receiue this rghteousnesse taking Christ for our Husband our King and Lord. But you will say Faith is more for Fides est actus intellectus It is an act of the vnderstanding assenting to Truths for the Authority of the Speaker therefore the mind and will must concurre to make vp this Faith For the better vnderstanding of it marke this word the righteousnesse of God is reuealed wherein is likewise implyed though it bee not expressed that it is offered for to what purpose or what comfort is it to see that there is such a righteousnesse if it be nothing to vs but it is so reuealed that it is also offered Now being both reuealed and offered you must finde something in men answerable to both these to the reuelation of it the vnderstanding assenting to it as a Truth that CHRIST is come in the flesh and offered to all men Againe to answer to the matter of the offer there is also an act of the will whereby it comes in and takes or embraceth this righteousnesse Both these 1 Tim. 1.15 are put together This is a faithfull saying and worthy to be receiued that Iesus Christ came into the world to saue sinners It is true saith the vnderstanding and therefore that beleeues it but it is worthy to be receiued saith the will therfore that comes in takes and accepts it As in matter of marriage If one come and tell a Woman there is such a man in the world that is willing to bestow himselfe on you if you will take him and accept him for your husband Now marke what it is that makes vp the marriage on her part first she must beleeue that there is such a man and that that man is willing to haue her that this message is true that it is brought from the man himselfe and that it is nothing else but a true declaration of the mans minde This is an act of her minde or vnderstanding But will you take him and accept of him for your Husband now comes the will and the concurrence of these two makes vp the match So wee come and tell you There is such a one the Messiah that is willing to bestow himselfe on you If you beleeue that we deliuer the message from Christ and doe consequently embrace and take him now are you iustified this is the very translation of you from death to life at this very instant you are deliuered from Satan possessed of a Kingdome and saluation is come to your house Now because this taking of CHRIST is the maine point which makes CHRIST ours and the want whereof is the cause that euery man is condemned it comming neerest to life and death that you may know what it is we must tell you that this is required therein First there must not be Error personae errour of the person Secondly you must vnderstand aright what this taking is Thirdly there must be a compleat deliberate will which must concurre to this action of taking These three being declared we shall not easily be deceiued in it First when you heare of this righteousnes of CHRIST and of its being made ours you you must know that first CHRIST himselfe is made ours and then his righteousnesse as first you must haue the Husband and then the benefits that come by him I say take heede that there be not an errour of the person that you mistake him not And this excludes all ignorant men that take not Christ indeed but onely in their owne fancie Therefore when you come to make this marriage you must know that CHRIST is most holy that he is also such a one as will bring persecution with him as sayes of himselfe that he knowes not where to lay his head such a one as for whose sake you must part with euery thing such a one as is hated in the World and for whose sake you must be hated some would haue the man but they know not the man and so many thousands are deceiued that are willing to take CHRIST but they know not what they take they vnderstand not Christ aright there is an errour of the person and so a misse of the match and consequently of Justification for so as to make him their Lord so as to be subiect to him they take him not they do not consider that he requires such and such things at their hands Secondly If there be no mistake of the person yet what is this taking In marriage there is a certaine forme to be obserued and if that forme be mist of there is a misse of the match This taking therefore is nothing but this So to take him as to be diuorced from all other Louers so to serue him as you serue no other Master so to bee subject to him that you be subject to nothing in the World besides This is properly to take CHRIST and this excludes the greatest part of men they being ready to take Christ but then they will loue the World too but GOD tels them that if they loue the World the loue of the Father nor the Sonne is not in them You must haue your affections weaned from euery kinde of vanity Goe thorow the whole Vniuerse looke on all the things that are Riches and Pleasures and Honours Wife and Children if your heart be not weaned from euery of them you take him not as a Husband Againe others will serue CHRIST and their riches too their credit too their owne praise with men too but CHRIST tels them no man can serue both you must serue him alone and be obedient to none but him if you doe so you take him for your Lord indeede So many will be subject to him as a King but they will bee subject to their lusts too if their lusts command them they cannot deny them some they will reserue and you know how many this excludes Therefore you shall find that no man can take Christ and his wealth you know the young man was shut out because he would not let goe his possessions which he must part with or else haue none of him So Ioh. 5.44 If you receiue the praise of men how can you beleeue That is if you be not weaned and diuorced from all you cannot beleeue Though you be the off-scowring of men though you bee mocked and scorned it matters not but if you seeke the praise of men you cannot beleeue Where by the way you may marke something and adde it to that I said before What is the reason that the seeking praise of men should hinder from beleeuing Certainely if Faith were onely an Act of the vnderstanding assenting to the truth for the Authority of its Speaker it would bee no hindrance or impediment to the act of the mind in beleeuing that such a thing is true so that it must needs haue reference to the will Therefore saith CHRIST While you seeke the praise of men how can you beleeue That is take me for your GOD and LORD
to haue performed the workes of sanctification by any power or strength of our own we should yet haue beene ready to boast thereof Christ is made sanctification too so that we are not able to thinke a good thought we are not able to doe the least good thing without him It is I saith the Lord that doth sanctifie you It is I that doth act euery Grace it is I that doe put your hearts into a good frame Christ is made sanctification to vs so that take a holy man after he is iustified it is CHRIST that sanctifieth him and that carries him thorow his life in a holy and righteous conuersation and all this is done that no flesh should reioyce in it selfe And yet one thing more is added by the Apostle for if a man could rid himselfe out of misery if a man could helpe himselfe when he is vnder any crosse or trouble hee would then be ready to boast in himselfe therefore saith he Christ is made to vs redemption also so that take any euill though it be but a small euill a small disease a little trouble no man is able to helpe himselfe in this case it is Christ that redeemes vs from the least euils as well as from hell it selfe For you must know that all the miseries that befall vs in the World they are but so many degrees so many descents and steps towards hell now all the redemption that we haue it is from CHRIST so that let vs looke into our liues and see what euils we haue escaped and see what troubles we haue gone thorow see what afflictions we haue beene deliuered from it is all through CHRIST who is made redemption for vs. It is true indeede there are some generall workes of GODS prouidence that all men taste of but there is no euill that the Saints are freed from but it is purchased by the Blood of CHRIST and all this GOD hath done that no flesh might reioyce in it selfe and for this cause saluation is propounded to be receiued onely by faith there is no more required at our hands but the taking of Christ by faith and when we haue taken him then hee is all this to vs. So that now you see the point cleared and the reasons why it is by faith onely that the righteousnesse of CHRIST is made ours to saluation Now in the next place If to this that wee haue said wee adde but one thing more to cleere the point we shall then haue done enough to satisfie you in this point and that is this to shew you what this faith is for when wee speake so much of faith as wee doe euery man will be inquisitiue to know what this faith is therefore wee will endeuour to doe that at this time First Faith if we should take it in the generall it is nothing else but this An act of the vnderstanding assenting to something But now this assent is of three sorts First there is such an assent to a truth as that a man is in a great feare lest the contrary should be true and this we call opinion when we so assent to any proposition as that that which is contrary may be true for ought we know There is a second kind of assent which is sure but it is grounded vpon reasons and arguments and that we call Science or knowledge that is when we are sure of the thing we assent to wee make no doubt of it but wee are led vnto it by the force of reason Againe there is a third kinde of assent which is a sure assent too but we are led to it by the authority of him that affirmeth it and this is that which is properly called Faith So that a generall definition of Faith is this It is nothing else but a firme assent giuen to the things contained in the holy Scriptures for the authority of God that spake them This is properly Faith or beleeuing if wee take the word in the generall But if we speake of iustifying Faith we shall finde that that is not commonly expressed in the word beleeuing only but beleeuing in Christ which is another thing and therefore you shall finde that it differeth in two things from this common and generall faith First in regard of the object and indeede that is the maine difference for whereas the other faith lookes vpon the whole Booke of GOD and beleeues all that GOD hath reuealed because GOD hath reuealed it This iustifying Faith pitcheth vpon CHRIST and takes him with his benefits and priuiledges so that the difference lyeth not in the habit of Faith but in the object for with the same faith that we beleeue other things we beleeue this as with the same hand that a man takes other Writings with he takes a Pardon with the same eyes that the Israelites see other things they looked vpon the brazen Serpent the difference was not in the faculty but in the object vpon which they looked by which they were healed so it is in this betweene this â—aith and the other they differ not in the habit but in the object There is a second difference which is a maine difference too the other faith doth no more but beleeue the truth that is reuealed it beleeueth that all is true that is contained in the Scriptures and the Deuils may haue this faith and wicked men may haue it but iustifying faith goeth further it takes CHRIST and receiues him so that there is an act of the Will added to that faith as it is expressed Heb. 11.13 They saw the promises afarre off and embraced them thankfully Others it may be see the promises and beleeue them but they take them not they doe not embrace them So that if I should define iustifying Faith vnto you it may bee thus described It is a Grace or a habit infused into the soule by the Holy Ghost whereby we are enabled to beleeue not onely that the Messias is offered to vs but also to take and receiue him as a Lord and Sauiour That is both to be saued by him and to obey him Marke it I put them together to take him as a Lord and as a Sauiour for you shall find that in the ordinary phrase of Scripture these two are put together Iesus Christ our Lord and Sauiour Therefore we must take heede of disjoyning those that GOD hath joyned together we must take CHRIST aswell for a Lord as a Sauiour let a man doe this and he may be assured that his faith is a iustifying faith Therefore marke it diligently if a man will take CHRIST as a Sauiour onely that will not serue the turne CHRIST giueth not himselfe to any vpon that condition only to saue him but we must take him as a Lord too to be subject to him to obey him and to square our actions according to his will in euery thing For he is not onely a Sauiour but also a Lord and he will
