go and eat and drink with gladness with a merry heart it 's true the men of the World can be jovial in their Cups eating and drinking and carousing and none seem to be so merry and jovial as they are but they have no cause for it it is just like a Condemned person that may be jovial and eating and drinking and he know not how soon he may be called to Execution this is the case of every Man and Woman in the World if God do not accept of their Works But now saies Solomon Go thy way eat thy Bread with joy and drink thy wine with a merry heart for God now accepteth thy works 3. Is it not a desirable thing to have the Creatures ready to be serviceable and officious to a man or woman that there is never a Creature in the World but is ready to be Officious and Serviceable to him though possiby they may seem to be averse and contrary and cross to him yet they are all Serviceable and Officious to him to have every thing turn to good to a Man or Woman whatever any Creature do to him it turns all to his good though the Creature may intend otherwise The wicked men may intend to persecute and persecute them as Enemies but when a man or woman please God and his ways please God all his Enemies shall be made his Friends Proverbs 16.7 When a Mans ways please the Lord he maketh his Enemies to be at peace with him They shall be Friends to him they shall do Offices and services of Friendship and kindness to him though possibly against their wills all the creatures shall be officious and serviceable to them and they shall not be able to do them any hurt what a desirable thing is this 4. Is it not a desirable thing for a man or woman to have an audience of all their prayers in Heaven for God to be ready to hear our requests and petitions that we put up to him is not this a desirable thing You will say Oh that I were but sure that God did but hear any one Prayer that ever I made what a desirable thing is this now those whose ways are pleasing to the Lord God do hear their prayers They have access to the Throne of Grace with boldness to find grace and mercy to help in the time of need Heb. 4.16 and mark the Apostles expression in 1 John 3.22 And whatsoever we ask we receive of him Why so because we keep his Commandments and do those things that are pleasing in his sight If we be sure we do those things that are pleasing to God Now saies the Apostle we know that whatsoever we ask we receive of him we have now an audience of our prayers and petitions in Heaven Oh! what a desirable thing is this 5. Is it not a desirable thing for a man or woman to be a Favourite in the Court of Heaven to be in special favour with the King of Heaven you count it no small matter to be a Favourite in the Kings Court to be in favour with the King you count it a very desirable thing Truly to be a favourite in the Court of Heaven is much more desirable to be in favour with the great King of kings I tell you the favour of God in Heaven is as Life to a mans Soul David could say it that knew it by experience in Psalm 30.5 In thy favour is Life nay he adds a greater word than that in Psalm 63.3 Thy loving kindness is better than life There is nothing in the world to a Man better than life but to know that a man or Woman is in favour with God he hath that which is better than life Brethren and Friends there are but two great things that a Man or Woman should desire in this World which are the general and comprehensive of all things to be desired one is to enjoy peace with God and the favour of God here and the other is to enjoy the favour and see the face of God in Heaven hereafter What can a man desire more than to be at peace with God and have the favour of God whilst he live and then to know that he shall see and enjoy the face and presence of God for ever in Glory Here is as much as can be desired and these two things we should look after Now here is one of them To know that God is well pleased with a poor Creature now such a person is a Favourite of Heaven and he may be sure of it if he be in favour with God here then he shall see the face of God and enjoy the presence of God hereafter That is the 5th 6. And Lastly to add but that Is it not a desirable thing for a Man or Woman to be able to look Death in the face with comfort when Death comes to stare him in the face when he shall have a sentence of Death past upon him What would you then desire above all the things in this World what not a great Estate not this and that that you can think of in the World but Oh that I might have the Favour of God! and that I might know that God is well pleased with me c. Then a Man or Woman may look Death in the face and may draw near to God with a holy Boldness as I remember Hezekiah when he had the sentence of death upon him in Isa 38.3 Lord saies he Remember how I have walked before thee in Truth and with a perfect heart He could appeal to God that his ways were pleasing to him and now he could resign up his Soul to him though he was troubled that he had not finished the Work that he had to do in the World and so he could have desired to live longer and upon his prayer the Lord did reverse the sentence of Death that was upon him yet when he had the Sentence see how he took it Lord saies he remember how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart that is the things that he had been doing had been pleasing to the Lord So a Man or Woman whose ways pleased God whilst he lived in the World when he comes to die he may look Death in the face with comfort What a desirable thing then is it for a man or woman to please God in what he doth That is the Second thing propounded That to please God is a most Desirable thing 3. But in the Third place you will say what is that Faith whereby a man or woman comes to please God Truly it is Faith that is the principle and ground and Foundation whence a man and his Works and Services and Performances come to be pleasing to God A Man or Woman may be diligent in the performance of Duties and Services and yet God may not be pleased with them As for example take two persons that come and joyn together in prayer they pray the same Prayer or two Persons
that he should destroy all the posterity of Ahab and so be did in Chapt. 9. and the fore-part of the 10th Chapter Now then see what a Testimony the Lord gives of his own approbation of Jehu at the 30 verse And the Lord said to Jehu Because thou hast done well in Executing that which is right in mine Eyes and hast done unto the House of Ahab according to all that was in mine Heart thy Children of the Fourth Generation shall sit on the Throne of Israel Did not Jehu please God here and was not Jehu an Unbeliever see verse 31. But Jehu took no heed to walk in the Law of the Lord God of Israel with all his heart for he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam which made Israel to Sin And so for Nebuchadnezzar he did what God required him to do Go says God against Tyrus and conquer it it cost him a hard bout but did it not please God Then it seems when men and women do that which God requires they please God in so doing For Answer to this in two things Answ First That the thing that God commands being done do please God for the substance of it for the matter of it it is pleasing to God and so far pleasing as God may manifest his Approbation he may give a testimony that he doth approve of it by some outward reward as he did to Jehu God testified that what he did pleased him and he gave him a reward And so for Nebuchadnezzar's Warring against Tyrus God did approve of it and shew his acceptation of the thing being done by rewarding and recompensing of Nebuchadnezzar Ezekiel 29.18 19. and 20. Son of Man Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon hath caused his Army to serve a great Service against Tyrus c. And what shall he have he shall have a reward verse 19. Therefore thus saith the Lord God behold I will give the Land of Egypt unto Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon c. That is one Answer That the thing that God Commands being done God doth approve of it for the Substance But Now Secondly Though God do approve of the thing that is done for the substance of it yet being done by such a person in such a manner to such an end God doth not accept it As now take both these Instances again Jehu God did approve of the thing that he did and manifested his approbation of it his cutting off the posterity of Ahab God approved of it but for the manner of Jehu's doing of it it being done in the way of unbelief God expresses his displeasure against it in Hosea 1.4 saies God yet a little while and I will avenge the Blood of Jezreel upon the House of Jehu What would God be revenged for doing that which he required God Commanded him to cut off the Posterity of Ahab and God approved of it but for the manner of doing of it it being done by such a one in a state of unbelief he did not please God in it the thing it self was acceptable to God but for the manner of it God was not pleased with it And so for Nebuchadnezzar God calls him his Servant in Jeremiah 25.9 The breaking of the Nations by Nebuchadnezzar was a thing that God required and yet being done by him God will be revenged on him for it Therefore if you look into Haggai 2.22 God threatens there to destroy Nebuchadnezzar's Kingdom that had destroyed so many Nations and yet he had done but that that God had set him about so that observe and understand the Answer thus that the thing done that God requires for the substance of it God doth allow and approve of it but being done by one that is an Unbeliever God doth not accept of his person nor of his Service God may allow it so far as to manifest his approbation of it and to give some outward recompence and reward for it and yet notwithstanding God doth not allow it so as to accept it with a Gracious acceptation being done by such a one Obj. 4. But the Fourth Objection is of greatest Weight and Moment and a matter of the greatest Temptation and that is this you will say to me But if it be impossible for a Man or woman to please God without Faith then it is in vain for any man or woman to endeavour to do any thing that is pleasing unto God for if it be impossible to please God by what we do then why should we pray and hear the Word and read the Word here is a Temptation that I suppose will presently come in upon you If it be impossible to please God without Faith hath not this a tendency to put people into despair of ever hoping to please God by all that they can do But for Answer to it briefly in two things Answ 1. First Though it be true that it is impossible for any Man or Woman to please God without Faith yet notwithstanding mark I pray what I say yet God may please to look towards the prayers and endeavours of an Unbeliever God may please graciously to look towards their desires and supplications when they are in the Lords way seeking of him I do not say God will do it but I say God may do it perhaps God may look towards an unbeliever and give ear to the prayers that he makes I pray mind it because here is a very great Temptation that is ready secretly to prevail over us upon the hearing of such a Truth as this that we cannot please God by all that ever we can do Why then a Man had as good take his course and Sin and take his pleasures in the World he can but displease God at last and he cannot please him by all that he can do Therefore I say here is the first Answer Though it is true we cannot say certainly that God will be pleased with the prayers and endeavours of an Unbeliever yet God may please graciously to look towards the prayers and supplications of an unbelieving Soul I pray else why doth the Apostle Peter put Simon Magus upon it to pray to God in Acts 8.22 Simon Magus was a Sorcerer and he listened and hearkened to what Philip Preached and forsooth he would be a convert and went for a Believer Peter and John hearing the report what was done by the Gospel went to confirm him but Peter presently smelt out Simon Magus what he was by his offering him Money for the gift of the Holy-Ghost saies he Thy Money perrish with thee I perceive that thou art in the Gall of bitterness and in the Bond of iniquity repent says he therefore of this thy wickedness and pray God if perhaps the thought of thy heart may be forgiven thee Peter put him upon Prayer he was a wicked Man an Unbeliever in the Gall of bitterness and in the Bond of iniquity yet pray to God saies he perhaps the thought of thy Heart may be forgiven thee And so Paul speaks in 2. Tim. Ch. 2.
