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
the conditions that God requires in our love to him we went through two of them the last time wee come now to that which remaines Thirdly you shall finde this to be another condition in our love to the Lord to love him above all that is incomparably above all For my brethren wee may love many things in the world wee may love our selves wee are commanded to loue our brethen as our selves but this is peculiarly required to the love of God if it be right in us and such as the Lord expects at our hands that we loue him aboue all for otherwise we doe not loue him as God wee loue him as a creature for to say we loue him as God and yet not to loue him aboue all is a contradiction Besides if wee should not reckon him as the chiefe good and so prise him aboue all some thing would offer it selfe one time or another to us and draw our affections to it and then wee should leaue the Lord and take that Therefore I say it is required that we loue the Lord aboue all For every kinde of loue is not sufficient as we see it in other things that loue that will serue a servant or a common friend will not serue for a wife it is another kinde of loue that loue that will serue for one will not serue for another A Parent a King and a Master as they haue different relations so they must be love with different kindes of loue Now then consider what loue it is that belongs to the Lord he must haue all he must haue a loue that answers him otherwise if thou come with a little pittance of loue and say Lord I am willing to bestow this upon thee the Lord will refuse it hee will answer I will take none of these things at your hands Even as landlords doe with their tenants when they bring not all their rent they refuse it and reject it because it is not that which they require and which is due Even so the Lord deales with us as he did with the young man in the Gospell saith hee Goe and sell all that thou hast My brethren it was not the act of selling but it was the affection that was required Therefore Christ did but try his affection by it and it was performed by the wise Merchant that solde all this the Lord requires that we loue him aboue all And there is good reason for it for hee is most excellent and most amiable of all Besides I am sure hee hath done for us more than all as Paul speakes Was Paul crucified for you hath not Christ bought you hath not hee redeemed you hath not he deserved more than all and should he not therfore be loved aboue all Againe is he not the uttermost end are not all natures else subordinate God as hee is aboue all so should wee haue a loue answerable unto him But you will object What to loue God aboue my selfe how can I doe that Yes my brethren and there is good reason for that too beeause in so doing we provide best for our selues it is not so with the creature if you set your loue upon it if you loue any creature aboue your selves it may be the destruction of your selves But the Lord can provide for you and repaire you againe when the creature is destroyed for the Lords sake when a man is a loser for any thing that he doth for the Lord he is a great gainer by it for it is the rule that God hath appointed the creature and the perfection of every creature is in comming neere to the rule Now when the Lord hath appointed this to loue him aboue our selues in so doing we cannot chuse but provide best for our selues because therein lies our excellencie and perfection This is therefore another property of this loue we must loue God aboue all aboue all riches aboue all profits aboue all honour and credit aboue all learning and delight aboue our selues and our lusts Therefore you shall finde it in the phrase of Scripture how it runnes those that loue pleasures more than God those that love the praise of men more than God those that loue wealth more than God you see how they are excluded You shall see what it is not to loue the praise of men more than God it is this when they come together at some times in competition as they will ever and anon still to preferre God before them As for example the Lord hath commanded you to sanctifie the Sabboth to pray continually the least thou canst doe is to doe it evening and morning and to doe it diligently Now when thy profits and thy businesse or thy ease shall come and thrust thee off from such a duty now they come together and here they meete upon a narrow bridge as it were if thou shalt now preferre thy profits and thy businesse before the service of the Lord thou art a lover of thy wealth more than of him You may bring it to many such examples So againe the Lord hath commanded to be diligent in your callings to improue the time to the best advantage for you shall giue an account for it is one of the most precious talents you have Now if pleasures and sports and recreations shall come in and allure you and call you to draw you away to spend time amisse now they come in competition if ye doe this ordinarily you are lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God So againe God hath commanded thee that thou shouldest not commit adultery that thou shalt not kill that thou shalt forbeare to revenge and the like Now if any lust shall come and stand in opposition to such a command if thou preferre this before it thou art a lover of thy selfe and of thy lusts before God In a word goe through any such thing wherein God and thy lusts thy pleasure or thy profits come in competition when thou shalt in thy ordinary course be ready to preferre that before him thou lovest that before him thou lovest that before the Lord and though thou thinke that thou lovest God yet notwithstanding know this that that is not sufficient thou must loue him aboue all And if you say who is able to performe this who is it that doth not at some times preferre his pleasures and profits before the obedience to a command I answer it is a thing that hath beene done and is done by all the Saints Therefore if you looke into Deut. 30.6 saith the Lord I will circumcise thy heart and the heart of thy seede and thou shalt love me with all thy heart He speakes it there of a thing that is acted indeede of a thing that is to be done by those that are regenerate I will circumcise you and then you shall doe it And my brethren a man that hath the least measure of grace if he be once in Christ hee loves
God above all that is let a man be himselfe at any time let not his lusts get the upper ground of him as sometimes it doth when hee is in passion and transported indeede then feare may prevaile as it did with Peter and lusts may prevaile as it did with David But the meaning is let a man be himselfe in his ordinary course and still hee preferres the Lord before any thing in all his actions You will say this is a thing that no man can doe to love God above all Yes my beloved therefore you must understand it thus that comparatively you may reach it all those that are sanctified doe love him above all although there be many degrees of love you cannot reach unto yet you love him above all Even as it is in marriage a man may love his wife with such a degree of Iove as is meete for her yet there may be a greater degree of loue continuance of time may increase that love upon further knowledge c. So wee may love the Lord above all and yet come short of that degree that we may have after longer communion and greater familiarity So much for this third condition to love him above all But yet this is not enough we finde another condition required in this love in the Eph 3.17 That ye be rooted and grounded in love that is that as ye must not love the Lord by halues so ye must not love him by fits and by starts it must be a fixed love a permanent love you must bee rooted and grounded in it otherwise as it is said of him that is unstabe in the faith as Iam. 1.12 He is as a wave of the Sea tossed too and froe the same may be said of him that wavers in his love he is tossed too fro that is some times he commeth with great purposes with aboundance of promises and resolutions that seeme as bigg as mountaines but stay a while and they come to nothing they vanish away Suppose it were thy owne case that a man should come to thee with an expression of as much love as that there could be no more for a day or two but presently afterward he is as strange as if he had never seene thee wouldest thou regard such a loue as this No surely but as wee use to doe with franticke men though that they be sober for a while yet we reckon them franticke because they are more constantly franticke such account doth the Lord make of such as doe love him by fitts and by flashes But you will say who is there that is alwayes at the same stay It is true my brethren I deny not but that the best of the Saints have their loue some times in the full tide and some times in the lowest ebb but you must knowe that there is a great deale of difference betweene these degrees and that loue that is as the morning dew presently dryed up againe therefore you must alwayes remember that this must be added to that that formerly hath been spoken that ye must be rooted and grounded in loue You will say how shall we doe that Remember but these two things Labour to be rooted and grounded in Faith and then you shall be rooted and grounded in love as in that place I named before in Ephes. 3.17 he prayeth that Christ may dwell in their hearts by Faith that so being rooted and grounded in love they may comprehend c. Let a man consider well upon what ground he hath perswaded himselfe of the Lords favour and loue to him let him not build upon a hollowe sandie foundation but let him build the assurance of his salvation upon a rock that is let him examine his grounds to the bottome let him search it well let him consider all the objections that may be made against his assurance and not giue over till he be fully convinced that the Lord his heart is perfect with him and when he is thus rooted and grounded in faith he will likewise be rooted and grounded in loue Againe remember to pitch your loue upon the person not to loue him for by-respects for other matters but set your eye upon the very person of Christ to behold him in his glory in his purenesse in his attributes in all his excellencies and so to loue him for that will continue for if you loue the Lord because he deals wel with you because you haue hope he will saue you because you have escaped such and such judgements through his providence if any of these bee the ground of your love these are mutable but if you love him for himselfe because of that amiablenesse that is in him for my brethren hee is the same there is no shadow of change in him Therefore if you love him thus your love will be constant this was the case of Iob his love was right he loved the very person of God therefore hee was willing to take good and evill at the hand of God and yet his love remained sure take another man that hath not knowne God that is not acquainted with him it may be when the Lord hath brought him into prosperity he will forget the Lord as Demas embraced the present world the prosperity of such a man drawes him from God Another man when persecutions and trialls come he forsakes the Lord because indeede he pitched not his love upon his person therefore hee loves him not constantly But to goe on The next is that property ye shall finde in the 1 Thess 1.3 Diligent loue that is the last which I will name to you I say it must be a diligent love wherewith you love the Lord and not an idle and negligent love not a love that is in shew onely but a love that is operative for that God requires You will say wherein should our love be diligent I answer you must be diligent in preparing for the Lords comming that you may receive the King of glorie that he may enter into your hearts for there is a diligence of love in that to doe as Iohn Baptist came to doe to prepare the way of the Lord what was that To bring downe the mountaines and to raise up the valleyes that is those high thoughts those high lusts that stand in opposition against the Lord that barre the doore against him that will not let him enter into your hearts bring downe those mountaines againe the valleyes must be raised up that God may come and dwell in your hearts the diligence of love is shewed in opening to the Lord when hee knockes that when a thing shall be suggested to you it is for the Lords advantage to embrace it for it is the nature of true love it enlargeth and wideneth the heart Againe love is diligent in adorning it selfe and beautifying the soule for the approach of the lover such is this love that wee speake of it will make you
Christ to live with him for ever to be in his presence continually although there may be some reluctancie by reason of the flesh that is there Take a man that hath sore eyes you ynow to the eye the light is exceeding pleasant but look how much sorenesse and defect there is in the eye so much the light is burdensome to it but so farre as the eye is right so farre as it is perfect so farre is the light pleasing and delightfull to it so it is with the heart of the regenerate man looke how much faith looke how much spirit there is so much desire there is of the presence of Christ and it is most pleasing and acceptable to him as the light of the Sunne is to the eye but looke how much sorenesse that is looke how much flesh there is in him so much reluctancie so much unwillingnes there is in him and that hee must strive against But still the rule holdeth good that wheresoever the heart is right there is alwayes an earnest desire and longing to be with Christ. And indeede this is only found in the Saints for evil meÌ„ if they knew what heaven were they would never desire it for they desire heaven in another notion they would be well they would be freed from misery and discontent which they mette with in the world they would have whatsoever the flesh desireth and that is it they looke after but to desire heaven as it is that is to desire an excellency in grace to be alway praising God to be continually in his presence to be freed from the practise of sinne this is a thing that if men aske their owne hearts they doe not desire in this manner for they desire it not here upon earth when they are in the communion of Saints When they are in places where there are holy speeches and holy exercises it is burthensome to them they are out of their element they are as men that are not upon their proper center these men desire to be in heaven but they desire another kinde of happinesse than there is in heaven the felicity there is presented unto them under another Idea they desire no more than the flesh desires but to desire heaven indeed as it is heaven to desire God there in his purenesse and holinesse to desire it so as thereby to be sequestred from all worldly carnall and sensuall delights this a carnall man desires not Therefore this is a distinguishing note and signe that he that loves the Lord will love his appearance Fourthly you shall finde this to be the property of love hee that loveth is very readie to speake of the party loved love is full of loquacitie it is readie to fall into the praises of the party beloved and to keepe no measure in it to abound in it that is the disposition of every man that loveth So is it in this love to the Lord Iesus You may see it in David as he abounded in love to the Lord so hee could never satisfie himselfe in praising the Lord in Psal. 105. which is repeated 2 Chron. 15. you shall finde that hee hath never done with it but is alwayes singing praises to the Lord Sing praise to the Lord and be alway talking of his wondrous workes And againe Remember his marvaâ—lous workes that hee hath done of olde and all the wonders c. As if he should say if you love the Lord shew it in praising of him Doe you professe to love the Lord and yet never delight to speake of him nor delight to heare others speake of him My Beloved this backwardnesse that is amongst us to holie and gracious speech to speeches that tend to the setting forth of the Lords praise shewes that love to the Lord Iesus is wanting among us You know it is naturall for every man to abound in the speeches of the things they love of what nature soever they be Mariners are delighted to talke of their voyages and souldiers of their battells and huntsmen of their games If you delight in the Lord certainly your tongues will be much in speaking of him you will be ready to doe it upon all occasions Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh and if love to the Lord doe abound in your hearts this love will be expressed in your tongues upon all occasions and therefore at the least you may judge of the measure of your love by this Hee that speakes much of loving God and yet hath his speeches empty vaine and unprofitable surely we may guesse that he loves him not at all and this is a marke that will not deceive us And now what will you say for your selves that you speake no more upon those severall occasions that you meete withall in the world is it because you are ashamed because you are bashfull and fearefull to expresse your selves and to make an open profession of that holinesse that is in your hearts Certainly it is a signe that you love not the Lord Iesus for hee that loveth is never ashamed because whom a man loveth he magnifieth hee prizeth much hee hath a high esteeme of and therefore that bashfulnesse and fearfulnesse that you object will not keepe you backe if you did love the Lord in truth and sincerity Or else why is it that you speake of him no more is it because you cannot speake is it because your understandings are weake and dull because you are not able to doe it as well as others and therefore you are loath to expresse your selves You know when you love any that love will teach you to speake it will quicken the dullest wit and invention love sharpeneth and maketh the rudest tongue eloquent It is the nature of love to set the heart on worke and when the heart is set on worke the tongue will be as the pen of a ready writer You know how the Apostle setts it forth Our heart is enlarged to you love openeth the heart wide and the heart openeth the tongue wide therefore if you love the Lord much you will bee much in speaking of him Consider therefore what your speeches are concerning God whether you your selues are ready to speak much and to delight to heare others speake also whether you be glad of any occasion as those that love are glad to heare those that they love to be spoken of Fifthly love will doe much and suffer much for the party loved Paul as he was abundant in love so he was abundant in labour likewise whosoever aboundeth in love will abound in workes also Therefore see what you doe for the Lord Iesus see what you suffer for his sake When Christ came to Peter and asked him that question Peter lâ—vest thou me hee puts him upon the tryâ—ll by this fruit of his love Feede my Lambes As if he should say Peter if thou wilt shew that thou lovest me expresse it in doing something for my sake Feede my Lambes herein thy love
