mock-offer and hence you shall find in Scripture some promise ever annexed unto Gods offer which is the ground of faith Ier. 3.22 This call or offer hath three speciall qualifications first it is inward as well as outward for the Lord calls thousands outwardly who yet never come because they want an inward call to come an inward whispering still voyce of Gods Spirit and therefore it is said He that hath heard and learned not of man only but of the Father commeth unto me Iohn 6.45 The Lord doth not stand at the outward doore only and call to open but the Lord Jesus comes in he comes neare unto the very heart of a poor sinner makes that understand Hos. 2.14 and the Lord makes his grace glorious and his mercy sweet unto the hearts of his Elect Look saith the Lord Jesus how I have left thousand thousands in the world and have had greater cause so to have left thee but behold I am come unto thee oh come thou now unto me 2. It is a particular call for there is a generall call and offer of grace to every one Now though this be a meanes to make it particular yet the Spirit of Christ which is wont to apply generalls unto particulars particularly makes the call particular that the soule sees that the Lord in speciall means me singles out me in speciall to beleeve otherwise the soules of the elect will not be much moved with the call of God so long as they think the Lord offers no more mercy to me then to any reprobate and therefore the Spirit of Christ makes the call particular Esay 43.1 I have called thee by name Iohn 10.5 He calleth all his sheep by name not that the Lord calls any by their christen name as we say as the Lord did extraordinarily call Samuel Samuel and Paul Paul but the meaning is look as the Lord from before all world 's writ down their names in the book of life and loves them in speciall so in Vocation the first opening of Election the Lord makes his offer and call special and so speciall as if it were by name for the soule at this instant feeles such a speciall stirring of the spirit upon it which it feels now and never felt before as also its particular case so spoken unto and its particular objections so answered and the grievousnesse of its sinne in refusing grace so particularly applyed as if God the onely searcher of hearts onely spake unto it and so dares not but thinke and beleeve that the Lord meaneth mee 3. It is effectuall as well as inward and particular Luk. 14.23 Compell them to come in Iohn 10.16 Christs other sheep shall heare Christs voice and those he must bring home for every inward call is not effectuall There came a man in without his wedding garment Mat. 22.6 7 8. whence our Saviour saith Many are called but few chosen but this I now speak of is a calling out of purpose Rom. 8.28 and therefore never leaves the soule untill it hath reall possession of Christ and rests there this call falls upon a sinner humbled not hard hearted hence the call is effectuall Mat. 9.12 13. 2 Chron. 30.10 11. it is such a call as was in creation Rom. 4.17 And hence the soule cannot but come and when t is come it cannot depart like Peter Lord whither should we goe and therefore though it hath never so many objections in comming to Christ never so much weaknesse or heartlesnesse to close with Christ yet the Lord brings it home and there keeps it and now it infinitely blesseth God that ever the Lord gave it an eye to see an heart to come and seek after Jesus Christ. Thus much of the nature of this Call now follows the necessity of it which appears in these three particulars 1. No man should come unlesse first called as it is in calling to an ordinary office so t is in our calling much more unto speciall grace the Apostle saith Heb. 5.4 that No man takes this honour but he that is called of God so what hath any man to doe with Christ to make himselfe a sonne of God and heire of glory thereby but he that is called of God what have we to doe to take other mens goods unlesse called thereto what have we to doe to take the riches of grace and peace if not called thereto t is presumption to take Christ whiles uncalled but not when you are called thereunto 2. Because no man would come without the Lords call Mat. 20.6 7. Why stand you here all the day idle The answer was No man hath hired or called us thereto When there is an outward call onely yet men will not come in Mat. 23.37 and therefore there must be an effectuall call to bring men home Esay 55.5 and therefore you shall see many let there be a legall command suppose to sanctifie a Sabbath or to speak the truth they have no objections against obedience unto this but presse them to beleeve shew them Gods call for it they have more feares and objections rising against this then there be haires on their head because the soul would not close with this 3. Because no man could come unlesse called Iohn 6.44 No man can come to me unlesse the Father draw him and how doth the Father draw any man but by this call if the Lord should not come and speak himselfe and make his call the most joyfull tidings and the sweetest message that ever came to it it would say I have no heart I cannot I am not able for Rom. 11.32 wee are shut up under unbeliefe and therefore the Lord Jesus Luke 15.5 must bring his sheep home upon his shoulders else it will dye in the wildernesse of its own droopings whereas when the Lord effectually speaks the soul cannot but come Lastly how this call is a ground of faith and what ground of faith For answer hereunto I doe not make this call considered without the promise the ground on which Faith rests for that is Gods free grace in the promise but the ground by which it rests or wherefore it rests upon the promise The mind sees 1. the freenesse of mercy to a poore sinner in misery and this breeds some hope the Lord may pitty it 2. The fulnesse and plenteous riches of mercy and this gives very great encouragement to the soule to think The Lord if I come to him surely will not deny me a drop Psal. 130.7 8. The Prodigall comes home because of bread enough in his fathers house though he was not certaine he should have any 3. The preciousnesse and sweetnesse of mercy makes the soule long vehemently for it Psal. 36.6 7. and makes it set all other things at a low rate to enjoy it but when unto all this the Lord sends a speciall commandement a speciall message on purpose and calls it to come in and accept of it and take mercy as its own and that for no
there is a subjection arising from the sense of the sweetnesse and exceeding goodnesse of Gods call and promise Psal. 110.2 3. As a woman that is overcome with the words of her loving suitor the man is precious and hence his words are very sweet and overcome her heart to think why should such a one as I be lookt upon by one of such a place it is no presumption now but duty to give her consent so it is here when the Lord is precious and his words oh accept me oh come to me are exceeding sweet and hereupon out of obedience gladly yeelds up it selfe to the Lord takes possession of the Lord this is no more presumption then to sanctifie a Sabbath or to pray or heare the word because the Lords commands are herein very sweet If Repentance accompanies Faith t is no presumption to beleeve Many know they sinne and hence beleeve in Christ trust to Christ and there is an end of their faith but what confession and sorrow for sinne what more love to Christ followes this faith truly none nay their faith is the cause why they have none for they think If I trust to Christ to forgive them he will doe it and there is an end of the businesse Verily this hedge faith this bramble â—aith that catches hold on Christ and pricks and scratches Christ by more impenitency more contempt of him is meere presumption which shall one day be burnt up and destroyed by the fire of Gods jealousie Fie upon that faith that serves onely to keep a man from being tormented before his time Your sins would be your sorrowes but that your faith quiets you But if faith be accompanyed with repentance mourning for sin more esteem of Gods grace in Christ so that nothing breaks thy heart more then the thoughts of Christs unchangeable love to one so vile and this love makes thee love much and love him the more as thy sin increaseth so thou desirest that thy love may increase and now the stream of thy thoughts runne how thou mayst live to him that dyed for thee This was Maries faith who sate at Christs feer weeping washing them with her teares and loving him much because much was forgiven who though shee was accounted a presumptuous woman by Simon and Christ himselfe suffered in his thoughts for suffering of her to come so neare unto him yet the Lord himselfe cleares her herein and justifies her before God and men many a poor beleever thinks if I should beleeve I should but presume and spin a spiders web of Faith out of my owne bowels and hence you shall observe this not beleeving stops up the work of repentance mourning and love and all chearfull obedience in them and on the contrary if they did beleeve it would be with them as themselves think many times if I knew the Lord was mine and my sins pardoned oh how should I then blesse him and love him and wonder at him how would this break my heart before him c. now I say let all the world judg if that which thou thinkest would be presumption be not rebellion because it makes thee worse and stops up the Spirit of grace in thee Whereas that Faith which lets out those blessed springs of sorrow love thankfulnesse humblenesse c. what can it bee else but such a saving faith as is wrought by the Spirit because it lets in the Spirit more abundantly into a dry and desolate heart 2. The subject or matter of Faith This is the second thing in the description of Faith the soule of an humbled sinner is the subject or matter of Faith I doe not meane the matter out of which Faith is wrought for there is nothing in man out of which the Spirit begets it but that wherein Faith is seated I meane also the habit of Faith not the principle of it for that is out of man in the Lord Jesus who is therefore called our hope as wel as our strength the soule therefore is the subject of Faith called the heart Rom. 10.9 compared with Mat. 6.21 for we cannot goe or come to Christ in this life with our bodies we are here absent from the Lord 2 Cor. 5. but the soule can goe to him the heart can bee with him as the eye can see a 1000 miles off and receive the species or image of the things it sees into it so the soule inlightned by faith can see Christ a farre off it can long for choose and rest upon the Lord of life and receive the lively image of Christs glory in it 2 Cor. 3. ult If Christ were present upon earth the soule not the body onely could truly receive him Christ comes to his elect only by his Spirit and hence our spirits only are fit to receive him and close with him thousands heare Christ outwardly that inwardly are deafe to all Gods calls their spirits see not tast not feel not it is therefore the soule that is the subject of Faith and I say it is an humbled empty soule which is the subject for a full proud nbroken spirit cannot nay will not receive Christ as wee have proved and therefore Luke 14. the servant is commanded to bid the poore halt and blind and lame to come in they would not make excuses as others did they that were stung to death with fiery Serpents were the only men that the brasen Serpent was lifted up for them to look upon and so be healed Iohn 3.14 and therefore the promise doth not run If any man have wisdome let him aske it but if any man want wisdom Iames 1.5 so if any man want light life want peace pardon want Christ and his Spirit let them aske and the Lord will give away with your mony if you come to these waters to buy and take freely If any man would be wise let him be a foole saith the blessed Apostle an empty nothing a soule in a perishing helplesse hopelesse condition is the subject of faith such only feele their need of Christ are glad at the offer of Christ and therefore such only can and will receive Christ and come unto Christ by faith and truly if we had but hearts the consideration of this might be ground of great comfort confidence unto all Gods people whose soules come unto Jesus Christ for that which was in Thomas Iohn 21. is in all men naturally if we could see Christ with our eyes and feel him with our hands and embrace him as Mary did with our arms if we could heare himselfe speake we could then beleeve as they said if he will come from the Crosse so we say if he will come downe from heaven thus unto us we will then beleeve if we want this we fear we may be at last deceived because we want sense and cannot come to close with our eyes and hands the objects of our faith but oh consider this point we are made partakers of Christs life and salvation by him only yet