helped by the Holy Ghost to know it but it is chiefly grounded vpon our owne experience for it is no more but the act of a mans owne heart reflecting vpon what hee hath done when hee considers Haue I taken CHRIST or no as a Lord and as a Sauiour as a Priest to saue me as a King to liue by his Lawes this is a looking vpon an act of mine owne therefore the vnderstanding and knowing of it must come from experience The last act of faith is to purifie and to sanctifie I cannot stand vpon it at this time nor make Vse and apply this as I desired therefore I will breake off heere So much for this time FINIS OF FAITH The third Sermon ROM 1.17 For by it the righteousnesse of God is reuealed from Faith to Faith As it is written The iust shall liue by Faith THe last point that wee deliuered out of these words was this that Faith is that whereby we are made partakers of the righteousnesse of Christ. Wee come now to the Vses of it And first of all if it be by faith onely by which we are made partakers of that righteousnesse that saueth vs the first consectary that we will draw from hence is this That wee should learne to come to CHRIST with an empty hand and not to bee discouraged for any want that wee finde in our selues nor for the greatnesse of our sinnes wee should not bee discouraged for the want of a perfect degree of repentance and godly sorrow or for the want of whatsoeuer good worke you thinke is requisite to saluation for my beloued you must know that this is the nature of faith that it doth its worke best alone and faith is so farre from requiring any thing in the partie that shall haue CHRIST that necessarily he must let goe all things else otherwise hee cannot beleeue and this is a point necessarily to be considered for euery man is apt to conceiue and thinke that it is impossible that GOD should accept him vnlesse there bee something in him why GOD should regard him If he finde himselfe to be exceeding vngodly he thinkes that CHRIST will neuer looke after him And againe if hee haue nothing at all to giue if he haue nothing to bring with him in his hand hee thinkes that hee shall haue no pardon But you see that faith requires nothing in the first apprehension of CHRIST if a man bee neuer so vngodly it is all one the promise notwithstanding is made vnto him Againe Why should you looke for righteousnesse in your selues The worke of faith and it hath nothing else to doe is to take that righteousnesse of Christ that is none of your owne so that there is nothing else at all required for all that faith hath to doe is onely to take from Christ that righteousnesse that we want our selues so that I say there is no reason why any man should bee discouraged in his first comming for any want that he findes in himselfe or for any condition that he is in because faith onely is that that makes vs partakers of a righteousnesse to iustifie vs because we our selues haue it not I say faith is so farre from requiring any thing to be added to it to helpe it in the act of iustifying that of necessity it excludes all things else for faith hath this double quality not onely to lay hold of Christ offered but to empty a man of all things else whatsoeuer As for example Faith is not onely the beleeuing of a truth which is deliuered from the authority of him that doth deliuer it but it is a resting vpon Christ a casting of our selues vpon him Now when a man leanes vpon any other thing hee stands not vpon his owne legges hee stands not vpon his owne bottome for if hee did hee could not properly be said to leane If a man trust and depend vpon another he prouides not for himselfe but he that so lookes to himselfe that he prouide so as to make him selfe safe if another should faile him so farre he trusts himselfe so that beloued if you trust CHRIST it is of necessity required that you must bee vnbottomed of your selues you must altogether leane vpon him you must cast your selues wholly vpon him For faith hath such an attracting vertue in it that it fils the heart with CHRIST Now it cannot fill the heart with CHRIST vnlesse the heart be emptyed first Therefore I say faith hath a double quality not onely to take but to empty and they are reciprocall the one cannot be without the other Hence it is that we say faith ingrafts a man a man cannot be ingraft into a new stocke vnlesse hee bee quite cut off from the former roote therefore faith driues a man out of himselfe and makes him nothing in himselfe so that when he comes to lay hold on the promise of GOD he lookes at no quality or excellencie of his owne he lookes at no fitnesse nor worthinesse in himselfe but he comes with a hand and a heart altogether empty So that when a man comes to beseech GOD to receiue him to mercie and to grant him a Pardon of his sinnes when he comes to take hold of the righteousnesse of CHRIST for his iustification if he thinke that there is any little worthinesse in him or that there be no fault in him at all and from thence shall thinke that GOD will receiue him this man is not fit to come to Christ he must be wholly emptied of himselfe and then God will speake peace vnto him But you will aske What is that that faith doth empty a man of Faith emptieth a man of two things First of all opinion of righteousnesse in himselfe Secondly of all opinion of strength and ability to helpe himselfe for if either of these remaine in the heart a man cannot receiue CHRIST First I say a man must be emptied of all opinion of worthinesse in himselfe of all conceipt that he hath the least righteousnesse in himselfe therefore when the yong man came to CHRIST and CHRIST told him that he must keepe the Law and he said hee had done all those things from his youth CHRIST knew that he was not yet fit therefore saith he Goe and sell all that thou hast Christs end was nothing else but to discouer to him his owne vnworthinesse If thou wilt be perfect saith CHRIST take this tryall Canst thou be content to let thy wealth goe to follow me Canst thou be content to suffer persecution This shewed that hee was not perfect but that hee was still a sinfull man this was the way to prepare him for Christ this course we see CHRIST alwaies tooke we see it expressed in the Parable of the Publican and of the Pharise the Publican went away iustified because he was wholly emptyed of all conceipt and opinion of worth in himselfe But the Pharise was not iustified not because he was not a iuster man then the
he may be willing to take great paines and to suffer much but to crosse himselfe still of his most inward desires that he hath those that are most rooted in the soule that sticke neere and close vnto him this is difficult I answer CHRIST is worthy of all these thou shalt prouide better for thy selfe by doing this there is another life in the regenerate part and it perfects that though you destroy the flesh and offer violence vnto that yet there is the inward man that is growing vp daily though the outward man faile It is true violence must be offered to the flesh you must be content to part with pleasures and the outward man in that sense must suffer somewhat but remember what you gaine there is the inward man that so much the more prouides for it selfe and if you will not then deny your selfe you deny not your disease that will slay you If a man haue a disease that cries hard to him to haue such and such things giuen it it is wisdome for him to deny it because he nourisheth that that would destroy him so herein himselfe is his disease and to giue to that is his destruction so that that which you call your selfe is your disease and when you feed your selfe you feed your disease and therfore euery one is to bee ruled by the Physicians aduice who teacheth to doe othewise CHRIST teacheth vs another way which is for our health and safety I cannot stand to presse that But I shall endure persecution and losse of friends nay perhaps losse of life I but thou shalt receiue an hundred fold thou shalt haue no losse by that bargaine thou shalt finde Christ worth all that thou giuest him More I should adde but I come to the last point The righteousnesse of CHRIST is reuealed from faith to faith The first poynt yee haue heard that Righteousnesse is reuealed and offered in the Gospell to as many as will take it As also The second That it is by faith by which we are made to partake of this righteousnesse it is reuealed from faith to faith that is it is so reuealed as that it is taken by faith The third point that we are now to handle is this that Faith admits degrees and wee ought euery Christian to grow from degree to degree In this proposition faith admits of degrees and that we ought to grow from one degree to another I finde two parts First that there are degrees of faith Secondly that we ought to grow from degree to degree For the first that I may run through them as briefely as I can There are degrees in faith in these foure respects as there are two acts of faith one whereby we take Christ and that we call a direct act by which we truly lay hold on him receiue him as our Lord and Sauiour The second is that act of faith by which we know we haue receiued him the reflect act which is assurance both these receiue degrees The first receiues degrees in three respects the last receiues degrees I will name but one and so make vp the fourth The first act by which we receiue and take Christ the Messias offered vnto vs it admits this first degree there is a great degree of perswasion that Christ is offered and that hee is ours that he is giuen by GOD the Father and though I find this proposed in the Word that Christ is giuen to vs yet there are degrees of the perswasion of the truth of this and this we need not wonder at for though it be faith and though the perswasion be true and good and firme yet notwithstanding it may admit of degrees else any man might obiect If a man be fully perswaded what needes he more If he be not fully perswaded it is not faith if he be fully perswaded that makes it faith and how can that admit degrees I answer it may because there are degrees in the very perswasion though the perswasion be good and true yet there are degrees in it As for example there is such a proposition of Truth which I am perswaded to beleeue by arguments that ouercome me I must needes yeeld to it and yet there are more arguments and reasons that may bee brought that may worke a greater perswasion as wee say that may be more immediate to perswade vs of that conclusion as a man may see a thing by a little glimmering light of a candle he may see it certainely and firmely but when there come more Candles or a Torch in he may see more cleerely although he saw it certainely before So the promises of God we may behold them and apply them to our selues to be sure and firme and yet this may admit more degrees when there is more light and more arguments when the Spirit of Adoption speakes more cleerely and fully to vs there may be a greater degree of perswasion and therefore that objection that either it is not faith if there be doubting or if it be firme in a man he needes no more I say it is not so for faith admits degrees there is a full perswasion Col. 2. which intimates there is a lesser faith then that As you know a Ship may be carried with a gentle gale of wind as well as with a stronger gale though it goe not so fast but it may be moued it may be put on with a gentle wind as well as with a strong gale So a Tree may be rooted and rooted strongly and firmely and yet may be more rooted afterward The phrase of Scripture carries it so Oh ye of little faith there is a little faith and therefore it implyes there is a strong faith yet the least is accounted faith So Lord I beleeue helpe my vnbeliefe it was vnbeliefe and yet it was reckoned for beliefe So our Sauiour said to Peter Why doest thou doubt Certainely Peter beleeued or else hee could not cast himselfe vhon the water and yet there was doubting indeede mingled with it And indeede if faith were not mixt with doubting who should haue faith Did not Dauid trust GOD much and yet his faith was mixed with doubting saith he I shall perish one day by the hand of Saul and yet he had faith Therefore I say there may be faith though we haue not so full a perswasion But you will say how differs it from opinion Opinion is an assent to a truth with a feare lest the contrary may be true it differs from opinion in the object the object of opinion is something in its owne nature vncertaine but Faith pitcheth vpon the Word of GOD which is in its owne nature infallible and cannot deceiue Againe opinion is a matter of speculation and no more faith is a matter of practice but that is not all Opinion goeth no further but stayes in a doubt but faith proceedes to full assurance And therfore it hath the denomination
