given them and indeed this is such a thorn in their sides that they cannot pull out if by such who shall beleeve were to be understood those that upon Gods foresight were known to improve the means of Faith better then others then all the difference from others and the utmost resolution of salvation yea and Election would be unto a mans self when yet the Apostle doth expresly stop such mouths What hast thou that thou hast not received and who made thee to differ from another 1 Cor. 4.7 The Text thus vindicated and explained I gather this Observation That Christ died not and so we were not Elected because we will beleeve but our beleef is the effect and fruit of Christs death and our Election Our Faith is not a condition upon which our Election or Christs Death stands suspended and indeterminate but these do make us infallibly and effectually to beleeve in time There are two common Opinions The one holding That God from all Eternity knew who would beleeve in time and persevere therein and thereupon they were Elected and Christ died for us This way go Arminians and others But 2. The Orthodox they affirm that God did from all Eternity choose some out of the corrupt masse to Eternall glory and for this end to give them Faith and holinesse as the means thereunto So that God did not elect us because we did or would beleeve but that we might beleeve we beleeve because we are Elected not Elected because we beleeve This Doctrine is very useful because it tends to humble and debase man and wholly to exalt the grace of God and therefore the more diligently to be confirmed because of late so greatly opposed And before we bring Scripture-Arguments Let us Consider some few things that will clear the state of the Question As 1. There is a difference of those who hold our Election and so Christs Death to be upon the foresight of something in us Some are more grosse then others For there are some that hold a man is Elected to glory upon the foresight of his cooperation with the grace of God as a true merit deserving this Election so that with them God did behold who by his free will would improve the offer of grace and for this as a meritorious cause they say God did Elect them unto Eternal Glory But this is so highly injurious to the Grace of God that though some Papists have maintained it yet Bellarmine Valentia and other Jesuites wholly disclaim it at least in words making no other cause of predestination in respect of all the effects of it but the sole and meer good pleasure of God 2. There are others and they say the foresight of the good or better use of our free-will then others is not a meritorious but a moving cause with God of our Election to Happinesse So that our Faith and Holinesse though they were not a meriting Cause yet were a moving Cause of our predestination but this is also too grosly repugnant and contradictory to Scripture 3. There are those who refine it more subtlely and that is That God did foresee who would beleeve and persevere therein to Death and such are peremptorily chosen to Eternall Life not that their Faith or Perseverance is any merit or moving Cause but a Conditio sine quâ non without which God would not choose such to happinesse so that say they it 's not for any intrinsecall Dignity or excellent worth in Faith but because of the many possible waies and means to Salvation God appoints this way of beleeving rather then another and thus the Arminians Only they acknowledge Holinesse of Life and Obedience to God to be thus a Condition foreseen as well as Faith though they would seem utterly to deny it 4. There are the Lutherans and they indeed hold Faith fore-seen as a Condition in our Election Only they say It 's not considered as a merit or a Cause no nor as a work but as an Instrument apprehending Christs merits and therefore make Election to be by Faith in the same sence as we are justified by Faith Hence they deny Holinesse or Obedience to be a condition ingredient to Election because Christ is not laid hold upon by that as by Faith although herein they contradict themselves because they acknowledge not Faith singly as so but Perseverance in Faith to be the Condition and that must be necessarily looked upon as a work not as an Instrument receiving Christ But the Orthodox they affirm consonantly to Scripture and sutably to the Glory of Gods Grace That God did from all Eternity choose some men out of that corrupt masse in which all were to Eternall Glory and by the same Act did prepare and appoint all those means which would effectually produce the same So that this Election is the Originall and Fountain of all Spirituall mercies because Elected Christ is appointed a Mediatour Because Elected they are called and enabled to beleeve in time So that we deny there are two Elections One to Glory another to Grace But God by the same single Act doth will both and therefore that there is not the same Reason of Election and of Justification or Salvation for these being Acts done in time do require Faith and Holinesse as antecedent but Election being an Act of God from all Eternity cannot presuppose any thing in us Now the Arguments to confirm us in this Truth they are these following First Because the Scripture when it speaketh of this great and wonderfull work of Election it doth still resolve all into the Counsell of his will not into any thing fore seen in a man Ephes 8. Roman 8. Roman 9. and in many other places it is still said He hath chosen us according to his Will according to his purpose Now if so be it were for any thing foreseen in us it would be rather according to the Counsell of our will and according to our purpose There cannot any rationall Answer be given unto this Argument for according to the Adversaries
God doth not Elect or choose any untill he foresee what every man will do and if he do well and persevere in this then he is predestinated but this doth at once dash out all the Prepositions Prae and turn them into Post it is not prae-destination but post-destination not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And this administers a second Argument Secondly If so be that God did Elect and choose to Eternall Life because he did fore-see our Faith then the whole difference of one Beleever from another would be attributed solely to mans Power For to say That this is Gods Decree and his Appointment that whosoever shall beleeve shall be saved doth not in the least work upon any person no more then that Decree of God Whosoever shall do this shall live doth suppose any that will exactly keep the Law so that no man in the world may beleeve for all this Decree And thus when Christ prayed for those who shall beleeve he might have praied for a Non ens a thing which might never have been Therefore all the Question is How come some to beleeve and not others How is it that of many who live under the same means of Grace some are called effectually and others grow more wicked and sinnefull Certainly the Scripture doth not give this unto mans Will but to Gods free-grace and Love as Matthew 13. To you it is given to know the Mysteries of the Kingdom of God and unto others not Thus Christ also Matthew 11. solemnly blessed and thanked God That he had hid these things of Heaven from the wise and prudent ones of the world and that he had revealed them unto Babes And the Apostle expresly Who hath made thee to differ from another 1 Corinth 4.7 Therefore it 's horribly injurious unto the Grace and goodnesse of God to say That under the same Means of Grace I made my Self to beleeve to repent rather than another Certainly such an Opinion as this is so grosse and absurd that well may Arminianism be said not only to be repugnant to many places of Scripture but even to the common sence and experience of all beleevers They have a witnesse within their own breasts That they were as unwilling as froward as opposite to the work of Grace as any That it was God that made them of unwilling willing Even as there were many others that heard Paul yet God is said to open the heart of Lydia rather then others Thirdly Faith and all holinesse is the Effect and Fruit of our Election and also of the Death of Christ and therefore it cannot be an antecedent Condition That is plain that the same thing cannot be an Effect and Consequent of Election and yet an antecedent Condition at least in the same Respects for then it should be considered as before and after at the same time which is a plain Contradiction Now that Faith is a Consequent and an Effect of Election and that we are Elected to Faith and Holinesse not because we have Faith and Holinesse is clear by severall Texts of Scripture as Act. 13.48 They beleeved as many as were ordained to Eternall Life Here is plainly set down the Effect and the Cause They beleeved and why Because ordained to Eternall Life As for that Cavill to understand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 intransitively as if it were no more than dispositi and so did imply some inherent probity that is not worth the answering For how were the Gentiles disposed to beleeve who were said to be dead in sinnes and plunged into all manner of impiety untill Grace had converted them Besides this disposednesse to beleeve whence doth it arise Either from our selves and so all Glory is due to us or from the Grace of God And if so How cometh it to passe that some have it and not others but because of Election And it is further to be added That it is not said in the Text They beleeved that were ordained Or as they say disposed to beleeve but to Eternall Life which doth necessarily suppose an Action of God in whose power alone it is to dispose of Eternall Life Thus also Ephes 1. There are very emphaticall Expressions to shew that we are Elected to be holy and unblameable in the sight and presence of God And whereas they would referre this to our glorious Estate in Heaven that cannot be because unblameable doth properly relate to our being here upon the Earth It is true we will readily grant That both Faith and Holinesse they doe enter into the Decree of Election taken terminatively as it ends in Everlasting Happinesse Therefore it is a meer Calumny to say We hold such an absolute Election to Glory and Happinesse as hath no respect to Christ or to Faith For although we deny that Christ was the meritorious Cause of our Election yet it 's plain by Scripture we are chosen in him as the Head and so the Cause of all the Benefits that come by Election And God had respect unto Faith He chose Beleevers to Salvation onely this Faith was not looked upon as an antecedent Condition in us but as a qualification which God by Election doth work in the hearts of those that shall be saved We say God hath Elected such to Salvation whom in time he will by that Decree make Beleevers For he that wils an end doth thereby will the means that tendeth thereunto only we deny they were supposed Beleevers first and then God Elected them Fourthly God doth not Elect upon the fore-sight of Perseverance in Faith Because the Scripture every where makes Election to be the Originaâ—l and Causall Fountain or Womb of all other Benefits That Ninth Chapter to the Romanes is pregnant to this purpose where Election is made to be that which bringeth about all blessed Effâ—cts in time Election hath obtained and it is not of him that willeth or runneth but of God that sheweth mercy Whereas Austin of old urged by the Adversaries Opinion replied We might as well say according to them it is not of him that calleth but of him that willeth And Rom. 8. The Apostle maketh predestination the cause of Vocation Justification and Glorification not Vocation the Cause of Predestination Fifthly If the humane Nature of Christ was not chosen to the personall Union for any fore-seen merit much lesse may any meer man be Elected to Glory because of any supposed worth This was an Argument urged of old by Austin and is very strong By what Grace that particular man was made Christ by that we are made Christians Now the Apostle saith expresly that Christ 1 Peter 1.20 he was fore-ordained and appointed before the Foundation of the world and all will readily grant that this was not for any fore-seen worth and Excellency in the Humane Nature of Christ Lastly Not to mention all that may be brought If we are Elected upon Faith fore-seen and Perseverance therein then none are Elected until they come to die and
