of the Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and stay or lean upon his God and Isa 26.3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is staid on thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because hee trusteth in thee which word in the matter of Justification designeth that Act whereby finding and feeling our own weakness as unable to support our selves wee do lean and rest on Christ as David Psal 28.7 The Lord is my strength and my shield my heart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 trusted in him and I am helped c. And to these words in the Old Testament wee may adde those forms of words in the New and so wee shall finde that what in the Old is expressed by some one of these words is in the New expressed by beleeving in and upon To instance in a few We trust in the name of his Holiness saith the Old Testament Psal 33.21 and He that believeth in his name saith the New John 1.12 13. Trust in the Lord with thy whole heart saith the Old Prov. 3.5 If thou believest with thy whole heart saith the New Acts 8.34 37. In thee O Lord have I trusted let me not be confounded saith the Old Psal 31.1 25.2 and He that believeth on him shall not be ashamed saith the New Rom. 10.11 So that you see that to Trust and to Believe are Synonima import the same things though they differ in name yet not in nature He that Trusteth Believeth and he that Believeth Trusteth In which sense we have the phrases of believing in or upon 1 Pet. 2.6 Behold I lay in Sion a chief corner stone and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded Where by believing on him cannot be meant any thing but a laying and building our selves upon Christ as the foundation that we may be made a spiritual house as you have it in Verse 4 5. the like we have Rom. 10.10.11 He that believeth on him and so 2 Tim. 1.12 For I know in whom I have believed c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whence it is apparent that to believe in God is as much as to commit our selves to his trust for so it there followeth I am perswaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him or deposited with him or delivered up unto his keeping to that day that is his soul to everlasting life So that we see that to believe in Christ is with confidence and trust to rely upon him And thus much for the formal act of faith 2. For the formal object of faith and that not of faith at large for so the word of God is the objectum adaequatum of it but as it is particularly justifying faith quatenus justificat as it properly justifieth which is not the believing of every truth of God but that onely which by way of eminency is called The Truth that is Christ himself with all his merits John 14.6 and so here in the Text He that believeth in him Hence justifying faith is often called the Faith of Christ because he is the proper object of it Rom. 3 22 26. Gal. 2.16.20 And faith in Christ Acts 20.21 and Faith in the blood of Christ Whence I thus argue That Object to the Belief of which justification and salvation is promised that is the Object of justifying faith But to believe in Christ is Justification and Salvation promised Therefore Christ is the object of justifying faith Thus as briefly as I could having shewed what is the formal both act and object of justifying faith I shall now lay down this one Conclusion Doct. That the great thing which is required at our hands for Justification and Salvation is beleeving in Christ Hee that beleeves shall bee saved In the prosecution of this wee will shew 1 What Faith is 2 That Faith is the great requisite 3 Why God hath made choice of this to bee the instrument of Justification 4 How Faith doth justifie whether formally or instrumentally 5 What bee the Royalties of Faith 1 What Faith is For the first What Faith is Wee will not define the habit of Faith but the Act of Faith nor every Act but that only which justifieth Now according to the diversity of opinions herein such is the diversity of Definitions They who hold the Assent to bee the Act of Justifying Faith define it to bee a firm and willing Assent to the truth of God in generall and to this truth in particular that Christ is the Messiah and Saviour of the World They who hold it to bee a receiving of Christ define it to bee such an Act as whereby wee receive Christ in all his offices But not to trouble you with these That which I will give you is this Definition Faith is an Act of a regenerate person whereby knowing and assenting unto the Promises of God and to this Truth in particular that Christ is the Messiah or Saviour of the World doth rest upon him for Justification Sanctification and consequently for Salvation Now to explain this Definition 1 I say that Faith is an Act for wee speak not of Faith in actu primo as an habit infused and implanted in us but in actu secundo as an Act whereby wee are justified for wee are not justified by Faith as an habit or as a grace inherent in us but as I said by Faith as an Act as it goeth over to Christ as wee see here the Promise is not made to the Habit but to the Act of Faith Hee that beleeveth c. That is the first I call it an Act 2 The subject person so it is said to bee an Act of a regenerate person a man universally sanctified regenerated and born again for take Faith which way you please for the Act or for the Habit neither of them are before Regeneration 1 The Act of Faith that is not before the Habit of Faith a thing must bee in esse before it can bee in operari there must bee a Habit of Faith within before there can bee the exercise of Faith without 2 And this Habit of Faith is not infused before other graces it being part of our inherent Sanctification as infidelity is a part of our corruption nor is it again infused alone but together with the rest of the graces of Gods Spirit by which wee are regenerated So that Faith is an Act of a regenerated soul A man cannot beleeve till his understanding bee enlightened and his will changed and this is not before Grace Again to beleeve is an Act of a living man not of a soul dead in sin and therefore the soul must first bee indued with the life of Grace before it can perform this living action Indeed we are said to be sanctified by Faith and so it might seem that our Sanctification were a fruit of Faith an effect of Faith but wee are not to understand this as meant of the first work of Sanctification which is not acquired or put forth
the act of faith at the heels Thou must stay the Lords leisure and wait till all clouds and storms be blown over till all doubts and fears shall vanish Psal 57.1 Light is sowen for the righteous and joy for the upright in heart but with the Husbandman we must wait in patience till the corn come up and the crop come in The storm doth not cease as soon as the ship-man hath cast anchor the winds then may yet blow and the tempest may be as strong nay it may be stronger than before but the rock to which thou art fastned is sure or if thy anchor hold all is sure Nothing shall hinder safety though something may interrupt thy security to thine own apprehension To trust is the act of faith but apprehended security is the fruit of believing and therefore cometh not till afterward it may be some moneths may be some years after long experience Nay it is not an inseparable fruit of believing I mean thy apprehended security is not thou maist possibly never in this life reach the apprehensions of thy security and yet thy condition may be secure It is secure as I said in the promise though not to sense if thou dyest whilst thou ridest at Anchor having thrown it out and fastned it on Christ yet thou dyest in the ship and not in the sea thou dyest in the Covenant of Peace and there is safety though the storm in this world may never cease That which I would commend to thee is to be much in self-purging self-humbling self-examination trust much and stedfastly to the end Do as they did in that great storm when neither Sun nor Stars were seen for many days cast out anchor and wish for day nay cast out two anchors that is safest in a tempestuous night trust and pray that God would break into thy soul with a calm morning light and mean while wait and say When will the day break and these shadows this darkness this tempest fly away My soul wait thou onely upon God for my expectation is from him Psal 62.5 Object 3. But say some To believe is an act of the understanding and is nothing else but an Assent to the truth of Divine Revelations which is expressed in Scripture By receiving of Christ John 1.12 To as many as received him to them he gave power to become the sons of God even to as many as believe in his name Where receiving of Christ which say they is An act of the understanding assenting to this truth That Christ is the Messias and Saviour of the world is made all one with Believing And so Isa 53.11 By his knowledge Notitiâ sui not suâ By the knowledge of him shall my righteous servant justifie many which knowing is an act of the understanding also The like John 17.3 This is life Eternal To know thee c. All which places do report thus much That Faith is an act of the understanding not of the will And to this they alledge the testimony of the Greek Fathers which make Faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 An undoubted Assent to the Doctrine of Salvation and to this Proposition in particular That Christ is the Messiah So that by all this it is clear to them that Faith is an act of the understanding not of the will But now Trust is an act of the will and therefore cannot be the formal act of justifying Faith Answ Now for Answer of this we must know that 1. To Believe In the general is no more than to assent to the truth of a Proposition for the Authority of the Speaker It is no more than An act of the understanding whereby we Assent to the truth of Divine Revelations But we speak not of Faith in general but of justifying Faith of that formal act of Faith whereby we stand justified before God And here we say that Faith is not an act of the understanding onely but of the will also The first It is Too Low Non pertingit ad justificationem as one saith It reacheth not so high as Justification The second Brings the Soul over to Christ by an act of Trust whereby a man is justified By the first we do but Discover the Justifying-Cause the Founain of Life Christ himself By the latter we Throw our selves into this Fountain In ipsum quasi totos nos immergimus and draw water of life from him Hence one None can be justified but by union with Christ Nullus potest justificari nisi per unionem ad Christum Durand and the first union is by Faith By what Faith The Speculative act of Faith No sure This doth no more unite the soul to Christ than the sight of the Sun doth draw a man up to heaven By what Faith then But by this act of Trusting Resting Leaning c. Hence Augustine To believe in Christ Credere in Deum est credendo in Deum ire is by believing to go into Christ and to be incorporate into his body which the Papists themselves will not say is done By a bare act of the understanding And therefore to pass this and come to the places alledged Where the first is 1 John 1.12 As many as received him to them he gave power c. where say they by Receiving is meant no more but An act of the understanding whereby they assented to this That he was the Messias For answer to this place we say That this word Receiving doth not onely denote the understanding but implies the will also Which will appear by this one Reason among many That Receiving is to be understood which is opposed to the Jews not receiving of him For having said in Verse 11 He came to his own and his own received him not Immediately is added But as many as did receive him to them he gave power to become the sons of God So that the matter of Inquiry will be How the Jews did not receive him Was it then onely in this Their not assenting that he was the Messias or Rejecting him and Refusing him for a Saviour It could not be the former Their non-assenting to the truth of this That he was the Messias Though it was the ground why Sundry did not receive him yet it was not the ground why all did not receive him For we read There were divers of the Scribes and Pharisees and Priests who knew right well that he was The Christ For so much do the Husbandmen themselves confess in the Parable as Christ brings them in Mat. 21.38 saying This is the Heir come let us kill him and seize upon his inheritance And how could our Saviour justly charge them with the Sin against the Holy Ghost unless they had known him to be the Messias Mat. 12.32 and wilfully rejected him against knowledge and conscience And how can any be said To make shipwrack of Faith which yet the Scripture saith some have done 1 Tim. 1.19 unless you will say A man made shipwrack of that he never
is as careful to do its services as to partake of its priviledges if it throw it self into the arms of Christ to save it it will throw it self at the feet of Christ to serve him as Paul Lord what wilt thou have me to do 3. It must be such a Trust as ariseth from a believing disposition within There must be a seed and habit of faith before there can be an act of faith Although the acts be discerned before the habits yet there must be a habit a believing disposition within before we can act I know there are many who in case of danger lying upon their death bed or some present wrack and disquiet will make shew of doing this act of faith but yet wanting this believing disposition within like Jonahs Gourd or the untimely fruit of a woman or the stony ground-seed having no root soon withers decays and cometh to nothing God respecteth not the act of faith if it arise not from a believing disposition within but God hath sometimes accepted of the believing disposition and desires of faith when there hath not been strength enough to erect any vigorous act of believing I believe help my unbelief 4. It must be a perfect Trust 1 Pet. 1.13 Trust perfectly in the grace revealed Perfect I say not in respect of the measures and degrees of Trust there is none such here But yet perfect in respect of the nature of it i. e. there must be a full carrying of the soul over to Christ and a full rowling and resting on him It cannot be meant of the perfection of degrees for there can be no such absolute perfection to which another degree may not be added there is none so perfect in faith but that he may be more perfect none so strong but that he may be stronger although we cannot be more justified to day than we were yesterday in the sight of God For we say that Gratia remittens or justificans the justifying grace of God admits of no degrees is not capable of magis minus Yet the assurance of our Justification is a man may be more assured of his Justification to day than he was yesterday As justifying faith doth imply imperfection in the subject so the faith it self whereby we are justified is imperfect whilst we are here in respect of degrees But in the nature of it it must be so perfect that it carrieth the soul over wholly to Christ alone resting and rowling on him for an imperfect trust in this kinde is as good as nothing He that doth not rest the full weight and stress of his soul on Christ doth nothing for the matter of trust It is not every faint stirring and moving of the heart not every incompleat resting but such a full rest of the soul upon Christ that if he fails us we are sunk and undone for ever As you know a man is said to lean upon a thing not when he bears up himself onely by his own feet but when he rests a great part if not the whole weight of his body upon some thing or person else so that if it fail he falleth so thus it is to lean to rest upon Christ to commit the whole weight and stress of our souls to him that if he fail me I am undone I am lost for ever I see I am in a miserable condition I see he is an all-sufficient Saviour I see that there is nothing but death in me I see there is life enough in him and he invites me to come over to him he intreats beseecheth promiseth and therefore I will go over to him I will cast my self wholly on him I will look no other way therewill I trust and if I perish I perish I will dye in his arms I will dye believing This indeed is that great act of faith which entituleth us to Christ and gives us an interest in him even in the dusk of the morning the soul hath an interest And therefore on the contrary there is no readier way to be mistaken and so to miscarry than to trust equally to two stays to trust to Christ and to trust to our selves too As there is no way whereby a man is likelier to fall than to trust equally to two boughs whereof the one is sound and the other rotten whereof if one break it is as bad as if both did the man is sure to come to the ground whereas had he pitched his whole weight on the sound one onely he had been born up So here in leaning both on Christ and our selves whereas if we commit our souls and all their burdens to Christ onely if we fail he sinks with us We are sure to be upheld the Promise Covenant the Oath of Christ even Christ himself and all would sink if we fail If thy trust be thus qualified I pronounce thee a justified person no soul ever miscarried in a trusting way it is such an act as doth ingage all the Attributes of God his Justice Truth Mercy Power and all to do us good Object 2. But I have put forth this act of faith and yet alas I am not justified Answ Thou sayest thou puts forth this act of faith and thus qualified and yet thou sayest thou art not justified How knowest thou that Thou sayest thou art not because thou dost not know thou art I know that will be the next For thus poor hearts reason to their own discouragement I want assurance of Justification therefore I am not justified I want that inward peace and therefore fear my peace is not made with God Though there be nothing more clear than this that a man may have peace with God and yet want the peace of this in himself it is possible for a man to be justified and yet want assurance of it within Affiance doth justifie in the Court of God Assurance justifieth in the Court of Conscience to be justified is one thing to be assured is another In the object all is sure in the subject there may be much uncertainty It is possible for a man to put forth the act of faith yea and to continue in so doing and yet walk without peace and apprehensions of his own safety thy condition may be safe in the promise to the eye of faith though not to thy self in the evidence of sense Thy condition may be safe and secure although thou for the present dost not apprehend thy own safety or the security of it It is secure in the promise in respect of God though stormy and troubled to sense in respect of our selves Thou must not therefore look for a clear day and that the shower be over as soon as thou hast taken shelter nor for a calm so soon as thou hast cast anchor but thou must abide under the shelter and ride at anchor till the shower and storm be over and wait till times of refreshment shall come from the presence of the Lord. Godly security and apprehensions of safety do not ever presently attend
