that can be the foundation of our â—ustification else it were to confound that precious decreet of free grace 2. There is this that we would have you all knowing That Faith is not the instrument of Justification as Justification is taken in an active sense though it is the instrument of Justification as it is taken in a passive sense and the ground of this conclusion is this because it is impossible that any action in man can be an instrument of any action in God And therefore that phrase that you have so ordinarily spoken of That Faith justifieth it is thus to be resolved That we are justified by Faith 3. There is this that we would have you knowing that betwixt a Christians closing by Faith with the righteousnesse of Jesus Christ and the justification of a sinner I say there is no natural and indispensible connexion betwixt these two but onely there is a connexion of divine appointment and of free grace though we conceive there is a natural aptitude in the grace of Faith to lay hold on the righteousnesse of Christ more then there is in any other grace of the Spirit as ye may see there is a more natural aptitude and fitnesse in the hand to receive then in any other organ of the body 4. There is this also that we would have you knowing that a Christian in his first closing with Christ Christ considered as crucified is the immediate object of his Faith and not Christ considered in his personal excellencies Hence it is often in Scripture that Christ as crucified is holden forth as the immediate object of justifying Faith as is clear Rom. 3. 5 24 25. And the ground of this assertion is this because that it is the formall object of justifying Faith which doth formally justifie the sinneâ— and on which Faith doth immediately lay hold as a ransome to satisfie justice and as a righteousnesse in which the soul dare venture to be found when it shall stand before the Judgement seat of God And certainly this is Christ as obedient to the death of the crosse And it is likewise clear that the thing which doth engage the soul to Christ is not onely because he is good in himself but because he is good to us 5. And there is this lastly that we would have you knowing That though faith doth alone justifie yet Faith doth not justifie being alone Hence is that which we have so often in Schooles Fides justificat solum licet non solitariè that Faith justifieth alone though not being alone as Iames doth speak Faith without works is dead and is of no effect Now that which secondly we shall speak to shall be this To point out to you some differences betwixt justifying Faith which is in a real Believer and temporary Faith which is in an Hypocrite and one that is destitute of that everlasting hope though he do pretend to have it And first That there is such a thing as temporary Faith is clear from Luk. 8. 13. It is said there of some That they believed for a season yea in Acts 8. 13. It is said of Simon Magus who was in the gall of bitternesse and in the bond of iniquity he believed And these in Ioh 2. 23. When they did behold the miracles they believed on Iesus Christ and yet we conceive that their faith was not sincere and so this was not saving Faith And indeed ye may see a difference betwixt these two in the very name temporary for this is such a Faith as doth not continue long with him that hath it but doth evanish and passe away for as this is certain that an hypocrite will not always call upon God Iob 27. 10. So that is also certain that a hypocrite will not alwayes believe in God I tell you that the longest time a hypocrite doth keep his Faith Iob hath set down in his 18. Chap. vers 14. Their hope saith he shall bring them to the king of terrours and then it shall be rooted out of them and their tabernacle their faith will bring them no further then the gates of death and then their faith will flee away as a dream and evanish as a vision of the night II. There is this difference likewise betwixt them That temporary Faith it closeth with Christ as a Saviour and for righteousnesse but it closeth not with Christ as a Prince and for Sanctification but justifying Faith taketh Christ as well for a Prince as it taketh him for a Saviour and if Solomon did discern who was the true Mother of the childe by that that she who would have the childe divided was not the mother of the childe so we may say that they who would divide Christ in his Offices it is an evidence that they are not among these who are actually made partakers of the Adoption of children there is somewhat of this pointed at in Ioh. 6. 66. where that which made many who were his disciples and did once believe desert him was because of the hardnesse of his command This is an hard saying who can hear it And it is certain that it is a greater difficulty for a Christian to take Christ as a Prince then as a Saviour for by that he must make an absolute resignation of himself over to Chrrst never to be reduced O when saw you such a sight of Christ that ye were constrained to cry our without a complement to him Truly I am thy servant I am thy servant O were ye never ravished with one of his eyes nor overtaken with one chain of his neck Believe me they who see him thus do believe that His commands are not grievous III. There is this difference that temporary Faith is attained unto without the exercise of the Law but justifying Faith is not attained to without some measure of the exercise of the Law this is clear Mark 4. 5. where speaking of these temporary believers it is said of them that the fruit did immediately spring up c. Are there not some it may be here who think they do believe and yet were never in any measure trembling under the discovering condemning power of the Law Is not that a mystery that one should bring forth without travelling And is not this a mystery in Christianity that one should believe before he hath found the paâ—gs of the New birth I am afraid of this that many of us have taken up our Religion at our foot for there are many who take up Religion before Religion take them up But would ye know the properties of a Christians Faith It is a begotten Faith 1 Pet. 1. 2. and not a Faith that is taken up at our pleasure And I would only say these two things to you be perswaded of this that hypocrisie may be spun with a veâ—p small threed so that the most discerning Christian cannot take up that desperate enmity that is in them How long did Iudas luâ—k under the name of a Saint even with these that
and perfire them Now Faith taketh hold not onely on the faithfulnesse of God that hee is a God of truth and that in him there is no lie but likewise it taketh hold on the omnipotency of God that hee is one to whom nothing is too hard and on the infinite mercy and love of God that hee is one who doth delight to magnifie this Attribute above all his works And these are the three great pillars of justifying Faith From the first it answereth all these objections of sense which do ordinarily cry forth Doth his promise fail for evermore And that with this one word If hee hath once purposed it hee will also do it and if hee hath once spoken it hee will also make it come to passe From the second it answereth all these objections that may arise from carnal reason and probability which tend to the weakning of his confidence And these do oftemtimes cry out How can these things be But Faith laying hold upon the omnipotency of God it staggers not at the promise but is strong in the Faith giving glory to God And it is the noble and divine exercise of this Heroick grace of Faith that these objections of reason and probability which it cannot answer it will lay them aside and yet close with the promise Which was the practice of believing Abraham who considered not his own body being weak nor the barrennesse of Sarahs womb As likewise it was the commendable practice of that woman Matth. 