what sincerity hath appeared in our life and if we finde that weake we commonly conclude that our faith is weake also and so the weaknesse of our sanctification weakneth our assurance but wee should goe another way to worke When we finde a weaknesse we should go to the promises and strengthen our assurance for there be two wayes to increase assurance One is by the promises the sure Word on which faith is built The second is by the fruites of sanctification in our selues Now when we finde these languishing we should goe to the first and the other will be increased by it Faith worketh in you sanctification and maketh you to beleeue the promise as exercise begets health and we are made fit by health for exercise or as acts beget habits and habits are meanes to exercise those acts So assurance grounded vpon the promise it enableth and enlargeth and increaseth sanctification and sanctification increaseth assurance but first see faith and then the other as fruites of it If you finde a weaknesse in sanctification labour to strengthen your faith and that will increase it for that is the ground of all FINIS OF EFFECTVALL FAITH The third Sermon 1. THESS 1.3 Remembring your effectuall Faith c. IN the fifth place If nothing please GOD if he accepts of nothing but what comes from effectuall faith then we should learne hence to iudge aright of our workes for what workes soeuer wee doe they please GOD no further then hee seeth and findeth some faith in them The Vse before shewed vs how to iudge aright of our faith this teacheth you how to iudge aright of all the workes you doe that you doe not mistake in them For men are very apt to iudge amisse of what they doe in this case There be many workes that haue a specious and faire shew in the view of men and perhaps in your owne opinion But if there be not faith in those workes GOD regards them not as Iames 2.22 when Abraham did that great worke in offering his sonne which was the greatest worke that euer hee did and the greatest worke that is recorded in all the Booke of GOD yet saith the Apostle there Do ye not obserue how faith wrought with his workes That is to say If faith had not set him on worke to doe this if faith had not beene the Spring to set this wheele on going GOD had not accepted this So doe whatsoeuer you will further then faith works with you in all that you doe GOD regards it not Therefore you shall obserue in Christs answer to the Woman of Canaan in her earnest prayer in her comming to Christ her fighting and striuing against the Diuell her tendernesse to her Daughter her holding out so long as she did all this Christ lookes ouer But when he comes to giue his censure of her worke of her carriage Oh Woman great is thy faith saith he That was it that set a great price vpon her worke Matth. 15.26 27. So take the most excellent the greatest worke that can be performed GOD sets them at no higher a price then hee findes faith in them he weighes them by that so much faith as is in them so farre he accepts them so farre he regards them Looke in Heb. 11. you shall finde many glorious workes set downe All the great workes that Sampson did all the workes that Dauid did the works that Gedeon did the workes that Baruc did the workes that Moses did and so along you shall see there that there was nothing in all these workes that was regarded but their faith all is imputed to faith And therefore when you goe about any thing labour to see faith set you aworke and know that as much faith as there is in any worke so much GOD regards it and no further Iacob had done many good things that pleased GOD yet GOD when he would put a marke of his fauour vpon him when he would call him Israel when he would change his name it was for that great worke of faith when he prayed all night when hee would not giue ouer when he would not let him goe when hee preuailed with God by faith now saith God thy name shall be called Israel As if he should say Now I will put a name of honour vpon thee Why so Not because there was more in that worke simply considered as it was a worke but because there was more faith in it And it must needes be so for GOD doth not as men doe who accept the giuer for the gift If a man come to you with a great gift you will accept his person for it But GOD accepts the gift for the giuers sake though the gift be neuer so small if the giuer be such as beleeues in him if his affections be right if he doe it out of a right ground that is if he doe it out of a ground of faith he is accepted whatsoeuer it be Indeed otherwise whatsoeuer we doe we may call it by our owne name we may say he is a patient man or he is a temperate man or these are workes of Justice or workes of temperance But we can neuer call it godlinesse except it rise from faith except it come from this ground because indeed it is not done to God Marke it I say further then a man doth a thing out of faith hee doth it not to GOD. For to doe a thing out of faith is nothing else but when out of perswasion of GODS loue to me I doe this thing meerely for his sake whom I haue chosen to whom I giue my selfe one that I know loues mee and therefore though there were no reward for it I would serue him This is a worke of faith Now I say this is properly godlines And therfore in 2 Pet. 1. when the Apostle had named Patience and Temperance lest wee should mistake as if hee should say There be many Vertues of this nature amongst men that belong not to GOD. Therefore saith he Adde Godlinesse that is Let it be such as becomes a godly man to doe Godlinesse is that which is done to GOD such things and such qualities as haue an eye and respect to him such things please him What if a man should doe neuer so much if it please not GOD it is lost labour It is said Heb. 11.6 that Henoch pleased God Marke how the Apostle reasons saith hee without faith it is impossible to please God therefore in that he is said to please GOD it must needes be through faith You know it is said Rom. 13. whatsoeuer a man doth if it be not of faith and loue GOD lookes not to it you know there can be no loue without faith Consider but how it is with your selues If a man should doe any thing for you you know hee may haue many other ends hee may doe you many a great good turne yet if you be perswaded this comes not out of
We call him Father that judgeth euery one according to his workes That is if our workes be good he is ready to reward vs if wee faile he is ready to chastise vs as a Father doth his children therefore let vs passe the time of our dwelling here with feare So that the Saints after they are in the state of grace they may contract a kinde of guiltinesse vnto them so that they may make their Father angry they may feele many effects of his displeasure though they shall not lose his fauour for euer and the more our good works are the greater is our reward Againe wee require good workes of necessity as well as the Papists wee say you must haue good workes or else you cannot be saued so that except you haue repented except you haue loue as well as faith except there be a change of heart Christ is not in you We require good workes with the same necessity onely they haue a different rise they rise from different grounds When the Papists are asked what should moue a man to doe good workes They say it is by way of merit to get heauen and that is it that maketh all their workes to be of no worth For take any naturall man he that hath the most impure heart may not he to escape Hell and to get Heauen doe all the workes the Papists require and for the same end that they require them May he not giue Almes c. But to doe it out of loue that is a thing that no Hypocrite is able to reach vnto And therefore we say that the meanest worke euen the giuing of a Cuppe of cold water is a good worke if it proceed from loue whereas take the fairest worke that hath the greatest glory and splendour though it be Martyrdome if it come not from loue if it be not a fruit of faith if a man giue his body to be burned and giue all that hee hath to feede the poore if it come not from loue GOD accepts it not So much for the second Vse The third Vse that wee should make of it is this If nothing be accepted but that faith that is effectuall we should learne hence that if we will grow in ability to worke if we will grow in obedience wee must grow in faith for all efficacie must come from faith for it is onely the effectualnesse of faith that GOD requires That is if there be any effectualnesse in man that comes not from faith GOD requires it not for it is the efficacie of faith which GOD requires Therefore if wee will bee enabled to doe the duties of new obedience labour to grow in faith that must inable vs to doe what wee doe if wee