helped by the Holy Ghost to know it but it is chiefly grounded vpon our owne experience for it is no more but the act of a mans owne heart reflecting vpon what hee hath done when hee considers Haue I taken CHRIST or no as a Lord and as a Sauiour as a Priest to saue me as a King to liue by his Lawes this is a looking vpon an act of mine owne therefore the vnderstanding and knowing of it must come from experience The last act of faith is to purifie and to sanctifie I cannot stand vpon it at this time nor make Vse and apply this as I desired therefore I will breake off heere So much for this time FINIS OF FAITH The third Sermon ROM 1.17 For by it the righteousnesse of God is reuealed from Faith to Faith As it is written The iust shall liue by Faith THe last point that wee deliuered out of these words was this that Faith is that whereby we are made partakers of the righteousnesse of Christ. Wee come now to the Vses of it And first of all if it be by faith onely by which we are made partakers of that righteousnesse that saueth vs the first consectary that we will draw from hence is this That wee should learne to come to CHRIST with an empty hand and not to bee discouraged for any want that wee finde in our selues nor for the greatnesse of our sinnes wee should not bee discouraged for the want of a perfect degree of repentance and godly sorrow or for the want of whatsoeuer good worke you thinke is requisite to saluation for my beloued you must know that this is the nature of faith that it doth its worke best alone and faith is so farre from requiring any thing in the partie that shall haue CHRIST that necessarily he must let goe all things else otherwise hee cannot beleeue and this is a point necessarily to be considered for euery man is apt to conceiue and thinke that it is impossible that GOD should accept him vnlesse there bee something in him why GOD should regard him If he finde himselfe to be exceeding vngodly he thinkes that CHRIST will neuer looke after him And againe if hee haue nothing at all to giue if he haue nothing to bring with him in his hand hee thinkes that hee shall haue no pardon But you see that faith requires nothing in the first apprehension of CHRIST if a man bee neuer so vngodly it is all one the promise notwithstanding is made vnto him Againe Why should you looke for righteousnesse in your selues The worke of faith and it hath nothing else to doe is to take that righteousnesse of Christ that is none of your owne so that there is nothing else at all required for all that faith hath to doe is onely to take from Christ that righteousnesse that we want our selues so that I say there is no reason why any man should bee discouraged in his first comming for any want that he findes in himselfe or for any condition that he is in because faith onely is that that makes vs partakers of a righteousnesse to iustifie vs because we our selues haue it not I say faith is so farre from requiring any thing to be added to it to helpe it in the act of iustifying that of necessity it excludes all things else for faith hath this double quality not onely to lay hold of Christ offered but to empty a man of all things else whatsoeuer As for example Faith is not onely the beleeuing of a truth which is deliuered from the authority of him that doth deliuer it but it is a resting vpon Christ a casting of our selues vpon him Now when a man leanes vpon any other thing hee stands not vpon his owne legges hee stands not vpon his owne bottome for if hee did hee could not properly be said to leane If a man trust and depend vpon another he prouides not for himselfe but he that so lookes to himselfe that he prouide so as to make him selfe safe if another should faile him so farre he trusts himselfe so that beloued if you trust CHRIST it is of necessity required that you must bee vnbottomed of your selues you must altogether leane vpon him you must cast your selues wholly vpon him For faith hath such an attracting vertue in it that it fils the heart with CHRIST Now it cannot fill the heart with CHRIST vnlesse the heart be emptyed first Therefore I say faith hath a double quality not onely to take but to empty and they are reciprocall the one cannot be without the other Hence it is that we say faith ingrafts a man a man cannot be ingraft into a new stocke vnlesse hee bee quite cut off from the former roote therefore faith driues a man out of himselfe and makes him nothing in himselfe so that when he comes to lay hold on the promise of GOD he lookes at no quality or excellencie of his owne he lookes at no fitnesse nor worthinesse in himselfe but he comes with a hand and a heart altogether empty So that when a man comes to beseech GOD to receiue him to mercie and to grant him a Pardon of his sinnes when he comes to take hold of the righteousnesse of CHRIST for his iustification if he thinke that there is any little worthinesse in him or that there be no fault in him at all and from thence shall thinke that GOD will receiue him this man is not fit to come to Christ he must be wholly emptied of himselfe and then God will speake peace vnto him But you will aske What is that that faith doth empty a man of Faith emptieth a man of two things First of all opinion of righteousnesse in himselfe Secondly of all opinion of strength and ability to helpe himselfe for if either of these remaine in the heart a man cannot receiue CHRIST First I say a man must be emptied of all opinion of worthinesse in himselfe of all conceipt that he hath the least righteousnesse in himselfe therefore when the yong man came to CHRIST and CHRIST told him that he must keepe the Law and he said hee had done all those things from his youth CHRIST knew that he was not yet fit therefore saith he Goe and sell all that thou hast Christs end was nothing else but to discouer to him his owne vnworthinesse If thou wilt be perfect saith CHRIST take this tryall Canst thou be content to let thy wealth goe to follow me Canst thou be content to suffer persecution This shewed that hee was not perfect but that hee was still a sinfull man this was the way to prepare him for Christ this course we see CHRIST alwaies tooke we see it expressed in the Parable of the Publican and of the Pharise the Publican went away iustified because he was wholly emptyed of all conceipt and opinion of worth in himselfe But the Pharise was not iustified not because he was not a iuster man then the
professions are but dissimulation and such a man as will thus dissemble with the Lord shall be cut off from his people So I say when you professe that you love the Lord and yet have hard hearts that there is no softnesse there that your hearts doe not melt towards him but when you have sinned you can looke backe upon your sinnes without any disturbance at all know that it is but dissembling with the Lord and you are worthy to be cut off from his people I come to a third tryall If you love the Lord Iesus have you your hearts after his owne heart that is the disposition of all those that love him Acts 13.22 the Lord saith of David I have found a man after my owne heart that will doe whatsoever I will That is looke how the Lord himselfe was affected in any businesse so was Davids heart affected and so it is with all those that love the Lord for this is proper to the Saints If you love the Lord you will be of one heart with him if we have hearts after his heart as every Christian must have in his measure though perhaps he reach not Davids measure in all the turnings of our lives upon all occasions in the diverse disposition of our wills we will be conformable to the Lords will we will be like God affected in every thing as he is affected But you will say this is a hard thing how shall we discerne it You shall discerne it by these two things If you be affected as he is you will doe whatsoever he will as those words are added concerning David I have found a man after mine owne heart for he will doe whatsoever I will You may examine your selves by that doe you doe whatsoever he will are your affections aright that you love what he loves and hate what he hates For your actions are the immediate fruites and effects of your affections and as every man is affected so he doth And besides as that is one way to discerne it so this is another which you shall likewise finde in David that hee loved those that feared the Lord and those that love vaine inventions doe I not hate them saith hee c. And that you may discerne this consider whether you love all those that feare the Lord and hate all those that are enemies to the Lord. For while there is nothing but nature in a man so long those that are of good natures that are faire in their carriages and kinde and loving to us those wee love and those that are contrary we hate and dislike but when you love the Lord and are after his heart and have another nature in you it raiseth you above this nature of your owne and then you will love those that are like the Lord whosoever they are though perhaps they are not so sociable not of so faire a naturall disposition but if you have a new nature and are become new creatures now you have common friends and common enemies Doe not object now that you are willing to doe so if they were sincere and upright but they are hypocrites I say doe not deceive your selves in this for as they rejected Christ under the person of a counterfeit and of a wine-bibber so thou maist persecute Christ under the person of an hypocrite Paul you know hee thought hee did God good service in persecuting those whom he persecuted yet though hee did it ignorantly he confessed of himselfe that he was a blasphemer and a persecuter So I say though you doe it ignorantly under the person of an hypocrite yet that is the judgement and the censure that will be upon you that in so doing you are persecuters And if you shall say that if the Lord himselfe lived amongst us if Iesus Christ were here I hope I should shew that I doe not hate him You shall see what the Lord himselfe saith In that you have done it to these you have done it to mee As he speakes there in the matter of giving so may I say to you concerning this case in that you have despised those that feare his name in that you have spoken against such as are his you have done it against the Lord in this thing you have shewed your hatred against