were to discuss a Controversy or handle a subtile point of Learning in the Schools Thirdly In condiscending publiquely and privately to the Capacity of the meanest that heard or conversed with him herein his wisdom was like unto Solomons stiled the Preacher because he was wise he did still teach the people knowledge yea he gave good heed and sought out and set in order many proverbs the Preacher sought to find out acceptable words and words of truth and as our Saviour that was greater then Solomon he would let truths substantially proved into the understanding wish apt similitudes and would Encourage any to move their doubts unto him in private so that notwithstanding his greatness good Christians might be very familiar with him visit them in their sickness supply their wants beg their prayers and Countenance them in whatsoever Condition all men might see his delight was in the Saints and that he was as that King after Gods own heart a Companion of all them that feared God in a word he was a great proficient in that Lesson of our Saviour Learn of me for I am meek and lowly in heart This I say was the reason he grew so high in favour with God and man he honoured God and therefore God honoured him A great and good draw-net he was that fished for souls and catched many and let two sorts of Ministers gather from hence their respective Instructions First let all those that list not to follow him in these paths of holiness painfulness and Humility Take notice of Gods Justice in dealing with them as they have done with him His Covenant is with Levi of Life and Peace and he gave them to him for the fear wherewith he feared him and was afraid before his name the Law of truth was in his mouth and Iniquitie was not found in his lips he walked with God in peace and equity and did turn many a way from iniquity for the priests lips should keep knowledge and they should seek the Law at his mouth for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts but saith the Lord ye are departed out of the way ye have caused many to stumble at the Law yee have corrupted the Covenant of Levi saith the Lord of hosts Therefore have I also made you contemptible and base before all the people according as you have not kept my waies but have been partial in the Law Had we all the means in the world to make us great if we either do not teach or do not make our selves Examples of what we teach t is just with God we grow contemptible and vile for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it Thy teachers have transgressed against me therefore have I prophaned the rulers of my Sanctuary The Lord giveth this for a general Rule as they that honour him he will honour so they that despise him shall be despised Secondly Let all holy painfull and humble Ministers who make it their designe as this fair Copy did before them to advance God and fulfill the work of their Ministry trust to his faithfulness for vindicating their esteem No sort of men have greater promises for provision protection from and in trouble and for revenge of wrongs done unto them then they have What a dreadfull and prophetical prayer is that Moses made for Levi smite through the Loins of them that rise against him and of them that hate him that they rise not again What though a generation of men Call even the best of such Antichristian Lyars false Prophets and what not did they not after this manner use Christ and his Apostles before them They speak evil of the things they know not None of Gods blessed truths and holy Ordinances have been otherwise used by them their general outcry is upon all truths Ordinances and wayes of Religion among us as Antichristian The Apostacie of the present age makes men fall from all things in Religion and with an impudent face to deny and deride them all But did God leave these Jewels amongst men to be trodden under feet by such swine shall they not dearly pay for it Oh! that they would remember what words came out of the mouth of him that is the very promptuary of all sweetnesse and how highly he is provoked when such words are drawn from his blessed lips that drop honey let them take them to whom they appertain viz. Whosoever shall fall upon this stone shall be broken but on whomsoever it shall fall it will grind him to peices If their own destruction will not take them off from touching the Lords anointed and from plucking the stars out of his hand let yet the Anguish and vexation that shall accompany their destruction either deter them or confound them for he hath said it who will make it good that there shall be a Resurrection both unto Gods truths and to such as bear Testimony thereunto Mean while let this satisfie such as are faithful whilest God and those that truely fear God prize faithfull Ministers It matters not what the rest think of them As King David said in not much an unlike Case of those shall they be had in honour I have now done with the most famous Author of these sermons of whom I may as one very Learned said of Mr. Calvin That famous Man and never to be named without some Preface of Honour Or as another of a Learned and Godly Man God hath so provided that they who lived in Heaven whilst on Earth shall live on Earth whilst in Heaven That they shall leave their Names for a blessing when others leave them behind them for a Curse Or rather with the Apostle of Demetrius he hath a Good Report of all men and of the truth it self A word now concerning these Sermon Notes of his by occasion of the publishing whereof I have thus inlarged I suppose whosoever readeth and well considereth the two prefixed Epistles one in Latine the other in English and the Arguments therein contained and knoweth the Reverend Framers of them for such testimonies are as the Testes when he considereth I say 1. Their High Esteem of the most famous Preacher of them 2. The mighty power of God upon themselves and many others when they were preached 3. The care they took to put them forth 4. The ingenuous owning of any infirmities which the Reader may charge that seemes not to speak himself in the Publication of them He will not think either the will of the most Learned Bishop broken or the Caution of the Learned and Reverend Dr. that writes his life not heeded viz. That if any sermon notes taken from him have been printed in his life time under his name or shall be hereafter which divers have of late attempted the Reader is to take notice that it was against his mind and that they are disowned by him which as he endeavoured to his utmost to