haue not the ground all that we doe is in vaine Therefore when we finde any coldnesse any weaknesse in the Graces wee haue any languishing increase faith and all other Graces will grow If you finde you cannot pray when you find your hands weake and your knees feeble that you cannot runne the wayes of Gods Commandements strengthen your faith labour to increase your assurance When the branches are weake and withering we vse to dung the root so in this case labour to strengthen your faith for that will inable you to doe much it is all in all This will be of much vse to vs in many cases When a sinne is committed we should labour now to recouer our selues out of that relapse What is the way By labouring to get assurance of the forgiuenesse of it Goe to GOD to strengthen thy faith that is the way to get out of sinne If there be a strong lust that thou art to grapple withall and which thou canst not get the victory ouer the way is to goe and increase faith to increase assurance for the more faith is increased the more loue the more the heart is inclined to GOD for faith turnes the bent of the heart from pleasures and profits from a desire of the praise of men to GOD so that the more faith the more ability there is to striue against the corruption that is in you Againe if a man finde hee wants patience he wants thankfulnesse the way is not to looke on the Vertues to reade morall Writers but goe and strengthen thy faith and that shall enable thee to doe wonders otherwise we water the branches and let the roote alone Thus should wee Ministers doe lay this maine foundation to build vp our hearers in this and the rest will follow This Paul did that was the great Master-builder hee layes downe in all his Epistles the foundation of faith in his Epistles to the Romanes to the Ephesians to the Colossians to the Galatians and after that hee deduceth particulars and buildeth on it so your maine businesse is to consider whether you haue faith to get assurance of that and when you haue that then striue against particular vices and adorne your selues with particular graces For because you labour not to haue this maine grace this roote and foundation of all the rest I say this is the reason why those good motions that you haue put into you by the Holy Ghost those motions that you haue in the hearing of the Word and the good purposes that you take to your selues come to nothing because they haue not faith for their ground That generall of Faith must goe before these particulars Though the Plants bee good yet if the ground bee not good and connaturall where they are planted they will not grow Therefore we finde it ordinarily that when men haue resolutions to giue ouer such and such sinnes to leaue such and such vices their wicked company drinking gaming and the like it may be it holds for a day or two yet this comes to nothing because the maine foundation is not laid they goe to worke without faith when the ground is flesh and the worke spirituall how can it liue for euery thing liues in its owne element and these motions in them are as the Fish is out of the water and as the fire when it is out of its place dyes and is extinguished so these good purposes when they are not particulars that arise from that generall of faith they are in the heart as a thing out of its owne element and therefore they perish Therefore when you haue these purposes know that they will come to nothing if you take not the right course Therefore labour to beleeue the promises to bee assured of saluation that you are translated from death to life by an effectuall faith when this is done you shall finde that your purposes will hold and till then they are in vaine And so againe this should teach vs seeing all depends vpon faith when wee come to search to consider what assurance wee haue that so we may goe the right way to worke For commonly when wee consider our estates we looke what fruites wee haue
to Aegypt I am that I am saith hee say I am hath sent me I take this word that it comes from the same roote Iehovah is described by that I am and by that it is best understood when the Lord calls himselfe I am whereas every man may say I was and I shall be this every creature may say but the Lord saith I am that is whatsoever the Lord was from eternity the same he is to eternity there is no change in him And that is a great excellency in him that may moue us exceedingly to loue him You know when we meete with a friend that is constant that hath no alteration in him that is a sure friend haue him once and haue him for ever it sets a higher price on him When we can consider what the Lord is that he hath dealt thus and thus with us that he hath loved us and when we consider he is constant in it that he embraceth them with the sure mercies of David as they are called that is his compassions faile not but when hee hath once begun to loue hee loues for ever it is not so with men if they loue us at one time they forget us againe as the Butler forgot Iosâ—ph when they are in prosperity they forget us but the Lord knowes us in all our conditions thou hast knowne my soule in adversitie When we are in a strait friends oft times are backward to helpe us but the Lord in such an exigent he is the same he appeares in the Mount when there is no helpe in man I say this constancy that God is alway the same to us that his mercies are sure for they are called the sure mercies of David He shewed mercies to Saul too but they were another kinde of mercies Saul was not one that he had chosen to himselfe and therefore his mercies continued not for indeed hee never loved Saul with that unchangeable loue But when he loues any man as he loved David his mercies are sure as they were to David David was ready to step aside often as well as Saul hee let Saul goe but he carried David along they were sure mercies and such hee shewes to all those that he hath begun to loue That is the first I am or Iehovah Secondly he is strong Iehovah strong mercifull and gracious c. that is Almighty What is the meaning of that that he is almighty The meaning of it is this that the Lord hath all the excellencies those which we call graces and vertues and qualities in men all these abound in the Lord for what serues any vertue for or any quality that you haue but to enable you to doe something if a man haue any science or art that is but to enable him to doe that which without it he cannot doe if a man hath the art of Arithmetique he is able to number or if he haue the art of Logicke he is able to dispute come to all morall vertues What is temperance but that which enableth us to doe such and such things uppon such and such occasions What is patience but that which enableth us to endure afflictions So all that is excellent in man all those amiable those beautifull qualities wherewith the soule is adorned are but so farre good as they enable a man to doe this or that Now when the Lord is said to be almighty the meaning is hee hath all excellency in him and hee hath it in the highest degree for in this sense God is able to doe more than any man in regard of excellency whatsoever a man is able to doe you know how infinitely the Lord hath it beyond him he is able to doe so much more as he is beyond any man For that power that attribute that quality that is in man it is not a quality in him he hath it beyond any man Againe when a man is able to doe one thing yet he is not able to doe another one creature is able to doe this another that But the Lord is Almightie therefore he is able to doe all things And therefore this is a kind of excellencie that is the second description he is Iehovah and he is Almightie But now when you heare that the Lord is thus constant and thus exceeding in excellencie a man will be ready to say what is this to me I am a sinfull man there is nothing in me but that which may turne away the Lord from me and cause him to abhorre me Well saith he to comfort you know that I am mercifull exceeding pittifull exceeding ready to forgiue though your sinnes bee exceeding many though they bee exceeding great yet the Lord he is mercifull he is ready to passe by all those infirmities And that is another of his excellencies You know we reckon it a very amiable thing in a man when we see him pittifull This doth more abound in the Lord than in any creature there is no man in the world so ready to forgive as God If he were not God if he were as man my brethren could hee beare with us as he doth Let us doe to a man injuries and injuries againe and againe and never give over what man can beare it doth he not in the end withdrawe himselfe and will no more be reconciled But it is not so with the Lord when wee have done all Yet returne to me saith the Lord Ier. 3.2 