understood of the Catholique Church or any part of it as if the Catholique Church or any members thereof could dye for there is no true believer that believes in Christ by a true and a lively faith can possibly perish or be destroyed for evermore John 3. 16. this Church is a Church that Christ hath undertaken for to defend unto the end Mat. 16. 18. lo I am with you to the end of the world Mat. 28. 20. So that this Catholique Church of Christ in all the members of it it is a safe Church and though all particular Churches should fail yet shall not one member of this Catholique Church the Church is the first born whose names are written in Heaven Heb. 12. 2â— 23. and if this Church cannot be in one Town it will be in another if it cannot be in one Kingdom it will be among another people the woman in the Revelation hath the Wilderness to flye unto in the most desperate times God prepares a place for her in one corner or other it is impossible that the Catholique Church should dye in any members or branches of it God will have some to know his name and if it cannot have particular meetings and congregations God will have it subsist in some particulars but a particular Church a local Church as it is taken for a company of people in such a place any such Church may fail and dye and come to nothing you see it here in the Church of Sardis at this time it had only a name to live but was dead and what did remain they were but the last throws as it were they did go out at last they were ready to dye Now that any particular Church in the whole world may dye and cease to be a Church may be proved out of many places of Scripture Christ speaking of the Jews that had as great priviledges as any people upon the earth he tells them that they might not only cease to be a Church but should cease to be a Church as you may see Mat. 21. 43. The Kingdom of God shall be taken from you c. here he tells them that he will quite and clean depart from them and take away all signs and marks of a true Church of God from among them so the Apostle speaks of the Church of Corinth he tells them they may come to be no Church and that he doth greatly fear that such an evil shall come upon them 2 Cor. 11. 3. he doth not speak to the particular persons that were truly converted for they were members of the Catholique Church but he speaks to the particular Church of Corinth they did warp and decline though many particular members should be preserved yet he supposeth that particular Church might fail so he tells the Galatians that he did much fear them you observe dayes and years I am afraid lest I have bestowed my labour in vain so likewise he gives the Church of Rome to understand though it were an excellent Church at that time for he saith their faith was spoken of abroad and they were beloved of God yet he tells them they have need to take heed that they do not lose their Crown that they do not suffer Satan or the world or any other means to draw them away from their profession as goodly a Church as themselves had come to warpe and decline and come to nothing Rom. 11. 20 21 22. As who should say Thou hast no priviledge of immortality of being an immortal Church that thou shouldst ever be a Church that Gods Gospel and Ordinances and his name should ever be within thy dwellings you have no such prerogative take heed therefore you walk worthy the Gospel take heed you grow not high-minded and secure it may be your case as well as any other so the Church of Israel the Ten Tribes they were a Church but in the end they came to be no Church they provoked God to give them over Hos 1. 9. it is a parabolical kind of speech that the Prophet should marry an whore and have a son and call his name c. and that was one degree of removing and the second should be called c. which was the utter renouncing of his people Now there are four several marks and notes infallible of a true Church 4. Notes of a true Church and there is no particular Church but had them once and may lose them every one The first is the sincere preaching of the Gospel is an infallible and inseparable mark of a true Church of God wheresoever there is the true 1. Sincere preaching the Gospel Church in any Parish or Kingdom there must be a sincere Preaching of the Word of God therefore a Church is described by the Preaching of the Word and Oracles of God Rom. 3. 2. that is they were a Church of God the Oracles of God were among them and were to be heard opened and declared among them so Psal 147. 19. He sheweth his word unto Jacob and his statutes unto Israel that is he makes it a Church he explains his word and makes it known there so Acts 14. 23. it is said that Paul and Barnabas went up and down and ordained Elders in every Church if there were a Church there must be Elders in it there must be Elders Pastors and Ministers that may not only preach the Word but open it aright for the Scripture may be in an Antichristian Church but if they in their preaching make the Scriptures doctrines of Divels and expound them in that fashion they are no Church but the Elders must speak the word of God as the word of God at least in the fundamentals now there is no Parish or Kingdom can be said to be a Church of God that have not true Ministers able to preach the word of God soundly to teach the Doctrine of faith and repentance so as people may believe and turn from their sins to God and this is a grand mark of all other where the voice of Christ sounds it is a sign he hath a Church there now I say this sincere preaching of the word of God it is not tied to any place there is no place but may be deprived of it if they do not walk worthy of it it is free and hath all the whole wide world before it the Lord hath not limited his Gospel to any Town or Kingdom he may send it where he please and continue it as long as he list and may remove it when he thinks fit therefore when the Corinths were something sawcy and impudent and bore themselves upon this that they had the word and Gospel of Christ 1 Cor. 14. 36. saith the Apostle What came the word of God out from you c. As who should say be humble down with your pride receive instruction as the word of God is come to you so you are not the only men in the world that the word can come to the word may be taken from
in the sight of men for that is nothing but perfect in the sight of God before God Fourthly That the Lord Jesus searcheth whither they be so or no. Fifthly Upon due search he finds it out many times not onely in particular persons but in particular Churches as we see here in the Church of Sardis that their works are not so For the first of these That the second Covenant requires works we see Observat 1. The second Covenant requires works here that the Lord Jesus looks for works in the Church of Sardis that were in covenant with him 't is true there is this difference between the two Covenants the first covenant requires works as the condition of it He that doth them shall live in them Gal. 3. 12. The doers of the Law shall be blessed Rom. 2. 13. Therefore it is called the covenant of works and that in two senses First In that works are the condition of it Secondly In that it is left unto man God gives onely a power not to sin if so be that man will but he doth not give the will Now the second covenant is not a covenant of works the condition of it is not works but the condition of it is faith The just shall live by faith Rom. 1. 17. Therefore it is called a covenant of grace and that in two respects opposite to the former not onely in regard that these works are done by another and so nothing is required of the party justified but onely faith for his justification but also because though the covenant of grace require works yet God doth not expect a man should doe any thing of himself but it is by grace we are saved by grace through faith and not of our selves it is the gift of God I say the second covenant is a covenant of grace and yet it requires works And works are here necessary First by necessity of presence for though faith be the condition yet it is such a faith as hath necessarily good works together present with it as the Apostle speaks Faith if it have not works is dead Jam. 2. 17. Good works they are inseparably joyned together with true faith for as the body without the spirit is dead so faith without works is dead also not as though works were the essential forme of true faith but the nature of faith if it be true is such as doth necessarily cause good works to accompany with it They are necessary by necessity of inseparable effects good works are not onely present together with faith but they are so present as that they doe flow from faith God hath required such a faith in the covenant of grace as doth produce good works they are not onely inseparable from faith but thus inseparable that true faith must needs produce them He that hath this hope purifies himselfe as he is pure 1 John 3. 3. That is He that hath this faith he sets down faith by the effect hope and sets it down by another effect it must needs purifie it makes that man purifie himself as Christ is pure So Christ having exhorted them to believe having raised up their minds to believe the things that are above Lay up your treasure in Heaven Mat. 6. 20. in the next verse he shews this will have the effect of all manner of good works For where your treasure is there will your hearts be also it will draw up your hearts and make you heavenly-minded and make you seek the things that are above where your treasure is there will your hearts be also So likewise we may see Heb. 11. thorow the whole chapter what abundance of effects are set down of true saving faith By faith Abel offered sacrifice to God By faith Noah being warned of God obeyed God and did the things that God commanded verse 7. And so by faith Abraham when he was called yielded to God So by faith believers wrought righteousness and did wonderfull things subdued Kingdomes c. They were able to work wonderful effects so that when a man hath not works when he doth not obey God through the power of faith he hath not faith it self Thirdly Good works are necessary by necessity of signs they are not only to be in a Believer as effects but as proofs of his faith â—or a man must justifie his faith by his works they are signes and proofs whereby he may know whether his faith be true and of the right stamp oâ— no for if a mans faith be a lively faith a faith that doth justifie though in the act of justiâ—ication it be alone yet in existency it is not alone but it hath good â—orks together with it as signs and marks of the same as 1 John 1. 6. If we say we have fellowship with him and walk in darkness we lye and 〈◊〉 not the truth Hereby we may know that we are deceived we may think we have saith and so fellowship together with him yet if we walk in darknesse we may know we lye for this could not be if we had fellowship with God So 1 John 2. 4. He that saâ— I know him and keepeth not his commandements is a lyar If a man should once think that he knows God with the knowledge of faith and yet keeps not the commandements of God by this very thing he may know that he is a lyar Hereby shall all men know ye are my discâ—ples if ye love me 〈◊〉 or saith Christ and as it is a sign to others so it is a sign to a mans own self Herâ—by we know that we are passed from death to life it we loveth Brethren He sets down one good work in stead of all other if we bring forth the works of new obedience and if our hearts be purgâ—d of God iâ— we bring forth the fruits of holiness this is a signe we have faith for faith makes a man to choose God for his God and raises a man up to see him to be the chiefest good of all and to see all happiness in him and a supply of all the good we need in him and so it makes a man to love God and by love to doe the works of God Fourthly Good works are necessary also by necessity of commandement not onely to be effects and signes of faith but they are also such things as are commanded of God God hath commanded good works that we should walk in all holiness of conversation to be holy as he is holy that we should be holy in our carriages and behaviour Tit. 3. 8. The same God that commands us to believe commands us to maintain good works as we may see there we sâ—e that Ministers are to urge people and maintaine it against all gainsayers that there is a necessity of good works and that the Lord will have us to go on in them for faith through the Object of it as it justifies is the promise of God in Christ for forgiveness of sins yet faith in it selfe looks upon the whole
should have it in the end though as yet he had it not and this stayed his soul to go on in all his wayes as David when he was cast down and had much ado to keep his hold and had no assurance at that time Why art thou cast down O my soul why art thou disquieted within me hope thou in God for I shall yet praise him who is the health of my countenance and my God Psal 42. 11. though he were cast down and dejected this was his stay I shall yet praise him c. he did verily believe he should rejoyce in his holy name and overcome those distresses and have the Lords mercy sealed to his soule and have his mouth filled with his praises Why art thou cast down O my soul I shall yet rejoyce in his holy name I shall yet shew forth his prayses I shall yet be able to apply his promises and be able to say he is my God and my Redeemer Againe the children of God that are effectually called though they doubt Faith contrary to doubting never so much yet their faith is of a contrary nature to their doubting and excludes doubting Mat. 21. If you believe and have faith and doubt not saith the text not as though faith cannot have doubtings stand with it but faith is of that nature as excludes and expells doubtings and fights against it as fire against water and such a man fights against doubtings as he would â—ight against temptations to murther adultery he knows that infidelity is the mother of all sinne and therefore faith fights against doubting and goeth to the throne of grace to be established Lastly Though a child of God doubt of his condition yet this is certaine that Christ is the power of God to that man though he know not whether he A child of God may doubt of his condition be effectually called by Christ yet Christ is the power of â—od to his soul as 1 Cor 1. 24. Vnto them which are called Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God He is powerful to his soul for the humbling awakening quickenning of him for strengthening of him against sinne for the making him hold out in the waies of God he is of power to him in all his ordinances in prayer in hearing the Word and in all his wayes But it is not so with others that question the effectual calling Christ is not the power of God to them Christ is of no effect to them he may be of some effect for enlightnings and stirrings and outward reformation but to bring them to goodness and holiness indeed and to hatred against sinne Christ is not the power of God to those persons but he is foolishness to them Now the next thing that I will shew you is a point that hath been a little touched but I will passe over what hath been spoken and will speak more at large of it I desire to speak more particularly and punctually of this same effectual calling And the first point we will take out of it is this that effectual calling is the Effectual calling is the first gathering of men unto Christ first gathering of men unto Christ the first making of men to come to Christ the first putting of a man into the estate of grace it is the very portall â—o religion the very entry into eternal life it is the first bringing of a man to pertake of the Lord Jesus Christ and to have fellowship with him so it is called in Scripture the gathering of the elect home Isa 56. 8. I will gather saith the Lord the out casts of Israel he prophesieth there of the effectual calling of the Gentiles and God saith here this is the first thing that I will do I will gather them to my people I will make them come home to the Lord Jesus Christâ— this is set forth unto us by our Saviour Christ in two principal parables one of the Net Mat. 13. 47 48. againe the Kingdom of Heaven is like unto a Nâ—t c. So that here speaking of the effectual calling of people this is said to be the first act of God in it namely the gathering of them for the Kingdom of heaven by the preaching of the Word and this net is the Gospel that is preached the sea is this world the fishes are men and the good and bad are elect and reprobate not as though the elect were good before they are effectually called but they are called good because of Gods designation and decree to make them good and he looks upon them as such as shall be good and such as he hath purposed to make good in his time Now the Gospel doth draw out of the world Gods elect by a general call it calls both elect and reprobate but effectual calling is the gathering of good fishes that in the end of the world shall be put into vessels by themselves so that effectual calling the first act of it is the gathering of men home to God the other parable is Luk. 15. 4 5. What man having lost an hundred sheep c. all the lost sheep of Israel and of Gods election that are in their lost estate as well as other people before God takes them in hand here you see the first act God doth towards them before which they were altogether lost and are now found againe is the fetching of them home the taking of them upon Christ his shoulders and bringing them home unto him I say effectual calling it is Gods first making of a man to come to Christ you may see it 1 Pet. 2. 4. To whom coming as to a living stone ye also are built up c. he alludes unto their first effectual calling when God did first deale with them he made them to come to him to be put into this building the children of God after that they are effectually called are said to be in this building but this first act of God is the putting of them into this building the bringing of them to be laid into this excellent edifice for there is no such building in the world is it a building whose foundation is Christ and all the Saints of God are built upon it it is the most admirable building in the world now effectual calling brings a man and layes him into this building before a man is effectually called he is as a stray sheep as a sheep scattered abroad and roaming and ranging up and down the waies of sin and of death whom the devil hath poâ—nded as a stray he is departed from God and is roaming up and down in the world he is in a lost estate till God come with this effectual calling and bring him home 1 Pet. 2. 25. For ye were as sheep going astray but are now returned to your shepheard that is ever since your effectual calling you are come home to God that was your returning time before you were as chickens subject to the kite till this â—hen
any one promise in the Bible to such a one as you that are so foul and filthy and cannot pray nor do any thing you see God casts you off where is any promise for you to hang upon Yes I can believe for all this because the Gospel is not tendered to sense and feeling and such and such things but to every one that would have Christ and I would have Christ and so much the more eager is my heart to have him the more I am troubled and cast down the more I would have Christ and grace here is my hold this is the thing the sure Word of Faith it is called the Word of Faith Rom. 10. 8. Now you know the Word of God is true whether a man believe or no and now when faith comes in it layes hold upon that general Word the thing is true so that if any man comes and believes though I never found it before I believed it yet now I may hang upon it and there is nothing in the world will put off Satan more then this he will say you have Christ how can you have him you are proud aye but I would be humbled you are dead 't is true but that is my grief and mourning I would be quickened and therefore would have Christ that I may be so and so here he hangs upon the general tender of Christ Thirdly because this is that same simple Scripture that is simply true in it 3. Because this is that which is true before all acts of man self before all acts in man a man cannot be effectually called by any truth but that which is true in it self before all acts in man now what truth can effectually call a man before any act of grace in man but only the general tenders of the Gospel these are the truths that are simply true in themselves Before any thing is done upon man it may be true that God hath elected me but it is not a Scripture truth before something be done in me the Scripture doth not say simply in it self that I am elected before some grace be put forth in me if I have grace put forth already in me then I may say that God did specially intend it to me and did elect me in Christ before all worlds but now these truths cannot call a man because before effectual calling nothing is done in a man therefore those truths that suppose any thing in a man cannot be calling truths the first truths that a man is effectually called unto a man hath no more to shew for it then any man else in the world therefore it must be meerly the truths of the Gospel in themselves what Christ did and so forth As for example these be the calling truths Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world Joh. 1. 29. God so loved the world that whosoever believeth in him shall not perish but have eternal life John 3. 16. and Mat. 18. 11. The Sonne of man came to save that which is lâ—st but these truths concerning this mans election that God doth love him and hear him and accept of him these are not Scripture truths in themselves but when a man is called then they come in now a man may see that he is elected and accepted of God but these truths can never effectually call a man because effectual calling is the first thing that is done in a man and this work â—inds nothing in a man more then in any other and therefore it must needs be a general tender Fourthly because this is only that which every man is bound to believe it is 4. This only thâ—t which every man is bouâ—d â—o beleeve that only which a man is called unto God when he doth effectually call his people doth call them to do nothing but that which is every mans duty to do he calls them to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ which is one mans duy as well as another as Christ when he went to preach every where up and down saith he Repent and believe the Gospel as who should say it is every one of your duties to repent and believe the Gospel it is the very same truth that believed saveth Gods people and not believed damneth the reprobates as Mark 16. 16. He that beleeves shall be saved and he that beleeves not shall be damned as who should say both is the same truth that is propounded to this man that is saved and that man that is damned therefore they must be the general truths of the Gospel particular truths do not bind every man to believe it is not every mans duty to believe that he is elected that he hath intended his Son Christ for him rather then any other God binds not every man to beleeve this but he binds every man to believe that God is the eternal good of a man and this is to be had by coming unto Christ when a man can believe this and cast himself upon it this is true and saving faith when this draws a man to God and pulls him out of his sins and this is the reason that the Apostle saith 1 John 3. 23. This is the Commandment of God that ye beleeve in his Son Jesus Christ so that you see this is clear that it is the general tender of the Gospel that cals Gods people home to God whatsoever a man be an old sinner a young sinner a grosse sinner be he what he will if his heart stoop that he would have Christ and all Christ he shall not perish but have everlasting life Obj. But you may say faith is onely of Gods Elect how then can Ministers tender such a proffer as this whereas Christ is only given to the Elect I answer it is true that the Elect when all comes to all they only get it yet it is seriously tendred to all we had never heard of Election and reprobation but only because of this because that when the Gospel is preached we see that some receive it and some receive it not now thus you come to see election and reprobation for when a man comes to receive the call we see that that man is elected because no man takes Christ but by grace every man would stand out and refuse Christ but when we see a man takes Christ then we see he is elected and when we see another man doth not take Christ we see then that man is left to himself and hath a wretched heart and reprobate minde and God lets him have it still as he will have his sins so God lets him have them still yet notwithstanding this is very true that Christ is propounded to all and this the reason why our Saviour Christ saith Mat. 20. 16. Many are called but few are chosen the meaning is many are called but few there are that do answer this call there The tender of â—he Gâ—spel must bâ— without â—estrâ—int to election 1 Oâ—herwise the â—ect would have no ground
