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
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
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
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
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
be in the Couenant once doubt not then that a sinne or two or daily failings shall breake the Couenant betweene GOD and thee it is impossible Thou must know that thou often breakest the Couenant but except there be a quite turning backe except thou altogether forsake GOD except thou leaue GOD and chuse thee a new Master this indeed breaketh the Couenant otherwise if it be but a failing if it be but a sinne of infirmity from day to day when as yet thou keepest GOD in thy heart thou cleauest fast to him thou intendest to serue him and not to forsake him and giue him ouer thinke not that those sinnes although they be great breake the Couenant And therefore Psal. 41.7 said the People of GOD there Although these things be befalne vs yet haue we not forgotten thee nor dealt falsely concerning thy Couenant Why We haue not turned backe although we haue failed and done many things amisse yet haue we not dealt falsely concerning thy Couenant That is we are not Hypocrites our hearts are sincere How proue they that We haue not turned backe from thee our feete haue not gone out of thy wayes That is we haue not quite giuen ouer as many men doe that make their pleasure their God when they make their profit their God when they diuorse themselues from GOD then they breake the Couenant but else it is not a breaking of the Couenant Know therfore for thy comfort when thou considerest this summe them vp together and see now whether thou hast put thy seale to the truth of GOD that he is true that is whether thou beleeue the promise whether thou take and receiue CHRIST for that is it to put thy seale to the truth of GOD when thou canst conclude that thou hast done that then see if GOD hath put his seale to thee There is a double seale One is thou art sealed by the Spirit that is there is a secret witnesse of the Spirit the sealing of the Spirit to the day of Redemption the hidden Mannah the secret witnesse that GOD giues to euery mans heart as a priuie Seale that GOD sets on thee Grieue not the Spirit by which ye are sealed to the day of Redemption Now there is another seale which is more manifest then this as in 2 Tim. 2.19 The foundation of GOD remaineth sure and hath this seale The Lord knoweth who are his and let euery one that calleth vpon the Name of the Lord depart from iniquity That is there is another seale that GOD sets vpon you whereby hee enables you to depart from iniquity This is a more open seale then the other If thou finde that thou haue put thy seale to GOD to his promise and thou findest againe that he hath sealed thee by the inward witnesse of his Spirit and hath sealed thee likewise by the fruit of amendment of life with enabling thee to depart from iniquity now what shouldst thou doe then Make no more question take it for granted that CHRIST belongs to thee and thou to him Trust perfectly to the grace reuealed through Iesus Christ A place that I haue often named 2 Pet. 1.13 Trust perfectly in the fauour that is in the free fauour in the free promise reuealed through Iesus Christ that is Doe not mince the matter and say it may be GOD will forgiue me or it may be he will not but doe it perfectly let nothing be wanting doe it perfectly that thy ioy may bee full if thou doe it by halues if thou doe it but in part thou shalt haue but imperfect ioy The vse now that thou shouldest make of Faith is to see thy ioy may be full if thou be not certainely perswaded thou doest not vse thy Faith as thou oughtest When thou hast done this once when thou hast settled vpon this conclusion to say certainely CHRIST is mine my sinnes are forgiuen now come to the priuiledges consider them and go thorow them all I haue named them heretofore vpon another occasion and labour to comfort thy selfe with them labour to haue thy heart filled with ioy at the least get so much comfort as may ouervalue any affliction in the World that there may be a greater waight in the other Ballance that though great afflictions doe befall thee yet thou art not drowned thou art not swallowed vp of affliction that thy heart faints not but set thy faith aworke that thou mayest haue so much ioy as that thou mayest goe thorow it And againe get so much ioy as at least may ouertoppe any prosperity outward any comfort that thou mayest take in thy friends or in thy wealth or in those things that thou findest thy heart too much to cleaue vnto that thou settest them at too high a rate set thy Faith on worke that thy joy may be full that thou mayest not prize those so much but that thou mayest looke vpon them as trifles as matters of nothing in comparison of the ioy that is prepared for thee in Heauen Thus a man should vse faith that is in any affliction that he doe not ouer-grieue and that no outward comforts whatsoeuer befall him take not vp his ioy too much Thus our faith should passe through all conditions to vse the World as if we vsed it not So I say set thy Faith on worke This is the first worke that faith should doe to comfort a mans heart The second vse we should make of Faith should be to guide and direct our liues that is we should vse Faith to be as the Rudder to the Ship to turne our courses the right way vpon all occasions in our conuersation For that is the office of Faith to guide a mans life For as it is in a way so it is in our life there are many turnings it is not only a strait way but there are many turnings and when a man comes to a place where there are two wayes to turne to that he knowes not which way to goe now Faith comes and teacheth thee what thou shouldest doe That is there are many difficult cases wherein a man knows not what to doe he is amazed at them It may be GOD will lead thee through the way of the Philistims through great persecutions and troubles which thou must wrestle with Now set thy Faith aworke fight the good fight of faith that is thou must now ouercome thou must not balke the way of Religion because of the troubles thou meetest withall but passe thorow the troubles that thou mayest keepe thy way Againe it may bee GOD will leade thee through pleasant wayes and not through the way of the Philistims as when the people came out of Egygt the Lord led them not by the way of the Philistims If GOD giue thee peace and prosperity now set Faith aworke that this peace and prosperity that thou hast that it soften not that it loosen not the sinewes of thy minde that it dissolue not thy strength but keepe thy
