outwardly but by faith doth inwardly feed upon the bread of life Wee are not justified by works of the Law done before or after justification nor by yeelding obedience to any command concerning outward Ordinances but by our submitting in our Judgements to the truth of Gods Grace in Jesus Christ for justification without these I would not here be mistaken as though I did speake against any Saints or any who are spirituall and faithfull in the observation of any externall Ordinances But against zealous Formalists who doe make Saintship and fellowship to depend upon these things and are not spiritually acquainted with the truth of Gods Grace but are perverters of the Gospel In the next place here lyeth Consolation for all that heare me this day in that which I have delivered if God shall give unto them beleeving hearts Hast thou never done any good worke hast thou hated the wayes of God and his people hast thou never looked after the discipline government and ordinances of Christ Yet here is a ground for thee to come in unto Christ we are justified by grace through believing not through working Therefore let it be supposed that thou art without works yet thou hast good ground to take comfore in that which hath bin delivered believe and thou art in a happy condition though thou hast never done a good worke Thou art not to come to Jesus Christ as a righteous man But thou are to come unto him that thou maist be made a righteous man If thou seest thy selfe a vile sinner cast thy selfe into the armes of the grace of the Father by Jesus Christ and thou shalt be made the righteousnesse of God in him 2 Cor. 5. Promises of Grace are left by God upon record in the Scripture of truth for sinners for ignorant sinners Isa 29.24 They that erred in Spirit shall come to understanding For sinners that murmure against him his wayes truths Prophets as it followeth in the same verse They that murmured shall learne Doctrine For backsliding sinners Hosea 14.4 I will heale their back slidings I will love them freely Him that cometh unto him he will in nowise cast out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Here are two Negatives in the Greeke which doe strengthen the Negation Iohn 6.37 By which speech our Saviour doth assure poore sinfull creatures that if in truth they come unto him they shall not be rejected by him or ejected from the armes of his love and mercy Christ's invitation is to all sinners All that will may lay hold of him not only the righteous but the unrighteous If thou canst not love God thou maist looke on the Grace of God and take comfort that God loves thee Christ came not to call the righteous but sinners the cheifest and vilest of sinners to repentance Therefore come as a sinner as the cheifest of sinners come I say and welcome The Lord Jesus keeps open-house for all commers the blinde the lame shall not finde the doores shut upon them They shall be well-come as sinners that cannot be entertained as Saints It is reported of Romes first Founder that wanting Subjects he sent forth some to make known his will to all people who lived about him that if any malefactors or such who were oppressed in the places where they lived did come in unto him they should live peaceably in his Kingdome and he would protect them against any that should pursue them and by this meanes he became suddenly the King of a numerous people So Christ doth send forth his Proclamations to assure sinners and vile malefactors that if they will come under his Scepter they shall live peaceably under his Government and that hee will safe-guard them from all their enemies which shall pursue them and by this meanes his dominions are enlarged from Sea to Sea and sinners doe rejoyce in the King of Sion This doctrine if it were received would answer all the objections which are raised in the hearts of men against their happinesse by Jesus Christ Is there any sad comfortlesse soule which would not be comforted if this truth were received What canst thou object against thy selfe to bereave thy selfe of peace which would not be removed if this were throughly believed Art thou a sinner Christ offereth himselfe to sinners Art thou an old sinner An old sinner is but a sinner Hast thou bin a Pharisee like Paul persecuting Christ and the doctrine of Grace A persecuting Pharisee is but a finner And Paul was received to mercy that such might not be without hope of mercy 1 Tim. 1.16 Art thou an Hypocrite An Hypocrite may come as a sinner to Christ Bring what objection thou canst and a perswasion concerning the truth of Gods grace shall answer it and if thou doest believe thou hast as good an assurance as any is in Heaven which will hold good when the hope of the Hypocrite will come to nothing Let no objection keepe thee from comfort but believe what thou hast heard if thou art a sinner conclude not that Christ belongs not to thee because thou art a sinner but say I am a sinner therfore Christ belongs to me Christ came to save sinners As the bright beames of the Sun dispell all mists and clouds so the truth of this doctrine if thou understand it in the light of the Spirit will dispell all thy doubts and objections of unbeliefe They will vanish and thou that camest hether under a spirit of bondage shalt goe away with a spirit of adoption and assurance The true Gospel believed will quickly bring true comfort to thy soule If any of you want comfort and assurance it is because you believe not Christ doth knock at the