our good that God sent him to be bread and water of Life unto us that we might live through him God sent him to be our Mediator our Saviour our Redeemer and the like we are to receive these truths that God hath revealed concerning Jesus Christ Secondly It is to take Christ for the foundation and building and top stone of our Salvation 1 Cor. 3.11 Other foundations can no man lay then that is lay'd which is Jesus Christ To take the Lord Christ to be our Prophet to be our King to be our High Priest to be all in all unto us Thirdly It is to rely upon him and trust in him for the removal of all our sins supply of all our wants and investment of us in his own Righteousness this is to believe in the Name or in the Son and to depend upon him for Redemption for Sanctification for Reconciliation for Adoption for Salvation So then you see the point is that believing lyes under a command this is his Commandement that we should believe on the Name of his Son Jesus Christ I shall now come to some questions and the Qu. First is Have we power to believe can any do it may they not as easily keep the Law as believe on the Son of God is there any power in us to do it An. You know that there are in the world divers sorts of people that do acknowledge power in us to do it But know that man simply considered in himself hath no power to believe in the Son of God 2 Cor. 3.5 we are not sufficient of our selves to think a good thought but all our sufficiency is from him if we ben't sufficient of our selves to think any thing of our selves as good but our sufficiency is of God surely we cannot believe then which is so great a work and glorious a work and in Col. 2.12 Faith is said to be the opperation of God not of Man But for the further clearing of the point know First that as God commandeth us to believe so he hath promised to give us faith Mat. 12.21 it 's said in him shall the Gentiles trust here is a promise made to us that are Gentiles that we shall trust in the name of Christ God will work that power in them that they shall trust in Christ and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and Joh. 6.37 all that the father giveth me shall come to me here 's a promise they shall come that is they shall believe And faith is called the gift of God Eph. 2.8 By grace are ye saved through faith and that not of our selves it is the gift of God None but God can give Christ and none but God can give power to believe in Christ As faith is the Command of God so faith is likewise the work of God Joh. 6.29 This is the work of God that ye believe on him whom he hath sent that 's the first answer Secondly The Lord giveth the means whereby it is wrought namely the Gospel The Gospel is the means whereby faith is wrought which he hath appointed and ordained for that very purpose and therefore the Gospel is called faith Gal. 1.23 speaking of Paul that he which persecuted us in times past now preacheth the faith which once he destroyed preacheth the faith that is the Gospel which works faith and is the means that God uses to work faith in the Souls of Men and Women The brazen Serpent was appointed of God to cure the stingings of the fiery Serpent no other Serpent would do it nor no other means would do it if they had used all the Physitians in the world they could not have done it but the brazen Serpent which God had appointed So no other word will work it but the Gospel which he hath appointed to work faith and therefore the Apostle tells you that faith comes by hearing hearing of the Gospel which is appointed by God for that very end Thirdly The Lord he doth accompany his word with his spirit to make it effectual the word without the spirit would not be effectual and therefore God doth accompany his word with his spirit that it may be effectual to work faith in the hearts of Men and Women Hence it is that the spirit is called the spirit of faith 2 Cor. 4.13 We having faith the Apostle the same spirit of faith it 's called the spirit of faith because by the Gospel it doth work faith in the hearts of Merrand Women and Gal. 3.2 This would I know of you saith the Apostle received you the spirit by the works of the Law or by the hearing of Faith why you heard the Doctrine of Faith the Gospel and by the hearing of Faith you received the spirit for the Gospel is the Ministration of the spirit and the Chariot of the spirit and so God doth by the Gospel convey the spirit into the hearts of men and women and by the spirit works faith in their Souls Fourthly The Lord commands things that are hard for us yea impossible unto us that so we may seek to him to whom nothing is impossible Luke 1.37 for with God nothing shall be impossible no word is impossible to God whatever he hath said he is able to make it good and you know in the Gospel that blind Bartemeus he seeks unto Christ for the Cure of his eyes The blind man in Joh. 9. that was born blind his eyes were opened so we that were born blind and born dead still-born without grace without faith without spiritual life the Lord commands us to believe that we may look to him to convey life and work grace and faith in our souls But Fifthly There is in the Gospel the offer of Christ to sinners you shall see it clear in 13 Acts that the offer of the Lord Jesus Christ is offered in the Gospel and tendered unto sinners v. 26. Men and Brethren Children of the Stock of Abraham and whosoever among you feareth God to you is the word of this salvation sent to you it 's sent and v. 38. Be it known unto you therefore Men and Brethren that through this man is Preached unto you the forgiveness of sins and in the 46. and 47. verses Paul and Barnabas waxed bold and said it was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you but seeing ye put it from you and Judge your selves unworthy of everlasting life loe we turn to the Gentiles For so hath the Lord commanded us saying I have set thee to be a light to the Gentiles so that Christ and salvation and all spiritual mercies are offered and tendered in the Gospel unto us unto us Gentiles unto us Sinners And surely such an offer is worthy of acceptation This very offer hath some efficacy and virtue in it to stir up souls to receive Christ 1 Tim. 1.15 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation that Jesus Christ came into the world to save Sinners O 't is a faithful
saying and it 's worthy of all acceptation whatsoever that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners will not every poor creature say why should not I accept of Christ and close with Christ now seeing he is offered unto me Sixthly Lastly you know there are choice promises in the Gospel and these promises are load-stones to draw our Iron hearts to Christs Joh. 3.16 God so loved the world that he gave his onely begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life O what a load-stone is here to a poor sinner I am like to perish and to dye but God hath so loved the world that he gave his onely begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life So in Acts 10.43 To him give all the Prophets witness that through his Name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins Here 's another sweet promise that they shall receive remission of their sins whatever they be that believe in him so that the promises are load-stones to draw us to Christ And so much for answer to that Question Q. Another question is this Doth believing lye under a command and is faith so necessary as that it must lye under a command it seems there 's a great necessity of believing is there such a necessity of believing A. Yes 't is not an Arbitrary thing an indifferent thing whether ye will believe yea or no. But in four or five particulars I shall shew you that there is a necessity of believing First Without faith it is impossible to please God Heb. 11.6 Before you have saith you are evil Trees you are evil persons but when by saith we are engrafted into Christ then out