meanes whereby Christ may bee put on 2 is this when the soul is once made naked then Faith takes the Robe this glorious Robe of Gods grace and brings it home to the heart for faith is not onely a hand that layes hold on Christ for justification but it is a shield also that receives vertue from Christ for our farther sanctification Christ is the fountaine of all grace and faith is the Conduit which conveyes grace from Christ to the soule How faith puts on Christ Now faith helpes us in these three particular actions First 1 it is Faith that closes with the spirit of grace in every promise of God there is the spirit of grace truly and constantly accompanying the same My Word and my Spirit both goe together as our Saviour said The words that I speak are spirit and life Now when the soule of a Christian can close with the promise it closeth also with the grace in the promise They that are in Christ are one spirit with him Rom. 8.10 If the Spirit of Christ bee in you the body is dead because of sin but the Spirit is life for righteousnesse sake saith the Apostle Wee have most great and precious promises given to us that by them wee should be partakers of the Divine nature Where we see that the Spirit of Christ accompanies the promises therefore laying hold upon the promises we close with the Spirit and hereby come to bee partakers of the Divine nature I compare the Spirit of grace to the Seale and the soule to the Waxe and Faith is the hand which sets on this Seale By faith we cause the spirit to worke and fit its particular aide and reliefe for the leaving of any impression of grace upon the soule The next worke of Faith is this 2 it not onely closeth with Gods Spirit in the promise but it looks at that particular grace in Christ which we stand in need of that it may bee wrought in our hearts as if a man want patience or love wisdome humilitie or the like Faith closeth with the promise and brings the same stampe into the soule which is in the promise as in those two places Iohn 1.16 Of his fulnesse have wee all received grace for grace Ioh. 1.16 that is whatsoever grace is in Christ we doe receive the same from him As hee was patient he makes us so as he was wise and meeke and holy he makes us so as in a Seale looke how many letters be upon the Seale so many stampes will be left upon the waxe Faith lookes at all the particular graces that are in Christ As the same power that is in the head is also in the eare and eye and hand So the same Holy GHOST which wrought grace in the humanity of Christ workes patience in adversity and courage to beare persecution and in ignorance it enlightens a mans eyes and makes him looke to Heaven That is a notable place 2 Cor. 3. where the Apostle saith 2 Cor. 3.18 We all behold as in a mirror the glory of the Lord with open face and are changed into the same Image from glory to glory as by the Spirit of the Lord. The glory of the Lord is nothing else but the glorious grace of God and beholding it is when we see the glorious grace given to Christ and againe the same Spirit that made Christ meeke and wise and holy the same Spirit makes us poore in spirit and meeke-hearted like to him Therefore looke not onely on Christ for grace in generall but for particular strength and assistance in every performance 3. The last act of Faith is 3 it not onely closeth with the promise and the Spirit in the same it not onely lookes at that particular grace which is in Christ but faith drawes vertue from the Lord Jesus that so grace may be imprinted in and conveyed into the soule therefore saith the Prophet With joy shall yee draw water from the Well of salvation Esay 12.3 He doth not onely say there is water therein but we may draw water from thence and faith doth it thus when a sinner with full perswasion settles himself with what God hath promised it shall be done to the soule for the good therof as in Ezech. 36. A new heart will I give you Ezech. 36.26 27. and I will put my Spirit into your hearts and cause you to walk in my wayes He doth not onely give grace but quickens that grace and causes men to walke holily and sweetly Nay further if Faith findes the heart dejected and unfit to pray see how it gripes and layes hold on the promises saying Lord I finde my soule dead in the performance of duty and marvellous untoward and awke to a holy life Lord thou hast said thou wilt cause thy people to walke boldly in thy way oh give mee courage and life and quickening As that poore woman by touching the Hemme of Christs garment drew vertue from him so faith layes hold upon the hemme of Christs garment and gaines refreshment 3. The third and last meanes to put on Christ 3 is this having thus denyed our selves our owne lusts and sufficiency and having closed with the promise and the spirit of grace in the same the last meanes is meditation that is when the soule turned it selfe wholly to that grace which is in Christ it pores not altogether upon sinne and corruption for then you goe of from Christ This meditation keepes the soule upon the streame as faith casts it upon the streame As the branch cannot bring forth any fruit Ioh. 15.4 except it abide in the Vine no more can yee except yee abide in