what nature soeuer to thinke otherwise is to limit the holy one of Israel trust perfectly therefore It is not a little that will serue the turne as the Apostle saith 2 Pet. 3. vlt. grow in grace there is neede of it you shall finde that as you wade further in the profession of Christianity so you shall haue neede of more strength you shall haue greater imployment therefore you haue more neede of growth to goe forward and perseuere Againe you shall meet with greater temptations and assaults if you bee not more strong then at the first you are not able to resist Againe If you grow in faith you shall growe likewise in Joy and that is a thing which wee haue continuall vse of that is of onely vse to comfort and strengthen vs to make vs abound in the workes of the LORD that helpes vs to goe thorow all variety of conditions that enables vs to abound and to want to passe thorow good report and euill report to suffer and endure persecution now the more you grow in faith the more you grow in joy as the Apostle saith Rom. 15.13 The God of peace fulfill you with all ioy by beleeuing So that the more wee beleeue the more ioy the more consolation wee haue Againe the more you grow in faith the more you shall gaine the fauour of GOD the more you shall winne his loue there is nothing in the World doth so much winne the fauour of GOD as a great degree of faith and therefore though thou mayest be saued with a lesse degree yet that thou mayest be in a greater degree of fauour seeke more faith and this though it be reckoned a small matter to haue a great degree of GODS fauour yet it is the greatest dignity in the world Looke vpon all the difference of men it is their difference in the fauour of God that makes them so Why was Moses a man aboue all the rest saith GOD I will haue compassion vpon whom I will haue compassion and I will shew mercie to whom I will shew mercie I haue chosen Moses looke to what difference of men you will looke into what estate what condition thou wouldest haue either thy soule or thy body whatsoeuer it be it is by the grace and fauour of GOD in CHRIST IEsus that all thy comfort and consolation increaseth What shall make me grow in the fauour of GOD I answer there is nothing that causeth God to set so much by vs as faith the woman of Canaan see what cause Christ had to giue her such a great commendation great is thy faith and because her faith was great therefore hee set her at so high a rate So the Centurion saith CHRIST I haue not found so great faith in Israel and that is the thing that he set so great a price vpon So Iacob when hee got the name of Israel when he preuailed with GOD certainely it was the greatest blessing that euer he had Why was that Because hee shewed the greatest faith that euer he did it was a strong faith that preuailed with GOD And what set him at so high a rate in GODS Booke It was the faith he had in GOD therfore he is remembred in the whole Booke of GOD for his faith Therefore the more faith you haue the more GOD prizeth you it is it that winnes his loue I cannot stand vpon the arguments why we should grow in faith they are many The more faith we haue the more powerfull are our prayers in preuailing with GOD for faith giues strength to them Againe the more faith you haue the more you bring glory to GOD if there bee much faith there will bee much fruite it is the roote of all grace as Iohn 15.8 Herein is my Father glorified that you bring forth much fruit Get much faith then if you will haue much fruit that you may bring glory to GOD as if he should say If a man haue but some faith he brings forth fruit yet there shall be something wanting but when a man is eminent when he is conspicuous when he is as a great light that euery man turnes his eye to when he is as a Tree that brings forth much fruite which turnes the eyes of the beholders to it So it is with Christians herein saith Christ is my Father glorified c. A Christian hath no such motiue as this he shall glorifie GOD exceedingly if he haue abundance of faith he shall haue abundance of euery Grace he shall grow rich in good workes this is that which we should all labour for I cannot stand to presse it further So much for this time and for this Text. FINIS A TREATISE OF EFFECTVALL FAITH Deliuered in sixe Sermons vpon 1 Thes. 1.3 By the late faithfull and worthy Minister of IESVS CHRIST IOHN PRESTON Dr. in Diuinity Chaplaine in ordinary to His Maiestie Master of Emanuel Colledge in Cambridge and sometime Preacher of Lincolnes-Inne The iust shall line by faith Hab. 2.4 Who through faith subdued Kingdomes wrought righteousnesse obtained promises c. Heb. 11.33 34. LONDON Printed for Nicholas Bourne 1630. OF EFFECTVALL FAITH The first Sermon 1. THESS 1.3 Remembring your effectuall Faith c. IN the former Verses the Apostle setteth down this generall Wee giue thankes alwaies for you making mention of you in our prayers without ceasing First hee tels them that hee prayes for them and then hee tels them more particularly that his prayer was a thanksgiuing And this giuing of thanks for them hee expresseth by the continuance of it he did it constantly without ceasing not by fits making mention of you in my prayers Then he names the particulars for which he giues thankes namely these three For their Effectuall Faith Diligent Loue Patient hope Now these three Graces he describeth and setteth forth three wayes First from a certaine property or character which distinguisheth the true faith from the false faith the true loue from the false loue the true hope from false hope I giue not thankes for euery faith but for such a faith as is effectuall that is the property or character by which the truth of faith is discerned Againe not for euery loue but for such a loue as is laborious for so the word signifieth Thirdly not for euery hope but for such a hope as makes you patient that is the character by which to know hope And this is the first way whereby he describeth these Graces Secondly he describeth them from the object vpon which these Graces are pitched and that is Iesus Christ our Lord that is to say I giue thankes for the faith you haue in Christ for the loue you haue towards him for the hope you haue of what he will doe for you I giue thankes for that faith for that loue for that hope that hath Christ for the object of it Thirdly he describeth these graces from the sincerity of them I giue thankes for all these graces that you haue in the sight of God
the foundation vpon the word of a man you are not built vpon this Doctrine that I teach meerely because I teach it but you are built vpon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles that is you see the Prophets and Apostles deliuer this Doctrine I but one may seeke a further ground then that What foundation haue the Prophets and Apostles Saith he Christ is the chiefe corner stone on which they are built So that when you haue this tract of consequence I see the promise is sure Why Because it is built vpon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets they haue affirmed it But how shall I know that they are sure Because Christ himselfe hath spoken by them hee is the chiefe corner stone when faith is thus grounded then we are truely said to bee built and rooted and grounded in faith Therefore as the Samaritanes said Ioh. 4 44. We beleeue not because thou toldâ—st vs not for thy words but wee haue heard him our selues and wee know that hee is the Messias and Sauiour of the World Now if those Samaritanes had onely beleeued because the Woman brought that relation their faith might haue fayled them but when they heard CHRIST themselues vvhen they saw him vvith their owne eyes when they could say in good earnest out of their owne knowledge wee know that this is CHRIST the Sauiour of the World that is such a faith as will hold out So when a man doth onely take a perswasion out of the generall preaching of the Word without a certaine ground it prooues ineffectuall faith but when men beleeue because themselues haue seene and out of that knowledge can say they know CHRIST to bee the Messias when they know CHRIST to bee theirs when they know CHRIST to bee the Sauiour of the World and so by consequence of them which are a part of the World then they may be truely said to bee built to bee rooted and grounded in faith This is that that Saint Iohn saith 1 Ioh. 1.19 Wee know that wee are of GOD and that all the World lyeth in wickednesse Wee know that wee are of GOD that is it is not a thing that we are vncertainely perswaded of but it is a thing that wee know as certainely as any man knowes a thing that is before his eyes as a man knowes a thing of which hee doubts not wee know that although all the World be against vs though all the World runne another way though all the World condemne vs for vaine men idle men for trusting in CHRIST crucified yet we know that we are of GOD and that all the World lyeth in wickednesse I say when a man holds out thus when hee is put to the tryall when a man knowes in his owne knowledge that it is so as Peter saith to CHRIST Ioh. 6.68 many had taken CHRIST that went away againe Saith CHRIST to his Disciples Will you also goe away Marke the answer that Peter giues No saith he Whither should wee goe thou hast the words of eternall life I know and beleeue that thou art Christ the Sonne of the liuing GOD. As if he should say It is impossible that I should goe away for I know and beleeue that is I know vpon good ground I haue another manner of ground then they had If I had no more ground then the rest I should goe away as well as they but I know and beleeue that thou art CHRIST the Sonne of the liuing GOD therefore it is impossible that I should euer forsake thee although all should forsake thee This is to bee rooted and grounded in faith in this second sense when we see an infallible ground a sure Rocke vpon which our faith is built and we are willing to aduenture our selues vpon it to aduenture our goods our name our life our liberty that if a man bee brought to Martyrdome hee can aduenture himselfe and put all that hee hath vpon it This ground will hold out I say when the vnderstanding of a man is thus built vpon the Word when a man is examined euery way when hee is able to answere all arguments and all objections that may be brought against