God doe prove him to be the faithfull God for unfaithfulnesse and God are inconfistant they can no more be together then light and darknesse in truth there is no comparison to be made of the vastnesse of their disagreement God and truth are one for God is the God of truth hee is a faithfull God There is exceedingly more of the glorious Attributes of God which would abundantly take up the Meditation of a spiritual soul but I intended only a short touch of some of them which might leade to and carry on the designe I drive at which is the establishment of soules by beleeving in God in this God assisting you may have some small helpe to the understanding of what God is in himselfe the improvement of it for establishment I intend in the conclusion this for the opening part of it shall bee all to the first of the three things I proposed in the beginning of the Booke namely To beleeve in God in what hee is in himselfe For the other two To beleeve in what God doth and in what God saith as the word and workes of God wraps up the salvation of his people in them I shall here put them both together under this consideration Namely a briefe collection with its proofes of the whole designe and worke of God in the salvation of his people And it is this To manifest the glory of his free-grace in the full redemption of his people through Christ and in their receiving and applying it to themselves by believing First The great designe of God in his saving worke to his people is to glorifie or to manifest and declare the glory of his owne eternall originall free-grace and rich love The free-grace and rich love of God is God himselfe that God which is an incomprehensible and inexpressible Essence the true and perfect God who is first without all cause of being an immutable God and of infinite great Majesty an Eternall Omnipotent and Almighty God This is the God of Free-grace now the designe of this God in the salvation of sinners which is the worst and most miserablest piece of the whole creation in it selfe to all eternity is to glorifie or to manifest the glory of his owne free-grace For this take the testimony of the holy Ghost by the Apostle Paul in Rom. 3.23 That hee might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mereie The holy Ghost in the former part of that Chapter pleadeth the soveraignty of God not any piece of clay could finde fault with the Potter what ever hee made it nor any creature with God Now in this verse hee telleth us if any be made vessels of honour and heires of glory it is that God might make knowne the riches of his glory it s his mercy and free-grace As if the holy Ghost had said God accounts of his grace and mercy to be the riches and excellency of his glory Now to make it knowne that this is his great designe God silleth heaven and earth with this his glory the redeemed in Heaven and the redeemed in Earth shall be one in Heaven at last and therein ages to come even to all eternity be swallowed up into the exceeding riches and glory of his grace Ephes 2.7 And the holy Ghost in this and the verse before it telleth us that is Gods end and designe in raising us up together and making us to sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus That in the Ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindnesse towards us through Christ Jesus If wee observe this Scripture it holds forth this that all the kindnesse wee receive from God it is his grace in Christ and Gods designe in the manifesting of this his free-grace in Christ is to shew forth the exceeding riches and glory of it the whole worke of salvation will cleare up this truth for if we consider all the subjects of salvation we shall finde no object for any thing of God but his free grace and rich love the pollution of faine man in his naturall condition could not be an object of preservation to the holy just and pure eyes of an omnipotent God nothing but free-grace and rich love in God could looke the lookes of life to souls dead in sinnes and trespasses And if thus then it plainely appeares that Gods great design in the salvation of sinners is namely to glorifie or to manifest the glory of his owne eternall rich love and free-grace God will have soules live by his grace that hee might manifest the life and glory of his grace that grace which giveth life appeares in the life it giveth so that every saved soule is a monument of the riches and glory of the love and grace of God and the wise God layde his designe sure when hee made choise of the salvation of sinners to manifest the glory of his free-grace by In the next place I shall hold forth how God doth accomplish this great end and design of his Namely by making the whole frame and worke of salvation to flow from and to depend upon his owne free-grace so as there is nothing in the whole worke of salvation from first to last but the free-grace of God Ephes 2.5.8 Even when we were dead in sinnes bath quickened us together with Christ. By grace are yee saved The time speaks grace when dead in sinnes this is a season only for grace and that the grace of God too appearing when not only in sinne but dead in sin past all recovery as from selfe if doing could prevaile yet here is no life to doe withall this is onely a time for a living love in God to act free-grace in If ever salvation comes to soules dead in sinne it must be by grace the grace of God saves of it selfe without any cause out of it selfe and this is the true salvation of soules dead in sin by grace yee are saved to be saved by grace that is to be saved in the salvation of God the whole worke to be of his free-grace not any tittle of it of our salves Rom. 3.23 24. For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God Being justified freely by his grace Marke it there is all selfe under sin but saved justified and acquitted soules from sin are the fruits of Gods free-grace though selfe come short of the glory of God yet free-grace makes perfection that justifies this is the salvation of God to justifie freely by his grace Rom. 5.21 That as sinne hath reigned unto death even so might grace reigne through righteousnesse unto eternall life by Jesus Christ Here sinne and selfe hath its reign but it is to death but all the parts of salvation is the work of Gods free-grace grace reignes through righteousnesse in Jesus Christ The righteousnesse of Christ to saved soules or Christ made righteousness to such souls what is it but the reign of Gods free-grace that is grace is supreame the grace