taste it and therefore many Christians on serious consideration would not change their estate for the estate of Angels Why because hereby Christ is my husband I am wedded to him he is bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh which the Angels are not capable of Our nature is advanced above the Angelical nature for we shall sit and judge the world with Christ judge the twelve Tribes of Israel And what an high preferment is this Nay observe this and take it for a Rule Never beg of God pardon for thy sins till thou hast done this one thing namely accepted of Christ from Gods hands For thou never canst confidently ask any thing till thou hast him For all the Promises of God are in him yea and Amen This may serve for the Object of faith to shew that the primary Object is Christ crucified and God by him We come now to declare 2. The Acts of faith what they are and there is some intricacy in that too There is much ado made in what part and power of the soul faith is We must not proportionate the Act of faith according to our own fancy For it s no faith but as it hath relation to the Word now look how is the Word presented After you heard the Word of Truth the Gospel of your salvation Now the Word is presented under a double respect 1. It s presented Sub ratione veri After you had heard the Word of Truth and there comes in the Understanding 2. Then Sub ratione boni as a good word that so we should lay hold on it and here comes in the Will For the Will we say challenges that which is good for its Object Now the Gospel of salvation is a good Word its glad tidings worthy of all acceptation that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners And now as the Word is presented as a good Word so must my Act of faith be answerable unto it See in Heb. 11.13 The act of faith answering hereto These all died in faith not having received the Promises What did their faith to them It made them see the Promises a far off and they were perswaded of them and embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims in the earth So that by comparing place with place it appears that first this Gospel was presented as the Word of Truth they were perswaded of it It is the first Act of Faith to perswade men of the truth of the Word and then as it is a good word they embraced it these are the two arms of faith as true it perswades me as good I embrace it We must not now be too curious in bringing in Philosophical Disputes whether one Vertue may proceed from two faculties whether Faith may proceed from the Understanding and the Will The truth is these things are not yet agreed upon and shall we trouble our selves with things not yet decided in the schools as whether the practical Understanding and the Will be distinct faculties or no The Word of God requires that I should believe with my whole heart Act. 8.37 As Philip told the Eunuch if thou believest with all thy heart thou mayest If with the heart but with what faculties may you say Why I tell thee believe with thy whole heart and what shall I peece and devide the heart when the whole is required Now to come to these two The Word is presented 1. As a true Word 2. Then as a good Word a word like Gospel like salvation 1. As a true Word And the Act of faith answering thereto is called in Scripture 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Knowledge and Acknowledgement 1 Titus 1. 1 Peter 3. 1 Knowledge that 's a thing requisite Why because if there be a Remedy able to cure a mans disease if he do not know it what is he the better for it Knowledge is so essential unto Faith that without it there can be no faith In John 17.3 the terms are confounded the one put for the other This is life eternal to know thee to be the true God and whom c. to know thee that is to believe in thee because knowledge is so essential to belief as one cannot be without the other thou canst not believe what thou hast never heard of I know saith Job that my Redeemer liveth that is I believe he liveth and hereupon it s said in Isa. 53. By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justifie many Knowledge is an Act primarily requisite to Faith to be justified by his knowledge is to be justified by faith in his blood this then is the first thing that I know it to be as true as Gospel then comes the acknowledgement 2. The Acknowledgement Joh. 6.69 We know and are assured that thou art that Christ. This is an assurance I say not the assurance of my salvation for that is another kind of thing but an assurance that God will keep touch with me will not delude me but that if I take his Son I shall have life I shall have his favour When God illuminates me I find all things in him when I have him I am made When the Understanding clearly apprehends this then comes the next word it is the Gospel of salvation there being a knowing and acknowledging the Act of the Understanding then comes the Will and it being 2. Propounded as a good word then follows 1. Acceptation 2. Affiance 1. Acceptation which receives Christ. 1 John 12. As many as received him to them he gave power to become the sons of God even to as many as believed on his name Then a man resolves I will take God on his word and thereupon follows A resting or relying on God which is a proper act of faith I need no other place then Rom. 10.13 Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved But how shall they call on him on whom they have not believed that is on whom they have not reposed their confidence Mark the â—postle How shall they call on him on whom they have not believed That Faith which was in the antecedent must be in the conclusion therefore our faith is a relying on God and so in this place this trust is made the same with faith as it is in the Text in whom you trusted after you had received the word of Truth for our trust and belief there is the self-same word Nimium ne crede colori this Credo is to have a great confidence in fleeting and fading things and so it is in justifying faith If I have a knowledge of God and acknowledgement of him and from my knowing my will is conformed to accept Christ and if when I have accepted him I will not part from him this is faith and if thou hast this faith thou wilt never perish suppose thou never hadst one day of comfort all thy life long yet my life for thine thou art saved Perhaps by reason of thy