it This is the second thing wherein the effectualnesse of faith consists I should adde more but I must deferre them till the afternoone FINIS OF EFFECTVALL FAITH The Second Sermon 1. THESS 1.3 Remembring your effectuall Faith c. THe third thing wherein the efficacy of faith is seen is when we take CHRIST this is the action of the will when wee take him in a right manner when we take him so as to hold him when we take him in such a manner as that we are knit and vnited to him That this is required First I will shew it in the generall it is a point that wee haue often mentioned heretofore but to all that I haue said I will adde that in Heb. 10.22 Let vs draw neere with a true heart and assurance of faith Marke it first there must be an assurance of faith that is in the vnderstanding and minde of a man and to that must be added drawing neere and that is an act of the will for when we are assured of the truth of the promises and haue appropriated them to our selues then followes the act of the will therefore in vers 38. of that Chap. it is said The iust shall liue by faith but if any man draw backe my soule shall haue no pleasure in him That Antithesis that opposition that is made in that withdrawing of a mans selfe from God is opposed to faith to drawing neere to him when a man not only beleeueth the promises but accepts and receiues them Now to doe this in a right manner is that wherein the efficacy of faith doth principally consist Now what is that It is to take Christ to draw neere to him in a right manner and then it is done when you so take him that you bring Christ into your hearts to dwell there as it is expressed Eph. 3.17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith That is when there is an vnion made betweene Christ and vs when he comes into the heart when he dwels in vs and we in him when Christ is so brought into our hearts that hee liues there and when wee are so vnited to him that we liue in him when he growes in vs as the Vine in the branches and we grow in him as the branches in the Vine when faith hath done this then it is an effectuall faith when it knits and vnites vs to CHRIST as he saith I will come in and sup with him That is I will continue with him I will liue in him and rule ouer him Now when Christ is in the heart he is not there to no purpose but as Paul saith I liue in Christ and he in me I say when our taking of CHRIST shall proceede so far as to make this vnion betwixt vs
the giuing vp of a mans selfe to CHRIST and making a publike testimony of it although there bee somthing more meant generally by baptizing but heere it is meant a iustification to all the world that we haue taken CHRIST Now euery one that will beleeue and be baptized that is euery one that will doe this shall bee saued so that a man must first take CHRIST himselfe and then he may doe as the Wife after she hath her Husband she may thinke of all the benefits she hath by him and may take them and vse them as her owne This is the first thing The second thing that I promised was to shew you the subiect of faith and that is the whole heart of man that is to say to name it distinctly both the minde and the will Now to shew you that both these are the subject of faith you must know that these two things are required First on the part of the vnderstanding it is required that it beleeue that is that it conceiue and apprehend what GOD hath reuealed in the Scriptures and here an act of GOD must come in putting a light into the vnderstanding for my beloued Faith is but an addition of a new light to reason that whereas reason is purblinde faith comes and giues a new light and makes vs see the things reuealed by GOD which reason cannot doe by faith we apprehend these great and glorious Mysteries which otherwise wee could not apprehend as we see it expressed in 2 Cor. 4. The god of this World hath blinded their eyes that the light should not shine into their hearts by which they should beleeue this glorious Gospell So then there must be a light put into the minde that a man may be able by that to eleuate and raise his reason to beleeue this that is to conceiue and to apprehend the things that are offered and tendered in the Gospell But this is not all there is an act also of the will required which is to take and receiue Christ for this taking is an act of the will therefore there must be a consent as well as an assent Now it is the act of the vnderstanding to assent to the truth which is contained in the promises wherein Christ is offered but that is not all there is also an act of will requisite to consent vnto them that is to embrace them to take them and to lay hold vpon them and to apply them to a mans selfe This I will the rather cleere because it is a thing controuerted I say there is a double act an act of the mind and an act of the will to this purpose consider that in Rom. 5 17. For if by the offence of one death raigned by one much more they which receiue abundance of grace and the gift of righteousnesse shall reigne in life by one Iesus Christ. Marke it you may see what faith is in those words Those that receiue the gift of righteousnesse righteousnesse is giuen and offered by God and those that receiue that gift of righteousnesse shall reigne in life so that taking and receiuing being an act of the will it must needs be that the will must come in to this worke as well as the vnderstanding Like vnto this is that 1 Ioh. 12. To as many as receiued him c. That is to as many as beleeued in his Name for so the words afterwards expresse that is when wee are willing to take Christ which is nothing else but the consent of the will when the will is resolued to take him being so apprehended as he hath beene described as a Lord and as a Sauiour this is faith this I say is an act of the will because it is an act of receiuing Ioâ— 5.44 it is euident How can yâ— beleeue which receiue honour one of another c If beleeuing in Christ were only an act of the mind as the Papists affirme and some others besides it beleeuing were nothing else but an assenting to the truth of GOD which is an act of the vnderstanding how could the praise of men be opposite to beleeuing But the meaning is How can you beleeue take me for your Husband and yet seeke praise of men too for that will come in competition with me and then you will forsake me I say this makes it euident that iustiâ—ying faith is not onely an act of the mind but an act of the will also because otherwise the seeking praise with men could be no impediment to the act of beleeuing Now this also aswell as the former must be wrought by God and God puts a new light into the vnderstanding he raiseth it vp to see and beleeue these truths so there is another act which GOD also workes on the will and vnlesse he worke it it is not done for come to any man that is in the state of nature and aske him Will you be content to take Christ that is to say to receiue him in that manner as he hath beene described His answer would bee No. Beloued the liues of men expresse it though they speake it not in so many words Therefore till GOD come and drawe a man and change his will the worke is not done If you take a Bough and offer it to a Swine or a Wolfe they will refuse it and trample it vnder their feete but offer it to a Sheepe and the Sheepe receiues it and followes it so when Christ is offered to men vpon these conditions that we haue named men refuse him they reject him and slight him but when GOD takes away these woluish and swinish hearts of ours and turne our wils another way which is the drawing the Scripture speakes of then we are willing to take Christ. If you take other metall then Iron the Loadstone will not stirre it but turne the metall into Iron and it will follow the Load-stone So let the hearts of men continue in that condition wherein they are by nature and they will neuer take CHRIST they will neuer accept him but when GOD puts into them such a strong and impetuous instigation and disposition as that of the Spouze in the Canticles that had no rest till she had found her Beloued then they will take CHRIST vpon his owne conditions So the we see this Faith is an action both of the minde and the will wrought by GOD enlightning the mind and changing the will which is that which our Sauiour Christ cals drawing none comes to me vnlesse the Father draw him that is except his will be set on worke vnlesse GOD change him and put such a disposition and instigation into him that he can finde no rest till hee come to Christ. Thirdly the thing wee are to speake of is How this Faith iustifieth Now for this know that this faith is considered two wayes eyther As it workes or As it receiues Either as a quality or as an instrument As a quality it workes and in this
preach vnto you It is true wee preach those things too we lay the same necessity vpon you of doing good workes we stirre you vp to holinesse of life and mortification but here is the difference wee deriue it all from Christ by faith we say that faith doth all Indeed when you haue faith if that faith be right it will worke by loue here then you see the difference we doe the same things but we deriue all from a iustifying faith laying hold vpon CHRIST and so loue to him and all other graces doe arise from this Againe a fourth Vse of this point is this If saluation be onely by faith then we should learne hence to goe with boldnesse to GOD to take the promises and to reckon them sure to vs. If something else had beene required on our part wee should then haue gone with a great deale of doubting to GOD but now seeing there is nothing required but only to goe and take it this should make vs to goe with boldnesse to the Throne of Grace to come with assurance that we shall speed And therefore in the businesse of seeking to GOD for the remission of our sinnes which indeed is the greatest businesse that wee haue to doe what greater comfort can there bee then to haue this assurance that if wee come to GOD for it we shall not faile nor be deceiued of it For the present occasion of receiuing the Sacrament What is the end of the Sacrament but to preach faith The Sacrament preacheth that to your outward senses that we doe to your vnderstandings it presenteth to the eye that which wee now preach to the eare for what is the Couenant of GOD in the Gospell but onely this GOD offers Christ vnto you freely as the Bread and Wine is giuen vnto you To vs a Sonne is giuen c. Againe we take him and binde our selues to obey him and to loue him to be to him alone to marry him to make him our Lord and our Husband Now in the Sacrament both these are done when the Bread and Wine are offered they are but a resemblance of the offer of CHRIST Indeed there is a blessing in it for it is Gods Ordinance it increaseth this grace of faith And againe there is a bond on our part wherein wee tye our selues to obey CHRIST Now if any of you will offer to come and yet haue not giuen vp your selues to GOD in good earnest you receiue your own condemnation you are diuorsed from CHRIST and married to the World and this is to receiue the Sacrament vnworthily The maine end of the Sacrament is to increase faith and saluation is ours by faith therefore wee should come with boldnesse and lay hold vpon the promises of it We should doe in this case as Ioab did lay hold vpon the hornes of the Altar that is take hold vpon CHRIST and remember that sure word of promise To vs a Sonne is giuen to vs a Child is borne And Let whosoeuer will come and take of the waters of life freely Goe thorow the whole Booke of GOD all the promises therein are as so many grounds for faith to build vpon it is impossible that God should slay you if you come and lay hold of the hornes of the Altar If you will take Christ and receiue these promises and rest on them it is impossible but that God should performe them he hath bound himselfe to performe what he hath said in 1 Ioh. 1.9 If we