the instrument of justification as it is taken in a passive sense the ground of this conclusioÌ„ is this because it is impossible that any actioÌ„ in man can be an instrument of any action in God and therefore that phrase that you have so ordinarily spoken of that faith justifieth it is thus to be resolved that we are justified by faith 3. There is this that we would have you knowing that betwixt a Christians clossing by Faith with the righteousnesse of Jesus Christ the justification of a sinner I say there is no natural indispensible connexion between these two but only there is a connexion of divine appointment of free grace though we once conceive there is a naâ—ural aptitude in the grace of Faith to lay hold on the righteousness of Christ more then there is in any other grace of the Spirit as ye may see there is a more natural aptitude and fitness in the hand to receive then in any other organ of the body 4. There is this also that we would have you knowing that a Christian in his first closing with Christ Christ considered as crucified is the immediate object of his Faith and not Christ considered in his personal excellencies Hence it is often in Scripture that Christ as crucified is holden forth as the immediate object of justâ—…ying Faith as is clear Rom 3.5.24 25. And the ground of this assertion is this because that it is the formal object of justifying Faith which doth formerly justify the sinners and on which Faith doth immediatly lay hold as a ransome to satisfy Justice and as a righteousness in which the soul dare venture to be found when it shall stand before the Judgement Seat of God and certainly this is Christ as obedient to the death of the cross And it is likewise clear that the thing which doth engage the foul to Christ is not only because he is good in himself but because he is good to us 5. And there is this lastly that we would have you knowing that though Faith doth alone justifie yet Faith doth not justify being alone Hence is that which we have often in Schools Fides justificat solum licet non solitariè that Faith justifieth alone though not being alone as James doth speak Faith without works is dead and is of no effect Now that which secondly we shal speak to shal be this to point out to you some differences betwixt justifying Faith which is in a real believer and temporary Faith which is in an hypocrite and one that is destitute of that everlasting hope though he do pretend to have it And first that there is such a thing as temporary Faith as is clear from Luke 8.13 it is said there of some that they believed for a season yea in Acts 1.13 it is said of Simon Magus who was in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity he believed And those in John 2.23 When they did behold the miracles they believed on Jesus Christ and yet we conceive that their Faith was not sincere and so this was not saving faith And indeed ye may see a difference betwixt these two in the very name temporary for this is such a faith as doth not continue long with him that hath it but doth evanish and pass away for as this is certain that an hypocrite will not alwayes call upon God Job 27.10 so that is also certain that an hypocrite will not always believe in God I tell you that the longest time an hypocrite doth keep his faith Job hath set down in his 18. chapter vers 14. Their hope saith he shall bring them to the King of terrors and then it shall be rooted out of them and their tabernacle their faith will bring them no further then the gates of death and then their faith will flee away as a dream and evanish as a vision of the night II. There is this difference likewise betwixt them that temporary faith it closeth with Christ as a Savior and for righteousness but it closeth not with Christ as a Prince and for sanctification but justifying faith taketh Christ as well for a Prince as it taketh him for a Savior and if Solomon did discern who was the true mother of the child by that that she who would have had the child divided was not the mother of the child so we may say that they who would divide Christ in his Offices it is an evidence that they are not amongst those who are actually made partakers of the adoption of children there is some what of this pointed at in John 6.66 where that which made many who were his Disciples and did once believe desert him was because of the hardness of his command This is an hard saying who can hear it And it is certain that it is a greater difficulty for a Christian to take Christ as a Prince then as a Savior for by that he must make an absolute resignation of himself over to Christ never to be reduced O! when saw you such a sight of Christ that ye were constrained to cry out without a complement to him Truly I am thy servant I am thy servant O! were ye never ravished with one of his eyes nor overtaken with one chain of his neck Believe me they who see him thus do believe that his commands are grievous III. There is this difference that temporary faith is attained unto without the exercise of the Law but justifying faith is not attained to without some measure of the exercise of the Law this is clear Mark 4.5 where speaking of these temporary believers it is said of them That the fruit did imediately spring up c. Are there not some iâ— may be here who think they do believe and yet were never in any measure trembling under the discovering condemning power of the Law Is not that a mystery that one should bâ—ing forth without travelling And is not this a mystery in Christianity that one should believe before he hath found the pangs of the New birth I am afraid of this that many of us have taken up our Religion at our foot for there are many who take up Religion before ReligioÌ„ take them up But would you know the properties of a Christians Faith It is a begotten faith 1 Pet. 1.2 and not a Faith that is taken up at our pleasure And I would only say these two things to you be perswaded of this that hypocrisie may be soon with a very smal threed so that the most discerning Christian cannot take up that desperate enmity that is in them How long did Judas lurk under the name of a Saint even with those that were most discerning And there is this that we would say that amongst all these that shal be eternally excoÌ„municate from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power hypocrites in Zion shal have the bitterest cup of divine indignation presented unto them Hence it is that Christ when he
a kind of Omnipotency as is clear that all things are possible to them that believe but it hath a kind of Omnisciency and all knowledge that it can take up and comprehend all the greatest mysteries of Heaven according to that word Prov. 28.5 He that seeketh the Lord shal understand all things As if he had said there is nothing dark to a believing Christian as there is nothing impossible to a believing Christian As likewise Faith is that grace that must take aside the vail that is spread over the face of a crucified Christ and Faith is that precious Spy thatgoeth forth and taketh up these wonderful excellencies that are in him The grace of Love as it were is born blind and it hath nothing wherewith to solace it self but that which is presented unto it by this noble and excellent grace of Faith Now before we shal speak any thing to these things that we did propose to speak of at last occasion we shal yet speak a little unto some things which are necessary to be known for the distinct uptaking of the nature of justifying Faith which is the great commandment of this everlasting Gospel and that which we would first speak to shall be this What is the reason and ground that the Gospel conveyance of righteousness and life and of the excellent things of this everlasting Covenant should be thorow the exercise of the grace of Faith for it is not said in the Scripture that Repentance justifieth that Love justifieth or that Mortification justifieth but it is Faith only that justifieth and it is Faith by which a Christian inheriteth the promises So that is clear that Faith is that conduit-pipe thorow which are conveyed to us the great blessings of this everlasting Covenant I. And the first ground of it is this it is thorow Faith that all our blessing may be known to be by love and by free and unsearchable grace as is clear Rom. 4.16 while the Apostle is giving a reason why the inheritance is conveyed to a Christian through Faith It is of Faith saith he that it might be of grace for if the inheritance were conveyed to a Christian thorow a covenant of works then these spotlesse draughts of infinite love and of unsearchable grace should not be written on our inheritance as it is clear Rom. 4.25 And it is that gâ—eat design of Christ to make his grace conspicious in conveying salvation to us through Faith II. There is this second ground likewise of it that all the promises and blessings of this everlasting Covenant might be sure and stedfast to us therefore they are conveyed to us through the exercise of the grace of Faith as