are setled on their lees Moab hath been at ease from his youth he hath been setled and hath not been emptied from vessel to vessel neither hath he gone into captivity Jer. 48.11 Consider we whether our security comes not from the same cause We have not been emptied from vessel to vessel we have alwayes been at rest Why have we so little conversion There are two things hinder it the hardening of a mans heart against the Word and our setling our selves on our lees When we we have no change in grace we are secure we never see an evil day And this is that which slays the foolish person Wo to them that are at ease It were better for thee to be emptied from vessel to vessel to go into captivity For as long as a man continues thus in an unregenerate condition he can look for â—othing but troubles certain judgments must necessarily follow and as sure as God is in heaven so sure may they expect misery on earth and they shall receive the eternal weight of Gods wrath treasured up against the day of wrath Therefore there is a necessity of our conversion if we will keep off either temporal or eternal wrath Our Saviour makes it the case of all impenitent sinners to be liable to wrath One judgment befell the Galileans an other those on whom the Tower of Siloe fell But what saith our Saviour Suppose you that these were greater sinners above all the men of Jerusalem I tell you nay but except you repent you shall all likewise perish Luk. 13.3 All every mothers son here present if you turn not from your sinful courses God will meet with you one time or other if you harden your hearts against him be sure Who ever hardned his heart against God and prospered As long as a man is in this condition his state is woful As many as are in the state of unregeneracie are under the power of Satan 2 Tim. 2.25 26. Mark the Apostles words In meekness instruct those that oppose themselves if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the Devil who are taken captive by him at his will The state then of the hardned setled on their lees is as a bird in a cage taken alive at the will of the Fowler So is it here as long as we continue obstinate and hardned we are taken alive at Satans will we are at his disposing While we are at liberty we are way laid by his nets and traps and taken we are at his pleasure As long as we are hardned in heart we are in the Devils cage true repentance is that whereby alone we purchase our freedome whereby we recover our selves and therefore in Rom. 2.5 Hardness of heart and impenitency signifie the same thing After thy hardned and impenitent heart thou treasurest up unto thy self wrath against the day of wrath Mark then what 's a hard heart It 's an impenitent heart Dost thou harden thy heart then know that for the present thou art a dead man If notwithstanding all Gods threats out of his word thou art not a jot moved thou art dead whilst alive as the woman that lived in pleasure And if thou continuest so thou treasurest up wrath against the day of wrath and the just revelation of Gods judgments Gods Word is the especial meanes to recover thee A man that is in a swoun they rub him to recover him because there 's life in him but if dead strong-waters or any thing else cannot restore him Examine thy self then does the working of the Word rub and gall thee it's a sign there is life in thee but if it make no impression it moves thee not it 's a sign of a dead heart Consider then the danger of this condition for a man to resolve on his evil courses never purposing to alter matters It exceedingly hastens Gods judgments But leaving this I proceed to the second point which is to direct us how to work our escape Though God threaten us yet if we have but the grace to look about us and remember our selves If God do but cause us to consider we have to deal with a merciful Father and make us meet him by humiliation then though our sins were as scarlet yet submitting our selves to our Judge living as obedient subjects the storm shall passe from us So that this is the 2d point 2. Notwithstanding God threatens us yet if he gives us but grace to repent and bethink our selves let our sins be never so great we may be sure of mercy O that we could see with what a gracious God we have to deal Canst thou but humble thy self all these things shall speak peace unto thee As an impenitent sinner is under the power of Satan and liable to all misery So contrariwise whoever returnes and seeks the Lord is sure to be under his wings and free from all evil Thinkst thou that God makes use of threatnings for thy hurt No he deales not with us as an angry Judge but as a compassionate Father men will take an enemy alwayes at an advantage when they may do him most hurt Gods terrors overtake us he threatens us that he will do this and this that we may prevent it He knows that unless his terrors awake us we will rest secure Before he smites us he tells us I will whet my sword He hath bent his bow and made it ready He hath prepared his instruments of death Psal. 7.12 13. He could shoot thee presently and instantly run thee through but he threatens thee that so he may not strike thee See what the Prophet Amos denounces from the Lord Cap. 11 12. I have given you cleannesse of teeth I have with holden rain v. 6 7 8. I have smitten you with blasting and mildew v. 9. I have sent amongst you the Pestilence v. 10. yet have you not return'd unto me Therefore thus will I do unto thee O Israel and because I will do thus unto thee prepare to meet thy God O Israel v. 12. What judgments have befallen us have befallen us for our own use if so be we will be warned by them The reason why God saith he will overthrow us is not because he meanes to do it but that we may prevent him by repentance Look into Jer. 3.1 and see what wonderful passages are to this purpose Ther 's a Law-case If a man put away his Wife and she go from him shall he return unto her again shall not that land be greatly polluted But thou hast plaid the harlot with many lovers And in the 20 v. As a wife treacherously departeth from her husband so have you dealt treacherously with me O house of Israel And yet see Gods unspeakable mercy Return again unto me And 23. v. Return ye back-sliding children and I will heal your backsliding turn to me and I le not cause mine anger to fall upon you Only acknowledge
