THE COMMVNICANTS DUTY SET FORTH IN EIGHT Sermons preached at Kings-Lynne in Norfolke By THOMAS PURCHAS Master of Arts. 2 CHRON. 35. verse 6. Sanctifie your selves and prepare your brethren that they may doe according to the Word of the Lord. LONDON Printed by JOHN NORTON for Walter Edmonds dwelling at the signe of the Crowne within Lud-gate 1639. To The Right Worshipfull and his worthy friends Mr. Thomas Milner Major Mr. Thomas Grimell Alderman Mr. Ioshuo Greene Alderman with all the Society of that ancient Incorporation of Kings Lynne Grace and Peace c. Right VVorshipfull THat of Artaxexres King of Persia was never too highly set and prised which said that it was of no lesse kingly bounty and humanity to accept of little things then to give great I have received great things from you and now what have I to offer unto you but even these poore Meditations which if it shall please you to accept you shall more enrich and fill my desire by this receaving then by giving For to an honest minde it is sweeter to be regarded then rewarded and what greater reward can be given unto him that striveth to bee thankfull then to finde himselfe accepted in that in which he seeketh most to please Accept them I pray you favourably and censure them charitably for my part I intend especially though I be of all men most unworthy to further Christs Kingdome which if it may I have my desire howsoever I shall leave it to the blessing of God and your worthy Patronage Now the God of all consolation according to the riches of his mercy blesse you and yours with all externall internall and eternall blessings of his spirit that all your actions may bee prosperous your troubles few your comforts many your life long your death blessed your elections sure and yur salvations certaine Amen Yours in the Lord JESVS Tho. Purchas To The Reader CHristian Reader you have in the eight Sermons the Communicants Duty set forth at large now for the helpe of their memories who desire to attaine to a particular and distinct knowledge of the heads delivered I have collected the summe of them out of the former Sermons and here set them downe by themselves they are truths which every Christian should indeavour to make his owne bee perswaded therefore to use a little diligence in these things which are matters of so great moment First study them to get a particular and distinct knowledge of them committing them to memory Secondly be well grounded in the truth of them by infallible testimonies of holy Scripture Thirdly make that use of them in thy life as God in his word directeth thee that so thou mayst be happy as well in doing as in knowing Thou seest what is thy taske Arise then and bee doing and my prayers shall be that the Lord would be with thee that thou mayst increase in wisedome and abound in the mysteries of godlinesse and in all holinesse Thine in Christ Jesus Tho. Purchas The First SERMON 1 Corinthians 11. CHAP. 28. VERS But let a man examine himselfe and so let him eate of that Bread and drinke of that Cup. THE blessed Apostle St. Paul perceiving what was in the Corinthians In this Chapter reproves them very sharply as may bee read from the beginning of it unto the 17 vers In the verses following he insistes upon the Doctrine of the Sacrament and their carelesnes in not preparing of themselves to come unto it This corruption of theirs he First propoundes Secondly confutes In the propounding of it he taxeth them with two vices First want of Charity in the 18 vers a 1 Corin. 11. 18. When you come together in the Church I heare that there be divisions among you and I partly beleeve it There were divisions among them even then when they were to aproach unto the table of the Lord this did he heare and partly beleeve Secondly he taxes them not onely for the want of Charity but also of Sobriety and Temperance in the 21 vers in eating saith he every one taketh before other his own Supper and one is hungry and another is drunken b 1 Cor. 11 21. Now the blessed Apostle having propounded their vices he cometh in the second place to confute them and in this he sheweth a dislike of their curses saying Have yee not houses to eate and to drinke in or dispise yee the Church of God and shame them that have not what shall I say to you shall I prayse you in this I prayse you not c 1 Cor 11 22. Now in his confuting he takes an occasion to put them in minde of the first institution of the Lords Supper I have received saith he of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you that the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed tooke Bread d 1 Cor. 11. 23. And heere hee sets down two things First what the Sacrament is 1 In the substantiall parts of it 2 In the simple actions 3 In the relative actions 4 What the end is e 1 Cor. 11. 24. 25 26. Secondly In the second place hee sets down what is to be done before they come to the Table of the Lord they must examine themselves f 1 Cor. 11. 