the Blood of Christ upon us and that by the Eternal Spirit the Spirit of God This is the way and the only way whereby a man or woman comes to be habitually clean and holy by Faith in Christ whereby the Soul is not only justified from the Guilt of sin but there is the Spirit of Christ conveyed and communicated to the soul whereby there is a principle of Holiness of Habitual Holiness put upon the Soul Well this is now the first general Rule and therefore I say Brethren and Friends it is of great concernment to us to look to that if we would act Faith in our Duties so as to please God we must first of all look that there be a work of Faith wrought in our hearts that we do truly believe on Christ and to that end we should be venturing to lean the weight of our Souls upon Christ and upon his Blood and Righteousness as it is tendred and held forth to us in the Gospel and to this end also let us wrastle with the Lord and beg for the Spirit of Faith to be given out to us Christ hath promised that our Heavenly Father will give the Holy Ghost to them that ask him This is the first Rule to look that we be true Believers 2. Secondly As Faith does possess the Soul with Habitual Holiness so it is by Faith also that a Soul comes to be cleansed from actual Guilt Therefore the Second Rule to act in Faith in our Duties and Performances is to put away all Guilt all sinful Uncleanness from us when we come to perform any Service or offer up any Sacrifice to the Lord If a Man or Woman come before the Lord in the guilt of any known sin that he lives in if he do not put that away it makes all his Duties unclean and not pleasing to God A man cannot act in Faith so long as he comes knowingly with any guilt upon his Conscience living in the neglect of any known Duty or living in the commission of any known sin if he live in it he cannot act in Faith Faith will purge and cleanse the Soul from sin that he will put away all guilt when he comes to draw near to God See what is said in Job 11.13 14 15. If thou prepare thine heart and stretch out thine hands towards him If Iniquity be in thine hand put it far away and let not wickedness dwell in thy tabernacle for then shalt thou lift up thy face without spot c. When you come to stretch out your hands towards God in Prayer or when you come to draw near to him in any Duty Then saies he if there be Iniquity in your hand put it far away Do not come to God in Prayer or in any Ordinance in any known Sin that you do allow your selves in for if you do you cannot perform those Duties in Faith and so they cannot be pleasing unto God Therefore be sure that you put away all evil from you As now for Example to shew you the Application of this Rule that you may know how to make use of it for every Duty suppose now you go to prayer if you would pray in Faith so as to please God you must not allow your selves in any known sin No says David in Psal 66.18 If I regard Iniquity in my heart the Lord will not hear me I cannot make a Prayer in Faith If you have made a thousand Prayers though you be a Believer in the main yet all those Prayers that you have put up in such a way with the guilt of any known sin upon you that you allow your self in and go on in your Prayers have not been put up in Faith and so God will not regard them Therefore be sure of that when you come to pray see that you do not allow your self in any known sin So if you come to hear the Word if you would hear in Faith so as to please God in it you must put away all evil out of your hands In Jam 1.21 says the Apostle there Lay aside all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness and receive with meekness the ingrafted word which is able to save your souls Do you desire to hear the Word in Faith so as it may be a saving Word to your Souls Then Lay aside all Filthiness and Superfluity of naughtiness Allow your self in no known sin when you come to draw near to God in any Ordinance So the Apostle Peter 1 Pet. 2 1 2. saies the Apostle there Laying aside all malice and guile and hypocrisie and envy and evil-speaking as new-born babes desire the sincere milk of the word that ye may grow thereby Do you desire to hear the Word so as you may please God in your hearing Then let there be no Envy nor Malice nor Hypocrisie allowed in your hearts for else you cannot receive the Word so as to be milk to your Souls so as to grow and profit by it And so also if you come to any other Ordinance as to the Lords-Supper you must come in Faith to it and partake in Faith or else we cannot please God by it Now this is one way whereby we come to partake in Faith namely by cleansing our selves Saies the Apostle 1 Cor. 5.7 8. speaking by way of Allusion to the Passover Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us let us therefore keep the Feast not with the old leaven of malice and wickedness but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth If we draw near to God in this Ordinance we must cleanse our selves in Jam. 4.8 Draw near to God and God will draw near to you And how shall we draw near to God so as God may draw near to us Mark what follows Cleanse your hands ye sinners and purifie your hearts ye double-minded Here is the way for us to draw near to God in a way of Faith for it is properly the work of Faith to purge the Heart and to purge the Hands That is the second Direction that may serve as a General Direction to help us to draw near to God in any Duty or Ordinance so as to please God 3. The Third way to perform Duties so as to please God is this It is the proper work of Faith to empty the Soul of it self Now if you will draw near to God in any Duty or Ordinance so as to please God then come with Self-emptyings for Faith is a self-emptying Grace that is the proper work of Faith to empty the Soul of it self Now there are two things that Faith does empty the Soul of in the performance of holy Duties The one is It empties the Soul of the sense of its own Sufficiency and Ability to perform holy Duties and also it empties the Soul of the sense of its own worthiness to receive any Mercy from the Lord in any Duty or Ordinance These two things Faith doth empty the Soul of and so you shall find it that where Faith hath been acted and
will do it Your heart was not right says he ye pretended and said whatever the Lord our God shall say we will do but ye did dissemble This is one kind of hypocrisy and guile when a Soul doth dissemble with God and seem to worship God and yet the heart is far from God pretend to come to know the Mind of God and yet have not a full purpose and resolution of heart to do what God shall reveal and make known to be his Will And then there is another kind of hypocrisy and guile which is towards men when as a man doth pretend love to his Neighbour and kindness and friendship in Word and Lip and yet there is no reality at all in the heart The Apostle John speaks of this very thing says he 1 Joh. 3.8 My little Children let us not love in word neither in tongue but in deed and in truth It is not a love in deed and in truth when as our Brother or Neighbour stand in need of supply and help and we shut up our bowels towards him here is dissembling we pretend love and there is no reality Now says the Apostle if you will hear the Word so as to profit by it you must lay aside all guile and hypocrisy this may be another great cause and reason why people do come and hear much and profit little because they harbour guile and hypocrisy in their hearts therefore this you must be careful also to lay aside Thirdly Another impediment which the Holy-Ghost also points at in Scripture which doth hinder us from profiting by the Word is this when we come to hear with our hearts royled with passion and anger and wrath when we come to hear and have our spirits in a storm as it were with passion then we may hear and hear but shall not profit by our hearing for now the heart and spirit is like a joynt or bone out of the Socket now it hath no ability to act its part to do what lay upon such a Member to do So 't is in this case when the heart and spirit is in a royle it is put out of joynt and frame by passion and being disturbed now 't is unfit to attend upon God to hear what God shall speak Now a mans passion may be disturbed one of these two ways so as to be put out of frame to attend upon God to hear the Voice of God in his Word 1. Sometimes by some pinching Providence of God some afflicting Hand of God upon him which doth pinch and disturb the spirit and put it into a royle now a man or woman being thus disturbed in his spirit is unfit to hear what God speaks though he speak to him in a way of mercy and grace you have an instance for this in Exod. 6.9 And Moses spake so unto the Children of Israel but they hearkned not unto Moses How did he speak to the Children of Israel See vers 6.7 8. Wherefore say unto the Children of Israel I am the Lord and I will bring you out from under the burden of the Egyptians and will rid you out of their bondage and I will take you to me for a people and I will be to you a God and ye shall know that I am the Lord your God which brought you out from under the burden of the Egyptians and I will bring you in unto the land which I did sware to give it to Abraham to Isaac and to Jacob and I will give it you for an heritage I am the Lord. And Moses spake so unto the Children of Israel but they hearkned not unto Moses for anguish of spirit and for cruel bondage Through the Providence of God it came to pass that they were oppressed under Egyptian power and when Moses came to speak of inlargement and deliverance they were oppressed and their spirits were filled with anguish and trouble and now let the Lord speak in never such a gracious manner by his Prophet they could not attend to him for anguish of spirit 2. And so sometimes the spirit may be put into a royle and passion for some small petty cross some kind of