not strike thee with a thunderbolt Sure he gives thee this space not to spend it idly but to another end not to follow our lusts neglecting Gods call but that thou mayst remember thy self and return with all thy heart Remember those words of the Prophet My times are in thy hands Psal. 35. He said not my times are in mine own hands for he knew it was grand presumption Why then should any challenge that to himself that belongs to God as if he were the lord of his own life supposing Gods call unseasonable and that he may think on it better hereafter May not a young man die soon now an old man cannot live long Many strong and lusty mâ—n are brought to the grâ—ve as well as the weak and feeble And why should we suffer Satan to abuse us thus Thy space then is preserved in Gods hand and therefore thou mayst not be Lord and Master of it But admit God grant thee space yet thou mayst not have the grace to do it What was Jezabels case Rev. 3. Though God gave her space yet she repented not What canst thou tell what may then become of thee perchance thou mayst live long yet mayst thou never find as much as thy thoughts on repentance much less the grace to do it thou mayst not have a desire that way much lesse perform it Repentance is not a thing at our own command In meeknesse saith the Apostle instruct them that oppose themselves if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledgment of the truth 2 Tim. 2.25 If God will give it them It 's a thing then it should seem in Gods hand it 's his proper gift Mark the Apostle would have Gods Ministers to be humble and meek but how many are of other spirits If anothers opinion be contrary to theirs they are in a heat presently as if a man were master of himself and of his own heart to believe what he would No no Repentance is a grace out of our reach it 's not in a mans own power Be meek therefore in instructing What needs passion that helps not the matter The opening of the eies of the blind is in Gods hands thank him for what thou seest and know that 't is his gift Acts 5.31 The Apostle speaking of our Saviour Christ saith Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour for to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins The grace of repentance then is no herb growing in our own garden it 's a gift of Gods bestowing And to this purpose is Acts 11.18 When they heard these things they held their peace and glorified God saying then hath God also to the Gentils granted repentance unto life As God grants life so repentance unto life I have heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus saith the Lord Thou hast chastised me and I am chastised as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke turn thou me and I shall be turned Jer. 31.18 And to the same purpose Lam. 5.21 Turn thou us unto thee O Lord and we shall be turned As if Zion should have said we are no more able to turn our selves then a dead man After that saith Ephraim I was turned I repented and after I was instructed I smote upon my thigh I was ashamed yea even confounded See then what an high presumption it is for a man to presume he hath this grace of God at command But as it is high presumption so 2. It 's the highest contempt and despising of the grace of God Rom. 2.4 Despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and long-suffering Thus is it here God gives thee space thou hast it but imployest it not in what God gave it thee for Thou deferrest the main businesse and the Apostle accounts it no better then despising the proffers of Gods grace and goodnesse Dost thou think God will take this at thy hands wilt thou despise him and think he 'l not despise thee With the froward he will shew himself froward God will come on a suddain if thou makest not use of thine opportunity and take all away from thee The threatning is plainly laid down Rev. 3.3 If thou shalt not watch I will come on thee as a thief and thou shalt not know what hour I will come on thee It 's spoken to us all and therefore concernes us all Whoever hath an ear to hear let him hear They are Gods words I have spoken to you this day and you shall be accountable for them let not the Devil steal this from you hold it fast this is your day If thou shalt not watch I le come on thee suddenly as a thief It 's the heaviest judgment can come on unconverted persons irregenerate soules not to awake till God comes on them never to bestir themselves till hell rouze them up Thus will it be with us unlesse we awake by repentance God will come stealing on us as a thief by suddain death and speedily cut us off To pray against suddain death and not to fit thy self for it is to add contempt to thy presumption and rebellion The wise man tells us That man knoweth not his time as the fishes that are taken in an evil net and as the birds that are caught in the snare so are the sons of men snared in an evil time when it falleth suddenly upon them Eccles. 9.12 Mark when it falls suddenly at unawares here 's thy wisdom then to provide that thou mayst not be taken suddenly If the good man of the house knew at what time the thief would come he would have watched and not have suffered his house to have been broken up And therefore Christ counsels us to watch since we know not the day nor hour when the Son of man cometh Here 's the difference then between wisedom and folly Hereby may we know whether we are wise men or fools if we foresee this day and provide for it it 's an argument of wisedome if we watch so as that when it falls it may not fall on a sudden on us If we are negligent of this day and suffer our hearts to be dead as Nabals like a stone 1 Sam. 25. He had a great time of repentance ten daies yet repented not for his heart was dead and like a stone and this may be thy case if thou despisest the day of thy salvation Gods day and thine own day too thou mayst be a Nabal no more moved then a pillar in the Church as I have found by experience But you may reply I suppose God will not take me at an advantage I trust I shall have life and space and not Nabals condition I hope I shall have my wits about me to be able to cry Lord have mercy upon me But suppose God give thee a tender heart and thou are sensible of thy danger that so thou call and cry earnestly to God for mercy yet this is a miserable condition Thou shalt find it will not be