him Examine your hearts therefore seriously by this marke Againe fourthly wee will bring you to that expostulation which is grounded on 1 Ioh. 2.15 Love not the world nor â—he things of the world for if you love the world the love of the Father is not in you Now question with your own hearts about this whether you love the world and the things of the world for if you doe the words are cleare The Love of the Father is not in you You will say how shall we know this You shall know it by these three things First by your delight in the things of the world and your griefe and sorrow for the losse of them after you have enjoyed them for if you finde that you are much affected about them it is certaine that you love the world and the things of the world Intemperate and excessive griefe and complaint for worldly losses and crosses is a sure argument and evidence that you love the world Whereas when you love the Lord you will be indifferent in those things if a worldly losse befall you you will grieve as if you grieved not if any worldly advantage happeneth you will enjoy it as if you enjoyed it not A man will be thus affected If I have God sure I reckon him onely my portion all other things are by accident he onely is essentiall to my happinesse We doe not denie that a man may grieve upon such occasions but it is a lighter kinde of griefe and therefore it is expressed well by the former phrase As if he grieved not He knoweth all this while the maine is sure and so long his heart is stedfast within him but when a man shall fall into excessive griefe when the affection shall be exceedingly stirred about worldly things it is a signe that you reckon not God and the assurance of his favour to be the maine thing in your happinesse you should be affected to the world with a remisse affection Now when your affections are so much taken up about them it is a signe you love the world and the things of the world It is true you may doe the things of the world and enjoy them and follow after them but in a remisse manner but when your affections are so much stirred about them when you come to excessive love in the having them and excessive griefe in the losing of them it is a signe that you love the world and the things of the world Secondly you shall know it by this when worldly things shall come into competition with those that belong to a good conscience and the service of God you shall finde this one way
children and loath to rise but you must knocke and knocke againe and as it was with the vniust Iudge importunity must doe it though your desire be strong yet for a time in his ordinary course he withholds and turnes a deafe eare to try if thou hast an eager desire for if it ceases quickly he should haue lost his labour in bestowing Christ on thee But if nothing will make thee giue ouer if thou wilt beseech him and giue him no rest I 'le assure thee GOD cannot deny thee and the longer he holdeth thee off the better answer thou shalt haue at the end And when thou hast CHRIST thou hast that that cannot be expressed for with him thou hast all things When you haue him you may goe to him for Justification and say LORD giue me remission of sinnes I haue CHRIST and thou hast promised that all that are in CHRIST shall haue pardon that they shall haue thy Spirit and be made new creatures now LORD fulfill these promises If say It is a condition beyond expression next to that we shall haue in heauen and farre aboue that which any Prince or Potentate in the World hath farre beyond that which any man that swims in pleasures and abundance of wealth hath which if it were knowne would by all the World be sought after Therefore when you heare of such a condition offered take heede of refusing it for if you doe your sinne is haynous and your condemnation will be iust The second Vse I will onely name Consider what it is to refuse yea what it is to deferre your acceptance of it GOD may take your deferring for a denyall you that thinke Well I will take it but not yet take heede lest you neuer haue such an opportunity againe I say be exhorted be moued be besought to take it This I speake to you that be humble to so many among you as haue broken hearts others may take him if they will but they will not they mind not this Doctrine they regard not things of this nature they will when they lye a dying but now they haue something else to doe But you that mourne in Sion you that haue broken hearts that know the bitternesse of sinne to such as you is this Word of Saluation sent The others haue nothing to doe with it and let them not thinke much to be excluded for CHRIST excludes them Come to me all ye that are heauy laden and ye shall finde rest Not but the others shall haue him if they will come but they will not take him on the precedent conditions named before It may be they would haue redemption and freedome and saluation by him but they will not take him for their King They that bee humble that haue their hearts wounded with the sense of sinne are willing to take him on his owne termes to keepe his Commandements and not thinke them grieuous to beare his burden and thinke it light to take his yoke and count it easie to giue all they haue for him and to thinke all too little to suffer persecution for his sake and to reioyce in it to bee content to be scoffed at and hated of men to doe to suffer any thing for his sake and when all this is done to regard it as nothing to reckon themselues vnprofitable seruants to account of all as not worthy of him Therefore be not thou shye in taking of him for you haue free liberty But before I dismisse you let me speake a word to you that be not yet humble let mee beseech you to consider 3. things to mooue you First the great danger that is in not taking of him If you could be well without him you might sit still as you are but you shall dye for want of him If a Wife can liue without a Husband she may stay vnmarried But when a mans case is this I see without CHRIST I must perish I must lose my life that is the penalty such is the danger if I refuse him me thinkes this should moue him Secondly as the danger of refusing him so consider the benefit of taking him if you will haue him you shall with him haue a Kingdome you shall change for the better for whatsoeuer you part withall you shall haue an hundred fold in this life if you forgoe any pleasure or lust you shall haue for it the ioy of the Holy Ghost farre exceeding them If you part with riches you shall be truely rich in another world yea you shall there haue a Treasure If you lose friends you shall haue GOD for your friend and shall be a Fauourite in the Court of Heauen In a word you shall haue an hundred fold 3. You shall bee sure to haue it you shall not be deceiued for God hath put out his word he hath declared that to be his will and it stands now with his Iustice as well as with his mercie to giue Christ his Word is a corner stone and you may build on it Nay by 2. immutable things he hath confirm'd it his Word and his Oath and Heauen and Earth may passe but they shall not passe you may build on them to haue Christ and saluation by him When Paul had deliuered Gods minde if an Angell from Heauen should tell them the foundation is sandy nay if he himselfe should preach another doctrine they were not to beleeue him Therefore if you will take him and haue him trust perfectly in the grace that is reuealed by Iesus Christ doe it not by halues It may be I shall be saued it may be not thou maist build on it thou maist venture thy life on it All these things considered the greatnesse of the danger in refusing of the benefit in accepting and if it be thus sure if wee will take him then put it to venture why doe you stand off What can wee say more to perswade you If you will take him and this righteousnesse you may haue it GOD hath committed this to vs what we loose on Earth shall be loosed in Heauen He hath giuen vs the Keyes of Heauen and Hell and if we open the Gates of Heauen to any they shall stand open but now in the preaching of the Word the Gates of Heauen stand open to euery one of you Therefore come in while it is called to day before the Sunne set on you as you know not how soone it may Indeed if wee had not made the offer the danger had beene ours and wee should haue perished for your sakes but seeing we haue made manifest the whole Councell of GOD wee are now free from the blood of euery one of you for wee haue made knowne the will of GOD to the full you know what is offered to you and if you take him not your blood shall be on your owne heads Therefore consider whether you will take him or refuse him that is the question Will you take him or not take him You that now refuse and slight this
sense it hath nothing to doe with Justification It iustifieth vs as it is an instrument and that not by altering the nature of sinne that is by making sinne to be no sinne but by taking away the efficacy of sinne As for example when a man hath committed sinnes Faith doth not make his sinnes to be no sinnes indeede it scattereth them as a Cloud You may consider it after this manner First it cannot be that that sinne that is once committed should be made to be no sinne for what is once done it cannot be vndone GOD himselfe cannot doe that because it is a thing that cannot be for when the sinnes are committed they doe remaine so and therefore I say it cannot be that that which is sinne should be made to be no sinne we cannot make Adultery to be no adultery for the nature and essence of the thing must remaine Well now what doth faith It doth this though the sin be the same that it was yet it takes away the sting and the guilt of sinne by which it puts vs into the state of condemnation and by which it bindes vs ouer to punishment As the Lions to which Daniel was cast they were the same as they were before they had the same propensenesse and disposition to deuoure as they had before they had the ordinary nature of Lions but at that time GOD tooke away from them that fiercenesse that was in them so that they did not deuoure him though they were there still so it is with sinne the nature of sinne is to condemne vs but now when GOD shall take away this efficacie from it it doth not condemne and this is that that faith doth Euen as the Viper that was vpon Pauls hand though the nature of it was to kill