of love And therefore the Lord doth with us as we doe with men when men have false hearts we see they love us not we say they doe but complement So the Lord Iesus doth This should helpe us to discover our selves there is no way to discover hypocrisie none so sure a signe of it as where love is not And therefore learne by this to know your selves and to judge of your condition It may be when we confesse our sinnes wee have not thought of this that we love not Christ or at the least we have not considered what a sinne it is but you may know what a sinne it is by the punishment of it 1 Cor. 16.22 Let him be accursed that loves not the Lord Iesus You may know the greatnesse of the sinne by the greatnesse of the punishment for the punishment is the measure of the sinne and marke it he doth not say if you beleeve not in the Lord Iesus or if you doe nor obey him but if you love not the Lord Iesus That is if there be an omission but of this one thing that you love not let such a man be accursed yea let him be had in execration to the death Therefore consider this how great a sinne it is not to love the Lord. And when you consider your sinnes and make a catalogue of them looke on this as that which discovers to us the vilenesse of our natures as Paul saith of lust I knew not that it was sinne but by the law but when sinne began to live he died So I may say of this it may be men take not this into consideration this sinne that they have not loved the Lord and therefore learne to know it When we consider this that he is accursed who loves not Christ it may open a crevise of light unto us to see what condition wee are in how cursed our nature is how hainous this sinne is when a man sees that there is a cursed man a man whom the Lord sets himselfe against a man whom the Lord is an enemie to whom he puts all the strength and power he hath to confound when hee sees there is a man whom the Gospell curseth which is more terrible than the Law because the curse of the Law may be repealed there is a remedie for that in the Gospell But the Gospell if that curse a man there is no remedie This should humble us for the Gospell should humble us as well as the Law And there are sinnes against the Gospell as well as against the Law and whatsoever is sinne should humble us yea the sinnes against the Gospell are greater than the sinnes against the Law And therefore in this sense the Gospell is fitter to humble us Now when a man comes to consider his sinne it may be possibly he lookes to sinnes especially against the morall Law but you must learne to doe more than that Begin to thinke Have I received the Lord Iesus Have I beleeved in Christ These are great sins against the Gospell and these sinnes should chiefly humble us If you thinke I presse this too hard consider the words of the Apostle I named Let him be accursed that loves not the Lord Iesus Let these words be sounding in your eares compare your hearts to them sometimes cast your eye on the one and sometimes on the other and see if it be not absolutely required to love the Lord. And againe reflect on your hearts and see if you be in the number of those that doe love him And take heede herein that you deceive not your selves for it is the manner when we presse the love of Christ upon them they are ready to say I hope I love the Lord I hope I am not such a miscreant as not to love him yea but consider whether thou doe or no it is true thou maist deceive me or another man when thou professest love to God but in this thou canst not deceive thy selfe for a man knowes what he loves love is a very sensible and quick affection When a man loves any thing when hee loves his wife loves his friend loves his sonne loves his sport his recreation he knowes he loves it he hath the sense of that love in himselfe Therefore consider with thy selfe whether thou hast any such stirring affection towards the Lord Iesus or no doest thou feele thy heart so possessed with him art thou sicke of love as the Spouse saith in the Canticles I am sicke of love That is are you grieved when he is absent are you glad when you have him when you can get into his presence for there is a kinde of painfulnesse in love and all painfulnesse is of a quicke sense When it is said the Church was sicke of love sicknesse is painfull And therefore when you want the Lord when there is a distance betweene him and you when he doth not looke on you as he was wont there will be painfulnesse in it and griefe Againe there will be much joy and gladnesse when you have him Therefore let it be one way to examine your selves if you feele such a love towards him or no. Besides that let mee aske thee if thou walke with the Lord if thou converse with him if thou be perfect in his presence if thou doe as Enoch did walke with the Lord from day to day as it is an argument of an evill man that he walkes not with the Lord that he restraines prayer from the Almighty that is that he doth not converse with him So is it a great argument of love to desire Gods company to desire to be with him to walke with God to use that phrase You will say What is that to walke with him To walke with him is to observe the Lords dealing with you and to observe your carriage and dealing to him againe that there may be continuall commerce and intercourse every day that continually every houre every moment you would consider and thinke what the Lord doth to you what his carriage is to you what passages of his providence concerne you Againe consider what you doe to him what carriage there is betweene you I say this conversing is an argument of love Shâ—ll a wife professe love to her husband and ne-never come where he is never be within dores and never be in his companie So will you say you love Christ and not be frequent in prayer or neglect and slight that duty seldome converse with him and seldome speake of him When you love your friend you are with him as much as you can you love to speake with him and to speake of him So it is with the Lord if you love him certainly you will love his company you will love his presence Besides if you love the Lord you know love is a diligent thing and therefore it is called dâ—ligent love 1 Thess. 1.4 Effectuall faith and diligent love that is when a man loves a thing he is diligent
inward man will languish and grow faint But to speake a word unto you likewise Doe you thinke that you love the Lord Iesus in good earnest and yet have scarse leisure to thinke of him from morning to night that you cannot take time to speake to him to seeke him nor to prepare your hearts for him Besides this generall come to particular sinnes sabbath-breaking neglecting of private prayer vaine speeches concupiscence and sinfull lusts secret courses of uncleannesse swearing if not by greater yet by lesser oathes which indeede in this exceede the greater because in the other you sweare by the Creatour in these by the creature You that doe these things will you say you love the Lord You must know that it is a contradiction it is impossible For if you love me keepe my commandements if you keep not the commandements of God certainly you love him not But it may be you will say that your meaning is good that you are well affected to Christ and therefore surely you doe not hate him My brethren you are deceived in this thy meaning is not good for while you cast the commandements of God behinde you you cast him away and let me say to you in this case as you have it in Ier. 3.4 You professe well in saying Thou art my Father and the guide of my youth but you doe evill more and more So I say when you professe you love the Lord and that you reckon him your Father and your Husband thus you say indeede but you doe evill more and more and that is a certaine argument you love not the Lord. Therefore examine your selves by this rule For if you love the Lord you will reverence him You know whom we love we reverence and whom we reverence we dare not doe any thing unmeete in their sight Take any one whom we love whose good opinion wee seeke for wee had rather that all the world should see us doe an unseemely thing than that he should and certainly if you love the Lord you would not dare to provoke him to anger Therefore this carelesnesse in serving of him is a certaine signe of want of love to the Lord Iesus this fearefulnesse and carelesnesse when you dare not shew your courage for him when you account it a small matter to commit a sinne against God this ariseth from the defect of your love In the second place as you may try your love by your taking care not to offend God so likewise you may try it by your sorrow and griefe after you have offended him For you must know this that love as it hath the greatest joy of any thing else when it obtaines that which it would have so it is attended with the most exquisite griefe when it is disappointed As when one loveth another earnestly if any breach fall out that shall make a separation betweene them if any strangenesse grow betweene them if they love they will never be at rest it will trouble and disquiet them but as the Scripture speakes they are sicke of love that is they cannot be quiet while there is such a condition while there is any alienation while there are breaches and offences betweene them for you know that nothing is so sweete as love as you have it in Cant. 1. Love is better than wine and as David expresseth it Psal. 63.3 Thy loving kindnesse is better than life So sweete I say is love as sweete as wine and better than life Now by the rule of