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
examined 29. Generall speciall Knowledge 29. Knowledge concerning God 30. Knowledge concerning Gods nature 30. There is a God 31. God is glorious in nature 33. Jncorporeall 33. Eternall 33. Incomprehensible 34. Immutable 34. Omnipotent 34. Omniscient 35. The summe of the second Sermon THe necessity of this generall Knowledge 3â— The fruits of it 38. God is three in persons 40. One in essence 41. God to be loved alone and above all 42. No other to bee called upon but the Lord. 42. One mediator to be used to him 42. Our knowledge is to be examined concerning Gods Works 43. Gods Worke of Creation 43. The world had a beginning 43. God made it 46. All things had one principle 46. God onely can Create 48. The Creatures to be considered 48. God to be praised 48. All things were made of nothing 49. Gods Power is to be admired 49. God to bee trusted unto 49. All things were made by the Word of God 50. All things were made good 50. God made all things freely 52. All things were made successively 52 Knowledge must bee examined concerning the Providence of God 53. God knowes and takes notice of all things 54. God upholds governes and disposes of all things 55. Gods providence reacheth to all things even the smallest 56. Of all Creatures God takes most care of man 58. God provides great things for man 59. God provides temporall things 61. God provides spirituall 61. God a royall Bridegroome 62. A royall feast-maker 63. A royall generall 63. God provides comforts 63. God provides graces 63. 64. Cleansing 64. Hearing 64. Quickning 64. Directing 65. Protecting 65. Saving 65. God watcheth over us and ours 65. God preserves us from dangers 66. God preserves us in dangers 6. God preserves us by dangers 67. God orders and disposes of all things and all acts for mans good 67. Naturall things shall worke for mans good 68. Artificiall things 68. Necessary things 69. Contingent things 69. Realland imaginary 70. All acts shall be for mans good 70. It is God that doth whatsoever he will 72. Knowledge must be examined concerning our selves 73. Rule of Knowledge concerning God 74 The Rule is the Word of God 74. It s infallible 75. Vnchangeable 75. Vndoubted 75. The summe of the Third Sermon Meanes of knowledge 80. The word must be read and meditated on 81. We must reade wisely 85. Reade with reverence 85. Order is required in reading 85. Judgement requisite 86. Meanes of knowledge the word publickly preached 87. We must heare wisely 88. What must be done before hearing 88. Le ts must be removed and helps used 89. 90. 91. 93. Reverence is required in the act of hearing 95 Attention required 96. Submission 96. Feare 97. Cheerefull alacrity 98. Conference a meanes of knowledge 101. Prayer a meanes 102. Prayer must be sent to God in the mediation of Christ 103. Pray with feare 103. Our gesture in prayer must be reverent 104. Prayer must be fervent 104. We must pray alwayes 104. Pray in the spirit 105. Motives to knowledge 108. The excellency of it 108. It doth good to us 109. It will make us doe good to others 110. It is the end of our being to know God 110. Knowledge must be examined concerning our state of innocency 111. God made man after his Jmage 111 What this consisted in 112 The time when man was made 112 The place man was put in 112 The manner of making him 112 The necessity of this knowledge 113 Mans fall 115 The summe of the Fourth Sermon KNowledge must bee examined concerning the Curse due to man by reason of his fall 121 What the Curse is in this life 121 What it is in the end of this life 123 What it is after this life is ended 123 What this knowledge will bring Christians unto 127 What the Lords Supper is 131 Why it is so called 131 The cause of it 132 The outward signe of it 133 Why he tooke bread 134 Why wine 135 The Cup not to be denied 137 The actions of the Minister represent the actions of God 138 The actions of the Receiver represent the actions of the soule and inward man 140 The inward thing signified 141 The end why it was instituted 141 Faith must bee examined 143 Degrees in faith 145 A desire of faith a token of faith 146 Reasons why faith must be examined 148 149 150 151 152 153 154 155. Objections answered 155 156 157 The summe of the Fifth Sermon FAith described 162 God workes it 163 God works it of his meere good will 166 Gods end in working faith 166 What the knowledge of this will bring us unto 167 Meanes to get this faith 167 The Word a meanes 168 The Word read 168 The especiall meanes ordinary is preaching 169 The inward meanes the Spirit of God 171 How the Gospell works faith 172 Repentance must be examined 178 179 What it is 180 Repentance act 181 Repentance turnes wholly 182 Continually 183 Repentance time 184 True Repentance lookes at God 185 At man 186 At others 187 Aâ— sinne 188 What this knowledge workes 189 Motives to repent 192 Dangers of delay 193 The summe of the sixth Sermon DIfficulties 203 Doubts 204 Repentance tearmes 205 The object of Repentance all sin 206. 