by a false Compass and so steers his Course wrong Truly thus it is with many Professors they perform Duties they go on with full sail in Duties they perform Duties every day and they attend upon the Lord as they have opportunity to hear the Word and read the Word daily they go on amain Ay but still they steer a wrong Course they sail by a false Compass and certainly they will never come to the Haven of Rest but will run upon their own ruine at last Therefore observe it the Devil will allow a Professor to go on in a course of Duties to pray every day in his Family and Closet he will allow him to go on in a course of Ordinances attending upon God daily so long as his Duties and Services are not touched with the Loadstone if they be not done in Faith he knows what will be the Issue of them he lets him alone because he knows he doth but deceive himself and delude his own Soul he looks to come to such a Haven but he will perish and miscarry for ever Therefore Brethren I pray consider whether it be not a matter of very great concernment for every one of us to look to it and be careful that all our Duties and Services be done in Faith or else we can never please God Well This is the Question How shall we so perform our Duties and Services in Faith as they may be pleasing unto God Answ In answer to it there are some Directions that I shall lay down that may be of general Concernment and reach all the Duties that we are to perform and shew you how we shall perform them in Faith that they may be pleasing unto God And then afterward we shall come to lay down more particular Directions how we may perform every Duty as Prayer in Faith and hearing the Word in Faith and partaking of the Lords-Supper in Faith how we may perform every Duty in Faith that so we may please God in what we do First Then for the General Rules that we may make use of in all Duties for the performing of them in Faith that so they may be pleasing unto God 1. First then take this for a general Rule that may be of concernment for every Duty Let us look especially that we be Believers that we have a Faith in Christ for if we be not Believers we can never perform any Duty in Faith we must first believe in Christ before we can perform any duty in Faith Therefore I say Let us be sure of that that the work of Faith be wrought effectually in our hearts that we do really and truely believe on Christ be sure of that lay that for a foundation and the more clear that is the more sure we are of that that there is a real work of Faith wrought in our hearts we may be the more easily perswaded that what we do we do in Faith though that alone is not enough neither But without that it is impossible for us to do any thing in Faith so as to please God it is by Faith that our persons come to be accepted without Faith our persons are not pleasing unto God No It is through the beloved that we must be accepted in our persons Ephes 1.6 And if our persons be not accepted nothing that we do can be accepted No we may pray day by day and cry aloud and we may perform extraordinary Duties too and none of these accepted if our persons be not accepted through Faith in Christ there must be the foundation of all For Brethren it is by Faith that our hearts are purified and made holy now if so be that we be not holy we cannot please God by any thing that we can do for he is a holy God and whatsoever is pleasing to God must be holy Now it is by Faith that our hearts come to be purified Act. 15.9 By Faith we come to have an habitual Holiness wrought in us though there may be and there is still a body of sin but still there is a Principle of Holiness by Faith wrought in the heart whereby we come to be made holy in Gods account For if so be that we be not made holy through Faith then all that ever we do is unclean all that comes from us is unclean look as the Fountain or Spring is so is all that issues from it every drop of water that comes from it is accordingly Can you bring forth a clean thing out of an unclean None can do it Does a bitter fountain send forth sweet water No it cannot be The fountain must first be made clean and sweet or else all the streams will be according as the fountain is A corrupt Tree cannot bring forth good fruit make the Tree good or the fruit cannot be good All that comes from a man or woman that is in a state of unbelief is unclean and whatever Duties or Ordinances he touches is unclean and polluted and therefore cannot please God Look as it was under the Law if one that was Legally or Ceremonially unclean touched any thing it was unclean Hag. 2.12 13. If one bear holy flesh in the skirt of his garment and with his skirt do touch bread or pottage or wine or oyl or any meat shall it be holy And the Priests answered and said no it shall be unclean So now whatever Duties be performed under the New-Testament if we be not Believers if our hearts be not purified by Faith truly then all that we touch is impure and unclean to us as the Apostle saith Tit. 1.15 Unto the pure all things are pure but unto them that are defiled Who are those he explains it in the very next words and unbelieving is nothing pure They can do nothing that the Infinite Holy and Pure God can be pleased with Now there is no way for a Soul to be made clean to lave an habitual Holiness but through Faith wrought by the Spirit of Christ and the application and sprinkling of the Vertue of the Blood of Christ upon the Conscience So a man or woman comes to be made clean In Heb. 9.13 saies the Apostle there For if the blood of bulls and goats and the Ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean sanctifie to the purifying of the flesh that is The Holy Water under the Law that being sprinkled upon the unclean did purifie him and make him clean and if the sprinkling of that water did purifie from Ceremonial Uncleanness How much more shall the blood of Christ verse 14. Who through the eternal Spirit offered up himself to God purge your Conseiences from dead works to serve the living God Two things the Apostle doth plainly hint to us in this Scripture Namely 1. That all our Works that we perform before we be cleansed by the Blood of Christ they are all but dead works unholy and unclean And then 2. it implies thus much That we come to be cleansed from our dead works by the sprinkling of
them a City and in enjoying God they enjoy all And then observe that the Happiness of Believers is for ever they are not freed from all evil for a time only and enjoy all good for a time only but for ever And so they have everlasting Life 2. Let us enquire what is this believing what this Faith is upon which a man or woman comes to have everlasting Life I answer 'T is not a bare assent to the Truth of the Gospel 'T is not a meer Historical Faith Yea though you should be somewhat affected with it and hear the Word with Joy and do many things as Herod did But this believing is a Receiving of Christ himself in some word of Grace wherby the humbled Sinner doth wholy rely upon Jesus Christ for Life and Salvation Although we are to believe all that is Written in the Law and the Prophets and the whole Word of God yet Christ as a Saviour and Mediator is the object of justifying Faith Gal. 3.2 Received ye the Spirit by the works of the Law or by the hearing of Faith Faith is wrought in us by the hearing of the Gospel by some word of Grace wherein Christ is held forth as a Saviour either Explicitly or Implicitly The Text saith He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting Life And Paul bids the Jaylor believe on the Lord Jesus and thou shalt be saved So that whatsoever word the Lord hints to us to work and beget Faith in our Hearts yet the Soul doth not stay there but Ventures and Casts it self wholy upon Jesus Christ as the Saviour and Mediator Thirdly To give you some Demonstrations or Arguments to prove that whosoever believeth on the Son hath everlasting Life 1. God the Father promised this to Christ the Mediator in the behalf of his Ransomed ones Tit. 1.2 In hope of Eternal Life which God that cannot lie promised before the world began God promised to Christ no less than Eternal Life for his Seed Rom. 6. last The Gift of God is Eternal Life through Jesus Christ our Lord. 1 Joh. 2.25 This is the Promise which he hath promised us even eternal Life This was promised to Christ that by his Obedience all his People should be made Righteous and have Eternal Life 2. Christ as Mediator prayed for no less than Eternal Life for his people and the Father always heareth