peculiar work it 's not all who hear Paul preach whose Hearts are opened but it 's the Heart of one Lydia 4. It 's in the nature of it a real work that makes a real inward change on her 5. It 's an immediate work for the Lord not only enlightens her Judgment but goes down to the Heart and opens it and works a change in it immediatly Paul indeed by his preaching opens the way of Salvation to all that heard him from which though many go away with their Hearts unopened yet the Lord hath a secret mysterious real inward work on her Heart which is evidenced by the effect for He not only enlightens her Mind but makes her willingly yield to the call of the Gospel by opening of her Heart In the second place To speak a little for confirmation of the Doctrine we would consider these four or five Grounds or Reasons to shew that there is such a work of the Spirit wherever Faith is begotten and that most intelligibly in them that are at Age. 1. It 's clear from these places of Scripture where there is an express distinction and difference put betwixt the outward Ministry of the Word and this inward powerful efficacious work of Grace on the Heart and wherein the great weight of Conversion is laid on this inward work and not on the outward Ministry of the Word as Deut 29.4 where the Lord by Moses tells the People how many things they had seen and heard and yet says he The Lord hath not given you a heart to perceive and eyes to see and ears to hear unto this day They had the outward Means in plenty when they wanted in the mean time the inward Power The gift of a spiritual Life and the making them spiritually active to exerce it was with-holden and therefore they did not savingly perceive see nor â—ear Joh. 6.44 Murmure not among your selves no man can come to me except the Father which hath sent me draw him It 's written in the Prophets and they shall be all taught of God every man therefore that hath heard and learned of the Father cometh unto me where there is very clearly a distinction put betwixt the outward teaching and the Father's drawing betwixt the Ministers teaching and God's teaching It was one thing to be taught outwardly by Christ as the Prophet of His Church and another thing to be drawen and taught inwardly of the Father This inward teaching is called drawing to shew that it is not external Oratory or Eloquence consisting in words to perswade that can effect the business but a powerful draught of the Arm of the Lord reaching the Heart There are several other Scriptures full and clear to this purpose as Psal 110.3 and Acts 11.21 A second Ground of kin to the former Is from the many and various expressions that are used in the Scriptures for holding forth this work of the Spirit of God in Conversion that point out not only an Hand working and an work wrought but an inward powerful way of working and bringing about the woâ—k as Jeâ— 31.34 I will put my law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts Ezek. 11.19 I will give them one heart I will put a new spirit within them and will take away the stony heart out of their flesh Ezek. 36.26 27. A new heart will I give unto you and a new spirit will I put within you c. Jer. 32.40 I will put my fear in their heart that they shall not depart from me It 's called the Father's drawing John 6.44 as I shew In the Saints Prayers as Psal 51. it 's called even as to further degrees of this work or restoring of lost degrees creating of a clean heart and renewing a right spirit within And many moe the like expressions there are which shew not only Mans impotency and inability to convert or savingly to change himself but also that to his Conversion there is necessary an inward real peculiar efficacious powerful work of the Spirit of Grace 3. It 's clear and may be confirmed from the Power of God which He puts forth and applys in the begetting of Faith and in working Conversion It 's not a mediate work whereby He only perswades congruously as some love to speak but an immediate and efficacious work whereby with mighty Power He works Conversion It is God saith the Apostle Phil. 2 13. that worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure and as he not only perswadeth but effectually worketh so he not only works on the Judgment to the enlightning of it but on the Will to encline and determine it by curing it of its crookedness and perversness backwardness obstinacy and rebellion and the Power whereby He worketh this great work is said Eph. 1.19 To be that same mighty power which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead that ye may know saith the Apostle what is the exceeding greatness of his powâ—r to us-ward who believe according to the working of his mighty power which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead and set him at his own right hand c. It is such a Power that works Faith and so exercised in the working of Faith as it was in the raising of Christ from the Dead Now could there be use for such a Power if there were no more requisite to Conversion but an objective swasion or a bare proposal of the object with external perswasion to embrace it wherein the Soul is left to it self to choise or refuse as it pleaseth certainly if there were no more considering our natural enmity at God â—nd His Grâ—ce the Devil and Corruption would have much more influence and a far greater stroak upon the Heart to closing up of the same in Unbelief then any outward perswasion would have as to the opening of the Heart and the begetting of Faith therefore His Power is necessarily called for and the Lord addeth it in converting Sinners else the work would for ever ly behind and if Men be spâ—ritually dead in Sins and Trespasses as all Men by Nature are as real a Power must be exerced in raising and quickening of them as there is exerced in raising and quickening of the Dead 4. It may also be cleared from some in whom this Power is exerced as some Children some deaf Persons and others whom we cannot deny to be reached by the Grace of God and yet there can be no other way how thâ—y are reached but by this effectual efficacious and immediate powerful work of the Spirit they not being capable of reasoning or perswasion by force of Argument We shall only add two Reasons further to confirm and some-way to clear why it is that the Lord works and must work thus distinctly inwardly really powerfully and immediatly in working Faith and converting of Sinners The first is drawen from the exceeding great deadness indisposition averness perversness impotency inability and
the Gospel on the Lord 's manifesting His Arm so that where it is not manifested this work of Faith is not brought forth and where it is manifested necessarily it is brought forth This being a Doctrine concerning the Efficacy of God's Grace which ought not to ly hid from the Lords People we shall a little first clear it and then secondly confirm it to you First For clearing of it's Meaning 1. Ye would not take up our meaning in it so as if we made every common work that lively means may have on the Hearers of the Gospel to be Conversion The preaching of the Word will sometimes make Folks tremble as we see in Felix and will waken Convictions and Terrors in them and put them into an amazement and yet leave them there for all these Convictions may be and often are resisted as to any Saving Fruit at least which we conceive to be that which Stephen points at Acts 7.51 while he saith Ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears ye do always resist the Holy Ghost as your fathers did so do ye and what he means by this is explained in the words following Which of the Prophets have not your fathers persecuted c. even their contending with the Word of the Lord in the mouths of His Servants Yea in that same place where it 's said that they gnashed upon him with their teeth it 's insinuated that they came over the belly of the cutting Conviction which his Preaching had upon them Nor do we 2. mean That every common operation of the Spirit whether illumination of the Mind or a touch on the Affections such as may be in Temporaries and Apostates as is clear Mat. 13.20 21. Heb. 6.4 and downward is Conversion There is a great difference betwixt a common work or gift of the Spirit which in a large Sense maâ— be câ—â—â—ed Grace because freely given anâ— the â—â—vâ—ng work of Grace which before 〈◊〉 â—â—â—â—eâ— a peculiar work And oft-times tâ—â—t câ—mmon operation of the Spirit is quenched and pâ—t out therefore the Apostle 1 Thess 5.19 exhorteth thus Quench not the Spirit 3. When we speak of an effectual bringing forth of Faith by this Grace of God we would not have you thinking that we suppose no reluctancy to be in the Man in so far as he is unrenewed for though where Grace effectually worketh Faith follows necessarily yet Corruption being in the Man it 's disposed and apt to thwart with and to oppose Grace and the Will hath its aversness to yield But the meaning of the Doctrine is this That though there be such a strong power of Corruption in the Man to whom Grace comes and on whom it is put forth yet the power of Grace is such that it powerfully masters and overcomes Corruption and wins the Heart to believe in and to engage with Christ though to speak so there be something within that strives to keep the door shut on Christ yet when it comes to that Cant. 5.3 He puts in his fingers by the holl of the lock and makes the myrrhe to drop the Heart is prevailed with so as it is effectually opened as the Heart of Lydia was to receive the Word that Paul preached Thus notwithstanding of Corruptions opposition Grace gains its point and the Lord never applys His Grace of purpose to gain a Soul but he prevails 4. When we speak of the power and effectualness of Grace in conquering and gaining the Heart and Will of the Sinner to believe in Jesus Christ we do not mean that there is any force or violence done to the Will or any exerting of a coactive power violenting the Will contrary to its essential property of freedom to close with Christ But this we mean that though Corruption be in the Heart yet Grace being infused and acted by the Spirit the pravity in the Will is sweetly cured and the Will is moved and made to Will willingly and upon choice by the power of the Spirit of Grace taking in that strong hold This great work is wrought by an omnipotent swavity and by a sweet omnipotency and it needs not at all seem strange for if Man in Nature be by the power of habitual Corruption made necessarily to will Evil so that notwithstanding he doth freely and willingly choose Evil why should it be thought strange oâ— absurd to say that when a principle of the Grace of God is infused into the Soul and acted by the Spirit of God If hath that much influence power and efficacy as to prevail with the Will it keeping still its own freedom to make it willing to embrace Jesus Christ and yet not at all thereby wrong that essential property of the Will sure Grace is as powerful as Corruption and the Lord is as dextrous a worker and can work as aggreeably to the nature of the Creature in this gracious work as the Creature can in its own sinful actings So then we say when the Lord is pleased to apply the work of His Grace to convert a Sinner that work is never frustrated but it always hath necessarily the work of Faith Renovation and Conversion following on the back of it Secondly We shall a little confirm the Doctrine and the grounds of Confirmation are these The 1. whereof is The express Scriptures wherein this Truth is asserted as John 6.44 45. It is said in the 44. Verse No man can come to me except the Father draw him and on the contrary it is as expressly set down vers 45. It is written in the Prophets they shall be all taught of God every man therefore that hath heard and learned of the Father cometh unto me and this being contradistinguished to external Preaching and being that which is called drawing v. 44. he knits Believing to it and makes Believing called coming a necessary effect of it that to whomsoever God gives that inward Lesson they shall come which confirms the Doctrine that whomsoever the Lord teaches and schools by His Grace and calls effectually they do necessarily Believe Another passage we have Phil. 2.12 13. Work out the work of your salvation in fear and trembling for it is God that worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure where the Apostle makes the work of Grace not only to work ability to will and to do but to work also to will and to do actually and Grace never worketh to will and leaves the Man unwilling but necessarily supposeth the Man's closing willingly with Christ with whom He worketh thus A 2. Ground of confirmation is drawen from these Expressions whereby this work is set forth and the Promises comprehending it in God's Covenant wherein it 's called the giving of a new heart a heart of flesh the writing of the law in the heart the putting of his Spirit within his people and causing them to walk in his statutes c. Jer. 31.33 Ezek. 36.26 27. and it is impossible to conceive aright of the fulfilling of these