contraries then to have a breach made to have a barre and an interruption in this loving kindnesse of the Lord towards us or in our love towards him it is bitter as wormewood and sharpe as death Therfore you may examine your selves by the offences you offer to God when they are past if you love him it is certaine they will trouble you exceedingly for so much sorrow for sinne so much love And you may take it for a sure rule in what measure any man desires to please the Lord in that measure hee will be grieved that he hath displeased him Therefore examine thy selfe Hast thou sinned against him many times and doest thou looke backe upon those sinnes in a carelesse manner be sure that thou lovest him not Examine this by that which passeth betweene man and man When a father or a husband hath any thing committed against them by a childe or a wife if they shall withdraw themselves and professe themselves displeased and yet the childe or the wife in the meane time be never troubled at this but be at rest well enough content it should be so and are not disquieted for it will not the parent or husband take this exceeding ill at their hands when hee seeth his displeasure slighted For this is much greater than the offence it selfe So I may say whatsoever the sinne be that you have committed this hardnesse of heart this negligence after the sinne is committed when you are not disquieted for it when your hearts are not troubled for it it is a greater signe of want of love to the Lord it is a greater signe of an evill and untoward disposition than the sinne it selfe Therefore this want of sorrow for sinne is a sure argument that you love not the Lord. You may take that for one signe of want of love that we commit sinnes against God from day to day For doe but goe to your neighbours and professe your love to them and yet you injure them againe and againe you care not what wrong you doe them will they thinke that such a profession as you make is true and will the Lord regard when you say that you love him if you provoke him to anger and renew your sinnes and relapse into them againe and againe and when you have sinned take it not to heart No my brethren if you doe love him you will doe as it is said Zach. 12. when you have sinned you will mourne as he that mourneth for his onely sonne your hearts will melt as Iosiahs did your hearts will smite you as Davids did him thus it is with all that love him in deede and in truth Therefore in Levit. 16.29 and likewise Levit. 23.27 they are both one and the same the Lord appoints a feast and a meeting together for cleansing of sinnes it was the feast of atonement saith hee In that day when you come together to offer sacrifice unto me and to make an attonement you shall humble your soules and whosoever doth not afflict his soule on that day he shall be cut off from his people As if he should say At that day you come to reconcile your selves to the Lord you make profession of your love to him and of the desire you have to bee friends with him Now if you come and make this profession and doe not humble your selves nor afflict your soules on that day for those breaches that have beene betweene God and you all your
will shut men vp in Hell and therefore it is of no small moment He giues a reason in these words why it is the power of GOD to saluation For saith he by it the righteousnesse of God is reuealed That is the righteousnesse which is of GOD which only GOD accepts and by which alone men can be saued is reuealed by the Gospell and no other way But to what purpose is this reuealed if I know not how to come by it Many things are reuealed but how shall I know that they are mine Therefore he addes it is the power of God to saluation to euery one that beleeues As it is reuealed by the Gospell so something is to be done on our part as GOD manifests it exposes it and layes it open so you must receiue it by faith I but I haue not so strong a faith I cannot beleeue as I would and as I should Sayes he Faith hath degrees it is reuealed from faith to faith That is one receiues it in one degree and the same afterward receiues it in a greater degree and so forward All are alike iustified but there is difference in Faith some is stronger some is weaker which I will afterward shew at large The point to be gathered out of these words is this That Righteousnesse by which alone we can be saued now in the time of the Gospell is reuealed and offered to all that will take it When you heare this it may be at the very reading you may not haue such a conceit of the thiâ—g as you should haue but it is not a matter of light moment but an exceeding great thing to see the righteousnesse of GOD reuealed It is the great glorious mysterie of the Gospell which the Angels desire to pry into which made Paul in his Ministery so glorious which swallowed vp his thoughts that he could not tell how to expresse it that now in this last Age Christ hath reuealed through vs the vnsearchable Riches of his Grace that is Riches which I know not how to expresse Therefore hee prayes that God would open their eyes that they might comprehend with all the Saints the height and length and breadth of that Redemption which Christ hath wrought for them It is past a full comprehension yet he prayes that they may comprehend it in such a measure as is possible though there is a height and breadth and depth therein which could not be measured And this is it that is reuealed to the soules of men the scaping of Hell and death this free accesse to the Throne of Grace which none before had this liberty to be made sonnes of GOD an heyres of heauen yea Kings and Priests to GOD and making good of all promises and the entayling of them to our posterity and making them Yea and Amen All this I say is now reuealed which before was not 2. It is said to bee reuealed marke that partly because this of all other things was neuer written in the hearts of men The Morall Law was written therein but they had not the least inckling the least creuice of light to see this partly because it is now opened in a larger measure then it was heretofore in the times of the Prophets the doore was a little open before but now it is wide open and nothing is hid from the soules of men that is necessary for them to know Againe it is reuealed not onely in regard of the Preachers that make it knowne but likewise in regard of them that heare it for there is a greater measure of the Spirit of Reuelation dispensed vnder the Gospell Therefore Eph. 1.18 the Apostle prayes that the eyes of their vnderstanding might be opened that they might know what is the hope of their Calling and the riches of his glorious inheritance in the Saints For what is it to haue a light shining if their eyes be shut to whom it shines So the thing reuealed is the Righteousnesse of God And lastly it is that Righteousnesse by which alone men can be saued This is the maine point which that you may vnderstand I will open by answering these 6. Questions 1. How this righteousnesse of GOD or which is accepted of GOD saues 2. How it is offered to vs. 3. To whom it is offered 4. Vpon what qualifications 5. How it is made ours And lastly What is required of vs when we haue it These hang one on another but for memory sake I haue thus distinguished them First How doth it saue I answer 1. This righteousnes saues after the same manner that the vnrighteousnesse of Adam did condemne let vs set these two together and the thing will be plaine First as Adam was one man yet the common roote of all mankinde of whom all that are guilty of death and shall be damned must be borne so CHRIST the second Adam stands as a publike person and the Root of all that shall be ingrafted into and borne of him Secondly as Adams first vnrighteousnes the first sinne he committed is communicated to men and made theirs by imputation and not so onely but by inherencie also for it hath bred in them originall sinne After the same manner and by the same equity the righteousnesse that Christ wrought is made ours by imputation and this imputatiue righteousnesse of Christ worketh a righteousnesse which qualifies the person and is inherent in vs. Lastly as after this vnrighteousnes comes death which rules and raignes in vs bringing euery thing into subjection so that all the comforts men possesse are ouercome in some degree while we liue here all sicknesses and troubles and crosses being as so many skirmishes which Death hath with vs before the maine Battell comes So in CHRIST life raignes ouer all and brings all into subjection to him that is it brings all the troubles man sustaineth all the enemies he hath yea death and sinne into subjection by degrees in this life and after death perfectly There is a comparison made in Rom. 5.14 which you shall finde more fully to expresse and more largely to set this out then I haue done The first Adam was a figure of him that was to come and 1 Cor. 15.45 CHRIST is called the second Adam now you doe see the miserable fruit of Adams fall you see by lamentable experience what originall sinne is and how much it hath corrupted vs why then should you thinke it a strange thing that the righteousnesse of CHRIST should be imputed Againe Death you see raignes ouer all by one Why then will not you beleeue that life shall reigne ouer all men that is bring euery enemy of ours into subjection by the other For the righteousnesse of one saues as the vnrighteousnesse of the other condemnes Another expression I finde in 2 Cor. 5.21 As CHRIST was made sinne for vs who knew no sinne so are we made the righteousnesse of God in him That is though CHRIST was a man without sinne in himselfe