casts himself upon this and this draws him to Christ and if he love God and labour to please him and obey him and throw away all whatsoever displeaseth him if this makes him heavenly minded and long after the knowledge of God and the revelation of it this deads his heart to worldly things and makes him spiritual if it be thus this is true and saving faith and not dead faith This is encouragement to those that are without How many are there Vse 3. For encouragement to all that are without among you that are yet in your sinnes and were never yet brought home to Christ Consider what an excellent invitation here for you the Gospel is sent to every Creature under Heaven as you may see Col. 1. 23. You may have Christ if you have a will you may have righteousnesse if you have a will to it you may have redemption if you have a wil to it you may be delivered from sin and Satan if you have a will to it you may have the favour of God if you have a will to it you may have Christ if you will have all Christ he will come to you and will receive you as you may see an excellent place for this 1 Cor. 6. 11. The Apostle there saith that drunkards and adulterers and covetous persons shall never inherit the Kingdome of God such were some of you but you are justified in the Name of Christ as who should say there is no limitation in the Gospel of God as none in the tender of it so none in the execution of it for all you were drunkards and prophane and covetous yet you have found mercy with God by entertaining of this this methinks should envite people and draw people to come to Christ whosoever hath a minde not to perish not to go in a hard heart not to be worldly and without God in the world here Christ doth envite them all to come Matthew 22. 9. Go into the high-wayes saith Christ and whomsoever you finde bid them to the Marriage God knows who we may finde here at Church to day may be some of you are drunkards some enemies to God some hardned in your lusts some relapsed and fallen back into your carnal courses after profession of Religion some mockers and despisers God knows whom we finde we are bid to go into the high-wayes and bid all we finde therefore in the Name of Christ let me speak to you come to Christ will you let your sinnes damne you rather then receive Christ to save you think of this and if you will but follow Christ in all his Ordinances He hath shewed thee O man what the Lord requires of thee that thou shouldest be humbled and see what a wretched creature thou art that thou shouldest see what is amisse in thy soule and use all courses to reforme thy selfe he hath shewed thee how he would have thee pray what company he would have thee keep what kinde of carriage he would have thee use he hath shewed thee O man what he hath required hast thou a heart now to come to Christ he can help thee to all this and though thou hast not power to do all this yet if thou hast but a heart to do it to walk aright and live aright and spend thy dayes well in this world Though thou canst do none of all these things if though hast but an heart to do them and dost beleeve that eternal life is in Christ and this draws thee to Christ if thou doest but beleeve that in him is acceptance with God and he can bring thee to God for pardon and peace and hope and glory if thou doest beleeve this and the faith of this doth draw thee to come unto God I tell thee all thy sinnes shall not damne thee never a one of thy sinnes shall rise up in judgement against thee whatsoever thy conscience whatsoever the devil hath against thee whatsoever feares terrours discouragements are upon thee they shall never withhold thee from eternal life do but come to Christ and lay hold upon him and here he offers himself unto thee thou art not excepted or excluded unlesse thou exclude thy selfe If thou beleeve not thou shalt be damned but whosoever beleeves shall not perish but have everlasting life Use 4. For terrour to the obstinate Vse 4. In the last place this is for use to those that are obstinate namely to be as hell fire and the flames of Tophet in their soules and consciences You have heard the tender of Christ that salvation is in Christ and none other What a miserable taking are you then in that will not have him if we should carry the Gospel up and down into any place would not every one make it welcome If we should carry it into Innes and Taverns and amongst the basest wretches in the Countrey would they not say we will have Christ a man would think so as God saith Matthew 21. 37. Certainly they will reverence my Sonne not as if God were deceived in his expectation but he speaks of the probability of the thing in all reason one would think if they may have eternal life and Gods good will and pleasure toward them that they may have acquittance from all damnation that they may be happy for ever certainly they will receive my Sonne gladly they will take him and receive him in all reason one would think it were so but we see it is otherwise they will not take up Christ and abandon their own courses they will be vaine they will be company keepers they will be worldly and will neglect the best things they will have their pleasures and they will have their fopperies and fooleries they will not have Christ there be many things in Christ that every man would have the very devils in hell would have it namely to be redeemed from hell to have some peace in their consciences but the Regiment of Christ the dominion of Christ to have all Christ this they will not this therefore is no comfort to stubborne sinners but hell and damnation is the portion of all that refuse him Ezechiel 34. 16. See what the Lord there saith I will destroy the fat and the strong and feed them with judgement you that have fat hearts and strong your hearts are strong and your consciences are strong and all our Sermons are not able to make you shake those that are fat and strong saith the Lord I will feed them with judgements none of the mercies and comforts of the Gospel belong to such And assure your selves if you care not for Christ Christ cares as little for you as the Prophet speaks Esay 49. 5. Though Israel be 〈◊〉 gathered I shall have glory in his eyes so though you be not called and brought home though you be not saved I shall have glory saith Christ I shall be known to all eternity to be a Saviour to be a Prince to be the glory of the world I shall be glorious
in heaven and in earth and in hell to all the world to all eternity Though Israel be not gathered if you be obstinate and will have your sinnes take them and perish with them I shall never â—e your absence in heaven therefore Christ is at a point if you will have him here he is if you will not assure your selves you shall die in your sinnes except you beleeve in him you shall die in your sins COL 1. 23. If ye continue in the faith grounded and setled and be not moved away from the hope of the Gospel which ye have heard and which was preached to every creature under heaven whereof I Paul am made a Minister WE have spoken of a Christians call by the general indifferent propounding of the Gospel to every creature without exception now the effectualnesse of this call lieth here that the Lord doth put in a little hope into the soul though the man be one of Gods chosen he doth not presently give him faith but doth open a little door of hope to the soul First the Lord brings his Law to a man and layeth him dead in Law utterly undone past all hope of recovery in himself he is a lost creature a miserable wretched creature having no hold to stay upon but a fearful looking for of vengeance he seeth nothing but wrath now when God hath a minde to call a man home at the hearing of the Gospel of peace the Lord lets in a little hope into the soul whereby he doth draw the soul to seek out unto him and makes it look out with hope of salvation the soul seeth now that there is mercy in Christ and grace in Christ and eternal life in Christ and he seeth this is generally and freely tendred to all that will have it and out of these two branches of general faith spirings this hope now thinks the soul I may have it as well as another the dole is free the mercy is free and why may not I be saved why may not I finde mercy and forgiveness and be ingraffed into the Lord Jesus Christ before this the soul was groaping for hope if it could have told where to have had it as Acts 2. 37. they were there groaping where to have it Men and brethren say they what shall we do they do not say there is nothing to be done there is no hope but what shall we do as who should say there is something to be done some course to be taken you that are Ministers of God is there no way whereby we may be pardoned whereby we may be saved whereby we may have a new heart and the favour of God and be delivered from the wrath to come but when the Gospel comes they see now a possibility and this breeds this hope so that this is the next point That when God doth effectually call a soul by his Gospel at the hearing Doct. The general tender of mercy workes some hope in the soul of this gracious tender of eternal life and grace in Jesus Christ the Lord doth let in a possibility of mercy and every grace into the soule and this doth help the soul with hope and this doth make the soul to trace God in all his wayes and he hath some encouragement that God will be found of him and that he may attaine salvation this the first thing the Lord pâ—ts in hope attaining of it the Lord deales with his people in this kinde as he dealt with his people in delivering them out of Babylon Zech. 9. 12. they were prisoners in Babylon now when God would deliver them out of Babylon he did first put in hope into their souls he made them prisoners of hope there was first a pouring of hope into their souls and then he opened the prison doors So the Lord makes his people prisoners of hope that though they be in the captivity of sinne and Satan yet they are prisoners of hope and the Lord gives some hope that the prison doores shall be opened and this we have here in the text for though the Apostle means here by hope the things hoped for yet we call it hope because as soone as ever they dawn in the soul they breed hope if they be the servants of God so that this Gospel breeds hope in a mans bosom Now here be five things I would shew unto you First what this hope is Secondly how iâ— agreeth with that hope that follows justifying faith Thirdly how it disagrees with it Fourthly the Reasons of the point And fifthly the Uses For the first what this hope is and it is an hope that ariseth out of the 1. What is this hope faith of possibility when the Lord lets in a possibility of faith and makes the soul believe that his sinnes may be forgiven and he may attaine everlasting life and he may come to be a Saint and one of Gods dear and faithful children he lets in such a possibility into the heart and this hope slows out of this faith of possibility and this faith of possibility is another-gesse thing then people take it for every drunkard will say he beleeves that it is possible to be saved and to finde mercy with God but you will finde it is a greater matter then so it is spoken as a great commendation of Abraham that he did beleeve that God was able to raise up his sonne Isaac Heb. 11. 19. so our Saviour Christ speaking to the blinde man asks him this question do you believe that I am able to do this for you Mat. 9. 23. it was a great matter for him to believe that he was able to do this for him Sarah though an excellent woman for faith otherwise yet she stuck mightily here and thought it was impossible for her to have a childe nay Moses as faithful a man as he was he could not believe that all the people could be fed in the wildernesse it is a greater matter then you think for for every sinful wretch thinks it is an easie matter to believe that Christ died for sinners and that they may be saved it is an easie matter for the faith of presumption but if a mans eyes be opened and his conscience awakened and he comes to have a sight of his sins now Cain will say his sinnes are greater then can be forgiven and Jâ—das is not able to flie unto Christ to believe a possibility of pardon but goes and hangs himself and despairs totally of the businesse this faith of possibility it comes within the compasse of a definition of faith it is the evidence of thiâ—gs not seen it is far above our nature and flesh blood cannot reveal it that there is salvation in Christ and that there is such a thing as a pardon to be had at Gods hands let a man have his understanding enlightned to see what a wretch he is and how fearfully he hath provoked Gods wrath against him and â—t is not in his power to beleeve that
this is coming to Christ Mat. 11. 28 Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden that is beleive in me he puts it into that phrase this true faith makes the soul come to Christ so 1 Pet. 2. 4. to whome coming as to a chiefe corner stone There are two tearmes in this coming to Christ the one from whence a man comes from all his owne wayes from all his owne desires from all his owne ends and aimes and the other tearme is to what a man comes and that is to Christ to â—as promises to his Commandements to live and dy with him this is coming unto Christ as you may see Acts 26. 18. there both these tearmes are set downe to open their eyes saith the Text and to turne them from darknesse to light that they might receive forgivenesse of sinnes It is this coming that receives forgivenesse not only an act of the mind when that goeth to Christ but an act of the heart when that goeth to Christ when a man comes from darknesse to light from pride to humility from the world to God when a man passeth from the one tearme to the other tearme and so cometh to this righteousnesse of God in Jesus Christ now he is come to Christ and now he shall receive forgivenesse of sinnes so that you see faith is not only an assent of the mind but an a 〈…〉 of the heart both these together make up this coming of the soule to Christ Fourthly true justifying faith the proper object of it is no sentence no Arg. 4. Because the object of justifying faith is no proposition but Christ himself proposition in the Word I mean the act of a justifying faith in that act whereby it justifieth the proper object of it is no sentence or proposition in the Word no complext truth in the Word but it is Christ himself t is true a man must beleive that the Word of God is true and the promies true and Yea and Amen but that act doth not justifie it may be in a reprobate or in a â—â—vill therefore it cannot be an assent of the mind for that supposeth that the object must be a proposition neither can it be a sure and certain perswâ—â—on that God hath elected me and intended Christ to me this may be the 〈◊〉 an after faith but not the act that justifies but Christ himself iâ— the object oâ— a justifying faith I am the way the truth and the life I my self it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God by Christ when a man beleives in Christ or by Christ beleives in Goâ— this is the object of a justifying faith it is no proposition or text of Scripture that is the object of a justifying faith that is the thing that is a justifying faith as it justifyes doth assent unto but the object of a true justifying â—aith as it justifies is Christ himself the cause of forgivenesse of sinnes the cause of eternall life the cause of the derivation of all these blessings to us it lookes for all in Christs own person 't is true the propositions of the Scripture about Christ are the ground of a justifying faith as he that believes in Christ shall be saved that is the ground of a justifying faith but these propositions though they must be acknowledged at the time by faith yet these propositions do not justifie a man for a wretch may do this but when a man believes in Christ that is propounded and tendered in the Word when a man hath aâ—â—iance in him and commits himself to him faith seekes for all good in Christs own person first it layes hold on the person of Christ and taking him it takes all good things with him indeed it takes the propositions of the Word for its ground because the Word saith thus and thus that eternall life is in him and he openeth the Kingdom of heaven to all believers and he is a sufficient Saviour this is the ground of faith but the object of a justifying faith is Christs owne person so that believing cannot be an act of the mind but when a man believes in Christ and is rooted and built upon him it is the person of Christ I will make this appeare to you you know God doth count it Idolatry for a man to believe in any creature when a man believes in the Son of man God forbids this as an Idolatrous thing for a man to believe and put his confidence and affiance in any creature now what is the meaning of this what is this Idolatry to assent to such a creature to believe that such a man is his friend and tenders him and is faithfull unto him this is a truth about a friend is this Idolatry No but when a man makes a friend his staffe a creature his staffe when a man makes riches his Idol is this onely to assent that riches can do much in the world can buy meate and cloathes and lands and inheritances is it the knowing these things are so No but when a man makes riches his prop and stay and believes in them and that is the stay that he hath It is not the beleiving these things about riches for so a man that believes only in God may know these things about riches and a friend Jer. 17. 5. Cursed is he that maketh flâ—sh his arme he doth not say cursed is he that apprehends that a man is his friend and willing to releive him but cursed is he that maketh flesh his arme that lâ—ans upon this man that trusts unto him that is the thing so what is the meaning that we must not trust in Chariots and in horses doth the Scripture mean that we may not assent and affirme these truths about them that they are many and strong and potent that they are admirable horses is this it No but woe be to them that go down to Egypt for help and put their trust in Chariâ—ts and Horses Isa 31. 1. When a man rides a journey and makes his Horse his stay when a man goeth about a businesse and makes his purse his prop when a man walks from day to day and the creature is the thing he hangs upon he doth not see God and draw near to God he doth not set his heart upon God he doth not relie upon him to have God with him in his journey and what he goeth about No he hath an Horse with him and means and maintenance with him and God shall have a prayer may be now and then but he makes not God his arme and this is idolatry so our believing it is not the believing the propositions about a thing but when a man believes in the thing it self and makes the thing his stay his buckler his aide his help and comfort Lastly the maine Argument is this true justifying faith is a faith of union it is such a faith as unites a man to God and Christ and in him to God the Arg. 5 Because true faith is a faith of union