him Joh. 17.24 Father I will that those whom thou hast given me may be with me where I am that they may behold my Glory which thou hast given me 3. Jesus Christ hath purchased Eternal Life for his People Hebr. 9.15 And for this cause he is the Mediator of the New Testament that by means of Death for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first Testament they which are called might receive the Promise of Eternal Inheritance Christ having made Satisfaction for the Sins of his People and brought in an everlasting Righteousness for them What should now hinder them of Everlasting Life who believe on his Name 4. One thing more to shew you in what sense it is said in the Text That he that believeth on the Son hath everlasting Life not only shall have it but hath Everlasting Life Seeing that Believers have Sin dwelling and remaining in them and are liable to Temptations and Buffetings of Satan and liable to all kind of outward Sorrows and Afflictions and have this Earthly Tabernacle yet to put off How can it be said that a Believer now hath everlasting Life I answer 1. In regard of the certainty of it As when it is said Babylon is fallen 'T is as certain that Babylon shall fall as if it were fallen already So it is as certain that Believers shall have everlasting Life as if they had it already And so it is said 2 Tim. 1.9 Who hath saved us and called us We are saved already 2. In regard that everlasting Life is begun to a Believer Every Believer is in a justified estate his Sins pardoned and the Righteousness of Christ imputed to him and Holiness and Communion with God is begun already in this Life his Fellowship is now with the Father and his Son Jesus Christ 3. In regard of Christ our head Ephes 2.6 He hath raised us up and made us sit together in Heavenly Places in Christ. The members of the mystical Body are now in Heaven though not in their own Persons yet in Christ their Head Heb. 6.20 Whither the fore-runner is for us entred even Jesus He hath taken up Heaven for them and appears in the presence of God for them Application Use 1. From what is said here That he that believeth on the Son hath everlasting Life and he that beleiveth not on the Son shall not see Life but the wrath of God abideth on him Learn that there is an everlasting estate appointed for every one either everlasting Life or everlasting Death An eternity there is for every one of us and we are near it we are upon the brink of it we are near Heaven or Hell The Lord knows that we mind these present things too much and eternity very little But O! That when we come to dye to go into eternity that we may be in Christ that so when the Earthly house of this Tabernacle shall be dissolved we may have a Building of God an House not made with hands Eternal in the Heavens O! that we may remember our eternal condition more that the thoughts of Eternity may be with us in our Callings and Business all the day long and that we may make sure of our interest of Christ that we may have everlasting Life Use 2. Wonder at the Lord's Grace in Christ that he should give everlasting Life to any of us fallen sinful men God doth not give everlasting Life to any of the Angels that sinned but cast them all down to Hell And you that live under the Preaching of the Gospel bless God that you hear of these glad tidings of everlasting Life through Christ and hearing this way of Life Preached and Declared to you O! that you may receive Christ That you may believe on him that you may have everlasting Life Use 3. Heere is matter of strong consolation to those that have believed on the Son O! Let such rejoyce in the Grace of God the Lord hath abounded towards them in his kindness through Christ Jesus It is true you may meet with many sorrows here in this world but rejoyce in this that there is no Condemnation to you because you are in Christ Jesus And not only no Condemnation but you have everlasting Life You may lose Estate Name Liberty and Life in this World but you can never lose everlasting Life for he that believeth on the Son hath everlasting Life Use 4. Here is Direction to those that are convinced of their sins that are weary and heavy laden whose consciences are pressed with the burden of their sins as if they had a heavy mountain lay upon them
wrath of God Can you endure to have the wrath of God to abide upon you Let me beseech one thing of you even for the Lord's sake and for your own Souls sake that when you come home that you would retire a little get alone and seriously ponder these words He that believeth not the Son shall not see Life but the wrath of God abideth on him Ask your own hearts whether you believe what is spoken here and that it shall be fulfilled upon all those that reject Christ And when you are alone put it upon your hearts to consider seriously what it is to have the wrath of God abide upon you what a miserable condition that will be If you had but a Sentence of Death passed upon you by a Judge of Assize how terrible is it to most men But then how dreadful will this be to you when the Lord shall say Depart from me ye Cursed when the Lord shall say that you shall never see Life but the wrath of God shall abide on you for ever Did you never see one under a deep sense and apprehension of Gods wrath O how such an one will cry out And yet it is but some drop or so that falls upon the Conscience here in this Life in comparison of Hell If you have not seen any under the sense of God's wrath consider what the Scripture saith of Cain and Judas what Terrours they were under and read the Story of Francis Spira there you may see what amazing astonishing Expressions and Wishes came from him under a sense of God's wrath lying upon him he was so tormented that but he was watched by his Friends and could not get opportunity he would have killed himself Yea and consider our Lord Jesus Christ who never had any sin inherent in him yet standing in the room of his People and having their sins imputed to him that by his Suffering in their stead Justice might be satisfied for Sin How he was filled with Astonishment and Grief under the wrath of God due to our sins Mat. 26.38 Then saith he unto them My Soul is exceeding sorrowful even unto death Luk. 22.44 And being in an Agony he prayed more earnestly and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground And he cried out upon the Cross My God my God why hast thou forsaken me We must not think that the Captain of our Salvation was thus sorrowful and sweat drops of Blood and cried out so vehemently for the fear and pain of bodily death which many Martyrs and other men have endured without any great disturbance but Christ bare that in his Sufferings that was ten Thousand times more dreadful he had the Iniquities of all his people at once laid upon him and so bare the wrath of God due unto them Our Lord Jesus Christ the Mighty One being God-man soon made Satisfaction for the sins of his people and so was acquitted and discharged and is now in the same Nature wherein he Suffered at the right hand of God But I pray consider If we bear the wrath of God our selves what shall we do You see it is no light matter it will be a burden too heavy for us to bear it will make us wish again and again that we had never been born And truely if we do not believe on the Son who hath born wrath for Sinners and who alone delivers from the wrath to come it must abide upon us Think of these things between the Lord and your own Souls and let us call to one another and awaken one another and tell one another of the danger that we are in If this house where we are were set on fire and one were asleep here it were time to awaken them O! If you have Children Servants Acquaintance that are in an ignorant and prophane way call to them and endeavour to convince them of their sins and draw them to believe in Christ Quest But it may be some will say you press this believing in Christ very much and what is there in believing that those that believe should have Everlasting Life Answ There is nothing of Merit of Efficiency or Causality in our believing to free us from the wrath of God and to bring us to everlasting Life For everlasting Life is the Gift of God through Jesus Christ our Lord so that we do not set up Faith to have any part with Christ in the Glory of our Salvation But I pray consider it that Faith is that Grace whereby we lost Sinners being convinced of our Sins and having no hope of any help and relief in our selves do wholy betake our selves to Jesus the Mediator for our