presently yet when GOD had charmed it you see it hurt him not so it is with sinne though it be in vs and though it hang vpon vs yet the venome of it is taken away it hurts vs not it condemnes vs not thus faith by taking away the efficacie and power of sinne it iustifies vs as an instrument as a hand that takes the Pardon The King when he pardoneth a Traytor he doth not make his Treason to be no Treason for the act of the Treason remaines still but the taking of the Pardon makes the Traytor not to be vnder condemnation So my beloâ—ed faith is that act that takes the Pardon from GOD so that though the sinne remaine the same and of its owne nature is of power to binde vs ouer to death yet by this faith taking the Pardon from GOD it comes to passe that it hurts vs not wee are not condemned for it You know debts in a mans booke the writing remaines still the lines are not blotted out yet when they are once crossed the creditour cannot come and aske his debt any more because it is crossed So it is in this our sinnes are the same after we are iustified as they were before but faith is that that crosseth the booke faith I say by apprehending the Pardon and taking the acquittance at Gods hands that he offers Iâ— a man haue anacquittance although the debt remaine the same in the Booke yet there can no more be required at the hands of him that hath taken the acquittance Thus I say faith iustifies vs as an instrument by accepting receiuing and taking the acquittance that GOD hath giuen to vs through Christ. Let mee adde one word more of the next thing which is What are the acts of this faith They are these three First To reconcile or to iustifie Secondly To pacifie the heart Thirdly To purifie or sanctifie The first thing that Faith doth is to reconcile That is as I said before by faith wee are pitched vpon CHRIST wee take him first and then wee take the priuiledges they all follow vpon it forgiuenesse and adoption this is the first act of Faith to reconcile vs to CHRIST himselfe and vpon this wee haue boldnesse to goe to CHRIST for forgiuenesse to goe to CHRIST to make vs heyres of all things For after this manner faith doth it All things are yours whether Paul or Apollo c. And why Because you are CHRIST'S Marke it you must first bee CHRIST'S that is euen as the Wife is the Husband 's so you must be knit and vnited to CHRIST and then all things are yours so that Faith first makes vs Christ's it reconciles vs to him and makes vs one with him and in him one with GOD the Father and then all things are giuen vnto vs and made ours The second act of faith is to quiet and pacifie the heart to comfort vs in assuring vs that our sinnes and transgressions are forgiuen and this is different from the former There are two acts of faith The one is the direct act by which we apprehend and take CHRIST and the righteousnesse that is offered through him by which we take forgiuenesse And the second is the reflect act by which we know that wee haue taken CHRIST and haue taken out our pardon and this act is very different from the former we may haue the former without this Wee commonly thinke that wee are not iustified by CHRIST vnlesse we haue assurance of it and when we looke for that and finde it not presently all our hopes are gone but it should not be so It is one act of Faith to take CHRIST and another act of faith to comfort and pacifie the heart and that these are two distinct things consider but this in a word The first act is constant when a man hath once taken and accepted of CHRIST hee is alwaies his after wee once haue CHRIST there is no diuorse But the other act of assurance whereby we know that wee haue taken him that is a thing that may faile and deceiue a man Againe the first act admits of no degrees for when a man is once in CHRIST hee is alwaies CHRIST'S when he is once married to him Marriage you know admits of no degrees so Justification is equall to euery man it admits of no degrees it is alwaies the same we are not now lesse iustified and then more but we are alway alike iustified being once iustified but the other act of faith whereby I am assured that I haue taken CHRIST that admits of degrees a man may haue sometimes more comfort sometimes lesse and therefore righteousnes is said heere to be reuealed from faith to faith Lastly the first act of faith whereby we take CHRIST and those priuiledges by him as the Wife takes the Husband that is founded vpon the sure Word of GOD GOD hath tendered it to vs vpon his Word and promise and he must performe it it cannot be altered nor changed he that builds vpon it builds vpon the corner-stone that will not faile him But now the second act whereby I come to know that I haue done this that is grounded vpon experience Indeede we are
himselfe put not his hand to the worke no man is able to beleeue You may thinke when you see such generall propositions as these that Christ is offered to euery creature vnder heauen and that whosoeuer beleeueth shall be saued you may thinke I say that it is easie to bring this home in particular to say Surely this pardon belongs to mee My Brethren it is another thing for a man indeed to beleeue for him to take CHRIST so as to deny himselfe for him to take him so as to mortifie his lusts so as to take vp his crosse so as to obey CHRIST to follow him in all things this is a thing that no man is able to doe vnlesse GOD enable him to it with his almighty power For the heart of euery man by nature is so shut vp against CHRIST that it will giue no entrance to him he may stand and knocke long enough vnlesse GOD himselfe shake off the bolts and open the gates and breake open these euerlasting doores that the King of Glory may come in we will not admit him but keepe him out Euery man naturally hath a hard heart that cannot repent that cannot turne from sinne he will bee content perhaps to take Christ for a Sauiour but to take him so as to obey him and feare him so as to loue him this no man will doe or can doe vnlesse the Holy Ghost enable him But you will aske How doth the Holy Ghost doe it The Holy Ghost doth it by these three acts First by putting an efficacie into the Law and making that powerfull to worke on the heart to make a man poore in spirit that so he may be fit to receiue the Gospell For the Law though it be fit to humble a man yet it is no worke of sanctification If a man were able to doe any thing he were able to see the righteousnesse the Law requires and how far he is from it and to discerne the curse vpon the not doing of it and yet this he is not able to doe without the spirit of bondage the spirit of bondage must make the Law effectuall as well as the spirit of Adoption doth the Gospell That is except the LORD himselfe presse the Law on our hearts so as to cause it to make sinne appeare to vs wee that are the Ministers of GOD may discouer your sinnes we may shew you the rectitude required in the Law we may shew you the danger yet all will be to no purpose vnlesse God awaken you if he will set sinne vpon the conscience to worry a man to plucke him downe when GOD shall charge sinne on him that he shall feele the weight and burthen of it when he shall sharpen sinne and cause it to vse its sting this makes a man fit to receiue CHRIST otherwise if the sonnes of Thunder should speake to men if we should come in the spirit and power of Eliah nay if GOD himselfe should thunder from heauen all would not moue the heart of a man all would not awaken him to see his sinnes till God himselfe shake the heart To conuert the Gaâ—ler in Acts 16. the foundation of the Prison was shaken which was a resemblance of the shaking of his heart wee may as well shake the Earth as strike the heart of a sinner without the worke of GOD. For though the Law be a sword yet vnlesse GOD take that sword into his hand and strike therewithall himselfe it shall not be able to wound a sinner Therefore the first worke of the Holy Ghost is to awaken a sinner to set sinne vpon him that he may be fit to receiue CHRIST Secondly when this is done that the heart is thus prepared by the Spirit then the Holy Ghost shewes vs what we haue by CHRIST he shewes the vnsearchable riches of CHRIST what is the hope of our calling and the glorious inheritance prepared for the Saints and what is the exceeding greatnesse of his power in them that beleeue I say we neede the Spirit to shew these things But you will say a man may see these things without the helpe of the Spirit It is true in some manner you may but not in such a manner as shall affect you For there is a manner of seeing proper onely to the Saints and that is the proper worke of the Spirit in them when wee shall so see them as to be affected with them Otherwise you may reade the Scriptures a thousand times ouer you may vnderstand them yet you shall not bee affected with them till the Holy Ghost shew them vnto you This is the secret of GOD that he reuealeth to those whom he meaneth to saue that is when hee presents these spirituall things prepared for vs in Christ in such a manner as that we shall loue them and embrace them when we shall not only see the truth of them but the goodnesse of them when GOD shall not onely shew vs the aduantages we haue by Christ but the excellency of Christ so that we shall be in loue with his person as well as to be ready to receiue the priuiledges with him Now this is done by the Spirit 1. Cor. 2.12 Wee haue receiued the Spirit of GOD by which wee know the things that are giuen vs of GOD and they are reuealed to vs by the Spirit They are two or three times repeated in that Chapter as if he should haue said If you saw them no more then other men doe then naturall men doe you would bee no more affected with them then they are but when you haue the Spirit of GOD to shew you the things that are giuen you of GOD that is the thing that workes vpon you and affects you And so in Ioh. 14.21 saith CHRIST I will come to him and shew my selfe to him When CHRIST sheweth himselfe to a man it is another thing then when the Ministers shall shew him or the Scriptures nakedly read doe shew him for when Christ shall shew himselfe by his Spirit that shewing draweth a mans heart to long after him otherwise we may preach long enough and shew you that these spirituall things these priuiledges are prepared for you in Christ but it is the Holy Ghost that must write them in your hearts we can but write them in your heads Therefore the Lord taketh that as peculiar to himselfe I will write my Law in your hearts That is I will make you affected with the things that I shew you and this is the teaching of GOD. There is a teaching by men and a teaching by GOD that is when God shall enable a man to see things in good earnest otherwise it will be but as a man that sees a thing when his minde is vpon another matter so wee shall see and not see but when the Holy Ghost shall shew you these things you shall see indeed till then you may heare oft enough of these things but your hearts