had except he do historically believe as Simon Magus and others did who did not feign a Faith in words as Calvin saith but being overcome with the Majestie of the Gospel did in a sort sc historically believe and acknowledge Christ the Author of Life and Salvation Nay and if man did not Historically believe then all the sins committed against the Gospel were only sins of Ignorance and not against Knowledge So that there were no sins in the Gospel against Knowledge Nor Now neither if this bee granted And therefore as their Non-Receiving of him was not so much an Act of the Understanding whereby they Assented not to this That CHRIST was the Messiah But rather an Act of the VVill whereby they refused him to bee their Saviour As you see plainly exprest by CHRIST Luk. 19.14 wee will not have this man to reign over us So Mat. 23.37 So that their Receiving of him was not a bare Act of the Understanding whereby they Assented to this That CHRIST was the Saviour But an act of the VVill whereby they chose him embraced him rested and trusted upon him as a Saviour And therefore seeing this Act of Receiving of CHRIST is not an act of the Understanding but an act of the VVill imbracing him trusting on him And that this Receiving is Beleeving as the Evangelist saith Therefore To beleeve is to trust To the other places Isa 53.11 John 17.3 where Faith seems to bee an act of the Understanding As By his Knowledge shall hee justifie many And This is eternal life To know thee c. Wee are to understand them Senechdochically where part is set down for the whole The whole nature of Faith being implied in those Phrases These Phrases are Hebraismes In which language words of Knowledge and Sense do imply the Will and Affections They do not only signifie the Act of the mind and Sense but imply the Will and affections too As you see Psal 1.6 The Lord knoweth the way of the Righteous That is The Lord loveth The Lord approveth of the way of the Righteous So where it is said Depart from mee I know you not That is I love you not I allow not of you I approve you not And so may that place in Isa 53.11 bee interpreted Non solum agnitionem Personae beneficiorum Christi significat sed etiam Fiduciam quiescentem in Christi It doth not only signifie the knowledge of the person and benefits of Christ but resting and trusting upon them Such a Knowledge of Christ as is mingled with Faith and works our Wills to accept of CHRIST to trust in him CHRIST being So known as to bee Embraced Rested upon Trusted upon shall justifie many Hee speaks of such a Knowledge of CHRIST as is joyned with Faith And to the Testimony of the Fathers alledged As wee will not Resolve our Faith into the Authority of any though never so eminent in the Church So No Authority shall bear us down in this matter if it bee not Consentaneous and Agreeable to the Word of Truth It is no matter what others have taught before us Nil refert quid hic aut ille ante nos docuerit sed quid is qui ante omnes est CHRISTUS Ciprian but what CHRIST himself who was before all hath taught who is Truth himself So that seeing this is not manifested I might refel them with the same ease as they are alledged But seeing Authority is stood upon And I reverence Authority when it is with God And that Authority doth make Faith nothing but An Act of the Understanding whereby wee assent Wee will in the same way overthrow that by setting Authority against Authority Weight against Weight That if nothing will bee said for us so nothing may bee said against us One may balance the other if not weigh it down Now that it is An Act of the Will also let us hear Augustine Fides sine Voluntate non potest esse Et Fides in Credentium Voluntate consistit Faith lyes in the Will Again Voluntate utique credimus Verily wee beleeve with the Will Credere non potest nisi Volens August upon John 6.44 God makes a man willing before hee can beleeve A man may receive the Sacrament against his Will pray against his Will But hee cannot beleeve against his Will said Augustine Another It were not Vertuous to beleeve if it were not voluntary Ipsum velle credere est essentiale Fidei To beleeve willingly is essential to Faith Another upon Rom. 10. With the heart man beleeves upon which hee saith Signantèr dicit Corde creditur id est Voluntate Hee saith remarkably man beleeves with the heart that is with the Will To these I might alledge many more But these shall suffice By which you see That Authority is more for us than against us But leaving the Contestation wee will come to the Issue and conclude this And To speak what I think I conceive that to beleeve is not an Act of the Will only Nor an Act of the Understanding only But An Act of the whole Soul It is so an Act of the Will as the Understanding is folded up in it and so an Act of the Understanding as that the Will and Affections are joyned with it Hence by some it 's call'd Actus Complicatus An Act wherein many Acts are folded up An Act of the Understanding An Act of the Will And ' its not Absurd to mee but very fit to say That That Act whereby the whole Soul is justified pardoned purified is an Act of the whole Soul As the Apostle saith With the Heart man beleeveth to Righteousness So that In Intellectu habet Initium In Voluntate Complementum It begins in the Understanding It is compleat in the Will and Affections All that I know of moment against this will bee this That wee shall seat Faith in diverse faculties which is improper Now for the Answer or removing this wee say 1 That Distinction of Faculties is a Philosophical Opinion and not received by all So that the Will and the Understanding are two distinct Faculties is an Opinion not received by all Many there are that make them more Notional than Real As the East West North and South in the Heavens Not that there are such things but that such things are feigned for our clearer Understanding It is thought by many of good worth that Anima intelligit in intellectu Eligit in Voluntate c. That there 's no such distinction of Faculties But that the same Soul doth Understand in the Understanding VVill in the VVill Doth Understand VVill Love and do all And there 's Scripture for it where wee read all these Acts attributed to the Soul it self As namely an Understanding Heart A willing mind c. And therefore seeing it is a bare Philosophical Opinion and not received by All This will not overthrow nor strengthen any Divine Truths 2 Though this were true That there were distinction of
The second is The Assurance of the Subject The first Of the thing beleeved The second Of the Beleever The first is The Assurance of the general Proposition whoever beleeves shall bee saved which is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Col. 2. The full Assurance of Understanding or Knowledge which is the Plerophory of Assent to the Truth of the Gospel touching CHRIST a Saviour The second is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Assurance of Faith Heb. 10.22 And that is when wee are assured CHRIST is OUR SAVIOUR The first goes before the Act of Trust The second follows the Act of Trust And this Act of trusting and resting upon CHRIST is the ground of such Assurance Object But you will say How shall wee rest upon CHRIST for Salvation unless wee bee first assured of Salvation by him Answ Indeed unless wee know CHRIST to bee the only Saviour wee cannot rest upon him for Salvation But to say A man cannot rest upon him for Justification and Salvation except hee know hee is already Justified and shall bee saved I see little sense for that May not a man trust upon his friend who hath ingaged himself and promised to do such a thing for him untill hee knows it were already done for him So here May not the Soul rest upon CHRIST who hath promised pardon and forgiveness to them that trust on him except it first knew that CHRIST had already pardoned and forgiven him The ground of this mistake I conceive to arise from one of these two grounds 1 That they take TRUST for ASSURANCE or 2 That they take TRUST for a FRUIT of ASSURANCE And so all one with HOPE Now for the clearing of the first you must know that TRUST doth signifie these two things 1 Ipsum Actum Innitendi the very act of leaning c. 2 Consequens effectum Fidei the consequent Effect of Faith 1 It signifies that very act of Leaning Resting Rowling on CHRIST which is properly the act that Justifies 2 Sometimes it signifies the consequent Effect of Faith as full assurance and perswasion the lively sense of pardon and remission of sins But when wee speak of that act of Trust which Justifies wee mean not Trust in this second Acception For this is not Justifying Faith but Fidei Justificantis Filia the Daughter of Justifying Faith which comes after much sweat and pains in the work of God trial and experience of our selves and truth of our Graces But wee speak of Trust in the first Acception the resting and rowling of the soul upon CHRIST The former wee say is the act of justifying Faith and propriissimus actus Fidei justificantis the most proper act of justifying Faith The latter wee grant is the fruit of the former Trust and Assurance both set down by the Apostle 1 Tim. 1.12 I Know saith the Apostle whom I have beleeved 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whom I have trusted or committed my soul unto There is the first act of Faith And I am perswaded that hee is able to keep that which I have committed to his trust to eternal life There 's the second act of Trust Hee will bee all this to mee which I have Trusted to him for 1. I know There was Hystorical Faith Assent 2. Whom I have trusted or committed my soul to There was justifying Faith 3. I am perswaded There was the fruit of it To the first Act there concurs 1. A discovery of our own emptiness 2. A Discovery of CHRISTS fulness for Justification 3. A casting of the Soul upon him for Justification and Salvation Going out of our selves and casting our souls upon Christ To the second Act there is required 1. Not only a Knowledge that hee is a Saviour 2. But also a Knowledge that hee is My Saviour upon whom I trust or I am perswaded of Salvation by The second mistake is That they take Trust for a fruit of Assurance And so no ore but Hope Propter Spem Roboratam for strengthened Hope Answ That this act of Trust which wee make justifying Faith is not an act of Hope but doth differ from Hope or that affiance which they make Hope strengthened In this 1. That Hope looks to the end which is Salvation But this act of Trust looks to the Means which brings to the end and that is Christ 2. The act of Hope is to expect But the act of Trust is to lean and rest 3. The Object of Hope is Bonum Futurum a Future Good But the object of Trust is Bonum Presens a Present Good This act of Trust doth rest upon Christ Non per modum expectantis sed per modum possidentis not by way of Expectation but by way of Possession As Hee that beleeves in the Son hath life It is not said Hee shall have life but Hee hath life not in Spe but in Re not in Hope only but in Hand The life of Righteousness and Justification in Hand The life of Glory and Salvation in Hope And thus much shall serve for the first thing what Faith is In which I hope most of the controversie is over 2. Wee now come to the second That Faith is the only requisite whereby wee should bee justified and saved I shall not need to stand long on it 1. Union and Communion with Christ is requisite to Justification and Salvation There was no way whereby wee should bee Justified whereby wee should bee saved But only by vertue of our Union and Communion with Christ 1. No other way but by vertue of our Union with Christ In our selves wee were dead Branches and grew upon a dead stock and there was no help nor hope for us till wee were cut off from our own stocks the stock of Nature And were ingrafted into Christ who is the Stock of Life Hence the Apostle Hee that hath the Son hath Life and hee that hath not the Son hath not Life Hee that is united and ingrafted into Christ hath Life the Life of Justification here and shall have the Life of Glorification hereafter But hee that hath not the Son Hee who is not united to Christ hath not Life Nor the Life of Justification here Nor the Life of Glorification hereafter So that you see there is no Hope of Life or Justification except wee bee united to Christ who hath all Life in him There 's nothing but death in the World out of him And there 's no way to have Union with Christ but by Faith which is one bond of our Union with Christ It is Faith that unites us to Christ as Members to the Head And being Members of Christ God pardons us If a Malefactor had committed treason against a King and were adjudged to lose his hand or his eye If hee could now make his Hand or his eye which hee were to lose to become the Hand or the eye of the Kings Son Hee should bee spared hee should not lose them They were the hands and the eyes of the Kings Son And the King would spare
