of a candle made of flax as when a candle burns in the socket it s now up now down you know not whether it be alive or dead so in the first conversion of a Christian infidelity and faith hope and despair mount up and down There 's a conflict in the beginning of conversion but he will not give it over untill he bring forth judgment untill he get the victory of all opposition from the flesh And what is the reason Because the god of this world is judged He shall convince the world of an inherent righteousnesse in spite of the Divels teeth because he is condemned He that before worked in the children of disobedience is now cast down The strong man is cast out and therefore upon that ground you have the third point Besides the grace of justification following upon Christs death there is another the Divel shall be dispossessed the Divel is strong where he doth wicked things but he shall be disarmed he shall not touch thee the wicked one shall not hurt thee I now go forward The third thing I noted besides faith and justification was That we must observe what relation one hath to the other and how it comes to passe that justification is attributed to faith there being more noble graces in us than faith I answer the reason is because faith is brought as the only instrument whereby we receive our justification purchased by the merits of Christs death When we say faith is an instrument we must understand it right well we say not faith is an instrument to work my justification Christ alone must do that it 's no act of ours nothing is in us faith is said to be an instrument whereby we get our justification in respect of the object it is a nearing us to Christ it is the instrument of application the only instrument whereby we apply the medicine and the plaister of Christs blood whereby we that were strangers and afar off are made near faith is the only hand which receiveth Christ when the hand layeth hold on a thing it layeth hold on a thing without it self so is faith a naked hand not as a hand that gets a mans living but like a beggars hand that receives a free almes given by the donor as the Apostle speaks Rom. 5.17 For if by one mans offence death reigned over all by one much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousnesse shall reigne in life by one Jesâ—â— Christ. There is abundance of grace and a gift of righteousnesse faith is the only means whereby we receive this gift whereupon I inferred this which was of great consequence seeing faith did justifie not as an active instrument but as it did receive the gift of grace it did follow that the weakest faith that was did get as much justification as the strongest faith of any whatsoever because faith justifieth not only as a work but as it did receive a gift therefore our Saviour saith O ye of little faith yet as little as it was it was builded upon the Rock and though Satan desired to winnow them and sift them as wheat yet they remained firme as our Saviour saith of the faith of miracles If ye had faith as much as a graine of mustard-seed ye should say to this Mountain be removed and it would obey you So for common faith which the Apostle calleth so because it is common to all the Elect if thou hast so much faith thou shalt be able to remove Mountains of corruptions suppose thou hast a trembling hand scarce able to hold yet have the perswasion of the woman in the Gospel If I may but touch him I shall be whole I shall be saved healed if I can but touch him And mark our Saviour The people throng'd about him and he saith Who is it that toucheth me A wonder that he when they crowded him should ask such a question but Christ knew that some body touched him beside the touch of the multitude it s said in the Text The poor woman came trembling and told him all the truth And he said Be of good comfort though thou hast a paralytick and palsie sick-hand yet the touch is enough the least faith brings as much life as the greatest Object But then what need a man look for a great faith Sol. Yes by all means for though thou hast much comfort by a little weak faith yet the more faith the more comfort and therefore 't is to very much purpose to labour after a strong faith Abraham it is said stagger'd not through unbelief if thou hast a strong faith thou wilt have a strong consolation Thou mayst by thy weak faith be healed of thy disease yet by the weaknesse of thy faith mayst want much of the strength of thy comfort therefore thou must go from faith to faith but know this that a new-born childe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not yet so strong as a man yet he is as much alive as the strongest and tallest man so that again thus thou art yet but a new-born babe not so strong or so lively as one more grown but yet thou hast all the lineaments of the new creature in thee though thou art not so strong and lively as another may be Object Did not you tell me that it was not every faith that did justifie but a working faith how then doth faith alone justifie Sol. I answer When faith justifieth there is one thing said of another the subject and the predicate faith justifies Justification is attributed unto faith Look on the word only whether it doth determine the subject or the predicate doth faith which is alone severed from good works justifie so the proposition is false First that faith which is alone separated from love and the fruits of good works doth not justifie but let the word alone be put to the predicate faith justifieth alone i. e. faith is the only vertue in the soul whereby a man is justified that is true As if a man should say the eye alone seeth 't is true if we put it thus the eye severed from the members of the body seeth its self If the eye were taken out of the head it would neither see alone nor at all but the meaning is this the living eye is the organ whereby a man discerns a visible object so faith though joyn'd with other graces yet takes not other with it for helps of justification Object But why should God select this vertue among others that are more noble Sol. I say as before God had respect to the low estate of his hand-maid it was reason that God should choose the lowest and the meanest God selected this poor beggars hand for two reasons First in respect of God I say 1. Therefore it is of faith that it might be by grace to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed not to that only which is of the Law but to that also which is of the faith
precious faith that of the poorest Believer and the greatest Saint Now that we may come unto the point without any more going backwards In the words read there is the point of faith and a thing God confirms it withal a seal In whom also after that you believed you were sealed Faith is of it self a thing unsealed the sealing with the holy Spirit of Promise is a point beyond faith it s a point of feeling and not only of believing of Gods Word but a sensible feeling of the Spirit a believing in my soul accompanied with joy unspeakable and full of glory of which sealing we shall speak more hereafter Observe for the first 1. The Object of it In whom you trusted We speak of Faith now as it justifies as it apprehends Christ for its Object for otherwise Faith hath as large an Extent as all Gods Word Faith hath a hand to receive whatsoever God hath a mouth to speak What is the Object He in whom you trusted It is a wonder to see how many are deceived who make the forgiveness of sins to be the proper Object of faith A man may call as long as he lives for forgiveness of sins yet unless there be the first Act to lay hold on Christ in vain doth he expect forgiveness of sins Untill thou dost accept Christ for thy King and Saviour thou hast no promise We are never Children of the Promise till we are found in him The proper and immediate Object of Faith is first Christ and then God the Father by him for Faith must have Christ for its Object I must believe in none else but God in and through Christ. Now that this is so we may see in that famous place 1 Pet. 1.21 When he had spoken of the precious blood of Christ the Lamb without blemish he goes on and shews that he was manifested in those last times for you who by him do believe in God that raised up Christ from the dead and gave him glory that your faith and hope might be in God There is no true believing in God the Father but by the Son The proper Object of Hope and Faith is God and he that doth believe or hope or trust in any thing else there is Idolatry in it we believe in God by him so that the primary Object of Faith is Christ. Gal. 3.26 Ye are all the Children of God by Faith in Jesus Christ. What 's my Faith then If thou wilt be the Child of God receive hold Christ Jesus accept him for thy Saviour and for thy Lord He is the proper Object of thy Faith Again you must have Christ Jesus and him crucified that should be the highest knowledge in our account To know Christ and him crucified and by it to accept him Hereupon the Apostle to the Romans when he speaks of faith makes the Object of it Christ and Christ crucified Rom. 3.25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood to declare his Righteousness for the remission of sins that are past through the forbearance of God Whatsoever then thou findest in Christ is an Object of thy Faith John 6. The point is He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood that is he who receiveth me and makes me as his meat and drink shall be partaker of me Compare this Rom. 3.25 with Rom. 5.9 for its worth comparing We are said to be justified by his blood Rom. 5.9 By faith in his blood Rom. 3.25 Now both these come to one and they resolve the point and clear