will bee minding other matters some about their profits and some their pleasures c. but when the Holy Ghost shall shew you these things that is when he presents them to vs that draweth the heart from minding other things to seeke after CHRIST to long after him and not to content your selues till you be vnited to him But besides this there is a third act of the Holy Ghost by which hee workes it and maketh this faith effectuall and that is the testimonie that the Spirit giues to our spirits telling vs that these things are ours when the heart is prepared by the Law and when these things are so shewed vnto vs that wee prize them and long after them yet there must bee a third thing that is to take them to our selues to beleeue that they be ours and there needeth a worke of the Spirit for this too for though the promises be neuer so cleere yet hauing nothing but the promises you will finde that you will neuer be able to apply them to your selues but when the Holy Ghost shall say Christ is thine and these things belong to thee and GOD is thy Father when the Spirit shall beare witnesse with our spirits by an immediate work of his owne then we shall beleeue This is necessarily required and without this wee shall not beleeue It is true the holiest man doth it two wayes One is by cleering of the promises shining into our hearts by such a light as makes vs able to discerne them and to beleeue them and to assent to them But besides that hee doth it by an immediate voice by which he speaketh immediately to our spirits that wee can say as they said Ioh. 16. Now thou speakest plainly and speakest no parable we vnderstand thee fully so till the Holy Ghost speake to vs we are in a Cloud GOD is hid from vs wee cannot see him cleerely but when we haue this Spirit of Adoption to giue vs this witnesse then wee beleeue plainely indeed Therefore in Isay 57.19 saith the Lord I create the fruit of the lips Peace c. That is the Ministers may speake peace to you but vnlesse I goe and ioyne with the Minister except I adde a power of mine owne that is such an almighty power as I vsed in the Creation it shall neuer bring peace to you I create the fruit of the lips that is the words of the Minister to be peace otherwise they would be ineffectuall Therefore I say there must bee a worke of the Spirit to perswade a man in such a case And you shall finde by experience let a Minister come to them that are in despaire they will not apprehend the promises though we vse neuer so cleere reasons though we argue with them neuer so long and neuer so strongly we shall finde that all will doe nothing it will be but labour spent in vaine till GOD himselfe open the Clouds till hee will smile on a man and send his Spirit into the heart to giue a secret witnesse to him till there be a worke of his owne joyning with the promises we finde by experience that our labour is lost It is true we ought to doe this and euery man is bound to looke to the Word for faith commeth by hearing and to hearken to the Ministery for it is Gods ordinance to breed faith in the heart but yet till there be a worke of the Spirit a man shall neuer be so perswaded as to haue any sure and sound comfort by it Now all this is done by the Spirit it is the wonderfull worke of GOD for when CHRIST is propounded to men when he is offered as we haue often offered him to you we haue shewed you what accesse you haue to him that no man is excluded that he is offered to euery creature vnder heauen we haue shewed you the generality of the promise that it takes in all that you are contained vnder it that you may apply it to your selues I say when all this is done yet when a man comes to performe this to apply it to himselfe he is no more able to doe it then a dead man is able to stirre himselfe Therefore the same power that raised CHRIST from the dead is required to worke faith in our hearts as it is in Eph. 1.19 According to his mighty power which he wrought in Christ when hee raised him from the dead So that it is as great a worke to moue a mans heart to CHRIST as to put life into a dead man we are as vnapt and backward to it as a dead man is to receiue life For what else is the reason that when we preach CHRIST to you when hee is offered to you that there bee so few that are affected with him that there be so few that take him doth it not shew that you are dead yea so dead that vnlesse GOD call you and that there be a mighty worke of the Spirit the hearts of men will neuer answer vnto vs. Therefore that is required as a condition in all them who will come Act. 2. So many as the LORD our GOD shall call That is when wee preach except there bee a secret voyce of the Spirit of CHRIST speaking to your hearts as wee doe to your eares and saying Come and take CHRIST no man will come We see CHRIST said to his Apostles Follow mee and presently they followed him for it was not the outward voice that did it there was a secret voice within so when GOD shall call men to take CHRIST then they doe it but not before That word that is vsed Luk. 14.23 Goe and COMPELL them to come in that my House may be full it intimates a great backwardnesse in vs. When men are compelled it shewes that not onely the arguments are strong and forcible but that there is a great backwardnesse in men that they must as it were be constrained that they must be put on it by force and against their will such is the vnaptnesse that is in men So saith CHRIST no man comes to me except the Father draw him That phrase of the Holy Ghost shewes that there is an extreme backwardnesse that if they be not forced to come as it were they will not doe it not but that when a man is once wrought vpon by the Holy Ghost hee commeth of himself but that phrase is vsed only to shew that backwardnesse that is in man by nature For when the Holy Ghost hath wrought vpon the will and hath turned that then a man commeth vpon his owne legs and is moued from an inward principle of his owne therefore men are so drawne that withall they runne after him as it is Cant. 1. but it shewes this thing for which I haue vsed it that there is a wondrous backwardnesse in all of vs by nature and that this must be done by a great worke of the Spirit Therefore the Apostle
may be many delusions in this kinde many Hypocrites may haue great raptures they may haue great ioy as if they were lift vp into the third heauen they may haue a great and strong perswasion that their estate is good Satan is very apt to delude vs in this kinde to put a counterfeit vpon vs in stead of true faith Therefore wee will not content our selues with this but giue other markes that will not deceiue At this time you are to consider you that come to the Sacrament Is it not a maine thing to consider whether you haue faith or no What do you here else you haue nothing to doe with Christ you haue no interest in him and if you haue no interest in him what doe you with the Elements which represent his body and his blood And therefore you haue cause to attend to it First therfore if thou find such a worke in thy heart for if thou conclude that there is no such worke thou needest not examine further thou maist be sure that thou hast not faith but if thou haue such a worke if thou wouldst know whether it be really and truly or whether it be a fancie or delusion consider First if it be true it purifies the heart in Acts 15.9 saith the Apostle Peter there God hath put no difference betweene vs and them after that by faith hee had purified their hearts So in Acts 26.18 And thou shalt preach forgiuenesse of sinnes to those that are sanctified by faith So that this you must take as a sure rule If thy faith bee true it purifies thy heart it sanctifies thee And therefore you see faith and repentance are alwaies put together Repent and beleeue for they are neuer disjoyned If thou find the worke of repentāce be not wrought throughly soundly in thee if thou finde thy heart not purified if thou be not sanctified if there be not a sanctified disposition in thee be sure it is a delusion it is not faith or if faith be as you heard heretofore a taking of CHRIST not as a Sauiour onely but as a Priest and not as a Priest onely but as a King too it must needes be that there must be reall obedience or else it is not faith thou hast not taken him If there be nothing but a meere assent as the Papists affirme in another case For faith is a taking of Christ and a giuing of our selues to him againe so that there is a match there is a bargaine a Couenant betweene vs as hee saith in Heb. 8.8 I will make a New Couenant with them Now a Couenant hath two parts If GOD doe this for you you must doe somewhat on your part you must loue him and obey him As in a Marriage the Husband doth not onely take the Wife but the Wife also takes the Husband If faith bee such a thing as this there must needes be a generall reformation of the life or else it is certaine thou hast not taken him Therefore know that as there is a liuely hope so there is a liuely faith And when it is said to be a liuely faith it intimates that there is another that is a dead faith that is There is a kinde of beleeuing a kinde of taking Christ a kinde of giuing a mans selfe to him but yet marke it saith he it is such a one as breeds no life in thee Marke if thy faith be such a faith as hath brought Christ to dwell in thy heart so as the soule dwels in the body if it be such a dwelling in thy heart that there be life in thee for Christ when he dwels in vs he acts the soule as the soule acts the body As the body now when the soule is there is able to moue is able to stirre is able to doe any thing So the soule of a man it fals to the duties of godlinesse and new obedience to all good workes it is