receives him could not have prerogative to be Gods Sonne as that Verse affirmes of him And else where it is called a takeing Reve. 22. 17. So that the Meanes by which Christ this Remedy of Mans misery may be had is Comming to Him Beleeving on Him Taking or Receiving of Him Hence observe DOCTRINE Doctrine The all onely MEANES of and that GOD requires for the Obtaining of CHRIST and Salvation by CHRIST Is the Comming to HIM Taking Receiving of HIM or Beleeving on HIM This is expresse in the Texts whence we now raise it there is no more to be done and Christ is injoyed If God required more or more must be done Then this Verse of my Text doth not fully direct how to get the Bread of Life But that it doth Therefore let a Man come to Christ and he shall have Christ This is all that God requires for the obtaining Christ and therefore our Saviour expresseth Christ by a Feast ready prepared and to be pertaked by all that come Pro. 9. 1. 2. 3. Wisdome hath builded her House She hath killed her Beasts She hath mingled her Wine She hath furnished her Table She hath sent forth her Maydens She cryeth Who so is simple let him turne in hither She saith come eate of my Bread and drinke of my Wine which I have mingled Luke 14. 17. He sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden come for all things are now ready And they that eate not of it miste it because they came not Verse 24. And however there was One that came and yet was not permitted to eate at the Feast Math. 22. 11. 12. 13. yet it followes not that there is some what more required then Comming for he miscarried because he came not had he come indeed he had obtained but he did but seeme to come though it is called a Comming for the want of the wedding garment was onely a want of Comming as ye shall see heerafter when we shew what Right comming is This allso is farther proved by these Scriptures Iohn 5. 40. Chap. 6. 37. Chap. 7. 37. Math. 11. 28. And as the Scripture is expresse for the proofe of this under the expression of Comming So also is it as expresse under the Phrase of Beleeving Math. 21. 31. The Publicans Harlots goe into the Kingdome of God before you Why For Verse 32. Yee beleeved not but they did Therefore Faith is the Way Therefore when the People askt Christ What they should doe to worke the Worke of God that is to get Salvation He prescribes them this onely Iohn 6. 39. This is the Worke of God that ye Beleeve Hence that Marke 16. 16. He that beleeveth shall be saved This is taught by our Saviours making Faith the Instrument onely Meanes of Curing Helping all them He cured in the Gospel and where He found not Faith He did no great Cure Math. 13 58. Also hence it is that Unbeleefe is made the onely Ground Reason of Mens Damnation Iohn 3. 18. 36. Chap. 8. 24. Though Men shall be punished for all other Sinnes Yet not Beleeving is the Ground Reason why they perish by their Sinnes Because Beleeving is the onely Meanes of Salvation And this was typified by the Isralites not entering Canaan because of their Unbeleefe Heb. 3. last And hence also it is that Beleeving is in Scripture made the Fruite Signe Pledge of Gods ordaining People to Eternall Life Acts. 13. 48. And not beleeving is made the Fruite Signe of Gods not purposing to Save People Iohn 12 39 40. Because Beleeving is the onely Meanes of obtaining Salvation Lastly It is hence also that all the Requisites to Salvation are made in Scripture the Consequents Workes of Faith Namely The Righteousnes of Christ for our Iustification Rom 3. 22. And the Spirit of Christ for our Sanctification Gall. 3. 14. Thus ye see how the All and Onely Meanes of and all that God requires for Our obtaining Christ and Salvation by Him is to Come to Him Or Beleeve on Him And this was typified by the Brasen Serpent as it is expounded applyed by Christ Iohn 3. 14. as All that God required and was the Meanes for obtaining Cure from the Brasen Serpent was the Looking on it as you may reade Num 21. 8. 9. There are two Propositions of necessity to be knowne by all that would be saved One is that Christ is the All onely Remedy of our Salvation The other is that Comming to Christ or Beleeving on Him is the All onely Meanes whereby Christ saues us There is no Salvation but by Christ onely and there is no having Christ Salvation but by Faith onely As God conveyes Salvation onely by Christ So Christ Salvation are had onely by Comming to or Beleeving in Christ The former of these hath been taught you in the former Point and now the latter is as clearely taught For the better understanding and making use of this Doctrine It is fit to open shew What this Comming to Christ Receiving Taking and Beleeving on Him is They are as ye heard before severall Words expressing one and the same Thing And that is this The Act of the whole Man that is of every part and faculty of Man entertaining Christ offered in the What comming to and beleeving on Christ is Gospel and resigning up himselfe to Christ in all the Offices of Christ as a King Preist Prophet to be saved by Him through those Offices To Beleeve in Christ is not in Generall to phansy conceite that I shall be saved by Christ and he dyed for me as the Worlds Faith is Ye shall find Divines giving other descriptions of Faith As namely a perswasion of the forgivenes of my Sinnes Salvation of my Soule by Christ Or a Confidence Trust in Christ for Salvation which with all other descriptions of Faith I conceive to be Venire ad Christū est cum servatorem recipere se illi consecrare totum Bucer in hunc locum And see Bucer on Rom 4. 3. in Malorets Comment the expressions of some higher Degrees Effects Consequents of Faith and not to be the first act of Faith But as for this which I have now given so farr as I can find by Scripture it is the first act of Faith and that which truely gives title to interest in the Lord Iesus and Salvation by Him And being the first act it may be where other farther acts degrees of Faith cannot presently be found This is it which Bucer explaines the Comming to Christ to be To Come to Christ saith he is to receive him for a Saviour and to resigne give up his whole selfe to him The eateing this Bread is by Faith to receive him Calvin And therefore I thinke Beleeving is exprest by the phrases of comming to Him taking receiving of Him because it is a so doing as is before described For
