the Kings Statute and Law if it vary in any thing from his intention it s not valid and binding I beseech you take the Scriptures for the Rule of your walking or else you will wander the Scripture is Regula regulans a ruling Rule If you be not acquainted with It you must follow the opinions or examples of other men and what if they lead you unto destruction Joh. 5. 39. Search the Scriptures for in them c. Eph. 2. 20. And are built upon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles AS in darknesse there is need of a Lanthorn without and the light of the eyes within for neither can we see in darknesse without some Lamp though we have never so good eyes nor yet see without eyes though in never so clear a Sun-shine So there is absolute need for the guiding of our feet in the dangerous and dark paths to Eternall life that is full of pits and snares of the Lamp or Wood written or preached without us and the illumination of the holy Ghost within us These are conjoyned Isa. 56. 21. This is my Covenant the spirit that is upon thee and the words that I have put in thy mouth shal not depart out of thy mouth nor the mouth of thy seed c. There are words without and there must needs be a Spirit within which makes us to behold the truth and grace contained in these words There is a Law written without with pen and ink and there is a Law written within upon the heart with the Spirit of the living God The Law without is the Patern and exact copy the Law within is the Transcript or the Image of God upon the heart framed and fashioned according to the similitude of it 2 Cor. 3. 3. Heb. 8. 10. So then there needs be no more question about the Divine Authority of the Scriptures among those who have their senses exercised to descern between good and ill than among men who see and taste concerning light and darknesse sweet bitter The perswasion of a Christian is fetched deeper than the reasons of men their faith is the evidence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not seen it s an eye a supernaturall eye whereby a soul beholds that Majesty and excellency of God shinning in the word which though it shine about the rest of the World yet it 's not seen because they cannot know it nor descern it Wonder not that the multitude of men cannot believe the report that is made that there is so few who find any such excellency and sweetnesse in the Gospel as is reported because saith Isai. 53. 1. the arm of the Lord is not revealed to them the hand of God must first write on their heart ere they understand the Writtings of the Scriptures his arm must creat an eye in their souls an eternal light before it can behold that glorious brightnesse of Gods shinning in the word The word is Gods testimony of himself of his grace and mercy and good-will to mankind Now no man can receive this testimony unlesse it be sealed and confirmed by the holy Ghost into the heart saith Peter We are his witnesses of these things and so also is the holy Ghost whom God hath given to those that obey him Acts 5. 32. The word witnesses to the ear and the spirits testifieth to our spirits the truth and worth of that and therefore the spirit is a seal and a witnesse The word is the Lord's voice to his own Children Bastards cannot know it but my sheep hear my voice Joh. 10 4. 16. You know no difference between the bleeting of one sheep and another but the poor lambs know their mothers voice there is a secret instinct of nature that is more powerfull than many marks and signs Even so those that are begotten of God know his voice they descern that in it which all the world that hear it cannot descern there is a sympathy between their souls and that living Word that word is the immortall seed they are begotten of and there is a naturall instinct to love that and to mediate in it such an inclination to it as in new born babes to the breasts so the Children of God do desire the sincere milk of the Word that they may grow thereby aâ—… they were born of it 1 Pet. 2. 2. In these Scriptures which we read in your audience you have something of their excellency and our duty there is a rich jewel in them a precious pearl in that field even Jesus Christ and in him eternall life and therefore we ought to search the Scriptures for this jewel to dig in the field for this pearl the Doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles is a sure foundation whereupon souls may build their eternall felicity and the hope of it Jesus Christ is the very chief stone in that foundation whereupon the weight of all the Saints and all their hope hangs And therefore we ought to lean the weight of our Souls only to this truth of God and build our faith only upon it and square our practice only by it We shal speak something of the first that it may be a spurre to the second The Jews had some respective opinion of the word of God they knew that in them waseternall life they thought it a Doctrine of life and happinesse and so cryed up Moses Writtings but they would not believe Christs words they erred not understanding the Scriptures and so set the Writtings of Moses Law at variance with the preaching of Christs Gospel What a pittyfull mistake was this they thought they had eternall life in the Scriptures and yet they did not receive nor acknowledge him whom to know was eternall life therefore our Lord Jesus sends them back again to the Scriptures go and search them you think and you think well that in then you may find the way to eternall life but while you seek it in them you mistake it These Scriptures testifie of me the end of the Law but you cannot behold the end of that Ministry because of the blindnesse of your hearts Rom. 10. 3. 2 Cor. 3. 14. Therefore search again unfold the ceremonies I am wrapt in them and life eternall with me dig up the Law till you find the bottome of Gods purpose in it till you find the end of the Ministration and you shal find me the way and truth and life and so you shal have that eternall life which now you do but think you have and are beguiled While you seek it out of me in vain you think you have it for it is not in the Scriptures but because they testifie of me the life and the light of men May not this now commend the word to us Eternall life is in it Other Writings and discourses may tickle the ears with some pleasing eloquence but that is vanishing it s but like a Musitians voice some may represent some petty momentary advantage but how soon shal an end be put till all that so that within
but a name they have some outward priviledges of Baptism and hearing the Word and it may be have a form of knowledge and a form of worship but in the mean time they are not baptized in heart they are in all their conversation even conformed to the Heathen world they hate personall reformation and think it too precise and needlesse Now I say such are many of you yet ye would not take it well to have it questioned whether ye shal be partakers of Eternall life you think you are wronged when that is called in question Oh that it were beyond all question indeed But know assuredlie That you are but Christians in the Letter in the Flesh and not in the Spirit Many of you have not so much as a form of knowledge have not so much as the Letter of Religion You have heard some names in the preaching often repeated as Christ and God and Faith and Heaven and Hell you know no more of these but the name you consider not and meditate not on them And those who know the truth of the Word yet the Word abideth not nor dwelleth in you you have it in your mouth you have it in your minde or understanding but it is not received in love it doth not dwell in the heart Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly Col. 3. 16. you have it imprisoned in your minds and shut up into a corner where it is useless can do no more but witnesse against you and scarce that as the Gentils incarcerated and detained the truth of God written by nature within them in unrighteousnesse Rom. 1. 18. So do many of you detain the knowledge of his word in unrighteousness it hath no place in the heart gets no libertie and freedom to walk through the affections and so to order the conversation of men And therefore the most part of men do but fancie to themselves an interest and right to eternall life you think it and do but think it it is but a strong imagination that hath no strength from the grounds of it no stabilitie from any evidence or promise but meerly from it self or it is but a light and vain conjecture that hath no strength in it because there is no question or doubts admitted which many try the strength of it But then I suppose that a man could attain some answerable walking that he had not onlie a form of knowledge but some reality of practice some inward heat of affection zeal for God and godlinesse yet there is one thing that wants and if it be wanting will spoil all And it is this which Christ reproves in the Jews You will not come to me to have life The Scri-Scriptures testifie of me but you receive not their testimonie Suppose a man had as much equitie and justice towards men piety towards God sobriety towards himself as can be found among the best of men let him be a diligent reader of the Scriptures let him love them meditate on them day and night yet if he do not come out of himself and leave all his own righteousnesse as dung behind him that he may be found in Jesus Christ he hath no life he cannot have any right to life eternall You may think this a strange assertion that if a man had the righteousnesse holinesse of an Angel yet he could not be saved without denying all that and fleeing to Christ as an ungodly man And you may think it as strange a supposell that any person that reads the Scriptures and walks righteously and hath a zeal towards God yet are such as will not come to Christ and will not hear him whom the Father hath sent But the first is the very substance of the Gospell There is no other Name by which men may be saved but by Iesus Christ Acts 4. 12. Life eternall is all within him All the treasures of grace and wisdom and knowledge are seated in him Col. 1. 19. and 2 3. All the light of life and salvation is imbodied in this Sun of Righteousnesse since the Eclipse of mans felicitie in the Garden Adam was a living soul but he lost his own life and killed his Posterity Christ Jesus the second common man in the world is a quickning Spirit he hath not only life in himself but he gives it more abundantly and therefore you have it so often repeated in Iohn who was the Disciple most acquainted with Christ In him was life and the life was the light of men 1. 4. And he is the bread of life that gives life to the World Joh. 6. 33. and 35. He is the resurrection and the life 11. 25. and The way the truth and life 14. 6. The Scriptures do not contain eternall life but in as far as they lead to him who is life and whom to know and imbrace is eternall life And therefore saith he These are they which testifie of me Men lived immediatlie in God when he was in innocencie he had life in himself from God but then he began to live in himself without dependance on God the fountain of life and this himself being interposed between God and his life it evanished even as a Beam by the interveening of any grosse body between it and the Sun Now mans light and life being thus eclipsed and cut off the Lord is pleased to let all fulnesse dwell in his Son Jesus Christ and The fulnesse of the God-head dwels in him bodily Col. 2. 9. that since there was no accesse immediatly to God for life a flamming fire and sword of Divine Justice compassing and guarding the tree of Life left man should touch it there might be accesse to God in a Mediator like unto us that we might come to him and might have life from God by the intervention of Jesus Christ. Look then what is in the holy Scriptures and you shal find it but a letter of death and ministration of condemnation while it is separated from him Christ is the very life and spirit of the Scriptures by whose vertue they quicken our souls if you consider the perfect Rule of Righteousnesse in the Law you cannot find life there because you cannot be conformed unto it the holiest man offends in every thing and that holy Law being violated in any thing will send thee to hell with a curse Cursed is he that abideth not in every thing If you look upon the promise of life Do this and live What comfort can you find in it except you could find doing in your selves And can any man living find such exact obedience as the Law requires There is a mistake among many They conceive that the Lord cannot be well pleased with them if they do what they can but be not deceived the law of God requires perfect doing it will not compound with thee and came down in its tearms not one jot of the rigour of it will be remitted If you cannot do all that is commanded all you do