doore of our hearts and if by believing the doore be opened He will feast with us It is unbeliefe which doth bolt the doore doth keepe him out and doth keepe joy from us The gates of Heaven are shut upon workers and open to believers shut to those who come with money in their hands but open to those who are content to enter without paying any thing for their entrance The gift of God is eternall life through Jesus Christ our Lord Rom. 6. ult Whosoever will may drinke of the waters of life freely Rev. 22.21 But if wee will not drinke without money wee shall not drinke one drop of the water of life We see that at a play-house they will not open the doore and let people in without they give mony But it were a disgrace for a King if none should see his Pallace but such who would give money If wee thinke to enter into heaven by doing good workes that wee may be saved by what we doe wee make heaven like a play-house but if wee looke on heaven as the Pallace of the great King of heaven and earth let us know that wee may enter without money It were a disgrace to the King of heaven if he should suffer none to come within his doores to come into his Pallace but those
Thess 4.17 The Apostle speaks of the same subject and shewes the manner of the resurrection and how Christ shall come from Heaven The Lord himselfe shall descend from Heaven with a shout with the voyce of the Arch-angel and the Trump of God and the dead in Christ shall rise first verse 16. Here you see he holdeth forth this that Christ who is that mediator between God and man and true man now in Heaven this Jesus Christ shall descend from Heaven and that the Saints shall rise from the Earth to meet him in the aire So the Angels told the Apostles Act. 1.11 when they looked up to Christ when he ascended this same Jesus shal so come from Heaven as you now see him ascend into Heaven the same Christ shall descend from Heaven and the Apostles shall see him in the same manner with the very same eyes with which they saw him ascend into Heaven with the same eyes they shall see him descend from Heaven the Scripture is so full that I need not take more paines to give you more places for the opening of it unlesse you will please to take one place more out of the Old Testament that you may know that they had a cleare knowledge of this in the dayes of the Law as well as wee have now in the dayes of the Gospel Dan. 12.12 And at that time shall Michael stand up the great Prince which standeth for the Children of thy people that is the Lord Jesus Christ who always stands for his people and there shall be a time of trouble such as never was since there was a Nation even to the same time and at that time thy people shall be delivered every one that shall be found written in the booke And many of them that sleep in the dust of the Earth shall awake some to everlasting life and some to shame and everlasting contempt And they that be wise shall shine as the brightnesse of the firmament and they that turne many to righteousnes as the Stars for ever and ever Here you see the same thing held forth Though I will not trouble you with many reasons to confirme this doctrine of the resurrection for the truth is it is a Doctrine above Reason I call here not so much for reason as for Faith to believe what is above Reason and what seemes contrary to carnall reason yet give me leave to give you a reason or two drawne from the sacred truth of Gods word The first is drawne from the truth of God God is true therefore there will be a resurrection he should deceive and delude his people were there not a resurrection of bodies Doth he not often tell us of a resurrection And doth not our Saviour tell us that hee will raise those at the last day who are drawn unto him by the Father Joh. 6.44 And therefore unlesse we will make the great God which is blasphemy to think a lyer and Christ his Sonne a Preacher of the resurrection the greatest impostor in the world and all his Ministers Servants and Messengers cheaters juglers and deceivers of the people we cannot but acknowledge a resurrection for God hath spoken of it and hath revealed this to them that there shall be such a resurrection and they preach it in his name therefore the God of truth should be found a lyer if there should not be a resurrection of bodies according to his word Secondly the justice and mercy of God seeme to call for a resurrection If wee looke upon wicked and ungodly men so God in Justice must send his Son Jesus Christ to raise the dead and to judge the world or else how should the justice of God shine cleare and bright before the eyes and saces of men This is the Argument that the Apostle laies downe 2 Thess 1.5 6. where he speakes of the sufferings of the Saints and of the wickednesse of their persecutors who wrong them for making profession of the truth of the Lord Christ which is saith he a manifest token of the righteous judgement of God it is a demonstration 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an evident infallible signe that there will be a judgement day and a resurrection because else God should not be just it is a righteous thing with God to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you It is just with the God of justice to punish the vessells of wrath disobedient and wicked men who never did flee to his grace for life and salvation it is just with him to pay the persecutors of his people their wages after they have done their worke Now if there