15. who not being able to answer the second trial of her faith from reason yet notwithstanding Faith made her cry out Have mercy upon mee O Son of David And from the last a Christian doth answer all the arguments of misbelief which do arise from the convictions of our unworthinesse and sinfulnesse which makes us oftentimes imbrace that divinity of Peters Luk. 5 8. Depart from me for I am a sinful man But Faith taking hold on the infinite mercy and love of Christ it answereth all with this He walks not with us according to that rule of merit but according to that precious and golden rule of love and boundlesse compassion But before we shall speak any thing unto you of these things wee would a little point out some few things to be known as previous to these we shall not dwell long in pointing out the nature of justifying Faith it is that grace whereby a Christian being convinced of his lost estate and of an utter impossibility to save himself he doth flee to the righteousnesse of Jesus Christ and unto him who is that precious City of refuge and there doth abide till our High Priest shall die which shall not be for ever Or if ye will it is a sweet travelling of the immortall soul betwixt infinite misery and infinite mercy betwixt an utter impossibility to save our selves and a compleat ability in him to save to the uttermost betwixt abounding sin and superabounding mercy Hence Faith is often holden forth to us in Scripture under that notion of coming Isa. 55. 1. Ho every one that thirsteth come ye to the waters Rev. 22. 17. Whosoever will let him take the water of life freely Heb. 7. 25. Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come to God by him And we may say by the way that if once a sinner could be brought to this to count all his own righteousnesse but filthy rags and to belive that a man is as really justified before God by imputed righteousnesse as if it were by inherent holinesse surely such an one were not far from the Kingdom of God Neither shall we stand long to point out this unto you that it is your duty to believe for it is clear not only from this place but likewise from Isa. 45. 22. Look unto me and be ye saved all the ends of the earth Matth. 11. 28. Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest Joh. 14. 1. Ye believe in God belive also in me Isa. 55. 1. Ho every one that thirsteth come ye to the waters and he that hath no money Come buy without money and without price But Oh! it 's a great misery of many and that which may be a subject of perpetuall lamentation that we can neither be subject to the Law as commanding to obey it or as threatning to believe it Nor to the Gospel as promising to imbrace it and sweetly to receive it O but that primitive temptation and delusion whereby Sathan did deceive our first father is that whereby he yet seeks to catch and delude many souls viz. That though we eat of the forbidden fruit and walk in the vain imaginations of our own hearts yet he doth suggest this to us that we shall not die but shall once be as God This is Sathans great and deâ—â—ding divinity And therefore to inforce his great and precious Command a little further wee shall propose these considerations First That the Gospel hath laid no obstruction in our way of closing with Christ and partaking of the effects of the Gospel but on the contrary sheweth that the great impediment is our want of willingnesse which wee lay in our own way as is clear from Ioh. 5. 40. Yee will not come to mee that yee may get life as likewise from Rev. 22. 17. where the gates of the Gospel are cast open and whosoever will are commanded to enter in So that although you may father your misbelief upon your inability or that your spot is not the spot of his people yet know that the rise and original of it is the want of willingnesse But to make this more clear wee would have you knowing this that all the qualifications annexed to this Commandement of Faith as that in Matth. 11. 28. speaketh out the qualifications rather of these that will come than of all these that ought to come Oâ— hee inviteth these that through the spiriâ— of discouragement and misbelief have the greatest reluctancy to come And may noâ— that cardinal and soul-refreshing promise Ioh. 6. 37. stop the mouth of misbelief so that it should have nothing to say Hâ— that cometh unto mee I will in no wayes casâ— out Yee may reduce your misbelief rather to the sinfulnesse of your will than to the sinfulnesse of your walk And if once yee could come the length of willingnesse to imbrace Jesus Christ all other objectioâ— and knots should be sweetly loosed and dissolved Secondly Consider that though we should pray the on half of our time and weep the other yet if we want this noble grace of Faith the wrath of God shall abide on us What are all the works of these hypocrites and these gâ—â—string acts of Law-sanctification but a plunging of our selves in the ditch untill our own cloaths abhorre us Therefore it is that after the Prophet Zachary hath made mention in the 12. Chapter of his Prophesie of making bitter lamentation for him whom wee have
placeth a Christian upon the top of mount Pisga and there letteth him see a sight of the promised Land And doth open a door in Heaven thorow which a Christian is admitted to see Christ sitting upon His Throne And Faith hath not only a kind of Omnipotency as is clear That all things are possible to them that believe but it hath a kind of Omnisciency and all knowledge that it can take up and comprehend the greatest mysteries of heaven according to that word Prov. 28. 5. He that seeketh the Lord shall understand all things As if hee said there is nothing dark to a believing Christian as there is nothing impossible to â— believing Christian. As likewise Faith â—s that grace that must take aside the vail that is spread over the face of a crucified Christ. And Faith is that precious spy that goeth forth and taketh up these wonderfull excellencies that are in him The grace of love as it were is born blind and it hath nothing wherewith to solace it self but that which is presented unto it by this noble and excellent grace of Faith Now before wee shall speak any thing to these things that wee did propose to speak of it at the last occasion wee shall yet speak a little unto some things which are necessary to be known for the distinct up taking of the nature of justifying Faith which is the great commandement of this everlasting Gospel and that which wee would first speak to shall be this What is the reason and ground that the Gospel conveyance of righteousnesse and life and of the excellent things of this everlasting Covenant should be through the exercise of the grace of Faith For it is not said in the Scripture that repentance justifieth that love justifieth or that mortification justifieth but it is Faith only that justifieth and it is Faith by which a Christian inheriteth the promises so that is clear that Faith is that Conduit-pype through which are conveyed to us the great blessings of this everlasting Covenant I. And the first ground of it is this it is through Faith that all our blessings may be known to be by love and by free and unsearchable grace as is clear Rom. 4. 16. While the Apostle is giving a reason why the inheritance is conveyed to a Christian through Faith It is of faith saith he that it might be of grace for if the inheritance were conveyed to a Christian through a Covenant of Works then these spotlesse draughts of infinite love and of unsearchable grace should not be written on our inheritance as is clear Rom. 4. 25. And it is that great designe of Christ to make his grace conspicuous in conveying salvation to us through Faith II. There is this second ground likewise of it that all the promises and blessings of this everlasting Covenant might be sure and stedfast to us therefore they are conveyed to us through the exercise of the grace of Faith as is clear Rom. 4. 16. They are of Faith saith he that they might be sure or as the word is that they might be settled when the promises of life and of eternal salvation were conveyed to us through mans obedience were they not then most uncertain and unstable But is not heaven your everlasting crown now stedfast unto you seeing you have that golden pillar of Christs everlasting righteousnesse to be the foundation of your Faith and the strength of your confidence in the day of need III. There is this third ground why the promises and excellent things of this Gospel are conveyed to a Christian through the exercise of Faith that all boasting and gloriation might be excluded according to that word Rom. 3. 