Well but if we haue such sinnes in us suppose the Lord is mercifull and ready to forgive but yet there is no goodnes in us wee haue nothing in us why he should regard us and why he should looke after us To that it is answered the Lord is gracious that is though there bee no worth found in you yet he is ready to doe you good as grace you know is proper to a Prince or a great man that is sayd to be gracious to his subject or to one that is very inferiour because hee can doe nothing to deserue it it is called grace for grace you knowe is nothing but freenes and to be gracious is to doe things freely when there is no motiue no wages when there is nothing to winne him but of free grace he doth it So the Lord doth what he doth of his free grace he hath mercy on whom he will have mercy that is when all men did stand before him alike though there were nothing when there was no cause why the Lord should regard them more than an other yet He will haue mercy on whome he will haue mercy that is he is gracious though there be nothing in us to winne that love at his hands Well but yet wee may be readie to object it is true the Lord hath been thus to me he hath ben very merciful to forgiue me my sinnes he hath beene very gracious to me to shew me favour when I never deserved it but after I was put into such a condition I provoked him to anger by relapsing into sinne againe and againe after
helped by the Holy Ghost to know it but it is chiefly grounded vpon our owne experience for it is no more but the act of a mans owne heart reflecting vpon what hee hath done when hee considers Haue I taken CHRIST or no as a Lord and as a Sauiour as a Priest to saue me as a King to liue by his Lawes this is a looking vpon an act of mine owne therefore the vnderstanding and knowing of it must come from experience The last act of faith is to purifie and to sanctifie I cannot stand vpon it at this time nor make Vse and apply this as I desired therefore I will breake off heere So much for this time FINIS OF FAITH The third Sermon ROM 1.17 For by it the righteousnesse of God is reuealed from Faith to Faith As it is written The iust shall liue by Faith THe last point that wee deliuered out of these words was this that Faith is that whereby we are made partakers of the righteousnesse of Christ. Wee come now to the Vses of it And first of all if it be by faith onely by which we are made partakers of that righteousnesse that saueth vs the first consectary that we will draw from hence is this That wee should learne to come to CHRIST with an empty hand and not to bee discouraged for any want that wee finde in our selues nor for the greatnesse of our sinnes wee should not bee discouraged for the want of a perfect degree of repentance and godly sorrow or for the want of whatsoeuer good worke you thinke is requisite to saluation for my beloued you must know that this is the nature of faith that it doth its worke best alone and faith is so farre from requiring any thing in the partie that shall haue CHRIST that necessarily he must let goe all things else otherwise hee cannot beleeue and this is a point necessarily to be considered for euery man is apt to conceiue and thinke that it is impossible that GOD should accept him vnlesse there bee something in him why GOD should regard him If he finde himselfe to be exceeding vngodly he thinkes that CHRIST will neuer looke after him And againe if hee haue nothing at all to giue if he haue nothing to bring with him in his hand hee thinkes that hee shall haue no pardon But you see that faith requires nothing in the first apprehension of CHRIST if a man bee neuer so vngodly it is all one the promise notwithstanding is made vnto him Againe Why should you looke for righteousnesse in your selues The worke of faith and it hath nothing else to doe is to take that righteousnesse of Christ that is none of your owne so that there is nothing else at all required for all that faith hath to doe is onely to take from Christ that righteousnesse that we want our selues so that I say there is no reason why any man should bee discouraged in his first comming for any want that he findes in himselfe or for any condition that he is in because faith onely is that that makes vs partakers of a righteousnesse to iustifie vs because we our selues haue it not I say faith is so farre from requiring any thing to be added to it to helpe it in the act of iustifying that of necessity it excludes all things else for faith hath this double quality not onely to lay hold of Christ offered but to empty a man of all things else whatsoeuer As for example Faith is not onely the beleeuing of a truth which is deliuered from the authority of him that doth deliuer it but it is a resting vpon Christ a casting of our selues vpon him Now when a man leanes vpon any other thing hee stands not vpon his owne legges hee stands not vpon his owne bottome for if hee did hee could not properly be said to leane If a man trust and depend vpon another he prouides not for himselfe but he that so lookes to himselfe that he prouide so as to make him selfe safe if another should faile him so farre he trusts himselfe so that beloued if you trust CHRIST it is of necessity required that you must bee vnbottomed of your selues you must altogether leane vpon him you must cast your selues wholly vpon him For faith hath such an attracting vertue in it that it fils the heart with CHRIST Now it cannot fill the heart with CHRIST vnlesse the heart be emptyed first Therefore I say faith hath a double quality not onely to take but to empty and they are reciprocall the one cannot be without the other Hence it is that we say faith ingrafts a man a man cannot be ingraft into a new stocke vnlesse hee bee quite cut off from the former roote therefore faith driues a man out of himselfe and makes him nothing in himselfe so that when he comes to lay hold on the promise of GOD he lookes at no quality or excellencie of his owne he lookes at no fitnesse nor worthinesse in himselfe but he comes with a hand and a heart altogether empty So that when a man comes to beseech GOD to receiue him to mercie and to grant him a Pardon of his sinnes when he comes to take hold of the righteousnesse of CHRIST for his iustification if he thinke that there is any little worthinesse in him or that there be no fault in him at all and from thence shall thinke that GOD will receiue him this man is not fit to come to Christ he must be wholly emptied of himselfe and then God will speake peace vnto him But you will aske What is that that faith doth empty a man of Faith emptieth a man of two things First of all opinion of righteousnesse in himselfe Secondly of all opinion of strength and ability to helpe himselfe for if either of these remaine in the heart a man cannot receiue CHRIST First I say a man must be emptied of all opinion of worthinesse in himselfe of all conceipt that he hath the least righteousnesse in himselfe therefore when the yong man came to CHRIST and CHRIST told him that he must keepe the Law and he said hee had done all those things from his youth CHRIST knew that he was not yet fit therefore saith he Goe and sell all that thou hast Christs end was nothing else but to discouer to him his owne vnworthinesse If thou wilt be perfect saith CHRIST take this tryall Canst thou be content to let thy wealth goe to follow me Canst thou be content to suffer persecution This shewed that hee was not perfect but that hee was still a sinfull man this was the way to prepare him for Christ this course we see CHRIST alwaies tooke we see it expressed in the Parable of the Publican and of the Pharise the Publican went away iustified because he was wholly emptyed of all conceipt and opinion of worth in himselfe But the Pharise was not iustified not because he was not a iuster man then the