they have no Faith they will not by any means take with that they believe there is a Saviour and that He is God and Man and that such as believe on Him shall be saved and on this they rest It 's such as these who think they have believed all their days since ever they had any Knowledge because the Word was always or very long since received in the Place where they lived for the Word of God and they believe it to be so also and know no difference betwixt believing the Word and believing on Christ holden out in it though alace many of you believe not this much for if ye were among the Jews ye might be soon brought to question the truth of the Gospel But though ye had the real Faith of the truth of the Word take not that for Saving Faith for as there is a real Sorrow that is not the Saving Grace of Repentance unto Life so there is a sort of real Faith that hath a real Object and a real being in the Judgement which yet is not a real closing with Christ and so not Saving Faith as suppose a Man pursued by his Enemy should see a strong Castle-door standing open or one in hazard at Sea should see dry Land if he should stand still while the Enemy were pursuing him or abide still in the sinking Vessel the sight of the Castle-door open nor of the dry Land would not save him so it 's not the believing that there is a Saviour come into the World to save Sinners that will save except there be a resting on Him as He is holden out in the Woâ—d of the Gospel Historical Faith is only as it were a looking on the Saviour but Saving Faith grips to Him and rests on Him Historical Faith looks on Christ but acts not on Him closes not with Him and therefore such as have it only and no more sink and perish without getting good of Him We would think it a great matter to get many of you as far on in Believing as the Devil is who believes and trembles the little trembling that is shews that there is but little of this Historical Faith yet as I have often said this is not all ye may have this and yet if ye halt there ye will certainly perish if ye were never so confident to be saved the Apostle doth well distinguish these Heb. 11.6 He that cometh to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him where these two are presupposed First Believing that God is or hath a Being And secondly Believing that His Promise is sure and sicker that He is Faithful that hath promised and will make His Word good And then thirdly On both these follows a coming to Him as a Rewarder of diligent Seekers of Him The first two take in Historical Faith for to believe that God is is Natural and to believe that God is Faithful in His Promise may be in Natural Men but to come to Him to get the hazard that the Soul is in removed through Jesus Christ is a thing few do attain This then is the first thing we would be aware of not aware to believe the truth of the Word but to be aware of resting on it as Saving Faith it 's not enough to look on Christ and to grant that it is He but the Man must never be satisfied till he get himself rolled on Christ and the weight of his Salvation and Peace laid on Him in His own way The second thing ye would beware of is Some common and quickly transient work on the Affections that may accompany Historical Faith Whether the Affection of Grief or the Affection of Joy be stirred thereby both are unsafe to be rested on when ye can't prove your resting on Christ or where there is no relevant ground to prove it by though ye should tremble as Felix did and be under allaruming convictions of Conscience and fears of your hazard or though ye should be affected with Joy as the Temporary Believer may be and sometimes is what will that profite you it's a great mistake to take some small work on the Affections which at the best is but an effect of Historical Faith for a Saving work of the Spirit Or secondly If it be not an effect of Historical Faith it 's an effect of a challenge of Conscience and smiting of the Heart as in Saul who could say to David Thou art more righteous than I my son David Or thirdly It 's some common work of the Spirit such as was in Simon Magus of whom it is said he believed and who could say pray for me for Folks to conclude on this ground that they are brought out of Nature into a State of Grace is to build upon a Sandy Foundation The Apostle speaketh 2 Cor. 7.10 of worldly Sorrow as well as of a godly Sorrow and as there may be a wordly Sorrow so there may be a carnal Joy a piece of fainness to speak so in Prayer or at hearing of a Preaching or at a Communion which is not Saving Faith some hear the Word with Joy Matth. 13. who yet endure not and John Baptist's Hearers rejoyced in his Light for a season even as a sick Man who hearing as we hinted before that a Physician who is skilful and able to cure him is come to Town he grows fain in the contemplation of a Cure of his Disease but here is the stick when the Physician tells the Man that he must be so and so abstemious and keep himself under such a strict Diet he dow not abide that and so all his joy evanishes There is something like this in Tempory Faith where some remote expectation of Salvation will cause a carnal Joy and Fainness but when it comes to this that a Man is called to quite his Lusts or his Estate or in the World to undergo Trouble and Persecution for the Gospel by and by he is offended he thinks to say so a Fowl in his hand is worth two fleeing and therefore when the Storm blows in his Teeth he turns his Back and runs away Especially we will find this to be with Men in Sickness they will have mints and seriousness and sometimes flashes of Sorrow under Convictions or Challenges and sometimes flashes of Joy that will evanish when they come to Health again When we speak of some common work on the Affections we would take in liberty and some warmness of Spirit in Prayer which no question even unrenewed Men may find more at one time than another as when they are in some great hazard or strait they will be more than ordinary serious in that Duty and yet that may be but an effect of Nature This proves a great Stumbling and Neck-break to many that they think they are well enough if now and then they get utterance in Prayer as sometimes they will get words beyond what they expected and when upon reflecting they find that
Doing of it that will profite you it 's very sad that most plain obvious Duties are not at all followed as the studying of Knowledge the exercising of Repentance one of the very first Duties which is never separated from Faith the humbling of the Soul before God the loathing of your selves for all ye have done the Love of God c. for there may be Challenges for gross Evils in Heathens and Fear is not Repentance but Godly Sorrow that causeth Repentance not to be repented of A fourth Evidence is The want of that Work of God's Spirit that accompanies Faith Faith is a special Work of the Spirit and the gracious Gift of God it 's wrought by the exceeding mighty Power of God whereby He raised Christ from the Dead and by that same Power He worketh in them that Believe now knew ye ever what this Work meaned found ye it ever to be a difficult Work to Believe knew ye ever what it was to have the Spirit of God constraining your Heart to Believe I speak not of any extraordinary thing but certainly Faith is not Natural nor cometh from pure Nature and wherever it is it manifests it self by Works and evidenceth the Power of the Spirit in the working thereof There are some sad Evidences of and bitter Fruits that spring from this Root to wit Folks being Strangers to the experimental Knowledge of the Work of Faith As 1. When Men know no more difficulty to get Christ and to rest on Christ then to believe a Story of Wallace or of Julius Cesar 2. When Folks say that they believed all their Days and believed always since ever they knew Good by Ill and though their Faith be no true Saving Faith but a guessing yet they will not quite it yea it 's impossible for Men to get them convinced that they want Faith 3. When Men never knew what it is to be without Faith it 's one of the great Works of the Spirit John 16.8 to convince of the want of Faith Folks will be easily convinced that breach of the Sabbath that Stealing that bearing false Witness c. are Sins where the special Work of the Spirit is not but how many of you have been convinced of the want of Faith we are constrained to say this sad word when we look on this Text that it is lamentably fulfilled in your Eyes and in this our Congregation think not that we wrong such of you who have believed our Report Ah it 's few even very few of you that Receive and Believe this Gospel Use 2. The second Use is for Conviction If it be ordinary for the great part of the Hearers of the Gospel not to Believe let it sink in your Hearts that it is no extraordinary thing that hath befallen you are ye not such Hearers as many of these were who heard Isaiah and Jesus Christ and if so will not this follow that there are many yea even the thick and throng of the Hearers of this Gospel that Believe not and who if Christ were gathering Sinners by this preached Gospel would not be gathered if where the Gospel comes many do not Believe then here in this City where the Gospel is preached to a great multitude of professing Members of the visible Church there are readily many that do not Believe or let me ask of you a Reason why ye do except your selves either this Truth holds not so universally or many of you must fall under it or else give a Reason why you fall not under it the Truth which Isaiah preached hath been preached to you and yet ye remain Unbelieving and Dispisers of the Invitation to the Marriage of the King's Son as the Jews did we are not now speaking of Jews Turks nor Heathens nor of the Churches in general nor of other Congregations but of you in Glasgow that have this Gospel preached amongst you and we say of you that there are few that believe our Report Think it not our Word the Application flows natively from the Text not from necessity of the thing but from the ordinary course of Mens Corruption are not the same Evidences of the want of Faith which we spoke of among you how many are there in their Life Prophane how many rest on Civility and Formality is there not as little Repentance now as was in Isaiah's time as little denying of our own Righteousness and making use of Christ's though the Word be taught by Line upon Line here a little and there a little It may be though ye think that the Doctrine is true in the general ye will not ye cannot digest the Application That among so many of you visible Professors of Faith there are but few real Believers therefore we shall follow the Conviction a little further by giving you some Considerations to make it out that we have but too just ground to make Application of the Doctrine to you especially considering the abounding of Corruption that is amongst you that ye may be put to fear the Wrath that attends Sin and to flee to Christ for Refuge in time 1. Consider of whom it is that the Prophet is speaking and of what Time Is it not of the Times and Days of the Gospel had not the Spirit in dictating this Text of Scripture an Eye on Scotland and on Glasgow and do not our Lord Jesus Christ and Paul apply it in their Days and why then may not we also in ours and when the Spirit speaks expressly of the last Times that they shall be perilous and of the falling away of many should it not give us the hotter alarm 2. Do not all things agree to us as to them is not this Gospel the same is our Preaching any better than theirs nay had they not much more powerful Preaching and if that Preaching which was much more powerful had not efficacy as to many to work Faith in them what may we expect to do by our Preaching are not your Hearts as deceitful are not your Corruptions as strong are ye not as bent to Back sliding as they were what sort of Folks were they that were unfruitful Hearers were they not Members of the visible Church as ye are circumcised under the Old Testament as ye are baptized under the New was it not these who had Christ and His Apostles preaching to them yea they were not among the more Ignorant sort who did not Believe but Scribes and Pharisees and these not of the prophanest sort only but such as came to Church and attended on Ordinances as ye do yea were such as had Gifts and cast out Devils and preached in Christ's Name as you may see Luk. 13.26 Now when there are so many and of such Ranks who get no good of the Word and of such a great many that will seek to enter in and shall not be able to whom Christ will sall say depart I know you not ye Workers of Iniquity What can be the reason that many of you do so confidently