is clear Rom 4. â—6 They are of Faith saith he that they might be sure or as the word is that they might be setled When the promises of life and of eternal salvation were conveyed to us through mans obedience were they not then most uncertain and unstable But is not Heaven your everlasting crown now stedfast unto you seeing ye have that golden pillar of Christs everlasting righteousness to be the foundation of your Faith and the strength of your confidence in the day of need III. There is this third ground why the promises excellent things of this Gospel are conveyed to a Christian through the exercise of Faith that all boasting and gloriation might be excluded according to that word Rom. 3.27 By what law is boasting excluded Not by the law of works but by the law of faith And certainly seeing Chirstians have all the great things of heaven conveyed to them through the exercise of Faith think ye not that this shal be your first song when ye shal be within the gates of that new Jerusalem Not unto us not unto us but unto thee doth belong the glory of our salvation O what a precious dignity were it but for an half hour to be admitted to hear those spotless soÌ„gs that are sung by those thousaÌ„d times ten thousand thousands of thousands of holy angels that are round about this throne Doth not David that sweet singer of Israel now sing more sweetly then he did while he was here below Doth not deserted Haman now chant forth the praises and everlasting songs of him that sitteth upon the Throne And doth not afflicted Job now sing sweetly after his captivity is reduced and he entered within that Land where the voice of joy and gladness is continually heard Would ye have a description of heaven I could give it no term so sutable as this Heaven is a rest without a rest for though there remain a rest for the righteous yet Rev. 4.8 These four beasts that stand before the Throne they rest not night nor day crying Holy holy holy is the Lord God Almighty yet there is much divine quietness in that holy unquietness that is above IV. There is this last ground why the blessings of the Gospel and life and righteousness are conveyed to us through the exercise of Faith that the way to attain to these things might be pleasant and easie We aâ—e certainly perswaded that the way of winning to heaven by a covenant of works was much more unâ—leasant and difficult but it is not an easie way of entring into the Holy of Holies to win unto it through the exercise of Faith Are not all wisdoms wayes pleasantness And are not all her paths peace Was not that just self-denial in one that said he would not take up a Crown though it were lying at his foot But oh that cursed self-denial doth possess the breasts of many so that though that Crown of immortal glory and eternal blessedness be lying at your feet yet ye will not imbrace it nor take it up Is not the hatred of many to Christ covered with deceit And therefore your iniquity shal be declared before the Congregation Now that what we have spoken upon this might be more clear and that the nature of justifying Faith be not mistaken we would have you take notice of these things 1. That the grace of Faith doth not justifie a Christian as it is a work or because of any inherent excellency and dignity that is in this grace above any other graces of the Spirit but faith doth alone justifie a Christian instrumentally and objectively that is it is that by which a Christian is just by laying hold on the precious object of it the righteousness of Christ And to clear this we would only have you knowing this that saith doth justifie as it closeth with Christ but not because it closes with Christ which some vainly are bold to assert because there is not any dignity or worth in the act of Faith inclosing with Christ that can be the foundation of our justification else it were to confound that precious degree of free grace 2. There is this that we would have you all knowing that faith is not the instrument of justification as justification is taken in an active sense though it is
taketh hold not only on the faithfulness of God that he is a God of truth that in him there is no lie but likewise it taketh hold on the Omnipotency of God that he is one to whom nothing is too hard and on the infinite mercy love of God that he is one who doth delight to magnify this attribute above all his works and these are the three great pillars of justifying Faith From the first it answers all the objections of sense which doth ordinarily cry forth Doth all his promise fail for evermore And that with his one word If he hath once purposed it he will also do it and if he hath once spoken it he will also make it come to pass From the second it answereth all these objections that may arise from carnal reason and probability which tendeth to the weakning of his confidence And these do oftentimes cry out How can these things be But Faith laying hold upon the Omnipotency of God it staggers not at the promise but is strōg in the faith giving glory to God And it is the noble and divine exercise of this heroick grace of Faith that these objections of reason and probability which it cannot answer it will lay them aside and yet close with the promise which was the practice of believing Abraham who considereth not his own body being weak nor the barrenness of Sarahs womb As likewise it was the commendable practise of that woman Matth. 15. who not being able to answer the second trial of her faith from reason yet notwithstāding Faith made her cry out Have mercy on me O Son of David And from the last a Christian doth answer all the arguments of misbelief which doth arise from the convictions of our unworthiness and sinfulness which makes us oftentimes imbrace that Divinity of Peters Luke 5.8 Depart from me for I am a sinful man But Faith taking hold on the infinite mercy and love of Christ it answereth all with this He walks not with us according to that rule of merit but according to that precious and golden rule of love and boundless compassion But before we shal speak any thing unto you of these things we would a little point out some few things to be known as previous to these we shal not dwell long in pointing out the nature of justifying Faith It is that grace whereby a Christian being convinced of his lost estate of an utter impossibility to save himself he doth flee to the righteousness of Jesus Christ and unto him who is that precious City of refuge and there doth abide till our High Priest shal die which shal not be for ever Or if ye will it is a sweet travelling of the immortal soul betwixt infinite mercy and infinite love betwixt an utter impossibility to save our selves and a compleat ability in him to save to the uttermost betwixt abounding sin superabounding mercy hence Faith is often holden forth to us in Scripture under that notion of coming Isai 55.1 Ho every one that thirsteth come ye to the waters Rev. 22.17 Whosoever will let him take the water of life freely Heb. 7.25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come to God by him And we may say by the way that if once a sinner could be brought to this to count all his own righteousness but filthy rags and to believe that a man is as really justified before God by imputed righteousness as if it were by inherent holiness surely such an one were not far from the Kingdom of God Neither shal we stand long to point out this unto you that it is your duty to believe for it is clear not only from this place but likewise from Isai 45.22 Look unto me and be ye saved all ye ends of the Earth Matth. 11.28 Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest John 14.1 Ye believe in God believe also in me Isai 55.1 Ho every one that thirsteth come ye to the waters and he that hath no money come buy without money and without price But oh it is a great misery of many and that which may be a subject of a perpetual lamentation that we can neither be subject to the Law as commanding to obey it or as threatning to believe it Nor to the Gospel as promising to embrace it and sweetly to receive it O but that primative temptation and delusion whereby Satan did deceive our first father is that whereby he yet seeks to catch and delude many souls viz. That though we eat of the forbidden fruit walk in the vain imaginations of our own hearts yet he doth suggest this to us that we shal not die but shal once be as God this is Satans great and deluding Divinity And therefore to inforce this great and precious command a little further we shal propose these considerations First that the Gospel hath laid no obstruction in our way of closing with Christ and partaking of the effects of the Gospel but on the contrary showeth that the great impediment is our want of willingness which we lay in our own way as is clear from John 5.40 Ye will not come to me that ye may get life as likewise from Revel 22.27 where the Gates of the Gospel are cast open and whosoever will are commanded to enter in So that although you may father your misbelief