fruit will be good fruit and we shall be good trees Now if there be a necessity of pleasing God then there will be a necessity of believing Secondly Is there any necessity you should be Children of God without faith you cannot be Children of God you may be Children of nature you may be Children of disobedience Children of darkness Children of wrath Children of death but you cannot be Children of God without faith Gal. 3.26 For ye are all the Children of God by faith in Christ Jesus If you han't faith in Jesus Christ you are not you cannot be Children of God and it 's a sad thing not to be a Child of God if there be a necessity then to be a Child of God there is a necessity of faith Thirdly Is there a necessity of having your sins forgiven you would you not have your sins forgiven you yes surely every man and woman would have their sins forgiven them but without faith you cannot have your sins forgiven Rom. 3.25 whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood to declare his Righteousness for the Remission of sins There must be Faith in the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ if ever you would have the remission of your sins there 's no forgiveness without faith without shedding of blood there is no remission without faith in that blood shed you will never have remission Joh. 8.24 I said therefore unto you that ye shall dye in your sins for if ye believe not that I am he ye shall dye in your sins If persons have not faith in the person of the L. Jesus Christ they must dye in their sins and have no remission of them therefore as there is a necessity of having our sins forgiven so there is a necessity of believing in the Lord Jesus Christ You can never have any setled and solid comfort unless you have faith in the blood and death of Jesus-Christ your comforts will be unsetled why your sins are not forgiven if you have aprehensions your sins are not forgiven where 's your comfort where 's your peace where 's any settledness of spirit it can never be and that 's the thing that shakes most Professors because they are upon uncertainties about the forgiveness of their sins Fourthly you can never come to God as a Father without faith in the Son Joh. 14.6 I am the way the truth and the life no man comes to the Father but by me that is by faith in me by saith in me the mediator by faith in me the Son of God by faith in me that am Jesus by faith in me that am Christ no coming to the Father but by him If you think there be any necessity of your coming to God and being sav'd eternally it must be by faith in the Son of God Fifthly Lastly faith is necessary or else you must certainly perish certainly be damned Joh. 3.18 36. He that believeth on him is not condemned but he that believeth not is condemned already because he hath not believed in the name of the onely begotten Son of God whoever doth not believe on the name of the onely begotten Son of God is condemned already O what a sad thing to be a condemned man and in the 36 v. he that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life he that believeth not the Son shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him a condemned man a man that hath the wrath of God abiding upon him a man that is in a perishing condition in Mark 16.16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved but he that believeth not shall be damned Here 's the necessity of faith now Damnation without it Salvation with it so then you see that question answered I shall now come to the improvement or Inferences that I shall draw from this point that faith lyes under a command and Inf. 1. First I infer hence that we are dull backward of our selves to believe when things lye under Commands it 's an argument there is an indisposition and averseness in the natures and wills and hearts of those that are Commanded God commanded Moses to go and deliver his people out of Egypt what excuses had Moses and what a multitude of objections did he make and yet God commanded him to go and do the service so when God doth put us upon believing by Command it shews our natures are very dull and backward to believing Luke 24.25 O fools and slow of heart to believe all that the Prophets have spoken The Prophets have given out commands to believing as well as promises And they were fools and slow of heart to believe all that the Prophets had spoken So that we may take notice of our backwardness and dullness to this work of faith seeing it lyes under a command Secondly I infer from hence the willingness of the Lord to have poor sinners receive the benefit that is to be had by Jesus Christ because he commands them to believe will not you of your selves do it then I command you saith he to believe and what 's the benefit you may see in Joh. 3.16 whosoever believes should not perish here 's great benefit to be kept out of Hell to
to believe And that should be one great request of our soules dayly that God would enable us to believe and that he would work Faith in us why it's the gift of God and he is a giving God he gives liberally and upbraids not he will not upbraid you with your unbelief but if you will come and beg Faith in God and power to work that grace in you he is ready to do it in the 17. of Luke say the Disciples Lord we believe encrease our faith so say you Lord work faith in my soul I can never please thee nor get any good unless thou work faith in me and that in Joh. 6.45 Every man therefore that hath heard and learned of the Father cometh unto me O hearken to the Fathers teaching in the Gospel the fathers revealing of Christ and discoveries he hath made and receive every truth he hath given out concerning Jesus Christ and then he that hath heard and learned of the Father cometh unto the Son O pray unto the Father to speak to your hearts and to teach your souls that so you may come to Jesus Christ and believe in the Son and have all those great things that are to be had by him Christians ought to be of Christs mind Phil. 2.5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus THe Apostle Paul writes to the Church of Philippie and notwithstanding they were precious Christians and a choice Church yet they had need of exhortation and quickning up to their duty and by strong arguments he presses them here to many duties If therefore there be any consolation in Christ if any comfort of love if any fellowship of the spirit if any bowels and mercies fulfil ye my joy that ye be like minded having the same love being of one accord of one mind And so in the third and fourth verses he exhorts them to duties and in this verse Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus here 's nothing difficult in the words We read in Scripture of the mind of God Jer. 19.5 neither came it into my mind saith God we read of the mind of the spirit Rom. 8.27 he that searcheth the heart knoweth what is the mind of the spirit and here we read of the mind of Christ let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus Now the word mind in Holy writ doth signifie sometimes the heart Acts 20.19 serving the Lord with all humility of mind that is with all humility of heart and Deut. 18.6 If a Levite come c. with all the desire of his mind Desire is in the heart and so mind here notes the heart Sometimes it signifies the understanding as in 2 Cor. 3.14 Their mind was blinded speaking of the Jews that is their understandings were blinded Sometimes it signifies the thoughts of the heart Prov. 29.11 A fool uttereth all his mind that is all he thinks all the thoughts of his heart Sometimes it signifies the will 1 Pet. 5.2 feed the flock of God which is among you taking the oversight thereof not by constraint but willingly not for filthy lucre but of a ready mind that is with your wills willingly and cheerfully Sometimes it s put for the affections and the affecting of those affections 2 Cor. 7.7 he was comforted in you when he told us your earnest desire your mourning your