28. but let a man examine himselfe and so let him eate of that Bread and drinke of that Cup. So that wee may now see who they bee that are to be admitted to the Table of the Lord even those who after good examination and tryall have found themselves fit In the words there is a double injunction to a double duty First touching examination Secondly touching our participation after examination In the first injunction there is First the duty that is injoyned Examination Secondly the party nominated A man Let a man saith the Text examine A man this notes the fitnes a man that hath discretion A mans selfe this the propriety of the action In the second injunction for the matter of participation So let him eate of that Bread and drinke of that Cup you have three things First the note of dependency in the word so Secondly the actions Eating and Drinking The words being divided let us come to the sense and meaning of them Let us see First what it is to examine Secondly why it is said let a man examine Thirdly why a mans selfe Fourthly why so let him eate and so let him drink Quaest What it is to examine Resp The word in the originall is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and it is sometimes taken in the best sense for a good tryall sometimes in the worst sense for a bad tryall First when in the worst sense it is used for a bad tryall it is in our English tongue properly called tempting Now Tempting is an using of an evill meanes to effect an evill end that is to try if men will thereby be perswaded to doe that that is evill And thus was CHRIST led by the Spirit into the
reformed it will bee easie to reforme the words and workes n Math. 23 26. In the particular duties of Gods worship it concemes all to be carefull of the heart 1. In Preaching 2. In Hearing 3. In Praying 4. In Singing First in Preaching In Preaching the heart is to be looked to That wee may be able to say with Saint Paul God is my witnesse whom I serve with my spirit in the Gospell of his Sonne e Rom. 1. 9 Secondly in hearing Heare with the heart The heart must also be looked unto the heart must bee drawne up unto the eare like Lidia our hearts must bee opened that we attend to the things which are spoken Thirdly in Prayer Pray with the heart The heart must bee looked unto Praying alwayes with all Prayer and supplication and how it is said in the spirit p Eph. 6 8. Fourthly in singing of Psalmes Sing with the heart The heart also must be ready that we may sing with grace in our hearts unto the Lord q Col. 3. 16 Quaest But is there no hypocrisy in the godly Hypocrisy in the best man is there no want of this inward truth of heart in his obedience Res There is hypocrisie in the best all the sonnes of Adam are infected with this contamination some more some lesse whosoever goeth about to cleere himselfe in this hee is the worst hypocrite of all and this wee must know that though all are infected with it yet here is the difference all have hypocrisie hypocrisie hath some aliud habere peccatum aliud haberi à peccato it is one thing for a man to professe sin and another thing for sin to possesse a man Now though a regenerate man may finde this in him yet may hee comfort himselfe in it First That this is a matter of greife and humbling unto him feeling this in him and having his heart away in any outward service Secondly That his care and desire in obeying God hath ever been to doe it heartily and so could never hypocrite say This must all know for by the knowledge of this that it is not First Hypocriticall obedience Hypocriticall Obedience not regarded Secondly Constrained sincerity that will serve the turne First For hypocriticall obedience eye-service may bee pleasing unto men because they know not the heart but to God it can not The proud Pharisee may make a faire show but God can pull of the maske and discover him All outward workes an hypocrite may doe onely he failes in the heart and because of that hee is lost every where it is man that judgeth the heart by the workes but the LORD judgeth the workes by the heart O therefore take heede of hypocrisie least you have your portion with them in Hell Men and women solace your selves in your devotions heare read pray receive but looke you have the heart along with you for without the heart all is lost Know this that the ostentation of man shall meete with the detestation of God Secondly Now if hypocrisie Constrained sincerity nothing cannot content God what can constrained sincerity doe Hee that obeyeth God because hee cannot chuse would not obey the LORD if hee could The fourth Rule of Obedience Rule 4 is constancy And this must every receiver know That true Obedience is constant obedience True obedence is constant Whosoever obeyes God truely will obey God constantly there is scarce any good thing in Gods Child but may seeme to bee in the hypocrite save onely this constancy in obedience so that this teacheth us First That sound and constant obedience is in the regenerate Secondly That it is onely in the regenerate in no other First constant obedience is in the regenerate The righteous saith the wise man is an everlasting foundation r Pro. 10 25. I such as are planted in the house of the Lord will bring forth fruit in their age f Psal 92 13. 14. But it may bee objected Ob. 1. That in many regenerate men there are great intermissions and giving over of good duties the fruits of grace have been straightly intercepted and broke of in them Hee that had come to David when after his adultery he would have killed Vriah and Peter when he forswore his Master and that with curses he would have been able to discerne no more fruits of grace nor conscience of duty to God in them then in Saul or Judas Resp That though in the time of temptation or spirituall desertion the case may be thus with the godly for a time yet hee cannot continue so but shall recover himselfe and doe his first workes againe according to that saying hee will not suffer the righteous to fall for ever t Psal 55. 