creature in the eyes of the world yet he hopes for great matters he hopes for a glorious resurrection and for an excellent triumph over sinne and death and hell and to have his body and soul for ever in the Kingdome of Christ Jesus you will say he seeth none of these things he hopes that God will blesse him in all his wayes and be with him in sicknesse and in health in misery and prosperity and in all estates and that he will do him good while he lives and when he dyes he seeth none of these things No saith the Apostle Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen though many think there is no substance in these things yet faith doth deliver the substance of them unto him and it is an evidence that he shall certainly have them and it is as it were a Sacrament therefore the Fathers call it the Sacrament of faith and the Sacrament of hopes and the Sacrament of repentance because they are certaine and sure tokens and pledges of those things that a Christian looks for Secondly the Apostle commends faith by a long Catalogue of believers of Holy Fathers and Patriarchs and Prophets and Judges and Worthies from the beginning of the world and he shewes there was no worth in them but it did proceed from faith and this he doth First generally in the second verse By it the Elders obtained a good report he speaks of them all ingeneral he calls them Elders a reverend grave company and he amplifies this by giving a general ground and reason why faith can build upon nothing as it were to see to and yet is able to gather great matters though it see little or nothing â—â—rse 3. You may see this saith he by Historical faith For through saith we understand that the worlds were made by the Word of God so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appeare though nothing was before a mans eyes yet through this faith he might see an whole world out of nothing so though the world and flesh and blood see nothing yet he that believes in God he is able to raise a world out of nothing he may look for these things at the hands of God though for the present he sees nothing Secondly he doth divide these believers into foure several rankes The first is the Holy Fathers before the Flood and he instanceth onely in three for all the rest as Abâ—l Enâ—ch Nâ—ah Verse 4 5 6 7. Secondly the Holy Patriarchs from the Flood to the time of Moses and he instanceth in five not as though there were no more but he contents himself with these Abraham Sarah Isaac Jacob Joseph from ver 8. to the 22. And then in the third place he takes all those Worthies from Moses to the time of the entrance into the Land of Câ—naan and he doth instance in Moses's Parents and then in Moses then in the children of Israel then in Rahab from Ver. 23. to 31. In the fourth place he reckons up all those Heroes from that time to the time of the Maccabees and Names Gideon and Barach and Sampsâ—n and Jophtah and David and Samuel and then he reckons them up only in generall the Prophets and Martyrs and Confessors under the persecutions of cursed Anticchus Now in all this Catalogue he shewes the admirable effects of true justifying faith what faith is able to do when a man is a true believer in God what great matters he is able to atchieve it gives a man the testimony of a good conscience and makes him able to do the things acceptable to God it makes a man believe things incredible to sense and reason it makes a man forsake all and follow God it makes a man do or suffer any thing for Christ it makes a man so precious that the world is not worthy that he should dwell among them that there should be any such person in such a base place as the world is it is an excellent thing and it is set out most admirably what glorious things faith doth enable a man in the strength of God to do and his scope in all this is to exhort them to abound in faith and they that have it not to use all meanes for the obtaining of it and come by it and lye at God and to be trading in the meanes of Grace and never be at quiet till they have it and when they have it to endeare it and labour to abound in it and persevere in it to their dying day now among all this grave and venerable and revâ—rend society of believers that he here reckons and summes up he calls out Abraham in this text to speak of him and that he speaks of him in this place is this that when God called him to leave his Countrey and Kindred and Fathers house to leave his inheritance and all his friends and acquaintance by faith he was able to obey this call By saith saith he Abraham being called out to go into a place which he should afterwards receive for an inheritance obeyed and he went out not knowing whether he went Doct. So that the Doctrine which I observe from hence is this that Doct. It is saith that makes a man obey the call of God it is faith that makes a man obey the call of God the command of God whether it be the first call and command for the coming out of sinne or all after commands whatsoever it is faith that makes a man obey them if a man have faith though he had never so stubborne and perverse an heart before though he were never so set upon his lusts and sinfull courses before faith is that which will make a man lay it downe and disavow it and oppose himself against it and he shall no longer live in it as soone as ever faith comes into the soul it makes a man obey God it brings a man home to God to do his will and to walk according to his directions and to be at his dispose and to commit and commend and resigne himself wholly to God in all his wayes this is the onely thing that heales a mans backslidings this is the onely thing that drawes a man home to God this is the onely instrument whereby a man is tyed to God himself whereby a man doth fetch downe all the graces from above so long as a man is stubborne and perverse and walks after the flesh and goeth on in any evil way he hath no faith as the Psalmist speaks Psal 78. 32. For all this they sinned yet still and believed not his wendrous works that is they were disobedient therefore certainly they had no faith for if faith once looked into their hearts it would have made them to discard their sinnes and it would have made them obedient to God it would have pared them from the flesh and weaned them from their owne desires and would have made them to give up themselves to
God therefore seeing they went on in their sinnes it is certaine they did not believe for faith only makes a man obey God and wheresoever it is a man obeyeth God Reas 1. Because faith seeth an indissolvable couple of attributes in God Reas 1 Because faith seeth Gods purity and mercy to be inâ—eparable attributes that cannot be separated and severed as it seeth his grace and mercy to draw him forward so it seeth his purity and justice and holinesse and righteousnesse that it dares not but obey God as it doth discerne his grace and mercy to make him perfectly to trust in God so it seeth another thing in God that God is of that nature that he must be served and worshipped and obeyed Therefore you shall see Noah though the building of the Ark were an endlesse work and a costly and chargeable work in the eyes of men it would cost him many yeares to build and he could not look after his calling and after the world but it would take him up for an hundred and twenty yeares and set all the world a talking of him and mocking at him for it yet when God commanded him to do it faith made him do it and how did faith make him do it Heb. 11. 7. By faith Noah being forewarned of God of things not seen as yet moved by feare prepared an Ark fear moved him faith made him do it but how did faith make him do it It moved him with feare and so made him do it it made him see God was an holy and righteous God that would not be dallied withal and this moved him with feare and he durst not but do it whatsoever it put him to he durst not omit it faith makes a man that he dares not be bold with God it takes away the impudency of the heart and the venterousnesse of the soul as long as a man doth not believe he dares make bold with such Commandements of God as he likes not he will omit them for all him but when faith comes it reveales God to the soul and shewes who he is and what nature he is of and that he is such a one as will not be dallied with but his Commandements must be done and his will must be obeyed or else woe to that man it shewes to a man the infinite Majestie of God and sets it before a mans face that he dares not go on in any thing contrary to Gods will but obey God in whatsoever he commands him and abstaine from whatsoever God forbids as Paul saith We dare not make our selves of the number or compare our selves with some that commend themselves 2 Cor. 10. 12. He knew God had forbidden it and he durst not but obey So 1 Cor. 6. 1. Dare any of you having a matter go to Law before unbeleevers As who should say you are not beleevers if you do it faith would shew you what God is and what an inglorious and what a bitter thing it is for you to do it how dare you do it Secondly Faith doth not onely look upon Christ as a Saviour and a Redeemer but also as a Lord and King when Christ comes to a man 2. Because â—aith looks on Christ not only as a Saviour but as a Lord when faith comes into the soul Christ is called our Lord Jesus Christ as he is a Jesus so he is a Lord and faith doth not only receive him as a Jesus but submits to him as to a Sovereigne Faith takes them both together faith will not let a man live Lordlesse it knowes he must take Christ as a Lord as well as a Redeemer as faith takes off the guilt of sinne so it puts the yoake of Christ on Is Christ divided saith the Apostle 1 Corinthians 1. 13. So I may say is Christ divided Can he be disjoynted himselfe from himselfe Can people mangle Christ in pieces and divide him asunder May be thou wilt have him as a Jesus but thou wilt not have him as a Lord then thou canst not have him at all as Peter saith Acts 2. 36. Be it known to all that God hath made the same Jesus whom ye have crucified both Lord and Christ As he hath made him a Christ by anointing him to be a Saviour to bring men from sinne and to bring them to Gods Kingdome and save them from wrath so he hath made him a Lord he hath set him up as a King upon his Holy Hill of Zion look as it was with Jephtah when the Gileadites would have him to save them from the Ammonites shall I be your head then saith he and he made them to sweare before the Lord that they would make him their Head or else he would not deliver them so if thou wilt have Christ to deliver thee out of the hands of thine enemies sinne is an enemy and the Law is an enemy and the Devill is an enemy and the world and thine own flesh is an enemy if thou wilt have Christ to deliver thee from these enemies shall he be thy Head He hath sworne an Oath That we being delivered from the hands of our enemies should serve him in holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of our lives Luke 1. 73. He hath sworne with an Oath that that man whom he delivers from his enemies shall serve him in holinesse and righteousnesse and shall not live as he list he shall not live Lawlesse he shall take Christs Lawes as well as his Merits as well Christs Government as the imputation of his truth and righteousnesse he shall take the one as well as the other Now it is an easie thing for a man to believe by a presumptuous faith that Christ is a Jesus but here is the difficulty to take him as a Lord No man can call Christ a Lord but by the Holy Ghost saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 12. 3. He doth not say no man can say Christ is a Jesus the Devill and presumption can make a man say so and every man hopes and beares himself upon this that Christ is a Jesus but no man can truly confesse him to be a Lord but by the Holy Ghost unlesse the Holy Ghost enable him as our Saviour saith David by the Spirit called him Lord he speakes of himselfe Matth. 22. 43. It is a great matter to submit to Christ as a Sovereigne as well as to take Christ for a Saviour now faith seeth both must be done it must take Christ under both relations as he must take him under the relation of a Redeemer so under the relation of a Lord as to be saved by him so to be guided and swayed by him in all his wayes and to be at his disposing in all his courses thus faith seeth Christ is propounded in the Gospell and thus Christ embraceth him it cannot have him in one respect but it must also have him in the other and so faith brings in obedience Thirdly Faith seeth another couple that cannot be disjoynted and severed one from
him already in the world and therefore he will fling them out of his presence into Hell in Heaven is nothing but beatifical vision viewing of God and delighting in God and not thinking a thought but of God and therefore no roome for those that are empty of grace and not fitted and prepared for it now faith knowes this and believes this and therefore as it layeth hold on Christ for title so it never leaves till it hath gotten fitnesse from Christ as the Apostle speakes Col. 1. 12. Giving thanks unto the Father who hath made us meet c. God makes all meet for Heaven that he brings thither and till they are so they cannot be admitted thither if a man will go to heaven he must be a vessel of honour 2 Tim. 2. 21. Therefore Faith purifies a mans heart pares off a mans flesh weanes a man from the world and knocks off a mans cursed corruptions more and more and pulls downe a man before God makes a man stoop to Gods Covenant and to be holâ— and righteous as he is it knows unlesse he be made fit for Gods Kingdome he can never come there we should look to this and it should make us feare and tremble and look to our selves for unlesse we be fit for the Kingdome of Heaven we shall never have abode there John 3. 3. Except a man be borne againe c. That is except a man be made meet for the Kingdome of God he cannot come into it Except he have Heavens frame and disposition and Heavens conversation except his conversation be in Heaven here he can never come there and this is the reason we are so often called upon to be godly in Christ Jesus to walk in purenesse and holinesse of living because no uncleane thing shall enter into the heavenly Jerusalem without are Dogges the Lord counts them Doggs that shall never enjoy his presence this is another reason why Faith workes obedience because if he will have Title to the Kingdome of Heaven he must look to be fitted for the same Fifthly because Faith is eminently all that a man is to do it is the whole work of a Christian John 6. 29. This is the work of 5. Because faith is eminently all that a man is to do God c. That is this is eminently all the workes of God But is there no work but this Yes there are many other works but this is the work of God that ye believe because this is eminently all that God looks for as the Apostle speaks 1 John 3 22. This is his Commandement that ye believe c. Is there no other Commandement but this is this all we must do and no more No but this is eminently the Commandement there are other Commandements but all are included in this of beleeving so faith is eminently all graces all other graces are but the daughters and brood of faith they grow out of faith as out of the spring and root so that do this and do all do but beleeve in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ and what wilt thou not do it will make thee give over thy sinnes and be humbled and mortified it will make thee give over vaine company and delight in all goodnesse make thee zealous and servent and teach thee how to pray and be thankfull to God it will fill thy mouth with laughter and thy tongue with joy it will make thee do any thing if thou believe Acts 16. 31. As who should say believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and this will make thee do all there will be nothing left as Christ saith If thou believe all things are possible So I may say if thou believe all things will be done and thou wilt stick at nothing be backward in nothing but wilt be brought to obey God in every thing it is like the turning of the Cock if the Cock be turned the water will flow forth so if a mans heart be opened by faith all the heart runnes to God a Wind-mill if the Sailes go the stones and all go so if â—aith be once working and operating all the soul is turning it self towards God though never so Heavy and Carnal and Vaine and Earthly before yet now all is going in the wayes of God As the Mother of Christ said to the servants of the marriage Whatsoever he â—ids you do do it So faith saith thus to all the soul look whatsoever Christ John 2. commands look you do it minde those things he bids you minde affect that he affects retaine that he bids you remember it is like Abner that brought all Israel to be the servants of David so faith when it comes into the foul it brings all the faculties of the soul of the whole man to be subject to the Lord Jesus Christ thus you see that faith works obedience in a man The first Use is this to answer a demand that will arise out of the hearts of people when they heare that Faith makes a man to obey Quest. How doth it make a man obey Answ I answer by setting before a man the corruptions of his owne heart and what woeful stubbornenesse is in the same it makes a man see those innumerable corruptions in the soul and how deeply they have eaten into the soul it makes a man see what a loathsome creature he is and what a deal of rebellion there is in his will and minde and thoughts and affections and what oppositions there are against the doing of Gods Holy Will he seeth that if he will obey God what little help he shall have from himself from his own will his own reason his own parts his own nature though he had never so good a nature Nay how he shall be hindered and hampered and opposed by himself faith lets him see this and so pulls him down before God to abhor himself in dust and ashes it was thus in Paul Rom. 7. 24. O miserable man c. It made him finde this that he could not do the good he would thus faith empties a man of himself and makes him to renounce himself and makes him not to stand upon his own feeet never to stand alone never to go about any thing but with the help of Christ it makes a man see what a damned will he hath what a damned reason he hath what a damned heart and disposition he hath O! saith he here is Wisdome indeed here is a disposition indeed I will never be ruled by this disposition and he looks upon himself as an undone creature if he followes his own desires here be desires indeed and thoughts indeed and here is an horrible frame and this makes him renounce himself and thus faith works obedience in a man by driving of him out of himself and dividing a mans self from himself that he will not be led by his own thoughts nor carried by his owne imaginations it seeth ' Hell in all these and that he can do nothing without Christ live in