fervent mind towards me that is your fervent affection towards me Mind signifies the affections And the affecting of a thing Rom. 8.5 Those that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh that is their affections do affect the things of the flesh Lastly Mind in Scripture doth signifie the aims and intentions of a man Pro. 21.27 The Sacrifice of the wicked is abomination to the Lord how much more when he bringeth it with a wicked mind that is with a wicked intention When the intentions and aims of a man are wicked then his Sacrifice is much more abomination So that in all the senses the word mind is used in Scripture and all these may be taken in here for the heart and the understanding and the thoughts and the will and affections and the intentions now the point that I will commend unto you is onely this Doct. That Churches and Christians should be of the same mind that the Lord Jesus Christ is of 1 Cor. 2.16 saith the Apostle there speaking of himself and the Church of Corinth We have the mind of Christ We have Christs understanding Christs heart and the like so in 1 Pet. 4.1 arm your selves likewise with the same mind let the same mind be in you Now it may be said is it possible for any Church or any person to have the mind of Christ First I answer we must aim at it to have the mind of Christ Christ is the Copy written for us to aim at The Scripture doth hold out perfect rules and perfect patterns unto us which dont note our perfection but helps our imperfection that we which are imperfect should reach to perfection aim at the mind of Jesus Christ Secondly I answer we are to have the same mind in kind though not in degree a new born Babe is of the same kind that a man is though he be not come to that degree and state of a man Q. Well now what is the mind of Christ A. In general I say the whole Gospel is the mind of Christ the whole word of God there you have Christs mind and Gods mind But that 's large we will therefore come a little more close and what I find by searching the Gospel I shall give you in particulars First Christ's mind was a Publick mind not a private Domestick selfish mind he did not seek nimself but he sought the good of others saith the Apostle in the verse before my Text Look not every man on his own things but every man also on the things of others Christ had a publick mind and would have a publick mind in us Christ neglected himself to do good to others he sought not his own cred it nor his own pleasure or preserment and advantage when they would have made him a King he denyed himself Joh. 6.14 The Lord Christ did nothing for himself but all for us he came from heaven for us he took our nature upon him for us he Preach'd for us I and he suffered for us Dan. 9.26 Messiah shall be cut off but not for himself He was cut off by death but not for himself but for us So that the Lord Jesus Christ he had a publick mind a publick spirit a publick heart he became poor for us 2 Cor. 8. He pleaved not himself Rom. 15.3 So then let this mind of Christ be in you to have a publick mind for the publick good to act for others and not a selfish mind altogether for self Secondly The Lord Christ had a pure mind the Scripture speaks of a defiled mind Tit. 1.15 Those that believe not
and not live here was the King of fears the King of terrours now saith he Remember O Lord I beseech thee how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart and done that which is good in thy sight 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with a heart full of peace a perfect heart with a sound heart see how this now bears him up Fourthly A Godly soul is desirous of soundness of heart because such a one hath Gods favour and will be intrusted by God it 's something to have God's favour something to be trusted by God that knows hearts a sincere heart God favours and God will trust in the 11 Psa 7. v. for the righteous Lord loveth righteousness his countenance doth behold the upright the upright a man that 's sound sincere and upright and the upright dwells in his presence God he doth regard the righteous he loves righteousness and who doth righteousness but the sound hearted man And his countenance doth behold the upright his favour is towards him and God will trust such a man call him forth to excellent service and employ him in great matters in Psal 78. he chose David also his Servant and took him from the Sheepfold why will God look to the Sheepfold and mind a man tending of his Sheep From following the Ews great with young he brought him to feed Jacob his people and Israel his inheritance so he fed them according to the integrity of his heart he had a sound and entire heart a heart for God a heart for good a heart for his people and so God looks upon him he takes him and brings him from the Sheepfold to feed his people and he did it according to the integrity of his heart and guided them by the skilfulness of his hand Gods favour was towards him and God's favour is towards such and he doth intrust them with great matters 1 Tim. 1.11.12 according to the glorious Gospel of the blessed God which was committed to my trust why who are you that you should have the Gospel and the glorious Gospel of the blessed God committed to your trust I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord who hath enabled me for that he counted me worthy putting me into the Ministery O the Lord made me sound hearted when I had rotten principles he took them all away he made my heart sound and imployed me in great things so that where there is soundness of heart God favours and will trust such when men have deceitful and hypocritical hearts God will not trust them Fifthly Soundness of heart is earnestly desired by those that are good because otherwise the means of grace whatsoever they be will do little good very little or no good look into Mich. 2.7 O thou that art named the house of Jacob is the Spirit of the Lord streightned are these his doings do not my words do good to him that walketh uprightly saith he you complain of judgments and afflictions that are upon you but I tell you your hearts are not right do not my words do good to him that walks uprightly if your hearts were sound upright and sincere you would walk according to my Statutes according to my wayes and your hearts would be with me and not with your Idols nor with the world therefore my words do you no good because your lives and hearts are corrupt do not my words do good to them that walk uprightly every one can tell you they do to a corrupt Stomach you know the meat doth little or no good it feeds a corrupt humour and kills at last So now when men and women have unsound hearts the means doth them little good the means will be their death at last there was Judas what gracious words did he hear from Christ how many miracles and examples did he see but all did him no good why he was not sound at the heart he had a covetous heart and so Simon Magus was not sound at heart the word doth men no good when they have unsound hearts Sacraments do them no good they eat and drink their own damnation afflictions doth them no good Prayer doth them no good therefore saith a Godly man O Lord let my heart be sound in thy Statutes Sixthly Lastly soundness of heart is to be desired because without this you will never be admitted into Heaven never be presented by Christ unto the Father In a word you will never be sav'd unless your hearts be sound look into the 15. Psal Lord who shall abide in thy Tabernacle who shall dwell in thy holy hill he that walketh uprightly and worketh righteousness and speaketh the truth in his heart that is he that hath a sound heart free from hypocrisie a sound heart he shall do it and in the 24 Psal who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord who shall stand in his holy place he that hath clean hands and a pure heart c. Now if a mans heart be not sound 't is impure there is some guilt some lusts some