sense it hath nothing to doe with Justification It iustifieth vs as it is an instrument and that not by altering the nature of sinne that is by making sinne to be no sinne but by taking away the efficacy of sinne As for example when a man hath committed sinnes Faith doth not make his sinnes to be no sinnes indeede it scattereth them as a Cloud You may consider it after this manner First it cannot be that that sinne that is once committed should be made to be no sinne for what is once done it cannot be vndone GOD himselfe cannot doe that because it is a thing that cannot be for when the sinnes are committed they doe remaine so and therefore I say it cannot be that that which is sinne should be made to be no sinne we cannot make Adultery to be no adultery for the nature and essence of the thing must remaine Well now what doth faith It doth this though the sin be the same that it was yet it takes away the sting and the guilt of sinne by which it puts vs into the state of condemnation and by which it bindes vs ouer to punishment As the Lions to which Daniel was cast they were the same as they were before they had the same propensenesse and disposition to deuoure as they had before they had the ordinary nature of Lions but at that time GOD tooke away from them that fiercenesse that was in them so that they did not deuoure him though they were there still so it is with sinne the nature of sinne is to condemne vs but now when GOD shall take away this efficacie from it it doth not condemne and this is that that faith doth Euen as the Viper that was vpon Pauls hand though the nature of it was to kill presently yet when GOD had charmed it you see it hurt him not so it is with sinne though it be in vs and though it hang vpon vs yet the venome of it is taken away it hurts vs not it condemnes vs not thus faith by taking away the efficacie and power of sinne it iustifies vs as an instrument as a hand that takes the Pardon The King when he pardoneth a Traytor he doth not make his Treason to be no Treason for the act of the Treason remaines still but the taking of the Pardon makes the Traytor not to be vnder condemnation So my beloâ—ed faith is that act that takes the Pardon from GOD so that though the sinne remaine the same and of its owne nature is of power to binde vs ouer to death yet by this faith taking the Pardon from GOD it comes to passe that it hurts vs not wee are not condemned for it You know debts in a mans booke the writing remaines still the lines are not blotted out yet when they are once crossed the creditour cannot come and aske his debt any more because it is crossed So it is in this our sinnes are the same after we are iustified as they were before but faith is that that crosseth the booke faith I say by apprehending the Pardon and taking the acquittance at Gods hands that he offers Iâ— a man haue anacquittance although the debt remaine the same in the Booke yet there can no more be required at the hands of him that hath taken the acquittance Thus I say faith iustifies vs as an instrument by accepting receiuing and taking the acquittance that GOD hath giuen to vs through Christ. Let mee adde one word more of the next thing which is What are the acts of this faith They are these three First To reconcile or to iustifie Secondly To pacifie the heart Thirdly To purifie or sanctifie The first thing that Faith doth is to reconcile That is as I said before by faith wee are pitched vpon CHRIST wee take him first and then wee take the priuiledges they all follow vpon it forgiuenesse and adoption this is the first act of Faith to reconcile vs to CHRIST himselfe and vpon this wee haue boldnesse to goe to CHRIST for forgiuenesse to goe to CHRIST to make vs heyres of all things For after this manner faith doth it All things are yours whether Paul or Apollo c. And why Because you are CHRIST'S Marke it you must first bee CHRIST'S that is euen as the Wife is the Husband 's so you must be knit and vnited to CHRIST and then all things are yours so that Faith first makes vs Christ's it reconciles vs to him and makes vs one with him and in him one with GOD the Father and then all things are giuen vnto vs and made ours The second act of faith is to quiet and pacifie the heart to comfort vs in assuring vs that our sinnes and transgressions are forgiuen and this is different from the former There are two acts of faith The one is the direct act by which we apprehend and take CHRIST and the righteousnesse that is offered through him by which we take forgiuenesse And the second is the reflect act by which we know that wee haue taken CHRIST and haue taken out our pardon and this act is very different from the former we may haue the former without this Wee commonly thinke that wee are not iustified by CHRIST vnlesse we haue assurance of it and when we looke for that and finde it not presently all our hopes are gone but it should not be so It is one act of Faith to take CHRIST and another act of faith to comfort and pacifie the heart and that these are two distinct things consider but this in a word The first act is constant when a man hath once taken and accepted of CHRIST hee is alwaies his after wee once haue CHRIST there is no diuorse But the other act of assurance whereby we know that wee haue taken him that is a thing that may faile and deceiue a man Againe the first act admits of no degrees for when a man is once in CHRIST hee is alwaies CHRIST'S when he is once married to him Marriage you know admits of no degrees so Justification is equall to euery man it admits of no degrees it is alwaies the same we are not now lesse iustified and then more but we are alway alike iustified being once iustified but the other act of faith whereby I am assured that I haue taken CHRIST that admits of degrees a man may haue sometimes more comfort sometimes lesse and therefore righteousnes is said heere to be reuealed from faith to faith Lastly the first act of faith whereby we take CHRIST and those priuiledges by him as the Wife takes the Husband that is founded vpon the sure Word of GOD GOD hath tendered it to vs vpon his Word and promise and he must performe it it cannot be altered nor changed he that builds vpon it builds vpon the corner-stone that will not faile him But now the second act whereby I come to know that I haue done this that is grounded vpon experience Indeede we are
goest and nothing but death shall part betweene me and thee When Naomi saw that she was stedfastly minded she tooke her along with her So if GOD should receiue men at the first many men would come in and take hold vpon Christ and make a profession of his Name but they would not hold out to the end with him But when CHRIST shall tell them I haue not so much as a place to lay my head in if thou wilt haue me thou must deny thy selfe and take vp thy Crosse and thou shalt finde a great deale of trouble and suffer persecution If a man now notwithstanding this will not be beaten off from Christ but though Christ turne the deafe eare to him for the present and present to him all manner of difficulties yet if he will notwithstanding all this be constant still in importuning God to haue CHRIST when GOD shall see that his mind is thus set he will take him along with him hee will be thine and thou shalt be his his people shall be thy people this is it that knits the knot betweene you My Beloued is mine and I am his his Word is passed for it he hath promised his consent now if we will giue ours the match is made If it were doubtfull whether wee should haue his consent it were another case but we haue a sure Word for it wee should learne therefore to importune him Now when we haue done this when wee are come with this boldnesse and haue laid hold vpon CHRIST then let vs looke to the priuiledges then let vs take the pardon of our sinnes adoption and reconciliation and all things else only remember that condition of after-obedience that though wee may come freely and come with this boldnesse and though nothing be required but that we take this Sonne of GOD that is offered yet I say there is a condition of after-obedience wee must resolue to serue him and to loue him with all our heart we must resolue to doe that that Ruth promiseth to Naomi to liue with him and to be with him and that his people shall be our people c. But you will say I am willing to doe this to part from my lusts and to be to CHRIST alone but I am not able my lusts are strong and preualent To this I answer If thou bee but willing Christ desires no more I would but aske thee this Suppose that thou wert able to ouercome those lusts take a man that is strongly giuen to good-fellowship as they call it to company-keeping that is giuen to fornication to swearing or whatsoeuer the sinne bee take any preualent lust that is in any man that now heareth me I would aske him this Question Put the case thou wert able to get the victory ouer thy lust wouldst thou be content to part with it and to take CHRIST If thou sayest No I had rather enioy the sweetnesse of my lusts still Art thou not now worthy to be condemned But if thou answer I would vpon condition I were able to ouercome my lusts I assure thee GOD will make thee able GOD requires no more but a willingnesse to come and take CHRIST the other is Gods worke I but I haue tryed and haue not found it so I answer it cannot be thou hast not yet solued to part with thy lusts