godly are sometimes raised up for the effecting of a particular mercy they stand in need of Lastly There is this Justifying or saving Faith which hath for it's proper object Christ crucified and so by resting upon him brings reconciliation with God and peace in the conscience It 's true some distinguish between justifying faith and saving as if all that faith which did justifie did not also save but that is built upon that dangerous foundation as if there might be Apostasie from the true faith Now whether this distinction be exact and in what sense it is to be made good I shall not here dispute but take it for a necessary truth Secondly When we say That faith justifieth as it resteth on Christ and receiveth him we do not deny or exclude assent to all other divine truth revealed in Gods word Justifying faith doth necessarily suppose historical or dogmatical faith So that although they be two distinct kinds of faith yet in a justified person all those acts of faith proceed from the same root and habit that principle of faith whereby I am inabled to rest on Christ makes me also firmly to assent to every truth of Gods word yea this dogmatical faith is the foundation of justifying and did men exercise stronger acts of historical faith it would much conduce to our justifying faith and strengthen that did we believe more firmly that Christ came to be a Mediatour then this would quicken up to peculiar confidence in him Therefore the devil hath temptations against both sometimes he assaulteth us in the matter to be believed and sometimes about our application of what we do believe Therefore we are not to oppose these special acts of faith against the general Thirdly This phrase of believing in Christ doth plainly denote a fiducial act of the will and heart as well as the assent of the understanding And this is greatly to be observed that we are not to look upon believing as a disposition to assent to the things of God as true but we do by believing incline the whole heart to trust and rest on Christ in whom we do believe It 's greatly disputed Whether this fiducial application or confidence be of the formal nature of faith or an effect and consequent only of it but I shall wave that at this time It 's plain that to believe in doth denote some cordial and fiducial motion of the soul to the object as it 's center and on that which gives us firm rest Hence faith is called receiving of Christ it 's said to be the eating of his flesh and drinking of his blood It 's called the imbracing of the promises and opposite to this believing is fear Luk. 8.50 and diffidence and wavering So that it 's plain faith hath a fiducial assent with it therefore it 's called believing with the whole heart Act 8.37 The heart believeth Rom. 10.9 as well as the understanding Fourthly Hence it is also That faith is made by some Divines not a simple but an aggregate or compounded habit that it is not in one faculty seated but in two that it is both in the minde and the will And howsoever some have argued against this as being contrary to all Philosophy for one habit to be in two faculties yet the most learned Schoolmen do confess it no absurdity for with some free-will is seated partly in the understanding and partly in the will as also prudence a moral vertue is partly in the minde and partly in the will and all do confesse That though to believe be an immediate act of the understanding yet to this there is required pia affectio in voluntate and indeed seeing as the Apostle saith there is a captivating of the understanding in it's carnal reasons when we do believe that cannot be without some prevalent power upon the will So that we are to look upon Faith as a compounded habit which doth partly work upon the minde by enlightning that and partly upon the will by enclining and strengthning that Fifthly The ground why justifying faith must needs comprehend both is Because that in the promises of the Scripture there is a two-fold object to move our faith for every promise hath in it that which is true and so it requireth assenting acts and then it hath that which is good and so it requireth fiducial and imbracing acts Wonder not then if faith extend it self to two distinct powers of the soul seeing it also reacheth to two distinct objects truth being the object of the understanding and good the object of the will The Apostle comprehends both in that speech 1 Tim. 1.15 This is a faithfull saying and worthy of all acceptation a faithfull saying there is the truth to be believed and worthy of all acceptation there is the good to be imbraced Therefore believing is not a bare speculative assenting to the truth but it is also a sweet quieting and composing of the heart to receive the good promised Hence it 's called receiving Joh. 1. and eating and drinking Joh. 6. it 's compared to the branches receiving moisture from the vine Joh. 15. Sixthly As the Scripture expresseth faith relating to the object believed not to the proposition so at other times it doth expresse the proposition Hence it hath often 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 put to it Doest thou believe that I am the Son of God or that I am sent from the Father This is a proposition to be believed but you must know that faith as it justifieth is not properly in that we believe such a proposition to be true viz. That Christ is God or that he will give eternal life to such as believe but the ens incomplexum that is Christ himself in his Person and Offices is the object of our justifying faith Therefore Christ himself is said to dwell in our hearts by faith Eph. 3. Even as the woman is married to the person of her husband and not to the articles of agreement upon marriage and this is that which makes faith to be so powerfull and noble in it's efficacy because Christ is hereby received in the soul who is the authour and fountain of all spiritual operations So that as when the Sun ariseth in our hemisphere it cannot but give light and heat so also when the Sun of righteousness ariseth in our hearts there is the Spirit of Christ also accompanying him in Sanctification and Mortification Seventhly To justifying faith there are these things required some whereof are antecedent and concomitant others essential and constitutive of it As 1. There must be some explicite knowledge of Christ and understanding of him in his Person and Offices Whether knowledge be an act included in the essence of faith or whether it be preparative and antecedent is disputed Howsoever it 's certain None can believe that doth not know the thing he believeth Henc◠it is that faith is so often in Scripture called knowledge It 's true indeed faith hath not
to beleeve though it might be matter of comfort and priviledge yet it was not of duty But O how graciously hath God taught thee otherwise Now thou ar◠as much afraid not to lay hold on Christ as to commit any other sin Thou art as consciencious in believing every promise as in conforming to every command Thou darest no longer listen to doubts and fears to Satans Temptations in this matter then thou darest to the lusts and pleasures of sin 2. The Spirit of God doth instruct us in this That thus to beleeve and rest on Christ is to perform or to do that to which Justification is promised He that believeth is passed from death to life and still Remission of sins is said to be received by Faith and we are justified by Faith Rom. 5. So that when the Soul doth rest on Christ he performeth that to which Christ with all his benefits are promised Joh. 3.16 God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever beleeveth in him should not perish but have eternnl Life So that the humbled sinner having his eyes thus opened he seeth it the greatest madnesse and folly that can be not to receive Christ and to rest on him Why thus he argueth I cannot he justified I cannot partake of Christ till I do believe so that to believe is as necessary in an instrumental way as Christ in a meritorious way Shall the diseased Patient question whether he shall take that medicine which will certainly heal him Shall the hungry man doubt whether he may receive that alms which will preserve his Life Thus the humbled sinner is convinced that as he must not murther his own body wilfully by refusing to eat meat so he must not his own soul by a wilful rejecting of the promise 3. The Spirit of God instructs him in this also That by beleeving he doth not only bring comfort and salvation to his soul but in a most eminent manner doth also glorifie God As Abraham by that remarkable act of Faith is said to give Glory to God Rom. 4.20 The tempted Soul is apt to think Why should I believe this is but to seek my self This is because I would have comfort whatever becometh of Gods Glory Oh but saith the believer when thus awakened if I could perform all the Commandments of God if I could love God so as to give my body to be burnt for his Name yet I could not glorifie God so much as by believing for this acknowledgeth God in Christ wherein God is more to be admired then in the creation and government of the world Lastly He is enabled to see the folly and unprofitablenesse of Vnbelief If he go not to Christ where can Salvation be had he is sure to be damned by keeping from Christ Therefore with those Lepers he is resolved not to perish but to go to God though he seem an Enemy to him And then 2. God worketh faith in us effectively as you heard by strengthening the heart of a man fiducially to repose on Christ if other graces as love and patience do not grow of themselves in mans heart much lesse doth Faith which is so supernatural every way SERMON CIX Of Justifying Faith JOHN 17.20 But for them also who shall believe in me through their word WE are treating upon the Doctrine of Justifying Faith and certainly we may say It 's good to be on this Mount of Transfiguration and having declared that method Gods Spirit leads an humbled soul into when it 's enabled to believe We proceed to further particulars instructive in this business The ultimate and last act of justifying faith was a fiducial resting upon Christ for all spiritual benefits But to understand this further Consider that the Scripture expression of it is very emphatical and denoteth several notions in it as when it expresseth it by receiving 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a word often applied to faith in this act it receiveth Christ Joh. 1.12 it receiveth the promise it receiveth forgivenesse of sins Act. 26.18 so that in this justifying act of faith we are to conceive a precious treasure offered by the grace of God even Christ himself and faith as the hand receiving of it and this expression is full of excellent matter for it teacheth 1. That we in this act of Justification or laying hold on Christ have nothing of our own All our righteousness is without us we are to receive it offered we have nothing inherent This Paul knew experimentally Phil. 3. when he would be found not in his own righteousness but that which is by faith His own mark that Any thing we may call our own we must not be found in and that is our own which is not only so effectivé by our own procuring and labour or merit but subjectivé which is inherent in us though it be wrought by the grace of God as the Just is said to live by his faith Hab. 2.4 It 's his faith subjectively though Gods effectively This word then receiving doth carry every man humbled Evangelically wholly out of himself and as was said to the woman looking into the Sepulchre Why look you for him he is not here he is risen So it may be said Why art thou searching and digging into thine own heart Thy works or graces these are not the object of faith It 's above thee It 's without thee though by faith applied to thee Even as the poor cripple that desired to be healed looked upon Christ expecting help from him he knew he had nothing in himself or as the indigent beggar looks without him and stretcheth out his hand to receive food or money So is it with the humbled sinner Oh then be directed here why doth God make thy own heart thy own wayes so bitter to thee Is it not because thou shouldst seek out for a Christ and look for a righteousnesse without thee 2. This word receiving implieth That we are wholly passive in our Justification That we are not justified by doing any thing or offering any thing to God but receiving from him Even as some Philosophers say Intelligere and sentire are passions Though we express them actively yet the soul therein is passive So when by believing a man is justified we are not to consider what he brings to God or doth for God but what he receiveth from him This is a fundamental principle to be grounded in it 's a mercy of mercies to be directed in the agonies of thy soul to the right way of believing to know the way to this City of refuge If a manslayer pursued by the avenger had not known the way to the City of refuge what danger had he been in It 's like the childe not coming the right way in it's birth now naturally we all think by doing to partake of Christ not receiving which made the Apostle so industriously assert this That it 's not to him that worketh but to him that believeth
that grace is vouchsafed So then be instructed in this Is thy heart groaning under sin all thy desires and inclinations are to Christ Know this is done intra recipiendo not extra mittendo This is done by receiving grace from God not doing any work for or to him yet how apt are we all to cry out with those What shall we do I till Christ inform us that the great work God approveth of is beleeving or receiving It 's the looking upon this brazen Serpent that healeth thee 3. This therefore implieth That believing on Christ doth not justifie for any dignity or intrinsecal worth it hath Not because it 's a more excellent and noble grace but meerly because that alone is receiving and applicative of Christ. We receive only by faith as we do corporally only by the hands yet the hands are not more noble then the eyes or the head Hence the Scripture never saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not for faith but through faith and it 's never said actively saith justifieth but by faith we are justified passively So that as it would be absurd to say That the beggars hand hath made him rich in receiving large alms so it would be as absurd to attribute it to the dignity of faith when by it we are justified Therefore fourthly In that believing is expressed by receiving of Christ is implyed That faith it self is excluded as it 's a work So that not onely all other graces but faith if considered as it 's a work doth not justifie us The eye in looking on the brazen Serpent did not heal as it was a work but from the vertue of the Serpent exalted by Gods appointment When the woman touched Christs hem of his garment and healing was thereby conveyed It was not the touching as it was a labour and work but the vertue of Christ Thus it is in this case And hence lastly we see Why faith and no other grace doth thus justifie because this alone doth receive Other graces are active this is receptive Not that faith is separated from other graces they are existent together though they retain their distinct properties He that believeth on Christ is cleansed and sanctified he loveth God and is patient in tribulation but yet not by this is he justified As the Sun-beams have heat as well as light but it shineth by the light only not the heat so the earth hath driness as well as gravity but it fals downward not because dry but because heavy Secondly This receiving is not a bare receiving but such as is with imbracement As Heb. 