me Now wee abide in Christ when the eye is set upon Christ when the tongue talkes of Christ and the minde museth of him and the affections are setled towards him but when the minde is taken off the promise and the comforts that are therein and wholy puzzels it selfe by thinking of temptations or inward corruptions then men are soone prevailed against and overcome If the Devill can pluck your mindes from the promise and cast your thoughts wholy upon your corruptions hee hath enough Suppose there be two fountaines the one full of puddle water and the other full of cleare water and there are two cocks for these fountaines if a man bee alwayes turning the cocke that comes from the puddle fountaine can hee looke for any other than foule water So there is a fountaine of grace in Christ and in the promise and there is a fountaine of corruption in our selves and meditations is as the cockes comming from these Now if we be ever meditating what wee are and what we have and what we doe and what we deserve there is nothing but feare and horror and discouragement and the puddle water comes amaine The nature of meditation is excellent in this kinde and it shewes it selfe in these three particulars First hereby we bring Christ and
that hee put up to the Lord in the dayes of his humiliation If any sins were stirring or any iniquity abounding hee laboured by fasting and prayer to oppose the same I knew him sometimes in Cambridge in his younger dayes at which time the Lord had wonderfully inriched him with spirituall gifts In the exercise whereof he was so industrious that hee did weary himselfe and even consume his spirits by reason of his constancy in holy duties Hee was so taken with love of the Lord Jesus and his blessed truths that hee was faine to bee checked and by many good friends to bee hindered in his pious service and indeavours How oft hath hee stood in the gap and laboured by fervent prayers to avert Gods wrath and remove his heavy judgements Witnes his strong cries and intercessions to the Almighty in the time of common calamitie when the pestilence raged so violently amongst us Witnesse also those painefull imployments that hee tooke up in season and out of season exhorting rebuking with all long-suffring and patience Some times alluring the heart with sweet promises otherwhile denouncing vengeance threatning judgement against obstinate sinners Preaching ordinarily every Lords day and extraordinarily upon the weeke as occasion was offered for the good of his people Witnesse also and I pray brethren thinke of that the many sweet comforts and heavenly consolations wherewith hee refreshed and supported many a fainting soule Thus this blessed Saint weakned his body and wasted his spirits out of love to Christs little flock which now he enjoyes the fruit and comfort of For though our griefe cannot bee expressed having sustained so great a losse yet it cheereth my heart me thinks how now he resteth from all his labours Oh the sweet repose that hee enjoyes Now his eyes that were full of teares and his tongue that did almost cleave to the roofe of his mouth for the good of the Church doe all cease and lie still We leave his pretious soule in the hands of his Maker and his body to bee laid in the dust there to sleep in a bed of downe untill the Trump shall awake both him and us all at the great day of appearing Againe Vse 2. Are faithfull Ministers the helpe and fortresse of a Nation then the losse of an able true hearted Minister is to bee greatly mourned for O my Father my Father saith good Elisha So though we must leave this our deare brother yet let us look after him as hee did Hee looked wishly on him had his eye fixed constantly towards him and when he could see him no more hee cryeth out O my father my father Why should not wee bewaile this great losse of ours in like manner Me thinks every one of us should take up this sorrowfull complaint mee thinks your spirits should relent and mourne at such an object Yea I am perswaded many here present doe so Mee thinks I heare one say O my father by whom I was converted and another O my father by whom I was directed a third O my father by whom my soule was comforted and the little children that are left fatherlesse they cry O my father by whom I was begotten maintained and nourished in spirituall things Brethren let us looke after him though wee must now part with him yet let us call to minde all his prayers and humiliation and fasting and supplications to the throne of Grace All his teares are now dried up all his complaints are now finished all his paines and labours are now accomplished and hee to receive a plentifull reward of them Let us mourne for our neglect of the means of salvation whiles he lived amongst us O his labour and teares and painfull studying are now all gone they are now in heaven whither he himself is gone before us The Lord give us to follow his steps that we finishing our course as he did our latter end may be like unto his To conclude briefly Vse 3 Is one of the Horsemen of Israel gone Are the Charrets of Israel taken away What must wee then do Certainly we should double our forces now and make a new presse because a Generall is slain