which doth commend Christ the worth and preciousness of Christ to the soul it is this our Knowledge of the Worth of Christ By others who know him not hee is a disallowed stone not worth the owning 1 Pet. 2.8 2. The second thing which doth commend Christ to a soul is The Apprehension of the souls Interest in him When the soul can look upon Christ as his own then hee esteems him when hee knows hee hath a Propriety in Christ a part in Christ Now a strong Beleeâ—â—r hee 1. Knows the Want of Châ—ist Hee sees hee cannot live without Christ The more Faith the more apprehension and sense of our wants 2. Knows and sees the worth of Christ Hee sees those excellencies and beauties in him which to others lye hid and are not discovered To others hee is an Orient Pearl in an heap of Sand a Mine of Gold covered over with rubbish and earth They are not able to behold his beauties 2. Hee sees and apprehends his own interest in him And this makes the soul to prize him Hee can say Christ is mine His Righteousness mine to justifie mee His Holiness mine to Sanctifie mee His Sufferings mine to save mee And upon this there ariseth an high prizing of Christ. Quest But you will say Doth not every man prize Christ who doth not value and esteem of Christ Ans You may say you do so But there 's no such matter If Christ were precious in thy eyes then 1. Thou wouldst not care what pains thou tookest for the compassing of Christ You see a worldly man to whom the World is precious what pains hee takes for the attaining of the things of the World Eccles 4.8 the like and greater pains wouldest thou take for the things of Christ if hee were to thee alike precious 2. Thou wouldest not care what thou partest withall for the compassing of Christ Thou wouldest count Christ thy greatest gain and all loss in comparison of him Phil. 3.7 8. Hee is not valued at all it hee bee not valued above all 3. Were Christ precious to thee thou wouldest never think thy self to have enough of Christ Drink yea drink abundantly O Beloved Cant. 5. the more the soul tastes and drinks the more it thirsts till it drink it new in the Kingdome of Heaven Thus where Christ is precious there would bee actions sutable to that rate and esteem the soul sets on him Now when you will take no pains for the getting of Christ when you will part with nothing for the keeping of Christ when you will not heap up in most abundance whatever Christ is to others write upon it to you it is not precious 4. Where Christ is precious indeed all of Christ is precious Hee is not only precious in his Person in his Natures in his Benefits but all of Christ is precious Christ in his Holiness Christ in his Lawes Christ in his Government Christ in his Truth The soul looks upon all these as prizes of Christ Hee who prizeth of Christ doth prize of all these As wee say of Faith It doth not eligere Objectum it doth not chuse its Object single out what it will beleeve and what it will not beleeve but beleeves all that God saith So I may say of this prizing of Christ True prizing of Christ doth not single out its Object Thus much of Christ I will prize and thus much not But there is a full prizing of all Christ Christ in his Holiness Lawes Government Truth All. All which are parts of Christ and are all to bee prized if ever you would clear this that you prize of Christ truly And without question Gods people have seen so much Beauty in the Laws Government and Holiness of Christ that they have lost all rather than they would lose their Obedience And it was said of Christ Vitam perdidit ne Obedientiam perderet Hee lost his Life rather than hee would lose his Obedience so may it bee said of them They have taken up naked Obedience with the losse of all They have seen so much beauty in a Truth that they have hazarded and lost all rather than they would lose a Truth They have made this brave adventure to lose themselves to save a Truth as you see in Queen Maries dayes in point of Transubstantiation In these particulars a weak Faith shareth stakes with a strong But for what is more peculiar to a strong Faith 1. Strong in Faith and strong in Grace According to the proportion of Faith such is the measure of all Gods Graces in us As weak in Faith weak in Grace So strong in Faith strong in Grace So much Faith so much Love so much Hope so much Patience so much Humility Wee will single out some 1. Strong in Faith and strong in Affection and Love to Christ There are two things which make the soul to love Christ 1. The discovery of the Beauties and excellencies of Christ. 2. The Apprehension the soul hath in the interest it hath in this Christ Now both these are in a strong Faith 1. There is a full discovery of the Beauties and Excellencies of Christ The Beauties of his Person the Beauties of his Nature c. And that in a larger measure than is made known to a weak Beleever A weak Faith sees the Excellencies of Christ in puncto in a narrow room as wee see the World in a Map But a strong Faith it sees all the Excellencies of Christ in circumferentiâ Hee sees a larger and fuller draught hath a fuller discovery of it to his soul And who can see it but hee must needs love him who is all lovely who hath all Beauties That Eye of Faith which beholds the Beauties and Excellencies of Christ will bee a Burning-Glass to the heart to set the heart on fire and kindle strong affections there 2. There is in a strong Faith a strong apprehension of the souls interest in Christ That Christ is his and hee is Christs His Blood and Merits his for Pardon for Justification His Grace and Holinesse his for Sanctification His Wisdome his for Direction And therefore the soul must needs love him Propriety wee see in things makes us love them Wee love our own Husbands our own Wives our own Children The ground is this the propriety wee have in them So when the soul once sees Christ made over to him that hee hath a propriety in him an interest in him needs must the soul love him So you see then where there is a strong Faith there is a strong Affection to Christ strong Love to Christ Such a love as no duty is too hard to undertake for Christ no task too great to pose his love to Christ. It was said of Jacob that hee indured many years servitude for Rachel yet hee thought the time short all was nothing because hee loved her So all wee can do for Christ all will bee nothing if wee once love him Nay not only all wee can do but all wee can suffer
under the light of the Gospel It is agreed upon all sides that this is damning Hee that beleeves shall bee saved but hee that beleeves not shall bee damned Mercy it self saith so Hee that you look to bee saved by saith it Mark 16.16 Nay not only damned but the sorest damnation of all the deepest Cellars of Hell the lowest Vaults of Hell are reserved for such who are Unbeleevers now under the Gospel This is condemnation that is the sorest condemnation That Light is come into the VVorld that a Christ is tendred to you a Christ is offered to you and men love darkness rather than light yet men will not beleeve John 3.19 There is no fall into Hell like such an one as is taken at a stumble at Christ No damnation like that which is pronounced in the Court of Mercy An Unbeleever is condemned in the Court of Mercy And when Mercy it self condemns as it shews the offence to bee hainous so it makes the condemnation the more heavy As the sowrest Vineger comes from the sweetest VVine so out of the sweetest Mercy the sorest condemnation It will bee ten thousand times easier for those who are condemned under the Law their torments will not bee so heavy Hell will not bee so hot to them as to such who are now condemned under the Gospel It had been better for you that you had been born Turks and Heathens such as never heard of Christ than Christians if you live and dye in an unbeleeving condition Thus you see Unbelief is a remediless sin Such a sin as there is no remedy for it no plaister for it All other sins have a Remedy and Christ is the Remedy But unbelief denies the Remedy There is a plaister for Drunkenness for Swearing for Murder c. All other sins have a Plaister and Christ is that Plaister But Unbelief denies the Plaister God gives the Mercy of the Book to all other sins if sinned against the Law and condemned by the Law yet hee tenders the Mercy of the Book Hee that beleeveth shall bee saved But Unbelief rejects this Mercy It will not read If the Law condemn us wee are suffered to appeal to the Gospel If Justice condemn us wee are suffered to appeal to Mercy As you see the Publican who was arraigned sentenced and condemned by the Law But hee appeals to the Court of Mercy God bee merciful to mee a sinner And you see the Sentence took no hold on him But now If Mercy condemn us if the Gospel condemn us whither shall wee appeal whither shall wee go Now it is Mercy that condemns unbeleeving men they are condemned in the Court of Mercy Hence one There is no sin that doth peremptorily Non filios Diaboli faciunt quaecunque peccata Filios Diaboli infidelitas facit and Quoad eventum damn us but unbeleeving There is no sin that doth de facto bring death but unbeleeving Other sins do create a merit of death but unbelief doth actually bring death upon the soul While a man beleeves not hee is under the Covenant of Works and there sin doth de facto bring death it bindes all sin upon the conscience makes a man to stand out to answer for his own guilt bear his own curse and therefore it is said Joh. 3.18 Hee that beleeves not is condemned already Hee is condemned in all Courts 1. In the Court of Justice The Law condemns him Cursed is every man that continues not in every thing that is written in the Law to do the same Gal. 3.10 2. In the Court of Mercy That condemns him This is the sentence there Hee that beleeveth not shall bee damned Mark 16.16 3. In the Court of Conscience Hee is self-condemned and hath a beginning of the execution Thus then you see of what a fearful nature is this sin of unbelief It is the greatest damning sin now under the Gospel 2 Motives from the necessity of Faith 1. In respect of our Persons 2. In respect of our Performances 1. Faith is needful in respect of our Persons Our Persons are 1. Under the guilt of sin of many thousand sins And without Faith there is no Justification 2. Under the power of sin of lust And without Faith no subduing 3. Under the pollution and filth of sin And wee had need of Faith for the purifying of our hearts So that Faith is needful for the justifying of our Persons the subduing of our lusts the purifying of our hearts 2. Faith is needful in respect of our Performances Faith is necessary to every work of a Christian needful to every Ordinance Wee must pray in Faith hear in Faith receive in Faith do all things in Faith Faith must incorporate it self with every duty Whatever is not of Faith is sin Rom. 14.23 Whatever is before Faith is only the issue of a corrupt nature and of a corrupt conscience and therefore it cannot please God Tit. 1.15 Rom. 10.14 Faith is the salt which seasons and sweetens every duty It is the life and soul of every performance without which all are but dead and stinking works and cannot please God Faith is to duty as the Soul is to the Body When you go to Prayer you had need of Faith whereby you may Cry Abba Father without which Prayer is but the complaint of Nature or the cry of a hopeless and desperate heart When you go to hear you had need of Faith to incorporate it self with the word heard without which the word will not profit us nor the word Promising nor the word threatning the one to humble us the other to raise us and comfort us When you go to receive you had need of Faith Hee goes to work without tooles that goes to any Ordinance without Faith You have need of Faith to give you admission into Gods Presence Draw neer with a true heart in assurance of Faith Heb. 10.22 You have need of Faith to give you acceptance in the work You have need of Faith to procure a blessing when all is done Faith is the great Grace that is to bee imployed in all the Ordinances of God This must run through every Ordinance if you would profit by them The word must bee mingled with Faith Prayer with Faith c. Unbelief makes every Ordinance of God unprofitable to us What is the reason that men hear the Word and get no more benefit but because they beleeve not Heb. 4.2 The Word preached did not profit them because it was not mingled with Faith in them that heard it Do you think the word of Threatning could bee heard and you not bee humbled if you did beleeve the Truth of all who were able to lift up his head nay to stand under the threats of the great God of Heaven and Earth if hee did beleeve It is said The Devils beleeve and tremble Jam. 2. And had you but as much Faith as they to beleeve the truth of what God threatens against sin it would make the stoutest sinner of
cry out Rabbi thou art the Son of God thou art the King of Israel thou who knowest the heart must needs bee God c. as if a man should say to his friend thou art one that art charitable mournest for thy sin and in case hee should answer but how know you that hee should reply did I not see such an act of charity which you did did I not see you mourn bitterly for sin at such a time c this in some resemblance commeth somewhat near to this instance but yet falleth short because wee judge of the outward act Christ here of the inward which manifested him to bee God omniscient the searcher of the heart c. Thus I have shewed you the coherence with the parts of the Text and have in part unfolded what might seem difficult and obscure in it Now there are some Doctrines which lye about the verge of the Text some from the person commending some from the person commended and some from the thing for which But I shall touch only upon those which arise from the main scope of the Text and they are two Doct. 1. That the eyes of Christ run through the whole World and behold the evil and the good Hee that saw Nathaniel under the Fig-tree seeth thee in all places in all companies c. to this purpose read Psal 139. Amos 9.2 3 4. Hee is totus oculus all eye to see and all hand to feel and finde out Hee who is to bee Judge of all the actions and waies of men must necessarily know them all Use 1. Say not then that God sees not say not that darkness shall cover thee esto quod nemo non tamen nullus though no man yet some eye seeth thee Use 2. This may bee comfort to the Saints Christ sees you under the Fig-tree sees you in a corner sees your persons your actions your spirits Hee sees your prayers hee sees your tears hee sees your afflictions your pressures Exod. 3.7 Hee hears your groans c. Use 3. This is terror to wicked men hee sees them too hee sees your malice against his Saints your vileness and abominable filthiness I saw you in such a place at such a time in such and such pollutions in which thou wouldest have been loath in which thou would have been confounded if men should then have seen thee From the commendation of Nathaniels Faith Observe Doct. 2. That such is the goodness of God that hee commends us for that which is his own Hee commends Nathaniel here for that Grace which hee had given him God works graces in us and then commends us for them hee gives us mony and then commends us for our riches hee makes us beautifull and then commends us for our beauty in which hee doth only beautifie his own beautie and love his own graces in us Hee doth here commend Nathaniels Faith which yet was only the Faith of his own powerfull working Hee commends David for his uprightness Hezekiah for his perfectness Moses for his meekness Cornelius for his devotion the Publican for his compunction the poor Widdow for her liberality and the Woman of Canaan for her Faith and importunity all which was only the work of his own Grace in them God will finde matter of love and liking in us from that which is his own hee can pass by ours and own his As a Father loveth his child for that which is of his own nature in him and so doth God in us Use 1. Then see what a sweet Saviour wee have who will pass by our imperfections and deformities and take notice of his own beauties in us Use 2. And accordingly wee should learn to look upon our selves as Christ doth though black in our selves yet beautiful in Christ although I would have you to own and to blush at your own defoâ—mities yet not so as to blinde your eyes from beholding Christs excellencies as in himself so in you by his grace take the shame of your own sins but let God have the honour of his own Graces by this you shall nourish your humility and yet not weaken your Faith you shall abhor your selves and yet extoll Gods free Grace But these are but by the way to which many others might bee added I will fall upon those which the Text doth more fully hold out and they are these 1. That slowness of Heart to beleeve is a temper of spirit very offensive to God this is hinted in the implied tacit reprehension of others whilst hee so commends Nathaniels forwardness 2. That God takes it well at our hands or it is very pleasing unto God when wee will beleeve in him upon small Revelation 3. That God will reveal great things to them who do so beleeve in him Thou shalt see greater things than these it is a promise of future and fuller manifestation to bee vouchsafed to him Wee shall begin with the first which is Doct. That slowness of heart to beleeve is a temper of spirit very offensive unto God I need not stand long to clear the truth of this Doctrin if you look into Joh. 1.50 that high commendation of Nathaniels Faith is a silent upbraiding of others for their slowness of heart to beleeve Because I said I saw thee under the Fig-tree beleevest thou It is as if hee had said for that without question is implied why I have done greater things in the sight of otheâ—s I have healed the sick opened the eyes of the blinde raised the dead cast out Devils and yet they have not beleeved And doth so small a manifestation work on thee Because I said I saw thee under the Fig-tree c. I have not raised thee from the dead implying hee had done it to others And hence hee is said to upbraid those Cities wherein his mighty works had been done because they beleeved not Mar. 16.14 And this was a great aggravation of their sin where so much had been done to perswade them to beleeve yet slow c. The like in Joh. 12.37 38. But though hee had done so many miracles before them yet they beleeved not on him that the saying of Esaiah might bee fulfilled who hath beleeved here was a great aggravation of their sin And upon this ground hee reproveth his Disciples Luk. 24.25 26. Oh fools and slow of heart to beleeve all that the Prophets have spoken ought not Christ to have suffered these things and to have entred into his glory c And how often doth hee upon the same ground rebuke his Disciples O yee of little Faith Mar. 9.19 O faithless Generation how long shall I bee with you how long shall I suffer you Implying it put Christ to the utmost of his patience to bear with them in their unbelief Which yet if you read the story you will finde it was no small work it was because they could not cast out the dumb spirit out of a man possessed which yet hee himself tells them afterward vers 29. that this was the
