Objections be suddenly started by the Flesh they are as suddenly answered by the Spirit of Faith Faith will hear nothing against its own present act but on it goes quenching all the fiery Darts of the Wicked that fly thick about it the supposed strength of reason is nothing to the real strength of Faith To set one or two single Texts against the general scope and express words of the whole Gospel is so bold an attempt that I wonder any should appear in it There is a Justification without Works and there is a Justification by Works believe both to be true without any contradiction and let that end the difference To set Paul against Iames and Iames against Paul one Preacher against another what will this end in We may preach up the Justification of Abram's Person by Faith without Works and not contradict Iames's who speaks of the Justification of Abram's Faith by his Works we had need be well satisfied in the truth of that Faith upon which the Justification of our persons in the sight of God depends You see how difficult a matter it is to submit to the judgment of Faith Reason will be rising up against it putting many Objections If God do not enable us to deny our selves and to adhere to his Word we shall be run down presently we are more for disputing than believing whereas Faith if the letter of the Text be plain will admit of no dispute but believes the Record that God hath given of his Son and expects that every tittle of the Word should be fulfilled accordingly As Humane things require understanding so Divine things require faith We believe and are sure Joh. 6. 69. not we know and are sure nothing settles the mind in a firm persuasion of the truth of the Gospel but Faith therefore Faith is absolutely necessary in all who desire to be saved Indeed men may eternally perish without Faith but when Conscience is awakened and comes to be concerned about a Future State there is no securing our Souls into Eternity but by Faith in Christ and this Faith stands not in the wisdom of man but in the power of God nothing less can work it in you Therefore if any Gospel-truth should now strike upon your Understandings and find no entrance but seem dark and unintelligible you should lift up your voice for Understanding and beg of God that he would not suffer the sound of that Truth to pass thorough your Ears and out of you Memories before he hath given you some insight into it and made you willing to receive it by faith he can do it and will do it if we wait upon upon him for teaching did we hear the Word under a Conviction of this That 't is utterly impossible to believe the Mystery of the Gospel unless it be given to us we should look up more earnestly to the Father of Lights for this great and rare gift of Faith After all that hath been said if any should stumble at the Doctrine of Faith and take offence at it this doth but verify the Text. Behold I lay in Sion a stumbling-stone and rock of offence whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed FINIS Books Printed for and Sold by Thomas Cockerill at the Three Leggs in the Poultrey CHARNOCK's Works in Two Voll Folio RUSHWORTH's Historical Collections 2d Part never before Printed containing the Principal Matters which happened from the meeting of the Parliament 1640. to the end of the Parliament 1644. in 2 Vol. Fol. Geography Rectified or Description of the World in all its Kingdom Provinces Countreys c. Also Government Commodities Coins Weights c. illustrated with about 80 Maps By Robert Morden 4to The Morning Exercise at Cripplegate or Several Cases of Conscience Resolved by sundry Ministers In 4to A Supplement to the Morning Exercise at Cripplegate 8vo Speculum Theologiae in Christo Or a view of some Divine Truths which are either practically Exemplified in Jesus Christ set forth in the Gospel or may be reasonably reduced from thence 8vo Christus in Corde Or the Mystical Union between Christ and Believers Precious Faith Considered in its Nature Workings and Growth These Three by Edward Polhill of Barwash in Essex Esq A Succinct and Seasonable Discourse of the Occasions Causes Natures Rise Growth and Remedies of Mental Errors with a Discourse of Infant Baptism and against the Antinomians A Discourse of the Reasonableness of Personal Reformation and Necessity of Conversion Mr. Iohn Flaveli's Remains being two Sermons The one Preached at Dartmouth the other intended to be preached at a Meeting of Ministers These Three by John Flavell late Minister of Devon A Demonstration of the First Principles of the Protestant Applications of the Apocalypse c. By Drue Cressener D. D. The Conformity of the Ecclesiastical Discipline of the Reformed Churches in France by Monsieur LaRoque In English Quarto