Salvation by Workes also and not by Faith onely and so make it neither Free Grace Gift nor sure nor shutt Man out from all beasting And also the Error of many among us even that have some good thing in them who to the end they may get Christ Salvation labour most for Humiliation or for Holynes and least of all to Come to Christ beleeve on Him wheras onely Faith is the Meanes and All that God requires for our obtaining Christ Salvation There are Two Snares which the Devill sets for People One is when they hope to be saved by Christ and never looke to be humbled nor to be sanctified thus the Profane are caught which is a most silly thing to thinke that any can be Saved that be not regenerated sanctified or to thinke that one can beleeve not hate all Sinne study all Holynes or that any one can be brought to Heaven by Christ and not to Holynes first It was a good speech of Francis Spira lying in the distresse of Spirit I will not saith he detract from the Gospel it is most true that by Faith in Christ we be onely saved but yet take heede of resting on Faith and neglecting the Workes of Faith Faith requires not that we be Christians in word onely Beleeve me qouth he who have fully tryed the matter and therefore he much commended to them the Epistles of Peter which presse Sanctity Chastity c. This was good Counsell and very usefull against this Snare by which Satan intangles the most of People who rest in a Conceite that they beleeve and never care for the Workes of Faith but the Error of this hath been opened before There is an other Error which is a second Snare of Satan Viz To labour for Humiliation Mortification Holynes Obedience and not to labour to Beleeve this is the Snare in which many well disposed People are caught And the Error of it appeares by this Doctrine Because there is no other Meanes required by God for our obtaining Christ Salvation but onely Faith Indeed some measure of Humiliation must be had before we can beleeve as ye have heard before Viz So much as may make one hunger after Christ and be willing to receive Him on any Conditions But when thus much is obtayned which is when there is a serious labour after Mortification and all Obedience Yet then to labour for more Humiliation or Holynes and not first cheifly to labour to beleeve in Christ this is a great error for there is noe other meanes to get Christ Salvation but Faith So that all the other Labour is in vaine and for that which never can bring Christ or Salvation as if a Man that desires to bring his dead Freind to Life should onely labour to bring him to the acts of Life as to speake walke c. and not to the onely Meanes of Life to have his Soule joyned againe to his Body and that Satan knowes and therefore putts them on it to make them spend time paynes to noe purpose To such therefore I may say as Elisha in an other case to the Syrians 2. Kings 6 19. This is not the Way Ye seeke Salvation and Christ but by farther measure of Humiliation having enough allready to make you willing or by Holynes you can not get them there is but one Way one Thing that God requires and that is to Beleeve Therefore as Christ said to Martha in an other case Luke 10. 41. 42. Ye are carefull about many things but one thing is necessary Viz to Come to Christ and Beleeve in him to Entertaine him and Give up your Selves to Him in all his Offices doe this and you shall be saved When this is done then shall ye be able to attaine Mortification and Victory over your Lusts Sanctification Ability to Duty and not before These be the Fruites Effects of Beleeving and you must Beleeve before you can have these As the Woman must be marryed to the Man before shee can have lawfull Children by him And the Science must be ingrafted into the Tree before it can beare Fruite Were it not a simple thing for a Woman to expect Children Legitimate by a Man and then shee would marry him Or to expect that a Science should first beare Fruite by the Sap of a Stock and then ye would ingraft it to it Or to expect that a Roome should be first inlightned and warmed in the cold Winter and thē ye would bring in a Candle Fire As absurd is it to expect first to be Sanctified and then to Beleeve in Christ For Faith in Christ is the Cause of all Mortification Holynes It is Christ that sanctifies People Heb. 2. 11. And of His Grace conveyes to us Iohn 1. 16. and he never doth it but by our Faith in Him for it is by Faith that He lives in us dwells in us as ye have heard Holynes is the Meanes by which Christ after he is beleeved in brings them that beleeve in Him to Salvation It is therefore a most preposterous and wholy unprofitable way for People to labour for Holynes or Heaven or Christ and not first cheifly to labor to Beleeve in Christ The Right and onely Way is being soe farr humbled as I said before as to hunger after Christ and be willing to have him on any Tearmes thē to labour to Beleeve and after that is done to labour for Mortificatiō Holynes By From Christ to get it Whome thou hast made Thine owne by Faith Wherefore I beseech you see your Error who will not beleeve till first you have the Spirit quickning you Grace strengthing you to Duty and subduing Sinne in you if you could thus find it in you then you could beleeve and not else This is the inverting Gods Order and a way that will never bring you to Christ or Heaven Indeed and I pray observe it there is an Act of Faith which cannot be had till this be had and that Divines calls a reflect Act where by a Soule beleeves that it doth beleeve Before this can be there must be Repentance Holynes c. This is a knowing that we have Faith this is not the necessary Meanes to Salvation but to Assurance Comfort But there is an other Act of Faith Viz. the direct Act which is Beleeving not a Beleeving that I doe Beleeve but a Beleeving and this must be before we can repent or have or doe any good this is the Meanes and onely Meanes to be saved Now consider the absurdity of your Error before you labor to Beleeve you labor to knowe you doe Beleeve you will be sure you doe Beleeve before you will Beleeve you labor for the Evidence of Faith before you labor to have Faith it Selfe you more and first care for the Meanes of Assurance Comfort of your Salvation then the Meanes of being Saved And one maine Ground of your doing thus is partly Pride