11.2 These imbraced the promises Even as Simeon took Christ with joy in his arms So that there is great delight and cordial joy in laying hold on Christ Even as the Church said after she had lost her Beloved yet finding him at last she would lay hold on him and not let him go as Ruth to Naomi thus she cleaveth to Christ So that as a man receiveth with dearest imbracements some choice and precious friend he longed to see Thus it is with the humbled sinner Oh this is the beloved of many thousands whom my soul hath long prayed for long sought for What have I found thee Oh thou chiefest of many thousands Hence it is that Christ compareth himself to a Bridegroom and Husband and his Church to a wife to shew what real affections are in the heart of an humbled sinner for to lay hold on him Hence it 's called Believing with the whole heart and with joy unspeakable 1 Pet. 1.8 There was great feasting and joy for the finding of a lost son But oh the unspeakable joy for discovering a Christ that we thought was for ever lost as to us What meltings what ravishments are there at the meeting of him Oh how often saith the humbled soul did I think I should never finde thee How many times did I conclude that I should perish in my lusts and fears but Christ at last appeareth as he did to those women after his death who thought there was no hope Thirdly In this act of faith there is contained resting relying or fiducial reposing of the soul upon Christ. You heard the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 did enforce this so that the soul before it believeth is to be conceived as a stone falling downwards which cannot stay till it meet with its center and then it enclineth no further In the Old Testament it 's called trusting in the Lord which in other synonymous expressions is sometimes called staying and leaning and so is a metaphor taken from those who have some great and heavy burden upon their back and thereby are crushed to the ground unless they have something to rest upon Thus it is with the afflicted penitent he cryeth out I finde such a load of sins that my back would break and heart would break yea every thing would fail within me had not I Christ to throw my self upon hence Christ is called the Foundation stone because all the building is established upon that Now that which in the Old Testament is called trusting in God in the New is called believing Illyricus thinketh this is the reason of the different expression because the God of Israel was known to the Jews therefore there was required only a fiducial adhesion unto him but in the New Testament Christ as Mediator was not known therefore another word is used viz. to believe which comprehends both an assenting knowledge and also a fiducial application So then by this act of beleeving the soul which was ready to sink under it's burden doth lean upon Christ and as a drowning man doth catch hold on the next branch to save him so doth a humbled sinner finding himself even falling into hell catch hold on Christ and therefore it 's called him· Fourthly In this act of believing there is an appropriation or application of Christ to be my Christ That whereas the promise runneth in the general Whosoever shall believe to him Christ is a Saviour This justifying faith doth in particular rest on Christ as a Saviour to him Thus Paul Gal. 2. Who loved me and gave himself for me and Thomas My God my Lord Joh 20. So that as when any threatning is denounced against a sinner the true convert will apply it to himself when guilty of such a sin I am the sinner this threatning meaneth So Christ being offered as a Saviour to every humbled sinner from this general he concludeth his particular Thus Paul Christ came to save sinners of whom I am chief Hence it is that our Divines against Papists do well maintain That the object of justifying faith is the special mercy of God It 's not enough to believe that Christ is a Saviour but to rest on him to be my Saviour Hence faith is called eating and drinking Joh. 6. which is more then the meer seeing meat upon the Table only when we say special mercy is the
in its nature As the Soul could not produce rational acts if it were not essentially rational so neither could faith put a man upon fiducial acts if it self were not fiducial Again this believing is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 boldnesse or confidence Mat. 9.2 and so Varinus makes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be bold on a man By these Titles then which the Scripture giveth Faith in Christ we see what a powerful operation it hath upon the heart What a Faith of spiritual miracles as I may say justifying Faith is and therefore know that thy doubts fears dejections and tormenting distractions are opposite to believing as darknesse is to light if God do above all graces thus approve faith then he doth above all sins abhor this dejecting unbelief 2. That such a special faith is required appeareth in that the Scripture limits this faith unto Christ as the peculiar and proper object Hence the Evangelist John cals it so often believing in him that brings Eternal Life and it 's Rom. 8. By Faith in his bloud that we are purged and have pardon of sinne and generally when it speaks of faith as justifying it relateth to Christ as the Object of it Not but that it believeth other Truths only in believing of this we are justified as the Israelite might look upon other Objects but beholding of the brazen Serpent only made him whole yea as we told you when the believing of other things is reduced to justifying Faith all other Truths are sweetned and qualified by that as if a man had the Philosophers stone it would turn all other materials into Gold 3. That Faith must be in a special manner fiducial and applying appeareth in the effects that commonly follow it For to this believing is attributed peace and unspeakable joy yea a triumphing over all oppositions and difficulties a boasting and glorying in tribulation Now this could never be without a particular interest in Christ for what peace and joy doth it bring to hear that Christ in the general came to save sinners Do not thousands go to hell for all that It 's therefore necessary to true solid peace that he become my Christ and my Saviour Hence it is that believing is the uniting of the soul to Christ as an husband which is an appropriate Interest as the Church expressed it I am my Well-beloveds and my well-beloved is mine Cant. 2.16 And hence also are those comparisons of an head and a body of a Vine and branches all which argue that the good we have by Christ comes because of our intimate union with him So that if we do respect those glorious effects which usually accompany believing they will necessarily suppose a fiducial appropriation of Christ in a special manner 4. This special faith is seen by the opposites and contrarieties unto it for he that doth not believe is said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luk 12.29 to be carried up and down as a meteor that hath no fixed place Thus while the soul is not fixed on Christ it 's like a reed tossed up and down with every winde as one in a journey and at a stand seeing two waies and not knowing which way to go or as a man that is uncertain between two arguments like the ballance with equal weights that doth not incline to one side more then another These dispositions of the Soul oppose faith and it 's a resting and a determining of the soul upon Christ And Lastly Diffidence and fear these are made contrary to Faith Fear not but beleeve Luk. 8.50 said Christ to his Disciples which supposeth that faith hath boldnesse and confidence in it We then may judge of the nature of faith by the opposite sinfulness to it and when we see fears wandrings uncertain tossings up and down of the soul in no waies stable and fixed then we may conclude that faith it self is a powerful composing and firm fixing of the soul upon the Lord Christ 5. That faith is thus in a special manner applying Christ appeareth also because otherwise it would be little better then the faith of devils and of such who have only a bare dogmaticall assent for the devils made a Confession of faith That Christ was the Son of the living God and therefore are said to believe yet they tremble and are in unspeakable horrour because they know he is not a Saviour to them and thus many believe that Christ is the Messias but because there is no fiducial adhesion and appropriation of him therefore he is not so to them Even as many saw Christ yet if they did not in particular apply themselves to him they were not healed of their diseases The hungry man may starve though he see a Table furnished with plentiful food if he do not put into his own mouth It 's particular Interest that enricheth that saveth and therefore it 's said The Just shall live by his faith Hab. 2. Lastly This truth may appear From the absurdity of that Position to say faith justifieth as it believeth the Word of God in general only or any Truth asserted in general for then my Faith would justifie me as well in believing Judas hanged himself as that Christ was crucified for me Or that Paul had a Cloak and Parchments as in the bloud of Christ Certainly forgivenesse of sinne is attributed to Christ only and seeing as you heard the object of faith justifying is bonum as well as verum That which is beloved must have the chiefest good in it as well as Truth and this may suffice to instruct you in this main Point that a Christian humbled for sin is not to rest or to be satisfied in this that Christ in generall came to save sinners or that he is able to save thee though an hainous offender but to apply him for thy own particular that thou maist say of all the glory of the Gospel which the devil did falsly of the glory of the world All this is mine Obj. But to this it 's Objected This is to preach Security and to imbolden men in a carnall presumption And therefore it 's a Doctrine to be abhorred as pleasing the Flesh Thus it 's branded as if it were one of Epicurus his Opinions that were called the Syrens of the carnall part of a man But to answer this Answ 1 1. That there cannot any doctrine of comfort and grace be preached but a carnal heart will turn it into the occasion of wickednesse When Paul preached the grace of the Gospel did not some infer from thence Let us sin that grace may abound and did not others turn the grace of God into wantonesse It 's one thing therefore to speak of the proper genius of the doctrine and another thing of the abuse of it through mans corruption If therefore any man living and walking in prophanesse do yet comfort and encourage himself saying I lay hold on Christ I belâ—eve in Christ· This man as he deceiveth himself so he doth grosly abuse
the grace of God No Christ doth not call to men that sin yet laugh and make merry but that are weary and loaden to come unto him and then he will ease them Answ 2 But 2. This Doctrine of special and particular Faith doth not encourage to presumption because it cals not upon sinnâ—rs abiding and wickedly persevering so to rest on him but mourning over and abhorring their sins Therefore no man is commanded to believe this first that Christ died for him but to believe the word of God threatning and discovering the horrid pollution that is upon us as also the generall contagion in every part the insufficiency and inability to help himself the necessity of hungring thirsting and seeking out after a Saviour So that in this order and method he must by Faith lay hold on Christ Answ 3 3. This special Faith cannot be presumption or encourage thereunto because the object of it is whole Christ a Lord and Soveraign as well as a Saviour The presumer he divides Christ looketh upon him as a Saviour not as a Lord and Law-giver and therefore takes Christ but upon his own terms not in the Scripture-way and so indeed he takes not Christ but an Idol of his own making and by this it is discovered that he doth not truly believe but presume It 's true Christ as the Object of our justifying faith is to be considered as our Surety and Mediatour as a Gift of the Father to us yet he cannot truly be received as a Saviour but as a Lord and King also So that God having inseparably joyned these two together Faith dare not Faith will not divide So that this will prove Jealousie-water to the Hypocrite he professeth a belief on Christ but it is Christ divided or a part of Christ he looks upon the Atonement he made as a Saviour but not on the Obedience he owes to Christ as a King Christ doth not only promise but command he doth not only offer precious Gifts but enjoyneth strict and exact duties and faith taketh in all these Answ 4 4. Faith cannot be presumption because it doth not only receive Christ but this particular doth also cleanse and purifie the heart Act. 15. When Peters Faith was kept up then all his other graces were enlivened therefore Heb. 11. all those notable acts of high Righteousnesse and Obedience are attributed to faith so that the same Faith hath two hands one inward whereby it receiveth and embraceth Christ the other outward whereby it stirreth up and quickeneth to other Graces Justifying faith though it only justifyeth as it embraceth Christ yet at the same time also it worketh by love by patience by zeal by heavenly-mindednesse So that the exercise of all other graces is imperately from Faith though not elicitely It 's true there is a dead Faith and as Luther called it an incarnate faith a dead faith The Apostle James speaketh against c. 2. which is a bare assent and profession without any lively operation and such a kinde of believer is placed by Sebastian Franco in the Catalogue of Heretiques a luke-warm believer but that faith which doth justifie carrieth a man not only to Christ but is a general exciter and promoter to all holy duties and obedience 5. Faith special cannot comply with presumption because it doth not only believe in Christ as the special object but includeth an assent to the whole