thou hast not yet set downe this peremptory conclusion in thy selfe that thou wilt forsake euery thing that you may haue CHRIST If any man say he is willing to take CHRIST and to part with the sweetnesse and the pleasantnesse and the profitablenesse that his lust brings to him if he could get the victory if hee were freed from the sollicitations of them Let me tell thee thou must first resolue to take Christ vpon his owne conditions and for the other GOD hath promised to doe that himselfe 1. Cor. 8.9 God will confirme you and keepe you blamelesse for he is faithfull that hath called you to the fellowship of his Sonne As if hee should haue said Doe you thinke that GOD will call men to CHRIST that he will beseech men to take his Sonne will he call you to the fellowship of his Sonne and will hee not keepe you blameles he hath promised it and sworn it if he should not doe it hee should be vnfaithfull when GOD calleth you to come vnto Christ he promiseth that the vertue of Christs death shall kill sinne in you and that the vertue of Christs Resurrection shall raise you vp to newnesse of life GOD hath promised that he will giue the Holy Ghost for he neuer giues his Sonne to any but he giues them the Spirit of his Sonne too Now Hee that hath called you is faithfull and he will doe it So that I say if thou wilt come in that is if thou wilt accept of CHRIST vpon his conditions it is certaine GOD will receiue thee and if thou find thy selfe troubled with the violence of any lust or of any temptation presse vpon GOD vrge him with his Word and promise that he would assist thee by his own strength that he would enable thee to ouercome that he would giue thee the Spirit of his Sonne and resolue as Iob Though he kill me yet will I trust in him for I haue a sure promise Heauen and Earth shall passe but not one tittle of his sure Word shall passe till it be fulfilled Now because this is a point of much moment this laying hold vpon the promises and because it is a thing that is not easily done therefore I will shew you these two things The first is this that the vnderstanding must be rightly informed what ground a man hath to doe it when a man comes to beleeue the forgiuenesse of his sinnes let him not thinke I haue a perswasion that my sinnes are forgiuen therefore they are forgiuen but a man must labour to see the ground of it for a thing is not true because wee are perswaded it is so but the thing is first true and then we beleeue it GOD hath first offered forgiuenesse of sinnes to you and then you looke vpon his Word and so beleeue it But I say when a man is perswaded in a confused manner without any iust ground without a cleere knowledge of the progresse of faith how it goeth along this is not right this keepeth many from assurance because they are not cleerely instructed in it For to the end that faith may take hold of the promise that it may be sure to vs we must conceiue of the right method and that stands in these foure things First we must see our owne condition we must be sicke before we can seeke to the Physician we must see our selues to be condemned men that there is nothing in vs to helpe our selues wee must be broken in heart in some measure wee must see our selues to bee children of wrath and then we will come and seeke for a remedy and that
and all his honour all the ioy and pleasure he can afford we shall haue all his wealth that is goe to the whole Vniuerse and see what there is profitable or comfortable to the sons of men and all that is ours whether it be Paul or Apollo or Cephas or the world or life or death or things present or things to come all is yours you are Christs and Christ is Gods all this is yours As for the things of the world if we take him once we haue all these would not a man desire all these Is not this a strong argument to moue a man to take Christ that all the Angels in Heauen all the excellent Ministers on the Earth that are next to Angels they are all his seruants God hath bestowed these gifts for his sake they are set aworke for the furthering of his saluation and the Angels you know are ministring Spirits sent forth for the good of the Elect for the World as the Apostle saith that is whatsoeuer is in the World all the good and all the euill in the world euen that euill doth him seruice the afflictions and persecutions and stormes driue him to his hauen aswell as faire gales euery thing scoures him doth him some good or other all in the world is his both life and death that is whatsoeuer belongs to this life or another all is for his seruice not that only but when death comes that a man thinks is the greatest enemy that there is no good in death yet that doth him good it heales our sins it is a meanes of happines in a word when the Apostle could say no more things present or things to come for a man should looke to both as heauen will not content him without the things of this life so the things of this life will not content him without Heauen but when there is both the minde is satisfied Now when a man considers what wealth he hath by Christ and againe that he shall haue all his honour now looke what honour Christ hath the same he hath by matching with him hauing him wee haue all things If a man could enter into a serious consideration of this to thinke that he is a King that he is an heyre of all things that all the promises doe belong to him doe but thinke with your selues if any of you should be raised from a meane ordinary condition to bee made an earthly Prince how would you bee affected with it would it not put other thoughts into you Why should you not beleeue spirituall priuiledges to be as reall Why should you not reioyce more in them they are more durable they are more excellent they haue all in them the other haue Indeede they are things that are not seene with the eye they are spirituall they are things that are enioyed and reserued for afterward but yet there is much for the present Learne to consider this and it would draw and moue you but because these things are looked on with a generall eye as matters of fancy and speculation they are looked on as things that are rather talked of we see no such thing we haue no feeling of them therefore wee doe not affect them but we should labour to beleeue this The Scripture often mentions and repeates this Yee are a Royall Priesthood Heyres with CHRIST Labour to come to this disjunction if these things be not so why doe you beleeue them at all if they be so why doe you not reioyce in them proportionable to these priuiledges And so for Joy at his right hand there are Joyes and pleasures for euermore And as it is so for eternity so the neerer wee draw to him in this life the more pleasure we haue for he is the God of all comfort the neerer we are to him the more comfort all the wayes of wisdome are wayes of pleasure because they leade neerer to GOD who is the cause of all comfort So that is the second thing to consider the good you shall haue by CHRIST when once you see how miserable you are without him and that you shall gaine so much by him Now in the third place there is one thing remaining How shall I haue him I may attempt it and goe without him I may seeke and be denyed and therefore in the third place you shall be sure to obtaine that is a great meanes to encourage vs to come vnto him when you see you shall not faile there is nothing can hinder on your part as you haue heard of in the precedent condition there is required but an earnest hunger and thirst after him he iustifies the vngodly and therefore nothing can hinder on your parts and therefore if any thing hinder it it must be on GODS part Now what is there on GODS part that hinders He hath promised and bound himselfe and he will not goe from his Word he will not deny himselfe and therefore when there is no hinderance on neither part then why doe you not beleeue If you will consider Christ and see how he describes himselfe in the Word if you looke vnto all those arguments that are propounded vnto vs therein to perswade vs you will make no question but if you are willing to come you are sure to receiue him you shall haue remission of all your sinnes If you consider first those speeches in Eâ—â—kiel I desire not the death of a sinner and Why will ye dye O ye house of Israel such expostulations are very frequent Oh that my people would returne and How often would I haue gathered you as the Henne gathereth her Chickens I say these are the speeches of GOD and GOD speakes as he meanes you shall finde by the manner and the fashion and the figure of the speeches that GOD desires it earnestly Why will ye dye O ye house of Israel by way of interrogations and Oh that my people would doe thus and thus Euen this GOD desires that a sinner would returne There is no action that God doth but he doth it willingly that he forgiues sinners that hee receiues those men that will come home vnto him You see in the Father of the Prodigall that doth expresse the disposition of GOD hee runnes to meete his Sonne hee was the forwarder of the two hee fals vpon him and kisseth him hee could not expresse his ioy for his comming home such is the disposition of GOD I take no delight as I â—â—ue saith the LORD in the death of a sinner but rather that he should liue And therefore when GOD saith it wee haue a surer Word you should better thinke of it vndoubtedly hee will receiue you to mercie Againe consider how Christ did in the daies of his flesh how he behaued himself then was he not exceeding gentle to all that came vnto him exceeding compassionate and pittifull ready to heale euery one ready to doe any thing that was requested of him that he denyed not any that was importunate with him