6. last for in them God seekes the praises of his Grace Eph 1. 6. and so they must be Gifts free Things Now a Gift must not be deserved for then it is a Debt Nor have any thing done for it but the receiving it for else it is an Exchange no Gift And indeed this is one maine reason why God so magnifies Faith as to make it the onely Meanes of obtaining Christ Salvation Because Faith onely magnifies Gods free Grace For if any thing were done then Christ Heaven could not be Gifts And this also shewes that Faith onely as it is a receiving Christ and no other way not as it is an Obedience or Deed done is the Meanes of obtaining Christ Salvation by him Because else they could not be Gifts nor of Grace Rom. 4. 16. Therefore it is of Faith that it might be by Grace Secondly Because Man should be abased and stript of all boasting for whilst that nothing is required of him for having Christ Salvation but receiving and taking it he can attribute nothing to himselfe Rom. 3. 27. Where is Boasting then It is excluded by what Law of Workes nay but by the Law of Faith Thirdly Because this makes Salvation sure to us Rom. 4. 16. It is of Faith to the end the Promise might be sure for that it is grounded on God his Truth Faithfullnes and not on us as it was in Adam There are two Things by which some abuse this Doctrine which must be removed 1. Some be ready to thinke If all that God requires to Salvation be the Beleeving in Christ then may we live in Sinne as we list and yet come to Christ beleeve in Him and so be saved I Answer but this is prevented by the description of Comming to Christ receiving of Him or beleeving on Him It is as ye heard the entertaining and resigning up one selfe to Christ in all things to be taught ruled by him aswell as to be saved by him and they that doe not this doe not come to Christ nor receive nor beleeve in him So that the very nature of Beleeving and a carnall Heart Life are incompactible Faith unites to Christ and so from Christ there is communicated Death to Sinne Resurrection to newnes of Life Faith affords many holy reasonings whereby the Heart is stirred against Sinne and to Obedience Rom. 6. 10. 11. Likewise reckon ye also your Selves to be dead indeed unto Sinne but alive unto God through Iesus Christ our Lord. 1. Peter 4. 1. For as much thē as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh arme your selves likewise with the same mind c. They that beleeve are married to Christ and therefore bring forth fruite by Him to God Rom. 7. 4. Christ Lives in them that beleeve Gall. 2. 20. And dwelles in their hearts Eph. 3. 17. Faith works by Love Gall. 5. 6. And Love makes us keepe that is Evangelically in desire indeavor all the Commands 2. Some be ready to thinke If all that be required to gett Christ Salvation be to come to Christ receive beleeve in Him then it is not so hard a worke to be saved as it is made to be for that it is an easy short worke to doe this I Answer but this is a grosse mistake for that there is nothing in the World harder then to Come to Receive or Beleeve in Christ therefore Christ saith No Man can come to me except the Father draw him Ioh. 6. 44. he must be drawne and that by an Allmighty Hand or he cannot come Therefore when so many were invited None came Luke the. 14. they all made excuse and they that came were compelled Verse 23. and therefore the Perfecting of Faith is attributed to Power 2. Thes 1. 11. and the Disciples pray for the Increase of Faith There is nothing that conduceth to Beleeving but it is all aboue the Power of Nature and contrary to Mans inclination As to goe wholy out of ones selfe and rest on an other for all good To apprehend Sinne its misery Therefore the Spirit must come from Heaven to Convince of Sinne Iohn 16 8. And then to apprehēd a way of being Iustified from Sinne the Spirit must likewise come from Heaven to Convince of Righteousnes which needed not if any thing but God could doe it And so for a Man to renounce his owne will wayes and give up himselfe to Christ whose Lawes be so contrary to Mans will this is above Nature Also the Devill is most strongly against this hence so many discouragements subtill tentations are put on them that indeavor to beleeve for Satan knowes that this onely gives Christ the Kingdome and turnes him out To conclude therefore is it so hard to be saved and so few are saved because it is so hard to beleeve and so few doe beleeve But it is farther objected against this Doctrine thus The Scripture calls for many Things besides Faith of them that be saved as legall Humiliation Mortificacion Holynes Obedience c. Therefore it seemes that Beleeving or Comming to Christ is not all that God requires I Answer The Legall Humiliations and all woundings of Spirit with the sight of Sinne are required not as Meanes by which we pertake of Christ Salvation for many have them that never obtaine Christ or Salvation but as Preparations whereby People are fitted inclined and drawne to Come to Christ to Receive Beleeve on Him and they be one Meanes by which the Father drawes and the Ministers compell People to come And Mortification Holynes Obedience c are onely the Fruites Effects of our Beleeving that which Christ doth in them he meanes to save after they have beleeved in Him These are the beginings of Salvation Glory which Christ begines and perfects in them that come to Him for Salvation So that allthough these must be in all that be saved Yet there is no other Meanes required of God for Obtaining Christ and Salvation but onely Beleeving USES Vse 1 First Vse may serve for Instruction in Three Perticulers Instructiō 1. To shew us in the Generall what to observe in Mans Salvation Viz Free Grace Certainty and that God is All in All in Itt These as ye heard in the Reasons of the Point are manifested aboundantly in Gods requiring no other Meanes of getting Christ and Salvation by Christ but onely Beleeving Therefore let us see these in God his saving of People This is indeed the sweetnes of the Gospel and that which makes it so much glorifie God incourage miserable Man that it assures us all Happynes is to be had in Christ for receiving it 2. To shew their Error that labour most for Pleasure Wealth Honour Content c. Whereas these neither are Meanes nor are required by God for our getting Christ Salvation Therefore folly it is to labour for them more then to Beleeve 3. To shew the Errors both Of Papists who seeke