But let me in this particular unrip the heart of a natural man What 's the reason that when God gives men a day and cries out This is the day of salvation this is the accepted time what in the name of God or the Devils name rather should cause them to put salvation from them to defer and desire a longer time Thus a natural man reasons with himself I cannot so soon be taken off from the profits and pleasures of the world I hope to have a time when I shall with more ease and a greater composednesse of mind bring my self to it or if it be not with so much ease yet I trust in a sufficient manner I shall do it wherefore for the present I le enjoy the profits and delights of the state and condition wherein I am I will solace my self with the pleasures of sin for a season I hope true repentance will never be too late This is well weigh'd but consider whether these thoughts which poise down our hearts be not groundlesse see whether they will hold water at the last and whether in making such excuses to great presumption we add not the height of folly To pretend for our delay the profits and pleasures of sin and yet hope for heaven at the last as well as the generation of the righteous it 's but a meer fallacy and delusion of Satan to fill our hearts with such vanities Can it be expected that we should have our good in this world and in the world to come too This is well if it might be But let us try the matter and begin with your first branch You are loth to part with your profits and pleasures But consider what a grand iniquity this is Can you offer God a greater wrong and indignity Do you thus requite the Lord you foolish and unwise Dost thou think this the way to make thy peace with God whom thou hast offended as long as thou mayst to be a rebel against him What an high dishonour is it to him that thou shouldst give him thy feeble and doting old age and the Devil thy lively and vigorous youth thy strength and spirits Dost thou think he will drink the dregs and eat the orts will he accept thee in the next world when thou thus scornest him here If you offer the blind for sacrifice is it not an evil If you offer the lame and sick is it not evil Offer it now unto thy governor will he be pleased with thee or accept thy person saith the Lord of hosts Mal. 1.8 But mark how he goes on v. 14. Cursed be the deceiver which hath in his flock a male and voweth sacrificeth unto the Lord a corrupt thing Mark God accounts such service a corrupt thing Never look for a blessing from God in heaven when thou sacrificest to him such corrupt things We are to offer and present our selves a living sacrifice holy and acceptable unto God Rom. 12.1 Now judge whether they offer God the living who say when my doting days come my lame days that I cannot go my blind dayes that I cannot see I le offer my self a sacrifice to God Will this be acceptable to him Is not this evil saith the Lord to offer me such a corrupt thing Nay more he 's accursed that offers such an offering such a polluted sacrifice God will not like with it when we serve our selves first with the best and choise Do you thus requite the Lord do you think he will accept it at your hands Go offer such a gift to thy Ruler to thy Prince will he accept it or be pleased with it No a Landlord will have the best and the choise and it must needs provoke God when we give him the refuse I am King of Kings saith the Lord my name is dreadful and I will look to be served after another manner Let no man then thus delude himself with vain hopes but let him consider how dishonourable a thing it will be to God 2. And how unprofitable to him whoever thou art 1. It 's the ready way to thy destruction Heaven and happinesse and eternal life are laid up for those that embrace the acceptable time death horrour and eternal misery for those that refuse it and wilt thou hazard soul and body on this Moses on this ground did rather choose to suffer affliction in this world with the people of God then to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a moment When these things are past what profit will you have of those things whereof then you will be ashamed When a man comes to see truly and throughly into himself he will find no profit of such things as these death will certainly follow us both temporal and eternal if we repent not the more speedily that 's all the profit we shall find 2 But suppose thou prevent everlasting death by repentance yet what profit is there of those things whereof we are now for the present ashamed The best can come is shame 3. Thou art loth to part with the pleasures of sin for a season and hereafter thou thinkest thou canst amend all But consider the particulars and then shall you see how you are befool'd in your hearts and soules Believe it for an undoubted truth there 's nothing in the world by which Satan more deludes a man then by this perswading him to neglect his day and repent well enough hereafter That you may expel this suggestion out of your soule pray unto God that he would go along with his Word and cause you to lay this to heart that by his Spirit your understanding may be enlightned to see the truth Though I make this as clear as the Sun that it is a false supposition and meer folly on which we build in deferring our return to God yet God from heaven must teach you or you will be never the wiser Know therefore that this very day God reaches out the golden Scepter to thee and what folly were it to neglect it since thou knowest not whether he will ever proffer it thee again And assure thy self that he is a lyar that tells thee thou mayst as well repent hereafter as now and this will appear whether we consider the order of outward things in the world or the nature of sin 1. For external things every Age after a man comes into the world if he embrace not the present opportunity for repentance is worse then other and are each of them as so many clogs which come one after another to hinder it As for thy childish Age that 's meer vanitie and thy riper Age will bring many impediments and hindrances that youth never thought of Thou art then troubled about many things and perplexed how to provide for maintenance in the midst whereof know that thou hast not a body of brass but a corruptible and fading body and yet such is the folly of the heart of man that the less ground he hath to go the fewer dayes to spend the