own Insufficiency acknowledging God's Sufficiency which if we did we should find it go better with us and may not the same be expected in the matter of Believing as well as in other Duties 2. None that ever heard this Gospel shall in the Day of Judgement have this to Object none shall have it to say that they would fain have believed but their meer Infirmity Weakness and Inability did imped them for though it be our own Sin and Guilt that we are unable yet where the Gospel comes that is not the Contraversie But that Folks would not come to Christ would not be gathered that when He would they would not for where there is a will to will and to do go together But it 's Enmity at the way of Believing Security Stupidity Senselesness and Carelesness what become of the Immortal Soul that ruines Folks for the Soul that would fain be at Christ shall be helped to Believe the reason is because the nature of the Covenant of Grace and of the Mediator thereof is such that all to whom He gives to will He gives them also to perform and His Faithfulness is engaged so to do It must therefore return to one of these two That either ye will not receive Him or else ye are willing though weak and if ye be willing Faithful is He that hath called you who also will do it but if it halt at your Perversness and wilful Refusal of the Offer there is good reason that in God's Justice ye should never get good of the Gospel nay there is never one to whom the Gospel comes and who doeth not Believe but formally as it were he passeth a Sentence on himself as the word is Act. 13 46. Ye judge your selves unworthy of eternal life which the Apostle gathers from this ground that they did not neither would accept of Jesus Christ offered to them in the Gospel as the event is that follows on the Offer so will the Lord account of your receiving of it Fourthly As for Directions to help and further you to Believe it 's not easie but very difficult to give them it being impossible to satisfie the curiosity of Nature neither can any Directions be prescribed that without the special work of God's Spirit can effectuate the thing the renewing of the Will and the working of Faith being Effects and Fruits of omnipotent Grace yet because something lyes upon all the Hearers of the Gospel as Duty and it being more suitable and congruous that in the use of Means then when Means are neglected Believing should be attained And because oftentimes these that desire this Question to be answered to wit how they may win at Believing are such as have some beginnings of the work of Grace and of Faith We shall speak a few words to such as would be at believing and exercising of Faith on Jesus Christ And 1. Folk had need to be clear in the common fundamental Truths of the Gospel they would know what their Natural Estate is what their Sin and Misery is and they would know the way how to win out of that State Ignorance often obstructs us in the way of Believing How shall they believe on Him of whom they have not heard Rom. 10.14 when Folks Believe not it is as if they had never heard 2. When ye have attained to the knowledge of the common Truths of the Gospel as of your Sin and Misery the nature of the Covenant the Mediator and His Fulness c. Labour to fix well the Historical Faith of them we are sure that many never come this length to believe the History of the Gospel and till that be they can advance no further for as the word is Heb. 11.6 He that comes to God must believe that He is and a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him I say these common simple Truths of the Gospel would well be fixed by a Historical Faith and yet this would not be rested on because though they be excellent Truths yet they may be known and historically believed where Saving Faith and Salvation follow not 3. Be much in Thinking Meditating and Pondering of and on these things let them sink down into your Hearts that the Meditation of them may fix the Faith of them and that they may deeply affect us we would seek to have a morally serious feeling of them as we have of the common works of the Spirit But there are many like the Way sidehearers who as soon as they hear the Word some Devil like a Crow comes and picks it up therefore to prevent this ye would seek to have the Word of God dwelling richly in you ye would meditate on it till ye be convinced of your hazard and get the Affections some way stirred according to the nature of the Word ye meditate upon whether Threatnings or Promises the most part are affected with nothing they know not what it is to tremble at a Threatning nor smile as it were on a Promise through their not dwelling on the thoughts of the Word that it may produce such an Effect 4. When this is done Folks would endeavour a full up-giving with the Law of Righteousness as to their Justification that if they cannot so positively and stayedly win to rest on Jesus Christ and His Righteousness yet they may lay the weight of their Peace with God on no other thing they would lay it down for a certain conclusion that by the works of the Law they can never be justified and would come with a stoped Mouth before God thus tender Christians will find it sometimes easier to give up with the Law then to close with the Gospel as to their distinct apprehension of the thing 5. When this is done Go as it were to the top of mount Nebo and take a look of the pleasant Land of Promises and of Christ held out in them and let your Soul say O! to have the Bargain well closed to have my Heart stirred up to love Him and to rest upon Him O! to have Faith and to discern it in its actings for when the Life of Faith is so weak that it cannot speak yet it may breath and though ye cannot exercise Faith as ye would so as to grip to and catch fast hold of the Object yet essay seriously to do that far as to esteem love and vehemently desire it In this respect the Will is said to go before the Deed though as to God's begetting of Faith there be a contemporariness of the Will and the Deed yet as to our sense the Will outruns the Deed even as in another sense though it makes well for this purpose the Apostle says To will is present with me but how to perform that which is good I know not for we ought to have our Will running after Christ and Believing on Him when we cannot attain to the distinct actings of it But it may be here objected and said Is not this Presumption Answ If this were Presumption then
all we have said of the Warrand of the Gospel to Believe is to no purpose Christ never counted it Presumption to desire and endeavour in His own way to believe on Him for attaining of Life through Him To desire Heaven and Peace with God and to misken Christ and pass Him by were indeed Presumption but it is not so to desire these through Him 6. When ye have attained to this Heart desire if ye cannot distinctly to your satisfaction act Believing on Christ ye would firmly resolve to believe and essay it and say This is the way I will and must take and no other as David saith Psal 16.2 O my soul thou hast said unto the Lord thou art my Lord Hence the exercise of Faith is called a choosing of God Deut. 30.19 and Josh 24. and seriously sincerely and firmly to resolve thus is our Duty when we can win to do no more and it is no little advancement in Believing when such resolution to Believe is deliberatly and soberly come under 7. When this is done Folks would not hold at a resolution for to resolve and not to set forward will be found to be but an empty resolution therefore having resolved though still looking on the resolution as his gift we would set about to perform and believe as we may and when we cannot go we would creep when we cannot speak words of Faith we would let Faith breath when it can neither speak nor breath distinctly we would let it pant In a word to be essaying the exercise of Faith and often renewing our essays at it which if we did we should come better speed in Believing then we do thus though ye were walking under a Conviction that ye would do no more at this then a Man whose Arm is withered can do to streatch it forth yet as the Man with the withered Hand at Christ's word of Command essayed to streatch it forth and it went with him or as the Disciples when they had toiled long even all the Night and caught nothing yet at Christ's word let down the Net and inclosed a multitude of Fishes so though ye have essayed to act Faith often and yet come no speed yet essaying it again on Christ's calling to it it may and will through Grace go with you 8. When yet ye come not speed as ye would your short-coming would be bemoaned and complained of to God laying open to and before Him the Heart who can change it and ye would have it for a piece of your weight and burthen that your Heart comes not so up to and abides not so by Believing I would think it a good Frame of Spirit when the not having of the Heart standing so fix'd at Believing is an Exercise and a Burthen 9. When all this is done in some measure ye would wait on in doing thus and would continue in this way looking to Him who is the Author and Finisher of Faith for His influence to make it go with you to look to Him to be helped is the way to be helped to Believe or to Pray to Him to better and amend Faith is the way to have it bettered and amended it 's said Psal 34.5 They looked to him and were lightened and their faces were not ashamed And if it be said How can one look that sees not It 's true blind Folk cannot look yet they may essay to look and though there be but a glimmering as the looking makes the faculty of Seeing the better and more strong so the Exercise of Faith makes Faith to encrease this is it that the Psalmist hath Psal 30. v. last Be of good courage and he shall strengthen your heart all ye that hope in the Lord that is if ye be weak wait on and He shall strengthen you Believe and give not over though to your Sense ye come not speed Beginners that are looking conscienciously to their way though they have but a glimmering weak sight of Christ and be as the Man that at first saw Mâ—n walking as Trees yet if they wait on they may attain to a more distinct seeing and to a more close and firm gripping of Christ We close with this word of Advertisement That as we speak not of these things as being in Man's power to be performed so neither can they be gone about to purpose but where there is some Faith