207. 208. 209 Not sufficient to abstaine from sinne outwardly 210 Not sufficient to lop and cut off some sinne 211 Reasons why Repentance sets it selfe against all sin 212 The penitent sinner sets himselfe against the sins of others 213 Sets against sin sincerely 214 True repentance turnes to all good 215 Repentance is the gift of God 217 God is the worker men the instruments 219 No man can repent when hee will 220 The glory of conversion must be ascribed to God 223 Meanes of grace not to be neglected 224 God must be served freely 227 The summe of the Seventh Sermon OBedience must bee examined 232 Obedience described 232 Obedience Rules 233 True obedience is universall 234 Man able to keep the Commandements 236 True obedience is cheerefull 237 Sincere 239 Inpreaching the heart must be looked to 241 Heare with the heart 242 Pray with it 242 Sing with it 242 Hypocrisie in the best 243 Hypocriticall obedience not regarded 244 Constrained sincerity nothing 246 True obedience is constant 247 Objections answered 248. 249 The godly performe good duties of conscience though not alway with the like cheerefulnesse 250 The godly goe on and persevere 251 The godly feare falling 252 The godly desire the continuance of meanes 252 Motives to obedience 253. 254. 255 Love must be examined 257 God commands Love 258 God loves us 258 Loves commodity 260 Love ingenders love 262 Love as strong as death 262 How God is to be loved 263 What it is to love God with the heart 263 God must be loved with all the heart 264 All owe this debt to God 263 Mans love to God cold and dead 263 Love stands in keeping the Commandements 264 An honourable thing to love God 266 Nothing can give rest to the soule out God 266 God is to be loved for himselfe 267 The summe of the Eighth Sermon REasons why love must be examined 274. 275 Kindes of Love 279. 280. 281 Our love must be Christian 283 Loves properties 287 Christ came to save sinners 309 Love is the fulfilling of the Law 291 Love is beneficiall 292 The estate of those that doe not love miserable 292 The selfe examiner must be a receiver 295 Often receiving no more then needs 298 Often receiving without profit a signe we are not good 300 To forbeare comming wil make men worse 301 It s one thing to have grace another thing to feele grace 301 Every man must with conscience submit to Gods Ordinance 301 No man was ever made better by not comming 301 It s a dangerous thing to limit God 301. 340 Imperfections must not hinder us 305 Feeling a want of grace with greife is grace 306 We Tempiation of Satan dangerous concerning the want of grace 307 Christ came to save sinners 309 The end of the Table
thus Prayers must be powred out with feare and VVith feare reverence our hearts must be raised from the dunghill of the Earth to the glorious throne of Heaven as the Prophet saith let our hearts be lifted up l Lamen 41. Our gestures must bee reverent and humble and kneeling is the fittest gesture Gesture must bee reverent With fervency in Prayer And they must bee delivered with fervency for the Prayer of the righteous avayleth much if it bee fervent Yea in Prayer we must be diligent S. Paul would have the Thessalonians to pray alwayes m 1 Thes 5. 17. Nay Indesinenter orare to pray without ceasing it is said of the primitive Church that they continued with one accord in Prayer One calleth Prayers Gods Grashoppers Gods Nightingales who praise him in the day and pray in the night and good men will pray always Pray alwayes with all manner of Prayers and supplications in the spirit n Eph. 6. 