Papists they teach that workes are the maine and many things they prescribe that men must doe our Doctrine is you see that faith onely is required Indeede many things follow vpon faith but faith is that you must onely labour for and then the rest will follow vpon it This Doctrine of ours you shall finde that it is deliuered cleerely in Gal. 5.5 6. We waite through the Spirit for the hope of righteousnesse which is through faith That is we looke for nothing from the Law we regard no workes at all in the matter of iustification that which we looke for is onely that righteousnes which is taken by faith and why doe wee so For saith he in Christ Iesus neither circumcision is any thing nor vncircumcision but faith c. As if he should say there is good reason why we should expect saluation onely by faith because nothing else will helpe vs in that worke circumcision is nothing nor vncircumcision is nothing by those two hee meanes all other things that is the hauing of all the priuiledges in the world the doing of all the workes that can be done faith is all in all but it must be such a faith as workes by loue though it be by faith onely yet it is not an idle faith therefore you are especially to labour for faith There are many other excellencies that we are capable of many morall vertues such as Aristotle and Socrates haue described but without faith GOD regards none of these take one that is a wicked man and take another let him be neuer so vertuous as Socrates and Seneca that were the strictest in morality of all the Heathen nay take any man that liues in the Church that liues the most strict and exact life and yet is not iustified by faith God makes no difference betweene these men the one is as neere to heauen as the other GOD lookes vpon them both with the same eye for he regards nothing without faith He that is the most prophane and vngodly if he come with faith he shall obtaine Christ the other that hath all other morall Vertues in the most exact manner without faith they shall doe him no good therefore we are to seeke for nothing in the matter of iustification but how we may be enabled to beleeue we are principally to study this matter of faith Take such a one as Socrates and such a one as Saint Paul it may be Socrates might bee outwardly as temperate and as patient and be indued with as many excellencies hee might appeare in his carriage as strict as Saint Paul but here is the great difference The one doth what hee doth of himselfe and through himselfe and for himselfe the other doth what hee doth of CHRIST and through CHRIST and for CHRIST therefore faith mainely is requisite If we had all other excellencies yet we shall finde this in them that they doe alway giue something to the creature Againe if you goe neuer so farre in them yet you shall finde that there is some imperfection in them But faith it emptieth the creature of all things it leaueth nothing in a man it makes him leane and rest only vpon CHRIST and vpon his righteousnesse for saluation Againe faith worketh in vs a loue to GOD for we hauing nothing in our selues but all that we haue being from him we cannot but loue him againe Againe faith presenteth to God a perfect righteousnes and therfore God only accepts it for God must be iust and nothing can satisfie the Justice of GOD but a righteousnes that is perfect nothing can attaine a righteousnesse that is perfect but onely faith labour therefore to beleeue this and to turne all your study and care how to get faith My beloued this is a thing that we are bound to preach to you this is the summe of that Doctrine that CHRIST so often preached when he was vpon the Earth Beleeue for the Kingdome of God is at hand this is the summe of all the Doctrine of the Apostles it was all they had to doe to perswade men to beleeue What was the summe of all Pauls Doctrine We goe vp and downe saith he from place to place witnessing both to Iewes and Gentiles c. So it is our part when we come to preach to you when we come to dispense to you that which is for the nourishment of your soules we must doe as those Stewards that set bread and salt vpon the Table whatsoeuer other dish there is so we should alway preach Christ and perswade you to beleeue in him and stir you vp to turne the streame of your endeuours after the obtaining of that faith that taketh this righteousnesse the principall thing we are to look vnto is to see from what Fountaine that that we haue comes if a man haue neuer so many vertues in him if they arise not from this fountaine if they spring not from this roote they are nothing GOD lookes vpon them without acceptance or delight Againe this is that that you are to doe in hearing that which you are chiefly to looke after is how to get faith and therfore if men will employ their strength and their endeuours and busie themselues to attaine such and such vertues it is but as the watering of the branches and to let the roote alone faith is the roote that is it is that that makes all acceptable to GOD for what is the difference betweene Christianity and Morality and without this what is our preaching Wee may gather welneere as good instructions to resist vice ouf of Plutarch and out of Seneca as out of Pauls Epistles but this differenceth it that we preach CHRIST and from Christ wee deriue ability and strength to doe all things else and that makes all else to be acceptable so that this is it that you must looke after to haue CHRIST to receiue all from him to doe all for him for these are reciprocall vnlesse you thinke you haue all from CHRIST you will neuer doe all for him when wee thinke CHRIST is alsufficient we will be perfect with him againe But by the way in this you see not onely the difference betweene morall vertues and those in a true Christian which is godlinesse that they come from different fountaines and looke to different ends but you see also the difference betweene those shewes of strictnesse that are among the Papists and that sincerity of life that wee preach vnto you which is an effect of this faith for if you marke it you shall find that all that they doe either is without Christ or addes to Christ they thinke they shall bee saued for doing such and such things which prepare and fit them for saluation they looke mainely to the workes of humbling the body and doing many actions of mortification but still Christ onely is not sought after in all this But now looke to the Doctrine that we haue deliuered it is CHRIST that we preach it is faith that we
transgression and sinne yet it is added he will not hold the wicked innocent So when we haue said so much of faith and that faith saueth yet know that it must be a working faith that saueth vs It must be such a faith as purifieth the heart it must be such a faith that may shew it selfe in fruits worthy amendment of life And therefore Saint Iames taketh so much paines in this case as you shall finde in his first Chapter and the beginning of the second hee layeth downe rules and tels them that if they keepe the whole Law and yet faile in one point they are guilty of the whole Now hauing dealt so strictly some might be ready to object GOD is mercifull and I shall be saued through faith It is true saith hee if you haue a right faith you shall be saued by it but yet know this that vnlesse your faith be such a faith as enableth you to doe what I say it is a faith that will doe you no good it will not saue you for though faith saueth you yet it must be such a faith as worketh And that he proueth by many arguments it is a place worth the considering and fit for this purpose I say hee vseth some arguments to proue that that faith which is not effectuall will not saue vs. As first Saith he if a man should say to one Be warmed or Be filled as this is but vaine liberality when as yet a man doth nothing so for a man to professe that he beleeueth in CHRIST and yet doth nothing for him it is a vaine faith Secondly Some man might say Thou hast faith and I haue workes shew me thy faith by thy workes That is if a man haue faith hee will shew it by his workes As if hee should haue said If the Sunne be the greatest light let it giue the greatest splendor If the Loadstone be of such a vertue let it shew it by attracting the Iron to it So if thy faith be effectuall shew it by thy workes that is if thy faith be a true faith it must bee a working faith or else it is nothing GOD will not accept it Thirdly vnlesse it be a working faith an effectuall faith the Diuels haue the same thou beleeuest that there is one God the Diuels doe the same and tremble Fourthly If any man could be justified by faith without workes Abraham might haue beene so justified but Abraham was justified by his workes that is by such a faith as had workes joyned with it And not Abraham onely but Rahab that is another example for it might be objected Abraham indeed beleeued and was justified by workes but Rahab had no workes shee was a wicked woman and therefore was justified by faith To this therfore he answereth that she had workes or else she could not haue beene saued vnlesse she had such a worke as that in sending away the Messengers her faith could not haue justified her Indeede that was a great worke for she aduentured her life in it And lastly saith he as the body without the soule is a dead body a stinking carrion there is no preciousnesse nor no excellency in it so faith without workes is dead Therefore looke to your faith doe not thinke that a faith that meerely taketh Christ and beleeueth in him that it is a faith that shall justifie you Let all these arguments perswade you that if it bee not a working faith it