make our abode with him Ioh. 14. 23. Here now is an evidence that he likes it for he must needs like that place he chooses to dwell in he who hath such a glorious Mansion and Palace above he must needs love that soul dearly that he will prefer it to his high and holy place Now I know it will be the secret question and complaint of some souls How shal I get love to God I cannot love him my heart is so desperatly wicked I cannot say as Peter Lord thou knowest that I love thee I shal not insist upon the discovery of your love unto you by marks and signs only I say if thou indeed from thy heart desires to love him art grieved that there is not this love in thy soul to him which becomes so love-worthy a Saviour then thou indeed lovest him for he that loveth the love of God loveth God himself And wherefore aâ—…t thou sad for want of that love but because thou lovest him in some measure and withall finds him beyond all that thou canst think and love But I say that which most concerns thee is to love still more and that thou wouldest be more earnest to love him then to know that thou loves him Now I know no more effectuall way to encrease love to Jesus Christ then to believe his love Christ Jesus is the Author and Finisher both of Faith and Love and we love him because he first loved us Therefore the right discovery of Jesus Christ what he is and what he hath done for sinners is that which will of all things most prevail to engage the soul unto him But as long as ye suspend you Faith upon the being or encrease of your Love and obedience as the manner of too many is you take even such a course as he that will not plant the Tree till he see the fruit of it which is contrary to common sense reason Since this then is the sum of true Religion to believe in Christ and to love him and so live to him we shal wind up all that is spoken into that exhortation of the Apostles Hold fast the form of sound words which thou hast heard You have this Doctrine of Faith and Love delivered unto you which may be able to save your souls Then I beseech you hold them fast salvation is in them they are sound words and wholesom words words of life spirit life as Christ speaks as well as words of truth But how will you hold them fast that have them not at all that know them not though you hear them You who are ignorant of the Gospel and hear nothing but a sound of words in stead of sound wholesome words how can you hold them fast Can a man hold the wind in the hollow of his hand or keep in a sound within it You know no more but a sound a wind that passeth by your ear without observing either truth or life in it But then again you who understand these sound words and have a form of knowledge of the Letter of the Law what will that avail you You cannot hold it fast except you have it within you and it is within you indeed when it is in your heart when the form of it is engraven upon the very soul in love Now thogh you understand the sound of these words the sound of truth in them yet you receive not the living Image of them which is Faith and Love Can you paint a sound Can you form it or engrave it on any thing Nay but these sound words are more substantial solid they must be engraven on the heart else you will never hold them they may bee easily plucked out of the mouth and hand by temptation unlesse they be enclosed and laid up in the secret of the heart as Mary laid them The truth must hold thee fast or thou canst not hold it fast it must captivate thee and bind thee with the Golden chains of affection which only is true freedom or certainly thou wilt let it go Nay you must not only have the truth received by love into your heart but as the Apostle speaks you must also hold fast the form of sound words Scripture words are sound words the Scriptures method of teaching is sound and wholesome There may be unsound words used in expressing true matter and if a man shal give liberty to his own luxuriant Imagination to expatiat in notions and expressions either to catch the ear of the Vulgar or to appear some new discoverer of light and Gospel-mysteries he may as readily fall into error and darknesse as into truth and light Some men do busk up old truths Scripture-truths into some new dresse of language and notions and then give them out for new discoveries new lights but in so doing they often hazard the loosing of the truth it self We should beware and take heed of strange words that have the least appearance of evil such as Christed Godded let us think it enough to be wise according to the Scripturs and suspect all that as vain empty unsound that tends not to the increase of faith in Christ and love and obedience unto him As ordinarily the Dialect of those called Antinomians is giving and no granting that they had no unsound mind yet I am sure they use unsound word to expresse sound matter the cloaths should be shaped to the person Truth is plain and simple let words of truth also be full of simplicity I say no more but leave that upon you that you hold fast even the very words of the Scriptures and be not bewitched by the vain pretentions of Spirit all Spirit pure and spiritual service and such like to the casting off of the word of truth as Letter as Flesh and such is the high attainment of some in these daies an high attainment indeed and a mighty progresse in the way to destruction the very last discovery of that Antichrist and Man of sin Oh make much of the Scripture for you shal neither read nor hear the like of it in the world Other books may have sound matter but there is still something in manner or words unsound no man can speak to you truth in such plainnesse and simplicity in such soundnesse also But here is both sound matter and sound words the truth holden out truly health and salvation holden out in as wholsome a manner as is possible Matter manner are both divine Exod. 3. 13 14. When they shal say unto me What is his Name What shal I say And God said I AM THAT I AM. WE are now about this question What God is But who can answer it Or if answered who can understand it It should astonish us in the very entry to think that we are about to speak and to hear of his Majesty Whom eye hath not seen nor ear heard nor hath it entered into the heart of any creature to consider what he is Think ye blind
joyntly to God it is certainly a great slight of that deceitful destroyer the Devill to possesse your minds with an opinion of Religion in such vain bablings that he may with-draw both your ears your hearts from the publick worship of God for when every one is busied with his own prayers you cannot at all joyn in the publick service of God which is offered up in your name The like I may say of stupid forms of prayer tying your selves to a plat-form written in a book or to some certain words gotten by the heart who hath commanded this Sure not the Lord who hath promised his spirit to teach them to pray and help their infirmities who know not how nor what to pray it is a device of your own invented by Satan to quench the spirit it of supplication which should be the very naturall breathing of a christian But there are some so grossely ignorant of what prayer is that they make use of the ten commands Beleef as a Prayer so void are they of the knowledge and spirit of God that they cannot discern betwixt Gods commands to themselves their own requests to God betwixt his speaking to men and their speaking to him between their professing of him before men and praying and confessing to him all this is but forged imaginary worship worship falsly so called which the Father seeks not and receives not But what if I should say that the most part of your worship even that which is commanded of God as Prayer Hearing Reading c hath no truth in it I should say nothing amiss for though you doe those things that are commanded yet not as Commanded without any respect to divine appointment only because you have received them as traditions from your fathers and because you are taught so by the precepts of men and are accustomed so to do therefore the stamp of Gods will and pleasure is not engraven on them but of your own will or of the will of men Let me pose your Consciences many of you what difference is there between your praying your plowing between your hearing and your harrowing between your reading of the Scriptures and your reaping in the Harvest between your Religious Service and your common ordinary actions I say what difference is in the rise of these You do many civill things out of custome or because of the Precepts of men is there any other principle at the bottom of your religious performances Do you at all consider these are divine appointments these have a stamp of his authority on them and from the Conscience of such an immediat command of God and the desire to please him and obey him do you go about these I fear many cannot say it O I am sure all cannot thogh it may be all will say it therefore your religious worship can come in no other account than will-worship or man-worship it hath not the stamp of truth on it an express conformity to the truth of God as his truth But we must presse out this a little more Truth is opposed to a ceremony shadow The ceremonies of old were shadows or the external body of Religion in which the soul and spirit of godlinesse should have been enclosed but the Lord did alwaies urge more earnestly the substance and truth then the ceremony the weightier matters of the Law Piety equity and sobriety than these lighter external Ceremonies he sets an higher account upon mercy then sacrifice upon obedience then Ceremonies but this people turned just contrary they summed up all their Religion in some ceremonial performance and separated those things God had so nearly conjoyned they would be devout men in offering sacrifices in their washings in their rites and yet made no conscience of heart and Soul-piety toward God upright just dealing with men Therefore the Lord so often quarrels them rejects all their service as being adevice and invention of their own which never entred in his heart Isa. 1. from 10. to 16. Ier. 7. throughout Isa. 66. to 6. Isa 28. Now if you will examine it impartially it is even just so with us there are some externall things in Religion which in comparison with the weightier things of faith and obedience are but ceremonial in these you place the most part if not all your Religion and think your selves good Christians if you be baptized and hear the Word and partake of the Lords table and such like though in the mean time you be not given to secret prayer reading and do not inwardly judge and examine your selves that you may flee unto a Mediator thogh your conversation be unjust and scandalous among men I say unto such souls as the Lord to the Jews Who hath required this at your hands who commanded you to hear the VVord to be baptized to wait on publick Ordinances Away with all this it is abomination to his Majesty though it please you never so well the more it displeases him If you say why commands he us to hear c. I say the Lord never commanded these external Ordinances for the sum of true Religion that was not the great thing which was in his heart that he had most pleasure unto but the weightier matters of the Law piety equity sobriety a holy and godly conversation adorning the Gospell What hath the Lord required of thee but this O man To do justly and walk humbly with thy God So then thou dost not worship him in Truth but in shadow the Truth is holinesse and righteousnesse that externall profession is but a Ceremony while you separate these external Ordinances from these weighty duties of piety justice that they are but as dead body without a soul. If the Lord required truth of old much more now when he hath abolished the multitude of Ceremonies that the great things of his Law may be more seen and loved If you would then be true worshippers look the whole mind of God especially the chief pleasure of Gods mind that which he most delights into and by any means do not separate what God hath conjoyned do not divide righteousness towards men from a profession of holiness to God else it is but a falshood a counterfeit coyn do not please your selves so much in externall Church priviledges without a holy and godly conversation adorning the Gospel but let the chief study endeavour delight of your souls be about that which God most delights into let the substantials of Religion have the first place in the soul Pray more in secret that he will be the life of your souls you ought indeed to attend publick ordinances but above all take heed to your conversation walking at home and in secret prayer in your Family is a more substantiall worship then to sit hear prayer in publick and prayer in secret is more substantiall then that The more retired and immediate a duty be the more weighty it is the more it