18. O stirre up thy heart that is dull rowze it up to God Prayer is a sacrifice to God Musick unto the Angels a banquet to the saints an helpe to them that pray a remedy for the penitent a weapon against the enemy Te orante fugit daemon When thou prayest the divell takes him to his heeles and is gone resist the divell by Prayer and he will flie froÌ„ you Wilt thou carry al things patiently be a man of Prayers Wilt thou roote up vices be inriched with virtues be a maÌ„ of Prayers Wilt thou overcome troubles be a man of Prayers Wilt thou know the subtilty of Satan and vanquish his temptations be a man of Prayers Wilt thou trample under feet thy corrupt and evill affections be a man of Prayers never knew a man of much praying a man of much sinne no not of the superstitious sort touching the grosse sinne of the VVorld Per preces charitas pascitur fides augetur spes corroboratur spiritus exhilaratur cor pacatur detegitur veritas vincitur tentatio renovantur sensus totus homo immutatur fit melior by Prayer Charity is fed Faith increased Hope strengthned the Spirit exhilarated the Heart pacified Verity discovered Temptation vanquished the Senses renewed and the whole man altered and bettered Looke to this to pray in the spirit pray from the Pray in the spirit heart not from the lippes from the soule not the mouth onely The Iewes prayed with their lippes but not with their hearts therefore God complaineth of them saying this people draw neere unto meâ— with their lipps but their hearts are farre from me o Isa 29. 13 The Prayer that commeth not from the heart and spirit it is a Key-cold Prayer it is frozen before it commeth halfe-way to Heaven David to note his earnestnes in Prayer said that he roared hee spake not but roared cried out p Psa 38. and indeed the Spirit of God is a crying Spirit not a cold Spirit Oh that all men knew this that all had learned that not all Prayers but spirituall Prayers are accepted of God but wee are ignorant and will bee ignorant still filthy and will be filthy still but let us amend this fault and learne at last to pray God hath promised us al good things under his Hand and Seale but yet with a condition so that we pray truely and aske them as we should The first Motive The last thing is the Motive unto Knowledge The excellency of it in it Motive 4. excellency of it selfe it is compared unto light the people that sate in darknesse have seene the light q â—sa 9. 2. The light it comes from the Sunne this light comes from the Sunne of righteousnesse the Lord Jesus Christ The second Motive The good it will doe unto It will doe good to us our selves O how comfortable will it be to know God to be good and gracious full of loving kindnesse abundant in goodnes and truth How wil it terrifie us to know that he is an angry God against sinne and sinners he that walkes without Knowledge he is in continuall danger As he that walkes in dangerous places without a light may loose his life so he that walks without this Knowledge may loose his soule The third Motive The good it inables us Wee will doe good to others to doe unto others VVee will strive to bring others to this knowledge of God also This makes us Physitians of our brethrens soules our brethrens pilats to guide them in the right way The fourth Motive The end of our beeing This is the end of our being for this end did GOD make us that wee might know him here and have eternall happinesse hereafter Thus much for the first generall Knowledge wee are to examine our selves of the second followes and that is concerning our selves Now this Knowledge to bee examined is threefold First Concerning our first estate of Innocency Secondly Our fall Thirdly The curse of God due unto us by reason of that estate First wee must examine our Knowledge concerning our first Estate of Innocency and here there are two Principles that we must examine our Knowledge of 1. Principle That the God of Heaven made man at the first after his own Image 2. Principle That this Image of God God made made man after his Image after which man was made consisted in Knowledge holinesse and righteousnesse It concernes us to examine our Knowledge concerning the first 1. That wee might admire the marvellous love of God unto man which appeares First In the time when The time when man was made he made man he made him last even when he had provided all things for him r Gen. 2. 7 The place man was put in Secondly In the place where God put him in paradise s Gen. 2. 8 Thirdly In the manner of making him First For his body hee did not say let it be but as it were framed all with his own Hands the man of the dust the woman of the Rib b. Secondly For his soule that was inspired he breathed the breath of life into him t Gen. 2 7 And observe wee may that in both he saith let us make man calling all the Trinity to the care and workmanship Secondly It concernes us to examine our Knowledge concerning this that so all of us might earnestly indeavour First To Know God Secondly To feare God Thirdly To resemble God Fourthly To praise the Workmanship of God for these were the end of mans Creation Thirdly this must be knowne that so we might have the more care of our immortall soules that God hath breathed into us It will not profit a man to win the whole Word and loose his owne soule u Math. 16 26. Lastly this Knowledge will teach us 1. Not to wrong man for hee is the Image of God w Gen. 9. 6. 2. To lament our fall The second Principle to bee examined is that this Image of God after which