by it so upon it will build the souls of all the elect who are built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Iesus Christ being the chief corner-stone Eph. 2.20 How can they beleeve without a Preacher Rom. 10.14 3. Then when wicked men and reprobates are commanded to beleeve as they are commanded Iohn 3.19 Luk. 14.17 Iohn 6.38 Heb. 4.2 they are commanded to beleeve a lye viz. that their sinnes are pardoned and they actually justified for if this testimony be the ground of faith then when they are commanded to beleeve they are commanded to be perswaded of this testimony But the sinnes of wicked men especially Reprobates are not nor never shall be forgiven and therefore this cannot be the ground of Faith 4. Then the Spirit of adoption which witnesseth that God is our Father and that we are his sonnes reconciled to him goes before faith but the Apostle expresly denyes this Ye are the children of God by faith Gal. 3.26 And because ye are sonnes he hath sent unto you the spirit of sonnes crying Abba Father Gal. 4.6 5. If such a testimony should be the first ground of faith then no man should beleeve but he that hath such a testimony antecedent to his faith but this is crosse to the Scripture Esay 50.10 He that sits in darknesse and sees no light let him stay himselfe upon his God When Ionah is cast out of Gods sight to his owne feeling yet he is bound to look againe unto the Temple 6. This absolute testimony is either the testimony of the Word or of the Spirit Not of the Word as is proved If of the Spirit then let it be considered whether that can be the testimony of the Spirit which is not according to the Word nay contâ—ary to the Word for the Word to say none are justified before faith for the Spirit to testifie some are justified before faith If it be said that the Spirit doth not witnesse these to any man before and without faith but yet it is without respect unto or shewing a man his faith for those that exclude Sanctification from being any evidence they meane Faith as well as any other renewed work of holines and so exclude that also then I say the testimony of the Spirit which of it selfe is exceeding cleare is an obscure and dark testimony because it cleares up the praedicate of this Proposition thou beleever art justified it witnesseth to a man thou art justified but cleares not up the subject of it viz. thou beleever it makes a man beleeve a testimony without understanding the full meaning of it for the Spirit testifying to any man thou art justified his meaning is thou beleever art justified and I doe beseech the God and Father of all lights that his poore people may be led into the truth in this particular for want of establishment here you little think how many delusions you may fall into about your spirituall condition I remember that when Satan came to overthrow the Faith of Christ in his second temptation Mat. 4.6 he brought a promise out of the Scriptures to him because he saw hee held close to them verse 4. and by this promise sought to lead him into temptation how so observe the text and see if it was not by hiding part of the meaning of the promise from him and in speciall that very condition required in the person to whom the promise is made for he tells him that if he cast himselfe downe headlong the Lord hath not only said it but writ it He shall give his Angells charge over him to keep him from dashing his foot against a stone whereas if you consult with the place whence it is cited viz. Psalme 91.11 The condition is set downe in all thy wayes which hee purposely hides from our Saviour as much as in him lay Oh take heed therefore of receiving any testimony from Word or Spirit without the meaning of it without knowing the person thus and thus qualified to whom it belongs otherwise Satan will hurry you headlong to a world of delusions and you shall find the word of God appointed to direct you through your mis-application of it the word of Satan to deceive and damne you doe not think that this is building faith upon works but to beleeve that they that believe in Christ are justified reconciled and saved is building faith upon Gods promise yea and his free promise too for saith the Apostle It is of faith that it might be of grace Rom. 4.16 It is believing to have the end by the meanes not the end without the mean of Faith It is true we may see Gods favour and love to us in the cause as well as in the effects of sanctification but what is that cause the meritorious cause is Christs righteousnesse and the instrumentall cause of applying this is our Faith so that as we are justified by faith so seeing this we may say assuredly with Paul Being justified by faith wee have peace with God Rom. 5.1 It is true we cannot see our justification by saith nor the work of Faith without the shining of the Spirit into our hearts but the question is not whether the Spirit helps us to see our justified estate but by what meanes by what Proposition in the word wee come to see it which we say is not by any such absolute testimony thou art justified already and therefore believe but if thou believe and come to Christ here is then pardon of sinne peace with God yea all the blessings of Christ ready for thee which God intends to give and never to take away if thou thankfully receive what God freely offers and as it were layes downe at thy feet The call of Christ therefore is the ground by which wee first believe and that you may be confirmed farther herein doe but consider the glory and excellency of this ground It is a constant ground of faith for if you come to Christ because you have assurance or because you feel such and such graces and heavenly impressions of Gods Spirit in you you may then many a day and yeare keep at a distance from Christ and live without Christ for the feeling of graces and assurance of favour are not constant but this call is alway sounding in thine yeares oh come not only because thou feelest holinesse in thee but come because poore hungry empty naked lost blind cursed forsaken full of sin there is not one moment of the day of grace but the Lord beseecheth thee to receive his grace 2 Cor. 6.1 2 3. this is an open door to Christ at all times an open harbour to put in at in all storms a heart-breaking word oh thou tossed with tempests and not comforted come unto me and thou shalt find rest to thy soule Many aske how should I come to Christ seeing that I have no promise belonging to me what have dogges to doe with childrens bread be it so yet Gods call command beseechings to come in
that he came out of hâ—s Fathers bosome for thee wept for thee bled for thee powred out his life nay his soule to death for thee is now risen for thee gone to heaven for thee sits at Gods right hand and rules all the world for thee makes intercession continually for thee and at the end of the world will come againe for thee who hast loved him here that thou mightest live for ever with him then But is this our life in these evill and luke-warme times How many bee there that beleeve in Christ that they may live as they list If to drink and whore and scoffe and blaspheme if to shake a lock and follow every fond fashion if to crosse and cringe before a piece of wood if to be weary of the Word and outwardly zealous for long prayers if to seek for purity of ordinances in Churches and to maintain impurity in hearts in shops in families if to set our hearts upon Farmes and Merchandizes and so to bee covetous if to set up our owne selves and parts and gifts with a secret disdaine of Gods Ministers if to cry downe learning and set up ignorance if to set up Christ and destroy sanctification and obedience if to be a sect-master of some odde opinions if to cracke the nut of some superlunary and Monkish notions and high-flown speculations if to heare much and do little if to have a name to 〈◊〉 and yet dead at the heart if this be to liâ—e the life of love we have many that live this life the Lord Jesus wants not love if this be to love But oh woe unto you if you thus requite the Lord foolish people and unwise The Lord knowes we may complaine as Paul did Every man minds his owne things and none the things of Iesus Christ none in comparison of that huge number that thinke they are religious enough if they be baptized and say that they beleeve in Jesus Christ verily the time drawes neere wherein the Lord will come for fruits from his Vineyard and if he findes it not assuredly he will not be beholding to us for obedience he can raise his glory out of other people and there carry his Gospel to them who shall bring forth the fruits of it the Lord will shortly lay his axe unto the root of our tree and if wee will not serve the Lord in this good Land in the abundance of peace and mercy we shall serve our enemies in hunger cold and nakednesse if we will not serve him in love we must serve our enemies in feare doe not think that the Lord will bee put off with venerable names and titles shadowes and pictures what is most mens profession at this day but a meer paint which may serve to colour them while they live but will never comfort them unlesse conscience bee asleep when they come to dye Oh â—yâ—e heed of such formality I can never think enough of Davids expression Psal. 119.167 I have kept thy Commandements and I love them exceedingly should he not have said first I have loved thy Commandements and so have kept them Doubtlesse hee did so but he ran here in a holy and most heavenly circle I have kept them and loved them and loved them and kept them if we love Christ we also shall live such a life of love in our measure and his Commandements will be most deare when himselfe is most precious FINIS A TABLE OF the principall Contents A. ADoption what it is pag. 280 The manner thereof 282 B. Beleevers in a blessed condition 251 C. Conviction of sinne wrought in every Beleever 6 What that sin is which the Lord first convinceth of 9 How the Lord doth convince the soule of sinne 23 What measure and degree of conviction God workes in all his 32 Conviction of sin to be first preached 34 96 A sad thing to stand out against conviction 36 Meanes of conviction 39 Compunction immediately followes conviction 45 The Necessity thereof 48 Rules observable about compunction 49 Wherein it doth consist 65 What measure of compunction God workes in the Elect. 84 How and where the Soule should come to Christ. 177 Meanes of enabling the Soule to come to Christ. 239 In what manner we should come to him 248 E. What evill in sinne God most affects the heart withall 89 A three-fold evill of sinne 91 F. Feare of Gods displeasure necessary to conversion and wherein it consists 66 The nature of Faith 156 The efficient cause thereof 163 The subject matter of Faith 173 The Forme thereof 178 The end of Faith 198 The ground and meanes of Faith 215 How to discern Faith from presumption 169 Whether an absolute testimony of actuall favor and justification be not the first ground of Faith 227 G. Glorification what it is 313 Greatnesse of mens sinne in not comming to Christ. 246 H. Humiliation for sinne what it is 125 What need there is of it 126 What meanes the Lord useth to worke this 129 What measure of Humiliation is necessary 138 Wherein to expresse Humiliation 150 I. A Christian is not justified before faith is sought 107 Sanctification does not goe before justification 109 What true justification is 253 Who is it that justifieth and why 256 The meanes whereby the Father justifieth 257 Who are the persons the Lord doth justifie 261 L. Loosening from sinne how wrought in the soule 88 A life of Love requisite in beleevers 328 The life of Love appears in 5. things 338 The Law not to be slighted 334 P. How Christ doth save by his Power 4 Audience of Prayers a speciall priviledge 305 What are those Prayers that Christ will hear 306 Why God heareth Prayers 311 R. A double Resistance of grace in men 100 Regenerate and unregenerate how differenced 194 Reconciliation with God wherein it consists 274 S. What is it to see sinne 43 Sense of Mercy cannot turn a soule to Christ without the Sight of sinne 59 Sorrow for sinne accompanies Conversion wherein it consists 73 Separation from sin wrought in Beleevers 82 What true Sanctification is 289 The benefits thereof 294 V. Union unto Christ goes before Communion with him 101 Whether Vocation doth not goe before Iustification 102 Vocation is not all one with Sanctification 113 The nature of true Vocation 217 The necessity thereof 224 How it is a ground of Faith 225 W. The Whole soul goes to Christ in conversion 183 How to know when the Whole soule comes to Christ. 190 FINIS See the Sincere Convert Quest. Answ. Quest. Ans. Con. 1. Rom. 3. Quest. Answ. What those particular sinnes are which the Lord convinces men of in theiâ— conversioâ—â— â—on 2. â— Con. 3. Answ. Luk. 19 4â— Esay 6.9 How God gives a reall sight of sinnes Hâ—s 4.4 Psal. 51.3 Lam. 3.51 Job 33.16 17. Vse 1. Lam. 2.14 Prov. 1.23 Vse 2. Psal. 36.2 Vse 3. 1. Help 2. Help 3. Help 2 Cor. 5.10 Vse 4. 1 Sam. 25.32 33. Joh. 16.7 Levit. 19.17 Obj. Ans. 1. 2. 3. â—onah 3.5 Answ. 1. Rule 2. Rule 3. Rule 4. Rule 5. Rule 6. Rule 7. Rule 8. Rule Joh. 16.20 Hos. 6.1 2 3. Reas. 1. 2 Cor. 7.10 1 Cor. 5.2 1 Cor. 15.17 Pro. 28.13 Obj. Ans. 1. 2. Cor. 7.1 2. Reas. 2. Mat. 9.21 Jer. 2.31 Luke 14. Luke 15.17 Ram. 5.6 7 8. Col. 3.7 2 Cor. 5.14 Reas. 3. Mat. 9.13 Luk. 4.18 Luk. 15 7. Reas. 4. Quest. Answ. Acts 9.6 Acts 16. Psal. 10.5 Acts 16. Psal. 9.20 Rom. 8.15 Amos 3.8 Luk. 23.40 Judg. 2.1 Jer. 31.18 Hos. 6.1 2. Zach. 12.11 Cap. 13.1 Eccles. 7.26 Psal. 38.1 â— Prov. 18.14 Psal. 32.2 3. Psal. 40.12 Jer. 31.19 Daâ— 9.12 Jer. 3. ult Matth. 10.37 Hos. 6.1 2. Psal. 51.8 2 Chron. 53.11 12. Lam. 3.44 Psal. 39.10 11. Esay 5.8.5 Esay 58.5 Prov. 28.13 Jâ—b 33.15 16 17. Answ. Hos 6.1 Joh. 5.40 Quest. Answ. Jer. 8.11 Quest. Answ. Mat. 10.37 Acts 3.26 Quest. Answ. Luk. 15.7 Esay 33.6 Heb 7.25 Esay 56.8 Vse 1. 1. Cons. Scho. orth Spec. cap. 30 31 32. 2. Cons. 3. Cons. 4. Cons. 5. Cons. Jer. 4.3 4. Vind. grat p. 7 11 13 John 14.3 4 5. Gal. 2.20 Vse 2. Vse 3. Esa. 43.4 Vse 4 Jer. 30.15 Esay 57.16 Answ. Answ. Phil. 3.7 Gal. 2.19 Answ. Rom. 7.9 10 11. Lam 1.16 1 Cor. 11.31 Levit. 10.3 Answ. Vse 1 Vse 2. Quest. Answ. 1. 2. Vse 3. Deut. 6.19 4. Answ. Rom. 10.9 10. Rom. 8.28 Ps. 36.7 Object Answ. 1. 2. 3 Acts 10.43 1 Pet. 1.8 John 6.64.65 Heb. 4.18 19 20. Object Answ. Heb. 11.11 Esay 55.1 2. Mat. 21.28 Psal. 62.5 Psal. 81.12 13. Quest. Answ. Heb. 4.1 Object Answ. Ps. 116.7 Eph. 3.14 18. Object Answ. Ps. 25.11 31.9 Psal. 40.11 12. Hos. 6.1 2 Obj. 1. Answ. Hos. 6.2 3. Rom. 1.17 Rom 8.30 1 Pet. 2.9 2 Thes. 2.14 Joh. 20.31 1 Cor. 1.21 with 26 Joh. 5.29 2 Thess. 2.12 13. Isay 55.1 2. 2 Cor. 5.19 20. Mark 16.15 Luc. 14 17 Vse Joh. 1â— 22 Answ. 1. 2. 3. Act. 2.39 13.47 4. 5. Quest. Answ. Quest. 1 Answ. 2. Answ. 3. Answ. Esay 43.25 4. Answ. 2 Cor. 5.20 5. Answ. 6. Answ. Rom. 4.5 Esa. 4.1 2. Isa. 54.10 1 Cor. 3.22 Isa. 56.5 Mat. 6.31 32. Rom. 8.14 Tit. 3.5 2 Cor. 5.17 Rom. 2.28 2. 1 Pet. 1.14.15.16 Act. 9.31 Mic. 4.5 Deut. 18.18 19. Col. 3.3 Rev. 4.10 11. Prov. 3.17 Quest. Answ.