Christ making full satisfaction to the justice of God for all those whom he is made sinne for as Christ came in the flesh to take up the debt of sinne for his people and to lye under the wages of sinne which is death so in the flesh and in his death hee giveth such full satisfaction to Almighty God that God doth acknowledge himselfe fully pleased in the travell of his soule Isa 53.11 Hee shall see of the travell of his soule and shall be satisfied That is God doth behold that satisfaction which Christ hath made to his justice for the sinnes of his people and in it doth acknowledge himselfe fully satisfied and for ever well pleased with his Elect in him that whole Chapter is a proving of Christ in the flesh being made by God an offering for sinne verse 10. to be wounded for the transgression of his people and bruised for our iniquities having the chastisement of our peace put upon him so that by his stripes we are healed it having pleased the Lord to lay on him the iniquities of us all 5 6. verses So that here is not onely Christ in the flesh but Christ made sinne for his people that is hath all the iniquities of his people layd on him by God with all the wounds bruises and chastisements due to them that is all the punishment due to sinne from Gods justice and this Christ undergoeth to the utmost so that by his stripes we are heoled that is by his suffering and satisfaction his Elect are in the justice of God wholy acquitted and discharged for God chose Christ to fatisfie his justice for sinne and having laide the debt with all the weight of it upon him and Christ having discharged this debt to the full Gods justice cannot but discharge it where ever it was due otherwise as one Text speaks Christ had dyed in vaine and the designe of Gods free grace to poore sioners could never be accomplished So the Apostle in the 3. Gal. 13. telleth us that Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law being made a curse for us Christ as our suerty and publique Redeemer tooke sinne with all its weight and curse upon himselfe and what he hath taken from us he hath fully delivered us from so that in his satisfaction he doth fully acquit his elect body the first debtor from the whole debt and danger of sin either in curse or punishment And the Apostle Paul argueth out his tryumph in the 8. Rom. latter end upon this very consideration Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect it is God that justifieth who is bee that condemneth it is Christ that dyed yea rather that is risen againe As if the Apostle had saide God doth justifie his elect body as he is a just God For Christ hath dyed and is risen againe That is Christ is risen as the satisfier of Gods justice in his death for had not Christs death satisfied Gods justice when as the sinnes curse and punishment of sinne for all his Elect body was layd on him he could never have risen again but now his is risen and risen as the justifier of his people and the satisfier of Gods justice Now if any shall charge the Elect of God with what Christ hath borne and satisfied for them Even the justice of God or the just God will acquit them and if God acquit who can condemne and therefore hee glorieth So the same Apostle in the 4. Rom. 25 speaking of Christ as being risen from the dead sayes thus Who was delivered for our offences and was raised againe for our justification That is it was the sinnes of his Elect that crucifyed him and it is the justification of his Elect for whom he dyed that he is risen and as nothing could have crucified him but our sins so now nothing can condemne those for whom he dyed he being risen his resurrection pleades to all justice satisfaction in his death And Christ was therefore delivered up to death for our offences that in his resurrection we might be justified from all offences Gods great aime and designe of grace Run thorough the former to the latter of these Rom. 10.4 the holy Ghost telleth us there That Christ is the end of the Law for righteousnesse to every one that beleeveth As if he had said The beleeving soule shall finde that Christ hath fulfilled and doth fully keepe the whole Law for him and so is an end to it for righteousnesse that is Christ is now the soules righteousnesse not the Law the Law is kept and fulfilled by Christ for a beleever so that it cannot charge any soule in Christ to condemnation but the righteousnesse and justification of the soule in the sight of God is Christ not the Law if any soule could keepe the whole Law in it selfe the Law might have been for righteousnesse to that soule but all having sinned and come short now the Law is an accuser not a justifier but Christ for his people hee fully satisfies and keepes the Law so that Christ is the righteousnesse of his people and an end to the Law for righteousnesse This is a faithfull saying 1 Thâ— X. 15 and