another much he is much affected with what he doth Now when the Lord shall shew some tokens of his wrath those that love him and esteeme of him those that prize him cannot but be affected Shall the Lyon roare and shall not the beasts of the field tremble Consider how you are affected therefore when the Lord shall discover any expression of his wrath and what doth hee else in this stroake which is now vpon this place is there not wrath gone out from the Lord You know the plague is more particularly Gods hand then any other affliction Therefore David saith when he chose the plague that he would choose to fall into the hands of God intimating that in that buysinesse God was in a more peculiar manner the doer of it As the thunder is sayd to be the voyce of the Lord so the plague may properly be sayd to be the stroake of the Lord more peculiarly than any other affliction Consider therfore what your affections are in this case for my beloved let it not be in vayne to you that the Lord stretcheth forth his hand as hee doth now at this time among vs. It is but yet in the beginning and what is the Lords meaning in it Is it not as a messenger sent vpon an errand If it had its answer if that were done for which the Lord had sent it would he not remoue it againe Would he not bid the destroying Angell to put up his sword into his sheath Doubtlesse he would if you would doe that at the beginning of this sicknesse that must be done before the Lord will remoove it from you You will say what shall we doe then I beseech you consider what commonly is the cause of a plague among vs. Consider what hath ben the cause of the plague in former times You shal finde in Numb 25. two causes of the plague One was the superstition and Idolatrie of the people they begann to be yokt with Idolatrie They joyned themselues to Baal Peor I confesse that sinne was not yet growne to any great height it was but yet in the beginning in the seedes and yet you know how the Lord was offended with them And the second was fornication the sinne of vncleanes that was coÌ„mitted It is not likely that all the people fell into that sinne of Idolatry or into the sinne of Fornication but yet the Lord was offended with the whole Congregation for those that did it as the manner is to be So here you see two causes of a plague Idolatry which was but beginning and the very admitting it into the Campe and the Fornication of the people Another cause of the plague you shall find in Davids numbring the people it was their securitie and pride and trusting to themselves and the creatures for surely it was not Davids sinne only who had somewhat forgotten God and trusted to his mountaine thought that that was strong enough but it was the sinne of the people It is good my beloved to be secure out of confidence vpon God and therein the more securitie the better but to be secure for any outward help either in the number of men or ships or strength or policie or because we are compassed about with the walls of the Sea or whatsoeever it is wherein wee thinke our safetie consisteth the more confidence in this the worse The Lord smott the people for this security in Dauids time Another cause is the unworthy receiving of the Sacrament Many are sicke among you saith the Apostle and many are dead because you receive the Sacrament unworthily The Lord is pleased to punish that particular sinne of receiving the Sacrament unworthily with some sicknesse or other whether the plague or no we cannot say but this we may be sure of that this was the cause why so many were sicke and dead You know that passage in the booke of Chronicles concerning Ezekias when the people had not prepared themselves aright as they ought hee prayed to the Lord and it is said The Lord healed the people we cannot say what the Lord healed them of but yet it makes it evident that the Lord had some way smitten theÌ„ Moses for the omission of the Sacrament the Lord would have slaine him that is he would have sent something upon him whether some disease as is most probable or some other thing which should have taken away his life in the end The omission and negligent receiving of the Sacrament I put together which mooveth God to anger and to inflict plagues upon a people I will name yet one more besides these and that is the coldnesse and deadnesse of their hearts who belong to the Lord from whom he expects better things and more zeale which I gather hence What was the reason that the zeale of Phineas stayed the plague Numb 25. Because his love was hot and his anger was kindled in a holy manner against that Israelitish man and the Midâ—anitish woman that had committed fornication among the people If the zeale of Phineas was the cause of staying that plague and of withholding the Lords hands then surely the coldnes of those from whom the Lord lookes for much heate for much fervency of spirit whom God expects should stand in the gappe I say that is the cause that the Lord goes on in punishing But what should we doe now to remove it Amend the things that are amisse repent and amend and he will turne from his fierce wrath which he not onely intendeth against us but is also already upon us Labour to cleanse your hands from idolatry and superstition and cleanse the land from the crying sinne of uncleannesse and fornication and every man labour to cleanse his owne heart And againe to turne to the Lord to take heede of security which is a forerunner of a ruine as a great calme is a forerunner of an earthquake Againe take heed of receiving the Sacrament unworthily many of you this day have received therefore I should speake something particularly to them but in truth this concernes all among us but chiefly let me speake to those a little that are able to pray that have some fire in them that have had the worke of grace in their hearts wrought by the Spirit of God that have some sparkes if they were blowne up that are men fit to stand in the gap It belongs to you my brethren to doe something that the Lord may stay his hand and remember that when the Lord begins to send forth tokens of his wrath and displeasure against a Nation it is a time wherein he expects and lookes for humiliation and repentance Therefore take heede of neglecting that in Isay 22. In that day saith the Lord when I called for humiliation beholde killing of fatlings and oxen c. Therefore know what your dutie is and learne now to see what belongs to you to doe shew your love to the Lord in trembling at his judgements
whereby you may discerne your love to the world When Christ would make a triall of the young man whether hee loved the world or no he puts him to it by this Goe saith he and sell all that thou hast and come and follow me and thou shalt have treasure in heaven When it came in competition once whether hee were best to follow Christ and sell all that he had and that he must either forsake Christ or forsake his riches he went away sorrowfull and would not doe it So we shall finde it in Iohn 12.42 when the matter came there into competition that if they confessed Christ they should be cast out of the synagogue saith the text though they beleeved They confessed him not for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God Their carriage there towards Christ when their confessing of him came in competition with their applause and honour among men it was an argument that they loved the world and the things of the world You shall see in Abrahams case when the Lord would put him to the triall and bidds him come from his kindred and from his fathers house and from his Country this in Heb. 11 is taken as an argument of his love that when hee was put to doe either the one or the other hee made his choise to obey the Lord though it stood with the losse of Countrie and friends So I say consider with your selves and you shall finde many cases wherein your conscience will dictate to you this you must doe this you ought to performe this you ought not to doe Perhaps it shall be said unto you againe if you doe it you shall lose such a friend you shall lose such credit you shall suffer such losse in your estate you shall expose your selfe to such and such danger you shall incurre such and such inconveniences to your selfe consider what you doe in such a case Many businesses fall out everie day wherein the like case is offered to you many times you thinke it were best to doe so and if it were not for the losse of some thing or for the discredit you would doe it By this you may examine your hearts whether you love the world or no. Lastly you shall know whether you love the world and the things of this world by your actions for where your love is there your tongue and your hand will be and all your endeavours Now trie your selves by this Are you occupied so abour the world and the things of it that all your endeavours and all your actions are taken up about them some about matter of pleasure in hunting and hawking in gaming and sporting your thoughts are there and your speeches there others againe in seeking wealth and worldlie greatnesse Are you taken up about these I say the actions of a man are a sure signe for the Lord judgeth us by our actions therefore wee may judge our selves by them Consider in what element you live if you be so busied about worldly things that you are never well but when you are there and as for heavenly things you doe them but by the by and when you are doing them you are wearie this is an argument that you love the world when a man shall turne the streame of his endeavours all that way when he shall turne all his projects all his actions all his labours into that As when the bodie hath a wen or a wolfe in it all the nourishment is drawne to that and in the meane time the bodie is leane and poore so is it when a mans heart is taken up with the world it eates up and devoures all the thoughts all the intentions of the minde all his care and endeavour and striving runnes this way the hidden man of the heart in the meane time is left starved and pined within This is a signe that you love the world this so much intending the things of the world as Christ speaks The lusts of your Father will you doe Iohn 8. What is the meaning of that That is looke to your actions to your doings to your executions and performances and you shall finde that they are according to the lusts of your father the Divell those actions they did were a signe that they did affect those things that the Divell affected But you will object the holiest man hee that is most regenerate yet is inordinately affected to the world is too readie to grieve and to rejoice inordinately it too readie to faile when these things come in competition with God Therefore how should wee examine our hearts by this I answere in a word that it is true in the Saints there is something in their hearts that doth all this that I have spoken but it is not they that doe it as the Apostle speakes It is not I but sinne that dwells in me We cannot denie but that there is flesh and worldlie-mindednesse even in them but yet this they doe these worldly lusts and desires they are still checking them and restraining them and keeping them downe so that though they be there yet they doe not walke after the vanitie of their mindes they are not led by it but they are led by the Spirit and walke by the Spirit Indeede sometimes they fall when they are transported with temptations and through incogitancie and infirmitie yet their constant walking is not after the vanitie of their minde for that is proper to those that feare not God Therefore know thus much my brethren that though the Saints doe these things sometimes yet their purpose and their desire and care is to crosse and resist them as much as they can that though they have these inordinate worldly desires in them yet they are not midwives to themselves to bring forth fruite to the flesh they are not stewards to provide for these before-hand as it is in Rom. 13. Put ye on the Lord Iesus and take no care for the flesh to make provision for it I say they are not stewards for their lusts but they resist them and strive against them But to conclude this also examine your selves by this rule whether you love the world and the things of the world And if we take an examination of men by this how few are there that love the Lord We may trulie say as the Apostle saith The love of God is not in them for men seeke themselves and their owne things and not the things of Iesus Christ. One followes this particular another that everie man fitting and plotting a garment to himselfe composed of such vices as doe suite everie mans humour This is a signe that you love not the Lord when you minde the world and goe with the world and let your whole bodie and soule follow it with all the actions and all the strength and indeavour thereof The love of many shall waxe colde because iniquitie shall abound What is the meaning of that That is because the men