Instructions about Heart-Work what is to be done on God's part and ours for the cure and keeping the Heart c. by Mr. Richard Alleyn To which is added the Companion of Prayer by the same Author A Discourse concerning Liturgies by the late Reverend Divine Mr. David Clarkson The Evidence of Things not seen Or divers Discourses concerning the state of Holy Men after Death By Moses Amyraldus Gradus ad Parnassum sive novus Synonimorum Epithetorum Phrasium c. Thesaurus God a Christian's Choice compleated by particular Covenanting with God wherein the Lawfulness and Expediency is cleared by Samuel Winney M. A. Mr. West's Legacy being a Discourse of the Perfect Man Poems in Two Parts about the Creation and Recovery of Man 12s By Sam. Slater A Discourse of Closet-Prayer by the same Author A Practical Grammar or the easiest and shortest way to initiate young children in the Latin Tongue By I. Philomath Master of a Free-School English Exercises for School-Boys to Translate into Latin By Ioseph Garretson School-master The School of Manners or Rules for Childrens behaviour by the same Author A Funeral Sermon on the Death of the Reverend Mr. West A Discourse concerning Regeneration Faith and Repentance A Discourse of the Christian Religion in sundry Points These Three last by the Reverend Mr. Cole
Gentiles came to be called The Iews took offence at the Gospel could not tell what to make of the Righteousness of Faith they were all for the Righteousness of Works but God rejects both them and their Works and calls the Gentiles who lived in Profaneness and Idolatry they followed not after Righteousness of one sort or other they knew neither Law nor Gospel did nothing by way of preparation to further their calling but God of his mere good pleasure sends the Gospel among them and makes the Preaching of it an effectual means of their Conversion to Faith in Christ. Christ in his Doctrine of Justification by Faith and not by Works was a Stumbling stone to the Iews as he is to many now-a-days upon the very same account 't is what is foretold in Scripture and what we must expect This Child is set for the fall of many in Israel and for a sign which shall be spoken against Luke 2. 34. So 1 Pet. 2. 7 8. 1 Cor. 1. 23. The Apostles Preaching this Doctrine were a savour of Death to many that heard them and perished under their Ministry by Unbelief so now some will take offence at this Doctrine but be it a savour of Life or Death we must Preach it I shall now shew you from this Text whence it is that the Doctrine of Justification by Faith in Christ through the Imputation of his Righteousness is such a stumbling stone and rock of offence to many The main reason I conceive is this viz. Because the way of a Sinner's Salvation by Faith in Christ is a Mystery far above the reach of man's understanding no wonder then that so many boggle at it count it foolishness and set themselves to oppose it I shall couch what I have to say under these Three General Heads viz. 1. That the Mysteries of Faith are not comprehensible by reason the way of a Sinner's Salvation by Faith in Christ is above a natural man's understanding This some count Enthusiasm and cannot bear it but truth is truth and must be Preached whether men will bear it or no. 2. Why hath God laid the way of a sinner's Salvation so high that no humane understanding can reach it 3. Though the way of a sinner's Salvation by Christ be above the capacity of a natural man to reach and take in yet God can give us a true discerning of it Of these in order The first General Head viz. 1. That the way of a sinner's Salvation by Christ is above man's understanding Therefore called the Wisdom of God in a mystery hidden wisdom 1 Cor. 2. 7. Eph. 3. 9. 10. And though this secret of the Lord be now outwardly revealed in the letter of the Word yet 't is understood by none but such as are spiritually enlightned Mat. 16 17. Col. 1. 26 27. To some it is given to know these mysteries to others not Mat. 13. 11. Mat. 11. 25. 1 Cor. 2. 9 10. The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him Psal. 25. 14. They are under a special anointing 1 John 2. 27. But for others they understand not what God is doing in the Gospel 't is so great a Mystery that the Angels admire it seen of Angels 1 Tim. 3. 16. They never saw such a sight before they now desire to look into these things 1 Pet. 1. 12. are wonderfully taken with this rare method of man's Salvation and do observe with great delight how this design of Grace is carried on in the Church Eph. 3. 