22. Ob. 2. There are many that have good hearts in whom there is great inconstancy often omitting of good duties which they should performe they have not alwayes that alacrity in Prayer and holy exercise as sometimes they have Res Certaine it is that many a good man may decay in the measure of his practise and good duties even through a naturall decay of his spirit by age or by sicknes Secondly Hee may loose that heate and fervency of spirit that sometimes he had this may bee seene in the Angell of the Church of Ephesus u Rev. 2. 4 The first love was lost and yet much grace was there Beloved without dayly watchfulnes and stirring up of our selves it will not bee possible to keepe our selves from this decaying in our love yet this wee must know that in every regenerate man ordinarily unlesse it bee in case of temptation or spirituall The godly performe good duties of conscience though not alwayes with the lâ—ke châ—erfulnes dissention you shall finde foure things First That hee doth still performe good duties of conscience towards God though not with that cheerefulnes as at other times he still keeps his way and goeth on though not so fast greiving for his decayes striving against his dulnesse and this the Lord takes great delight in and hee is not unrighteous to forget our worke and love w Heb. 6. 10. The godly goe on and persevere Secondly That the godly man doth not rest in any thing that hee hath done but goeth on and is carefull to persevere and continue unto the end and this may bee seene in David and Paul First in David I will praise the Lord saith he while I live and sing unto God while I have my being x Psa 146. 2. Thy Statutes Lord will I keepe even unto the end y Psa 119 112. The second in S. Paul Brethren saith he I count not my selfe to have apprehended but this one thing I doe forgetting those things which are behinde and reaching forth unto those things which are before I presse towards the marke a Phil. 3. 13. The godly feare falling Thirdly That the godly man lives in feare least hee should fall away before his death
and having begunne in the spirit should end in the flesh Fourthly That his desire The godly dâ—sire the continuance of meanes is that hee may continue under the meanes of grace One thing saith David have I desired of the Lord that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the dayes of my life b Psal 27. 9. This is the godly mans care that he may keepe judgment and doe righteousnesse at all times c Psal 106 3. That he may feare alwayes Now let us examine our Knowledge concerning the motives to obedience and here it concernes all men to know that God is constant in love unto us The first Motive That God is constant in his love to us he hath loved God constant in his Love us and he doth love us and he will love us he will never give over Motive the second The wicked man continueth The wicked constant in sinne in sinne nothing will make them forsake it the mercie of God will not allure them nor the judgements of God terrifie them but for all that is done this they will doe even breake the lawes of God and his just commandements behinde their backes Motive the third All Creatures serve and obey him there is no Creature All Creatures obey God that God made but in his Kinde yeilds some delight and content unto God that made them he rejoyceth saith the Psalmist in all the Workes of his hands d Psa 104. 31. And is it not a shame that man whom hee made above all to take pleasure and delight in that man should not obey him Motive the fourth God is a royall pay-master God a royall pay-master in keeping the commandements of God there is great reward in our fathers house there is bread enough the wicked they shall have nothing but husks his children shall have bread I bread enough God is alwayes paying his children wages and never thinks they have wages enough he it is that gladeth us dayly with his benefits e Psa 68. 19. God to us hath given his Sonne and with him all things his Face was buffeted his Cheeks nipped his Eyes blinded his Hands nailed his Side lanched with a Speare he was as water powred out all his Bones were out of joynt his Heart like wax molten within the middest of his Bowells his strength was dryed up like a potsheard his tongue did cleave to his Jawes and he was brought unto the dust of death f Psal 22. 14 15. Non ergo caput faciem oculos manus cor illi trademus ut illi serviamus must wee not therefore give him Head Hands Eyes Face and Heart to serve him wee must not give our Members Weapons of unrighteousnesse to sinne what then wee must give our selves to God and our Members of righteousnesse to serve God Thus much for the fourth thing every receaver must examine namely Obedience Now come wee to the fift and that is Love Our love towards God and reconciliation of our selves towards our neighbours for in vaine shall wee pretend Knowledge boast of Faith glory of Love to God must be examined Repentance if we faile in our love First wee must examine this Our love to God for if any man love him not let him bee Anathema Maranatha g 1 Cor. 16. 22. Every receiver must know First that God hath commanded God commands love this that we may know whether wee doe love him and might keepe our selves in his love i Deut. 6 5 Deut. 11 12. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God saith hee and againe what doth the Lord thy God require of thee but to feare him and love him this by our Lord and Saviour is called the great Commandement the commander is great the object is great the use of the duty is great and their reward is great that care to doe it Secondly God doth love us and it is a matter of equity that wee Matter of equity to love should requite love with love againe for though we cannot love him as we ought and as hee loveth us yet must wee love for ours is an ascending his a descending love and love descending is more is more naturall more fervent and vehement then love ascending as wee see in Parents who love their children better then their children love them besides God loved us when wee were his enemies i Eph. 2. durus est animus qui si dilectionem nolebat impendere nolet rependere S. Augu. S. Augu. his heart is Oake not flesh but Flint that though hee will not beginne to love yet finding Love will shew no love Thirdly examine wee Loves commodity must because of the commodity for if this bee in us then First our Faith produceth those good duties which we owe unto God for Faith is as one hand receiving Love as the other giving for Faith worketh by Love k Gal. 6. 6. Nec faciunt bonos vel malos mores nisi boni vel mali amores such as our love is such is our life an holy love an holy life an earthly love an earthly life if a mans love be set on God his life must needs be good and though this bee certaine that a man is justified by Faith l Rom. 3. yet this is as certaine that the life of a man is justified by love Secondly having this love wee may know in what estate wee are in Saint Augustine saith Duas S. Augu. civitates duo faciunt amores Hierusalem facit amor dei Babyloniam amor seculi interroget ergo se quisque quid amat inveniet unde sit civis Two loves make two Cities the love of God maketh Hierusalem the love of the World Babylon therefore let but every man examine what hee loves and hee shall see in what estate hee is and to what City hee belongs As a man by looking upon a Diall may know the motion of the Sunne in Heaven so by looking upon the thing hee loveth he may know in what hee standeth whether hee belong to Babylon or Jerusalem to Heaven or Hell to God or the Divell Thirdly The love of Love ingenders love the godly will bee ingendred in us Fourthly This love is Love as strong as death as strong as death for as death doth kill the body so our love to God doth mortify our love to the World and dispels rancor wrath malice and as the rising of the Sunne doth chase away the darknesse of the night so the love of God drives away the inordinate love of Worldly vanities Now it is not sufficient to know that God must be loved but wee must also know how God is to be loved This our Saviour sheweth m Matt. 22 37. How God is to be loved Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart with all thy soule and with all thy minde First wee must love him God must be loved with all the heart with all
by faith by hearing the Word preached ſ Rom. 10. 17. Fifthly Meditate wee must that as the rayne doth not fall upon the earth in vaine t Heb 6. 7 so this divine dew these drops of the Word the Sermons we heare wee are the better for them or the worse for the word of God if it be not the savour of life unto us it will bee the savour of death it is a two-edged sword with one edge it cuts away all sinne from the good with the other all excuse from the bad Sixthly Meditate wee must that the Word wee heare shall Judge us at the great day The second helpe to be used is 2 Meanes is Prayer Prayer to Almighty God that he would be pleased to blesse us in hearing Wee have all of us eyes and eares by nature but in regard of these Divine things they are shut Hence it is that our blessed Saviour saith in the Gospell Let him that hath eares to heare heare It is an excellent thing to have a seeing eye and a hearing eare therfore David prayed open thou my eyes that I may see the wondrous things contained in thy Law u Psal 119. 18. I it is the Lord that opened the heart of Lydia w Act. 16. 14. Now pray we also must for our Ministers that the Lord would bee pleased to assist them in speaking that hee would give unto them the dore of utterance the more the Minister is assisted the greater will our benefit be We are carefull to pray for the Pilate on the Sea for if he miscarry wee lose our lives for the Physitian that he mistake not the disease wee pray for Kings and Princes that under them we may live a quiet and a peaceable life in all godlinesse and honesty x 1 Tim ◠2. and shall we not pray for our Teachers And thus much for that that is required before we heare some thing there is required when wee heare What is required in the act of hearing in the act of hearing There are many things required as First Reverence and this 1 Reverence either inward or outward the reverence of the soule and body the inward reverence may bee seene in Cornelius y Acts. 10. 33. we are all said he here present before God to heare all things that are commanded thee of GOD with all inward reverence the outward reverence you may see in the eight of Nehemia where the people all stood up and lift up their hands and bowed their heads and worshipped the Lord with their faces to the ground a Nehe. 8. 3. 4 5 6 7. Secondly Attention Heare we must and hearken b Isa 1. 2. Wee must hearken what the Lord our God will speake not a word but we must heare c Psa 85. 8. Judgment as well as mercy but here is the misery whilest GOD hath the eare the Divell hath the heart The third duty is submission 3 Submission A yeelding and captivating of our judgements thereunto and that this may bee the better done we must search the Scriptures whether the things wee heare bee warranted Thus did the men of Berea they searched the Scriptures whether the things were so d Acts 17. 