not his whole soul to God cannot truly ingage any part of it to him p. 23. SERMON III. 2 Tim. 3. 16. Of the Scriptures THat which most men seek is not true happiness p. 24 The principles of reason and light of nature are become so dark that they cannot direct us in the path-way to everlasting blessedness p. 25 The authority of the Scriptures divine p. 26 How the Apostles and Prophets knew that they spake truth and how men may be perswaded that the Scriptures are the Word of God ibid. The simplicity and plainness of the Scripture p. 27 The Spirit of God must open a mans eyes before he understand the Scriptures p. 28 The Utility of the Scriptures p. 29 The Scriptures a Doctrine of Eternal life p. 30 The sharpness of the Scripture mingled with sweetness p. 31 Some cannot hear the word of reproof others prefer their own vain imaginations to the Word of God p. 32 33 SERMON IV. Joh. 5. 39. Eph. 2. 20. Of the Scriptures THe Lamp of the Word without and the light of the Spirit within necessary for directing us in the way to eternal life p. 34 Why the multitude find no sweetnes in the Scriptures p. 35 How eternal life is to be found in the Scripture p. 36 It may commend the Scriptures to us that Eternal life is to be found in them p. 37 We are to lay this present perishing life in the ballance with eternal life and compare both the happiness and miseries of this life with eternal blessedness p. 38 Many groundlessely fancy that they have a right to everlasting life p. 39 Most of the Hearers of the Gospel have either to knowledge at all or nothing but knowledge p. 40 Life Eternal is no where to be found out but of Jesus Christ. p. 41 42 Some foolishly think that if they do all they can then God ought to be pleased p 43 Christ the only pacificatory sacrifice p. 44 Christ is either the subject or end of all that is in the Scriptures p. 45 The march which divides between heaven and hell is coming to Christ. p. 45 46 The necessity of searching the Scriptures and what search it must be p. 47 The Rule whereby to measure our profiting in the Scriptures p. 48 49 SERMON V. Eph. 2. 20. Of the Scriptures BElievers the Temple of the living God p. 50 Christ in the Scriptures a sure foundation to build upon all other foundations sandy and unsure p. 51 How firm and stable a foundation the Word of the Lord is p. 52 A Promise layes an obligation on the Promiser which a command doth not on the commander p. 53 All the Promises are Yea and Amen in Christ. ibid The chief point of Obedience is faith and what that is p 54 Christ is the Corner-stone as well as the foundation which should strongly perswade Christians to an union in Affection p. 55 What kind of foundation Christ is ibid. Some prefer their own imaginations to the Word of the Lord under the dark notion of new light p. 56 Many have nothing but the word of man for the foundation of their Faith p. 57. SERMON VI. 2 Tim. 1 13. Of the Scriptures ALL Religion may be reduced to these two what we are to believe and what we ough to do p. 58 God manifests himself differently to Man according to his different state p. 59 60 The marvellousness of mercy in saving of lost sinners p. 61 62 What manner of Persons Believers ought to be p. 63 64 â—…belief ruined man at first p. 65 A twofold mistake of the nature of Faith ibid. What course a soul is to take who questions its interest p. 66 67 The mistake of the nature of Faith leads many well-meaning persons into labyrinth p. 68 What Faith is p 69 What a soul ought to do that is sentenced by the law ibid. The faith of a Christian no fancy p. 70 71 Love is unitive and operative ibid. Love is put for all obedience and how it is the fulfilling of the. p. 72 God is pleased with no service that proceeds not from love and why p. 73 74 How to attain to the distinct knowledge of our love to God and the way to increase it p. 75 Who cannot hold fast the truth p. 76 When man lost his holiness he could not retain his happiness ibid. The necessity of holding fast the form of sound words and of forbearing strange words p. 77 SERMON VII and VIII Exod. 3. 13 14. Of the Name of God IT is impossible to declare what God is p. 78 How we may know that there is a God ibid. Naturall men are Atheists p. 79 God's Name a mystery that cannot be conceived or expressed p. 80 81 82 83. This name I AM THAT I AM imports his unsearchableness p. 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 His absolutness and soveraignity p. 94 His unchangeableness and Eternity p. 95 96 97 How impossible it is for a mortall creature to find out God to perfection yet so much may be known of him as is sufficient to teach us our duty and maâ—… us happy in obedience p. 98 99 The saving knowledge of God a self-emptying and self-abasing thing p. 100 101 Why God hath called himself by so many names ibid. SERMON IX Exod. 24. 5 6 7. What God is to us GOD is loath to depart even when he is provoked to go away p. 102 103 114 Infirmity and iniquity puts us into an incapacity of nearness with God p. 105 106 It is God himself who only can teach a soul to know what he is p. 107 One who considers how al-sufficient God is how empty and insufficient all other things are must needs cleave to him p. 108 God vents himself towards the creatures either in a way of Justice or Mercy p. 109 There is a Tribunall of Justice and a Throne of Mercy erected in the word so that every sentenced sinner may appeal from the Bar of Justice to Christ Jesus sitting on the Throne of Mercy p. 110 111. The Name of the Lord rightly considered is sufficient to answer all possible objections that a sinner can make against coming to Christ and what those objections are p. 112 113 114 115 116 117 Many souls suck delusion and destruction out of the sweet and saving Promises of life which are held forth in the Gospel p. 118 119. SERMON X. Joh. 4. 24. What God is THe knowledge of what God is presupposed to all true worship Christian walking p. 120 How mishapen apprehensions we have of God p. 121 That God is a spirit shews us that he is not like any visible thing p. 122 That he is invisible dwels in light inaccessible ib. That he is most perfect most powerful p. 123 124 That he cannot be circumscribed by any place p. 125 And there is no comprehension of his knowledge p. 126 127 It were of excellent use and advantage for us to be all the day in the faith of Gods infinite
visions were indeed from the Lord And that they did not frame any imagination in their own hearts and taught it for his Word as many did I say you need no more ask that than ask How shal a man see light or know the Sun-shine light makes it self manifest and all other things it s seen by its own brightnesse even so the holy men of God needed not any mark or sign to know the Spirits voice his revelation needed not the light of any other thing it was light it self he would certainly over power the soul and mind and leave no place of doubting God who cannot be deceived and can deceive no man hath delivered us this Doctrine O with what reverence should we receive it as if we heard the Lord from heaven speak If you ask How you shal be perswaded that the Scriptures are the Word of God his very mind opened to men made legible Truly there are some things cannot be well proved not because they are doubtfull but because they are clear of themselves and beyond all doubt and exception Principles of Arts must not be proved but supposed till you find by triall and experience afterward that they were indeed really true There are no question such characters of Divinity and Majesty imprinted in the very Scriptures themselves that whosoever hath the eyes of his understanding opened though he run he may read them and find God in them What Majesty is in the very simplicity and plainnesse of the Scriptures They do not labour to please mens ears and adorn the matter with the curious garments of words and phrases but represent the very matter it self to the soul as that which in it self is worthy of all acceptation and needs no humane eloquence to commend it Painting doth spoil native beauty external ornamēts would disfigure some things that are of themselves proportioned and lovely therefore the Lord choses a plain and simple style which is foolishnesse to the world but in these swadling cloaths of the Scriptures and this poor Cottage the Child Jesus the Lord of Heaven and Earth is contained There is a jewel of the mysterious wisdom of God and mans eternal blessednesse in the Mineral What glorious and astonishing humility is here What humble and homly Glory and Majesty also He is most high and yet none so lowly What excellent consent and harmony of many writters in such distant times Wonder at it All speak one thing to one purpose to bring men to God to abase all glory and exalt him alone Must it not be one Spirit that hath quickned all these and breathes in them all this one heavenly Song of Glory to God on high and good will towards men Other Writers will reason these things with you to convince you and perswade you and many thinks them more profound and deep for that reason and do despise the basenesse of the Scriptures But to them vvhose eyes are opened the Majesty and authority of God commanding and asserting and testifying to them is more convincing from its own bare assertion then all humane reason Although there be much light in the Scriptures to guide mens vvay to Gods glory and their own happinesse yet certainly it vvill all be too smal purpose if the eyes of our understanding be darkned and blinded If you shal surround a man vvith day-light except he open his eyes he cannot see The Scriptures are a clear Sun of life and righteousnesse but the blind soul compassed vvith that light is nothing the vviser but thinks the lamp of the Word shines not because it sees not it hath its own dungeon vvithin it therefore the Spirit of God must open the eyes of the blind enlighten the eyes of the understanding that a soul may see vvonderfull things in Gods Law Psal. 119. 5. 8. Ioh. 1. 5. The light may shine in the darknesse but the darknesse cannot comprehend it I vvonder not that the most part of men can see no Beauty no Majesty no excellency in the holy Scriptures to allure them because they are natural and have not the spirit of God and so cannot know these things for they are spiritually discerned 2 Cor. 2. 14. c. Therefore as the inspiration of God did conceive this writting at first and preached this Doctrine unto the world so there can no soul understand it or profite by it but by the inspiration of the Almighty Verily there is a spirit in man and the inspiration of the Almighty gives him understanding saith Iob. When the spirit comes into the soul to engrave the Characters of that Law and truth into the heart which were once engraven on Tables of Stone and not written with Pen and Ink then the spirit of Christ Jesus writes over and transcribes the Doctrine of the Gospel on fleshly Tables of the heart draws the lineaments of that faith and love preached in the word upon the soul then the soul is the Epistle of Christ written not with ink and pen but with the spirit of the living God 2 Cor. 3. 3. And then the soul is manifestly declared to be such when that which is impressed on the heart is expressed in the outward man in walking that it may be read of all men Now the soul having thus received the Image of the Scriptures on it understands the Spirits voice in them and sees the truth and divinity of them The eye must receive some species and likenesse of the object before it see it it must be made like to the object ere it can behold it Intelligens in actu fit ipsum intelligible So the soul must have some inspiration of the holy Ghost before it can believe with the heart the inspyred Scriptures Now for the utility and profit of the Scripture who can speak of it according to its worth Some things may be over-commanded nay all things but this one God speaking in his word to mankind Many Titles are given to humane writings some are called accurate some subtile some ingenious and quick some profound and deep some plain some learned But call them what they please the Scriptures may vindicate to it self these two Titles as its own prerogative Holy and profitable The best speaker in the world in many words cannot want sin The best Writer hath some drosse refuse but here all is holy all is profitable Many Books are to no purpose but to feed and inflame mens lusts many serve for nothing but to spend drive over the time without thought most part are good for nothing but to burden and over-weary the world to put them in a fancy of knowledge which they have not many serve for this only to nourish mens curiosity and vain imaginations and contentions about words and notions but here is a Book profitable all profitable If you do not yet profit by it you can have no pleasure in it it s only ordained for souls profiting not for pelasing your fancy not for matter of curious speculation not for
other units it and holds it together These two parts of this spiritual building are here pointed at the foundation of every particular stone and of the whole building is the Doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles as holding out Jesus Christ to souls the Rock on which our house shal be builded Not the Apostles or Prophets far lesse Pastors and Teachers since for they are but at best workers together with God and imployed in the building of the house not yet their Doctrine but as it holds out that true foundation that God had laid in Sion Isa. 28. which is Jesus Christ for other foundation can no man lay And then the Corner-stone is that same Jesus Christ who reaches from the bottome even to the top of the building immediatly touches every stone and both quickens it in it self and unites them together Well then here is a sure foundation to build our eternal happinesse upon the word of God that endures for ever holds it out to us all men are building upon something every man is about some establishment of his hopes layes some foundation of his confidence which he may stand upon They are one of the two that Christ speaks of Luk 6. 46. One builds on the Rock another on the Sand now as the foundation is so is the house a changeable foundation makes a falling house a sure foundation makes an unchangeable house a house without a foundation will prove quickly no house Now whatsoever men build their hope and confidence upon beside the word of God his sure Promise and sure Covenant and Jesus Christ in them they build upon no foundation or upon a sandy foundation All flesh is grasse and the flower and perfection of it is as the flower of the field here is the name and character of all created perfections of the most excellent endowments of mind of all the specious actions of men it s all but vanishing and vanity every man at his best estate is such yea altogether such You who have no more to build upon but your prosperity and wealth O that is but sand and dung would any man build a house upon a dung-hill You who have no other hope but in your own good prayers and meanings your own reformations repentances your professions and practises know this that your hope is like a spiders house like the web that she hath laboriously exercised her self about all the week over and then when you lean upon that house it shal fall through not sustain your weight whatsoever it be beside this living stone Jesus Christ who is the very substance of the Word and Promises it shal undoubtedly prove thy shame and confusion But behold the opposition the Prophet makes between the word and these other things the word of our God shal stand for ever Isa. 40. 