The Lord hath brought us hither at this time O let us lay this dolefull spectacle to heart and be affected therewith as we ought I should speak as if I were never to speake more You should heare as if you were never to heare more Men Fathers and Brethren what hath befallen this Saint before you may be any of our portions ere long wee know not how soone Death may knock at our doores Our times are in Gods hand who can take us to himselfe when hee pleaseth Happily this day may be thy last day and this very season the last opportunity that ever thou maiest have to meet GOD in his Ordinances Oh therefore bee encouraged to adde one prayer more Goe home I beseech you and consider with the departure of this our deare Friend how many prayers and teares are departed with him How did hee importune the Lord for the good of the whole Land in generall and for the Country and place wherein he lived in particular Thinke you all his earnest striving with God was in vaine Or seemeth it a small thing in your eyes to lose so many fervent effectuall supplications I beseech you lay it to heart and every man in his place put to his helping hand for repairing of so great a losse Now make a presse of prayers raise up armies of petitions Goe your wayes home bee humbled pray one praier more that the Army may be increased still You that were of his Parish and enjoyed the worke of his Ministery Oh you have lost a good Pastor a faithfull Labourer in Gods harvest one that had a longing desire after your salvation But know this how ever your provocations are increased yet the Lord who for your sins hath made this breach among you hath further blessings in store if you seeke to him He can supply your place againe with a faithfull able Minister and with a couragious Generall Therefore brethren if ever you pray pray now if ever you fast now fast if ever you humble your selves now bee humbled in dust and ashes before the Lord never more need never greater want By this meanes the Land will be strengthened and our peace and safety continued What though our enemies are many and our sinnes great fervent prayer hath to doe with a God stronger and mightier then they all This will undermine the most subtill underminers of Gods truth and children therefore set your selves seriously upon the work however the flesh is awkward yet stirre up and provoke your spirits hereunto It will never repent you upon your death beds of your prayers and teares put up unto God It will bee a great refreshment to your drooping soule at that day if you can say in truth as Hezekiah did Good Lord remember how I have walked uprightly before thee This is that which will continue a mans comfort and support his soule in the greatest extremity An unpraying heart is a dismall thing Therefore be incouraged to the duty Pray pray pray FINIS
Phil. 2.12 13 Let us worke out our salvation with feare and trembling for it is God that workes in us the will and the deed even of his owne good pleasure how ought wee daily to feare lest hee that now offers mercy never will offer it more and least hee that now perswades the heart will never perswade the heart more If all depends upon the Lord and wee have no grace except hee give it and if wee cannot maintaine our grace nor have any use of it except hee inable us then let us bee willing to stoope to him in all obedience and submission Is it so Vse 2. that we have daily need of strength and quickening from Christ then you see the fountain opened oh look up toward heaven upon all occasions and have resort to the Lord Jesus for the having and continuing of whatsoever grace may bee profitable and comfortable for you I would not have a Christian only lay hold upon Christ to be justified by him no no you must have your quickening grace from Christ for the performance of every action This is the excellency of a Christian to be all in all in Christ here in grace as hee would be hereafter in glory This is the reason why many Christians lay open their nakednesse and why they have so many weaknesses The ground is from hence wee have not recourse to Christ for grace as it is with a scanty garment a great part of the body is naked because the garment is not able to cover all so grace in our selves is marvellous scanty wee have little patience and are therefore peevish at every turne a little wisdome and little humility and therefore pride ever and anon lifts up the heart thus the mouthes of the wicked are opened and the Name of God is dishonoured by us and the reason is because wee doe not resort to Christ to increase our spirituall growth and to receive new strength and ability from him to helpe us in all duties that no offence may be seene in our lives and conversations as a man that hath a long garment is covered over from head to foote and as our Saviour counsels the Church of Laodicea saying Thou art wretched poore miserable blinde and naked and therefore come buy of mee gold tryed in the fire Rev. 3.17 18. that thou maist be rich and white rayment that thou maist be cloathed c. So if we would goe to Christ to have our garments lengthened how chearely and sweetly might wee walke beyond all exception of the devill himselfe Now it may be