vexation which others do occasion when they cross them and vex them and thereby their spirits are put out of order and now they are unfit to attend upon God You have an instance for this in 1 Sam. 1.6 7. concerning Hannah it is said there that her adversary provoked her sore for to make her fret because the Lord had shut up her womb and she went up to the House of the Lord and she wept and did not eat she could not tell how to keep the Feast to wait upon God in his Ordinances Why because her spirit was vexed and did fret So you may observe it if your spirits be put out of order as sometimes they are upon a small occasion observe it the Devil is wont to take such opportunities when you are about to draw near to God in any Ordinance then to minister some occasion or other to put you into a fret possibly a little thing out of the way will do it sometimes the misplacing of a Pin will disturb the spirit and sometimes the Husband may take some offence against the Wife and the Wife against the Husband or against the Servants or Children and the Spirit is royled and now you come to hear you shall not profit because now your spirits are royled with passion and this is another impediment and here may be also one great reason why people come and hear and hear and profit little because many times their spirits are royled with passion and this also must be removed Fourthly Another Impediment that must be removed if you will hear the Word to profit then take heed that your hearts do not go after covetousness be not inordinately set upon the riches of this world bent and resolved to be rich in the world truly this will be an impediment and will hinder you from waiting upon God in his Word this will be like Thorns to choke the Word for now the Word is that which doth cross and thwart us in our reaches after the riches of the world The Word tells us of other riches that are more true Riches now when a mans heart is set upon the riches of the world he cannot then yield to what is spoken just like the rich man we read of in Matt. 19. The rich man comes to Christ to know what good thing he shall do to inherit eternal life Go says Christ in ver 21.22 sell that thou hast and give to the poor and thou shalt have treasure in Heaven And it is said he went away sorrowful because this was contrary to his grain his mind and heart was set upon riches and he could not yield to this Word of Christ And our hearts are ready to scorn and slight and despise what is spoken if our hearts be set upon the riches of the world as you may read in Luke 16.14 't is
fear there may be some amongst us that will be found haters of the Lord Jesus Christ If your hearts continue to rise against the way of Salvation by Christ you will be found haters of him If you love your sins and hold them fast and will not have Christ to reign over you then you will be found haters of Christ If you hate the Disciples of Christ because of his Image and Grace in them then you will be found haters of Christ But if you believe in him and your hearts cleave unto him and you are troubled that you love him no more that he is no more precious to you then go in peace Use 4. Seeing the Father loveth the Son in such a wonderful manner let this stir us up to love Jesus Christ Let us love him as God and love him him as God-man Mediator You see he is an object fit for the Love of God the Father and then he is an object worthy of our love And as God the Father loves him with a transcendent Love so let us do likewise Read what Christ saith Joh. 14.21 If any man love me he will keep my words and my Father will love him and I will love him and will manifest my self unto him And see verse 23. You will never loose any thing by loving Jesus Christ Ephes 6.24 Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity Amen It follows And hath put all things into his hand Before I come to raise the Doctrine from these words let me briefly shew you the meaning of this expression And hath put all things into his hand The meaning is that he hath put all Power and Authority into his hand he hath made him Supreme Head and Governour over all things the Father hath made him Ruler and Disposer of all the great King Lord and Potentate over all And further take notice that this is spoken of Jesus as God-man Mediator Christ is made the Lord of Heaven and Earth in our Nature As Christ is the Son of God so he is equal with the Father so it cannot be properly said that the Father hath given all things into his hand for he had all things originally in his hand as God but as God-man Mediator so the Father hath given all things into his hand that now in our nature in our flesh he is the great Potentate of the world and hath all things committed to him of the Father Doctrine That God the Father hath given unto Jesus Christ in our Nature full Power and Authority over all things both in Heaven and in Earth he hath put all things into his hand This is a Point of great Concernment and for the great comfort and establishing of Believers in evil times that all things are given into the hand of our great Mediator You see John Baptist here gives a full testimony to this truth will you hear what Christ saith in his own person All things are delivered unto me of my Father Mat. 11.27 And Jesus came and spake unto them saying All Power is given unto me in Heaven and in Earth Joh. 13.3 Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hand 1. To shew you how all things are put into the hand of Christ given into his hand 1. All men are given into Christ's hand But here we must distinguish There are some given to Christ in a special manner and for their eternal Salvation There are some given to Christ to that very end and purpose that he should give them Eternal Life Joh. 17.2 As thou hast given him power over all flesh that he should give eternal Life to as many as thou hast given him You see that some are so given into Christs hand that he by his Office of Mediator is engaged and hath undertaken to give them Eternal Life Other sheep I have which are not of this fold them also I must bring and they shall hear my voice Joh. 10.16 Christ there calls them whom the Father hath given him in the Covenant of Redemption his sheep though they are not yet converted and saith he must bring them in and they shall hear his voice Joh. 17. I pray for them I pray not for the world but for them whom thou hast given me for they are thine and yet he prayed as Mediator not only for them that were then Believers and converted but for them that should afterwards believe unto everlasting Life Vers 20. Neither pray I for these alone but for them also which shall believe on me through their word Vers 24. Father I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am that they may behold my Glory 2. The rest of men are put into Christs hand even those that perish so as that Christ hath full power to over-rule them and their actings so as that they shall not quite root out his Church so as that he shall have Glory in carrying on his work so far as he pleases against all their opposition punish them so far as he thinks fit in this Life and pass sentence of everlasting Damnation against them at the Last Day Thus we see all men are given into Christ's hand Elect and non-Elect the Elect to redeem and save and the rest to order them and dispose of them as he pleases in this World a d to judge them at the Last Day 2. All the Angels are given into Christs hands The Elect Angels are given into his hand to confirm them as some think and to make use of them in his Mediatory Kingdom as he pleases The fallen Angels are given into his hand so as that he hath Power to check them and restrain them and set bounds to them that they shall not Devour and Prevail against any of his redeemed People and likewise to sit in Judgment upon them and pass open Sentence of Condemnation upon them at the Last Day Ephes 1.21 22. 'T is said of Christ That he is far above all Principality and Power and Might and Dominion and every name that is named not only in this world but also in that which is to come And hath put all things under his feet and gave him to be Head over all things to the Church Luk. 10.17 And the seventy returned with joy saying Lord even the Devils are subject to us through thy Name 3. All Creatures whether animate or inanimate are given into the hand of Christ as Mediator God-man 1. All animate Creatures all rational Creatures Phil. 2.9 10. Wherefore also God hath highly exalted him and given him a Name which is above every Name That at the Name of Jesus every knee should bow of things in Heaven and things on Earth 2. All inanimate all irrational Creatures Psal 8.5 6 7 8. For thou hast made him a little lower than the Angels viz. barely considered as man though far above all the Angels as God-man Mediator and hast crowned him with Glory and Honour Thou madest him to