and you lose but that it might goe well with you and your children for ever So if you love the Lord when you thinke with your selves I shall be a loser by it I shall lose much libertie and much contentment and delight I shall lose the giving satisfaction to many of my desires and lusts No thou shalt lose none of this though a man seeme to lose this when he gives his heart to the Lord but thou gainest all this that is the Lord gives thee thy heart againe and gives thee leave to dispose of it he gives thee leave to love thy friends to love thy wife and thy children and even to love thy recreations he gives thee leave to dispense and to distribute thy heart to this or to that as long as thou doest it lawfully onely thou must doe it at his command Yea when we give our hearts to the Lord hee giues us not them againe onely but hee giues them much better than hee receiued them new painted new beautified and new furnished hee giues them in a farre better condition there is no man that loseth by giuing his heart to the Lord but he giues it him againe much better As we say of vapours that arise out of the earth the heavens returne them againe in pure water much better than they receiued them so will the Lord if thy heart ascend to him thy impure thy sinfull heart the Lord will give it thee better As we say of earth when the earth receives the sea water and puddle water it giues it better than it received it in the springs and fountaines for it straines the water and purifies it that whereas when it came into the bowells of the earth it was muddy salt and brinish it returnes pure and cleane and fresh as you know the waters of the springs and fountaines are so the Lord doth with us if thou wouldest give thy hearts desire thy affections to him thou shouldest have all againe onely with this difference thy affections should be more pure thy thoughts all the faculties of thy soule should be renewed and cleansed and beautified he would restore them better to thee but yet thou shouldest have them let it be thy comfort So that here is all the difference take a man now that loves himselfe and that thinkes with himselfe Well say what you will I will goe mine owne wayes I will provide for mine owne contentment in this life I know not what I shall have after I will looke to mine owne profit I say compare this man with another that resolves this with himselfe Well from hence I will deny my selfe and crosse my selfe and will seeke no more my owne contentment nor to satisfie my owne desires and lusts but I will give my heart wholly to the Lord. The question now is which of these are gainers I say the latter hath as much liberty and as much power of his owne heart he shall have as much use of all that is within him as the other hath that â—akes it to himseâ—fe all the difference is the one â—s an unjust owner the second the Lord hath made the steward of his owne heart so that the Lord hath thy heart and yet it is thy owne heart â—hou maist dispose of it as a steward under thy Master thou hast it as before onely now thou doest it by his appointment before it was at thine owne Let all this therefore stirre you up to love the Lord. You will say indeede this is enough to perswade us to come in to love the Lord and wee are contented to doe so that is the answer which wee shall have from most men But now what kinde of love is it that wee shall have at their hands My brethren we must add this for a conclusion that it is not every kind of love that the Lord accepts but your love must have these two conditions in it I will breefely name them and so conclude First you must love him with all your hearts and with all your soule you know that is every where requyred in the Scriptures That is the Lord will have the whole streame of your affections and desires and intentions and your endeavours to runne to him there must not any riveret runne out of it it must not be drained away but the whole streame must all be bestowed upon him there must be no division there you must not say here as he saith My Countrie and my father and my children and my friends have a part in my love but the Lord must have all and there is good reason for it because he bestowed all on you It is in this love as it is in marriage in that there is no corrivall admitted but there must be all in all for the husband must bestowe himselfe wholly on his wife and the wife on the husband so if you love the Lord if the match be made betweene you there is all in that equalitie if the Lord bestowe all on you and you should bestowe but halfe on him there would be no equalitie there would be an unennesse But when you bestowe all on him when you loue him with all your heart and with all your soule that makes the match betweene you You will say the Lord doth not bestowe himselfe wholly on me he bestowes himselfe on many others on many thousands besides me and why should not I bestow my selfe on an other I answer it is not so the Lord bestowes himselfe wholly on thee Hos. 3 3. it is a borrowed speech I will be to thee alone I will have thee to be so to me so the Lord saith to every man I will be alone to thee and thou shalt be alone to me I am my beloveds and my beloved is mine This is the match that must bee betweene you And when you say the Lord is not wholly yours I say he is though he bestowe himselfe on many thousands besides You will aske how can that be I say that may be by reason of his infinitenesse for that which is infinite hath not parts and therfore he bestowes not himselfe partly on one and partly on an other but he bestowes all upon every one for he is infinite and hath no parts To expresse my selfe by a similitude a point hath no parts it is one indivisible let a thousand lines come to one point every one hath the whole and yet there is but one that answers all because it is indivisible and every one hath all So it is with the Lord though there be many thousands that God loves yet every one hath the Lord wholly he is to them alone and he lookes for and expects this at thy hands that thou shouldest be to him alone that thou bestowe thy selfe wholly on him thereupon all those words are put in Thou shalt love thy Lord with all thy minde with all thy heart with all thy soule The meaning is this when all that is in a man is
and this is the curse upon his soule in this respect in regard of exclusion from grace which is to the soule as an obstruction in the liver is to the body as a theefe in the candle is to the candle which causeth it to waste and consume and weare away so it is in this curse when God shall lay it upon the soule of any man he shall not thrive in grace his inward man shall not prosper at all he shall be still in the wearing hand the Lord shall take away from him that which hee seemes to have when the Lord shall say to thee as to the figtree Never fruit grow more on thee that is a fearefull curse when the Lord shall curse and say to a man though thou hast some leaves upon thee there are some things that seeme to be good in thee yet because thou hast not love never fruite shall grow upon thee more What a curse is it thinke you that shall make the soule of a man to wither as the figtree withered after the speech of Christ that is when every thing shall drive a man off from that which is good and carry him on to destruction whatsoever befalleth him in poverty in prosperity riches and friends or enemies every thing shall breed his hurt hee shall have riches when he is most ready to abuse them he shall have adversity then when it is worst for him to be in adversity that shall be to him as the lopping of trees out of season hee shall be as an unthrifty sonne set him to a trade in the Citty there he goes downe the winde put him to husbandry in the Country that thrives not with him such is the case of every one that loves not Christ. So my brethren when Christ is preached to you when you will not receive the doctrine but refuse it you see the doome here saith the Apostle let him be accursed this causeth men to goe away from the Lord Because they receive not the love of the truth therefore he gives them up to beleeve lies because that men receive not Christ in the love of the Gospell hee gives them up to a reprobate sense from one degree to another till there be no remedy We see by experience are there not many that are given up to the sinne of drinking and idlenesse and company-keeping and others to other sinnes you see many plod on in an olde tracke of sinne some lying a long time in a dead sottish course so as the most powerfull ministery in the world will not stirre them which is an evidence that the Lord hath cursed such therefore the ministry can doe them no good And this is the first curse upon men that love not the Lord Iesus But perhaps thou regardest not this curse because thou regardest not grace and holinesse from which it sequestreth thee but yet there is another branch of it thou shalt be separated from the presence of the Lord that is from the joy from the influence from the protection of God and this is a very fearfull curse You know what it was to Cain in the fourth of Genesis when the Lord had cursed him saith he I am hid from thy face that was the great curse that was laid upon him of which he was most sensible that he was separated from the presence of the Lord. And my brethren this is no small thing because God is the God of all comfort and to be separated from his presence is the worst thing that can befall us in this life It was Sauls case when the Lord had once cast him off he was separate from the presence of God so that when he came to aske counsell the Lord would answer him no more hee would have no more to doe with him you know how fearefull and how bitter this was to Saul On the other side see how much Moses magnifies this presence of God Lord saith he if thou goe not with us carry us not hence as if the presence of God were the greatest comfort in the world as indeede it is This is another thing wherein ye shall be cursed Againe there is yet another branch of it yee shall not onely be separated from grace and from the presence of the Lord but there shall be a curse upon your outward estate It is said of Cain in the same chapter Thou shalt be cursed from the earth it may be many that heare of being cursed from grace and of separation from the presence of the Lord are of that minde that they care not for it that they regard it not it may be you care not to be cursed from heaven but to be cursed from the earth is that which goes neere to you and that is a thing which the most earthly-minded man in the world is sensible of Now you must know that whosoever loves not the Lord Iesus shall be cursed from the earth that is there shall be a curse upon you in all earthly things in all things that belong to this present life whatsoever they are But you will say wee see it quite otherwise we see such men as they described to be men that abound in outward wealth in outward blessings It may be so in outward shew but yet there is a curse upon them notwithstanding Abimelech had the kingdome yet there was a curse that never ceased till hee was rooted out of the kingdome The Israelites had the quailes but yet there was a curse with them Ahab had the vineyard but it was a curse to him So all these things that are of themselves blessings and mercies in their owne nature yet if the Lord will mingle them with a curse yee shall finde no ease from them at all and this is a thing that is well knowne by experience if the hearts of men will speake what they know This is the case of those that love not the Lord The earth shall not give her increase you shall not have that sound comfort that sweetnesse that influence of comfort from earthly blessings though you have the creatures about you which naturally have blessings in them yet they shall not give downe that milke for your comfort you shall not be satisfied with them you shall see a constant emptinesse in them they shall be to you as the shell without the kernell and so much more shall ye be miserable because ye shall finde the least comfort in them when you most expect it the Lord meetes thus with those that love him not in earthly blessings But last of all there is one branch of this curse which exceedes all the rest that is the eternall curse that shall be upon men for ever while yee live here in this life there is a certaine shew a certaine twilight of comfort that the Lord sometimes affords even to evill men but then there shall be a perfect midnight then the Sunne of comfort shall set upon you altogether and rise no more in that
the giuing vp of a mans selfe to CHRIST and making a publike testimony of it although there bee somthing more meant generally by baptizing but heere it is meant a iustification to all the world that we haue taken CHRIST Now euery one that will beleeue and be baptized that is euery one that will doe this shall bee saued so that a man must first take CHRIST himselfe and then he may doe as the Wife after she hath her Husband she may thinke of all the benefits she hath by him and may take them and vse them as her owne This is the first thing The second thing that I promised was to shew you the subiect of faith and that is the whole heart of man that is to say to name it distinctly both the minde and the will Now to shew you that both these are the subject of faith you must know that these two things are required First on the part of the vnderstanding it is required that it beleeue that is that it conceiue and apprehend what GOD hath reuealed in the Scriptures and here an act of GOD must come in putting a light into the vnderstanding for my beloued Faith is but an addition of a new light to reason that whereas reason is purblinde faith comes and giues a new light and makes vs see the things reuealed by GOD which reason cannot doe by faith we apprehend these great and glorious Mysteries which otherwise wee could not apprehend as we see it expressed in 2 Cor. 4. The god of this World hath blinded their eyes that the light should not shine into their hearts by which they should beleeue this glorious Gospell So then there must be a light put into the minde that a man may be able by that to eleuate and raise his reason to beleeue this that is to conceiue and to apprehend the things that are offered and tendered in the Gospell But this is not all there is an act also of the will required which is to take and receiue Christ for this taking is an act of the will therefore there must be a consent as well as an assent Now it is the act of the vnderstanding to assent to the truth which is contained in the promises wherein Christ is offered but that is not all there is also an act of will requisite to consent vnto them that is to embrace them to take them and to lay hold vpon them and to apply them to a mans selfe This I will the rather cleere because it is a thing controuerted I say there is a double act an act of the mind and an act of the will to this purpose consider that in Rom. 5 17. For if by the offence of one death raigned by one much more they which receiue abundance of grace and the gift of righteousnesse shall reigne in life by one Iesus Christ. Marke it you may see what faith is in those words Those that receiue the gift of righteousnesse righteousnesse is giuen and offered by God and those that receiue that gift of righteousnesse shall reigne in life so that taking and receiuing being an act of the will it must needs be that the will must come in to this worke as well as the vnderstanding Like vnto this is that 1 Ioh. 12. To as many as receiued him c. That is to as many as beleeued in his Name for so the words afterwards expresse that is when wee are willing to take Christ which is nothing else but the consent of the will when the will is resolued to take him being so apprehended as he hath beene described as a Lord and as a Sauiour this is faith this I say is an act of the will because it is an act of receiuing Ioâ— 5.44 it is euident How can yâ— beleeue which receiue honour one of another c If beleeuing in Christ were only an act of the mind as the Papists affirme and some others besides it beleeuing were nothing else but an assenting to the truth of GOD which is an act of the vnderstanding how could the praise of men be opposite to beleeuing But the meaning is How can you beleeue take me for your Husband and yet seeke praise of men too for that will come in competition with me and then you will forsake me I say this makes it euident that iustiâ—ying faith is not onely an act of the mind but an act of the will also because otherwise the seeking praise with men could be no impediment to the act of beleeuing Now this also aswell as the former must be wrought by God and God puts a new light into the vnderstanding he raiseth it vp to see and beleeue these truths so there is another act which GOD also workes on the will and vnlesse he worke it it is not done for come to any man that is in the state of nature and aske him Will you be content to take Christ that is to say to receiue him in that manner as he hath beene described His answer would bee No. Beloued the liues of men expresse it though they speake it not in so many words Therefore till GOD come and drawe a man and change his will the worke is not done If you take a Bough and offer it to a Swine or a Wolfe they will refuse it and trample it vnder their feete but offer it to a Sheepe and the Sheepe receiues it and followes it so when Christ is offered to men vpon these conditions that we haue named men refuse him they reject him and slight him but when GOD takes away these woluish and swinish hearts of ours and turne our wils another way which is the drawing the Scripture speakes of then we are willing to take Christ. If you take other metall then Iron the Loadstone will not stirre it but turne the metall into Iron and it will follow the Load-stone So let the hearts of men continue in that condition wherein they are by nature and they will neuer take CHRIST they will neuer accept him but when GOD puts into them such a strong and impetuous instigation and disposition as that of the Spouze in the Canticles that had no rest till she had found her Beloued then they will take CHRIST vpon his owne conditions So the we see this Faith is an action both of the minde and the will wrought by GOD enlightning the mind and changing the will which is that which our Sauiour Christ cals drawing none comes to me vnlesse the Father draw him that is except his will be set on worke vnlesse GOD change him and put such a disposition and instigation into him that he can finde no rest till hee come to Christ. Thirdly the thing wee are to speake of is How this Faith iustifieth Now for this know that this faith is considered two wayes eyther As it workes or As it receiues Either as a quality or as an instrument As a quality it workes and in this