upon your inability or that your spot is not the spot of his people yet know that the rise and original of it is want of willingness But to make this more clear we would have you knowing this that all the qualification annexed to this commandment of Faith as that i◠Math. 11.28 speaketh out the qualifications rather of these that will come then of all these that ought to come Or he inviteth these that through the Spirit of discouragement and misbelief have the greatest reluctancy to come and may not that cardinal and soul-refreshing promise John 6.37 stop the mouth of misbelief so that it should have nothing to say He that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out ye may reduce your misbelief rather to the sinfulness of your will then to the sinfulness of your walk and if once ye could come to the length of willingness to embrace Jesus Christ all other objections and knots should be sweetly loosed and dissolved Secondly consider that though we should pray the one half of our time and weep the other yet if we want this noble grace of Faith the wrath of God shal abide on us VVhat are all the works of these hypocrits those glistering acts of Law-sanctification but a plunging of our selves in the ditch Until our own cloaths abhor us Therefore it is that after the Prophet Zachary hath made mention in the twelfth Chapter of this Prophesie of making bitter lamentation for him whom we have pierced as for an only Son yet in the beginning of the 13. Chapter he
maketh mention of a Fountain opened to the house of David for sin and for uncleanness which may intimate unto us that although we have washed our selves with our own tears yet there is use of the blood of Christ and that we must be washed in that fountain even from our own rightousnesses which are but as filthy rags Thirdly consider that great and monstrous sinfulness that is in this sin of unbelief we will strain at a gnat but many will easily swallow down this Camel We will tithe mint and annise and fast twice in the week but neglect faith and love and judgement which are the weighter things of the Law And indeed there are these things which speak out the sinfulness of unbelief 1. That when the holy Ghost is sent to convince the world of sin John 16.9 he pitched upon this sin as though there were no other sin of which the World had need to be convinced He will convince the world of sin because they believe not on the Son of God no doubt there is more sinfulness in that sin then in many breaches of the Moral Law it being a sin against matchless love and against that which is the remedy of sin 2. That it is called by way of eminency disobedience as is clear from Heb. 4.11 Lest any of you fall under the same example of unbelief or as the word may be tendred lest any of you fall after that example of disobedience Eph. 2.2.3 That amongst all these that shal be eternally excommunicate from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power those that are guilty of this sin of unbelief they are put in the first place Rev. 21.1 And 4. That unbelief doth contradict deny these three precious and cardinal attributes of God 1. Doth not unbelief contradict his faithfulness and make him a liar 1 John 5.10 2. Doth it not contradict the infiniteness of his power And 3. the infiniteness of his love and supposeth that there is something too hard for him which his power cannot reach nor his infinite love overcome We may reduce many of our questions and disputings of his good will to this original viz. to the disputing of his power No doubt if we belong to him we shal once sing that note of lamentation over our unbelief This is our infirmity for changes are from the right hand of the most High And lastly to inforce this precious command of Faith consider that it is his command which speaketh forth this that we must not take an indulgence or dispensation to our selves to believe or not to believe at our pleasure and is it not a strange thing that Christians are less convinced of the breaches of the Commandment of Faith then of other commands They think misbelief to be but a Zoar a little sin and it proceedeth either from this that the convictions of other sins as the neglect of prayer or the sin of swearing or committing adultery do arise from a natural conscience for there is somwhat of natures light to make us abominate and hate them when yet the light of nature will not lead us to the convictions of the sinfulness of misbelief it being a Gospel more spiritual sin Or it proceedeth from this that unbelief doth ordinarily pass vail'd under the vizard of some refined vertue as humility and tenderness though that rather it may be said that it is pride and ignorance cloathed with the garments of humility And no doubt Christ doth account obedience to this commandement of Faith the greatest act of humility as is clear from Rom. 10.3 where it is called submission they submitted not to the righteousness of God Or else it proceedeth from this that we conceive that the commandement of Faith is not of so large extent as other commands and so doth not bind us to the obedience of it but know this that it shall be the condemnation of the world that they have not believed on the Name of the Son of God and no doubt but it is Satans great design and cardinal project to keep us back from obedience to the commandment of faith that we should not listē to the precious promises of this everlasting Gospel but should reject the counsel of God against our selves and refuse his precious and divine call The second previous consideration that we would give shall be to show you what are the causes that there is so much disputing of our interest so little believing that we are unstable as water marring our own excellency spending so much of our time in walking under a cloud and are so seldome admitted to read our names in these precious and eternal records of Heaven No doubt these things have influence upon it viz. 1. That we are more judging of God by his dispensations then by his Word supposing ever the change of dispensatiōs to speak for the change of our state this is misbeliefs Divinity that when sense cannot read love in hi◠face but he appeareth to frown and to cast a clou◠over it then it is presumption saith sense to rea◠love in his heart or in his Word but know it was self-denying practice of believing Job to cry out Though he should kill me I will believe in him therfore make not dispensatiōs your Bible otherwise ye will stumble at the noon tide of the day shal halt in your way knew you never what such a thing as this meaned to ascend in overcoming thoughts of his love notwithstanding any thing that his dispensations might preach We conceive that if the eyes of our faith were opened we might see infinite love engraven on the darkest acts and most dismal-like dispensations of his to us though it be often-times written in dark and dim characters to sense 2. There is this likewise which hath influence upon our so much disputing and misbelieving viz. a guilty conscience and the entertainment of some predominant lust which oftentimes occasioneth our walking in darkness and having no light This is clear from 1 Tim. 1.19 where that precious jewel of Faith can be holden in no other place but in a pute conscience that is that Royal place wherein it must dwel and no doubt if once we make shipwrack of a good conscience we will erre concerning our Faith A bosom-Idol when it is entertained doth exceedingly mar the vigorous exercises of these graces which are evidences of our faith and certainly Grace rather in its degrees then in its sincerity or simple being only is that which giveth the clear evidence of Faith Therefore when we find not love in its high and eminent actings we hardly win to make it any clearly-concluding demonstration of our Faith 3. As likewise a bosom idol when it is entertained maketh us to lose much of our high esteem reputation of Jesus Christ which doth exceedingly interrupt the sweet and precious actings of faith For it is certain that if once the immortal soul be united to Jesus Christ by the