the Question whether Faith in it self as a Vertue doth justifie or in respect of its Object surely it s in respect of the Object You that have skill in Phylosophy know that heat if considered as a quality its effects are not so great but considered as an instrument it transcends the sphere of its own activity it doth wonders for its the principle of generation and many other strange effects So here take faith as a Vertue and it s far short of love but consider it as an instrument whereby Christ is applyed and it transcends it works wonders beyond its proper sphere for the meanest thing it layes hold on is the Son of God He that hath the Son hath life c. Some would think this an hard kind of speech when we are justified by faith we are justified by Christ apprehended by faith and yet that place is cleer to be justified by his blood and faith in his blood becomes one faith As if a man should say I was cured by going to the Bath so faith comes unto me faith is the legs A man is not said properly to be cured by going to the Bath nor justified by coming to Christ by the legs of faith but the applying of the Bath the coming to Christ and applying his vertue to make him the Object of my faith this is the way to be justified As it is not the makeing and preparing of a plaister that cures but the applying it so that this concludes this point that the true Object of faith is Christ crucified and God the Father in and by him Here then is the point thou must not look for any comfort in faith till thou hast Christ and to think thou shalt ever have any benefit by God till thou hast Christ thou deceivest thy self It is impossible for a man to receive nourishment by his bread and drink till he partake of it in the substance so thou must partake of Christ before thou canst receive any nourishment by him Christ saith not thou must have forgiveness of sins or thou must have my Fathers favour but take my body and blood take me crucified Buy the field and the treasure is thine but thou hast nothing to do with the treasure till thou gettest the field This is preferment enough to have the Lords Promise to Abraham I am thy exceeding great reward I am my wel-beloveds and my wel-beloved is mine There is a spiritual match betwixt Christ and thee there are many who are matcht with Christ and yet know not how rich they are when a man reckons of what he shall get by Christ only when all his thoughts are on that he marrieth the portion and not the man thou must set thy love on Christs person and then having him all that he hath is thine how rich Christ is so rich art thou he must first be thine He that hath the Son hath life but the Son must first be had Is there any now in this congregation who is so hard-hearted as to refuse such a gift as this When God shall give thee his Son if thou wilt take him is there any so prophane as with Esau to sell his birth c. to pursue the poor pedling things of this life and refuse salvation so high a gift A gift which is not given to Angels they think it an honour to wait at the Lords Table they have not this precious food given to them they never
the man to whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity it 's the most blessed condition as can be it is set down by way of Exclamation O the blessednesse of the man to whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity For justification see what it is the Scripture in St. Pauls Epistles speaks of justification by faith and in St. James of justification by works Now it will be useful for us in this point to know whence justification comes it comes from justice Tsedeck as the Original hath it and to justifie so that justification and righteousnesse depend one upon the other for what is justification but the manifestation of the righteousnesse that is in a man and therefore in Gal. 3.21 they are put for one and the same thing For if there had been a Law given which could have given life verily righteousnesse had been by the Law that is justification had been by the Law Again If righteousnesse be by the Law then Christ is dead in vain Gal. 2. that is also if justification had been by the Law c. justification is a manifestation of righteousnesse and as many wayes as righteousnesse is taken so many wayes is justification which is a declaration of righteousnesse so that if there be a double righteousnesse there must be also a double justification Beloved I bring you no new doctrine be not afraid of that but I shew you how to reconcile places of Scripture against the Church of Rome and those things which the Papists bring against us in this point It stands by reason seeing justification is a declaration of righteousnesse that there must be so many sorts of justification as there be of righteousnesse Now there is a double sort of righteousness Rom. 8.4 That the righteousnesse of the Law may be fulfilled in us see then there is a double righteousnesse there is a righteousnesse fulfilled in us and a righteousnesse fulfilled by us that 's walking in the Spirit The righteousness fulfilled in us is fulfilled by another and is made ours by imputation so we have a righteousnesse without us and a righteousnesse inhaerent in us the righteousnesse without us is forgivenesse of sinnes and pardon of them which is a gracious act of God letting fall all actions against me and accounting of me as if I had never sinned against him all my life time then there is a righteousnesse within me an inherent righteousnesse And if a righteousnesse then justification for that is but a declaration of righteousnesse And so that which the Fathers call justification is taken generally for sanctification that which we call justification they call forgivenesse of sinnes that which we call sanctification they call justification so that the difference is only in the termes Justification we must know is not taken only as opposed to condemnation which is the first kinde of righteousnesse Rom. 6.7 He that is dead is freed from sinne if you look to the Greek or to the Margent it is he that is dead is justified from sinne this is not took in the first sense as opposed to condemnation but in the other sense as it hath relation to final grace The perfection of sanctification is wrought in me for where there is final grace there is a supersedeas from all sinne so Rev. 22.11 Let him that is righteous be righteous still the Greek is let him that is righteous be justified still See then the difference between Saint Paul and Saint James Saint Paul speaks of that which consists in remission of sinnes as in comparing the Apostle with David will appear Blessed is the man whose sinnes are forgiven Saint James speaks of justification in the second acception You need not flie to that distinction of justification before God and justification before men think not that Saint James speaks onely of justification before men Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up Isaac on the Altar What justified by killing his son this was a proper work indeed to justifie him before man to be a parricide to kill his sonne though it were not so before God So Psal. 106. we read how God accounted the act of Phine as for righteousness thus you see how works are accounted righteousnesse in the second kinde of righteousnesse In the former righteousnesse we are justified by faith for in righteousnesse inherent there is a goodly chaine of vertues Adde to your faith vertue c. adde one grace to another Adde to vertue knowledge faith is but one part of the Crown Now this justification in the first sense whereby my sinnes are forgiven is called the righteousnesse of God because of Christ which is God because it s wrought by Christ Dan. 9. he is called an everlasting righteousnesse which continueth for ever world without end for do not think the Saints in heaven have onely the second kinde of righteousnesse for they have the same covering by justification by Christ in heaven that they had before God covers their sins not here onely but there also justification follows them for ever Quest. But now what parts hath justification in it we are wont to say that there are two parts one imputation of righteousness the other forgivenesse of sinnes Sol. I answer for my own part I think Justification is one simple act of God and that it is improperly distinguished as parts but rather as terminus a quo is distinct from terminus ad quem And this I shall shew unto you both by reason and authority that faith is but one act Let none say that I take away the imputation of the righteousnesse of Christ No the bringing in of light and the expulsion of darknesse is not two acts but one but there is terminus á quo and terminus ad quem We are accounted righteous and that is we have our sinnes forgiven And the reason is this if sinne were a positive thing and had a being in it self then the forgivenesse of sin must be a thing distinct from the imputation of righteousnesse Scholars know the difference between adversa and privantia white and black are both existent but darknesse and light are not but only a privation one of another Darknesse is nothing of it self but the absence of light The bringing in of light is the suppression of it you must understand sinne hath no being no entity it 's only an absence of righteousnesse the want of that light which should be in the subject which want is either in our nature and then it 's call'd original or in our person and actions and then it s call'd actual transgression Sinne is an absence of that positive being which is as I said either in our nature or works Then thus I will resolve you in another point viz. If sin were a positive thing all the world cannot avoid it but God must be the Author of it for there is nothing can have a being but it must derive its being from the first being God Now how can we avoid Gods being the