10. The Second General Head viz. 2. Why hath God laid the way of a sinner's Salvation so high that no human understanding can reach it There are Three Reasons of this viz. 1. Because nothing that falls under man's understanding could save him 2. Because nothing doth tend more to the Glory of God's rich Grace than to fetch the Mystery of man's Salvation out of the depths of Infinite Wisdom 3. Because nothing keeps man in a closer dependance upon God than this Of these in order The First Reason why God hath laid it so high viz. Because nothing that falls under man's understanding could save him The case of fallen man was so desperate that nothing less than Infinite Wisdom could find out a way to save him either man must eternally perish or God must put forth himself to the utmost and go beyond the reason of man to find out a way to save him There are four ways of Salvation that a human understanding prompts us to some to one and some to another but all in vain we are grosly mistaken in every one of them 1. Some think to be saved by the Covenant of Works do rely simply upon that in a direct opposition to the Covenant of Grace The Iews contended with Christ and his Apostles about this Paul speaks of such in his Epistle to the Romans There is that Legal spirit in fallen man that he still inclines to the Law of Works he foolishly thinks to be saved by that Law which hath already condemned him It argues great Infatuation in Fallen Man that he should still desire to be under the Law which hath already concluded him under Wrath and vet he hopes for Mercy from that Law that never knew what it was to shew mercy Because it was once the way of Salvation for man in innocency therefore he thinks there may be some hope still Alas this is like the cry of a condemned Man upon whom Sentence of Death is already passed his Cry signifies nothing he must away to Execution 2. If Works alone won't justify man will try what the Works of the Law and the Grace of the Gospel put together will do he joins Christ and the Law hopes that way to save himself partly by Grace and partly by Works so did the Galatians and so do some now-a-days mingling the two Covenants strangely together that way may be made for their good Works to help forward their Justification But if you be circumcised Christ shall profit you nothing Gal. 5. 2. If it be of works 't is no more grace Rom. 11. 6. It must be either all Works or all Grace there is no mingling them in point of Justification we cannot be under both Covenants at once We are justified freely by his grace says Paul Rom. 3. 24. We should eye nothing in our selves but only the free Grace of God in our Justification 3. If they cannot be justified by the Works of the Law nor by joining the Works of the Law and Christ together then they will see what may be done by joining the Works of the Gospel and Christ together their own inherent Evangelical Righteousness and Christ's Imputed Righteousness must go hand in hand in the business of Justification There are a sort of Latitudinarians who seek to widen the straight gate of Faith and have almost quite pulled it off the hinges to make room for their own Evangelical Righteousness to join with Faith in helping forward our Justification what course they
grace in his kindness towards us through Christ Eph. 2. 7. Not according to our Works as men are apt to think but according to his own purpose and grace 2 Tim. 1. 9. Man cannot say when he hears the Gospel that he thought before-hand that God would take this way no he is amazed at it astonished at it what manner of love is this Here is a new thing created in the Earth It is the glory of God to conceal a thing Prov. 25. 2. God never advised with Angels or Men about the way of a Sinner's Salvation but from Eternity contrived it in his own breast Who hath been his Counsellor Rom. 11. 34. This secret of the Lord is now revealed unto us in the Gospel O how great is the mystery of godliness God manifest in the flesh The Third Reason why God hath laid it so high c. viz. Because nothing keeps man in a closer dependance upon God than to see the way of his Eternal Salvation wrapped up in such a Mystery that none but God can reveal unto him Since this great undertaking of God to save Sinners is a business of that nature of that high concernment to us and also quite beyond our skill and above our knowledge to conceive a right of how should we humbly wait upon God for further light that he would open the eyes of our Understanding c. as the Apostle prays Eph. 1. 18. To whom should we go thou hast the words of eternal life Joh. 6. 68. q. d. None can teach us the way of Life but Thou alone O lead us in it and suffer us not to depart out of it God hath laid the way of a Sinner's Salvation so high in Christ Jesus that none would ever come to him if the Father did not draw them Ioh. 14. 