distempers some rotten and false tenets and opinions some hypocrisie in it some dividedness in it there 's some withholding of truth in unrighteousness in it now this man shall not ascend into the holy hill he shall not have the blessing saith Christ in Math. 7.21 Not every one that saith unto me Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven but he that doth the will of my Father which is in Heaven many will say unto me in that day Lord Lord have we not Prophecyed in thy name and in thy name cast out Devils and in thy name done many wonderful works and then will I profess unto them I never knew you depart from me ye that work iniquity What do all these things and yet be workers of iniquity and not known of Christ there was nothing but rottenness of heart for mark what follows in the Chapter whosoever heareth these sayings of mine and doth them I will liken him to a wise man which built his house upon a Rock and the rain descended and the floods came and the winds blew and beat upon that house and it fell not for it was founded upon a Rock And every one that heareth these sayings of mine and doth them not he is one that builds his house upon the Sand So that if mens hearts be not sound they will never build upon the Rock they will never be sav'd Doth not Christ tell them plainly woe to Scribes Pharisees Hyppocrites why they shall not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven they are not sound hearted if men are not sound in the things of God sound in the Gospel and the mysteries of it sound in the faith there 's no coming to Heaven no coming to Glory Christ will never own a rotten hearted man or woman never own a man that hath a form of Godliness and not the power of it therefore if you would be sav'd if you would be presented by Jesus Christ unto the Father you
unsound hearted men and women oh how sad then is the condition of unsound hearted men 4. Look to your hearts look to your spirits that you be sound hearted and so may not be ashamed What shall we do I have told you before how to get soundness of heart and how to keep it and press'd it with arguments I shall add a little First if you would neither be unsound hearted nor ashamed at any time labour to get God to be your Father and to be in Gods house and in Gods way Isa 54. And all thy Children shall be taught of the Lord and great shall be the peace of thy Children if God be your Father and you be his Children he will teach you and he will teach you that which shall make your hearts sound All thy Children whose Children the Children of Sion the Church is Gods house all that get into Sion are in Gods house are in Gods way they shall be taught of God and great shall be their peace such a Mother and such a Father will Instill good Doctrine into you make you sound hearted and train you up in the nurture of the Lord and in Isa 48.17 Thus saith the Lord the holy one of Israel I am the Lord thy God which teacheth thee to profit and leadeth thee in the way that thou shouldest go but now if it be not so you must wander you shall go in by wayes you will have an unsound heart and perish for ever Secondly if you would have hearts neither unsound nor such as shall make you ashamed at the last day keep your hearts humble and low in the sight of God be whose heart is lifted up in him is not right as Habbak 2.4 his soul is not sound keep your hearts humble and low through the sense of your own emptyness nothingness guilt wretched deserving the account you must give to God danger of miscarriage and in the 25 Psal saith David The meek will he guide in Judgment and the meek will he teach his way God loves humble and low and meek spirits and v. 12. What man is he that feareth the Lord him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose No man fears God that is proud and lifted up no man that is humble and meek but fears God and God will teach that man and keep him that he shall never be ashamed Thirdly If you would not have unsound hearts nor be ashamed then let me intreat you to receive the whole word of God into your hearts receive the whole truth and with love and as the truth of God First receive the whole truth for if you be partial and will receive some truth and not all you shew your hearts to be unsound and you will be ashamed Psal 119.6 Then shall I not be ashamed when I have respect unto all thy Commandements what if David should have respect to all but one he would be ashamed and confounded if he should not have respect unto all he that breaks one Command saith James is guilty of all Secondly receive all with love and unless you do so all is nothing receive the truths of God because they are holy truths because they have the stamp of God upon them because they will bring you to God and Glory Thirdly receive them as the truths of God 1 Thess 2.13 For this cause also thank we God without ceasing because when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us ye received it not as the word of Men Mark many say the word of the Apostles and Ministers is the word of men and they will not receive it nor hear it but mark you received it as it is in truth the word of God which effectually worketh in you that believe The word is the word of God let them say what they will and it works and works effectually in them that receive it so Therefore receive the whole word receive it with love receive it as the word of God and not as the word of men Fourthly Lastly if you would be neither unsound hearted nor ashamed in time of affliction in an hour of Death in the day of Judgment make the Lord Jesus Christ your friend whosoever hath Christ for a friend shall never be ashamed but if Christ be not your friend let whose will plead for you you will be ashamed you must be confounded 1 Joh. 2.1 If any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous it is as if the Apostle had said we do know Christ and we have union with Christ and interest in Christ and Christ is our Friend and our Advocate and he will plead our cause though Devils accuse and Conscience accuse yet Christ will keep us from shame see then that you get the Lord Christ to be your friend how is that how give up your selves wholly to him Let your understandings conceive of his worth and excellency that he hath all fullness in him that he is the Mediator that he is the Prince of life that he is the great reconciler of man to God the father and that Christ invites men to come to himself in Isa 55. Hoe every one that thirsteth it's Christs invitation Come ye to the waters and he that hath no money come ye buy and eat yea come buy wine and milk without money and without price put forth an act of Faith in me close with me choose me for your Husband for your Portion for your Righteousness for your satisfaction choose me for your Advocate and surety choose me to be your friend saith Christ and such a friend is worth the having Joh. 15.15 Henceforth I call you not Servants for the Servant knoweth not what his Lord doth but I have called you friends If you choose Christ to be your friend he will own you and call you friends therefore receive all that Christ hath given out I have told you all that I have heard of my Father Therefore whatsoever Christ hath made known from the father to you receive it embrace it obey it practice it testifie love and friendship to Christ and then he will testifie love and friendship to you but if you will not do this in Luk. 9.26 Whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my word of him shall the Son of man be ashamed when he shall come in his own Glory and in his Fathers and of the holy Angels And then confusion shall be upon you to all Eternity The Lord teach you all to mind these things and to remember the Text and make use of that and pray it over once a day at least to the Lord Lord let my heart be found in thy Statutes that I be not ashamed If the heart be not sound you will be ashamed to all eternity Believing lyeth under Command 1 Joh. 3.23 And this is his Commandment that we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ c. IN the Verse before the Apostle tells us the great