would a hungry Man doe for this will he not venter his Life If ye will Beleeve ye shall have a supply of all good things and be as Deut. 33. 23. Satisfied with Favour full of the Blessing of the Lord. Ye neede not goe out as I may so say but shall have of your owne whatever you neede for Soule or Body Ye may have outward Things yet want more or loose them againe But Beleeve ye shall have all Good and never loose it Ye desire Joy Heere is the Way to Full Ioy ye must have full fruition of all Good and that is onely had by Beleeving Your desires to Sinne shall be alayed and new Desires given you satisfied and that is all one as if ye had them of Sinne satisfied Therefore Consider what the Prodigall saith Luke 15. 17. 18. In my Fathers House is Bread enough and I dye for Hunger In God there is Fullnes enough of Satisfaction and I am distracted through want of it Reason then as the Prodigall did Allas I am heere ready to famish for want of Bread How unsatisfied is my Soule I follow after Wealth Honours Pleasures and yet my Soule hungers thirsts Why should my Soule be famished heere and perish heereafter There is Bread enough in the Gospel In Iesus Christ I may have to supply all my wants a Compleate Satisfaction Why should not I renounce my Selfe Forsake my Sinne and Goe to Christ I will goe to Him and Beleeve in Him How great a Benifite would it be to have Meate or Drinke that would alaye Hunger Thirst for Ever This is had by Faith This Argument perswaded the Woman Iohn 4. 14. 15. Let it perswade you Ye have heard in the former Doctrine That Any one what Person soever may by Beleeving get Christ God in his Gospel shutts out None therefore be not kept from indeavoring to Beleeve by a Conceite that such a Sinner as thou shalt not be accepted for any that come are Wellcome Labour thou thē to Beleeve and know that on these Tearmes Perfect Happynes is offered thee For it is that onely which can satisfie all Desires and therefore above all Labour to Beleeve in Christ If thou wilt not thou refusest Perfect Happynes and shalt have perfect Misery Secondly This serves also for Exhortation To You 2. To Beleevers that have Beleeved Gett more Faith and exercise Faith more So shall your Wants be supplyed and Desires satisfied and this is the Way to have more freedome from sinnfull worldly Desires and to have your fill of Grace God Happynes you want so much because you actually beleeve so little For Beleeving brings Satisfaction and the more ye Beleeve the more full Satisfaction Be allwayes then in the use exercise of Faith abound there with Sathan above all things labours to hinder your growth in Faith because by that meanes he would keepe you in want But learne you above all things to labour to abound in Faith for then shall you want nothing Hence are there so many Exhortations Prayers made by the Apostle in Scripture for Beleevers abounding in Faith For as they exercise increase in Faith so all Fullnes is farther conveyed to them Faith is as the Bucket which let downe fetcheth Water and the oftner you let it downe the more Water you have The Exercise of Faith is as the turning of the Cock which if turned let ts in Water So Faith exercised let ts in all supply and the more it is exercised the greater is the supply The more Faith the more fullnes If we want the want is not from Christ but from our want of the exercise of Faith Exercise Faith then and you will never be pincht with Hunger or Thirst or be so perplext as often ye are But you shall enjoy a Heaven upon Earth you shall have a sweete Influence of all Grace as fast as your Soules can receive it you shall enjoy the Spirit of God and the Favour of God and be fully satisfied All Supplyes are to be had onely from Christ and all to be had from Christ onely by Beleeving Faith Exercised doth Three Things Faith exercised doth 3 Things First It Conveyes the Thing that is sought Therefore so oft in Scripture It is made the Instrument of Conveyance of all Gods Blessings By Faith Sarah received the promised Sonne Heb 11. 11. So Gall. 3. 14. The Promise of the Spirit is received by Faith It is Faith brings it Therefore the Scripture makes Faith to Conveye the Pardone of Sinne the healing Diseases and whatever it beleeves Math. 8. 13. as ye heard before For whatever Faith layes hold on it makes it thine owne be it ever so much And. Secondly Vntill it hath Brought Conveyed the Thing It gives Assurance that it shall be had and so it gives Content Satisfaction in some measure as if it were had As it did to Abraham for his Isaac Gen. 17. 17. it made him laugh that is Ioy for it was another kind of laughing then Sarahs was who laughed out of scorne of the thing spoken as deeming it impossible therefore was shee rebuked I say Faith made Abrahamlaugh that is Ioy in the Assurance of the thing And so it made Hanna quiet and eased her of her perplexity 1. Sam. 1. 10. 18. upon Her praying shee Beleeving was Satisfied untill shee had it For Faith exercised doth assure the Soule the Thing desired shall be had in the best tyme manner Thirdly It presents all fullnes desirablenes as that which shall be in due tyme possessed enjoyed It gives a glimps of all that God hath Promised or thou desirest Faith leadeth thee to Heaven and sheweth thee the many Mansions the Crowne of Glory the glorious Roabes the immortall Inheritance the Kingdome that shall never be shaken whatever is to Come Faith gives the sight of it before hand looke as God did to Abrahā Gen. 15. He shewed him that full Posterity Possession that in due tyme he should have So doth Faith Heb. 11. 13. By faith they saw the things promised afarr off were perswaded of them embraced them or saluted them that is as things present and enjoyed by them Now Faith doing thus the more it is the more it doth thus as Fire heating the more the Fire is the more it heates and the more it is exercised the more it doth thus For it is with Faith as it is with any Skill Power or Habit if it be not used exercised it doth nothing he that hath it is never the better there is no difference twixt him another that hath noe such thing And this is the great folly of Beleevers that they grow not in and exercise not their Faith did they so they could want no good thing Therefore Consider what Increase can yeild ye so much Benifite as the Increase of your Faith what Exercise can doe ye so much good as the Exercise of your Faith