acknowledge our sinnes he is faithfull and iust to forgiue them As if he were vniust and vnfaithfull if he should not doe it His Oath is passed hee hath added an Oath to his promise that by 2. immutable witnesses it should stand firme We should doe in this case as Iacob did after he had once a promise from GOD when he meetes his brother Esau Lord saith hee Thou hast promised to doe me good therefore deliuer me from the hand of my brother So when we haue a promise and GOD hath said Hee that will take CHRIST shall be saued and CHRIST is freely giuen and the pardon is generall therefore what should hinder vs Vrge GOD vpon his promise wrastle with GOD as Iacob did and let him not goe without a blessing wrastling implyes resisting it is a signe GOD resisted him for a time so it may be GOD will deny thee a great while yet continue thou to seeke him let him not goe he cannot deny thee in the end thou shalt haue the blessing at the last we should learne thus to importune GOD tell him Lord I haue a sure promise and thou hast made the pardon generall and I am sure I come within the number of that Comission Goe and preach the Gospell to euery creature goe and tell euery man vnder heauen that Christ is offered to him he is freely giuen to him by GOD the Father and there is nothing required of you but that you marry him nothing but to accept of him here is a word sure enough if there were nothing else but this Therfore learne to doe in this as the Woman of Canaan did though Christ denyed her yet she would not giue ouer for she had this ground to build vpon that he was Iesus he was the Sonne of Dauid he was mercifull and shee had exceeding great neede of him and therefore she would not giue ouer so I say hauing this ground for your faith goe to GOD with boldnesse and neuer giue ouer it is impossible if you seeke him in good earnest with all your heart but that he should receiue you It is true indeed hee giues to some sooner then he doth to others with some he deales as he did with the Woman of Canan to some he giues an answer quickly some againe hee defers longer and he will put vs to the tryall CHRIST dealeth differently with his children he doth with vs sometimes as the vniust Iudge he turnes the deafe eare to vs or like the man that was in bed with his children and was vnwilling to rise but what saith the Text Luk. 11.6 though he would not doe it for him as a friend yet his importunity makes him rise and lend him so thou thinkst it may be GOD is not thy friend yet by thy importunity he will rise at the last therefore though thou finde GOD to be as an enemy though he be neuer so backward to rise yet giue not ouer I can assure thee as certainely as there is any truth in the Booke of GOD thou shalt be heard in the end Heauen and Earth shall passe away before this sure Word shall perish It is Gods manner to put men to the tryall and it is his wisdome so to doe otherwise he would haue many that would be forward at the first that would fall off in the end It was Naomies wisdome to bid her Daughter Ruth goe backe to her kindred but shee would not she stood it out I will goe saith she where thou
when there is more things reuealed to them and I take it this place will carry that the righteousnesse of GOD is reuealed from faith to faith that is the righteousnesse of CHRIST was reuealed in the time of the Law and the Prophets it was reuealed obscurely and there was a little saith among them to beleeue it was enough to saue them but when the time drew neerer there were greater reuelations as we know in the time of the Prophets their faith was great as there were more reuelations so there was more faith So I say it admits degrees in regard of the extent of reuelation as the Apostles when CHRIST was vpon the earth they had a degree of faith but when Christ ascended then there was more reuelations then they grew from faith to faith because they grew from reuelation to reuelation then the Spirit of God was sent into their hearts to reueale all things and to leade them into all truth you know they had abundance of reuelations afterwards So in this regard in regard of the extent faith receiues degrees not because the habit is increased but because the reuelations and objects are more And therefore that is the comfort of poore Christians those that are yet ignorant they may haue a true habit and as true a grace in the heart and though a man bee more conuersant in Scripture and knowes more then they he hath more reuelations and in that sense though he haue a greater faith then the other yet the other hath a like precious faith with him in regard of that grace So wee see how faith receiues degrees in these three respects Now last of all that faith that giues assurance that pacifieth and comforteth the heart which is nothing but a reflect act by which we know and are perswaded that wee haue taken CHRIST and that our sinnes are forgiuen this admits of degrees of proofe And here as the euidences of sanctification are more so is the assurance as the Apostle saith the Spirit witnesseth to our spirit he discouers good things to vs wee had neede of the light of the Spirit to iudge aright of the sincerity of the graces that wee haue we shall goe amisse else we shall not be able except wee haue the Spirit to helpe and assist vs and so wee grow from assurance to assurance Now for the second part that wee must grow in all these First as faith admits of degrees so we must labour to grow in all these degrees First labour to grow to a more full and firme assent by that meanes we shall draw neerer to CHRIST and receiue him in a greater measure Marke this very act of taking CHRIST that immediately iustifies but it is fed with assurance in the vnderstanding it is that which doth increase and strengthen and supply this action of the will in taking CHRIST So that the more strong assent the minde and vnderstanding of a man giues to those truths which concerne iustification deliuered in the Scripture the stronger his will is in taking Christ As in the Act of marriage a Woman takes such a one to bee her husband but yet there are degrees in the will one may take him with greater greedinesse with a more full perswasion that it is best for her with more loue and with more resolution So the stronger the assent is that we giue to the promises of GOD wherein he assures vs of the pardon of our sinnes wherein CHRIST is offered freely vnto vs the more we take CHRIST and so the vnion is greater betweene vs wee are linkt and knit together and married as it were in a greater degree Secondly in regard of difficulty which is the second thing wherein faith admits degrees when we beleeue hard things or easie things propounded with slender arguments Labour to grow in this for this is very profitable for you I will giue you but these two instances You know what Moses lost and what Abraham got Moses lost Canaan he lost the honour of carrying in the people he lost the honour of concluding his worke when hee had taken so much paines and all because he did not beleeue when he strooke the Rocke for want of faith Abraham now that beleeued things that were of a high of a difficult nature you see what hee got by it for this cause saith the LORD I will doe thus and thus because thou hast not spared thine onely Sonne which is repeated Rom. 4. Abraham being strong in faith gaue glory to GOD. And therefore you see Abraham is set aboue all men he is the Father of all the faithfull he is the head the top of those to whom GOD shewed mercie he shewed mercie to all for Abrahams sake Abraham Isaac and Iacob Abraham is first this did Abraham get for euer because he beleeued in God in so great a matter this you shall gaine if you will beleeue it will bring a great reward yea it will not onely bring a reward such as Abraham had but it will bring increase of the same faith God will reueale more to you and giue you more of his Spirit as he did to Nathaniel Beleeuest thou for this saith Christ thou shalt see greater things then these If we beleeue in difficult cases GOD will make vs with facility to beleeue them another time Thirdly for the multitude of reuelations for the extent of faith that way we should labour to be filled full of faith as Barnabas is said to be full of faith And how is that By studying the Word much for therein will GOD reueale this this is it that Paul magnifies so much in 2 Cor. 12. that which he gloried in he doth not name it in his owne person but saith I knew a man in CHRIST had such a reuelation he glories not in this that he had wealth or honour but in the multitude of reuelations that of all other might haue exalted Paul but he was wise he knew what he did when he was so apt to be exalted in that it seemes there was some extraordinary excellency in it Lastly labour to get full assurance the more assurance you haue the more loue Againe you shall doe the more worke when once we are assured that our labour shall not be in vaine in the Lord as 1 Cor. 15. vlt. it will make vs abound in the workes of the Lord. Againe it stablisheth a man in well doing he shall neuer hold out and be constant till he come to haue assurance that he shall not lose his reward I cannot stand on this point I will name the Vses that so I may not leaue the point vnfinished The first is a Vse of much comfort if there be such degrees in faith then let vs not be discouraged though we come not to the highest if we haue but a little yet since there are degrees this is enough to make vs partakers of the righteousnesse of CHRIST and of saluation The end of this is to comfort those which are apt to be
in a faire course their consciences are not wounded with the sense of their sinnes they neuer had afflictions wherein they tasted the wrath of GOD alas such men may come to put their hand to the Plow but when they come to see what worke they haue in hand they goe backe they are not fit for the Kingdome of Heauen Till a man bee weary and heauie laden with the burthen of Satan till hee see Satans yoake to bee intolerable hee will neuer continue vnder the yoake of CHRIST therefore let vs consider whether wee be fitted or no this fitnesse is first required So againe we may take example from the Prodigall sonne he was in his Fathers house but he would not continue there when hee was there at the first and liued as the other sonne did because hee had not beene abroad in the World to finde the misery of being away from his Father hee was neuer pinched with affliction with want of meate till hee was from his Father hee neuer knew what it was to be at his Fathers finding till hee had his stocke in his owne hand hee was not fit and wee see hee continued not there So take a man that is brought vp in his Fathers House as it were that hath tasted nothing but the sweetnesse of the promises and all is well with him hee hath drunke in the truth of the Gospell with his education you shall finde that this will not vsually hold out because hee hath not found what misery it is to bee out of his Fathers House therefore hee prizeth it not such a one is not fit to continue hee is vnfit for the Kingdome of GOD. Therefore the first thing that is required to make faith effectuall wherein the effectualnesse of faith consists by way of preparation to make way for it is when a man is soundly humbled and prepared when it is such as will make them continue you haue a phrase vsed Reu. 2.25 Hold fast till I come that which thou hast already As if he should say Many haue hold of the Truth they haue hold of CHRIST they haue hold of the promises but they hold them not fast they hold them a while but they hold them not fast till I come To him that ouercometh c. and him that continueth to the end will I make ruler ouer the Nations c. So I say till a man be thus made fit he may take hold for a while but hee shall not hold fast till CHRIST come but he will let goe his hold because he is not prepared with humility This is that which is required in that place I formerly named Matth. 