Salvation So that Christ is all and doth all and by Faith we receive and embrace Christ our Justifier And so hath the Lord ordained that by going out of our selves and receiving Christ the Mediator we have the Gift of Righteousness even the Righteousness of Christ imputed to us to the Justification of Life So that it is not Faith as a Work but Faith as a Hand or Instrument whereby we receive Christ the Saviour that justifies us in the sight of God Quest But how shall I come to believe on the Lord Jesus Answ 1. You must be convinced of Sin You must see that you are guilty before God that you cannot stand before the Holy Lord God But alas Mens hearts are so taken up with the Cares and Pleasures of the world and think so little of Eternity and the Judgment to come that it is in the thoughts of few how they shall be discharged from the guilt of their Sins and have everlasting Life 2. You must see that there is no help for you in your own personal Righteousness How can there when you have sinned already And all the Righteousness that you can perform in this Life is defective and full of Imperfections You must know that there must be a perfect Righteousness to justifie you 3. You must know that Christ is he that is Ordained of God to be the Saviour That you can be saved only by his Blood and Righteousness and so cast your self wholly upon him This Faith is the Gift of God No man can come to Christ except the Father which hath sent him draw him And though some may think this believing in Christ a notion a fancy or however a common or easy thing yet as it is a real thing wrought in the hearts of the Elect by the Spirit of God so it is no easy thing to believe truly on Christ when a sinner is convinced of the Greatness of God the Holiness of his Law the revenging Justice of God and his own guilt and filth it is a great work of God to fix and stay the heart upon the Lord Jesus Christ to deliver such a one from going down to the pit and bring the soul to everlasting Life Object I dare not come to Christ because I do not know I am Elected Answer You cannot
know that you are elected until you believe in Christ by this you may know your Election if the Gospel of the Grace of God come to your heart with such Power of the Holy Ghost as to draw and fix your heart to Jesus the Mediator Though God's Eternal Election be a great Truth which you may find of great use for your establishing in the Grace of God afterwards yet that which now concerns the convinced â—â—â—er is to cast himself upon Christ to belieâ—â—â— Christ and when you have received him 〈◊〉 are in a state of acceptation with God through him then you shall know in due time that this great Love of God towards you is not of yesterday but that he ordained and appointed you to obtain this Salvation through Jesus Christ our Lord before the Foundation of the World was laid Use 4. This Doctrine concerning believing in Christ may teach us our great Blindness and Ignorance of the way of Life and Salvation until some Gospel-light shine upon us Men are more easily convinced that it is their Duty to pray to God and to live soberly and righteously than they are convinced of the necessity of going out of themselves to Christ that they may have Everlasting Life by believing on him The way of the Gospel is new and strange until the Holy Ghost convinces us of this way of Righteousness and Life Therefore study the Gospel study upon Jesus the Mediator hear him Preached and the Lord draw our hearts effectually unto Jesus Christ that so believing on the Son we may have the beginning of Everlasting Life here and the full enjoyment of it in Heaven SERMON II. John V. 25. Verily verily I say unto you the hour is coming and now is when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God and they that hear shall live I Shall spend but a little time in the coherence of these words only take notice of two main things in this Chapter 1. A Narration of a great Miracle that Christ wrought in healing a man that had an infirmity thirty and eight years vers 8 9. 2. Christ's Apology that he made for himself against the Jews for what he had done It being upon the Sabbath-day that Christ healed the man they pretended that Christ had broaken the Sabbath Vers 16. And therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus and sought to slay him because he had done these things on the Sabbath-day The men of the world will always make some pretence to persecute Christ and his People but Christ Justifies his Action in making the man whole upon the Sabbath-day and though he might have Justified the act as being a work of mercy which may consist with the most strict observation of the Sabbath yet our Saviour vindicates himself upon a higher Ground and Reason namely by asserting his Divine Nature and God-head Saith he Vers 17. My Fathâ—â— worketh hitherto and I work Therfore the Jews sought the more to kill him because he had not only broken the Sabbath as they Ignorantly thought he had done but said also that God was his Father making himself equal with God Our Saviour sheweth that the Father worketh upon the Sabbath-day in doing good shewing mercy and kindness yet with perfect rest in himself and so doth the Son He sheweth how he being the Son of God and equal with God doth co-operate with the Father in all his works which the Father doth Vers 20. yea and that as Mediator God-man the Father hath committed all unto him He raiseth Dead Bodies and he raises Dead Souls Verily verily I say unto you the hour is coming and now is when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God and they that hear shall Live In the 28. Vers Our Saviour speaks of his raising those that are dead in their Graves But in the Text he speaks of raising those that are dead in their Sins You have this great work of Christ in raising dead souls set forth by Four circumstances 1. By the Time when The hour is coming and now is 2. By the Means and way by which he would do this great work of raising dead Souls and that is by his voice The dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God and they that hear shall live 3. By the Certainty of it I say unto you I that am the Truth 4. By an Attestation and Asseveration Verily verily It shall be so I attest it Verily verily I say unto you The Hour is coming and now is Christ did always gather and call and make alive the Elect people But the time was now come when he would send forth his Apostles to Preach amongst the Gentiles to gather the Elect people that were scattered abroad And therefore he saith The hour is coming and now is when the dead even amongst the Gentiles shall hear the voice of the Son of God and live And our Saviour speaks to the same purpose Joh. 10.15 16. I lay down my Life for the sheep And other sheep I have which are not of this fold which are not of the people of the Jews them also I must bring and they shall hear my voice Doct. That those that are spiritually dead dead in trespasses and sins by hearing the voice of the Son of God are made to live Ephes 2.1 And you hath he quickned who were dead in trespasses and sins that is the estate of all men by nature But Christ can make dead Souls alive He can do it by a word and as easily as we can speak a word You read of several that Christ raised up from bodily Death when he was here upon the Earth and he did it by speaking to them Mark 5.41 one was Jairus his Daughter And he took the Damsel by the hand and said unto her Tabitha cumi which is being interpreted Damsel I say unto thee arise And straightway the Damsel arose And the Widows Son Luk. 7.14 15. And he came and touched the Bier and they that bare him stood still and he said I say unto thee youngman arise and he that was dead sate up and began to speak And so Lazarus Joh. 11. when he had been dead four days vers 43 44. He cried with a loud voice Lazarus come forth and he that was dead came forth And as Christ raised up those that were bodily dead by his Voice by his Word So if he say the word if he say to one that is dead in sin Rise up Come forth the dead Soul shall live Verily verily the hour is coming and now is when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God and they that hear shall live For the opening the Point 1. That by Nature we are Spiritually dead 2. What that Life is that Christ gives to dead sinners 3. What this Voice of the Son of God is by which dead sinners are made to live 4. What the Lord doth work upon those that are dead in sin when he makes them spiritually alive 5.