bond of love and respect then our faith will increase with the increase of God Our entertainment of a bosom idol is ordinarily punished with the want of the sensible intimations of his peace and of our interest in him so that sometimes his own are constrained to cry out God hath departed from me and he answereth me not neither by dreams nor visions 4. There is that likewise that hath influence upon it our not closing absolutely with Jesus Christ but upon conditions and suppositions We make not an absolute and blank resignation of our selves over to Christ to hold fast the Covenant notwithstanding he should dispense both bitter and sad things to us but we conceive that Christs Covenant with believers is like that Covenant that God made with Noah that there should be Summer and Winter seed time and harvest night and day unto a Christian A Christian must have his night as well as his day he must once sow in tears before he reap in joy he must once go forth bearing his precious seed before he can return bearing his sheaves in his bosom and that this hath influence upon our instability may be seen from this that often a Christian after his first closing with Christ he meeteth with desertion in point of tenderness in point of joy and in point of strength so that his corruption seems now to be awaked more then formerly that he wants those seeming enjoyments of him which formerly he had and that much of his softness of his heart hath now evanished which is clear somewhat from Heb. 10.32 And after they were enlightened they endured a great fight of afflictions For the word that is there rendered afflictions signifieth inward troubles through the motions of sin as well as outward afflictions Gal. 5.24 And God useth to dispense this way to his own not only to take tryal of the sincerity of your closing with him but to make our Faith more stedfast and sure And no doubt if we close not absolutly with Christ when under these temptations and tryals we will reject our confidence as a delusion and suppose it to be but a morning dream therefore it were a noble and divine practise of a Christian to close with Christ without reservation seeing he doth dispense nothing but that which might tend to our advantage And we would say to such as are under these temptations that if ye endeavor to resist them it is the most compendious and excellent way to make your hearts which now are dying as a stone to be as a watered garden springs of water whose waters fail not and to make you strong as a Lyon so that no temptation can rouse you up but ye shall be enable to tread upon the high places of the earth and to sing songs of triumph over our idols 5. There is this likewise which hath influence on it our building of our Faith more upon sense then upon Christ or his word and therefore it is that Faith is so unconstant and changeable as the Moon we not knowing what such a thing means To hope against hope and to be strong in Faith giving glory to God And we would only say unto you that erect your coÌ„fidence upon so sandy a foundation that when the wind and storm of temptation shal blow that house shal fall to the ground As likewise building of your Faith upon sense doth not abate much of your joy and much of your precious esteem of Jesus Christ It being Faith exercising it self upon an invisible object that maketh the Christian to rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory 1 Pet. 1.8 6. There is this last that hath influence upon it even our sloathfulness in the exercise of our spiritual duties by which Faith should be entertained Faith is a tender grace and a plant that must not be rufled but nourished through the sap of other precious graces but we grow remiss in our spiritual duties and do turn our selves upon the bed of security as the door upon the hinges And doth not our drowsiness cloath us with rags and make us fall into a deep sleep while as if we were diligent our souls should be made fat and rich Yea sloathfulness doth not only imped assurance of this that it hindereth the divine communications of his love and respect by which assurance may be kept in life Cant. 5.2 but also it maketh our poverty come on us as an armed man and our want as one that travelleth And withal it letteth loose the chain by which our corruptions are tyed and maketh them to lift up their head by which our assurance is much darkned and impaired and our hope is much converted into diffidence and despair And we would only say this it is the diligent Christian that is the believing Christian and it is the believing Christian that is the diligent Christian there being such a sweet reciprocation betwixt these two precious graces that they die and live together Now thirdly we shal shut up our discours with this in pointing out a little what are those things that do obstruct a Christians closing with Christ and believing in his precious Name I. We conceive that this woful evil doth spring and rise from that fundamental ignorance of this truth that there is a God as is clear from Heb. 11.6 where that is required as a qualification of a Comer That he should believe that God is and assuredly till once this precious truth be imprinted upon our souls as with a pen of iron and point of a diamond we will look upon the Gospel as an Uâ—opian fancy and a deluding notion to teach unstable souls who know not the way to attain unto real blessedness And truly it is a fault of many that they begin to dispute their being in Christ before they know there is a Christ and do dispute their interest in him before they believe his being and that there is such an one as is called Christ II. Our coming unto Christ is obstructed from the want of the real and spiritual convictions of our desperate and lost estate without Jesus Christ and that our unspeakable misery is the want of him which is clear from Jer. 2.31 We are Lords we will come no more to thee And it is evident from Revel 3.16.18 that such a delusion as this doth overtake many that they can reign as Kings without Jesus Christ and that they can build their happiness and establish their carnal felicity upon another foundation But O that we could once win to this to believe what we are without Christ and to believe what we shal be in the enjoyment of him with the one eye to descend and look upon these deep draughts that the mystery of iniquity hath imprinted upon our immortal souls and withal to reflect upon the wages of sin which is death and be constrained to cry out Wo is me for I am undone and with the other eye to ascend and look to that help that is laid
we will not delight our selves in loving of him And I would say this to you that though ye should weep the one half of your dayes and pray the other half yet if ye want this noble grace of Faith your righteousness shall be but like a monstruous cloath and filthy rags before him For what is praying without believing but a taking of his blessed Name in vain What is our conferring upon the most divine and precious truths of God without believing it is not a lying to the Holy Ghost and a flattering of God with our mouth And we would have you knowing this that there is a sweet harmony that is now made up betwixt Moses and Christ betwixt the Law and the Gospel The Law bringeth us to Christ as a Savior and Christ bringeth us back again to the Law to be a rule of our walk to which we must subject our selves So then would ye know the compend of a Christians walk It is a sweet travelling betwixt Mount Sinai and Mount Sion betwixt Moses and Christ betwixt the Law and the Gospel And we conceive that the more deep that the exercise of the Law be in a Christians conscience before his closing with Christ there is so much the more precious and excellent advantages waiting for him I. There is this advantage that waiteth on the deep exercise of the Law that it is the way to win to much establishment in Faith when once we begin to close with Christ O Christians would ye know that which maketh the superstructure and building of grace to be within you as a bowing wall and as a tottering sence of that oftentimes ye are in hazard to raze the foundation it is this ye were not under the exercise of the Law before your believing in Jesus Christ There are some who do not abide three days at Mount Sinai and these shall not dwell many days at Mount Sion II. There is this advantage that waiteth on the deep exercise of the Law it maketh Christ precious to a mans soul What is that which filleth the soul of a Christian with many high and excellent thoughts of Christ Is it not this to have the Law registrating our Bond and putting us as we use to speak to the Horn That is to have the Law cursing us and using the sentence of condemnation against us That which maketh us have such low and undervaluing thoughts of precious Christ is because the most part of us are not acquainted with the deep and serious exercise of the Law that is a mystery to the most part of a Christians practise Ye know that there were four streams which went out from the Paradise of God into which man was first placed and so may we say that there are four golden streams by which lost and destroyed man is brought back again to this Eden and Paradise of everlasting delights First there is the precious stream of Christs righteousness by which we must be justified And secondly there is that stream of his Sanctification by which we must be purified Thirdly there is that stream of the wisdom of Christ by which we must be conducted through this wilderness wherein we have lost our way And fourthly there is that stream of Christs Redemption by which we must be delivered from the power of our enemies and must turn the battel in the gate it is by the Redemption of Christ that we shall once sing that triumphant song O Death where is thy sting O Grave where is thy victory O but all these streams will be sweet and refreshing to a soul that is hotly pursued by the Law So long as we see