His Incarnation or joyning together of both Natures the Divine Humane in One Person was for to make him fit to be this Bread of Life Therefore Christ being about to shew Nicodemus that Eternall Life might be had by Him Iohn 3. 15. That is that He was the bread of Life He first shewes him his Incarnation double Nature Verse 14. That as Moses lifted up the Serpent in the Wildernes Even so must the Sonne of man be lifted up For as Bread is not made of one single substance but of severall joyned together So Christ the Bread of Life the Man-hood of Christ could not be effectuall to bring us to Life without the God-head being neither of Power enough to stand under and come forth frō that Wrath it must undergoe Nor of Vertue enough to make its Actions Suffrings of infinite worth without which an infinite debt could not be paid And the God-head though in it Selfe it s a Fountaine of Life very Communicative being infinitely Good Yet by Sinne It s sealed up and becomes terrible a consuming fire So that It Conveyes nothing but Wrath Destruction But the Man-hood makes it an Open Fountaine satisfying appeasing of It Heb. 10. 19. to 23. Thus Christs Incarnation Union of two Natures Viz The God-head Man-hood in One Person prepares and fits Him to be Bread of Life And Secondly His naturall Infirmities outward Meanesse and all His Sufferings were to fit Him for this As Corne is threshed ground baked in the Oven before it makes Bread Col. 1. 14. 21 22. These appeased Gods Wrath and satisfied His Iustice for our Sinnes by which we were Condemned And so His Obedience Fulfilling of the Law This prepared a Robe to cover us by vertue of which Wee might appeare spotles in Gods sight Rev 19. 8. And Thirdly His Resurrection was also to fit Him to be Bread of Life 1. Cor. 15. 17 And if Christ be not raised your faith is vaine ye are yet in your sinnes As Bread comes out of the Oven in which it is baked Or else cannot preserve our Life And Fourthly His Ascension siting downe in Heaven was also to fit Him to be Bread of Life This indeed was the last preparative Thing he did and but an Introduction or letting Him into that place Condition wherein He might doe the Worke of Bread of Life who was now by former things made fully Compleate Bread of Life Yet this also was done as a Concurrence to His being Bread of Life For before He could be given as Bread and worke as Bread He must be ascended Heaven and set downe there Therefore he saith He must ascend That the Spirit might come Iohn 16. 7. And Ehp. 4. 8. Ascending up He gave Gifts unto Men As Bread descends into the Stomack and so sends vertue strength into the Body before it can nourish preserve Life Thus ye see how Christ comes to be Bread of Life And how many Things were to be done to fit Him And though before he dyed He said all was finished He meanes not every thing for then why dyed he But all that was to be done before He gave up the Ghost And therefore he proceeded to doe that And therefore None but He can be it because none else Two Things to be gathered have nor can have all these necessary Quallifications And hence ye may farther gather Two Things 1. When Christ is actually The bread of Life namely in his state of Glory then when he is exalted at Gods right Hand All the tyme state of his Humiliation was to fitt prepare him to be bread of Life Heb. 7. 25. 26. Now he is made higher then the Heavens he is able to save to the uttermost And Iohn 14. 19. Now he lives Viz that glorious Life in Heaven they shall live And whereas He gave Life to many before he had done these things namely to all Beleevers before he came yet it was by vertue of all these done in Gods account because surely to be done and in Gods sight to whome all things to come aswell as past are present Acts. 15. 18. Knowne unto God are all his Workes from the beginning of the World Rev. 13. 8. The Lambe slaine from the foundation of the World And 2. Ye may hence gather what in Christ Is the Bread of Life Or how Christ must be considered applyed for Bread Namely thus The Man-hood of Christ furnished with all that which it hath Done Suffred consequently out of Merrit received as into a store house Is the bread of Life Therefore he saith His Flesh is meate his Blood is drinke indeed Iohn 6 35. It is true that the Man-hood singly considered without Personall Union with the God head is not This bread of Life for then it is not of vertue enough as ye heard before But the Man-hood as it is in Personall Union with the God-head and so made of Infinite Worth Vertue So the Man-hood is the Bread of Life 1 Cor. 1. 30. He of God is made that must be ment of his Man-hood though as it is in Personall Union with the God head For the God head cannot be made a Communicated Wisdome Righteousnes c. as that is God joyned in Person with Christs Man-hood hath by the Doings Suffrings and Merrits of the Man-hood to which it was inabled by the God-head furnished that Man-hood with all Sufficiency to free from Misery and make Happy It s not Christs God-head but His Man hood which is in Union with His God-head and so a Vertue Effect of the God-head and that which is in His Man-hood that is the Bread of Life Heere be Two Errors to be avoyded One when the God-head of Christ shall be made the Errors to be avoyded Bread of Life and that which is applyed by Faith and made One with us Another when the Man-hood shall be simply Considered and not as it is in Personall Union with the God-head and receives Vertue frō it to make its Acts of Infinite Worth And thus by Faith we eate this Bread whilst we receive apply trust in Christs Man hood that which he did suffred in by it through Union with the God-head for our Justification Sanctification and Salvation and by Faith we eate not his God-head but Man-hood and the Vertue of the God-head that is in his Man-hood And thus that Question Iohn 6. 52. is resolved How Christ can give us his flesh to eate 1. USE Vse 1 To teach us How much we owe to God Christ who hath provided Bread for our Soules as the Egyptians did to God for that Gen 50. 20. For by this he saves many Soules alive God was oft magnified for the Manna he sent for the Israellites when they were ready to perish for hunger This is more Mercy Therefore that Iohn 3. 16. God so loved the World So as cannot be immitated So as cannot be