6 7 8. And therefore Peter makes it an incorruptible seed of which Believers are begotten 1 Pet. 1. 23. It is the unchangeable truth immutable faithfulnesse of God that makes his word so sure it s builded up to the Heavens Therefore the Psalmist often commends the Word of the Lord as a tryed word as purified seven times it hath endured the tryal proof of all men of all tentations of all generations it hath often been put in the furnace of questions doubtings it hath often been tryed in the fire of afflictions but it came forth like pure Gold without drosse This is faiths foundation God hath spoken in his holiness and therefore though all men be liars yet God will be found true he deceives none and is deceived of none The Lord hath taken a Latitude to himself in his working he loves to shew his Soveraignty in much of that and therefore he changes it in men and upon men as he pleaseth yet he hath condescended to limit and bound himself by his word and in this to shew his faithfulnesse And therefore though heaven and earth should pass away though he should innihilate this world and create new ones yet not on jot of his world shal sail The earth is established sure though it hath no foundation for the Word of his command supports it And yet a Believers confidence is on a surer ground Though the earth should be removed yet it cannot pass or fail saith our Lord And therefore the Psalmist useth to boast in God That though the earth were moved and the flouds lifted up their voice yet he would not fear because his foundation was unshaken for all that the word is not removed when the world is moved the fore he was not moved The worlds stability depends upon a word of cōmand but our salvation depends on a word of promise Now you know promises put an obligation upon the person which commands do not a man may change his commands as he pleases to his children or servants but he may not change his promises therefore the promises of God put an obligation upon him who is truth it self not to fail in performance or rather he is to himself by his unchangeable will good pleasure by his faithfulnsse and truth an oblidging and binding Law When no creature could let bounds to him he incloses himself within the bounds of promise to us and gives all flesh liberty to challenge him if he be not faithfull Now all the promises of God are yea Amen in Iesus Christ that is established and confirmed in him Christ is the surety of them and so the certainty and stability of them depends upon him at least to our sense for God in all his dealing condescends to our weaknesse that we may have stronge consolation A Promise might suffice to ground our faith but he addeth an Oath to his promise he takes Christ surety for the performance and therefore Christ may be called the Truth indeed the substantial Word of God for he is the substance of the written and preached Word and then he is the very certainty and assurance of it the Scriptures testifie of him and lead us to this Rock higher than we to build upon and against this the gates of hell cannot prevail If the Word lead not a soul unto Christ himself that four hath no foundation though thou hear the Word though thou know the Word yea suppose thou couldst teach others and instruct the ignorant yet all that will be no foundation as good as none except thou do it And what is it to do the Word but to believe in him whom the Word testifies of this is the work of God to resign thy soul to his mercies and merits and have no confidence in the flesh To scrape out all the rubbish of works and performances and parts out of the foundation and singly to roll thy souls weight upon Gods promises and Christs purchase to look with Paul on all things beside in thee and about the as dung and drosse that thou can lean no weight upon and to remove that dung-hill from the foundation of thy hope
that Jesus Christ may be the only foundation of thy soul as God hath laid him in the Church for a sure foundation That who so believeth in him may not be ashamed What ever beside a soul be established on though it appear very solid and the soul be setled fixed upon it yet a day will come that will unsettle that soul and raze that foundation either it shal be now done in thy conscience or it must be done at length when that great tempest of Gods indignation shal blow from heaven against all unrighteousnesse of men in the day of accounts then shal thy house fall and the fall of it shal be great But a soul established upon the sure promises and upon Christ in whom they are Yea and Amen shal abide that storm and in that day have confidence before God have wherewith to answer in Jesus Christ all the challenges of divine justice and the accusations of conscience He that trusteth in him shal be as Mount Sion which cannot be moved You see all things else change and therefore mens hopes and joyes perish even here the tentations and revolutions of the times undermines their confidence and joy and the blasts of the Northern wind of affliction blows away their hopes Now as Christ is the Foundation so he is the Corner-stone of the building It is Christ who hath removed that Partition-wall between Jews and Gentiles even the Ceremonies of the one and the Atheism of the other He is our peace who hath made of two one The two sides of the House of God are united by this Corner-stone Jesus Christ. Thus we who were the Temples of Satan are made the Temples of God thus poor stranger-Gentiles who had no interest in the Covenant of Promises come to share with Abraham Isaac and Iacob and to be founded upon the Doctrine of the Prophets who taught the Jewish Church Christ is the bond of Christians this is the Head into which all the members should grow up into a Body Distance of Place difference of Nations distinction of Languages all these cannot separate the Members of Jesus Christ they are more one though consisting of diverse Nations Tongues and Customes and dispositions than the people of one Nation or Children of one Family for one Lord one Spirit unites all Alas that all are not united in affection judgement why do the sides of this House contend and wrestle one against another when here is such a Corner-stone joyning them together Are not there many Christians who cannot endure to look one upon another who are yet both placed in one building of the Temple of God Alace this is sad and shamefull But that which I would especially have observed in this is that Jesus Christ is such a foundation that reacheth throughout the whole building and immediatly toucheth every stone of the Building it 's such a Foundation as riseth from the bottom to the top and therefore Jesus Christ is both the Author and finisher of our Faith the beginning and the end the first stone the last 〈◊〉 of our building must rise upon him and by him the least degree of grace and the greatest perfection of it both are in him and therefore Christians should be most dependent creatures dependent in their first being and in after well-being in their being and growing wholly dependent upon Christ that out of his fulnesse they may receive grace and then more grace for grace that all may appear to be grace indeed Now I beseech you my beloved in the Lord to know whereupon ye are builded or ought to be builded There are two great errours in the time take heed of them one is the Doctrine of some and another is the practice of the most part Some do prefer their own fancies and night-dreams and the imaginations of their own heart to the Word of God and upon pretence of Revelation of new Light do cast a mist upon that Word of God which is a light that hath shined from the beginning Be not deceived but try the Spirits whether they be of God or not There are many pretend too much of the Spirit and therefore cry out against the Word as Letter as Flesh But my Brethren believe not every Doctrine that calls it self a Spirit that spirit is not of God that hears not Gods voice as Christ reasons against the Jews seek ye more of the Spirit of Christ which he promiseth who is a Spirit that teacheth all things and bringeth to remembrance these blessed sayings and leads us to all truth It shal be both safest and sweetest to you to meditate on the word of the Prophets and Apostles and the entrance into it shal give you light an old light which was from the beginning therefore a true light for all truth is eternall and yet a new light to your sense and feeling It 's both an old command and a new command an old word a new word if thou search by the Spirits inspiration that old word shal be made new that Letter made spirit and life Such are the words that Christ speaks But yet there are many who do not reject the Scriptures in judgement who notwithstanding do not build on them in practice Alas it may be said of the most part of professed Christians among us that they are not builded upon the foundation of the Prophets Apostles but upon the sayings of fallible and weak men What ground have many of you for your Faith but because the Minister saith so You believe so the most part live in an implicite faith and practice that in themselves which they condemne in the Papists You do not labour to search the Scriptures that upon that foundation you may build your faith in the questioned truths of this Age that so you may be able to answer to those that ask a reason of the Faith that is in you Alas simple souls you believe every thing and yet really believe nothing because you believe not the Word as the Word of the living God but take it from men upon their authority Therefore when a temptation cometh when any gainsayings of the truth you cannot stand against it because your Faith hath no foundation but the sayings of Men or Acts of Assemblies And therefore as men whom you trust with holding out light unto you hold out darknesse in stead of light you embrace that darknesse also But I beseech you be builded upon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles not upon them but upon that whereon they were builded the infallible truths of God You have the Scriptures search them since you have reasonable souls search them other mens faith will not save you you cannot see to walk to heaven by other mens light more than you can see by their eyes You have eyes of your own souls of your own subordinate to none but the God of Spirits and Lord of Consciences Jesus Christ therefore examine all that is spoken to you from the Word
himself thus and sought out to himself such sad inventions Eccles. 7. 29. and having destroyed himself Hos. 13. 9. What think ye Should any pity him If he had fallen in such a pit of miserie ignorantly and unwillingly he had been an object of compassion but having cast himself headlong into it who should have pity on him Or who should go aside to ask how he doth or bemoan him Ier. 15. 5. But behold the Lord pities man as a Father doth his Children Psal. 103. His compassions fail not He comes by such a loathsome and contemptible object and casts his skirts over it and saith Live Ezek. 16. And maketh it a time of love I say no flesh could have expected any more of God than to make man happy and holy to promise him life in well-doing But to repair that happinesse after it's wilfully lost and to give life to evil doers sinners O how far was it from Adams expectation when he fled from God Here then is the wonder that when men Angels were in expectation of the revelation of his wrath from heaveÌ„ against their wickednesse the execution of the curse man was concluded under that even then God is pursuing man pursues him with love and opens up to him his very heart and bowels of love in Jesus Christ Behold then the second revelation manifestation of God in a way of grace pure grace of mercy pity toward lost sinners The kindnesse of God hath appeared not by Works but according to his abundant mercy shewed in Christ Iesus Tit. 3. 4. 5. So then we have this purpose of Gods love unfolded to us in the Scriptures and this is the substance of them both Old and New Testament or the end of them Rom. 10. 4. Christ is the end of the Law to all sinners concluded under sin and a curse by it our Lord Jesus the good Ebedmelech comes and casts down a cord to us draws us up out of the pit of sin and misery he comes to this prison and opens the doors to let captives free so then we have holden out to us a Redeemer as a repairer of our breaches God in Christ reconciling the world O Israel thou hast destroyed thy self but in me is thy Help found Hos. 13. 9. He finds to himself a ransome to satisfie his justice Job 33. 