ready as the Apostle saith to euery good worke it is nimble and ready to goe about them you are aliue to righteousnesse Hath faith so brought Christ into thy heart that he liues in thee as he did in Paul that thou canst finde and say truely I am dead to sinne and liue to righteousnesse That thou hast mortified the deedes of the body by the Spirit that thou findest another life working in thee except thou canst finde this it is not true faith for true faith is such as brings Christ to dwell in thy heart and he dwels there when he reviues thy spirit as it is Isay 57.13.14 I dwell in the high Heauens and with him also that is of a contrite spirit to reviue the Spirit of the humble that is he neuer dwels but he giues life And if thou finde not such a life in thy selfe conclude that thy faith is not good And this you ought the more to marke because many thousands seeme to take CHRIST and to doe much and yet for all this they haue not life all the while Take two grafts it may be there is incision made in both both may be planted as you often see in Plants after they bee planted if you would know whether the grafting bee true or no if you come a while after and see one of the grafts dead and withered you say this grafting was not good or the stocke was not good somewhat was amisse and if you finde it to bud and that there be life in it then you say it was grafted indeed the grafting was good and right So when a man comes and takes CHRIST if thou see thou be grafted if thou find thy life to be the same if thou finde thou art no more able to pray nor no more able to doe any duty then thou wast before that thou liuest in thy lusts as much as euer thou didst thou hast not that new heart that new spirit and that new affection which the Scriptures speake of bee sure then that thou art not grafted for if thou wert grafted aright by faith for it is that which grafteth there would bee life When as the graft is taken out of the former Tree it beares no more that fruit but it liues and beares another fruite Therefore consider if this be so or no and that is the reason of that answer of Philip to the Eunuch in the 8. of the Acts Vers. 37. The Eunuch professed to beleeue and would haue beene baptized Saith Philip thou mayest if thou beleeue with all thine heart Thou mayest thinke it is nothing but it is a resoluing from time to time to giue vp thy selfe to be Christs seruant to take his yoake to weare his Liuery and his Badge Now Baptisme is but a seale to confirme and testifie this to thy selfe and to the World that thou hast giuen thy selfe to CHRIST saith Philip take heede to thy selfe if it bee a false taking thou maist not haue him but if thou
as they are taken in an euill Net Satan takes them there to destroy them eternally Againe the afflictions of the godly are not so heauy to them as the afflictions of the wicked are GOD afflicts them in the branches not in the roote they drinke of the Cup but not of the dregs but as for the wicked hee smites them so as that hee smites them not the second time that they roare for his wrath Psal. 31.24 The godly though hee fall yet shall he rise againe he shall not be cast off the Lord puts vnder his hand That is though the godly fall into affliction yet he is not broken in the fall GOD puts vnder his hand hee fals soft he fals not so as to breake his necke to be vndone so there is that difference So that though GOD doe the same act to both yet he doth it to the one for loue to the other he doth the same act for destruction Like to a man that loppes Trees there is a certaine season in the yeere when if he loppe his Trees they will be the better for it if they be lopped in due season they are the better loppe them at another time and they will wither So God comes to the wicked man in the vnfittest time to him a time when they looke not for him a time that the wicked men feare least then hee comes iust as a Thiefe doth in the worst and most dangerous time of all for the owner of the house then comes the Thiefe he pickes out that time So GOD comes vpon the wicked and afflicts them when they are in peace and prosperity take heede that he loppe thee not at that time when thou shalt wither to destruction when thou art not prepared So the Scripture saith sudden destruction comes vpwicked men So that suddennesse is when men are not prepared And so when God saith will free the godly from sudden death his meaning is he will prepare him and fit him for death Put all these together That the wicked bring their enterprizes to passe that the godly are crossed and afflicted that GOD hath a speciall end in this that death affliction and sicknesse come suddenly vpon none but wicked men and it will giue satisfaction to any man I should come now to presse the point but the time is past I cannot doe it So much shall serue for the second Vse for the answering of the Objections The third thing to set faith on worke in is to sanctifie you to mortifie your lusts to reuiue and strengthen you in the inward man and to make it quicke in euery good worke This point I intended to handle at this time Faith is exceeding effectuall to doe this I will touch it but in one word I will not hold you long Set faith aworke to sanctifie thy heart You will aske me How shall I doe it Faith doth it diuers wayes I cannot goe thorow them Set faith a worke to beleeue the forgiuenesse of thy sinnes to beleeue the loue of GOD towards thee to beleeue the promises and thou shalt finde that these will sanctifie thy heart this act of faith wil purifie thy-thy-heart But how can that be Because this shall turne thy heart from thy sinnes to GOD for there is no way to mortifie lusts and to quicken thy heart but by causing thee to delight in GOD. No man can haue his heart weaned from sinne diuorsed from sinne which he hath beene wedded to all his life except he find another Husband in whom hee may delight more Now the more thou beleeuest that God is thine the more thou beleeuest that thy sins are forgiuen the more thou canst set faith on worke to doe this the more victory thou shalt get ouer thy sinnes that is the nature of mans disposition that still it desires that object that is amiable and pleasant Now if thou looke on GOD as a Iudge that will turne thee away from him that makes thee continue stil in sin but when thou lookest vpon him as vpon one that loues thee as one that fauoureth thee as one that is thy frend that accepts thee this will winne thine heart this will cause a mans heart to turne from sinne to turne from darknes to light it will make him to leaue the wayes wherein he delighted before it will diuorse a mans heart from the sinne wherein it hath taken pleasure a long time so that it shall neuer get the victory ouer it Therefore the best way in such a case is to set faith aworke to beleeue the forgiuenesse of sinnes remember the promises of GOD those promises you haue heard often that God will forgiue thy sinnes that he will pardon thee take these promises and apply them see GOD ready to forgiue this will turne thy heart from sinne thou shalt finde sinne dye and wither in thee and thy heart to growe and bee quickned in grace you know that to get a louing heart is to beleeue that GOD loues vs to beleeue that our sinnes are forgiuen Now I say there is nothing that weakneth sinne indeede but to loue GOD whatsoeuer sinne is weakned by other meanes then by loue to GOD by turning the heart to him by repentance and mortification that sinne lyeth hid though it seeme no way to increase this increaseth loue when we beleeue the promise of GOD that he is ready to forgiue that is effectuall for this purpose When CHRIST came to Peter and said vnto him Louest thou me then saith he feede my Sheepe So after this manner when thou once beleeuest that GOD loues thee and canst bring thy heart to loue him againe if now CHRIST should come to thee and say Louest thou me who loued thee and gaue my selfe for thee If thou doest loue me disdaine such a thing which I hate doe not such things as will grieue me keepe my Commandements keepe my Sabbaths if thou louest me let not thy conuersation be in wantonnesse in strife and enuying it thou loue me labour to bring some glory to my Name and to doe some good to mankinde if thou loue me be diligent in thy Calling if thou loue mee honour mee doe good to others doe good to thy selfe with it Let a man goe thorow all the particulars of sinne and he would abstaine from it if hee would set faith on worke this way to sanctifie his heart Againe faith doth it by ouercomming the World that when a man is drawne one of these two things drawes him Either some offer of some great benefit or some great euill which he is put in feare of now when hee lookes and seeth that GOD is able to keepe him when men doe their worst and that hee can giue him a heauenly Kingdome when he lookes to the promise he is aboue the World Againe he not onely ouercomes riches but he makes aduantage of them hee not onely loues them as a slaue but he gets the victory ouer them and hee gets seruice from