The Application 1. That by Nature we are spiritually dead You read of some that are dead whilst they live 1 Tim. 5.6 And saith Christ Let the dead bury the dead but follow thou me As the Body without the Soul is dead So we now being without Christ are dead men and women 1. We are dead men in regard of the Sentence of Death and Condemnation past upon us by the Law Gal. 3.10 Cursed is every one that continueth not in every thing that is Written in the Book of the Law to do it Rom. 5.12 By one man sin entred into the world and death by sin for that all have sinned All our first Father Adam's house are but dead men before the Lord we are all guilty before God Though we are not executed yet we are under the Sentence of Death by the Law and the Sentence of the Law will be executed at last if we be not pardoned in Christ 2. We are dead men as to the life of Grace and true Holiness Our best works are but dead works Heb. 9.14 The carnal mind is enmity against God for it is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be Though indeed before Conversion we may do things that are good for the matter yet we do nothing from a right principle and to a right end Joh. 15.5 Without me ye can do nothing Except we have Spiritual Sap and Life from Christ we can bring forth no true fruit but are like a dead and withered Branch that hath no life in it 2. What that Life is that Christ gives to dead Sinners 1. The Life of Justification When we are united to Christ the Sentence of Death by the Law is taken off We use to say that of a Malefactor when the Sentence of Death is passed upon him that he is a dead man But if once a Pardon come that makes him a living man then he cannot be executed Rom. 8.1 There is therefore now no Condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus There was a heavy Sentence of Condemnation passed upon us by the Law but now we are in Christ we are pardoned in Christ and now there is no Condemnation Now as Paul saith Gal. 2.20 I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me 2. We have from Christ the Life of Sanctification the life of Grace and Holiness too whereby the Soul hath a Spiritual Inclination and Disposition to act towards God according to that Hebr. 8.10 I will put my laws into their mind and write them in their hearts Ezek. 36.26 27. A new heart also will I give you and a new spirit will I put within you and I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you an heart of flesh And I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes The Preaching of the Life that Christ giveth is to them that perish foolishness Some are fit to make a mock at Life and Justification by the Blood and Righteousness of Christ And so likewise at Conversion at the infusing of Grace into the heart wherby we come to live unto God But as these things are plainly revealed in the Scripture so to them that believe these things are precious 3. Let us enquire what we are to understand here by the Voice of the Son of God 1. The Gospel may be called the voice of the Son of God as it is an Instrumental means to make dead Souls to live The Gospel is called The Word of Grace Acts 20.32 The Word of Christ Col. 3.16 The Word of Life Phil. 2.16 By the Dispensation and Preaching of the Gospel Christ conveyeth himself into our Souls The Letter the Law killeth seeing we are sinners the Law is the ministration of death to us 2 Cor. 6.7 It tells us we are dead men cursed men it revealeth the wrath of God due to us for our sins The Law through our default cannot give us Life because we have not a Righteousness that the Law requires in our selves But it is the Gospel that reveals to us the new way to Life that shews us an Attonement and Righteousness in another We can neither be justified by the Law nor be sanctified by it We cannot be justified by it because we cannot fulfil it We cannot be sanctified by it because it only commands us to obey but giveth no new strength now we have lost the Holiness we had in Adam 'T is the Gospel that reveals to us how we may be justified before God and may have the Image of God renewed upon us But to make us spiritually alive there must be more than a bare Declaration of the Gospel many hear the Gospel Preached many years and yet never hear the voice of the Son of God and Live Therefore here is more to be understood 2. By the voice of the Son of God is meant the Secret Efficacy and Power of the Spirit of Christ so put forth as to turn the heart to the Lord. As the Lord Jesus did say to Lazarus when he was Dead Lazarus come forth and at the same time put Life into him So when the set time is come for the conversion of any of the Elect people there goes forth such a Power of Christ as to put Spiritual Life into them Ministers may speak and spend their strength in calling to dead Souls to come forth but except the Lord put in with them so as to effect the work men will still abide in death Object Hearing presupposeth Life Therefore how is it said That they that hear the voice of the Son of God shall live Can they hear before they live Answer This hearing the voice of the Son of God and living Spiritually are both at the same time As Lazarus when Christ bad him come forth he heard and lived at the same time Christ speaking to the heart with such Power as to turn the heart to himself goes before Spiritual Life in order of Nature but not in order of Time Conversion is a work of Spiritual Creation and so is not like other things The Lord saith live and the Soul liveth 4. Let us enquire what the Lord works upon a man dead in trespasses and sins to make him live Spiritually I shall not stand to speak of what the Lord doth by way of Preparation for the Souls receiving Christ this must be supposed that the Lord doth set our sins in order before us convince us of Sin and of Judgment to come But the very thing by which we are translated from Death to Life is the Lords giving us his Spirit to unite us to Christ whereby we receive the Life of Justification and Sanctification from him The Lord gives the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation Ephes 1.17 God who commanded Light to shine out of Darkness hath shined in our hearts to give the light of the knowledg of the Glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 4.6 The Sinner was convinced of his lost estate before
Therefore trust in the Lord in all difficulties Say as David Psal 62.1 Truly my Soul waiteth upon God from him cometh my Salvation Vers 2. My Soul wait thou only upon God for my expectation is from him You can speak it by experience that Power belongeth unto God and that also unto the Lord belongeth Mercy You have had experience of both in his calling you out of darkness into his marvellous light therefore wait upon him and trust in him to perfect all that doth concern you both for Soul and Body Lastly Be willing to do or suffer any thing for Christ 1. Be willing to live to him The Apostle shews that it is but reasonable that we should live unto the Lord not only as we are Creatures but also upon the account of Grace 2 Cor. 14.15 Because we thus judge that if one died for all then were all dead and that he died for all that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves but unto him that died for them and rose again Those that live by Christ it is but reasonable that they should live to him We must not of all others live to our selves besides our old obligation to obedience which we owe to God as our Creator and Soveraign Lord Grace lays a further obligation upon us to live to him 2. Be willing to dye for him if he call us to it Paul had heard the voice of Christ speaking from Heaven to him as all that are called do though not in such a manner as Christ spake to him and so he was made alive and now how precious was Christ to him he was willing to suffer any thing for his Name and Glory Act. 21.13 I am ready not only to be bound but to dye at Jerusalem for the Name of the Lord Jesus He was sensible that Christ had given him spiritual Life and therfore thought it a small matter to lay down his bodily Life in a way of bearing witness to his Name SERMON III. John III. 33. He that hath Received his Testimony hath set to his Seal that God is True THe words before going John says No Man received his Testimony though he testifie nothing but what he had seen and heard in Heaven and no man received his Testimony and yet here immediately it follows that He that hath received his Testimony says that God is True He that hath implying there was some that did receive it that is none few or none None in comparison of those that did not receive it some few there were that did receive it And here in this Verse John doth declare the Commendation of those that did receive Christ and what matter of encouragement to those that do receive Christs Testimony Why he says they do exceedingly Honour and Glorifie God they do subscribe as it were with their Hand and set their Seal to the Truth of God that what the Lord speaks and Christ speaks and what God the Father speaks is Truth and in doing this they Honour and Glorifie God by subscribing and setting to their Seal that God is True As he says he that set to his Seal that God is true doth Testify of what is Truth But how doth it appear that the Spirit is given unto those that Testify of him You may see it cleared in the opening of the Proposition So that the proposition is this taking up the words of the Text. Propos Whosoever he be that doth receive the Testimony of Christ doth set to his Seal that God it True You heard before in the opening of the former clause what we are to understand by the Testimony of Christ and then what we are to understand of the receiving the Testimony of Christ By the Testimony of Christ we are to understand the Gospel of Life and Salvation held forth to poor Sinners that you heard cleared from Scripture and for the receiving of it what is it to receive it it is not only a receiving it into the understandings and also into the affections and receiving it with some kind of Joy and Gladness but also a receiving it into the Heart and Soul in a way of Faith and Believing Believing is receiving the Testimony of Christ I shall not stand to speak of these things but shall now shew you that that Testimony that every believing Soul doth give of Jesus Christ doth set to his Seal that God is true First To shew that God is Truth Secondly what we are to understand by this setting to the Seal that God is true Thirdly To shew by what and wherein and how it doth appear that every believing soul that doth receive the Testimony of Christ doth believe that God is True First To shew you that God is Tru◠〈◊〉 that God is true and faithful in his Word in whatsoever he speaks in his Gospel as that which the Evangelists in the Gospel speaks of in the Testimony of Christ is true When God proclaimed his name by Moses he says of him He is abundant in goodness