when I shâ—ll come at tâ—e day of judgment and have the benefit of my sanctification the last absolution such sinnes shall not be charged on me my sinnes and iniquities shall not be remembred I will remember their sinnes no more saith God it is a wonderâ—ul thing and a strange mistake in many men eâ—pecially the Papists Did they ever write comfortably of the day of judgment never they make that a terrible day Alas poor souls they knew not that justâ—fication is that that makes sinnâ—s that they shall never be remembred Mark it is said Thou shalt hear of all thy good deeds for thy honour and thy praise but for thy sinnes there shall search be made and they shall not be found when God forgives sinnes he doth it fully it shall never be cast in thy teeth again but thou shalt hear of all thy good deeds not of thy bad Then lift up your heads for your redemption draweth near here is the blessed grace of justâ—fication that we being justified by faith have not only no condemnation but no guilt whereas all the sinnes of the wicked man shall be set before his face and he shall stand quaking and trembling by reason thereof not one good thing that he hath done shall be remembred but in the iniquity that he hath committed in that shall he dye and so I have said somewhat of that point You may remember that I said a word perhaps that some think much of that the question betwixt us and Rome is not Whether we be justified by faith or no but Whether we be justified at all I will make it good Theâ—e are two graces righteouâ—nesse imputed which implies forgivenesse of sinnes and righteousnesse inherent which is that grace of sanctification begun They utterly â—eny that there is any righteousnesse but righteousnesse inherent They say forgivenesse of sinnes is nothing but sanctification A new doctrine never heard of in the Church of God till these last dayes till the spawn of the Jesuites devised it Forgivenesse of sinne is this that God will never charge me with it again They say that forgivenesse of sinne is an abolishing of sinne in the subject where is true remission as much as to say There is no justification distinct from sanctification whereas the Apostle distinguisheth them when as he saith The Sonne of God is made unto us wisdome righteousness sanctification and redemption He is made unto us of God By the way let me expound it unto you Christ hath three offices A Prophetical Regal and Sacerdotical office He exerciseth his Prophetical office to illuminate our understanding He exerciseth his Kingly office to work on our will and affections there are two branches of it the Kingdome of grace and the Kingdome of glory How am I made partaker of Christs Prophetical office He is made unto me wisdome before I was a fool but now by it I am made wise First he enlightens me and so he is made unto me wisdome well he is my Priest how so he is made an expiation for my sinne he is said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Saint John A propitiation for our sinnes and not for ours only but for the sinnes of the whole world There is a difference between 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a bare pardon but this is such a propitiation as the party offended is well-pleased with Christs being made a ransome he is made unto us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the oblation offered unto his Father He is righteousnesse imputed to us And as a King he rules me in the Kingdome of grace and in the Kingdome of glory in the Kingdome of grace he is made unto me sanctification and in the Kingdome of glory he is made unto me redemption it is called by the Apostle the redemption of our bodies these two are thus clearly distâ—nguished The work of Christs Priestly office is to be a propitiation for our sinnes sanctification proceeds from the Scepter of his Kingdome The one is without me the other within me The one receives degrees the other not As a man that is holy may be more holy but imputed righteousnesse doth not more forgive one man than another Imputation is without augmentation or diminution Those things which have divers contraries cannot be one and the same thing Justification and Sanctification have divers contraries The contrary to justification is condemnation but the contrary to sanctification is wickednesse and false-dealing c. Aristotle distinguisheth homonymous words and bids you consider their contraries thus you see the difference between these two I should now come and descend unto the dependence one hath on the other i. e. in what respect doth faith justifie Is faith an instrument to work justification or to receive it only The answer is clear it justifieth in regard of the object If you remember the two places I bid you compare Rom. 3.25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood is that all compare this place with chap. 5.9 Much more then being now justified by his blood we shall be saved from wrath through him we are justified by his blood and by faith in his blood here are two acts which signifie the same thing It is no more then to say I was cured by the Bath or by going to the Bath so that faith is the legs of the soul that bring a man to Christ. And so my faith is an instrument not to procure my justification but to receive it so then seeing faith is an instrument to receive justification and not to procure it then the weakest faith carrieth away as much forgivenesse as the strongest A strong faith rids a great deal of work because it is an active instrument The stronger faith worketh the greater work but in the point of justification it is an instrument whereby my justification is wrought an instrument whereby Christ is received And the weakest hand may receive a piece of gold as well as the strongest we must know that in the point of receiving we live on Gods almes All our justification is his free gift and faith is that Palsie hand which receives all our comfort It is not then a faith that justifieth but faith it is called by Peter a like precious faith Simon Peter a servant and an Apostle of Jesus Christ to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousnesse of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the meanest Christian that hath a trembling hand to pitch on that and draw vertue from him it is a like precious faith in them as in the most great Apostle Peter and all the rest ROM 5.1 Therefore being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. I Havâ— heretofore declared unto you that in theâ—e words and the words following thâ—re are set down these great graces and grâ—at blessings which you have in Christ in
â—his Kingdome of grace before you come to the Kâ—ngdome of glory First here â—s set down the mother and radical grace of all the rest and â—hat is justification by faith and then followeth the blâ—â—sed fruit that issueth from thence 1. Peace wâ—th God 2. A graciâ—us accesse into his presence 3. A joyfuâ— hope arising from that great glory that we shall enjoy for tâ—e time to come 4. In the â—orst of our troubles and midst of our afflictions this â—oy is so great that it cannot be abated by any of them â—ea it is so far from being abated by them that they are a fuel to kindle it we rejoyce in affliction saith the Aâ—ostle that which would undo the joy of a carnal man is made the matter of this mans joy Concerning the first of these justification that is the ground or foundation of all the rest being justififyed by faith that 's the root and ground without which there is no fruit no peace no joy no hope much lesse any kinde of rejoycing in tribulation Faith is that which seasoneth all we must first be justified by faith before we have any other comforts for that 's the first ground the first rudiment of a Châ—istian in the School of Christ. Therefore I proposed unto you three things for the understanding of it 1. What that faith is that justifieth 2. What that justification is that is â—btained by faith 3. What relation the one of these hatâ— to the otâ—er Concerning the first of these I sheved you that it is not every faith that justifieth I shew'â— you that there is a dead faith whereupon the Apostlâ— saith The life that I now live I live by the faith of the Sonne of God A dead thing cannot make a living maâ— it must be and I shew'd you how a living faith Again I shew'd that beside the trâ—e faith there was a temporary faith which is active 〈◊〉 and comes near the other It had the operations of the Spirit but it wanted root It had supernatuâ—â—ll works but it wanted the new creature There wâ—â— a conception that was but an abortive kinde of birth it came not to maturity not to a full growth it did not continue And I shew'd unto you how a man migâ—t discern one of these from the other for herein lyeâ— the wisdome of a Christian not to content himself 〈◊〉 be deceived with flashes therefore the Apostle exhorts us to prove and try and examine our selves it 's an easie matter to be deceived and therefore Gods people should be careful to examine themselves to have their senses exercised herein that however others may slight and slubber over the matter they must and will be careful in it and then they will not only do it themselves but they will crave the aid of God also Prove me O my God c. try me c. Then for the second thing concerning that justification that is obtained by faith I shew'd you that the word justification was derived from justice or righteousnesse and as many wayes as justice and righteousnesse may be taken so many wayes may