24. He finds a propitiation to take away sin a sacrifice to pacifie and appease his wrath he finds one of our Brethren but his own Son in whom he is well pleased And then holds out all this to sinners that they may be satisfied in their own consciences as he is in his own mind God hath satisfied himself in Christ you have not that to do he is not now to be reconciled to us for he was never really at odds though he covered his countenance with frowns threats since the Fal hath appeared in fire and hunders and whirlwind which are terrible yet his heart had alwayes love in it to such persons and therefore he is come near in Christ about reconciling us to himself Here is the business then to have our souls reconciled to him to take away the enmity within us and as he is satisfied with his Son so to satisfie our selves with him be as wel pleased in his Redemption and purchase as 〈◊〉 â—…er is and then you believe indeed in him Now if this were accomplished what have wee more to do but to love him and to live to him when you have found in the Scripture and believed with the heart what Man once was and what he now is what God once appeared and what hee now manifests himself in the Gospel ye have no more to do but to search in the same Scriptures what ye henceforth ought to be Ye who find your estate recovered in Christ ask what manner of persons we ought to be And the Scripture shal also give you that form of sound words which may not only teach you to believe in him but to love him and obey his coÌ„mands The Law that before condemned you is now by Christ put in your hands to guide you and conduct you in the way teacheth you to live henceforth to his glory The grace of God that hath appeared to all men Tit. 2. 12. teacheth us that denying ungodlinesse and worldlie lusts we should live godly and righteously and soberly in this present world Here is the summe of the rule of your practise and conversation piety towards God equity towards men and sobriety towards our selves self-denyal and world-denyall and lust-denyal to give up with the world and our own lusts henceforth to have no more to do with them to resign them not for a time not in part but wholly and for ever in affection and by parts in practice and endeavour and then to resign and give up our selves to him to live to him and live in him Thus we have given you a summe of the Doctrine of the Scriptures of that which is to be believed and that which is to be done as our duty Now we shall speak a word of these two Cardinall Graces which are the compend of all Graces as the objects of them are the Abridgement of the Scriptures Faith Love these sound words can profite us nothing unlesse wee hold them fast with Faith and Love Faith is like the Fountain-grace streams come out of it that cleanseth the Conscience from the guilt of sin and purifieth the heart from the filth of sin because it is that which cometh to the Fountain opened up in the house of David draweth water out of these Wells of Salvation If you consider the fall and ruine of Mankind you will find infidelity unbelief the fountain of it as wel as the seal of it Unbelief of the Law of God of his promises and threatning This was first called in Question and when once called in Question it is half denied Hath God said so that you shal die It s not far off you shall not surely die Here then was the very beginning of mans ruine he did not retain in his knowledge and believe with his heart the truth and faithfulnesse and holinesse of God which unbelief was conjoyned intermingled with much pride you shal be as Gods he began to live out of God in himself not remembring that his life was a stream of that Divine Fountain that being cut off from it would dry up Now therefore our Lord Jesus Christ an expert Saviour and very learned and compleat for this work he brings man up out of this pit of misery by that same way he fell into it he fell down by unbelief and he brings him up out of it by faith This is the cord that is cast down to the poor Soul in the Dungeon or rather his Faith is the dead grip of the cord of Divine Promises which are sent unto the captive prisoners and by vertue thereof he is drawn out into the light
of Salvatiō Unbelief of the Law of God did first destroy man now the belief of the Gospel saves him The not believing of the Lords threatnings was the beginning of his ruine the believing of his precious promises is his Salvation I say more as our Destruction began at the Unbelief of the Law so our salvation must begin at the belief of it The Law and Divine Justice went out of his sight and so he sinned now the Law entring into the Conscience discovers a mans sinnes makes sin abound and that is the beginning of our remedy to know our disease But as long as this is hid from a Mans eyes he is shut up in unbelief he is sealed and confirmed in his miserable estate and so kept from Jesus Christ the remedy Thus unbelief first and last destroyes Faith might have preserved Adam and Faith again might restore thee who hath fallen in Adam There is a great mistake of Faith among us some taking it for a strong and blind confidence that admits of no questions or doubtes in the soul and so vainly perswading themselves that they have it and some again conceiving it to be such an assurance of Salvation as instantly comforts the soul and looseth all objections and so foolishly vexing their own souls disquieting themselves in vain for the want of that which if they understood what it is they would find they have it I say many souls conceive that to be the best Faith that never doubted and hath alwaies lodged in them and kept them in peace since they were born But seeing all men were once aliens from the common wealth of Israel and strangers to the covenant of Promise and without God in the World so without Christ also it is certain that those souls who have alwaies blest themselves in their own hearts and cryed peace peace and were never afraid of the wrath to come have imbraced an imagination and dream of their own hearts for true Faith It is not big and stout words that will prove it men may defy the Devil and all his works and speak very confidently yet God knows they are captives by him at his pleasure and not farre from that misery which they think they have escaped Satan works in them with such a crafty conveyance that they cannot perceive it and how should they perceive it For we are by nature dead in sins and so cannot feel nor know that we are such It is a token of life to feel pain a certain token for dead things are senselesse You know how Juglers may deceive your very senses and make them believe they see that which is not and feel that which they feel not O how much more easie is it for Satan such an ingenious and experimented spirit assisted with the help of our deceitfull hearts to cast such a mist over the eyes of hearts and make them believe any thing how easily may he hide our misery from us and make us believe its well with us And thus multitudes of souls perish in the very opinion of Salvation that very thing which they call Faith that strong ungrounded perswasion it 's no other thing than the unbelief of the heart unbelief I mean of the Holy Law of Divine Justice and the wrath to come for if these once entered into the souls consideration they would certainly cast down that strong hold of vain confidence that Satan keeps all the House in peace by Now this secure and presumptuous despising of all threatnings and all convictions it is vernished over to the poor soul with the colour and appearance of Faith in the Gospell They think to believe in Christ is nothing else but never to be afraid of Hell whereas it is nothing else but a soul fleeing into Christ for fear of hell fleeing from the wrath to come to the city of Refuge Now again there are some other souls quite contrary minded that run upon an other extremity they once question whether they have Faith and alwayes question it You shal find them alwayes out of one doubt into another and still returning upon these debates whether am I in Christ or not And often peremptorily concluding that they are not in him that they believe not in him I must confess that a soul must once question the matter or they shal never be certain nay a soul must once conclude that it is void of God and without Christ but having discovered that I see no more use and fruit of your frequent debates and janglings about interest would say then unto such souls that if you now question it it is indeed the very time to put it out of question And how Not by framing or seeking answers to your objections not by searching into thy self to find something to prove it not by meer disputing about it for when shal these have an end But simply and plainly by setting about that which is questioned Are you in doubt if you be Believers How shal it be resolved than but by believing indeed It is now the very time thou art called to make application of thy soul to Christ if thou thinkest that thou cannot make application of Christ to thy soul If thou cannot know if he be thine then how shal thou know it but by choosing him for thine and embracing him in thy soul Now I say if that time which is spent about such unprofitable debates were spent in solid and serious endeavours about the thing in debate it would quickly be out of debate if you were more in the obedience to those commands then in the dispute whether you have obeyed or not you would sooner come to satisfaction in it This I say the rather because the weightier and principall parts of the Gospel are those direct acts of Faith and Love to Jesus Christ both these are the outgoings of the soul to him Now again examination of our Faith and Assurance are but secondary and consequent reflections upon our selves are the soul-returning in again to it self to find what is within Therefore I say a Christian is principally called to the first and alwayes called it is the chief duty of man which for no evidence no doubting no questioning should be left undone If you be in any hesitation whether you are Believers or not I am sure the chiefest things most concerning is rather to believe then to know it it is a Christians being to believe it is indeed his comfort and wel-being to know it but if you do not know it then by all means so much the more set about it presently let the soul consider Christ and the precious promises and lay its weight upon him This you ought to do and not to leave the other undone 2. Secondly I say to such souls that it is the mistake of the very nature of Faith that leads them to such perplexities and causeth some inevidence It is not so much the inevidence of marks and fruits that makes them doubt
as the misapprehension of the thing it self for as long as they mistake it in its own nature no sign no mark can satisfie in it You take Faith to be a perswasion of Gods love that calms and quiets the mind Now such a perswasion needs no sign to know it by it is manifest by its own presence as light by its own brightnesse It were a foolish question to ask any How they knew that they were perswaded of anothers affection The very perswasion it self maketh it self more certain to the soul then any token So then while you question whether you have Faith or not and in the mean time take Faith to be nothing else but such a perswasion it is in vain to bring any marks or signs to convince you that you have Faith for if such a perswasion assurance were in you it would be more powerfull to assure your hearts of it self than any thing else and while you are doubting of it it is more manifest that you have it not than any signs or marks can be able to make it appear that you have it If any would labour to convince a blind man that he saw the light and give him signs tokēs of the lights shining the blind man could not believe him for it is more certain to himself that he sees not than any evidence can make the contrary probable You are still wishing and seeking such a Faith as puts all out of question Now when Ministers bring any marks to prove you have true Faith it cannot satisfie or settle you because your very questioning proves that ye have not that which ye question if you had such a perswasion you would not question it So then as long as you are in that mistake concerning the nature of Faith all the signs of the word cannot settle you But I say if once you understood the true nature of Faith it would be more clear in it self unto you than readily marks and signs could make it especially in the time of temptation If you would know then what it is indeed Consider what the Word of God holds out concerning himself or us the solid belief of that in the heart hath something in the nature of saving Faith in it The Lord gives a testimony concerning Man That he is born in sin that he is dead in sin and all his imaginations are only evil continually Now I say to receive this truth into the soul upon Gods Testimony in a point of Faith the Lord in his Word concludes all under sin and wrath ◅o then for a soul to conclude it self also under sin and wrath is a point of Faith Faith is the souls testimony to Gods truth the Word is Gods Testimony Now then if a soul receive this testimony within whether it be Law or Gospel it 's an act of Faith if a soul condemn it self judge it self that is a setting to our seal that God is true who speaks in his Law so it s a believing in God I say more To believe with the heart that we cannot believe is a great point of found belief because it 's a sealing of that Word of God The heart is desperatly wicked and of our selves we can do nothing Now I am perswaded if such souls knew this they would put an end to their many contentions and wranglings about this point and would rather blesse God that hath opened their eyes to see themselves then contend with him for that they have no Faith It is light only that discovers darknesse and Faith only that descerns unbelief Its life and health only that feels pain sicknesse for if all were alike nothing could be found as in dead bodies Now I say to such souls as believe in God the Law-giver believe also in Christ the Redeemer and what is that It is not to know that I have Interest in him No that must come after it is the Spirits sealing after believing which puts it self out of question when it comes and so if you had it you needed not many signs to know it by at least you would not doubt of it more than he that sees the light can question it But I say to believe in Christ is simply this I whatsoever I be ungodly wretched