that give Alms they perform the very same Duty the one gives as much alms as the other and yet what the one doth may be accepted with God and pleasing to him and the other not whence comes the difference One doth it in Faith and the other not Abel and Cain brought their offerings to God God had respect to Abel and his Offering and God had not respect to Cain and his Offering what was the ground of the difference saies the Apostle By Faith Abel offered a more acceptable Sacrifice than Cain Well but what Faith is it then whereby a Soul and his Duties and Services come to be pleasing unto God Answ Brethren do not mistake your selves it is not that Faith whereby a man or Woman gives his consent to and believes all that is written in the Scriptures all that is revealed in the Gospel concerning Christ a man or woman may believe all this and yet this is not the Faith whereby he comes to be accepted as you know the Devils believe all this and yet are not accepted So a man or Woman may believe all that is revealed in the Gospel and yet never please God But what Faith is it whereby a Man and his Duties and performances come to please God and without which it is impossible to please God Briefly there is a three-fold Faith required for the acceptance of a mans services and performances with God that God may be pleased with them Mind it I pray for it is a thing of great concernment and possibly that which very few have considered 1st There is required saving Faith in Christ that which we call justifying Faith such a believing in Christ whereby a Soul comes to be in Christ and Christ in the Soul whereby Christ becomes the life of the Soul the very principle of Life in the Soul a justifying saving Faith in the habit the principle of Faith the grace of Faith infused into the heart whereby a Soul comes really to be united to Christ and have an Interest in him to be in Christ as you know the Scripture frequently speaks I shall not stand to give you Scriptures for that you see Brethren here how Abel and how Enoch came to please God it was by Faith What Faith It was this true Justifying Faith this Faith in Christ that was to come for it was by their Faith in Christ that they came to be accepted and their Offering was accepted and pleasing unto God by Faith Abel was accepted and his Offering and Sacrifice was accepted Cain he offered his Sacrifice but it was not accepted because he had not this justifying Faith Enoch he pleased God and whence was it It was by his Faith and saies the Apostle thereupon he had his Testimony that he pleased God it was by his Faith his justifying Faith in Christ whereby he came to be accepted his person was accepted of God and consequently his services came to be accepted of God a man or woman must first have a principle of Life before he can live a Spiritual Life now Christ is a Christians life and how comes Christ to be the Life of a Christian Namely by his Faith when he comes to believe in Christ then Christ is his Life the principle of his life the Spirit of Christ now is in the Soul that is a plain word which the Apostle hath in Rom. 8.9 If any man have not the spirit of Christ he is none of his And saies Christ in John 15.5 As the branch cannot bring forth Fruit of it self except it abide in the Vine no more can ye except ye abide in me And without me mark without me ye can do nothing Nothing that is pleasing to God the word without me holds forth not so much without Strength from Christ though that is true too but the word signifies properly in the Original without me that is separated from me not united to me that is the word in the Greek just as when a Branch is cut off from the Vine the Branch cannot bring forth Fruit without ful disputations for one believeth that he may eat all things another who is weak eateth Herbs Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not and let not him that eateth not judge him that eateth for God hath received him And again at verse 5. One man esteemeth one day above another another esteemeth every day alike What then Let every Man be fully perswaded in his own mind if he do venture to eat any kind of Meats let him be fully and clearly perswaded in his own mind that he may do it and then he eats in Faith and if he do not observe those days if he be fully perswaded in his own mind then he doth it in Faith in the two last Verses he calls this Faith Hast thou Faith Have it to thy self before God Hast thou Faith that is hast thou a perswasion that it is lawful for thee to eat any kind of meats or it is Lawful for thee to forbear the Observation of those Days Hast thou Faith have it to thy self But mark Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing that he alloweth and he that doubteth is damned if he eat because he eateth not of Faith He that doubteth that is he that questioneth whether it be lawful for him to eat this kind of meat or no he that doubteth whether he shall do well to observe this day or no He that doubteth is damned if he eat because he eateth not of Faith That is he is not fully perswaded in his own mind for whatsoever is not of Faith is Sin whatsoever is not of that perswasioâ— that it is according to the Will of God oâ— not contrary to the Will of God if he do it without that perswasion then it is not of Faith and so is a damnable sin though the thing be Lawful in it self yet if he doth the same thing doubtingly it is a damnable sin that he commits without this Faith this perswasion in his Mind that what he doth is according to the Will of God and this Faith is requisite to the pleasing of God So here in the instance before us in Abel and also in Enoch Abel pleased God by offering up a Sacrifice he had this Faith not only a Justifying Faith but he had this Faith he was perswaded that what he did offer up in Sacrifice was according to the Will of God and so Enoch he walked with God and had this Testimony that he pleased God that in the course of his Lise the steps of his Life was according to the Will of God he walked with God the actions that he did he was perswaded was according to the Will of God and thus he pleased God and this is a Second Faith that is required to the pleasing of God 3dly There is another Faith that is required further to the pleasing of God without which though I be a Believer and have a justifying Faith and though I be perswaded that what
and good works they are not Faith and without Faith it is impossible to please God Reckon what you can reckon and say what you can for your selves yet consider is this Faith or no If it be not Faith it cannot please God Possibly you may desire and endeavour to walk in the strictest way of profession and worship God in the closest way suppose you do so you desire to walk in Church-fellowship with the Saints but this is not Faith still and without Faith is is impossible to please God I pray consider the Apostle Paul saies Paul before he was converted and was brought to believe on Christ in Acts 16.5 says he After the most straitest sect of our Religion I lived a Pharisee And says he in another place in Phil. 3.7 8 9. As concerning the righteousness which is in the law I was blameless says he at verse 6. But now mark says he this was not faith though when he comes to believe on Christ Now says he I look at all that ever I did as nothing and I count all but dung that I may win Christ Brethren whatever we do without faith it is impossible for us to please God But possibly you will say to me I hope I do believe If you do it is well But I pray do you know what it is to believe ask this question to your own hearts