them againe If you did hate them as you should you would never returne to amity with them more Many a man takes resolutions to himselfe I will be drunke no more I will be a gamester no more I will not commit such and such grosse sinnes as I have done any more perhaps some shame or some feare hath followed him some deepe apprehension of wrath and judgement which set him vpon this resolution for the present but if the heart be right that thou hatest sin as thou shouldest thou wilt continue hating of it Therefore consider whether you love the Lord Iesus by this triall whether your hearts hate sin in your constant resolution or no. This was the disposition that was in Lot His righteous soule was vexed with the unclean conversation of the Sodomits that is he did not onely abstaine from the actes that they did but his soule wrought against them he was vexed with them as a man is vexed with a thing that is contrary to his disposition So it is sayd of Moses he stood in the doore of the Tabernacle and he wept as he stood his heart was mooved in him It is not enough to abstaine from sinne but to hate sinne and that is an argument of our love to the Lord Iesus take this therefore for an other triall of your love Againe there is one more which wee cannot leave out though it be a thing knowne unto you yet because the Scripture gives it as a peculiar signe by which we may judge of our love to the Lord it must not be passed by and that is our love to the Saints and there is good reason given of it if we consider it well 1 Ioh. 4.20 Wilt thou say thou lovest God whom thou hast not seene and yet lovest not thy brother whom thou hast seene The meaning is this for a man to love the Lord who is immortall invisible who dwelleth in light inaccessible is a more difficult thing than to love thy brother whom thou seest For why doe wee love the Lord but because we conceive him under such a notion we thinke of him as such a God having such and such attributes Now saith the Apostle whatsoever thou conceivest of God that very image and disposition is stamped on man like thy selfe thou shalt see the very same disposition in a holy man that is in the Lord himselfe Indeed it differeth in the degree exceedingly there is but a glimpse of it yet why is it said that the Image of God is renewed but that there is in holy men a disposition like the nature of God Now this is in a more remisse degree in man and therefore more sutable to our weaknesse as you know difficulty comes from disproportion it is a harder thing to love the Lord than a man like our selves If therefore wee doe not love men like our selves in whom is stamped a disposition like the nature of God and his Image in some degree surely we cannot love the Lord who is so farre above us Againe a man like our selves is visible we see his actions we heare him speake we know more plainly the frame of his disposition and therefore it is more easie to love a holy man than to love the Lord For so is the Apostles argument Doe not thinke that thou lovest the Lord whom thou never sawest when thou doest not love thy brother whom thou seest daily Therefore wee may conclude thus much if we love not the Saints and holy men it is certaine we love not the Lord. I confesse every man is ready to say in this case he loves holy men I would put you to this tryall and aske you but this question you shall know it by this Doe you love all the Saints You shall finde that the Apostle Paul still in his Epistles puts in that caution Love to all the Saints If thou love grace and holinesse thou wilt love it wheresoever it is Many men will love some particular grace especially when it suteth with their disposition and is agreeable to them and to their constitution but to love all grace to love all holinesse in all the Saints wheresoever it is found it is an infallible signe that thou lovest the Lord Iesus Againe doest thou love none but them that where grace is thou lovest and where it is not thou withdrawest thy love But you will say would you have us to love none but the Saints I answer it is true wee ought to love all others with a love of pitty wee should shew abundance of this love to all mankinde but then there is a love of complacencie and delight and with this love we ought to love none but the Saints Againe thirdly doe you love them as they excell in holinesse many men can love one that hath but some degree of grace but if it be one that hath more exactnes than ordinarie that hath proceeded higher in holinesse than he thinkes requisite here his heart is readie to quarrell and to rise against him Lastly doe you manifest your loue by delighting in their companie and by the fruites of love towards them You may professe much and say much but of all other things companie is the worst dissembled Will you professe that you loue the Saints and that you delight in them and yet desire to be in any company rather than in theirs that when you are among them you are as if you were out of your element you move as if you were out of your owne center It is impossible but that those that are moved by the same spirit should be best pleased when they are in one and the same society Put all these things together and by these you may judge whether you love the Saints or no. You will object I doe love the Saints but who are they I love not hypocrites and so it is made a notable excuse I will not wish thee to love hypocrites onely take heede thou suffer not the impes and instruments of the Divell to paint out the true Saints unto thee in the colours of hypocrites thou must consider that it hath beene the usuall manner to cast that aspersion upon all the Saints upon all holy men in all ages as the Apostle saith in 2 Cor. We are as deceivers though true that is the common esteeme that the world hath of the Saints they judge them to be deceivers and to be men that professe themselves to be otherwise than they are You know what was said of Iesus Christ some said of him he was a good man others said nay he was a deceiver of the people You know what was said of David that he was a subtle man one that went about to deceive others Paul you know was reckoned the great impostor of the world this was alwayes laid upon the Saints therefore let not the Divells instruments deceive thee in that Besides why are they hypocrites Is it because there are some shewes of holinesse in them Surely
day saith the Apostle it shall be the day of the manifestation of the just wrath of God in that day when the Lord shall open the treasures of his wrath those which have beene so long time a gathering While wee live here the clouds of Gods indignation are but gathering then they shall grow thicke and blacke and fasten upon you to the uttermost then all the great deepes shall be broken up then the flood-gates of Gods judgements shall prevaile and overflow you that case shall be yours at that time and this is a time which is to be considered by you now in Eccles. 1.7 Remember the dayes of darknesse for they are many My brethren eternity is an other thing than wee consider it to be while wee live in this world In Psal. 78.38 The Lord called backe his wrath and stirred not up all his indignation but at that time the Lord shall stirre up all his wrath yee doe here but sippe of this cup but then yee shall drinke up the dreggs of it for ever This shall be the case of those that love not the Lord. But you will say this is afarre off and therefore the lesse terrible it is not neere at hand Well though this curse in which wee have shewed these foure branches be not presently executed yet remember this that when we preach the Gospell to you as we doe from day to day and are still offering you Christ beseeching you to come in and take him and love him but yet you will not know that there is a thunderbolt alwayes following this lightening when Iohn Baptist came and preached the Gospell hee tells them presently of the curse that ws to follow You doe not know the time when the Lord will execute this curse Cain was cursed many yeares before he died and so Saul when the Lord had rejected him and had made a separation between God and him for a curse is but a separation when a man is cast aside and set apart for such a purpose so Saul was set apart for evill yet hee reigned many yeares after notwithstanding hee was under the curse So those that the Lord sware in his wrath they should not enter into his rest there was a curse upon them yet they lived many yeares in the wildernesse Therefore though the execution be not presently and though thou be in prosperity for the present yet it is but Cains prosperity though he had his life continued yet the curse lay upon him notwithstanding therefore I say take heede of refusing and deferring lest he sweare in his wrath that ye shall not enter into his rest it is a dangerous thing to refuse the Lord Iesus when hee is offered the first second third and fourth time and still you will not come in take heede and remember that speech of the Apostle that we named to you Whosoever loveth not the Lord Iesus let him be accursed When the Apostle looked upon the men to whom hee had preached and written you Corinthians to whom the Gospell hath beene plentifully preached and made knowne those among you that have heard me and have beene made acquainted with this doctrine of the freenesse of Gods offering grace to you if you will not take Christ in good earnest if you will not love him let such a man be accursed and brethren S. Paul was stirred up by the Spirit of God to pronounce this curse So I say let these words continue in your mindes that whosoever loves not the Lord Iesus let him be Anathema Maranatha and he that hath eares to heare let him heare what the Spirit saith for happy and blessed are those that love the Lord Iesus but miserable and cursed are those that doe not love him FINIS THE EIGHTH SERMON GALAT. 5.6 For in Iesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision but Faith which worketh by Love HAVING spoken of faith and love it remaines that we adde to them good workes for which wee will goe no further than this Text wee cannot have a fitter for saith the Apostle when you come to have to doe with Christ Iesus to be ingrafted into him to make your selves first acceptable to God through him all the workes you can doe are nothing they are no more than the omission of them circumcision is the same with uncircumcision But what is of moment then Faith saith hee But what faith must that be Such a faith as begets love And what love must that be Such a love as sets you on worke so that you have a chaine here consisting of these three linkes faith which when it is right will beget love and love when it is right will set you on worke faith which workes by love So the point we will deliver to you out of these words shall be this That we are to be judged not onely by our faith and love but also by our workes that no man hath faith and love that none are new creatures that none have sincerity but workes will follow this is a point which I doe not meane to handle at large as we have done the other but will endeavour to finish it at this time and it is a very necessary point because men are ready to applaud themselves in their knowledge in their good meaning in their honest desires and in the meane time they faile in their lives and actions therefore as those are the radicall verâ—ues which indeede make up the new creature Faith and Love so you must know that good workes are never disjoyned from them wheresoever there is sinceritie and a new creature good workes will follow The Scripture you know is evident in this A good tree bringeth forth good fruite Matth. 7. that is it cannot be that a mâ—n shall have a new heart it cannot be that a man should be regenerate but that his workes will be also new looke how farre the heart of any man is holy looke how farre his heart is put into a new frame of grace in that measure his workes will be good and his life sanctified In Acts 14.22 speaking of David I have found a man after mâ—ne owne heart who will doe whatsoever I will and in Mat. 23.26 Make the inside cleane that the outside may be cleane also As if he should say if the inside be right if the heart be set right within if that be well moulded the outside will bee cleane they cannot bee disjoyned If a man have a treasure within there will be silver in his speeches and actions but if his heart be nothing worth his words and actions will be but meere drosse It is the scope of that Prov. 10.20 The words of the righteous are as fined silver but the heart of the wicked is nothing worth That is when his heart is nothing worth his speeches and actions are nothing worth too but the good man that hath his treasure in his heart there is silver and golde in his speeches and