justification be taken Sometimes for justification of righteousnesse in a man and sometimes it is opposed to condemnation so it s taken in Saint Paul and it signifieth an acquital sometimes it s opposed to hypocrisie and pollution in a mans soul so it signifies sanctification whereby God not only covers our sinnes past but heals our natures The first is perfect but imputed the second inherent but imperfect When the time cometh that God will finish his cure he will then make a perfect cure when final grace cometh we shall not need to think of a Popish Purgatory Death is the Lords refining pot then there is not a jot of sinne shall be left in a Christian Now when God hath taken away our drosse then to think we shall be put in a refining fire that an intire soul that hath no blot that one that hath no spot should be purged after final grace hath made him clear and whole this is against reason and common sense They might have learned better of their own Thomas all the fire in the world will never put away sinne without the infusion of grace This by the way concerning them I shew'd besides that these two being both righteousnesses the Church of Rome confounds them both together Saint James his justification wâ—â—h Saint Pauls They confound inherent righteousnesse which is begun and shall be perfected in final grace with the other so that the point is not between us and Rome Whether faith justifieth by works or no but Whether it justifieth at all in truth that is the state of it The question is this whether there be another justification that is distinguish't from sanctification or whether there be another grace besides justification Do not think that we are such block-heads as to deny faith and sanctification yet faith is but a piece or part of that traine of vertues There justification is taken for sanctification we acknowledge a man is justified by faith and works but the question is between us and them whether there be any justification besides sanctification i. e. whether there be any justification at all or no we say sanctification is wrought by the Kingly office of Christ he is a King that rules in our hearts subdues our corruptions governs us by the Scepter of his Word and Spirit but it is the fruit of his Priestly office which the Church of Rome strikes at i. e. whether Christ hath reserved another righteousnesse for us besides that which as a King he works in our hearts whether he hath wrought forgivenesse of sinnes for us we say he hath and so saith all the Church till the new spawn of Jâ—suites arose They distinguish not remission of sinnes from sanctification Bellarmine saith remission of sinnes is the extinguishing of sinne in the soul as water though it be cold yet the bringing in of heat extinguishes the cold and so remission of sinnes is the bringing in of inherent righteousnesse which extinguisheth all sinne which was before A strange thing and were it not that the Scripture does speak of a cup in the hand of the Harlot of Rome whereby she makes drunk the inhabitants of the earth with the wine of her fornications except men were drunk it were impossible that a learned man should thus shake out an Article of their Creed which hath ever been believed by all the Churches When the Scripture speaks of forgivenesse of sinnes see how it expresseth it Ephes. 4.32 Be ye kinde one to another Brethren tender-hearted forgiving one another even as God for Christs sake hath forgiven you Observe in the Lords prayer we pray that the Lord would forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those that trespasse against us Let him that hath common understanding judge Do we forgive our neighbours by extinguishing sinne in the subject I forgive you i.e. I take away the ill office you did me Doth he
in the Accursednesse of it p. 384. in the shame of it p. 385. in the painfulnesse of it p. 386 Christ suffered not the pains of Hell proved p. 388. yet he suffered in his Soul immediately from God p. 389 Whether Christ takes away all the sins of the world p. 395. Christ's being offered for us no comfort unless he be offered to us p. 356 That Christ dyed sufficiently for all is an improper speech p. 356 To receive Christ what p. 399. Christ offered freely p. 397 402. He that hath a will to receive Christ hath a warrant to receive him p. 404 Christ the proper and immediate Object of justifying Faith p. 418. Christ loved and valued above all by true believers p. 427. Christ and the Cross go together in this life p. 426 Christ very compassionate p. * 368 Christ is our Peace p * 454 To be a Christian indeed is no easie matter p. 426 Civil Righteousness See Morality Men deceived by Comparing themselves with others p. 46. and with themselves p. 47 The Conditions of Faith and Obedience required hinder not the freedom of Gospel grace p. 389 416 Confession of sin necessary and why p. * 376 Carnal Confidence as to our spiritual estate dangerous the vain grounds of it discovered p. 43 c. Conscience one of the Tormenters in Hell p. 153 Peace of Conscience See Peace Conviction necessary to Conversion p. 39 80 Conviction a work of Gods Spirit p * 364 Two hindrances of Conversion p. 4 A limited time for it p. 9 10 Crucifying a Cursed Shameful Painful death p. 384. c. The manner of it p. 386. The Curse followes sin p. 98 The Curses attending an unregenerate man in this life p. 120 c. The Curses on his Soul p. 127 The Curses at his death p. 130 Custom in sin hardens the heart p. 28 D. DAy of grace limited p. 9 10 34 35. The folly and danger of neglecting it p. 16 17 Death the wages of sin p. 110. The comprehensivenesse of the word Death p. 119 Death terrible p. 112. The teriblenesse of Bodily Death set forth in three particulars p. 131 c. What the first and second Death is p. 141 The Death of Christ described p. 384 c. Death-bed-Repentance See Repentance Deferring Repentance dangerous p. 16 17. The reasons of Carnal mens Deferring Repentance p. 21 c. The vanity of them ibid. Desires after Christ may be stronger in Temporaries then in true Believers p. * 388 The Devil takes possession of those whom God leaves p. 106 107 The Reason of Christians Doubting p. * 438. E. WHat use to make of the Doctrine of Election and Reprobation p. 35 Encouragements for sinners to come to Christ p. 402 Examination of a mans self See Self-Examination F FAith why required to the receiving of Christ since he is a free gift p. 398. Faith consists not in a mans being perswaded that God is his God and that his sins are pardoned p. 402.413 It 's proper and immediate object is not that forgivnesse of sins but Christ p. 418. Faith must have a ground for it out of the word p. 414. What Faith justifies p. * 384. c. Faith jusstifies not as a vertue but in respect of its object p. 419. Faith justifies not as a Habit but as an act p. * 417. The Acts of Faith p. 423. By what sins the Acts of Faith are hindred p. 417. How those obstructions are removed ibid. Faith an instrument to receive Justification not to procure it p. * 424 * 434 Why Faith chosen for an instrument of Justification rather than any other grace p. * 437. A weak Faith justifies as much as a strong p. * 435 yet a strong Faith is to be laboured for and why p * 436. How Faith alone justifies p. * 436 Faith may be certainly known p. * 407. There may be Faith where there is no feeling p. 412 425 * 373 Faith strongest when sense least p. * 451 Encouragements to Faith p. 402 Carnal Fear its sinfulness and danger p. 140 141 Men apt to Flatter themselves as to their spiritual estate 41 Five false glasses that cause this self Flattery p. 43 c. Forgivnesse of sins not a distinct thing from Imputation of righteousness p. 399 c. Forgivness is properly of sins past only p. * 403. It is one continued act p. * 414. and therfore may be prayed for by a justified person ibid. Forgivnesse frees from guilt and punishment p. * 418 419 God forsakes none till they forsake him p. 108 True beleevers forsake all for Christ p. 427 428. Free grace in bringing sinners to Christ p. 398 No Freewill to good p. 404 G TO be given up to our selves a more fearfull thing then to be given up to satan p. 108 109.128 The Gospel not seasonable nor savory till the Law hath been preached p. 80. How the Gospel differs from the Law p. 86 The fulnesse and freedome of the Grace of the Gospel not hindred by the conditions of Faith and Obedience p. 398.416 Guilt of sin taken away in Justification p. * 420. H HArdnesse of heart a hindrance to Conversion p. 2 3 4 Hell for whom provided p. 139 Hell described p. 143 c. That Christ suffered not the pains of Hell proved p. 388. Christians rejoice in Hope p. * 458. The Humiliation of Christ see Christ I IMputation of Righteousnesse See Righteousnesse To be given up to Insensiblenesse a wofull thing p. 129 130 Joy in the sense of Gods love surpasseth all worldly Joy p. 430. It is attainable p. ibid. The reason why many beleevers are strangers to it p. 430 431. Some Joy may be in a Temporary p. * 393. How to try true Joy p. * 360. Means to get it p. * 462 463 Justification what it signifies p. * 396. How the Fathers used the word p. * 732 Justification one simple act of God p. * 400 How we are said to be Justified by Faith and how by Christs blood p. 420. * 422. In what sense we are Justified by Faith according to Paul and in what sense by works according to James p * 398. Impossible to be Justified but by imputed Righteousnesse p. * 402 * 410 411. In the instant of Justification no sins are remitted but those that are past p. * 411 412. A twofold Justification p. * 409 Why a justified person may and must pray for the remission of sins past p. * 413 414. Justification frees from the punishment and guilt too p. * 418 419 420. Justification confounded by the Papists with sanctification p. * 422. The difference between them p. * 423. * 429. No Justification before Faith p. * 440 How we are Justified by Faith alone p. * 439. Judgment in Scripture sometime taken for Righteousnesse inherent p. * 433 How men are deceived in Judging of their spiritual estate p. 43 K KNowledge one act of Faith p. 423 L THe use of the Law p. 79.354 * 366. It is necessary to be