were not a judgement day if there were not a resurrection where should God give them their wages for persecuting and troubling them that make profession of his name How should God that is the Judge of the world appeare to be just Here is the first Argument that God is just to wicked and ungodly men and God could not appeare to be just if there were no judgement day no resurrection therefore there shall be a resurrection Now the same things fall alike to the just and unjust we see wicked and ungodly men thrive and prosper in the world they live in pleasure there are no bands in their death as the Psalmist speakes they spend their dayes in mirth and die upon their beds without sorrow How should God appeare to be just unlesse there be another day when God will call these men to a reckning for all the sinnes and iniquities which they did commit against him when they lived upon the Earth Secondly if we looke to the mercy of God And this is the Argument that our blessed Saviour makes use of Matth. 22.31 When the Sadduces came to him who said there was no resurrection nor spirit nor Devill as our Sadduces doe who say there is no Devill but our owne evill thoughts nor good Angels but the good motions of our owne spirits nor any resurrection of the body See what Argument he useth to prove the resurrection as touching the resurrection have yee not read that which was spoken to you by God saying I am the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob God is not the God of the dead but of the living God professeth himselfe the God of dead Saints in a speciall manner therefore these must live againe and be made happy by this God that professeth himselfe to be their God while their bodies lye rotting and putrifying in the earth God in his never failing faithfulnesse ownes them in the dust keepes their ashes in safety by which Christ doth ascertaine us that there will be a resurrection of bodies at the last day So that you see if this truth be denyed it will overthrow the Scriptures which acquaints us that some are vessels of honour some of dishonour that some are vessels of grace and some are vessels of Gods furie and indignation if there be no judgement day no resurrection there cannot be vessels of
man be so foolish as to lose any thing for that which he professeth in his Conscience when he thinkes there shall be no resurrection He hath no reason he were mad that would part with Earth and earthly things that is not sure of Heaven he is a mad-man that will lay downe his life that is not perswaded there will be a life after death Therefore I assure the Presbyterian Party if liberty of Conscience be not granted to Saints most or all these will fall in to them And before Liberty was thought of there were a great many of these in the City and they conformed to that which was then practised and they will conforme to any Government which shall be set up by the power of man It is not any Discipline or Government that can extirpate these cursed opinions out of the hearts of these men And though there be Discipline Government and strict Lawes yet in secret wayes they know how to insinuate poyson into the hearts and spirits of men to corrupt them from the truth and simplicity of the Lord Jesus Christ I know some of these that doe and have preached publickly undiscovered and some have now places and are turned Presbyterians who professed these tenents in the Citie of London that are now gone from the Citie and have Parochiall Congregations and are looked on as Presbyterians and Orthodox men and none speake against them they know how to cover their opinions well enough This mystery of iniquitie is not easily discovered so that this objection makes nothing against Liberty of Conscience I thinke it were better if it were the Lords will that these men of this wicked ungodly spirit might be knowne that so they may not draw many people into their sinne but that the truth of God may be held forth against them to overthrow their errours for nothing will overthrow errour but truth It is not a prison it is not the Sword it is not the power of man that can overthrow errour and root up false opinions out of the hearts of men it is only the power of the truth of the Lord Jesus As Dagon fell before the Arke so these cursed opinions must fall before the Arke of truth by the power of the Lord Jesus For if you threaten them that they shall suffer any thing they will presently tell you that they were overtaken with a fault and they will be of your mind If you have power to punish them for what they professe But lastly this should not be brought as an Argument to prejudice those in the enjoyment of their Libertie who are truly conscientious For it will have no more force then this Thieves and rogues swarme and abound in the Common-wealth while Liberty Priviledges and immunities are granted to honest men and they are countenanced Therefore suffer not honest men to live in the Common-wealth Thus having removed an objection which lay in my way which I perceived might be drawne from the licentiousnesse of these wicked men to the wronging of the true Saints and children of the most High in reference to their Libâ—â—â—â—es I shall now come to answer the Objections of these adversaries to the resurrection And first they that absolutely deny the resurrection doe thus argue Doe you think that this body after it is resolved into its first elements and that part of it is ourned in the fire a part exhaled into the