shall doe you no good Therefore let this be the first Vse to consider your faith whether it be effectuall or no by the working of it The second Vse that we may make of it is this Hence we should learne to iudge of our estates and conditions by the efficacie of our faith for if no faith be receiued but that which is effectuall then it behooues vs to looke to the working of our faith Againe if GOD accept no faith but that which is effectuall hence we may learne also not to beleeue all that say they haue faith nor to beleeue all those that say they haue none As for those that say they haue no faith yet if we see the fruites of faith in them that they haue those things that faith brings forth If you see a man that complaineth he beleeueth not yet if he loue the Saints if he endeuour to keepe GODS Commandements if he continue not in any knowne sinne if hee doe not dare to omit holy duties nor to sleight them certainely this man hath faith for we finde the effects of it there although he haue lost one act of his faith which is the comfortable assurance of a good estate yet if the first act by which he resteth vpon Christ and by which he taketh Christ to himselfe be there we may conclude there is faith When we see smoke and feele heate we say there is fire though we see no flame so when we see these fruits in a man we may boldly say he hath faith though he hath not such a reflect act as to know in himselfe that he hath it and so to haue a comfortable assurance of his condition On the other side if a man saith he knoweth and is perswaded that his sinnes are forgiuen his conscience is at rest and yet for all this we finde no workes I say this man hath not faith for there wants the efficacie of it So that as the two sonnes in the Gospell one said he would goe into the Vineyard and did not the other said he would not goe yet afterwards he repented and went so it is with these two the one saith he hath not faith and yet for all that we see he doth the things that faith requireth we see the efficacy of faith in him Againe the other saith hee hath faith and yet doth not bring forth the fruites of faith he doth not shew the efficacy of faith in his life the one shall be justified the other shall be condemned As when we take two Drugges or two Pearles c. the one hath lost his colour seemeth withered and dead so that to the outward view it hath lost all yet it hath its efficacie still that such a thing should haue the other looks very faire and hath a right colour and smell but it hath no efficacie in it wee say one is a liuely Drug and a good one and the other a counterfeit so when one man complaines that he hath no grace that he is an hypocrite and yet hee brings forth fruite worthy amendment of life and wee see the working of his faith I say this is true faith On the other side hee that makes a shew of faith and yet wants the efficacie of it he hath no faith Wee should learne thus to iudge when men professe they haue faith and wee finde it not by their workes It should teach both ciuill men and hypocrites to know their estates for it discouereth both For when the ciuill man commeth and
then other men they are forwarder then others in any thing they thinke other men are not like them And therefore they are ready to be more bold and venterous in any thing they are ready to take vp opinions they are ready to strike out this way or that way But now a true Christian is humbled with it because when Christ comes into the heart he makes a man to see his vilenesse As you know when GOD drew neere to Iob when he came neere him indeed then he abhorred himselfe in dust and ashes then hee saw what a one he was he saw not before he thought the contrary but when GOD drew neere indeed that made him manifest So it was with Isay when he saw GOD vpon his Throne and the Angels about him when he saw his holinesse then Woe is me I am vndone because I am a man of polluted lips He was so before but when he drew neere to GOD he saw it So Peter said depart from me I am a sinfull man when he saw Christ when Christ came neere him when he manifested himselfe in his Diuinity that he saw GOD in him for so he did by that Miracle that amazed Peter and cast him downe and made him see what hee was So Dauid when GOD drew neere to him and promised to build him an House to giue him a House that should be eternall to giue him the Messiah whose Kingdome should neuer end for that is included in the giuing him a Kingdome for euer and a House that should haue no end when God vouchsafed him so great a fauour we see Dauid was neuer so cast downe as then in the sight of his owne vilenes he was neuer so little in his own eyes he neuer said so much as he said then Now saith he what is Dauid What am I or what is my Fathers house that thou shouldst regard me thus that thou shouldst bring me hitherto This is Gods manner when he comes into a mans heart when he speakes peace indeed when Faith is a right Faith that brings CHRIST to dwell there I say it makes a man exceeding humble Therfore the spirit of Christians is a meeke spirit they are humble and gentle they are little in their owne eyes Consider whether thou hast such a disposition bred in thee or no it is a signe thy faith is good if there be if there be not it is a signe thy faith is not true So much for the signes of faith I make haste because I haue one Vse more to adde If nothing be regarded of GOD but effectuall faith that is if that be the vertue of faith to be effectuall or else it is nothing worth then we should learne hence not to let that be wanting to our faith which is the excellencie of it which is the vertue of it which is the proper quality of it As if it be the vertue of a Horse to goe well If it be the vertue of a Knife to cut well If it be the vertue of a Souldier to fight well or whatsoeuer you will instance in whatsoeuer vertue it be or whatsoeuer thing you labour to find that in it whatsoeuer be wanting for euery thing hath some proper excellency some speciall vertue wherein the thing consists Now to be effectuall to be working to be operatiue If this be the vertue of Faith as it were if this be the character and excellency of faith Let not this therefore be wanting in faith What is that then thou shouldst doe Vse thy faith set faith aworke liue by it You will say This is more then I can doe this is Gods action he must set faith aworke and worke this in me I say thou art able to doe this of thy selfe when thou hast faith once I speake to those that haue it and this exhortation is to you If you haue faith vse it many haue it that doe not vse it This is a thing that you are able to doe For though God worke in you all the worke of faith as it is receiued yet know he doth not worke in you onely but by you he makes you instruments you are not as dead instruments but as liuing instrumēts to moue of your selues It is true that before you haue faith you are able to doe nothing but when you haue it once then you are able to vse it Before a man hath life he is not able to stir but when he hath life once then he is able to moue and stir himselfe for there is life there when the Lampe is once lighted you know you may feede it with Oyle and if you put more Oyle to it you shall haue the greater flame There is light and you may increase it indeed the difficulty is to light it and that is Gods worke he kindles the first fire hee workes faith in the heart But now when thou hast it learne to vse it Dost thou thinke a necessity lyes vpon vs to vse other Talents that GOD hath put into our hands and will he not require that thou shouldst vse the Talent of Faith Wilt thou wrap that in a Napkin and let it lye dead by thee Will not he call thee to an accompt for it What folly is it my brethren you haue faith which is so excellent a Grace able to doe so great things as it is and yet you will not vse it There are many Christians that haue Faith indeed and yet will not set it on worke How great things would it doe what a reward would it bring As Aristotle saith of habits That if a man haue no more but a habit and vse it not there is no difference betweene the wisest man and a foole for what are habits for but for action what is the Tree for but for fruit The habit serues but for the act and this is according to the iudgement of Scripture in Rom. 2. God rewards not men according to the habits they haue but according to their workes Therefore thinke not that thou shalt be rewarded according to thy habits of Faith which thou hast though it be true that that sanctifies thee but GOD doth reward vs according to the vse of our faith according to the workes that our Faith doth bring forth according to the efficacie of our faith It is true the taking of Christ is one worke of Faith thou shouldst set it aworke to doe that and besides that all the workes of sanctification are all workes of Faith all thy life long euery houre thou hast somewhat for Faith to doe Set thy faith aworke and thy reward shall be accordingly And againe if thou vse not Faith thou shalt haue little enough of it the vsing of it is that which strengthens Faith It is Gods vsuall manner when he giues Faith to a man to giue him exercise to keepe his Faith breathing as it were hee will be sure to haue somewhat wherein hee will put him to it some tribulation he will put fire to