11. Wee must not beleeve every spirit but trie the spirits whether they are of God e John 1. 4. 1. If the things delivered bee the Word of God wee are bound to beleeve them and submit our selves unto them The next duty is Feare Whilst we heare there must be a holy awe feare 4 Feare in the affections to him will I looke that is of an humble spirit and that trembles at my Words f Isa 66. 2. Serve the Lord with feare saith the Psalmist and rejoyce with trembling g Psal 2. 11 If the Lyon roare all the beasts of the Forrest tremble JESVS CHRIST is the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah hee it is that speakes unto us let us therfore feare hee is a Lion and a Lambe a Lion to those that will not tremble a Lambe to those that will The last duty is cheerefull Cheerefull alacrity Alacrity Which quickens the languishing stomacks of our soules that wee loath not the Word this Alacrity you shall finde in the people in the eight of Nehemia who were attentive and cheerefully attentive from morning untill mid-day g Nehe. 8. 3. This also may be seene in the people that followed CHRIST and continued with him three dayes Here was their alacrity but alas wee are not tied to follow CHRIST three dayes together but one day in seven and that not in the desart but in the Temple and what doe wee wee sleepe and talke and looke about us and oftentimes are gone before Sermon bee ended If one should bring Commendation from a great friend wee would never bee weary of hearing him speake but the Minister may speake againe and againe from the Lord JESVS CHRIST the cheife friend and how coldly are wee affected this argues that wee love others more then CHRIST earthly things more then Heavenly whereas if there were this alacrity in us wee would love the Word above all things then Gold fine Gold it would bee sweeter to our mouthes then the Hony and the hony Combe Thus much for the second meanes to come to the true knowledge of God The third followes Conference But how is this neglected Conference some are ashamed like those who had rather die then tell the Physitian of their Disease others hate it and had rather doe any thing then confer whereas the Scripture calls upon us to exhort one another dayly whilest it is called to day h Heb. 3 13. Two are better then one if one fall the other may helpe him up if one bee ignorant another may instruct him two eyes are better then one looke into the booke of God you shall finde this commanded the word shall be in thy heart and thou shalt teach them and shalt talke of them i Deut. 6. 6. 7. This is made a marke of those that feare the Lord that they spake one unto another and it is said that the Lord heard them I and there was a Booke of remembrance k Mala. 16. 17. The last meanes to come to the true knowledge of God is Prayer earnest Prayer For what is all without Prayer this to reade the Word in private to heare it publikly preached to confer nothing without Prayer this is that that fetcheth a blessing all other meanes must bee helped out by this this is therefore placed in the last place that wee may see all the rest without it will doe no good And know we must that all our Prayers must bee sent up to God in the Mediation of CHRIST Nam quid dulcius quà m genitorem Aug. in nomine unigeniti Pray in the name of Christ invocare What is sweeter than to call upon the Father in the name of his onely begotten Sonne And
commeth shall hee finde Faith on the earth y Luke 18 8. hee saith not that when hee shall come againe hee shall finde no Faith at all in the earth for he shall finde as many kinds of Faith as there be kindes of Religion in the World neither meaneth he that hee shall finde no saving Faith for he shall finde it in many who shall then be alive at his comming a 1 Thess 4. 15 16. But the meaning is that when Christ shall come to judgement he shall finde few in the earth that have a saving Faith in comparison of them that have it not Thirdly All men have not a saving Faith because all men shall not be saved for as many as are saved are saved by Faith b Rom. 9. 27. Now that all shall not be saved it is plaine for though the number of Israel were as the sand yet but a remnant shall be saved Fourthly All men have it not because First Some make Shipwrack of it c 1 Tim. 1 19 Secondly Some depart from it and deny it d 1 Tim. 4. 1. Thirdly Many cast it off e 1 Tim. 6 10. Fourthly Many erre and are reprobate concerning it f 2 Tim. 3 8. Wee must examine our Faith because the Lord Reas 3 himselfe tries our Faith now wee must not thinke that this God doth as though hee were ignorant of our Faith for all things are naked and open before God but to teach us to trie and instruct us that upon tryall wee shall know whether wee have a saving Faith that God tries wee may see in Abraham who was tryed g Heb. 11. 17. God tryed Abraham and will try us but I neither teach nor thinke that God doth or will try the Faith of all Christians with so great a tryall as was Abrahams Examine wee must our Reas 4 Faith because there is no grace so necessary as this is First Because no grace is acceptable to God without this h Heb. 11. 6. Secondly Because no grace so necessary for this life and the life to come All good things are ours by promise the promise is made ours by Faith and it is Faith onely that layes hold on Christ Thirdly Because it is to bee desired and used above all other graces above all saith the Apostle take the shield of Faith i Eph. 6. 