be kept from wrath to come and to have everlasting life Now can you have greater benefit then to be delivered from all evil and enjoy all good God commands us therefore to believe that we might partake of these benefits God commands men to repent he would have them repent and be saved 2 Pet. 3.9 so here he commands them to believe and he would have them come to the knowledge of the truth and be saved 1 Tim. 2.4 God commands you to believe in his Son Jesus Christ that you might not perish but be sav'd he is very willing why will you dye why do not you come to my Son and believe in him I have lay'd help upon him that is mighty why do you not look for help from him God is willing that poor sinners should have the benefit that is to be had from Christ Thirdly I infer from hence a sufficient answer to all Objections that a doubting Soul can make Doubting souls are apt to make many Objections against believing troubled souls are ready to raise Objections Object I am not elected saith one and therefore it is not for me to believe Answ What saith God here dont thou look after thine election that 's a secret hidden thing but here 's a command that is visible and thy duty and I command thee to believe on my Son Jesus Christ Object I am a great sinner saith another and God will not pardon my sins Answ I but God commands thee to believe that thou mayest have pardon of thy sins though they be very great Object I have relapsed often into the same sin into passion and wantonness and covetousness and worldliness and the like I have a hard heart saith another I have no qualifications and dispositions The promises dont belong to me saith another I am not humbled enough I am dead and dull and weak and it 's not for such a one as I am to believe in Christ Answ Well know there 's nothing in us fits us to believe and nothing should hinder us from believing why here 's Gods command and shall thy indisposition or thy sins and fears cross and null a command of the great God whether shall prevail Gods command or thy fancy thy sins indispositions or want of qualifications here 's a command of the great God that thou believe in his Son Jesus Christ stop therefore the mouth of every Objection and say well here 's my duty God hath commanded me to believe Moses wrangles with God a great while but he must go at last so God hath commanded me to believe and I will lay down all my Objections and do my duty I will believe in the Lord Jesus Christ This concerns us all that we should not stick at any thing but answer Death Corruptions Flesh and World with this that he commands me to believe and shall I not obey the voice of God and when it is so for my good and I shall have relief against all that troubles me and burthens me and the like Fourthly We may see here also what is the right and best course for a troubled soul to take being wounded with sin and wearied with its sins We usually take the wrong course and the wrong way when we have sin'd and offended God we pray we mourn we groan we reform and labour to walk more exactly these things are not to be condemned I but it is not the right course to have the soul healed and therefore all comes to little of this nature Many have thoughts by such courses to please God and to make God some amends for their sins but this will never do it the right way is to hearken unto God here I command you to believe saith he 1 Joh. 2.1 I write unto you that ye sin not yea but we shall sin well If any do sin what then We have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous and he is the propitiation for our sins we are to go presently to Jesus Christ who is our Advocate and propitiation for our sins and to believe this well Jesus Christ is my Advocate and propitiation for my sin which I have fallen into through infirmity or temptation or incogitancy or any occasion whatsoever this is the way Did not Nathan deal thus with David when he had sinned he tells him the Lord hath forgiven thy sins and David comes to his penetential Psalms after his belief that his sin was forgiven and that 's the true repentance that flows from the apprehension of Gods mercy towards us in the forgiveness of sins When the soul hath sinned observe it it must be setled upon that which can take away sin and upon a righteousness that is not its own but is far beyond its own now who is that can do this but the Lord Jesus Christ For the first the soul must be setled upon him that can take away sin 1 Joh. 29. Behold the Lamb of God which takes away the sin of the world Behold him and look upon him that takes away the sin of the world he shall take away your sin the guilt of it the trouble of it and the vexation of it it must be the Lord Jesus Christ 't is not your Prayers nor repentance nor any thing comes from you can do it no 't is the Lord Jesus Christ alone that takes away sin Heb. 1.3 When he had by himself purged our sins 't is the Lord Jesus Christ alone that purges away sins Christ being without sin comes to take away sin and to purge away sin so that he condemns sin in the flesh Rom. 8.3 and our old man was Crucified with him Rom. 6.6 so that now there is nothing man can do that tends to the taking away of sin there 's nothing left for any man or woman in the world to do to take away sin but the Lord Jesus Christ he hath taken away sin and I am to believe on the Son of God who hath taken away sin and doth take away the sins of his people that they commit daily And if you will say as 't is in the 16 Prov. 6. By mercy and truth iniquity is purged By mercy and truth what 's the meaning of that that is by Gods promise in sending Jesus Christ and his truth in performing his promise iniquity is purged by Jesus Christ whom he sent and fulfilled and made good the promise so that sin is purged by Jesus Christ and by none else Therefore when we have sinned we are to look to Christ and to Christ alone Secondly So for righteousness it is Christ's must stand us in stead not our own as there is no sin to be satisfied for now but all is satisfied for in and by Jesus Christ so there is no new righteousness to be wrought now by any for salvation but what Christ hath already wrought Christs righteousness is everlasting righteousness perfect righteousness he hath brought in everlasting and perfect righteousness and 2 Cor. 5. last he was made sin
will require it of him It 's spoken of Christ who was the Prophet to be raised up in the room of Moses and saith God whosoever will not hearken to what he shall speak in my name in my stead I will require it of him what Christ did was in the Fathers stead they were his words he spake his works that he did so that to do in the name of Christ is to do as Christ himself would do as if Christ were present to do what Christ would do and speak what Christ would speak and think what the Lord Christ would think that 's to do things in his name in his stead Fourthly to do things in the name of Christ is to do them according to the will of Christ Joh. 16.23 compared with the 1 Joh. 5.14 Whatsoever ye shall ask in my name shall be given unto you now in 1 Joh. 5.14 saith John who was the beloved Disciple and told you Christs words in the Gospel he interprets them here and tells you this is the confidence that we have in him that if we ask any thing according to his will he heareth us What is according to his will is in his name whatsoever we ask or whatsoever we do according to the will of the Lord Jesus Christ that is in the name of Christ and so the proposition En is taken in Scripture for according Joh. 3.21 he that doth the truth cometh to the light that his deeds may be made manifest that they are wrought in God that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to God according to the will of God Men don't properly do their works