is his first guide then follows 2. The Second which is the Devil The Devil leads him as well as the World According to the Prince of the power of the Aire the Spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience In stead of having the Spirit of God to be led by he 's posted by the Spirit of Saâ—an and the works of his Father the Devil he will doe He hath not an heart to resist the viâ—est lusts the Devil shall perswade him to When Satan once fills his heart he hath no heart to any thing else then to follow him 3. There remains the Flesh his guide too and that 's not left out v. 3. Amongst whom we had our conversation in times past in the lusts of the flesh fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind So that you see the three guides of a natural man and he is as bad as these three can make him and till the stronger man comes and pulls him out in this condition he remains and in this natural estate he is a son of disobedience We see then the state of disobedience described to be wretchednesse 3. This further appeares by that which must follow which is cursednesse Rebellion and wretchednesse going before cursednesse will follow For God will not be abused nor suffer a Rebel to go unpunished Therefore saith the Apostle We are by nature the children of wrath Being the natural sons of disobedience we may well conclude we are the children of wrath If we can well learn these two things of our selves how deep we are in sin and how the wrath of God is due to us for our sins then we may see what we are by Nature Thus much concerning the quality of a natural man Next follows 2. His company Even as others By nature we are the children of wrath even as others That is to say we go in that broad wide way that leads to damnation that way we all naturally rush into though we may think it otherwise and think our selves better yet we are deceived For it is with us even as with others Naturally we are in the same state that the worst men in the world are so that we see the glasse of a natural man or of a man that hath made some beginnings till Christ come and quicken him Q. See we then who it is spoken of to be dead men that are rotten and stinking as bad as the world the flesh and the Devil can make them Who should these be A. I answer it 's you you hath he quickned And ye wherein ye walked c. But who are they The Ephesians perhaps that were in times past heathens I hope it belongs not to us They were Gentiles and Pagans that knew not Christ v. 12. Aliens to the Commonweal of Israel strangers to the covenant of promise having no hope without God in the world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Text renders it Atheists and therefore they might well be so But I hope it 's not thus with me I was never a Pagan or Heathen I was born of Christian Parents and am of the Church But put away these conceits Look on the 3d. v. Amongst whom we also had our conversation and wherein ye your selves c. It 's not onely spoken of you Gentiles but verified of us also As if he had sâ—id here as Gal. 2. We who are Jewes by nature and not sinners of the Gentiles He paints out noâ— onely you the Gentiles in such ugly colours but we Jewes also we of the Commonwealth of Iâ—rael We before we were quickned were in the same state that you are described to be in Obj. Oh but the Apostle may do this out of fellowship and to avoid envy as it were making himself a paâ—ty with them as Ezra did cap. 9. that included himself in the number of the offenders though he had no hand in the offence O our God saith he what shall we say Our evil deeds c. and how shall we stand before thee because of this making a particular confession whereas he was not accessory to the fault but to sweeten it to them Sol. But here the Apostle doth not so he was not thus minded but it 's we all he puts universality to it So that it 's clear that before conversion and quickning by grace from Christ we all all of us are in as foul and filthy a condition as this which is here described and set down So that this is the point that it is not spoken of some desperate sinners but that it is the common state and condition of all the sons of Adam Doct. All men every man and woman in this place either is or hath been in the state that here the Apostle describeth him to be Therefore we have all need to examine our selves whether we yet remain in that condition or not The Apostle brings this description to testifie the truth of the point Gal. 3.22 The Scripture hath concludedâ— all under sin The whole current and course of the Scripture shewes the universality of it that it 's true of all See the Apostle speaking of himself and the rest Tit. 3.3 saith We our selves also not onely you of the Gentiles but we our selves also were foolish disobedient c. but after the kindnesse of God towards man appeared c. that is before the day-star of grace did arise in our hearts there 's not the best of us all but have been thus and thus Rom. 3.3 There the Apostle insists on the point expresly that every mouth might be stopped to shew the state of all men naturally having laid down a large beadrole of the iniquities of the Heathen cometh afterward to convince the Jews What are we better then they no we have proved that all are under sin there is none good no not one Obj. But though you bring many places to prove that all are sinners yet I hope the Virgin Mary was not Sol. An inch breaks no squares but All are sinners There is none righteous no not one The drift of the Apostle in this is to shew that these things are not spoken of some hainous sinners onely but there 's not one to be exempted and therefore in his Conclusion v. 19. he saith That every mouth may be stopped and all the world become guilty before God and that by the deeds of the Law no flesh can be justified from sin So that now having proved this so clearly to you consider with your selves how needful it is to apply this to our own souls Many men when they read such things as these in the Scripture read them but as stories from strange Countries What are we dead in sins not able to stir one foot in Gods wayes bad we are indeed but dead rotten and stinking in sins and trespasses what as bad as the world the devil and flesh can make us what children of wrath firebrands of hell few can perswade themselves that it