not the ugliness of our leprosie in that glass of the Law we have our own Abana and Parpher that we think may do our turn but when once our case is truly laid open to us then will we be content to wash our selves in Jordan seven times III. There is this advantage that waiteth on the deep exercise of the Law that it maketh a Christian live constantly under the impression of the sinfulness of sin What is it that maketh sin exceeding sinful to a Christian Is it not this he hath been fourty dayes in Moses School And we conceive that the ground why such fools as we make a mock of sin is because we know not what it is to be under the power of his wrath and the apprehensions of the indignation of God But now to come to that which we intend to speak of we told you at the first occasion that we spake upon these words that there were many excellent things concerning the grace of Faith holden forth in them The first thing which was holden forth concerning this radical grace of Faith was the infinite advantage that redoundeth to a Christian through the exercise of Faith and giving obedience to this command which we cleared to be holden forth not only from the scope but also from the nature of this command And now to speak a little to the point we shall propose these cosiderations that may abundantly show how advantagious a thing this excellent grace of Faith is I. The first consideration that speaketh it is this that Faith maketh Christ precious to a soul according to that word 1 Pet. 2.7 To you that believe Christ is precious And we would have you knowing this that Faith maketh Christ more precious to a soul then sense or any other thing can make him And first Faith maketh Christ more precious then sense because the estimation which the grace of Faith hath of Christ it is builded upon the excellency of his Person but the estimation of sense it is builded upon the excellency of his actings so that because he is such to them therefore they love and esteem him But that heroick grace of Faith it taketh up the excellency of Christs person and that maketh him precious to them Secondly Faith makes Christ more precious then sense because sense looketh to that love which Christ manifesteth in his face and in his hands and in his feet But Faith looketh to that love which is in his heart Sence will cry forth Who is like to thee whose countinance is like Lebanon excellent as the cedar whose hands are as gold rings set with beril and whose legs are like pillars of marble set in sockets of gold Sense will look to the smilings of Christ and will wonder it will look to his dispensations and actings and will be constrained to cry out Who is like unto thee But the grace of Faith solaceth it self in the fountain from whence all these springs and sweet inundations of love do flow Thirdly Faith maketh Christ more precious then sense because Faith looketh not only to what Christ is presently but unto what Christ is from eternity before time and what Christ shall be unto eternity after time but sense only doth look to what Christ is presently And ye must conceive that the sweet travelling of Faith betwixt infinite love from eternity before
and infinite love unto eternity after must make Faith to fall in a sea of wondering raiseth the thoughts to the highest pitch of desire and estimation Fourthly we may likewise add that the impression of the preciousness of Christ which sense maketh upon the soul is not so constant nor so single as that which Faith doth make O but the grace of Faith giveth the Christian a broad look of Christ and letteth him see Christ cloathed with ornaments of glory and divine Majesty Sense followeth Christ rather that it may see his miracles and love that it may be fed with loaves but Faith follows Christ for himself above all II. The second consideration to speak the advantage of it is that the grace of Faith it hath as it were an arbitrary power with God so that whatsoever a Christian shall seek in Faith he shall receive it It was the noble gift that was once given to Faith that it never should seek any thing and be denied according to that word in Matt. 21.22 And all things whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer believing ye shall receive it And that word in John 15.7 Abide in me that is believe and the promise is annexed to this Whatsoever ye shall ask ye shall receive And it is clear likewise from the preceeding verse to our Text that if we obey this command of Faith Whatsoever we shal ask of God we shal receive it And I would speak these two things to you from this First that oftentimes Christ putteth a blank in a Christians hand who is much in the exercise of Faith according to that in Matth 20.32 Is there not an ample blank put into that mans hand What wilt thou that I should do unto thee Christ desireth him to fill up the blank with what he would And secondly there is this which is one of the greatest steps of Christs matchless condescendency that oftentimes when his own have sought in their presumption a blank to be put in their hand Christ condescendeth to give it according to that strange passage in Mark 10.35.36 the two Disciples who present this desire to Christ We desire say they that whatsoever we ask thou shouldest give it unto us And presently that is answered What will ye that I shal do for you Christ hath an infinit good will to satisfie the desires of his own and that which yet more speaketh out Christs boundless good will to satisfie the desires of all that belong to him it may be decared in that word John 16.24 where he chargeth his Disciples with this Hither to saith he have ye asked me nothing ye must not suppose that Peter James and John never sought a suite of Christâ— but the meaning of that expression is this Ye sought nothing in comparison of that which I was willing to give and which your necessity did call for at my hands which ye should have sought III. There is this third consideration to poinâ— out the advantage of Faith it is that grace thaâ— keepeth all the graces of the Spirit in life exercise Faith is that higher wheel at the motion oâ— which all the lower wheels do move if so we may speak Faith is that Primum mobile that first moves and turns about all these lower graces of the Spirit according to that 2 Pet. 1.5 Add to your faith vertue and to your vertue patience and to your patience brotherly kindness First the grace of Faith keepeth in exrcise the grace of love as is clear Eph. 3.17 where these two graces are conjoined As likewise from Rom. 5.1 compared with verse 5. Being justified by faith Then this leffect followeth upon it the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts And so it is certain that Faith keepeth love in life Faith being the spy of the soul and that intelligencer and precious messenger it goeth out and bringeth in objects unto love Faith draweth and bringeth in objects unto love Faith draweth aside the vail and love sitteth down and solaceth it self in the discoveries of Faith Secondly the grace of Faith likewise it keepeth the grace of mortification in exercise as is clear not only from Eph. 6.9 but from 1 John 5.4 This is our victory whereby we overcome the world even our faith And it is certain that Faith keepeth mortification in exercise and advanceth holiness not only because of this that Faith is that grace that presenteth to a Christian the absolute purity and spotless holiness of Jesus Christ but also because it maketh them esteem their idols taste less as the white of an egg and they become unto them as their sorrowful meat The best principle of mortification is this the discoveries of the invisible vertues of Jesus Christ that mortification which ariseth from the lovely discoveries of the excellency of Jesus Christ is most real and abiding as those waters which rise from the highest springs are not only constant but likewise most deep and excellent Thirdly Faith likewise hath influence upon mortification as it doth take hold of that infinite strength that is in Christ by which a Christian is inabled to mortifie his coruptions Fourthly Faith likewise maketh application of the blood of sprinkling by which we are purified from dead works Fifthly likewise the grace of Faith keepeth in exercise the grace of Humility as is clear Rom. 3.27 By what law saith he is boasting excluded It is not by the law of works but by the law of faith Sixthly Faith keepeth in exercise the grace of joy as is clear Rom. 15.13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing So that ye see the proper fruit of Faith is joy in the holy Ghost And certainly did we believe more we should rejoice more Seventhly and lastly Faith keepeth in exercise the grace of Hope for it is impossible for hope to be in lively exercises except Faith once be exercised which may be a shame unto you for how can we hope to attain the thing that is promised except our Faith first close with the promise So there is this difference betwixt the grace of Faith and the grace of Hope the grace of Faith closeth with the promises but the grace of Hope it closeâ— with the thing that is promised IV. There is this fourth consideration thâ—… may speak out the excellency of the grace 〈◊〉 Faith It is that grace by which a Christian doth attain to most divine fellowship and constant correspondency with heaven Would yâ— have that question resolved and determined What is the best way not to stir up our Beloved nor awake him until he please It is this be much in the grace of Faith this is clear from Ephes 3.17 That Christ may dwel in our hearts by faith By the exercise of all other graces Christ is buâ— a sojourner that turneth aside to tarry but for 〈◊〉 night but by the exercise of this grace he cometh to take up house with us I will tell you what Faith is it is a