innoble his members p. 97 3 Faith puts us upon soul-innobling imployment p. 97. 4 Faith intitles us unto a soul-innobling inheritance p. 98 12 Royalty Faith is a soul-fatning grace which it doth after this manner 1 By destroying soul-consuming lusts p. 99 100 2 Faith puts a man into a soul-fatning pasture p. 100 3 Faith feeds upon soul-fatning dainties p. 101 1 On the Promises 101. 2 Upon a soul-fatning Christ. Faith feeds upon Christ 1 In the Word 2 In the Sacrament p. 102 103 13 Royalty Faith is a heart-emptying grace Ibid. 1 Of opinion of Righteousnesse in our selves p. 104 105 2 Of all opinion of strength to help our selves p. 106 107 14 Royalty Faith is an heart-inriching and filling grace p. 108 109 1 It inricheth the head with knowledge p. 110 2 The heart with grace p. 111 Four invaluable things 1 Favour of God in Christ 2 Souls of men 3 The Spirit 4 The Graces of the Spirit â—hese are such riches God bestowes upon none but beleevers Ibid. A Beleever the poorest and richest man in the world p. 112 15 Royalty Faith is an heart-raising grace 1 From the death of sin p. 113 2 From the death of inward trouble p. 114 1 By looking back upon soul-raising experiences p. 115 2 Looks upon soul-raising promises Ibid. 3 Layes hold upon a soul-raising Christ p. 116 4 Indites soul-raising prayers uses Arguments from it self from God p. 117 16 Royalty Faith is an heart-chearing grace p. 118 This joy of Faith is First Spiritual Secondly Hearty Thirdly Satisfying Fourthly Constant p. 119 Faith will inable to rejoyce 1 In Bonds 2 In Sicknesse 3 In Poverty Ibid. Five grounds of rejoycing p. 120 Objection Who more sad than Beleevers Answered 120 to 122 Five grounds of Sorrow arraigned at the bar of right reason p. 122 1 Is it thy former sin 2 Is it thy present corruption 3 Is it thy imperfections 4 Is it thy afflictions 5 Is it because under some present temptation Ibid. Matter of joy if Faith to see Gods aims in six particulars p. 122 123 17. Royalty Faith is an heart-guiding grace p. 124 It guides the heart in difficult cases p. 125 Faith will not own the flesh as a King nor as a Counsellor p. 126 18. Royalty Faith is an heart-establishing grace p. 127 Unbeleef unsettles the soul Ibid. Two things Faith establisheth the soul against First Against fears Secondly Against falling Against five sorts of fears p. 128 1 Of Men. 2 Of Want Ibid. 3 Of Death p. 129 4 Of Hell Ibid. 5 Of Judgement p. 130 2 Faith establisheth the heart against falling 1 Against total Apostacy p. 130 2 Against final Apostacy p. 131 1 Faith sets the soul upon a soul-establishing bottome 2 Interests the soul in a soul-establishing covenant Ibid. 3 Doth beget in a man soul-establishing principles p. 132 Six Principles Faith begets in a man p. 132 133 Use 1 Of Tryal incouragement to it 1 It is possible p. 134 135 2 Though possible yet it is difficult 1 In respect of the deceits p. 136 2 In respect of the doubts and mis-givings of our own heart at all times especially at three times First Of Humiliation p. 137 Secondly Of Temptation Ibid. Thirdly of Desertion p. 138 Secondly It is necessary to know whether wee are beleevers First In respect of comfort Ibid. Secondly In respect of Obedience p. 139 140 Two Rules observed in the Tryals following First Grand Rule the Word of God Secondly To lay down such evidences as are universal to all beleevers weak as strong p. 140 Method observed for Tryal are evidences taken First From the usual manner of Gods working Faith Secondly From the grace it self wrought First The manner of Gods working Faith 1 By discovering sin p. 141 2 By discovering the fulnesse and al-sufficiency that is in Christ p. 142 3 The freenesse of his Righteousnesse to all commers 4 Stirs up the soul to persevere 5 How God works Faith p. 142 143 Secondly Some evidences taken from the grace it self 1 Of a weak 2 Of a strong Faith Ibid. 1 The weakest faith hath strong desires after Christ wherein is shewed the difference between an unbeleevers desires and a beleevers p. 143 144. 2 A Weak faith will close with the precepts of God p. 144 145 3 Weak faith is joyned with mourning and sorrow for the weaknesse of it Ibid. 4 Weak faith is unfeigned faith not counterfeit 5 Weak faith is a holy faith accompanied with holinesse of heart holinesse in life p. 145 146 6 A weak faith doth not rest in weaknesse 7 A weak faith will cleave to Christ Five things by way of support to a weak faith 1 The smallest degree if true is saving p. 146 2 Though weak yet it is a growing 3 The weakest gives the soul union with Christ 4 It gives communion with Christ 5 It hath equal share in Gods love Difference between want and weaknesse p. 147 Evidences of a strong faith 1 An high prizing of Christ p. 148 Two things make Christ precious to a mâ—n 1 The knowledge of Christ and that 1 The want of Christ 2 The worth of Christ Ibid 2 The apprehension of the souls interest in him this a strong beleever doth p. 149. Four Tryalls whether we prize Christ p. 149. Some things more peculiar to a strong Faith than to a weak Faith p. 150 151. 2 Strong in Faith and strong in hope and expectations of the thing beleeved p. 152. Strong Faith and strong Patience Ibid. Strong in Faith and strong in Obedience p. 153. Strong for active and passive obedience p. 154 3 A strong Faith will beleeve nothing contrary to his beleefe Ibid. Though Satan takes up arguments from God 1 Inward or p. 155 2 Outward dealing with him p. 155 156 4 A strong Faith will trust God in difficulties 1 With small means p. 156 2 Without means p. 157 3 Against means p. 158 5 A strong Faith is accompanied 1 VVith much peace p. 158. 2 VVith much joy p. 159 6 Strong Faith will subdue strong corruptions Ibid. 7 Overcome strong temptations Ibid. 8 Over come strong doubts 159. 9 Strong Faith and strong prayers Strong 1 To wrestle with God p. 160 2 To prevail with God p. 160 161 10 Strong Faith can take 1 Long delays p. 161 2 Strong denials from Gods hand p. 161. 162. 11 Strong Faith hath strong desires 1 To go to Christ by death 2 That Christ would come to judgement p. 163 Use of Exhortation First To get Faith Motives 1 From the greatnesse of the sin of unbeleef it offers injury to all-God 1. VVisdome 2 Mercy and Love 3 Power 4 Truth p. 164 165 2 Unbelief is a mother sin the womb of sin entertainer maintainer of sin p. 165. 3 Unbeleef is a soul-killing sin p. 167. 2 Motive from the necessity of Faith 1 Needfull in respect of our persons Our persons are 1 Under the guilt 2 Power 3 Dominion of sin p. 167. 2 In respect of
In the Act of prizing Christ that wee do not mean a bare and naked Estimate of Christ in the Understanding but such an one as prevails with the soul and commands the spirit of a man to do actions consonant and agreeable to that rate the Judgement set on Christ I say by prizing of Christ wee do not mean a bare acts of Dijudication what a man in his Judgement may conclude Christ to bee worth Many bee that will tell you they conclude Christ to bee worth a World who yet will not part with any thing for Christ. But I mean such an act of the understanding as brings up the Heart and the affections to close with Christ in that height which the Understanding rates him at I say such an Act of Appretiation as prevails with a man to do actions consonant and agreeable to the rate it pretends to set on Christ As you see the wise Merchant Hee did not barely judge that the Pearl was worth all hee had but hee did Actions consonant and agreeable to it Seeing hee could not injoy the Pearl without parting withall hee had to compass it hee sells all to compass the Pearl That is the first A soul taken with Christ doth not only barely judge and esteem Christ worth all but will part with all for the compassing of Christ 2. Here is something considerable in the Object Christ prized 1. Wee do not restrain and limit this only to the Person of Christ There is something in the Person of Christ which may prevail with an Unbeleever to esteem of him The dignity of his Person being God-Man having all beauties and excellencies in him This may raise up a kinde of esteem of Christ in the hearts of unbeleevers 2. Neither do wee limit it only to the Benefits of Christ and the great things which hee hath done for man in general in his humiliation death passion c. But wee are to take Christ in the extent of Christ Christ in his whole Latitude Christ in his Holiness Christ in his Laws Christ in his Government Christ in his Truth Totum Christi the whole of Christ Hee that prizeth not Christ in his whole latitude and extent doth not prize Christ at all as hee ought to do As wee say of Faith it doth not eligere Objectum it doth not chuse its Object single out what it will esteem and what not but prizeth of Christ fully in the latitude and extent of Christ of Christ in his Person Christ in his Beauties Christ in his Laws in his Holiness Truth Government And so highly that they sold themselves to gain a Truth lost themselves to save a Truth They have made this brave adventure thrown away themselves that they might keep up a Truth as you see it in Queen Maries daies in point of Transubstantiation So that is the second The soul taken with Christ is taken with All-Christ As all in him is lovely so the soul loves all and prizes and esteems of all of Christ 3. That which is considerable in the Measure is That a soul taken with Christ doth prize Christ above all comforts and contents in Heaven and Earth This Christ commands Mat. 16.24 If any man will come after mee let him deny himself If any It is set down indefinitly Not only you who are poor and have little to lose and deny your selves in but they who have most You that are rich you that have lands possessions have Crowns and Scepters If any poor any rich any beggar any Prince c. Hee must deny himself Not only in things unlawfull but lawfull Hee must yeeld up his sins as a snare his comforts estate and all as a Sacrifice for Christ if hee call for them Mat. 10.37 Hee that loves Father or Mother more than mee is not worthy of mee These relations are expressed but under these are comprized all the comforts and contents on earth And this was not only commanded but it is practised by those whose hearts are taken with Christ You see in Abraham who left all in Moses who prized more of the reproach of Christ than all the treasures in Egypt in David Psal 73.25 Whom have I in Heaven but thee or in Earth in comparison of thee As the World would bee nothing else but Angiae stabulum a noisome sink a prison to a godly man were it not that hee injoys something of Christ here So Heaven it self were but a gaudy Pageant Vanity if God and Christ were not there The Heaven which carnal men do fansy is a Turkish-Heaven an heaven of pleasures delights comforts but fleshly outward They conceive of it according to their Principle But the Heaven of a godly man it lies in God it lies in Christ Indeed That is not Heaven which is by God but that is Heaven which lies in God to a godly man It was the meditation of one Not Heaven O Lord but God Non coelum Domine sed Deus Christus and Christ Rather ten thousand times Christ without Heaven than Heaven without Christ Thus doth the soul that is taken with Christ prize Christ above all the comforts contentments of Heaven and Earth 6. Sign An heart taken with Christ the thoughts are taken up with Christ Such a man hee thinks Christ and hee speaks Christ hee lives Christ You know whatever a mans heart is taken with it is never off his thoughts never off his heart hee is never well but thinking and speaking of that hee loves The thoughts are the character of what the heart is taken withall If thy heart bee taken with Christ thy thoughts are taken up with him Christ is alwayes upon thy thoughts hee lies next to thy heart when thou goest to bed hee is with thee Cant. 1.13 and when thou awakest hee is with thee as David saith Psal 139.18 Indeed Gods people may have swarms of other thoughts but they are not entertained they are not welcome to them they are their burden and trouble They come in as Intruders and are not entertained as Guests A wicked man entertains them as Guests as friends but they come into a godly man as intruders never invited nor finde they welcome This is that Jeremiah speaks Jer. 4.14 How long shall vain thoughts lodge within thee in a wicked mans heart they are Lodgers and entertained as Guests hee keeps doors open spreads a Table for them makes them a bed bids them welcome But in a godly man they crowd in and finde no entertainment And as the Thoughts are taken up with Christ so the Tongue Hee thinks and hee speaks Christ When Christ is in the heart the tongue will discourse and speak of him Whatever is in the heart and the heart is taken withall that a mans discourse is most taken up withall As Psal 37.30 The mouth of the Righteous speaketh wisdome and his Tongue talketh of Judgement And why because the Law of his God is in his heart vers 31. So here on the same ground Thy talk
3. The Fruit and Benefit that comes in thereby 1. Negatively Should not perish 2. Positively But have Eternal life Now about the Act and the Object we shall make these two enquiries before we come to lay down the Conclusion 1. What act of faith that is whereby a sinner stands justified before God 2. Upon what Object this Act is to be terminated 1. For the first What Act that is You must know that faith in the general consideration hath divers acts and objects and that the acts are diversified according to the diversity of the objects so many particulars as are recorded in Scripture so many particular objects and accordingly so many particular acts there are of faith in general But our enquiry is what is the formal Act and Object of justifying faith Now for the first viz. What is the formal Act of Faith You must know that there is much difference amongst Divines about it 1. Some would have it to be a bare and naked assent to every truth revealed by God Thus the Papists 2. Some say it is a firm and radical assent to this great Proposition That Christ is Messiah and Saviour of the world 3. Others place it in a receiving of Christ in all his Offices as a King Priest and Prophet 4. Some in Assurance and Particular Knowledge or Perswasion that we are in the state of Grace and have an interest in Christ c. 5. Others do place it in rowling our selves upon Christ and resting in him when the soul assenting to that great Proposition that Christ is the Saviour the Mediator doth rowl and rest it self upon him and trusteth in him In most of which different opinions we finde this agreement 1 That it is an Act of Faith whereby wee are justified not Faith as an Habit of Grace inherent in us but Faith as an Act not Faith in actu primo as an Habit infused but in actu secundo 2 That it is such an Act as is not wrought out of our selves or our own Principles but such as is wrought by the Spirit of Christ and the mighty Power of God 3 That it is such an Act as bringeth over the soul to the true object to Christ by whom wee are justified 4 Such an one as all the benefits of Christ do belong unto accompany Christ in blood Christ in water Christ for Justification Christ for Sanctification Christ for Salvation in all these there is an exact agreement among them And therefore although there bee some difference in respect of that formall Act which justifieth yet seeing they preach and cry down themselves and advance and set up free grace and mercy both in the work and fruit of it The Papists have no cause to cry us down for dis-agreement which for their parts they are like the four winds blowing in the faces of one another in many points as might easily bee shewed if here it were pertinent Wee know that while wee are here differences there will bee for wee know in part and prophesy but in part It were an happy â—hing if wee could bee all of one heart and all of one mind but seeing it will not bee I could wish that although wee bee not all of one mind yet wee might bee all of one heart and that difference in judgement might not breed alienation in affection especially seeing wee all aime at one thing one mark one end All agree in hoc uno in this one to set up Christ the mercy of God free grace and by crying down our selves and why then should wee not agree amongst our selves And therefore in all these diversities of Judgements concerning the formal Act of Faith whereby wee stand justified before God I shall not deal so much in the throwing down of other mens opinions as in the establishing of mine own 1 Because I conceive there is little wisdome in it to uncover the nakedness of our Brethren by bringing them in contending with one another 2 Because I think there is little profit in it especially in promiscuous Congregations Such debates being fitter for the Schools than for the Pulpit Polemical and Controversal points may beget Notion little Motion fill our heads with Notions but not our hearts with sanctifyed affections And therefore I will break my self in as plain and modest a manner as I can amongst all these differences to declare what I adhear to and to establish it by some Scriptures and so passe it Now then I conceive that that formal act of Faith whereby wee are justifyed and instated into Christ is an Act of Affiance and recumbency rowling resting trusting or Christ for Justification and consequently for salvation For the proof whereof wee are to observe that the words both in the Old and New Testament by which the Act of Faith is expressed do import such an act as this In the Old Testament wee meet with three words especially which import this act of Faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which being referred to Christ do express that Act whereby wee are justified 1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first of them as Rabbi Kimchi observeth doth primitively and properly signifie to retire into some safe place for harbour or shelter So Judg. 9.15 come 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith the Bramble shelter or cover you under my shadow and the Prophet useth the same word Psal 57.