and in truth he is as abundant in his truth every way as in his goodness And in another place its said God is not as Man that he should lye hath he spoken it and shall he not do it And so I might multiply Scriptures to that purpose the Truth of God is from everlasting to everlasting whatsoever he speaks it shall be what he hath spoken with his mouth he will fulfil Every man says the Apostle are Lyars Let God be true and every man a Lyar in respect of God it is even so And so in the New-Testament God is a God that cannot Lye It cannot stand with his infinite Nature He cannot Lye yet it is impossible for God to Lye He must cease to be God were it ever so But it must needs be so Brethren that God is a God of Truth for God is the Author of all truth He is the Fountain of Truth and you know a Fountain cannot contain sweet waters and bitter He is Light and in him is no darkness at all He is Truth it self and no Lye there can be no falshood at all in him He is the Author of Truth the Devil is the Author of Lyes and the founder of them the Devil is the Father of Lyes and therefore God cannot be the Father of them but he is the Author of 〈◊〉 But â—gain it cannot be that God should speak that which is not truth which he doth not intend for God is an unalterable God an unchangeable God He don't speak and unspeak again but he is Immutable and unchangeable the same to day and forever without any shaddow of turning In our speaking there 's change and shaddow of turning but there is no shaddow of change or turnings in God He says not one thing and intends another If God should promise Life and Salvation unto all those that lay hold of Righteousness and Life and then they fall short of it here were change and shaddow of turning but there 's no shaddow
perform those very duties that God requires and yet God may not smell a sweet savour in them take no delight nor complacency in them nor have no respect to them As now for example you know the Lord anointed Jehu to be King over Israel 2 Kings 9. You shall find when the Lord anointed him by his Prophet it was for this very end and purpose that he should go and Destroy all the House of Ahab and cut them all off well Jehu went and performed the work one would think this was pleasing to Godâ— for he did the very thing that God required and yet I pray look into Hosea 1.4 You shall see what a Testimony the Holy Ghost gives of Jehu concerning the Work he did And the Lord said unto the Prophet call his Name Jezreel for yet a little while and I will avenge the Blood of Jezreel upon the House of Jehu c. I will be avenged saies God for that Blood why did not Jehu do that which God did expresly require of him in cutting off the House of Ahab And yet saies the Lord I will be avenged for that Murder that Jehu Committed Why so Truly Jehu did not do it in that manner that was pleasing unto God for Jehu had his own ends in what he did he made account of cutting off the House of Ahab that his own Kingdom might be better established and therefore he still maintained the Calves that Jeroboam had set up and therefore saith the Lord I will avenge the Blood of Jezreel upon the House of Jehu And saies the Lord in Isaiah 1.13 14. When he speaks concerning the Sacrifices Offerings and Services which he himself had apppointed Bring no more vain Oblations Incense is an Abomination to me your new Moâ—â—is and Sabbaths and solemn Assemblies I cannot away with Why had not God expresly appointed these things yes yet saies God Your new Moons and appointed Feasts my Soul hateth they are a trouble to me I am weary to bear them and when you spread forth your hands saies God I will hide my Eyes and when you make many prayers I will not hear you Why were not these the things that God had required and commanded yet you see God was not pleased with them but now when the Lord doth look with a gracious respect upon a mans Services and performances and also doth graciously accept them with complacency and delight this is now to please the Lord by what we do Well this is the first thing you see what is meant by pleasing of God 2. Now then to come to the second That this pleasing of God is a very desirable thing it is of great concernment for a Man or Woman to please God What can a man or woman desire to do more in this World than to please God this indeed is implyed here in the Text he speaks of it as a thing very desirable Without Faith it is impossible to please God To do that which is so desirable if it were not desirable what should a man or woman need to care whether he please God or no but the Apostle speaks of it as a great thing without Faith it is impossible to please God Brethren when a man or woman doth perform a Duty or Service when he hath done it if he do not please God in it this is matter of very great sadness to such a Soul or it should be so you know how Cain took it he brought an Offering Genesis 4. of the fruits of the Ground unto God but God was not pleased with it God had respect to Abel and to his Offering but to Cain and his Offering God had not respect Well how did Cain take it He was not able to bear it his countenance fell Gods accepting of Abels offering and not Cains it went to the Heart of him his Countenance fell and thereupon he grew malicious against his Brother and at last he slew him it was such a dreadful thing to him that God should not accept of his Sacrifice as well as his Brothers And you shall see King Saul though but a wicked man yet when God did refuse to hear his Prayers and was not pleased with them saies he I am sore distressed in 1 Sam. 28.15 And he goes to a Witch who raised up as he thought Samuel to him and Saul answered I am sorely distressed the Philistines make War against me and God is departed from me and he answereth me no more neither by Prophets nor by Dreams c. I am sorely distressed And Brethren what is that which the people of God do so much desire in this world that they are Ambitious of it as the main thing of their desire in the World It is that they may please God see the Apostles expression 2 Cor. 5.9 Wherefore we Labour saies he the word signifies we are Ambitious it is an emphatical word we desire ambitiously we do earnestly endeavour as an ambitious man doth after Honour wherefore we Labour But the word is a stronger word we labour with might and main we make it our very ambition that we may be accepted of him or that we may please God it is the highest degree of the desire of our Souls we are ambitious for that that we may please God and that God may be pleased with us and accept of our services But more particularly to shew you in some particulars what a desirable thing it is to be found pleasing of God and to have our services accepted of him As 1. Is it not a desirable thing for a Man or Woman to be reconciled to God and to have God reconciled to them and so to have peace with God Now when God comes to accept of a mans duties and services it is an Argument that God is reconciled to him and at peace with him for before reconciliation every Man and Woman in the World is an enemy unto God Now if any one should come and offer Service to you and you know he hath enmity in his mind against you you will not accept of any thing he does though he pretend never so fairly Now when God comes really to accept of a Mans services and performances it is an Argument God is at peace with him and is not that a most desirabe thing 2. Is it not a desirable thing for a man or woman to have libetty to make use of the creatures that God gives him with joyfulness of Heart that he may rejoice in what he doth make use of and partake of Now when a Man or Woman comes to know that his Services are accepted of God and that he hath pleased God in what he hath done truly then he may go his way as I remember Solomon speaks to that purpose Eccles 9.7 Go thy way eat thy Bread with joy and Drink thy drink with a merry heart for God now accepteth thy Work God is pleased with what you do Ay now you have cause to go and rejoyce in what you do enjoy now you may
Abraham still So by Faith Sarah conceived it pleased God to give her conception when she was 90 Years old she had her infirmities and weaknesses she told a Lye in the hearing of the Angel but yet for all that she pleased God and so I might instance in others David pleased God by Faith David had his failings and did sometimes displease God but yet by his Faith he did please God And so look upon all those that have been believers by their acting and exercising of of Faith they have all of them come to please God and therefore we may take it up for a general conclusion and may be confident of it that by Faith we shall please God 2. The Holy-Ghost doth testifie in the Scripture again and again that a man or woman by Faith doth live What Life not a natural but a Spiritual life Now to live is not only to have the life of Justification and the life of Sanctification but to live is to have the favour of God to have God pleased with a person that is to live saies Abraham to God in the 17th of Genesis Oh that Ishmael might live in thy Sight what did he mean by that what that his Life might be lengthned out No but that he might find favour in thy Sight and saies the Prophet in Psal 30.5 In thy favour is life And so in Isaiah 6.55 Hearken unto me and your Soul shall live that is you shall please God and be accepted of God Now then this is frequent in Scripture that all that are Believers do live The just shall live by Faith both the Old Testament and New-Testament bear witness to it the same thing is in the Old-Testament Habakkuk 2.4 and repeated again in the new Hebrews 10.38 The just shall live by Faith therefore it is out of doubt and Question 3dly By Faith a Soul comes to have the guilt of sin taken away I pray what is that whereby a Man or Woman doth displease God Namely by his Sin guilt doth displease God Now then Faith is a means and