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
heate so every good action proceedeth from grace and good actions intend grace and therefore be still acting and judge of your selves by that for what is grace what is that you call Christianity else but to doe that which another man cannot doe Therefore if there be such a difference betweene you and others as you professe there is shew it by doing that which another man cannot doe by exposing your selves to that danger to those losses for any good cause which another would not doe by spending more time in prayer by taking more paines with your hearts from day to day than others doe by keeping the sabbath better than others doe by being more exact in looking to your wayes that you may be holy in all manner of conversation that other men will not doe I say shew your grace shew your regeneration by being new creatures by doing more than others this is that which wil make the world beleeve that you are Christians in good earnest and not in shew onely that your profession is in deed and in truth and truely there is no other way this doing is that which makes a man excellent You heare men complaine of the barrennesse of their grounds many times wee may likewise justly take up the complaint against the barrennesse of the lives of men How goodly a sight is it when a man looks into the husbandry to see the vine full of clusters to see the furrowes full of corne to see the trees laden with fruite when we looke upon men it is the goodliest sight we can behold in Gods husbandry to see men full of actions and good workes I beseech you consider of it seriously and now set upon the doing of it while there is sand in the houre-glasse your life will not last long the day doth not continue alwayes the night will come when no man can worke When a candle is put out you may kindle it againe when the Sunne is set it riseth againe but when our life is past when the glasse is runne it ariseth no more it is turned no more It is appointed to all men once to die if ye might die twice or thrice it were another case but now it is your wisedome therefore while it is time while this short day lasts to doe that you have to doe concerning your salvation with all your might because the time is short There is nothing that is a truer property of wisedome than for a man to take holde of opportunities not to lose the day nay not an houre in the day for time is most precious it is like golde of which every shred is worth somewhat it is your wisedome therefore to be oft sowing seede to the spirit there is none of those good workes not the least of them but will doe you good in the latter end for alas what are your lives but your actions so much as you doe so much you live your lives are short of themselves why doe you make them shorter by doing nothing for as wee have said heretofore one man may live more in a day than another in twenty because hee doth more you live more as you act more Besides what is it a man serves for in all his labour under the Sunne what is it that hee desires but pleasure comfort and contentment Now my brethren this consists in doing in working for all pleasure followeth upon operation and further than there is working there is no delight Therefore it was a wise saying in that Philosopher that the happinesse and comfort that a man hath in this life consists not in abundance of wealth in swimming in delights but it consists in doing the actions of a living man which is the greatest comfort you can finde here in this life Doe the exercises and actions of holinesse and the more yee doe the more comfort yee shall have for even as light followeth the flame so pleasure and contentment followeth action And besides my brethren what doe you live for is it not to glorifie God You professe so much and how is it done Not by your desires or good meanings but by your actions those are the things that men see and feele and glorifie your heavenly Father for when your actions shine before men Herein is my Father glorified saith Christ that ye bring forth much fruite the doing of much is that which brings glory to God the more you doe this the more glory you bring to him Againe another end of your life is to doe good to mankinde shall they be able to fare the better for your purposes for your good resolutions no they fare the better onely for that you doe for them and to them it is your actions that benefit men Lastly for your selves what is it that helpeth you and doth you good onely your good deeds and your actions it is that which furthers your reckoning and account That place is much to this purpose Phil. 4.17 I care not for a gift but I desire fruite because it will further your account marke the phrase the meaning is this every good worke that a holy man doth from the time of his regeneration for till then no actions are spiritually good it is put upon his score it stands upon his reckoning there is not a penny nor a halfe penny lost that is the least good worke is not done to no purpose but the Lord will repay him againe euery pennie and farthing this saith hee will further your account And when will the Lord pay Not onely in the day of judgement then indeede you shall be paid to the uttermost but you shall be paid even in this life marke that too You shall have an hundredfold here saith Christ They that forsake father or mother or wife or children shall have an hundredfold in this life Therefore brethren if there bee any wisedome in the world this is the onely wisedome to be still doing to be much in actions Why doe you trifle out your time therefore to no purpose Why sit ye idle here why doe you not rise up and bestirre your selves why doe you not fill your lives with many actions You have good purposes in you why doe you not stirre them up It is true indeede we are becalmed many times because the Spirit doth not blow upon us but yet notwithstanding if we would pray for the Spirit the Lord would quicken us But you will say alas what shall wee doe it may be our callings give us no opportunity to doe that which other mens callings doe if we might be Preachers and have such and such businesse wherein wee might onely minde the things that belong to salvation then it were easie My brethren you must know that you shall finde continuall occasions of doing good actions every day whatsoever your callings are It is an errour among the Papists to thinke that to give almes to crucifie the flesh and to use that hardly to fast and