Esay 55. 5. Other Bread may be kept from you or tooke from you when you need it and usually is ratest to be had when we most neede it as in Famine As Ponds which be full in Winter when we need no Water but dry in Summer when Water is most needed But this Bread None can keepe nor take away It s Ever free plentifully to be had 6. Other Bread oft costs deare and is not every ones Mony as in Dearths But the Price of This as ye shall fee heerafter is onely the Receiving it the Comming Taking and Eating as it s in our Text and It s free for any without restraint or limitation of Persons 7. Other Bread may possibly have somewhat found in its roome that may serve Nature though not all so well But this Bread can onely helpe our Soules None else can but this as ye heard in opening the Doctrine So that without this There is no Life to be had Now Considering all these Super-excellencyes in Christ Why should ye not prize Him and labour for Him more then for Bread remember what you did for bread in the dearth and doe more for Christ 4. USE Vse 4 To teach us That Christ is onely for hungry Soules Such as be sensible throughly of their Misery by Sinne and so Pant after a Remedy For therefore he is called Bread because It s onely for the hungry God hath provided him onely for such as ye heard before from Luke 5. 31 32. as the Table is spread for the empty not for the full For indeed none else desire prize or will receive him pleasant food is slighted by the full even the hony combe much more this which is hard of digestion and very grosse to Flesh Blouds pallat eye Therefore observe in Scripture who they were that so Prized Christ they were Soules hunger bitten with the sence of their spirituall Misery And who did slight him Who were they to whome God never gave him the Pharisees blind People who were not hungry after a spirituall Mercy as not being throughly sensible of a spirituall Misery And this is the very reason why Christ is so litle regarded in the World When one lookes in the Scripture and sees what Excellent Things are spoke of Christ and on the longing desires the Saints of old had after Christ and their abundant joy in Christ and looke now how slightly by how few he is esteemed one would thinke that which is writ of them is fabulous or they were foolish or our Christ is not the same Christ or why should he then be longed for and now being come and offred is despised But he ere is the truth of it He is Bread and they were hungry But now most are full Full with their Sinnes their Honours Profits Contents of this World and therefore care not for Christ And mervaile at the hunger bitten Soules which keepe such a doe for Christ But let all such knowe that Christ is not as yet for them God never prepared appointed or sent him for such but for the hungry as the Shew-bread was not for David himselfe but in case of great hunger Math. 12. 3. 4. If God had immediatly suddenly conveyed Christ to sinnfull Soules then might he have been injoyed by you without being first hungry But since he gives him as Bread you must so take him that is first being hungry This is the reason why many eate this Bread Christ and be never the better because they eate him without hunger first and soe digest him not but fill their Soules with crudy Humors Security Presumption c. which kill the Soule Let an hungry Soule eate of this Bread it exceedingly strengthens him to all Obedience filling the Soule with good Nourishment Spirits of Love Peace Hope Joy But if any that be not hungry doe eate of Christ that is apply him He is to them but as the foode to the Angells who were without stomacks Gen 18 8. they see 〈…〉 eate but eate not and so were never the better for it though the foode was good Hence the Soules of People be so starveling like though they oft injoy large Meales of this Bread Viz the Word oft preacht Sacraments oft administred because wanting Stomacks they onely seeme to eate but eate not If therefore ye How to get a hunger after Christ would be the better for Christ ye must get an Hunger which that ye may the better doe 1. Disgorge your Soules of that Surfet of Sinne earthly Vanityes which ye have taken in By Considering the vanity hurtfullnes of them 2. Get a strong Appetite to Christ Which is done Partly by drinking downe the Vineger of the Law eating the sower Hearbs By the Law laboring to see your Sinnfullnes Misery thereby And partly by looking into the Gospel and Christs Beauty and Desirablenes as Eve by Considering the Fruite was drawne to take eate it But I will not presse this because I have lately done it and shewed you how farr you must be Humbled the Signes Meanes of it All that I now say is this That as it was with the bitter Water in another sence So is it with Christ If they that hunger take eate him they are saved by Him If they that hunger not medle with Him It is their bane ruine Therefore thinke not those Preachers your enemyes who labor to humble you by pressing on you the Law and your miserable Estate by Nature for it is but to make you hungry and so fit for Christ the Bread of Life We are your Pastors Nurses and must seeke to get you Stomacks that ye may eate and not tread under foote this spirituall foode therefore thus and for this end to seeke to humble you is a part of our Duty Love to you should Preachers onely preach Christ to you it would but delude you for till you be hungry God will not give him nor will ye accept him because He is Bread Thus much for the First Thing in the Text The Description of Christ as the sufficient Remedy of Mans Misery THE SECOND THING in the TEXT Is The secōd Thing in the text the Meanes by which this Christ This Remedy of our Misery may be had That is by Comming to Christ He that comes to Me shall never hunger This is farther exprest in the Text by an other word Viz Beleeving in him So that comming to him and beleeving on him is all one and the same and he that comes to Christ or beleeves in Christ shall obtaine Christ and get him for else he could not be kept from hungring thristing as the Text saith he shall be And in other Scriptures This which is the Meanes by which Christ may be had is exprest in other words As Iohn 1. 12. A receiving Christ for there receiving Christ beleeving on him is made all one and receiving Christ is the meanes of geting Christ or else he that
