Peripatetick Great Corruptions call for a great Faith As there are great Services great Sufferings great Promises great Providences great Temptations and all these call for a great Faith so more than all most of all worst of all there are great Corruptions which also call for a great Faith Corruption is the Sting this is the evil of evils the plague of plagues the poison of poisons There are Achans within to be stoned to death Sauls within to fall upon the point of the Sword of the Spirit There are Agag's within to be cut in pieces There are Goliahs within to be destroyed the Sons of Zerviah within that are to be subdued and these call for a great Faith Pro. 20.9 Was that Question ever answered Who can say I have made my heart clean I am pure from my Sin Ah Soul look within and see new worlds of Sin now do not these call for a great Faith May it not be said of Sin Malum complexum what is said of War to be a Complex and a complicated Evil As there is the nature of Sin so there is the sin of the Nature And doth not this call for a great Faith As there is no Sin in Grace so there is no Grace in Sin Sin is evil all evil Sin is so bad that we cannot call it worse than it is It s name is Evil. Rom. 7.21 When I would do good evil is present with me As there is the evil of Suffering so there is the evil of Sin and this is the worst Evil. But as the name of Sin is evil so the nature of Sin is evil Rom. 7.13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That Sin by the Commandment might become exceeding sinful Or that Sin by the Commandment might appear hyperbolically sinful Or according to the Greek that Sin by the Commandment might appear a Sinner unto an Hyperbole Now doth not this call for a great Faith Sin is a darkning of the Glory of God a defacing of the Image of God a crucifying of the Son of God a grieving of the Spirit of God a wounding of the Soul of Man And doth not this call for a great Faith Is there a Day without Clouds A Moon without Spots A Garden without Weeds A House without Rubbish A Soul without Sin A Heart without Leaven Now doth not this call for a great Faith They look like perfect Strangers to their own Hearts who pretend unto a personal Perfection Paul was cried up for an earthly Angel Rom 7.17 yet not without Sin 'T is no more I that do it but Sin that dwelleth in me There is but one thing in all the World that is the object of God's abhorrence that makes Man truly miserable that caused the Maker of Man to repent of Man's making that necessitates Mercy that called for Christ's Sufferings and caused Tears to stand in his Eyes that God looks upon with a vindictive Eye that Christ came to destroy that made Angels Devils that makes a Hell within and that is Sin Now doth not this call for a great Faith CHAP. IV. Of a little and a weak Faith AS there is a great and a strong Faith so there is a little and a weak Faith Why are ye fearful Mat. 8.26 oh ye of little faith I would not discourage an Infant-Faith That God who bids us receive him that is weak in the Faith will not himself reject him but God bids us receive him that is weak in the Faith Rom. 14.1 Fides periculis secura securitate periclitatur Aug. Him that is weak in the Faith receive you but not to doubtful disputations By one that is weak in the Faith the Apostle may mean a young Convert a Babe in Christ or a Person not sufficiently instructed concerning the Use of things indifferent Though thy Faith be not grown to a Cedar if it be a Shrub or a bruised Reed 't is too good to be broken A weak Faith may lay hold upon a strong Christ A Palsical hand may tie the knot in Marriage 'T is con-natural unto Man to desire Salvation rather under the notion of Doing than of Believing Dream not of the same Favour with Saints unless thou hast the same Faith with Saints but 't is Faith of the same Stamp not of the same Stature the same as to Quality though not as to Quantity the same as to Truth though not as to Degree A spark of Fire is true Fire the Furnace is no more A Drop of Water is true Water the Ocean is no more Now as a little Fire may be true Fire and a little Water true Water so a little Faith may be true Faith But how shall I know that I have true Faith Qu. I fear my Silver is Tin my Gold is Dross my Faith is Fancy Ah! I fear that my Faith is not a true but a false Faith How shall I know a true Faith from a false Faith That 's the Question A true Faith goeth not alone Sol. 1. As it is said 't is not good that Man should be alone so it may be said that Faith is not good that is alone The Leper under the Law was to dwell alone but true Faith goeth not alone 'T is written Wo to him that is alone so Wo to that Person whose Faith is