betwixt Christ and the believer Faith being indeed an uniting grace and that which knitteth the members to the head and to make this more fully appear we would point out a little what a sweet harmony and correspondency there is betwixt these two sister-graces to wit Faith and Love Faith is that nail which fasteneth the soul to Christ and Love is that grace which driveth that nail to the head Faith at first taketh but a tender grip of Christ and then love cometh in and maketh the soul take a more sure grip of him Secondly ye may see their harmony in this Faith is that grace which taketh hold as it were of the garment of Christ and of his words but Love that ambitious grace it taketh hold of the heart of Christ and as it were his heart doth melt in the hand of Love Thirdly it may be seen in this Faith is that grace which draweth the first draught of the likeness and Image of Christ upon a soul but that accomplishing grace of Love it doth compleat these first draughts and these imperfect lineaments of Christs Image which were first drawn on the soul Fourthly by Faith and love the heart of Christ and of the believer are so united that they are no more two but one Spirit 2. There is this second act that Faith exerciseth on Christ and it is in discovering the matchless excellencies and the transcendent properties of Jesus Christ O what large and precious coÌ„mentaries doth Faith make upon Christ it is indeed that faithful spy which doth alwayes bring up a good report of him Hence it is that Faith is called understanding Coloss 2.2 because it is that grace which revealeth much of the precious truth of that noble object 3. And there is this third noble act of Faith exercising it self upon Christ viz. It maketh Christ precious to the soul according to that word 1. Pet. 2.7 unto you which believe he is pretious And if there were no other thing to speak forth its worth but that it is more then sufficient for no doubt this is the exercise of the higher House to be dwelling on the contemplation of Christs beauty and to have their souls transported with love towards him and with joy in him Reason and amazement are seldom companions but here they do sweetly join together First a Christian loveth Christ because of Christs actings and then he loveth all these actings because they come from Christ 2. Now secondly this pointeth out the precious excellency of the grace of Faith it is that grace which is most my sterious and sublime in its actings it hath a more divine and sublime way of acting then any other grace hence it is called The Mystery of Faith which speaketh this that the actings of Faith are mysteries to the most part of the world and I shall only point at these things which may speak out the mysterious actings of the grace of Faith 1. Faith can believe and fix it self on a word of promise although sense reason and probability seem to contradict the accomplishment of that promise Faith it walketh not by the low dictates of sense and reason but by a higher rule to wit The sure word of prophecy which is clear from Rom. 4.19 where Abraham believed the promise notwithstanding that sense and reason seemed to contradict it He considered not the deadness of his own body neither the barrenness of Sarahs womb but was strong in faith giving glory to God And it is cleâ—… from Heb. 11.29.30 where Faith believed their passing through the Red sea upon dry ground which was most contrary to sense and reason Faith be lieved the falling down of the walls of Jericho bâ— the blowing of rams horns which things are most impossible to sense and reason for sense will of tentimes cry out All men are liars and reasoâ— will say How can such a thing be and yet that he roick grace of Faith cryeth out Hath he spokeâ— it He will also do it Hath he said it Then 〈◊〉 shal come to pass 2. Faith can believe a word of promise notwithstanding that the dispensations of God seem to contradict it as was clear in Job who professed he would trust in God though he should kiâ—… him And no doubt but this was the practice oâ— believing Jacob he trusted that that promise should be accomplished that the elder should serve the younger though all the dispensations of Goâ— which he did meet with seemed to say that promise should not be accomplished 3. Faith can believe a word of promise even when the commands of God seem to contradicâ— the accomplishment of that promise this is cleaâ— in that singular instance of Abrahams Faith that notwithstanding he was commanded to kill his promised seed upon whom did depend the accomplishment of the promises yet he believed that the promises should be performed And though there were indeed extrordinary and strange tryâ—ls of his Faith as he had natural affections to wrestle with yet over the belly of all these believing Abraham he giveth Faith to the promise and bringeth his son Isaac to the Altar though he did receive him back again this is clear from Heb. 11.17.18.19 4. Faith can exercise it self upon the promise notwithstanding that callenges and convictions of unworthinesse and guilt do wait on the Christian this is clear 2 Sam. 23.5 that although his house was not so with God as did become yet he believed the promise as likewise it is clear from Psal 65.3 Iniquities prevail against me and yet that doth not interrupt his faith but he saith As for our transgressions thou shalt purge them away And certainly it were a noble and precious act of Faith to believe notwithstanding of unanswerable challenges of guilt the best way both to crucifie our Idols and to answer those challenges is believing and hoping against hope and closing with Christ this is clear from Isa 64.6.7 compared with ver 8. where after strange challenges the Prophet hath a strange word but now O Lord thou art our Father There is an Emphasis in the word now for all this yet thou art now our Father 5. And lastly this pointeth out the mysterious acting of the grace of Faith that it exerciseth it self upon an invisible object even upon Christ not yet seen according to that word 1 Pet. 5.8 Whom having not seen yet ye love in whom though now ye see him not yet believing 〈◊〉 I pose the greater part of you who are here whâ—ther or not these be two of the greatest paradoâ—… and mysteries unto you For is not this a mâ—stery to love him whom we never saw Whom having not seen yet ye love To love an absent aâ—… unseen Christ is a mystery to the most part of thâ— world and is not this a mystery to believe on his whom we never saw In whom though ye see hiâ— not yet believing And I shal add this that Faiâ—… can hold fast its interest with God notwithstanding the most
world without end And fifthly there is this difference less will satisfie the grace of Faith and the grace of Hope then will satisfie the grace of Love Faith it will be content with the promise and Hope will be content with the thing that is promised but that ambitious grace of Love it will be only content with the Promiser Love claspeth its arms about that precious and noble object Jesus Christ Love is a suspicious grace it oftentimes cryeth forth They have taken away my Lord and I know not where they have laid him So that Faith is oftentimes put to resolve suspicions of Love I can compare these three graces to nothing so fitly as to those three great worthies that David had These three graces they will break thorow all difficulties were it an host of Philistins that so they may pleasure Christ and may drink of the well of Bethlehem that well of everlasting consolation that floweth from beneath the throne of God Love is like Noahs dove it never findeth rest for the sole of its foot until once it be within that Ark that place of repose Jesus Christ And sixthly there is this last difference between them Faith taketh hold upon the faithfulness of Christ Hope taketh hold upon the goodness of Christ but Love it taketh hold upon the heart of Christ And think ye not it must be a pleasant and soul-refreshing exercise to be continually taken up in embracing him that is that eternal admiration of Angels Must it not be an excellent life dayly to be feeding upon the finest of the wheat and to be satisfied with honey out of the rock O but heaven must be a pleasant place And if once we would but taste of the first ripe grapes