and Love yet when they are at first looked on they are some way more within our reach then the distinct Exercise of Faith which is a great Mystery The Lord bless His Word and make it useful to you SERMON IX ISAIAH LIII I Who hath believed our report And to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed IF Folks soberly and gravely considered of what concerment it is to make use of the Gospel and what depends upon the profitable or unprofitable hearing of it how serious would both Speakers and Hearers be This same poor mean and contemptible-like way of Speaking or Preaching is the ordinary way that God hath chosen to save Souls even by the foolishness of Preaching as the Apostle hath it 1 Cor. 1.21 and where Ministers have been tender how near hath it lyen to their Hearts whether People profited or not They that will read Isaiah how he resented and complained of it and how he was weighted with it will easily be induced to think that he was in earnest and that it was no little matter that made him thus cry out Who hath believed our report We shew that four things were comprehended in the words First That the great Errand of Ministers is to bring the glad Tydings of Jesus Christ the Saviour to Sinners Secondly That it is the great Duty of People to believe and receive the Offer of Jesus Christ in the Gospel Thirdly That it is the great Sin of a People that Hear the Gospel not to believe and receive Jesus Christ when He is offered unto them The fourth and last thing which now we are to speak of having gone thorow the first three is That the great and heavy Complaint that a faithful Minister of the Gospel hath is when these good News are not received and welcomed when they have it to say Who hath believed our report when it is but here one and there one that closes with Christ Considering these words as they hold out the Prophets Resentment and Complaint we shall from them draw four Observations which we shall speak shortly to and reserve the Use and Application to the close of all Observ 1. The first is That its meet for and the Duty of a Minister of the Gospel to observe what Fruit and Success his Ministry hath among a People and whether they Believe or not Isaiah speaks not here at random but from consideration of the Case of the People and as observing what fruit his Ministry had among them we would not have Ministers too curious in this as to the state of particular Persons neitner would we have them selfy or anxious
think we must report can we report any other way then it is with you Shall we or dare we say that such a Man was a fine civil Man and that therefore he will not be reckoned with though he believed not in Christ No no but this must be the report that such a Man and such a kind of Men though Christ was long wooing them would not embrace Him though He invited them to the Wedding yet they would not come nay they mocked and spurned at it they trode the Blood of the Covenant under Foot and counted God a Liar in all His Offers and said by their Practice that they should be happy though they took not this way many of you who would not take it well if we should speak this to you in particular will find it to be a Truth one day And if ye shall say What would we be at The answer is at hand Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and ye shall be saved This is the End of the Gospel and the mean of your Happiness it 's the great and the main thing that we call for which if it be not obtained the ground of the Complaint will continue And do you think this any strange hard or uncouth thing that when we bring to you the Offer of Christ in the Gospel we bid you receive it and flee in to Him to hide you from the Wrath to come and yet this is all we seek of you it 's neither your Shame nor your Skaith that we seek but that ye may take with your Sin that ye may judge and condemn your selves that your Mouth may be stopped before God and that ye may flee to Jesus Christ in earnest and close with Him on His own Terms As therefore ye would prevent the greatly aggravated Sin to wit sinning against the Gospel and the Complaint of the Ministers thereof against you and the terrible Vengeance of the Mediator Kiss the Son cast open the everlasting Doors of your Hearts and let the Gospel and Christ the King of Glory have access We pray you stand not in the way of your own Happiness refuse not to do Him that much pleasure and satisfaction for all the travel of His Soul as to give Him your Souls to be saved Now God Himself keep you from this Folly and Soul-destroying madness SERMON X. ISAIAH LIII I Who hath believed our report And to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed WE have spoken somewhat these days past to sundry Doctrines from this part of the Verse and particularly of the sad Complaint which Isaiah hath in his own name and in the name of all the Ministers of the Gospel that the savoury Report concerning Jesus Christ is not received and that though Life and Salvation through Him be offered to many yet there are but few scarce here one and there one that do embrace it this is the sad result Lord who hath believed our report Words that being spoken by such a Prophet and so often mentioned in the New-Testament may and should as often as we speak hear or reâ—d them put both Ministers and People to a holy demur and to look what becomes of all our Preaching and Hearing when this was all the Fruit even of Isaiah's Preaching as to the greatest part of his Hearers Ere we leave this part of the Verse it will not be unmeet that we speak a little to these three First To what may be the Causes why when the Gospel is powerfully Preached there are so few Believers Secondly How it comes to pass seeing so few Believe that generally so many think they Believe and so few suspect their own Faith And Thirdly To the necessity that lyes on the Hearers of the Gospel to enquire at and try themselves concerning their Faith and to have some solid Satisfaction in it Although we mention no particular Doctrines now yet considering the Doctrines we spoke to before these things will not be unsuitable to them nor impertinent to you For the first The Causes why so few believe the Gospel we cleared to you already That generally the powerful Preaching of the Gospel hath been with little Fruit so that Isaiah hath this sad Complaint Lord who hath believed our report and our Lord Jesus hath it also on the matter Mat. 11.7 We have piped to you and ye have not danced we have mourned to you and ye have not lamented and in the same express words John 12.38 And when it is so with sweet Isaiah in the Old Testament and with our blessed Lord in the New that spoke with such Power and Authority ye may see there is reason for us to enquire into the Causes why it is that so few Believe In speaking to which 1. We intend not to touch on all the Reasons that may be gathered together of Peoples not profiting under the Gospel but of these that ye have most reason to look to and that are most obstructive of Faith in you 2. Though we might speak of Reasons on the side of them that speak to you for who is sufficient for these things and we shall not deny but we have culpable accession to your Unfruitfulness yet it were not much to your edifying to insist on these 3. Neither will we speak to these soveraign Causes on God's part who in His Holy Justice gives up People to Unfruitfulness when they receive not the Truth in Love Neither 4ly Shall we insist on these Causes that may arise from the Devil who waits on wherever the Word is preached to mar the Fruit of it as we may see Mat. 13.19 the evil Spirits like as many Crows when the Seed of the Word is sowen waiting on to pick it up and ye would know that ye never come to hear the Word but there are as it were Flocks of Devils attending you Hence it is that some are rocked and lulled asleep some have their Minds filled with worldly Thoughts some forget all that they Hear ere they go out of Doors thus it is with many Hearers of this Gospel their Hearts are trode upon as the Way-side by Devils and foul-Foul-Spirits that never a word takes impression on them and though ye may think such expressions uncouth-like and strange yet they are sadly true Satan waited on when Christ preached and sure he will scar no more to do so at our Preaching than he did at His if he stood at Joshua's right Hand to resist him he will no doubt be at ours But we say we will not insist on these But 5ly We shall speak a little to these Causes that are common in you which ye your selves mâ—ght know if ye would observe them and we would exhort you to take notice of them when we tell you of them First Then we offer or rather assert this for a Cause The want of serious minding the great concernment of the work of your Salvation and that this preached Gospel is the Word of the Lord by which ye must be saved Alace
War with his Corruption That is a sound Faith that makes the Sinner to make use of Christ in every thing he is called to that yoaks him I mean Christ to work on every occasion and particularly when it comes as it were to grapling and hand blows with this formidable Enemy the Body of Death this Monster whereof when one Hâ—aâ— is cut off another as it were starts up in its place For a close of this Purpose I beâ—eech and obtest such of you as are strangers to Saving Faith who are I fear far the greatest part to consider seriously all I have spoken of the nature and native evidences of it that you may be undeceived of your Soul-ruining Mistakes about it and let sincere and sound Believers from aâ—l be more cleared confirmed and comforted in their Faith SERMON XIII ISAIAH LIII I And to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed THere are many mistakes in the way of Religion wherewith the most part are possâ—ssed and amongst the rest there is one that generally the Hearers of the Gospel think it so easie to Believe that there is no difficulty in that by any thing they think it hard to Pray to keep the Sabâ—ath to be Holy but the most part think there is no difficulty in Believing and yet Unbelief is so rife and Faith so rare and difficult that the Prophet Isaiah here in his own name and in name of all the Ministers of the Gospel crys out Lord who hath believed our report he complains that he could get but very few to take the Word off his hand and because it weighted him to find it so and because he would fain have it to take impression on his Hearers he doubles expressions to the same purpose and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed which in sum is there is much Preaching and many Hearers of the Gospel but little believing of it few in whose Heart the work of Faith is wrought It 's but here one and there one that this Gospel hath efficacy upon for uniting of them to Jesus Christ and for working a work of Saving Grace in them the effectual working of God's Grace reaches the Hearts but of a few For opening the words we shall speak a little to these three 1. To what is meant by the Arm of the Lord. 2. To what is meant by the revealing of the Arm of the Lord. 3. To the scope and dependance of these words on the former For the first In general know the Arm of the Lord is no to be understood properly the Lord being a Spirit hath no Arms Hands nor Feet as Men have But it 's to be understood figuratively as holding out some Property or Attribute of God By the Arm of the Lord then we understand in general the Power of God the Arm of Man being that whereby He exerceth His Power performeth Exploits or doth any Work So the Arm of the Lord is His Power whereby He produceth His Mighty Acts as it 's said in the Psalms The right hand of the Lord hath done valiantly His hand and his arm hath got him the victory and because the Power of God is taken either more generally for that which is exerced in the Works of common Providence or more particulâ—rly for that which is put forth in the Work of Saving Grace We tâ—ke it here in short to be the Grace of God exercing its Power in and by the Gospel for the converting of Souls and