Do you know what it is to believe It is not to believe that every thing that is spoken in the Gospel is true no no this Faith whereby we come to please God is another manner of Faith But suppose now that you do believe indeed and in truth I pray have you done all that ever you have done in a way of Faith and believing truly without Faith you see it is impossible to please God even you that are Believers without acting of Faith in what you do you cannot please God Quest But you will say to me then How shall a Christian man or woman so perform duties in Faith so as they may be pleasing unto God As suppose now the duty of Prayer How shall we perform the duty of prayer so as it may be pleasing unto God or for hearing the Word How shall we so hear the Word in Faith that it may be pleasing unto God and how shall we partake of the Lords-Table in Faith so as to please God I cannot come to answer this now but possibly if the Lord please I may speak something to that at some other time all that I have to say for the present is this You see Friends Brethren and Beloved what cause we have all of us I speak not only to unbelievers but to those that are believers as for unbelievers what cause have they to go home and bewail and bemoan their condition before the Lord Look back upon all that you have done throughout your whole lives and you may write this upon it all you have displeased God you have made many Prayers and confessed many Sins and given thanks to God often you have read and heard the Word and have done this and that and yet in all that you have done you have never pleased God because without Faith it is impossible to please God Go and bewail it before the Lord that you have led such a course of life that you have done nothing that hath been pleasing unto God And you that are Believers have you done all that you have done in Faith have you prayed in faith have you heard the word in faith and have you partaked in other Ordinances in a way of faith we have all cause to go home and in private fal down before the Lord and acknowledge that we have displeased God in every duty and service that we have performed But thus much shall suffice for this time SERMON VI. Hebrews XI 6. But without Faith it is impossible to please Him THe words as you have heard are an intire Proposition Doct. That without Faith it is impossible for any Man or Woman by all that ever they can do to please God You have heard it opened at large we came the last day to touch upon a word of Application and that was to shew what a sad and uncomfortable condition every unbelieving person was in that nothing that ever he hath done or can do or shall do whilst he is in this state can be pleasing unto God For Without Faith it is impossible to please Him Whatever Duties we perform whatever Ordinances we partake in if all be not done in Faith it cannot be pleasing unto God Quest You will say unto me then How shall we so act in Faith in the performance of all Duties and in the partaking of all Ordinances that so we may please God in what we do This is a great Question and I shall desire through the Lords assistance to speak something to this at this time And O Brethren this is a matter of very great concernment to do all that we do in Faith to pray every Prayer in Faith and every time we hear the Word to hear it in Faith and if we partake of the Lords-Table every time to partake in Faith or else we do not please God in any of these Duties Let me therefore a little stir you up to it that you may be provoked if possible to do all that you do in Faith Briefly Let me hint three or four words that way to shew you that it is of very great concernment for every one of us to perform every Duty and to partake of every Ordinance in a way of Faith For first of all else all that ever we do all our labour all our endeavours all our pains in our duties and performances will be all in vain And would a wise man be willing to do any thing in vain to take pains and all in vain Have ye suffered so many things saies the Apostle Gal. 3 4. in vain Truly so may we say to those that do not exercise Faith in their duties and performances have you done so many things in vain Would any of you take pains in your Callings willingly in vain and loose all your labour Are you willing that all your labour and travel and pains from day to day should be lost and all in vain You would count it a very grievous and uncomfortable thing if any of you should take any great Voyage by Sea and all your Voyage and Hazard should be in vain or if you should take any great Journey by Land in heat and cold in wet and dry through thick and thin and all your Journey should be in vain and nothing at all come of it what a grief and vexation would it be to your hearts Now Brethren I pray Consider of it if we perform duties take pains in duties day by day perform Duties in our Families and in our Closets every day presenting our Prayers and Supplications before the Lord and frequently in season and out of season atrending upon the Word of God
personal union with the God-head the humane nature partakes of Grace and Gifts to its utmost capacity 2. It was necessary that Christ should be filled with the spirit in our nature that so he might be able to manage his work and office to perform his active and passive obedience and to be a Store-house and treasury of grace and consolation to his people that they may be supplied from him and of his fullness receive and grace for grace Application Use 1. Learn whence it is that a person may be enabled to speak holily and graciously It is said here that Christ spake the words of God and he brings in this for a reason for he received not the spirit by measure The more we have of the Spirit of God the more we shall speak the Words of God and though we can never have so much of the spirit as Jesus Christ had â—or spake the Words of God as he did yet set us â—ray that we may have the spirit and more and more of the spirit that we may in our measure â—peak the Words of God What is the reason â—hat our words are no more savory and spiritual â—ut unprofitable and vain too often 'T is beâ—use we have but a little of the spirit if we have the spirit at all in a sanctifying way And for those whose words are altogether carnal and vain nothing but prophane scurrilous unclean speeches come from them such may well think that they have not the Spirit of God He that hath the Spirit of God will endeavour in some measure to speak the Wordâ— of God for where the Spirit of God is given in a saving manner he sanctifies the heart and sanctifies the tongue and so causes their words to be gracious and spiritual in some measure Therefore as we desire that our speech may be with grace holy and edifying pray for the spirit to be given unto us It is said of Christ that they wondered at the gracious words that proceeded from him he was full of the spirit and he spake the words of God O let us be much in prayer for the spirit to give us a mouth and wisdom upon all occasions pray that we may have the spirit to fill our hearts with holy thoughts and to fill our mouths with holy discourse Use 2. Learn from hâ—nce that when God calls to any work or service he is wont to give abilitiâ—â— and strength for that work Our Lord Jesuâ— was called to a great work to be performed iâ— our humane nature and you see here how hâ— was filled with the spirit and fitted for thaâ— work When God calls us to any work or service let us not look at the greatness of thâ— work to discourage us no but look principall at Gods calling you to it and if it be so