27. By what law is boasting excluded Not by the law of works but by the law of Faith And certainly seeing Christians have all the great things of heaven conveyed to them through the exercise of Faith think yee not that this shall be your first song when yee shall be within the gates of that new Jerusalem Not unto us not unto us but unto thee doth belong the glory of our salvation O what a precious dignity were it but for one half hour to be admitted to hear these spotlesse songs that are sung by these thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands of holy Angels that are round about His Throne Doth not David that sweet singer of Israel now sing more sweetly noâ— he did while he was here below Doth not deserted Heman now chaunt forth the praises and everlasting song of him that sitteth upon the Throne And doth not afflicted Iob now sing sweetly after his captivity is reduced and he entered within that land where the voice of joy and gladnesse is continually heard Would ye have a description of Heaven I could give it no tearm so suitable as this Heaven is a rest without a rest for though there remain a rest for the righteous yet Rev. 4. 8. These four beasts that stand before the Throne they rest not night nor day crying holy holy holy is the Lord God Almighty yet there is much divine quietnesse in that holy unquietnesse that is above IV. There is this last ground why the blessings of the Gospel and life and righteousnesse are conveyed to us thorow the exercise of Faith that the way to attain to these things might be pleasant and easie we are certainly perswaded that the way of winning to Heaven by a Covenant of Works was much more unpleasant and difficult But is it not an easie way of entring into the holy of Holies to win unto it through the exercise of Faith Are not all wisdoms wayes pleasantnesse and are not all her paths peace Was not that just self-denial in one that said he would not take up a Crown though it were lying at his foot But oh that cursed self-denial doth possesse the breasts of many so that though that Crown of immortal Glory and eternal blessednesse be lying at your feet yet ye will not imbrace it nor take it up Is not the hatred of many to Christ covered with deceit and therefore Your iniquity shall be declared before the Congregation Now that what we have spoken upon this might be more clear and that the nature of â—ustifying Faith be not mistaken We would have you taking notice of these things 1. That the grace of Faith doth not justifie Christian as it is a work or because of any inherent excellency and dignity that is in this grace above any other graces of the Spirit â—ut Faith doth alone justifie a Christian instrumentally and objectively that is it is â—hat by which a Christian is just by laying hold â—n the precious object of it the righteousness of Christ. And to clear this we would only have you knowing this That Faith doth juifie as it closeth with Christ but not because 〈◊〉 closes with Christ which some vainly are â—old to assert because there is not any digâ—ity or worth in the act of Faith in closing with Christ
out that word in Isa. 65. 1. Behold me behold me O may wee not summond Angels and these twenty four Elders about the Throne to help us to wonder that ever such a command as this came forth that wee should believe on the Name of the Son of God after that wee had broken that first and primitive command That we should not eat of the forbidden tree Was not this indeed to make mercy rejoyce over judgement And O may wee not wonder at the precious oath of the everlasting Covenant whereby he hath sworn That hee delighteth not in the death of sinners What suppose yee were poor Adams thoughts when at first the Doctrine of Free-grace and of a crucified Christ Jesus a Saviour was preached unto him in Paradise What a divine surprisal was this that heaven should have preached peace to earth after that earth had proclaimed war against heaven Was not this a low step of condescendency to behold an offended God preaching peace and good will to a guilty sinner What could self-destroying Adam think of these morning and first discoveries of this everlasting Covenant Christ as it were in the morning of time giving vent to that infinite love which was resting in his bosome and precious heart before the foundation of the world was laid Wee know not whether the infinitenesse of his love the eternity of his love or the freedom of it maketh up the greatest wonder But sure these three joyned together make up a matchlesse and everlasting wonder Would any of you ask the Question What is Christ worth Wee could give no answer so suitable as this it is above all the Arithmetick of all the Angels in heaven and all the men on earth to calculate his worth all men here must be put to a divine non plus This was Iobs divinity Iob 28. 13. Man knoweth not the price of wisedome And must not Jesus Christ who is the precious object of Faith and wisedome of the Father bee a supereminent and excellent One who hath that Name of King of kings and Lord of lords not onely ingraven on his vesture which pointeth out the conspicuousnesse of his Majesty but even also upon his thigh to point out that in all his goings and motions hee proveth himself to bee higher then the Kings of the earth And howbeit the naked proposing of the object doth not convert yet if once our souls were admitted to behold such a sight as Christ in his Beauty and Majesty and to bee satisfied with the divine rayes of his transcendent glory then certainly wee should finde a blessed necessity laid upon us of closing with him for Christ hath a sword proceeding out of his precious moâ—â—h by which hee doth subject and subjugate his own to himself as well as hee hath a sword girded upon his thigh by which hee judgeth and maketh war with his enemies Wee confesse it is not only hard but simply impossible to commit a Hyperbole in commending of him His worth being alwayes so far above our expressions and our expressions alwayes so far beneath his worth therefore wee may be put to propose that desire unto him Exalt thy self O Lord above the Heavens But now to our purpose being at this time to begin our discourse upon that radicall and precious grace of Faith wee intend to speak of it under this twofold notion and consideration First We shall speak of it as it is justifying or as it doth lay hold upon the righteousnesse of a crucified Saviour makeing application of the precious promises in the Covenant of free grace which wee call justifying Faith And in the second place we shall speak a little-unto Faith as it doth lay hold upon Christs strength for advancing the work of mortification and doth discover the personal excellencies of Iesus Christ by which wee advance in the work of holinesse and divine consormity with God which wee call sanctifying Faith However it is not to bee supposed that these are different habits of Faith but different acts flowing from the same saving habit laying hold and exercising themselves upon Christ in different respects and for diverse ends Now to speak upon the first we have made choice of these words The Apostle Iohn in the former verse hath been pointing out the precious advantages of the grace of obedience and of keeping of his commands that such a one hath as it were an arbitrary power with God and doth receive many precious returns of prayer As likewise that one who is exercised in the grace of repentance is Gods delight which is included in this that he doth these things that are well pleasing in his sight And now in these words hee doth as it were answer an objection that might bee proposed about the impossibility of attaining these precious advantages seeing his commands were so large and that hardly could they bee remembered This hee doth sweetly answer by setting down in this one verse a short compend or breviary both of Law and Gospel viz. That wee should love one another which is the compend of the Law and The we should believe on the Name of His Son which is the compend of the Gospel And by this he sheweth the Christian that there are not many things required of him for attaining these excellent advantages but if he exercise himself in the obedience of these two