and a cluster of wine that groweth in that pleasant land might we not be constrained to bring up a good report of it But now to come to that which I purpose mainly to speak of at this time The last thing concerning Faith that we proposed from the words was the object upon which Faith exerciseth it self which is here set down to be the Name of his Son Jesus Christ And that we may speak to this more clearly we shal first speak a litle to the negative what things are not the fit object of Faith And then to the positive showing how this Name of God and of his Son Christ is that sure ground upon which a Christian may pitch his faith For the first ye must know that a Christian is not to build his faith upon sense nor sensible enjoyments Sense may be an evidence of Faith but it must not be the foundation of Faith I know there are some that ofttimes cry out Except I put my fingers into the print of the nails and thrust my hand into the hole of his side I will not believe And indeed it is a mystery unto the most part of us to be exercising Faith upon a naked word of promise abstracted from sense to love an absent Christ and to believe on an absent Christ are the two great mysteries of Christianity But that sense is no good foundation for Faith may appear 1. That Faith which is builded upon fense is a most unconstant a most fluctuating and transient Faith I know sense hath its fits of love and as it were hath its fits of faith Sometimes sense is sick of love and sometimes sense is strong in faith but ere six hours go about sense may be sick of jealousie and sick of misbelife as ye will see from Psal 30.6.7 Sense that bold thing it will instantly cry out My mountain standeth strong I shal never be moved but behold how soon it changeth its note Thou hidest thy face and I was troubled At one time it will cry forth Who is like unto him that pardoneth iniquity and that passeth over transgressions But ere many hours go about it will sing a long upon another key and cry out Why art thou become unto me as a liar and as waters that fail 2. That Faith which is built upon sense it wanteth the promise of blessedness for this is annexed to believing that is founded upon the word according to that in John 20.29 Blessed are those that have not seen and yet have believed Nor hath that Faith that is built upon sense such a solide joy waiting on it as Faith that is built upon the naked word of promise as may be cleared from that word 1. Pet. 1.8 where Faith exercising it self upon Christ not seen maketh a Christian to rejoice with joy unspeakeable and full of glory 〈◊〉 joy that doth not attend believing founded upon sense 3. That Faith that is built upon sense 〈◊〉 giveth not much glory to God for Faith that is built upon sense it exalteth not the faithfulness of God it exalteth not the Omnipotency of God I will tell you what is the divinity of sense Let me see and then I will believe but it knoweth not what it is to believe upon trust and because the Lord hath spoken in his Holiness And in effect Faith that is built upon sense is no faith even as Rom 8. Hope that is seen is no hope and therefore when the Lord seeth a Christian making sense an Idol that he will not believe but when he seeth or feeleth this doth often provoke the Majesty of the Lord to withdraw himself from that Christian and to deny him the sweet influences of Heaven and those consolations that are above so that in an instant he hath both his sense and his faith to seek 2. A Christian is not to make his graces the object of his Faith that is when a Christian doth behold love burning within him when he doth be hold influences to prayer increasing and mortification waxing strong he is not to build his faith upon them this was condemned in the Church Ezek. 16.14 compared with the 15. verse I made thee perfect with my comliness but the use that thou didst make of it thou didst put thy trust in thy beauty and then thou didst play the harlot It is certain that grace when it is the object of our Faith it doth provoke God to blast the lively exercise thereof and to make a Christian oft times have that complaint Wo to me my leanness my leanness testifieth to my face I will tell you three great mysteries in Christianity about grace The first is to ride marches between these two not to deny what they have and yet to be denyed to what they have Many times there is grace-denying and not self-denying but this is that we would press upon you to be denyed to grace according to that which is recorded of Moses His face did shine and he knew it not He did misken it as it were and was not at all puffed up with it for so the words we conceive may run Secondly it is a great difficulty for a Christian to be denyed to his self-denyal to be humble in his being humble for if pride
for that end that it might be communicated unto all his members and so out of his fulness we shal receive and grace for grace But secondly the Text holdeth more partâ—cularly this excellent object of Faith to be tâ—… Name of his Son That ye believe in the Name 〈◊〉 his Son And here indeed we may be at a stand It is long since Agar did non plus all the woâ—… with that question What is his Name and whâ—… is his Sons Name if thou canst tell O how little a thing can be known of him And O how brutish is this generation that knoweth so much lesse then might be known of him in such a day of the Gospel But that we may speak a little according to our weak measure of Faith as closing with the Name of Christ His Name is his glorious attributes by which he revealeth so much of himself in the Scriptures as poor mortals can take up We did show you before that there was three of these that were the main pillars 〈◊〉 justifying Faith Faithfulness Omnipotency aâ—… his infinite Love and Mercy And how from theâ—… may be answered all the objections of sense oâ— carnal reason and of misbelief arising from convictions of unworthiness And certain it is thaâ— faith in all its conflicts maketh much use of thâ— Names of Christ And there is not an object thaâ— a poor tempted soul can make but faith can framâ— an answer to it out of some of these excelleâ—… Names of God or of his Son Christ It woulâ— be a more long-some work than I intend to leâ— you see this in all But I shall only instance thaâ— in One glorious Name of God by which he proclaimeth his glory Exod. 34. The Lord the Lord God merciful and gracious long-suffering and abundant in goodness and truth keeping mercy for â—…usands forgiving iniquity transgression and 〈◊〉 and that will by no means clear the guilty c. think there are seven ordinary objections which â—ay be answered from that place First it is an â—dinary objection which misbelievers do make â—hat they are under the strength of their corrupâ—ion that they are black as the Tents of Kedar and not beautiful as the Curtains of Solomon And doth not the first letter of that Name anâ—ner this that he is a merciful Lord the one imâ—orting his ability to save and to bring down every high imagination The other importing is infinite delight to help those that have no rength and are under the power of their adverâ—ries the power of God being of no larger exâ—nt then this love There is that second obâ—ection of misbelief that we have nothing to comâ—end us to Christ but all that we have to boast of are infirmities and imperfections and this â—s abundantly answered from that second letter 〈◊〉 his name that he is Gracious which imporâ—…th the freedom of the dispensations of his love â—hat he walketh not with us according to that â—…le of merit but according to that golden and exâ—ellent rule of love It is a great dispute whether Mercy or Grace be the greatest wonder whether â—he love of Christ or the freedom of it be the â—reatest mystery sure both these put together â—ake up a matchless wonder Thirdly misbelief will object that we have forsaken him dayes without number and that we cannot trace bâ—… our apostacy unto the first day of its rise and not that abundantly answered from that letter 〈◊〉 his Name that he is long-suffering This beâ—… that glorious attribute in God the glory of whâ—… he defireth to magnifie above all his Name Fourthly misbelief doth ordinarily propose this objection that we have multiplied our transgression and have committed whoordome under every grâ—… tree and have given gifts to our lovers even â—…ring our idols so that we may take up that 〈◊〉 mentation Is not our sin great and our transgresion infinite And is not this also answered 〈◊〉 that letter of his Name that he is abundant goodness That though sin abound in us yâ— grace doth much more superabound in him Wâ— confess indeed that there are some that may wâ—… under that condition that if they had no othâ—… exercise throughout eternity but to make confession they might confess and never maâ—… any needless repetition And truly in some 〈◊〉 spect it is a mercy that we are mysteries unto 〈◊〉 selves for if we did know compleatly the sevâ— abominations of our hearts and these mysteriâ—… actings of the body