thaâ— God calls us to the work he will give us of hâ— Spirit in some measure to strengthen us and help us When Moses died and Joshuah succeeded him he had great difficulties to go through in the work he was called to But saith the Lord fear not be not discouraged I will not fail thee nor forsake thee Therefore if you be assured that the Lord calls you to the work and service you are employed in fear not trust in the Lord keep in his way and he will give you strength he will stand by you and will not fail you nor forsake you Follow the Lord in your places and if sufferings come towards you the Lord will either put them by or he will support you and strengthen you with might by his spirit in the inward man Use 3. Learn from hence the excellency of Jesus Christ in that he is filled with the spirit Besides his infinite Glory as God you may see here what excellency is in him even as to his humane nature in that the Spirit is not given by measure unto him but beyond what is given to any other men or Angels Take a Saint and the Spirit and Grace of God in him adorns him in the eyes of others you will say there is such a one how full of love of wisdom of humility is he this makes him beautiful indeed But then how glorious should Christ be in our eyes both as to his God-head and as to the wisdom purity holiness and fullness of the spiâ—it in his humane nature In which respect even â—s the Son of man he is fairer then all the Chilâ—ren of men and then all the Angels in Heaven Suppose all the grace that is in all the Saints and Angels were abstracted and put all into one yet this is nothing to the fullness and grace that is in Christ There is wisdom love meekness and every grace in Christ that is compatible to his pure and holy nature without measure Use 4. Learn from hence to go to Christ for the spirit and grace in all our times of need He is filled with the spirit in our nature and as the Egyptians when they were ready to starve in the Famine and came to Pharoah he sent them to Joseph go to Joseph So go to Jesus there you may be supplied go to Jesus for the spirit to mortify our corruptions to quicken our graces to help us in all our duties and sufferings As Jacob said to his Sons Why stand ye looking one upon another there is Corn in Egypt go and fetch from thence that we may not perish So let believers go to Jesus Christ and fetch supplies of grace from him go to him as one that is able and willing to help his people in all their times of need Lastly We may learn from hence the ignorance and blasphemy of those that make a mock of the spirit and deride others as prizing the spirit whereas the excellency of Christ is set forth amongst other things by this that he was filled with the spirit 'T is true many may pretend to the spirit that have him not but therefore to make a mock of having the spirit is no less than blasphemy The Spirit is given to all Believers and he that hath not the Spirit of Christ is none of his not yet of his called ones The Believer is called the Spiritual man 1 Cor. 2.15 Some may pretend to be made partakers of Christ and yet be mistaken but he that shall mock people and use it as a Reproach to them that they believe in Christ and are Christians is a Blasphemer And so is he that shall use it as a Reproach to any That this is one that hath the Spirit Now I come to vers 35. The Father loveth the Son and hath given all things into his hand These words seem to hold forth the Reason of the former he had said before that God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him that is Christ And why so For the Father loveth the Son and hath given all things into his hand The Father loves the Elect Angels and loves Elect men but the Father loves the Son above all others
fear there may be some amongst us that will be found haters of the Lord Jesus Christ If your hearts continue to rise against the way of Salvation by Christ you will be found haters of him If you love your sins and hold them fast and will not have Christ to reign over you then you will be found haters of Christ If you hate the Disciples of Christ because of his Image and Grace in them then you will be found haters of Christ But if you believe in him and your hearts cleave unto him and you are troubled that you love him no more that he is no more precious to you then go in peace Use 4. Seeing the Father loveth the Son in such a wonderful manner let this stir us up to love Jesus Christ Let us love him as God and love him him as God-man Mediator You see he is an object fit for the Love of God the Father and then he is an object worthy of our love And as God the Father loves him with a transcendent Love so let us do likewise Read what Christ saith Joh. 14.21 If any man love me he will keep my words and my Father will love him and I will love him and will manifest my self unto him And see verse 23. You will never loose any thing by loving Jesus Christ Ephes 6.24 Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity Amen It follows And hath put all things into his hand Before I come to raise the Doctrine from these words let me briefly shew you the meaning of this expression And hath put all things into his hand The meaning is that he hath put all Power and Authority into his hand he hath made him Supreme Head and Governour over all things the Father hath made him Ruler and Disposer of all the great King Lord and Potentate over all And further take notice that this is spoken of Jesus as God-man Mediator Christ is made the Lord of Heaven and Earth in our Nature As Christ is the Son of God so he is equal with the Father so it cannot be properly said that the Father hath given all things into his hand for he had all things originally in his hand as God but as God-man Mediator so the Father hath given all things into his hand that now in our nature in our flesh he is the great Potentate of the world and hath all things committed to him of the Father Doctrine That God the Father hath given unto Jesus Christ in our Nature full Power and Authority over all things both in Heaven and in Earth he hath put all things into his hand This is a Point of great Concernment and for the great comfort and establishing of Believers in evil times that all things are given into the hand of our great Mediator You see John Baptist here gives a full testimony to this truth will you hear what Christ saith in his own person All things are delivered unto me of my Father Mat. 11.27 And Jesus came and spake unto them saying All Power is given unto me in Heaven and in Earth Joh. 13.3 Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hand 1. To shew you how all things are put into the hand of Christ given into his hand 1. All men are given into Christ's hand But here we must distinguish There are some given to Christ in a special manner and for their eternal Salvation There are some given to Christ to that very end and purpose that he should give them Eternal Life Joh. 17.2 As thou hast given him power over all flesh that he should give eternal Life to as many as thou hast given him You see that some are so given into Christs hand that he by his Office of Mediator is engaged and hath undertaken to give them Eternal Life Other sheep I have which are not of this fold them also I must bring and they shall hear my voice Joh. 10.16 Christ there calls them whom the Father hath given him in the Covenant of Redemption his sheep though they are not yet converted and saith he must bring them in and they shall hear his voice Joh. 17. I pray for them I pray not for the world but for them whom thou hast given me for