worthy of all acceptation that Christ came into the World to save sinners 1 Tim. 1.15 It was the end of Gods giving Christ and of Christ comming to save sinners from sinne Law death Hell and what ever would destroy them and this end is effected for Christ did not onely dye but is risen did not onely take sin but hath satisfyed for sinne and all this is the worke of grace which appeares in this it is the worke of God in Christ the Apostle Paul doth acknowledge and confirme this truth in Rom. 3.24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ The Apostle here sayes it is redemption through Christ but that doth not hinder our being justified by free grace in God though God workes through Christ yet it is all the worke of his free grace it is through Christ and Christ is through grace there is not any tittle of redemption or justification through selfe it is all through Christ and by grace which is no more but grace working through Christ the great gift of Gods free grace what ever God doth in Christ can no wayes deminish his free grace for Christ is the Mediator or middle person betweene God and Man in whom God magnifies his grace to Man and giveth to his people the riches and greatnesse of his love wherewith he loveth them through him This indeed doth manifest the wisedome and justice of God to redeeme his people through Christ but it no wayes lesseneth the freenesse of his grace nay it makes it more glorious grace for that justice is fully satisfied makes mercy the greater mercy and the justified is nothing in himselfe all this while but a sinner now that God should make Christ his way to satisfie his Divine justice by and to
faith these profess Christ for the gaine of an outward reputation but do not live in Christ by faith and in times of suffering the beauty of Christ is lost to such an eye and for want of an eye of faith by which the fulnesse glory and excellency of Christ is discerned these unbeleeving professors deny their profession and their Master too if it comes to suffering with Christ if on him they will sweare with Peter they never knew him and though they sweare yet they doe not lye for such as leave their profession of Christ and holinesse through unbeliefe and become unholy they may truely say they never knew him for whom ever truly knows Christ in the spirit will never leave him an eye of faith sees so much beauty faithfulnesse power grace and goodnesse in God and Christ that though sufferings comes as waves of the Sea yet will not leave God and Christ but cleave closer to him beleeving in his grace and goodnesse for support and deliverance but that soule which beleeves not in God and doth not by an eye of faith see fulnesse in him of power grace and goodnesse to support and deliver will never trust in him but with Deâ—â—â— imbrace the present World such as follow Christ onely for the Loaves will leave him at the appearance of his Crosse That forward Professor in the 18. of Luke 18. so on which justified himselfe in keeping all the Commandements from his youth yet could not part with his worldly riches and make Christ his portion much lesse take up sufferings because of unbeliefe he would leave his good Master as he called Christ rather then his goods which were indeed his Master through the unbeliefe of his heart all his faire profession and offers after Christ comes to nothing because of unbeliefe this Christ knew therefore makes discovery of the man by trying his faith or by manifesting his unbeliefe it is the beleeving soule that followes the Lamb wheresoever he goes it is onely faith by which the soule is able to take up the Crosse of Christ and follow him but unbeliefe leaveth Christ and his Crosse together though it have professed not to leave Christ though it should dye with him yet in the appearance of such a tryall the unbeleever denies his profession to save his outside from suffering this is the constant associate of unbeliefe and therefore God is pleased in his wisedome to let sufferings be the attendance to the profession of his name in truth that thereby he might discover even to the World the precious from the vile who live in him by faith and whom onely by profession thus doth God discover the evill of unbeliefe of which argument this present age hath not been wanting A third evill of unbeliefe Third evill of â—beliefe is this unbeliefe it questions with distrust the very power of God it doubts whether God be God or his power Almighty and Omnipotent can God give bread in the Wildernesse and can God bring water out of the Rock is there fulnesse enough in God to make a barren Wildrnesse fruitfull and to give food where there is no appearance of food nay can God make a hard dry and stony Rock to bring forth water can God worke both without meanes and against meanes is this power in God thus doth unbeliefe question and distrust the power of God So that proude unbeleeving wrâ—tch King Nebuchadnezzar in the 3. Dan. 15. Who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands As if he had said is there any God hath power greater then I is there any God or any power in God that can deliver out of my hands when I have heat the Furance seven times hotter then before what power can preserve you from the fire of my fury and my Furnace We may finde unbeliefe in Sarah putting this very question in Gen. 18.12 Therefore Sarah laughed within her selfe saying After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure my Lord being old also If we observe the Scripture it amounts to this What now I and my Lord am old now all hopes in nature is gone can God now make good his word to me in giving me a Childe now we are both old this is the true