Publican for he was in outward performances better then he but because he had an opinion of his owne righteousnesse he was conceited of a worthinesse in himselfe therefore he went home not iustified What was it that excluded the Iewes was it not an opinion of something they had of their owne The Laodiceans they thought they were rich and increased and wanted nothing therefore they neuer came to buy of CHRIST That which a man thinkes he hath already of his owne hee will neuer bee at the cost to buy therefore that is the first thing that a man must doe hee must thinke himselfe of no worth at all he must be empty of all opinion and conceit of his owne excellency But this is not all although a man be perswaded of this that he hath no worthinesse in himselfe yet if he thinke hee is able to helpe himselfe and can stand alone without GOD he will not come to take CHRIST and therfore this further is required that a man see that he hath no ability to helpe himselfe that all his redemption must come from CHRIST for if you aske many men whether they haue any opinion of worth in themselues they will be ready to answer No. What then is the reason that they come not to CHRIST It is because they are in health and prosperity and they can doe it soone enough hereafter they can yet for the present subsist without Christ but when GOD shall shew a mans heart to himselfe when GOD shewes a man his danger and shewes it him as a present and how vnable he is to helpe himselfe out of danger then a man will haue no rest till he haue Christ. Therefore you shall see both these required 1 Cor. 1.30 CHRIST must be to vs wisdome righteousnesse sanctification and redemption too First if a man thinke that there is any thing in him either wisdome righteousnesse or sanctification that excludes him for he will reioyce in himselfe and that concernes the first condition required to be empty of all opinion of worth But yet if a man thinke that hee is able to stand safe and secure for a time that hee is able to be a Buckler to himselfe that hee hath somewhat wherevnto he may leane and doth not see that CHRIST must be his redemption also he will not come at CHRIST That which kept the Prodigall sonne away it was not an opinion of any worth in himselfe but because he thought hee could liue without his father hee had his portion in his owne hands and at his owne disposing and he would not come home to his Father till he could liue of himselfe no longer so that though wee haue an opinion of no worth in our selues yet if wee conceiue or thinke that we can liue without CHRIST wee will not care for him This was the fault of those that were inuited to the marriage they refused to come not because they thought that themselues were of worth but they were perswaded that they needed not those things to which they were inuited Therefore I say these two things must be done a man must be emptied of all opinion of worth in himselfe And secondly of all ability in himselfe to helpe himselfe and when faith hath done both these then it brings a man to CHRIST when a man seeth that there is nothing in him why GOD should regard him and that he cannot stand longer nor be in safety longer then CHRIST helps him and speakes peace to him now a man is fit to take hold vpon CHRIST and therefore we must learne to come to CHRIST with an empty heart Many men complaine that they would beleeue but they want that sorrow that they should haue they want that repentance that they would haue they thinke they are not yet fit therefore they dare not apply the promises To these we say now that there is a double kinde of complaint One is when a man lookes vpon these things as vpon things that make him fit which if he haue he thinkes GOD will respect him and if he haue not he thinkes that GOD will not looke after him If thy complaint be thus it is sinfull for in this thou seekest something in thy selfe But if a mans complaint be this that he is not yet awaked enough that he is not yet sensible enough of his sinnes the doctrine of the remission of his sinnes and free Justification doth not affect him as it should Indeed here is iust cause of complaint for these things are necessary before you can come to take CHRIST Therefore that place in Mat. 10.11 will explaine this and answer an objection that may be made against it when the Apostles were sent out to preach the Gospell when they came to any house they were bidden to Enquire who were worthy If any man be worthy saith CHRIST your peace shall come vpon him but if he be not worthy shake off the dust c. A man would thinke by this that there were some worthinesse required in the partie that comes to CHRIST and that before hee can apply the first promise of Justification To this we answer the worthinesse that is required here is nothing else but an ability to prize CHRIST to set him at a high rate to long after him to hunger and thirst after his righteousnesse your peace shall come vpon such a man That is if there bee a broken-hearted man that lookes after CHRIST whose heart yeranes after him that he is able to prize him aright he shall be accepted but if they bee such men as will not receiue you such as will not set meat before you such as will giue you no respect shake off the dust of your feete c. So that I say such a complaint we may make If we finde a want of desire after CHRIST for that is required but if we looke vpon any thing as a qualification in our selues such a worthinesse is not required we must be driuen out of all conceit of it or else we cannot take Christ. So much for the Vse that seeing it is onely faith whereby wee lay hold of Christs righteousnesse that then we haue no reason to be discouraged in respect of any want nay we must finde a want of all things before wee can be made partakers of this righteousnesse Againe secondly if it bee by faith onely by which we are made partakers of this righteousnesse and by which we are saued then we should learne hence to reioyce onely in GOD and not to reioyce in our selues for this is the very end why GOD hath appointed this way of saluation Eph. 1.6 For he hath chosen vs to the praise of the glory of his grace in his Beloued That is that he might haue the praise of the glory of his grace as it is in Ephes. 2. Therefore it is of faith and not by workes that no man should boast of himselfe 1 Cor. 1.30 Therefore CHRIST is made to vs wisdome righteousnesse sanctification
loue to me nor of true respect to me you regard it not whatsoeuer it bee If it bee but a small thing if it be done out of loue you respect it So it is with GOD workes that come from faith and loue for those I reckon to be all one those he respects wondrously Therefore we should learne to iudge aright of our workes it will helpe vs against that position of the Papists and also against the common opinion of men Euery man thinkes that Almes-deeds doing good to the poore and doing glorious things c. that these are good workes when as common actions they exclude as if they were not good workes But it is not so we may doe the greatest workes of this nature and yet they may haue no excellency in them at all Againe the very ordinary workes of our Calling ordinary things to men ordinary seruice from day to day if it come from faith if it be done as to the Lord he accepts them and they are good workes indeed This vse we ought to make of it If GOD regard not any thing but faith we should not be deceiued in our workes which we doe Againe if faith be such a thing that no workes are accepted without it that no branch will grow except it come from this roote if there be no saluation without it if it be a thing that is most profitable for vs If thou sayest now How may I know whether I haue faith or no I may be deceiued in it When we hang so much vpon this peg we had neede be sure that it be strong and that it will hold vs. I will therefore make this present Vse in shewing what the signes of this faith and what the characters of it are that you may learne to iudge aright whether that faith that sets all the price vpon your workes be a right faith or no You may know it by this Where there is a true faith there is a secret perswasion wrought in the heart whereby GOD assures you that he is yours and you are his as you haue it Reu. 2.17 To him that ouercommeth will I giue that hidden Mannah and a white stone with a new name written in it that hee onely knowes that receiues it That is That is one thing by which ye shall know whether you haue true faith or no Haue you euer had any of that hidden Mannah that is Haue you had such a secret perswasion which hath beene as sweet as Mannah to you which you haue fed on as they fed on Mannah which giues you life as Mannah gaue life to them Onely hee sayes it is a hidden Mannah it lyes not abroad others see it not but it is Mannah that your hearts secretly feede on So that wouldst thou know whether thou haue faith Hath GOD giuen thee such a stone with a new name written in it that is the stone of absolution As the manner was among the Athenians among the old Grecians that the sentence of absolution was giuen by white stones as the sentence of condemnation was blacke stones So saith he GOD will giue him such a secret testimony that he is acquitted that when he is called in question as they were that they knew not whether they should dye or liue in that case if they had the white stone such a man was absolued So I say Hath GOD giuen thee such a stone with thy name vpon it Hath he giuen you such a stone as you know in the secret of your heart such as none knowes but God and your selfe that is Hath hee euer opened the clouds hath hee euer shewed himselfe to you hath he cast a good looke vpon you hath he made your hearts glad with the light of his countenance in his Beloued for such a secret worke there is of the Spirit by which GOD cheereth and comforteth the heart of a man that is his manner in working faith After the Law hath beene a Schoolemaster to a man after there hath beene such an inditement that he hath beene brought in question of his life when there hath beene a great storme then he comes into the heart as hee did into the Ship and all is quiet I say that is his manner he comes into the heart after such a manner and speakes peace to a man Haue you euer found this worke in your selues that after much trouble and disquiet within GOD hath spoken peace to you that he hath said to your soules I am thy saluation Not that that is absolutely required that there should be such a trouble going before For although it be true that he neuer speaks peace but when there hath gone some trouble but when there hath gone some conuincing of the spirit before which conuinceth a man of sinne yet this you must know that still the promise is made to the comming and not to the preparation And therefore if a man be at his journies end it is no matter how he came there If a man finde that he be in CHRIST and hath had such a testimonie from his Spirit though he haue not had such a worke of humiliation as perhaps he expects yet know that the promise is made to that And if you haue that which the promise is made vnto is not that sufficient It is true as I said you must haue it really you must haue it in good earnest there must goe alwayes a worke of humiliation before the testimony of the Spirit But mistake not that turbulent sorrow that violent disquiet of the minde goes not alwaies before For example Take two men the one is arrested and condemned brought to the poynt of death he makes account of nothing else A pardon comes to this man and hee is saued there was great trouble went before and hee was wondrously affected when the pardon came But now there is another man that is guilty of the same offence and hee knowes certainly that he shall be called in question and hee is sure to lose his life vnlesse his peace be made Now before this be acted before that indeed he be put in prison before that indeed he be condemned and before his head be brought to the blocke he is certified that a Pardon is come out for him This man knowes his estate as well as the other and he knowes that he had perished without a Pardon as well as the other and he makes as much account of his Pardon as the other and will not let it goe for his life as well as the other Now both these are pardoned both are sure of life but there is a different manner of doing it The one man was affected and much stirred before he was put into a wondrous afright before The other man is convinced of the danger he is in as well as he although he be not put to that extremity of sorrow though he be not brought to so neere an exigent as the other So if a man be
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
yet I had a good meaning I intended it at that time well that is not enough If thou hadst faith thou wouldest doe it indeed doe not say I had a good meaning for if thou hadst faith it would not onely worke a good meaning in thee but it would worke power in thee to doe this that thou wouldest be able to mortifie these affections it would worke a reall and an effectuall change in thee Consider how faith doth it faith takes CHRIST when you haue taken CHRIST as soone as euer you haue him he sends his Spirit into your hearts and the Spirit is able to doe all this and doth as Saint Paul saith when hee had CHRIST once I am able to doe all things through Christ that strengthens mee So certainely when thou hast CHRIST as thou commest to take the elements of Bread and Wine if thou hadst taken him indeed thou wouldst be strengthned to doe all things thou wouldst finde thy heart able to doe this thou shouldest finde a change in thy heart that thou wouldst doe it without difficulty thou wouldest finde thy selfe turned and changed thou wouldst haue new affections and a new life And if thou doe not finde this know that thou hast nothing to doe with the Sacrament know it before-hand and know that thou hast had warning giuen thee that thou receiuest vnworthily and art guilty of the body and blood of CHRIST that is thou committest such a sinne as those did that killed CHRIST What was their sinne that killed him They despised him they mocked him they knew him not to be CHRIST they made no account of him their greatest worke in killing him was they despised him they mocked him So thou commest and art bold with him here it is a despising of CHRIST If thou didst reuerence him if thou didst feare him if thou didst tremble at him if thou didst know him to be such a one as he is thou wouldst not be bold to doe it And therfore if thou wilt venture vpon small grounds to goe on in sinne and yet come and receiue the Sacrament the Apostle saith thou art guilty of the body and blood of Christ that is thou committest a sinne of that nature and therefore looke to it Secondly if thou wouldst know whether thy faith be true or no consider whether thou hast this consequent of it the Spirit of Prayer for wheresoeuer there is a Spirit of faith there is also a Spirit of prayer that is marke it and you shall see the reason why I deliuer this to be a signe of faith Faith you know is wrought in vs by the Spirit of Adoption Now what is the Spirit of Adoption but the Spirit that tels you that ye are sonnes as in Gal. 4.6 So many as are sonnes receiue the Spirit of sonnes Now whensoeuer the Spirit tels a man he is a sonne that is workes faith in his heart the second thing that the Spirit doth it teacheth him to pray and therefore those words are added that you cry Abba Father that is the Spirit neuer doth the one but it doth the other