jealousie shall smoke against that man c. We are but now entred into the point but it would make your hearts ake throb within you if you should hear the particulars of it All that I have done is to perswade you to make a right choise to take heed of Satans delusions Why will ye die Ezek. 33. Therefore cast away your sins and make you a new heart and a new spirit for why will you die Where the golden candlestick stands there Christ walks there he saith I am with you Where the word and Sacraments are there Christ is and when the woâ—d shakes thy heart take that time now choose life Why will you die Consider of the matter Moses put before the people life and death blessing and cursing We put life and death before you in a better manner He was a Minister of the letter we of the spirit Now choose life But if you will not hearken but will needs try conclusions with God therefore because you will choose your own confusions and will not hearken unto God because you will needs try conclusions with him will not obey him when he calls therefore he will turn his deaf ear unto you and when you call and cry he will not answer Prov. 1. I presse this the more to move you to make a right choise But now to turn to the other side as there is nothing but death the wages of sin and as I have shew'd you where death is so give me leave to direct you to the fountain of life There is life in our blessed Saviour if we have but an hand of faith to â—ouch him we shall draw vertue from him to raise us up from the death of sin to the liâ—e of righteousnesse 1 John 5.12 He that hath the Son hath life he that hath not the Son hath not life You have heard of a death that comes by the first Adam and sin and to that stock of original sin we had from him we have added a great heap of our own actual sins and so have treasured up unto our selves wrath against the day of wrath Now here is a great treasure of happiness on the other side in Christ have the Son and have life The question is now whether you will choose Christ and life or sin and death Consider now the Minister stands in Gods stead and beseeches you in his name he speaks not of himself but from Christ. When he draws near to thee with Christs broken body and his blood shed and thou receive Christ then as thy life and strength is preserved and encreased by these Elements so hast thou also life by Christ. If a man be kept from nourishment a while we know what death he must die If we receive not Christ we cannot have life we know that there is life to be had from Christ and he that shall by a true and lively faith receive Christ shall have life by him There is as it were a pair of Indentures drawn up between God and a mans soul there is blood shed and by it pardon of sin and life convey'd unto thee on Christs part Now if there be faith and repentance on thy part and thou accept of Christ as he is offered then thou mayst say I have the Son and as certainly as I have the bread in my hand I shall have life by him This I speak but by the way that the Sun might not set in a cloud that I might not end only in death but that I might shew that there is a way to recover out of that death to which we have all naturally praecipitated our selves ROM 6.23 The wages of sin is death THe last day I entred on the Declaration of the cursed effects and consequents of sin and in general shew'd that it is the wrath of God that where sin is there wrath must follow As the Apostle in the Epistle to the Galathians As many as are under the works of the Law are under the curse Now all that may be expected from a God highly offended is comprehended in Scripture by this term Death Wheresoever sin enters death must follow Rom. 5.2 Death passed over all men forasmuch as all had sinned If we are children of sin we must be children of wrath Eph. 1.3 We are then children of wrath even as others Now concerning death in general I shew'd you the last time that the state of an unconverted man is a dead and desperate estate He is a slave It would affright him if he did but know his own slavery and what it is that hangs over his head that there 's but a span betwixt him and death he could never breath any free aire he could never be at any rest he could never be free from fear Heb. 2.15 the Apostle saith that Christ came to deliver them that through fear of death were all their life time subject to bondage This bondage is a deadly bondage that when we have done all that we can doe what 's the payment of the service Death And the fear of this deadly bondage if we were once sensible if God did open our eyes and shew us as he did Belshazzar our doom written did we but see it it would make our joynts loose and our knees knock one against another Every day thou livest thou approachest nearer to this death to the accomplishment and consummation of it death without and death within death in this world and in the world to come Not onely death thus in gross and in general but in particular also Now to unfold the particulars of death and to shew you the ingredients of this bitter cup that we may be weary of our estates that we may be drawn out of this death and be made to fly to the Son that we may be free indeed Observe that Death is not here to be understood of a separation of the soul from the body only but a greater death then that the death of the soul and body We have mention made of a first resurrection Rev. 20.6 Blessed and happy is he that hath his part in the first resurrection for on such the second death hath no power What is the first resurrection It is a rising from sin And what is the second death It is everlasting damnation The first death is a death unto sin and the first resurrection is a rising from sin And so again for all things the judgments or troubles that appertain to this death all a man suffers before It is not as fools think the last blow that fells the tree but every blow helps forward 'T is not the last blow that kills the man but every blow that goes before makes way unto it Every trouble of mind every anguish every sicknesse all these are as so many strokes that shorten our life and hasten our end and are as it were so many deaths Therefore however it is said by the Apostle It is appointed for all men once to die yet we see the Apostle to
So that now to come to that great matter without which Christ profiteth us nothing which is Faith The Well is deep and this is the bucket with which we must draw This is the hand by which we must put on Christ As many as are baptized put on Christ thus must we be made ready we must be thus clothed upon and by this hand attire our selves with the Son of Righteousness Wherefore I declared unto you that this Faith must not be a bare conceipt floating in the brain not a device of our own The devil taking hold on this would soon lead a man into a fools Paradise To say I am Gods Child and sure I shall be saved I am perswaded so this the Devil would say Amen to and would be glad to rock men a sleep in such conceipts Such are like the foolish Virgins That went to buy oyl for their Lamps and were perswadâ—d they should come soon enough to enter with the Bride-groom but their perswasion is groundless and they are shut out So such groundless perswasions and assurances in a mans soul that he is the child of God and shall go to heaven is not Faith thou mayst carry this assurance to hell with thee This Faith is not Faith For faith comes by hearing and that not of every word or fancy but by hearing the word of Truth Faith must not go a jot further then the Word of God goeth If thou hast an apprehension but no warrant for it out of the Word of God it is not faith for it s said After you heard the Word of Truth you believed So that we must have some ground for it out of the Word of Truth otherwise it is presumption meer conceipts fancy and not Faith Now I shew'd unto you the last time how this might be for while a man is an Unbeliever he is wholly defiled with sin he is in a most lothsom condition he is in his blood filthy and no eye pities him And may one fasten comfort on one in such a condition on a dead man And this I shew'd you was our case When Faith comes to us it finds no good thing in us it finds us stark dead and stark nought yet there is a Word for all this to draw us unto Christ from that miserable Ocean in which we are swimming unto perdition if God catch us not in his Net Hearken we therefore to Gods Call there is such a thing as this Calling God calls thee and would change thy condition and therefore offers thee his Son Wilt thou have my Son Wilt thou yield unto me Wilt thou be reconciled unto me Wilt thou come unto me and this may be preacht to the veriest Rebel that is It is the only Word whereby faith is wrought It is not by finding such and such things in us before-hand No God finds us as bad as bad may be when he proffers Christ unto us He finds us ugly and filthy and afterwards washes us and makes us good It is not because I found this or that good thing in thee that I give thee interest in my Son take it not on this ground No he loved us first and when we were defiled he washt us with his own blood Rev. Now there is a double love of God towards his Creatures 