For Christ to be a memoriall of his death First end is in regard of Christ Second end is in regard of us First the end in regard of Christ is For to be a memoriall of his death w 1 Cor. 11. 25. Secondly the ends in respect of For us to be 1 Signe 2 Seale 3 Meanes us are three First To be a signe and that to represent Secondly To be a seale and that to confirme Thirdly To be a means and that to conveigh Jesus Christ unto us with all his benefits And thus much for the generall and speciall knowledge that every Receiver must examine himselfe of Now come wee to the second thing to be examined and that is faith for every man receiveth so much as he beleeveth he receiveth Gold is a precious thing and therefore men dig deep into the mine to find it and labour much in the fire to purifie and refine it saving Faith is a precious thing so Saint Peter calls it x 2 Pet. 1. 1. Faith must bee examined Therefore every Christian ought by examination to dig into their hearts to find it and by the Word as by fire to trie whether it bee a saving faith or no. This is that that puts life into us I the life of God for till then our cogitation is darkned and wee are strangers from the life of God hee that beleeveth in him shall not be condemned but he that beleeveth not is condemned already y Ioh. 3. 18 because he beleeveth not A Tree liveth not without moysture nor a Bird without aire nor a Fish without water nor a Salamander without fire so the soule liveth not without faith the just doth live by his faith a Hab. 2. This is the Spirit and Soule of the inward man wee have a name to live yet are we dead if wee want faith I live by faith in the Sonne of God saith the Apostle b Gal. 2. 20 Our care therefore must bee with Saint Paul that we be found having the righteousnesse of Christ by faith c Phil 3. 9. for there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ d Rom. 8. 1. It concernes all men to know that untill they bee beleevers they belong not to God for as the Eagle refuseth her birds till they can mount and soare to the Sunne and as the Raven acknowledgeth not her young ones till they be black so God rejecteth mē and receiveth none till they beleeve none are the sonnes of God but the faithfull the rest are bastards I confesse there be degrees in Degrees in Faith Faith The first is a rudiment Deg. 1 or entrance which our blessed Saviour calleth Smoking flax e Mat. 12. 20. The second is a weake faith him that is weak in faith Deg. 2 saith S. Paul receive unto you f Rom. 14 1. The third is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 assurance Deg. 3 of Faith such a Faith was in Abraham who above hope beleeved under hope g Rom. 4. 18. But no Faith is abominable and may easily be discerned from a weake Faith as a sick man may bee knowne from a dead so a weake Faith from no Faith Even a desire of Faith is a token of Faith for Gods Spirit worketh that but no Faith is accursed he that beleeveth not is condemned already A desire of Faith a token of Faith Faith is Gods Gate whereby God enters into our soule the light that found the lost groate the purifier of the heart the conqueror in the race the pole-starre for the Sayler the life of the soule and by Faith CHRIST dwells in our harts O helpe us Lord wee beleeve O helpe our unbeleefe hee must beleeve that comes to Gods Table and as is our Faith so is our blessing Now this Faith that brings a blessing the holy Ghost adorneth it with many Epithetes he calleth it First Rich Faith h 1 Pet. 1. Secondly Holy Faith i Jud. 20. Thirdly strong Faith k 1 Pet. 5. 8. Fourthly Saving Faith l 2 Eph. 8. Fiftly Pure Faith m Acts 15. 9. Sixtly Precious Faith n 1 Pet. 1. 