out of heart but have something to lay hold on as Paul speaks of his sins of being a persecutor and a blasphemer 1 Tim. 1. he saith it is recorded that I afterwards may be an help to them that shall believe and as the sins of Gods elect before conversion are recorded that this may be a means to perswade Gods elected not yet converted that they may find grace though they be never so vile sinners for God hath left a pattern and pledge he hath been merciful to hainous sinners so the fall of Gods Saints and children after conversion are recorded to this end and I can tell you in time of temptation when conscience shall be awakned and the wrath of God shall stick in a mans soul a man cannot spare any one sweet proposition in Scripture nor any one example in Scripture nor â—ny tittle of comfort it will be little enough to bear up the soul from despair and from being overwhelmed all will be little enough to assure the soul of Gods favour and that he can and will pardon such transgressors therefore I say look upon this doctrine it is for those that are dejected with their dead hearts that they may yet receive some comfort to their souls The last day I shewed you how far forth a child of God might be dead The deadness of a child of God amplified but some may say I cannot believe a child of God may come to this and thou art confident thou shall not come to this therefore I will speak a little further of it And first Let me tell you there is not the sowlest haynousest abominablest A child of God may fall into very foul sins the most notorious scandalous sin in the world but the most devout godly mortified man upon the face of the earth may fall into it if he take not heed except the sin against the holy Ghost I will instance in some particulars First For Idolatry gross Idolatry will you think that ever a child of God that believes in his name and is acquainted with his word and his goodness and mercy and his jealousie against this sin and iniquity should fall into it should fall down and worship a stock a stone a creature you will never believe it yet you shall see the wisest man that ever was and one that was beloved of God did fall into this sin in a great degree 1 Kings 11. 4 Solomons wives drew his heart away from God they drew away his heart from God in an high degree and they did not nakedly draw away his heart from God but they drew his heart after other gods If a man should say I hope I shall never fall into this sin I say let us hope so still and go on in using the means if we be so confident let us take heed that none of us come to bowe to the creature let our own hating and abominating of it be a watch-word to us to take heed Secondly What say you to apostacy nay almost totall apostacy that a child of God should grow to be an apostate which of you would think it that he should come to curse and bann himself if ever he knew Jesus Christ or loved him or ever did countenance him yet you may see a child of God and a notable one too fell in this fashion Peter he did curse and ban himself that he never knew the man Mark 14. 71. this is very far Thirdly What say you to persecution to persecute a man that is godly dost think that a man that hath the image of God in him that hath the knowledge of the Scripture that hath the fear of God before his eyes and a sympathy with all the Saints of God in the world that this man should ever persecute one that is godly and for his godliness too would you think this yet directly thus it is Asa a godly man for a fit as long as the time lasted when the Prophet reproved him for his sins and dealt roundly with him what was this but gracious dealing yet the man did not only not submit to the Prophets reproof but hiâ— very heart rose up against him and he cast him into prison he was a persecutor of him 2 Chro. 16. 10. in one word what enormous flagitious sin in the world is there but a child of God if he look not to himself may actually fall into but the sin unto death Noah a Preacher of righteousness the holiest man upon the earth the world had not his fellow yet he fell to be once drunk David a man after Gods own heart a man of admirable experience a man that traded as far in mortification in holiness and righteousness and walking with God and acquaintance with him and his Laws and promises as ever any Saint in the Old Testament yet he fell into the sin of murther and adultery yea to make a man drunk and that otherwise a good man too one of the worthiest of all the Kingdom you see this is clear there is no sin so desperate the sin against the holy Ghost excepted but a child of God may fall into it therefore he had not need to be carnally confident Secondly When a child of God hath fallen thus into some sowl sin he 2. A child of God may be hardned in sin may be much hardened wofully deaded and benummed and grow blockish and untoward to call upon God and go on in any of his waies become marvelously unfitted and indisposed to the use of Gods ordinances nay he may be grown to that pass that he should never rise up more but that for the infinite goodness of God that doth bring him again home and lift him up again by renewing his faith and his repentance you may see when Jehoshaphat had struck with Ahab and helped the ungodly and loved him 2 Chro. 19. that hated the Lord though he were smitten in the field and were like to have lost his life and saw what danger he was in for joyning with Ahab yet all this did not humble him the Lord sent after him by hue and cry rousing up his conscience by his Prophets if he had not done thus God knows how long he might have lain thus so David he found a deadness in all goodness when he had committed those foul sins he found no working of Gods blessed spirit his own spirit grew dull his own heart grew dead he was as if he had never known what grace meant create in me O Lord a new heart Psal 51. 10. his sin was like to a sweeping rain that leaves nothing like to a consumption that wastes all it was even like a Thief that breaks into a mans ware-house in the night and a man knows not what he hath lost till he casts up his accounts and then he seeth he hath lost almost all his estate so it is with the best of Gods servants if they give way to sin contrary to evangelical obedience God knows what a Thief
but saith he The Lord though I was one of his elect yet he let me fall to this pass that I might be a pattern to them which shall afterwards believe so we may say of Gods children after conversion David may say For this cause among the rest the Lord left me to my self the Lord let me fall so fouly and lifted me up again that I might be a pattern to many poor people to the end of the world that they may see the loving kindness of the Lord and the infinite compassions and bowels of mercy that is in the father of mercy towards them that trust in his name we should never believe the mercy of God the freeness of his grace the goodness of his nature towards his beloved towards those whom he hath effectually called were it not for such examples Secondly The Lord doth this for to punish the carelesseness of his people and their security many times what sin is there that is more apt to grow upon them then security it is a stealing sin it is a secret and cunning sin that comes closely and slightly upon a man before he is aware if he look not to himself now when a man grows to be secure the Lord takes this course many times to eat it out to punish the security of his people Peter when he had gotten faith in Christ and affection to Christ when he felt that his bowels did yearn after Christ and his heart was enlarged towards him he grow secure upon it though all forsake thee yet will not I he was Mat. 26. confident but it was carnal confidence for though the thing a man trusts in be the grace of God yet as long as it is grace received it is trusting in a mans self he therefore was carnally confident now he would venture himself into the high Priests hall though he thus affections will never be drowned he might go any whither well he comes into the high Priests hall and there comes into the very mouth of temptations and dangers he doth not dream how easily his heart may be caused to deny Christ he did not dream what a ticklish heart he carried in his bosome he grew to be bold and venturous now the Lord to heal this security let him fall in a desperate manner he let him get a knock almost to beat out his brains even Mat. 26. 74. to curse and ban himself not only to deny Christ but with abjuration the Lord seeth it is needful to do thus when people grow secure we ought alwaies to carry a covenant about our eyes to take heed where we look and when we are in company to have a bridle in our mouth to take heed what we speak now if we grow careless and negligent and this bridle is gone and this covenant is gone and our watch is taken away no marvel though the Lord be provoked against us to punish us and that soundly and let many of his people get a knock and who knows how great a one and how hard to heal again Thirdly the Lord sometimes leaves his people to themselves that so they may see they stand meerly by grace I doe not mean by grace received though they had all faith though they had never so much knowledge never so much experience and interest in God never so much sense and feeling of him never so much life and zeal and quickening whatsoever it be all the enlargements that ever any man had I doe not mean this for a man never stands by this but by the free favour of God that is the grace a man stands by the free good will and love that God doth bear unto him Now when a childe of God shall have received a great deal of grace a great deal of knowledge and faith c. he is apt to be remisse in seeking of God to direct him in that thing he knowes he thinks he can direct himselfe we see let a man have very good parts and knowledge and be able to preach how apt is he to be the lesse in prayer to God to help him to Preach and guide him to deliver the Word So let another man have a great deal of knowledge may be the man will be the less sensible of his own wretchednesse and ignorance and aptness to mistake and erre and goe aside and so to be lesse eager and earnest with God for his continual aid and teaching and assisting of him every moment So let a man have a great deal of zeal and life and quickening he is apt to discern the lesse pronenesse to coole again And suppose a man hath mortified a lust nay all his lusts he can hardly feel he hath any desire after such a sin hardly any motions or stirrings in his heart I tell you this man if he takes not heed will be a venturing oh he thinks he is cock-sure he is so taken off from the lusts of the flesh that he can never catch hurt and he may be sometimes will admit of occasions and admit of drawing something neer the pits brink he is so mortified he fears nothing Now the Lord in his infinite goodnesse to his people leaves them to themselves are you so mortified come let us see how mortified you are and so leave him to himselfe to see what the man can doe with all his knowledge and zeal and mortification and now this man falls Look how far God leaves a man so far he falls he will have his people see that they stand not by grace received but by the free grace and favour of God It is not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth but in God that sheweth mercy Rom. 9. No though a man have never so many gracious endowments and heavenly vertues it is not in him that willeth but in God that sheweth mercy it is in the fountain of mercy and loving kindnesse in God Let a man keep close to God let a man still observe the pleasing of God that there may be a continual fountain open running down upon him from day to day for if he grow secure and look not to himselfe he exposeth himself to woful dangers Fourthly The Lord leaves his people sometimes thus fearfully to themselves that he might teach us to be sensible towards our brethren to be mild and meek and piteous and full of bowels and compassion towards the weakest and meanest of all the Saints of God if we see but any thing of God nay but any likelihood that a man is of God to be tender for fear we should wrong a childe of God the Lord doth this of purpose to breed bowels and meeknesse and gentlenesse towards his people As God lets men fall horribly before conversion that they may carry themselves meekly towards those that are unconverted for fear any of them should be of the Elect of God so he lets them fall after conversion that they may carry themselves so towards them that are converted I say the Lord lets his
if he hath been unfaithful it would kill his heart that his Master should take him in it so it is with Gods children let them sinne against God it doth dull and dead their hearts in regard of the throne of grace it makes them have small heart to come before it See it in Jonah when he had fled Jonah 1. away from God and had put off Gods charge and was gone downe to Joâ—pâ— and was shipped into the Sea see whether he had any minde to pray or call upon God or no he had none in the earth nay he was afraid of God and shy of his presence he knew he should be upbraided indeed when God laid it upon his conscience then Jonah prayed but he did not pray before that if he did it was as good as nothing So it is noted of David when he had committed his sins he confesseth he roared to God but we can hear of no prayer but when God sent Nathan then he could pray it is the title of the 51. Psalm A Psalm of David when Nathan came to him then he could pray but all the while sinne lay upon his soul he could not pray or if he did he did but roar he came before God with horror and unbelief and dismay and had no comfort Now when a man is privy to sin what man that hath the knowledge of God how ill God likes these courses how ill he likes a mans pride and security and neglect of worship and service how can it chuse but the thought of these things should gall his heart And thus we see for the general that it is sinne that deads mens hearts when they give way to it 2 Particâ— Now for particulars What are those sins that cause this deadnesse up and down First the niggardliness of people in Gods service they will do no more for him then they must needs doe whereas a quickened heart that loves quickning will rather overdoe then underdoe and will rather superabound then be wanting there are many duties in Religion that we have no express text of Scripture for for such a quantity or such a measure or such a time or how often as how often we should pray in secret every day how often we should meditate and how long at a time how much we should give out of almes how much we should doe thus and thus the duty is commanded but the quantity for time or frequency is not expressed in Scripture there be a thousand things of this nature Now a man that loves his own quickning will rather overdoe in this case then underdoe as it was with Philemon Phil. 21. Paul you knovv was to entreat him to doe an act of kindness to receive Onesimus now saith he I know thou wilt doe more then I ask of thee c. He would rather overdoe then underdoe So it was with the Israelites when God would have them offer to the building of the Tabernacle he did not tell them how much but they would rather overdoe then underdoe Exod. 36. 5. They brought so much that the Lord was fain to say there was enough and too much So it was with the Macedonians 2 Cor. 8. 3. Paul asked a little they gave more So it is with a man that loves quickning if God bid him pray twice a day rather then fail he will pray thrice a day if God hath required some time in his service he will rather give him more time then afford him smaller time as Christ saith If a man will have thy coat let him have thy cloak also as who should say rather overdo then underdoe if thou beest called to doe any thing for the glory of God and the good of thine own soul or the good of others we should imitate God in this God gives his people above that which they ask so we should doe more then is asked I doe not mean as if we could do more then God bids us for God requires all the heart and all the minde and all the strength but I speak of a frank and free heart when he doth not know Matth. 22. what measure God sets down in his Word he will rather doe more then lesse he will rather be with the forwardest then with the backwardest if he love his own quickning but when a man growes niggardly in Gods service and will doe no more then needs must and takes advantage that he may doe as little as may be this deads the heart because there is no expresse place in Scripture for prayer in this kinde he will take any advantage in the world for his own security and worldliness and littleness in Gods service he lieth at catch in this case this man sets open his heart to all deadness therefore no marvel he hath no life where is a man in town or country that is like to Philemon that a Minister may say I know then wilt doe more then I say It were well if we could say thou wilt do as much as I say nay it is come to this pass we may say I know you will doe nothing at all I may bid thee doe this and that but thou wilt do nothing at all people will hardly regard the Communion of Saints at all they will hardly regard secret prayer at all they will heartily regard any of those duties upon which life and quickning so much depends and this is one cause of the horrible deadness that is everywhere Secondly Another cause is unwatchfulness people doe not watch over their soules and over their wayes they doe not ponder their paths they have not an eye to their wayes this is a great cause of deadness of heart therefore here when Christ chargeth the Church of Sardis with deadness I know thou hast a name to live but art dead In the next words he gives a remedy Be watchful therfore as who should say here is the cause of thy deadness thou hast not been watchful if thou hadst been watchful thou hadst escaped all this deadness if thou hadst sloop upon thy guard and looked well to thy wayes this had never been if a man be quickened at any time the Devil lieth at catch and if he doe not vvatch he vvill be deaded again as the Apostle saith 1 Pet. 5. 8. A man had need be vvatchful else he can never preserve himselfe from the temptations of Satan when a City is beleaguered with the enemy there are ever some Watchers and Scouts that lie in wait that so if any danger be towards they may give warning lest it be surprized on the sudden so when God doth good to our hearts how should we keep watch over our soules for we are beleaguered on every side sometimes with presumption and sometimes with despair we are every way in danger therefore we had need to watch no sooner had Eve gone apart from her husband and looked here and there but the Devil took her presently no sooner had Noah begun to taste the liquor of the
there is no man is dead but he that hath no care to look after Christ and desire him if we would have Christ if our hearts be open to him if we doe but desire him and long for him if we have but these groanes and outgoings in our souls oh that I had but Christ shed abroad in my heart if I had him I should have life and quickning if I had him I should have right and title to all Gods heavenly comforts if our hearts did but goe up and down longing after Christ this is the way to attain to quickning Isa 55. 1. Ho every one that thirsteth come ye to the waters c. Come and ye shall have waters that shall never be dried up the want of faith is the cause of hardness of heart and of deadnesse as our Saviour Christ when he saw they were dead Matth. 16. he did upbraid them with unbeliefe if a man did but once believe if a man did but truly cast his soul upon God if he had but once his eyes opened to see the vanity of all other things to see the danger of sinne and iniquity the misery of all unregenerate people and to see the worth of Christ and the infinite goodnesse of God in Christ what an admirable pearl it is to enjoy him how it is better then life it selfe better then the whole world yea then thousands of worlds if a man did but see this and had his heart affected with this to be drawn to Christ and to have his heart and minde run after him to be possessed of him this is faith you that would know whether you have faith or no if you had all the faiths in the world you are infidels without this faith but if you have this faith you have true faith if you have a heart running after Christ minding him and longing for him and casting your soules upon him for all good accounting this your principal and total and main good and accordingly affecting this these are the works of faith and if you have these works you may be quickned believe in the Lord Jesus Christ set your hearts upon him and seek after him and you shall have all manner of good even life it self The second meanes is a careful learning of the Word of God preached Second means When the Corinâ—hians were marvellously blocked uâ— in their minds and hearts and were straightned in good things 2 Câ—r 6 12. mark what the Apostle saith v. 11. Our mâ—uth is â—pen to you c. as who should say in our Ministery there is abundance of grace abundance of life and largenesse of heart abundance of gracious things all manner of good things we bring with us in our Ministery peace and comfort and hope and all the promises of God and all the rich treasuâ—es of Jesus Christ we come with our armes full you are not straightned here but you are straightned in your 〈◊〉 bowels as who should say you may be enlarged sweetly by our Ministry wâ— deliver unto you abundance of grace and mercy and abundance of supply all those deadnesses and lockings up of heart in you would be healed by the Ministery of the Word so may I say if your hearts are locked up certainly it is for not taking what the Word offers if you would come hungerly and greedily to the Word of God with an heart desirous to be edified and instructed and to apply what the Word speaks to your souls certainly you shall here meet with abundance of grace and life for the Word is the Word of life and the Ministery of the Word is the Ministery of the Spirit of God and life so that the deadness of all people is meerly from their own bowels you are not straightned in us saith the Apostle no in thâ— Ministery of the Word is abundance of life The third meanes is A careful shunning of all those causes of deadness which we named formerly we must take heed of sin for if we give way to sinne it will dead the heart it will make a make a man shy of God and put a man to woful tasks and breâ—d loâ—hness to goe about duties it will make a man to have a guilty conscience and dead a man that way it will grieve the spirit of God and quench all the operations and sweet influences and gracious motions of the Spirit that the sweet livelinesse of his workings will be gone away if a man give way to sinne if he give way to the world or slackning in a godly course if a man give way to pride or vanity or any sin this will dead the heart a mans heart will presently be deaded if he give way to the Devil and to his temptations In particular you must take heed of niggardlinesse in Religion they that love quickning must labour for a frank and free spirit that will rather overdoe in Gods service then underdoe as long as a man hath a free heart he shall have a quickened heart therefore labour to preserve it doe as Philemon I knâ—w thou wilâ— dâ—e more than I say Paul knew he had a free spirit that if be commanded him a little he would doe more he would rather overdoe then underdoe our Saviour Christ calls for this free spirit Iâ— a man take thy coat give him thy cloak also rather overdoe then underdoe in any good thing have a free heart if God bid thee pray pray thrâ—e times five times a day rather then not often enough there be mâ—nâ— duties that God doth not set down how often and how frequent and hoâ— long now labour for a free spirit rather do twice as much then underdo Again Take heed of lownesse of Religion of taking up a low and base and mean kinde of Religion that will not reach the Kingdome of God there is a low kinde of Christianity that wil not be able to attain to salvation a low faith that doth not make a man to have his conversation in heaven a low repentance that reacheth not to mortification a low profession of Religion that comes not to the power of Godliness Prov. 15. 24. The way of life is above it is an high thing therefore take heed of low Religion for people think that any kinde of righteousness will serve turn if they have but a little Reformation and Religion they presently think this is godliness but let us take heed of this low Religion that will never do the deed Again We must take heed of want of Watchfulnesse we must set up a gracious and Christian watch in our hearts from day to day when the Lord had found fault with the Church of Sardis for being dead in the next words he bids them be watchful as who should say the want of this watchfulness and looking to your selves and having a care over your thoughts and aâ—fections lest you should be drawn aside the neglect of this is the cause of all deadness Again We must take heed of vanity as David saith Psal 119.