causing them savingly to Believe so Rom. 1.16 I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ for it is the power of God to salvation to every one that believes not simply as it consists in speaking of good sweet and seasonable words but as it cometh backed by the irresistable Power of the Grace of God as the word is 1 Cor. 1.23 24. We preach Christ to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness but unto them who are called both Jews and Greeks the power of God and the wisdom of God and that it is so to be taken here the conâ—â—â—â—ion of these words with the former will make it clear for sure he is not speaking of the Power of God in the works of common Providence but of His Power in the conversion of Souls to Christ even of that Power which works Saving Faith in the Elect. For the second The revealing of the Arm of the Lord By this we do not understand the revealing of it objectively as it 's brought to light by the preaching of the Gospel for thus it 's revealed to all the Hearers of the Gospel it 's in this respect not keeped hid but brought forth clearly to them in the Word And therefore secondly The revealing of this Arm or Power of the Lord is to be understood of the subjective inward manifâ—sting of it with efficacy and life to the Heart by the effectual operation of the Spirit of the Lord as it 's said of the great things prepared for them that love God 1 Cor. 2.10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit it 's that which is called 1 Cor. 2. the demonstration of the spirit and of power which makes plain and powerful to the spirit of the Hearer inwardly that which the Word preacheth outwardly to the Ear which without this would strick only on the Ear and yet remain still an hidden Mystery This is the revealing of the Lord's Arm that is here spoken of because it is that on which Believing dependeth and of the want whereof the Prophet sadly complaineth even where there was much Preaching For the third to wit the Scope Dependance and connexion of these words with the former We conceive they come in both for Confirmation and for Explication of the former words 1. For Confirmation There are as hath been said but few that Believe for there are but few that have this saving and effectual work of God's Grace reâ—ching their Heart though they have the Word preached to them yet they have not the Arm of the Power of God's Grace manifested to them and so He confirms His former Doctrine concerning the paucity of Believers under the preaching of the Gospel First By asserting the fewness of them that are brought to Believe to be converted and effectually called by the Gospel which comes to pass through their own Unbelief And Secondly By asserting their fewness in respect of God's soveraign applying of His Grace in the Gospel which is but to few it 's but few that Believe for it 's but few that He makes effectual application of His Grace to 2. We say it comes in to clear and explicate the former words whether we take it by way of a Reason or of an answer to an Objection For if it be said how can it be that Isaiah Paul yea and our Lord Jesus Christ himself should preach so powerfully and yet that so few should Believe he answers it 's not to be marvelled at in respect of God as if he
were frustrate of his design no such matter It 's because the Power of Jesus Christ is revealed but to few and we take this the rather to be the meaning of these words because when Christ is preaching and many take offence and stumble Joh. 6.43 44. he says Murmure not among your selves no man can come to me except the Father which hath sent me draw him there must be an effectual work of the Grace of God put forth on the Heart else none will believe on me So it s said Joh. 12.37 38. that they believed not on Him that the saying of Isaias might be fulfilled which he spoke Lord who hath believed our report and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed therefore they could not believe because that Isaias said again He hath blinded their eyes c. he speaketh not so to appologize for or to excuse their Unbelief but to shew the connexion that is betwixt these two the not revealing of the Arm of the Lord and their not Believing even so here the Lord shews the connexion that is betwixt the efficacy of the work of Grace and believing or turning to God that where the powerful and effectual work of His Grace goeth not forth with the preached Gospel there will be then no believing nor conversion no saving change of the Person from Nature to Grace That which we would say from these words may be drawn to three Doctrines which I shall first propose and then clear and apply them for use The first is That in the work of Conversion and begetting of Saving Faith there is requisite and necessary beside the preaching of the Word a distinct inward peculiar real immediate efficacious and powerful work of the Spirit of the Lord on the Hearts of as many Hearers as are converted by this Gospel 2. That it is but few of many Hearers in whom the Lord thus efficaciously and effectually works by His Spirit and the Power of His Grace it 's but here one and there one a very few who are thus wrought upon and converted 3. That there is a necessary and inseparable connexion betwixt this inward and efficacious work of the Spirit and Faith or Conversion Where this work of Grace is not there cannot be Faith and where it is Faith necessarily must be otherways these two could not be commensurable of equal extent and reciprocal Who hath believed our report and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed He is not neither can be a Believer to whom it is not revealed and he is and cannot but be a Believer to whom it is revealed For the first We say there is in the work of Conversion and begetting of Faith beside the preaching of the Gospel a distinct inward peculiar real immediate efficacious and powerful work of the Spirit of the Lord requisite and necessary for Conversion and begetting of Faith to convince of Sin and to humble for it to enlighten the Mind in the Knowledge of Christ to renew the Will and Affections and to perswade and enable the Soul of the Sinner to embrace and receive Jesus Christ as He is offered in the Gospel We shall first take notice of and clear some words in the Doctrine and then confirm it First For clearing of some words in the Doctrine we say 1. It is a distinct work of the Spirit distinguished and separable from the Word though it goes along as He pleaseth with the Word yet it is not as if there were some Power infused into the Word and went always and necessarily along with the Word which is the foolish and groundless conceit of some for albeit it accompany the Word yet it 's from a distinct Agent working and a distinct work and is separable as I said from the Word though it be wrought on the Heart of the same Sinner to whose Ear the Word is preached 2. It 's an inward work of the Spirit for beside the outward and external preaching and calling by the Word there is an inward powerful effectual work and calling of the Spirit in the conversion of a Sinner which speaks to the Heart as well as the Word speaks to the Ear so that this work of the Spirit that goes along in Conversion is much more then any external perswasion of the preached Word can produce 3. We say it 's a peculiar work to difference it from what is common to the Hearers of the Gospel for it 's a work that is peculiar to them whom the Lord converts and is applied to none other but to those in whom He works Faith and whom He effectually calleth by His Grace It 's a peculiar work then and not common for if it were common to all the Hearers of the Gospel and not peculiar to some these two could not go together and be commensurable as we said Who hath believed our report and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed 4. We say it 's a real work as well as powerful A real work of the Spirit that is not only able and powerful to produce the effect and to convert the Sinner but real and powerful in producing and bringing of it about and to pass by a real influence of the Spirit actually renewing the Will infusing and creating the habits of Grace particularly the very habit of Faith amongst others in the Soul which is quite an other thing then the supposing and saying that a Man hath power to Believe and be Converted that there is no more requisite to his Conversion but to perswade him to put forth that Power or Strength which he hath into Exercise or Practice It 's a real work of the Spirit and a powerful bringing about of the conversion of the Sinner in a physical way as they say in the School 5. We say it is an immediate work of the Spirit on the Heart to difference it from a mediate perswasion or moral swasion as it 's called as if there were no more requisite in Conversion but God's enlightening of the Mind and by that perswading the Will to close with Jesus Christ without any immediate work of the Spirit on the Will it self In this Doctrine we take in all these according to the Scripture in opposition to the several Errors vented by Men of corrupt Minds anent the work of Conversion and of Saving Faith God's Arm and Hand must be revealed the work and power of His efficacious Grace must be put forth for moving and enclining the Heart and Affections and for determining the Will it self We might farther clear and confirm all these from that famous instance of Lydia Act. 16.14 where Paul preaching to some Women it 's said of her Whose heart the Lord opened that she attended to the things which were spoken of Paul where we find these things differenced 1. The Lord 's powerful work on her heart from Paul's preaching to her Ear the Lord opened her Heart 2. It 's an inward work for it 's on the Heart 3. It 's a
is enough in God and in His Grâ—ce to do their turn How is it then or what can be the reason that we in our Hearts do draw the just contrary conclusion to that which the Spirit of God draws here from this ground when we have the offer of Grace and hear of the power and efficacy of it it should as to our part provoke us to be more busie reasoning thus with our selves that though our Corruption will soon overcome us yet it wi l not it cannot overcome Grace and though the exercise of Faith be above our reach yet it is not above the reach of Grace though we be weak yet Grace is strong and therefore we will work it out And upon the other side we ought to conâ—inue humble and in fear and trembling work it out bâ—cause it 's not we but Grace that doth the work If Grace were well considered there is nothing that would more strâ—ngthen Folks hands to work and upon the other hand there is nothing that would make Folks more watchful and to walk in holy fear considering that we are poor Beggers and thorow our unwatchfulness or conceit and presumption may mar the outlettings of His Grace especially if we grow secure and ungrately forget what we receive from Him 2. I come now to some steps or particular directions implied in this Use because it will be asked What then should Folk do And before I touch on particulars take these two Caveâ—ts in the entry to them 1. That we can propose nothing to be done by you nâ—ither can ye do any thing of your selves that is a gracious act or deed 2. That we understand not that any thing can be done by Men in their Natural state that doth infer or procure and far less deserve the giving of Grace to any but seing God hath given direction to us how to walk in order to the working out of our Salvation we say 1. That it 's safe to us to walk in the way He hath directed us to walk in and in the use of the Means He hath prescribed and much more safe then to lay them aside 2. That there is greater suitableness betwixt the use of the Means and the finding of Grace then there is betwixt the neglect of Means and the finding of it 3. That it aggrees well with Gods way in bringing about the Conversion of Sinners to bring them piece and piece forward sometimes bringing them to the use of external Means and to the performance of outward