this what it is that puts us into the happy estate of life and salvatiō Faith But it is faith that works by love This is enough to make this cleere to you that these two great radicall vertues faith and love are the two pillars as it were upon which our salvation is built The first of them we have handled at large Faith and the efficacy of it in the Text we handled of effectuall faith Now the other remaines of Love whence wee will deliver this point to you that Whosoever loves not whatsoever else he find in himselfe whosoever loves not the Lord Iesus is not in Christ and by consequent in a cursed and damnable estate Because this is necessarily required that you have faith and love or else you can have no salvation or else you are not in Christ and cannot be acceptable of God through Christ. So our businesse will be to open unto you this grace of love that you may know what it is And that you may know it we must first declare unto you a little in generall what this affection of love is All affections as you know are nothing else but the diverse motions and turnings of the will as the will turnes it selfe this way or that way so a man is said to be affected to love or to hate to grieve or to rejoyce Now love is that act of the will whereby it turnes it selfe to a thing as hatred is that wherby it turnes it selfe from a thing And that which is the object of this affection of love is something that is good for that which is true and that which is beautifull is not the proper object of love that is the object of the intuitive understanding but it is no further the object of love than it is good For this take for a generall rule We love nothing but as it is good And a thing is said to be good when it is sutable proportionable and agreeable to us for that is the definition of a good thing There may be many things that are excellent that are not good to us we say not that any thing is good but that which sutes and is agreeable to us and convenient for us So that if you take the definition of this affection in generall of love Love is nothing else but a disposition of the will whereby it cleaves or makes forward to some good that is agreeable to it selfe I say it is a disposition of the will whereby it cleaves to and makes forward to some good thing agreeable to it selfe which you must marke for we shall have use of all this in the sequel of this tract Now this love shewes it selfe by two effects it would have the thing it loves to be preserved And secondly a man that loves would have it his and therefore he drawes neere to it or else he drawes the thing neere to him For ◠take it not to be true that is commonly taken for granted that love is a desire of union for we doe not alwayes desire that the thing should be united to us that we love for a thing may be too neare us as letters may be too neare the eye as well as too farre off But wee would have things in such a distance as is most agreeable to us as we love fire for our use but it may be too neare us and wee love a knife for our use but it may be too neere So by the way marke it It is not alwayes a desire of union but it is a desire to have the thing it loves in such a distance as is most agreeable to us but still remember this that love shewes it selfe by these two effects It desires the preservation of the thing Secondly he would that what he loves might be his As when a man loves an unreasonable creature when hee loves a glasse when he loves a horse he preserves the glasse he keepes the horse strong and faire and if he can he would have them for his use So a man that loves riches or honour or that loves a good name he preserves them he would have them his that is he would have them at his owne arbitrement for his owne turne service So a man that loves his sonne or his friend he desires the preservation of them and withall he would have them his that is he would have them so sure united to him as may stand with his conveniencie This is the nature of love one thing more know of it it is a commanding affection Love and hatred are as it were the great Lords and Masters that divide the rest of the affections betweene them as when a man loves he desires he goes and makes forward towards the thing he loves if he obtaine it he rejoyceth in it if he doe not obtaine it yet if there be probability then hee hopes if there be no probability then he despaires if there be any inconvenience and impediment that hinders him in his prosecution he is angry with it and desires to remove it thus these affections hang on love Againe on the other side as love desires the preservation of the thing in a neerenesse and union of it so hatred desires the destruction of the thing and the separation from it And upon this affection likewise hang the others when a man hates a thing he flies from it if it overtakes him hee grieves if it be likely it will overtake him though it be not yet on him he feares if he thinke he is strong enough to resist it hee is bolde and confident So these two affections I say divide the rest Now I will adde but this further that I may declare to you the generall nature of this affection that is the kindes of love And you shall finde these kindes of love I will name them briefly First there is a love of pitty as when you love a thing you know you desire the preservation of it when you finde any thing lye upon it that destroyes it you pitty the thing you love and desire to remove it So a father pitties his sonne when hee is sicke when hee is vicious and untoward hee loves him now with a love of pitty he desires to remove the thing that hurts it Secondly there is a love of concupiscence that is when a man desires the thing that hee is said to love meerely for his use As when you love an inanimate creature or any other creature for your use you are said to love it with a love of concupiscentiall desire and this in common men is a sutablenesse between the object and the lower faculties Thirdly there is a love of complacency when a man is well pleased with the thing that is when the object is somewhat adaequate to the higher faculties of the will and understanding that there is some agreeablenesse betweene the thing loved and the frame of the soule so that when he looks on it hee is well pleased with it So the master loves
that loves not let him bee accursed let him bee had in execration to the death I should prosecute it further and shew the reasons why wee should loue the Lord as there is great reason But that I must deferre till the afternoone FINIS THE SECOND SERMON GALLAT 5.6 For in Iesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision but Faith which worketh by Love THE last tryall of our love to Christ was its constraining vertue love will constraine you to serve him you cannot choose but doe it it so constraines a man as the weight of a stone compelleth it to goe to the center as the lightnesse of the fire compells it to ascend up for such a thing is love a strong inclination of the heart when the soule puts it selfe on any thing from an inward principle from a bottome of its owne when it is carried on with no other motive but the amiablenes of the object Now to conclude this wee must beseech you to consider your owne condition and examine your selves by these rules that you may be able to say as Peter said Lord thou knowest I love thee that is to have such an assurance that your hearts may be well affected towards Christ Iesus that you may love him that you may be able to say to God who knowes our hearts searcheth our reines that knowes all the windings and turnings of your soules Lord thou knowest that I love thee Since it is a matter of such moment wee should be carefull to examine if we finde that we have not yet this love for we must know that all that we have all that we doe it will nothing availe us but faith which worketh by love And if you object why doe ye preach damnation to us doe you tell us we are in an evill condition for want of this love I answere it is profitable for you while you are in such a condition to have it preached it is good for you to speake this damnation to your selves that while yet there is hope you may seek