question that unbelief makes can God doe this great thing Shee laughed in way of sleighting the tydings through unbeliefe concerning the power which should effect it So when Elisha the Prophet did Prophesie of that suddaine and great plenty in Samaria when they were at that time strongly besieged and in great wants 2 Kings 7.1 2. the Text sayes That a Lord on whose hands the King leaned answered the man of God and sayd Behold if the Lord would make windowes in Heaven might this thing be This is the proper language of unbeliefe thou talkest of too great things for God to doe are not we straitly besieged and all our provisions gone and doest thou speake of so great a plenty in so short a time which way should God doe this what shall he make windowes in Heaven and raine downe this plenty it can come no other way thus we see the great evill of unbeliefe how it questions the power of God and as it were ungods him for to make his deficient is to make him no God A fourth evill is this Unbeliefe is the seale of damnation he that beleeveth not is condemned in himselfe we have a full Scripture to this purpose in John 3.18 But hee that beleeveth not is condemned already because hee hath not believed in the Name of the onely begotten Sonne of God Unbeliefe it seales up to condemnation because it casts off the salvation of Gods free grace now that which denies the one seales up the other not to beleeve in Christ is to put from us all possibility of salvation and to seale the soule up to a certainty of damnation reade the last verse of that third of John He that beleeveth on the Bon hath everlasting life and hee that beleeveth not the Sonne shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth in him Whom ever beleeveth not in Christ the salvation of God shall never see life shall never live in the beholding of God reconciled to him but hath the wrath of God the seale of damnation abiding on him Heb. 11.6 Without faith it is impossible to please God As unbeliefe keeps the soule from God so it makes the soule unpleasing to God that there is no intercourse betweene God and an unbeleeving soule now what can be a more visible seale of damnation then this Separation of the soule from God which unbeliefe makes unbeliefe biddeth defiance to God and his salvation and so seales up the soule unto condemnation unbeliefe is so truly the seale of damnation that no sinne nor sinnes can damne any soule without for where faith in Christ liveth there Christ is the death of all sinne satisfaction for all sinne and the life of soules though all sinne be damnable yet no sinne nor sinnes can
way would destroy the grace of God in the gift Now this God is exceeding tender of therefore he keeps all hands but the hand of faith off from laying hold on Christ his righteousnesse whom is the great gift of free grace but as all other hands are excluded from medling with the righteousnesse of God so this hand of faith that never failes when ever Gods puts forth this hand of the soule he puts his owne righteousnesse into it faith in the soule doth certainely attaine the righteousnesse of God it is such a hand as will preserve the free grace of Gods righteousnesse pure in the heart Christ the righteousnesse of God in the heart doth preserve and keep up intire the glory of free grace in God that made him righteousnesse to the soule and the hand of faith doth not slubber this glory but keeps it pure upon the grace of God and doth acknowledge that it selfe as well as the righteousnesse it hath attained is all the gift of Gods free grace Now faith as it thus attaines the righteousnesse of God must needs be an exceeding greâ—t benefit to the soule because the righteousnesse is of so great a value the feet of them which brings glad tydings is welcome so must needs be that glorious hand which receives Christ in into the soule none can tell but them that have it what a mercy it is to have a hand and a heart for Christ this is the benefit of faith in the soule it is such a hand as receives whole Christ and delivers up the whole soule back againe to Christ it takes in Christ as its righteousnesse and giveth up the soule to Christ to be made righteous in him that soule which attained Gods righteousnesse can at all times goe to God in his owne righteousnesse this is the benefit of faith in the soule it can goe with holy boldnesse to the throne of grace and to the throne of justice too because it can come before God in his owne righteousnesse and can plead that to God which by faith it hath attained of God even the righteousnesse of God by faith A third benefit of faith in the soule is this True faith in the soule quenches the firy darts of Satan the Devill is a very skilfull fire-master he makes his firy darts so exact that none but God can quench them in the soule and he is very free of his worke he will be alwayes casting into the soul for his businesse is to keep the soule in a flame that is the proper Element he lives in these firy darts are his temptations with which he goes about the Earth seeking whom he may devour with these he sought to winnow Paul like Wheate and he is not onely fitted for Pauls temper but he hath temptations to suite all tempers and all times he hath baites to please the various pallats of all flesh he answers the proud the peevish the covetous the envious the selfish and worldly wise man in all their desires he makes all sweet to the taste how bitter soever it proves in the belley he is properly the tempter it is his course of life which he hath used ever since our first Parents were in Paradice this is his worke to fit temptations to persons and conditions and to shute these firy darts continually