Word so that it 's as general as the Word is if therefore the Word of God doth not beget security and carnal encouragements to sin neither can Faith For presumption properly consisteth in this to divide the means from the end to think of obtaining one without the performance of the other can never be admitted by faith which in the special application of Christ is guided by the universal direction of the Scripture Vse of Instruction to humbled sinners Be well informed in this that you are not to stand in generals which are accompanied with great fears and dejections of spirit but in a particular manner to lay hold on Christ Oh let thy necessities drive thee that easelesse and restlesse condition thou art in be like a stone from the center like a bone out of joint till thou art fully united to the Lord Christ Know it is a duty That thou sinnest in an high manner while thou dost thus frowardly keep off from him Vse 2. There is the happiness of believers They receive Christ and so in him all things He that hath the Sun hath all the Stars He that hath the Fountain hath the streams if he hath given us Christ with him he will give all things Now God looks on thee in Christ The devil that seeks to devour thee must devour Christ first And O what a poor weak thing is it to doubt about earthly provision when thou hast received Christ for all things SERMON CXI That a Gospel-Ministry is to continue to the end of the world And for what ends JOHN 17.20 That shall believe through their word I Shall now finish this fruitfull Text. The last thing considerable in it is the instrumental cause of faith and that is the Apostles Ministry This faith is wrought by their word To open this Consider 1. That the word which begets faith is called Gods word vers 6. and here the Apostles word in a different sense It 's Gods word originally and efficiently because revealed by him It 's the Apostles word ministerially because they are the Embassadours to publish it Thus Paul cals it his Gospel as in other places it 's the Gospel of God because the Ministers of God are Stewards to whom is concredited the dispensation of the Word therefore it is called their word 2. Whereas Christ prayeth for all that shall believe even to the end of the world and yet they are said to believe by the Apostles word when yet thousands and thousands have believed since the Apostles death and departure It s necessary that by the Apostles we do not understand only their persons but the succeeding Ministry unto them which is to be perpetual in the Church all that now or hereafter shall beleeve though by the present Ministers that lived many hundred years after the Apostles yet may be said to obtain faith by the Apostles word because they sit in the Apostles chair they deliver the Doctrin which they delivered and succeed the Apostles though not in personal and extraordinaries yet in ordinaries in which sense Christ promiseth to be with them to the end of the world The words thus explained we may observe That God hath appointed a perpetual Ministry even to continue as long as there shall be a Church in the world All that shall beleeve are brought thereunto by the Apostles word now they being long since dead it necessarily followeth either that none can now beleeve or else that there is a Ministry to be perpetually succeeding them for this spiritual effect That the Ministry and Word preached is the means of faith
the Platonists who speak of three principles the Minde the Word and the Spirit yet they made these three distinct Essences and cannot be applied to this mystery though it may be they had these confused notions from some ancient tradition of the Hebrews In the Old Testament this mystery was believed and received Therefore good and solid Arguments may be fetcht thence to prove this Doctrine yet in the New Testament Christ who is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Word doth more expresly reveal it so that in those who do believe the Scriptures yet obstinately and blasphemously not only deny but deride the Doctrine of the Trinity it is a very high sin and blasphemy 2. Although the Scripture reveal unto us three Persons yet this is not to be understood as if thereby were constituted many Gods There were Hereticks called Tritheita that made three Gods of these three Persons Now this is clear that though the Scripture acknowledge three Persons yet it doth as plainly declare there is but one God Therefore though every Person be God yet there are not three Gods Therefore when the Father is called the alone God this is not to exclude the other Persons from being God but any other made god The Heathenish Idols were not gods nor will God give this glory to any creature 3. This Doctrine therefore of the Trinity is purely an object of faith and cannot be demonstrated by reason The Schoolmen do well declare That the same things in Divinity may be demonstrated by reason and believed by faith as that there is a God this may be known both wayes so that though faith and science cannot have the same formal motive yet they may be conversant about the same object we know there is a God by demonstrations of reason we believe by authority and testimony from Scripture But now this truth about the Persons in the Divine Nature is only to be believed It cannot be demonstrated by reason Indeed when once this revelation is made then it is not hard to finde out such reasons and consequences grounded on Scripture that may serve to answer all the objections of any adversaries for nothing revealed to be believed is contrary to reason though it may be above it Therefore when Scripture hath laid the foundation then reason may make a superstruction yet we must take this Caution although reason be allowed to be a servant to faith we must look she grow not imperious as Hagar to Sarah for then we are to cast her out of doors then the Rule is Mulier ista ratio taceat in Ecclesiâ This Doctrine therefore is to be adored with humble believing and not to be searcht into by curious or furious rashness and certainly the devil is very ready to tempt in this point sometimes he prevaileth to seduce in this point as appeareth by the multitude of Arians of old and Socinians of late sometimes he cannot seduce yet he doth shake and disturb the mindes of the godly exceedingly by suggestions so that their temptations about dogmatical faith sometimes are as grievous as about justifying faith But now although we have a two fold light the light of reason and the light of faith and the latter ought to correct direct the former yet such is our corruption that we make the light of reason to correct the light of faith as if we should make the Sun to borrow its light from the stars But these two lights are as superiour and inferior so that although nothing can be false by the light of reason which is true by the light of faith yet the light of faith comprehends many things which the light of reason cannot as nothing can be false to sense and true to reason yet reason can comprehend many things which sense cannot Therefore when the light of the Moon which is reason is very dim and staggering let the light of faith like that of the Sun fully enlighten and confirm thee In the next place Let us proceed to the peculiar characteristical properties for though the Father and Sonne have the same common Nature and Essence yet a different subsistence So that though they are one God yet not one Person It 's a known Rule In Christ there is aliud and aliud another nature and another nature but not alius alius another Person and another person but in the Trinity there is not aliud aliud but alius alius As for the use of the word Trinity Person c. though not Scripture words yet the sense being there it 's lawfull for distinction and explication sake to use them though the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying a Person be a Scripture word and there is the conjugate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from whence we may make the abstract as Paul from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Concerning therefore the relation of the Father there are these things 1. In that he is called the Father and Christ the Sonne it 's implied that he is the first Person in the holy Trinity and the Sonne the second only when he is called the first you must not understand it in dignity and perfection for the Father hath no absolute perfection which the Sonne hath not for seeing both have the nature of God therefore one cannot have greater perfection then another The Father is not more wise more powerfull more holy then the Son Nor is he the first Person in respect of duration as if the Father was God before the Son for seeing he was from all eternity Father therefore he had also this Son from eternity as the Sun was never without its beams Indeed the Orthodox do well deride and justly the Socinians That whereas they confess the Father from all eternity and the Son a made or constituted God in time that they thereby introduce an old God and a young God not indeed as these words denote infirmities but as old is taken for ancient and young for that which is new And certainly if there was a time when Christ was not the Son of God then he became to be so in time but he is called the first Person in order for so the Scripture represents an order to our conceptions in this glorious mystery as appeareth by the form of Baptism whereby we are baptized first into the name of the Father and then of the Sonne The Father then is the first Person and the Son the second not in respect of dignity or duration but order 2. When God the Father is said to be the Father of Christ his Son It is not in a large sense as he is called Father sometimes but in a proper peculiar and incommunicable sense for therefore he is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the only begotten Son of God and indeed we see plainly the unity of the Father separated from the unity of believers in this Text That they may be one as thou in
JOH 17.21 That the world may believe thou hast sent me WE are treating on the Consequent of Unity amongst the Godly That the world may beleeve which belief hath been already considered relatively as a product of Unity We shall now take notice of it absolutely as it is in its own self It is believing that the Father hath sent Christ into the world We formerly spake of believing in its specificall nature as it justifieth by laying hold on Christ We shall here speak of it in its generall Nature because this believing is common both to the Hypocrite and the sound Christian For of that world which doth beleeve all do not believe in a saving manner So that although none who believe Christ sent into the world ought to stay in that generall but particularly to improve Christ that he may be sent for their good yet because the expression is here general I shall consider of it as a generall For whereas in the former Verse the Object of Faith was made Christ himself Ens incomplexum Here it is a Proposition though that onely is the Objectum quo and not quod upon which our Faith is ultimately terminated Obs That the Believing of Christ being sent unto the world is the foundation and first principle of our Conversion unto God Though men have never so much understanding in other Religious Points as that Scribe spoken of Mark 12. though not farre off yet they are not in the Kingdome of Heaven until they believe in Christ as sent by the Father to be our Mediatour That as the Apostle Hebr. 11. makes it a Fundamentall requisite in every one to believe that God is no lesse is required to believe that Christ is Therefore 1 Cor. 3. Jesus Christ is called the Foundation and by some made the adequate object of Divinity because every thing considered there doth either directly or reductively leade unto Christ So that I shall not speak of that peculiar Act of Faith applying Christ but that generall act whereby we know and assent firmly and immovably That there was a Christ God and man who was sent by the Father to redeem and save sinners For though all be thought to believe this yet the right and powerfull assenting to it is the foundation both of all holinesse and consolation but ere we speak of the Nature of it some distinctions are to be premised Distinct I As First That Faith is sometimes taken for the Object the Faith quae creditur The Doctrine beleeved and sometimes for the Grace of Faith quâ creditur whereby we do believe Colos 2.5 To be established in the Faith that is in the Doctrine So some are said to erre to deny or depart from the Faith that is the Doctrine But commonly it is used for the gracious actings of the Soul towards those Objects only it 's good to observe this distinction because some places are brought to prove Apostacy from inherent faith which speaks only of the doctrine 2. Faith is taken sometimes actively and sometimes passively Actively for fidelity and veracity in promises in which sence it 's attributed to God and to men Sometimes passively for the assenting unto Truths because of anothers Testimony And this again is twofold Either Humane Faith when we believe any thing meerly beeause of humane authority or divine when we believe because of divine authority and this is greatly to be observed for when I believe a divine Truth for humane Authority or witnesse my Faith all that while is but humane as those that beleeved Christ for the Samaritan Womans Testimony all the while they had no higher a ground then that it was but an humane Faith and then a Papist as a Papist and by Popish principles can have no more then an humane Faith for the utmost motive in which their Faith is resolved is the Authority of the Church which is but humane and so if the Church had propounded Titus Livius or Aesops Fables as some grant to be the Word of God people were bound to believe it but there is no divine Faith unlesse there be a divine Testimony and this doth sadly discover Millions of baptized persons yet to have no divine Faith for all the