their owne duties 4. Presumption or resting upon the mercy of God by a Faith of their owne forging so on the contrary there is a fourefold act of Christs power whereby he rescues and delivers all his out of their miserable estate The first act or stroake is Conviction of sin The second is Compunction for sin The third is Humiliation or self-abasement The fourth is Faith all which are distinctly put forth when he ceaseth extraordinarily to work in the day of Christs power and who ever looke for actuall salvation and redemption from Christ let them seek for mercy and deliverance in this way out of which they shal never find it let them begin at conviction and desire the Lord to let them see their sins that so being affected with them and humbled under them they may by faith be enabled to receive Jesus Christ and so be blessed in him It is true Christ is applyed to us nextly by Faith but Faith is wrought in us in that way of conviction and sorrow for sin no man can or will come by faith to Christ to take away his sins unlesse he first see be convicted of and loaden with them I confesse the manner of the Spirits work in the conversion of a sinner unto God is exceeding secret and in many things very various and therefore it is too great boldnesse to mark out all Gods footsteps herein yet so farre forth as the Lord himselfe tels us his work and the manner of it in all his wee may safely resolve our selves and so farre and no farther shall we proceed in the explication of these things It is great prophanesse not to search into the works of common providence though secret and hidden Psal. 28.5 and 92.6 much greater it is not to doe thus into Gods works of speciall favour and grace upon his chosen I shall therefore beginne with the first stroake of Christs power which is conviction of sin SECT II. First Act of Christs power which is Conviction of sinne NOw for the more distinct explication of this I shall open to you these 4 things 1. I shall prove that the Lord Christ by his Spirit begins the actuall deliverance of his elect here 2. What is that sin the Lord convinceth the soule thus first of 3. How the Lord doth it 4. What measure and degree of conviction he works thus in all his 1. For the first it is said Iohn 16.8 9. that the first thing that the Spirit doth when he comes to make the Apostles Ministery effectuall is this it shall reprove or convince the world of sinne it doth not first work faith but convinceth them that they have no faith as in verse 9. and consequently under the guilt and dominion of their sin and after this he convinceth of righteousnesse which faith apprehends verse 10. It is true that the word conviction here is of a large extent and includes compunction and humiliation for sin yet our Saviour wraps them up in this word because conviction is the first and therefore the chiefe in order here the Lord not speaking now of ineffectuall but effectuall and thorow conviction exprest in deep sorrow and humiliation Now the Text saith the Lord begins thus not with some one or two but with the world of Gods elect who are to be called home by the Ministery of the word which our Saviour speaks as any may see who consider the scope purposely to comfort the hearts of his Disciples that their Ministery shall be thus effectuall to the world of Jews and Gentiles and therefore cannot speak of such conviction as serves onely for to leave men without excuse for greater condemnation as some understand the place for that is a poore ground of consolation to their sad hearts Secondly I shall hereafter prove that there can be no faith without sense of sinne and misery and now there can be no sense of sinne without a precedent sight or conviction of sin no man can feel sin unlesse he doth first see it what the ey sees not the heart rues not Let the greatest evill befall a man suppose the burning of his house the death of his children if he doth not first know see and hear of it he will never take it to heart it will never trouble him so let a poor sinner lye under the greatest guilt the sorest wrath of God it will never trouble him untill hâ— sees it and be convinced of it Act. 2.37 When they heard this they were pricked but first they heard it and saw their sin before their hearts were wounded for it Gen. 3.7 they first saw saw their nakednesse before they were ashamed of it Thirdly the maine end of the law is to drive us to Christ Rom. 10.4 if Christ be the end of the law then the law is the means subservient to that end and that not to some but to all that beleeve now the law though it drive to Christ by condemnation yet in order it begins with accusation It first accuseth and so convinceth of sin Ro. 3.20 and then condemneth it 's folly and injustice for a Judg to condemn bring a sinner out to his execution before accusation conviction and is it wisdom or justice in the Lord or his law to doe otherwise and therefore the Spirit in making use of the law for this end first convinceth as it first accuseth and layes our sins to our charge Lastly look as Satan when he binds up a sinner in his sin he first keeps him if possible from the very sight and knowledge of it because so long as they see it not this ignorance is the cause of all their woe why they feele it not why they desire not to come out of it the Lord Jesus who came to unty the knots of â—atan 1 Iohn 3.8 begins here and first convinceth his and makes them see their sin that so they may feele it and come to him for deliverance out of it Oh consider this all you that dreame out your time in minding only things before your feet never thinking on the evills of your owne hearts you that heed not you that will not see your sins nor so much as ask this question What have I done what doe I doe how doe I live what will become of me what will be the end of these my foolish courses I tell you if ever the Lord save you he will make you see what now you cannot what now you will not he will not only make you to confesse you are sinners but he will convince you of sinne this shall be the first thing the Lord will doe with thee But you will say what is that sin which the Lord first convinceth of which is the second thing to be opened I answer in these three Conclusions 1 The Lord Jesus by his Spirit doth not only convince the soule in generall that it is a sinner and sinfull but the Lord brings in a convicting evidence of the particulars the first is learnt
a subject like a white paper fitted immediately to take the impression of Gods image but since by his fall Sinne is falne like a mighty blot upon the soule whereby a man not onely wants grace as the darke ayre doth light but also resists grace Iohn 14.17 Hence this resistance must be first taken away before the Lord introduce his image againe To say that a man can of himselfe dispose himselfe unto grace was Pelagianisme in Aquinas his time yet some disposition is necessary saith Ferrius not unto actuall grace or that which is wrought upon a man per modum actus as he saith but unto the reception of habituall or sanctifying grace it being in the soule per modum formae no forme being introduced but into materiam dispositam i. matter fitted or prepared or into such a vessell which is immediately capable of it There is in man a double resistance against grace 1. Of a holy frame of grace by originall corruption which is opposite to originall and renewed holinesse or to this holy frame 2. Of the God of grace himselfe when he comes to work it Iob 21.14 Ezek. 24.13 The first is taken away in that which we call the spirit of sanctification after faith the second is taken away not onely in the act of it as by terrours it may be in reprobates Psal. 66.2 but in some measure in the inward â—oot and disposition of it onely in the elect there being as hath been said no more separation from sinne at this time required then so much as may make the soule come to the Lord to take it away or at least not unwilling nor resisting the Lord when he comes to doe it himselfe Whether doth not the work of union unto Christ goe before our communion with Christ I suppose t is undenyable that union must be before communion and that union to Christ is a work of grace as peculiar to the elect as communion with him Now justification and sanctification are two parts of our communion with him and follow our union Rom. 8.1 Our union therefore must be before these of which there are two parts or rather two things on our part necessarily required to it 1. Cutting off from the wild olive tree the old Adam 2. Implanting into the good olive tree the second Adam The first must goe before the second for where there is perfect resistance there can be no perfect union But take a man growing upon his old root of nature there is nothing but perfect resistance Rom. 8.7 and therefore that resistance must first be taken away before the Lord draw the soule to Christ and by faith implant it into Christ. In a word I see not how a man can wholly resist God and Christ and yet be united unto him at the same instant and therefore the one in order of nature at least goes before the other and therefore let any man living prove his union to Christ and to his lust also if he can You will beleeve in Christ many of you and yet you will have your whores and cups and lusts and pride and world too and oppose all the meanes that would have you from these also I tell you you shall find one day how miserably deceived you have been herein You cannot serve God and Mammon How can ye beleeve saith Christ Iohn 5.44 that seek honour one of another If you can have Christ and be ambitious too take him but how can you beleeve till the Lord hath broken you off from thence Whether vocation as peculiar to the elect as sanctification doth not goe before justification and glorification Rom. 8.30 Whether also there are not two things in effectuall vocation 1. Is not Christ that good the tearme to which the soule is firstly called 2. Is not sin and world that evill the tâ— arme from which the soule is called I suppose t is evident that the soule is effectually called and therefore actually and firstly turned from darknesse to light from the power of Satan unto God First from darknesse then unto light first from the power of Satan then unto God as is evident by the Apostles owne words Act. 26.18 where he methodically sets down the wonderfull works of Christs grace by his ministery the first is to turne them from darknes to light and from Satans power unto God which are the two parts of vocation that they may receive forgivenesse of sinnes in justification vocation being a meanes to this end that they may receive an inheritance in glorification among such as being justified are sanctified also by faith in his name The Apostle doth not say that he was to returne men to light and unto God and so turn them from darknes from the power 〈◊〉 Satan though this is true in some sense but he was first to turne from darknesse and Satan and so to returne them unto light and God in Christ. For how is it possible to be turned unto Christ and yet then also to be turned to sinne and Satan Doth it not imply a contradiction to be turned toward sinne which is ever from Christ and yet to be turned toward Christ together All Divines affirme generally that in the working of â—aith the Lord makes the soule willing to have Christ Psal. 110.2 3. but withall they affirme that of unwilling he makes willing and therefore it followes that the Lord must first remove that unwillingnesse before it can be willing it being impossible to be both willing and unwilling together Whether the cause of all that counterfeit coyne and hypocrisie in this professing age doth not arise from this root viz. not having this wound at first but onely some trouble for sinne without separation from it sore throwes without deliverance from sinne is not this the death of most if not all wicked men living how many are there that claspe about Christ and yet prove enemies to the crosse of Christ fall from Christ scandalously or secretly afterward what is the reason of it Certainly if the Lord had cut them off from their sin they had never falne to everlasting bondage in sinne againe but there the Spirit of God forsook them the Lord not owing so much love to them Consider seriously why the stony and thorny-ground-hearers Mat. 13. came to nothing in their growth of seeming faith and sanctification was the fault in the seed No verily but onely in the ground the one was broken but not deep enough the other was broken deep but not through enough the roots of thorns choked them the lusts and cares of the world were not destroyed first therefore they destroyed that ground I conclude therefore with that of Ieremy Break up your fallow grounds seek to the Lord to break them for you and sow not among thornes take heed of such brokennesse which removes not the thornes of sinfull secret stubbornnesse lest the wrath of the Lord break out against you and burne that none can quench it Doe not cut