10.6 If there be any worthy saith he let your peace come vpon them That is if there bee any when you come to preach the Gospell that are so farre broken and humbled if there be any that are so farre conuinced of their sinnes that they prize mee indeede so that they hold mee and will not let mee goe for any thing but they are content to let all goe rather then mee such a man is worthie of me such a man prizeth and esteemeth mee and your peace shall come vpon him That is it shall come effectually vpon him it shall abide with him and saue his soule for euer So I say when there is so much humiliation wrought in the heart when the Spirit so farre convinceth a man of sinne that hee comes thus to prize CHRIST this is the first thing wherein effectuall faith consists for though it bee not the very thing wherein beleeuing consists yet it is that preparation without which faith can neuer be found sound and effectuall Secondly when this is done this is not all when there is such a preparation made that a man is willing to take CHRIST vpon any conditions yet now if hee shall not bee well built if hee see not iust ground to take him if his vnderstanding shall not see the truth of the promise so clearely that he can build on it that hee can rest on it that all the arguments in the World cannot draw him from it againe his faith will not be effectuall Therefore the second thing wherein the effectualnesse of faith consists is to haue it well built in the minde and vnderstanding of a man when he cleerely seeth the truth of the promise that he can build vpon it infallibly For your better vnderstanding of this you must know that then a man is said to bee well built to bee rooted and grounded in faith when he hath the first ground right that so hee proceeds from one to another that it is not a confused superficiall knowledge to assent to the truth and promises that are deliuered in the Word but when hee hath a sure ground the first ground and the next and so he proceeds along As for example the first thing that a man must doe is to beleeue the Scriptures to know that they are true and infallible that they are the sure Word of GOD when a man can say this I know and this I build vpon And besides that then wee looke vpon the promises which the Scriptures containe wherein CHRIST and forgiuenesse of sinnes is offered Now if the first ground faile you that is the bottome vpon which the promises stands therefore haue that sure when that is sure you must haue the promises sure that is you must consider the promises and examine them and see if this be the sense of the Scriptures If there be so much light in you as to say I finde it so I finde the Scriptures true I beleeue them I finde these promises in the Scriptures I finde CHRIST offered to euery creature vnder heauen I finde that I haue a warrant to take him when a man out of himselfe out of an inward principle out of his owne proper iudgement seeth this and is conuinced of the truth of this that the promises are so and that they belong vnto him that he may justly vpon good ground appropriate them to himselfe so that when hee lookes round about him and considers all the objections that may be made yet he can answer all arguments when he fals downe and is fully conuinced and perfectly perswaded in his own mind when a man thus apprehends the promises when his vnderstanding is rooted and grounded in the faith that is the second thing wherein the effectualnesse of faith consists And we see that described Ephes. 2. Saith the Apostle there You are no longer strangers and forraigners but Saints of the household of God and are built vpon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Iesus Christ being the chiefe corner stone Marke saith he you are built vpon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets that is you that are Saints must consider what ground you haue to take that name to your selues Saith he you are built vpon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets that is you are not built vpon
10. We receiued the sentence of death that wee might learne not to trust in our selues but in God that raiseth the dead GOD meant to deliuer him when he saith he receiued the the sentence of death that is there was no helpe in the World that he could see in himselfe or in any other creature Now he was brought to trust in him and then God answered him in his trust so you shall finde Zeph. 3.12 I will leaue among you men that are humble and poore people and they shall trust in the Name of the Lord. Why did not these trust in the Lord while they were rich Our nature is so backward and so exceeding deceitfull that wee cannot till other helpes are gone I will leaue among you a sort of poore people and they shall trust in my Name As if he should say When men are brought to that that all other things are taken away and till then they will not trust in him Indeede till then it is not trusting And therefore in 1 Tim. 1.5 She that is a Widdow is left alone and trusts in GOD. Till she be left alone till the other props be taken away a man cannot trust in GOD. Hence it is that commonly when men are brought to the lowest they are nerest to GOD they haue best accesse vnto him because when they are brought to such an exigent then a man will pray best and when he prayes best then hee speedes best then faith is set on worke and it workes best when it is alone when it is stripped of all other helpes And therefore you shall finde in the Booke of GOD when men were lowest they had neerest accesse to GOD. â—sa when he was come against with many thousands he trusted vpon GOD though he went against them with halfe the number and God deliuered him because he prayed and sought to GOD and saw that he was not able to doe any thing he trusted in GOD. Another time when Asa had forgotten GOD when he was strong when he thought himselfe more able when hee was to deale with one that had a weaker Armie a great deale the King of Israel hee was ouerthrowne and shut vp that he could not stirre because hee sent to the King of Aram for helpe It is GODS manner to defer sending of helpe till a man be brought to the Mount as hee did with Abraham hee might haue done it before but you know how he did with Abraham he brought him to the last cast And Dauid he was brought to the very point of perishing by the hands of Saul before he deliuered him And so he did with Iacob Esau comes against him with foure hundred men with a full resolution to destroy him before hee would deliuer him It is GODS manner to doe thus And so hee did with Iob and other seruants of his his fashion is to doe so to bring men vnto the very brow of the hill till their feet be ready to slip when they are euen going and then hee delights to appeare and deliuer them Therefore in such cases trust GOD put all vpon GOD that is when GOD in any turning of thy life brings thee to such an exigent that thou seest all at the point to be lost that thou art at the point to be vtterly vndone learne to trust in GOD in good earnest and that shall guide thee and turne thee the right way when thy flesh is ready to goe another way What was the reason that CHRIST when he was on earth would doe nothing except they beleeued in him When thou hast any thing to doe if thou beleeue in God that will make him ready to helpe thee because then it is an acknowledging and an attributing to his power If hee should doe it in another case he should lose his labour hee should lose his glory men would not be built vp in him by that which he did Therefore make vse of faith set faith on worke as I said I should come to this now to moue you to trust in GOD in all cases If I could perswade this men would turne the courses of their liues and would trust in him for know if thou trust in GOD he neuer failes any that trust in him as Dauid saith in Psal. 37. I neuer saw the righteous for saken c. As if he should say Aske all his seruants aske all men that euer haue knowne him all the men that haue liued with him that haue finished their course with him aske a seruant of GOD when he comes to dye how GOD hath dealt with him whether hee hath fayled him all his life I am perswaded that there is not a seruant of GOD but will say that he neuer failed him and if he were to leaue an exhortation behinde him he would exhort others from experience of his trust It cannot be that GOD should faile thee if thou rest vpon him Thinkest thou that GOD can faile thee when he saith himselfe so often he will neuer faile thee nor those that trust in him Will a man faile one that trusts in him Wee vse to say Oh I will not faile him for hee trusts in mee and doest thou thinke that GOD will faile thee in such a case If GOD should faile men in such cases there is no man that would seeke him But that men should bee encouraged to serue him hee hath promised not onely not to faile thee but hee is abundant in truth hee will bee better then his word hee doth what hee sayeth and more too If thou wouldest trust vpon him in such a case thou shouldst finde that he will answer thee But thou wilt say I see not how he will doe it the case is such a hard and difficult case Thou must know that there are strange passages in GODS prouidence he is able to bring things to passe though thou know not how it should be See his prouidence 2 Kings 5. The Woman there the Shunamite shee beleeued the word that the Prophet had said that there should bee seauen yeeres Famine shee left her Land and Countrey this was an act of Faith that made her doe this See how this Woman beleeued now she followed the direction of the Prophet she did that which GOD appointed her to doe see how GOD brought it to passe that the seruant of Elisha Gehezi should be there with the King and that hee should be telling the King of Israel of the great act of Elisha That there should be such a concurrence of all things that shee should come iust at that time and no other when the man of GOD was there yea when hee was telling of that very story that then she should come in and so she got her Land or else it is likely that the Woman hauing liued away so many yeeres it is likely shee had had a hard suite of it but Gods prouidence brought these things together So againe looke on Mordecai It is a strange