polluted desperate am willing to have Jesus Christ for my Saviour I have no other help or hope if it be not in him it is I say to lean the weight of thy soul on this foundation stone laid in Zion to embrace the promises of the Gospel albeit generall as worthy of all acceptation wait upon the performance of them It is no other thing but to make Christ welcome to say even so Lord Jesus I am content in my soul that thou be my Saviour to be found in thee not having my own righteousnesse I am well pleased to cast away my own as dung find my self on other not an ungodly man Now it is certain that ◅any souls that are still questioning whether they have Faith yet do find this in their souls but because they know not that it is Faith which they find they go about to seek that which is not Faith and where it is not to be found and so disquiet themselves in vain and hinder fruitfulnesse Now the Faith of a Christian is no fancy it 's no light vain imagination of the brain but it dwells in the heart with the heart man believes and it dwels with love Faith and love we need not be curious to distinguish them it is certain that love is in it from it it s in the very bosome of it because faith is a soul embracing of Christ it 's a choosing of him for its portion and then upon the review of this goodly portion and from consideration what he is and hath done for us the soul loves him still more is impatient of so much distance from him We find them conjoyned in Scripture but they are one in the heart O that we studied to have these joyntly engraven on the heart as they are joyned in the word so our heart should be a living Epistle Faith and Love are two words but one thing under different notions they are the out-goings of the soul to Christ for life the breathings of the soul after him for more of him when it hath once tasted how good he is Faith is not a speculation or a wandring thought of Truth it 's the truth not captivated into the mind but dwelling in the heart getting possession of the whole man you know a man and his will are one not so a man and his mind for he may conceive the truth of many things he loves not but what ever a man loves that and he in a manner becomes one with another Love is unitive it 's the most excellent union of distant things The will commands the whole man and hath the office of applying of all the faculties of their proper works Illa imperat aliae exsequuntur
searching we could find them out unto perfection but to believe what is spoken till the day break and the shadows flee away and the darknesse of ignorance be wholly dispelled by the rising of the Sun of Righteousnesse We are called then to receive this truth that God is one truly one and there are three in this one the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost This I say you must believe because the wisdom of God faith it though you know not how it is or how it can be though it seem a contradiction in reason a Trinity in Unity yet you must lead your reason captive to the obedience of faith silence it with this one answer The Lord hath said it If thou go on to dispute and to enquire how can these things be Thou art escaped from under the power of Faith and are fled unto the tents of humane wisedom where thou mayest learn artheism but no Religion for the world through wisedom knew not God 1 Cor. 1. And certainly who ever he be that will not quiet his conscience upon the bare word of truth in this particular but will call in for the help of reason and disputation how to understand and maintain it I think he shall be further from the true knowledge of God and satisfaction of mind than before There is no way here but to flee into Pauls Sanctuary Who art thou O man that disputes When ever thou thinks within thy self How may this be how can one be three and three one then withall let this of Pauls sound in thine ears Who art thou O man who disputes Think that thou art man think that he is God Believing ignorance is much better than rash presumptuous knowledge ask not a reason of these things but rather adore and tremble at the mysterie and Majesty of them Christianity is foolishnesse to the world upon this account because it 's an Implicite faith so to speak given to God but there is no fear of being deceived though he lead thee blind by a way thou know not yet he cannot lead thee wrong This holy simplicity in believing every word of God trusting without more trying by disputation is the very Character of Christianity and it will be found only true wisdome for if any will become wise he must be a fool in mens account that he may be wise he must quite his reason to learn true Religion which indeed is a more excellent and divine reason neither is it contrary to it though it be high above it In this place of Moses you have the Unity of God asserted The Lord thy God is one Lord And that is indeed engraven on the very hearts of men by nature That God is One for all may know that the common notion and apprehension of God is that he is a most perfect being the Originall of all things most wise most powerfull infinite in all perfections Now common reason may tell any man that there can bee but one thing most perfect Excellent there can be but one infinite one Almighty one beginning and end of all one first mover one first cause of whom are all things and who is of none Again in this place of Iohn ye have a Testimony of the blessed Trinitie of Persons Father Son and holy Ghost in that holy Unity of Essence The great point which Iohn hath in hand is this fundamentall of our Salvation that Jesus Christ is the Son of God Saviour of the World in whom all our confidence should be placed and upon whom we should lean the weight of our souls this he proves by a twofold testimony one out of Heaven another in the Earth There are three bearing witnesse to this truth in heaven The Father the word that is Jesus Christ the eternal Son of God whom this Apostle calls the word of God or wisdom of God Ioh. 1. 1. and the Holy Ghost The Father witnessed to this truth in an audible voice out of Heaven when Christ was baptized Mat. 3. 17. This is my wel-belovd Son hear him here 's the Fathers Testimony of the Son when he was baptized which was given very solemnly in a great congregation of people and divinely with great glory and Majesty from Heaven as if the heavens had opened upon him and the inaccessible light of God had shined down on him which was confirmed in the transfiguration Mat. 17. 5. VVhere the Lord gave a glorious evidence to the astonishment of the three Disciples how he did account of him how all Saints and Angels must serve him Him hath God the Father sealed saith Iohn Indeed the stamp of divinitie of the divine Image in such an excellent manner upon the man Christ was a Seal set on by God the Father signifying confirming his approbation of his well-beloved Son and of the work he was going about Then the Son himself did give ample Testimony of this this was the subject of his Preaching to the VVorld I am the light and life of men He that beleeveth on mee shall be saved and therefore he may be called the word of God and the wisedom of God Joh. 1. 1. Prov. 8. Because he hath revealed unto us the blessed mysterie of Wisdom concerning our Salvation He is the very expression and Character of the Fathers person and Glory Heb. 1. In his own Person and he hath revealed and expressed his Fathers mind and his own Office so fully to the World that there should be no more doubt of it Out of the mouth of these two witnesses this Word might be established But for superabundance behold a third the Holy Ghost witnessing at his baptisme in his Resurrection after his Ascension the Holy Ghost signifieth his presence and consent to that work in the similitude of a Dove the Holy Ghost testified it in the power that raised him from the dead the Holy Ghost put it beyond all question when he descended upon the Apostles according to Christs promise For the other three witnesses on earth we shal not stay upon it only know that the work of the regeneration of souls by the power of the word and spirit signified by water the justification of guilty souls signified by the blood of Jesus Christ the Testimony of the spirit in our Conscience bearing witnesse to our Spirits is an assured Testimony of this that Jesus Christ in whom we believe is the only begotten of the Father full of grace and truth The changing pacifying and comforting of souls in such a wonderfull manner cryes aloud that he in whom the soul believes is the true and living God whom to know is eternal life But mark I pray you the accuracy of the Apostle in the change of the speech these three witnesses on earth saith he agree in one in giving one common testimony to the Son of God and Saviour of Sinners But as for the heavenly witnesses the Father the Word and Holy Ghost how ever they be three after an inconceivable manner
of his Will they are but imaginary dreams like fancies of a distracted person who imagining himself a King sits down on the Throne and gives out decrees and Ordinances May not He who sits in Heaven laugh at the foolishnesse madnesse of men who act in all things as if they had no dependance on him and go about their businesse as if it were not contrived already it is a ridiculous thing for men to order their businesse and settle their own conclusions without once minding one above them who hath not only a negative but an affirmative vote in all things It s true that God in his deep wisedom hath kept up his particular purposes secret that men may walk according to an appointed Rule and use all means for compassing their intended ends and therefore it is well said Prudens futuri temporis exitum Caliginosa nocte premit Deus But yet withall we should mind that of Iames If the Lord will go about all things even the most probable with submission to his will and pleasure And therefore when men go without their bounds either in fear of dangers or joy conceived in successes Ridetque si mortalis ultra fas trepidet c. Excesse of fear excesse of hope excesse of joy in these outward things is as it were ridiculous to him who hath all these things appointed with him To him be praise and glory Eph. 1. 11. In whom also we have obtained an inheritance being predestinated c. Rom. 9. 22 23. What if God willing to shew his Wrath and to make his power known c. IN the Creation of the World it pleased the Lord after all things were framed and disposed to make one creature to rule over all and to him he gave the most excellent nature and priviledges beyond the rest so that it may appear that he had made all things for man man immediately for his own glory As man was the chief of the works of his hands so wee may according to the Scriptures conceive that he was chiefly minded in the Counsels of his heart And that as in the execution of his purpose in creating the World man had the preheminence assigned unto him and all seemed subordinate unto him so in the Lords purposes concerning the world his purpose about man has the preheminence He indeed has resolved to declare the glory of his Name in this world Therefore the Heavens and Firmament are made Preachers of that Glory Psal. 19. 1 2. c. But in special manner his Majesties glorious Name is manifested in man and about man he hath set man as it were in the Center or midst of the Creation that all the Creatures might direct or bring in their praises unto him to be 〈◊〉 up in his and their name to the Lord their Maker by him as the common mouth of the World and the Lord hath chosen this creature above all the creatures so the more solemn glorious declaration of himself in his special properties therefore we should gather our thoughts in this businesse to hear from the Lord what his thoughts are towards us for certainly the right understanding of his everlasting Counsell touching the eternall state of Men is of singular vertue to conform us to the praise of his Name and establish us in faith and confidence Predestination is a mystery indeed into which we should not curiously boldly enquire beyond what is revealed for then a soul must needs lose it self in that depth of wisdome and perish in the search of unsearchableness And thus the word speaks in Scripture of this subject intimating unto us that it is rather to be admired than conceived that there ought to be some ignorance of these secrets which conjoyned with Faith and reverence is more learned than any curious knowledge But withall we must open our eyes upon so much light as God reveals of these secrets knowing that the light of the word is a saving refreshing light not confounding as is his inaccessible light of secret Glory As far as it pleases his Majesty to open his mouth let us not close our ears but open themalso to his instruction knowing that as he will withhold no necessary thing for our salvation so he will reveâ—… nothing but what is profitable This is the best bond of sobriety and humble wisdome to learn what he teacheth us but when he makes an end of teaching to desire no more learning Its humility to seek no more it is true wisdom to be content with no lesse There is much weaknesse in our conceiving of divine things we shape and form them in our mindes according to a mould of our own experience or invention and cannot conceive of them as they are in themselves If we should speak properly there are not counsels purposes in God but one entire counsel and resolution concerning all things which are in time by which he hath disposed all in their severall times seasons conditions and orders but because we have many thoughts about many things so we cannot well conceive of God but in likenesse to our selves And therefore the Scripture condescending to our weaknesse speaks so How many are thy precious thoghts towards me saith David and yet indeed there is but one thought of him and us all which one thought is of so much vertue that it is equivalent to an infinite number of thoughts concerning infinite objects The Lord hath from everlasting conceived one purpose of manifesting his own glory in such severall wayes this is the head-spring of all that befalls creatures men and Angels But because in the execution of this purpose there is a certain order and succession and variety therefore men do ordinarily fancy such or such a frame and order in the Lords mind purpose And as the Astronomers do cut and carve in their Imaginations Cycles Orbs Epicycles in the Heavens because of the various and different appearances motions of stars in them whereas it may be really there is but one Celestial body in which all these various lights and motions do appear So do men fancy unto themselves an order of the Lords decree according to the Phaenomena or appearances of his works in the world whereas it is one purpose and Decree which in its infinite compasse comprehends all these varieties and orders together This much we may-indeed lawfully conceive of his Decree that there is an exact correspondence suteableness between his Majesties purpose and execution that he is a wise Lord wonderful in counsel excellent in working having some great plot and design before his eyes which he intends to effect and which is as it were the great Light and Sun of this Firmament unto which by that same wonderfull Counsel all other things are subordinate And so in the working it shall appear exactly as his Counsel did delineate contrive it There is no man so empty or shallow but he hath some great design and purpose