off Iohn Baptists head you that can be content to heare him gladly and doe many things but he must not touch your Herodias and make a divorce there but suffer him to come in the spirit and power of Eliah nay of Christ Iesus to beat downe your mountaines fill up your vallies make your crooked rough waies smooth that you may see the glory of the Lord Jesus without which he shall be ever hid from you Cry you faithfull servants of the Lord that All flesh is grasse and all the glory of man of sin of world is a withering flower that the Lord Jesus may be revealed ever fresh and sweet and precious in the eyes of the Saints The evidence of this truth in the generall put blessed and learned Pemble upon another way for when he perceived as himselfe confesseth that it is the generall doctrine of all Orthodox Divines viz. that actuall faith is never wrought in the soule till beside the supernaturall illumination of the mind the will be also first freed in part from its naturall perversenesse God making all men of unwilling willing hereupon he concludes that this is done by the spirit of Sanctification and one supernaturall quality of holines universally infused in all the powers of the soul at once so that the Spirit instantly first sanctifies us puts life in us then it acts in sorrow for and detestation of sin and so we come actually to beleeve And because he fore-saw the blow viz. that in this way Christians are sanctified before they be justified he answers Yes we are justified declaratively after this Others who follow him answer more roundly viz. that we are sanctified before we are really and actually justified herein differ from him Now when it is objected against this viz. that our vocation is that which goes before our justification sanctification being part of glorification following after Rom. 8.30 Hereupon some others treading in his steps affirme that vocation is the same with sanctification and not comprehended under glorification Others perceiving the evill of this errour viz. to place sanctification before justification good fruits before a good tree they doe therefore deny any saving worke whether of vocation or sanctification before justification And hence on the other extream they doe place a Christians justification before his faith in vocation or holinesse in his sanctification so that by this last opinion a Christian is not justified by faith which was Pauls phrase but rather as he said wittily and wisely faithed by his justification Before I come to cleare the truth in these spirituall mysteries let this onely be remembred viz. That Sanctification which Pemble calls out spirituall life may be taken two wayes 1. Largely 2. Strictly 1. Largely for any awakenings of conscience or acts of the Spirit of life and so t is true we are quickned by these acts and so in a large sense sanctified first 2. Strictly for those habits of the life of holinesse which are opposite to the body of death in us and that we are not first sanctified before we are justified in this sense we shall manifest by and by Onely let me begin to shew the errour of the last opinion first viz. 1. That a Christian is not first justified before faith or vocation may appeare thus 1. It is professedly crosse to the whole current of Scripture which saith We are justified by faith and therefore not before faith and to say that the meaning of such phrases is that we are justifyed declaratively by faith or to our sense and feeling in foro conscientiae is a meere device for our justification is opposed to the state of unrighteousnesse condemnation going before which condemnation is not onely declarative and in the court of Conscience but reall and in the court of Heaven For so saith the Scripture expresly Iohn 3.18 He that beleeveth not is condemned already and verse 36. The wrath of God abideth on him and Gal. 3.22 The Scripture which is the sentence in Gods Court hath concluded all under sinne Hence a second Argument ariseth 2. If a man be justified before faith then an actuall unbeleever is subject to no condemnation but this is expresly crosse to the letter of the Text He that beleeves not is condemned already Iohn 3.18 and the wrath of God doth lye upon him The subjects of non-condemnation are those that be in Christ by faith Rom. 8.1 not out of Christ by unbelief Rom. 11.20 There is indeed a merited justification by Christs death and a virtuall or exemplary justification in Christs resurrection as in our Head and Surety and both these were before not onely our faith but our very being but to say that we are therefore actually justified before faith because our justification was merited before we had faith gives as just a ground of affirming that wee are actually sanctified whiles we are in the state of nature unsanctified Eph. 2.1 because our sanctification was merited by Christ before we had any being in him We must indeed be first made good trees by faith in Christs righteousnesse before we can bring forth any good fruits of holinesse God makes us not good trees without being in Christ by faith no more then we are bad trees in contracting Adams guilt without our being first in him God gives us first his Sonne offered in the Gospel and received by faith and then gives us all other things with him he doth not justifie us without giving us his Son but having first given him gives us this also 2. That sanctification doth not goe before justification may appeare thus 1. If guilt of Adams sinne goe before originall pollution Rom. 5.12 then imputation of Christs righteousnesse before renewed sanctification 2. To place sanctification before justification is quite crosse to the Apostles practise which is our patterne who first sought to be found in Christ Phil. 3.9 in the work of union not having his owne righteousnesse in the work of justification which in order followes that that he may then know him in the power of his death and resurrection in sanctification here comes in sanctification if by any meanes he might attain to the resurrection of the dead in glorification the last of all 3. This is quite crosse to the Apostles doctrine which makes justification the cause of sanctification and therefore must needs goe before it Rom. 5. as sin goes before spirituall and eternall death so righteousnesse goes before spirituall life in sanctification and eternall life in glory the Lord holds forth Christ in the Gospel first as our propitiation Rom. 3.24 and then it comes dying to sinne and living to God in sanctification chap. 6.1 Holinesse is the end of our actuall reconciliation Col. 1.21 22. 4. If sanctification goe before justification by faith then a Christians communion with Christ goes before his union to him by faith but our union is the foundation of communion and it is impossible there should be communion without some precedent
saved Now to beleeve with the heart as it doth not exclude assent so it necessarily includes the acts of the will and affections in relying upon him and comming to him And hence when Peter had made that confession Acts 16.16 Christ tells him Thou art Peter i. e. a stone resting upon the rock as some good Interpreters expound it and therefore Peters faith did not exclude these principall acts of resting on Christ cleaving to Christ but did include and suppose them 2. Some run into another extreame and make faith nothing else but a perswasion or assurance that Christ dyed for me in particular or that he is mine That which moves some thus to think is the universall redemption by the death of Christ they know no ground or bottome for faith but this Proposition Christ dyed for thee and hence make Redemption universall And hence the Arminians boast so much of their Quod unusquisque tenetur credere c. But 1. This is a false bottome for Christ hath not dyed for all because he hath not prayed for all Iohn 17. 2. T is a sandy bottome and foundation which when a Christian rests upon it shakes under him when the soule shall think though Christ hath dyed for me yet no more for me then for Iudas or thousands of reprobates now in hell Indeed after faith a Christian is bound to beleeve it as Paul did Gal 2.20 1 Cor. 15.1 2. I conceive therefore those holy men of ours who have described Faith by Assurance have not so much aymed at a description of what Faith is in it selfe as it possesseth us with Christ but of what degree and extent it may be and should be in us they describe it therefore by the most eminent act of it in full assurance and therefore consult with the Authors of this description and enquire of them Is there no doubting mixt with faith Yes say they mans doubtings sometimes are even unto a kind of despaire but then say they it should not be thus The Papists commend doubtings and deny assurance place faith in a generall assent our champions that were to wrastle with them maintained it to be a particular application and not onely a generall assent and that with a ful assurance of perswasion which being the most eminent act of faith excludes not other inferiour acts of it which as they are before it so may possesse the soule with Christ without it Although withall it is certaine that there is no true faith but it hath some assurance of which afterward Let me now come to the explication of the description given where note these five things 1. The efficient cause of Faith it is a work of the Spirit 2. The subject or matter in which it is seated viz. the soule of an humble sinner 3. The forme of it viz. the comming of the whole soule to Christ. 4. The end of it viz. for Christ and all his benefits 5. The speciall ground and means of it viz. the Call of Christ in his Word 1. The efficient cause of Faith Faith is a gracious work of the Spirit of Christ the Spirit therefore is the efficient cause or principall workman of faith the Spirit doth not beleeve but causeth us to beleeve t is not principium quod the principle which doth beleeve but principium quo the principle by which we doe the soules of all the elect especially when humbled are of all other things most unable to beleeve nay look as before compunction and humiliation Satan held the soule captive chiefly by its lusts and sinnes so now when the Lord hath burnt those cords and broken those chaines all the powers of darknesse strengthen themselves and keep the soule under mightily by unbeliefe What doe you tell me of mercy saith the soule t is mercy which I have continually resisted desperately despised why doe you perswade me to beleeve Alas I cannot t is true all that which you say is true if I could beleeve but I cannot see Christ I cannot come at Christ I seek him in the meanes but he forsakes me there and I am left of God desolate and here beloved the soule had not formerly so many excuses for its sinne as now it hath clouds of objections against beleeving the Spirit therefore takes fast hold of the soules of all the elect drawes them unto Christ and therefore it is called the spirit of faith 2 Cor. 4.13 and that by an omnipotent and irresistable power Esay 53.1 Who hath beleeved and to whom is the arme of the Lord revealed that the soule must and shall beleeve now Compell them to come in saith the Lord of the Supper Luke 14.23 This the Arminians will not beleeve for say they the Question is not Whether we are enabled to beleeve by grace but Wheâ—her it be after this manner and by this meanes viz. modo irresistibile Consider therefore these Reasons to cleare this point 1. Whence doth our call and comming to Christ arise but from Gods immoveable and unchangeable purpose the Lord therefore must either alter his purpose or prevail with the soule to beleeve and over-power the heart thereunto 2. Is not Christ Jesus bound by office promise to his Father to bring in all his lost scattered sheep that so the Father and he may be glorified in them Iohn 10.16 Other sheep I have those I must bring home and they shall heare my voice You that complaine you cannot beleeve nay that you have no heart to beleeve the Lord must fetch you in and you shall heare the Bride-groomes voice with joy 3. Is not the act of beleeving wrought by a creating power Eph. 1.9 Eph. 2.10 Esay 57.18 19. I create the fruit of the lips peace peace to him that is near and a far off and is not a creating voice irresistible though there be nothing for it to work upon so though you have no ability heart head or strength to beleeve yet the Lord will create the fruit of the lips of Gods messengers Peace Peace 4. Doth not the Lord let in that infinite and surpassing sweetnesse of grace when he works the soule to beleeve standing in extreame need of that grace that it cannot but come and cleave to it Psal. 63.2 3. I long to see thee saith David for thy loving kindnesse is better then life is it possible for a man not to cleave to his life much more to that which is better then life the light is so cleare it cannot but see and wonder at grace the good is so sweet it cannot but tast and accept what God so freely offers and therefore the poor Canaanitish woman Mat. 15. could not be driven away though Christ bid her in a manner be gone but she made all the objections against her arguments for her as usually faith doth when under this stroake of the Spirit The violent take the Kingdome of heaven by force the Spirit puts a necessity upon them and irresistibly overpowers them and this is the cause