ground of their Christian Faith is Education and humane Authority it is not because God hath said it or he hath revealed it They cannot say with those Samaritans Now we believe no longer for Education sake or the Churches sake but because of the Authority and Divine Light which is coruscant in the Scriptures themselves Insomuch that the Jesuite Valentia doth confesse there are such inward discoveries of purity and Majesty in the Scripture that they breed such an inward reverence and perswasion that no other book can do 3. There is a distinction of great antiquity received in the Church between Credere Deum to beleeve there is a God Credere Deo to beleeve God speaking and Credere in Deum to beleeve in God by inward Union with him and loving of him Now although it be true that the Scripture makes no such difference adding the Hebrew Preposition Beth and the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Even where there is but a bare historicall beleeving there is a God yet for explication sake it may be received and those only said to beleeve in God who are justified and sanctified Though the Scripture attribute it sometimes to others Lastly Consider that the Soul hath several tendencies and motions to divers Objects Sometimes it assents to a thing by help of the sence and that is a knowledge by sence Sometimes by demonstrative Reasons it knoweth a thing and then it 's called Science strictly Sometimes by Testimony or Authority and then it 's called Faith Now if the authority be divine that saith such a thing then the Soul cannot be deceived because God cannot lye and so there ought to be greater certainty and firmer adhesion to those truths then any thing of sence and Reason yea in some sence it hath more evidence For there is a twofold Evidence of the thing it self and of the credibility of it of the thing it self And so indeed the matters of sence and reason are more evident in their own Natures to us Of the credibility of it and so Faith hath great evidence as the Testimonies for such Truths are evident and clear though the truths themselves are supernatural and highly transcending our humane capacity Distinct II These things premised Let us come to examine the Nature of Faith as it is dogmatical or historicall And 1. It 's wrought in us by the Grace of God It 's the power of God that works even this common faith No man could know and give assent to such divine truths unlesse inabled by the Spirit of God and therefore it 's said to beleevers That to them it 's given to believe Phil. 1.29 which takes in the whole nature of faith So some are said to believe through the grace of God No man can say
Jesus is the Lord but by the Spirit Acts 18.27 Some have thought that we may by humane strength come to beleeve divine truths as we may by our industry attain to philosophicall knowledge but this is to be ignorant of mans weaknesse and Gods power It 's true men may in an humane way comprehend the sense and meaning of the Scripture but to give a divine assent to it that is the gift of God For every good and perfect gift whereof this faith is a principal one cometh from the Father of lights James 1. Did not many learned Heathens Porphyrius Celsus Julian and others know what was asserted in the Scripture yet they did not believe but contemn it And certainly we are bound to acknowledge it a great mercy of God to have dogmatical faith For why are so many Heretiques left to themselves Some deny the Natures one or the other of Christ some his Person some his Offices and shouldst not thou doe thus if left to thy self Nay Is not a godly man sometimes sadly tempted about his dogmatical faith that he doubteth of a God or about the truths of the Scripture Certainly it 's a speciall mercy thus to be inabled to believe and it is good to be observed one reason why faith must needs be of God which is because the nature of it lieth more in the firmness of the act then in the certainty of the subject It 's not so much the object without as something within makes a man believe Gods Spirit doth more work in corroborating the heart then revealing the object Hence though the Doctrine be revealed to some yet they do not believe when at another time though they have but the same measure of light and the same argument propounded they do believe and why is all this but because Gods work in the believer is more ex parte subjecti then objecti Therefore it 's horrible debasing of Gods grace in working faith to make it no more then the revealing of the object for then man by his own power doth believe as when a man brings a candle in the room then a man seeth by his own power who could not before for God doth not only propound the object but enlightens the understanding and boweth the heart to believe 2. God works faith in us not absolutely or by the creatures the beholding and seeing of them but by the word Thus Rom. 10. Preaching hearing and believing are chained together We are then in and by the Word to expect this work of God not to flie to the creatures making them equal to Gods word for begetting faith or to enthusiasmes and private revelations but to the word of God which gives light to the simple but as the Word is an instrument of begetting faith so faith is afterwards an instrument of improving the Word for the Word doth not profit in the increase and benefit thereof unlesse there be Faith Thus as the Spirit of God doth at first work Faith and yet by Faith we are made further partakers of Gods Spirit So the Word doth at first produce Faith in us which when wrought doth againe improve the Word for further edification and growth in grace 3. The heart of man is naturally not only unfit but contrary and opposite unto the way of believing of heavenly Truth And by this it 's plain Faith is the gift of God because man hath not only an unfitnesse but a contrary repugnancy to the things of God Therefore 1 Cor. 4.14 the natural man is said not to receive the things of God neither can be both the act and the power is denied to him Therefore when Peter made that Confession of faith Thou art the Son of God Christ tels him Flesh and bloud had not revealed that to him Mat. 16.17 Therefore the Pharisees though they heard so much of Christ and saw all his Miracles yet they derided and opposed Christ They did not hear his Word because they were not of God as Christ told them Job 8.47 Know then as in respect of grosse sinne thou wouldst be like a Cain a Judas if God did not keep thee so also in respect of doctrine thou wouldst be the vilest Atheist or the most blasphemous heretique that ever was if God did not enlighten and confirm thee 4. Though God work faith thus yet it may be without a Sanctification of the inward man For seeing Faith as it's dogmatical carrying a man only to the Contents of the Scripture as they are true is seated in the understanding no wonder if thereby a man be enlightned only but not regenerated Hence we reade of some who did beleeve Joh. 2. yet they loved the praise of men more then of God That light in their minde did not serve to produce supernatural life and heat in the heart It was not a faith that did purifie the heart which is called the Faith of the Elect Tit. 1.1 because only appropriated to them The whole Epistle of James is on purpose to shew such a Faith that is not accompanied with holy works although therefore we say a true lively Faith can never be separated from sanctification yet men may be enlightned only in their mindes and perswaded of the truth in their hearts without any effectual change upon them It 's not enough to have such a faith as may make a man a true Protestant or orthodox so as to be neither Papist nor heretique for all this is but a cure of thy minde and with illumination may consist grievous pollutions Yet 5. Where there is but a bare dogmaticall Faith enabled thereunto by the Spirit of God there must needs be some kinde of pious disposition and tractablenesse of the heart For seeing the nature of faith lyeth in assenting to a Testimony and that of God there cannot be but some flexiblenesse of the heart to submit thereunto If indeed the Christian Religion were like the Arts and Sciences then there was no submission of the understanding required seeing it assents upon reason which is a sutable and connaturall argument to the minde as food is to the appetite of hunger But because these things are received for authority sake and have a supereminency to our naturall understanding Therefore it must be captivated Thus the Apostle excellently expresseth it 2 Cor. 10.5 the word doth bring into captivity every thought to the Obedience of Christ a man before he believeth hath many proud thoughts many subtle thoughts many obstinate thoughts but Faith brings these down and submits because God saith so Now this cannot be done without some yeelding and flexiblenesse Hence the Schoolmen do determine that in faith and they acknowledge none besides miraculous but dogmaticall There is a pia affectio some pious and affectionate disposition to him for whose authority we do beleeve So that this dogmatical faith even in unregenerated persons is not like that of the devils for though the Apostle James saith They believe and tremble Jam. 2.19 yet their
resplendent beams thereof proclaim its presence This is excellently set down Joh. 14.20 21. At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father and you in me and I in you And ver 21. I will love him and manifest my self to him In the second place Though Christ be in us invisibly and spiritually yet he is truly and really and operatively in us So that we are not to look upon this as a fancy or delusion as some non-entity or meer notions of melancholy men No as Christ is a reall Christ so he doth really live and dwell in us if nothing were reall but what is corporeall then our souls should be no reall substances Then the soul of a man would be thought to be a meer fancy and notion likewise But as Christ is reall and the soul is reall so is Christs dwelling and living in it reall yea it is so reall that corporal things are said to have no reality at all comparatively Thus Christ Joh. 15.1 I am the true Vine and Joh. 6.55 56. My flesh is meat indeed and my bloud is drink indeed He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud dwelleth in me and I in him Now why doth Christ say his body is meat indeed he doth not mean corporally but oppositely to corporall food The very food we eat is not meat comparatively to Christ for our bodies feed on that and yet perish they have not life alwaies abiding in them but who so hath Christ in him he can no more perish then Christ himself Christ is meat indeed and life indeed The godly then finde and know this life and dwelling of Christ to be a reall solid thing and therefore do though not corporally yet spiritually perceive it and know it to be more reall then their bodily life and actions It 's not lesse reall and true because spirituall and mystical Therefore that which on Christs part maketh him to be in us viz. his spirit that is reall and that which on our part receiveth Christ and whereby he dwelleth in us viz. faith that is also a lively grace Therefore though we walk not by bodily sence but by faith yet the things of Faith have as reall and lively subsistence in the soul as bodily objects can affect the body 3. Consider how Christ is to be conceived in his people and that the Scripture represents several waies 1. Christ is in us by way of Vnion so as to be made one mystical person with us I shall not be large in discovering this because I have touched on it heretofore only the first step of Christs being in us is by uniting of himself to us for we are by nature estranged from him and lie as so many lumps of earth devoid and destitute of all spirituall life and motion till Christ unite himself to us so that as it was Gods wonderfull power to call those dry bones and unite them together Thus it is also his admirable power to unite himself to a Beleever Christ doth not stay till we first unite our selves to him but he joyneth himself first to us and this is the first step of Christs saving grace in us 2. Christ is in us so that thereby we are made partakers of his person not only the gifts of Christ and the graces of Christ but Christ himself is in us as Gal. 2.20 Christ liveth in me and so Eph. 3.17 Christ dwels in our hearts so that this King of glory doth not only bring his rich Ornaments and Hangings to beautifie the soul but he himself also in his own person resides there Not indeed corporally as you heard but spiritually for though Christ be in heaven yet that is no hindrance to Faith It 's not distance of place that takes away from Faith no more then of time but as future things are present to heaven so are remote things locally present to it Even as to the eye some Objects though many miles distant are present Faith therefore receiveth the person of Christ and it 's not only the graces of Christ but Christ himself that dwels in the soul but yet by faith it is true many Divines affirm the graces of Gods Spirit to be in us but the Scripture doth expresly relate even to the person of Christ and the Spirit as well as the graces flowing from them 3. Christ is in his people by way of gracious operation as a powerfull efficient which enableth to all those holy and divine actions the godly perform Joh. 15. Without me you can do nothing As the branch without the Vine cannot bring forth any fruit Did not Christ daily move and breathe upon the soul it would alwaies work in a carnal and humane manner Paul saith He no longer liveth but Christ in him Gal. 2.20 For Paul of himself and in his own corruption would follow the boasts of the flesh persevere the desires thereof did not Christ quicken and sanctifie him 4. Christ is in us sacramentally that is in and by the right use of that Ordinance he is in a peculiar manner present to the beleever Therefore it 's called the Communion of the body of Christ 1 Cor. 10. and although Joh 6. the eating and drinking of Christs body and bloud be not there meant of the Sacrament but of Faith in the general for it 's made necessary to every man that would have Eternal life yet by that expression is seen the intimate incorporation of the godly with Christ and in the right use of the Sacrament there is a more sensible visible assurance of such a presence whether Christs presence Sacramentally be other then his presence by a promise is not here to be disputed Certainly if the presence differ not yet the manner of confirming and assuring of it doth otherwise Sacraments would be Seals of the promise in vain and the promise it self would be enough and the enjoying of Christ in a promise would be enough without making use of the Sacrament and so that be wholly needlesse I shall not enlarge on this Point further But come we to the fruits and effects of Christs being in us This is the great necessary thing to finde that Christ is in us for either the devil and sin live in us we no longer live but sin and Satan or else Christ and his Spirit are in us and it 's good to observe what are the Evidences and demonstrations of Christs being in us 1. In whomsoever Christ is he is made a New Creature old things are past away It 's high blasphemy to say Christ is in constant habitual wicked men no 2 Cor. 5.17 If any be in Christ he is a new Creature Now whosoever is in Christ Christ is also in him for they are mutual and reciprocall if therefore thou livest in ignorance and prophanesse conclude assuredly that Christ is not in thee It was the devil that entred into the Swine and hurried them headlong into the Sea Thus still the devil doth hurry many wicked men violently