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my soul trusteth in thee I will retire my self under the shadow of thy wings and so it being referred to Christ betokeneth that Act whereby wee do betake our selves to him as to our Sanctuary where wee may bee preserved in safety from the tempest of Gods displeasure and so Psal 2.12 when his wrath is kindled yea but a little 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Blessed are all they that put their trust in him or that retire themselves to him upon which place Junius noteth that that retyring unto God which is affirmed to bee the cause of our blessedness is no other than sincere Faith and what act of it but this of affiance 2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The second word in the Old Testament signifieth to rowle and being joyned with the Praeposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth to devolve and rowle something on another as Psal 37.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rowle thy way upon the Lord and trust in him c. and Prov. 16.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rowle thy works upon the Lord and thy thoughts shall bee established agreeable to which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cast thy burden upon the Lord c. And this word applyed to Christ imports that Act whereby being laden with sin and seeking ease wee at last discharge our load and cast it upon Christ 3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The third word signifieth to put confidence trust and affiance in any thing or person so as securely to lean and rest upon it So Isa 50.10 hee that walks in darkness and seeth no light 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let him trust in the name
Person 2. The Conveniency This is fully made out in the necessity of it and that with an advantage there is such a conveniency as that it riseth up to a necessity in all the former particulars so that to an holy heart there is a moral impossibility of the contrary How can I do this great wickednesse and sin against God said Joseph Gen. 39.9 This is the first way of Faiths purifying the Heart Argumentativè or by way of Argument 2. Operativè As Faith doth operate and work for the cleansing of our nature making use of Christ who is called A Fountain Zach. 13.1 A Refiner Mal. 3.3 A Purger Joh. 15.2 Hee is said to come with Refiners fire with Fullers Sope to purge and purifie us And thus Faith makes use of Christ by the least touch of whom the sinfull flux of sin is dryed up and staid And Faith makes use 1. Of the Merit of Christ the Blood of Christ which is apt to purge us and cleanse us from sin And for this end was his Blood shed even to cleanse us from sin Tit. 2.14 Hee gave himself not only to bee a Redeemer to redeem us from Hell and the guilt of sin but to purifie to himself a peculiar people zealous of good works Ephes 5.26 27. Hee gave himself for us that hee might sanctifie us and cleanse us by the washing of Water through the Word So Faith makes use of this Fountain to wash and cleanse the soul it opens this Fountain to the washing of the soul 2. It makes use of the Prayer of Christ John 17.17 Sanctifie them through the Truth thy Word is Truth 3. Faith makes use of the Promise of Christ wherein his Fidelity and Truth is ingaged for our Purification Jer. 33.8 I will cleanse them from all their iniquities whereby they have sinned against mee Ezek. 33.25 I will sprinkle clean water upon you and you shall bee clean from all your filthiness and from all your Idols will I cleanse you Isa 4.4 The Lord shall wash away the filth of the Daughter of Zion and purge away the blood of Jerusalem from the midst thereof Hence they are called Purging-Promises Thus Faith makes use of Christ of the Merit of Christ of the Blood of Christ of the Prayer and Promise of Christ whereby it sets on the work of Self-cleansing whereby it purifies the soul By vertue of which it washes the soul from all filthiness of Flesh and Spirit 2 Cor. 7.1 Third Royalty Faith is a Heart-commanding Grace Christs Vice-Roy here in the Soul which Governs Rules Third Royalty Faith It s an Heart-commanding-Grace and bears sway in the soul by vertue of the power and Scepter of Christ Christ hath made Faith his Deputy here in the Soul and not any other Grace but Faith Hee knows Faith will rule by Christ by his power not its own So Rule as not to wrest the Scepter out of Christs hand It will rule for Christ and to Christ for his Glory and to his Glory not its own and therefore hee hath given Faith jurisdiction in the Soul So that it is a Soul-commanding Grace It is the Taskmaster of the Soul puts every Grace upon its work and burden It will not suffer any Grace to bee idle but puts every Grace to its work Nay it inableth the Soul to Doe what it Commands the Soul to Doe To every Precept wee have still a Promise Nay every Precept is a Promise Where God Commands us to Repent and Beleeve to make our selves new hearts to wash and cleanse our selves to circumcise our hearts Hee hath promised in his new Covenant to do what hee hath commanded to give us Faith to work Repentance in us to make us new hearts to circumcise the heart to wash and cleanse us from our filthiness And Faith urging the Precepts of God makes use of the Promises of God sues out the Promise and fetches strength from the Promise to perform the Precept Lord thou hast commanded mee to make mee a new heart and thou hast promised to take this stony heart from mee and to give mee an heart of Flesh Lord performe thy Promise to thy Servant in which thou madest mee put my trust Thou commandest mee to bee Holy and thou hast promised to make mee holy Thou art the Lord that Sanctifies Lord make mee Holy Da quod jubes jube quod vis sic enim implebitur voluntas tua obedientia nostra give what thou commandest and command what thou wilt and so both our obedience and thy Will shall bee fulfilled Thus you see as God so Faith ruling by God from God doth not only authoritatively impose commands and lay duties upon the soul but mercifully and friendly helps and inables the soul to do what is commanded It is not a Rigid-Master Reaping where it sows not commanding fruit from that ground whereon it sows no seed but sows strength to reap Obedience inables to do what is commanded to do It is said by Faith Abraham obeyed Faith did inable him to obey and made his obedience fruitfull and acceptable Faith inabled him to obey even in that great act of Obedience when his Son his only Son the Son of his Love the Son of the Promise the Son of his Old Age c. was to bee taken away by death killed murdered and that by his own hands c. And yet Faith inabled him hereunto Fourth Royalty Faith is an Heart-quieting Grace an Heart-calming and stilling-Grace It is a Grace thay layes all the tumults in the Soul all the insurrections in the Soul Fourth Royalty of Faith It s an Heart-quieting-Grace When Passions are up and unruly Affections do stir Faith doth allay and hush them When Passions of Fear are up Faith laies them will not suffer unruly fears to come into the Throne to command the Soul When Passions of Anger are up Faith doth quench their heat when Grief stirs Faith doth bridle and moderate this when Discontent is up and the Soul is ready to murmur and quarrel against God and his dealings Faith doth lay all these risings Faith hath a special art to still the Soul to strike it dumb in these cases Hence you see David I was dumb and opened not my mouth because it was thy doing Faith struck him dumb Wee read indeed Zacharie was dumb but Infidelity struck him dumb David saith here hee was dumb but Faith struck him dumb The former was a Penal-dumbness God silenced his Tongue because hee suspended his Faith But this latter was a dutiful-Dumbness such a Dumbness as Faith hath caused in the Soul which shut up his lips from murmuring not from praying Psal 39.9 hee praies there I was dumb and opened not my mouth and yet Take thy Plague from mee I am consumed by the stroke of thy hand c. The like power of Faith you see in the case of Aaron when it silenced his Soul in such a sad condition Levit. 10.3 4. And Moses said unto him This
Christ is such a Rock as doth derive vertue and strength unto the structure and building Indeed a man may build a weak house upon a strong foundation and the house fall for all that because the rock is a dead thing and cannot impart any of its strength unto the structure But it is not so here Bee the building never so weak yet this Rock can hold it up because it diffuseth its strength into the building Hence 1 Pet. 2.4 5. Christ is called a living not a dead Rock A living stone To whom comming as to a living Stone wee also as lively-stones are built up a spiritual house Which shews the transformation of the building into the nature and firmnesse of the Rock Thus you see Faith is a soul-securing-grace It sets a man upon a soul-securing-bottome It makes God our security who is called The strong-God The mighty-God The Rock of Refuge A defense A Shield A Tower A Fort. An High-place Mich. 4.8 The Tower of his Flock The strong hold of the daughter of Sion A Covert from the storm Isay 32.1 2. Faith makes All-God our security It ingages all-God to be our security His Power And is not this able to secure us His Wisdome And will not this secure us His Truth And will not this secure us His Mercy And cannot all this secure us Hee who trusts in the Lord Mercy shall compasse him on every side Hee is hemm'd in with Mercy Or mercy imbraceth him on every side to secure him As trust doth compasse mercy so mercy doth compass trust As trust imbraceth mercy so mercy imbraceth trust It is not Faith it self that doth secure us But Faith doth make God our security It sets a man upon a soul-securing-bottome on a soul-securing-God on a soul-securing-Power on a soul-securing-Mercy Therefore needs must a Beleeving a Trusting-soul be secure 2. It instates the soul in soul-securing-promises The promises of preservation from trouble Promises of Deliverance out of trouble All the promises which God hath made of Security Faith instates the soul into them all Hee hath promised When wee passe through the waters he will be with us and the waters shall not overflow us When we pass through the fire the flame shall not kindle upon us Isa 43.2 Hee hath promised Hee will stand at our right hand and wee shall not bee moved Psal 16. He will never leave us neither forsake us Heb. 13.6 The Gates of Hell shall never prevail against us Mat. 16.18 Hee hath promised to bee a Tower a Rock a Refuge a Covert from a storm an hiding place in time of Danger c. And it is faith that doth instate us into these Soul-securing-Promises As there is no promise to us till wee beleeve so if once wee beleeve all the Promises are ours Look into the word of God and what promises soever there are made for securing the soul All these are thine 3. Faith doth instate us into soul-securing-Priviledges 1 It makes us the Sons and Daughters of God John 1.12 13 As man as received him to them hee gave power or priviledge to become the Sons of God Even to as many as beleeved in his name Gal. 3.26 You are the children of God by faith in Christ And will not a father secure his child 2. Faith makes us the Spouse of Christ the members of Christ It ingrafts us and unites us into him And will he not secure his members 3. It make us the inheritance of Christ Hee hath promised to bee a Tower to his Flock A strong-hold to the Daughters of Sion These are all soul-securing-priviledges And therefore beleeving souls shall be secure Oh! Then Would you bee secured from the evil-day would you bee secured in the evil day Labour for Faith This alone secures the soul It sets a man upon a soul-securing-bottome Instates a man in soul-securing-promises Gives him right to soul-securing-priviledges Abrogate fears Surrogate Faith Down with fears which betray the succour of the soul and set up beleeving Sixth Royalty 6 Faith is an heart-humbling Grace 6 Royalty of Faith It s a soul-humbling Grace Whether it bee a Legal or whether it be an Evangelical Faith it works humiliation The one a Legal humiliation and casting down The other an Evangelical-humiliation we shall in this cheifly deal with the first It is said of Ahab that he humbled himself put on sackcloath and went softly And this was the fruit and effect of his Legal-Faith whereby hee beleeved the truth and certainty of Gods Judgements denounced against him and his house The men of Nineveh when Jonah preached that sad Sermon Jonah 3.4 Yet forty days and Nineveh shall bee destroyed It is said They beleeved God That is The truth of that message which Jonah brought from God And it follows as an effect of this Faith They humbled themselves and proclaimed a fast and put on Sack-cloath and sate in ashes from the King upon the Throne to the meanest of them And my Brethren Faith hath a great influence into the work of self-humbling 1 It takes up self-humbling Considerations From God the justice of God the threatnings the curses God hath denounced against sin 2. Faith doth Realize all this to the Soul which God hath said against sin Faith doth not make these things more reall then they are but doth Realize things to the Soul not imaginary but real things which being lookt upon as reall things do humble This is the Reason why one when he hears of Gods threatnings denounced against Sin goes home and lyes in the dust is humbled and cast down as Josiah when hee read the book of the Law And another stands up out-faceth Hell and the curse He is never humbled nor cast down It is because the one he looks upon these things are reall and true the other hee looks upon them as fancies Imaginary things If men beleeved that all that evil which God hath threatned against Sin were true they could not drink down sinne as water nor eat the bread of Sin with such delight as they do If the swearer did beleeve there were a flying Rol gone out against him as Zachary saith If the Drunkard did see death in the Pot c. If I say wicked men beleeved the Reality and Truth of these things they could not go on so quietly in their wicked courses but would be humbled Hence the Apostle sets this down for the ground why the Preaching of the word was not profitable to them Because it was not mixed with Faith in them that heard it They did not beleeve what they heard and so neither the word of Terror nor the word of Comfort did profit them As the promises of God are not quickning raising comforting except there bee Faith so the Threats are not Killing humbling working if Faith be not there Wee may preach till our spirits fail and spend our labour in vain our strength and pains for nought if the things which God speaks and we preach be not beleeved If you