to be healed that you may be translated into another condition that you may not perish in the evill day when there shal be neither hope nor helpe for you For you must know that when wee deliver you these signes of examining your selves our end is not to grieue you this doctrine tends not to destruction but to discover to you your owne hearts that you may know your owne condition that if you want it you may seek after it If therefore you finde a want of this love that we will doe next shall be to shew you what reason you have to love the Lord Iesus for there is no better way to get it in you than to describe him to you to shew you what cause there is of loving him if wee were able to present him to you as he is we should effect this thing but that must be the worke of the holy Ghost notwithstanding we will briefly open to you such reasons as we finde used in the Scriptures And first let this moue you to loue him that he is worthy to be beloved as David speakes Psal. 18.3 The Lord is worthy to be praised so wee may say the Lord is worthy to be loved for what is it that makes any thing worthy of loue it is the excellency that we finde there Now in the Lord there is all kinde of excellency whatsoever there is that is amiable under the Sunne all that you shall finde in him more abundantly If ever you see any thing in any creature any thing amiable in man if ever you saw any beauty any vertue any excellency all these must be more abundant in him that made these creatures And therefore if you haue a loue as there is no man without some loue or other some creature seemes beautifull to you thinke with your selues this is more in the Lord. If ever you see excellency in any man if ever you see any noblenesse any holinesse any excellency of disposition know that it is more abundant in the Lord Iesus Let these rivers leade you to that Ocean to that abundance of excellency that is in the Lord. And if you loue any creature let it be with a little loue let your affection be proportionable to the object as it exceedes in the Lord so let your loue exceede towards him to loue him with all your soule and all your strength And know this that hee hath not onely that in an omnipotent manner that is but sprinkled among the creatures they haue but a sparke but a drop of it but also there is this in the Lord that there is nothing in him but that which is amiable every creature hath some imperfection in it there is somewhat in it may cause aversation in you there is no man but hath some weaknesse but hath some infirmity there is no creature but it hath some want some defect in it but in the Lord there is no want there is nothing to put you off but as the Church saith Cant. 5. He is wholly delectable that is there is nothing in him but that which is amiable That would be a very profitable thing for us in this case often to thinke on the Lord Iesus to present him to our selues in our thoughts as the Spouse doth Cant. 5. shee considers her wellbeloved is the fairest of ten thousand so wee should beholde the person of our husband You know it is but a harlottry loue to consider what wee haue by our husband to consider what riches he brings what honour and not often to contemplate upon his person and upon his vertue and excellency wee should learne to doe this with the Lord that wee may loue him Therefore that wee may helpe you a little in this contemplation wee will shew you how the Lord hath described himselfe Exod. 34.4 when the Lord describes himselfe to Moses thus he declares his owne name The Lord Iehovah strong mercifull gracious long-suffering abundant in kindnesse and in truth reserving mercies for thousands forgiving iniquity transgression and sinne c. Wee will a little open to you this description that the Lord giues us of himselfe that so you may learne to know what hee is for the way to loue the Lord is to know him and indeed therefore we loue him not because we know him not there is no other reason why in heaven when we shall come to be present with him wee shall loue him so abundantly but because wee shall know him face to face that is the reason the Angels and the Saints loue most And of every man amongst the Saints hee that knowes most loues most Therefore it should be your labour to know the Lord. But to open as I say this description unto you First he is Iehovah that is hee is a constant friend to whomsoever he is a friend he is alway the same for that is another name by which the Lord describes himselfe to Moses when he sends him
his children to waite in it 2 122 Sanctification we must set faith on worke to increase it 2 212 How faith sanctifyeth the heart 2 213 Saved If Christ should not receive sinners none should be saved 1 113 Scriptures Scriptures beleeved in generall 2 34 Science Science 1 47 Sciences of two sorts 3 200 Seale Seale double 2 153 Security Security a cause of the pestilence 3 92 Security double Ibid. Seed How salvation is sure to all the seed 1 44 Season Season our workes must sute with it 3 209 Season what duties befit us in it Ibid. Selfe Self-crossing a signe of love to God 3 64 Why we must love God above our selves 3 166 Service Service to God and men different 3 154 Shew Difference betweene faith and a shew of holinesse 1 85 In prayer God sheweth himselfe to us 3 50 Gods shewing himselfe begets love 3 54 Shepheard Magistrates shepheards 3 78 Signe Signe in what cases God will give it 1 124 Sin Sinfull Sin the greatnesse of it 1 26 Sin the nature of it not altered by faith 1 59 Sin the efficacy of it taken away by faith 1 60 Sins most hainous Christ came to pardon 2 151 Sinfull love 3 10 Sin the consideration of it makes us love God 3 52 Sin delight in it and love of GOD cannot stand together 3 159 See Exelude Slippery Slippery places wicked men stand in 2 210 Sonne Sonne of GOD offereth his love to us 3 144 Soule Soule turned to GOD by faith 2 44 Soule needeth refreshing 3 114. Soule the adorning of it 3 173 Sound Sound heart hath good workes 3 193 Sorrow Sorrow for offending God a signe of love 3 116 Sorrow the want of it worse than the sin it selfe 3 117 Speake Love delights to speake of the party loved 3 75 Spirit Spirituall Spirit given more largely now than before 1 4 Spirit makes us love Christ. 2 50 Spirits testimony wrought two wayes 2 53 Spirit all arguments without it prevaile not 2 54 Spirits of men not alike troubled in conversion 2 86 Spirits immediate testimonie 2 89 Spirits testimony how to know it 2 90 Spirituall ioy 2 133 Spirit sound will beare affliction 2 191 Spirit the more we beleeve the more wee have of it 2 215 Spirituall love 3 11 Spirit is strong 3 187 Stranger Strangenesse Wicked men come to God as a stranger 2 106 Strangenes dissolveth love 3 105 Strength Faith takes away opinion of our owne strength 1 72 We daily want new strength 1 135 Strengthening of faith usefull 2 73. Study Study of a Christian. 3 142 Stone White stone what it signifieth 2 85 Successe Successe promised to good causes 2 163 Sudden Miseries come suddenly on the wicked 2 210 How things are said to be suddaine Ibid. Holy men may be suddainely transported to sinne 3 195 Sure How righteousnesse becomes sure 1 8 43 Sutable Looking on GOD as sutable to us breedes love 3 139 Suffering Suffering for Christ. 1 24 Suffering a fruite of love 3 77 Suffering a kinde of doing 3 77 Suffering a good worke 3 209 T. Taking Taking of Christ what 1 16 When we come to take Christ. 1 96 The efficacy of faith in taking Christ 2 41 What taking of Christ is effectuall 2 43 Taking Christ deceitfully 2 97 Taking Christ the way to salvation 3 5 Taught A Christian better taught than learned men wanting grace 3 197 Teaching Teaching of GOD what 2 12 Temptation Some cleave to Christ â—or want of temptations 2 25 Every man hath some particular temptation 2 65 Testimonie see Spirit Time Our time in GODS hands 2 182 GOD meetes with evill men in the worst time 2 211 Time a precious talent 3 113 Triall GOD puts men to tryall that they may holde out 1 9â— GOD gives no grace but hee hath tryalls for it 2 121 Trouble True ioy holds out in trouble 2 132 Trust. Trusting GOD. 2 116 Trusting GOD instances of it 2 117 Trusting in GOD what 2 168 When we are said to trust in GOD 2 171 Trusting GOD ingageth him to helpe us 2 17â— See Meanes Truth GOD abundant in truth 3 42 Turne Turning To turne to GOD what 2 99 How to use faith in the turnings of our life 2 156 V. Vaine Faith without workes is vaine 2 63 Vehement Love vehement as fire 3 89 Vertues Morall vertues GOD regards not without faith 1 82 Difference betweene faith and morall vertues 1 83 Virgins see Love Vnderstanding Faith wrought in the understanding 1 16 Vnderstanding what required in it touching faith 1 55 Vnderstanding 4 things in it touching the promise 1 95 Vnderstanding cleare makes faith effectuall 2 â—3 Vnderstanding what in it hinders love 3 108 Vneffectuall 5. Causes why faith is uneffectuall 2 6. Vngodly God iustifieth the ungodâ—y 2 149 Vnworthily To receive the Sacrament unworthily what 1 87 Two sorts receive the Sacrament unworthily 3 59 Voice Voice immediate 2 53 Voice soft what 2 88 Voice of the Spirit in us 2 105 Voice of Gods Spirit how to know it 2 106 Vprightnes Gods blessing according to our uprightnes 2 181 Vse Those that have faith are able to use it 2 139 How to use faith 2 142 Vse of grace increaseth it 3 204 Vile When a man is vile in his owne eyes 2 136 W. Wages Love desireth no wages 3 27 Walke To walke with GOD what 3 25 Warre True peace comes after warre 2 109 Way When wee looke on Gods wayes as contrary to us we hate him 3 132 See Good workes see Taking Waite True faith is content to waite 2 121 Instances of waiting 2 122 Weake Faith is weake for want of using 2 140 Love to God weakeneth sinne 2 214 Weake grace is grace 3 148 Will Willing Will faith wrought in it 1 16 Will must take Christ. 