desire God were not wee hate him 3 131 O. Oathes Wherein lesser oathes exceed greater 3 114 Obedience 2 94 Object Iustifying faith differeth from generall faith in the obiect 1 48 Obiect of faith 1 52 Faith and opinion differ in the obiect 1 120 Offer Errours touching the generall offer of Christ. 1 11 Who sleight Gods offer 3 21 God offers his love to us 3 144 Office Things are effectuall when they doe their proper office 2 21 Onely Christ must be taken only 1 19 Opinion Opinion 1 47 Opinion variable 1 98 Opinion wherein it differeth from faith 1 120 Errours in opinion the worst errours 3 210 Opportunities Opportunities neglected shew want of love 3 62 Opportunities not to be slipped 3 211 Outward Outward things whence it is that wee overvalue them 2 161 In outward things God dealeth promiscuously 2 204 Not to iudge by Gods outward dealing 2 205 Gods curse in outward estate 3 180 P. Pacifie To pacify the heart an act of faith 1 62 Pardon Wee should labour for assurance of pardon 2 73 Pardon propounded generally 2 150 Passeover The Lords Supper beyond the Passeover in two respects 2 58 Paines Measure of grace not gotten without paines 3 203 Peace Peace a signe of faith 2 108 Peace wicked men may live and die in it and why 2 209 Peace twofold 2 112 Peace unsound a great iudgement 2 114 Person We must take heede of errour concerning Christs Person 1 18 True love lookes to the Person 1 53 Many take Christ but love not his Person 2.12 Love must be pitched on Christs Person 3 171 Perfect Faith made perfect by workes what 2 69 Perswasion Perswasion of forgivenesse on what ground to build it 1 99 Perswasion degrees in it 1 118 Perswasion to grow in it 1 127 Perswasion false what 2 17 Perswasion secret of the Spirit 2 84 Perswasion may be in men that beleeve not 3 16 Perswasion may be weake in a true beleever 3 17 Persecute They that persecute Christians persecute Christ. 3 121 Pitty A love of pitty 3 8 Plague Plague causes of it 3 91 Plague how to remove it 3 94 Pleasures Pleasures how faith guides in them 2 164 Pleasures of sinne forsâ—ken of good men why 2 165 Pleasures to love them more than God is to hate him 3.133 Pleasures not to love them more than God what 3 107 Plenty Plenty a man may be cursed in it 3.181 Poore We cannot love Christ till we be spiritually poore 3 52 Posterity How faith guides a mans care for posterity 2 165 Power Power to receive Christ is of God 1 11 Power given by God when wee resolve to take Christ. 1 26 Power against sinne where Christ dwelleth 2 102 Powers of the world to come what meant by tasting them 2 134 Love powerfull as fire 3 87 Prayse Praysing God the ground of it 1 80 Prayse with men 2 159 Practise Practise of Christ when hee was on earth 1 111 Prayer Prayer how to prevaile in it 1 13â— Spirit of prayer a signe of faith 2 103 Prayer what maketh earnest and bolde in it 2 104 Prayer what 2 105 Prayer double Ibid Prayer a meanes to love God 3 â—9 Prayer workes love 4 wayes Ibid. What kinde of prayer comes from love 3 81 Prayer needfull in times of iudgement 3 212 Preaching Preaching of Christ and his Apostles the summe of it 1 84 Presence Presence of Christ desired according to the measure of faith 3 74 Presence of God separation from it a curse 3 179 Preparation Good preparation makes faith effectuall 2 29 Pride Pride a cause of the pestilence 3 92 Priviledges Priviledges spirituall why they affect us not 1 108 Prize That we may prize blessings GOD defers the giving them 2 199 Love sets a price on all we doe 3 151 Private Private duties performed without love 3 8â— Profit How faith guides in case of profit 2 160 Promise Promises the certainty of them 1 34 Promises two things in laying holde of them 1 94 Promises made in sicknessâ— seldome performed 2 11 Promises the beleeving of them in particular 2 34 Promises made promiscuously 2 4â— Promises the application of them wrought by the Spirit 2 53 Promises cleared 2 88 Promises not seen without the Spirit 2 89 Promises how to know they are cleared 2 91 Promises how to try our faith in them 2 114 Prosperitie Prosperity of wicked men 2 200 Prosperity hurts wicked men 2 205 Prosperity in sinne a miserable condition 2 206 Providence Providence of God crossed by our prayers 2 200 Purposes Purposes of good why they come to nothing in many 2 74 Purposes good whence they arise 3 192 Purifie To purify the heart an act of faith 1 165 True faith purifieth the heart 2 93 Q. Qualification Vpon what qualification Christs righteousnesse is given 1 12 See Exclude Qualitie see Faith Quicke Love of a quick nature 2 125 Love quick like fire 3 85 R. Reason Faith a new addition to the light of reason â— 55 Received Receiving Righteouâ—nesse of Christ must be received as well as offered 1 15 In receiving of Christ 3 things must concurre 1 28 Wee must not onely beleeâ—e in but receive Christ. 1 51 None have benefit by Christ but thâ—se that receive him Ibid. Reconcile To reconcile us to God an act of faith 1 62 Reciprocall Reciprocall match betweene Christ and us 2 92 Reflect Reflect act of faith admits degrees 1 126 A beast cannot reflect on his actions 2 91 Rejoyce Reioyce we should in GOD. 1 76 Reioyce in our selves wee are prone to it 1 77 Religion Religion hated under other notions 3 104 Religion what 3 199 Remedie The curse of the Gospell without remedy 3 23 Repentance Repentance required when wee have taken Christ. 1 23 Repentance ioyned with faith 2 94 Repentance not to be deferred 2 106 Repentance removes a plague 3 94 Revealed Why Christs righteousnesse is said to be revealed 1 4 Wee should labour to have more truthes revealed 1 129 Respect GODS respect to Christians in affliction 2 209 Reward Reward according to our workes 2 71 182 Reward we may use motives from it 3 80 Reward love bargaines not for it 3 96 Riches see Happie Righteousnesse Righteousnesse why revealed in the Gospell 1 2 Righteousnesse in the Gospell commended 1 3 Righteousnesse 6 questions about it 1 5 Righteousnesse of Christ how wee come by it 1 7 Righteousnesse to whom it is given 1 9 Righteousnesse what required of us when we have it 1 23 Christ our righteousnesse 2 150 Rob. If we love not GOD we rob him 3 46 Rooted How to be rooted in love 3 171 S. Sacrament Sacraments preach faith 1 87 Sacrament rules of examination touching it 2 202 Sacrament not to be omitted why 3 58 Sacrament unworthily received a cause of the plague 3 92 Saints Saints love to them a signe we love God 3 100 120 Saints foure tryalls of our love to them 3 101 Sanctification Sanctification God puts
2. 2 Cor. 5.21 2. Quest. How we shall come by it Ans. Esay 9.6 Ioh. 3.16 Rom. 5.17 Reasons why it is by gift Rom. 4.5 3. Quest. To whom it is giuen Ans. Mark 16.15 Reu. 22.17 Obiect Ans. 1. Answ. 2. Ans. 3. Ans. 4. Obiect Ans. 4. Quest. Vpon what qualifications it is giuen Ans. 1 Cor. 6.9 1. Obiect Ans. 1. Ans. 2. Simile 5. Quest. Ans. Simile Simile Esay 55.1 What this taking is Ans. Faith what Obiect Answ. 1 Tim. 1.15 Simile Three things must concurre in receiuing Christ. Ioh. 5.44 Ioh. 1.11.12 Three things required in the will in taking Christ. 6. Quest. What is required of vs when we haue it Ans. Mat. 3.2 Tit. 2.14 Obiect Ans. Obiect Ans. Ioh. 1.12 13. Vse 1. Mar. 16.16 Ioh. 6.44 Cant. 3. Vse 2. Mat. 11.28 29. Three considerations to moue men to take Christ. Doct. 2. Two Couenants 1. Absolute Ier. 31. Ezek. 36. 2. Conditionall Mar. 16. Rom. 4.5 Quest. Ans. Though holinesse be required it is Gods worke Simile Eph. 2.10 Habits Why God will saue men by faith 1. Reason 2. Reason 3. Reason 4. Reason 1 Cor. 1.30 Eph 4. Freedome from euill to the Saints whence it is Faith what in generall Assent of three sorts Iustifying faith How it differs from generall faith 1 In the obiect 2 In the act of the will Heb. 11 1â— Definition of iustifying faith How faith taketh Christ. We must not only beleeue but receiue Christ. Ioh. 3. Foure things touching faith 1 The obiect of it 2 Cor. 1. Ioh. 3. True loue lookes first to Christs person Mar. 16. Baptizing what meant by it in Mat. 16. 2 The subiect of faith What required in the vnderstanding 2 Cor. 4. What required of the will Rom. 5.17 Ioh. 1.12 This act of the will wrought by God 3 How faith iustifieth Faith altereth not the nature of sinne Note 4 The acts of faith 1 To reconcile vs. 2 To pacifie the heart Direct and reflect act of faith Difference betweene them 3 To purifie thâ— heart Vse 1. Not to be discouraged to come to God A double quality in faith Quest. Ans. Faith emptieth a man of two things 1 Cor. 1.30 Double complaint in sense of want Vse 2. To reioyce in God Eph. 1.6 Eph. 2. 2 Cor. 1.30 Rom. 6.4 Phil 3. Reu. 7.11 Vse 3. To labour for faith aboue all Gal. 5.5.6 Without faith God regards not morall vertues Difference betweene faith and morall vertues Difference betweene faith and shewes of holinesse Vse 4. To apply the promises with boldnesse Gods free promise should incourage vs to come with boldnesse 1 Ioh 1.9 Luk. 11.6.8 Obiect Answ. Christ requireth but a willingnesse to mortifie our lusts Obiect Answ. 2 Cor. 8.9 Two things in laying hold on the promises 4. Things in the vnderstanding Quest. Ioh. 16. Ioh. 6.44 Cant. 2.3 The will drawne by 3. meanes 1. Meanes 1 Cor. 10. 