of it And is not this matter of great consolation to all those who feele themselves utterly unable to beleeve you think the Lord would give peace and pardon life and mercy if I could beleeve oh consider the Lord hath undertaken in the Covenant of Grace to worke in all his the condition of the Covenant as well as to convey the good of it Ier. 31.31 32 33 34. He hath done this for others by an irresistible power Heb. 12.1 2. Look up to Jesus the author and finisher of your faith he came out of his Fathers bosome not onely to give life by his death but to enable his to eat and close with him by Faith that they might never dye Iohn 6.50 so that the Lord may work it in thee it is true also he may not yet it is unspeakable comfort to consider that if the Lord had put it over unto thee to beleeve it is certaine thou shouldst never have beleeved but now the work is put into the hand of Christ that which is impossible to thee is possible nay easie with him hee can comprehend thee when thou canst not apprehend him this is exceeding sweet when thy body is sick and soule is deserted incredible things to be beleeved are propounded an impossible work to thy weaknesse urged upon paine of Gods sorest and most unappeasable wrath to consider it is not in me but in the Lords owne hand and it is his office his glory to work faith and as the Apostle speakes to shew mercy unto them that are shut up not onely under sinne but also unbeleefe Rom. 11.32 But why hath the Lord made thee feele thy inability to beleeve truly the end of our wants is not to make us sin and shift for our selves but to aske and seek for supply and the end of the continuance of those wants is that we should continue to aske and seek And dost thou thinke thou shalt seek to the Lord by his owne hand to create faith and fetch thee in and will not the Lord take his time to work it He that beleeves saith the Apostle Rom. 10.11 shall not bee ashamed why so because the Lord saith he who is over all is rich unto all that call upon him verse 12. If thou hast not a heart shut up from asking of it the Lord who hath power hath not a heart shut up towards thee from working it But withall be thankfull exceedingly all you whose hearts the Lord hath drawne and overcome he came to his owne people the Jewes and would oft have gathered them but they would not and therefore he forsook them and left their habitations desolate oh how oft would the Lord have gathered you and you would not yet the Lord hath not forsaken you but called you in whether you would or no the Lord hath taken many a man at his first word and left him at the first repulse shaken off the dust of his feet against him presently Mat. 10.14 without any more intreaties to accept of him yet though thou hast not only refused but even crucified the Sonne of God yet hee hath not been driven from thee but his bowels have been oft kindled together when he hath been ready to give thee up when thou hast been under the hedges and in the high-wayes that lead to death didst never think of him nor didst desire him yet hee hath compelled thee to come in hee hath made thee feel suâ—h an extream need of him and made himselfe so exceeding sweet that thou hast not been able to resist his love but to cry out Lord thou hast overcome me with mercy I am not able to resist any more nay which is more wonderfull when thou hast been gathered and gone from him and lost thy selfe and him also againe and it may be hast bin offended at him yet he hath gone before thee into Galilee and gathered thee up when thou hast been as water spilt upon the ground what should be the cause of this but only this the work of faith lies upon him both to begin and finish he must gather in all his lost sheep and therefore hee hath put forth an irresistible power of his Spirit upon thy heart which must carry thee captive after him I am afraid my faith hath been rather presumption a work of my owne power then faith wrought by the Spirits power how may I discerne that If you are wrapt up in Gods Covenant if any promise be actually yours it is no presumption to take possession by faith of what is your owne dost thou seriously will Christ and resolve never to give the Lord rest untill he give thee rest in him then see Rev. 22.17 Whosoever will let him take of the water of life Dost thou thirst after Christ then read Esay 55.1 〈…〉 Iohn 7.37 If any man thirst let him come unto me and drink When Christ saw their faith Mat. 9.1 2. what said he Sonne be of good cheere thy sinnes be forgiven the word signifies be confident It is no presumption to beleeve pardon of sinnes now thou art come unto me not onely for the healing of thy body but especially for pardon of sinne It is the great sin of many Saints when they doe thirst and beleeve and come to Christ and so are under the promise of grace yet they think it presumption now to believe and take possession of all those treasures that be in Christ but look that the Lord should first make them feele and then they will beleeve whereas faith should now receive and drinke in abundantly of the fulnesse of Christ shall it be accounted presumption for any man to eat his owne bread and drink his owne drink and put on his owne cloathes the promise makes Christ and all his benefits your owne therefore it is no presumption to apply them Suppose you cannot find your selfe within any promise and you see no reason to beleeve onely you have the Lords call and command to beleeve doe you now in conscience and obedience to this command or to Gods invitation and intreaty in the Gospell beleeve because thou â—â—rest not dishonour God by refusing his 〈◊〉 thou dost therefore accept oâ— it this is no presumption unlesse obedience be presumption nay the most acceptable obedience which is the obedience of Faith Iohn 6.38 For what was the ground on which those 3000 beleeved Acts 2.38 39. c. Peter said Repent that you may receive remission of sinnes now what followes they that gladly received the word were baptized Oh that word repent i. e. as Beza expounds it return to God and come in was a most sweet word to them and therefore they received it this was no presumption either for Peter to exhort them to repent or for them to take the Lord as that godly man said at his first word I know there is a subjection to the Gospell arising only from slavish fear and carnall hopes Psal. 66.3 Psal. 18.44 this may bee in presumptuous reprobates but
of life he that commeth to me shall never hunger and he that beleeveth in me shall never thirst Where you see comming to Christ and beleeving in Christ are all one So Iohn 7.37 In the last day of the feast the Lord Christ cryrs out with much vehemencie If any man thirst let him come to me and drink Now in the next ver 38. our Saviour expounds this comming for saith he He that beleeveth on me out of his belly c. So to come to Christ as upon this to drink in of Christs fulnesse is beleeving in Christ. So Heb. 11.6 the Apostle saith Without faith it is impossible to please God and then in rendring the reason of this explaines what he meant by faith viz. to be our comming unto God upon a double testimony beleeving fâ—â—st that he is secondly that he is a rewarder of them that seek him diligently or which is all one who doe come unto him So Iohn 1.12 So many as received him which is all one with comming he adopted them as sons even to them that beleeve in his Name And hence we shall observe that the Scripture doth not attribute our righteousnesse and life to our beleeving of Christ but to our beleeving on Christ in Christ a phrase peculiar to heavenly language therefore not found in any Humane Writer because it is not the bare beleeving of a testimony that save thus unlesse we so beleeve it as to beleeve in Christ which cannot be but by comming to him and as it were in him or into him our union with Christ being made compleat hereby 2. That upon which the Lord promiseth life and salvation and mercy cannot be works but faith Gal. 3.21 Heb. 11.6 but throughout all the Old and New Testament the Lord promiseth life and salvation to commers or to them that returne Ier. 3.12 Ezek. 33 10. Ioel 2.12 13. Heb. 7.25 Iohn 5.40 3. If unbeliefe be nothing else but a departing from God faith can be nothing else but a comming unto God but that is the nature of unbeliefe Heb. 3.12 Heb. 10.38 Iohn 6.64 65 66 68 69. Iohn 12.37 38 39 40. The Lords great plot is to gather all his elect under the wings of Christ Mat. 23.37 Eph. 1.9 10. and therefore calls them to come under them by the voice of the Gospel The comming under them therefore can be nothing else but faith the proper obedience to the Gospel as works are unto the voice of the Law Thus faith is the comming of the soule to Christ. But you will say Did not many come to Christ that were never saved by him Yes many came to him with their bodily presence that were excluded from him Iohn 6.36 But you will say Doe not many mens soules come are not many mens hearts moving towards Christ and yet excluded from Christ doe not many cry Lord Lord are not many inlightned and tast of this heavenly gift and yet fall away I confesse t is very true and therefore it is set downe in this description of Faith that it is the comming of the whole soule unto Christ. Never did any yet come to Christ and receive him with their whole souls with all their hearts but they had fruition of him and blessednesse by him faith therefore is not the coming of the soul but the coming of the whole soul unto Jesus Christ and this you may be establisht in upon these grounds 1. The Scripture expresly calls for this Prov. 3.5 Trust in the Lord with all thy heart Act. 8.37 If thou believest with all thy heart thou shalt be saved Ioel 3.13 Turn unto the Lord with all your hearts Ier. 29.13 You shall finde the Lord when you seek him with your whole hearts As when we have a great gift to bestow and we ask a poor man to whom we intend to give it whether he wil accept of it or no Yes saith he with all my heart so t is here the Lord askes those he intends to bestow his Son upon and saith to them You have lived thus long without him and thus long abused him will you now have him and accept of him Yes Lord with all my heart This is all the Lord requires Doth the Lord require no more of me but to come Lord this voice is most sweet to me I come with all my heart I come 2. Because Christ is worthy of the whole heart all must be sold away to buy this field this treasure Mat. 13.44 He that loveth father or mother more then me is not worthy of me A filthy lust a base harlot hath had thy whole heart and dost thou think the Lord Christ will have it divided is not one heart too little for him are not ten thousand souls too few to embrace him or cleave to him 3. Because without this your comming to him is but faigned Ier. 3.10 They return to me not with their whole heart but faignedly To cleave to Christ and a lust to Christ and a proud heart cannot be unfaigned faith to goe to your lusts in time of peace and fly to Christ in times of extremity is damnable hypocrisie When conscience troubles you you then goe to Christ to ease you and when your unruly wills and lusts trouble you you goe to the world to ease you and so your hearts are divided and you come not wholly and onely unto Christ for rest Beleeve it it is such a faith by which you may as Samuel did on Sauls garment take hold of him but the Lord will never take hold of you Set a branch in the stock if it stayes loosely in it and is not set very neare to it it will wither in time and this is the great cause of withering Christians and of so many Apostates in these evill times Those that came to Christ Iohn 6. and followed him for a time but afterward fell away vâ—â—se 66. what was the reason of their fall viz. when they were offended at Christ they knew whither to goe from Christ but what saith Peter Lord Whither should we goe ver 68. If you lay the pipes that are to convey water from a full fountaine but one foot or one inch short of it there cannot be any water derived from thence Oh beloved what is the reason that many a mans faith doth him no good derives no life spirit blood efficacy peace power from the Lord Jesus is it because Christ is a dry Christ and unwilling to communicate No no the wound is in their faith that pipe is laid but halfe way to him they fall one foot short of him their soules come but their whole soules doe not come to him and hence they never reach Christ they lye not in Christ and therefore receive not from Christ. Christ is precious here their soule comes but not exceeding precious preciousnesse it selfe as the word is 1 Pet. 2.7 here the whole soule doth not come they cleave to Christ and rest upon Christ here their soules come but they cleave not
It may be so yet it is said After two dayes he will revive us and the third day wee shall live in his sight and we shall know him if we follow on to know him verse 6. His goings forth are prepared as the morning it may be night for a time but the Sun of righteousnesse will arise gradually and gloriously upon thy soule Truly brethren when I see the curse of God upon many christians that are now grown full of their parts gifts peace comforts abilities duties I stand adoring the riches of the Lords mercy to a little handfull of poore beleevers not only in making them empty but in keeping of them so all their dayes and therefore come to the Lord poore empty naked nothing cursed in the sense of thy want of all things for all things and then receive with gladnesse yet boldnesse and holy confidence not only pardon of some sins but of all beleeve answer not to some prayers but all Embrace in thy bosome not some few promises but all It is a great case of conscience When may a christian take a promise without presumption as spoken to him and given to him in particular and the rule is very sweet but certaine when hee takes all the Scripture and embraceth it as spoken unto him hee may then take any particular proper promise boldly my meaning is when a Christian takes hold and wrastles with God for the accomplishment of all the promises of the New Testament when he sets all the commands before him as his rule and compasse and guide to walke after when he applyes all the threatnings to drive him nearer unto Christ the end of them this no hypocrite can doe this the Saints should doe and by this may know when the Lord speaks in any particular unto them go I say again therefore unto the Lord for all and in the sense of all your emptinesse be abundantly comforted that though you doe not find supply from Christ yet you come unto the Lord Christ for it it is a certaine rule you shall not alway want that good which you come to Christ to supply nor alway be mastered with that sinne which you come to Christ with to take away only then be sure you come for all otherwise you doe not come truly come first for Christ himselfe and then as I said for all his benefits To conclude this is the direct and compendious way of living by Faith so much urged and pressed of Gods servants for to live by faith properly is to live upon the promise in the want of the thing or to apprehend the thing in the promise Heb. 11.1 now the promises are not given to the elect immediately without Christ but first Christ is given i. e. offered in the Gospell and received by Faith and then with him all things also and therefore the Scripture runs thus Isay 55.1 2 3 4. Come unto the waters and drinke and then I will make an everlasting Covenant which containes all the promises even the sure mercies of David the Apostle expressely disputes the case and saith Where there is a Testament containing Evangelicall promises there must first bee the death of the Testator Heb. 9.15 16. to whom we must first come by Faith before we can have right to any promise Heb. 7. 