into the soules of men and women Now the onely shield to keep of these firy darts is faith and the onely hand to put out and to quench these temptations in the soule Ephes 6.16 is faith Ephes 6.16 Above all taking the shield of faith wherewith yee shall be able to quench all the firy darts of the wicked The scope of the holy Ghost there is to shew the soule its proper armour of defence against the Devill and all his instruments the wicked and the wicked one and in this above all things he commends faith faith sayes he that is able to quench all the firy darts all the temptations of the Devill and his instruments and there is an exceeding full reason to be given of this For it is the true property of faith to lead the soul to God the believing soule will go to God for his allowance and approbation before he doth any thing now this is a sure way to quench all the temptations of Satan to carry them to God and not to doe any thing till God have written his name and his will upon it the believing soule tels Satan when he tempts him to any thing I am not at my owne disposing I am Gods servant I will goe to him and tell him your demand if God give me leave then and not till then will I obey you O no sayes the Devill God is light and if you goe to him he will discover to you my darknes I cannot abide the brightnesse of his presence if you will not obey without Gods leave I must bâ— gone thus faith quenches the firy darts of Satan Now under this consideration how great a benefit and advantage is faith in the soule it contends with and destroyes Satan in his temptations it is the great trouble of Saintsion earth that they have so busie and so watchfull a Devill for their enemy Now the shield of faith is a sure defence against this enemy the believing soule lives in God and hath God to be a hiding place to it from the tempter the life of such a soule is by the faith of the Sonne of God it lives in God by faith through Christ and the Tempter cannot goe through Christ to God to destroy such soule but the soul can go through Christ to God to destroy the Tempter in his temptations thus faith in God is the life of God and the death of sinne and Satan in his temptations in the soules of believers and sure I am all such soules as have experimented this benefit of faith in themselves will say it is properly named a glorious advantage and benefit which the soule hath in believing A fourth benefit and advantage of faith in the soules of beleevers is this By faith Saints goe to God in all their wants as to a Father In the patterne of prayer which our Saviour left he holde forth thus much That the soule which prayes in faith goes to God as to a Father though in Heaven yet a Father our heavenly Father faith is that seed of God in the soule by which the soule is assured that it is begotten of Gods free grace the new creature is a childe of Gods free grace now faith it carrys the soule to its originall in all streights and wants it telleth the soule it is outly of grace that it is what it is and what ever yet is wanting thâ— same fountaine must supply nay sayes faith to the soule God is your Father he hath begotten you in his owne free grace to a lively hope in himselfe you have therefore the greatest and nearest relation to plead with God of any other could you suppose any other so able
be no want and thou art our Father therefore wee pray thee answer all our wants according to thy wisdome and thy glory these are the breathings and motions of true and lively faith in the soule it carryes Saints thus to God as to a Father in all their wants and makes them much with God in the opening their wants to him because God is their Father Now what ever keeps the soul much with God must needs be a great benefit to the soule and this is faith that which carries the soule in all its wants to God and keepes the eye of the soule steady on God as a Father therefore a great benefit to the soule A fifth benefit of faith in the soule is this By faith Saints doe chearfully undergoe sufferings for Christ and choose them though grievous to the flesh rather then finne This is so truly the benefit of faith in the soule that none but such soules as believe in God can doe thus Saints doe this by a strength out of themselves even in God which they have in God by believing By faith in God Shadrach Meshach and Abednego Dan. 3. chose Nebuchadnezar's firy furnace rather then to worship his golden Image which hee had set up Faith made it easier to them to suffer for God then to sinne against him though the Furnace was heat seven times hotter then before Nebuchadnezzar gave them their choise saith taught them what to choose These believing soules counts the flames of sin to be more dreadfull and fuller of smart then any flames which the Tyrant could cast them into they had faith to trust in God and that carryed them above the commands of sinne or the feare of punishment in the disobeying of man The same effect of faith we find in Daniel in the sixth Chapter of his Booke vers 10. Dan. 6.10 Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed he went into his Chamber and prayed three times a day Hee knew what snare was laid to catch him in yet he omitted not his duty he chose rather to be cast into the Lyons mouths then to keepe his mouth shut from making Petitions to God Thus faith in God kept him close to his duty though it led him into the snares of death Faith leept up the Apostle Paul's soule to this pitch in Acts 21.13 Acts 21.13 when â—s fleshly relations would by teares have perswaded him to omit duty that hee might wave bonds hee answers their solicitations thus What meane yee to weepe and to breake my heart for