of death we would be in 〈◊〉 zard to choose strangling and death rather 〈◊〉 life Yet may not one glimpse of that abundaâ— goodness satisfie us and calm the storm Fiftâ—ty saith misbelief we know that we have brokâ— our vowes and covenants with God and that 〈◊〉 these things that we have taken on have beâ—… but as flax before the fire of temptation so tâ—… â—e have no hope that he will have mercy upon â—hose that have broken wedlock and have not seen stedfast in his covenant But is not that â—undantly answered from that letter of his Name That he is abundant in truth which speaâ—eth that That though we deny our selves yet he abideth faithful and doth not alter the words that hath gone out of his mouth It is the infiniâ—e blessedness of man that though he be changeable yet they have to do with one that is an unchangeable being Sixthly there is that objection That notwithstanding all these things are matters of encouragement to some yet they know â—ot whether or not the lot of everlasting love hath fallen upon them and whether their names â—e in the ancient records of heaven But this is answered from that letter of his Name He keeâ—eth mercy for thousands which showeth us that great number of those upon whom the lot of everâ—asting love shal fall And if there were no other â—entence in all the Scripture this might be a sufâ—icient matter of a song and might make us cry â—ut Who is like unto him whose compassions have â—o end And who desires to magnifie his mercy â—…ove all his works And lastly misbelief maketh his objection They have sinned not only against â—ight not only against vows not only after much â—njoyment of God but even after the application 〈◊〉 threatnings so that they conceive that their â—aker will not have mercy upon such Yet this is â—ally answered likewise from that letter of his Name He forgiveth transgression iniquity and sin which three words do abundantly speak forth that there is no transgression which he will noâ— pardon there being but one particular amongâ—… all that innumerable number of sins which loâ—geth in the heart of fallen men that he declared unpardonable and there is none of our disease 〈◊〉 that is above the infinite art of love and concerning which we can take up that complaint There is no balm in Gilead and there is no I hysician there And though providence may muster up many impossibilities yet let Faith take the promise in the one hand and impossibilities in the
other and desire God to reconcile them That if we cannot see any connexion between providence and the word yet may we reflect upon the Omnipotency of God that can make things that are seeming contrary sweetly agree together the Commentary will never destroy the Text noâ— providence will never destroy the faithfulness of God And let me give you this advice that those objections of misbelief which you cannot answer and in a manner putteth you to a non plus and when ye have looked over all the Names of God ye cannot find an answer to them slight them and cover them as we have often told you wâ— the practice of believing Abraham Rom. 4.19 where that strong objection of misbelief appearing before his eyes the deadness of his body aâ— the barrenness of Sarahs womb it is recorded 〈◊〉 him he confidered not these things as it were 〈◊〉 had a divine transition from the objections 〈◊〉 misbelief to the acting of faith and this is cleâ—… from Matth. 15.25.26 where that strong objection of misbelief being proposed against that woman that she was not within the compass of Christs commission she hath a noble way of answering with this Lord have mercy upon me And if so we may speak Faith hath a kind of divine impertinency in answering the objections of misbelief or rather a holy slighting of them that gaineth the victory when cavelling with temptations will not do it The like also may be instanced in his Sons Name O how glorious titles are given to that Prince of the Kings of the earth and to that Plant of renown upon which the weakest faith may cast anchor and ride out the greatest storm I shal not detain you long on this subject but this we would have you know that there is no straint or difficulty that a Christian can be exposed unto but there is some name or attribute of Christ that may sweetly answer that difficulty and make up that disadvantage Is a Christian exposed unto afflictions and troubles in a present world let him comfort himself in this that Christ is the shadow of a great rock in a wearied land Is a Christian under inward anxiety and vexation of mind let him comfort himself in this that Christ is the God of peace and of all consolation Is a Christian under darkness and confusion of spirit let him comfort himself in this that Christ is the Father of lights and is the eternal wisdom of God Is a Christian under the convictions of this that he is under the power and dominion of his lusts let him comfort himself in this that Christ is redemption yea that I stay no longer if it were possible that a Christian could have a necessity that he could not find a Name in Christ to answer it he may lawfully frame a Name to Christ out of any promise in all the book of God and he should find it forth-coming for the relieving and making up of that necessity God would not disappoint his expectation There is yet one thing further in reference to the object of Faith which we shal desire you to take notice of and it is the way of Faiths closing with its noble object and its resting on him and this we conceive may be excellently taken up by our considering of the many several Names that Faith getteth in Scripture beyond any other of the graces of the Spirit It is called looking Isai 45.22 Looking unto me It is called abiding in Christ John 15.4 Abide in me It is called a keeping silence unto God Psal 37.7 My soul trust in God or as the word is in the original My soul be silent unto God and that in Psal 62.1 My soul waiteth or as the word is Truly my soul is silent unto God Likewise Faith is called a leaning Psal 7.15 I have leaned upon thee from my mothers womb Faith it is called an eating of Christs flesh John 6.53 Faith it is called a casting of our burden upon God Psal 55.22 Cast your burden upon God And Faith it is called a coming unto God Matth. 11.28 And according to these different names there are seven noble properties and matchless differences of this grace of Faith The first is that this is the grace by which a Christian doth enjoy much communion with God hence it is called a looking which importeth that Faith is a continual contemplation of the immortal soul upon that precious and excellent object Jesus Christ There is that second property of Faith that it is that grace by which a communion with God is maintained hence it is called an abiding in God It is that grace which maketh Christ and the believer to dwel together The third property of Faith is that it is a most submissive grace hence it is called a keeping silence unto God Faith as it were knoweth not what it is to repine It is the noble excellency of Faith it never knew what it was to misconstruct Christ It is the noble excellency of Faith it never knew what it was to pass an evil report upon Christ Faith it will promise good things to a Christian in the darkest night for when Love asketh Faith that question Isai 21.11.12 Watch-men what of the night Watch-men what of the night Or when shal the morning break Faith answereth it with the words that follow only a little inverting the order The night cometh and also the morning The morning is approaching that admitteth of no following night There is that fourth property of Faith it is the grace that keepeth a Christian in perseverance by its building upon the Rock hence it is called a leaning upon God for a Christian by faith doth perpetually join himself to Christ so that whatever trouble he be cast into by Faith he cometh up out of that wilderness leaning upon his Beloved and by Faith he is led up to the Rock that is higher then he where he may sit in saftey and even laugh at death and destruction when assailing him There is that fifth property of Faith that it is the grace that bringeth satisfaction to the spiritual senses of a Christian by a close and particular application of Christ as the nowrishment of the soul hence it is called an eating of the flesh of Christ There are three senses that Faith satisfieth Faith satisfreth the sense of sight it satisfieth the sense of taste and it satisfieth the sense of touch Faith will make a Christian handle that eternal Word of life Faith will make a Christian see that noble plant of renown and Faith will make a Christian taste and see how gracious the Lord is And no doubt those that have once satisfied their sight they will be longing to satisfie their taste There is that sixth property of Faith it is that grace which giveth rest unto a Christian hence it is called a casting of our burden upon him It is as it were the soul giving unto Christ that unsupportable yoke of our iniquities and taking from Christ that easie