comprehensive commandments he shall find favour both with God and man And as concerning this precious grace of Faith Wee have 1. the advantages of it implied in the words and clear also from the scope as no doubt all the commands have infinit advantages infolded in their bosome which redounds to a Believer by his practising of them And 2. the excellency of it holden forth in the words in that it is called His command as if hee had no other command but this And the Greek particle is here prefixed which hath a great deal of emphasis and force in it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But 3. There is this also the absolute necessity of this grace holden forth here in this word His Commandment as if he would have said by proposing of this command I do set life and death before you and that ye would not conceive that it is an arbitrary and indifferent thing for you to believe or not But be perswaded of this that as an infinite advantage may constrain you to the obedience of it so absolute necessity must perswade you to act that which is of your everlasting concernment And lastly Yee have the precious Object upon which Faith which is justifying doth exercise it self and that is upon the Name of the Son of God And no doubt Faith is that excellent grace which doth elevate the soul unto a sweet and inseparable union with Christ and is that golden and precious knot that doth eternally knit the hearts of these precious friends together Faith is that grace that draweth the first draughts of Christs precious Image on our hearts and by love doth accomplish
love do flow Thirdly Faith maketh Christ more precious then Sense because Faith looketh not only to what Christ is presently but unto what Christ is from eternity before time and what Christ shall be unto eternity after time But sense onely doth look to what Christ is presently And ye must conceive that the sweet travelling of Faith betwixt infinite love from eternity before and infinite love unto eternity after must make Faith to fall in a sea of wondering and raiseth the thoughts to the highest pitoâ— of desire and estimation Fourthly We may likewise adde that the impression of the preciousnesse of Christ which sense maketh upon the soul it is not so constant not so single as that which faith doth make O but the grace of Faith giveth the Christian a broad look of Christ and letteth him see Christ cloathed with ornaments of Glory and divine Majesty Sense followeth Christ rather that it might see his Miracles and Love that it may be fed with Loaves but Faith follows Christ for himself above all II. The second consideration to speak the advantage of it is that the grace of Faith it hath as it were an arbitrary power with God so that whatsoever a Christian shall seek in Faith hee shall receive it It is the noble gift that was once given to Faith that it should never seek any thing and bee denyed according to that word in Matth. 21. 22. And all things whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer believing ye shall receive it And that word in Joh. 15. 7. Abide in me that is believe and the promise is annexed to this whatsoever ye shall ask yee shall receive And it is clear likewise from the preceeding verse to our Text that if we obey this command of Faith Whatsoever we shall ask of God we shal receive it And I would speak these two things to you from this First That oftentimes Christ putteth a blank in a Christians hand who is much in the exercise of Faith according to that in Matth. 20. 32. Is there not an ample blank put into that mans hand What wilt thou that I should do unto thee Christ desireth him to fill up that blank with what he would And secondly There is this which is one of the greatest steps of Christs matchlesse condescendency that oftentimes when his own have sought in their presumption a blank to be put in their hand Christ condescendeth to give it according to that strange passage in Mark 10. 35 36. The two disciples who present this desire to Christ We desire say they That whatsoever we ask thou shall give it unto us and presently that is answered What will ye that I should do for you Christ hath an infinite good will to satisfie the desires of his own and that which yet more speaketh out Christs boundlesse good will to satisfie the desires of all that belong to him It may be cleared in that word Ioh. 16. 24. Where he chargeth his Disciples with this Hitherto saith he have ye asked me nothing ye must not suppose that Peter Iames and Iohn never sought a suiâ— of Christ but the meaning of that expression is this ye sought nothing in comparison of that which I was willing to give and which your necessity did call for at my hands which ye should have sought III. There is this third consideration to point out the advantage of Faith It is that grace that keepeth all the graces of the spirit in life and exercise Faith is that higher wheel at the motion of which all the lower wheels do move If so wee may speak Faith is that Primum mobile that first moves and turns about all these lower graces of the Spirit according to that 2 Pet. 1. 5. Adde to your faith vertue and to your vertue patience and to your patience brotherly kindnesse First The grace of Faith keepeth in exercise the grace of Love as is clear Eph. 3 17. where these two Graces are conjoyned As likewise from Rom. 5. 1. compared with verse 5. Being justified by faith Then this effect followeth upon it The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts And so it is certain that Faith keepeth Love in Life Faith being the Spy of the soul and that Intelligencer and precious Messenger it goeth out and bringeth in objects unto Love Faith draweth aside the vail and love sitteth down and solaceth it self in the discoveries of Faith Secondly The grace of Faith likewise it keepeth the grace of Mortification in exercise as is clear not only from Ephes. 6. 6. but from 1 Ioh. 5. 4. This is our victory whereby we overcome the world even our faith And it is certain that Faith keepeth mortification in exercise and advanceth holinesse not only because of this that Faith is that grace that presenteth to a Christian the absolute purity and spotlesse holinesse of Jesus Christ but also because it maketh them esteem their idols tastlesse as the white of an egge and they become unto them as their sorrowfull meat The best principle of mortification is this the discoveries of the invisible vertues of Jesus Christ. That mortification which aâ—iseth from the lovely discoveries of the excellency of Jesus Christ is most real and abiding as these waters which riseth from the highest springs are not onely constant but likewise most deep and excellent Thirdly Faith likewise hath influence upon mortification as it doth take hold of that infinit strength that is to Christ by which a Christian is inabled to moâ—â—ifie his corruptions Fourthly Faith likewise maketh application of the bloud of sprinkling by which wee are purified from dead works Fifthly Likewise the grace of Faith keepeth in exercise the grace of Humility as is clear Rom. 3. 27. By what Law saith he is boasting excluded It is not by the Law of Works but by the Law of Faith Sixthly Faith keepeth in exercise the grace of joy as is clear Rom. 15. 13. Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing So that ye see the proper fruit of Faith is joy in the Holy Ghost And certainly did wee believe more wee should rejoyce more Seventhly and lastly Faith keepeth in exercise the grace of hope for it is impossible for hope to bee in lively exercises except Faith once bee exercised which may bee a shame unto you For how can wee hope to attain the thing that is promised except our faith first close with the promise So there is this difference betwixt the grace of Faith and the grace of Hope the grace of Faith closeth with the promises but the grace of Hope it closeth with the thing that is promised IV. There is this fourth Consideration that may speak out the excellency of the grace of Faith It is that grace by which a Christian doth attain to most divine fellowship and constant correspondency with Heaven Would yee have that question resolved and determined What is the best way Not to stir up our beloved nor awake him untill