2. Meanes 3. Meanes Arguments to perswade vs of Christs willingnesse to recâ—iue sinners 1 By expressions in Scripture 2 By Christs practice when he was on Earth 3 Else Christs blood were shed in vaine 4 By the example of others pardoned 5 Else no flesh should be saued 6 By the infinitenesse of Gods mercy Obiect Ans. 2. Obiect Ans. By denying our selues we enioy our selues better Obiect Ans. Doct. 1. Doct. 2. Doct. 3. Faith admits degrees Two parts in the Doctrine Faith admits of degrees in 4. respects 1 In perswasion Obiect Ans. Obiect Ans. Wherein faith and opinion differ 2 In respect of difficulties Numb 11. 3 In regard of extent The reflect act of faith admits degrees Vse 1. To comfort Vse 2. For exhortation 2 Pet. 1. 13. Motiues to grow in faith Doct. The faith that saues vs must be effectuall Men are apt to deceiue themselues That many men haue a false faith proued by instances both in the Old and New Testament Ioh. 2.23.24 Ioh. 5.35 Mat. 22.8 9 10 11. opened Mat. 13. Ier. 3.10 opened Deut. 5.25 Verse 29. Simile Three things opened 1 The Causes why the faith of many is vneffectuall which are fiue Cause 1. Taking Christ vpon mis-information Instances 1 The yong man that came to Christ. Luk. 18. 2 The Scribe Mat. 8.20 opened Note Cause 2. Taking Christ out of feare Isa. 58. opened Note Simile Cause 3. Taking Christ for loue of the good things by him and not for loue to his person Note Simile Ioh. 6.26 opened Some men seeke mercy and not grace Cant. 5.12 opened We may looke to our own aduantages by Christ. Cause 4. Want of humiliation Deut. 30.6 opened The Spirit of Elias what Without sound humiliation sinne is not accounted the greatest euill nor Christ the greatest good Cause 5. Because faith is not grounded aright Eph. 4.10 opened Col. 1.23 opened Hope that is not wel grounded holds not out Deut. 13.1 2 3. opened 2 Pet. 3.17 2 Wherein the efficacy of faith consisteth Three things opened 1 In what sence faith is called effectuall Things are said to be effectuall in 4. respects 1 When they doe their proper office The proper function of faith what Faith may bee effectuall though it bee mingled with doubting Iam. 1.7 8. opened A double-minded man who Papists tenent of doubting What doubting it is that faith excludeth How to try truth of doubting Simile Some men cleaue to Christ for wans of temptations True faith not without doubtings and feares sometimes Simile Doubting a signe of a good heart 2 A thing is effectuall in opposition to that which is vaine and empty Simile Simile Iam. 2.17.20 26. 3 A thing is said to be effectuall when it is operatiue Simile 4 When it goes thorow with the worke in hand 2 wherein the efectualnesse of faith consists in 4. things I When the preparation is good Luk. 9.62 opened Sound humiliation fits men for Christ. Instances 1 In the Israelites 2 In the Prodigall Men hold not without sound humiliation Reu. 2.25 opened Mat. 10. â— opened II When the vnderstanding is cleare When a man is said to be well built 1 When he beleeues the Scriptures in generall 2 The promises in particular Application of the offer of Christ. Eph. 2.19 20. opened Note Ioh. 4.44 Particular knowledge 1 Ioh. 1.19 opened Ioh. 6.68 opened The third thing wherein the efficacie of faith consists to take Christ. Heb. 10.22 opened Vers. 38. Eph. 3.17 Reu. 3 2â— What taking of Christ is effectuall Eph. 5.23 opened Gen. 2.24 We must draw neere out of loue to Christ. 1 Tim. 1.5 4 Thing wherin the efficacy of faith consists The turning of the whole soule Gal. 5. Working in doing and suffering Why the promises are made promiscuously God tryeth mens graces Ioh. 12.42 3 How effectuall faith is wrought It is not in mans power to beleeue Quest. Answ. How the Holy Ghost worketh faith by three things 1 Putting an efficacy in the Law A man cannot see his sins to purpose without the spirit of bondage Act. 16. 2 By shewing the
excellency and the riches of Christ. Eph. 1.18.19 opened Obiect Ans. No man can so see the riches of Christ as to be affected with them withâ—ut the helpe of the Spirit 1 Cor. 2.12 opened Ioh. 14.21 opened Ier. 31 33. opened 3 By assuring vs that these things are ours This also must be wrought by the Spirit The testimony of the Spirit wrought two waies 1 By clearing the promises 2 By an immediate voice Ioh. 16.29 Isa. 57.19 opened All arguments without the Spirit preuaile not Eph. 1.19 opened Act. 2.39 Luk. 14.23 opened That men are compelled to come in what it implies What is implyed by drawing Ioh. 6.44 opened How the Holy Ghost draweth Cant. 1.4 Eph. 1.18 4 Why God will accept no faith but that which is effectuall 1 Because else it is not faith because it is dead Similes 2 Because such faith hath no loue Rom. 8.28 3 Because the Deuils haue such a faith 4 Because it workes no mortification 5 Because else Christ should lose the end of his comming into the world 6 Good workes are the way to saluation Eph. 2.10 Rom. 2.6 Mat. 26.35 39. Vse 1. To try our faith whether it be sound Simile Iam. 2.14 Simile Exod. 34.6.7 Obiect Ans. Fiue arguments of Saint Iames against worklesse faith Note Vse 2. To judge our conditions by the efficacy of our faith Not to beleeue all that say they haue faith nor all that say they haue none Act of faith double Simile A man may haue faith though he want feeling Of those that say they haue faith but haue not Simile Psal. 119.7 Vse 3. To iustifie the Doctrine of good workes against the Papists slanders Difference betweene vs and Papists in the Doctrine of iustification Obiect Ans. Iustification double Rom. 4. Note Simile Answ. Faith made perfect by works what Simile 3 Obiect Ans. What meant by these words Faith without workes is dead 4 Obiect Ans. Why good works are required seeing they iustifie not Rom. 6.1 2. 1 They euidence our right in Christ. 2 God rewards according to our works 1 Pet. 1.15 3 Good workes necessary though not to iustification Different rise of good works in Papists and vs. An hypocrite cannot doe things out of loue to God 2 Cor. 13.2 Vse 3. To labour to grow in faith and assurance What course to take in weaknesse of grace Simile Labouring to strengthen faith of much vse 1 In getting assurance of pardon after sin is committed 2 In conflict with strong lusts 3 In want of graces How Ministers should build Simile Simile Vse 4. To looke to faith in our search Two wayes to increase assurance Simile Vse 5. To learne to iudge aright of our workes Iames 2.22 God accepts our workes no further then he findes faith in them Mat. 15.26 27. Heb. 11. God accepts the gift for the giuer To doe a thing by faith what Godlinesse what Heb. 11.6 Rom. 13. We must reckon common actions in our callings to be good workes Vse 6. To try if we haue faith 1 Triall A secret perswasion of the Spirit Reu. 2 17. Hidden Mannah White stone what it signifieth Gods manner of working faith Alike trouble of Spirit in conuersion not necessary to all and why Simile Soft voice what 1 Part of the soft voice a clearing of the promise Though the promises are neere vnlesse God cleere them we see them not Luk. 24. 2 Part of the soft voice the immediate testimony of Gods Spirit Rom. 8. Obiect Ans. How to know the testimony of the Spirit from a delusion How faith is wrought Whence longing after Christ comes Ioh. 19. How to know whether faith be wrought in vs. A beast cannot reflect vpon his actions as a man can How to know that the promise is cleared to vs. Rom. 8. The match betweene Christ and the soule reciprocall Fiue signes of effectuall faith 1. Signe True faith purifieth the heart Acts 15.9 Acts 26.18 Faith and repentance put together in the Scripture why True faith hath repentance Faith what it is Obedience Heb. 8.8 A Couenant what Generall reformation Christ dwels in the heart as the soule in the body Gal. 2.20 Isay 57.13.18 opened Simile How to know if Christ dwell in the heart Acts 8.37 opened Baptisme what Taking Christ deceitfully To take Christ with the whole heart what Act. 2â— 17 18. To turne to God what Faith and the desire of satisfying lusts cannot stand together Ier. 3. Men deceiued in the definition of faith Try faith as we doe other things Similes Digression for application to the Sacrament Rules of examination before and after the Sacrament Where Christ dwels indeed he giues power against sinne Phil. 4.12 To be guilty of the body blood of Christ what Quest. Answ. 2 Signe A Spirit of Prayer Spirit of adoption what Gal. 4.6 The Spirit of adoption maketh vs 1 Earnest in Prayer 2 Bold and confident Obiect Ans. True Prayer what Rom. 8. Prayer double The voice of Gods Spirit in vs what Quest. Ans. How to know the voyce of Gods Spirit in our prayers Wicked men come to God as a stranger the Saints as to a friend Hosea 7.14 opened Eph 3.7 3. Signe of faith Peace Rom. 5.1 Obiect Ans. Exod. 14. Psal. 3. 2 A twofold peace The third marke of faith it brings peace Phil. 4.6 opened Mat. 6. Ioh. 3.12 Gen. 24.7 4. Signe of effectual faith To hold out in cleauing to Christ. To hold out implyeth 3. things 1 To cleaue constantly to Christ. which noâ—e can doe that take Christ 1 Out of mis-information 2 Out of feare 3 Out of loue to his and not to him 4 Out of slender and slight grounds 2 To take no denyall 3 To be content to waite Hab. 2. Iam. 1. 5. Signe of effectuall faith the concomitants of it which are 4. 1 Loue. 2 Pet. 1.8 Gal. 5. 1 Cor. 13. Obiect Ans. Quest. Ans. Tryals of loue 2 Hope 3 Ioy. Rom. 15.13 1 Pet. 1.8 Obiect Heb. 6. Ans. Tryals of ioy Rom. 5.3 1 Pet. 1.8 Simile Heb. 6. opened 4 Humility Isay. 6. Vse To act and exercise Faith or to set it on Worke. Obiect Ans. Simile Simile Rom. 2. Heb. 11. Quest. Ans. How to vse Faith 1 In comforting our selues Gal. 3. opened Ioh. 16. Simile Considerations to helpe Faith in comforting the Soule Micha 7.8 Psal. 41.7 Quest. Ans. Eph. 4. 2 Tim. 2.19 2 Pet. 1.13 2 Vse of faith to guide and order our liues Simile Instances of faith guiding a man in difficult cases 1 Instance Ioh. 12.12 2 Instance 3 Instance 4 Instance Ier. 42. Ier. 42. 43. Obiect Ans. Ier. 26. 5 Instance Acts 6. 6 Instance Quest. Ans. 7 Instance 8 Instance Quest. Ans. 1 Tim. 4.10 Quest. Ans. To trust in GOD what Quest. 2 Cor. 1.10 opened Answ. Zeph. 3.12 Quest. Answ. 1 Tim. 1.5 2 Chro. 14.11 Quest. Ans. Obiect Answ. 2 Kings 5. Hester 6. Obiect Answ. 1. Isay 7. Isay 9. Answ. 2. Consisting of 3. parts Obiect Ans.