it is not only to make him go but to quicken him up to go we are all dull and careless and blockish now Motives serve to stir us up Eccles 12. the words of the wise are as goâ—ds to provoke and stir up people Well then The first motive shall be this to consider the woful ingredients 1. Motive of this sin of deadness the horrible sins that are contained in it what a compound of spiritual diseases are in this sin First There is a dulnesse and blockishnesse of mind dull and heavy to learn any thing that is good as it is said of the Jews Acts 28. 27. when a man hath an unteachable mind though he be never so long under the word of God it cannot strike into his heart and enter into his understanding his mind cannot â—eel the weight of divine truths take outward truths of profit and pleasure a man may lead him up and down with these truths he feels weight in these but for the word of God he hath no understanding in that may be he can tell what the Ministers say and talk of it but for the weight of divine reason the mind is blockish to this men are like to a blockish scholler that hath gone seven years to school and yet is not beyond the primmer so when a man shall sit so long under the Ministry of the word and yet be a stranger to it as if he had never heard of it he hears discourses of faith and can speak of it and talk of it of the letter of it as well as the best believer and yet is as blockish to go about it as can be what an horrible thing is this that the truth should come to a mans mind and a man should be dull to conceive it Secondly Another evil is awkness and averseness of heart listleseness to the wayes of Jesus Christ as Christ saith of the Jews Mat. 15. 8. their hearts cannot be pulled to that which is good their hearts are untoward and have no list or disposition that way even as if a man should go about a thing that he hath no heart to so people go about prayer and the hearing of the word as if they had no heart to it they have no heart to prayer they have no heart to think soundly of God and of their latter end they come to duties but their hearts are a thousand miles off Thirdly There is senselesness of conscience it is not tender of little sins it feels them not at all and as for great sins it feels them but a little may be peoples consciences find fault with them from day to day for doing what they do and tells them they ought not to do it but yet they will not leave their sins it tells them thus and thus they ought to do but it hath no power to make them do it may be it accuseth them but they are never the better peoples consciences are dull and blunt and have no force at all Fourthly For coldness and lukewarmness of affections the affections of a man are not set upon God they pray without affections and hear without affections the doctrine of eternal life doth not affect their hearts hatred of evil is cold and love of God and goodness is cold as Christ saith the love of many shall waxe cold and so their desires are cold and Matth. 24. languish and come to nothing we can find tears for other matters but not for our sins we can have our affections soon stirred when our selves and our own wills are crossed but God may be dishonoured a thousand wayes and we never grieved or moved at it so when we hear a fine story and carnal news this delights but when we hear the word of God the truth of God that concerns our eternal well doing we are not moved or affected at all with that Fifthly Another ingredient of this sin is the weakness and faintness of endeavours if people have any endeavours any kinde of putting themselves forth to that which is good it is with faintness as if they cared not whither they went about it yea or no as Solomon saith Prov. 13. 4. people desire mercy and pardon and would have hope and salvation and the Kingdom of God but will not be at the cost and charges they ought to be at for these things this is nothing but the deadnesse of our hearts Lastly That same dulness and drowsiness of the whole man though men be careful enough of outward things yet how careless are they of their souls were our hearts broken and contrite under these things we should be soon quickned as the Lord saith Isa 57. 15. I revâ—ve the spirit of the contrite one so God would revive us if we were sensible of these distempers of ours if we would humble our selves before God and plead to him for help he would help us but when we do not lay these distempers to heart and seek out to God for redress no marvel though we are dead and dull still well then is it so that there are so many horrible ingredients in this sin of deadness then how should we labour to fling it away and use all means to be quickned the Apostle being to disswade from following the will of the Gentiles he useth this very argument the abundance of the vile ingredients that is in the will of the Gentiles 1 Pet. 43. so you may see how the wise man disswades Prov. 26. 25. when he speaketh fair believe him not for there are seven abominations in his heart so let us think there is seven abominations yea seventy times seven abominations in this sin of deadness therefore let us look out that God may help us and quicken us and revive us in all our wayes The second motive is to consider that as long as we are dead we cannot 2. Motive pray Psal 80. 18. Lord quicken us and we will call upon thy name as who should say Lord we are not fit to pray and call upon thy name except thou quicken us therefore quicken us that we may call upon thee So Ministers cannot preach unless they be quickned as Dr. Ames tells a story of a godly man of France there was such cold preaching that he was fain to go out of the Town to sâ—t under a powerful Ministry therefore we cannot preach if we be dead the Scribes and Pharisees preached without Authority and life they were dead and therefore had no authority in their preaching but Christ preached with Authority if we were quickned we should be the better able to preach So again you are not able to hear unless you be quickned a dead heart may hear a thousand Sermons but what doth it work upon them even as good as nothing if Paul or Apollos or an Angel from heaven should preach to us unless God quicken us all is nothing nay Christ tells us that his own Ministry and Johns Ministry there were not two such in all the world again yet
sick souls nay many are even dead to all manner of good even for this cause the not receiving the Lords Supper in a right manner for if the Sacrament were duely come unto as it doth require it is to strengthen us in grace and against Satan but when people come hand over head when they prâ—pare themselves slightly pray slightly before they come and come carelesle and negligently and take not pains to come in due fashion they rather strengthen themselves in sinne and Satan against them as it is said of Judas after he had received the sop the Devil entred into him John 13. 27. you see he went away with more hardness of heart from the Lords Supper then he came to it he went away with more wrath and discontent against Christ and his blessed company then before the Devil had more strength then he had before A true Christian that comes to the Sacrament as he ought gets more strength to his faith more strength to his lively hope more patience and meekness he strengthens all the graces of Gods spirit and strengthens himselfe against Satan and his own flesh and against his lâ—sts and corruptions but when a man comes otherwise he doth not only not get strength against corruption but corruption gets strength rather he goes away with more corruption of heart and more guiltiness of sinne then before and is more heartless to prayer and good duties The Devil deals with men as the Monk did with Henry the 7th Emperour it is reported that he was poysoned by coming to the Sacrament for he had poysoned it so the Devil poysons the Sacrament to most men they eat and drink their own damnation when they goe away from the Lords Supper they are worse then when they came more weak and unable to put off Satan and more exposed to his fiery darts whereas if the Sacrament were approached unto according to the due order that God hath set down in his Word we should gather strength from it This may serve to shew the reason why people get no more good by the Vse 3 Sacrament and doe not meet with this strength that the Sacrament administers to every worthy Communicant in general because they doe not come in â— right manner to the partaking of it and when they doe not regard the manner God doth not regard the matter when they doe not come faithfully and readily and preparedly to the Table of the Lord the Lord regards not their coming and they shall get no good by it as Solomon saith When a man is not ready to heare he offers the sacrifice of fâ—ls Eccles 5. 1. So when a man receives the Sacrament and is not ready to receive he receives the Sacrament of fools he doth not consider what a sacred thing it is and what great matters are required of him and what care and conscience is requisite thereunto we should examine our selves as the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 11. 28. We must not only eat of that bread and drink of that cup for so even wretches and carnal people do and never partake of any strength but we must partake of it after a right manner as Christ saith Luke 12. 47. He that knew his Lords will and prepared not himselfe to doe it shall be beaten with many stripes so when we know it is Gods will we should come preparedly and we will not prepare our selves God will not strengthen us and help us against our lusts but our lusts shal get head against us This is in general Now I come to speak of some particular reasons that hinder men from partaking aright of the Sacrament First Because people come not to the Sacrament with a sense and feeling of their own wants if we would partake of strength by the Sacrament before we come we must feel our wants how we want hope and patience and faith and strength we want spiritual understanding in the wayes of God we should not only see this but feel it people may be see this that they want this or that but there is no sound feeling of their wants they are without faith and do not feel it without hope and patience and doe not feel it they do not find the want of these things Now Prov. 9. 4 5. Wisedome saith to him that wanteth understanding Come eat of my bread c. When a man doth want understanding is not onely without it but feels the want of it he is not only without strength and faith but feels the want of it he sees the want of wisedom and discretion and Gods helping of him more and more if it be so eat of my bread c. Secondly Because people come without true repentance to the Lords Table they do not repent of their sins they do not break the league between them and their own wayes they come to the Sacrament and mean to think as they have done and speak as they have done and keep company as they have done and behave themselves in their places and callings as they have done and no otherwise then they have done and though they cry God mercy and make some prayers yet the covenant between them and their wicked courses was never broken and therefore it can do them no good People come to the Sacrament as Judas did he came fresh from the Pharisees conspiring the betraying his Master and as soon as he had done he meant to go to them again and so got no good by it whereas if we would get good by the Sacrament that it may build us up in knowledge and believing in having a care to please God and making conscience of all our wayes we ought to root out our sins and corruptions and fling away our lusts and vile affections we should throw sin out of doors as the Israelites were to throw leaven out of doors and not to have any in their houses nay we should deal with sin as Ammon did with Thamar he hated her now more then he loved her before nay he put her out and bolted the doore after her so though we loved vanity and worldliness and passion before yet now we should hate them and put them out of doors yea bolt the door after them that they may come in no more This is the way to come to the Sacrament so as to get strength thereby and the want of this is the cause that people go away so weak Thirdly Because they come without faith they come doubting to the Sacrament Rom. 14. 23. He that doubteth is damned if he eat I may apply it to this he that doubts is damned if he receive the Sacrament his own conscience will reprove him his own soul will say I have not done well I have not pleased God in comming his own conscience will condemn him and damn him when he looks upon the Covenant of grace he cannot apply it conscience puts him off This is for want of true faith if people would come to the Lords Table with faith they would
good works and therefore nickname us and call us Solifidiaâ—s whereas we maintain a necessity of them and as great a necessity of them as they only we beat down the merit of them that no man may think to be saved by works as a reverend Divine Mr. Carter said we teach people holiness and righteousness and good works as if there were no way to be saved but by good works and again we teach that there must be as much hanging upon the grace of God as if we could shew no more to be saved then the vilest drunkard or adulterer all our righteousness is as a menstruous cloth and it is Gods mercy that any of us have an heart to do good you see how the world runs after their hearts lusts and every man is of this disposition and it is Gods grace and mercy to incline any mans heart to walk in that way that tends to his heavenly Kingdom and if God should not be infinitely gracious to pardon us for our best doings they would rise up in judgement against us God might condemn us for all our prayert and performances Secondly This teacheth Ministers how to preach to people to call upon Vse 2 them that they have an operative faith not only to believe but to have a faith that may be fruitful and make their lives nâ—t to barren in obedience and to be abundant in the works of the Lord and to serve him and fear him and glorifie him in the world as the Apostle having shewed how Christ gave himself for us to purchase to himself a people zealous of good works saith he these things speak Tit. 2. 14 15. We must speak these things and rebuke our hearers with all authority rebuke evil workers and tell them they turn the grace of Christ into wantonness they trample the blood of the Covenant under their feet and kick at the spirit of grace and misconstrue the meaning of the Covenant of God in Christ and rend themselves off that they cannot enter into life for no man without holiness shall see God Ministers should tell people plainly and affirm constantly that unless they bring forth good fruit they shall be cast into the fire and that without holiness they cannot have license and dispensation to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven for God is an holy God and our faith is an holy faith and the promises are made to none but those that lead an holy and a godly life we must preach these things and reprove with all Authority and let people know that are loose Christians and Hell-hounds that if they do not depart from iniquity they shall see God as a Judge to condemn them for evermore Thirdly This confutes all the graceless conceits of men that think to be Vse 3 saved by Christ and yet walk not after Christ they cast not away from them the works of darkness nor renounce their wicked â—ayes and yet hope to be saved by Christ this is a cursed and blasphemous hope whereby a man blasphemes God 1 Joh. 3. 6. whosoever sinneâ—h but 〈…〉 en him neither knâ—wn him if a man live in his sins still that is the meaning of it and walks not after the spirit but after the flesh that man hath not seen him neither ever known him he doth not know Jesus Christ otherwise then the Divels know him otherwise then Hell-hounds and reprobates may know him for the second Covenant is as holy as the first and rather more holy and before God hath done it shall bring a man to a nearer communion with God and a nearer likeness it will raise the powers and faculties of the soul so as I believe Aâ—am in innocency never attained unto so much participation of God as God by degrees will bring a man unto by the Covenant of grace therefore no man can look to â—e saved by Christ except he mean to be ruled by Christ and to have him for his Lord and Master and to obey him in all things if a man should lie sick in his bed of a burning feaver and should say he were well would you believe him so if we see a man that is burning in lust wallowing in sinful courses that hath a carnal and a worldly heart unmortified and unsubdued to God if he should say that he were in Christ and hoped to be saved by him believe him not all the world cannot save this man for the Lord Jesus Christ hath this very name Jesus not only because he shall save his people from hell but also from their sins and make them fruitful in all the works of God Fourthly To exhort that we would consider of this the Gospel doth Vse 4 call for works as well and as strongly yea and more strongly then the Law and there be necessary uses of holiness and obedience and all manner of pious works under the Gospel as the Apostle saith Tit. 3. 4. let us maintain good works for necessary uses c. We are barren trees whatsoever we are we are barren and dead Christians and have no life of God in us if we bring not forth good works for good works are necessary for many uses First They are for signs to shew us what estate and condition we are Motive 1. in we may know what estate and condition we are in by our carriage and conversation whither it be earthly or heavenly holy or prophane so is our condition either happy or damned First They are signs of a mans election 2 Tim. 1. 20. this is a sign and a badge and a token whereby we may know that we are vessels of honour if we be sanctified and made meet for our masters use and furnished and prepared for every good work if we do not deny all ungodly lusts and live righteously and soberly in this present world we have rather badges and tokens of reprobation then election we cannot say that God hath appointed us to attain salvation by Jesus Christ but have rather marks of hell and destruction upon us and what is the reason that men that profess Christ do so much question their election no wonder when we are so scanty in our holiness and obedience to God and so backward to do good there is no nickling of Gods everlasting favour breaking out whereas if we were plentiful in good works it would break forth as the Sun out of a cloud Secondly They are signs of effectual calling Jude 1. if a man be called of God he is sanctified also and kept in an holy course preserved in Christ 2 Pet. 1. 3. you are an holy Nation a peculiar people to shew forth the vertues of him that hath called you 1 Pet. 2. 9. so that we may be sure that we yet abide in darkness and are under the power of sin and Satan if we have not given over our sinful courses and conformed our selves to the Gospel of God we were never called according to Gods purpose but lie under the wrath of Heaven to this day it
doe I shall doe no good he is a peaceable man and he seeth all the Parish bandy themselves together if he saw there were any hope of doing good he would doe it as if he had a very good heart to doe what God would have him in the end God discovers his hypocrisie it was because he cared not for God he did not hate sin he had no zeal to Gods glory he is a lover of men more then God he loves his owne ease more then holinesse or piety or good order therefore let us know what a dangerous thing it is for a man to dally and double with God when we doe not consider that God will search our hearts the Lord knows whether thou art loth to have such a thing to be a duty or whether thou dost secretly desire it may not be imposed upon thee the Lord knows it therefore doe not put off God in this fashion for God will search thee out it is but a folly for us not to consider that God will search us out as Solomon saith Prov. 10. 18. He that covereth hatred with lying lips is a foole that is if a man doe bear secret malice against a man doe not love a man and is not in sincere charity with him may be the man covers it with lying lips O 't is not for this reason and that reason God forbid I should hate him whereas indeed he doth not love him saith Solomon this man is a foole as who should say God will finde him and discover him therefore what a folly is it not to lay this to heart The second Use is to bid us take heed how we hide our sins from others or from our selves First From others you shall have children so they can hide their faults from their parents that is all they care for and so servants if they can but hide their faults from their Masters and Mistresses they care not how bad they be or how false so it is with many you shall have many a man his own bosome knows what an hard heart he hath what a dead heart how carelesse he is of God how that he hath no delight in good duties yet if he can but cover it from the Saints that when he comes to pray before them he may carry it off something handsomely this is all he cares for or look after what an horrible thing is this that people should have no more consideration that God will search us out we had as good that all the world should know it as that God should know it if we do iniquity and be carelesse of his commandements if we do evil though never so secretly it were better all the world should know it then God now God will search it out Jer. 23. 24. Prov. 5. 21. Therefore we should ever take heed that we may not have this humour in us to venture to do evil so we can hide it from men for what though no man knows it yet we shall finde that God knows it and will bring it to light one day Secondly We should take heed how we hide our sins from our selves this is fearful and in some sense a great deal more fearful then the other for many times when a man hides his sins from others he knows them himselfe but when a man hath a deceitful heart that he hides them from his own eyes how can he repent a man cannot repent without the sight of his sins yet as a Divine saith men desire to hide their sins from God and from others but most of all from themselves Now what a madness is this though a man do hide his sins from himself he cannot hide them from God God will search it out though a man hath never so many colours for his sins he will not believe it is a sin alas poor creature God will finde thee out as a pluralist he will think it lawful to have two livings but what dost thou get by hiding it from thy selfe God will finde it out so for jesting they think it is lawful to do it Elisha jested and did not Aristotle account it a vertue and the like I deny not but men may have jesting if it be convenient but when men are excessive in this and have no meetings without jesting and will stand for it God will find them out so men that will not believe that a man should be so strict and precise God forbid that none should be saved but such thus they hide it from themselves but when they have done all they cannot hide it from God but God will discover them at the last day may be in this world so a man that was never converted nor never had faith he thinks he is converted and hath faith and is religious and a good Christian Thus he hides his woful and vile estate from his own eyes but canst thou hide it from God assure thy selfe God will search thee out Thirdly This may be for comfort to good people First It may be a comfort against others that shall judge them Secondly against themselves First Against others that judge them may be others are harsh towards them and think all manner of evil of them and may be speak it too Now this is a great comfort that God will search them out as they be true and upright and as they doe from the bottome of their hearts set themselves to please God so they shall not be judged by mens conceits but by the Lord this is that which comforted Paul against the censures of the Corinths 1 Cor. 4. 3 4. I count it a small matter to be judged by you 't is the Lord that judgeth me As who should say I shall not stand or fall at your sentence what you think of me no the Lord judgeth me this is a great comfort So this comforted Peter when Christ put that triple query to him Simon thou son of Jonah lovest thou me As who should say thou sayst thou lovest me but how can I think it hast thou not denied me thrice therefore I ask thee thrice dost thou love me what saith he now Lord thou knowest all things thou knowest that I love thee This was his comfort that God that searcheth the heart knew it was his weaknesse and he loved him unfeignedly as who should say men may judge me to be a wretch and an Apostate and that I love my life and my liberty more then thee they may justly judge thus but thou knowest how I have grieved for it and have been ashamed of it and it hath been as a dagger to my heart Thou knowest all things and thou knowest that I love thee Secondly This may be a comfort against their own selves as a mans Conscience many times may have shrewd thinâ—s against the people of God for the conscience by nature is legal and by nature a man is borne under the Covenant of works and conscience is apt to be very strict and severe against the children of God and to