1. Of Commiseration 2. Of Complacency That of Commiseration is a fruit of love which tenders and pities the miserable estate of another But now there is another love of Complacency which is a likeness between the qualities and manners of persons for like will to like and this love God never hath but to his Saints after Conversion when they have his Image instamped in them and are reformed in their Understandings and Wills resembling him in both then and not till then bears he this love towards them Before he loves them with the love of pity and so God lov'd the world that is with the love of Commiseration that he sent his only Son that whosoever believed in him might not perish but have everlasting life Now we come to the point of Acceptation the Word is free and it requires nothing but what may consist with the freest gift that may be given Although here be something that a man may startle at Object Is there not required a condition of faith and a condition of obedience Sol. Neither of these according to our common Understanding do hinder the fulness and freedom of the Grace of the Gospel 1. Not Faith because Faith is such a condition as requires only an empty hand to receive a gift freely given Now doth that hinder the freeness of the gift to say you must take it Why this is requisite to the freest gift that can be given If a man would give something to a Begger if he would not reach out his hand and take it let him go without it it s a free gift still so that the condition of Faith requires nothing but an empty hand to receive Christ. 2. Obedience hinders it not I am required may some say to be a new man a new Creature to lead a new life I must alter my course and is not this a great clog and burthen and do you account this free when I must crucifie lusts mortifie Passions c. Is this free when a man must renounce his own Will Yes It is as free as free may be as I shewed you the last time The very touching and accepting of Christ implies an abnegation of former sinfulness and a going off from other courses that are contrary to him If the King give a pardon to a notorious Rebel for Treason so that now he must live obedient as a Subject the King need not in regard of himself to have given the pardon if he give it it takes not from its freeness that he must live like a Subject afterwards the very acceptance of the pardon implies it But now to declare Faith and to open the Mystery thereof Faith is a great thing it is our life our life stands in the practise of it that as in the offering of Christ for us there is given him a name above every name That at the name of Jesâ—s every knee shall bow As I say in the purchasing of Redemption so in the point of acceptation God hath given unto this poor vertue of faith a name above all names Faith indeed as it is a vertue is poor and mean and comes far short of love and therefore by the Apostle love is many degrees prefer'd before faith because love fills the heart and faith is but a bare hand it lets all things fall that it may fill it self with Christ. It s said of the Virgin Mary That God did respect the low estate of his hand-maid So God respects the low estate of Faith that nothing is required but a bare empty hand which hath nothing to bring with it though it be never so weak yet if it have a hand to receive it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a like
taste it and therefore many Christians on serious consideration would not change their estate for the estate of Angels Why because hereby Christ is my husband I am wedded to him he is bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh which the Angels are not capable of Our nature is advanced above the Angelical nature for we shall sit and judge the world with Christ judge the twelve Tribes of Israel And what an high preferment is this Nay observe this and take it for a Rule Never beg of God pardon for thy sins till thou hast done this one thing namely accepted of Christ from Gods hands For thou never canst confidently ask any thing till thou hast him For all the Promises of God are in him yea and Amen This may serve for the Object of faith to shew that the primary Object is Christ crucified and God by him We come now to declare 2. The Acts of faith what they are and there is some intricacy in that too There is much ado made in what part and power of the soul faith is We must not proportionate the Act of faith according to our own fancy For it s no faith but as it hath relation to the Word now look how is the Word presented After you heard the Word of Truth the Gospel of your salvation Now the Word is presented under a double respect 1. It s presented Sub ratione veri After you had heard the Word of Truth and there comes in the Understanding 2. Then Sub ratione boni as a good word that so we should lay hold on it and here comes in the Will For the Will we say challenges that which is good for its Object Now the Gospel of salvation is a good Word its glad tidings worthy of all acceptation that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners And now as the Word is presented as a good Word so must my Act of faith be answerable unto it See in Heb. 11.13 The act of faith answering hereto These all died in faith not having received the Promises What did their faith to them It made them see the Promises a far off and they were perswaded of them and embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims in the earth So that by comparing place with place it appears that first this Gospel was presented as the Word of Truth they were perswaded of it It is the first Act of Faith to perswade men of the truth of the Word and then as it is a good word they embraced it these are the two arms of faith as true it perswades me as good I embrace it We must not now be too curious in bringing in Philosophical Disputes whether one Vertue may proceed from two faculties whether Faith may proceed from the Understanding and the Will The truth is these things are not yet agreed upon and shall we trouble our selves with things not yet decided in the schools as whether the practical Understanding and the Will be distinct faculties or no The Word of God requires that I should believe with my whole heart Act. 8.37 As Philip told the Eunuch if thou believest with all thy heart thou mayest If with the heart but with what faculties may you say Why I tell thee believe with thy whole heart and what shall I peece and devide the heart when the whole is required Now to come to these two The Word is presented 1. As a true Word 2. Then as a good Word a word like Gospel like salvation 1. As a true Word And the Act of faith answering thereto is called in Scripture 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Knowledge and Acknowledgement 1 Titus 1. 1 Peter 3. 1 Knowledge that 's a thing requisite Why because if there be a Remedy able to cure a mans disease if he do not know it what is he the better for it Knowledge is so essential unto Faith that without it there can be no faith In John 17.3 the terms are confounded the one put for the other This is life eternal to know thee to be the true God and whom c. to know thee that is to believe in thee because knowledge is so essential to belief as one cannot be without the other thou canst not believe what thou hast never heard of I know saith Job that my Redeemer liveth that is I believe he liveth and hereupon it s said in Isa. 53. By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justifie many Knowledge is an Act primarily requisite to Faith to be justified by his knowledge is to be justified by faith in his blood this then is the first thing that I know it to be as true as Gospel then comes the acknowledgement 2. The Acknowledgement Joh. 6.69 We know and are assured that thou art that Christ. This is an assurance I say not the assurance of my salvation for that is another kind of thing but an assurance that God will keep touch with me will not delude me but that if I take his Son I shall have life I shall have his favour When God illuminates me I find all things in him when I have him I am made When the Understanding clearly apprehends this then comes the next word it is the Gospel of salvation there being a knowing and acknowledging the Act of the Understanding then comes the Will and it being 2. Propounded as a good word then follows 1. Acceptation 2. Affiance 1. Acceptation which receives Christ. 1 John 12. As many as received him to them he gave power to become the sons of God even to as many as believed on his name Then a man resolves I will take God on his word and thereupon follows A resting or relying on God which is a proper act of faith I need no other place then Rom. 10.13 Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved But how shall they call on him on whom they have not believed that is on whom they have not reposed their confidence Mark the â—postle How shall they call on him on whom they have not believed That Faith which was in the antecedent must be in the conclusion therefore our faith is a relying on God and so in this place this trust is made the same with faith as it is in the Text in whom you trusted after you had received the word of Truth for our trust and belief there is the self-same word Nimium ne crede colori this Credo is to have a great confidence in fleeting and fading things and so it is in justifying faith If I have a knowledge of God and acknowledgement of him and from my knowing my will is conformed to accept Christ and if when I have accepted him I will not part from him this is faith and if thou hast this faith thou wilt never perish suppose thou never hadst one day of comfort all thy life long yet my life for thine thou art saved Perhaps by reason of thy