never believe their faith being born with them and it will die with them without any fruit But faith being such an excellent grace and so advantagious whereof we have spoken a few things we shall speak a little further of it First in pointing out some evidences by which a Christian may know whether or not he be indeed in the Faith Secondly I shall give you some helps whereby Faith may be keeped in exercise I. Now there is this first evidence of faith that a Christian who doth believe he accounteth absence and want of fellowship with Christ and communion with him one of the greatest and most lamentable crosses that ever he had as is clear Psalm 13. 3. Lighten mine eyes saith David that is Let me behold and be satisfied with thy face and the moâ—ive that he backeth it with is this Lest I sleep the sleep of death David thought himself a dead man if Christ did withdraw his presence from him Also it is clear Cant. 3 1. compared with the following verses where absence from Christ and want of communion with him was the greatest crosse the Spouse had and it is clear from Ioh. 20. 11 12 13. where Mary had a holy disdain of all things in respect and comparison of Christ. But I will tell you what a hypocrite doth most lament and that is the want of reputation among the Saints that is the great god and idol among hypocrites and that which when not enjoyed hypocrites and â—theists lament most the world and the lust of their eyes when they want these â—hen they cry out They have taken away my gods and what have I more They think heaven can never make up the losse of earth And certainly if many of us would examine our selves by this we would finde our selves most defective I would pose all you who are here who have taken on a name to be followers of Christ whether or not ye have been content to walk thirty dayes in absence from Christ and yet never to lament it Hath not Christ been thirty dayes and more in heaven without a visit from you And yet for all this ye have not cloathed your selves with sackcloath I will not say that â—his is an undeniable evidence of the totall â—aâ—t of the grace of Faith but it doth eminently prove this that the person who hath â—ome this length hath losed much of his primitive love and much of that high esteem which he ought to have of matchlesse Christ what can you find in this world that maketh you converse so little with heaven I think that it is the noble encouragement of a Christian when hee is going down to his grave that he hath this wherewith to comfort himself I am to change my place but not my company death to the believing Christian being a blessed transition and transportation to a more immediate constant and uninterrupted enjoyment of God But I believe that if all who have the name of Believers in this generation should go to heaven they might have this to say I am now not only to change my place but also my company For these seventy years I have been conversant with my idols but now I am to converse with more blessed divine and excellent company O that yee might be perswaded to pursue much after an absent Christ. Were it not a sweet period of our life to breath out our last breath in his armes and to be living in the faith of being eternally with him which might be founded upon his Word II. There is this second evidence of one that is in the Faith They do endeavour to advance that necessary work of the mortification of their idols according to that word 1 Ioh. 3. 4. Every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself even as he is pure Act. 15. 9. Faith it purifieth the heart And concerning this evidence lest any should mistake it I would say these things to you First The mortification of a Christian as long as he is here below it doth more consist in resolutions then attainments It is certain that there are high attainments of a Christian in the mortification of his idols but his resolutions go far above his performances Secondly Wee would say this That those Christians who never came this length in Christianity to make that an universal conclusion and full resolution What have I to do any more with idols They may suspect themselves that they are not in the Faith for a Christian that is in Christ he is universal in resolutions though he be not so in practice but defective in performances A Christian may have big resolutions with weak performances for resolution will be at the gate of heaven before practice come from the borders of hell there being a long distance betwixt resolution and practice and the one much swifter then the other And thirdly Wee would likewise say That yee who never did know what it was to endeavour by prayer and the exercise of other duties the mortification of your lusts and idols yee may bee afraid that ye have not yet the hope of seeing him as he is And I would say this to many who are settled upon their lies and who never did know what it was to spend one hour in secret prayer for mortifying an idol that they would beware lest that curse bee past in heaven against them I would have purged you and yee would not be purged therefore yee shall not bee purged any more till you die that iniquity of refusing to commune with Christ in the work of secret mortification I say that iniquity shall not be purged away And we would once seriously desire you by that dreadful sentence that Christ shall passe against you and by the love ye have to your immortal souls and by the pains of these everlasting torments of hell that ye would seriously set about the work of spirituall mortification that so ye may evidence that ye have believed and that ye have the soul-comforting hope of eternal life I would onely speak this one word to you and desire you seriously to ponder it What if within twelve hours hereafter a summonds were given to you without continuation of dayes to compear before the solemn and dreadfull Tribunal of that impartial Judge Jesus Christ What suppose ye would be your thoughts Will ye examine your own conscience what ye think would be your thoughts if such summonds were given unto you I am perswaded of this That your knees would smite one against another and your face should gather palenesse seeing your conscience would condemn you That ye had been weighed in the ballance and found light O think ye that ye can both fight and triumph in one day Think ye that ye can fight and overcome in one day Think ye your lusts and unmortified corruptions so weak and faint hearted an enemy that upon the first appearance of such imaginary champions as most part of us are in our own eyes that your idols would lay
made them white in the blood of the Lamb are admitted to stand before the Throne of God and serve him day and night Now there is that fourthly which weâ— promised to speak of concerning this grace of Faith from these words and it is the absolute necessity that is of the exercise of this grace which is holden forth in that word his Commandment which doth import these three things 1. That all the Commands that wee can obey without this Commandement of Faith it is but a polluting of our selves and a plunging of our selves in the ditch till our own cloaâ—hs abhor us 2. That God taketh greater delight in the exercise of that grace of Faith then in the exercise of any other And lastly that as to the many imperfections which wee have in our obedience there is a sweet act of oblivion past of them all if we make conscience seriously to obey this command of Faith which is indeed the sweet compend of the Gospel all these things do most clearly appear in that believing here is called His Commandement by way of excellency as if this were his only Commandement But that we may yet a little more particularly point out the absolute necessity of Faith there are these things that speaketh it forth to the full 1. That though rivers of tears should run down our eyes because we keep not his Law though we should never rise off our knees from prayer and should all our life time speak to God with the tongue of Angels and though we should constantly obey his Commands yet without Faith we should never escape that eternal sentence of excommunication from the presence of the Lord there being no action that doth proceed from us which can please the majesty of the Lord unlesse it hath its rise from this principle of Faith as is clear from Heb. 11. 