86. 2. his conscience did not excuse him onely in that he had done holy duties but in that he waâ— an holy man his conscience could witness with him that he was an holy man and on the other side the conscience doth not onely accuse in evil actions but also in an evil estate I and my people are wicked saith Pharoh Exod. 9. his conscience did not onely accuse him that he did evil actions but that he was in an evil estate not onely that he had done a wicked thing but was a wicked man and the reason of this is because how else should a man be commanded to shun a bad and follow a good estate if it were not discernable who are in a good and bad estate as we see we are called to avoid the one and follow hard after the other therefore it is a thing that may be attained to nay it is not onely a thing that may be attained unto but the children of God are wont to know it as Paul here to Timothy he hath called us we are able to speak it our consciences choake us not in speaking of it nay the doubtfullest man that ever was was Hâ—mar Psal 88. 1. O Lord God of my salvation I have cryed night and day unto thee as who should say I am very much bewildered and much to seek and lost in doubts and fears marvelously oppressed and overwhelmed yet this I can say thou art my God the God of my salvation thou hast effectually called me to pertake of thy mercy and I have relation to that thou hast given me union with thee thou art the God of my salvation and so it was with David when he was at his worst hath God forgotten to be gracious will he câ—st off for ever c Psal 77. though he had named all their grievous passages of feare and despaire as a man would think yet at the self same time ver 5. I have considered the dayes of old he was able to lay hold upon this certainty I have been called such a time the Lord was gracious and merciful unto me I have believed I have tasted of Gods goodness and pertake of his mercy and known the forgiveness of my sinnes he looked unto the dayes of old he could not deny it though he were now miserably put to it he could not deny this but in the dayes of old God had been his God and he his servant and so Jonah when he was dejected and cast down and seemed to be in the belly of hell Lord saith he I am cast out of thy sight as if he had been cast off and quite at a losse yet at the selfe same time saith he I will loâ—k towards thy holy Temple Jon. 2. 4. as who should say I cannot deny but thou hast effectually called me I have looked to thy Temple heretofore I have looked to Christ and rested upon thee for eternal life and for mercy and thou art my refuge therefore I will look againe to thee So Joh. 14. 5 6 7. Thomas he speaks as if he had not known Christ Thomas saith he ver 7. thou dost know me nay when he made a vow that he would not believe except he saw the print of the nailes yet this was but in a fit for within a little space he saith my Lord and my God Joh. 20. I will prove this by reason that a man that is quite to seek that a man that is not able to speak with any certainty he hath not a jot of faith in this point to believe that he is the Lords for that man walks in darkness our Saviour makes it a brand of a man that walks in darkness that knoweth not whether he goeth Joh. 12. 35. He that walks in darkness knoweth not whether he goeth whither to heaven or to hell whither he goes right or wrong to Christ or not it is a shroad signe that that man is in a bad estate that God never yet took him out of the world to the fellowship of Jesus Christ The first reason is because it is the office of the Spirit to make known to a The spirit make known the things of God man the things given him of God 1 Cor. 2. 12. now saith he we have received the Spirit not of the world but the Spirit of God that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God as who should say as God hath given us such and such things So we have the Spirit of God that can tell us the things that God hath freely given us when God hath given a man effectual calling it is a free gift and then it is the Spirits office to let a man know it and the Spirit will do his office nay when God effectually calls a man by his Spirit the Spirit saith to a man as the disciples of Christ said to the man that was brought to Christ Matth 10. 40 Be of good cheare he calls thee so when God effectually calls a man the Spirit saith arise be of good cheare the Lord calls thee the Lord of heaven and earth gives thee a gracious call to come to his heavenly Kingdome to believe in his name and to rest upon him for Salvation and for every needful thing for this life and the life to come the Spirit whereby a man is called doth speak internum verbum as Divines speak an inward word which the soul hears as well as the outward eare hears the external word our Saviour sheweth this Joh. 6. 45. he that hath heard and learned of the Father saith he cometh unto me when a man is effectually called to come unto Christ he hears of the Father there is a word that the Father speaks not onely the word of the Minister but an inward word and that man hears a word from the Father and how can it be but a man may know it when he hears it for there is a word and an audible word a word whereby the Lord of glory speaks to a man when he effectually calls him to come out of his sins Secondly Because a man that is effectually called of God he is commanded How to make our calling and election sure by God to make his calling and election sure as we may see 2 Pet. 1. 10. as who should say you may make it sure 't is true in legal precepts this doth not follow that if so be God bid a man to do it therefore it is possible to do it for the law commands things not possible to be done by reason of the weakness of the flesh but this is an evangelical precept now when a man is effectually called of God and is commanded to make his calling sure he may do it the thing is possible and it may be performed and it is a mans own fault if he do it not if a man that is effectually called of God do not know it it is his own fault and negligence and carelesness when God bids his people that are
knowledge of a mans calling Ans may be had yet it is had by degrees it is a gradual knowledge a man cannot know it all at first dash God doth not manifest his favour and love all at once to his people and when he gives it he doth not presently tell a man what he gives him though there be wayes for him to know it and find it out yet the Lord doth not open himself to his people all at the first nay he doth not so to his own Son Christ Jesus in respect of his humanity as he grew in stature and wisdom so he grew in favour with God Luk. 2. 52. The divine nature manifested it self more and more to his humane so God doth manifest his favour and love and openeth himself to his people more and more according as they grow in goodness they grow in this knowledge as they are more and more pure in heart the more do they see God and Gods goodness to them and what God hath done for them this knowledge though it be to be had yet it is to be had by degrees and the people of God have it not all in one degree some have it in a higher degree and some in a lower but every man hath some of this knowledge that he is called of God it is impossible that a man should be effectually called and be wholly and totally ignorant of it Secondly As this knowledge is gradual so it is experimental a man knows The knowledge of effectual calling experimental that he is called by experience chiefly and mainly as when a man knows by experience that he comes to God and draws near to God and that he doth abstract himself from the world and worldly wayes and practises and layes aside more and more the carnal wayes of men and doth approach nearer and nearer unto the things of God in Christ if a man hath experience of these things he comes now to say God hath effectually called me and hath been pleased to do me good when he finds this by experience that these things â—re wrought in him then he can conclude this at the first he was like a man in a vision he could hardly believe that God had effectually called him as it was with Peter when the Angel delivered him out of prison he was as one that had seen a vision he had not thought it had been a real thing he could not tell what to make of it Act. 12. 11. but when he came to himself now saith he I know of a surety that the Lord hath sent his Angel and delivered me out of prison At first he could not tell what to make of it but afterwards when he saw he was in the streets and that the iron gate opened to him of its own accord now saith he I know of a surety that the Lord hath sent his Angel and delivered me So it is with the people of God at first when they hear something from the Father they know not what to make of this call at the first but afterwards when they come to see this lust and that lust fall off and these and these heavenly works in their souls they now know of a surety that God hath sent his Spirit into their souls and delivered them from sins and Satan and hell and damnation c. At first they were like dreamers they were not able to say whether they were called or no as the children of Israel when they were delivered out of captivity they could hardly believe it at first Psal 126. 1. When the Lord turned away the captivity of Zion we were as those that dreamed we could hardly perswade our selves that God had delivered us out of captivity with such a mercy so great a favour so unlikely so improbable it could never enter into their hearts almost we were like those that dreamed but when they saw they were in Jerusalem and were helped and assisted and heard the Gentiles talke of it and all the people runne up and down when they saw it was so and had experience of it then they saw God had done it indeed and did believe it so when a man is first effectually called to come out of his sins the Lord knocks off his bolts and plucks him out of the jaile of hell and sets him as it were in Jerusalem he is at first as a man that dreams he can hardly believe it is so as it was with David when God called him to be King he could hardly believe it it could hardly enter into his heart that he should be King over Israel especially being dayly persecuteed by Saul and calamities heaping up themselves against him he could not conclude it but when the Lord had set him in his Kingdome and given him victory over his enemies now saith he I know that the Lord saveth his anointed now he could speak it and found it by experience that the Lord had made him his anointed and saved and delivered him from all his enemies before he was ready to deny it and say Samuel was a lyar he had anointed him to be King but I said in my hast all men are lyars but when he had experience of it now saith he I know that the Lord hath saved his anointed Thirdly As the knowledge of effectual calling is gradual and experimental so likewise it is very spiritual it is a marvellous spiritual work and therefore The knowledge of effectual calling spiritual no marvel though it be something insensible indeed there be things in it which are very sencible and conspicuous as may be a reprobate may be galled at a Sermon he may have his eyes broad open to see his sins and iniquities and may be wonderfully wrought upon and may have the sencible work of vocation by the very Spirit of God but the very specificalness of it whereby this effectual calling doth differ from all other callings this is a marvelous Spiritual thing and therefore no wonder that it is insencible sometimes and many of the people of God feare they have it not these things may be done in the soul of a man and a man not know it and yet it may seem strange that the eyes of the blind should be opened and the feet of the lame should walk and the dead should be raised and the devils should be cast out it is strange I say that these things should be done in a mans soul and yet the man in whose soul they are done should be ignorant of them it is a strange thing but the works of the Spirit are wonderful secret the actions of the Spirit are very invisible when a man humbles himself and prayes and mournes these are sencible he knows what they are many talke of hunger and thirst and reformation c. But to see the saving sanctifying gracious work of God in these things that is a marvelous hard thing to find this and it is very spiritual as Solomon saith Eccl. 11. 5. As thou knowest
not the way of the Spirit nor how the bones grow in the womb of a woman that is with child even so thou knowest not the works of God who maketh all if it be so in natural things that we know not how the bones of the child grow in the womb much lesse these things of the Spirit so our Saviour Christ saith Joh. 3. 8. The wind bloweth where it listeth and thou knowest not whence it cometh nor whither it goeth even so is every one that is borne of the Spirit that is every one that is effectually called of God for regeneration is a part of this effectual calling to be effectually called of God it is the blowing of the wind a man knows not whence it cometh nor whither it goeth there is a world of ignorance about the wind so there is about the workings of Gods holy and heavenly Spirit when our Saviour was a working of regeneration in Nicodemus his heart was at the same time saying how can these things be Christ was working these things in his heart and the very same time when he was questioning how can these things be So Gideon at the very same time when God said unto him the Lord is with thâ—â— thou mighty man of valour Judg. 6. 14 â—5 Gideon was doubting that the Lord was not with him and that he had no might nor strength as our Saviour said of the seed that was sown in the ground Mark 4. 26. As if a man should cast seed into the ground and sleep night and day and the seed springeth up and grows he knows not how so saith he is the Kingdome of God and as our Saviour saith so it shall be at the last day when Christ shall say come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdome prepared for you for I was hungry and ye fed me c. But marke at the very same time the righteous that did all this and our Sauiour Christ did witness to their faces that they had done it the righteous shall answer when saw we thee hungry and fed thee c. They hardly knew they had done these things the actions themselves they could not but know of they knew they had fed and cloathed the poore children of God but that they did it to Christ for Christs sake they could hardly see this when did we see thee thus and thus and did so and so that they looked at Christ in this they had hardly so good eyes hardly so good a heart so I might instance in more I say the works of God they are marvelous spiritual and of a wonderful subtil substance they may be wrought in the soul of a man and yet a man may be something doubting and questioning whether they be wrought in him yea or no nay a man may be afraid they are not Fourthly Another reason is because the knowledge of a mans effectual The knowledge of a mans calling hindred for a time calling may be very much hindered for a time partly in regard of loathness of heart to leave some lust though a mans heart may be subdued and humbled for the maine yet there may be a great deal of holding back though a man cannot stand out in sin as the wicked do yet there may be a great deal of backwardness and unmortifiedness in the children of God and conscience may see it now when conscience seeth it conscience will hide effectual calling from a man and object how can you say you are effectually called when you are so borne down with such a lust and hanker so much after it now if our own hearts condemn us God is greater then our hearts and shall condemn us much more it is a pitiful thing when a man 's own heart shall condemn him and his own conscience shall be questioning whether he be right or no sometimes it falls out thus even those that are called yet in regard of unmortifiedness there is such a deale of matter that the conscience hath to object that a man cannot believe indeed and soundly that he is effectually called for at first when Christ comes into the soul before it hath gotten the mastery and victory the Spirit doth work exceedingly in the dark as when it works poverty of spirit sorrow for sin endeavour to leave all sin hatred and detestation of a mans own wayes loathing of a mans own self shame confusion before Gods footstoole there is such a smoak in the soul where the Spirit doth these that a man cannot see them as if a man be working in a smoaky house though he work excellent things a man can hardly perceive what he doth so there is such a deal of smoak in the heart such a deal of corruption stirring that it hides the sight of the work of God from a man yet the work of God goeth along as suppose two armies in a field and the battel be doubtful the guns fly off and the swords clatter and the dust ariseth and there is such a confusion that neither themselves nor others know which way the battel will go but sometimes some fall on one side and sometimes some on the other side and if a man should stand on an hill and see this battle he cannot tell on which side it will be sometimes he thinks it will be on this side and by and by it is turned on the other side and so while it is doubtful it cannot be determined and concluded on which side the victory will fall So it is with the war between the flesh and the spirit the war is very doubtful before the odds begin for there is a great deal of evenness at first nay the Spirit seems to be the weaker side and the flesh to be the stronger and there are many falls and foiles given to the soul and the flesh is too strong afterwards it begins to be something equal and the battel to be poyzed now while the battel is so doubtful a man cannot tell on which side the victory will be whether on the spirits side or on the fleshes side whether on graces side or on sinnes side but when the warfare is accomplished I do not mean perfectly for that will never be in this life a man may then see on which side the victory will go a man may see ten thousand corruptions lie dead with their throats cut and the Spirit standing triumphing and conquering more and more we may now see which way the victory will go the Spirit reigns and grace reigns and humility reigns and heavenly mindedness reigns and all the graces of Gods Spirit have dominion over the whole man Another reason why the knowledge of effectual calling is hindered is because The knowledge of our effectual calling may be hindered by ignorance of ignorance a child is a man though he doth not know it so it is with a man that is a new beginner in Religion he is a new man though he doth not know it he hath that in him that let