alone Unless a corn of Wheat falleth into the Ground and dieth it abideth alone thus Faith if it hath not Works is dead Jam. 2.17 being alone or by it self so the Greek A false Faith goeth alone an Hypocrite speaks of his Faith when his Works are speechless or speak nothing but Unbelief An Hypocrite is all Creed but no Commandment he saith he believeth but continueth in Sin 'T is a false not a true Faith that goeth alone A true Faith hath a train of good Works Jam. 2.18 Shew me thy Faith without thy Works and I will shew thee my Faith by my Works A true Faith hath a true Object A false Faith hath a false Object an Hypocrite believeth the lying Vision of his own Heart but a true Faith hath a true Object this hath the Person of Christ for Object a Christ in all his Offices as the Churches Prophet Priest Acts 16.31 and Prince Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved A true Faith is not easily come by A false Faith is easily had this Faith Mark 4 5. is like the Seed in the Parable which sprung up suddenly 't is without Convictions and Heart-woundings Though there may be many Convictions without out Conversion yet is there any Conversion without Convictions It may be said to a Person that hath a false Faith concerning his faith as Isaac did to his Son concerning his Venison Son how camest thou by thy Venison so soon So Soul how camest thou by thy Faith so soon Hast not been wading in the Waters of Marah and of Meribah and yet hast faith Hast not been sailing by the Gates of Hell and yet
TRIA SUNT OMNIA OR A necessary Narration and distinct Discussion OF FAITH HOPE and LOVE Legible in the Idea of the Book By R. Mayhew M. of the G. Author of that Tract which hath this Title The Death of Christ the Death of Death 1 Cor. 13.13 And now abideth Faith Hope Love these three but the greatest of these is Love Litera scripta manet non ita verba diu Litera sculpta manet non itā scripta diu LONDON Printed by Thomas Snowden for the Author An. 1680. TO THE SERIOUS and SPIRITUAL READER READER SOlomon the Sage of Israel hath transmitted this Sentiment of his unto posterity Eccl. 12.12 Of making many Books there is no end and much study is a weariness to the flesh But though there may be a weariness in well-doing yet there should not be a weariness of well-doing for as 't is inconsistent with the truth of grace to be weary of well-doing so 't is incumbent upon the truly gracious not to be weary in well-doing Gal. 6.9 Let us not be weary in well-doing for in due season we shall reap if we faint not There is a possibility a probability yea a certainty of persevering Job 17.9 The righteous shall hold on his way and he that hath clean hands shall add strength to strength Those that have an imputed and imparted or implanted righteousness shall certainly persevere in their spirituals and morals in their inward and outward way in the way of their Heart and in the way of their Hand The wayes of the Lord are right Hos 14.9 and the just shall walk in them but the transgressors shall fall therein Reader may not the Lip and the Pen offend two wayes Negatively by not speaking or writing as well as positively by speaking or writing But this may be objected that I bring Straw into Egypt a Country abounding with Corn Ne plus ultra that I draw a picture after Apelles that I write an Iliad after Homer that I do that which hath long since been done by protestant Heroes Nil dictum quod non prius dictum and that there is nothing spoken which was not before spoken My reply with all humility follows 'T is true I may much more than others apologize for my self being the Benjamin of my Fathers house and say what am I so little to appear in an Essay so great What is a Muscle-shell to empty an Ocean Can my Line sound these Depths Here is Faith which hath the person of Christ for Object here is Hope which hath Heaven for Object here is Love which hath the personal excellency of Christ for Object But though my Line cannot sound this Bottom may I not let it down If I cannot appear as a Cedar in Lebanon may I not appear as a Shrub in the Valley May I not cast a Mite into the Lords Treasury if I have no more to cast May I not bring a little Goats hair that may contribute towards the erection of the Temple if I have nothing better to bring A Book may speak when the Author doth not when the Author dares not when the Author may not when the Author is not It was the saying of an Emperor say little to others Conrade Pauca cum aliis tecum multa but more to thy self It was also the saying of a Monarch Qui nescit tacere nescit loqui Hen. 6. He that knoweth not how to be silent knoweth not how to speak But silence when Truth is wounded is a loud Sin