if it be the testimony of the Spirit And therefore this is the second signe If thou haue such a perswasion that the Spirit haue spoken to thee if thou wouldest know whether this be a delusion or no thou shalt know it by this If thou haue the Spirit it will make thee able to cry Abba Father it will make thee able to doe two things First it will make thee able to cry that they shall be earnest prayers which thou makest thy prayers shall be feruent they were cold before thou camest to performe lip-labour thou camest to doe the duty to performe it perhaps euery day but alas what prayer was it This shall make thee cry But againe which is the maine not onely so but thou shalt speake to him as to a Father that is thou shalt goe to GOD and looke vpon him as one doth vpon a Father as one lookes vpon one whose loue he is sure of of whose fauour he doubts not one that hee knowes is readie to heare his requests It may bee thou hast prayed before but not to him as to a Father all the while that is the worke of the Spirit if it euer giue thee testimony of thy sonneship it will make thee pray feruently and it will make thee pray to God as to a Father that is to be made able to pray But you will say euery body can pray Is that such a signe is that such a distinguishing marke and character to bee able to pray My brethren be not deceiued in it you must know that prayer is not a worke of the memory or a worke of the wit A man that hath a good wit or a ready invention or a voluble tongue may make an excellent praier in his owne esteeme and in the esteeme of others but this is not to pray Prayer is the worke of a sanctified heart it it the worke of GODS Spirit There is a double prayer Rom. 8. there is one praier which is the voice of our owne spirit there is a second praier which is the voice of Gods Spirit in vs that is when the Holy Ghost hath so sanctified the heart when hee hath put it into such a whole-frame of grace that the heart comes to speake as it is quickned as it is acted and moued from GODS Spirit Now saith the Text there God knows the voice of his own Spirit for that makes requests according to his will he heares that prayer But now the prayers which are made by the voice of our owne spirit he knowes not the meaning of them that is he heares them not he hearkens not to them Consider whether thy prayer be such or no consider whether thy prayer bee the voyce of Gods Spirit in thee But thou wilt say How should I know that Thou shalt know it by this as I said before Dost thou come to him as to a Father Another man prayes to GOD it may be all his life but hee comes to him as to a stranger yea sometimes he may be very earnest when it is no prayer but when he is put to an exigent he may be earnest as a Thiefe is earnest with the Judge to spare him there may be much earnestnesse although this may bee farre off from prayer But canst thou come to GOD as to a friend Canst thou come to him as to one whose fauour thou art assured of Canst thou come to him as to a Father Except thou canst doe this know that he regardeth not thy prayers And this me thinkes now when we consider we should not deferre our repentance and thinke with our selues I will repent when I am sicke I will goe to GOD in the time of extremity Well it may be thou maist doe it but alas canst thou come to speake to God now as to a friend when
breake a mans sleepe when he lay in that danger that if Achitophel's councell had taken effect hee had beene destroyed and yet now saith he I laid me downe and slept as if he should say This is an argument of my faith my heart is at rest and quiet so that I can sleepe quietly without stirring And â—o Paul see how hee accompts it how he behaued himselfe when God told him that he should appeare at Rome before Caeâ—â—r he knew that he should be deliuered from Ship-wracke and though forty men had bound themselues with a curse that they would destroy him and hee was told of it yet he made no great matter of it but said Goe and carry this young man to the Captaine So consider whether thy heart be quiet and rest vpon God or no for so much faith so much peace as in particular so in generall for matter of assurance know that there is a double peace or assurance One peace that ariseth from the confidence in the creature when a man thinkes he is strong in his wealth when he thinkes he is at rest The other is from assurance in GOD I know that he will be as good as his word I know whom I haue trusted Let security be built on this ground and the more security the more faith Therfore examine thy faith by peace I should adde somewhat more in this and some other signes which I must reserue vntill the next time FINIS OF EFFECTVALL FAITH The fourth Sermon 1. THESS 1.3 Remembring your effectuall Faith c. THE third Character of Faith which I named in the morning but did not fully finish is this If we haue justifying faith then we haue peace In this we should take heede As it is a great mercy to haue a true and sound peace so to haue a peace not well bottomed is the greatest judgement in the world when GOD giues vp a man that he shall be secure and at rest that he shall not haue his minde occupied about sinne or about matters of saluation I say it is a signe that such a one God hates if it continue so with him it is a signe God will destroy him But yet peace of conscience vpon a good ground is a signe of faith as I shewed in Moses Hannah Dauid and the rest So farre wee went in the morning Now you must know that all those instances that we brought you that where there is faith there is peace and quiet they were not onely for resemblance to shew you that as it is in those other things wherein wee beleeue so it is in the maine as you doe not beleeue any particular promise except you haue some quiet in your minde after it but likewise to shew you whether that peace bee good or no whether that faith be sure or no. For if you beleeue the maine certainely you will beleeue the lesse Therefore consider with your selues wee will inlarge this signe so farre If thou wouldest know whether thy faith be good or no whether thou haue peace indeede concerning the maine Consider with thy selfe whether thou art able to beleeue those promises which concerne those particular things which thou hast daily vse of For there are many promises which thou hast vse of continually in thy course thou hast euery day some occasion or other of trusting GOD See in these how thou doest beleeue whether thou hast peace and know that if thou haue not peace in these it is a signe thou hast not peace in the maine I will name but one place for it Looke in Phil. 4.6 In nothing be carefull but in all things let your requests be made vnto God And then saith he The peace of God which passeth all vnderstanding shall preserue your hearts and mindes in Christ Iesus Marke the opposition saith he In nothing be carefull when matters of trouble come when crosses come when great businesses come wherein thou knowest not which way to turne thee saith hee in such a case be not thou carefull doe the thing thou must haue so much care as to set thy head aworke as to deuise what to doe and to set thy hand aworke to act it but let there be no sollicitude to disturbe and disquiet thy affections within Let thy request be made knowne to GOD then the peace of GOD which passeth all vnderstanding shall keepe thy heart and minde in Christ Iesus As if hee should say if thou be not able to doe this it is an interruption of that peace it is a contradiction to that peace which passeth all vnderstanding that keepes thy heart in communion with CHRIST if thou be not able to cast thy care on him for other things that peace belongs not to thee Where there is a secret intimation not but that men may haue this peace and be inordinately carefull but ordinarily it is not so He speakes not of such infirmities as the Saints are subject vnto by distemper but of an ordinary course Consider now what thou dost for the things of this life Saith CHRIST Math. 6. Oh you of little saith Why so What was the signe of a little faith Saith CHRIST Doest thou thinke that hee will cloathe the grasse of the field which to day is and to morrow is cast into the Ouen Doest thou thinke that he will prouide for the yong Rauens that call vpon him and wilt thou not beleeue that he will doe so for thee If thou doe not beleeue this thy faith is nothing If thou beleeue little thy faith is little Consider that consider how you carry your selues for the things of this life doe you thinke that GOD will doe the maine and will not doe the lesse Doe you thinke that he will giue you Christ and will he not giue you other things The same faith that takes hold of the maine promise is it not ready to take hold of the lesse and to depend vpon it GOD is able to doe the greatest and is hee not able to doe the lesse Therefore I say in such a case as CHRIST saith Ioh. 3.12 to Nichodemus 〈◊〉 saith hee I come and tell you of earthly things and you beleeue me not how would you beleeue if I should tell you of heauenly things So I say if you will not beleeue GOD concerning earthly things when hee promiseth these how will you beleeue him for the greatest matters of saluation How will you beleeue in him for the giuing of CHRIST How will you beleeue in him for the raising of you vp at the last day Therefore consider whether you be able to doe this or no and know that if there be faith if you haue faith for the maine you will haue faith in particular cases As for exmple to giue you some instance Gen. 24.7 when Abraham had a particular occasion to send his seruant to get a Wife for Isaac saith the seruant Suppose the woman will not come with me See now what Abrahams answer was That God which tooke
then other men they are forwarder then others in any thing they thinke other men are not like them And therefore they are ready to be more bold and venterous in any thing they are ready to take vp opinions they are ready to strike out this way or that way But now a true Christian is humbled with it because when Christ comes into the heart he makes a man to see his vilenesse As you know when GOD drew neere to Iob when he came neere him indeed then he abhorred himselfe in dust and ashes then hee saw what a one he was he saw not before he thought the contrary but when GOD drew neere indeed that made him manifest So it was with Isay when he saw GOD vpon his Throne and the Angels about him when he saw his holinesse then Woe is me I am vndone because I am a man of polluted lips He was so before but when he drew neere to GOD he saw it So Peter said depart from me I am a sinfull man when he saw Christ when Christ came neere him when he manifested himselfe in his Diuinity that he saw GOD in him for so he did by that Miracle that amazed Peter and cast him downe and made him see what hee was So Dauid when GOD drew neere to him and promised to build him an House to giue him a House that should be eternall to giue him the Messiah whose Kingdome should neuer end for that is included in the giuing him a Kingdome for euer and a House that should haue no end when God vouchsafed him so great a fauour we see Dauid was neuer so cast downe as then in the sight of his owne vilenes he was neuer so little in his own eyes he neuer said so much as he said then Now saith he what is Dauid What am I or what is my Fathers house that thou shouldst regard me thus that thou shouldst bring me hitherto This is Gods manner when he comes into a mans heart when he speakes peace indeed when Faith is a right Faith that brings CHRIST to dwell there I say it makes a man exceeding humble Therfore the spirit of Christians is a meeke spirit they are humble and gentle they are little in their owne eyes Consider whether thou hast such a disposition bred in thee or no it is a signe thy faith is good if there be if there be not it is a signe thy faith is not true So much for the signes of faith I make haste because I haue one Vse more to adde If nothing be regarded of GOD but effectuall faith that is if that be the vertue of faith to be effectuall or else it is nothing worth then we should learne hence not to let that be wanting to our faith which is the excellencie of it which is the vertue of it which is the proper quality of it As if it be the vertue of a Horse to goe well If it be the vertue of a Knife to cut well If it be the vertue of a Souldier to fight well or whatsoeuer you will instance in whatsoeuer vertue it be or whatsoeuer thing you labour to find that in it whatsoeuer be wanting for euery thing hath some proper excellency some speciall vertue wherein the thing consists Now to be effectuall to be working to be operatiue If this be the vertue of Faith as it were if this be the character and excellency of faith Let not this therefore be wanting in faith What is that then thou shouldst doe Vse thy faith set faith aworke liue by it You will say This is more then I can doe this is Gods action he must set faith aworke and worke this in me I say thou art able to doe this of thy selfe when thou hast faith once I speake to those that haue it and this exhortation is to you If you haue faith vse it many haue it that doe not vse it This is a thing that you are able to doe For though God worke in you all the worke of faith as it is receiued yet know he doth not worke in you onely but by you he makes you instruments you are not as dead instruments but as liuing instrumēts to moue of your selues It is true that before you haue faith you are able to doe nothing but when you haue it once then you are able to vse it Before a man hath life he is not able to stir but when he hath life once then he is able to moue and stir himselfe for there is life there when the Lampe is once lighted you know you may feede it with Oyle and if you put more Oyle to it you shall haue the greater flame There is light and you may increase it indeed the difficulty is to light it and that is Gods worke he kindles the first fire hee workes faith in the heart But now when thou hast it learne to vse it Dost thou thinke a necessity lyes vpon vs to vse other Talents that GOD hath put into our hands and will he not require that thou shouldst vse the Talent of Faith Wilt thou wrap that in a Napkin and let it lye dead by thee Will not he call thee to an accompt for it What folly is it my brethren you haue faith which is so excellent a Grace able to doe so great things as it is and yet you will not vse it There are many Christians that haue Faith indeed and yet will not set it on worke How great things would it doe what a reward would it bring As Aristotle saith of habits That if a man haue no more but a habit and vse it not there is no difference betweene the wisest man and a foole for what are habits for but for action what is the Tree for but for fruit The habit serues but for the act and this is according to the iudgement of Scripture in Rom. 2. God rewards not men according to the habits they haue but according to their workes Therefore thinke not that thou shalt be rewarded according to thy habits of Faith which thou hast though it be true that that sanctifies thee but GOD doth reward vs according to the vse of our faith according to the workes that our Faith doth bring forth according to the efficacie of our faith It is true the taking of Christ is one worke of Faith thou shouldst set it aworke to doe that and besides that all the workes of sanctification are all workes of Faith all thy life long euery houre thou hast somewhat for Faith to doe Set thy faith aworke and thy reward shall be accordingly And againe if thou vse not Faith thou shalt haue little enough of it the vsing of it is that which strengthens Faith It is Gods vsuall manner when he giues Faith to a man to giue him exercise to keepe his Faith breathing as it were hee will be sure to haue somewhat wherein hee will put him to it some tribulation he will put fire to