they are thine and yet he prayed as Mediator not only for them that were then Believers and converted but for them that should afterwards believe unto everlasting Life Vers 20. Neither pray I for these alone but for them also which shall believe on me through their word Vers 24. Father I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am that they may behold my Glory 2. The rest of men are put into Christs hand even those that perish so as that Christ hath full power to over-rule them and their actings so as that they shall not quite root out his Church so as that he shall have Glory in carrying on his work so far as he pleases against all their opposition punish them so far as he thinks fit in this Life and pass sentence of everlasting Damnation against them at the Last Day Thus we see all men are given into Christ's hand Elect and non-Elect the Elect to redeem and save and the rest to order them and dispose of them as he pleases in this World a d to judge them at the Last Day 2. All the Angels are given into Christs hands The Elect Angels are given into his hand to confirm them as some think and to make use of them in his Mediatory Kingdom as he pleases The fallen Angels are given into his hand so as that he hath Power to check them and restrain them and set bounds to them that they shall not Devour and Prevail against any of his redeemed People and likewise to sit in Judgment upon them and pass open Sentence of Condemnation upon them at the Last Day Ephes 1.21 22. 'T is said of Christ That he is far above all Principality and Power and Might and Dominion and every name that is named not only in this world but also in that which is to come And hath put all things under his feet and gave him to be Head over all things to the Church Luk. 10.17 And the seventy returned with joy saying Lord even the Devils are subject to us through thy Name 3. All Creatures whether animate or inanimate are given into the hand of Christ as Mediator God-man 1. All animate Creatures all rational Creatures Phil. 2.9 10. Wherefore also God hath highly exalted him and given him a Name which is above every Name That at the Name of Jesus every knee should bow of things in Heaven and things on Earth 2. All inanimate all irrational Creatures Psal 8.5 6 7 8. For thou hast made him a little lower than the Angels viz. barely considered as man though far above all the Angels as God-man Mediator and hast crowned him with Glory and Honour Thou madest him to
nor turnings in God Again God must needs be a God of Truth because he loves Truth Thou lovest Truth in the inward parts God loves truth in the Heart and God loves Truth in the Lips too Blessed is the man in whose Lips is no guile See how God threatens to punish a Lyar there shall in no wise enter into the Holy place any thing that defileth or any thing that makes a Lye And so in another place without are Dogs Idolaters and Adulterers and Lyars See how the Lord also doth threaten the King of Judah that had made a Covenant with the King of Babylon in Ezekiel 17.13.15 16. Shall he prosper shall he escape that doth such things c. As I live saith the Lord God surely in the place where the King dwelleth that made him King whose Oath he despised and whose Covenant he brake even with him in the midst of Babylon he shall die for it And it 's a remarkable story of the King of Hungaria King of the Romans he entered into a solemn Covenant with the Turks whereupon a while after the Pope by one of his Cardinals perswaded that King of Hungaria to break his Covenant and to come into his Country with an Army and the Turk seeing his Army with the Banner of Christs Name upon it he cried out O Christ come and take Judgement on him that hath thus broken Covenant with the Lord and the Lord did give Victory to the Turk and he took the King and cut off his Head and this for breach of Covenant And so in other instances says God your Carcasses shall lye down in the Wilderness and so in 1 Samuel 2.30 and Chapt. 3.13 See what course the Lord will take with the House of Eli Wherefore I the Lord God of Israel I said indeed that thy House and the House of thy Father should walk before me for ever But now the Lord saith be it far from me for them that honour me I will honour and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed c. Quest Why then it seems the Lord is not so faithful in his Word for sometimes the Lord doth not make good his Promises How then is he true and faithful in what he doth tho' this is not the business I principally intend yet for answer in a word Answ The Promises that God makes unto particular persons or people especially unto Temporal good things and Blessings they are made conditionally viz. If they don't walk so and so Or if they don't repent As now for example That threatning made to Niniveh it 's said except Niniveh doth return that is the meaning of it Tho' it s not always exprest yet it 's always implied That if they do not repent they shall dye or they shall be destroyed So now God promised the Israelites they should have the Land of Canaan that is conditionally to take heed how they walk before him and commit no Idolatry but now they continuing in Idolatry the Lord fails them why because they did not walk uprightly before him but sinned against him with their Idolatry And also his Promise is if they did put a difference between the precious and the vile then I would do so and so But now thou hast done so and so and tho' I have said so because you have not done so and so you shall not enjoy the mercies I have promised They are not always performed because they are conditional but God is true and faithful in what he promises But what are we to understand of the setting to the Seal What is this same setting of the seal to it that God is true Breifly It signifies thus much namely a bringing or giving a strong Witness that God is True for the setting to the Seal is not only a promise by word subscribing but also by setting of the Seal to thing See Nihemiah 9. last Verse Esther 8.8 The King is making impression with his Seal upon the writing for the enlargement of the Jews and it 's said the Kings Seal no man may pluck off You know it is ordinary the Sealing to a thing is the confirming of a thing Circumcision was as a Sign or Seal of strong Confirmation that Righteousness should be had in a way of faith and beleiving And says the Apostle Are not you the Seal of my Apostleship That is yea are my Witness and strong Testimony to evidence and clear that I am an Apostle sent of God because of the effects of that Ministry you see and find by me And so in another place The Lord knoweth them that are his having this Seal that every one that Nameth the name of Christ should depart from iniquity Here is a double Seal here is the Seal of Gods election chusing from Eternity the Lord knows who are his but also more secret Let him that receiveth the name of Christ depart from iniquity But how is this an evident demonstration that God is true why thus in receiving of the Testimony of God there 's a strong evidence that God is True First In that he doth now deny himself every Man and Woman that doth receive Christ by Faith doth deny themselves all a mans own Righteousness his own Services or performances He doth not look ever to be accepted of the Lord for any thing that he doth or can do not that he neglects Duty and Services and performances but when he hath done all yet all his hopes and expectations for any thing of whatsoever he hath done he desires nothing but acceptance in Christs Righteousnesâ— for if aâ—â— man will come after