Whence it is that even amongst the godly there are so many differences heart-burnings c. It 's because Christ is not in them after such a powerfull and efficacious manner as he might be The dark night and misty fogs can no more endure before the glorious beams of the Sunne then corrupt passions and contentions can stand before this Sunne of Righteousnesse when risen to it's verticall point Under the torrid Zone there cannot be any cold frosts so neither under the efficacious presence of Christ can there be such sinfull breaches SERMON CXXX Sheweth That every one that Believeth knoweth the thing that he believeth Against the Popish Implicite Faith And what Knowledge the Knowledge of Faith is JOH 17.23 And that the world may know that thou hast sent me THE words now to be insisted upon â—re the effect or event of this spirituall Unity beleevers have with Christ and one another which is That the world may know the Father had sent Christ This was treated of before only whereas before it was that the world may beleeve here it is That the world may know and besides a new thing is here added to their knowledge that the Father had sent Christ viz. his love also of all Beleevers even as he loved Christ What is meant by world hath been shewed already I shall only fasten on this Consideration that what our Saviour called believing ver 21. here is called knowing and therefore having handled faith in its specifical nature as it rests on Christ which alone justifieth and also the generall nature of it as it gives firm assent to all divine Truths I shall now to compleat the full Truth of the nature thereof handle it in another essentiall constituting ingredient of it and that is knowledge and the matter is necessary both in respect of doctrinall errours about it as also for practicall usefulnesse For the Pontificians they deny both that fiduciall recumbency and application to faith as also knowledge leaving it only to be a divine assent but as we have asserted the former So now our task shall be to affirm the latter viz. That Faith is knowledge as well as assent It 's a fiduciall assent with knowledge These three particulars are either ingredient or requisite to the act of beleeving whether indeed knowledge be a pre-requisite or ingredient is disputed but that all divine Faith hath knowledge is confessed by the Orthodox against the Papists so that I shall observe That Faith is knowledge or he that believeth knoweth the thing that he believeth Hence it is usual in Scripture to describe faith sometimes by trusting and sometimes by knowing synecdochically intending thereby the whole nature of faith That faith is knowledge besides many other places is abundantly cleared v. 2. and v. 18 in this Chapter I shall therefore proceed to explicate to this And First When we say That Faith is knowledge iâ— is not to be understood thus as if it were such a kinde of knowledge as we have by sense for the Scripture doth oppose living by faith to living by sense and our Saviour faith John 20. Blessed is he that believeth and seeth not Vbi vides non est fides Indeed when Thomas did feel the wounds of Christ here he did believe and see but the object of his sense was a body the â—ct of his faith was spiritual that Christ was the Sonne of the living God What then we know by sense we are not properly said to believe although things of sense may tend to confirm our faith as miracles and Sacraments which Christ hath appointed for that end Secondly The knowledge of faith is not by a perfect comprehension and intuitive vision of the thing we believe It 's not like the knowledge of God and Christ we shall have in Heaven and therefore faith shall cease in Heaven as it denoteh any inevidence or imperfection in the subject This knowledge of faith we have here as in a glass and in a riddle but then it shall be face to face and this should abundantly satisfie us in the many things we know by faith for although our knowledge be very imperfect and is like the weak eye to the dazeling beams of the Sun yet hereafter this vail this cloud will be removed and we shall then perfectly and fully understand all those things that now we have but imperfect apprehensions of about the Doctrine of Christ of the Trinity of the Resurrection of the providences of God towards his Church how little do we understand of them yet the time is coming when we shall know these things even as we are known The Apostle compareth this knowledge we have to a childes knowledge in respect of a mans 1 Cor. 13. Alas when we speak of God and heavenly things we do but stammer like so many little children when we come to Heaven how vast and comprehensive will our thoughts be to what we have now Thirdly The knowledge of faith is not like those imperfect acts of the soul which are called suspicion and opinion or doubting Doubting is when the minde remaineth in an equal and indifferent propension assenting to neither part of the proposition Suspicion is when the soul inclineth to one part of the proposition but upon a very light and unsatisfying argument And Opinion is when we assent to something with some fear that the opposite may be true and therefore the Arguments do only probably move us Now the knowledge of faith doth exclude these imperfections doubting is in Scripture expresly opposed to beleeving and so when a man is divided as a traveller at two wayes not knowing which to goe or when he doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hang in suspence These things are inconsistent with faith and truly this is greatly to be considered for in these dayes wherein we see men so sceptical so wavering so uncertain we may conclude there is little faith That men are opiniotive and fancy-full in Religion rather then believing for where the knowledge of faith is there it doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 convince and so perswade the heart that it knoweth not how to contradict or oppose any longer Oh then pray for faith in these unstable and wavering time It 's a mercy to be a pillar in Gods house and not like a reed to be shaken with every winde of doctrine Fourthly The knowledge of faith is not from the evidence of any internal principles of the thing such as we have by demonstration and reason in philosophical matters And indeed this is one main reason why the father 's insisted in believing as opposite to knowing Noveris te essâ— fidelem non rationalem It was Julians great objection against the Christians that they urged 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 only believe they did not bring reasons to demonstrate So that if Papists when they deny faith to be knowledge did mean no more then this that it is not a scientifical knowledge that it 's not a
respect of the stability of their assent to divine truths when yet they had great temptations to assault them and we read sometimes of the Disciples that upon the working of some great miracles by our Saviour they are said then to believe not but that they beleived before only they did grow and encrease in this more Oh then in times of great disputes when learned and godly men differ in many things it behoveth the godly Christian to fly to this manifestation of Christ Oh say declare it Lord and still declare it to me more and more And certainly it appeareth by Mat. 24. That those who are false Prophets have so many fair pretences and deceivable wayes that if it were possible they would deceive the very elect so that it 's a very great mercy to be of a sound mind and established in the truth That as Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and to day and for ever so also believers are to be 3. We need Christs daily declaration in respect of the efficacy and practical operation of our knowledge So that although we know all mysteries yet if the power of Christ doth not make us to acknowledge these things in a godly manner We are but as tinkling cymbals you see Paul made knowledge a meer puff a nothing without charity 1 Cor. 13. and our Saviour puts happiness upon the doing not knowing of these things John 14.17 A Christian may grow two wayes in the extension of knowledge or in the efficacy of knowledge and this is greatly to be lamented many desire to know more opinions and more notions many are still propounding more questions after questions but the Apostle Ephes 4. tels us of the knowing of the truth as it is in Jesus which makes a Christian put off the oldman and put on the new as also an acknowledgment of the truth after godliness Tit. 1. Oh therefore pray that Christ would declare his truths to thee so as they may not only be in thy head but sink down into thy heart and be there like fire inflaming thy bowels It 's not growing in knowledg at it is knowledge but growing in it as it is saving and operative which makes a man fitted for everlasting glory As it is not the knowing of what is excellent food that doth nourish a man but the eating of it and this only doth the Scripture vouchsafe to call knowledge indeed Oh then examine thy self Dost thou so know God as to live on him by faith to love and fear him Dost thou so know Christ as to make him a Mediatour to thee in an appropriated manner Doest thou so know the promises as to relie on them and to make them thy cordial in all temptations This is to know in the Scripture language So that the Christians knowledge is wholly in tendency to operation as all motion is for rest if it be barren it increaseth our condemnation and not further our consolation In the next place Let us consider what are the reasons why Christ must continually teach his people And 1. It is because all heavenly things are revealed from God only Even as it is said of the Creation John 1. All things were made by him and without him was nothing made that was made Thus all knowledge in a supernatural manner comes from him and without him we know nothing Now all those things which require a supernatural power for to give the first existence to them require such a power to continue them therein Hence as Christ made all things Heb. 1. he is still said to bear up all things by his power and thus likewise it is in regard of all saving knowledge that same Spirit of Christ which did at first teach us must in the whole progress of our lives teach us As a man cannot beleive of himself so neither increase in faith or know more firmly and evidently of himself All saving knowledge is part of that work of grace which God is the author of in the soul Now in all the course of grace and progress therein it 's plain we need the auxiliary power of God continually Thus the Apostle speaking even to those that did believe already yet he saith It 's God that worketh in us to will and do and as it 's God that beginneth so it is he that finisheth every good work Hence Christ is said to be the author and finisher of our Faith Heb. 12.2 As it is thus in grace if God did not keep every godly man he would fall into the dirt and all noisome lusts from which he was once converted So if God did not keep us firmly and constantly in his truth there is no damnable heresie or blasphemy that is fetched out of hel it self which a godly man would not fal into So that it 's the Covenant and promise of God which keepeth a man equally from erroneous opinions and sinfull practices 3. There is a necessity of Christs constant teaching his people because of the imperfection and weakness which is in their best knowledge That as he pray'd about his faith I believe help my unbelief so I know Lord help my ignorance and therefore it is that he will have a Ministry alwayes in the Church which as that is to grow constantly in knowledge so ought the people much more Oh then be affected with the true and right apprehensions of the sins of thy minde and thou wilt quickly see that unless Christ be thy teacher thou shalt die in thy ignorance 4. There is a necessity of Christs further teaching because of the great advantage in a grown knowledge As 1. A man is thereby more able to discern between things that differ he can separate the dross from the gold 2. He will be more evangelical in the frame of his Spirit Heb. 6. The babe is unskilfull in the word of righteousness Ignorance causeth many scruples and fears which do hinder those spiritual consolations that should abound in the heart of the godly 3 Hereby they may be guides to others The Apostle Rom 14. sheweth the many duties of a strong Christian in respect of a weak It 's a blessed thing to be a means of edification of others or the reducing of such as have gone astray for want of this growth many parents many husbands though godly for the main cannot do their duties Vse 1. Of humiliation to the best persons and the best Churches they still need more light It 's not enough Christ hath declared to them but he must still declare not indeed new substantials and essentials to salvation but in regard of the superstructures of holiness and truth That Doctrine in Popery The Church cannot erre makes her incurable and is also grosly arrogant In particular persons this would also breed self-emptiness an high esteem of the Ordinances it would prevent heresies and errours men being commonly confident of themselves therein as also any severe and uncharitable censuring of others knowing as it is said Phil. 3.15 God may in