desire they care for their Wiues no longer so in this case when men looke at nothing but simply at heauen disjoyned from Christ or when they looke at some other aduantages when they looke at an earthly Kingdome as many of the Disciples did when they looke for great matters by Christ in this world when they finde it quite otherwise when they lose in the world and all that they haue is in hope it is in things spirituall that are not seene with the eye things that are not sensible then they are ready to slip from Christ againe So it is vsually among vs many take Christ for aduantages as Christ tels them plainely Ioh. 6. saith he you seeke me not for the Miracles which I did but for the loaues That is to say not out of loue to the worke not because you iudge aright of the things of the spirit not because you loue grace but because you loue some aduantage that you haue by religion some profit that it brings you for the present and because you would be freed from Hell for the future such things as carnall men may see and be affected with but this will not hold out The manner of these men is to seeke mercie and not grace If they can be but assured that it shall goe well with them that they shall be freed from the feares they might haue of Hell that they may haue some hope of being in a better condition this is that they looke for but as for grace for repayring the Image of GOD in their hearts to be enabled to obey Christ in all things this is a thing that they desire not this is a thing they long not for therefore the secret inquisition of their heart is What good shall wee get by it They enquire not what excellencie and what beauty there is in CHRIST what manner of one hee is that they may loue him but what good shall wee get by him what aduantage will it bee to vs Contrarie to that in Cant. 5.12 when the Spouse is there asked what the reason was that she followed her Beloued so much and that shee magnified him so much Shee doth not tell them because I shall haue such things by him or hee is thus wealthie or I shall haue this honour by matching with him but marke her answer My beloued is white and ruddy the chiefe among tenne thousand his head is as the most fine Gold his lookes are blacke as a Rauen his eyes are as the eyes of Doues by the riuers of waters washed with milke and fitly set and so she goes along in a holy delectaction This is my beloued oh ye Daughters of Ierusalem I say so it is with those that take CHRIST in good earnest that looke vpon the excellencies of CHRIST as hee is considered in himselfe not that the other is excluded for we may looke at the aduantages and commodities that we haue by him but not vpon that alone but marke in her answer shee describeth what a one he was and therefore she loued him My Beloued is white and ruddy the fairest of tenne thousand such a one is my Beloued therefore Chap. 1. Vers. 2. she describes him to be such a one as hee is and saith she therefore the Virgins loue thee as if shee had said there is a Harlots loue that lookes only what they shall haue by him but none but Virgins that is those that haue chaste and good affections those that haue holy and right affections indeed the Virgins loue thee but the others doe not for they haue adulterous and Harlot-like affections as we may call them when a man lookes not vnto GOD himselfe but to his owne aduantage and profit And this is the third cause that makes faith prooue vneffectuall Fourthly faith proues ineffectuall for want of preparation and humiliation that should goe before it because the heart is not circumcised the heart is not broken yet it is not emptyed of those things that it must be emptyed of before a man can take CHRIST and therefore in Deut. 30.6 saith Moses The Lord your God will circumcise your hearts and then you shall loue him with all your soule and with all your strength As if hee should haue said It is impossible you should cleaue to GOD to loue him indeed to take him in good earnest vnfeignedly with all your hearts except first your hearts be circumcised therefore the Lord your God will circumcise your hearts that is hee will humble you hee will breake your hearts that your lusts shall be mortified in you he will take away those strong violent those carnall and sinfull desires that abounded in your hearts before and when that is done then you shall loue the Lord in good earnest not feignedly but with all your hearts Now if a man come to take Christ before he be thus circumcised he takes him in vaine he takes him so as that hee cannot hold him nor continue with him Now this circumcision is done by a certaine worke of preparation or humiliation by which these strong lusts are broken in vs therefore when men come to Christ before the Law hath beene a sufficient Schoolmaster to them before it hath indited them before it haue put them in prison and told them that they must pay euery farthing when a man comes to this hee seeth that hee cannot doe it then he goeth to Christ and beseecheth him to pay his debt before the Lawe haue done this men care not for Christ they take him negligently and therefore they hold him not And for this it was that before Christ came into the World he would make way before him so before he will come into a mans heart the Mountaines must bee brought downe the spirit of Elias must make way that is there must be a sharpe ministry to shew men their sinnes that they may bee throughly humbled and prepared or else they will neuer take Christ so as to keepe close to him A man must be brought to haue a present apprehension of death and of the wrath of GOD and damnation or else he will not lay hold on the Hornes of the Altar as Ioab when he saw that Salomon would slay him indeed and take away his life then hee layes hold on the Hornes of the Altar and would not let goe so when a man sees present death he will keepe close to Christ and till this bee wrought a man may take Christ but his faith will be vneffectuall because indeed till a man be soundly humbled he neuer accounts and reckons sinne to be the greatest euill and till he doe that he neuer accounts CHRIST to bee the greatest good and if a man doe not reckon CHRIST to bee the chiefe good of all other there will be somewhat propounded which will bee esteemed before him and when that comes he lets goe CHRIST But when there is a sound humiliation which makes a man prize CHRIST aboue all other things
himselfe put not his hand to the worke no man is able to beleeue You may thinke when you see such generall propositions as these that Christ is offered to euery creature vnder heauen and that whosoeuer beleeueth shall be saued you may thinke I say that it is easie to bring this home in particular to say Surely this pardon belongs to mee My Brethren it is another thing for a man indeed to beleeue for him to take CHRIST so as to deny himselfe for him to take him so as to mortifie his lusts so as to take vp his crosse so as to obey CHRIST to follow him in all things this is a thing that no man is able to doe vnlesse GOD enable him to it with his almighty power For the heart of euery man by nature is so shut vp against CHRIST that it will giue no entrance to him he may stand and knocke long enough vnlesse GOD himselfe shake off the bolts and open the gates and breake open these euerlasting doores that the King of Glory may come in we will not admit him but keepe him out Euery man naturally hath a hard heart that cannot repent that cannot turne from sinne he will bee content perhaps to take Christ for a Sauiour but to take him so as to obey him and feare him so as to loue him this no man will doe or can doe vnlesse the Holy Ghost enable him But you will aske How doth the Holy Ghost doe it The Holy Ghost doth it by these three acts First by putting an efficacie into the Law and making that powerfull to worke on the heart to make a man poore in spirit that so he may be fit to receiue the Gospell For the Law though it be fit to humble a man yet it is no worke of sanctification If a man were able to doe any thing he were able to see the righteousnesse the Law requires and how far he is from it and to discerne the curse vpon the not doing of it and yet this he is not able to doe without the spirit of bondage the spirit of bondage must make the Law effectuall as well as the spirit of Adoption doth the Gospell That is except the LORD himselfe presse the Law on our hearts so as to cause it to make sinne appeare to vs wee that are the Ministers of GOD may discouer your sinnes we may shew you the rectitude required in the Law we may shew you the danger yet all will be to no purpose vnlesse God awaken you if he will set sinne vpon the conscience to worry a man to plucke him downe when GOD shall charge sinne on him that he shall feele the weight and burthen of it when he shall sharpen sinne and cause it to vse its sting this makes a man fit to receiue CHRIST otherwise if the sonnes of Thunder should speake to men if we should come in the spirit and power of Eliah nay if GOD himselfe should thunder from heauen all would not moue the heart of a man all would not awaken him to see his sinnes till God himselfe shake the heart To conuert the Gaâ—ler in Acts 16. the foundation of the Prison was shaken which was a resemblance of the shaking of his heart wee may as well shake the Earth as strike the heart of a