his will Since by his will he hath chained us with an inevitable necessiâ—…y to sin what can we do Men cannot wrestle with him why then doth he condemn accuse them But who art thou O man that disputes against God as if Paul had said thou art a man and so I am why then looks thou for an answer from me let us rather both consider whom we speak of whom thou accusest and whom I defend it is God what art thou then to charge him or what am I â—…o to clear Him Beleeving ignorance is better than presumptuous knowledge especially in these forbidden secrets in which it is more concerning to be ignorant which faith and admiration than to know with presumption disputes thou O man I will wonder reply thou I will believe doth it become thee the clay to speak so to the former Why hast thou made me thus Let the consideration of the absolute right and dominion of God over us more than any creature hath over another yea or over themselves let that restrain us and keep us within bounds He may do with us what he pleaseth for his own honour and praise but it is his will that we should leave all the blame to our selves and rather behold the evident cause of our destruction in our sin which is nearer us than to search into a secret and incomprehensible cause in Gods Counsel Heb. 11. 3. Through Faith we understand that the worlds were made c. with Gen. 1. WE are come down from the Lords purposes decrees to the execution of them which is partly in the works of Creation and partly on the works of Providence The Lord having resolved upon it to manifest his own glory did in that due and predeterminate time apply his own power to this businesse Having in great wisdome conceived a frame of the world in his mind from all eternity he at length brings it forth and makes it visible We shal not insist upon the particular story of it as it is set down in generall but only point at some things for our instruction First ye see who is the maker of all things of whom all things visible and invisible are it is God And by this he useth to distinguish himself from idols and the vanities of the Nations that he is that self-being who gave all things a being who made the heavens the earth This is even the most glorious manifestation of an invisible and eternall being These things that are made shew him forth If a man were travelling into a far Country and wandred into a wildernesse where he could see no inhabitants but only houses villages and cities built he would straight way conceive there hath been some work-man at this this hath not been done casually but by the Art of some reasonable creatures how much more may we conceive when we look on the Fabrick of this world how the heavens are streatched out for a Tent to cover them that dwel on the earth and the earth settled and established as a firm foundation for men living creatures to abide on how all are done in wisdome discretion we cannot but straight way imagine that there must be some curious and wise contriver and mighty Creator of these things It is here said that by Faith we understand that the worlds were made Indeed faith only in the word of God gives true and distinct understanding of it Innumerable have been the wandrings and mistakes of the wise of the world about this matter wanting this lamp light of the Word of God which alone gives a true and perfect account of this thing many strange dotages and fancies have they fallen into yet certain it is that there is so much of the glory of God engraven without on the creature and so much reason imprinted on the souls of men within that if it were not for that judiciall plague of the Lords darkning their understandings who do not glorifie him in as far as they know him no man could seriously soberly consider on the visible world but he would be constrained to conceive an invisible God Would not every one think within himself all these things so excellent as they are cannot be out of chance neither could they make themselves so that of necessity they must owe what they are to something beside themselves and of this it is certain that it cannot have its originall from any other thing else there should be no end therefore it must be some supream beeing that is from no other and of which are all things But next consider when these things were made in the beginning and what beginning is that certainly the beginning of the creation of time to exclude Eternity what ever may be said of that subtility that God might have created the world from all Eternity for it appears even in created things that there is no necessity of the precedent existence of the cause since in the same instant that many things are into being in the same do they bring forth their effects as the Sun in the first instant of its creation did illuminate yet certainly we believe from the word of the Lord that the world is actually but of a few thousand years standing six are not yet out run since the first creating word was spoken since the spirit of the Lord moved upon the waters this we know also that if it had pleased his Majesty he might have created the world many thousand years before that So that it might have been at this day of ten hundred times ten thousand years standing and he might have given it as many years as there are numbers of men Angels Beasts yea pickles of sand upon the sea-coast But it was his good pleasure that that very point of time in which it was created should be the beginning of time and from that he gives us a History of the World upon which the Church of God may rest and so seek no other God but the God that made these heavens and earth This will not satisfie the ungodly curiosity and vanity of mens spirits who will reproach the Maker for not applying sooner to his work and sitting idle such an unmeasurable space of Eternity Men wonder what he could be doing all that time if we may call it time which hath no beginning and how he was imployed I beseech you restrain such thoughts in you with the fear of his glorious incomprehensible Majesty who gives no account of his matters It is enough that this is his good pleasure to begin then he conceals his reasons to prove the sobriety of our faith that all men may learn an absolute and simple stouping to his Majesties pleasure Remember that which a godly man answered some wanton curious wit who in scorn demanded the same of him He was preparing hell for curious and proud fools said he Let us then keep our hearts as with a bridle and represse their boundless wanderings
is the stupid security of men that are only awakened by some new and unusual passages of Gods works beyond that straight Line of Nature Then fourthly look upon the power of God in making all of nothing which is expressed here in Heb. 11. There is no Artificer but he must have matter or his Art will fail him and he can do nothing The Mason must have timber and stones laid to his hand or he cannot build a house the Gold-smith must have gold or silver ere he can make a Cup or a Ring take the most curious quick inventer of them all they must have some matter to work upon or their knowledge is no bettter than ignorance all that they can do is to give some shape or form or to fashion that in some new model which had a beeing before so that what ever men have done in the world their work are all made up of these things which appear and Art skill to form fashion that excellently which before was in another mould and fashion but he needs not sit idle for want of materials and therefore in the beginning he made Heaven and Earth not as they now are but he made first the matter and substance of this Universe but it was as yet a rude and confused Chaos or Masse all in one lump without difference but then his Majesty shews his Wisdom and Art his excellent invention in the following dayes of the creation in ordering and beautifying forming the world as it is and that his power might be the more known For how easie is it for him to do all this There needs no more for it but a word let it be it is He spake and it was done He commanded and it stood fast Not a word pronounced and audibly composed of Letters and Syllables mistake it not so but a word inwardly formed as it were in his infinite Spirit even the inclination and beck of his will suffices for his great works Ye see what labour and pains we have in our businesse how we toil sweat about it what wrestlings strivings in all things we do but behold what a great work is done without any pain and travel It is a laborious thing to travell through a parcel of this earth which is yet but as the point of the Universe It is troublesome to lift or carry a little piece of stone or clay it s a toil even to look upward and number the stars of Heaven but it was no toil no difficult thing to his Majesty to stretch out these Heavens in such an infinite compasse for as large as the Circumference of them is yet it is as easie to him to compasse them as it is to us to span a finger-length or two It is no difficulty to him to take up hills and mountains as the dust of the ballance in his hand weigh them in scales Hath he not chain'd the vast huge Masse of the wighty earth and Sea in the midst of the empty place without a supporter without foundations or pillars He hangeth it on nothing What is it I pray you that supports the Clouds who is it that binds up their waters in such a way that the clouds are not rent under them even though there be more abundance of water in them than is in all the Rivers waters round about us Iob. 26. 7 8. Who is it that restrains sets bounds to the Sea that the waters thereof thogh they roar yet do not overflow the land But this Almighty Jehovah whose Decree commandement is the very compasse the bulwark over which they cannot flow all this he doth with more facility than men can speak If there were a creature that could do all things by speaking that were a strange power but yet that creature might be wearied with speaking much but he speaks and it is done his word is a creating word of power which makes things that are not to be and there is no wearying of him besides for he is Almighty and cannot saint but why then did he take six dayes for his work might he not with one word of his power have commanded this world to issue out of his omnipotent vertue thus perfect as it is What needed all this compasse Why took he six dayes who in a moment could have done it all with as much facility Indeed herein the Lord would have us to adore his wisdome as well as his power he proceeds from more imperfect things to more perfect from a confused Chaos to a beautifull World from motion to rest to teach man to walk through this wildernesse and valley of Tears this shapelesse World into a more beautiful habitation through the tossings of time into an everlasting Sabbath of rest whether their works shal follow them they shal rest from their labours He would teach us to take a stedfast look of his work and that wee should be busied all the dayes of our pilgrimage and sojourning in the consideration of the glorious characters of God upon the work of his hands wee see that it is but passing looks and glances of Gods glory we take in the creatures but the Lord would have us to make it our work and businesse all the week throgh as it was his to make them He would in this teach us his loving care of men who would not create Man till he had made for him so glorious an house replenished with all good things It had been a darksome irksome life to have lived in the first Chaos without light but he hath stretched over him the Heavens as his Tent and set lights in them to distinguish times and seasons and ordained the VVaters their proper bounds and peculiar Channels and then maketh the Earth to bring forth all manner of fruits when all is thus disposed then he câ—…eats man To this God the Maker of Heaven and Earth be glory and praise Heb. 11. 3. Heb. 1. 14. Are they not all ministring Spirits sent forth to minister c. THere is nothing more generally known than this that God at the beginning made the heaven and the earth and all the hosts of them the upper or the celestiall the lower or sublunary World but yet there is nothing so little believed or laid to heart By faith we understand that the Worlds were made It is one of the first Articles of the Creed indeed Father Almighty Maker of Heaven and Earth but I fear that Creed is not written in the Tables of flesh that is the heart There is a twofold mistake among men about the point of believing some and the commoner sort do think it is no other than simply to know such a thing and not to question it to hear it not to contradict it or object against it Therefore they do flatter themselves in their own eyes and do account themselves to have faith in God because they can say over all the Articles of their belief they