then saith he it is excluded By what Law by the Law of works No but by the Law of faith there is a Law of works and a Law of faith God doth not only give thee leave to come and take him and draw near unto him but he commands thee there 's a Law by the breach of that Law of faith thou art made guilty of a high sin There 's a full testimony of this 1 John 3.23 And this is the Commandment that we should believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ. If a man should ask may I love my Neighbour would you not think him a fool because he must do it he is commanded So should a poor soul come and say to me may I believe thou fool thou must believe God hath laid a Command upon thee it is not left to thy choice The same Commandment that bids thee love thy brother bids thee to believe on Christ. To entreaty is added Gods Command and therefore if thou shalt argue what warrant have I to believe Why God injoyns it thee and commands it As the impotent man said so mayst thou He that healed me said unto me take up thy bed and walk This is the very Key of the Gospel and this is the way to turn it right When being thus clean nâ—ked we have as it were a Cable put into our hands to draw our selves out of this flesh and blood 5. The last thing is if keeping open house special Invitations Entreaties and Commands will not serve the turn then Christ waxeth angry What to be scorn'd when he profer'd Mercy and as it were invite all sorts and compel them to come in by his Preachers and by a peremptory Command Then he falls a threatning We are not of those which draw back unto perdition if thou wilt not come upon this Command thou shalt be damned Mar. 16.16 He that believed not shall be damned Christ commands them to go into the world and preach the Gospel to every Creature unto every soul this Gospel which I speak If you will not hear and believe if you will not take God at his Word you shall be damned John 3. He that believeth not shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him Here 's an Iron scourge to drive thee thou that art so flow of heart to believe In Psalm 78. where is set down Gods Mercy unto the Isâ—aelites afterwards comes one plague upon another verse 22. it is said They hardened their hearts as in the day of provocation This is applyed in Heb. 3.12 to Unbelievers The Lord heard this and was wrath a fire was kindled against Jacob and against Israel Why was this because they believed not in him because they trusted not in his salvation Nothing will more provoke God to anger then when he is liberal and gracious and we are straitned in our selves hearden our hearts and not trust him never forget this Sermon while you live this is the net which Christ hath to draw you out of the world I shal hereafter tell you what faith is which is to receive Christ and to believe in his name but that will require a more particular explication and on that I shall enter the next time FINIS EPHE 1.13 In whom ye also trusted after that ye heard the Word of truth the Gospel of your salvation In whom also after you believed you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of Promise THE last time I entred on the declaration of that main point and part of Religion which is the foundation of all our hopes and comfort namely the offering of Christ unto us that as he did offer himself a Sacrifice to his Father for us upon the Cross so that which is the basis ground and foundation of our comfort he offereth himself unto us And here comes in that gracious gift of the Father which closes in with God That as God saith To us a child is born to us a Son is given c. so there is grace given us to receive him And as the greatest gift doth not enrich a man unless he accept it and receive it so this is our case God offers his Son unto us as an earnest of his love if we will not receive him we cannot be the better for him If we refuse him and turn Gods Commodity which he offers us back upon his hand then Gods storms and his wrath abides on us for evermore That it is his good pleasure that we should receive Christ it is no doubt we have his word for it all the point is how we may receive him and that is by Faith And in this Text is declared how Faith is wrought and that is by the Word of truth In whom also you trusted after you had heard the Word of Truth Now after this Faith there cometh a sealing by the Spirit of God In whom also after you believed you were sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise Now lest a man should through ignorance and indiscretion be misled and deceived there is faith and there is feeling Where this is not I say not that there is no faith No for feeling is an after thing and comes after Faith If we have Faith we live by it But after you believed you were sealed You see then Faith is that whereby we receive Jesus Christ and to as many as received him to them he gave power to become the Sons of God to as many as believe on his name The blood of Christ is that which cureth our souls but as I told you it is by application A Medicine heals not by being prepared but being applied so the blood of Christ shed for us unless applied to us doth us no good In Heb. 12. It s called the blood of sprinkling and that in the 51. Psalm hath relation to it where he saith Purge me with hysop In the Passover there was blood to be shed not to be spilt but to be shed and then to be gathered up again and put into a Basin and when they had so done they were to take a bunch of Hysope and dip and sprinkle c. Faith is this bunch of Hysope that dips it self as it were into the Basin of Christs blood and our souls are purged by being sprinkled with it In Levit. 14.6 There was a bird to escape alive but see the preparation for it You shall take it and the scarlet and the Cedar wood and the Hysop and shall dip them and the living bird in the blood of the bird that was killed c. and then you shall sprinkle on him that had the leprosie seven times and shall pronounce him clean and shall let the living bird loose into the open field We are thus let loose cleansed and freed but how unless we are dipt as the living bird was in the blood of the dead bird there is no escaping unless we are dipt in the blood of Christ Jesus this dead bird and sprinkled with this Hysop we cannot be freed