sinner without the worke of GOD. For though the Law be a sword yet vnlesse GOD take that sword into his hand and strike therewithall himselfe it shall not be able to wound a sinner Therefore the first worke of the Holy Ghost is to awaken a sinner to set sinne vpon him that he may be fit to receiue CHRIST Secondly when this is done that the heart is thus prepared by the Spirit then the Holy Ghost shewes vs what we haue by CHRIST he shewes the vnsearchable riches of CHRIST what is the hope of our calling and the glorious inheritance prepared for the Saints and what is the exceeding greatnesse of his power in them that beleeue I say we neede the Spirit to shew these things But you will say a man may see these things without the helpe of the Spirit It is true in some manner you may but not in such a manner as shall affect you For there is a manner of seeing proper onely to the Saints and that is the proper worke of the Spirit in them when wee shall so see them as to be affected with them Otherwise you may reade the Scriptures a thousand times ouer you may vnderstand them yet you shall not bee affected with them till the Holy Ghost shew them vnto you This is the secret of GOD that he reuealeth to those whom he meaneth to saue that is when hee presents these spirituall things prepared for vs in Christ in such a manner as that we shall loue them and embrace them when we shall not only see the truth of them but the goodnesse of them when GOD shall not onely shew vs the aduantages we haue by Christ but the excellency of Christ so that we shall be in loue with his person as well as to be ready to receiue the priuiledges with him Now this is done by the Spirit 1. Cor. 2.12 Wee haue receiued the Spirit of GOD by which wee know the things that are giuen vs of GOD and they are reuealed to vs by the Spirit They are two or three times repeated in that Chapter as if he should haue said If you saw them no more then other men doe then naturall men doe you would bee no more affected with them then they are but when you haue the Spirit of GOD to shew you the things that are giuen you of GOD that is the thing that workes vpon you and affects you And so in Ioh. 14.21 saith CHRIST I will come to him and shew my selfe to him When CHRIST sheweth himselfe to a man it is another thing then when the Ministers shall shew him or the Scriptures nakedly read doe shew him for when Christ shall shew himselfe by his Spirit that shewing draweth a mans heart to long after him otherwise we may preach long enough and shew you that these spirituall things these priuiledges are prepared for you in Christ but it is the Holy Ghost that must write them in your hearts we can but write them in your heads Therefore the Lord taketh that as peculiar to himselfe I will write my Law in your hearts That is I will make you affected with the things that I shew you and this is the teaching of GOD. There is a teaching by men and a teaching by GOD that is when God shall enable a man to see things in good earnest otherwise it will be but as a man that sees a thing when his minde is vpon another matter so wee shall see and not see but when the Holy Ghost shall shew you these things you shall see indeed till then you may heare oft enough of these things but your hearts
seeth that hee doth much of the second Table and little of the first and the hypocrite againe doth much of the first and little of the second let them consider that faith enableth a man to haue respect to all Gods Commandements it workes a generall change And as this is true for the substance so it is also for degrees for if God accepts onely effectuall faith then so much efficacie and so much working as you finde in any man so much faith there is If there be no workes there is no faith if the workes be few the faith is a languishing faith if the workes be many the faith is great and strong That is the second Vse wee should make to learne to judge aright of our selues and others Thirdly if it be onely an effectuall faith which GOD accepteth then this justifieth our Doctrine against the Papists that say we teach that onely faith justifieth and require no good workes I say we teach that not a naked but an effectuall faith doth it So that all the difference betweene them and vs is this we agree both in this that workes are necessarily required to saluation that no man shall see GOD without them without purenesse of heart and integrity of life We say Except men mortifie the deedes of the body by the Spirit they shall dye and there is no condemnation to them that walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit That is there is a necessity put vpon men to walke after the Spirit in this we agree but here is the difference They say that faith and workes both are required to justifie we say that nothing is required but faith and that workes follow faith wee say faith indeed is working and produceth â—uch effects so that whereas they say faith and workes we say faith only but it must be an effectuall faith a working faith If they object that place of Iames wee are not justified by faith but by workes I answer that there is a double justification there is a justification of the person so was Abraham justified by faith as Paul expresseth it Rom. 4. But then there is a second justification a justification of the faith that Abraham had he justified his faith by his works he shewed that hee had not a dead faith a liuelesse faith a faith without workes but that he had a liuely effectuall faith for he added workes to his faith his workes wrought together with his faith So that if the question be Whether Abraham was an hypocrite his workes justified him that hee was none If the question be Whether Abraham was a sinner his faith justifieth him and shewes that he was made righteous through faith So there is a justification of the person and a justification of the faith of the person as when a man is said to justifie such an action or such a cause the meaning is not that he will make that just which was vnjust before but he will make it appeare to be just so Abraham was declared to haue a justifying faith by that power and efficacie it wrought in him in offering vp his sonne Againe it is objected out of that place that by workes faith is made perfect therefore it seemes that faith is nothing alone if workes bee not joyned with it I answer that when it is said that faith is made perfect by workes the meaning is that faith is made good by workes the perfection of faith is declared by workes As one that professeth that he hath an Art and that he is able to doe this and that if he doe the worke wherein his Art is shewed if he make any artificiall worke by that he maketh good his Art Or as when we say these Trees are good because they haue sappe in them they are not dead Trees Now the Tree is made perfect by the fruit so faith by workes is made perfect Not that workes put life into faith the sap must first be in the Tree and then it bringeth forth fruit so there must first be a life in faith and then it bringeth forth workes So that when we say that faith is made perfect by workes the meaning is that workes declare faith to be right as the fruit doth declare the Tree to haue sap Againe if it be objected as it is by them that workes and loue c. are to faith as the soule is to the body for as the body without the soule is dead so faith without workes is dead Hence they gather that faith is as the body and that loue and workes are as the soule therefore faith justifieth not but workes To this I answer They take the comparison amisse For the scope of it is this as a soulelesse body is nothing worth it is dead and no man regardeth it so is a workelesse faith The meaning is not that workes are as the soule and faith as the body but as a man when he lookes vpon a carkasse and seeth no life in it no pulse no motion no sence such a body is nothing worth so when we see a faith without motion that hath no pulses that hath no expression of life in it such a faith is of no worth But you will say if we be not justified by workes to what end are good workes required I answer there is end enough there are motiues enow Is not loue a ground strong enough to bring forth good workes When this objection was made to Paul Rom. 6. If Grace abound why may wee not sinne the more for Grace aboundeth as sinne aboundeth he might easily haue answered Except you doe good workes you cannot be saued but he saith How can we that are dead to sinne liue any longer therein That is when a man is once in CHRIST there will be such a change wrought in him that hee shall finde CHRIST killing sinne in him and hee shall be raised againe to newnesse of life insomuch that he must of necessity doe it there will be loue in his heart that will set him aworke that will constraine him therefore saith he are you not baptized into Christs death That is when a man is in CHRIST he is dead to sinne as CHRIST dyed for him so that though there be no such motiue as for a man to get Heauen by his workes yet vpon the taking of Christ there is a loue planted in the heart there is a change wrought in the heart so that there is an aptnesse in it to doe good workes so that now a man delighteth in the Law of God concerning his inward man he desires nothing more then to be employed in it it is his meate and drinke to doe the will of GOD. Is not this enough to moue vs Againe though good workes be not required for justification yet this may be a motiue GOD rewards vs he chastens and afflicts vs according to our workes 1 Pet. 1.15