them And so when men can make their recreations to serue their turnes for better purposes when a man not onely ouercomes them gets the victory of them but makes them seruiceable so a man make aduantage of the World Againe when thou wouldest haue thy sanctification increased increase thy faith The more thou beleeuest the more the Spirit of Christ is conueyed into thy heart The stronger thy faith is the more the winde of grace the sappe shall flow from CHRIST into thy heart As old Adams corruption it is with the grace of CHRIST when thou commest neere thou art ingraft into the similitude of his death that is there comes a gift from him he sends his Spirit into thy heart that doth make thee ioy in him that causeth thee to dye to sin and to liue to righteousnesse This I thought to haue opened But so much shal serue for this time and for this Text. FINIS OF LOVE THE FIRST SERMON GALLAT 5.6 For in Iesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision but Faith which worketh by Love IN the fourth verse of this chapter the Apostle affirmes that there is no justification by the law for saith hee If you be justified by the law you are fallen from grace that is you cannot be partakers of that justification which is by grace Because for to have it by the law and to have it by grace are opposite And he gives a reason for it because saith he Through the Spirit we waite for the hope of that righteousnes which is by faith and not by the law When he had expressed himselfe so farre which is the righteousnesse received by faith that is that righteousnesse which is freely given by God offered to us wrought by Christ but taken by faith on our parts Thus saith he you must be justified Now to confirme this he gives a reason in this verse that I have read for saith he In Christ Iesus that is to put a man into Christ Iesus or to make him acceptable to God through Christ Iesus to doe this neither circumcision availeth any thing or uncircumcision That is neither the keeping of any part of the ceremoniall law or the omission of it nor the keeping of the morall law or the breaking of it will helpe to ingraffe a man into Christ or to make him acceptable to God through Christ What will doe it then nothing saith hee but onely faith Now lest we should be mistaken in this as if he should require nothing at their hands but an empty idle faith hee addeth further it must be such a faith as is effectuall as is working And that is not enough but it must be such a faith as workes by love So that you have two parts in this Text One is a removall or a negation of that which doth not ingraffe us into Christ or that makes us not acceptable to God through Christ it is not being circumcised or uncircumcised or any thing of that nature The other is the affirmative part What is it that doth it that makes us in a glorious condition that makes us sonnes of God saith he it is onely faith and love it is such a faith as is accompanied with love and good workes so that you see hee removes all workes of ours all workes of the ceremoniall law circumcision is nothing it is as good as if you were not circumcised it is all one And by the same reason that circumcision is excluded all other is And not onely workes of the ceremoniall law but all the workes of the morall law also considered as the meanes of justification because they are opposite to faith they exclude faith and faith excludes them so as they are as well to be shut out as the workes of the ceremoniall law None of these saith the Apostle will doe it For you must know the way to salvation is contrary to that of damnation Looke how you lost the kingdome of God so you must get it looke what gate you went out at by the same gate as it were you must come in at What was it that lost all mankind the kingdome of heaven You know it was not our particular breaches of the morall law but it was the fall of Adam and when the root was dead you know all the branches died with it Well what way is there then to regaine this losse We must goe in againe into Paradise by the same way that wee went out that is by being borne of the second Adam and by being made partakers of his righteousnesse By being borne of him or ingrafted into him As you communicate of the sinne of the other because you are his children so you must partake of his righteousnesse Againe saith the Apostle it is the Lords pleasure that you should be saved after this manner because he would have it to be of grace If you should have beene saved by any workes of your owne you would have imputed it to your selves and to your owne strength But the Lord would have it to be of grace of his free will and therefore hee will have it meerely of faith by taking the righteousnesse of the second Adam which he hath wrought for you Againe he would have it sure to all your seede if it had beene by workes it would never have beene sure unto you you could never have kept the law so exactly But since Christ hath wrought righteousnesse and you have no more to doe but to take it now it is sure or else it would never have beene sure Againe if it had beene by workes the flesh had had wherein to rejoyce it might have something to boast of But the Lord will have no man to rejoyce in the flesh but let him that rejoyceth rejoyce in the Lord. Now if it had been by works if it had beene by any inherent righteousnesse by any ornament of grace that the Lord had beautified us with we had had rejoycing in our selves but now that it is by the second Adam by comming home to him by taking him by applying his righteousnesse Now no flesh can rejoyce in it selfe but now whosoever rejoyceth rejoyceth in the Lord. Therefore saith the Apostle you must know this truth you can never be saved by doing these actions no nor you shall not lose salvation by omitting them for this is not the way that the Lord hath appointed mankinde to be saved by But the way by which mankinde must be saved is by receiving Iesus Christ and his righteousnes But you must remember that you must take him so as to love him And it must be such a love as is fruitfull in good workes and not an emptie and idle love that is a love in shew onely but it must be a love in deede and in truth Now in the handling of these words we will begin with the affirmative part because though the other be put first yet the affirmatiō you know in order of nature is before the negation therfore I wil begin with
I have been in a good estate I have broken the covenant with him I continued not in that good estate that out of his mercy he hath put me into To this he answers He is long suffering that is though you provoke him out of measure though you have done it againe and againe he continues patient you cannot wearie him out but his mercy indures for ever you know that if there were an end of his mercy that on your sinning hee should give over to be mercifull his mercy did not indure for ever therefore it is said He is long suffering because though your sinnes be often repeated yet the Lord as often repeates his mercy therefore there is a multitude of mercyes in him as there is a multitude of sinnes in you there is a spring of mercy in him that is renued every day he opens a spring for Iudah Ierusalem to wash in it is not a Cesterne but a Spring that is renewed as much as your sinnes that as you are defiled daily so the Lords mercy is renewed to wash away those sinnes he is long suffering But besides all this he goes yet one step further he is abundant in kindnes and in truth that is if you would know the Lord yet further whereas you may thinke He is a terrible God because of his great Majestie and power and therefore that those disharten you as wheresoever you find terriblenesse that you know puts off it is contrary to love and therefore the Lord to winne us the more tells us that though he be so great a God as he is yet he is abundant in kindnesse that is He is exceeding ready to beare with us that looke what you finde in a kinde Husband in a kinde Father or in a kinde friend that you shall find in the Lord he is exceeding kinde to you he is not harsh he is not stiffe he is not ready to obserue all that you doe amisse if you will aske any thing at his hands if you want it as therein kindnes doth consist he is ready to doe it whatsoever it is he is a God hearing prayer he saith whatsoever you aske at his hands he will doe it can you have a greater kindnesse than this if kindnesse be an attractive to winne love hee is kinde and hee is abundant in it If you will not beleeve this assertion this affirmation this description of himselfe hee tells you he hath promised and he will be as good as his word he is abundant in truth that is as if hee should say I am not onely of such a nature and disposition as I have described my selfe to be but besides this I am engaged to you you have many promises I have made you I have sworne I will doe thus and thus Therefore I will adde this to this disposition I am abundant in truth that is you shall finde me as good as my word and not so onely but I will be better than my word I am abundant in truth that is his performances exceede they runne over whatsoever hee hath said he will surely doe it Consider this consider how many precious promises you have consider what the Lord hath said hee will doe for you how full is the Scripture of promises every where remember this the Lord is abundant in truth he will doe them and overdoe them hee will fulfill every word that hee hath said And that he may give you a proofe of it he addes that he reserves mercy for thousands that shewes hee is abundant in kindnesse and in truth as if hee should say when any of you doe mee service when you are faithfull as Abraham my servant was I am bound no more but to reward your selves but I am abundant in mercy and forgivenesse reserving mercy for thousands The Lord cannot content himselfe to doe good to a mans owne person but to his children to his generation As David when he loved Barzillay and Ionathan it extended to their posterity when his love was abundant so the Lord reserves mercie for thousands Lastly because the objection still comes in when you have such a description of the Lord I but my sinnes are still repeated hee addes in the conclusion he is a God still forgiving iniquitie transgression and sinne Why are those three words put in That you may know that hee forgives sinnes of all sorts for every man is ready to finde some peculiarity in his sinnes hee thinkes such and such sinnes cannot be forgiven sinnes that I have committed thus and thus Nay saith the Lord what sinnes soever they are of what nature soever he forgives iniquity he forgives naturall corruption he forgives lesse infirmities he forgives greater rebellions and he is still doing it for so the word signifieth hee is still and still forgiving iniquity transgression and sinne So we have shewed you what the Lord is that you may learn to know him therfore we wil conclude this first and say to you as the Spouse saith Cant. 5. Such a one is the Lord and such a one is our wellbeloved oh you daughters of Ierusalem that is he is wholly delectable if we were able to shew him to you it must be your labour to consider him that you may learne to know him and to love him Secondly when you know this and consider what the Lord is and what excellency is in him consider in the next place the greatnesse of the Lord and know that this great God is suiter to you for your love that is he that makes towards you If a great King or if your potent neighbour should sue to you for love would not that move you You know the weaker should seeke to the stronger men of meaner condition should seeke to him of higher place when the great God beseecheth us to be reconciled to him when hee desires to be at peace with us and to be friends with us I say the greatnesse of God is a great argument to move us to love him as you have that Deut. 10.17 when the Lord reasons there with the people to perswade them to love him saith hee I am the God of Gods the Lord of Lords mighty and terrible as if he should say this great God hath done all this for you and this he requires at thy hands that thou shouldest love him when he shall desire but this refuse it not If one that we contemne one that is beneath us should seeke our love we are not so ready to returne love againe for we say he is below But when we consider God in his majesty and greatnesse that he should seeke to be reconciled to us that should move us that should win our hearts to him Besides consider what the Lord might have required of you you know you are his creatures you know what a distance there is betweene the Lord and you if he had put you on a harder task you ought to have done it if he had said to us you shall offer your children to me