give away to jealous mis-giving and mistrusting thoughts of God or of themselves Some there are who do nothing but make objections against themselves and Gods dealings with them And a quarrelsome heart is for the most part a troublesome heart You shall see some to whom God hath given evidences of their estate and condition and such as might content them such as they might have Peace in But they will quarrel against them Either their evidences are not so clear as others are not written in so fair and legible characters as others are Or else they want sealing And therefore they will take no comfort in them Thus do many forsake their own mercies breed their own disquiet and are injurious to their own peace When God hath spoken Peace and Peace to their Souls yet they return back again to folly to the folly of Unbeleeving Doubting Questioning of Gods love And no marvel if such do want Peace Men that will forgoe their evidences give up their claim and title to Christ Men whom Satan can make unsay what they know God hath said to their hearts may soon sit down in dumb silence and discouragement If when God hath manifested himself to you hath come and supped with you hath given you the white stone of absolution the Hidden Manna of comfort and consolation those manifest experiments of his love and yet you will joyn Issue with Satan give way to doubts No marvel if you disturb your peace bring insufferable fears and disquiets upon your selves And it were just with God to leave you to the doubts and mis-givings of your own hearts and never to give you a word of Peace more but suffer you to bring your gray hairs with sorrow to the Grave seeing nothing will satisfie you 6. The Reason why Beleevers have no more Peace is Because they seek Peace no more in a way of beleeving They seek it more in the Law than in the Gospel more in Sanctification than in Justification more in the Precept than in the Promise more in working than in beleeving more in their Obedience than in Christ. And therefore no marvel seeing all this is imperfect that they have no more perfection of peace So long as you make the grounds of your peace any thing within your selves or any thing wrought by your selves you will never have fulness of peace There may bee some peace for a time in these things but it is not a full and satisfying peace nor yet a permanent and constant peace It may be gotton to day lost or incumbred to morrow Every imperfection will disturb your peace Every failing will raise up a new and fresh storm breed a new quarrel in the soul Hee that would have peace must seek it in the God of Peace in the Prince of Peace in Christ himself in whom hee said Joh. 16.33 Wee should have Peace When there 's a storm in your selves there 's peace in him when there 's no peace in you in regard of your imperfections and failings there 's yet peace in Christ who is a perfect Saviour The Sacrifice is imperfect but the Priest is perfect Tenth Royalty 10 Faith is an Heart-inabling-Grace 10. Royalty of Faith It s an Heart-inabling-Grace It is such a Grace as inables a man 1. To do 2. To suffer A Beleeving Christian is a strong Christian He is strong for any service It is said By Faith Abraham obeyed God Faith did inable him to obey And it was a great act of Obedience as you may read scil The offering of his Son his only Son the Son of his love If it had been an adopted Son only and not his Natural or if his Natural and but one among many the trial had not been so great But hee was his own and only Son and the Son of his old age and therefore like to have no more the Son of the promise not an Ismael but an Isaac a Son long expected now exceedingly rejoyced in hee was the Son of his Love Now to part with such a Son was a great tryal But here was not all the tryal If hee had but parted with him in the way of Nature by a natural death this had not been so much but to part with him in way of Sacrifice wherein hee was to bee cut in peeces nay and hee himself must bee the Butcher of this Son of his Love must imbrue his own hands in the blood of this Son This was a great tryal yet here was seen the power of Faith tht it inabled him to obey Hee did not consult with Flesh and Blood did not dispute but obey By Faith hee obeyed Faith it is an Heart-inabling-Grace It will inable you to pray yea and to pray to purpose to wrestle with God Beleeving-prayers are wrestling prayers wherein the Soul wrestles with God by strength of his Promise his Covenant his Truth his Christ It inables you to hear and to hear with profit when Faith doth incorporate it self with the Word it will be profitable Faithful hearing is ever fruitful hearing It will inable you to receive the Sacrament and to receive with comfort Faith is the Organ whereby wee feed on Christ receive Christ Faith is the instrument that conveyes Christ the Conduit-pipe A beleeving Receiver is a blessed Receiver It will inable you to bring forth much fruit To bee fruitful in Obedience It plants us into a fruitfull stock and how can wee bee barren Plants It draws life and nourishment from Christ A faithfull Christian is a fruitfull Christian Men of a good Beleef are men of a good Life That soul that hath yeelded obedience to the Promise in a way of beleeving is ready to subject it self to every Precept in a way of Obedience Faith doth inable a man to contend with lusts with the strongest corruptions The sons of Zerviah which else would bee too hard for us It inables us to combate with Satan It is our shield whereby wee resist it is our weapon whereby wee conquer It sets Christ against Satan by whom wee over-overcome as the word is Wee are more than Conquerors It inables us to overcome the World This is our Victory whereby wee overcome the World even our Faith Whereas unbeleef doth slay and disable the heart both from doing and suffering An unbeleeving heart is an impotent heart The state of unbeleef is a state of impotency and disability to the performance of any thing that is good There is a total and universal impotency in an unbeleeving heart Hee cannot pray hear receive Faith on the contrary doth inable and strengthen the soul to all Obedience It inables a man to yeeld A willing Obedience cheerfull Obedience voluntary Obedience a constant a fruitful an universal Obedience It will inable a man to do his duty Towards God Towards others Towards himself It inables a man to walk through the duties of all relations faithfully The Husband to the Wife the Wife to the Husband The Parents to the Childe The Child to the
light into the world saith Christ that whosoever beleeveth in mee should not abide in darknesse The least touch of Christ by Faith doth raise up and revive the Soul in this sad Condition As the dead man was raised to life and revived but by touching the dead bones of Elisha 2 King 13.21 so the Dead Soul if it do but touch the Dead and crucified body of Christ by Faith is raised up and revived Such a vertue and influence comes from Christ as doth raise up and comfort the Soul Thus Faith doth raise the heart by laying hold of Christ He who raised up himself will raise up all his members If our head had been still under water wee had then perished but he being risen will raise us up also being his members 4 Faith inables a man to put up Soul-raising-prayers indites Soul-raising-prayers strong Prayers and cries to God As Prayer helps Faith So Faith helps Prayer It inables a man to wrestle with God now in the Dark of desertion as it did Jacob in the Dark of the Night Yea and to wrestle with him by his own strength the strength of his Covenant of his promise of his Christ In which Encounter Faith will take up arguments 1 From it self 2 From God 1 From it self By presenting its miserable Condition in the absence of God That all his own work is ready to sink and dy to come to nothing if hee help not Oh! will Faith say Lord my flesh fails my heart fails my strength fails my spirit fails Oh! Come down before I dye come strengthen the things that are ready to dye in me This argument David took up Psal 143.7 Hear me speedily O Lord my spirit fails Oh! Hide not thy face from mee lest I bee like unto them that go down into the Pit So Psal 39.10 12 13. Take thy plague from mee I am consumed by the stroke of thy hand c. Hear my prayer O Lord hearken to my cry Keep not silence at my tears for I am a stranger with thee a sojourner as all my Fathers were Oh! spare a little that I may recover strength before I go hence and be no more 2 Faith will take up arguments from God 1 From the justice and truth of God He hath promised never to leave nor forsake his people 2 From the immutability of God Thou art JEHOVAH thou changest not therefore the Sons of Jacob are not consumed Mal. 3.6 Thou never repentest of thine own work Thou never hast wooed my heart to lose it again Thou never tookest my heart to leave it again and take thy heart clean away Thou never didst set thy heart on mee to take it off again 3 From the power of God Abraham at a plunge was supported with this strong staff of Comfort when though by Gods command hee was to sacrifice his Sonne Isaac yet hee accounted that God was able to raise him up even from the dead Heb. 11.19 Lord if thou wilt thou canst Mat. 8.2 4 From the mercy of God Lord thou art gracious and merciful ready to relieve It 's true I am a sinner but thou art a Saviour I am sinful but thou art mercifull I am impious but thou art gracious I have done that Ego admisi undè me damnare potes Tu non amisisti undè me salvare soles for which thou mightest damn mee but thou hast not lost that by which thou mayest save mee True I am not worthy of a smile from Heaven I have deserved to bee sent from darkness here to everlasting darkness hereafter from this partial to total and universal darkness But Lord proportion not thy dealings to mee according to my deservings from thee Let not the strong God take a pattern from my weakness good God do not ever remember my evil least thou forget thine own goodness thine own mercy O bone Do-â—â— mine noli recordare malum moum ne obliviscaris bonum tuum But thou who art found of them who seek thee not Oh! Be mercifully found of a soul who seeketh thee Thus will Faith work it self out of trouble and gather arguments to prevail with God for deliverance It will take up arguments From Soul-raising-Attributes From Soul-raising-Promises From Soul-raising-Relations From Soul-raising-Experiences It will incompass God with Gods own strength And God cannot because hee will not deny God will not reject his own strength not strive against his own mercy not resist his own Spirit not falsifie his own Truth but will raise up and revive the Soul Thus you see Faith is a Soul-raising-Grace Where Unbeleef holds the soul under water buries the soul in these sad conditions Faith raiseth up and reviveth it A beleeving soul cannot long lye under trouble If all the Power Truth and Mercy of God will fetch him out hee shall bee sure to bee delivered Faith ingages and sets a work all these to help Oh! The Reason my Brethren why you lye so long in spiritual Agonies buried up in spiritual troubles is because you let not Faith come in to work for you let Faith have her perfect work and it will raise you Sixteenth Royalty 16. Faith is an Heart-chearing-Grace 16. Royalty Faith is an Heart-chearing Grace Faith is such a Grace as doth chear and comfort the soul with unexpressible Consolations It is such a Grace as makes an inlet of all the Consolations of God into the Soul Faith brings a report to the Soul that God is his God Christ is his Christ that his Name is written in the Book of Life his sins are pardoned his soul shall bee saved And such news as this must needs fill the soul with unexpressible Consolations with joyes unspeakable and full of glory All other joyes are but mad and disorderly joyes They are carnal not spiritual outward not inward joyes they are but painted not true Joyes imaginary not real Joyes unsatisfying not tull Joyes inconstant not stable Joyes The best false Raptures Anabaptistical Illusions not true Joyes But this Joy The Joy of Faith it is grounded joy it is 1. A spiritual Joy for the Nature of it 2. A Hearty Joy for the Nature of it 3. A Satisfying Joy for the fulness of it 4. A Constant Permanent Joy for the duration of it My Joy shall no man take from you Alas what are all other joyes to the Joy of Faith The least morsel of this Joy is worth all the full meals of worldly delights The least gleaning of this Joy is worth the whole Harvest of carnal mirth The least drop of this is worth an Ocean of any other There is more moisture in one drop of this than in a flood of temporal and carnal delights True Joy grows upon the stock of Faith Where there is no Faith there is no true Joy Faith is the Root and Joy is the Fruit. It is call'd The Joy of Beleevers Beleevers are the Subjects of it and a Joy in Beleeving Beleeving is the Root of it Rom. 5.1.2 Being justified by Faith wee have
will come whoever hath a mind let him come Bee his sins what they will bee for nature for number for continuance yet come and finde acceptance Who is a God like unto thee That pardonest iniquity and passest by the transgressions of the Remnant of thy heritage Thou reteinest not anger for ever for thou delightest to shew mercy Mic. 7.18 There are two things when men are humbled which keep them off from beleeving either 1. A doubt of Gods Power Lord if thou canst 2. A doubt of his Will Lord if thou wilt 1. Some doubt of his Power Oh! Is God able to pardon such a sinner as I have been Can hee pardon so great so bloudy so crimson sins If they were but such or such I should not doubt But being so great how can God pardon 2. Others doubt of his Will They will bee ready to say They know there is a fulness of Power in God hee is able to forgive my sins let them bee what they will bee hee hath a Sea of Mercy able to drown Mountains as well as Mole-hills But alas I doubt of his Will whether hee will shew mercy to such a sinner And therefore if ever you would beleeve you must get an heart convinced of the 1. Fulness and al-sufficiency of Christ to pardon 2. And of the freeness and willingness of Christ to shew mercy to such as do beleeve Dwell upon such considerations as these are being means to beget Faith When men are once convinced of the fulness of God they will come over to him if withall they bee fully convinced of their own need It is possible for a man to beleeve this fulness in Christ and yet not bee able to clear his acceptance Wee read of the Lepers who seeing nothing but death in their condition 2 King 7.3 4 resolved not to stay there but to go over to the Camp of the Assyrians If they save us alive say they wee shall live and if they kill us wee can but dye And there were many reasons which might cause them to expect no better but death from them 1. They were Jews and so their enemies 2. They might bee suspected for Spies 3. If not yet they were Lepers good for no service such as might infect the whole Camp Yet seeing their Misery in want of bread and knowing that there was bread to bee had they resolved to adventure So if there were but a through discovery 1. Of our own Misery a conviction of that 2. Of the fulness and all-sufficiency of Christ it were possible so far to prevail with a man as to throw himself on Christ though hee bee not yet able to clear whether God will ever accept him But when wee take that other consideration in and do think of the sweetness and freeness of Gods love and mercy to accept of poor returning sinners what should then hinder but the soul should come over and beleeve in him And therefore if ever thou wouldest have Faith cherish these thoughts dwell much upon such considerations as these Men say they would beleeve but in the mean time they never cherish such thoughts and considerations as may beget Faith If there bee any thing in the Word which makes against them this they will harbor and cherish they will feed upon the Wormwood and the Gall but if there bee any thing to nourish and cherish Faith this they will suppress They have an ear open to hear what the Law what sin what Satan saith but none to hear what God saith in the Promise They will promote the Devils cause his arguments sharpen his weapons against themselves But they will silence the pleadings of Gods Spirit in them They will look upon the dark side of the Cloud not the light side The threatnings of the Law they will apply and set on with all their might But if Promises come they finde no acceptance with them They will nourish considerations of their sins their guilt their misery by reason of sin and aggravate it to the utmost but the thoughts of Gods Love of the freeness of his Mercy of the promises of pardoning sins these they reject My Brethren This is not the way to get Faith If ever you would beleeve you must study the freeness of Gods Mercy in Christ his willingness to pardon and forgive poor sinners if they come over to him 2. The second means for the strengthening of Faith are these 1. Make use of the Ordinances 1. The Word 2. The Sacraments 3. Prayer 1. The Word Wee say The same way things are begotten the same way they are nourished Corpora naturalia eodem modo quo generantur nutriuntur Faith is begotten by the Word and Faith is nourished by the Word It is both the Begetter and the Nourisher both the Breeder and the Feeder of Faith Rom. 15.4 1 Joh. 4. 2. The Sacraments which were instituted and set up for this end to increase your Faith God knew hee had to deal with unbeleeving persons and therefore hee doth not only give the Promise his Covenant and Oath for the confirmation of us but to all these hee annexed his Seal the Sacraments Mountains upon Mountains to confirm us A man would not desire so much of any honest man as God hath here condiscended to for the confirmation of our Faith One would have thought his bare word had been enough considering the Truth and sufficiency of the Person that spake it But hee hath given his Oath Nay but hee rested not there but his Seal too The Sacraments And therefore make use of them 3. Bee much in Prayer that God would strengthen and increase thy Faith Prayer is the fuel of Faith the food of Faith A man may as well live without meat as Faith without Prayer As the soul lives by Faith so Faith lives by Prayer Faith helps Prayer and Prayer helps Faith again As there is a Communion among the Ordinances every Ordinance doth help another The Word helps Prayer and Prayer helps the Word So there 's a Communion between Ordinances and Graces Faith helps Prayer and Prayer helps Faith Prayer cannot say of Faith I have no need of thee nor Faith of Prayer What need have I of thee As there is a mutual dependence of one Christian on another a means to nourish Communion as Christians help one another One may say Help my Zeal and I will increase thy knowledge strengthen my Faith and I will inflame or kindle thy affections so here There is a mutual dependence between Faith and Prayer Faith saith to Prayer Help mee to beleeve and I will help thee to pray And Prayer to Faith Help mee to pray and I will help thee to beleeve Such a Communion there is And therefore bee much in prayer for strength 4. Live much in the Heaven of the Promise Feed upon the freeness and sweetness and fatness of the Promise Delight your selves in fatness Let your way lye much above live much out of your selves This is your way A man