welcome news of the Gospel comes after the Law hath discovered his disease and says Be not discouraged there is a Throne of grace prepared for thee God hath a seat of justice to deal with Rebels and open Traytors but if thou art weary of thy estate if thou wilt submit to God take Christ for thy King and cast down all thy weapons if thou wilt live like a subject he hath prepared a Throne of grace for thee Christ is thy Atturney in the Court to plead for thee he is not as the Papists make him so stout and one that takes such state on him as that a man may not come near him This is the highest injury that can be offered to Christ to think that any creature hath more mercy and pity than he hath It is to rob Christ of the fairest flower in his garden when we rob him of his mercy and pity Mark that place in Heb. 4.15 that we may not think him austere We have not an High Priest that cannot be touch't with our infirmities with the feeling of our infirmities Christ is no hard-hearted man when you were his enemies he loved you insomuch that he humbled himself and suffered death even the death of the Crosse for you And he hath the self-same bowels in heaven that he had on earth he wept over Jerusalem and the self-same weeping heart carried he to heaven with him the self-same weeping eyes Believe not then the Papists that he is so hard-hearted or so stately and that his mother is more ready to speak for us than he fie on it This is to pervert the Gospel and make Christ no Christ. We have not an High Priest that cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities Heb. 2.17 In all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren that he might be a merciful and faithful High Priest c. Alas poor soul saith Christ what the malice of the Divel is I know by mine own experience in the flesh for Christ was tempted in all things according to us sinne only excepted I know what the temptations of the world are but whereas we have three enemies the Divel the world and the flesh only the two former were his Christ had the temptations of the world and the Divel not of the corrupt flesh for he had no corrupt flesh A man that hath been himself in terrible Tempests on the Sea when he sees a storme out of his own experience he pities those that are in it when as others are not a jot moved for he hath seen that consternation of minde which on every side appeared That plurima mortis imago whereas others having not been there lay not their miseries to heart Christ having suffered himself and being tempted as we were is sensible of our miseries and therefore never count it boldnesse to come boldly to him that gives thee this encouragement Come boldly to the Throne of grace We must understand that all this is before faith we must 1. Know that we have a need 2. That there is a Throne of grace when God enlightens my conscience and encourages me to come And thus having spoken of the preparatives I come to the work the main thing it self Now this is 2. The Act Coming this coming is believing as the feet which carry a man to the place he would be in his feet carry him nearer and nearer If a man cannot be cured but by the Bath his feet must carry him thither Now faith is the legs of the soul the feet that carry us unto Christ whereas we are afar off and draw back as all unbelievers now by believing we draw near Now as unbelievers draw back so believers draw forward and therefore John 1.12 and John 6.35 To come to Christ and to believe in him are the self-same thing He that cometh to me shall never hunger and he that believeth on me shall never thirst Coming is there made an act of faith and the same thing with it The one is the explication of the other thy coming to Christ is thy believing in him When thou hearest of a Throne of grace and seest the Lord of glory stretching out his golden Scepter come and touch it take the benefit of the Kings pardon If a man know there is such a Throne of grace he must come unto it And now begins faith to work And that thou mayst understand it the better know that faith then begins first to work when thou settest the first step towards the Throne of grace And this is the houre in which salvation is come unto thy house None can come to me saith Christ except my Father draw him If thou seest a vertue to come from Christ and to draw thee as an Adamant and thou feelest that loadstone working on thee then begins faith It makes thee draw near to Christ whereas before thou wert a stranger Till then thou art like thy Grandfather Adam thou runnest away and thinkest thy self most secure when thou wast farthest from God but now thou seest no comfort unlesse thou draw nigh unto him now as the Apostle saith Phil. 2.13 It is he that worketh in us the will and the deed this must be wrought in us by God First a will then the deed and then it is not only I would do such a thing but I do it God works not only the will of coming but the deed of coming and all his acts are acts of faith and have a promise God makes no promise till we be in Christ till we have faith we are no heires of the promise when a man sets his face towards Jerusalem and begins to set himself to go to Christ all he doth then hath the promise not a tear now that he sheds but is pretious God puts it into his bottle not a cup of cold water that now he gives but shall have a great reward this is a blessed thing when every thing we do hath a promise annexed to it when every step we step hath a promise made to it Now then the will is the first thing that is wrought in us this is that which makes the act of faith that is I have a will a resolution to do this And the Apostle makes it more than the very deed it self 2 Cor. 8.10 as I may so say For this is expedient for you who have begun before not only to do but to be forward So we translate it but look in the Margent and it s rendred to be willing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Greek hath it as if the will were more than the deed it self for a man to come unwillingly 't is nothing worth the ground-work is the will which is a greater matter than the deed Nothing more separates a man from Christ than to say I will not have this man to raigne over me but if thou canst frame thy will that it shall go perpendicularly on the object and accept Christ on the termes offer'd that 's faith and that
is when we have made particular application by Faith God will put to his seal that I shall know that God is my strength and my salvation I shall know it John 14.21 He that loveth me shall be loved of my Father and I will manifest my self unto him Christ comes and drawes the Curtains and looks on with the gracioâ—s aspect of his blessed countenance When this comes it cheers the heart and then there are secret love-tokens pass betwixt Christ and his beloved Rev. 2.17 To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden Manna and will give him a white stone and in the stone a new name written which no man knows save he that receives it that is there is a particular intimation that I shall know of my self more then any other more then all the world besides It s such a joy as the stranger is not made Partaker of such joy as is glorious and unspeakable such peace as passeth all understanding One minute of such joy overcomes all the joy in the world besides Now consider sure there is such a thing as this joy or else do you think the Scripture would talk of it and of the Comforter the Holy Ghost by whom we know the things that are given us of God There is a generation in the world that hath this joy though you that know it not do not nor cannot believe it there is a righteous generation that have it and why dost thou not try to get it do as they do and thou mayst obtain it likewise The secrets of the Lord are revealed to them that fear him These are hidden comforts do you think God will give this joy to those that care not for him No The way is to seek God and to labour to fear him The secrets of the Lord are revealed to such and such only as fear him do as they do and follow their example and thou mayst have it likewise Object Many have serv'd Christ long and have not found it Sol. It s long of themselves you are straightned in your own bowels or else Open your mouths wide and God will fill them No wonder that we are so barren of these comforts when we be straitned in our selves There is a thing wondrously wanting amongst us and that is Meditation If we could give our selves to it and go up with Moses to the Mount to confer with God and seriously think of the price of Christs death and of the joyes of heaven and the Priviledges of a Christian if we could frequently meditate on these we should have these sealing days every day at lest oftner This hath need to be much pressed upon us the neglect of this makes lean souls He that is frequent in that hath these sealing days often Couldst thou have a parle with God in private and have thy heart rejoyce with the comforts of another day even whilst thou art thinking of these things Christ would be in the midst of thee Many of the Saints of God have but little of this because they spend but few hours in Meditation And thus as this hour would give leave have we proceeded in this point FINIS 1 COR. 11.29 For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily eateth and drinketh Damnation to himself not discerning the Lords body I Have heretofore declared unto you the ground of our salvation and have represented unto you first Christ offered for us and secondly Christ offered to us Now it hath pleased Almighty God not only to teach us this by his Word but