16 Where note that the Apostle contenteth not himselfe with a bare exhortation but with weighty reasons presseth his exhortation both behinde and before First Before comparatively preferring it before all other graces and above all Secondly Behind simply declaring the vertue and efficacy of it whereby ye shall be able to quench But it will be objected Ob. 1. We are ignorant and cannot examine to examine requires wisedome knowledge understanding Obiections Answered True it is many are ignorant but all are not so and though many bee ignorant and simple yet that little wit and understanding that they have if they would imploy it they might doe much craving Gods blessing upon the use of the meanes againe they have a light to direct them the light of Gods Word True but the Word is hard and difficult so that Ob. 2 we cannot understand it Have you not teachers Ministers resort to them Ans you have the Word publikly preached and private conference to helpe you Wee have Trades and occupations Ob. 3 Wives and Children and have no time to spare Many who make this Ans Obection have no lawfull callings or no callings at all but sure it is that there are none who have lawfull callings that are so streightned but that they may set a part some time to examine they spare some time to Eate to Drinke to Sleepe to recreate themselves and shall there bee none for so Holy a Worke as this trades-men spend not all their time in bying and selling but some in casting up their debt-book that they may know how it is with their estates how they thrive and shall there be no time spent to know how they thrive and grow in grace many have great trading and imployments so that it may be in the sixe dayes they cannot let such do it on the seventh the LORDS Day The End of the Fourth SERMON The Fifth SERMON 1 Corinthians 11. CHAP. 28. VERS Let a man examine himselfe and so let him eate of that Bread and drinke of that Cup. HAving shewed the necessity of the examination of our faith and answered some objections It now concernes all to know what saving faith is or faith in Christ Now saving Faith is a Faith described grace of the Spirit of God wrought in the heart of a sinner whereby he trusts in the Lord Jesus for eternall blessednesse And here we must take notice First that it is a grace of the Spirit of God So that it is not onely God that works it in those that have it but also that the Lord in grace mercy favour works it First it is God that God workes Faith workes it It is his gift he is called by the Apostle the Author and finisher of our faith a Heb. 12. 2. as the Athenians were called Inventrices perfectrices omnium doctrinarum the inventers and perfecters of all good learning The Romanes had their learning from the Grecians and the Grecians from the Aegyptians and the Aegyptians from the Chaldees and they from Adam Seth Noah and the old Patriarchs but the Church hath all her Learning Religion and faith from God he gave it at the first and he confirmed it he gave some to be Apostles some Prophets and some Evangelists some Pastours and Teachers for gathering together of the Saints for the worke of the Ministery and for the edification of the body of Christ til we meet together in the unity of Faith and Knowledge of the Sonne of God Saint Luke having spoken of Stephens Faith noteth the cause of it that Stephen was full of the Spirit for God worketh it by his Spirit b Acts 7. 22. all good workes are the fruits of the Spirit therfore saith the Apostle the fruits of the Spirit are love ioy peace faith c Gal. 5. 22. and it is reckoned up among the gifts of the Spirit to another is given faith saith the Apostle by the same spirit d 1 Cor. 12. 9. Every good and perfect gift comes from above e 1 Jam. 17 And that which is said of Lydia is true of all the faithfull that the Lord opened the hâ—art of Lydia so that she beleevâ—d And Christ saith that this is the Worke of God f Ioh 6. 29. that yee beleeve not the Worke of the Father alone of the Sonne alone or of the holy Ghost alone but of the whole Trinity for this is one of the Workes of God which are said to be ad extra and therefore attributed to all the three Persons First To the first Person where Christ saith no man can come unto me that is beleeve except
the Father draw him g Joh 6. 44 2 To the second Person where the Apostle calleth Jesus the Author and finisher of our faith h Heb 12. 2. 3 To the third Person where the Apostle reckoneth Faith amongst the fruits of the Spirit i Gal. 5. 22 Secondly God works faith God in mercy workes faith of his meere good will So saith our blessed Saviour it is so Father because thy good pleasure was such k Mat. 11. 26. Now the end at which God aymed in working Gods ends in working faith this grace is two-fold First The setting forth of his owne glory Secondly The salvation of mankinde and therfore Saint Peter calleth salvation the end of our faith Now the Knowledge of this will First Humble us in letting of us see that it is not in our power that Faith is not hereditary God beginneth it and increaseth it and finisheth it The Apostles prayed Lord increase our faith l Luke 17. Now the meanes to get this Faith is double 1 Outward Meanes to get faith 2 Inward First Outward 1 Outward The Word The outward meanes is the Word hereupon saith the Apostle how shall they beleeve in him of whom they have not heard Rom. 10 14. and thereupon thus concludeth Faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the Word preached n Rom. 10 8. And hereupon it is called the Word of Faith o Eph. 1. 