So that now to come to that great matter without which Christ profiteth us nothing which is Faith The Well is deep and this is the bucket with which we must draw This is the hand by which we must put on Christ As many as are baptized put on Christ thus must we be made ready we must be thus clothed upon and by this hand attire our selves with the Son of Righteousness Wherefore I declared unto you that this Faith must not be a bare conceipt floating in the brain not a device of our own The devil taking hold on this would soon lead a man into a fools Paradise To say I am Gods Child and sure I shall be saved I am perswaded so this the Devil would say Amen to and would be glad to rock men a sleep in such conceipts Such are like the foolish Virgins That went to buy oyl for their Lamps and were perswadâ—d they should come soon enough to enter with the Bride-groom but their perswasion is groundless and they are shut out So such groundless perswasions and assurances in a mans soul that he is the child of God and shall go to heaven is not Faith thou mayst carry this assurance to hell with thee This Faith is not Faith For faith comes by hearing and that not of every word or fancy but by hearing the word of Truth Faith must not go a jot further then the Word of God goeth If thou hast an apprehension but no warrant for it out of the Word of God it is not faith for it s said After you heard the Word of Truth you believed So that we must have some ground for it out of the Word of Truth otherwise it is presumption meer conceipts fancy and not Faith Now I shew'd unto you the last time how this might be for while a man is an Unbeliever he is wholly defiled with sin he is in a most lothsom condition he is in his blood filthy and no eye pities him And may one fasten comfort on one in such a condition on a dead man And this I shew'd you was our case When Faith comes to us it finds no good thing in us it finds us stark dead and stark nought yet there is a Word for all this to draw us unto Christ from that miserable Ocean in which we are swimming unto perdition if God catch us not in his Net Hearken we therefore to Gods Call there is such a thing as this Calling God calls thee and would change thy condition and therefore offers thee his Son Wilt thou have my Son Wilt thou yield unto me Wilt thou be reconciled unto me Wilt thou come unto me and this may be preacht to the veriest Rebel that is It is the only Word whereby faith is wrought It is not by finding such and such things in us before-hand No God finds us as bad as bad may be when he proffers Christ unto us He finds us ugly and filthy and afterwards washes us and makes us good It is not because I found this or that good thing in thee that I give thee interest in my Son take it not on this ground No he loved us first and when we were defiled he washt us with his own blood Rev. Now there is a double love of God towards his Creatures 1. Of Commiseration 2. Of Complacency That of Commiseration is a fruit of love which tenders and pities the miserable estate of another But now there is another love of Complacency which is a likeness between the qualities and manners of persons for like will to like and this love God never hath but to his Saints after Conversion when they have his Image instamped in them and are reformed in their Understandings and Wills resembling him in both then and not till then bears he this love towards them Before he loves them with the love of pity and so God lov'd the world that is with the love of Commiseration that he sent his only Son that whosoever believed in him might not perish but have everlasting life Now we come to the point of Acceptation the Word is free and it requires nothing but what may consist with the freest gift that may be given Although here be something that a man may startle at Object Is there not required a condition of faith and a condition of obedience Sol. Neither of these according to our common Understanding do hinder the fulness and freedom of the Grace of the Gospel 1. Not Faith because Faith is such a condition as requires only an empty hand to receive a gift freely given Now doth that hinder the freeness of the gift to say you must take it Why this is requisite to the freest gift that can be given If a man would give something to a Begger if he would not reach out his hand and take it let him go without it it s a free gift still so that the condition of Faith requires nothing but an empty hand to receive Christ. 2. Obedience hinders it not I am required may some say to be a new man a new Creature to lead a new life I must alter my course and is not this a great clog and burthen and do you account this free when I must crucifie lusts mortifie Passions c. Is this free when a man must renounce his own Will Yes It is as free as free may be as I shewed you the last time The very touching and accepting of Christ implies an abnegation of former sinfulness and a going off from other courses that are contrary to him If the King give a pardon to a notorious Rebel for Treason so that now he must live obedient as a Subject the King need not in regard of himself to have given the pardon if he give it it takes not from its freeness that he must live like a Subject afterwards the very acceptance of the pardon implies it But now to declare Faith and to open the Mystery thereof Faith is a great thing it is our life our life stands in the practise of it that as in the offering of Christ for us there is given him a name above every name That at the name of Jesâ—s every knee shall bow As I say in the purchasing of Redemption so in the point of acceptation God hath given unto this poor vertue of faith a name above all names Faith indeed as it is a vertue is poor and mean and comes far short of love and therefore by the Apostle love is many degrees prefer'd before faith because love fills the heart and faith is but a bare hand it lets all things fall that it may fill it self with Christ. It s said of the Virgin Mary That God did respect the low estate of his hand-maid So God respects the low estate of Faith that nothing is required but a bare empty hand which hath nothing to bring with it though it be never so weak yet if it have a hand to receive it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a like