6. The Iews those Builders of old they set at naught the Chief Corner-stone Jesus Christ built upon other Foundations till at last the House fell upon their heads How positive is Peter about the only way of Salvation by Christ Acts 4. 12. He saw that naturally men went the wrong way knocked at the wrong Door did not enquire for the right and only Saviour of Sinners no other Name under Heaven c. So much for the Second General Head viz. Why God hath laid the way of a Sinner's Salvation so high that no Humane Understanding can reach it 3. The Third General Head viz. Though the way of a Sinners Salvation by Christ be above the Capacity of a natural Man to reach and take in yet God can give us a true discerning of it and full saction about about it inclining our hearts readily to comply with it and acquiesce in it and this discerning God gives the Saints by his Spirit not in the Light of Humane Reason but in the Light of a Divine Faith grounded upon the Word of God Faith sees things as they are in God in lumine veritatis prima in the Light of the first Verity which is God himself all Gospel-truths are copied out from that Divine Original and revealed to us in the Scriptures so much truth as we have in us so much of the Image of God we have upon us and no more an enlightned Mind ascends upwards by that which is revealed to God himself the first Exemplar of all truth and sees sufficient grounds for our faith and hope in him God lets things into the Soul at another Door than Reason does which admits nothing but what first passes thorow our Senses Faith having to do with things Supernatural consults not with Flesh and Blood about them but takes them in by a higher Light God shining in our hearts and giving us that evidence of things not seen nor apprehended by the Light of Humane Reason It may here be queried Since the way of a Sinner's Salvation by faith in Christ is so mysterious so much above the reach of a mere Humane Understanding cannot be discerned but in the light of Faith and that Faith being not of our selves but the Gift of God The Query is Whether Man without offering violence to the Principles of his Nature as a Reasonable Creature be capable of such a Faith that lifts him up above his Reason and carries him out to those things which a Humane Understanding conceives not This is the Quere which I am to say something in answer to First God compels none to believe yet he makes things so clear to his Saints that they cannot but believe Though God gives Faith Eph. 2. 8. yet he forces it upon none Faith is voluntary A Mind spiritually enlightned sees sufficient grounds of faith in Christ himself and therefore out of choice and judgment relies upon him only rejecting all other confidences as vain Secondly Faith is either Humane or Divine We are naturally capable of both but with this difference We may bring our selves to a Humame Faith but not to a Divine Faith i. e. we may bring our selves to a Humane Faith about things we see hear and understand Reason and common Charity doth this there is no man but believes something I am not now speaking of a natural Faculty of believing in a humane way all men as men have this but I am speaking of a Divine Faith proper only to Christians a faith in God and Christ about those things that transcend our Reason I say no man can bring himself to such a Faith he hath no natural Faculty or Principle in him that leads him to such a Faith it is the work of God that he believes in God I grant Man as a Rational Creature is passively capable of a Divine Faith none else are but Reasonabe Creatures and yet I must tell you nothing doth more oppose Faith than Reason doth you must know that this natural Capacity that is in man for Faith doth arise from the necessary subjection of his Mind to the Creating Power of God they who would resist his Will cannot resist his Power else his Power would be no Power far from Omnipotency if it could be resisted by a Creature therefore he must needs have a passive Obediential Capacity or Receptivity of any higher Principle that God shall think fit to create in him he cannot refuse but must receive any further Light that God shall let in upon him and set up by his Almighty Spirit as a standing Supernatural Principle to guide and direct him in all his ways As it was in the first Creation Let there be light and there was light so 't is in the second Creation God commands light to shine out of darkness else there would be no possibility of a Sinner's Conversion for upon the Principles he now goes and the present Light he walks by 't is impossile to convert him but by putting higher Principles and a higher Light into him he may be converted this God can do and none else who calls things that are not as though they were and gives them a being he puts a new Supernatural Light into