in God but according to the will and mind of God so that when we do act either in word or deed according to the will of Christ then we do things in the name of Christ Fifthly to do all in the name of Christ is to do all for the sake of Christ so you will find the name of Christ to be taken Mark 9.37 whosoever shall receive one such Child in my name receiveth me that is whosoever receiveth one of such Children for my name sake receiveth me so in the 41 v. whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in my name that is for my sake so that to do things for the sake of Christ is to do things in the name of Christ Joh. 17.12 I kept them in thy name that is for thy sake in 4. Eph. 1. I therefore the Prisoner of the Lord a Prisoner in the Lord saith your Margin but properly 't is a Prisoner for the Lord 't is for the Lords sake that I am a Prisoner so that to do things in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ is to do them for his sake and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is of the same force with other Prepositions as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ye shall be hated of all Nations for my sake Mat. 24.9 and so in Acts 9.16 how great things he must suffer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for my name And in the 19 Mat. 29. he that hath forsaken houses or any thing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for my name sake so then to do things in the name of Christ is to do them for Christs sake as when Beggars do beg of you for Christs sake to bestow an alms upon them if you give them an Alms for Christs sake that 's in the name of Christ Sixthly to do things in the name of Christ is to do them to the honour and glory of his name to do them to Christs account so that Christ may not be damnified nor suffer any way but that Christs name may be honoured 2 Cor. 8.7 saith the Apostle as ye abound in every thing in faith in utterance in knowledge and in your love to us the Greek is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 your love towards us so that the preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there signifies towards So here to do all in the name of Christ is to do all towards Christ towards the honouring of Christ suitable to that in 1 Cor. 10.31 whether therefore ye eat or drink or whatsoever ye do do all to the glory of God do all to the glory of his name do all to the manifestation of Christ and his name let our words and actions be such as may hold forth something of Christ hold forth the name of Christ Rev. 2.13 Antipas did hold fast the name of Christ the truths of Christ the graces of Christ the profession of Christs Doctrine and Acts 9.15 Go thy way for he is a chosen vessel unto me to bear my name before the Gentiles and Kings and the Children of Israel he must hold forth my name and declare something of me that may be for my honour and glory it 's said in 2 Phil. 16. holding forth the word of life when we hold forth the word of life we hold forth the name of Christ and this is for the honour of Christ when Christians hold forth Christs meekness Christs humility Christs patience Christs love any truth of Christ any thing of Christ then they do things in the name of Christ they do honour and glorifie Christ 1. Cor. 14.25 if one come into the Church that believeth not or one unlearned he is convinced of all he is judged of all and the secreâ—s of his heart are made manifest and so falling down upon his face he will worship God and report that God is in you of a truth They held forth something of God they held forth the name of God and God was glorified and a heathen or a stranger coming in saith of a truth God is in you Christs works declared the Father to be in him Joh. 14.10.11 The Father that dwelleth in me he doth the works believe me that I am in the Father and the Father in me or else believe me for the very works sake The works that I do do hold forth the Father why they are done in the Fathers name and he is glorified by the works that I do and Christ glorified his Father here on earth by doing of his Fathers will and his Fathers works Seventhly Lastly to do things in the name of Christ is to do them by invocating of Christ by invocating of the name of Christ and so Beza and Zanchy and others interpret this place Mat. 18.20 where two or three are gathered together in my name that is invocating of me calling upon my name to call upon the Lord for councel for direction for our thoughts for our words for our actions this is doing things in the name of Christ It was the practice of the Saints to do so 1 Cor. 1.2 unto the Church of God which is at Corinth to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus called to be Saints with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord they called upon the name of Jesus Christ to have councel and direction and advice from him for their words and actions and all their
hope for a blessing upon the action but the ground of his hope is from the name of the Lord Jesus Christ Cant. 1.3 because of the savour of thy good Oyntments Thy name is as an Oyntment poured forth That perfumes all the actions done in Christs name and so they are acceptable unto God and this name is the ground of my hope for a blessing from God and from Christ because I look at the name of Christ which is the sweet Oyntment that doth perfume all Therefore ask your hearts what 's the ground and the Pillar of your hopes for a blessing upon your actions 't is not the goodness of your actions but the name of Christ that gives the hope Fifthly Lastly he that doth all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ ascribes the blessing and success of all unto the name of Christ he will attribute nothing to his own thoughts words or actions he will attribute nothing to any intervening cause but attribute all unto the name of the Lord Jesus Christ Psal 115.1 Not unto us O Lord not unto us away with all that should rise from us but unto thy name give glory yea all the glory 1 Tim. 1.12 I thank Jesus Christ our Lord saith Paul that inabled me and put me into the Ministry He gives the glory to Christ I thank the Lord I had no power to Preach but thou hast enabled me to Preach and I give thee the glory so did Pet. 2 E. 3.18 To him be glory both now and for ever Amen To him be the glory that makes known himself unto us that gives grace unto us that inables us to Preach and Pray and do good in our places and generations and callings to him be glory both now and for ever So John in 1. Rev. to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever The soul that doth all in the name of Christ will see infinite reason why Christ should have all the glory and all the honour do you so give him all and challenge nothing to your selves attribute nothing to your own dregs to your own endeavours to your own actings it 's a sign you do all in the name of Christ then Eighthly Lastly must Christians do all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ then it serves to be an exhortation unto us that we should do all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ let all your thoughts be in his name all your words be in his name all your actions be in his name see you have warrant from his word for them do all in his strength and power and lay by your own do all as in his stead think such thoughts as Christ would think if he were present speak such words as Christ would speak do all according to his will do all for Christs sake do all for his honour and glory do all invocating his name for advice in your actions Q. But you will say is it possible to do all in his name can we alwayes have Christ in our thoughts mouths and actions A. To this I answer that immediately we should have a disposition a frame of spirit an inclination of heart unto it the very bent and tendency of our hearts should be that way the desire of our souls is unto thee and to thy name So