or because that can adde any thing to his happiness but because thereby thou art made capable of his love and so he can communicate of his goodness to thee do not then take comfort so much from thy graces as the evidence of Gods love to thee thereby 5. Take notice that it 's most acceptable and well-pleasing unto God that thou shouldst walk in such sense and feeling of his goodness to thee For why are all those commands to rejoyce in him and to bless his name continually Why doth he invite thee to call him Father And why are there such thunderbolts in the Scripture against unbelief and distrust Why is it the main scope of the Scripture to represent God under all love and loving considerations but that all our thoughts of him should be hopefull and comfortable Do not therefore think thou goest beyond thy bounds or it's presumption in thee to draw nigh to God upon such assured apprehensions of his grace No the Scripture expresly commands the contrary Heb. 4.16 Let us come boldly unto the throne of grace and Eph. 3.12 In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him Hearken not then to all those doubting temptations within nor all those deceitfull arguments of humane reason without but consider what the Scripture saith and certainly it 's preposterous humility as in Peter refusing to let Christ wash his feet to keep off from the Throne of grace when we are commanded to come to it Besides without this sense of love how can our hearts be raised up to bless and glorifie God It was Davids apprehension of Gods goodness to him that made him call upon his soul and all within him to bless Gods holy Name 6. Consider that this sense of Gods love is the proper and genuine effect of faith in Christ as a Mediator Thus our Saviour doth here make it the consequent of it They have known me whom thou hast sent that the love whereby thou lovest me may be in them It 's not enough to believe in the general That Christ is a Mediator to such as believe in him but with Paul Gal. 2.20 we are to appropriate him who loved me and gave himself for me with this Evangelist John we are to lean our heads as it were in Christs bosom with Thomas we are to say My God and my Lord. Now the genuine but not the necessary and inseparable effect of such an appropriating faith is the sense and assurance of Gods love to me in particular which love of God is so attentive to one believer as if there were no more in the world As they say of the soul it 's tota in toto and tota in qualibet parte so is the love of God totus in universis fidelibus and totus in singulis God loveth a particular believer as much as if there were no more believers in the world Though the objects of his love may be diversified yet his love is not divided or by division diminished Lastly Fix this alwayes upon thy heart that Christ hath prayed for this sense of the Fathers love upon thy soul You see in this prayer where he mentioneth all the great and consequential things unto believers this is brought in at the last as the adorning and sweetning of all the rest for if sanctified if hereafter to be glorified if Christ be in us and we in Christ yet if the experimental knowledge and assurance of this be absent we are as the Disciples under storms and tempests crying out We perish we perish Let the summary Use of the whole be by way of Exhortation to all believers to hunger and thirst yea to have their souls break in longing after the enjoyment of this love of God in us Oh bid all things stand aloof off till thou art made partaker of it Say How long Lord how long is it that thou absentest thy self When shall I have the imbracements of thy love When will the glorious Sunne break out and dispell all the dark clouds that are upon my soul Give not over importuning for it Because of this very prayer of Christ know to thy encouragement that this prayer abideth for ever Though it was once uttered by him upon the earth and he ceased to pray any further yet it still liveth in the efficacy and power of it yea that continual intercession of his in heaven what is it but the reviving of this prayer So that by the vertue of this prayer through his blood we are sanctified we are justified and shall hereafter be for ever glorified FINIS AN ALPHABETICAL TABLE OF THE Chief Heads contained in this TREATISE A Afflictions IT 's a greater mercy to be kept from sinne and evil in our Afflictions and troubles then from the afflictions themselves 444 The Grounds and Reasons why it is so 446 Antichrist That Antichrist should prosper and prevail in the shedding of the blood of so many Martyrs is a dangerous temptation c. 388 A two-fold Antichrist ibid. Apostasie Apostasie and decay in grace may be in several particulars 350 c. Those that plead for the Apostasie of the godly grant there is a distinction to be made 354 Apostats That men may be eminent for a while in the Church of God and yet afterwards prove dreadfull Apostats 372 Arians Arians confuted 73 149 Ascension The benefits of Christs Ascension 291 Assurance Assurance may be attained 356 Astrology How vain and wicked it is to go to Astrologers or Witches or be such 396 Arguments against Astrology and witchcraft 396 397 Atonement Christ was a Priest to make Atonement for us 507 Attributes It is a necessary duty in a Christian in his approaches to God to think to those Attributes and relations in him which may excite and stirre up holy confidence and boldnesse 657 B Beginnings THen Beginnings are hopefull when the Spirit in the Ministry or other means of grace did work upon us 382 Then will Beginnings and endings be alike when grace is radicated and enters deep enough into the soul 383 Good Beginnings will have bad endings when men professe Christ out of sinister and worldly respects ib. Hot Beginnings will end coldly 383 Behold What is that glory which they shall Behold shining in Christ 663 Beholding How much is comprehended in this expression of Beholding Christs glory 662 Belief Our Belief is the fruit and effect of Christs death and our election 537 Two opinions about this ib. The state of the Question in some particulars ib. Arguments to confirm us in the truth 538 Believe Why Gods children are so hardly brought to Believe 211 Why prophane men think it easy to Believe in Christ 213 Why Believing in Christ is so acceptable to God 213 214 Believer In what respect Christ did as much for one Believer as another 525 In some particulars the poor weak Believer hath more love and affection from Christ then a stronger 528 The particulars wherein ib. Wherein God sanctifieth their weakness and
glory More properties of this glory II. The second part of the Point is that this glory is to be earnestly praied for For 1. Without seeking God will not bestow it 2. Thereby our desires after it will be more enflamed 3. III. The third part of the doctrine That this glory praied for will be a cordial against all affliction Because 1. It 's an universal Medicine 2. It 's the most sutable mercy to a gracioas heart 3. Because of the insufficiency of all other things to satisfie the heart 4. Because the way to heaven is full of briars and thorns 5. It exceeds all earthly glory 1. Earthly glory is but a puffe 2. It will not avail us at death Vse Observ That Christ had the glory he praied for with the Father before the world was That Christ had an eternal being Vse Quest Whence is it that any deny Christ to be the eternal God Answ What sins doe chiefly provoke God to give men up to strong delusions 1. Pride 2. Unfruitfulness 3 Neglect of the godly learnâ—d Ministry Vse 2. Vse 3. Vse 4. Vse 5. Observ That the world was not from Eternity Proved from Scripture 2. From Reason Observ That God is only and properly known by the godly Some knowledge of God may be had several waies Of true saving knowledge peculiar to the godly Though many have some kinde of knowledge of God yet the godly only do truly know him Vse Observ Why the Ministers end in Preaching should be to bring his people to the saving knowledge of God From the necessity of it Because of the nature and properties of it The several significations of the word world in Scripture Doct. That the people of God are called out of the world Demonstrations of the Point They have not the Spirit of the world The Spirit of the world what They walk not after the rudiments of the world He lives not as others do Reasons How many waies a people may be said to be Gods Doct. That the godly are Gods people in a peculiar manner Consider How many waies or upon how many Titles those that are godly are the Lords Doct. I. 1. 2. The word of his Commandements 3. The Word threatning 4. The word of Consolation II. Because it is Gods Word III. And receive it with the whole heart IV. And make it a Rule for their lives V. They that keep Gods Word have a high esteem of it 1. For the spiritual effects of it 2. Because it 's so necessary 3. And so usefull 4. The Preciousnesse and dignity of it VI. They keep the Word who persevere in it notwithstanding all temptations Doct. It 's not enough for Gods people to have grace but they must thrive and grow in it How many waies the graces of Gods people are to grow thrive I. In respect of degrees and measure II. Depth and rooting III. In the extension and kinde of all graces IV. In the means and Instruments of their graces V. By exciting others to grow VI. In solidity and fortitude Grounds and motives Vse Doct. It 's our duty to know and beleeve in Christ as the only Mediator sent by God I. What Christ had or was as Mediator was for us I. His Incarnation 2. All that he did His Miracles Obedience to the Law His sufferings The benefits of his Mediation II Christ Mediaâ—iâ—â— for us is of God the Father III. It 's the duty of all Gods people to beleeve this fulnesse in Christ for them The ingredients or concomitants of Faith 1. 2. A relying and resting of the soul upon Christs fulness 3. There is a full satisfaction of the soul in this beleeving 4. A receiving of what Christ hath 5. A holy boldnesse at the Throne of grace 6. Large and vast thoughts of Christ 8. Faith purifieth and makes holy Why it is the duty of Gods people thus to know and beleeve on Christ Vse Doct. That only is proper obedience that hath the Word of God requiring it The grounds of this are I. From the Soveraignty of God· II. Gods promise is annext only to Gods command III. Because of the pollution that is upon mans understanding IV. From the fulnesse of the Scripture V. Else obedient persons could never bear up their hearts against the discouragements they meet with in Gods work Vse Obs That it 's the property of godly men to have respect to Gods Word Proposition to clear the Point How far godly men may sail Doct. It 's a sure character of Gods people to be a willing people I. The dulnesse in Gods people is not reigning but resisted and prai'd against Reasons 1. The sense of guilt and misery 2. The sense of Gods mercy 3. The divine nature they are partakers of 4. Because they were so willing heretofore to sin 5. Because they know none but willing service is accepted 6. Because of their great reward 7. Because of the joy and comfort that attends Obedience Vse Vse 2. Obs The Ministers of the Gospel are to preach Gods Word 1. It 's their duty 2. Their greatest honour 3. It 's his comfort and safety 4. Most useful and profitable Doct. Faith in Christ as Mediatour is acceptable to God Why Gods Children are so hardly brought to beleeve Why prophane men think it so easie to beleeve in Christ Why beleeving in Christ is so acceptable to God 1. Faith in Christ the Mediatour the main scope of the Scripture 2. The work of the Spirit in the Ministry is to convince of sin 3. It s the end of the Law 4. It 's the essence and marrow of the Gospel 5. The devil in all ages hath laboured to obscure this Doctrine Vse· Quest Answ Directions shewing how a man may come to prize this doctrine Vse An Invitation of the greatest sinners to come to Christ Doct. It 's very hopeful and encouraging to pray for those that discover signs of grace in them Consider these particulars I. It 's not our duty only to pray for our selves but for others also Quest Whether it be lawful to pray for any man in particular Answ II. Yet we may not pray for Reprobates as such A twofold faith in praier III Whether we may pray in faith for others as for our selves Then our prayers are liklier of a powerful effect when we pray for the godly Of praying for ungodly men Motives there unto Doct. All Gods people are under Christs Mediatory Praier Concerning which consider The Children of God are of two sorts The Priesthood of Christ exceeds the Priesthood of the Law The aggravations of Christs praier The several acceptations of the word World World how to be taken in this place Doct. Christs Mediatory Praier and his Death is only for the Elect. Considerations to clear the Point I. There is a necessary connexion between Christs Intercession and his death II. Though Christ in his praier and death had a special regard to some of mankinde yet no man that is damned can blame any but himself III.