13 and Paul saith of the Ephesians that they beleeved after they heard the Gospell and finely saith S. Chrysostome Acc enditur S. Chrysoâ—t fldei lampas igne Divini verbi the Lampe of our Faith is lighted by the fire of the Divine Word And this Faith is wrought in us both by reading and preaching of the Word and both are commended and ordained of God The Word a meanes p Deut. 3. 9. 1. For reading God himselfe commandeth it P and by reading S. Augustine was converted for hee confesseth of himselfe that being inclined to the heresie of the Manichees he heard a voyce saying Tolle lege take up and reade meaning the Booke of God which hee presently did and so by reading was converted for surely the reading of the Word is a meanes appointed of God to the begetting of faith and raising up the kingdom of God in the hearts of men so that to say that bare reading is bare feeding and a thing unable to worke faith in us is to avouch a great untruth Secondly For the Word The especiall meanes ordinary is preaching preached This is the especiall ordinary meanes and the most powerfull usuall meanes this is that which the Scripture layeth downe how shall they beleeve in him of whom they have not heard how shall they heare without a preacher q Rom. 10. 14. and againe it pleased God by preaching to save r Gal. 3. 1. reading is profitable but preaching doth profit more than reading doth Spice when it is whole smelleth sweetly but when it is broken and bruised by the hand of the Apothecary it smelleth a great deale more so is the Word read of us or to us sweet as the hony and bringeth the light of life to many but if the spirituall Apothecary breake it and bruise it cut it and divide it as the Lord hath appointed by preaching then reacheth the savor of such heavenly sweet to many moe in a fuller measure by reason of the blessing God giveth unto it The Eunuch read but he understood not but when Philip preached unto him the sweet brake out to his lasting good Å¿ Acts 8. Secondly the meanes is The inward meanes for faith the Spirit of God inward whereby faith is wrought in us and this is the blessed Spirit of God which softneth and openeth our hearts and maketh them as good ground that when the seed of the Word is cast into them it taketh deepe rooting and bringeth forth the blessed fruit of faith The Apostle saith that his preaching was in demonstration of the Spirit that their faith might 1 Cor. 2 4. 5 be in the power of God and the preaching of the Gospell is tearmed a ministration of the Spirit u 2 Cor. 3. yea hee useth this phrase the Spirit of faith w 2 Cor. 8 15. because that faith is wrought inwardly by the spirit Thus yee see that faith is wrought inwardly in us by the spirit outwardly by the Word Now to propound a question and answer it Quaes How the Gospell How the Gospell works faith works faith Resp When the Gospell is preached First That commands us to beleeve in Christ and promises salvation and when wee come to heare the Spirit of God moves us for to heare and hee opens our hearts as hee did the heart of Lydia Secondly Vpon diligent hearing the Lord inlightens the minde to conceive and understand the way of salvation Thirdly Vpon this inlightning the great God perswades us to beleeve x Act. 15. 7 1 Cor. 3. 4 Fourthly After this God inclines the heart to be affected with the goodnes of the things promised which is salvation and to hunger and thirst after righteousnesse Fifthly The Lord perswades the heart to trust in the Lord Jesus for salvation Now as this knowledge serves to humble us so it will bring us to this knowledge that faith is not common this confutes the Atheists confuted Atheists that think and say so all of them say that they beleeve but faith is a gift yea a most rare gift of God God sent his Patriarchs in the ancientest age of the world and could finde no faith he sent his Prophets in a latter generation and could finde no faith last of all he sent his owne Sonne a man approved of God and approved his doctrine with miracles and signes following and could finde no faith and when the Sonne of man shall come shall he finde faith on the earth y Luk. 18. 8 We reade but of two beleevers in the hoste of Israell a Num. 14. But of eight in all the old world b 1 Pet. 3. 20. But of one family that beleeved in all Asia c 2 Tim. 1. 26. But of a hundred and twentie in all Christs time d Act. 1. 15 But of a few in all Sardis e Rev. 3. 4. Caro sanguis non dant fidem sed Pater in Coelis Flesh and blood give not faith but the Father in heaven Many boast of faith but if they have any it is the Divels faith Nay many beleeve not so much as the Divell doth but say with the foole non est Deus non est Daemon non est infernus non est Coelum there is no God no Divell no hell no heaven And in that some few beleeve it is by grace not by nature Secondly it is said in the description wrought in the heart of a sinner and this must not bee understood indefinitly of any sinner or every sinner for First