22.25 and 10.16 17 18.22 Being justified by Faith now we have peace with God nay we have accesse to God nay now we are sure of standing now we hope in God and glory to come Rom. 5.1 2 3 4. all followes the first How shall a Christian therefore live by Faith truly first receive Christ and come to him for the end I mention and then thou maist be sure all other things shall be given to thee As for example dost want any temporall blessing suppose it be payment of debts thy dayly bread provision for thy family a comfortable yoake-fellow c. look now through the Scripture for promises of these things and let thy faith act thus If God hath given me Christ the greatest blessing then certainly he will give me all these smaller matters as may be good for me but the Lord hath given me Christ and therfore I shall not want Psal. 23.1 The Lord is my shepherd saith David what follows I shall not want there is the like reason in all other things suppose it be in case of protection from enemies if the Lord hath given me Christ to save me from hell then he will save me from these fleshly enemies much more you shal see Isa. 7. a promise given that Syria should not prevaile against Iudah they doubted of this how doth the Lord seek to assure them you shall see verse 14. it is by promising a Virgin shall conceive and beare a Sonne and his name shall be Emmanuell this is a strange reason yet you may see the reason of it if you consider this point so Isay 9.5 6. The oppressors rod shall be broken For unto us a Sonne is borne a Sonne is given By Faith they put to flight the Armies of Alients brake downe the walls of Jericho did wonders in the world What did they chiefly look to in this their faith you shall see Heb. 11.39 40. it was by respecting the promise to come and that better thing Christ Jesus himselfe which we now see with open face and therefore he concludes Heb. 12.1 2 3. Having such a cloud of witnesses that thus lived and dyed by faith let us look unto Iesus the Authour and finisher of ours The Prophet Habbakuk Hab. 2.5 affirmes that the just shall live by Faith What faith is that consult with the place you shall see it was in the promise of deliverance from the Chaldean tyranny yet the Apostle Paul applyes it to faith in Christs righteousnes and that truly because if their faith had not respected Christ himselfe in the first place they could never have expected any deliverance by the promise of deliverance from the Caldeans but thus they might 5. The speciall ground of Faith The last thing in the description of Faith is that the soule thus comes upon the call of Christ in his word and this is the speciall ground of Faith wherefore the soule comes to Christ take a sinner humbled and broken for sin he cannot prevent the Lord by comming of himselfe unto Christ and therefore the Lord prevents him by his gracious call and invitation to come in Whom God hath predestinated them hath he called our translation from darknesse into Gods marvellous light is by being called The soule is lost in humiliation the Lord Jesus who is come to save that which is lost seeketh it out in vocation or calling Sanctification is the restoring of us to the image of God we once had in Adam as corruption is the defacing of that image Vocation is the calling of the soule unto Christ this voyce Adam never heard of he did not need any call to come to Christ and therefore was immediately sanctified as
soone as he was made but wee need Vocation unto Christ before we can be sanctified by Christ we need this call to make us come to Christ to put us into Christ and therefore much more before we can receive any holinesse from Christ the ground of our coming by faith is Gods call 2 Thes. 2.13 14. chosen to salvation through sanctification the remote end of Vocation and beleefe of the truth the next end of it whereunto he hath called you there is the ground of it The explication of this call is a point full of many spirituall difficulties but of singular use and comfort to them that are faithfull and called I shall omit many things and explicate only those things which serve our purpose here in these three particulars 1. I shall shew you what this call is or the nature of it 2. The necessity of it 3. How it is a ground of coming and what kind of ground for Faith 1. The nature of this Call I shall open for your more distinct understanding in severall Propositions or Theses Our Vocation or Calling is ever by some word or voyce either outward or inward or both either ordinary or extraordinary by the ministery of men or by immediate visions and inspirations of God I speak not now of extraordinary call by dreames and visions and immediate inspirations as in Abraham and others before the Scriptures were penned and published nor of extraordinary call by the immediate voyce of Christ as in Paul and some other of the Apostles for these are ceased now Heb. 1.1 unlesse it be among people that want ordinary meanes and elect infants c. whose call must be more then by ordinary meanes because they want such means we speak now of ordinary call by the ministery of men 2. This voyce in ordinary calling home of the elect to Christ is not by the voyce of the Law for the proper end of that is to reveale sinne and death and to cast down a sinner but by the voyce of the Gospell bringing glad tidings written by the Apostles and preached to the world He hath called you by our Gospell These things are written that you might beleeve By the foolishnesse of preaching the Lord saves them that beleeve I meane preaching at the first or second rebound by lively voyce or printed Sermons at the time of hearing or in the time of deep meditation concerning things heard the Spirit indeed inwardly accompanies the voyce of the Gospell but no mans call is by the immediate voyce of the Spirit without the Gospell or the immediate testimony of the Spirit breathed out of free grace without the word Eph. 1.12 13. And therefore that a Christian should be immediately called without the Scripture and the Scripture only given to confirme Gods immediate promise as a Prince gives his letter to confirme his promise made to a man before as Valdesso would have it is both a false and dangerous assertion This voyce of the Gospell is the voyce of God in Christ or the voyce of Jesus Christ although dispensed by men who are but weak instruments for this mighty work sent set in Christs stead but the call the voice is Christs it s the Lords call Rom. 1.6 it is certaine some of the messengers of Christ called the Romans by the Gospell yet Paul saith they were called of Christ Iesus the dead heare his voyce and arise and live and when the time of calling comes they listen to it as his call and hence it is styled Heb. 3.1 because the Lord Christ from heaven speakes takes the written word into his owne lips as it were Cant. 1.1 2. and thereby piâ—rcâ—th through the eares to the heart through all the noyse of feares sorrowes objections against beleeving and makes it to be heard as his voyce the bowels of Christ now yerne toward an humbled lost sinner bleeding at his feet therefore can contain no longer but speaks and calls and makes the soule understand his voyce so that this call is not a mean businesse because the Lord Jesus himselfe now speaks whose voyce is glorious The substance of this call or the thing the Lord calls unto is to come unto him for there is a more common calling or as some tearme it a particular calling of men as some to be Masters or Servants 1 Cor. 7.24.20 21. or to office in Church or Common-wealth as Aaron Heb 5.4 and the voyce there is to attend unto their work to which they are called There is also a remote end of vocation which is to holinesse 1 Thes. 4.7 and unto glory also 2 Thess. 2.14 Phil. 3.14 but we now speak of more speciall calling the next end of which is to come unto Christ the soule hath lived many yeares without him the Lord Jesus will now have the lost prodigall to come home to come to him the soule is weary and heavy laden and the Lord Jesus could easily ease it without its comming to him but this is his will he must come to him for it Mat. 11.27 Ier. 3.7.22 I said after shee had done these things turne unto me come unto me ye backsliding children I le heale your back-slidings Jer. 4.1 If thou returnest returne unto me This voice Come unto me is one of the sweetest words that Christ can speak or man can heare full of Majesty mercy grace and peace a poor sinner thinks Will the Lord ever put up such wrongs I have offered him heale such a nature take such a viper into his bosome doe any thing for me if there be but one in the world to be forsaken is it not I the Lord therefore comes and calls Come unto mee and I will pardon all thy sins I will heale all thy back-slidings I will be angry no more Jer. 3.12.13 Though thou hast committed whoredome with many lovers yet returne unto me saith the Lord. Ier. 3.1 Though thou hast resisted my Spirit refused my grace wearied me with thine iniquities yet come unto me and this will make me amends I require nothing of thee else but to come for Gods call is out of free grace Gal. 1.6 and therefore calls for no more but only to come up and possesse the Lords fulnesse Luke 14.17 1 Cor. 1.9 This call to come is for substance all one with the offer of Christ which consists in three things 1. Commandement to receive Christ as present and ready to be given to it as when we offer any thing to another it is by commanding them to take it 1 Iohn 4.23 and this binds conscience to beleeve as you will answer for the contempt of this rich grace at the great day of account 2. Perswasion and intreaty to come and receive what we offer for in such an offer wherein the person is unwilling to receive and we are exceedingly desirous to give we then perswade so doth Christ with us 3. Promise to offer a thing without a promise of having it if we receive it is but a
other reason but because it is commanded and called to accept of it this puts an end unto all doubts all feares all discouragements and the soule answers as those Ier. 3.22 Behold we come for thou art the Lord our God As a man in great want of bread one comes and freely offers him bread to preserve his life the man takes it if you aske him Why doe you take it you are a poore fellow unworthy of it never did yet one houres work for it he answers T is true I am unworthy but yet because it is offered to me to preserve life I gladly take it the man doth not promise absolutely to me that this bread is mine and shall feed me but he tels me if I doe receive it it shall certainly be mine to feed me and this is the main ground of his receiving of it Just so it is in Faith Aske an humbled sinner Why doe you beleeve Why doe you take Christ as your owne Hath the Lord said absolutely that he is yours No saith the soule but the Lord freely offers himselfe unto me who am undone without him and saith if I doe receive him he shall be for ever mine to give life to me and therefore I thankfully accept of him this is the ground of Faith The Scripture sets out this in a lively similitude of a great Supper to which many were invited what was the ground of their comming to it Behold all things are ready if you come and eate they are not yours if you doe not come but if you come at my call and invitation then all things shall be yours And hence it is that they that came not were excluded they that came were received with welcome I know t is a question of some difficulty among some viz. Whether an absolute testimony of actuall favour and justification be not the first ground of Faith They that make Faith to be an absolute assurance of Gods favour must of necessity maintain this assertion and then these things will follow 1. That a Christian must be justified before he beleeve for the cause of Faith must goe before Faith This proposition Thou art justified reconciled is according to this assertion the cause of faith for no proposition can therefore be true because we are perswaded that it is true but it must be first true before I am perswaded of it the wall is not white because my eye sees it so but it must first be white and then I see it so Now to make actuall justification before faith is crosse to the whole current of Scripture We beleeve that we might be justified Gal. 2.16 we are not justified that we might beleeve We passe from death to life by faith Iohn 5.24 we are not in a state of life before faith When the Lord Iesus saw their faith Mat. 9.2 he then said Be of good comfort thy sinnes are forgiven thee The Word saith He that beleeveth not is condemned already Iohn 3.18 and therefore unlesse the Spirits witnesse be crosse to the Word it doth not say to one that beleeveth not that he is absolved already To be justified by faith and to be justified by Christs righteousnesse is all one in the Scriptures phrase and meaning Gal. 2.16 17. Add therefore we may as well say that we are justified before and without Christ as before and without faith And indeed this doctrine of being justified by faith and by this meanes to have remission of sinnes the Apostle Peter affirms to be the doctrine of all the Prophets Acts 10.43 To him give all the Prophets witnesse that whosoever beleeve in him shall receive remission of sinnes not that they had remission of sinnes before they did beleeve I know not any one Protestant Writer that maintaines our justification before and without faith except learned Chamier who not knowing how to avoid the blow of Bellarmines horned argument that if Faith be an assurance of our actuall justification then we are first justified before we beleeve he affirmes we are justified before faith and therefore that when the Scripture saith we are justified by faith the reason of that saith he is not because our faith doth efficere justificationem i. e. is a cause meaning instrumentall of our justification but because efficitur in justificato i. e. is wrought in a justified person but