the desire of our souls should be unto Christ and to his name the bent and tendency of it should be that way And not only so but Secondly I answer 't is well to have this but 't is not enough we should every morning at least actually mind and intend the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and so go on all the day in that intention as a bowl when it is thrown it runs by virtue of the strength that is put into it from the arm that threw it at first and runs till the strength be spent so we should by virtue of a morning intention and in a morning consideration of the name of our Lord Jesus Christ go on all the day long and if we find it to flag as it will quickly do we should renew our intentions and thoughts in the name of Christ send up secret Ejaculations to Heaven O Lord I desire to think in thy name and to speak in thy name and to act in thy name this we may and ought to do and not to rest altogether in an habitual inclination and disposition and they that do it oftest they will order things best best for themselves and best for Christs glory and advantage but to press the exhortation Christians should do all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I will give you three or four Motives First We should do all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ upon this consideration it will assure us that the Lord Christ doth approve of us and will be with us and will make our actions successful and bless them unto us Mat. 28.19 20. Go ye therefore and teach all Nations Baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Go and Baptize them all in my name and in their names and what follows teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you and lo I am with you alwayes even unto the end of the world Do it in my name I will be with you then and I will bless you and prosper you and I will make your Preaching successful and useful David went in the name of the Lord against Goliah that grand enemy of the Israelites and did not the Lord bless him and prosper him did not he slay Goliah and free the Israelites from their fears and dangers the Lord was with him David went out in the name of the Lord in the strength of the Lord will I go and the Lord was with him wheresoever he went and prosper'd him in all he went about he did all things wisely would you therefore in spirituals or in your ordinary callings and places be approved of by Christ have Christ with you and bless you do all in his name not in your own names or in the name of others but in his name and in his name alone Secondly it is great wisdom to do so for what we do in Christs name out of respect to him carries much sweetness in it It is an impulse of of love to such a friend we love Christ when we do it out of respect to his name and 't is our wisdome so to do and the work of love is very sweet A wise man will do things so as they may be most sweet and pleasing to himself and acceptable to him he doth them now when we do it upon this account I say it is the impulse of love and there 's a great deal of sweetness in acting from love there is as true sweetness in acting for Christ as when we receive from Christ when you receive some influences of his spirit when you have an answer of your Prayers when you have your fears
is Lord in your heart he is Lord in your spirits he is Lord in your tongues he is Lord in your heads he is Lord in all your wayes therefore look upon him as Lord and Moderator of all your thoughts words and actions and this will help you to do things in his name Secondly if you would do things in his name then mind the very example and practice of the Lord Jesus Christ himself he did not do things in his own name but he did all in his fathers name and therefore we should do all in his name when he requires it of us as the Father required it of him he did all in his Fathers name in Job 5.43 I am come in my Fathers name and ye receive me not I am come but I come in my Fathers name I dont come in my own name I run not on my own head I come not with my own will or my own words to do what I would but I am come in my Fathers name and the Fathers works he did in Joh. 10.25 Jesus answered them I told you and ye believe not the works that I do in my Fathers name they bear witness of me all the works that I do I do in my Fathers name not in my own name Now here 's a good example for us to mind the Lord Christ he did all in his Fathers name and so should we do all in Christs name and if we do them in his name we do them in the Fathers name also Paul did all in Christs name and we should do all in Christs name He did all in his Fathers name and his example is an unerring example Thirdly If we would do all in the name of Christ then let us get lowâ—â—â—o the Lord Jesus Christ 'T is want of love that makes us do so little in the name of Christ if we had love enough to Christ it would make us act in his name the name of Christ is an Oyntment poured out therefore do the Virgins love thee if we did look at the name of Christ as an Oyntment poured out sweet and precious and saving and comforting indeed O it would make us love the Lord Jesus as the Virgins do A Wife that loves her Husband it will make her do all in her Husbands name Oh if we had love to Jesus Christ we would do all in his name why the Lord Christ he loved his Father and saith he I keep his Commandements and abide in his love 'T is love will make you do things in the name of Christ the more love is in any soul the more it will act in the name of Christ and honour him Fourthly Lastly if we would do all in Christs name then let us consider the great reward that we shall have the reward will be great if we do all in his name I there will be a reward here and a reward hereafter we glorifie him and honour him much if we do all in his name I all the glory will be his now if we glorifie him we shall have a reward in our very acting how sweet is that action which is done aright in a right manner to a right end from a right principle how sweet is it as the Psalmist saith in keeping of thy Commandements there is great reward in the very keeping of the commands of God and Christ is great reward 〈◊〉 is great peace great comfort great content sweetness communion with God and at the end there is great reward Crowns of Glory a Kingdom Rivers of pleasure great reward so in doing things in the name of Christ there is a great reward in the very doing of it great sweetness great content to the soul great peace great communion with God great favour of Christ and afterwards there will be a great and glorious reward for the soul that doth so in the 12. John 26. If any man serve me saith Christ let him follow me and where I am there shall also my Servant be if any man serve me why who serves Christ better than he that doth all in Christs name if we be the Servants of Christ we shall do all in the name of Christ and what then Let him follow me and where I am there shall also my Servant be and if any man serve me him will my Father honour He shall be honoured by me and honoured by my Father honoured in Earth and honoured in Heaven honoured with a Kingdom and Glory and honoured with fruition of nâ—e and of my Father and all that is desirable Therefore consider of the great reward you shall have if you do all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ The preciousness of the Word Psal 19.10 More to be desired are they then Gold yea then much fine Gold THe Psalmist had lay'd down in the former part of the Psalm many commendations of the Law the Statutes the Commandements the Testimonies and Judgments of the Lord. And here he draws up a conclusion concerning them all They are more to be desired then Gold then much fine Gold The words themselves are a Doctrine or an Observation and you may take it thus Doct. Divine truths are more to be desired then the choicest Treasures of the earth then all earthly treasures Two things are here to be done First to