up to the brazen Serpent first our first parents saw they were naked and then came forth the promise of the seed of the woman so first God convinceth a man of sinne and then of righteousness Joh 10. 8. first he convinceth a man of his sins and then shews him where righteousness is to be had how he may have righteousness and peace of conscience and be justified before God Now for the opening of the point I will shew you three things first that it is thus God doth first prepare a man before he calls him effectually Secondly the reasons why the Lord doth thus and Thirdly the uses First That it is true the Lord doth prepare a man before he doth effectually Proofe 1. from texts full of terror call him either more or lesse there must be a work of the law one way or other and to prove this first wherefore else are those many texts of Scripture full of terrours of sharp arrows and fierce pellets against sinners wherefore are these but to terrifie a man and pull a man down and that we that are Ministers of God should fling them against sinners and the Lord looks that men should tremble Amos 3. 6 8. The Lord saith there shall a trumpet be blown in a City and people not be afraid c. and ver 8. When the Lyon roars who will not feare all those terrible texts of Scripture they are the roaring of the Lyon of the tribe of Judah against all that go on in sinne now who would not tremble saith the Prophet 't is true many wicked and ungodly men do not tremble a jot almost but some shall tremble God looks upon some and they shall tremble at his Word Isa 66. 1 2. Secondly Because this is the office of the Spirit of God to be a Spirit of 2 From the Spirâ—ts office bondage before he be the Spirit of adoption he was so to the Romans he was the Spirit of bondage in their hearts before he was the Spirit of adoption to make them cry Abba Father Râ—m 8. 15. You have not received againe the Spirit of bondage to feare you did receive it once but you have not received it againe but now you have received the Spirit of adoption whereby you cry Aâ—ba Father Now to deny this doctrine is to deny the maine office of the Spirit which is dangerous for every man naturally is a bedlam now how are bedlams tamed they are beaten and whipt and kept under till they come to themselves so the Lord deals with a man as with a bedlam he comes with the Spirit of bondage flinging in slavish terrours and fears and what a miserable creature he is this sin and the other sinne and the wrath of God is come out against him the Spirit takes a man down from day to day and undermines him and breaks his stomack and then afterwards when he hath â—â—ought that work he comes to be the Spirit of adoption to teach him to cry Abba Father Thirdly Because the Gospels turne is not come till the Law hath done his 3 Because the Gospel follows the law part thâ—s was the method that Christ was anointed to observe in his Ministery he would first have a man bruised and broken and captivated and blind and poore and in misery and then he preacheth the Gospel to him as you may see Lâ—k 4. 19. The Spirit of the Lord hath anointed me to this order saith he it is an excellent place for this purpose to stop the mouthes of those that hope there is an easier way he will preach the Gospel and liberty and comfort and enlargement but he will have a broken heart first and a tender Spirit first Fourthly You may see an expresse place of our Saviour Christ that he 4 From Christs design in coming came to save that which was lost first a man shall be in a lost estate and he shall be in a wilderness and he shall have his sinnes discovered and his misery and then the Lord comes to those that he hath a minde to do good unto Mat. 9. 12. 13. saith he They that are whole need not the Physitian but they that are sâ—â—k he means to deale with a man as a Physitian a man must be sick before he comes to him the Physitian gives Physick to none till they be sick now till a man is sick of his sinnes till they are the diseases of his soul till he is in torments and misery the Lord Jesus saith he will not be his Physician Fifthly Because God doth see it sitting to deale thus with his converted ones when they fall into some foule sinne and grosse iniquity the Lord is 5 From Gods working with believers after grosse sins pleased to go this way to work even towards his own converted ones when they sinne not onely through invincible infirmities and through temptation but when they grow stubborn when they fall into some horrible iniquity the Lord doth use to go even legally to work with them though they lie under grace therefore much more towards those that never yet were under grace that never had any free Spirit that never had any part of an ingenious nature that were never yet wrought to be led by the faire means of grace if God work so with those that he hath given in some measure his grace and given in some measure a portion of his free Spirit unto if when they sinne and sinne foully it is not all the promise of the Gospel all the covenant of Grace that will raise them up againe and make them walk before God with holiness and zeale and fervency then much more will he deale thus with those that never had any grace at all Thus David cryeth out thy fears have got hold upon me and Psal 28. 4. his sinnes were as an heavy burthen unto him too heavy for him to beare he did not onely set his sinnes before him they were not onely the objects before his eyes so they are to a man that walks in the comforts of the Spirit they are before his eyes every man that walks in obedience he hath his sinnes before him at times to humble him and keep him low and make him still hang upon Christ and depend upon him and esteem Christ precious to you that believe Christ is precious 2 Pet. 4. 5. But now he sets them before them not only as objects but layeth them as loads upon their backs that their sins shall not only be seen but felt by them now this is a legal work when any part of a mans sinnes and misery lyes upon his soul and conscience 't is true God never shews sinne to the utmost to his people he never layeth all the load if God should stirre up all the stink of uncleanness that is in his people if God should discover to them all the ugly looks of their sinnes they were not able to beare it As a good man said when I see my self saith he
hardly heare of a man so humble in an age as he was he did even grudge to think that Christ should come into his house he thought he was unworthy that Christ should come under his roofe though he were in the dayes of his humiliation in the forme of a servant his heart was employed and brought low he had no hope in himself all the worth he saw was in Christ this helps a man to the more faith the more a man is emplyed the more may be poured in Wherefore serve all those texts in Scripture The wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all unrighteousnesse tribulation and anguish shall be upon the soul of every one that doth evill flesh and blood can never enter into the Kingdome of God that which is borne of the flesh is flesh and such a one can never please God while the world stands Wherefore serve all these texts of Scripture when Gods sâ—ings balls of fire upon men that live in their wicked wayes Why do we not open them and presse them upon mens consciences Why do we not apply them to those to whom they belong are they not in the Bible were the Prophets fooles were the Holy Pen-men of the Scripture mistaken in putting such texts into the Bible If they be there they ought to be uttered and applied and if they be to be applied to whom but to those to whom they belong Then such persons had need to look to themselves and we that are Ministers woe unto us if we do not preach terrour to whom terrour belongs as well as mercy to whom mercy belongs but you will say are not we Ministers of the Gospel 't is true and so was Christ yet mark what he saith repent and then believe first he discovers their miserable conditions and breaks their hearts and then bids them lay hold upon the Gospel of peace this is the Method that we that are the Ministers of God should take first wound and then heale first lance and then bind up first detect mâ—ns sinnes and shew them their miseries and then shew them a remedy first let them see what they are and then see how they may be better Then you must be content to let us go up upon Mount Eball and pronounce Vse 2. Be content to heare the curses of the Law preached the curses of God upon those that go on in their sinnes you must be content to have your estates and conditions ripped up be not ready to be snappish and murmuring against the revelation of the Law and the opening of the hellish sink of sin that is in your hearts be you willing to hear it and let us do it 't is true we must be ready to poure in Oyle into every bruised spirit but first we must come with the hammer of the Law to breake and then bind up let me tell you as many as go on in your sins and are yet without Christ let me tell you what your condition is be it known from the Lord whatsoever you may think you are in the gall of bitternesse and in the bond of iniquity hell is moved for your coming and the pit is digged for such as you are you are under the wrath of heaven and though God be gracious and full of mercy yet he will never save those that disobey him and stand out against his Holy and Heavenly Word though Christ died for sinners yet he is a stumbling block and a rock of offence to those that are disobedient and stumble at the Word 1 Pet. 2 8 Whatsoever you may think of your selves and do not think of these things but suffer the world and your pleasures to take up your mindes think of it what a woefull case you are in know that the great God of Heaven and Earth hath bitter things against you and you shall heare it with both eares when it is too late there is no mercy but for them that repent and forsake their sins there is no Kingdome of Heaven for you you have no hope the Devils and you have one hope What turned so many Angels of Heaven into Hell was it not sin you have that very sin upon you you do not see your misery but if your eyes were open and would but heare what God saith you would loath your selves in dust and ashes and your knees would knock together for anguish of heart What no conversion yet no new creatures yet then no Christ no Heaven no Happiness what a woful thing is this I beseech you think of it and apply it and tell your soules either sin must down or else no Heaven to be looked for either I must be an holy man either God will give me grace and holinesse here or else I shall â—ever see his face with comfort hereafter either I must have my life changed and my conversation made spiritual and godly by Jesus Christ or else I do but deceive my own soul to think of any happinesse this is certaine therefore do not think lightly of any sin there is no sin so small but is able to damn thy soul unlesse thou embrace the Gospel and the Kingdome of God If it were possible that thou never hadst sinned but one sin that one sin will damn thee unlesse thou be a new creature and by Faith embrace the Son of God thou canst not â—e saved there is no sin so small but the wrath of God from Heaven is revealed against it if people did but see their sins like so many Devils if they did but once see these Cockatrices stings if people were but affected with their estates and conditions something might be said but unless mens sins be laid before their eyes and charged upon their souls what hope have we to do them any good Thirdly this is for comfort to those that are humbled such as have had Vse 3. To comfort those that have had this work of the Law on them the Law come unto them and hath knocked them off that they have nothing to trust to and they see what miserable creatures they are look up and hear what the Gospel saith the Gospel of God sheweth mercy freely to be had and delivers promises freely to be apprehended and doth proffer eternal life without money or moneys worth though a man be never so vile and wretched if you see your misery you have Davids own argument go and use it Psal 25. 16. Have mercy upon me O Lord for I am desolate and afflicted all the Saints of God have no other argument but this in begging of mercy as who should say I am a miserable creature no grounds whereupon to expect any mercy I am a desolate afflicted undone man in my self all my hope is in thee go to God and lie at his gate and plead this argument submitting to the Gospel Have mercy on me O Lord for I am desolate and afflicted and here now comes in effectual calling when the Law hath shewed a man his wretched estate
but have eternal life As who should say I bring an indifferent doctrine I propound it to all creatures and thou maist have a part in it as well as any other Whosoever believes shall not perish if thou hast a heart to believe and come unto me thou shalt not perish but have salvation So when our Saviour sent his Disciples to call his Elect throughout the world mark what directions he gave them he calls people with a general call Whosoever will let him take of the water life whosoever hath a mind to be saved to know God and have Communion with him and be united to him whosoever hath a minde to these things tell him I am for him he proclaimes it over the whole world tell every creature in the whole world He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved here is no exception put in but preach the Gospel to every creature tell every creature what I have done for the sins of the world and how I have opened the Kingdome to whomsoever will enter thus God calls his people his Ministers go up and down and tell them they may have pardon and grace and righteousnesse for nothing come and buy without money though you cannot give a farthing token for it but be poor and miserable and cursed creatures Come here it is wine and milk and bread and all without money you shall have it for taking and carrying away so Rev. 22. 7. Whosoever will let him take of the water of life freely it is a quicunquae vult thereis none exempted if any man will he may be saved if he have a will a minde a heart to it he may have salvation Now here be three things I would shew unto you first what this general tender is whereby God effectually calls his people Secondly why it is by a general tender Thirdly the uses First what is this general tender of Christ and grace to every creature that What is this general tender of Christ hath a minde to it and it is this that Christ is the only alsufficient meanes to make a man happy that whereas he is out with his Maker he alone can set him in again though he be under a thousand miseries in this life and under a thousand eternal miseries in the life to come there is in Christ an alsufficiency to make a man happy God is the fountaine of all goodnesse and till his goodnesse is opened in Christ Jesus this is that same general thing as Paul saith 1 Cor. 1. 23 24. We preach Christ crucified unto thâ—se that are called the power and wisdome of God as who should say this is the thing we go up and down every where preaching that Christ was crucified for the sinnes of the world and hath power to save any man that comes to him it was the wisdome of God he found out this meanes it was an impossibility in the wisdome of men and Angels how man should be saved the Wisdome of God hath found out the Lord Jesus Christ to be the meanes and he is the power of God to save any man that believes and wheresoever we come we preach this Doctrine So again you may see Heb. 7. 24 25. This man hath an unchâ—ngable Priesthood for he is able to save to the utmost all those that come unto him c. As who should say he is a publick Saviour he is not onely able to save these and these but all that come unto him he is able to save them to the utmost whosoever you are though you be never so wretched and reprobate to every good work though never so foule and all the nitre in the world cannot cleanse you never so stubborne and all the meanes and Ordinances you have enjoyed have not tamed you why yet here is a Saviour for you he is able to save you to the utmost though you be never so out with God and though God be never so much displeased with your sinful courses and all the Angels and all the world cannot take away Gods wrath from you yet he is able to save you to the utmost if you will come unto him This is the tender of the Gospel delivered to every man Now in the next place I will shew you the reasons why God calls people home by a general tender in this fashion First because this is the surest ground of faith suppose a soul that is effectually Reas 1. This the surest ground of faith called shall afterwards feare and question and by what warrant do I hope to be saved by Christ and by what warrant do I look to be heard for Christs sake and how is it that I â—ay hold upon such promises and cast my self upon such things in the Gospel upon what acquaintance do I presume that the Lord Jesus will see you assisted in all my wayes and helped in all estates and conditions and save my soul when I die Why saith he I have a good warrant for I see in Scripture that Christ is tendered to all and whâ—soâ—ver believes shall noâ— perish but have everlasting life and whosoever will have him may I could not tell indeed I was elected before I heard the Sermon but I heard that any man might have Christ that would and I am sure I would have him and I finde in Scripture that he came to save that which is lost and I am sure I am a lost creature and if he came to save that which is lost I have warrant to believe This is that which grounded Saint Paul this generall offer This saith he is a faithful saying worthy to be received of all men that Christ died for sinners whereof I am chief 1 Tim. 1. 15. As who should say here is the thing this is that which comforts me and staies my soul I see that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners and I see it is a faithful saying and worthy of all men to be received all men whosoever have a heart may receive it and I am sure then he came to save me and this is my hold I have no other hold but this But now if a man were called by any other call but this a man could have no ground for his calling if the Scripture should say they only are called that are elected he would have no ground for his call Secondly because this is the best answer to Satan many times a man will be 2. This is the best answer to Satan put to heavy straits and will have much ado to answer Satan sometimes a man will be under uncertainty sometimes under want of feeling and sense sometimes under horror of conscience and a mans sins may come to a mans view and feares may step up in the soul then Satan comes how look you to be saved you are a wretch you have a stiffe faith indeed What believe and no sense and feeling such a horrible wretch and such a guilty conscience and you believe What have you to shew Is
had he baptized him So Paul dealt with the Jaylor Acts 16. 30 31. when Paul saw the Jaylor ready to stab himself how could he tell whether he were elâ—cted or no yea when he cried out What shall I do to be saved he might speak out of horror and conscience how did Paul know that he was elected but he feels him with the general tender beleeve in the Lord Jesus Christ saith he and thou mayest be saved whatsoever thou art he doth noâ— stand upon his election but beleeve in Christ and his Gospel and believe eternal life is in him and rest upon him for it let this be a means to pull thee out of thy sins and to seek after righteousnesse and communion with him if thou hast faith thou shalt be saved Obj. The second Objection is this that this doctrine seems to favour our adversaries our adversaries say that Christ died for one as well as for another and the Gospel is to be propounded to one as well as to another and it is as much for one as for another now if we say so too we shake hands with them Answ 1. I answer First there is a great deal of difference between that which the Pelagians speak concerning this thing they say that Christ intended his death no more to one then to another no more to Abraham then Pharaoh no more to Peter then Judas look what minde God bare to one à parte ante he bare as good a minde towards the other now this we peremptorily deny and it is an horrible blaspheming of the grace of God towards his people for he will have one rather then another Acts 13. 48. as many as was ordained to eternal life beleeved as who should say as many as God had chosen they took Christ and none else God did intend Christ to them especially more then to the rest he gave them a heart and let the rest go on in the stubbornnesse of their hearts Secondly they say that Christ came to bring nothing but a possibility of salvation into the world now that any man is saved is through the ability of a mans will that one man will be saved another will not this man will beleeve in Christ another will not This we peremptorily deny too for this is to blaspheme the Lord Jesus Christ to say so for 't is true Christ hath wrought a possibility for others they might have been saved but would not the rebellion of their hearts damned them their unbelief sent them to hell but yet he first brought an actuality of Salvation for some for he had his name for this Mat. 1. 21. Thou shalt call his name Jesus for he shall save his people from their sinnes nay the Father and he did indent one with another that he dying upon the crosse should see his seed Esay 53. 10. Thirdly they say that Christ might have died and none have been saved which is an horrible impiety for a man once to speak whereas certainly Christs death could never have been frustrated if Christ did die for his people â—â— will save them the gates of hell shall not prevaile against them he will gather up all that do belong to his election Lastly the adversaries say that as there is a generality in the offer so there is an universality in the grace now this we deny too that there is an universal grace God gives more mercy to his own people then to others to 〈…〉 ven saith Christ c. Mat. 13. 10 11. so to you it is given saith the 〈…〉 e not only to beleeve in him but to die for him Phil. 1. 29. so that God gives more grace to his people then to others he gives onely common 〈◊〉 to the wicked 't is true God is not wanting to the wicked God will ever be aforehand with them and they shall have more then they make use â—t now wicked men the Lord leaves them without excuse for they stick â—ot at an impossibility but at a will they will not come in that they might â—e 〈◊〉 they will not do that which God hath put into the power of their hands to do God gives them knowledge and they will not practise it God shewâ— them their sinnes and they will not leave their sins may be God makes theâ—â— leave their sinnes and then they return to them againe it may be God makes them that they never return to their sins again but then they take up onely a kinde of forme and there they stick and go no further thus they â—â—ck at the will they will not have the Gospel upon Christs termes The first use of the point is this it is a great comfort and encourageâ—â—nt Use 1. For the comfort and encouragement of Beleevers to the faith of all Gods people what an excellent and sure word is thâ—s when they shall finde that they have such an excellent warrant to lay hold upon Christ when he is so publickly tendred in the Scripture there is a common salvation in Jesus Christ Jude 3. Christ hath made it to be common for any man that will have it upon the tearms thereof it is as common as Adam was As in Adam all died so in Christ shall all be made alive 1 Cor. 15. 22. not as though all men simply shall be made alive for all men possibly are not alive as all men possibly are not dead in Adam for there might be millions of men after the world is ended but only those that are in the loynes of Adam all men that came out of the loyns of Adam shall die so all they that ever are in the loyns of Christ as all they are that will have him they shall be made alive it is as general as Adam as many as were in the loyns of Adam and lived and died so shall die so all that are in the loyns of Christ and have a will to come to Christ shall be saved for it is the will that carrieth all the soul when a man will do or suffer any thing for Christ whatsoever sin Christ will have him leave he will leave it whatsoever duty Christ will have him take up he will assume it he will break through all hindrances and use all means he will have it the righteousnesse of Christ is for every one that will have it I will have it saith the soul therefore it belongs to me the Gospel of salvation is tendred to every one that hath a minde to it I have a mind to it upon the Gospels tearms and therefore it belongs to me The second use is of confutation to confute those that desire faith by the full assurance of the pardon of a mans sins and the salvation of his soul this is a Use 2. For confutation dangerous doctrine and condemns the half of the generation of God nay all of them at one time or other you see how the Gospel calls a man to believe concerning justification and salvation it calls to beleeve in the