if that be the reason of the phrase we may affirme our justification to be as well by love and sanctification and holy obedience as by faith because these are wrought in a justified person also Then no mans ministry nor the doctrine delivered by the faithful Ministers of Christ froÌ„ out of the Scriptures can be any ground of faith for before faith no Minister of Christ can say to any man in particular or any men in generall that they are already justified and reconciled and therefore beleeve it but to deny that doctrine which is opened out of the Scriptures by the Ministers of Christ to be the ground of Faith is expresly crosse to the testimony of Scriptures and the end of the Ministery and of the messengers of Christ who have the keyes of office given to them that what they bind on earth is bound in heaven what they loose on earth is loosed in heaven whose sins they remit they are forgiven whose sins they retain they are retained Mat. 16.16 Ioh. 20.23 Most excellent for this purpose is the Apostles dispute Rom. 10. You need not go up to heaven nor down to hell to fetch Christ himselfe to tell you whether you shall be justified and saved ver 6 7. For the word is nigh them verse 8. that opens Christs heart unto thy heart But what word might some say is this Is it not the internall word of the Spirit onely The Apostle answers It is that word which we preach hereby you shall know whether you shall live or no but what is that word Paul preached is it not an absolute testimony that all your sins are already pardoned by Christ and therefore beleeve it No but If thou beleevest with thine heart that God raised up Christ from the dead thou shalt be saved vers 9.11 12. What can be more full yet consider tâ—at one place more Iohn 17.20 I pray for all them that shall beleeve on me through their word What is the ground or meanes of beleeving in Christ It is said here expresly Their word Is it not the word of Christ rather then the word of the Apostles and of their successors in the doctrine they delivered is it their word Truly that which thâ—y delivered was the word of Christ and that which is opened from their doctrine in the Scriptures is the word of Christ yet as they open it and apply it so t is their word and this Word is the ground by which all that Christ prayes for doe beleeve in Christ the bare Word I grant cannot perswade without the Spirit yet the Spirit will not give ground to Faith without the Word but as
should be ground unto thee to come as a poore begger that hath no promise absolutely given him of reliefe yet if a rich man sends to him and bids him come to his doore and wait he thinks he hath good ground and warrant to come It is a sure ground against all feares all doubts of presumption all sense of unworthinesse and of the greatnesse of the good promised c. For the Saints have many fearâ—s whereby they dare not come they feare they may presume they see themselves most vile and unworthy of the least smile the benefits are so exceeding great to which they are called that they think it is too good for them c. but beloved when the soule sees evidently the Lord invites me perswades me commands me waits for me strives with me that I would come in and because his grace is free therefore requires no more but only to come take come and drinke this forceth the soul to confesse I am sure it is no presumption to obey the call of Christ and what though I am unworthy and this good is exceeding great and precious yet if it be the Lords grace to call such a poore wretch to receive and accept of it why should I not rather thankfully receive it then out of my own head superstitiously refuse it but this I am sure and certaine of the Lord calls me thus to doe if God should speak from heaven to you to come unto his Sonne it is not so sure a ground as the call of God from out of the Oraâ—le of his word in the blessed Gospell of his deare Sonne It is a strong ground and of great power and efficacy to force the soule to come for you may object no man can believe or should believe and come of himself I say so too but how would you have the Spirit of Christ enable you to come verily it is by this call and therefore Ier. 3.22 when the Lord said Returne ye back-sliding children they presently answered Lord we come the dead shall heare this voyce of the Sonne of God and live Iohn 5.25 thou saidst Seeke ye my face my heart answered Lord thy face will I seeke Oh iron stony Adamantine heart that canst heare so sweet a voyce as this word come and yet not be overcome This call honours grace most for what more free then for the Lord to say Come and take of the water of life freely what more free then for a rich man to require of his debtor only to receive so many thousands of him to pay his debts to set him up again Verily brethren as the Lord honors his grace by commanding us to come so we honour it when through the mighty power of the same call we doe come Thus much for Explication of this call now let me put an end to it in a word of Application Let this perswade all sorts of persons young and old one and another to whom the Gospell is sent to come in to Jesus Christ for those that God calls should come but the Lord calls at least outwardly all sorts of persons nay every individuall person to come in Marke 16.15 16. Paul told the stout Jaylor If thou beleevest thou shalt be saved and look as the Law speakes particularly to every man Thou shalt have no other Gods c. so doth the Gospell also Rom. 10.9 that so every man might look upon himselfe as spoken to in particular And indeed if there were not such a particular call then men should not sin by refusing the Gospell nor should the Lord be angry for so doing but their sin and condemnation is great that so doe Iohn 3.19 And the Lord is more wroth for this sin then any other Ps. 2.12 Luk. 14.18 Heb. 3.10.11.19 In one word either the Lord would have thee who â—ver thou art to receive Christ or to reject and so despise Christ and if the Lord would have you reject him he would then have you sin and continue in it which cannot stand either with the honour of Gods holinesse or of his rich grace I shall here therefore open two things 1. Set downe means to enable you to come 2. Shew you how and in what manner you should come The meanes 1. Consider who it is that doth call you is it Man or Ministers think you you might never come then no it is Jesus Christ himselfe that calls you by them Why doe many discouraged Spirits refuse to come it is because they think deceitfull man or charitable men call them but the Lord hath no respect unto them Oh foolish conceipt I tell you their Ministery is not an act of their charity wishing well to the salvation of all but it is an act of Christs love and soveraigne authority Mat. 28.18 19 20. So that what they doe it is in Christs stead 2 Cor. 5.19 20. if Christ was present he would call thee to him with more bowels then any compassionate Minister can I assure you to receive them is to receive Christ to despise them is to despise Christ Iohn 13.20 and therefore Eph. 2.14 although the Apostles preached to the Ephesians yet it is said that Christ came and preached to them If any Minister preacheth any other doctrine of grace then what Christ hath delivered let him be accursed But if they publish his mind and his call look upon them as if the Lord himself called unto you lest the Lord accurse you and all their Ministery to you the Lord Jesus did not cast off the Jewes for crucifying of him and shedding his blood untill the Gospell of grace published by his messengers came to them and that was rejected then Paul waxed bold and said because you put away the word from you wee leave you Acts 13.46 Oh beloved if you did beleeve Christ called you poore prodigalls that have run riot and sinned against him as much as you could home unto him suppose Christ was present would it not draw you in suppose he was with thee in the chamber where thou art crying after him or in the Church where thou art waiting for him and he should appeare visibly before thine eyes opening his bosome and bowels and blood before thee and calling unto thee to this purpose I doe beseech thee and intreat thee by all these teares I have shed for thee in the dayes of my flesh by all those bitter agonies I have suffered for thee by all these tender bowels which have been rowled together toward thee come unto me embrace me lay thy wearied head in this blessed bosome of mine crucifie me no longer by thy sins treâ—d me not under foot by thy unbeleef any more and I will pardon all thy sinnes though as red as crimson I will heale thy cursed nature I will carry thee in my owne bowells up to glory with me where all siâ—s and teares and sorrowes shall be abolished c. who would not now come in to him let me see the man that hath a heart
that despise this peace 6. That being thus pacified you may come into Gods presence with boldnesse at any time and aske what you will I wonder what he can deny you if he loves you Rom. 5.2 and which is yet more that now all creatures are at peace with you Iob 5.23 as when the Captaine of the Army is pacified none of his souldiers must hurt or strike that man nay that hereby all your enemies should be forced to doe good to you Oh death where is now thy sting I have oft wondred if Christ hath borne all our miseries and suffered death for us why then should we feel any miseries or see death any more and I could never satisfie my owne heart by many answers given better then by this viz. that if the Lord should abolish the very being of our miseries they should indeed then doe us no hurt but neither could they then doe us any good for if they were not at all how could they doe us good now the Lord Jesus hath made such a peace for us as that our enemies shall not only not hurt us but they shall be forced himselfe ordering of them to doe much good unto us all your wants shall but make you pray the more all you sorrowes shall but humble you the more all your temptations shall but exercise your graces the more all your spirituall desertions shall but make you long for heaven and to bee with Christ the more it is now part of your portion not only to have Paul and Apollos and world but death it selfâ— to doe you good Oh Lord what a blessed estate is this which though thousands living under the Gospel of peace heare of yet they regard not they can strain their consciences in a restlesse pursuit of the favour of men and in seeking worldly yet peace to this day though born enemies to God never spent one day it may be not one houre in mourning after the Lord for favour from him nor care not for it unlesse it be upon their owne tearmes viz. that God would be at peace with them but they may still remain quietly in their sins and war against God and thence it is that the Lord will shortly take away peace from the whole earth and plague the world with war and blood-shed and as it is in Zach. 11.6 deliver every man into the hand of his neighbour and into the hand of his King and they shall smite the Land even for this very cause for despising the peace and reconciliation with God you might and should have accepted in the Gospell of peace SECT III. Thirdly Adoption This is the third benefit which in order of nature followes our reconciliation whereby the Lord accounts us Sons and gives us the Spirit and priviledges of Sons for in order we must be first beloved before we can be loved so as to be accounted Sons 1 Iohn 3.1 2. for the Lord of unjust to account us just in our justification is much but for the Lord to account us hereby as friends this is more but to account us Sons also this is a higher degree and a farther priviledge and hence our Adoption followes our Faith Iohn 1.12 Gal. 3.26 and if Adoption then the Spirit of Adoption much lesse doth not precede Faith By Christs active obedience our Divines say we have right unto life by Adoption wee have a farther right the one destroyes not the other for a man may have right unto the same thing upon sundry grounds we know there are 2 sorts of Sons 1. Some by nature borne of our own bodies and thus wee are not Sonnes of God but children of wrath 2. Some by Adoption which are taken out of another family and accounted freely of us as our Sons and thus Moses was for a time the sonne of Pharaoâ—s daughter and of this Son-ship by Adoption I now speak the Lord taking us out of the family of hell to be his adopted Sons Christ is Gods Son by eternall generation Adam by creation all believers are Sons by Adoption Now Adoption is two-fold 1. Externall whereby the Lord takes a people by outward covenant and dispensation to be his Sons and thus all the Jewes were Gods first-borne Exod. 4.22 and unto them did belong the Adoption Rom. 9.4 5. And hence their children were accounted Sons as well as Saints and holy 1 Cor. 7.14 Ezech. 16.20 21. but many fall from this Adoption as the Jewes did 2. Internall whereby the Lord out of everlasting love to particular persons in speciall he takes them out of the family of Satan and by internall love and speciall account reckons them in the number of Sons makes them indeed Sonnes as well as calls them so Isaac by speciall promise was accounted for the seed Rom. 9.8 and of this we now speak Now this is double 1. Adoption begun 1 Iohn 3.1 2. â—OW we are the Sons of God To some of which though Sons indeed yet the Lord behaves himselfe toward them for some time and for speciall reasons as unto servants exercising them with many feares Gal. 4.1 2. some spirits will not bee the better for the love of their father but worse and therefore the Lord keeps a hard hand over them to others the Lord behaves himself with more speciall respect in making them cry with more boldnesse Abba Father Rom. 8.15 16 who will be more easily overcome and bent to his will by love 2. Adoption perfected when we shall receive all the priviledges of sons not one excepted Rom. 8.23 where we are said to wait for our Adoption the Redemption of our bodies By the first we are sons but not seen nor known such 1 Iohn 3.1 2. By the second we shall be knowne before all the world to be such we now speak principally of Adoption begun whereby we are sons in Gods account and by reall reception of the Spirit of Sons the manner of this Adoption is thus 1. God loves Jesus Christ with an unspeakable love as his only Son and as our elder brother 2. Hence when we are in Christ his Son he loves us with the same love as he doth his own Son 3. Hence the Lord accounts us sonnes Eph. 1.5 6. Gods love is not now toward us as to Adam his son by creation viz. immediately diffused upon us but in loving his owne Son immediately hence he loves us and hence adopts us and accounts us children Oh that the Lord would open our eyes to see this priviledge Behold it saith Iohn 1 Iohn 3.1 stand amazed at it that children of wrath should become the Sonnes of the most high God for a begger on the dunghill a vagabond runnagate from God a prodigall a stranger to God whom the Lord had no cause to think on to be made a Son of God Almighty If Sons then the Lord doth prize and esteem you as Sonnes if a man hath twenty sonnes he esteems the poorâ—st least sick child he hath more then all his goods and servants