as if he vsed it not he would not care for losses crosses he would not grieue for them as one that is not able to beare them Thus we should learne to set faith on worke in beleeuing these priuiledges that we may be able to walke with God as Henoch did and as Paul and Moses did to walke with him in the vpper Region aboue the stormes There is much variety of weather when a man is below here now it is faire and then it is foule if a man were aboue these there is a continuall serenity So a man that hath his heart in Heauen a man that walkes with GOD that hath his heart raised aboue others if you would doe this if you would vse Faith if thou wouldest consider this it would set thee aloft aboue these things thou wouldest soare aloft as the Eagle thou wouldest care no more for these things then the Eagle cares for the chirping of Sparrowes they are trifles thou wouldest ouerlooke them all If we did consider this seriously how would it alter our course It would worke another disposition another affection in vs. A man would consider that if GOD be sure what matter is it if a friend die If I haue GOD what is the losse of any creature And so if a man suffer wrong in his name what is it if he haue praise of GOD If thou beleeue and see GOD in his greatnes to haue praise of such a one as he will make thee to contemne the rest And so for wealth What is pouerty What account did Paul make of it It is nothing to one that hath Treasure in Heauen to one that beleeues indeede to one that seeth hee hath all GODS Treasures opened to him Thou shouldest learne to doe this in good earnest If a man would set this Faith aworke to beleeue it his heart would be fixed hee would bee afraid of no euill tydings hee would say with himselfe if there bee no ill tydings from heauen it is no matter from whence they come on earth If a man would build through faith vpon the promise and consider it really This is the vse of Faith thus a mans heart should be filled with ioy a man would be able to goe through ill report and good report through want and through abundance without being much troubled with either the one would not much puffe him vp nor the other would not deject him but he would goe as a Gyant and march thorow the variety of conditions he would passe through them that neither the one hand nor the other the good successe nor the ill successe should worke vpon him much This is a strong man and this Faith will make thee able to doe if thou vse Faith and set it aworke But I am sorry the time hath cut me off this is but an entrance I giue you but a little taste There are many things wherein Faith stands vs in much stead wherin if wee did vse Faith how much seruice would it doe vs But for that which remains in this Doctrine of Faith I had thought to haue shut it vp at this time to shew you how to vse it how to make it effectuall how to set it aworke how to walke by it how to husband and improue this Talent for Gods aduantage and your owne But I cannot stand on it So much for this time FINIS OF EFFECTVALL FAITH The fifth Sermon 1. THESS 1.3 Remembring your effectuall Faith c. THE first thing wherein thou shouldest vse Faith is to comfort thy selfe by it Therefore consider you that doubt of this you that make question I speake to those that haue the work wrought whom the Holy Ghost hath made to desire Christ aboue all things I say remember that God iustifieth the vngodly and that you haue nothing to doe but to take him 2. Remember that CHRIST is made righteousnesse to vs that no flesh might reioyce in his sight but he that reioyceth might reioyce in the Lord. 3. Remember that the pardon is generall Looke to the promises of the Gospell you shall finde them without all exception To vs a Sauiour is borne to take away the sinnes of his people he came to take away sinnes of all sorts Now when GOD hath made no exception why should we make any 4. Consider that wee haue to doe with a GOD who delights to shew mercie it is a thing that he is not weary of it is naturall to him And therefore as the eye is not wearie of seeing nor the eare of hearing because it is naturall to them no more is GOD weary of shewing mercie Nay he delights in it Mic. 7.8 Who is a God like vnto thee taking away iniquities delighting to shew mercie c. Why so Because mercy pleaseth him That is there is no worke that he is so much pleased in as in shewing mercy 5. Consider thou that art in such a case consider that his mercy is as large as any other attribute Euery man thinkes that this is no newes what need you tell vs that GOD is infinite in mercy I say this is a thing that thou dost not consider if thou diddest thou wouldest not sticke vpon it as thou doest If thou diddest beleeue that GOD were as mercifull as he is but we scant GOD according to our measure we square Gods mercy according to our own thoughts Euery man measures Gods mercy according to that which he can conceiue He thinkes with himselfe if a man commit one sinne it might be forgiuen but when his sinnes exceede when they grow out of measure sinfull when they are sinnes so circumstantiated as we say that they are out of measure sinfull here a man stands at a stay What is the reason of this Because we draw a scantling of Gods mercy according to our owne conceits Whereas if we considered that his mercie were as large as any other attribute then we would consider that it hath no limits and if it haue no limits then whatsoeuer thy sinnes are it is all one 6. Dost thou thinke that Christ came from heauen and tooke flesh and suffered death to forgiue small sinnes No it was to forgiue the greatest the worke is large enough to match with the greatest sinnes These and such like reasons thou shouldest labour to bring to heart that thou mayest beleeue perfectly and throughly and giue not ouer till thou haue done it Let not thy faith trust in Christ by halues but trust throughly Thou shouldest come to this disjunction If I bee out of the Couenant why doe I beleeue at all why doe I receiue any comfort If I bee in the Couenant why doe I not beleeue perfectly I say giue not ouer till thou haue brought thy heart to a full assurance Thus a man should doe that yet doubts whether his estate be good whether CHRIST bee his when he is his For when a man is once in the Couenant that the match is made betweene him and thee why doest thou doubt If thou
them And so when men can make their recreations to serue their turnes for better purposes when a man not onely ouercomes them gets the victory of them but makes them seruiceable so a man make aduantage of the World Againe when thou wouldest haue thy sanctification increased increase thy faith The more thou beleeuest the more the Spirit of Christ is conueyed into thy heart The stronger thy faith is the more the winde of grace the sappe shall flow from CHRIST into thy heart As old Adams corruption it is with the grace of CHRIST when thou commest neere thou art ingraft into the similitude of his death that is there comes a gift from him he sends his Spirit into thy heart that doth make thee ioy in him that causeth thee to dye to sin and to liue to righteousnesse This I thought to haue opened But so much shal serue for this time and for this Text. FINIS OF LOVE THE FIRST SERMON GALLAT 5.6 For in Iesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision but Faith which worketh by Love IN the fourth verse of this chapter the Apostle affirmes that there is no justification by the law for saith hee If you be justified by the law you are fallen from grace that is you cannot be partakers of that justification which is by grace Because for to have it by the law and to have it by grace are opposite And he gives a reason for it because saith he Through the Spirit we waite for the hope of that righteousnes which is by faith and not by the law When he had expressed himselfe so farre which is the righteousnesse received by faith that is that righteousnesse which is freely given by God offered to us wrought by Christ but taken by faith on our parts Thus saith he you must be justified Now to confirme this he gives a reason in this verse that I have read for saith he In Christ Iesus that is to put a man into Christ Iesus or to make him acceptable to God through Christ Iesus to doe this neither circumcision availeth any thing or uncircumcision That is neither the keeping of any part of the ceremoniall law or the omission of it nor the keeping of the morall law or the breaking of it will helpe to ingraffe a man into Christ or to make him acceptable to God through Christ What will doe it then nothing saith hee but onely faith Now lest we should be mistaken in this as if he should require nothing at their hands but an empty idle faith hee addeth further it must be such a faith as is effectuall as is working And that is not enough but it must be such a faith as workes by love So that you have two parts in this Text One is a removall or a negation of that which doth not ingraffe us into Christ or that makes us not acceptable to God through Christ it is not being circumcised or uncircumcised or any thing of that nature The other is the affirmative part What is it that doth it that makes us in a glorious condition that makes us sonnes of God saith he it is onely faith and love it is such a faith as is accompanied with love and good workes so that you see hee removes all workes of ours all workes of the ceremoniall law circumcision is nothing it is as good as if you were not circumcised it is all one And by the same