not we prophesied in thy name and in thy name cast out devils and in thy name done many wonderful works So in that day will many plead at least in these days they think such pleadings will serve the turn Was not I born of Christian Parents Baptized into such a faith lived all my life time under such a Ministry professed the Gospel of Christ as the rest of my friends and neighbors did believed the word of God and do verily believe it is a truth from the first of Genesis to the last of the Revelation And who can considering this once doubt of my eternal welfare But know that notwithstanding all this thou wilt surely miss of it for if thou hast no better plea Satan will come in against thee saying Thus If this man and this woman may have salvation on such terms as these why may not I I was no common drunkard or an adulterer I have known the Scriptures from first to last yea have addrest and profest the common Historical faith in all ages yea I have been as an Angel of light in all forms and through all times And yet notwithstanding my belief and my profession I must have no favor for I look for none and why should this person or that person have any more favor then I who had but like faith as I Common professors in the fear of him whom you do profess if ever you look for favor in that day do not flatter and deceive your own souls by thinking Lord Lord for a man may be a Gospel-professor yea a believer of God his Word his Truth and yet so unsound in the faith that this sentence may be his Depart from me I know you not ye workers of iniquity Matth. 7. 23. CHAP. IV. That most mens faith is no better then the faith of Devils 3. AS the Devils have an Historical faith they do believe so most mens faith is no better then the faith of devils For the proof of this I need carry your thoughts no further then the Text for mark Thou believest that there is one God that is at large and in common as most of the world do Have a name to live but are dead A prophane life and a vain conversation makes all thy profession vain and fruitless as the verse following the Text clearly tells you Faith without works is fruitless and for all thy glorious profession thou art but a vain man so saith the text But thou wilt know O vain man that faith without works is dead for though the devil believes to a base end and thou sayest thou hast faith to a pretended good end yet if thou attainest it not but instead thereof hast eternal torment what art thou the better nay rather how much art thou the worse They that run in a race run all but one receiveth the prize So many are runners by common profession but it is the saving faith onely that obtains it is not a profession of Christ but the enjoying of Christ and living and loving of Christ that puts into a true account beyond the devil But doth not the Text put a commendation Obj. on such a faith when he saith I do well Thou believest that there is one God thou doest well This is that which unlocks the Text and tells you the meaning of the Apostle Answ therefore this doing well is not by way of commendation but of aggravation As if he should say Thou thinkest it well but as well as thou thinkest of it I will give you an instance of as good if not a better but it is the basest that I can finde it is not from heaven but from hell from the devils The devils do believe and tremble Thou hast a large profession so hath the devil he hath seemings as well as men have and therefore he is said To transform himself to be an Angel of light and when he doth thus he is most a devil So when a man professes for God but inwardly acts for Satan what is he better if seemings be good in Satan it is good in wicked men but if base because without any fruits to God much more in thee whose fruits are for Satan notwithstanding thy profession But it may be said This is harsh to couple Obj. mans common profession to the faith of devils Is there not several sorts of Faith as Historical Temporary and faith of miracles a belief of the letter and with the times and a wonder working faith as the Apostles had and of which sort the Apostle Paul tells the Corinthians 1 Cor. 13. 2. That if he had all faith so that he could remove mountains yet if not charity all is nothing and this the Text imports in those words Faith without works is dead The Question answers it self for had we Answ all these sorts of faith yet saving faith in Christ is the one thing necessary and prize thy education and thy common profession and all thy outward priviledges yet if thou hast not saving faith the devils may be said to believe as well as thou for They believe and tremble Some do make a threefold difference in believing A believing of God a believing De Deo Deo in Deum to God and a believing in God But assure thy soul nothing but saving faith Christ being in thee and Christ being for thee will ever administer any true and solid comfort And if nothing else what will it profit me if I have the faith of the times and faith of wonders yea and all knowledge of which latter the devil hath abundance surely no more then he that gains the world but yet loses his soul a miserable and wretched bargain That wicked men may gather this truth more clearly and tremble to know That most mens faith is no better then the devils I will in a word or two give you the parity and the disparity wherein the faith of Devils and the Common faith of men do agree and wherein they disagree CHAP. V. Sheweth wherein the belief of common professors and the belief of devils agree and disagree I Shall begin with the disparity unlikeness or disagreement betwixt the common faith of men and the faith of Devils The first difference lieth in this that the devils are without hope but common professors are not the devil knows himself to be reprobated never to be approved before God but man thinks he shall And I will not say otherwise so long as there is life there is hope but take heed this hope make thee not ashamed through a false faith Lay hold therefore of present opportunity study to be approved The devils saith Jude Verse 6. Are reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgement of the great day Many there be that live without God in the world but pretend to have faith the devil hath faith too the Text tells you He doth believe but he doth not say he hopes and our usual saying is If it were not for hope the heart would