think the Word is true and they never doubted of it But I beseech you consider how greatly you mistake a main matter of weighty concernment If you will search it as before the Lord you will find you have no other belief of these things than children use to have whom you teach to think or say any thing there is no other ground of your not questioning these truths of the Gospel but because you never consider on them and so they passe for current Do not deceive your selves with the heart man believes it is a heart-businesse a soul-matter no light and uselesse opinion or empty expression which you have learned from a child You say you believe in God the Maker of Heaven and Earth and so say children who doubt no more of it than ye and yet in sadnesse they do not retire within their own hearts to think what a one he is they do not remember him in the works of his hands there is no more remembrance of that true God than if no such thing were known So it is among you you would think we wronged you if we said ye believed not that God made the world yet certainly all men have not this faith whereby they understand truly in their heart the Power Wisdome and Goodnesse of God appearing in it that is the gift of God only given to them that shal be saved If I should say that you believe not the most common Principles of Religion you would think it hard yet there is no doubt of it that the most common truths are least believed and the reason is plain because men have learned them by tongue and there is none that question them therefore very few ever in sadnesse and in earnest consider of them You say that God made Heaven Earth but how often do you think on that God And how often do you think on him with admiration Do ye at all wonder at the glory of God when you gaze on his works Is not this volume alwayes observant before your eyes every thing shewing and declaring this glorious Maker yet who is it that taketh more notice of him than if he were not at all such is the generall stupidity of men that they never ponder digest these things in their heart till their soul receive the stamp of the glory greatnesse of the invisible God which shines most brightly in these things that are visible and be in some measure transformed in their minds and conformed to these glorious appearances of him which are engraven in great Characters in all that do at all appear There is another mistake peculiar to some especially the Lords people that they think faith is limited to some few particular and more unknown and hid truths and mysteries of the Gospell Ye think that it is only true believing to imbrace some special Gospell-truths which the multitude of people know nothing of as the tenor of the Covenant of Grace and of Works c. And for other common Principles of Gods making and ruling the World you think that a common thing to believe them But saith the Apostle By faith we understand that the worlds were made it is that same faith spoken of in the end of Chap. 10. by which the just shal live So then here is a point of saving faith to believe with the heart in God the Creator and Father Almighty to take a view of Gods Almighty Power and sufficient Goodnesse and infinite Wisdome shining in the Fabrick of the World that with delight and admiration at such a glorious Fountain-being to rise up to his Majesty by the degrees of his creatures this is the climing and aspiring nature of Faith You see how much those Saints in the Old Testament were in this and certainly they had more excellent and beseeming thoughts of God than we It should make Christians ashamed that both Heathens who had no other Book opened to them but that of Nature did read it more diligently than we And that the Saints of Old who had not such a plain testimony of God as we now have yet did learn more out of the Book of the Creature then we do both out of it and the Scriptures We look on all things with such a carelesse eye and do not observe what may be found of God in them I think verily there are many Christians and Ministers of the Gospel who do not ascend into those high and ravishing thoughts of God in his being and working as would become even meer Naturalists How little can they speak out of his Majesty or think as it becomes his transcendent glory There is little in Sermons or discourses that holds out any singular admiring thoughts of a Deity but in all these we are so common and carelesse as if he were an Idol It is not in vain that it is expressed thus By faith we know that the worlds were made for certainly the firm believing pondering of this one truth would be of great moment and use to a Christian in all his journey You may observe in what stead it is to the Saints in Scripture This raises up a soul to high thoughts and sutable conceptions of his glorious Name so conforms the worship of his Majesty unto his excllency it puts the stamp of Divinity upon it spiritualizes the thoughts and affections so as to put a true difference between the true God and the gods that made not the Heavens the Earth Alace the worship of many Christians speaks out no diviner or higher object than a creature it is so cold so formall and empty so vain wandring there is no more respect testified unto him than we would give to some eminent person You find in the Scripture how the strain of the Saints affections and devotion rises when they take up God in his absolute Supremacy above the creatures look on him as the alone fountain of all that is worth the name of perfection in them A soul in that consideration cannot chuse but assign unto him the most eminent seat in the heart gather those affections which are scattered after the creatures into one channell to pour them out on him who is all in all and hath all that which is lovely in the creatures in an eminent degree Therefore know what you are formed for to shew forth his praise to gather and take up from the creatures all the fruits of his praise and offer them up to his Majesty This was the end of man this is the end of a Christian you are made for this and you were redeemed for this to read upon the volumes of his works word and from thence extract songs of praise to his Majesty As this would be of great moment to the right worshipping of God and to the exercise of true holiness so it is most affectual to the establishing of a soul in the confidence of the promises of God When a soul by faith understands
the world was made by God then it relyes with confidence upon that same word of God as a word of power and hopes against hope There are many things in the Christians way betwixt him and glory which look as insuperable thou art often emptied into nothing and stript naked of all encouragements and there is nothing remaining but the word of Gods promises to thee and to the Church which seems contrary to sense and reason Now I say if thou do indeed believe that the world was made by God then out of all Question thou may silence all thy fears with this one thought God created this whole frame out of nothing he commanded the light to shine out of darknesse then certainly he can give a beeing to his own promises is not his word of promise as sure and effectuall as his word of command This is the grand incouragement of the Church both offered by God from Isa. Chap. 40. and made use of by his Saints as David Hezekiah c. What is it would disquiet a soul if it were reposed on this Rock of creating power and faithfulnesse This would alwayes sound in its ears faint not weary not Iacob I am God and none else the portion of Iacob is not like others be it inward or outward difficulties suppose Hell and Earth combined together let all the enemies of a soul or of the Church assemble here is one for all the God that made the Heaven and the Earth can speak and it is done command and it stands fast He creates peace and who then can make trouble when he gives quietnesse to a Nation or to a person Almighty power works in Saints and for Saints let us trust in him Gen. 1. 26 27. And God said Let us make man after our own Image with Eph. 4. 24. and Heb. 3. 10. WHile we descend from the meditation of the glory of God shining in the Heavens in Sun Moon and Stars unto the consideration of the Lords framing of Man after this manner we may fall into admiration with the Psalmist Psalm 8. Lord what is man that thou art so mindful of him or the Son of man that thou shouldest remember him It might indeed drown us in wonder and astonish us to think what speciall notice He hath taken of such a creature from the very beginning and put more respect upon him then upon all the more Excellent works of his hands you find here the Creation of man expressed in other tearms than was used before He said let there be light and it was let there be dry land c. But it is not such a simple word as that but let us make man according to our image as if God had called a consultation about it what was there any more difficulty in this then the rest of his works Needed he any advisement about his frame and constitution No certainly for there was a great work of power as curious peeces of Art wisdome which were instantly done upon his word He is not a man that he should advise or consult as there is no difficulty nor impediment in the way of his power He doth all that he pleases ad nutum at his very word or nod so easie are impossibilities to him so there is nothing hard to his wisedom no knot but it can loose nothing so curious or exquisite but he can as curiously contrive it as the most common and grosse peeces of the creation and therefore He is wonderful in counsell excellent in working But ve have here expressed as it were a Counsell of the Holy and Blessed Trinity about Mans Creation to signifie to us what peculiar respect He puts upon that Creature and what speciall notice he takes of us that of his own free purpose and good pleasure he was to single and choose out man from among all other Creatures for the more eminent demonstration of his glorious attributs of grace mercy and justice upon him and likewise to point out the excellency that God did stamp upon man in his Creation beyond the rest of the creatures as the Apostle showes the excellency of Christ above Angels To which of the Angels said he at any time thou art my Son Heb. 1. 5. So we may say of which of the creatures said he at any time come let us make them in our image after our likenesse O how should this make us listen to hear earnest to know what man once was how magnified of God and set above the works of his hands There is a great desire in men to search into their Original and to trace backward the dark footsteps of antiquity especially if they be put in expectation of attaining any honourable or memorable extraction How will men love to hear of the worth of their Ancestors But what a stupidity doth possesse the most part in relation to the high fountain and head of all that they do not aim so high as Adam to know the very estate of humane nature hence it is that the most part of people ly still astonished or rather stupid and senselesse after this great fall of man because they never look upward to the place and dignity from whence man did fall It is certain you will never rightly understand your selves or what ye are till ye know first what man was made You cannot imagine what your present misery is till you once know what that selicity was in which man was made let us make man in our image some have called man a little world a compend of the world because he hath heaven and earth as it were married together in him two most remote and distant natures the dust of the earth and the immortall Spirit which is called the breath of God sweetly linked and conjoyned together with a disposition and inclination one to another The Lord was in this piece of workmanship as it were to give a narrow and short compend of all his works so did associate in one piece with his marvelous wisdome being living moving sense and reason which are scattered abroad in the other creatures so that a man carries these wonders about with him which he admires without him At his bare and simple word this huge frame of the world started out of nothing but in this he acts the part of a cunning Artificer let us make man he makes rather than creats first raises the walls of flesh buildeth the house of the body withall its Organs all its Rooms and then he puts in a noble divine guest to dwel in it He breaths in it the breath of life he incloseth as it were an Angel within it and marrieth these two together into the most admirable union and communion that can be imagined so that they make up one man But that which the Lord looks most into is this work and would have us most to consider is that Image of himself that he did imprint on man let us make man in our own Image there was no