reason that circumcision is excluded all other is And not onely workes of the ceremoniall law but all the workes of the morall law also considered as the meanes of justification because they are opposite to faith they exclude faith and faith excludes them so as they are as well to be shut out as the workes of the ceremoniall law None of these saith the Apostle will doe it For you must know the way to salvation is contrary to that of damnation Looke how you lost the kingdome of God so you must get it looke what gate you went out at by the same gate as it were you must come in at What was it that lost all mankind the kingdome of heaven You know it was not our particular breaches of the morall law but it was the fall of Adam and when the root was dead you know all the branches died with it Well what way is there then to regaine this losse We must goe in againe into Paradise by the same way that wee went out that is by being borne of the second Adam and by being made partakers of his righteousnesse By being borne of him or ingrafted into him As you communicate of the sinne of the other because you are his children so you must partake of his righteousnesse Againe saith the Apostle it is the Lords pleasure that you should be saved after this manner because he would have it to be of grace If you should have beene saved by any workes of your owne you would have imputed it to your selves and to your owne strength But the Lord would have it to be of grace of his free will and therefore hee will have it meerely of faith by taking the righteousnesse of the second Adam which he hath wrought for you Againe he would have it sure to all your seede if it had beene by workes it would never have beene sure unto you you could never have kept the law so exactly But since Christ hath wrought righteousnesse and you have no more to doe but to take it now it is sure or else it would never have beene sure Againe if it had beene by workes the flesh had had wherein to rejoyce it might have something to boast of But the Lord will have no man to rejoyce in the flesh but let him that rejoyceth rejoyce in the Lord. Now if it had been by works if it had beene by any inherent righteousnesse by any ornament of grace that the Lord had beautified us with we had had rejoycing in our selves but now that it is by the second Adam by comming home to him by taking him by applying his righteousnesse Now no flesh can rejoyce in it selfe but now whosoever rejoyceth rejoyceth in the Lord. Therefore saith the Apostle you must know this truth you can never be saved by doing these actions no nor you shall not lose salvation by omitting them for this is not the way that the Lord hath appointed mankinde to be saved by But the way by which mankinde must be saved is by receiving Iesus Christ and his righteousnes But you must remember that you must take him so as to love him And it must be such a love as is fruitfull in good workes and not an emptie and idle love that is a love in shew onely but it must be a love in deede and in truth Now in the handling of these words we will begin with the affirmative part because though the other be put first yet the affirmatiō you know in order of nature is before the negation therfore I wil begin with
looke upon the Lord as upon a judge whether you doe not all that you doe to him as one that lookes upon a judge If you feare the Lord in this manner it is certaine you hate him for those whom you thus feare you hate and that you shall finde in 1 Ioh. 4. If you feare saith hee you love not for perfect love casts out feare when you look upon God as upon a strict judge and that is it that puts you on to doe all that you doe that is it that makes you keepe a good conscience in secret for this you may doe and yet looke upon God as a judge to feare with this kinde of feare is a signe you hate the Lord for whom you feare you hate Besides this Doe you not looke upon God and upon his wayes as contrary to your hearts that your hearts and the wayes of God are in an opposition your hearts and sanctifying the Sabboth will not agree the Lord would have your speeches to be good and holy he would have you not onely abstaine from evill but to hate it to have your hearts rise up against it Are not these commandements contrary to you Consider but that holinesse that is expressed in the booke of God and that is expressed also in the lives of the Saints who carry his Image stamped on them and is there not a kinde of contrariety betweene your wayes and theirs betweene your hearts and them If there be it is a certaine signe of hatred for wheresoever there is contrariety there is hatred Examine your selves by this and see whether you doe not hate the Lord. And yet to come to one more if you love pleasures more than God and wealth more than God you hate God For so you have it Mat. 6. No man can serve two Masters but either hee must hate the one and love the other c. That is when you love other things though you thinke you doe not hate the Lord yet I say in that you love pleasures and love the world and the things of the world in that you love your lusts and the objects of them in doing this you hate the Lord. Now if this be your case if upon these expostulations that I have propounded if upon these rules of examining your selves you finde that you doe not love the Lord if this be your condition as it is your wisedome to deale strictly with your selves for hence it is brethren that the soules of men perish because they will not see and search into their estates they will not come to this examination of themselves it is a painfull thing to them men are backward to examine themselves in private what is the reason of that phrase in the Psalme Examine your selves upon your beds but because examination should be when a man is most retired I say if you finde it to be so as it is the case of many then it should open a window to you to see what you have deserved at the Lords hands how just it were that the Lord should cast you off For when you are enemies to the Lord can you thinke much at it My brethren what a condition is that man in that hath the great God of heaven and earth to be his enemie And besides this have you not reason to justifie God in his just judgements upon others when you shall see God sharply plaguing them It may seeme to you that it is a hard thing that men should be so punished but when wee consider that they are haters of God that they are enemies to him you may justifie God in that hee doth But to conclude you ought to humble your selves if upon these tryalls you finde your selves to be lovers of the world and not lovers of God And you that are young and put off repentance it should move you to come in betimes For if this be required of you to love the Lord and you shall not be exempted from death when it comes though you be never so able and never so strong and lustly what condition doe you thinke you will be in if you die enemies to God and haters of him as you needes must be if you love him not And if you thinke you have time enough hereafter to settle your affections Consider is it in your owne power though you have warning before death to have this affection of love You may doe many good duties you may be sorry and repent for your sinnes but though you doe this and a thousand times more yet if you have not this love-wrought in you by God if it come not from heaven if it be not the fruite of his owne Spirit all your repentance and all your forsaking of sinne all your doing of duties the change of your courses is nothing the Lord regards it not unlesse you have this naturalnesse of love I have stood therefore the longer upon it and upon this part concerning examination because it is a matter of great moment Wee should have come to the next part concerning exhortation which wee would not disjoyne because it is very usefull and profitable but we cannot doe it now but reserve it for the afternoone FINIS THE SIXTH SERMON GALAT. 5.6 For in Iesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision but Faith which worketh by Love AND before we leave this poynt one thing I must add For what reason doe we put you vpon this disposition vpon this examination whether the love of God be in your hearts or no The reason is not that you should be discouraged that you should be put off from comming to God that you should be greived with the sight of the want of your love but the end of it is to stirre you up to gett it if you want it You know we have formerly delivered some meanes of getting it onely there is one which we will commend unto you which we gave a little touch on but could not handle it and it consists of these Three branches if you would love the Lord First you must know him for otherwise you cannot love him As it is in naturall loue that is bred between man and man you say love ariseth from sight they must see before they can love so you must know the Lord there must be a sight of God by faith before you can love him And every man that sees him and knowes him as he is will love him he cannot chuse for that is the Lords worke to all the Saints Ierem. 31 You shall he taught of me and you shall know mee from the greatest to the least It may be in some manner they knew God before but although a man have never so exact knowledge of him yet till he be a regenerate man he never knowes him indeede it is an other kind of knowledge that hee hath when a man is regenerate whē God teaches him to know him he lookes on God with an other eye every thing is presented to him