6. Without Faith it is impossible to please God And though we should offer unto him ten thousand rivers of oyl and thousands of rams and should offer up in a burnt sacrifice all the beasts that are upon the mountains and the trees that are upon hills this should be the answer that God should return to us Who hath required these things at your hands I take no pleasure in these solemn sacrifices Because there is no way of attaining peace with God but through the exercise of Faith making use of the spotlesse righteousnesse of â—esus Christ. 2. Let us do ouâ— outmost by all the inventions we can to bring down our body and let us separate our selves from all the pleasures of the flesh yet all our idols shall reign without much contradiction except once we do attain unto this grace of Faith which is that victory whereby we must overcome the world and the hand that maketh use of infinite strength for subduing of corruption making the Christian sweetly to take up that song Stronger is he that is with us than he that is in the world From all this that we have said both of the sweetnesse of Faith and the necessity thereof we would propose these few considerations to two or three sorts of persons 1. There are some who live in that vain imaginary delusion of attaining heaven through a Covenant of Works and do neglect to seek salvation by Faith in the righteousnesse of Christ. And to these who build upon this sandy foundation I shall say but these two words First How long shall ye labour in the fire of very vanity do ye ever think to put on the capestone know ye not that the day is approaching when your house shall fall about your ears your confidence shall be rejected and your hope shall evanish as a dream and flee away as a vision of the night Secondly What a monstrous blindnesse and what an unspeakable act of folly must it â—eâ—â— to say that Christ was crucified in vain which yet ye do practically assert when ye go about to purchase a righteousnesse through the works of the Law 2. There are some who are secure in their own thoughts concerning their â—aith they never questioned the realty of it they never examined it O ye whose faith is as old as your selves ye say ye never knew what it was to dispute and I may say ye never knew what it was to believe Thou profane hypocrite let me tell thee a strong faith and yeâ— strong idols must needs be â— strong delusion Thou wilt not obey the Lord thou wilt not pray thou wilt not believe a threatning in all the Word thou wilt count all Religion madnesse and foolishnesse and yet thou wilt perswade thy self thou Believest in Christ. O be not deceived God is not mocked and why will ye mock your selves Shall I tell you that reprobates have a saâ— Religion one day they must believe and obey and pray and give a testimony to Godlinesse but alas too late and little to their advantage Shall not he whom all the Ministers on earth could scarce ever perswade to believe so much as a heaven oâ— hell or one threatning in all the Book oâ— God at last be forced to believe their owâ— sense when they shall see the Ancient of Days upon the Throne and shall hear the cryes of so many thousand living witnesses come ouâ— both from heaven and hell bearing testimony to the truth of threatnings and promises that not one jot of them is fallen to the ground and he who would never be perswaded to bow a knee to God in earnest all his life shall he not then pray with greatest fervency that hills and mountains might fall upon him to cover him from the face of the Lamb And hâ— that would never submit to a Command of God must he not at last obey that dreadfull Command Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting torment c. Yea he who was the greatest mocker in the world shall then confesse that they are blest who put their trust in the Lord as they are excellently brought in though in an Apocriphal Book Wisd. c. 5. 4 Crying out with great terror while they behold that unexpected sight of the glorious condition of the Godly O here is the meâ— say they whom we mocked whose life wâ— accounted madnesse and their end dishonourable Be wise therefore in time and do that willingly which ye must do by constrainâ— and do that with sweetnesse and advantage that ye must do at length with losse and sorrow Thirdly There are some who certainly have some hope of eternal life but contenteth themselves with a small measure of assurance and these I would beseech that ye would be more endeavouring to make your calling and election sure and would be endeavouring to see your names written in the ancient Records of Heaven And this we shall presse upon you by several Arguments 1. Those strong and subtil and soul destroying delusions that are amongst many who conceive they do believe as we were saying and are pure in their own eyes who yet are not purged from their iniquities
the harlot It is certain that grace when 〈◊〉 is the object of our Faith it doth provoke God to blast the lively exercise thereof and to make a Christian oftentimes have thâ—â— complaint Wo to me my leannesse my leaâ—â—esâ—â— testifieth to my face I will tell you thrâ—â— great mysteries of Christianity about grace The first is to ride marches between theâ—â— two not to deny what they have anâ— yet to bee denyed to what they have maâ—â— times there is grace-denying and not selâ— denying but this is that wee would presâ—â— upon you to bee denyed to grace according to that which is recorded of Moses his faâ—â— did shine and he knew it not hee did misâ—eâ—â— as it were and did not at all bee puffed â—â— with it for so the words wee conceive mâ—â— run Secondly it is a great difficulty fâ—â— a Christian to bee denied to his self denial 〈◊〉 â—ee humble in â—his being humble for if priâ—â— â—â—n have no other foundation it will build â—â— self upon humility and a Christian will â—â—ow proud in this that hee is growing humble Thirdly It is a difficultie for a Christian to examine his growing in grace and not bee puffed up It is certain a Christian ought to examine his growth in grace humbly according to that Psal. 63. 8. My â—â—ul followeth hard after thee thy right hand â—â—holdeth mee Hee doth not only take notice â—f this that his soul did follow after God â—ut of the measure of that pursuit my soul â—â—lloweth hard after thee and yet sweetly acknowledgeth it was not his own feet which â—â—rried him nor his own hand that kept him â—â—om falling 3. Yee are not to build your Faith upon â—our works and upon the righteousnesse â—f the Law I need not stand long to reâ—ure â—â—at practicall Popery that is amongst us â—â—at thinketh wee can go to heaven through 〈◊〉 Covenant of Works I told you not long â—â—â—e what your going to heaven through Covenant of Works speaketh even this â—â—râ—id blasphemy That it was an act of â—onstruous folly to send Christ to die for â—â—ers for if you can go to heaven withâ—â—t him was not Christ then crucified in 〈◊〉 And I would tell you now that â—â— is speaketh out your damnable ignorance 〈◊〉 the weaknesse and deceitfulnesse of your â—â—n hearts O yee that are so great deâ—â—ders of Salvation by the Covenant of â—orks I beseech you What is the reaâ—â—â— that yee break the Covenant of Works oftner then any for there is none thâ— thinketh they will go to heaven this way but these that are the greatest breakers of thâ— Covenant of Works And is not that inconsistent and most contradictory divinity yoâ—â— faith contradicting your practice and youâ— practice telling you that your faith is a lie Fourthly We must not mix our owâ— righteousnesse with Christ as the object oâ— our believing This is indeed an evill thaâ— often lodgeth in the bosome of the most refined hypocrite when Satan cannot prevaâ—â— to exclude Christ altogether then he is content with that whorish woman to divide thâ— childe and let the object of our faith be haâ— Christ and half of self And the truth iâ— many of these poor unwise sons who stâ—â— long in the place of the breaking forth â—â— children do willingly hearken to this oveâ—ture for fear it be presumption for such poâ—â— wretches to meddle too boldly with the righteousnesse of Christ but it were good sucâ— weak ones would consider that word Râ—â— 10. 