good First to God the chiefest good p La. 3. 40. Let us search and trie our wayes saith the Scripture and turne againe unto the Lord returne unto me saith the Lord q Ier. 4. 1. the prodigall will goe to his father r Lu. 3. 15. Now good Reason there is why it turnes to God Reas 1. Because by sin they have turned against God sin is not onely a turning from God but against God Å¿ Hos 6. 1. Reas 2 Because it is God onely that pardoneth sin and on this condition hee doth it Now the Knowledge of this will let us see First That it is not sufficient to cease to doe evill learne to doe well t Isa 1. 16. 17. it is not enough to put off the old man unlesse wee put on the new u Eph. 4 22 turne wee must from the power of Satan to serve the living God Secondly That true Repentance is the consecrating of a mans selfe wholly to God w 1 Thess 1. 9. From the Act or forme of Repentance the time and termes we come to the Author of Repentance and that is the Lord. So that from hence we may observe Obs That Repentance is Gods it is his grace Repentance is Gods gift onely God can Worke it It is Gods both for the beginning progresse and consummation It is God that gave the Gentiles repentance unto life x Acts 11. 28. Waiting saith the Apostle if at any time God would give them Repentance y 2 Tim 2. 25. Hence it is that the Church goeth unto God for it saying convert thou me O Lord J shall be converted a Ier. 31. 18. againe turne us O Lord unto thee and wee shall bee turned b Cant. 6. 21. It is onely God that can work it Reas 1. Because there are such strong resistances and enemies of grace within us and without us it must therefore bee the Spirit of power and fortitude onely that must conquer them the strong man hath taken hold and onely a stronger can cast him out Reas 2. Because there is such strength of lusts and numberlesse excuses of sinne and sinners as only the Spirit can convince of sinne First It is God that changeth the heart and bringeth it unto good hee it is that will purge us this is not in our own power to doe it is the Churches prayer Convert us O Lord c Ier. 3. 18. so that no power of themselves Secondly Hee drawes us unto Christ for no man saith Christ can come to me except my Father draw him d Ioh 6. 44. God is the worker men are instruments Paul may plant and Apollo water but God that gives the increase Paul preached at Philippi but God opened the heart of Lydia Peter preached to Cornelius and others but the holy Ghost brought downe the Unction and made them Christians Now this Knowledge that God is the Author of Repentance will teach us many things 1. That no man can repent No man can repent when hee will when hee will this flower groweth not in our Gardens if that the Lord by his Spirit draw us not we can never run after him Object Why have we so many Commandements to repent if it be not in our power to repent Resp Deus jubet quae non possumus ut noverimus quid ab eo petere debeamus saith S. Augustine God commands what we cannot doe that we may know what to ask of him I this God doth to let us see not what by Nature wee can doe but what wee in Duty should doe and that by his assistance we may bee enabled to performe Ob. God gave Jezabel space to repent of her fornication hence the Papists gather that man hath free will to do that that is good before God for say they God gave space of time to repent therfore she had power to repent the giving of that power was in vain else Resp It doth not follow because God gave time to repent therefore shee had power to repent which we may see if wee doe but consider the ends for which God gives men space and time of repentance I and commandement also so to doe The ends be two First That in that time of Repentance which hee allotteth unto men he may give his children grace whereby they may obey his Commandements and repent Secondly Hee giveth Commandement and time that men may see what they shovld doe not what they can doe and that the wicked may be without excuse at the Day of Judgement and so ashamed of Bishop Cooper themselves Man cannot doe it of himselfe it is a worke full of miracles it makes the dead to rise the blinde to see the dumbe to speake and who can worke these but the Lord as one sheepe cannot heale another but their helpe commeth from the Shepheard so the true health of our soules commeth from the great Sepheard of Israell he that tamed the Lyons and restrained the fire from burning he it is that must tame our wild affections and moderate the fire of our desires Secondly The Knowledge that God is the Author Ascribe unto God the glory of conversion of Repentance will teach us unto whom to ascribe all the glory of our conversion even to the Lord for he it is that hath done it of our selves wee can doe nothing that is good we must bee changed by the Spirit Object Doth not God promise at what time soever a sinner repenteth of his sinne I will put all his wickednesse out of my Remembrance Resp True the Lord most comfortably blessed be his name for it saith at what time a sinner repenteth of his sinne hee will pardon but hee doth not say that a sinner may repent when hee will God hath promised to all repentants pardon but not to all delinquents repentance 3. This Knowledge in the third place will teach The meanes of grace is not to bee neglected us to bee carefull that wee neglect not the present meanes of grace offered unto us as though wee had God at command and could repent whensoever wee please beloved let none deceive you deceive not your owne soules it is the meere Gift of God wee cannot make one haire of our head white or black and doe wee thinke wee can change our corrupt hearts Looke but into the Scriptures and see how many when they would have repented were rejected I though they sought it with teares and what comfort is this to thee who hast not repented neyther dost thou know whether that God will give thee grace to repent or not Objection The theife repented at the last and was received to mercy Resp True what then if that I may but have time when I am dying to say Lord have mercy upon me I shall be saved but what if thou shalt not have so much time thou art not sure of it death hath taken many a one away suddenly so that they have not spoke one word againe what