of the spirit 2. Or are they taken from hearing and that at the best your own hearts can tell There is much mixture in that Duty Oh! what abundance of the Week is in the Sabbath how much of the Shop in the Church what distractions in your best attentions what carnal hearts in your spiritual imployments what Pride what Prejudice what Infidelity what Dulness doth attend all your hearing 3. Nay yet further Are your evidences taken from Graces themselves yet these are not pure There is much mixture in them Our Graces themselves are full of Imperfections You know there is much blindeness with your Light much enmity with your Love much hardness of heart with your mourning for sin yea and much mud much worldly sorrow in your purest tears much Pride with your humility much murmuring with your patience As wee might show at large if need were But now these Evidences which are taken from our Justification they are pure without mixture Though the Faith which justifies us is imperfect yet the Grace which justifies us is perfect I say these Evidences are pure without mixture because they are such as have nothing of our own in them had they any thing of ours they would bee imperfect and impure but having nothing of ours but all Christs they are altogether perfect and pure Christ is all fair all perfect all pure Our sanctifying Righteousness is stained imperfect impure but our justifying Righteousness is pure and perfect If there were any stain or any imperfection in that it could not justifie it could not save us wee should bee undone for ever But that is pure that is perfect and wee in it As the Apostle saith Col. 2.10 In him wee are compleat Compleat in him though imperfect in our selves 3. These are the most satisfying Evidences Other Evidences admit of much questionings Though taken from Duties yea Graces themselves yet they admit of long disputes sharp incounters and assaults And when all is done yet they bring not such fulness of satisfaction to the soul But now Evidences taken from our Justification these are soul satisfying Evidences because the satisfaction of Christ is in them These Evidences are not fetcht from any thing in us or any thing done by us but from the satisfaction which Christ himself hath wrought for us And if there bee any dispute against this then may wee much more dispute against the other If Christ bee not a compleat Satisfier of Gods Wrath and Justice for our sins then these Evidences from the Satisfaction of Christ would do mee no good As the Apostle said of the Resurrection of Christ which was the declaration of that full satisfaction Christ had wrought If Christ bee not risen then our faith is in vain our hope in vain so here If Christ have not fully satisfied Gods Justice if hee hath not paid all the Debt answered all bils of Inditements against mee then my Faith is in vain then these Evidences can do my soul no good But if Christ hath fully satisfied Gods Justice then am I sure for this satisfaction is mine So that you see these are such Evidences as do not only quiet but satisfie conscience to the full Such as silence all doubts answer all scruples and objections that do arise Other Evidences they are not so full not so satisfactory They may afford a man some obvious Refreshment for a time to hold up the head from sinking but they bring not fulness of satisfaction into the soul But now this doth because you see it is taken from such things wherein God himself is satisfied and therefore no reason but wee should bee satisfied If the Creditor say enough shall not the Debtor bee satisfied 4. These are the most constant Evidences Floods and Rivers may fail but Springs are constant Such Evidences as are taken from any thing within us or any thing done by us may at least as to evidence fail us But such Evidences as are taken from without us as c. These are permanent and constant In the greatest drought here will bee Water enough Jer. 17.7 8. Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord and whose hope the Lord is for hee shall bee as a Tree planted by the Rivers of Waters and that spreadeth out her roots and shall not see when heat commeth but her leaf shall bee green and shall not be carefull in the year of drought neither shall cease from yeelding fruit Other Evidences are unconstant they may bee clear to day and bee clouded to morrow the heart is not ever in the same frame But now these are permanent abiding Evidences they are as sure as the Oathes Promise Covenant of God though not ever to sense yet they are ever sure to Faith though not ever to apprehension yet ever in truth Wee may ever conclude them though wee cannot ever clear them Conclude them wee may by Faith though wee cannot clear them to sense I might inlarge my self and go yet further to tell you these are the sweetest the most refreshing and comforting evidences But to conclude this use If ever you would have strong consolation if ever you would have a full and setled peace and comfort then hence draw your Evidences fetch your Evidences from Justification I know that which keeps you upon the racks of fears that which continues you in doubts and jealousies is this You take your Evidences too low either from something in you or something done by you and so you are forced to answer a multitude of Objections and reasons before ever you can finde a bottome to rest upon That which doth raise up new doubts and objections in your spirits and which causeth a fresh return of fears upon you is because you do not take your Evidences high enough You take them from Duties Prayers Dispositions present Affections And so upon every failing you are cast and all thrown down again new fears arise as if you never had any Evidence Were an Evidence sealed in the higher Court what Court shall dispute against it what can overthrow it But now if all this will not perswade you to fetch your Evidences higher but that you will still lye by these waters for comfort you will still fetch your Comforts and Evidences from Duties yet let mee thus far perswade with you that you would labour to clear the sincerity of your heart in these duties Otherwise all this something will bee nothing to you no bottome of Comfort They are but uncertain bottomes at the best but without sincerity to accompany them they will bee no bottomes an house not built on the Sand but built in the Air no foundation And this is the next use wee will come unto 3. Use If it bee possible for a man to do thus much and yet bee unsound Then what care ought there to bee to clear the soundness of our spirits in our performances You pray you hear you do much but ask the question to your selves Is my heart sound in all
left himself without witness As the Apostle saith Nor hath God left any word without witness There is never a truth never a promise in the Word but it hath been made good by a thousand experiences wee have a Book of Experiences to annex to the book of Promises of the many wonders which God hath in all ages wrought for his people all which doth discover the faithfulnesse and truth of God and the Promise to us 2. Information 2 Information This may inform us of the blessed and happy Condition of the Saints who have interest in such a God as can do wonders for them Propriety in all-sufficiency doth make the injoyer happy And what a blessed Condition is this to have interest in such a God who can do wonders for the relieving of us Though your troubles may bee too big for man yet not for God your miseries and extremities may bee above the supply of creatures but they cannot bee above the Power of God Hee can do wonders hee can do that which man cannot do Though you have no ordinary means of help yet you have interest in a God who can do extraordinary things yea and Extraordinary things in an ordinary way nay by Ordinary means if hee undertake the work I may say concerning such as the Psalmist Blessed are the people that are in such a case Blessed are the people whose God is the Lord Psal 144.15 3. Information This may inform us 3 Information How precious the Saints are in the esteem of God what love hee bears to his Church that hee will do wonders for them Wonders for their preservation from trouble and wonders for their deliverance out of trouble Men may do smaller curtesies for ordinary and common friends and they may give their dole to them they do not care for But if they will lay out the utmost of their power of their strength and estates to hold up or to do good to or to relieve one we must needs conclude they love such intirely Gods Dole his common blessings of this life Rex honores dignis congiarium et indignis Senec. will not bee enough to evidence his love Hee causeth his Sunne to shine and his rain to fall upon the good and bad promiscuously But when God doth exercise the greatness of his Power Wisdome Truth Mercy as he doth in the wonders hee doth for his Church this is an evident sign of that love he bears thereto Wicked men may bee subjects on whom he doth exercise the Wonders of his Justice and of his Power As Pharaoh But the Saints are they for whom hee doth exercise the wonders of his mercy in mercy Gods wonders are for the good or for them in a good way 4. Information This may inform us 4 Information that the Condition of the Church is oftentimes very sad very dark very evil because a wonder must bee expressed for relieving of them Ordinary reliefs may help ordinary distempers But when extraordinary must bee used it declares the conditions are exceeding sad The very doing of a wonder for relief implyes a condition to bee such as is beyond the helps and succours of humane and created Power If men could help if means could relieve it were no wonder to help Therefore this implies that the Condition of the Church in respect of things below may be oftentimes very sad very miserable yet 5 Information 5. This informs us again that the Conditions of Gods People Come never to bee so sad and uncomfortable as thereby to despair of help and relief seeing wee have a God who doth wonders for us Our Condition is not so low but a Wonder may raise us up again Wee may bee hopeless and helpless in respect of Creature supplyes and reliefs but wee can never be Hopeless never helpless in respect of Gods when Creature-helps fail God doth but turn us from sense to Faith from reasoning to beleeving from Creatures to himself Hee bids us shut our eyes to the things below and look altogether above as Jehoshaphat did Lord wee know not what to do but our eyes are up unto thee And David too when hee incouraged himself in the Lord his God In the most hopelesse condition there is a door of hope because deliverance is neerest when help seemes furthest off And Oh! that wee could learn at such a time as this to live by Faith and not by sense to shut our eyes to works and look upon the word of God we should then bee strong in God and find incouragement from him when we see nothing but discouragements from below Wee are too apt to live by sense and not by faith and therefore accordingly as God doth let out or restrain himself in the wayes of his providence so our faith doth wane or increase We are too like Hagar when the Bottle is dry sit down and Cry Whereas on the Contrary wee should trust in God 1. In the weakness of means Though there bee weakness below there 's strength above weakness and strength are all one with God Nay 2. In the want of means Though means bee wanting yet God can create means nay do his work without means Nay 3. In the Opposition of means When the Word saith Yea though works say Nay when the Promise saith It shall be Though all Secondary means whereby this Promise should bee effected saith It shall not bee yet are wee to rest upon God and the Promise God doth often speak one thing to sense and another thing to Faith Hee is not ever that in Appearance which hee is in Truth Hee may speak death to sense as you see hee did to the Children of Israel at the Red sea Had they consulted with sense and Reason they could see nothings but death when yet hee speaks life and deliverance to faith As you see Moses saith Fear ye not stand still and see the salvation of the Lord. God may in outward appearance speak evill when yet in the purposes of his heart he speaks good As God may seem to heal when he means to destroy to speak Peace in his Providence when hee speaks terror in his word so God may seem to kill when he intends to cure to destroy when hee intends to save Jer. 29.11 I know the thoughts I have thought toward you saith the Lord the thoughts of Peace and not of trouble even to give you a desired end Though my proceedings sem to bee evil yet my thoughts are good though my wayes are war yet my purposes are peace to give you at the last an expected end 6. Information This may inform us 6 Information That there is no ground for wicked men to insult and glory in any probable advantages which they may have against the Church and People of God God can work wonders for his Church and People You see in the verse before the Text the Egyptians had many advantages against the People of God and they promised to themselves certain and infallible