2. where the Holy Ghost calleth thâ— making use of His righteousnesse an act â—â— submission They have not submitted saith hâ—â— unto the righteousnesse of Christ. O will yâ—â— not lay this to heart that our Lord will taâ—â— your believing or your putting on his righteousnesse for an act of great humility aâ—â— will take your misbelief as a marvelous act 〈◊〉 the highest pride and presumption Fifthly We are not to make providencâ— the object of our faith I know there â—â— some that ask the ground of their right 〈◊〉 heaven they will tell us that God hath been â—ind to them all their dayes I would only â—ay to such He may be feeding you unto the day â—f slaughter and no man knoweth love or hatred â—â—y any thing that is before him This much of â—he object of Faith negatively And now to speak to it positively we see â—he Text holdeth out Christ himself as that excellent and compleat object of Faith This â—s his Commandement that we believe on the â—ame of his Son and thus Faith closeth with Christ in a fourfold consideration First It â—oseth with God in Christ not with God immediatly and nakedly for hee dwelleth in â—â—ght inaccessible that no man can approach unto He is higher then the heaven what can we do â—nd deeper then hell what can we know Job 11. â—herefore wee must approach unto Him â—hrough a vail even the vail of Christ His â—esh Heb. 10 God is a consuming fire and of â—â—rer eyes then that he can behold iniquity and therefore we must first cast our eye upon that â—essed Days-man that laid his hand upon us â—â—th and look upon God as in Christ reconâ—ling the world to himself and so draw near â—nto him through a Mediator who is the first â—â—d the last and he that liveth and was dead â—â—d is alive for evermore able to save to the â—termost all that come unto God by Him â—eing he liveth for ever to make intercessiâ—n for them Secondly Faith closeth with â—hrist as tendered freely in a Covenant of â—omise We could have had nothing to do â—â—th Christ if he had not been given of the â—ther and offered himself in a free Covenant of promise but he being thus holdeâ— forth upon tearms of free love which dotâ— utterly abominat hyre and so nodle a proclamation issued forth under the great seâ— of Heaven That whosoever will may come anâ— drink of the water of life freely Upon thâ—â— the poor creature draweth near by vertue 〈◊〉 a right and stretching out the armes of moâ—â— enlarged affections doth run upon him witâ— that joyful shout My Lord and my God anâ— then maketh an absolute resignation of it seâ— unto him which is holden out in the Scripture by that sweet expression of kissing 〈◊〉 the Son And there are three parts of Chrisâ— blessed Body that the Christian must endeavour to kisse and imbrace the mouth â—â— Christ the hand of Christ and the feet â—â— Christ the kissing of his feet importing thâ— exercise of love the kissing of his hands thâ— exercise of subjection and the kissing of hâ—â— mouth the exercise of communion and fellowship with him Thirdly Faith closeâ— with Christ as the purchaser and meritorious cause of all the good we receive He is the person that hath purchased all these thiâ—â— unto us and there is not one blink of lovâ— there is not the smallest enjoyment that Christian meeteth with but it is the price the blood of Christ Christs precious bloâ— was laid down
for it Fourthly Faith â—â—seth with Christ as the efficient and workâ— of all our mercies all our enjoyments thâ—â— are far from him as the efficient cause that He is the worker of all these things in 〈◊〉 it is his precious fingers that must accomplish that blessed work of grace and they are from Christ as the dispenser of these things Christ is the great Steward of Heaven that doth communicate unto Believers all the Treasures of the Higher House For Him hath God the Father sealed O but that word that Christ once spake is much verified by Himself It is more blessed to give then to â—eciâ—ve Christ is that fountain and treasure 〈◊〉 whom all our gifts and graces are treasured â—p for before the blessing come to Believers â—hey come to Christ as the Head according â—o that word 2 Tim. 1 9. Which grace was â—iven to us in Him before the foundations of the â—orld were laid It was given to Christ beâ—â—e the world was made and for that end â—â—at it might be communicate unto all his â—embers and so out of His fulnesse we all â—eive and grace for grace But secondly The Text holdeth forth â—ore particularly this excellent object of â—â—th to be the Name of his Son That ye â—â—ieve in the Name of his Son And here â—â—eed we may be at a stand It is long â—â—ce Agur did non plus all the world â—â—th that question What is his Name and â—â—at is his Sons Name if thou canst tell â—â—ow little a thing can be known of Him â—â—d O how brutish is this generation that â—â—w so much lesse then might be known Him in such a day of the Gospel But â—t we may speak a little according to our â—â—k measure of Faith as closing with the â—â—e of Christ. His Name is His glorious â—â—â—uâ—es by which he revealeth so much of Himself in the Scriptures as poor mortals can take up Wee did shew you before that there was three of these that were the main pillars of justifying Faith Faithfulnesse Omnipotency and His infinite Love and Mercy And how from these may bee answered all the objections of sense of câ—rnall reason and of misbelief arising from convictions of unworthinesse And certain it is that Faith in all its conflicts maketh much use of the Names of Christ. And there is not an objection that a poor tempted soul can make but Faith can frame an answer to it out of some of these excellent Nameâ— of God or of his Son Christ. It would bee a more longsome work then I intend to let you see this in all But I shall onely instance in that One glorious Name of God by which he proclaimeth his glory Exod. 34. The Lord the Lord God mercifull and gracious long suffering and abundant in goodnesse and truthâ— Keeping mercy for thousands forgiving iniquitâ— transgression and sin and that will by no meanâ— clear the guilty c. I think there are seveâ— ordinary objections which may bee answereâ— from that place First It is an ordinarâ— objection which misbelievers do make thâ—â— they are under the strength of their corruption that they are black as the Tents of Kedaâ— and not beautifull aâ— the Curtains of Solomon And doth not the first letter of that Namâ— answer this that he is a mercifull Lord thâ— one importing his ability to save and 〈◊〉 bring down every high imagination Thâ— other importing his infinite delight to hâ—â— those who have no strength and are under the power of their adversaries the power of God being of no larger extent then his love There is that second objection of misbelief that wee have nothing to commend us to Christ But all that wee have to boast of are infirmities and imperfections And this is abundantly answered from that second letter of his Name that he is Gracious which importeth the freedom of the dispensations of his love that hee walketh nor with us according to that rule of merit but according to that golden and excellent rule of Love It is a great dispute whether Mercy or Grace be the greatest wonder Whether the love of Christ or the freedom of it bee the greatest mystery Sure both these put together make up a matchlesse wonder Thirdly Misbelief will object that wee have forsaken him dayes without number and that wee cannot trace back our apostasie unto the first day of its rise And is not that abundantly answered from that letter of his Name that hee is long suffering This being that Glorious attribute in God the glory of which hee desireth to magnifie above all his Name Fourthly Misbelief doth ordinarily propose this objection that wee have multiplied our transgressions and have committed whoredoms under every green tree and have given gifts to our lovers even hyring our idols So that wee may take up that lamentation is not our sin great and our transgression infinit And is not that also answered from that letter of his Name that hee is abundant in goodnesse That though sin abound in us yet grace doth much more superabound in him Wee confesse indeed that