that ye will not have all groūd of Hope Mercy to be in God and none in your Selfe For observe it you will not goe that way which makes you ground your Salvatiō onely on Christ and not at all in your Selfe but you must see somewhat in your Selfe before you will beleeve And partly it is not daring to venter your Soules on Gods bare Word but you must see somewhat done by him in you before you will credit him For though He saith that Whoever comes to Christ and beleeves in Him shall be Saved Sanctified yet you will not beleeve till you find he hath sanctified you and so dare not trust his Word and therefore it is that the Scripture makes every Vnbeleever to make God a Lyar Consider that 1. Ioh. 5. 10 of Thomas Iohn 20. 25. The Disciples said we have seene the Lord But he said except I shall see the print of the nayles and put in my fingers I will not beleeve then Verse 29. Iesus said because thou hast seene me thou hast beleeved blessed are they that have not seene me and yet have beleeved Yea farther By this meanes you hinder the shining forth of Gods free Grace For whilst that you will not First beleeve but first will be able to doe somewhat you make not Christ Heaven a free Gift nor can it be free Grace in God and so not seeing Gods free Grace ye doe not so magnifie Him as else you would nor find such sweetenes in the Gospel nor be so incouraged as ye might be but sinke perplexe wound your Soules by feares discouragemēts which indeede be groūdles Also you hinder your owne Certainty Assurāce For whilst you ground your Beleeving on somewhat in your Selfe and not onely on Gods free Promise Word of Truth It being grounded partly at the least on your Selfe who change it is uncertaine chāgeable By all this I beseech you see your Error who being so much humbled as is requisite labour for Humiliation Holynes c. and doe not first cheifly labour to Beleeve Objection It may be Objected by some But I have indeavored this Way as you teach and have beleeved and yet I find not Christ Holynes follow after Answer 1 I Answer First it is not possible to Beleeve in the least measure or degree but Christ Salvation must be had because God hath absolutely promised it to Beleeving And the Spirit Sanctification must be had for these be as inseperable as Light from the Sunne but these things be not ever sensible to them that Beleeve 1. Because they doe not knowe consider the first least weakest workes of Christ in the beleeving Soule but onely judge themselves by the more full strong workings of Christ in the Soule In trying the truth of Faith take the weakest Evidences so they be sure though rest not there for that true Grace will never doe as if a Man judgeth Life onely by walking eating he may thinke a Man that sleepes is dead 2. Because the Act of Faith is not strong enough to put forth it Selfe very sensibly as the Acts of the Soule in a Swound inasmuch as there is not a frequēt accustomed acting and exercising Faith till by practise the Heart is setled in it 3. Because there is not a reflect Act a Considering what it is to Beleeve and that thou hast so done and then a drawing the comfortable Conclusions to thy Selfe that flowe thence and from Faith a reasoning to quicken thee up for Faith produceth its Effects by reasōing As thus If Christ hath suffered in the flesh then must I make the flesh suffer in me If Christ rose againe then must I rise to newnes of Life If Christ loved me so as to give Himselfe for me Then shall not I love Him so as to give my Lusts for Him c. Let these Things be observed and there is none that doe in the least measure truly Beleeve But they shall find Christ Salvation made theirs Secondly I Answer If thou hast indeavored to Beleeve and yet obtainest not Christ It is not because this is not the way the onely Way Meanes to get Him But because thou hast not Beleeved thou hast not gon this Way nor used this Meanes rightly Therefore thou must not give over this Way but labour to find it out If there be many Pathes in a Feild and but one that leades to the House a Man is going to and he have gon to the end of one Path and finds not the House It is a good reason why he should thinke that is not the right Path and so seeke it out but no reason why he should leave that Feild and betake himselfe to āother for in that Feild onely is the Path So it is no reason that thou shouldst cease striving to Beleeve and take to some other Course but labour to find out what it is to Beleeve and then care to doe that And as this Doctrine shewes their Error who labour to Repent to be Holy c. and not first to Beleeve So it also shewes their Error who finding a decay in their Soules of Grace and an increase of Sinne cease their Faith and lay it aside and take to some other Course Whereas the onely way meanes for them to recover themselves is to recover strengthen increase their Faith for Faith is the onely Meanes to Christ Salvation 2. USE Vse 2 For Exhortation To exhort ye all to labour above all things to Beleeve that is To entertaine Christ and resigne up your Selves to Christ in all his Offices to be saved through them Mind this Worke most of all for it is the all in all to your Salvation Thus did Paul Phill. 3. 8. 9. Yea doubtles I count all things but losse for the excelency of the knowledg of Christ and doe count all but Dunge that I may winne Christ And be found in him not having mine owne Righteousnes which is of the Law but that which is through the Faith of Christ This is a worke I commend to you and Command you in Gods Name It is Gods Worke that which he most chargeth on you under the Gospel Iohn 6. 29. doe yee make it your cheife worke You that take up your Thoughts Hearts most with the World with the Honours Pleasures or Profits thereof I might exhort you to beleeve for till you doe it you cannot be saved but you are to farr off from Faith yet You are to be exhorted to get Preparations for Faith your Hearts to be so affected by the Law with a sight of your Sinnes and Misery by it that ye may be brought to thirst after Christ and willing to entertaine him on any Conditions Mind ye this above all because without this ye cannot come to Faith that onely brings Christ Salvatiō This Worlds Honours Pleasures Profits cannot give you Christ nor Salvation and why then shall they be prefered minded sought