I am ready not to be bound only but also to dye at Hierusalem for the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ As if he had said your weeping is my greatest burthen you break my heart with that as for bonds and death for the Name of Christ faith in God will carry me through all that and I had father choose to dye at Hierusalem then to omit my duty and not to goe for feare of bonds Thus we see the choise of soules believing in God when sinne and sufferings are before them one to be chosen and the other left now none but a believing soule can doe thus for it is faith in God which keeps the soule close to God the pleasure of sinne though but for a season will leave such soules as have not their pleasure in God Now none can live in God with delight that doth not believe in God so that it is only the believing soule that chooses God for its delight and will rather choose sufferings then leave Godâ— Christ hath many which professe to follow him and to be in him but when hee tryes them by sufferings for his Name and his Truths they leave him and with Demas embrace the present world by which hee discovers them that they were onely of him by bare profession not truly in him by faith for then they would abide with him and accounted of Christ to be as worthy and as lovely with his Crosse as with his Crowne and would have chosen in all conditions to abide with Christ I as Moses to choose afflictions with the children of God rather then the pleasures and honours of Pharoah's Court to a believing eye Christ puts a beauty upon sufferings and a blackenesse upon sin so that the soule for beauty-sake chooseth sufferings rather then sinnes this is a precious advantage in the soule but the truth of it speaks this that there is very little true faith in the world this faith is accompanied with much love to God and Christ and that makes it the more rare and scarce to be sound but where iâ— is it makes a glorious soule and conversation Wee may finde many that doe choose sinne in love to sinne though sufferings be visible to the eye and shame at the heels of such courses but it is only the believing soule that to shun sin will choose sufferings and that out of love to God and faith in him This is a rare advantage for it makes the soule a rare soule such a one as is no where to be found but amongst Gods Jewels his little flock and peculiar ones this faith is always leading the soul of sin to take in Christ though sufferings comes with him nay chooseth to embarque in a storm with Christ rather then to goe with sinne in the most pleasantest calme that the world affords It feares not to be with Christ in troubled Seas because it believes he can rebuke them at his pleasure so that both wind and Seas shal obey him Faith knows nothing can bound God but God can bound the creature when he pleaseth Faith knowes if God say the word though the ship be split in the midst of raging Seas yet not the life of one man shall perish whom God hath promised to bring safe to shore and hereby faith perswades the soule to choose sufferings in communion with God thereby to avoid sinne which leades the soule from God the believing soule can see no happinesse out of God therefore refuseth to embrace any seeming pleasure which leads from God and this soule sees such full happinesse in God that it believes what ever sufferings it meets withall in communion with God that God in such communion will swallow up the soule in himselfe above all sufferings and in this saith doth the soule cheerfully undergoe sufferings for God and choose them rather then sin which is a greater advantage to a child of God in this world then if all the world were at his disposing A sixth benefit and advantage of true Faith in the soule is this Faith makes the soule steady in its worship and service of God when as a soule believes that it doth worship God according to his owne mind and will then it in not easily removed or shaken in its worship and service of God therefore sayes the Apostle let every one be fully perswaded in his owne minde that is what ever men doe in the service and worship of God let him fully believe
is all in the whole worke of salvation this truth will be made more cleare in proving the parts of this great worke the salvation of GODS free-grace But now consider that God layes this worke the salvation of his free-grace sure in the full satisfaction of his owne divine justice that so the saved of his grace might stand spotlesse before him to all eternity And herein is the mistery of salvation that Gods justice is fully satisfied and yet that his grace in saving his people should be perfectly free but both these doth plainly appeare in the salvation of God to his people the work of his free grace Now the way of grace in God to satisfie Divine justice to the full and yet to keepe it selfe entire free grace to all that are saved is this Namely to chuse out appoint and to send Christ in the flesh God-man to satisfie the Divine justice of God for man in whom the wisedome of God giveth full satisfaction to his owne Justice and perfect salvation to his people all of free grace In this glorious mistery free grace in God is the fountaine full satisfaction to Divine Justice the way but perfect salvation and rdemption to all his elect body in Christ the end I shall now come more particularly to the parts of this great worke of God the salvation of his owne free grace And first of Gods electing grace That it is free grace in God which elects to salvation that I shall first prove by the subjects of Gods salvation which is fallen sinners Ephes 2.1 Dead in trespasses and sinnes A lump of finners dead in trespasses and sinnes hath