7. So that if either we regard Riches Strength Holinesse Salvation Purity let us looke to Faith which hath all graces in it as Paradise had all fruites in it as lapis Jndicus hath all cures in it Let us see some reasons Reasons why Faith must bee examined why every receaver must examine his faith 1. Because without this tryall Rea. 1 any Faith may be taken for a saving Faith a false Faith for a true an historicall Faith for a justifying If every Faith were a saving Faith then were it sufficient unto salvation to have some for in having some we must be accounted to have the saving Faith But every Faith is not a saving Faith therefore it stands us in hand to examine How shall a man know whether his Faith bee a Quast saving Faith or no. A saving Faith may bee How to know a saving faith Resp thus known First A saving Faith will save those that have it they are kept through the power of God unto salvation o 2 Eph. 8. But every Faith will not save them that have it for if this could bee then the Divells would bee saved who beleeve and tremble p James 2 19 but S. Jude tells us that they are reserved in chaynes in darknesse q Jud 6. Secondly A saving faith never fayles those that have it I have prayed saith our blessed Saviour that thy Faith may never fayle thee r Lu. 22. 23. Now there is a temporary Faith in some who beleeve for a time and if temptation come they fall away and none that fall away finally can be saved because it is impossible that they should be renued againe by Repentance ſ Heb 6. 4. 5 6. Thirdly A saving Faith is a lively Faith it makes those that have it live the life of grace t Gal. 3. 11. Saint James tells us of a dead Faith u James 2. 20 26. Why we must examine our Faith because els a man shall be in the number Reas 2 of those that have not a saving Faith neither ever shall have a saving Faith and yet shall presume that hath a saving Faith If that every man and woman that comes into the World should bee sure to have a saving Faith wrought in them before they died then were this examination needlesse because though they had it not at one time yet they might have it at another but this cannot be First The Apostle tells us that all men have not Faith w 2 Thess 3. 2. And no wonder for all men have not that that is inferiour to a saving Faith and more common then a saving Faith an historicall Faith or beliefe of the Gospell x 1 Cor. 1. 23. Secondly All men have not a saving Faith because very few have it so it is said when the Sonne of man
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
The Divels are sin ners and yet they cannot have a saving faith and the reason is because they have no saving promise Secondly Reprobates are sinners and they have it not because it belongs only to the elect By sinners then understand such as know and beleeve themselves to bee sinners and have neede of Christ and Gods mercy such as use all meanes to have Christ that are undone without him these are they in whose hearts the Lord is pleased to work this grace Thirdly it is said whereby a sinner trusts in the Lord Iesus that is rests relies builds upon him cast himself upon the Lord for salvation the sinner owes a debt which must be paid now Christ hath promised to pay it he beleeves it and trusts in him knowing whosoever trusts in him shall be saved Lastly it is said for eternal blessednes Which consists in our deliverance from all hellish and eternall torments and the injoying of everlasting happinesse for soule and body it is called blessednesse because it comprehends all that can make a man perfectly blessed Eternall because it never shall have an end Thus much for faith The third thing that wee are to Repentance to be examined examine before we come to the Table of the Lord is Repentance Now the Reason is because there is a Repentance A false Repentance in the World like true re-Repentance but is not all is not gold that glisters First There is a Repentance which causes a kinde of remorse this was in Saul he lift up his voyce and wept f 1 Sam. 24 15. 16. 17. Secondly There is a Repentance which confesseth sinne this was in Iudas I have sinned saith he g Mat. 27. 3. in Pharaoh I have sinned the Lord is righteous I and my people are wicked h Exod. 9. 27. Thirdly There is a Repentance also which causes praying and fasting this was in Ahab Fourthly There is a Repentance which commeth to restitution Iudas brought againe the silver i Mat. 27. 34. Now all this may bee and yet no true Repentance so that wee may bee deceived and take that for true Repentance that is not true Repentance that changeth the heart Where there is true Repentance there is an aptnesse to ascend the affections are set on heaven and heavenly things k Col. 3. 