Duties sometimes convincing them of Sin and letting them see their need of Christ sometimes discovering the worth that is in Christ and bringing them to fall in love with Him ere they actually close with Him and making them in their practice to follow any peep or glimmering of light that is let out to them and to go the length that light discovereth the way and makes it plain as to their duty Now for particular Directions we would 1. Bid you study to be fixed and established in the Faith of these general Truths that relate to Mans Sinfulness and Misery and Insufficiency in Himself that in us that is in ouâ— flâ—sh dwelleth no good thing that naturally we are dead in Sins and Trespasses and cannot quicken our selves and in the Faith of the necessity and powerfulness of Grace and that it 's Christ that must give and work Faith and that Grace can do the turn and prevail where it is put on work ye would also consider and believe the great hazard of missing Grace and the advantage that cometh by it ye would meditate on these things and on the Scriptures that hold them out and on the experiences of the Saints that confirm them that ye may not only have a glance and transient view of them but may be confirmed in the Faith of the truth of them 2. Content not your selves with a general Faith of the truâ—h of this Doctrine but labour to be suitably affected with these things that ye believe and though every affectedness be not special Grace yet I speak to them that are ready to lay the blame and fault on the Grace of God and yet were never affected with their own gracelesness Ye would study to be affected with the gracelesness of your Nature and let it put you to some sanctified disquiet and trouble till with Ephraim ye be made to smite upon your thigh and till ye be put to a holy deliberation and consultation about your own condition a Man that is under the hazard of a civil penalty will think on it again and again it will affect him and he will not be at rest till he be without the reach of it much more should ye be with the hazard that your Souls are in through Sin ye are not excusable so long as ye come not this length 3. Add to this Diligence in the use of all outward Means and Duties whereby and wherein the Lord useth to communicate His Grace abounding always in the work of the Lord as the Apostle exhorteth 1 Cor. 15.58 Be diligent in secret Prayer Reading Meditation Conference Self-examination Hearing keeping good Company and the like which indeed Hypocrites may do yet they cease not for that to be Duties 4. Be sincere and serious in the use and performance of these Means and Duties that which I mean is a moral sincerity and seriousness such as a Man will readily have in a civil Cause that he hath depending before a civil Judge or in hearing of News or the like which is a thing that may be and is often found in Men that are void of a principle of Grace and yet Folk are very often defective in this and make themselves exceeding guilty before God because they come not this length 5. Take heed and beware of entertaining any thing that holds and bars out Grace or of doing any thing that may mar or quench the working or moving of Grace If ye cannot get Christ entertained in your Heart as ye should be sure to give it to no other if ye cannot get Corruption thrust out nor mortified watch against the rising or harbouring of that which ye know to be Corruption and against the incoming or rising of such evils as ye know will keep or put away the Beloved guard also against the neglecting of such Means as by the neglect whereof ye may grieve His Spirit 6. Study and seek after a composed frame of Spirit in your ordinary walk and especially in Duties of Worship Carnal Mirth and Jollity loose Company and suffering the Heart to go a whoring after the things of the World do not only provoke Christ as they are sins but indispose us for Duty and mar the exercise of Grace where it is and keep it back where it is not therefore the wise man saith Eccles 7.3 that sorrow is better then laughter for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better carnal Sorrow is not to be commended but sober sadness or a
grave and composed frame of Spirit is better then a light and unsettled frame it being very hard if not impossible to keep the Heart right even where there is Grace but where there is some counterpoise or wither-weight and it must be far more impossible to keep it right where the work of Grace is not or but in the very first beginnings of it and though I do not call this composedness of frame Grace yet it keeps Folk in some capacity as it were to receive Grace It 's said Lam. 3.27 28. That it 's good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth he sitteth alone and keepeth silence because he hath born it upon him he puts his mouth in the dust if so be there may be hope for though Crosses are not always blessed to Conversion yet we may see now and then that sad times are the beginnings of better times and even in Hypocrites their sad times ordinâ—rily are their best times I neither desire nor allow any to bring Crosâ—es upon themselves yet I would desire all to make the best use of any Cross they are under and to be acquainting themselves with their Sin and Infirmities and with their Hazard and with such other things as may weight and compose them without fostering discouragement and aâ—xiety and to love as well to speak and hear such things spoken of as may provoke to sighing and sadness as these that may provoke to laughter I said of laughter saith Solomon Eccles 2.2 it is mad and of mirth what doth it and Prov. 14.13 Even in laughter the heart is sorrowful and the end of that mirth is heaviness though oft times our Laughter may not be so sinful yet it readily more indisposeth us for any spiritual Duty then Sorrow doth the Heart is like a Clock whereof when the inner wheels are set a reeling it is not soon righted and setled 7. I would propose Ephraim's example to you Jer. 31.18 19. and desire that ye would in the fight and sense ye have of your sinfulness weakness fecklesness be bemoaning your selves and your sad condition to God putting up that Prayer to Him Turn thou me and I shall be turned These words flowing from suitable sense are good and then follows after that I was turned I repented It 's observable that in the very entry he is graciously taken notice of by the Lord Surely I have beard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus so it is with God's People when they consider how great Strangers they have been to God how sinful and stubborn and how impossible it is for them to mend themselves of themselves they retire themselves into some corner and there bemoane their case and cry out O! what a sinful nature is this and when will it be got amended I am as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke says Ephraim and the Lord tells He heard and observed it when possibly he thought he was scarcely if at all Praying but rather sighing out as it were a short ejâ—culation to God O! that I were amended the last word of his Prayer is Turn thou me and I shall be turned or convert me and I shall be converted he sees that when all is done he must cleanse his hands and leave the matter to God I cannot but thou canst work the work and it ends sweetly in words of Faith for thou art the Lord my God and where words of Faith are after serious exercise that exercise hath oft times Faith going alongs with it hence are these words Lam. 3.20 If so be there may be hope Psal 119 Incline mine heart open mine eyes c. and Luk. 9.13 How much more will your heavenly Father give his Holy Spirit to them that ask him it's good to pray for the efficacy of Grace and to offer our selves Subjects to be wrought upon and Objects to receive what Grace offers to us As we began these Directions with a word of Caution so we would close them Do not think that these things in a Natural Man following this sinful course will bring forth Grace neither conclude that where these things only are discerned and no more in some Persons that there Grace is wanting it being to help such forward that we mainly speak to them Only in sum 1. Keep clean and clear the Light ye have 2. Improve the strength bestowed And 3. What ye have not put it over on God and seek from Him who hath Grace to give for working that in you and it would seem that in reason ye should refuse none of these three 1. We say Keep clean and clear your Light for if ye detain the Truth of God in unrighteousness and make as it were a Prisoner of it by setting a guard of corrupt Affections about it ye may bring on blindess 2. Improve what strength ye have for if ye improve not your strength were it but in Natural parts and endowments that makes you inexcusable when Spiritual and gracious qualifications are denied to you for ye have procured this to your selves are there not many things that ye thought your selves able for that ye never seriously once essayed much more might have been done as to Repentance Love to God Charity to others and the like and when ye have not stretched your selves to the yondmost in these there are sure many things left undone that ye might have done 3. What ye dow not do or find your selves unable to do put it on God to do for you seriously humbly singly and self-deniedly for if ye come not to God with that which ye are unequal and unable for ye are still on this side your duty and without excuse Take these then together Improve any strength ye have according to any measure of Light God hath given you and coming to God through Jesus Christ seek that ye want from him and leave the acceptation of your Persons and of your Performances on Him This is the result of all that we have spoken of this Doctrine of Grace that ye may not take occasion from the way of Gods dispencing Grace to continue graceless which if ye do it will be ground of a most grievous challenge against you but that ye may see an excellent consistency betwixt the soveraignty of Grace and your going about the means appointed of God in order to Faith and Conversion and the study of Holiness and that ye may go on in the use of these Means with an Eye to Grace in the sense of your own insufficiency to think as of your selves so much as a good thought leaving all your Duties at Christ's feet walking before him with a stopped Mouth when any thing is wanting standing at his Door and begging it from him and when any thing is received cleansing to say so your own Hands of it and giving him all the Thanks Praise and Glory of it To him be Praise for ever SERMON XVII ISAIAH LIII II III. Verse 2. For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant
a Marriage contract especially when it 's so full free and rich on the Proposer and Suiters part but either that Folk think it is not fit for them or that they think nothing of it at all and this is it that hinders closing with Christ Matth. 22. They made light of it and went away c. and Psal 81. My people would not hearken to my voice and Israel would none of me 2. When any thing is made equal to Christ much more when any thing is preferred to him he is undervalued and not esteemed of when he gets little or none of Folks care and labour little of their time little of their love and delight few or none of their thoughts c. but they are quite carried away after other things for where the treasure is there the heart will be also and were Christ our Treasure and precious in our esteem our Hearts would be more set on him but it 's strange sad and even astonishing to think how little our Spirits are exercised with the thoughts of Christ how little they are taken up with longing for him and delighting in him and yet we will think that we esteem him 3. Our Lord is undervalued when he is not made use of and imployed and lippened to as an able and sufficient Saviour If there be a learned and skilful Physician in a City in all or most Diseases or an able Lawyer to plead all Causes if Folk have Diseases to be cured and Causes to be pleaded and yet do not imploy such a Physician or such a Lawyer but go to some other though far less skilful and able they undervalue him It is even so here when Folks have many Sins and they seek not to him for Pardon many not only Temporal wants but also and mainly many Spiritual wants and do not acknowledge him in them neither seek to him for supply of them many predominant Evils and they seek not to him to mortifie them many Snares and Temptations and they do not make use of him to prevent and lead them by them and many Spiritual Causes to be pleaded before God or at his Bar and they do not imploy him as Advocate to plead for them 4. He is undervalued when Folk think not themselves happy enough in him nor sicker enough in bargaining with him and when he doth not satisfie and fully content them as if he were yea and nay and as if all the promises were not yea and amen in him when he is not credited intirely and rested upon he is not esteemed of hence he complains John 5. Ye will not come to me that ye might have life and Matth. 23. How often would I have gathered you and ye would not he would to say so with reverence fain do them a good turn but they will not lippen to him O! how much undervaluing of Christ is there even among believers when they hold and draw with him intertain jealousies and suspitions of him scarcely credit him and when they do at any time credit him are in a manner ready to take back their word again How often are Creature-comforts overvalued by them And how often are the consolations of God small with them These and many other wayes are they even they in some considerable measure and degree guilty of undervaluing of Christ Use 2. Take with this sin acknowledge and seek pardon for it It were a good token of some tenderness to be mourning for enmity against Christ and for undervaluing of him as well as for Drunkenness Fornication Theft or any other gross sin And where that gracious and right mourning that is spoken of Zech. 12.10 comes it will be in special for this undervaluing of Christ to the hight of piercing of him We would ask any of you that think ye repent if this sin of slighting him hath pierced you as it did these Acts 2 It may be some think themselves so cleanly and perfect that they have not many sins to mourn for O! dreadful mistake But though ye had no more is not this enough that ever there should have been enmity in your bosome at Christ And should not this prick you at the very heart that ever ye should have so undervalued him But readily they that see fewest sins in themselves will see and take with least of this sin Use 3. It serves to be a warning to all men in nature to consider what their condition is Do ye that have this enmity and are undervaluers of Christ know what is in your hearts And do ye consider what posture ye will be found in if Grace make not a change in the day of Christ ye will be found amongst these despisers and haters that would not have him to reign over them How will you dar to appear or in what posture will ye appear before him when he whom ye despised shall come in the glory of his Father with all the holy Angels with him and shall sit upon the Throne of his glory And yet appear ye must How will the conscience then gnaw and the heart be affrighted How will challenges waken yea sting and prick you on this ground that the Son of God the Heir of all things the Lord of lords and King of kings who proposed Marriage to you was undervalued and Marriage with him made light of and that a thing of nought was put in his room and place Will not this be a horrible challenge in that day And if ye would consider what will be their posture that mocked and buffetted him and plucked off his hair that nodded with the head and cryed Aha and bade him come down from the Cross that did scourge him and hang him up upon the Cross betwixt two Thieves Such a posture will all of you be in who have despised and disesteemed him ye will meet with that same sad sentence Bring out these mine enemies that would not that I should reign ever them and slay them before me O! what a strange punishment suppose ye will that be when the Saviour of sinners shall stand by and look on till he see vengeance execute on sinners that despised him Think on it for there is such a day coming when ye will all appear before him and when your reckonings will be cast up suffer not your selves to be cheated into an opinion that it will be accounted a little sin to be found under this guilt of despising Christ and let not one of you put it off himself and over upon another they will be found despisers of him that would never let it light nay even many that have Preached him and that would have been angry at prophanity in others as may be gathered from Mat. 7.22 The 4. Use serves to commend this to you as a piece of your duty to study to know Christ and to have the suitable impression of Christ and of his worth as the great mean contributive to the bringing you to credit him and believe on him and to the
thing to be marked Observe That all men even the Elect themselves not excepted are naturally in a most sinful and desperat state and condition so that if ye would know what they are by Nature this is a description of their state All we like sheep have gone astray and every one hath turned to his own way And when it 's called our own way there needs no other Eâ—â—thete to set out the desperatness of it That which I mean is this that all men are naturally under these two 1. They are under guilt before God Eph. 2.1 2. Dead in sins and tresp sses childâ—en of wrath and heirs of condemnation lyable to the curse of God by vertue of the Covenant which Adam broke 2. Which is mostly aimed at here there is in every one a sinful nature a sinfulness or sinning sin an inclination to sin every one hath a straying humour So that although the similitude of sheep aâ—ree not to them in that senâ—e as sheep are innocent creatures yet it agrees to them in this sense that they are silly foolish Creatures And in this respect it is said Gen. 6.8 That all tha imaginations of the thoughts of the heart in man are only evil continually And Eph. 2.1 They are said to be dead in sin not only in respect of their being obnoxious to God's curse but in respect of their natural deadness of their sinful nature and want of spiritual life So Rom. 3 9 10. and forwards the Apostle describes the sinfulness of man's nature at large not only in respect of its guilt but of its inclination to sin and says that their throat is an open Sepulchre Insinuating thereby that men naturally are like to a Tomb and that the Corps within the Tomb is death and sin and that all that comes from them savours of that Their feet are swift to shed blood with their tongues they use deceit c. Every member and part of the body and every faculty of the soul is bent to that which is evil These three may further confirm it 1. If we look in general to what the Scripture speaks of men by nature Eph. 2.1 2 3. Rom. 3 and 5. Chapters They being as it is Isaiah 57. penult As the raging Sea that casts out dirt and mire continually It is alwayes moving and working one way or other and more especially in a storm so that though at one tide ye should sweep the Shore never so clean it will be as foul and dirty the next Tide that cometh So are these hearts of ours as Peter speaks 2 Epist 2. And Jude vers 13. foaming out their own shame And James saith Chap. 4.5 The spirit that dwells in us lusteth to envy It hath as great eagerness after and as great delight in sin as a Drunkard hath after and in drink 2. Experience also confirms it Go thorow all the Men and Women that ever were in the World our blessed Lord Jeâ—us being excepteâ— as not descending oâ— Adam by the ordinary way of Generation and that will be found true which the Apostle hath Rom. 3. There is none that doth good no not one And that which is spoken Gen. 6. All flesh hath corrupted their way And what is the spring of all the aâ—ominations that are in the World and the rise of these particular evils that are in believers and Saints mentioned in Scripture as in David Peter and others But this same corrupt nature this body of death as it is called Rom. 7.14 All which strongly prove a fire to be within when there is such a smoak without 3. We may confirm it from well-grounded reason for it cannot be otherwise If the root be of such a nature can the branches be otherwayes Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean thing No not one Job 14.4 When Adam fell the root was corrupted and the branches cannot be fresh the fountain was defiled and the streams cannot be clean and clear Hence when Adam begot Seth an Elect in whom the Church was continued it is said that he begat a son after his own likeness Gen. 5. He himself was created after Gods Image but begat children after his own Image Though this be a commonly received Doctrine yet it s not without good reason nor for no use insisted on so much here and in other Scriptures We shall therefore speak a little to these four Uses of it The 1. Use of it serves for Information and we may make it a looking-glass wherein we may see clearly our own most sinful state and condition Would ye know what ye are by nature This Text tells you that not only all men have strayed but that each of us or every one of uc hath turned to his own way But knowing how ready we are to shift the challenge we would be perswaded that we are by nature lyable to Gods curse for Adams sin dead in sin and inclined to all evil Sheep are no readier to go the wrong way and will no more readily stray if they want a Shepherd then we are inclined to do There is a common word in many of your mouths that we are all sinners by nature but when it 's searched into we find that there is much ignorance amongst you of what it means many count themselves to be sinners only because of their being guilty of the first sin and so put no difference betwixt the first sin and Original sin which is an effect that flows from and follows upon the first sin The first sin was Adam's deed and is legally ours being imputed to us As it is Rom. 5. Death reigned over all even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam 's transgression because Adam in his standing and falling stood in our room representing all mankind that was to come of him But Original sin is inherent in us and cleaveth closs to us and is that which we are born and bred and grow up with And therefore ye would distinguish these sins that ye may know that ye are not only guilty of Adams first sinful deed but that ye havâ— a present sinful and corrupt nature though it be not â—lways alike exercising and acting it self Others again look only upon their nature as inclined to evil and look not on it as that which makes them lyable to wrath by reason of the first sin But ye would put both together and know that though your sinfulness doth not consist only in an inclination to evil that yet your sinfulness lyes mainly in that and that it will not be long a going wrong And it 's not only your actual straying and going wrong that ye would take notice of but also and mainly of your sinful nature that inclines disposes and sets you on work to go wrong It 's your filthy corrupt Nature the Body of Death the smell and savour whereof to say so is the kything of some actual sin We may clear it in a similitude or two We are by this