Quest some poore soule will bee ready to say oh it is true indeed I confesse there is grace and power enough in the Lord Jesus to be had and I have daily need to goe to Christ for succour and strength but how may I get this grace from Christ For answere hereof consider two things Ans First in what regard wee must put on Christ What it is to put on Christ Secondly by what meanes we may put on Christ and fetch vertue from him If we can apply this we may walke chearfully for ever after Now wee must put on Christ in three respects or three wayes 1. Put him on as a Saviour 1 that our sinnes may bee pardoned and that joy and peace may be continued to us for there is no pardon of sinne no assurance of Gods love no peace of conscience no joy in the holy Ghost but onely from Christ Luke 1.47 Luke 1.47 Elizabeth saith My soule rejoyceth in God my Saviour so though wee bee guilty in our lives of the breach of Gods Commandements and lyable to all his judgements threatned for the same yet let us put on the Lord Jesus Christ to save us and when wee are at odds with God by reason of our sinnes let us put on Christ as a peace-maker betweene him and us 2. Wee must put on Christ as a Prophet to teach us and as a Lord to cover all our sinnes and corruptions for us for he comes not onely to save us from sinne but to give us power to overcome all our sinnes as David saith Ps 51.12 Vphold me with thy free Spirit or as the word is in the Originall Lord stablish me with thy Kingly spirit Hee cals it free because Kings give great gifts freely as if hee had said My heart is very weake and my affections out of order and marvellously overcome good Lord give me that Kingly Spirit of thine and though I cannot command my heart Lord command thou it and though I cannot conquer these mighty lusts of mine Lord doe thou conquer them for mee Thanks be to God who hath given us victory 1 Cor. 15.57 through our Lord Iesus Christ saith the Apostle Rom. 8.37 for wee are more than conquerours through him that loved us onely here is the difference men conquer not without losse but we do Againe they are not sure of victory though they doe fight but wee are through Christ Heb. 2.14 For as much as the Children are partakers of flesh and blood Christ himselfe also tooke part with them that hee might destroy through death him which had the power of death which is the Devill See how the Lord Jesus did conquer all our enemies by his death and by his satisfying the justice of GOD and domineering over the power and malice of sinne and Hell for us Put on Christ dying therefore put yee on Christ a dying Saviour that by vertu of his death Sathan may bee subdued and brought under 3. Put on Christ as an anoynted Priest 3 that you may bee fitted for every duty which GOD requires at your hands Wee are made Priests to God the Father through Christ Rom. 1.8 I thanke my God through Iesus Christ It is a strange phrase as though the prayers and thankes of the Apostle were given up to GOD the Father in the vertue and power of Christ By whom you also as lively stones be made a spirituall house 1 Pet. 2.4 A spirituall house and holy Priesthood to offer up spirituall Sacrifices acceptable to God in Christ The Lord Jesus is the head stone of the corner and if wee would come to him as a living stone Vers 3. Verse 3. then wee shall bee made a royall Priesthood Onely thus much see how Christ did triumph over sinne and hell it was by the power of his resurrection therefore as before wee put on Christ dying Put on Christ rising so now wee must put on Christ rising it is he that hath the keyes of Hell and death therefore let our soules be enlarged to rise from the grave of sinne and to walke for ever in newnesse of life Some will object and say Quest Wee know there is comfort enough in the Lord Christ and he can conquer all our sinnes for us and wee ought to put him on daily but how may we doe this The meanes whereby we must put
easily submits to every good word of God Thirdly 3 addresse thy selfe to reforme what ever is amisse doe thy uttermost endeavour to amend the evill committed and performe this good duties thou hast formerly omitted doe what thou canst in the particular and labour for ability from Christ to doe that which of thy selfe thou art not able It was a hard taske which God enjoyned Abraham to sacrifice his beloved and darling Isaack yet when the thing appeared plaine to be Gods command though it were never so hard there is no resisting it Abraham therefore rose betimes in the morning and hee and the child went immediately to discharge his duty he prevents all occasions that might hinder him his wife was not acquainted with it and his servants knew nothing of the matter So if a man be the son of faithfull Abraham whatsoever the Lord enjoynes though it be the killing of a darling secret beloved lust if the Lord say it must bee done this sin must be avoided this course must be amended bee it never so profitable and full of content the soule of a gracious man will rise early in the morning that is he wil forthwith set upon the means to accomplish the same As for instance Let this be the case that comes to the scanning of a poore ignorant Christian Imagine the