whom you will serue altogether So that to take CHRIST with a iustifying faith is nothing else but to receiue him as it is expressed in many other places of Scripture Ioh. 1.11 Hee came vnto his owne and his owne receiued him not but to as many as receiued him he gaue power to become the sonnes of God euen to them that beleeue on his Name And so it is not as the Papists say a meere act of the vnderstanding but a taking of him for your GOD your Sauiour to whom alone you will bee subject and giue your selfe Last of all When these two are done and effected so that there is no errour either in the person or in the forme there is yet one thing more remaines behinde and that is to take and accept him with a compleate a deliberate and true will For euen as in other matches put the case the person bee knowne and the forme duely obserued yet if there does not concurre a compleat will it is not properly a match and therefore those matches are vnlawfull which are made before yeeres of discretion when a man hath not the vse of his will or when a man is in a phrenzie because there is then no compleat or deliberate will so in this spirituall Match you shall see how many the want of such a will excludes First I say it must be compleat which excludes all wishers and woulders that prize CHRIST a little that could bee content to haue CHRIST but it is rather an inclination then a compleat will that are in an Aequilibrio that would haue CHRIST but not yet that would liue a little longer at ease and haue a little more wealth but are not come to a resolute peremptory will that haue onely a weake inclination which is not enough for in a match the will must be compleate and it 's needfull it should be so it being a thing that must continue all a mans life Againe it must be a deliberate will and this excludes all those that will take CHRIST in a good moode on some sudden flash when they are affected at a good Sermon and haue some good motions cast into their mindes that will at such a time be content to take CHRIST to serue him and obey him to forsake their sinnes and giue ouer their former lusts but the will is not deliberate Last of all as it must be compleat and deliberate so it must be a true will that is it must be free and that excludes all them that meerely for seruile feare at time of death in the day of sicknesse and trouble when Hell and Heauen are presented to them will take CHRIST Indeede you can scarce come to any but in such a case hee will professe that he is now content to take CHRIST for his Lord and Sauionr but this is done by constraint and so the will is not free So I say when all these concurre the match is now made and you are iustified But after the match is made something is required Therefore there is one Question more and that is What is this that is required after the making of the match I answer It is required that you loue your Husband Iesus Christ that you forsake Father and Mother and become one Spirit with him as you are one flesh with your Wife for you are now bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh 2. Againe it is now required that you should repent And that is the meaning of that place Repent for the Kingdome of heauen is at hand I tell you of a Kingdome and a great Kingdome but no man can come into that Kingdome except hee repent You must walke no longer after the flesh but after the Spirit You must haue your flesh crucified with all the affections and lusts of it Thirdly You must part with euery thing for his sake whether you haue riches or honours or credit or whatsoeuer it is no matter you must be ready to let them all goe 4. Againe You must be ready to vndergoe any thing for his sake you must haue him for worse as well as for better you must be content to bee hated of all men for his sake you must take vp your crosse and follow him 5. Againe You must doe much aswell as as suffer much for him he dyed to this end that he might purchase to him a peculiar people zealous of good workes you must respect him as a Wife doth her Husband not as a seruant doth a hard Master you must not looke on his Commandements as a hard taske whereof you could willingly be excused but as one that hath his heart inflamed to walke in them as a louing Wife that needes not to be bidden to doe this or that but iâ— the doing of it may aduantage her Husband it will be a greater griefe to her to let them lye vndone then labour to doe them But now men say This is a hard condition I little thought of it It is true the condition is hard and that is the reason that so few are willing to come in when they vnderstand these after-clap conditions that they must part with all that they must be persecuted that their wil must be perfectly subject to the will of Christ that they must be holy as he is holy that the same mind must be in them that is in Christ Iesus that they must be of those peculiar people of GOD. And therefore haue wee told you that none will come in to take CHRIST for their Husband till they haue beene bitten with the sense of their sinnes till they be heauy laden and haue felt the weight of Satans yoake till then they will not come vnder the yoake of CHRIST but those that be humble that haue their hearts broken that know what the wrath of GOD is that haue their consciences awaked to see sinne will come in and be glad they haue CHRIST though on these conditions but the other will not If you will haue CHRIST on these condition you may But we preach in vaine all the world refuseth CHRIST because they will not leaue their couetousnesse and idlenesse and swearing and their seuerall sports and pleasures their liuing at liberty and Company-keeping they will not doe the things that CHRIST requires at their hands and all because they are not humbled they know not what sinnne meanes whereas should GOD shew it to them in its right colours should they be but in Iudas his case had they tasted of the Terrours of the Almightie were their consciences enlightned and did it set them on they would take him with all their heart But an other Objection comes in I would come in but how should I doe it I want power and ability I cannot mortifie the deedes of the body could I doe that I would not stand on the businesse To this I giue a speedy answer If thou canst come with this resolution to take him take no care for doing