instrument to take away that which is displeasing to God to take away the guilt of Sin In Acts 10.43 saies Peter there to Cornelius To him give all the Prophets witness that through his name whosoever beleiveth on him shall receive remission of sins And so in Chapter 13.38 39. Be it known unto you therefore men and Brethren that through this man is preached unto you forgiveness of sins and by him all that beleived are justified from all things from which ye could not be justified by the Law of Moses By believing on him we come to receive remission of sins And so in Acts 26.18 That they might receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among them which are sanctified through Faith which is in me Now then if so be that all believers all that have Faith in Christ and do exercise their Faith in Christ be justified from the guilt of sin then they are freed from all that makes them displeasing to God then by Faith they come to please God because by Faith the guilt of sin is removed which is the matter of Gods displeasure 4thly and Lastly to have done By Faith a Man or Woman comes to please God because by Faith now the very heart which is a fountain of uncleanness comes to be made clean this is the only way to have our hearts purified and cleansed Purifying their hearts by Faith saies the Apostle Acts 15.9 so in 1 Timothy 1.5 saies the Apostle there Out of a pure Heart and a good Conscience and Faith unfeigned Faith unfeigned is the means whereby the Conscience and the Heart is purified and truly hence it is that believers are called clean all that have Faith in Christ and do exercise their Faith in Christ they are all pure and every thing is clean to them Titus 1.15 To the pure all things are pure Who doth he mean by pure mark now by the contrary But unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure but their very conscince is defiled By Faith now a mans heart comes to be pure which is the Fountain of all his actions all that he performs and does it must come from the Heart if the heart be clean if the Fountain be clean then the water that flows from the Fountain is clean so now the Heart being purified by Faith now the Actions come to be pure in the sight of God through Christ To a believer every thing is pure all that he meddles with and undertakes if he doth act Faith in it he pleaseth God So now you have seen the 4th thing opened how we may be sure that by Faith we come to please God Now there is a further question remaining But may not a Man or Woman please God without Faith by doing the thing that God hath commanded as now to pray and perform duties to walk uprightly c As the generality of the World do think that this is the way and means to please God I do not deny but we should do those things and the things themselves as to the substance of them are pleasing to God but yet still without Faith it is impossible to please God How that appears follows to be spoken to in the next place and then come to the Application But thus much shall suffice for the present SERMON V. Hebrews XI 6. But without Faith it is impossible to please Him YOU have heard the dependance of these Words upon the foregoing we came directly to open the Proposition as it lay before us in the Words Doct. That without Faith it is impossible for any Man or Woman alive ever to please God We have shewn you first what it is for a Man or Woman to please God Secondly we have proved to you that this pleasing of God is a matter of very great concernment it is a thing very desirable for a Man or Woman to be found pleasing God And then in the third place we came to enquire what Faith that is without which it is impossible to please God And then fourthly we came to clear it up to you that by Faith a Soul doth please God Thus far we have gone 5. Now we come in the fifth place to give you some demonstrations to make it evident to you if the Lord please to set in with it that it is impossible for any Man or Woman ever to please God without Faith It is not only said here that without Faith a man hath not pleased God or without Faith no man ever shall please God but he speaks a greater word without faith it is impossible to please God This is such a thing that it will hardly enter into the hearts of men and women to be perswaded of it What! not please God by doing what God requires why if I be diligent and faithful in my calling doth not that please God! if I perform the Duties that God requires doth not that please God! if I give
is said in the parable of the Talents in Matt. 25. He that had one Talent and improved it not but hid it he came and brought his Talent but did he please his Lord with the Talent He had not improved his Talent for his Lord and saies his Lord to him Thou wicked and sloathful Servant take away the Talent from him Now what would his Lord have said to him if he had improved it for himself he did not improve it for his Lord nor for himself neither and was this displeasing to his Lord how much more displeasing would it have been if he had improved it for himself Certainly whatever a man or woman doth if he do it not for God but for himself he cannot please God in it Then a man cannot please God without Faith because without Faith he cannot go beyond self Ephraim is an empty Vine he bringeth forth Fruit to himself Hosea 10.1 And so God speaks of every unbeliever such a man or woman is an empty vine he bringeth forth fruit to himself he doth not he cannot please God in any thing that he doth This is the first demonstration Secondly Without Faith it is impossible to please God because till a man or womans person be accepted and pleasing to God all that ever he doth cannot please God and that cannot be without Faith It is said in Genesis 4.4 5. that God had respect to Abel and to his Offering he had not respect to Cain and his Sacrifice but he had respect to Abel's Sacrifice why because he had first respect to Abels person By Faith his person was accepted and then his Sacrifice was accepted God had no respect to Cains Sacrifice because his person was not accepted and his person was not accepted because he was not a Believer When a Soul comes to believe on Christ then and not till then his person is accepted because that which made God displeased with him is removed and his Sin is pardoned and now the Soul doth appear Righteous in the sight of God but till a person comes to believe on Christ it is impossible that ever this person should please God because his person is not accepted then whatever comes from him is not accepted It is a full word that the Apostle hath to this purpose in Rom. 8.8 So then he brings it in by way of conclusion So then they that are in the Flesh cannot please God Obj. That are in the flesh you will say what is that was not Paul in the Flesh when he saies in Gal. 2.20 The life that I now live in the Flesh I live by the Faith of the Son of God Paul was in the Flesh and did not Paul please God all the believers that are upon the face of the Earth are in the Flesh and yet the Apostle saies here those that are in the Flesh cannot please God But I pray observe what the Apostle means by being in the flesh there is a douacceptation of the Word one is to live this life here in the Body but that is not the Apostles meaning when he says those that are in the flesh cannot please God for then never a Believer in the World can please God But then 2dly there is another meaning of the Word according to the Scripture to be in the flesh is to be in a fleshly carnal State a corrupt State an unchanged State an unbelieving State and condition they that are thus in the flesh cannot please God and this is the sence of the Holy-Ghost in Rom. 7.5 For when we were in the Flesh saies he c. why he was in the Flesh in one sence but he was not in the Flesh in another sence when we were in the Flesh that is when we were unbelievers in a fleshly carnal state when we were so in the flesh we could not please God and no man that is in the Flesh in that sence can please God But why is it not possible for a man or woman that is an Unbeliever to please God Why so why look but into the former verse Rom. 8.7 there he gives you the reason of it why those that are Unbelievers cannot please God because the carnal mind is enmity against God it is not subject to the Law of God nether indeed can be and then he brings in this conclusion So then they that are in the Flesh they that have a carnal mind they that are altogther unbelievers cannot please God because they are Enemies to God enemies in the highest degree for mark the expression he doth not say the carnal mind is an enemy to God but he puts it in the abstract the Carnal mind is enmity against God Enmity it self it is irreconcileable to God it is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be till God change it Now see the force of the demonstration every unbeliever is an Enemy to God and every thing he doth comes from a principle of enmity against God and do you think that can please God though he seems to do much for God he prays much and reads much and is much in thanksgiving and much in confessing of sin but all this comes from a principle of enmity against God and what can this please God Suppose now you should have an enemy and he should come and seem to speak you fair and you know that he hath a heart full of hatred and enmity against you possibly he comes and confesses he hath done you wrong and he is sorry for it but he hopes he shall do so no more if you know he comes and speaks this with a spirit of Enmity and that he doth maintain his enmity as fully in his heart and mind as ever are you pleased with these confessions no you abhor him the more because he comes in a dissembling hipocritical way Now God sees and knows our Hearts possibly we may be taken with some such expressions of an enemy and think he means as he says and take it in good part but a Man cannot deceive God So when an Unbeliever comes and confesses his Sins to God the Lord sees he doth it with a spirit of enmity he comes with his humble petitions and supplications and the Heart is full of Enmity and hatred against God Will the Lord now accept of this He comes and gives thanks to God but the Lord looks upon all as hypocritical and flattering and can this be pleasing to God in Psalm 78.34 When he slew them then they sought him and they returned and inquired early after God Verse 35. And they remembred that God was their Rock and the High God their Redeemer Now they challenge acquaintance with God and claim interest in God well but what doth the Holy-Ghost say of this their inquiring after God Verse 36. Nevertheless they Flattered him with their Mouth and they Lyed unto him with their Tongues And could God be pleased with this I pray consider this is the very case every Unbeliever is an Enemy to God is