me saith Christ he must deny himself and follow me He must renounce all look for no acceptance with God for all that ever he suffers or can suffer for the Name of God The Soul will deny all deny it self it s own Liberty its name and credit its Life and all Again Secondly A man that doth receive the Testimony of Christ as he doth deny all so now he doth give up himself and lay the weight of his eternal condition upon Christ Says the Apostle I know in whom I have believed and I am perswaded and know that he is sufficient to keep whatsoever is needful for me I have ventured my eternity for it and upon it and my Soul must sink if Christ don't take care of me and save me for ever He renounces all his own righteousness and lays the weight of his Soul upon Christ Thirdly A man that doth receive the Testimony of Christ hath set to his Seal that God is true He did set to his Seal that Christ is true but how doth he set to his Seal that God is true yes for he whom God hath sent speaketh the word unto you Christ is sent of God and he speaks nothing but what he had from God Briefly by way of Application Use 1. If God be a God of Truth it doth concern every one of us to endeavour to be like unto God God is a God of
Preached and go on thus week after week month after month and year after year labouring and taking pains in your duties and yet when all comes to all it is all in vain Truly thus it will be if it be not done in Faith you have prayed so many times in a Week and so many times in a year possibly a thousand times in your Life yet all is in vain for you see you cannot please God and therefore it is in vain You desire to please God in your Duties and in your attendances upon the Lord but all is in vain What a sad and uncomfortable thing is this Therefore certainly it is of great concernment to look to that that we do not perform Duties in vain that we do not Pray and Read and Hear without Faith for then all will be in vain Secondly Consider a little further What an uncomfortable thing is it for a man to meet with a disappointment in his great expectation When a man hath great expectations of a business and meets with a disappointment in the conclusion that his expectation is frustrated you know what Solomon saith in Prov. 13.12 Hope deferred makes the heart sick If a man have hopes of a thing and his hopes be only put off and deferred though it may be accomplished at last yet if it be deferred beyond the time it makes his heart sick Ay but when a mans expectations be not only deferred but altogether frustrated that he meets with nothing but disappointments What an uncomfortable thing is this and the greater the expectation of a man is or the greater the thing is his expectation is about the greater and sadder will his disappointment be You know how it fared with Haman in Esth 6. When the King propounded that Question to him What shall be done unto the man whom the King delighteth to honour Why thought he whom the King delights to honour is none but my self Surely I am the man here was his hope and expectation but now to be frustrated of this great expectation of being honoured and advanced and for the King to say Go take the Kings Horse and the Royal apparrel and go and set Mordecai thereon his great Enemy go and proclaim before him thus it shall be done to the man whom the King delighteth to honour thus was his expectation frustrated and it came to nothing And how did it make his heart sick He went home to his Wife and company and he was even sick at the very heart Truly Brethren when a mans expectations are raised from his Duties and Performances that he hath gone on in a way of Prayer all his Life-long and attending upon God in the way of his Ordinances all his Life-long and his expectation is great he thinks he hath been pleasing God all his life-long and when all comes to all at last he shall see that he wanted Faith and so never pleased God in all his Life by all the Duties and Services that ever he performed Here now will his expectations be frustrated and when he comes to lie upon his Death-bed he thinks he hath been pleasing God in performing Duties and attending upon God in his way he shall meet with nothing but Disappointments He hath not pleased God by all that he hath done all his life-long 3. Nay Let me add Thirdly If our Duties be not done in Faith truly then instead of being the better for them we shall certainly be the worse for all the Duties that ever we performed Now what an uncomfortable thing is it for a man to labour and take pains and all for loss You that trade in the World that take a great deal of pains are up early and down late why if so be that you go backward in your estates for all your pains-taking and labour and toyl and travel this will be very uncomfortable to you to labour and toyl night and day as it were and all for loss Suppose now a great Merchant he trades and trafficks abroad at Sea and trades at home by Land and when he comes to cast up his accounts he hath done all for loss he is not the richer but a great deal the poorer What an uncomfortable thing will this be to him that he hath been labouring and travelling and toyling and spending his strength and his time and his pains and all for loss He is the worse and not the better as 't is said of the woman that had the bloody Issue she went to the Physicians and used the means and still she was not the better but the worse You would count this a very uncomfortable thing if any of your Children or Relations should be sick and you call for the help of the Physitian and he applies means and still all the Physick that is taken tends to the hurt of the Party he is never the better but the worse for all the means that is used truly it would make your hearts ake Truely thus it is when a man hath been taking pains all his life-long exercising of himself in holy Duties and Ordinances worshipping and serving God and endeavouring to please God as he thinks but now instead of pleasing God by what he hath done he hath rather displeased God For certainly we are either the better or the worse for every Ordinance that we partake in when we come to hear a Sermon if we do not go away better we go away worse for the Word will work one way or other And so far Prayer if we be not the better we are the worse when our Duties and Services have not been done in Faith they have not been pleasing to the Lord. And when a man comes to cast up his accounts he will find himself the worse for all the Services that ever he performed because they have not been done in Faith 4. And let me add one word more If our Duties and Services be not done in Faith then I pray what have we been doing of all this time but cheating and deceiving our own Souls going on and taking pains and all to delude and deceive our own Souls We have been steering a wrong couse instead of making Christ our Righteousness we have been making a Christ of our Duties and Services and so deceive our own Souls if we do not act Faith in the performance of Duties then we make a Christ of them and so deceive our own Souls for if we do not lean upon Christ we lean upon them A man or woman that doth not act Faith in their Duties and Services they do but steer a wrong Course all their life-long Suppose now a man should steer his course at Sea by a Compass that is false he may go on and sail amain Night and Day before the Wind he may go on in his Course but all the way that he makes he doth but deceive himself he will never come to the Haven he aims at and desires to come to He doth but deceive and delude himself Why Because he sails