it to clense it And therefore we should learne to make vse of our Faith to set it on worke It is a generall Rule in all things and as true in this If a man haue an estate what is he the better to haue it if he doe not vse it To haue a friend what is a man the better if he doe not vse him Shall a man be a Fauourite of a Prince and get nothing by it Faith makes a man a Fauourite of GOD a friend to GOD and will you make no vse of GOD It is that which he expects at your hands will you haue GOD in vaine Shall hee be your GOD and will you make no vse of his power of his wisdome of his ability to hold you vp to helpe you vpon all occasions You should make vse of him all that is his is yours if you make vse of it by faith Againe shall men haue such priuiledges as we haue by faith and shall not wee comfort our selues by them What is it for a man to haue great estates great Titles of Honor and Houses and Lands if a man doe not thinke vpon them that these considerations may cheere him We should doe so with faith this is the vse of faith Againe if faith be vsed it is able to doe much for vs if it lye still it will doe nothing You know what they did Heb. 11. They hauing faith it made them doe that it was but the vse of their faith So it is with vs Looke how much thou vsest thy faith so much thou shalt be able to doe Therefore Christ saith Be it according to thy faith that is not according to the habit of thy faith that lyes dead as a Talent wrapped vp there but be it vnto thee according to the vse of thy faith If thou set faith on worke it will be able to doe great things it will be able to doe wonders it will be able to ouercome the world it is able to worke righteousnesse it is able to preuaile with GOD and men it is able to goe thorow the greatest matters But you will say How shall I vse it That is the thing indeed which I purposed now to haue shewed how faith must be vsed how we must liue by faith I should haue shewed how you should vse it First in comforting of our selues for that is one vse of Faith thou shouldst set it aworke to fill thy heart with ioy out of the assurance of the forgiuenesse of sinne and of the priuiledges which thou hast by CHRIST When a man hath faith and finds his heart no more affected then other mens he findes no reioycing there more then ordinary Now set faith on work learn to beleeue and that throughly First set faith on worke to beleeue to trust perfectly as the Apostle speakes Gal. 3. In the grace reuealed by Iesus Christ trust perfectly that is thou shouldst beleeue the full forgiuenesse of thy sinnes thou must not beleeue it by halues so that there should be a distance as it were betweene GOD and thee some odde scores vnacquitted vncrost but thou shouldest beleeue so that thy joy may be full thou shouldest beleeue throughly that thy sinnes are forgiuen that all are acquitted thou must not limit God in his mercie at all as thou shouldest not limit him in his power Thus a man should set faith on worke that he may be able to say My Beloued is mine and I am his I know there is a Match made betweene vs. For vnlesse you lay this ground a man shall not reioyce This is all therfore now vse thy faith If Satan now come and tell thee of some sinnes and of some circumstances of those sinnes and of some wants in thy repentance and humiliation what serues faith for now What serues all this for that you haue learned heere concerning the Doctrine of Faith but to teach you that these should be no scruples you should beleeue and that perfectly When this is done that you see there is a Match a Couenant made betweene GOD and you now you must know that all that Christ hath is yours whatsoeuer hee hath by Nature you haue it by Grace If hee be a Sonne ye are sonnes If he be an Heire yee are heires and when ye haue done this then consider all the particulars of the wealth of a Christian that all is yours whether it be Paul or Apollos or the world c. These things wee haue often spoken of you should runne through and consider of them If a man will consider that he is a King that the world is his that whatsoeuer is in CHRIST belongs to him and oweth him a good turne and will doe it at one time or other when he considers all the precious promises A man reckons his wealth not onely by his money which he hath lying in his Coffers that he hath present but by Bils and Bonds and Leases c. So how many promises thou hast there is not a promise in the Booke of GOD but it is thine set thy faith on worke to consider this and to reioyce in it set faith on worke so to see them that thou maiest reioyce in them and weyne thee from the things of this world not to regard them for they are small things of no hold Shall a King regard Cottages and trifles No if thou thinke in good earnest that thou art such a man why doest thou regard trifles Thou shouldst doe this when other men reckon their Lands and their Houses and their friends a Christian reckons he hath GOD hee hath many good workes in store hee hath so many precious promises laid vp in the Land of the Liuing Set thy faith on worke thus not onely to reioyce but to bring in a holy magnanimitie answerable to such a condition and let not Faith giue ouer till it haue brought thee to this Certainely a man that beleeues he is a King he will haue another spirit for there is no other reason wherefore it is said Saul had another spirit but that when he came to be a King he had a spirit answerable When thou beleeuest these priuiledges when thou settest thy Faith on worke to beleeue indeed to beleeue them to be reall things and not fancies and notions there will be bred a disposition answerable a carriage and spirit suteable thou wilt not admit of things that are vnfit for such a person thou canst not doe it but as one that is a Prince that hath those hopes actually he cannot admit of thoughts that other men haue no more can a Christian when he is borne from aboue by the immortall seede there is such a disposition wrought in him that if he will set his faith on worke to beleeue these things he shall not be able to admit of those base things which hee did before and which others doe Againe if a man set his Faith aworke to beleeue these things he would be able to vse the World
to it The second answer If thou say that GOD doth it by meanes yet remember that it is his blessing or his curse which makes those meanes on which thou art fixed effectuall or ineffectuall The greatest meanes the fairest the most specious and most probable to bring things to passe remember that if GOD doe but say to that meanes prosper not for that is the curse when hee bids a thing wither thou shalt not doe it Againe If it be weaker if GOD say to such a thing goe and doe this businesse it shall be able to bring it to passe this is his blessing and his curse you should learne to haue these words not onely in your mouthes but to know the meaning of them and not onely so but to come to the practice to say with your selues when things are faire and probable Except GOD bid this doe it it shall not be effectuall if he curse it it shall wither Thirdly remember this That his blessing is dispensed not according to thy meanes but according to the vprightnesse of thy heart according to thy workes One would thinke when he hath riches then he should bring it to passe but saith the Prophet Psal. 62. Riches belong to the Lord they come neither from the North nor from the South And when riches increase set not your heart vpon them Saith he it is not riches that makes men happy for that Objection will come in If I had riches I should be able to doe this or that they are the meanes to make a man happy though happinesse consists not in them No saith he when riches increase set not your hearts vpon them As if he should say If wealth would doe you good I would giue you leaue to set your hearts vpon it but it is not in wealth or riches to make a man poore or rich but that comes of the Lord. But now comes in the Objection Yea but GOD doth it by meanes the Lord doth it by riches No GOD rewards men according to their workes not according to their wealth So that when thou trustest to the meanes know that GOD blesseth thee according to thy workes not according to the outward condition thou art in Thus we should learne to doe when we say GOD doth things by meanes when a man sees the fairest meanes yet if thou find that thou hast not prayed thou hast not sought to GOD thou hast no secret assurance of his blessing thinke not that such a businesse will be done Againe when the meanes are low meane and weake yet if thou haue sought him earnestly if thou hast had a secret assurance of him that he will be with thee let not thy heart be discouraged doe in this case as Dauid did Psal. 31. saith he I heard the speaking against of great men they sate and conspired against me but I trusted in thee I said my times are in thy hands Marke When Dauid saw the greatest meanes vsed against him as might be They were great men set against him and many of them they ioyned together they tooke councell against him he was not discouraged but saith my times are in thy hands If my times were in their hands they might make me miserable I had reason to bee discouraged at that but my times are in thy hands See if thou canst say this on both sides When great men ioyne for thy wealth say not now I shall bee made a great man in the World but say My time is in Gods hand it is not in their power to doe it Againe when great men seeke and consult against thee say not now I shall be miserable but consider thy times are in GODS hands it is not in their hands to doe it FINIS OF EFFECTVALL FAITH The sixth Sermon 1. THESS 1.3 Remembring your effectuall Faith c. WEe haue already answered one Objection that God workes by meanes we shewed after what manner Well if this be so before we leaue the point take heede you deceiue not your selues you commonly say GOD workes things by meanes The saying is true if thy heart be not false for it is true hee workes things by meanes but if such meanes come in competition as GOD hath not appointed that which is vnlawfull for thee to doe if it come in competition with that which GOD hath set apart in such a case thou must let such meanes goe else thou mayest vse that meanes but it is the meanes alone thou shalt haue no encouragement in the vse of them If thou hast meanes encourage not thy selfe so much because of them but because thou hast GOD for thy friend Let not the rich man reioyce in his riches nor the strong man glory in his strength or the wise man ioy in his wisedome Ier. 10. but let him that glorieth and reioyceth reioyce in the Lord. If they could doe a man good we might reioyce in them The Lord requires nothing but that which is reasonable I dare be bold to declare it that if the confidence in the strength of a man were able to doe him good he might reioyce in it Therefore we see in that place hee saith it comes of the Lord. As if he should say We see by experience when GOD will vse them as instruments it is otherwise then they doe that which of themselues they cannot they doe it no farther then GOD blesseth them for else they hurt and doe no good to a man Take heede therefore thy heart bee not false and deceiue not thy selfe that thou mingle by-respects in the businesse but vse the meanes and depend and trust in God for the bringing it to passe which thou shalt know by this if thou draw neere to God for that is a tryall Ier. 17. Cursed is he that maketh flesh his arme This drawes the heart from GOD you shall finde that noted in 1 Tim. 1.6 The Widdow that trusts in God prayeth day and night Therefore when thou hast the best meanes if thou be not slacke in prayer it argues thy trust in GOD when thou goest to GOD and striuest with him by prayer and seekest not to the creature to say thy wealth or riches or the like shall helpe thee So much for the answer to the first Objection Another thing that we are ready to object is But what if such a thing should come to passe what if the euill that I feare should fall vpon me what if the businesse I goe about proceed not which is of that moment I am vndone if it be not done Herein the heart of a man must be quiet First It may be thou art too hasty in this kinde many times thou thinkest in such cases that thou art without helpe and without hope when it is not so Know therfore that a man may be vnder water and rise againe he may sinke twice or thrice before he be drowned thou mayest receiue many foiles many blowes and yet not lose the victory The best Saints haue beene
of God in Christ and when he could name no more he names in generall saith he neither men nor Deuils nor any thing shall doe it Againe it is not so bad I say but it may be best for thee it may doe thee good for our nature is so rebellious and so set vpon things of this world that except God should take this course to worke a wearinesse in the World to mortifie our lusts if GOD should not take such courses our nature would bee ready to rebell therefore GOD dealeth so with men Sometimes he afflicts thee with sicknesse sharpe sicknesse which is irksome to thee but know that if that disease were taken from thee thou knowest not what thy heart would doe Some men bee afflicted with enmity of others thou knowest not if thou wert friends with all men how thou shouldest be Thou art afflicted in the world in thy wife in thy children in thy neighbours in thy name in thy estate and though thou thinke with thy selfe If I were free from this I should be happy I should bee humble I should serue GOD the better I say vnto thee thou knowest not what thou shouldest be A mans minde doth not know what it would be in another estate onely he knows the present If thou haddest such and such circumstances if thou haddest wealth if thou haddest such crosses remoued if all things should goe well with thee Oh then thou wouldest be happy but thou knowest not what thou shouldest be You know what the Prophet said to Hazael saith he Doest thou know what thou shalt be when thou art King of Aram Thou knowest how thou art affected now but thou knowest not how thou shalt be then when thou art a King then thou wilt be answerable to thy state and condition So much for the second Objection Thirdly it will be objected It is true if GOD did heare my prayers or if he did vsually heare the Prayers that the Saints make that it were no more but seeke and haue we would trust in GOD in difficult cases But I finde by experience that I pray and he doth not answer me and it is not my experience onely but it is the experience of others likewise they pray and GOD doth not heare their prayers what should sustaine me therfore now To this I answer It is certaine that GOD alwayes heares thy prayers there is no doubt to be made of that he is a God hearing prayers and hath made a promise that when they come hee will heare them Be assured therefore that he heares But now to answer thee First there are many cases wherein GOD heares not as first it may bee thou askest amisse But thou wilt say My heart is right and therefore I hope I aske not amisse Yes though thy heart be right thou maiest aske amisse out of mistake out of want of iudgement thou must not thinke with thy selfe because thy affection is strong to such a thing therefore it is lawfull for thee and meete for thee to haue it There are many things which a little childe asketh which are not meete for him a wise Father will not second his child in all that he affects and desires thou must thinke that God will not doe it in these cases And therefore learne in such a case when thou comest to GOD for outward things or for the measure of grace or for the present vse of grace as you shall heare hereafter it may be hee answers thee not yet thou must acknowledge GOD to bee onely wise If we could remember that in 1 Tim. 1.19 To the King onely wise be glory and immortality we thinke our selues wise too wee thinke that we haue some part of wisdome but if we did beleeue that he were only wise that is if thou diddest beleeue that none were wise but he thou wouldest be content toresigne thy selfe vnto him let him doe with thee what he will although thou see no reason yet thou wouldest be content Therefore when thou commest to aske at Gods hands thou shouldest be ready to say thus LORD I see no reason why this should not be good and yet I may be deceiued I may be mistaken Therefore I will not aske it absolutely It may be the want of it is better for me then the enioying of it it may be to be crossed in it is better for me then to haue successe in it thou art onely wise I am not able to iudge and therefore when wee come to aske any thing of GOD thus wee should doe Paul when he comes to aske the mortification of his fleshly lusts 2 Cor. 12. one would thinke he might haue asked that absolutely we cannot see how GOD should not heare that prayer and yet in that case Paul was mistaken GOD saw it was best to suffer that lust to continue vpon him and to contend with him thou shalt not be free from this strong temptation for saith he by this I will humble thee thou shalt haue a better grace then thou shouldest haue if that lust were taken away when Paul saw that the continuance of that vpon him it humbled him more that it brought more glory to God that it shewed Gods power in his weaknesse he was content hee saw that he was deceiued before I say in such a case a man may be deceiued much more in outward things You know the Disciples when they came to aske fire to come downe from Heauen they thought it was a zealous request but CHRIST tels them that they were deceiued they knew not from what Spirit that request did come If it had come from GODS Spirit hee would haue heard it but they were deceiued So if thou wouldest haue GOD heare thy prayer know whether they come from Gods Spirit whether thy prayers be the voyce of thine owne spirit or of Gods Spirit if it be the voyce of GODS Spirit he heares it alwaies because it askes according to his will our spirits may aske that which is good but not that which is fit at this time Secondly he will heare thee but it may be thou art not yet fit for the mercie not because he doth not heare thy prayer and tender thee in that case thou art in but thou arâ— not yet fit herein GOD deales with vs as the Physician deales with his Patient The Patient earnestly desires such and such things The Physician wants not will to giue them him but he resolues to giue them as soone as he is fit and therefore he makes him stay till hee haue purged him and made him fit for it till hee be fit for such a Cordiall for such a Medicine that it may not hurt him it may be GOD staies thee So the men of Beniamin they were fitted when they had fasted and prayed three times when they had fasted once and twice they aduentured and preuailed not till the third time So GOD defers long What if thou fast and pray and GOD doe not heare