Preached and go on thus week after week month after month and year after year labouring and taking pains in your duties and yet when all comes to all it is all in vain Truly thus it will be if it be not done in Faith you have prayed so many times in a Week and so many times in a year possibly a thousand times in your Life yet all is in vain for you see you cannot please God and therefore it is in vain You desire to please God in your Duties and in your attendances upon the Lord but all is in vain What a sad and uncomfortable thing is this Therefore certainly it is of great concernment to look to that that we do not perform Duties in vain that we do not Pray and Read and Hear without Faith for then all will be in vain Secondly Consider a little further What an uncomfortable thing is it for a man to meet with a disappointment in his great expectation When a man hath great expectations of a business and meets with a disappointment in the conclusion that his expectation is frustrated you know what Solomon saith in Prov. 13.12 Hope deferred makes the heart sick If a man have hopes of a thing and his hopes be only put off and deferred though it may be accomplished at last yet if it be deferred beyond the time it makes his heart sick Ay but when a mans expectations be not only deferred but altogether frustrated that he meets with nothing but disappointments What an uncomfortable thing is this and the greater the expectation of a man is or the greater the thing is his expectation is about the greater and sadder will his disappointment be You know how it fared with Haman in Esth 6. When the King propounded that Question to him What shall be done unto the man whom the King delighteth to honour Why thought he whom the King delights to honour is none but my self Surely I am the man here was his hope and expectation but now to be frustrated of this great expectation of being honoured and advanced and for the King to say Go take the Kings Horse and the Royal apparrel and go and set Mordecai thereon his great Enemy go and proclaim before him thus it shall be done to the man whom the King delighteth to honour thus was his expectation frustrated and it came to nothing And how did it make his heart sick He went home to his Wife and company and he was even sick at the very heart Truly Brethren when a mans expectations are raised from his Duties and Performances that he hath gone on in a way of Prayer all his Life-long and attending upon God in the way of his Ordinances all his Life-long and his expectation is great he thinks he hath been pleasing God all his life-long and when all comes to all at last he shall see that he wanted Faith and so never pleased God in all his Life by all the Duties and Services that ever he performed Here now will his expectations be frustrated and when he comes to lie upon his Death-bed he thinks he hath been pleasing God in performing Duties and attending upon God in his way he shall meet with nothing but Disappointments He hath not pleased God by all that he hath done all his life-long 3. Nay Let me add Thirdly If our Duties be not done in Faith truly then instead of being the better for them we shall certainly be the worse for all the Duties that ever we performed Now what an uncomfortable thing is it for a man to labour and take pains and all for loss You that trade in the World that take a great deal of pains are up early and down late why if so be that you go backward in your estates for all your pains-taking and labour and toyl and travel this will be very uncomfortable to you to labour and toyl night and day as it were and all for loss Suppose now a great Merchant he trades and trafficks abroad at Sea and trades at home by Land and when he comes to cast up his accounts he hath done all for loss he is not the richer but a great deal the poorer What an uncomfortable thing will this be to him that he hath been labouring and travelling and toyling and spending his strength and his time and his pains and all for loss He is the worse and not the better as 't is said of the woman that had the bloody Issue she went to the Physicians and used the means and still she was not the better but the worse You would count this a very uncomfortable thing if any of your Children or Relations should be sick and you call for the help of the Physitian and he applies means and still all the Physick that is taken tends to the hurt of the Party he is never the better but the worse for all the means that is used truly it would make your hearts ake Truely thus it is when a man hath been taking pains all his life-long exercising of himself in holy Duties and Ordinances worshipping and serving God and endeavouring to please God as he thinks but now instead of pleasing God by what he hath done he hath rather displeased God For certainly we are either the better or the worse for every Ordinance that we partake in when we come to hear a Sermon if we do not go away better we go away worse for the Word will work one way or other And so far Prayer if we be not the better we are the worse when our Duties and Services have not been done in Faith they have not been pleasing to the Lord. And when a man comes to cast up his accounts he will find himself the worse for all the Services that ever he performed because they have not been done in Faith 4. And let me add one word more If our Duties and Services be not done in Faith then I pray what have we been doing of all this time but cheating and deceiving our own Souls going on and taking pains and all to delude and deceive our own Souls We have been steering a wrong couse instead of making Christ our Righteousness we have been making a Christ of our Duties and Services and so deceive our own Souls if we do not act Faith in the performance of Duties then we make a Christ of them and so deceive our own Souls for if we do not lean upon Christ we lean upon them A man or woman that doth not act Faith in their Duties and Services they do but steer a wrong Course all their life-long Suppose now a man should steer his course at Sea by a Compass that is false he may go on and sail amain Night and Day before the Wind he may go on in his Course but all the way that he makes he doth but deceive himself he will never come to the Haven he aims at and desires to come to He doth but deceive and delude himself Why Because he sails
the Soul hath been praying in Faith and God hath heard his Prayer though he give him not the particular thing he prays for yet he is made to submit to the Will of God This was just the case of Christ Christ prayed that the Cup might pass from him the Cup did not pass from him yet in his Prayer he was brought to submit to the Will of God Nevertheless not my will but thy will be done So possibly the Soul could not be satisfied with the dispensation of God he comes and commends himself and his case to the Lord and upon Prayer the Soul is brought to submit to the Will of God and to say not my will but thy will be done This is the first Secondly When the Soul is brought into a composed frame upon Prayer possibly the Soul was all in a hurry and royl before it met with something that was matter of affliction and perplexity and it was like the raging Sea the Soul could not rest night nor day well when this Soul comes and commits its self and case and condition to the Lord in Prayer and now there is a great calm and quiet in the heart and all is allayed on a sudden here is now the Power of Faith the spirit of Faith hath prevailed and God hath come in and answered that Prayer tho' not in the same kind and way that the Soul desired yet it is a sign it is a Prayer of Faith and God hath answered it because now the heart is quieted and composed after such a storm This was the case of Hannah Hannah was in a royle at first when she was upbraided for barrenness she goes and commends her Case to the Lord before she told Ely she was a woman of a troubled spirit 1 Sam. 1.15 I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink but have poured out my soul before the Lord. And when she had gone before the Ark and commended her self and case to the Lord by Prayer it is said at Verse 18. That she went her way and did eat and her countenance was no more sad And so likewise this was David â—s case David was exceedingly troubled and perplexed and disquieted because of the sickness of his Child 2 Sam. 12. He fasted and prayed earnestly a long time and though the Child died yet David's spirit was calm and composed and when he heard the Child was dead then he anointed himself vers 20. and went into the House of the Lord and worshipped and he went also into his own House and did eat and drink as he used to do to the wonderment of his Servants about him God had composed his heart and though he had not the thing he prayed for yet he had his Prayer answered and his Prayer was a prayer of Faith Object But you will say May not another that hath no faith at all pray and find his spirit quiet how