there are some that may walk under that condition that if they had no other exercise throughout eternity but to make confession they might confesse and never make any needlesse repetition And truely in some respect it is a mercy that we are mysteries unto our self for if wee did know compleatly the seven abominations of our hearts and those mysterious actings of the body of death we would be in hazard to choise strangling and death rather then life Yet may not one glimpse of that abundant goodnesse satisfie us and calm the storm Fifthly Saith misbelief wee know that we have broken our Vowes and Covenants with God and that all these things that wee have taken on have been but as flax before the fire of tentation so that wee have no hope that he will have mercy upon these that have broken wedlock and have not been stedfast in his Covenant But is not that abundantly answered from that letter of His Name That hee is abundant in truth which speaketh That though wee deny our selves yet he abideth faithfull and doth not alter the word that hath gone out of his mouth It is the infinite blessednesse of man that though hee bee changeable yet they have to do with one that is an unchangeable being Sixthly There is that objection That notwithstanding all these things are matters of encouragement to some yet they know not whether or not the lot of everlasting love have fallen upon them And whether their names be in the ancient records of Heaven But this is answered from that letter of His Name hee keepeth mercy for thousands which sheweth us that great number of those upon whom the lot of everlasting love shall fall And if there were no other sentence in all the Scripture â—his might be a sufficient matter of a Song and might make us cry out Who is like unâ—o him whose compassions have no end And who desires to
those that are given to it It is also clear Heb. 9. 27. It is appointed unto all men once to die So it is most clear that we must die I remember of one Philip King of Macedonia who had one substitute for this very end to cry at his Chamber door every morning Memento mori Memento mori Memento mori Remember thou art to die and it is reported to have been the practice of the Nobles of Greece and in the day wherein their Emperour was Crowned that they presented a Marblestone unto him and he was inquired after what fashion he would have his Tomb stone made which practices speak forth this unto us that although these were most destitute of light of the Scriptures yet were very mindfull of death Believe me death may surprise us before we be aware for it is most certain that we must die but there is nothing more uncertain then the way how and the time when we shall die Death will surprise some as it did Abel in the open field Gen. 4. 8 Death will surprise some as it did Eglon in his parlour Iudg. 3. 21. And death will surprise some as it did Saul and Ionathan in the flight 1 Sam. 31. Now in speaking to this point I shall first speak a little to these advantages which attend those that live within continuall sight of death Secondly I shall give you some Considerations to presse you to prepare for death Thirdly I shall give you some Directions to help you to prepare for Death And then we shall proceed unto the second point of doctrine which we observed from the Text and shall speak a few things from it unto you and so come unto a close for this time First then we conceive there are these seven advantages which attend those who live within the continual â—ight of this truth that they must die I. First The Faith of approaching death will make a soul exceeding diligent in duty this was our blessed Lords divinity Ioh. 9. 4. I must work the work of him that sent me while it is day The night cometh when no man can work That is death is approaching therefore I must work It is clear also 2 Pet. 1. 12. compared with vers 14. In the 12. vers Peter is exceeding diligencâ— in his duty and the ground of his diligence is in the 14. vers Knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle c. Yea it is even the Epicures argument Let us eat and drink for to morrow we shall die and should not the Christian much more cry out Let mee watch and pray for to morrow I may die I say if the Epicures did make use of this notion to make them vigorous in the pursuit of their pleasures O how much more should a Christian improve iâ— for making him vigorous in the pursuit of his duty Therefore I say unto you all O bee diligent for your night is drawing near O Christians and expectants of heaven are ye not afraid lest yee be nighted before ye have walked the half of your journey For if yee bee nighted on your journey to heaven before ye come to the end of your race there is no retiring place whereunto yee may turn aside to lodge therefore O work work work while it is day for behold death is approaching and then shall we all bee called to an account II. The Faith of approaching death will make a Christian exceeding active in duty hee will not only bee diligent but also exceeding serious and zealous in the exercise of his duty This is clear from that notable exhortation Eccles. 9. 10. Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do do it with thy might and the reason is For there is no work nor device nor knowledge nor wisdom in the grave whether thou goest Wherefore O bee active while yee are alive for ye shall never work any more after ye are dead and if ye leave but one work undone there is no doing of it after death There is no work saith Solomon in the grave therefore O be active III. The faith of this Truth that we must all die will help a Christian to be exceeding mortified to the things of a present world Oh covetous men and women would ye shake hands with cold death but once every morning I should defy you to pursue the world so much as ye do Paul was much in the meditation of his change which made him 2 Cor. 4. 18. to overlook these things that are temporary while we look not saith he to the things that are seen which are temporal but to the things which are not seen which are eternal therefore chap. 5. 1. Knowing that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved we have a building of God an house not made with hands eternal in the heavens Therefore in this we groan earnestly desiring to be cloathed upon with our house which is from heaven What aileth you Paul might one have said may ye not take a look of the world no saith he For I know that if this earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved I have a house with God not made with hands but eternal in the heavens That is I know that ere long the pins of my tabernacle will be loosed and it will fall down about my ears therefore I must look for another dwelling house And 1 Cor. 7. 24. The fashions of this world passe away Therefore â—aith he vers 32. I would have you without carefulnesse caring how to please the Lord. And Phil. 4. 5. Let your moderation be known to all men The Lord is at hand As if he had said Death is approaching and at hand therefore I intreat you be sober But I think many of us will be found like Saul hid among the stuffe that is we will be lying amongst the middest of the pleasures of this passing world But I say unto thee who are such an one that death will break the strings of thy harp and thy musick will quickly cease O but death will make thee have a low esteem of the world O blessed is the person who hath these thoughts of the world all along his way which he shall have of it at death Have not the most cursed wretches been forced to cry forth Oh I would give ten thousand worlds for Christ Have not some persons who have had the Moon upon their head and that have made their belly their god being forced to cry forth at death O cursed person that I am that ever made the world my god Alas that I contented my self with the world Therefore I say unto thee who art such an one O stay thy pursuit after the world for death is approaching that will cause all thy worldly comforts evanish IV. When a Christian believeth this Truth that he must die it will be an exceeding great â—estraint to keep him from sinning as is clear Iob 31. 13. compared with vers 14. where Iob reckoning over many good deeds done by himself saith What