men shall rise againe as John 5. 28. Marvel not for the houre shall come that all flesh that is in the grâ—vâ— shall come forth if all that are dead shall rise again then every man shall rise again though his name be not named in Scripture so it is hear we read in Scripture that Christ saith John 7. 37. If any man thirst let him come unto me and drink now the Lord includes a particular in it and brings it to the soul thou thirstest thou wouldest faine have Christ here are the promises here is all mercy in my Sonne believe in him come and receive him take him and thou shalt have them so if Christ saith whosoever believes shall be saved then Saint Paul might safely conclude a particular word to the Jaylor belâ—eve in the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved Acts 16. 31. so that you see here is a particular word though not particular directly yet equivalent to a particular namely a particular in the general and the Spirit of God doth speak this to the soul and makes the soul hear it Every man therefore that hath heard it c. When God calls the soul home he makes the soul hear his voice here a Doct. When God calls the soul he makes it hear a particular voice particular voice and word to him believe in the Lord come unto me for salvation relie upon me for eternal life the sinnes that trouble thy soule cast thy self upon me for the forgiving of them the diseases miseries distempers thou art subject unto lay hold upon me and rest upon me for the delivering thee from them the Lord when he calls a man effectually he speaks it not onely the Minister and the Word speaks it but the Lord speaks it and so the soul hearing of the Father comes to Christ thus you may see the Lord holds the free promises of the Gospel before the soul and bids a man relie upon them as Peter dealt with his contrite hearers the Spirit of the Lord going along with his word Acts 2. 39. believe saith he for the promise belongs to you and to your children c. as who should say when God calls a man effectually he holds forth his promises and propounds them to the soul beleeve this promise and rest upon me for it thus the Lord doth call a man home he sends his promise before him he sets up hope before him he sends the gracious invitation of the Gospel before him and bids him relie upon it thus God dealt with his Elect Câ—rinths 1 Cor. 1. 9. God is faithful saith the Apostle by whom ye are called to the followship of his Sonne Jesus Christ as who should say when God called you he spake to every one of you in particular come and be fellow heirs with my Son come and have every good thing with my Sonne come and be a sonne with him come and be an heir of grace with him and have title to eternal life and salvation God calls you saith he to beleeve that he is faithful So I might instance in many more though there be never so many in the Congregation yet the Lord doth not speak to them all they do not all hear his voice they all hear the Minister but that makes them not to come that doth not the deed but when the Lord calls a man he comes he joyns with the Word and speaks to this or that man and takes him alone and whispers him in the ear and tells him where mercy is and bids him rely upon him and though sense and seeling be against him though all fears and objections be against him he bids him believe and be of good cheere he shall have all these mercies it he will believe in him as he saith Esay 51. 20. Look unto Abraham your father for I called him alone and blessed him mark it the Lord took him alone and spake to his heart between him and himself so when the Lord speaks to a soul and calls him by his grace he calls him alone and takes him alone though all the Congregation hears the same Sermon yet he takes him alone and speaks to his heart and bids him beleeve in him for I will never faile thee it is a sure foundation he may build upon it for ever and ever Because no man could come unto Christ else for we see daily though Reas 1. Elâ—e no man could come to Christ Ministers call all the Congregation and assembly yet people do not stir they are dead in their sins they cannot hear the Minister no it must be a louder voice and one that is more powerful and effectual unlesse the Lord come and bid a man beleeve he can never do it therefore John 5. 26. See what Christ saith Verily I say unto you that the hour shall come when the dead shall heare the voice of the Sonne of God here comes an Almighty voice that speaks to the raising of a man out of the death of sinne to the life of righteousnesse and faith and he shews that there is a voice of Christ that speaks to the soul that though the soul be dead yet it shall heare and live so Ephesians 5. 14. and were it not for this call no man could beleeve That so they may have a ground for their faith the soul cannot first beleeve â— That we may have a ground for out faith and then come to the promise but the Lord brings the promise first and then makes the soul to beleeve he lets in the promise first and then causeth the soul to lay hold upon it the soul doth not first come and then look to the promise but the soul first looks upon the promise and then beleeves as you may see Psal 119. 49. it is the speech of the Prophet David Remember thy Word O Lord wherein thou hast caused thy servant to trust the Lord lets in a word of promise into Davids heart then caused him to hope in it and made him look upon it as a thing tendred and propounded to him and so made him relic upon it if it were not for this call of God who were able to beleeve for without this call the soul when it seeth its dulnesse and deadnesse and untowardnesse and unworthinesse it would go away it would say I cannot look to the promise I cannot do this and that and I have no faith and what have I to do with the promise therefore the Lord when he effectually calls a man he lets in the sight of his promises he holds forth his free and gracious promises so that now the soul can say the Lord calls me by his grace and though I be never so wretched and my heart be stark naught though I be as reprobate to every good word and work as the vilest in the world yet here is a free offer and I will relie upon it it is tendred unto me otherwise why should God propound it so freely why should he hold it forth
another and that is this as faith tyeth the heart to 3. Because faith gleweth the heart to the Commandements as well as to the promiâ—es the promises so it glueth the heart to the Commandements these go together and when faith reacheth forth the hand to the one it reacheth forth the hand to the other they are tyed with bonds of adamant that cannot be severed Psalme 119. 56. When faith will go to God in vertue of a promise to do this or that for him he reacheth forth the hand to the Commandements too I am the Lord thy God thou shalt have no other Gods but me As who should say if you will look upon me as your God by faith then look that you have no other gods but me look that you honour me in all my wayes and stoop to me and obey my Word as the Lord propounded the one so he set before them the other a man forgets that God is his God by faith if he keeps not his Commandements beware saith Moses least thou forget the Lord thy God in not keeping his Commandements How can a man believe in God when he forgets that which he should believe When a man forgets to be subject to God and to give up himself in all his wayes The Promises and Commandements are tyed together with bonds of adamant and no man can pull them asunder as it is with sinne and the threatnings if a man go on in sinne he shall be sure to have the threatnings light upon him they are bound together by bonds of adamant and everlasting coards let a man do what he can if he howle and roare to God to take away his plagues to take away Hell fire and damnation if he go on in sinne it will never be they hang together in an everlasting truth The way of the wicked shall perish and if a man soweth iniquity he shall reap misery saith the Wiseman As a man soweth so he shall reap do not deceive your selves We are marvelous apt to reason as Eve did to put in perhaps perhaps you shall dye Nay assuredly we shall dye if we go on in sinne and will not live that life which God hath set before us the life of faith the life of God the life of Heaven the life of true Holinesse and righteousnesse if we will not submit to this and give up our selves to be brought under it we shall assuredly perish never did any man live and goe on in sinne but he dyed in perdition Never any man lived a wicked and ungodly life but had a wicked wretched and damned death if a man do go on in sinne he shall be sure to have the threatnings of God light upon him he cannot avoyde them so it is on the other side the Promises and the Commandements go together and if a man do observe the Commandements ' of God by a true and lively faith he shall assuredly have the promises and if he reject the Commandements or be unâ—ound in the doing of them he cannot have the Promises if he have the one he must have the other he can never make a faithful Plea for Peace for Pardon for Heaven or any thing that God hath promised that bindes not himselfe over to God to do his will in every thing Nay the strength of Faith puts forth it selfe in as strong an act towards the Commandements as towards the Promises and if there be any difference it is on the Promises side for the Promises are more supernatural then the Commandements for they were once written in the heart therefore the Commandements are not so supernatural a man was once acquainted with them but the Promises of Mercy and Pardon and Redemption are more supernatural and we see this in poore weak beleevers that go on and are enabled to make good conscience of their wayes and to be very carefull of sinning against God and walk in very good strictnesse diligence and circumspection and yet have much ado to apply the Promises and appropriate them to themselves I say broken-hearted people that are weak in faith in regard of personall confidence may yet notwithstanding be very strong in the doing of the Commandements of God The reason is because obedience flows from a direct act of faith and this bearing a man upon the Promises from a reflect act of faith it flowes from a consciousnesse of obedience when a man is conscious that he is sincere then and never before can a man have confidence that the Promises are sealed to him this is a reflect act of faith but it is a direct act that makes a man obey Gods Commandements so that faith must needs work obedience for if there be this blessed couple propounded to the soule in the Gospel together with the Commandements Faith looking on both takes one as well as the other Fourthly there is another close couple that faith looks upon and that is as upon a Title to the Kingdome of Heaven so also to a fitnesse 4. Because faith looks to a fitnesse for heaven as well as a title to heaven for the Kingdome of Heaven and one is as needfull as the other as things without which a man cannot enter into the Kingdome of God Now Faith as it helps a man to a title to Glory so it helps a man more and more with fitnesse because it seeth it cannot be otherwise When David had committed his two fowle sinnes of murther and adultery though he had not lost his title to the Kingdome of Heaven yet he could not enter into it he could not have actual possession of it Why Because he was unfit Heb. 12. 14. Without holinesse a man cannot see God though a man hath all the titles in the world though he be elected to it before all worlds yet till he is made fit for it he cannot enter into it flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God as the Apostle Peter speakes it is an inheritance holy and undefiled and a man must be holy before he can be made partaker of it Joseph must shave himself before he come before Pharaoh Ahasuerus women must be prepared and purified with spices and odours and mirrhe Hest 2. 11. And then they came before the King when they were prepared and adorned and made sweet and persumed So a man must first be prepared and fitted for the Kingdom of heaven or else there is no admission into it heaven is too fine a place for adulterers and drunkards c. As soone as ever the Angels of heaven though glorious creatures began to sinne against God God thrust them out of heaven they left their habitation it was too fine for them and do you think the Lord will admit the Devill into heaven againe in his members what a thing is it when every drunkard and profane person shall think himself meet company for the blessed trinity it cannot be God will never take such foule loathsome creatures into fellowship and Communion with him they are too neare
killed them and laid them dead in regard of any performance they must have life from without there is no life at home no grace at home no understanding at home they must go out for all but a carnal man he is alive unto all performances Many a man is like unsavoury Salt good for nothing but to throw upon the dunghil He never received the Holy Ghost and yet he will be inducted into a Living and take a Pastoral Charge upon him as if he were able to perform the Duty of a Minister and take the Charge of Souls upon him So Ananias will be a Husband and Sapphira a VVife Athalia vvill be a Queen and Nimred a King and Abimilech a Judge they are alive to discharge all these Duties thus men are alive the Law of God hath not killed their hearts and pulled down their spirits it hath not made it appear unto them what wretched cursed Creatures they are This is the Second thing wherein this Liveliness consists Thirdly This Livelinesse consists in a presumptuous hope he conceives that he is justified before God and that God will not damn him but forgive him his sins There is nothing can make a mans heart more full of life than to think that he is righteous before God and that God will not impute his sins unto him there is nothing can make a man more alive then this If they think they are justified before God they have then a lively hope 1 Pet. 1. 3. Blessed be God saith the Apostle even the Father of the Lord Jesus Christ which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again to a lively hope by the Resurrection of Christ from the Dead So these men have a hope that makes them lively and full of life as a poor man that hath some grounded hope of an Earthly inheritance it makes the heart lively Poverty deads the heart he that hath nothing to maintain himself and those that belongs unto him it deads his heart but if he hath some hopes of an hundred pound a year and his hope is grounded if he hath sure hope of it and he makes no doubt of it it makes his heart full of life so when a man doth believe that he is in a good case that he is delivered from death that he is in the estate of grace when he hath some probability that God hath justified him from sin this breeds an hope in him of an eternal Inheritance and this hope the consideration of it makes the soul full of life There is nothing can make a man more lively then a hope that he is justified before God and that God will not impute his sins unto him Now when a carnal man conceives he is righteous before God and that God will forgive him his iniquities that God will not damn him nor count him a dead and a damned man so long as a man doth imagine this he must needs be a lively man he is alive in his own apprehension nay all the delights in the world cannot make a man so full of life as this hope It is not mens following their pleasure that makes their hearts so full of life as to have hope that the Lord doth not account them dead men that they are justified men and righteous men that they have salvation to shew for Heaven and eternal happinesse to shew for that they shall go to heaven But if now the Law were charged upon a man if he knew that he were a dead man a damned man it would pluck down his spirits and make his spirits dead for all his pleasures It is the conceit that men are Justified that makes them so full of life so long as the Law doth not come home to a man and point him out in his colours and make it appear to him that he lyeth under the wrath of Almighty God that the Lord doth account him an abominable wretched Creature so long as he doth not apprehend this especially if he have any good Gifts and Parts and Qualities and Moral Obedience to the Law doing good Duties and a general laying hold upon the Promises and a hope they belong to him this makes him alive Phil. 3. 9. Paul when he was a Pharisee and did Moral Duties and performed Moral Obedience to the Law of God he thought he had Righteousnesse of his own he calls it there his own Righteousnesse he so apprehended of himself now this is that which makes men alive when they conceive that they have some Religion and some Grace You shall have many men and women that hate the Servants of God and yet think they are godly men and have Grace and Life in them We may see it Acts 13. 50. there it is said that the Jews stirred up certain devout and honourable women and raised Persecution against Paul and Barnabas and expelled them out of their Coasts Though they hated Paul and Barnabas yet they are said to be devout and honourable women They imagined they were very Devout they conceived they were Religious How many men and women are there that think they are Righteous and they will do many Duties and take many good Courses in so much that it would pity a man to think they should go to hell they will be very Zealous they will be very Earnest against Drunkennesse and cry out against the abominations of the times they are marvellous Devout and Godly and yet a man that is Devout and Godly in truth and in deed they cannot abide him but hate him Now if the Law should come home unto them and discover how indeed it is with them it would humble their souls and pull down their spirits and make them dead so that this presumptuous hope that men are in good terms with God and that God will be merciful to them and forgive them their sins this makes them to be alive 2. We come now to the Second thing and that is the Effect of this â—iveliness what Effects it works in the heart And the Effects of this Liveliness are Four 1. First It makes them sound and heart-whole like a Boyl unlaunced it is yet sound The true sight of sin and wrath of God in the soul is able to break the heart of any man it is able to dead his spirit and kill all the Livelinesse that is in him and make him have little life to go on as he doth But so long as the Law of God is not come home to a man though he have no Title to Heaven though Hell be the Portion of his Cup yet he is as sound as can be as heart-whole as may be Let carnal comfort come he can take it let pleasures come he is able to delight himself therewith and go on in his course as if he ailed nothing Prov. 18. 14. the Wise man saith The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmities but a wounded spirit who can bear When the Lord comes to wound a mans heart with the sight of his sins and
record of his Son that he is the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world that he is eternal life that he is the way the truth and the light that he is the hope of glory that he is the way of coming to God the Father now when a man hath this saith in a lively manner and this pulls a man out of the world draws him to Christ this is the true faith this is the faith of the Gospel faith is not defined by assurance in Scripture but by beleeving in Christ John 3. 18. by trusting upon Christ Ephes 1. 12. by resting upon God 2 Chr. 14. 11. by relying upon God 2 Chr. 19. 8. by adhering and cleaving to God in Christ Acts 11. 23. this is true faith when a man relies upon God when he believes this same blessed record and throws himself and casts himself upon it and will obey God I may say to you all that have this faith as the Prophet Esay saith to such as you are Who is there among you that feareth the Lord and obeyeth the voice of his servants though he sit in darknesse and seeth no light yet let him rest upon the Lord and stay himself upon the God of his salvation Esay 50. 10. as who should say though you be in the dark and have no light no assurance no sense and feeling no inkling of Gods mercy though you be in darkness and know not where you are yet if you have a heart to fear God and obey the voice of his servants and hearken to the tender of the Gospel trust in the Lord your God relie upon him for all want of sense and feeling for all darknesse for all want of light in you for all want of comfort and stay your souls that way yet trust in the name of the Lord relie upon him for all his mercies though you be at this passe Object But the soul will say I am afraid I have nothing I have no interest Object in Christ but what of that Answ If thou be never so much afraid mark what David saith Psalme Answ 56. 3. What time I am afraid I will trust in thee as who should say though I be in the middest of fears and doubts and terrors of conscience what time this fear comes upon me I will cast my self upon thee so that this is that which the soul is to do that beleeves the tender of the Gospel and this draws him and works upon him it is not a dead faith but an operative faith it pulls him and draws him to Christ he must have Christ and he must have righteousnesse is there such a faith then relie upon God though thy fears come upon thee yet urge thy self to trust in God Obj. And againe it may be objected I have hardly any hope that ever I Object shal have the pardon of my sins that ever God will hear my prayers and accept my duties and performances What of that if thou hast this faith Answ Mark how it was with Abrahams faith when God told him he should Answ have a sonne though it were above hope besides hope against hope yet he believes in hope so though thou hast hardly any hope yet above hope believe under hope and though thou art put besides all hope and art even ready to be at the brink of despaire yet through thy self upon God if I perish I perish go on in the ways of God and seek after the ways of Jesus Christ and rest upon him from day to day and strive to draw neerer to him to have communion with him and though thou beest put besides hope yet believe under hope Obj. Again it may be objected again if I have any faith it is such a weak Object faith that I can hardly perceive it is any at al God will never receive me surely Answ I answer it is not the strength of faith that justifies but it is faith Answ that justifies the plaister may heal the wound though the hand be weak that lays it on faith is the hand that lays hold on Christ and Christ is the plaister that is applied to the soul now though the hand be never so weak yet it will do the deed as well as a stronger so it was with the Father of the child that came to Christ he could hardly see he had any faith he could not simply deny he had faith but Lord saith he I believe help my unbelief he cried and spake with tears he saw such a deal of unbelief that the tears trickled down her cheeks Matthew 9. 24. yet notwithing that faith got mercy from Christ Mark what Christ saith Mat. 18. 10. Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones if Christ will not have his little ones despised of men then certainly he will not despise them himselfe Object But you will say weak faith will save indeed but I question whether Object I have any faith or no therefore how can I lay hold and embrace this same mercy then Answ I answer though thou beest put to this at any time do as the Answ servants of God have done for it may be the case of the very servants of God yea of the best of Gods servants now you may see what they do in such a case how they run to God and pray to him Psalme 61. 2. When my heart is overwhelmed lead me to the rock that is higher then I. The Prophet Davids heart sometimes was overwhelmed but he now went to the rock Christ when I am in this case saith he lead me to the rock shew me Christ guide me to him set me upon him Object But then it may be objected I cannot pray if I could pray Object it were something but I can hardly pray I go to pray and when I am down upon my knees I can say nothing this may be the case of Gods choisest servants Romans 8. 26. Paul puts himself into the number We know not what to pray as we ought we know not what to speak as we should but yet God hath appointed his Spirit to help us in such a case though Hezekiah Esay 38. 14. could not speak a word but chatter like a Crane or Swallow and mourne as a dove yet he had experience that God heard him at that time So Psalme 77. 4. The Prophet there confesseth he was in this case that he could not pray I am so distressed saith he that I cannot speak he meanes to God and it seemes he found by experience that he could not pray nor tell how to poure out a request to God he was was even stopped and stifled in his prayer yet in the first verse he could speak it that God heard him for all this Well then here you see is the ground of the faith of any poore soul though he have not any assurance yet if he hath this faith to relie and rest upon God if the Gospel calls him and he comes at this gracious tender if he