God sent the book of Nature before he sent the book of Scripture God hath two books the book of his Works and the book of his Word the book of the Creatures and the book of the Scriptures The former is a very large Volume or rather containeth many Volumes a whole Library The latter divideth it self into the old and new Testament This is Mans book but there is Gods book the sacred Scripture which is the Book of Books I would not be guilty of that vanity in out-bidding my self and if I be not then I do assert with the greatest confidence and innocence that I would not appear with wisdom of Words and yet I would not appear without words of wisdom that I had much rather with Luther my book should not be read than that Gods book should be left unread yea than that should not be first and last most and best read Reader I begin to be weary of reading those books wherein I find not the NAME OF CHRIST In this Book thou shalt find this name which is a name above every name Phi. 2.9 10. that at this name every knee may bow things in Heaven Angels and the spirits of just men made perfect things on earth Saints and Sinners things under the earth infernal Spirits The Proconsul in Asia in the time of Justin Martyr did forbid the Christians to read any books that spake of a Christ Is this a wonder Peter and John were commanded not to speak at all Act. 4 18. nor teach in the name of Jesus It is said of one that he had a rare felicity in reading of books Perkins he did as it were but turn them over yet would give an account of all that was considerable in them he perused books so speedily that one would have thought he had read nothing and yet so accurately that one would have thought he had read all Erasmus saith that he learned more from one short page of Luthers writing than from all the great Books of Thomas Aquinas Though more may be learned in reading one line of Gods book than in reading all the leaves of Mans book and if thou beest spiritual thou wilt find a vast difference in reading the one and the other yet if Christ be with thee thou mayst learn something in reading the book of man I like thorough grace books under a divine Design that are sent into the world for Truth rather than Triumph and for Verity rather than Victory A pretension to satisfie every Reader would be as ridiculous as his Essay who studied to make a Vestment for the Moon that might suit her under every interchange And as improbable for Success as his Enterprize who with a dish of one Radish would satisfie every pallate Reader if thou beest curious and critical unto an Excess I despair of pleasing thee because thou wilt be finding fault besides the faults that are to be found As therefore I have not been writing in haste so be not thou reading in haste Eternitati pingo Xeuxis but as one painted for an eternity so do thou read for an eternity It hath been said THREE THINGS Tria sunt omnia ARE ALL THINGS The Father purposing the Son purchasing the Spirit perfecting here are three things they are great things they are as it were all things As the hypostatical union or Vnion of natures in Christ is the Wonder of VVonders so a Trinity in
A Saints life would be a sad life should there only be a Cross but as there is a Cross here so there shall be a Crown hereafter If in this life only we have hope in Christ 1 Cor. 15.19 we are of all men the most miserable But the Saint shall have a compensation hereafter for all his crosses and calamities here for all his dangers and deaths here for all his sorrows and sufferings here for all his trials and travels here The righteous perisheth Isa 57.1 The righteous that is the righteous man or woman the righteous person But what of him or her He or She perisheth that is dyeth and the body perisheth Is here all Marg. No And merciful men men of kindness or of godliness are taken away none considering that they are taken away from the evil to come From the evil of sin and from the evil of suffering Ah but my Temptations are many Ob. 1. Art actually Christ's Sol. thou art more loved by Christ than hated by Satan The mercy of a Christ is more than the Malignity of a Satan and Christ loves his more than Satan can hate his Christ by his own blood hath once entred into the holy place Heb. 9.12 having obtained eternal into the holy place having obtained eternal redemption for us Thou art redeemed for ever but thou shale not be tempted for ever Ah but my Tribulations are many Oh. 2. Art a lover of Christ Sol. 1. then all things shall work together for thy good There is unto the lovers of Christ under every providential Occurrence an universal Concurrence of things for good All things shall work together for good to to