Fruits of His Purchase all the praise of them may be to Him alone The Use of this is large it speaks something more generally to them that are Strangers to Christ and who think that they would be at Him and something to them that are in Him and something to both And the 1. thing that it speaks is this which we have often heard of but cannot hear of it too often Even the great and glad Tydings and very good News which we have to speak of through Jesus Christ That Redemption is Purchased by Him to poor Sinners and that through Him there is access to Life and Peace and Reconciliation with God from which through Sin we had fallen and run our selves under a Forefaulture of and from which we had been barred up Eternally except He had Suffered There was a will of Separation and Partition standing betwixt God and us which by His Sufferings was demolished and broken down and thereby a door of access to God struck up even through the vail of his flesh These should be refreshing and fresh Newes to us every day as indeed they would be if we rightly knew and believed the benefit of God's Friendship and what were our hazard in lying still in nature and what was the Price that Christ laid down to Purchase for Sinners Friendship with God and delivery from His Curse that it behoved to cost Him sore Soul-travel ere any special Grace could be bestowed on Sinners and that this same Gospel that is Preached to you is a Fruit of the Travel of His Soul and that in making the Covenant of Redemption this same was a part of the Indenture to speak so That these good News might be Published in this same place and these glad Tydings spoken of among you And therefore 2. Put a greater Price on the Means that may furder your Salvation on Repentance Faith Holiness Peace with God c. For they are the Fruits of a very dear Purchase and the Results of a great and sore Conflict which the Mediator had with the Justice of God ere there could be access for a Sinner to any of them There was not so much payed to get the World Created as was payed to buy Faith Repentance Access to God and an Entry to Heaven to Run-away Sinners Nothing was payed for the one but a mighty great Price for the other And therefore 3. We would expostulat with many of you How it comes to passe that ye think so little of these things that Christ hath Purchased that ye think so little of Faith in Him and that so many of you take a counterfit for it try not if you have it trouble not your selves though ye want it and that other things of little value are much esteemed of and over-valued by you Is there any thing comparable to that which Christ hath put such a Price on that He gave His own Life for it and that God hath put such a Price on that He promised it to Christ as a part of the Satisfaction for the Travel of His Soul And yet it s lightly valued by many yea by most Men and Women The day will come when ye will think Faith to be of more value and will think the Pardon of Sin and an interest in Christ's Blood to be valuable above the whole World though ye had it when ye shall be brought to reckon with God for the slighting thereof And therefore 4ly Seing this is a Truth that every thing that leads to Life Eternal is a Fruit of Christs Purchase take the right way to attain it The exhortation implyes these two 1. That ye make a right choise of and put a just value on these things that ye should choose and value 2. That ye take the right way for attaining of these things 1. Then Would ye know what is to be valued and chosen It 's certainly these things that God and the Mediator esteem of and that the Congregation of the First-born esteem of The things that Christ hath Purchased and which are the Fruits of the Travel of His Soul are most excellent and therefore Mind Study and Seek after these things that may lead your Souls in to Life Eternall seek after Faith and Repentance to have your peace made with God to have the heart purified to be of a meek and quiet Spirit Which in the sight of God are of great price as the Apostle Peter speaks to have Pardon of Sin and Holiness for adorning the Gospel of God and to have Glory that ye may see God and injoy Him these things are the best things this is undoubtedly the better part which will never be taken from them Whose choise through Grace it is God will give great Estates Countries and Kingdoms in the World to Men to whom He will not give so much Faith as is like a grain of mustard seed nor a dram of true Holinesse because He thinks much less of the one then of the other and because the one is not so like God nor will it have such abiding Fruit as the other 2dly What way may folk win to make this choice and to attain these best and most valuable things no other way but that which this Doctrine holds out If all things that lead to Life and Salvation be Fruits of Christs Purchase then sure it is by vertue of Christs Purchase alone that ye must come by them Pardon of Sin comes by the Blood of Sprinkling Peace with God Grace and more Grace the exercise of Grace and growth in Holinesse Faith in all its exercises and advances and every other Grace come by His Sufferings as also doth Glory because He hath purchased these Graces of the Spirit as well as Pardon of Sin and Heaven often Christ is miskenâ— and passed by here many think that they shall obtain Pardon of Sin and go to Heaven without Him others though they will not own that yet fail in the second and would make use of Him for Pardon of Sin and for paying of their Debt if they could Repent and Believe in Him but till they find these in themselves they scar to come unto Him whereas the Sinner that is convinced of Sin and of His hazard would lay down this as the first step of his way in coming to Christ any Repentance and Believing and the making of the heart willing to close with and to cleave to Him is the Fruit of Christs Purchase and I must be in His Common for it for there is no other possible way to get it The first airth to speak so that a wakened and sensible Sinner should look unto for Pardon and Peace for Repentance Faith and all things would be to Christ and His Sufferings whence all these come Sinners at first are disposed to take too far a look and so mistake in the order of things Therefore when the sense of Sin pinches them and they set about to believe and find that their hearts are very averse from believing and can
noble excellent and glorious Victory and Triumph over all His Enemies There are none of us all but shall at the day of Judgement when He will be seen to be Judge of quick and dead which is a part of His Triumph having so many Redeemed Slaves to speak so at His back have a confirmation of this Truth in our bosome And indeed it is no little part of Religion to get this point deeply impressed on our hearts That our Lord Jesus who was once low is now exalted to such Glory Look to it and we will find a great part of our deadness and unsoundness here That His greatness bulks not suitably in our eye alace we do very much undervalue Him but His humiliation being for us it should not make us think the lesse of Him nor make us lessen the high esteem we should have of Him but should in reason make us think the more of Him and put the greater price on Him Use 2. It is a most comfortable Doctrine in reference to all ups and downs of the time and to all the straits that His Church and People can be put to It cannot be ill with Christ and it shall not be ill with them He may have contests but He shall get yea He hath gotten the Victory He once died to die no more all that He hath now to do is to make application of His purchased Redemption and to divide the Spoil to notice which He doth most narrowly what of His purchase is yet in the Devils possession and to rescue and set it free He hath gotten the Possession and Government of the Kingdom and it must and it shall go well let the World rage and let the Sea roar and the floods lift up their voice and the mountains be cast in the Sea whatever confusions and overturnings come or whatever troubles be Our Lord Jesus hath gotten the Victory and is dividing the Spoil He will take no other division then what Jehovah hath made and carved out to Him It will not be what Devils or Men what great Men Kings Princes Parliaments Potentats Armâ—â—â— c. Are pleased to give or allow to Him but He must needs have the Portion promised Him with the great and the spoil with the strong He shall certainly get that and none shall be able to bereave Him or take a bit of it from Him yea none shall possesse a Foot broad of ground bestowed on Him and His followers He shall have a Church and Ordinances dispensed therein where He intends it and Souls shall be gathered to Him from all quarters as they were given to Him and maugure all the malice and proud opposition of Devils and Men all that the Father hath given to Him shall come to Him without all peradventure or possibility of misgiving they shall not by all their opposition and persecution be able to keep any one of the gifted ones from coming to Him in the season agreed on betwixt Jehovah and Him And 2dly It 's comfortable to Gods People as to their own particular case corruption is a strong and formidable enemy the Devil is a restlesse enemy and goeth about like a roaring Lyon seeking whom He may devour The World is a deceitful ensnaring enemy and doth often in a manner even overwhelm them but Our Lord Jesus hath the Victory and parting of the staiks to say so or the dividing of the Spoil These that remain at home the fecklessest Boy or Girle Lad or Lass shall divide the Spoil This is it that Job comforts Himself with Chap. 19. I know that my redeemer liveth and that he shâ—ll stand at the latter day upon the earth to wit as sole and absolute conquerer the Victory being intirely on His side with these eyes shall I see him and no other for me though worms destroy this body Believers O! Believers there is a good day coming He hath gotten the Victory and so shall ye The God of peace shall tread Satan under your feet shortly And whatever wrongs ye suffer and whatever straits ye be under now while the wicked are in prosperity there will be a new decision yea new a division ere long all shall be snatched from wicked men but your cup shall run over There shall be no more fighting no more parties to give you battel or to oppose you when He shall have beaten all Enemies off the Field It will be a poor and sorry portion that many wil get in that day who did not lippen and trust to Christs Spoil when ye Believers shall be sharers with Him in it Use 3. This sayes that it is both hard and sad to top with Christ and to be found in opposition to Him I speak not so much of publick contests such as Pilate Herod the Scribes and Pharisees had with Him and which many great Ones of the Earth still keep up against Him who will find the smart of their opposition ere long but of all that contend with Him in His Ordinances and who say by their practice at least Let us break his bands asunder and cast away his cords from us as it is Psal 2. And we will not have this man to reign over us as it is Luke 19. He will say Bring out these mine enemies and slay them before me Beloved hearers this day is coming when all of us will stand before Him and shall see Him divide the Spoil and wo wo will be to that Person that day that would not submit to His Government O! what a dreadful thing will it be to be slain before the Mediator to have the Prince of Life taking holy pleasure in thy death because thou sided with the Devil and the lusts of thine own heart because thou resisted and quenched His Spirit and barracaded the way of His access to thee and would not let Him in to reign in thy heart nor yeeld thy self as a Subject to Him But it shall be well unspeakably well with Christ and all that are His in that day He and they shall triumph most gloriously The splendor spiritual state and majesty of that Triumph shall infinitely transcend all that hath been looked at with wonder in the most glorious Triumphs of the greatest Emperours Kings or Captain-generals in the World 3dly Consider what this Spoil is even to see his seed and to justifie many and to get them brought in to Him and made partakers of His Grace and Glory Observe That it is a part of Christs Victory Triumph and Glory to get the Devil defeat in and dung out of Souls and to get them Converted Justified and Saved through His Blood when He is Triumphing over Enemies as it is Col. 2.14 15. What is He doing He is even tearing the Bond that was above the Elects head and blotting out their Debt in that He triumphs most gloriously So Psal 68. Thou hast ascended on high thou hast led captivity captive There is His Triumph and Spoil even a company of poor Slaves Redeemed by Him The weapons