ears See what followes vers 7 8 13.14 Then the Earth shook and trembled The Lord thundred in the Heavens and the highest gave his voice Hailstones and coals of fire Hee sent out his arrows and scattered them hee shot out his lightenings and discomfitted them And an excellent place you have Isa 54.15 When the enemy shall come in like a flood the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him That is shall both defend from his violence and put him to flight And it is an observable phrase The Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard That is saith one The Spirit of Prayer is lift up When trouble and evil are threatned the enemie comes like a flood irresistably then the Spirit of the Lord stirring up Prayer in his peoples hearts shall lift up a standard against them bee your defence and chase them away When God doth intend to bestow great things on his People first hee gives them the Spirit of Prayer the Harbinger and Forerunner of mercy Jer. 3.19 But I said How shall I put thee among the Children and give thee a pleasant land As if hee had said I have purposes of mercy to thee I have thoughts of deliverance I think to bring thee into thy own land again and do wonders for thee But what way shall I go to effect and bring about this And I said thou shalt call mee my Father As if hee had said I have now bethought mee of a way I will poure a spirit of Prayer upon thee and thou shalt call mee Father and so I will put thee among my Children 3. Bee incouraged to hope as well as to pray Hope 3 Incouragement to hope in God Heb. 6.19 it is called the anchor of the soul sure and stedfast that takes sure hold and then breaks not in the greatest tempest at such an anchor wee may ride in the most overgrown storm They say Clement was cast into the Sea with an anchor fastened to him and could not drown wee shall not in the deepest Waters if wee bee fastened to this anchor for God delights in them who hope in his Mercy Psal 147.11 and whom God delights in enemies shall not delight over his mercy shall prevent their utterly undoing-misery Hope is the Daughter of Faith therefore when Faith hath brought forth the birth of Prayer let it bring forth the other Twin also of Hope And then also 4. To wait on God 4. Bee incouraged to wait For as long as we hope we will wait and no longer as long as you expect and hope your friend will come to you so long you will stay and wait for him but give over hoping once and then you will together give over waiting Hope hath two acts it expects that a Mercy will come and then it waits till it do come as it is confident of Gods goodness and truth that in his due time hee will shew mercy so it is conscious to its own duty and therefore humbly and patiently waits Gods leisure till that time come and this although many cross Providences and greatest dangers should come between yea in the way of thy Judgements O Lord have wee waited for thee saith the Church Isa 26.8 and well they may seeing by experience they ever finde that the Lord is good unto them that wait for him to the soul that seeketh him Lam. 3.25 And then when you have learned these lessons of trusting in God praying hoping and waiting on him Then you shall say with the Church Isa 25.9 Loe this is our God wee have waited for him and hee will save us This is the Lord wee have waited for him wee will rejoyce and bee joyful in his salvation There are many glorious wonders which God is now to do at the latter end of the World for his Church This time is reserved for a time of Wonders And who knows but this may bee one of the Wonders which God now doth for his Church at this time Could wee but remove 1. Our Unbeleef 2. Our Unthankfulness 3. Our Neglect of Duty 4. Our Unworthy Walking Could wee but 1. Beleeve more Strongly 2. Pray more Fervently 3. Live more Holily And God would do Wonders for us I tell you the way to ingage God to do Wonders for England is 1. To Beleeve more 2. To Pray more 3. To Reform more 1 Would you ingage God to do Wonders for England Beleeve Set Faith on work and you will work in the bowels of a Promise nay in the bowels of God pitch Faith upon God Let Faith have her full and perfect work And there is No Temptation so strong but Faith will conquer No Affliction so great but Faith will master No Prison so strait but Faith will open No Danger so great but Faith relieves us in No Misery so unsufferable but Faith will deliver us out Do but beleeve saith Christ and thou shalt see the wondrous works of God As if hee had said God will do no wonders John 6.4 if you will not beleeve Indeed God can do wonders as Christ said Hee could not do much because of their unbeleef Though unbelief take no Power no Wisdome from God For as the Apostle saith God is faithfull whether men beleeve or no So I may say God is Powerfull God is mercifull God â—â— Wise c. though wee beleeve not But though our unbelief do not weaken the Power of God yet it straitens and limits it Though it rob God of no mercy yet it robs us of all Though he hath mercy yet hath he none for us Well then that is the first Beleeve You have to deal with a God and this God is a God of Power and this God and this power is yours in Covenant And by vertue of that all for your good Let Faith now stirre Mark 9.23 If you can but beleeve all things are possible wonders are possible To Beleeve is difficult but to him that Beleeveth nothing is impossible If you had but faith as a grain of mustard-seed say to this mountain bee thou removed hence and bee cast into the sea and it shall bee done Though Faith bee but weak though but small A grain yet if it bee but lively if a grain of Mustard-seed Acris Fervida if it have Acrimonie and Vivacity in it as Mustard-seed hath one grain shall bee able to remove a mountain That is whatever may bee to the glory of God and the good of his Church be it never so difficult the least Faith if true Faith will effect it and bring it about You shall read in Heb. 11.33 what wonders Faith hath wrought It hath the same Power and the same God of power to deal with still Incouragements to Faith I have given you diverse in the former discourses from the Power from the love of God from all those former experiences that both ourselves and generations before have had of Gods goodnesse As I have shewed at large 2 Would you ingage God pray to
Faculties yet I say Making of Faith an Act of the whole Soul of the Understanding VVill and Affections There 's no Necessity will follow thereupon of planting it in diverse and distinct Faculties Why may it not bee Planted and Subjected in the Heart which is the proper seat of Faith as well as of other Graces As others who have made The Formall Act of Faith a willing Assent which is both An Act of the VVill and Understanding to avoid the seating of the Habit in diverse Faculties have placed it in the Mind which say they comprehends the Understanding and the VVill So wee here To avoid the like do seat it more properly in the Heart And therefore that absurdity of seating Faith in diverse Faculties will not follow on us Though wee say That this Act of Faith whereby wee are justified Bee such an Act wherin many other Acts are folded up The Understanding assenting The VVill trusting c. Object 4 But to believe is to bee assured And therefore it is not to trust Ans I say That to beleeve is not to bee assured And to bee assured is not to beleeve Faith is not Assurance Nor is Assurance Faith as many have held I will not trouble you with the Controversie only I will infer these things 1 If Assurance were the Act of Faith whereby wee are justified Then where there 's no Assurance there 's no Faith This were an hard Consequent Nay then VVhoever lives and dyes without Assurance cannot bee saved They who live and dye without Faith cannot bee saved And if Faith were Assurance Then Whoever lived and dyed without Assurance could not bee saved Which far bee it from mee to hold 2 That which is a Consequent of justifying Faith is not Justifying Faith This is plain But Assurance is a Consequent of Justifying Faith It is that which follows it 1 Sometimes in order of Time 2 Alwayes in order of Nature 1 Sometimes in order of Time 1 John 5.13 These things have I written unto you that beleeve on the Name of the Son of God that you might know that you have Eternal life where you see Beleeving goes before and Knowing or Assurance follows after It is not contemporary with Faith but follows it 2 Alwayes in order of Nature As wee say The Truth of a Proposition is ever in order of Nature before the Knowledge of the Truth of it Things must bee in Esse before they can bee in Cognosci Things must Bee before they can bee known to Bee So there must bee pardon of sins before there can bee Assurance of pardon A man must bee Justified before hee can bee assured hee is Justified Justification must needs go before the Apprehension of Justification Now that which apprehends Justification is not Justifying Faith but follows it For Apprehension follows Justification No man can truly apprehend himself to bee Justified till hee bee Justified But Justifying Faith is in nature before Justification And therefore unless wee should say that That which follows is That which goes before wee cannot say that that which apprehends Justification is Justification And by Consequence Assurance is not that Faith which Justifies 3 Again If to beleeve were to bee assured that wee are Justified and our sins pardoned Then it will follow God commands us to beleeve an untruth Why How will that follow Thus Because God commands every one to beleeve 1 Joh. 3.23 This is his Commandement that wee beleeve on the name of his Son JESUS CHRIST Now If to beleeve were to bee assured wee are Justified and our sins pardoned Then God commands to beleeve an untruth That our sins are pardoned before they are pardoned That wee are Justified before wee are Justified Nay Such as are Reprobates and shall never bee pardoned If to beleeve were to bee assured of pardon Then I say God commands them to bee assured of pardon And so commands to beleeve a lye an untruth There is 1 The Act of Faith and 2 The Fruit of Faith The Act of Faith is To cast our selves on CHRIST to rest to trust on him The Fruit of Faith is Justification pardon of sin Reconciliation Now God commands no man to beleeve the Fruit of Faith untill hee hath done the Act of Faith Hee commands no man to beleeve hee hath an interest in the Promise till hee hath performed the condition of the Promise The Promise runs upon this condition Hee that beleeves shall receive remission of sins Act. 10.43 Act. 16.31 To the first Act of Faith All men indeed are tyed under pain of damnation Mar. 16.16 Joh. 3.18 The World shall bee condemned for unbelief And there 's no condemnation but upon breach of some Commandement And therefore all men are tyed to do the first Act. But now to the latter none are tyed but such as have done the former The first is the condition of the Promise or The Duty The second is the Benefit or Fruit of the Promise So that wee conclude this That Assurance is not the Act of Faith whereby wee are justified before God But yet That whereby wee are justified in our selves in the Court of Conscience Wee are said to bee Justified in three Courts 1 In foro Dei In Gods Court. 2 In foro Conscientiae in Court of Conscience 3 In foro Communi In the Court of men 1 In the Court of God It is not Assurance But Faith Affiance trust that doth Justifie 2 In the Court of Conscience It is not Faith but Assurance which Justifies Where the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or first Proposition is the undoubted Word of God hee that beeleves shall bee saved The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Assumption is the Testimony of our own spirit with that word The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the verdict and Testimony of the SPIRIT of God testifying with our spirit according to the word whereby wee have Assurance In the Court of men It is nor Faith nor Assurance that Justifies but works Object 5 But you will say If Assurance bee not the Act whereby wee are justified Because it is a Fruit of Justifying Faith Much less can Trust bee the Act of it because it is the Fruit of Assurance That which is the Fruit of Assurance cannot bee the Act of Justifying Faith But this Trust and Affiance is a fruit of Assurance Assurance is the cause and works Affiance as the Effect Therefore Trust or Affiance cannot bee the Act of Justifying Faith Answ Assurance is twofold 1 Principiorum of Principles 2 Conclusionum of Conclusions The first The Assurance of Principles is no more but such a grounded undoubted Assurance as Beleeves the main Proposition of the Gospel as Hee that beleeves shall bee saved The second The Assurance of Conclusions is such an Assurance as is necessarily deduced from the word by Application in a practical Syllogism after this manner Hee that beleeveth shall bee saved But I beleeve Therefore I shall bee saved The first is The Assurance of the Object
you all to tremble And do you think the word Promising Beseeching Intreating could bee so unprofitable if you had Faith to mingle with it to apply it to your selves It is because you bring no Faith to the Word that the Word of God is not a raising a quickening a comforting word to your souls That it is not an inlightening a convincing a converting and a reforming word So for the Sacraments Could these bee so unprofitable could you live under them and get no further victory of lust no more increase of Grace if you did bring and exercise Faith here to fetch from this treasure opened It is necessary to every Ordinance necessary to your Callings necessary to every condition Wee had need of Faith to go through all the conditions of this life Through Prosperity Adversity Sickness Health Losses and Injoyments As the Apostle said of Patience the Daughter so I say of Faith the Mother You have need of Faith that after yee have suffered the Will of God yee might inherit the Promise Heb. 10.36 If our condition bee prosperous wee had need of Faith to see all is for good and need of Faith to inable us to make a good use of it 1. You had need of Faith to see the Tenor of your injoyments That you injoy them not only out of leave but out of Love not only from a general Providence but from a particular Promise 2. You had need of Faith to see further than your present Estates to look upon these pence and farthings as earnests of better things as something in hand for those things in hope 3. You had need of Faith to see the heart of the giver in the gifts his Affection in the expression the God of Mercy in the injoyment of Mercy to taste the fountain in the stream An unbeleeving man hee is not able to clear this Hee may have prosperity in Judgement and heap up Riches to his own destruction All his Wealth may bee but fuel to that fire to make Hell hotter as Oile to kindle the flame of lust so fuel to increase the fire of torment hereafter So if our condition bee troublesome and afflicted wee had need of Faith to see all is for the best and need wee had of Faith to make the best use of it to humble us wean us winne us c. Faith can see good in all making all good to him though in themselves never so evil 3. There are Motives drawn from the excellency of Faith I shall say no more of it but what I have already said and you may read in these several Royalties of Faith already laid down The second branch of the Exhortation is to you that have Faith Let mee exhort you to exercise your Faith 1. In matter of Justification under the guilt of sin Trust in God for Pardon for Justification What though thy sins bee never so great Iniquity Transgression and sin sins of Nature sins of Course sins of Custome what though they bee bloody and crimson sins yet hee can pardon hee can forgive them Thy sins are great his Mercy is greater Thy sins are many His Mercies are more Thy sins have abounded His Mercy superabounds As thou hast been plentiful in sinning so hee is in Mercy for pardoning sin Isa 1.18 Though your sins were as crimson they shall bee made white as Snow though as red as Scarlet they shall bee as Wooll Isa 55.7 Let him return to the Lord and hee will have mercy upon him and to our God for hee will multiply pardons Though thy sins have weakened the Law and made that unable to save thee or do thee good Rom. 8 3. yet they have not weakened Christ and Grace Christ is able to save to the utmost even to the utmost of your sins the utmost of your doubts and fears Non datur summum malum There is neither quality nor quantity of sins that can pose the fulness of Christ There is not so much evil in sin in all thy sins as there is Mercy in him If thou canst beleeve all things are possible to the Beleever They are Christs own words Mark 9.23 It is possible for thy greatest rebellions to pass away as a cloud and to bee dispelled and scattered as a mist if thou canst beleeve Hee can drown Mountains as well as Molehils 2. Trust in him for Sanctification Christ is full of all Grace and Truth Joh. 1.14 hee is able to fill a World of hearts with Grace Thou desirest more love brokenness of heart sincerity fruitfulness Christ is able to afford thee all of all this 3. Trust in him for mortification of thy lusts and corruptions Go over to Christ for power to subdue your lusts and unruly corruptions If ever you would make any happy conquest of lust by Faith have recourse to Christ there you shall have strength against your unruly affections Christ is as able to cleanse as to clear to purge to subdue and take down the power of sin as to take away the guilt of sin 1. Wee have his Prayer to subdue and conquer our lusts to sanctifie our Natures John 17.17 Sanctifie them through thy Truth 2. Wee have his Promise I will subdue your iniquities Micah 7.19 Sin shall no more have dominion over you Rom. 6.14 3. Wee have his Power who is able to subdue all things to himself Phil. 3.21 Hee will trample Satan under our feet 4. Wee have his office and fidelity to appeal unto where wee may complain of our own flesh Hee undertook it as a part of his business to purge and cleanse his people Tit. 2.14 Hee came not only to bee a Redeemer but to bee a Refiner a Purifier Hee gave himself for us to redeem us from all iniquitie and to cleanse and purifie us to bee his peculiar people zealous of good works 5. Wee have his Merits as a Sanctuary to fly to as to a Laver as to a Fountain set open to wash us from all sin filthiness and uncleanness Zach. 13.1 4. Exercise Faith in case of Difficulties 1. In case of Temptation Thou art it may bee in many Temptations Exercise Trust. Thou knowest who hath conquered Death Hell who hath overcome Principalities and Powers all the Powers of Darkness who hath led captivity captive and triumphed over all on the Cross Trust therefore in him 1. For support and strength in the Combat Hee hath promised My Grace shall bee sufficient 2 Cor. 12.9 God is faithful who will not suffer you to bee tempted above what you are able But will with the Temptation give an issue that wee may bee able to bear it 1 Cor. 10.13 2. Trust in him for deliverance out of it and victory over it That hee should conquer the strong man and snatch us as brands out of the fire and tread down Satan under our feet Rom. 16.20 Deliver us out of Temptations 2 Pet. 2.9 The Lord knâ—ws how to deliver his out of temptations 5. Exercise Trust in case of Desertions When God