them that love God All things Rom. 8.28 as national and congregational so personal As it was said 't is Good that Nero persecuteth so it may be said it was for good that Nero persecuted Art a lover of Christ Suffer but a while thou hast but a while to suffer The longest night will have an end After ye have suffered a while 'T is but a while yea a little while yea a very little while that thou hast to bear the cross For yet a very little while Isa 10.25 and the indignation shall cease and mine anger in their destruction The Cross is transient the Crown is permanent Art a lover of Christ then the last dish will be the best Hast a cross for Christ thou shalt have a Crown with Christ Hast a Hell here thou shalt have a Heaven hereafter Hast thy worst here thou shalt have thy best hereafter Hast thy bitter here thou shalt have thy sweet hereafter Hast thy Wilderness here thou shalt have thy Canaan hereafter Christ hath reserved the best wine until the last he will make the last Act the best part of the Comedy Mark the perfect man Psa 37.37 and behold the upright for the end of that man is peace Ah! Ob. 3. but my Corruptions are many This is sad Sol. this is saddest Flee from sin as from a most pestilential plague as the Pest of Pests yet sorrow not as one without hope 1 Joh. 2.1 Little children I write unto you that ye sin not Ye had better be sick than sinning be sighing than sinning be suffering than sinning be doing than sinning be dying than sinning Yet if any one sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous Ah but I question whether Christ loves me Ob. 4. Oh that I did but know that Christ loves me I could leap over a wall and run thorough a troop if I did but know that Christ loves me Oh! how shall I know that Christ loves me Dost thou love Christ Sol. certainly then Christ loveth thee Pro. 8.17 I love them that love me and they that seek me early shall find me Christ is first in love the love of a Christ is primary the love of a Christian is secondary the love of a Christ is the cause the love of a Christian is but the effect We love him Why 1 Joh. 4.19 because he first loved us There is the Sun and then the Light the Tree and then the Fruit love from Christ and then love to Christ Ah but I question whether I love Christ Though Christ may love me Ob. 5. yet I question whether I love him As a word filty spoken so a word fitly written is like an apple of gold in a picture of Silver But how shall I know whether my love to Christ be of the right Stamp Is it jealous then 't is real Sol. Art more jealous of thine own heart than of the hearts of others thy love then to Christ is real Eleven of the twelve Apostles seemed to have a holy jealcusie upon themselves for every one of them began to say Mat. 26.22 Lord is it I 'T is true at last Judas spake but he spake last v. 25. Master is it I He saith unto him thou hast said Judas was plotting his Apprehension and Crucifiction and yet he saith master is it I The rest might be in earnest and truly jealous though he was not God was jealous for Sion with great jealousie And the Apostle was jealous of the Corinthians 2 Cor. 11.2 with a godly jealousie or according to the Greek with the zeal of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thus a lover of Christ keeps up a holy jealousie upon himself he dreads a disobliging of Christ a disquieting of Christ a disturbing of Christ a disgusting of Christ. Can. 3.5 I charge you ye daughters of Jerusalem that ye stir not up nor awake my love until he pleaseth Is it cordial then 't is real Is thy love not only in word but also in truth not complemental but cordial then 't is right 1 Joh. 3.18 and real My little children let us not love in word neither in tengue but indeed and in truth We are to love in word and in tongue but not in word and tongue only our Deeds must speak the Truth of our Loves The love of an Hypoerite to Christ is like the shining of a Glow-worm it shineth but it heateth not Is it uncessant then 't is of the right Stamp True love knoweth no playing days it ever hath a rest of contentation but it never hath a rest of cessation As he was never a Friend that is not ever a Friend so he was never a Lover that is not ever a Lover As Christ once loving his ever loveth his so a Christian of his making once loving him ever loveth him Eph. 3.17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith that ye being rooted and grounded in love As Christ dwells in the hearts of his lovers by his special and spiritual presence and influence so these are rooted and grounded in love their love is firm and strong But what follows v. 18. That we may be able to comprehend with all Saints what is the bredth