shew you that Gold is desirable and truths upon the same account Secondly that divine truths are more desirable then Gold or Silver or any earthly treasures whatsoever For the first two things there First what desire is Secondly that Gold is desirable and the truths of God upon the same account First what desire is desire is the reaching out of the soul after some good affected not in possession but absent saith David O that I had of the water of the Well of Bethlehem here 's the reaching out of his soul after some good affected 2 Sam. 23.15 saith Rachel give me Children or else I dye here 's the reaching out of her Soul after Children It is after good affected Either seeming good or real good affected Love is the root that bears desire and desire is the branch or fruit the hand and opperation of Love what we have no Love to we dont desire but what we have some Love too that we do desire It is the affecting of Good either seeming or real Solomon he desires wisdom that was a real good and he had real desires of it The desire of the Righteous is onely to good saith Solomon and there are seeming goods Eve desires the fruit 't was but a seeming good to her for it brought woe and sorrow to her and all hers Amnon desires Tamar it was a seeming good but a real evil Achan desires the Wedge of Gold it was his ruine Gehezi desires the Garments and the Wedge of Gold Now there must be good real or in appearance where desire is carried out unto it the soul sees some amiableness in the thing it doth desire and so it puts forth its desires after it
highly dont think meanly of the word of God Phil. 3.8 Paul did esteem the knowledge of Christ above all knowledge in the world the excellency of the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ that is the knowledge of the Gospel and the knowledge of the word There 's an excellency in it beyond all knowledge all Histories and all Arts and Sciences whatsoever there is not that excellency in them as in the word of God therefore esteem it highly Psal 84.10 A day in thy courts is better than a thousand In the courts of God There was the word of God preached and held forth and read and interpreted and therefore a day there is worth a thousand dayes elsewhere Seventhly If the word of God be so sweet sweeter than the Honey and the Honey-comb then feed much upon the word of God in the 24. Prov. 13. saith Solomon to his Son My Son eat thou Honey because it is good So let me say to you Eat this Honey because it is good Honey hath three great properties Honey doth cleanse it doth preserve and honey doth please Eat this spiritual Honey 't will please your spiritual souls and appetites it will preserve you from all evil it will cleanse you from all your pollutions David loved to be in the courts of God and to be feeding upon this Honey continually and to be satisfied with it Psal 65.4 We shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house it will satisfie me in point of cleansing in point of preserving in point of pleasing I am never better pleased nor safer nor in a purer condition then when I am under thy word seed much upon this others feed upon Acorns and upon the Wind and Ashes and the like but Saints feed upon Honey the Honey of Gods word the Honey that will do your souls good to eat it will sweeten all of your afflictions Eighthly Lastly if the word be sweeter than Honey and the Honey-comb then try whether it be so to you or no Try whether you have found the word to be sweet to you sweet as Honey and as the Honey comb Honey will sweeten other things so if the word have been Honey to you it will sweeten you it sweetens men and women it sweetens their spirits men have harsh sowr and bitter spirits of themselves but if the word have been Honey to them it hath sweetned their spirits and calm'd and meekned their spirits Eph. 4.31 32. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamur and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice put away all of this nature this is sowr leaven and be ye kind one to another tender hearted for giving one another even as God for Christs sake hath forgiven you Have you found the word to be Honey to you to sweeten your spirits and make them peaceable and plyable to the will of God it 's an argument that you have tasted the sweetness that is in the word of God and so in the 4. Cant. 11. where it 's said Thy lips O my Spouse drop as the Honey-comb That is her words and expressions were sweet a Law of kindness was in her lips so if the word of God have been sweet to us there will be sweetness and meekness of spirit in us therefore try whether the word have been Honey unto you Thus you see that the Statutes and Law of the Lord they are more to be desired than Gold yea than much fine Gold sweeter also than Honey and the Honey-comb And the Lord make them sweet to every one of your Souls Against Love of the World 1 Joh. 2.15 Love not the World neither the things that are in the World IOhn was the beloved Disciple of Christ and he writes this Epistle unto those that were dear unto Christ and his great scope is to confirm them in the faith of Christ and to put them on to holiness and love as may appear in the 23. v. of the third Chapter This is his Commandment saith he that we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another as he gave us Commandment And in the second Chapter he lay'd down a remedy against the infirmities of weak Christians in the first and second verses that if any sinned they had an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous And lest that should be abused and men take liberty to sin seeing there was such a remedy he puts them upon keeping the Commandments of the Lord in the 3 4 5 6. verses that if they have any benefit by Christ they will love Christ and if they love Christ they will keep the commands of Christ and walk as Christ walked And in the 7 8 9 10 11. verses he puts them on to love shewing that it is a new Commandment and an old Commandment in divers respects And then he comes and speaks in particular unto little Children verse 12. and to young men in the 13 verse and to fathers in the 14 verse and tells them in the Text that they must not love the world neither the things that are in the world for this is a great impediment both to holiness of life and love one to another The words will afford us two observations Obs The first is that there is a proness even in Saints to love the world There would not be a prohibition against it unnless there were a proness in us to it Even Christians and Believers are too apt and prone to love the world and the things of the world There is a great suitableness between the world and our corrupt hearts and natures Pleasures Profits Honours and things of that nature do suit with our sancies and suit with our affections dispositions and inclinations and therefore he saith Love not the world but this I shall not stand upon Obs The second observation which I shall insist upon is this That those that are in a state of Grace be they little Children or be they young Men or be they Fathers they are not to love the world Love not the World nor the things that are in the world Now here I must shew you what is meant by the World 2. What it is to love the World 3. Some reasons why we should not love the World 4. Answer a question or two For the first what is meant by the World By world in the first place is meant the visible Heavens and Earth with all the creatures in them as they came out of the hand of God Gen. 1.1 In the beginning God created the Heavens and the Earth and afterwards he tells you of particulars that were created Joh. 1.3 It 's said By him all things were made and verse 10. he was in the world and the world was made by him The world and all things were made by Christ God imployed Christ in making of the world and the things of the world So that all the visible things in this world are the workmanship of God and Christ and are