his scholler that is every way towardly so the father loves his sonne as one in whom hee is well pleased Fourthly there is a love of friendshippe that goes beyond this love of complacency because in the love of friendship there is a reciprocation of affections when a man both loves and is beloved againe So a man loves his friend and is loved againe by his friend Lastly there is a loue of dependance when one loues one upon whom all his good depends so we are said to loue God wee loue him as one upon whom all our good and happinesse all our comfort and hope depends Now as you shall see after with these three last loues we are said to loue the Lord wee loue him with the loue of complacence because he is a full adequate object to the soule we loue him with a loue of friendship because there is a mutuall loue he loues us and we loue him as the spouse saith My Beloved is mine and I am his Againe we loue him with a love of dependance for we hang and rely upon him for all our happinesse and comfort Now this loue wherewith we loue any object that is sutable to us it hath degrees and that loue is stronger as the object of that loue is more adequate and full Againe as it is more free from mixture for all things that we loue in this world we know there is some mixture of evill in them and therefore our loue is lesse Againe as the thing we loue is more high and supernaturall as wee hang and depend upon it more so we loue it more and these you shall finde in God Now lay these generall principles and we will make use of it afterwards Onely this obserue more before I passe frō the general description of it That there is a naturall loue that God hath placed in the heart of every man and that loue wherewith every man loues himselfe such a loue as every man hath to his children such a loue as wherewith a man loues his wealth or any thing by nature that is good to him Now this naturall loue hath two other loues hanging on both sides of it One is a vicious and sinfull loue that carries it the wrong way to loue sinfull things The second is a spirituall loue which sets limits to this naturall loue that sets bankes as it were to the streame of naturall affection that suffers it not to runne over and not so onely but gives a higher rise to this naturall loue and pitcheth it on higher ends it elevates naturall loue and makes it an holy loue So that all naturall loue is to be subordinate to this otherwise it is not good for naturall loue is but given us to help us to goe that way that spirituall loue should carry us even as the winde helpes the ship whereas otherwise it should haue beene driven with oares And therefore the Lord to helpe us to loue our selues and to loue our children and to loue those things that are sutable and convenient to us hee hath in mercie and for a helpe to us put a naturall affection into our hearts which yet is to be guided by spirituall loue that we are now to speake of So the next thing is to shew what is this spirituall loue this loue of God this loue of Christ Iesus And first we will shew how it is wrought and withall what it is For you must know that every man by nature hates God by reason of that opposition and contrariety which is betweene God and every man by nature for all loue comes from similitude and agreeablenesse And therefore where there are two of a contrary disposition there must needs be hatred Now the pure nature of God is contrary to us and therefore every man by nature hates God And therefore that love may be wrought in the heart of man towards God this sinfull nature of ours must bee broken in peeces and subdued And againe it must be new molded and framed before that can ever be fit to loue God Therefore if you would know how this loue of God is wrought in us it is done by these two things First by breaking our nature in peeces as it were that is by humiliation and by the law Againe by moulding it anew which is done by faith and by the Gospell For when we come and propound Christ to men to be taken and to be received and loved by them what is the answer wee have from them Most men either minde him not or regard not at all this invitation to come to Christ but they deale with us as those that were invited to the marriage saith the Text they made light of it they cared not for the invitation it was a thing they looked not after or againe if they doe yet they minde them uot enough because they doe not prize Christ enough Therefore the first thing the Lord doth to prepare mens hearts to loue him is to send the law to humble them to discover to men what neede they are in to make an impression on their hearts of that bond of damnation that they are subject unto when the law is broken that mens eyes may be opened to see their sins then a man begins to looke toward Christ to looke on him as the captiue lookes on his Redeemer as a condemned man lookes on him that brings him a pardon as a widdow that is miserable and poore indebted and undone lookes upon her husband that will make her rich and honourable that will pay all her debts I say when a mans heart is thus humbled and broken by the law by sound humiliation then he begins to looke towards Iesus Christ. But I say men doe faile partly that they haue no sense of their sinnes or else they haue a sense of their sinnes but not enough to bring them home to Christ for that was the fault of the second and third ground there was impression made in them that they prized Christ but there was not so deepe a preparation as to loue Christ indeede so as to preferre him aboue all things so as to cleaue to him so as they will let him goe for nothing And therefore this is required that our natures be broken all in peeces that is that the humiliation be deepe enough not a little light impression a little hanging down of the head a little sense of sinne but so farre as it may be to purpose that he lookes to Christ as to the greatest good in the world that he will rather undergoe any thing than misse of him that hee will rather part with all his pleasure than hee will goe without him That is the first thing that must be done to prepare our hearts for this loue our hearts must be humbled by the law Now when this is done they must be made up againe as I tolde you they must be moulded anew and that is done by the Gospell and by faith For when the heart is
make your selves new creatures expresse your diligence therefore in labouring to adorne your hearts with graces that the Lord may take a delight to dwell in you be diligent also in cleansing your selves from all pollution of flesh and spirit that when the Lord commeth hee may finde no sluttish corner within you for the Lord hateth these As the Israelites were to goe with a paddle and cover every filthy thing because saith the text The Lord walketh among you so must we doe keepe our hearts cleane if wee will have the Lord delight to dwell with us we must be diligent to remove out of his sight whatsoever he hateth Lastly wee must be diligent in keeping his commands wilt thou say thou lovest God and yet doest disobey him and rebellest against him from day to day The Lord careth for no such love for indeede love cannot be otherwise judged of than in obeying to say thou lovest him and keepest not his commands it is but a dead love and a picture of love it is not love indeede it is but as the Apostle saith to doe it in word and not in truth for when you love him in deede you doe the things he would have you to doe Therefore so much diligence in keeping his commands so much love he that doeth most loveth most And so you see the conditions that are required in this love what a kinde of love it is that God will have at your hands or else he will not take it of you Now my brethren there remaines but one thing more wherewith wee will conclude this point that is now I have beene so large in shewing you what this love is wherein you cannot blame us if we presse you to it because it is one of the greatest and most radicall vertues faith and love therefore we have beene the larger in describing it to you I say now you have heard what it is what remains but this to shew you the great danger in not loving and that we wil make to be the last consectary that we will draw from this doctrine I say consider how dangerous a thing it is to neglect it the Lord you see requires it upon paine of damnation whatsoever you have yet notwithstanding if you have not this love you are not in Christ and so you shall be excluded Let no man thinke that this is exaction that it is a hard thing that the Lord requires it with this exaction for what is it that he requires If hee had required of you to offer sacrifice as he did in the olde law then the poore man might have objected he had not where withall if he had required us to fight battells the weake man might have said he could not doe it he was not able but now young and olde rich and poore all can love Besides if we consider who it is that requires this love is it not the great God of heaven and earth is it not the Sonne If hee had commanded thee the hardest thing in the world if he had said thou shalt cast thy selfe into the fire thou shalt sacrifice children to me you are his creatures and you must obey him But when he requires this onely at thy hands to love him is it not equall Besides when he requires this it is for your benefit for when you have given the Lord your hearts the Lord gives you them againe even as the earth the water it receives from the sea it returnes it better back againe in springs and fountaines and pure streames so doth the Lord give you your hearts backe againe when you have bestowed them upon him and withall he gives you leave to bâ—stow them upon other things to love all things that you may and ought to love and which is good for you to love therefore the Lord may require it upon this penalty for he askes but his owne and what hee hath deserved at thy hands therefore it is a most reasonable and equall request For what doth the Lord thy God require of thee saith Moses but onely that you love the Lord your God So I say to you what else doth the Lord your God require of you But againe know this that as it is a command full of equity and reasonablenes so the danger is the greater if you doe it it not and what that is I will shew you but by one place that is 1 Cor. 16.22 Cursed is hee that loves not the Lord Iesus yea let him be had in execration to the death That is the place I would have you consider that now when you have beene acquainted with this whole doctrine of love you might know the danger of not performing and doing it whosoever loues not the Lord Iesus let him be Anathema Maranatha he curseth him in two languages to shew that it is a peremptory curse But what is that to be cursed My brethren to be cursed is to be separated to be set apart or appointed unto evill so that all that love not the Lord Iesus they are men separated and set apart to evill so that no man may meddle with them no man may touch them to doe them good as the Saints and those that love the Lord they are set apart that no man may touch them for hurt so it is here when a man is cursed the meaning is this he is set apart secluded from all good things that none are to meddle with him hee is set apart for evill all things shall concurre together to doe him hurt this is when the Lord curseth any man and this is the case of every man that loves not the Lord Iesus Our businesse when we preach the Gospell is but to offer the Lord Iesus to you that is all that we have to doe and all that you have to doe that heare us is to take Iesus Christ to beleeve in him to love him Now saith the Lord if you will not doe this if you will not love him every such one let him be accursed Now when the Lord shall curse a man as Isaac said I have blessed him and he shall be blessed So whom the Lord curseth he shall be cursed and it is a fearefull thing if you consider it and therefore wee will a little open it and shew you wherein this curse consists Which I urge the more because it is an usuall thing among men when they come to consider their sinnes in particular wherewith they have provoked God to anger they looke upon this or that grosse sinne but this defect and omission of love they scarce put into the number of their sinnes But that you may know now what it is not to love him you may consider by the greatnesse of the punishment and that you see here is a curse Now that you may know what this curse is know that it consists in these foure things First it consists in this hee shall be separated from grace and goodnesse from holinesse
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