1 21 Will three things in it in taking Christ. 1 22 Those that are willing to take Christ how they are affected 1 32 Iustifying faith differeth from generall faith in the act of the will 1 49 Will what required in it touching faith 1 56 We must be willing to kill our lusts 1 92 Will the drawing of it to take the promises 1 101 Will how drawne 1 103 Will drawne by three meanes 1 104 Will what in it hinders love 3 108 Will taken for the deed when 3 201 Wee must be willing to suffer for Christ. 3 99 Wisedome Wisedome in three things 2 199 Property of wisedome 3 206 Wonders Wonders wrought now though no miracles 2 177 Worth Worthy To be worthy of Christ what 1.29 75 Faith take from a man all opinion of worth 1 71 Christ worthy of our love 3 34 Worship If Christ were not ready to pardon hee should not be worshipped 1 113 Worke Working Faith and opinion differ in their working 1 120 Working shewes a thing to bee effectuall 2 27 Working in doing and suffering 2 45 Good works the way to salvation 2 60 Worke-lesse faith five arguments against it 2 62 True
2. 2 Cor. 5.21 2. Quest. How we shall come by it Ans. Esay 9.6 Ioh. 3.16 Rom. 5.17 Reasons why it is by gift Rom. 4.5 3. Quest. To whom it is giuen Ans. Mark 16.15 Reu. 22.17 Obiect Ans. 1. Answ. 2. Ans. 3. Ans. 4. Obiect Ans. 4. Quest. Vpon what qualifications it is giuen Ans. 1 Cor. 6.9 1. Obiect Ans. 1. Ans. 2. Simile 5. Quest. Ans. Simile Simile Esay 55.1 What this taking is Ans. Faith what Obiect Answ. 1 Tim. 1.15 Simile Three things must concurre in receiuing Christ. Ioh. 5.44 Ioh. 1.11.12 Three things required in the will in taking Christ. 6. Quest. What is required of vs when we haue it Ans. Mat. 3.2 Tit. 2.14 Obiect Ans. Obiect Ans. Ioh. 1.12 13. Vse 1. Mar. 16.16 Ioh. 6.44 Cant. 3. Vse 2. Mat. 11.28 29. Three considerations to moue men to take Christ. Doct. 2. Two Couenants 1. Absolute Ier. 31. Ezek. 36. 2. Conditionall Mar. 16. Rom. 4.5 Quest. Ans. Though holinesse be required it is Gods worke Simile Eph. 2.10 Habits Why God will saue men by faith 1. Reason 2. Reason 3. Reason 4. Reason 1 Cor. 1.30 Eph 4. Freedome from euill to the Saints whence it is Faith what in generall Assent of three sorts Iustifying faith How it differs from generall faith 1 In the obiect 2 In the act of the will Heb. 11 1â— Definition of iustifying faith How faith taketh Christ. We must not only beleeue but receiue Christ. Ioh. 3. Foure things touching faith 1 The obiect of it 2 Cor. 1. Ioh. 3. True loue lookes first to Christs person Mar. 16. Baptizing what meant by it in Mat. 16. 2 The subiect of faith What required in the vnderstanding 2 Cor. 4. What required of the will Rom. 5.17 Ioh. 1.12 This act of the will wrought by God 3 How faith iustifieth Faith altereth not the nature of sinne Note 4 The acts of faith 1 To reconcile vs. 2 To pacifie the heart Direct and reflect act of faith Difference betweene them 3 To purifie thâ— heart Vse 1. Not to be discouraged to come to God A double quality in faith Quest. Ans. Faith emptieth a man of two things 1 Cor. 1.30 Double complaint in sense of want Vse 2. To reioyce in God Eph. 1.6 Eph. 2. 2 Cor. 1.30 Rom. 6.4 Phil 3. Reu. 7.11 Vse 3. To labour for faith aboue all Gal. 5.5.6 Without faith God regards not morall vertues Difference betweene faith and morall vertues Difference betweene faith and shewes of holinesse Vse 4. To apply the promises with boldnesse Gods free promise should incourage vs to come with boldnesse 1 Ioh 1.9 Luk. 11.6.8 Obiect Answ. Christ requireth but a willingnesse to mortifie our lusts Obiect Answ. 2 Cor. 8.9 Two things in laying hold on the promises 4. Things in the vnderstanding Quest. Ioh. 16. Ioh. 6.44 Cant. 2.3 The will drawne by 3. meanes 1. Meanes 1 Cor. 10. 2. Meanes 3. Meanes Arguments to perswade vs of Christs willingnesse to recâ—iue sinners 1 By expressions in Scripture 2 By Christs practice when he was on Earth 3 Else Christs blood were shed in vaine 4 By the example of others pardoned 5 Else no flesh should be saued 6 By the infinitenesse of Gods mercy Obiect Ans. 2. Obiect Ans. By denying our selues we enioy our selues better Obiect Ans. Doct. 1. Doct. 2. Doct. 3. Faith admits degrees Two parts in the Doctrine Faith admits of degrees in 4. respects 1 In perswasion Obiect Ans. Obiect Ans. Wherein faith and opinion differ 2 In respect of difficulties Numb 11. 3 In regard of extent The reflect act of faith admits degrees Vse 1. To comfort Vse 2. For exhortation 2 Pet. 1. 13. Motiues to grow in faith Doct. The faith that saues vs must be effectuall Men are apt to deceiue themselues That many men haue a false faith proued by instances both in the Old and New Testament Ioh. 2.23.24 Ioh. 5.35 Mat. 22.8 9 10 11. opened Mat. 13. Ier. 3.10 opened Deut. 5.25 Verse 29. Simile Three things opened 1 The Causes why the faith of many is vneffectuall which are fiue Cause 1. Taking Christ vpon mis-information Instances 1 The yong man that came to Christ. Luk. 18. 2 The Scribe Mat. 8.20 opened Note Cause 2. Taking Christ out of feare Isa. 58. opened Note Simile Cause 3. Taking Christ for loue of the good things by him and not for loue to his person Note Simile Ioh. 6.26 opened Some men seeke mercy and not grace Cant. 5.12 opened We may looke to our own aduantages by Christ. Cause 4. Want of humiliation Deut. 30.6 opened The Spirit of Elias what Without sound humiliation sinne is not accounted the greatest euill nor Christ the greatest good Cause 5. Because faith is not grounded aright Eph. 4.10 opened Col. 1.23 opened Hope that is not wel grounded holds not out Deut. 13.1 2 3. opened 2 Pet. 3.17 2 Wherein the efficacy of faith consisteth Three things opened 1 In what sence faith is called effectuall Things are said to be effectuall in 4. respects 1 When they doe their proper office The proper function of faith what Faith may bee effectuall though it bee mingled with doubting Iam. 1.7 8. opened A double-minded man who Papists tenent of doubting What doubting it is that faith excludeth How to try truth of doubting Simile Some men cleaue to Christ for wans of temptations True faith not without doubtings and feares sometimes Simile Doubting a signe of a good heart 2 A thing is effectuall in opposition to that which is vaine and empty Simile Simile Iam. 2.17.20 26. 3 A thing is said to be effectuall when it is operatiue Simile 4 When it goes thorow with the worke in hand 2 wherein the efectualnesse of faith consists in 4. things I When the preparation is good Luk. 9.62 opened Sound humiliation fits men for Christ. Instances 1 In the Israelites 2 In the Prodigall Men hold not without sound humiliation Reu. 2.25 opened Mat. 10. â— opened II When the vnderstanding is cleare When a man is said to be well built 1 When he beleeues the Scriptures in generall 2 The promises in particular Application of the offer of Christ. Eph. 2.19 20. opened Note Ioh. 4.44 Particular knowledge 1 Ioh. 1.19 opened Ioh. 6.68 opened The third thing wherein the efficacie of faith consists to take Christ. Heb. 10.22 opened Vers. 38. Eph. 3.17 Reu. 3 2â— What taking of Christ is effectuall Eph. 5.23 opened Gen. 2.24 We must draw neere out of loue to Christ. 1 Tim. 1.5 4 Thing wherin the efficacy of faith consists The turning of the whole soule Gal. 5. Working in doing and suffering Why the promises are made promiscuously God tryeth mens graces Ioh. 12.42 3 How effectuall faith is wrought It is not in mans power to beleeue Quest. Answ. How the Holy Ghost worketh faith by three things 1 Putting an efficacy in the Law A man cannot see his sins to purpose without the spirit of bondage Act. 16. 2 By shewing the