break And know assuredly that without spiritual hope thy soul will everlastingly perish 2. Though the devils do believe yet they can have no repentance But man in his false faith may be said to have some sort of repentance Faith sometimes as it is taken for knowledge may check the conscience A common professor may have flashings and sorrowings as Judas had who was a profest disciple of Christ But this sort of repentance profits no more then his faith which onely makes a gilded outside like the powder in the pan of the musket it often fires but will not go off So they that have common faith may often fire but never go off to mortification because all their faith is but the fruits of the flesh but not the fruits of the spirit But now this sort of repentance the devil cannot have but he is seared and hardened though James tells you he doth believe it is possible for man to finde repentance but the devil cannot 3. The difference between the common faith of professors and the faith of devils 2 Thes 2. 11. is in this man may believe a strong delusion in a lye that is in the devil the father of lyes How many are there in the world that hold the truth in unrighteousness makes no question to have happiness without holiness make no question to be saved but makes no conscience What a strong delusion is this that while the devil believes things certainly and man believes the devil tempts to make him miserable and yields unto all his corruptions and yet makes no doubt to be happy Thus for the disparity betwixt the common faith of men and the faith of devils Secondly take also a word wherein the belief of men and devils hath a kinde of likeness and agreement 1. The Devils beleive Gods soveraignty as well as most men God is powerful infinite able saith the common professor this will the devil acknowledge too man believes that God is unity so doth the Devil thus the text is express Thou believest that there is one God this harmony of faith have the Devils They believe this and tremble 2. Man believes the Scriptures to be the word of God that is thou art a common professor and thou assentest unto this that God is true and that the Scriptures are the written word of God and all those several passages therein contained as of the Creation Redemption from Adam to Noah from Noah to David from David to Christ from Christ to the several transactions of the Apostles yea thou believest this very text to be a truth Why all this and much more may it be said that the Devils do believe that they do believe the history of the word and something of the mystery of it may clearly be gathered from his tempting of Christ Matthew 4. 6. 3. Grant that thou doest believe that Jesus Christ dyed to save sinners the Devil believes this too because he seeks the destruction of souls And saith the Apostle 1 John 3. 8. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested that he might destroy the works of the Devil It seems the Devil made close work with the hearts of men that none but Christ could save the devil believing mends his pace to destroy Grant therefore that thou hast not onely a historical faith but also a temporary faith thou followest the times wherein thou livest in believing according to the Doctrine and Custom may be thou risest high in thy notion and professest the highest and choicest things yet know thou stil mayest not be said to believe more then what the devil may be said to believe for without question he follows the fashion and suits himself to the faith of the times in all ages he tempts under the Law as under the Gospel and as the time grows shorter and his kingdom weaker so the Devil is more strong and more subtil this may be cleared from that of Rev. 12. 12. The Devil is come down unto you having great wrath that is in the days of the Gospel more especially at the end of the world the Devil bestirs himself having great wrath and what is the reason because he knows he hath but a short time the devil knows that happiness and a crown of glory is laid up for the Saints and that judgement and torment is for himself and for all his servants upon this knowledge he rages most in the last times Thus much for the third thing to be opened before I speak to the last suffer something by way of Use and Application CHAP. VI. Containing something by way of Application from the first branch in the Doctrine IF it be so that the belief of most men is no better then the belief of the damned then let us fall to serious examination of every one of our own hearts what our faith and profession is This is matter of great concerment and the most subject to self-cousenage Men will believe no further then most believe and most believe no otherwise then the Devils believe Search and examine what faith you have for this is a truth from Scripture That the Devils do profess as well as men and that most mens belief is not better then the Devils Say then to your own hearts as the Disciples to Christ Mat. 26. 23. when Christ told the Disciples that one of them should betray him they presently put the question saying Master Is it I So say of a truth most mens profession is no better then what the Devils have and what is mine amongst the multitude of Professors Give unto the Lord a ground of that hope that is in you for he cals for it by vertue of this truth Come in thou Creature for I have given you rain from heaven and fruitful seasons Come speak thou common Professor Thou makest thy boast of God saying thou dost believe but know so do the Devils thou fearest with a slavish fear so do the Devils thou boastest of historical and temporary faith but if thou findest no more thou wilt fall short of heaven and happiness Thou art as yet but as those foolish Virgins Mat. 25. that thought to be saved by profession for they went under the notion of Believers and it is very probable they had historical and common faith for they had lamps but they had not oyl they had not the fruits of the Spirit and therefore could have no entrance Examine therefore what thy faith is for most go for Virgins that have a name to live by common profession but an evil and an adulterous generation are such that have not the signs and seals of the righteousness of faith which is only by Christ Jesus our Lord. 2. You that content your selves with this common belief of men know your Companions What though thou hast gotten ten thousand Notions yet if thou wantest the fruits of the Spirit of Grace which is saving Faith within thy heart thou art yet but in thy unregenerate estate and thou sittest but in