learne to know the Lord for the more you know him the more you will love him What is the reason that the Angels in heaven so love him Because they know him What is the reason that we shall love him more in heaven than wee doe now but because we shall know him more Therefore when you reade the Scriptures and observe the works of Gods providence in every particular learne by this to know God as you know a man by his actions and carriage learne to have such an Idea of God as he hath described himselfe in his word that hee is true of his word that hee is full of goodnesse that he is abundant in long-suffering and patience that hee is exceeding mercifull beyond measure c. labour to see his wisdome his goodnesse and his mercie labour to know God for when you come to know him aright by that we come to love him Why doe wee love one man more than another but because wee conceive him under such a notion wee conceive his heart to be of such and such a frame wee thinke him to be a man of such and such a condition when we thus conceive the Lord it will teach us to love him more Therefore this you must know that for you onely to looke upon things that are beneficiall to you as forgivenesse of sins and adoption and an inheritance in heaven that is not love to the Lord. It is true you should doe all this but that which you are principally to doe is to looke to the essence of God to see such excellencies in him that thereby you may be led home to him and therefore that you may know him the better you must be taught of him Againe you must not onely know him but you must likewise have assurance of his love to you for when you know the excellencies of the Lord unlesse you have assurance of his love to you it is not sufficient Take a man of the highest place and of the most excellent quality if thou conceive that he hath a hollow heart towards thee thou canst not possibly love him thou must be perswaded of the love of the Lord to thee Therefore in the Text it is said to be faith which worketh by love The increase of the assurance of Gods love therefore is the meanes to increase thy love to him So much for this time FINIS THE FIFTH SERMON GALAT. 5.6 For in Iesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision but Faith which worketh by Love THE last thing wee did was to give you the properties of love to the Lord Iesus Now that which remaines to doe at this time is to apply that which hath beene said that is to bring your hearts and the rule together and to exhort you that what you have heard in this it may not passe like airy notions and never be brought home to your particular practise For my beloved the word that we deliuer to you should be like nailes driven home to the head fastened by the masters of the assemblie as the Wiseman speakes that they may sticke and abide in the soule as forked arrowes doe in the bodie that they may not easily fall out againe Therefore the maine businesse that wee have to doe in preaching the word is to fasten these words thus upon your hearts That which we will doe therefore at this time shall be to exhort you to question your owne hearts and to examine them upon your beds whether these characters and properties of love which have beene delivered doe agree to you or no. For as the Apostle saith Vnlesse you be in Christ that is unlesse you be knit to Christ in love you are reprobates it concernes every man therefore that heares me at this time to examine this strictly with himselfe We will expostulate the matter a while with you at this time and you must expostulate the matter betweene God and your owne consciences whether this love be in you or no. And although indeede this needeth not any distinct dividing into branches yet that wee may helpe your memories wee will put it into a number And first we will make this expostulation you that professe you love the Lord as who will not be ready to doe that to say he loveth Christ but yet as the Apostle Iohn speaketh of love to the brethren that men love them in shew and not in truth so it is with most men they love the Lord in word and in profession but they love him not in deed and in truth therefore first let me aske you this You that professe you love the Lord doe you not grieve him and vexe him from day to day and provoke him by your words and by your workes If this be your case it is certaine you love him not indeede Some there are that professe much love to the Lord Iesus but yet spend their time idly are diligent in no calling but waste their precious opportunities in sports in idle visitations in gaming in doing nothing that is profitable either to themselves or others but eate and drinke and rise up to play It is the case of many of our young Gentlemen a shamefull thing before men and abominable in the sight of God that men should live like beasts make their soules like the soules of swine serving for nothing but to keepe their bodies from putrifaction doing so much the lesse worke because they have the more wages burying so many precious talents whereof their time is the chiefe because it helpeth to improove all the rest of which they shall give an exact account at that day When God shall judge the secrets of mens hearts according to our Gospell Doe you professe that you love the Lord Iesus and doe you neglect him thus Besides this mocking of the Lord and dissembling with him you deale most foolishly with your selves for all the comfort that you shall ever finde in this life it will be from working from being serviceable to God and profitable to men empty lives cause but empty joy Therefore if any man shall finde this to be his case examine it it is but a false profession of love And as I speake to those that are young that spend their time Nihil agendo so I may say the same to those that are of more yeares that waste their lives in doing something indeede but it is not that which they should doe or in doing it in another manner than they ought those that are so drowned in businesse so overwhelmed with imployment so occupied with outward things abroad that they have no vacancie to feede their soules within to cloathe them with graces For you must know my brethren that your soules have neede to be trimmed every morning as well as the body they have neede of breakfast and dinner and exercise as well as the body and as you faile in giving this due respect to the soule daily so you shall finde that proportionably in that degree the
so all men haue sufficient grace to receiue him there is an ability by that aswell as a freedom and vniuersality in the offer This we altogether deny Though Christ be giuen to all yet the gift of faith is a fruit of Election God giues faith and repentance and ability to receiue him where hee pleaseth The gate is open to all we shut out none but none will come in but those whom GOD inables A Pardon may be offered to all and yet none accept it but those whose mindes GOD hath inclined Therefore that he is offered to all it is without question They that question it doe it because they doe not vnderstand the Doctrine of our Diuines for we propound it no otherwise in substance then they doe only we differ in the method but it will be your wisdome to looke to that which will be of vse and yeeld comfort when you come to dye As this you may build on The Gospel is preached to euery creature vnder heauen therefore I haue my share in it If a Pardon be offered to some whose names alone are inserted therein you cannot say on any good ground I I am pardoned but when the Pardon is generall and offered to all then I can beleeue the Pardon belongs to me Were it onely to the Elect whose names are written in the pardon we should first enquire whether we be elect or no but that 's not the method Build you on the sure promise they that are pardoned shall take hold of it they that take not hold of it shall be excluded The next thing a man will desire to know is this What qualifications are expected Doth not GOD require to finde something in vs if he giue it vs I answer that it is offered to all and no qualification at all is required as praeexistent to be found in vs but any may come and take it GOD requires no qualification as concerning our sinnes he saith not you shall be pardoned so your sinnes be of such a number or of such a nature but though they be neuer so many though of neuer so extraordinary a nature though they may be aggrauated with all the circumstances that can be yet there is no exception at all of you the pardon runnes in generall termes This is the Lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world And seeing it is in generall termes why will you interline and restraine it You see it runnes in generall and so you may take it And as it is propounded generally so is it generally executed 1 Cor. 6.9 you shall finde the greatest sinnes that can bee named are there pardoned Be not deceiued you know how no fornicator nor adulterer nor vncleane person c. shall enter into the Kingdome of God and such were some of you but now you are iustified now you are sanctified now you are washed Though they had committed the greatest sinnes you see it is generally executed without exception But there is another sort of qualification Is there not something first to bee done I know that though I haue committed all the sinnes of the world yet they shall not prejudice my pardon but I must doe something to qualifie mee for it No not any thing as antecedareous and precedent to the pardon it is onely required of thee to come with the hand of faith and receiue it in the middest of all thy vnworthinesse whatsoeuer it be lay hold on the pardon and embrace it and it shall be thine But you will object then to what end is the Doctrine of humiliation to what end is the Law preached to be a Schoolmaster if no qualification be required I answer humiliation is not required as a qualification for no teares of ours can giue satisfaction And againe it hath beene found in a Reprobate For Iudas had it Neither is it any part of sanctification But how is it required then As that without which we will not come to CHRIST As for example If wee say to a man The Physician is ready to heale you before you will be healed you must haue a sense of your your sicknesse this sence is not required by the Physician for the Physician is ready to heale him but if hee be not sicke and haue a sence of it he will not come to the Physician If at a generall Dole it be proclaimed let all come hither that be hungry a man is not excluded if hee be not hungry but else he will not come therefore we preach that none receiue the Gospell but the poore those that be humble and touched with sence of sin and wrath and we preach so because indeed no man will come without it In the next place the Question will bee How this righteousnesse of CHRIST is made ours or What is to be done of him to whom it belongs To this I answer though no precedent qualification be required yet this must be taken a man must not reflect on himselfe and consider Am I worthy of it but he must take it as a Plaster which if it be not applyed will not heale or as meate which if it be not eaten doth not nourish As the Husband wooes his Spouse and sayes thus I require nothing at thy hands no condition at all I doe not examine whether thou art wealthy or no whether thou be faire or no whether thou bee out of debt or well conditioned it is no matter what thou art I require thee simply to take me for thy Husband After this manner comes Christ to vs we must not say Am I worthy to make a Spouse for Christ Am I fit to receiue so great mercies Thou art only to take him When we exclude all conditions wee exclude such a frame and habit of minde which we thinke is necessarily required to make vs worthy to take him As if a Physician come and offer thee a Medicine by which thou maist be heal'd and say I require nothing at your hands onely to drinke it for else it will doe you no good So GOD offers the righteousnesse of Christ which is that that heales the soules of men GOD lookes for nothing at your hands it matters not what your person is onely you must take it So you shall finde himselfe expressing it Esay 55.1 where he compares this to the offer of Wine and Milke Come buy Wine and Milke without money Let him that is athirst come and hee that hath no money As if he had said it is freely offered you are onely to take it But when you heare you must take it the Question will be What this taking is I answer This taking is nothing else but that which we call Faith and therefore that we may not erre in the maine I will declare what Faith is And it is nothing else but this when these two things concurre that God the Father will giue his Sonne and freely offers righteousnesse and we