2. if there were neither heaven nor hell such would be holy it is meate and drinke to them to doe their Fathers Will they will grow in grace and in Knowledge But seeing that there is a false Repentance like true Repentance let us see what true Repentance is Repentance may thus bee described Repentance descrâ—bed to be A present turning from all evill to all good wrought by God in the hearts of all that shall be saved In which description we may spend time in examining of many things as First In examining our Knowledge concerning the Act of Repentance Secondly The time of Repentance Thirdly The termes of Repentance Fourthly The Author of Repentance Fiftly The subject of Repentance First concerning Repentance Repentance Act is turning Act. Now the Act of Repentance or forme of it is turning Obs True Repentance is a turning By the sinne of our nature and practice wee have turned our selves away from God and cannot see his face and favour towards us now it is Repentance that turnes us back againe let us search and try our wayes saith the Prophet and turne againe unto the Lord l La. 3. 40. It is not onely a turning but is more First It is a whole turning Repentance turnes wholly Secondly It is a continuall turning First it is a whole turning the whole man turnes Reason because the Reas whole man is turned away from God and naturally and wholly evill m Gen. 6. The imaginations of his heart are evill all the imaginations of it are evill Secondly as it is a whole turning so it is a continuall Turnes continually turning True Repentance is a continued act of turning a Repentance never to be repented of a turning never to turne againe to folly if this were not the remedy would be short of the disease for the whole man is turned from God by sinne and Repentance must turne the whole man back againe Now the knowledg of this will teach us two things First That man hath ever something within him to turne from a flesh still resisting the Spirit many temptations of Satan many wicked fashions of the World Secondly That he can never get neare enough to God in this life nor ever turne so neare him as once he was and therefore he must proceede on till he doe attaine The second thing to Repentance time to day examine our Knowledge of concerning Repentance is the time Repentance time Now the time of Repentance is present so that Obs True Repentance is speedy Repentance hee that repents truly repents speedily to day whilst it is called to day The first thing the godly-man will set about is to repent he lookes First At God Secondly At himselfe Thirdly At othes Fourthly At his sinnes First hee lookes at GOD True Repentance looks at God First Commanding to day to heare his voyce m Psal 95. 7. First to seeke the Kingdome of God n Math. 6. 33. Secondly Grieving sinne greives his blessed spirit now the godly will greive God no more I as his Spirit to morrow will bee more grieved so his patience will bee more abused and his wrath increased Secondly as Repentance lookes True Repentance lookes at mens selves at God so also at a mans selfe and so begins betimes Reas 1. Because before Repentance wee can neither pray nor heare nor receive the Sacrament to our comfort whosoever will have any thing to doe with God or expects any thing from God must wash and make cleane so saith the Lord by the Prophet wash you make you cleane put away the evill of your doings from before my eyes n Isa 1 61 17 18. Then come let us reason together then come and pray come and heare come and receive Reas 2. Because to morrow wee shall bee more unfit qui non est hodie Cras minus aptus erit To morrow First The heart will bee more hardned Secondly The conscience more seared Thirdly The will more crooked Fourthly Corruption more rooted Thirdly Repentance lookes True Repentance lookes at others at others That they might bee brought into the way That so there might bee one Sheepe-fold and one Shepheard the Lord Jesus Christ Lastly Repentance lookes True Repentance lookes at sinne at sinne And sees it is good to begin betimes the longer it is before wee repent the more sinnes wee have to repent of First More in number Secondly More in strength Sinne is still ingendring and groweth more fruitfull The godly man therefore will not procrastinate It is Satan that tempts men with a delay he dares not say that Repentance is not needfull onely to deceive the simple he