of Israel And surely they must needs derogate that hold forth the Church of Christ to Nations and Parishes And thus much for the third Generall That most mens faith is no better then the faith of Devils The last follows which is That many mens obedience is not so good as the Devils is for he believes and trembles CHAP. VII Stating the other branch of the Doctrine with some cautions THat the Devils do believe the Text is plain and that most mens faith is no better I have explained unto you That which I am now to open and you to own as truth is this That many mens obedience is not so good the Devils believe and tremble Take many men as they are under the power and command of God and draw but forth their conversation and practice and do but compare the imployment submission and obedience of the Devil as he is under power and soveraignty and it will be found that many men fall short of what the devil doth for he doth believe Gods soveraignty and power and tremble at it Before I give you demonstration note the terms in the Thesis or Doctrine by way of caution 1. The terms that I put the proposition into is not all but many not believers but wicked men and amongst wicked men not all of all sorts but such that are incorrigible And how far short or over moral and profane and common professors go we shall anon examine 2. You are to understand that when I say it is not so good I do not mean that the devil hath any good obedience or wicked men properly so called not any good via eminentiae sed via comparativa by way of eminency but by way of comparing their practice to Gods superlative commands 3. By way of caution know that all obedience both of wicked men and of the devils too is not obedience to answer but to avoid not any obedience as willing or chearful but slavish and fearful The Gaderenes and the Devils agree in this in that passage Mark 5. 12 17. they both would avoid and could not endure to be molested onely this is the difference the devils besought they might depart from Christ the Gaderenes they desire Christ would depart from them That men and Devils are within the verge of Gods power precepts it will appear if we but compare Jobs first and second Chapters from whence we may clearly collect that the Devil permissively may tempt and strip not onely the wicked but even Gods own children But yet observe he is like a slave submissive though he desires nothing more then the ruine of Gods Church and people yet he creeps at Gods commands and keeps within the verge of Gods power and greatness Indeed he seeks to devour all and malice is his proper work but if the Lord speaks to the proud waves Thus far may you swell but no further the Devil may touch Jobs goods his cattel and his children but his life he must not and he keeps touch not out of any desire the devil hath to preserve one or any wicked person but would devour all and ruine all And therefore wonder wicked men at Gods goodness in your preservation and your friends cruelty in seeking your ruine and destruction for the devil is our adversary though wicked mens supposed friend and he goeth about continually like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour Who would then be a slave to Satan to whom though we are so willing to obey yet if God did not restrain him he would destroy us and this is all the comfort a wicked man can have in all his sweets of sin that though he please the devil and please himself but displease God yet consider did not thy displeased God restrain thy contented devil he would cut thy throat every moment and who would be a slave unto such a slave or rather who would not fear and serve such a God who daily preserves and also restrains notwithstanding thy daily and such notorious provocations might not the Lord say I will avenge my self of these mine adversaries and wrath take them and devil take them but instead of this he bridles up Satan and instead of wrath he pours down mercy and preservation and why should not kindeness melt us and mercy overcome us The Saints indeed may comfort themselves in this that though Satan desires to winnow them like wheat yet Christ prays and hath promised Luke 21. 18. Not a hair of your head shall perish They may indeed be pull'd off by persecution but lost they cannot be for he hath promised the keeping of them to thy great comfort and that tells thee his care in taking account of them Matth. 10 30. For the prosecution of this more clearly take notice of these three things into which I shall cast the remainder of this discourse 1. I shall proove the Doctrine and explain it 2. I shall give you some aggravation of the Doctrine 3. Some brief application and so conclude CHAP. VII Wherein the Doctrine is explained and obedience compared 'twixt men and Devils 1. FOr the explanation of the Doctrine That many mens obedience is not so good as the Devils is I shall compare the way and practice of man with the way and practice of the devils And let us in the hearing of it or the reading bring forth conscience to judge the difference for to that I shall now and then appeal unto to clear the point in hand Before the judgement seat of God all men appear in two sorts either sheep or goats godly or ungodly good or bad and the reason is because God judgeth like himself absolute judgement and we then shall say That God is righteous in all his ways and just in all his judgements but now amongst our selves as we are in this world and in our present being and practice we may judge three sorts of persons yea amongst them that do profess for Christ you have such mixtures and interminglings as special believers general professors and commonly prophane persons which are in a sort professors also As the Apostle reduces all sins into that Triplicite The lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life 1 John 2. 16. so every man and woman may be brought into one or other of those three considerations I dare not compare you amongst your selves by name but according to your several obedience I shall compare it both for quantity and quality and wager it to the text in hand and the instance therein mentioned which is the devil for though it be said that all the forementioned several sorts of men do believe so doth the devil and that with trembling The Devil believes and trembles And because you should not think I would be partial I shall instance in the first sort that I mentioned and do you that are either partial or impartial judge 1. I shall call forth the obedience of true believers Believers what say you you have true faith