it with abundance of glory Ioh. 4.14 and 7.38 You despise it because it is but little I tell you this little is eminently all and containes as much as shall be powred out by thee so long as God is God T is true thou sayst its weake and oft foiled and gives thee not compleat power and victory over all sinne yet know that this shall like the house of David grow stronger and stronger and it shall at last prevaile and the Lord will not breake thee though thou art bruised by sinne daily untill judgement come to victory and the Prince of this world be judged and thy soule perfected in the day of the Lord Jesus SEC 5. Fiftly Audience of all Prayers This is the fift benefit which though it be a fruit of other benefits yet I name it in speciall because I desire it might be especially observed and I place it after our sanctification because of Davids speech If I regard iniquity in my heart the Lord will not heare my prayer Psal. 66.18 and that of the Apostle 1 Joh. 3.22 Wee beleeve what ever we aske we receive because wee keep his Commandements and doe those things which are pleasing in his sight As the Lord hath respect to the prayers of his people not only in regard of their justification but in some sense in regard of their sanctification also a justified person polluted with some personall or common sins of the times may want that audience and acceptance of his prayers I am now speaking of That God will heare all the petitions of his people can there be a greater priviledge then this yet this our Saviour affirmes twice together because it is so great a promise that we can hardly beleeve it Iohn 14.13 14. Whatsoever you aske the Father in my name that will I doe mark the scope of the words our Saviour had promised that he that beleeves in me shall doe greater works then I have done now because this might seem strange and impossible the Lord in those verses tells them how for saith he Whatsoever you aske in my name I will doe for you I will doe indeed all that is to be done but yet it shall be by meanes of your prayers Christ did great works when he was upon the earth but for him to doe what ever a poore sinfull creature shall desire him to doe what greater work of wonder can there be then this This is our confidence saith the Apostle That what ever we aske according to his will he heareth us 1 Iohn 5.15 The greatest question here will be What are those prayers the Lord Jesus will heare I confesse many things are excellently spoken this way yet I conceive the meaning of this great Charter is fully exprest in those words In my name If they be prayers in Christs name they shall be heard and it containes these three things 1. To pray in Christs name is to pray with relyance upon the grace favour and worthinesse of the merits of Christ thus this phrase is used to walke in the name of their Gods is in confidence of the authority and excellency and favour of their Gods that they will beare them out in it so to pray in Christs name is to pray for Christs sake thus Eph. 2.18 through him i. through his death and satisfaction rested upon we have accesse with confidence unto the Father Eph. 3.12 In whom we have beleeved and accesse with confidence by the Faith of him There are three evills that commonly attend our prayers when we see God indeed 1. Shame and flight from God the Apostle saith therefore that by Faith in Christ we have accesse 2. If we doe accede and draw neare to him there is a secret feare and straitnesse of spirit to open all your minds therefore saith he we have boldnesse the word signifies liberty of speech to open all our minds without feare or discouragement 3. After we have thus drawne neare and opened all our desires and mones before God wee have many doubts viz. will the Lord heare such a sinner and such weak and imperfect and sinfull prayers therefore he also affirms that we have confidence and assurance of being heard but all this is by Faith in him for look as Christ hath purchased all blessing for us by his death and hence makes his intercession for those things dayly according to our need So we are much more to rest upon and make that satisfaction the ground of our intercession because Christs blood purchased this therefore oh Lord grant this 2. To pray in his name is to pray from his command and according to his will as when we send another in our name wee wish him to say thus Tell him that I desire such a thing of him and that I sent you so it is here and thus the phrase signifies Iohn 5.43 I am come in my Fathers name i. By his authority and command To pray in Christs name therefore is to pray according to the will of Christ and from the will of Christ when we take those words the Lord puts into our mouthes Hos. 14.1 2 3. and desire those things only that the Lord commands us to seek whether absolutely or conditionally according to his will revealed and with submission to his will concealed 1 Iohn 5.14 what ever we aske according to his will he heares us Psal. 27.8 Rom. 8.26 If you aske any thing not according to Gods will you come in your owne name he sent you not with any such â—â—essage to the Father 3. To pray in his name is to pray for his ends for the sake and use of Christ and glory of Christ thus the phrase is used Mat. 10.41 42. To receive a Prophet in the name of a Prophet i. for this end and reason because he is a Prophet A servant comes in his Masters name to aske something of another when he comes as from his command so also for his Masters use So when wee pray for Christs sake i. for his ends not our owne these ever prevaile Iames 4.3 You aske and have not because you aske amisse to spend it on your lusts Ioh. 12.27 28. Ps. 145.18 this is to aske in truth to act for a spirituall end to make it our utmost end ariseth from a speciall peculiar supernaturall presence of the Spirit of life and consequently a Spirit of prayer which is ever heard And hence you shall observe the least groan for Christs ends is ever heard because it is the groaning of the Spirit because it is an act of spirituall life the formality of which consists in this that it is for God Gal. 2.19 the Lord cannot deny what we pray for Christs ends because then he should crush Christs glory and therefore let a Christian observe when he would have any thing of God that concernes himselfe not be sollicitous so much for the thing as to gaine favour and nearnesse to God and a heart subject unto God in a humble contentednesse to be
5.9.16 when she was asked what her beloved was above others shee sâ—ts him out in every part of him and concludes with this he is altogether lovely because thy loving kindnesse saith David is better then life my lips shall praise thee and I will blesse thee whiles I live Psal. 63.3 4. can it stand with this life of love to be alway speaking about worldly affayres or newes at the best both week-day and Sabbath day in bed and at boord in good company and in bad at home and abroad I tell you it will be one maine reason why you desire to live that you may make the Lord Jesus knowne to your children friends acquaintance that so in the ages to come his name might ring and his memoriall might be of sweet odour from generation to generation Psal. 71.18 if before thy conversion especially thou hast poysoned others by thy vaine and corrupt speeches after thy conversion thou wilt seek to season the hearts of others by a gracious sweet and wise communication of savory and blessed speeches what the Lord hath taught thee thou wilt talke of it unto others for the sake of him whom thou lovest In being oft in his company and growing up thereby into a familiar acquaintance with him can we be long absent from those we love intirely if we may come to them can we love Christ and yet be seldom with him in Word in Prayer in Sacraments in Christian Communion in Meditation and dayly Examination of our owne hearts in his providences of Mercies Crosses and Tryals for Christ is with us here but those two wayes in his Ordinances or Providences by his holy Spirit Lord saith David I have loved the habitation of thy house and the place where thine honour dwelleth Psal. 26.8 The ground of which is set down vers 3. Thy loving kindnesse is before mine eyes my soule longeth for thee as in a land where no water is that I might see thee as I have seen thee in the Sanctuary the reason of it was because thy loving kindnesse is better then life Psal. 63.1 2 3. In doing much for him and that willingly did not Jacob love Rachel how did hee expresse it his seven yeares service in frost and snow in heat and cold by day and night were nothing to him for her sake whom hee loved Shall I serve the Lord saith David of what cost me nothing And when he had prepared many millions for the building of the Temple yet he accounted it a small thing for his sake whom hee loved 1 Chron. 29.3 he gave it out of his poverty as he speakes this is love to keep his Commandements and those are not grievous 1 John 5.3 In suffering and enduring any evill for his sake I confesse it is not every degree of love that will carry a man hither yet where there is great and singular love for a good man one may be willing to dye Rom. 5.7 assuredly if there be any love to Christ it will in time increase to this measure it will think ten thousand lives too little to lay down for Christs sake that laid down his precious life for him What tell you me saith Paul of bonds and imprisonments I am ready not only to be bound but to dye for the sake of Christ at Jerusalem my life is not dear to me no more then a rush at my foot that I may finish my course with joy for thy sake we are killed all the day long Rom. 8.36 I tell you the love of Christ will make you fall down upon your knees and blesse the Lord that he will accept of such a poore sacrifice as thy body is though it be burnt to ashes and thou wilt blesse him againe and againe that whereas he might have left thee in thy sinnes to have troden him and his glory and grace under foot as he hath done thousands in the world yet that he should call thee to share in this honour not only to doe but to suffer for his sake Now the good Lord perswade all our hearts unto this fruitfull obedience and life of love Oh you young men you have a faire time before you to doe much for Christ in how pleasing will it bee to him to see such young trees hang full of fruit You aged men have now one foot in your grave and you have forgotten the Lord Jesus most of your time and your time which now remaines is very little and then your lampe is out your Sun is almost set and all your work is yet to be done for Christ oh therefore awaken now at last before you awaken when it is too late you rich men have abilities and wherewithall to set forward Christs Kingdome in the Townes and Villages where you live you poore men may doe much by ardent and instant prayers day and night for the advancement of the Lord Jesus You Husbands Wives Masters Servants remember if you are not good in your places you are not good at all what ever your profession be a good woman but a froward wife a good man but a haire-braind curst husband a good servant but a very sore tongue these cannot well stand together If you have any love to Christ the life of love will make you move best in your proper place oh therefore love much and so think much and speak much of and converse much with and doe much and suffer much for the Lord Jesus Christ content not your selves with doing small things for him that hath done and suffered much for you if you can doe but little yet set God on work by being fervent and frequent in prayer not only that Christ may be honoured in your selves but also in your families and in all Churches and Kingdomes of the world If you cannot doe much yet maintaine alive a will to doe much which is accepted as if you did 2 Cor. 8.12 If thou art a poore man and hast nothing to give yet keep a heart as liberall as a Prince if you can doe but little your selves yet encourage others that may thou art not a Preacher called to convert soules yet doe thou encourage the messengers of Christ in their worke by thy prayers counsell help and at last day the conversion of soules shall be attributed unto thee as well as unto them if thou canst not doe any good yet prevent what evill thou canst in thy place to keep oft judgments at least to delay them mourne thou for other mens sins as if they were thine owne that so the Lord may pity and pardon them and it may bee convert them who shall doe more good it may be then ever thou canst doe let the Lord Jesus be in thy thoughts the first in the morning and the last at night doe what thou canst nay goe continually to him to enable thee to doe more then thou of thy selfe canst and mourne bitterly and lament dayly what thou hast not done either through want of ability or will remembring his love to thee