It 's good to distinguish between the sufficiency of Christs death and the effectual application of iâ— IV. Christs speciall love to some rather then others is no ground of despair V. In this Point as in all others we must not go according to our carnal affections but Scripture VI. That the Scripture speaketh indefinitely of All. Why the expressions of Christs dying for all is to be taken in definitely and not universally I. Reasons why the Scripture speaketh thus universally about Christs Death II. Reprobates receive much benefit by Christs death How the maintainers of Universal Redemption differ among themselves Grounds of the Point The Qualifications of such to whom Christs death is made savingly advantagious The priviledges that come by Christs Death to those that have interest therein Doct. That all the spirituall good the godly enjoy is only the gift of God I. Election is free II. Vocation is of grace III. Justification is of grace Reasons IV. Glorification is of grace Reasens Of Gods peculiar propriety in his people as the ground of Christs praier for them care of them and of all the good that accrueth unto them Propositions concerning Gods peculiar propriety in his people 1. A people become Gods peculiar ones freely by grace 2. And from his meer goodness not out of any want 3. They are Christs and the holy Ghosts as well as the Fathers 4. Their being Gods excludeth all other creatures How the propriety in God is the cause of all good Doct. Christ hath all things the Father hath 1. The same Name and Titles 2. The same nature and essence 3. All the essential properties of God 4. Christ doth all the works the Father doth 5. The saâ—e will 6. The same propriety in all the godly How all Christ hath is the Fathers 1. By eternal generation 2. By vertue of the hypostatical Union Vse Therefore 1. Christ is truly God 2. The people of God are happy 3. Take heed of refusing Christ speoking Doct. As the people of God make in their work to glorifie Christ so it is well-pleasing to God How many waies the people of God glorifie Christ 1. When by faith they own him to be the promised Messias 2. When there is relying on him as Mediatour 3. To glorifie Christ there must be an outward profession of him 4. A receiving him as Lord and King 5. A suffering persecution for his sake 6. And by a holy life 7. By walking chearfully in the midst of all troubles Why it is our duty to glorifie Christ 1. Because Gods purpose from Eternity was to put infinite glory on Christ 2. It is the end of the Ministry to glorifie Christ Vse Doct. The greater the dangers are Christs people are in the greater is Christs care of them I. If God remove some mercies he makes a supply of others If he greateâ—â—gers 〈◊〉 then 〈◊〉 strenâ— III. Christs care of his appears in the dangers themselves IV. Christs care in sanctifying the troubles that they may be for spiritual benefit Doct. The godly mans life is full of spiritual danger I. Of the contagion of sin in the world II. Of the temptations in the world by lawful comforts III. He is in danger from the deceitfulnesse of all things in the world IV. From the sutablenesse of the worlds temptation to that corruption within V. Because of the clogging disposition all things in the world work in erspect of heavenly things VI. In respect of the discouragements the world puts upon godly men 7. Because the worldly snares are improved to the utmost by the devil 8. A godly mans danger appears by the Examples of Scripture The worlds great enmity against those that are godly The several waies whereby a godly man fals into trouble in this world 1. Because of their many sinnes God brings many troubles on them 2. From Satan 3. Their trouble ariseth from the wicked and prophane in the world 4. And sometimes from the godly themselves 5. No condition and relation free from trouble 6. A mans trouble ariseth from himself Doct. Christ by Death went to the Father All these particulars are involved or implied in the Point The benefits of Christs aseension and exaltation Doct. That all Governors that have a charge over others are to watch and pray for the good of those they are betrusted with Doct. God is an holy God and able to make others holy I. He is essentially holy II. Oppositely holy to all false Gods III. Holy in his Will and commands IV. Holy efficiently V. He is finally holy VI. Holy exemplarily Doct. That all the people of God if not kept by Gods grace would be undone in soul and body That God keeps all his from temporal dangers prove Of Gods keeping all true beleevers from spiritual evils 1. God keeps the truth of grace in them 2. He keeps in the actual stirrings of the soul to good 3. He makes them hold out to the end Observ That it s not enough to be put into the state of grace unless by Gods power we are kept therein Quest Answ How far men may acknowledge Gods help and yet not give the full glory to him How many ways the power of God doth keep us Why there is such a necessity of Gods preserving power From the Apostate Angels and lapsed Adam Quest Answ Vse Depend on Gods gracious power only in thy way to heaven And take heed of these things Doct. That the people of God are kept to salvation through Faith Consider these Propositions 1. That whatsoever priviledge is attributed to faith either in respect of justification or salvation it is not for any dignity in faith 2. Though faith be instrumental to our conservation yet faith it self needeth Gods help as well as other graces Why faith confirmeth us rather then other graces Observ That its a special mercy to be kept in the truth and pure faith we have received Grounds proving it to be such a special mercy I. Because of the frequent and diligent exhortations given to all that they fall not from the truth 2. Because one main end of the Scripture is to inform and keep us therein 3. Because the Lord hath appointed Officers in the Church for this end among others to preserve the truth 4. Because the more godly endeared any are to God this priviledge they shall have to be kept in the truth at least so as not damnably to erre 5. Because that is the foundation and necessary pre-requisite to hoâ—inesse 6. Because of the proneness that is in men to be lead aside by errours 7. Errors of judgment are damnable as well as sinfull practises 8. Because of those heavy censures the Scripture inflicts upon heretical persons 9. The more noble the subject is in which any habit or perfection doth consist the more noble is that perfection 10. Gods command is laid upon us to believe the true Doctrine as well as obey the holy command Doct. It is a special mercy for Ministers of the Gospel to
tense into the present and what God saith he will do to take as done already Lastly There is the comminatory or threatning part Here is Mount Ebal as well as Mount Gerizim The Scripture hath it's sting as well as honey In this Ark there is the Rod as well as Manna Christ hath not only a Scepter of grace but a Rod of iron and those threatnings are farre above the terrors of the most cruell men that ever lived for it 's not onely a threatning of bodily miseries but of hell of eternal wrath and vengeance on the soul as well as the body which no earthly man can do Therefore whatsoever the word of God hath said against an evil man let him look for it as if he were already under that doom Is not Judas here called a son of perdition yea is he not said to be perished in the present tense because of the certainty of it Doth not the Scripture say He that believeth not is condemned even already Joh. 3.8 As when God at first threatned Adam In the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt die This was made good though Adam did not actually die at that time because he was put into a state of death and every moment that sentence might be inflicted on him Thus it is with every wicked man whatsoever curse whatsoever vengeance is denounced against thee this night this day this moment it may be fulfilled on thee The ground why the Scripture must be fulfilled is plain Because it is Gods word and therefore it is immortal like himself it will stand as he stands for what should hinder it There was no defect of knowledge or wisdom in God nor of power and strength and therefore the word being out of his mouth who can contradict it Vse of Encouragement to the godly The Scripture hath as many promises for thee as thou canst desire It 's full of glad tidings to thee that fearest God There is not a Chapter but it speaks some good or other to thee Oh do not think these things are spoken in vain and not to be good to be true What shall the holy Spirit of God become false to deceive and delude thee Farre be such blasphemous thoughts from thee Go then and rejoyce say I have enough I have all things the Scripture abounds with all consolations and not one drop of this precious wine shall be lost or spilt to the ground but on the contrary it speaks woe and trembling to wicked men Oh how well were it for you if the Scripture were a book of fables and lies Then thou mightst eat and drink and rise up to play and sport but at the last thou wilt finde every word of it to be true Why then can thy bold heart endure any longer Is there not terrour enough in the Scripture to break it in peeces though it were of iron Thou wilt finde at last God only true but man and the world and thy own heart a liar SERMON LXXV Of the Truth of Scripture-Prophesies And against Judiciall Astrologie and Witchcraft Shewing the Vanity and Wickednesse thereof and of Seeking to them JOH 17.12 That the Scripture might be fullfilled I shall at this time conclude this Text which hath been so fruitful in spiritual matter but before I come to make the last Observation let us Consider In how many sences the Scripture may be said to be fulfilled For there are divers waies of understanding this and indeed there is scarce any thing more difficult in Religion then to make an happy reconciliation of the places quoted in the New Testament with the Old At the first view of many of those allegations you would think there were violent deflections of the Scripture to another sence then was intended but we Christians beleeve that the same Spirit which breathed on the Prophets did also inspire the holy Apostles for the right interpretation of them Though therefore the Solution of every difficulty surpasse the ability of the most Learned Interpreter yet we are to captivate our understandings to the Truth of the Scripture and not the Scripture to our Understandings and nothing will better facilitate a right Understanding of Scripture-allegations then to know that the Scripture may be said to be fullfilled two waies 1. Properly 2. Improperly and by way of accomodation Properly and that two waies Either in a literall sence or a mysticall sence A literall sence either is simply so when it 's a meer prediction of what is to come and hath no Type for the present to be verified in of this kinde or sort are many Examples especially Isa 7.14 Behold a Virgin shall conceive and bear a Son Matth. 1.22 applied to Christ This was onely true of Christ and his Mother not applicable to any else for as for Musculus and Grotius who conceive that this was done in a Type and that same Virgin in those daies did marry and bear a Son which was a Type of Christ is wholly improbable and diminisheth this glorious Mystery of Christs Incarnation As for the second kinde of fulfilling which is a compounded sence of the Type and Antitype that is often Thus these things which were fulfilled about the Paschal Lamb the brasen Serpent about Jonah Solomon and David were also applied to Christ as the Antitype As also Hos 11. that of bringing the people of Israel out of Egypt unto Christ Though these places also may be said to be fullfilled in a mystical sence and in this manner the Scripture speaking of Judas his perdition Psa 41. and Psa 109. is to be understood for David in those Psalms literally speaks of his present enemies but typically and mystically this was to be applied to Judas An improper or accomodatitious application is when the Scripture is said to be fulfilled because there falleth out something like that So Christ Mat. 15.7 8. repeateth that to the hypocrites of his time which the Prophet Isa 29 13. applieth to those that lived in his time viz. that they drew nigh him with their lips but their hearts were farre from him This explained observe Obs That it 's a sure Argument and Demonstration of the Divinity of the Scripture That it doth foretell things which long after do come to passe Judas his perdition in the Text was prophesied of many hundred years before As God endowed men with such illumination that they could tell what was done many years before they lived as appeareth in Moses his writing of the History of the Creation so it doth no lesse wonderfully appear in a prediction of such things as shall come hereafter and therefore both the Old Testament and the New have two Books that are wonderfully prophetick of what shall befal the Church in after Ages Daniel prophesied so in his time and John did the like in his Revelations To open this Doctrine Consider First That it is only Gods property to foreknow things to come We matter not those wretched Socinians who