Faith makes us the House of Christ Christ dwells in the Heart by Faith Eph. 3. 17. even as a man dwelleth in his House and so he hath Possession of the House So have Beleevers of Christ Hence when Thomas beleeved he saith my Lord my God Therefore David Psal 144. 1. 2. Challēgeth God to be his and why He trusts in Him in the end of the Verse So that Beleeving possesseth a Man of Christ Secondly as Beleeving possesseth of Christ maks him to be ours So the Having Christ makes God to be ours Christ brings to the Fruition enjoying of God which may be gathered from his very Name which is Emanuell that is God with us Math. 1. 23. which not onely implyes that in him God is come in our Nature because he that is God tooke our Nature into Personall Union but also that in by Him God is injoyed by us even by so many as have Christ For by Christ all is removed that kept us from God and all is supplyed that may bring us to God and make us injoy God The Sufferings Obedience Intercession of Christ appease Gods Wrath satisfie Gods Justice and soe brings the Person into full Favour with God Math. 3. 17. he saith not with whome but In whome I am well pleased And the Spirit Holynes of Christ workes out Corruption workes in Holynes and so there is brought about a Communion with God Fruition of God and so God walkes in them and is their Father and God they his Children People 2. Cor. 6. latter end And so in Eph. 2. 13. Having by Faith got Christ to be theirs though before they were affarr off yet now are made neere and so in the 19. Verse You are no more strangers foreiners but Citizens with the Saints of the houshould of God Hence is that Rom. 5. 11. Not onely so but we also joy in God through our Lord Iesus Christ by whom we have now received the atonement there is Joy in God through Christ therefore by Christ God is enjoyed Now where God is enjoyed All wants must be supplyed and All desires allayed For God is an Infinite Goodnes therefore they can want nothing that have him As they cannot want Light that have the Sunn or Water that have the Ocean because there is a sufficiency of Light in the Sunn of Water in the Ocean Now God is Alsufficiēt Gen. 17. 1. This God hath clearely proved by his Workes of Creatiō Providence He of Nothing made severall Things and filled them all full He gave Perfection to every Creature at first so that it lacked nothing and to the whole Creation that is ment by seeing it was good very good that is every Part was perfect lacking nothing and the Whole was very Compleate Full He that filled the whole World that it lacked nothing Cannot he fill Mans desires And so by his Providence he fills satisfies as Psal 107. 9. 145. 16. And he had not made all Man-kind to seeke him as he did Acts. 17. 26. 27. if he could not satisfie them for then he had made sōthing in vaine all the infinite desires that are in Man-kind after a cheife Good by injoying which they may be happy as they shew there is a God so they teach that that God can fully satisfie them all and this is expresse Psal 16. last Fullnes of Ioy Ioy therefore Fruitiō Satisfaction of Desire else noe Ioy and full Ioy therefore there is supply of all Wants and alaye of all Desires God himselfe is satisfied in himselfe else he were not God and being able to satisfie himselfe who is an Infinite being he can much more satisfie Man that is but of a finite being Since therefore Christ brings us into Gods Presence as Eph. 3. 12. By him we have accesse that is he is Gods Emissary sent from God to bring Beleevers into Gods Presence so to injoy God as the word signifies in Greeke it must needs followe That Every one that injoyeth Christ must be Satisfied and have All desires alayed Because with Christ God is had and so All fulnes For the better clearing this Point Consider we in In what respects or how a Beleever never hūgers nor thirsts What Respects or How this can be true That the Beleever never hungers nor thirsts It is true in some degree in this Life and fully compleately in the Life to Come First in this Life it is true in some degree That he that Beleeves in Christ hath all his wants supplyed so all his desires alayed And that in a Three-fold Respect 1. In respect of Sinne He that beleeves in Christ shall not hunger nor thirst after Sinne. This is the greatest Hunger Thirst of an Unbeleever Therefore Sinns are called Lusts because they are the appetites desires of Unbeleevers The Unbeleever as truely wants desires after the Commission of Sinne some or other according as he is carryed by Constitution Condition Custome Company or Tentation as the hungry or thirsty Man doth after Meate or Drinke Pro. 4. 16. They sleepe not except they have done mischeife therefore it is that they are so eager upō Sinne Pro. 1. 16 Their feete run to evill so 1. Pet. 4. 4. For there is a Nature in every Unbeleever that is satisfied upheld by commiting Sinne as our Nature is by Eating and Drinking therefore It lusts after evill Iames. 4. 5. But now He that Beleeves in Christ is not thus to Sinne The Body of Sinne is destroyed in him Rom. 6. 6. therefore he serves not and so seekes nor Sinne For he is said to be Dead to Sinne Verse 7. therefore he desires not after Sinne Hence Rom. 8. 5. The Beleever who is described by his inseperable Property to be after the Spirit minds the Things of the Spirit that is and not the Things of the Flesh The Unbeleever minds fleshly things as a Woman that is with Child her eyes are still on it if it be present or else her Phant'sy runns after it But the Beleever lives the Life of Christ and hath Christ dwelling in him therefore he must doe as Christ did that is not desire Sinning but to suppresse it as 1. Iohn 3. 8. and Verse 9. He is made pertaker of the seede of God therefore cānot sinne that is so farr as he is pertaker of that there is a Nature in every Beleever which is contrary to Sinne He pertakes of the Divine Nature 2. Pet. 1. 4. therefore wants not nor seekes any satisfaction by Sinne but the Contrary He lusts after Holynes as in the former Place is said minds the things of the Spirit lusts against Sinne as Gall. 5. 17. for it makes the Soule see misery in the Sinnes it desired and that happynes it sought in Sinne to see it seeke it in God Holynes Now in respect of this the Doctrine is true That in every Beleever there is no Hunger because