indeede many come short of that but that you should shew it in your fleece and milke shew it in your lives that all the world may see it there It is not enough for him that desires to write to see the coppy and to know it and the fashion of the letters but then hee hath learned it when he can write after it so you must know sciences are of two sorts indeede some there are the end of which is onely contemplation and knowledge but some there are the end wherof is action and they are no further good than we practise them What is musicke but the practise of it what is physicke the knowledge of all will not heale a man but the taking of it so it is with Divinity the knowledge that we teach is nothing worth if you know as much as could be knowne it were all nothing worth without practise practise is all in all so much as ye practise so much you know It is a great matter to have your judgement true in this case for when men shall applaud themselves meerely in this that they know and have right purposes and honest desires and shall esteeme their estates by this it causeth men to content themselves with a loose and a negligent life but wee must know that God judgeth us by our actions and that is our best rule to judge by too therefore we should learne thus to judge our selves If you object but it is a rule that wee have heard often that the will is often taken for the deed and if the will be present with us though the action doe not follow yet wee are accepted according the will To this I answer in briefe first it holdeth only then where there is some impediment which you cannot remove as for example a man hath a desire to doe good to such poore people hee hath a compassionate heart hee is willing to be bountifull but he wants meanes to doe it in this case the Lord accepts the will for the deed for upon that occasion is this delivered in this place by S. Paul so it is in every thing else when you have a desire and there commeth some impediment that it is not in your power to remove then the will is accepted for the deed As when a man hath a desire to move his hands his legges or armes but because of a palsie that hangs upon him he is not able to stirre them here the will is for the deed he is not able to doe it though the minde be right and the desire good so when you come to such duties that are not in your power to doe when there are some impediments that you are not able to remove here the will is accepted for the deed Sometimes a man is ignorant of some particulars and hee hath a desire to obey God in all things here the will is accepted for the deede though he be not come to that degree of perfection as others are but as men apply it commonly it is amisse for when a man thinkes I have a good purpose to doe this but I cannot pray I cannot be so strict in looking to my actions and speeches here the complaint is not right for if yee stirre up your selves and doe the utmost you can doe the deede will follow the will there is no such impediment here but that you may remove Therefore our answer is that the reason why you cannot doe is not because of such impediments that you cannot remove but because your will is not yet right which the Schoolemen call an imperfect will it is but such a will as the Wiseman speakes of concerning the sluggard hee willeth and lusteth and hath not and what 's the reason If it were a full a compleate and perfect will it would draw action with it hee would not be a sluggard any longer but hee would draw forth his hands to doe somewhat to bring his desires to passe but indeede he hath but light wishings and no more And so it is with men in christianity they are as Salomons sluggard they wish they had such sinnes mortified that they had such graces they wish they could attaine such a measure of faith love but they take no paines no man hath height of grace without paines doe you thinke to get the greatest excellency in the world without paines It is true the Lord must doe it but yet he doth it by your selves you are agents in the businesse Therefore doe not say I wish well and desire well for if you would doe your uttermost that you ought to doe if your will were full and compleate and desires right and strong you would doe more you would excell more in grace you would amend your lives more you would have your lusts more mortified therefore let not this deceive you I should presse this further but wee will come to the last thing because I would conclude this point with this time and that is To exhort you to be doers that your faith may be effectuall faith and that your love may be diligent love This is the great businesse which we have to doe and the thing which for the most part wee all faile in that there is no doing no acting no working of our faith be exhorted now therefore to adde to your faith diligent love especially you that professe your selves to be growne Christians looke you to it and know that as in nature every thing when it is ripe brings seede and fruite if not it is but a dead thing a dead plant that keepeth the roome idle if there be that ripenesse and maturity in you shew it by bringing forth seede and fruite shew it by doing something For my brethren we are called into the Lords vineyard for the same purpose it is not for you now to stand idle the time of your standing still is past it is for you now to worke for ye are now come into the day That exhortation is excellent 1 Thess. 5.6 7 8. Let not us sleepe saith he as doe others we are come out of the night those that are still in the night it better beseemes them to sleepe and to sit still and doe nothing but let not us sleepe as doe others for we are of the day let it not be so with you as with others to be much in speech onely but labour to be much in actions As it was said of Gideon Vp and be doing and the Lord shall be with thee so I say to every one up and be doing and the Lord shall be with you that is though perhaps you doe not finde that vigour that fervencie and liveliness of spirit yet be doing notwithstanding it is your wisest way for that doing will increase the grace within you exercise increaseth health as well as health enables to exercise so the use of grace will increase grace and other abilities motion causeth heate as well as all motion commeth from
his children to waite in it 2 122 Sanctification we must set faith on worke to increase it 2 212 How faith sanctifyeth the heart 2 213 Saved If Christ should not receive sinners none should be saved 1 113 Scriptures Scriptures beleeved in generall 2 34 Science Science 1 47 Sciences of two sorts 3 200 Seale Seale double 2 153 Security Security a cause of the pestilence 3 92 Security double Ibid. Seed How salvation is sure to all the seed 1 44 Season Season our workes must sute with it 3 209 Season what duties befit us in it Ibid. Selfe Self-crossing a signe of love to God 3 64 Why we must love God above our selves 3 166 Service Service to God and men different 3 154 Shew Difference betweene faith and a shew of holinesse 1 85 In prayer God sheweth himselfe to us 3 50 Gods shewing himselfe begets love 3 54 Shepheard Magistrates shepheards 3 78 Signe Signe in what cases God will give it 1 124 Sin Sinfull Sin the greatnesse of it 1 26 Sin the nature of it not altered by faith 1 59 Sin the efficacy of it taken away by faith 1 60 Sins most hainous Christ came to pardon 2 151 Sinfull love 3 10 Sin the consideration of it makes us love God 3 52 Sin delight in it and love of GOD cannot stand together 3 159 See Exelude Slippery Slippery places wicked men stand in 2 210 Sonne Sonne of GOD offereth his love to us 3 144 Soule Soule turned to GOD by faith 2 44 Soule needeth refreshing 3 114. Soule the adorning of it 3 173 Sound Sound heart hath good workes 3 193 Sorrow Sorrow for offending God a signe of love 3 116 Sorrow the want of it worse than the sin it selfe 3 117 Speake Love delights to speake of the party loved 3 75 Spirit Spirituall Spirit given more largely now than before 1 4 Spirit makes us love Christ. 2 50 Spirits testimony wrought two wayes 2 53 Spirit all arguments without it prevaile not 2 54 Spirits of men not alike troubled in conversion 2 86 Spirits immediate testimonie 2 89 Spirits testimony how to know it 2 90 Spirituall ioy 2 133 Spirit sound will beare affliction 2 191 Spirit the more we beleeve the more wee have of it 2 215 Spirituall love 3 11 Spirit is strong 3 187 Stranger Strangenesse Wicked men come to God as a stranger 2 106 Strangenes dissolveth love 3 105 Strength Faith takes away opinion of our owne strength 1 72 We daily want new strength 1 135 Strengthening of faith usefull 2 73. Study Study of a Christian. 3 142 Stone White stone what it signifieth 2 85 Successe Successe promised to good causes 2 163 Sudden Miseries come suddenly on the wicked 2 210 How things are said to be suddaine Ibid. Holy men may be suddainely transported to sinne 3 195 Sure How righteousnesse becomes sure 1 8 43 Sutable Looking on GOD as sutable to us breedes love 3 139 Suffering Suffering for Christ. 1 24 Suffering a fruite of love 3 77 Suffering a kinde of doing 3 77 Suffering a good worke 3 209 T. Taking Taking of Christ what 1 16 When we come to take Christ. 1 96 The efficacy of faith in taking Christ 2 41 What taking of Christ is effectuall 2 43 Taking Christ deceitfully 2 97 Taking Christ the way to salvation 3 5 Taught A Christian better taught than learned men wanting grace 3 197 Teaching Teaching of GOD what 2 12 Temptation Some cleave to Christ â—or want of temptations 2 25 Every man hath some particular temptation 2 65 Testimonie see Spirit Time Our time in GODS hands 2 182 GOD meetes with evill men in the worst time 2 211 Time a precious talent 3 113 Triall GOD puts men to tryall that they may holde out 1 9â— GOD gives no grace but hee hath tryalls for it 2 121 Trouble True ioy holds out in trouble 2 132 Trust. Trusting GOD. 2 116 Trusting GOD instances of it 2 117 Trusting in GOD what 2 168 When we are said to trust in GOD 2 171 Trusting GOD ingageth him to helpe us 2 17â— See Meanes Truth GOD abundant in truth 3 42 Turne Turning To turne to GOD what 2 99 How to use faith in the turnings of our life 2 156 V. Vaine Faith without workes is vaine 2 63 Vehement Love vehement as fire 3 89 Vertues Morall vertues GOD regards not without faith 1 82 Difference betweene faith and morall vertues 1 83 Virgins see Love Vnderstanding Faith wrought in the understanding 1 16 Vnderstanding what required in it touching faith 1 55 Vnderstanding 4 things in it touching the promise 1 95 Vnderstanding cleare makes faith effectuall 2 â—3 Vnderstanding what in it hinders love 3 108 Vneffectuall 5. Causes why faith is uneffectuall 2 6. Vngodly God iustifieth the ungodâ—y 2 149 Vnworthily To receive the Sacrament unworthily what 1 87 Two sorts receive the Sacrament unworthily 3 59 Voice Voice immediate 2 53 Voice soft what 2 88 Voice of the Spirit in us 2 105 Voice of Gods Spirit how to know it 2 106 Vprightnes Gods blessing according to our uprightnes 2 181 Vse Those that have faith are able to use it 2 139 How to use faith 2 142 Vse of grace increaseth it 3 204 Vile When a man is vile in his owne eyes 2 136 W. Wages Love desireth no wages 3 27 Walke To walke with GOD what 3 25 Warre True peace comes after warre 2 109 Way When wee looke on Gods wayes as contrary to us we hate him 3 132 See Good workes see Taking Waite True faith is content to waite 2 121 Instances of waiting 2 122 Weake Faith is weake for want of using 2 140 Love to God weakeneth sinne 2 214 Weake grace is grace 3 148 Will Willing Will faith wrought in it 1 16 Will must take Christ. 1 21 Will three things in it in taking Christ. 1 22 Those that are willing to take Christ how they are affected 1 32 Iustifying faith differeth from generall faith in the act of the will 1 49 Will what required in it touching faith 1 56 We must be willing to kill our lusts 1 92 Will the drawing of it to take the promises 1 101 Will how drawne 1 103 Will drawne by three meanes 1 104 Will what in it hinders love 3 108 Will taken for the deed when 3 201 Wee must be willing to suffer for Christ. 3 99 Wisedome Wisedome in three things 2 199 Property of wisedome 3 206 Wonders Wonders wrought now though no miracles 2 177 Worth Worthy To be worthy of Christ what 1.29 75 Faith take from a man all opinion of worth 1 71 Christ worthy of our love 3 34 Worship If Christ were not ready to pardon hee should not be worshipped 1 113 Worke Working Faith and opinion differ in their working 1 120 Working shewes a thing to bee effectuall 2 27 Working in doing and suffering 2 45 Good works the way to salvation 2 60 Worke-lesse faith five arguments against it 2 62 True
sett a worke to serve the Lord when he looks to the Lord when he inclines towards the Lord that is when the minde is set on worke to thinke on him to remember his glorious workes to have a right knowledge and opinion of him againe when the memory is set on worke to remember him and not to forget his benefits his statutes and his ordinances and so the rest of his faculties And therefore if we love the Lord wee will not doe this with our selves to thinke I love him and yet I will suffer my minde in the meane time to be exercised in contemplating of fornication not to thinke I loue the Lord and yet will suffer my memorie in the meane time to be recollecting injuries and breeding of them and recalling my pleasant sinnes that are formerly past that I should abhorre thou canst not loue him and doe this Againe thou must not say I love him and yet let thy affections runne after this and that but thy whole heart must be bestowed on him Thou must not thinke to loue him and to reserue thy affections for this or that particular thing that thou lovest inordinately but thou must bestow all these on the Lord. The second thing required in this love wherewith I will end is this that you love the Lord with all your might You will say what is the meaning of that to love the Lord with all my might and with all my strength For the understanding of this you must know that God hath given different might and different strength to men as a rich man hath more might than another for he can rule more and sway more and command more than a poore man can Againe a Magistrate he can restraine by his power and encourage men by his authority and winne them yea compell them by his example Againe a learned man that is of great parts that is of a stronger wit than another hee hath more might than another he is able to doe more than a man of weaker parts Now to love the Lord with all our might is to improve all the meanes we have all the strength all the ability that wee have above others to improve it so that we may serve the Lord with it more than others that even as thou exceedest any in these abilities so thou maist goe beyond them in serving the Lord This is to love the Lord with all thy might that is to love him so much more than a poore man to bestow more on him to doe more for him as thy riches make thee more able and more strong than another For thee to love him now as another man doth that hath lesse might the Lord will not take this love at thy hands but will say to thee as Landlords say to their Tenants when they bring them lesse rent than they should lesse than is due they will receive none for they say so much is due The Lord will require this that you love him with all your might If thou be a rich man if thou be a Magistrate if thou be a man of such and such opportunities to serve the Lord and doe but a little hee will not accept it at all thou must love the Lord with all thy might for God requires this at thy hands hee leaves it not arbitrary He saith To whom much is given of him much shall be required Hee saith not I leave it to him to doe more or lesse but I require it that is I will exact it according to the measure he hath received Therefore consider with thy selfe what meanes thou hast what power God hath put into thy hands what ability thou hast more than others When you send a servant to market as you give him a greater price as you put more money into his hands so you expect hee should bring home more than another that hath a lesse price put into his hands So the Lord doth with men hee sends men into the world as men are sent to a market hee gives a larger price to some to some hee gives five talents to some three to some two the Lord expects that they should bring home according to the price they have in their hands that is according to the might according to the strength and opportunity he hath given them For you must know that the Lord observes an exact difference betweene man and man It may be thou livest under better meanes than another thou hast had better education than another thou hast more knowledge in the wayes of God than another the Lord hath helped thee more by the inward suggestions of his Spirit than another he lookes that thou shouldest bring forth more fruite than another And so againe for all other abilities and advantages the Lord expects at our hands that we love him with all our might otherwise saith he you might have given my money to the exchangers and they would have made use of it Marke that in the Parable of the Talents for a man will be ready to say if I bestow some love on the Lord why should he exact require the utmost why doth he require so much at my hands Yes saith he if another had this might if another had this strength and this opportunity that thou hast hee would have done as exchangers doe hee would have brought it in with profit so if that ability were given to another he would make use of it And therefore thinke not much if he require it at thy hands for there is losse if he should not Therefore know that the Lord requires this at thy hands it may be thou art more composed and more disposed than another it is nothing for thee to abstaine from drinking to abstaine from swearing because thou art framed this way by naturall ingenuity and naturall temper that God hath given thee it is not that the Lord requires no more but that thou live soberly free from grosse sinnes No God lookes for more he requires of every man according to his strength and ability As you know a childe may runne and another man may walke the childe takes more paines the man lesse it the reward were to be given according to the endeavour the child should have it though he that walkes come to the goale before him A man that is weake may not doe so much as another that is strong and able to doe ten times as much worke as another man that is weake though thou doe more worke than he this is not accepted because hee lookes that every man should doe his utmost he requires that you should love him and serve him and set your selves to improve all your ability according to the might according to the Talent according to the price hee hath distributed and measured to you So much for this time FINIS THE SEVENTH SERMON GALAT. 5.6 For in Iesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision but Faith which worketh by Love THE last thing that wee entred upon was