because we are slow of heart to believe and conceive the things we heare it pleases his glorious Wisdom to add to his Word his Sacraments that so what we have heard with our ears we may see with our eyes being represented by signs There is a visible voice whereby God speaks to the eyes and therefore we find in Exod. 4.8 God bids Moses that he should use signs saying It shall come to pass if they will not believe thee neither hearken to the voice of the first sign that they will believe the voice of the latter sign Signs you know are the Object of the eye and yet see they have it as it were a visible voice which speaks to the eye Now God is pleased to give us these signs for the helping 1. Of our Understanding The eye and the ear are the two learned senses as we call them through which all knowledge is conveyed into the soul and therefore that we may have a more particular knowledge of Christ God hath not only by his Ministry given us audible voices but visible also in his Sacraments by which as by certain glasses he represents to us the Mystery of Christ Jesus offered for us and offered to us And hence is it that Paul calls the eyes to witness as well as the ears Gal. 3.1 O ye foolish Galathians who hath bewitched you that you should not obey the Truth before whose eyes Christ hath been evidently fet forth crucified amongst you that is before whose eyes Christ hath been crucified not by hear-say only but evidently before your eyes not in any foolish Crucifix with the Papists but in the blessed Sacrament wherein he is so represented as if his soul were before our eyes poured out to death so that by these Sacraments heavenly things are as it were clothed in earthly Garments and this is the first reason viz. to help our Understandings but besides this he doth it 2. To help our Memory we art apt to forget those wonderfull things Christ hath wrought for us And therefore verse 24. and 25. Of this Chapter we are bid To eat his body and drink his blood in remembrance of him To take the signs as tokens of him the Sacrament is as it were a monument and pillar raised up to the end that when ever we see it we should remember the Lords death untill he come It s said 2 Sam. 8.18 That Absolon in his life time had taken and reared up for himself a Pillar which is in the Kings dale for he said I have no son to keep my name in remembrance He would fain be remembred but he had no Child whereby he might live after he was dead therefore he raises it and calls it after his own name Absolons place as it is this day that so as often as any came that way they might remember him Christ doth thus by his Sacrament and erects it as a Monument for the remembrance of his death and as it were calls it by his own name saying This is my body and this is my blood that when ever we see them we may call to mind Christ offered for us and to us But that I may apply this my Doctrine to the ears also know that 3. These signs are for the strengthning of our faith and therefore it is considered as a seal Rom. 4.11 Abraham received the sign of Circumcision as a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised
It helps our understanding by being a sign and is a confirmation as a seal by vertue whereof Christ is passed and made over to us so that we have as true an interest and right to him as to our meat and drink yea hereby he becomes as effectually ours for every purpose in our spiritual life as our meat and drink doth for our corporal To which end these Elements are changed spiritually in their natures not in substance but in use so that which was but now a common bread becomes as far different as heaven is from earth being altered in its use For instance the wax whereby the King passes over an inheritance to us and by which conveyances of our estates are made that wax is but as another piece of wax differing nothing from that which is in the shop till the King hath stampt it with his Seal but being once sealed one would not give it for all the wax in the Kingdome for now it serves to another use so is it here in these elements but still know the difference is not in the matter or substance but in the use And this is the reason why this blessed bread and wine is termed a communion namely because it is an instrument whereby Christ instates me into himself and whereby I have fellowship and communion with him In the words then we have these particulars viz. 1. A sinne If any man shall presume to eat that bread or drink that cup unworthily It s a dangerous thing a great sin to eat and drink at the Lords Table in an unworthy manner 2. A punishment He eats and drinks damnation or judgement unto himself So that now what was ordained to life and appointed to be a seal and confirmation of Gods love and favour is now changed and become a seal and confirmation of Gods anger and indignation The unworthy receiving of it makes it prove cleane contrary to what it was intended 3. A reason because he discernes not the Lords body but takes them as ordinary things deeming the elements not different from the bread and wine which we have at our Tables not knowing that they are the dishes wherein Christ is served in unto us that by these the greatest gift is given us and nourishment conveyed for the maintenance of our spiritual life This life was given us in baptisme but in and by these signes is conveyed spiritual nourishment for the continuance and maintenance of it for the strengthning of our faith and making us daily stronger and stronger to fight the Lords battles Now when we discern not this nor by the eye of faith see Christ Jesus crucified for us and by these elements conveyed unto us but take them hand over head without any consideration we receive them unworthily and a fearful indignity is offered unto Christ which he will certainly revenge I 'le then 1. Shew in general what it is to eat unworthily 2. What it is to eat judgement and then 3. I 'le come to the particulars how this sin may be avoided and what the particulars are wherein the sin consists 1. Concerning the first What it is to eat unworthily Obj. And here may some say is there any of us who can avouch that he eats and drinks at the Lords Table worthily is any so presumptuous to say that he is worthy to eat Christs flesh and drink his blood As for bodily food and entertainment the Centurion could say I am not worthy that thou shoulds come under my roof How then comes this to passe that he which eats and drinks the Lords body unworthily eats and drinks damnation to himself Sol. But here understand what is set down worthiness is not always taken for a matter of merit or proportion of worth between the person giving and receiving but in Scripture it 's often taken for that which is meet fitting and beseeming And in this sense the Apostle uses it 1 Cor. 16.4 If it be meet that I go also they shall go with me If it be meet the word in the Original is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or worthy which is here rightly translated meet so in that Sermon of Saint John Baptist Mat. 3.8 bring forth fruits meet for repentance that is fruits beseeming amendment of life And in this sense are we said to walk worthy of God who hath called us to his Kingdom and glory VVorthy of God that is worthy of that calling God hath imparted to us 1 Thes. 2.12 And therefore to use the similitude as I have elsewhere If the King should vouchsafe to come into a Subjects house and finde all things fit and beseeming so great a Majesty that Subject may be said to give the King worthy entertainment not that a Subject is worthy to entertaine his Prince but the meaning is he provided all things which were meet and fit for the entertainment of him So is it here if we prepare our selves with such spiritual ornaments to entertain the King of glory as are requisite for those who approach his Table though our performances come far short of the worth of his presence yet we may be said to eat his body and drink his blood worthily When the King in the Gospel had prepared his feast two sorts of guests there were who were unworthy 1. Those that made light of the invitation who had their excuses when they should come to the feast One must go to his farme another to try his Oxen Luke 14.18 2. Others there were who came and yet were unworthy guests for coming unpreparedly for in the midst of the feast the King comes in to view his guests and beholds a man that did not refuse to come but yet came without his wedding garment and so came unworthily for not coming preparedly Yea see then there may be an unworthinesse in those that do come since they come unfitted and unbeseeming such a banquet They are unworthy receivers of the Lords body and he accounts it an irreverent usage of him In like manner may some say touching the Ministry of the Word May not I read a good Sermon at home with as much profit what needs all this stirre Why here 's the advantage and priviledge you get in the publick Ministry of the Word God himself comes down as a King amongst us he views his guests and considers who comes with his wedding garment who comes preparedly Christ comes and looks on us and where two or three are gathered together in his name there he hath promised to be in the midst of them He walks in the midst of the golden Candlesticks the Ministers of his Word he takes a special view of those that come and frequent his Ordinances and to reward them You see then what it is to eat worthily it s to do it with that reverence that is requisite where the King of heaven is the Master of the Feast Now this being the sin unmannerliness and unprepared approaching his Table we come to the second thing viz. 2. The punishment