God to choose out as subjects for his love vessels of honour and heirs of glory If grace in God make not the choise surely the whole lump of fallen sinners would be left to remaine dead in sinnes and trespasses but the Apostle in Rom. 9.18 23. telleth us that God hath mercy on whom he will have mercy That is God is full of mercy but he is free in it his mercy lyes in his owne will he chooseth his own vessels of mercy That he might make knowne the riches of his owne glory He chooseth where he pleaseth that it might appeare he chooseth according to his owne will and pleasure that is that all his mercy and grace is free and that the first worke or part of the worke of salvation his Election is of and from his owne free grace So Ephes 1.4 5. According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blame before him Having predestinated us unto the adoption of Children by Jesus Christ to himselfe according to the good pleasure of his will That is God chooseth from all eternity such as he wil make his children and heirs of glory by Christ and this hee doth according to the good pleasure of his own will all fell alike in the first Adam nothing in one more then in another to move God to love for all were dead in sinnes but the whole work in God is the worke of his grace it is all begun and finished according to the good pleasure of his owne will all is the worke of his free grace But secondly whom God thus chooseth by his grace he chooseth in Christ Ephes 1.4 According as hee hath choosen us in him that is in Christ so that all along grace is free in God and the whole worke of salvation only of his free grace Rom. 5.15 What ever is in Christ is the gift of grace so that Christ being the way by which God workes satisfaction to his own justice and salvation to his people it is all of grace the reign of life in Saints by Christ is the reigne of grace in God to Saints through Christ vers 17. Shall reigne in life by one Christ God in Christ doth reigne over soules in righteousnesse as the God of life and salvation it is God in Christ a God of free grace But in the carrying on this worke of Gods grace in the salvation of his people through Christ it is needfull that Christ take flesh according to that promise in Gen. 3.15 The seede of the woman shall bruise the head of the Serpent And this is accomplished in the fulnesse of Gods time Isa 9.6 For unto us a childe is born unto us a sonne is given The childe which is borne is the sonne which is given Christ in the flesh the sonne of God is the gift of his free grace this child Jesus is the gift of Gods grace 〈◊〉 Covenant of the people for a light of the Gentiles To open the blinde eyes to bring the prisoners from the prison and them that fit in darknesse out of the prison-house Isa 42.6 7. So that as grace giveth him so his worke in the flesh is that worke of grace in all the parts of it Thus farre we have Saints in Christ and Christ in the flesh and the free grace of God in all This which followeth will appeare to be as purely grace in God as what hath gone before though now God comes to have actuall and full satisfaction to his justice Now the elect are in Christ and Christ for us in the flesh now the holy law and Divine Justice of God comes for fulfilling and satisfaction But to whom why to Christ so that when justice is fully satisfied yet that the whole of salvation might be a work of Gods free-grace Quest But why should Justice come to Christ for satisfaction had he sinned Answ I answer no but in the great designe of Gods grace to redeeme his people in Christ Christ was willingly made sinne for us and tooke our nature that hee might stand before Gods Justice in our roome as the sinner The holy Ghost cleares this truth in that 2 Cor. 5. last For hee hath made him to be sinne for us who knew no sinne The verse before cleares up this hee in the Text to be meant of God Be yee reconciled to God for hee hath made him sinne and this him in the Text must needes be meant of Christ for it is said of this him that he knew no sinne that is he had no sin of his owne he was that spotlesse lamb without sinne so was never any in flesh since the fall from innocency but Christ so that the Scripture is plaine That God made Christ is be sinne for his elect body that is not to be guilty of any finne in himselfe but to be the surety the debtor and paymaster to the justice of God for all the sins past present to come of all his elect body so that divine justice goes only to Christ for satisfaction and in Christ divine justice hath full satisfaction so that justice and grace in God are both pure in the salvation of sinners through Christ that is thus made sin for us Here wee have Christ made both sinne and flesh by God and now in the flesh wee shall sinde
damne without unbeliefe John 3.15 Whosoever beleeveth in him which is Christ shall not perish but have everlasting life Observe the Text and you shall finde this in it that nothing but unbeliefe can hinder the soule of eternall life for whosoever the greatest and vilest of sinners that shall beleeve in Christ shall certainely be saved whosoever sinnes and beleeves not in Christ hath damnation in every sinne and his unbeliefe is the seale of his damnation but whosoever beleeveth in Christ though the greatest of sinners shall not perish but have everlasting life damnation is sealed in unbeliefe and unbeliefe seales up damnation the Devill delights in all sinne but he lives in no sinne so contented and secure as in unbeliefe it is the great seale of his Kingdome that which holds fast all his interest in the soule unbeliefe it maintaines the Devils interest most of all sinnes in the soule therefore his