is this then the work of faith one that never had any faith at all possibly he may pray and have his spirit quiet and is never troubled at all wherein lies the difference Answ Mark I pray such a one that is not at all troubled about his condition he is after Prayer just as he was before Now I say this is an evidence that Faith hath been at work upon the heart namely when the spirit was all in a royle and commotion like the raging Sea and then upon Prayer it is calmed and quieted this is an argument that this Prayer is a prayer of Faith Thirdly It is an argument that a Soul prays in Faith when as the Soul is made to persevere in Prayer notwithstanding the discouragements and difficulties it meets withal for this is the proper work and effect of Faith to go on against discouragements and not to be taken off by difficulties As now the woman that had the bloody Issue she would fain have come to Christ but she met with impediments there was a great throng about him that she could not tell how to get near him but her Faith did carry her on against all the discouragements and impediments that she met withal she would press into the throng and if she could but touch the Garment of Christ she would be satisfied the throng should not keep her from Christ Mark 5.28 And so the blind man in Mark 10.46 c. that sate by the way-side begging he heard that Jesus was passing by and he cryed out Jesus thou son of David have mercy on me and he made such a noise that the people were offended at him and charged him to hold his peace and it is said vers 18. That he cried out a great deal more and Christ took notice of his Prayer and called him to him and said What wilt thou that I should do to thee verse 51. Lord said he that I might receive my sight Go thy way says Christ thy faith hath made thee whole It was a prayer of Faith and Christ did hear it and he was kept on praying against discouragements and impediments that he met with And so the woman of Cannaan came to Christ for her Daughter Matt. 15. she intreats Christ to have Mercy upon her Christ turns a deaf ear to her and and answers her never a word she goes on still and Christ denies her I am not sent says he but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel Here was discouragement upon discouragement she goes on still and says Christ It is not meet to take the Childrens bread and cast it to dogs Yet she would not be discouraged but went on till she had obtained the Mercy So I say when a Soul is drawn out to go on in Prayer notwithstanding discouragements and objections and temptations to the contrary it is an argument that it is a Prayer of Faith and God will hear it and answer it in his own time 4. I might have added a fourth which is this namely when a Soul is made to wait upon God still for an answer and return of his Prayer though the Soul have not yet an answer and doth not meet with a return yet notwithstanding the Soul is made to wait and to go on in waiting to wait and to persevere in waiting truly this is an argument that that Prayer is a prayer of Faith when the Soul is made willing to wait the Lords time and the Lords way for an answer of that he prays for and expects this is an argument of the exercise of Faith Says David when the Lord had promised him to give him the Kingdom Saul was then alive and he sought David's life David sometimes had Saul at an advantage as in 1 Sam. 26. and one of his Worthies that was with him said to him at ver 8. God hath delivered thine enemy into thine hand this day now therefore let me smite him I pray thee with the spear even to the earth at once c. No says David stay the Lords time vers 9.10 11. Destroy him not As the
yielded to them yet that doth not make it to be warrantable and lawful for us But in a word do we believe are we perswaded that whatsoever is not of Faith is sin If we be not fully perswaded of the lawfulness of a thing and yet do it it is sin And do we believe what the Text saith here That without faith it is impossible to please God Then if so be that we have not Faith to perswade us that such as do Preach are sent by Christ then I think we cannot act Faith in hearing the Word from them This is the first Direction about hearing in Faith namely that we be perswaded that those that we do hear be called and sent by Christ 2. A second Direction how to act Faith in hearing the Word is this namely we should be careful to remove all impediments that may hinder us in our hearing from enjoying the presence of Christ and our profiting by the Word for this is the work of Faith to put us upon the use of all lawful means to attain an end Faith will not expect the end but upon the use of means And so on the other side as it is the work of Faith to put us upon the use of means for the attaining of the end so to avoid all the impediments and hindrances that lye in the way to the attaining of the end when the Lord called Jacob to go to Bethel Gen. 35.1 2 3. that he might worship God there now Jacob that he might enjoy the Presence of God and Communion with God in Bethel in his drawing near to God there Jacob he removes impediments now he calls upon his houshold and all that were with him to put away the strange gods from among them and be clean says he and change your garments and let us arise and go up to Bethel and I will make an Alter unto God c. And so at Mount Sinai God gave order to Moses that the people should be sanctified and purified when they should come to draw near to God and God should draw near to them Exod. 19.10 11. And so now when we are to draw near to God in the hearing of his Word we are to be careful to remove all impediments that may hinder our profiting by our hearing and this is the work of Faith Faith doth set a Soul a work to endeavour to remove all impediments Now there are divers impediments to be removed which will certainly hinder our profiting by the Word I shall name some few special ones which the Scripture hints to us As First This is one Malice in the heart to have the heart possessed with Malice towards one or another this will hinder us from profiting by the Word The Apostle Peter therefore expresly calleth upon us in 1 Pet. 2.1 2. Wherefore laying aside all malice c. As new born babes desire the sincere milk of the word that ye may grow thereby As if he should say if you harbor malice in your hearts when you come to hear the Word you will not grow and profit by it if you entertain and allow malice in your hearts towards one another this malice may break out in the envy of the good and welfare of another and so the Apostle brings in that branch of malice envy and sometimes it breaks out in reviling and evil-speaking and therefore says the Apostle Lay aside all malice and envy and evil-speaking and so receive the sincere milk of the word that ye may grow thereby As in Prayer if I regard iniquity in my heart God will not hear my Prayer so in this case if we allow any sin in our hearts any malice towards one or another when we come to hear the Word God will not listen to us and we shall not profit by the Word this may be one cause why people hear so much and profit so little If so be they do allow malice and envy in their hearts and allow themselves to speak evil of others they cannot hear the Word to grow and profit by it no we are to exercise love in our drawing near to God love to God and love to the Word and love to the Saints and love to one another for if so be that we do not love them that we have seen or do see says the Apostle how can we be truly said to love God whom we have not seen 1 John 4.20 Therefore this is one thing Let us be careful to lay aside all malice and envy and evil-speaking if we do desire so to draw near to God in the hearing of the Word as to profit by it Secondly Another impediment that the Apostle hath in the same place of Peter is hypocrisy and guile this also must be laid aside or else we shall not receive the Word so as to grow and profit by it if we come to the hearing of the Word and do maintain guile and hypocrisy in our hearts and allow of it then we cannot profit or grow by the Word The Apostle Peter doth plainly hold forth that all guile and hypocrisy must be laid aside and so receive the Word as new born babes that ye may grow thereby Guile and hypocrisy doth hinder our profiting by the Word for this is now a kind of stumbling-block we draw near to God and have a stumbling-block in our hearts and says the Lord in Ezek. 14.7 If any man setteth up Idols in his heart and putteth the stumbling-block of his iniquity before his face and cometh to a prophet to enquire of him concerning me I the Lord will answer that man by my self Some do expound that place the word stumbling-block for the separating and withdrawing the heart from God Now there are two kinds of hypocrisy or guile that are to be laid aside in hearing the Word one is in respect of God the other is towards man the guile and hypocrisy towards God is this namely when as a man or woman doth seem to draw near to God in his worship attending upon his Word and yet notwithstanding the heart is not near God but afar off from him here is hypocrisy and dissimulation towards God This people says God draw near to me with their mouth and lips but their heart is far from me Isa 29.13 And so Christ tells the Scribes and Pharisees in Matt. 15.8 when as a man doth pretend to draw near to God as if he would know the Mind of God that he may do the Will of God and have no such intendment in his heart he comes to hear the Word what doth this hold forth but that he intends to do the word which he hears Now when the heart is not set to do the Will of God here is hypocrisy I remember Jeremiah speaks to that purpose in Jer. 52.20 For ye dissembled in your hearts says he when ye sent me unto the Lord your God saying pray for us unto the Lord our God and according to all that the Lord our God shall say to us we