Lord informes him and his conscience perswades him that hee must pray in his Family Now happily a poore soule at the first is not able to pray his understanding is weake and his abilities meane hee cannot of himself frame a prayer to God yet hee will set upon the duty he will take the booke and reade a prayer though hee cannot conceive a prayer being a novice and a young Christian yet hee will use the stilts till he get his legs follow him home to his closet and you shall finde him bemoane his basenesse and hee prayes that hee may pray he beseecheth the Lord hee may know what to aske that he may see his sins and confesse them he will begge for the Spirit that hee may bee able to cry Abba Father I beseech you remember this one thing it is a marvellous distemper in many people that say I confesse such courses ought to be avoyded the Word forbids it and my conscience goeth against it but what shall I doe I cannot set to the worke I shall never overcome it why then lay all religion aside for how can it stand with sincerity of heart that I should bee informed and convinced that the Lord requires a service at my hands and I yet never set upon the performance thereof I deny not but a good Christian may be unable to doe as hee ought but he will strive to doe what God requires Alas Object saith the Gallant I confesse the fashions are fooleries and it is a madnesse to follow every vanity but what should I doe a man had as good bee out of the world as out of the fashion Fashion not your selves after the world Ans saith the Text. But I know not how to get out of it saith the gallant The custome is so usuall that I cannot leave it Doest thou know a duty and is thy heart perswaded of it and yet wilt thou not submit to it Where is grace now in thy soule Certainly thou art still in the gall of bitternesse even reason and common civility wil make a man reforme some things me thinkes grace should prevaile much more If a man will not part with a lock with a feather a fashion a foolery for Christ how will hee lose his credit liberty and life for him how can hee leave all sinne that will not part with the shadow and appearance the haire and nayle of sinne Fourthly a gracious heart is content to take up the hardest means the sharpest medicines that God hath appointed for the killing and slaying of his corruptions If there bee any weapon in the world more keene than other for wounding of his lusts the soule gladly imbraces the same that reformation may bee made Take an arme or a legge that hath the Gangrene the nature of which disease is to infect spread over the whole man when the Chirurgeon comes and tels the patient Either you must lose your legge or your life you must have your arme cut off or else bee cut off your selfe one of the two must speedily bee done If the patient say I will rather abide the worst than part with a limbe every man will conclude he cannot live long If hee did purpose to maintaine life sure hee he would part with that which takes away life So is it here with some kinde of baser sinnes I meane grosse and notorious crimes which are scandalously vile there is no way to bee ridd of these without some corrosive bee applyed the soule will never be separated from them unlesse some bitter Pill be taken which if a man refuse to use it is an evident signe hee hath no purpose to part with his sinne Suppose a man hath got an estate by theevery and cozenage and the like when the Word of God comes home to his conscience and tels him he must make satisfaction or bee damned This man may bee dejected in spirit and bemoan himselfe with teares but that will not serve the turne nothing will cure but satisfaction peace will not be attained without restitution this is the Gangrene that must bee cut off Happily hee will say most of his estate hath come in this way and if I should restore all that I have unjustly gained I should die a beggar Let me ask thee but this question What will it profit a man to get the whole world and lose his owne soule Is it not better to die in a poore estate than in a sinfull estate To depart a good man than a rich man Againe suppose a man lives in the bosome of the Church and be a great Professor and yet hath beene seen openly drunk or is knowne to have cōmitted adultery there is no cure for this man now but he must satisfie the congregation the Church of God which hath beene dishonoured and discredited by his sinne let him fast and pray and weepe in secret never so much I cannot see how this mans conscience can be quieted unlesse he make publike satisfaction as his offence was publike But to proceed 5. A sincere Christian wisheth and welcomes those truths that are most powerfull to prevaile with his sinnes 5 and most likely for the subduing of his corruptions when he cannot doe what hee would and master his sinnes as hee desires hee wisheth Oh that the Lord would send some truth that might plucke these corruptions out of my heart and that word is most pleasing to him that is most effectuall this way The soule makes its moane to God and complains as David did Yee are too hard for mee yee sonnes of Zerviah O Lord these corruptions sticke so close they are too mighty for mee I am not able