indeavour most of all is to maintaine unbeliefe in the soule it was want of faith in the Apostles when at they could not cast out Devils Satan is never deposed of his interest in any soule or body but by faith if he maintaines unbeliefe he maintaines his interest the seale of his Kingdome of darknesse A fifth evill of unbeliefe is this It makes men vile in secret though openly they make a profession of godlinesse he that professeth holinesse with his outside and indeavours onely to keep that faire which comes to the view of the World but imbraceth secret opportunities to be evill and to doe evill must needs doe it from a principle of unbeliefe for did they beleeve the al-seeing eye of God and see God with an eye of faith they would be more carefull of committing evill in his sight then in the sight of men an unbelieving soule may upon some considerations of repute and esteeme with the World endeavour to avoide open sinnes which makes open scandall and so brings open shame but for secret sinnes it is ready to serve Satan when he pleaseth because it seeth not God nor doth indeed beleeve that God seeth him and therefore Satan doth never disturb nor discourage that outward profession of holinesse which giveth obedience to his commands in secret he is content the outside should seeme to be Gods so that the inside be his his chiefe businesse and endeavour is to hinder true faith in the soul he cares not let profession be at what height it will if he can but keep a foot unbeliefe in the soule he knowes in secret that soule will obey him what ever profession it makes of God and godlinesse to the World the Devill loves to be in Gods room in the heart and if he can but by unbeliefe maintaine his interest there he hath his ends and a profession of holinesse in hypocrisie makes the soule seven times more his then before and this advantage he makes to himselfe and his Kingdome by keeping unbeliefe alive in the heart for thereby he keeps the heart intire to himselfe and can make such a soule sinne in secret at his pleasure Sixtly Men will through unbeliefe be false to their vowes promises and ingagements both to God and his people when as their corrupted reason telleth them that they may be gainers by it or their carnall hearts conceive a necessity of it Such as live not truely on God by faith they never ingage to God or his people but for their owne ends it is selfe-love that ingageth them they neither love nor would they trust either God or his people could they effect their owne ends but many times God casteth them into such streights that their fleshly reason teleth them there is no way out but by the assistance of Gods people at such a time these unbelieving hearts will not stick at the making of any vow to God or promises to his people but if once they come as it were to see shoare againe or but to have one foote upon the Land that the danger and bitternesse of dâ—th is over then they thinke there is no such need of the assistance either of God or his people and then all former vowes and promises are forgotten and it may be in this very nicke of time fleshly powers presse upon them to be faithlesse to God and his people declaring themselves to be enemies to all that shall be friends to God and his people Now the unbelieving soule calls this a necessity to him of being false to God and his people in all its former vowes and promises such soules will argue thus what should we doe the multitude call vpon us and are restlesse with us so that they will give us no rest till we satisfie them in that which makes us false to God and man in our former vowes and promises If we were not so pressed we should not doe as we doe we should in some measure make good what wee have formerly said This answer is made upon a mistake It is not the pressing of the multitude but the unbeliefe of the heart that makes such prove false in their engagements and promises to God and his people were there faith to trust God that would keep the soul close to God believing soules make God their refuge in all streights and counteth nothing to be so great an evill as to be false to God or to distrust his faithfulnesse but unbelieving souls they owne and deny God they promise and prove false to God as their fleshly reason presents God to them and their owne advantage in what they doe this pretending to truth and reality in falsenesse is the naturall proceed of unbeliefe in the heart Gen. 40.23 We may read a discovery of this in Gen. 40.23 The chiefe Butler forgot both Joseph and his promises to him in the prison when as himselfe was in those enjoyments that his heart thirsted after when soules live upon God by faith such faith maketh them faithfull to God and his people but where selfe is the highest life there it is the highest end and thus it is with unbelieving soules they prize nothing above selfe therefore can be false to all when as their fleshly reason telleth them that thereby they may preserve and advance selfe This is another great and certain evill of unbeliefe Seventhly Unbeliefe it damps the glory of God and lessens the grace of God to the soule A distrust of the truth and reality of any thing takes away from such an eye all the beauty and glory of it so puts a damp both upon the beauty of the thing and the affection of the soule If a man be shewed a rich Diamond and he believeth it to be but some piece of glasse or at best but a crystall this his beliefe doth to himselfe much take off the beauty and value of the Diamond so that the affections are little or nothing answerable to the esteeme and this ariseth from his unbeliefe So is it with the unbelieving soule say what you can of the riches the glory