ayre a part converted into water and a part of it turned into earth that the same numericall body shall be raised againe Let a man one that you call a Saint be torne in pieces let the bird have her prey out of him let the fish have her share let the devouring beast likewise have his belly full of his flesh let the Caniball come and have his dinner out of another limbe and shall we believe after all this that this man shall rise againe What will you bereave us of reason you professe to be rationall men how can you subscribe to such a thing that a man should be burned in the fire his ashes cast into the sea And after these changes and transmutations that this man this same man the same body of this man should be raised againe how can any man that hath not put off all reason believe it Thus they contend by their carnall reason against the truth of the resurrection But let me answer though I grant all this which they say that the bodies of the Saints may be resolved into the first Elements out of which they were made yet for all this there shall be a resurrection of the very same numericall body For looke to God he that hath promised to doe this he is omniscient he knowes the dust of his Saints though it be carryed into the Sea if a piece of the body of a Saint be in the belly of a fish he knowes it there as well as he knew his servant Jonas in the belly of the Whale If it be resolved to dust and burned to ashes he knowes the dust of his Saints We know the Alchymist can convert one thing to another and afterward reduce it to the thing that formerly it was So shall not God though he suffer the bodies of his Saints to undergoe a hundred mutations and changes into fire and water after reduce us againe to the same bodies in which formerly we were God knowes where the dust of his people lies as well as the Citizens of China know where their earth lies that they lay up for some hundreds of yeares that they may make the purer vessels of it God doth but bury us a while in the earth that at the resurrection he may bring us forth as vessells of his owne prayse and glory and God knowes where he hath hid and laid us If one limbe be in Affrica another in Asia another in Europe another in America the Lord knowes how to bring limb to limb and bone to bone he is an omniscient God And as he is omniscient and knows every part of his people and the dust of his Saints and treasures up the dust of his Saints and keeps it in safety So he is a powerfull God and able to raise the bodies of his Saints As he knowes what dust and bones belong to a bodie so he is able to bring it againe to the same body which it was and to change it into a more glorious body He is able to change that same numericall mortall body into an immortall body And though we can find nothing in nature that can evidently prove this truth yet we find many sweet figures shadowes and resemblances of this in nature Doth not the day die into night and afterward night rise againe into the day doth not Summer die into Autumne and Autumne into Winter and then the Spring brings the Summer in glory to us againe Are not some creatures which lie dead in Winter restored to life when Summer appeareth Doe we not see the seed that is buried in the
Litle Children love love one another There can be no stronger Argument to love then the consideration of our union Col. 3.15 Let the peace of God rule in your hearts to the which also yee are called in one body Warre among members is unnaturall that love and peace may reigne and rule in the hearts of Christians God doth make them all one body so the Apostle in the third of the Eph. 6. doth teach us that Jewes and Gentiles are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Parts of the same body One that desired to moderate between the Calvinists and Lutherans wishing them not to be so bitter the one against the other made use of this Argument telling them that Luther and Calvin were reconciled in love together in heaven Let not strife hatred malice and bitternesse prevaile among you Christians for yee shall sweetly agree together as one body in one Spirit at the resurrection Vse 2. There being such a glorius union between us and Christ it should engage the spirits of Saints to be much in the contemplation of it As the bloud and spirits doe runne through the body so this Doctrine of union doth runne through the whole body of Christian Religion Our Justification in the person of Christ our own Justification in our owne persons by Christ cannot bee clearely understood if we be totally ignorant of union with Christ As the Philosopher saith that all morall vertues are linck'd together in justice so all the points of Christianity are concatenated and joyned together in this doctrine of union As the Starre did lead the wise men to Christ shining over the place where Christ was so this Doctrine of our union with Christ shinnig among other truths of Christ in the Scripture doth hold forth unto us a light to direct us through the grace of God into a perfect and comfortable knowledge of all other truths As it doth in an especiall manner beame forth light unto us to confirme us in the Doctrine of the resurrection For you see that the bodies of the Saints are to bee raised because they are united to Christ and one with him Therefore this may strengthen the Faith of every one of us concerning the certainty of the resurrection What saith the Apostle No man yet ever hated his owne flesh but nourished it and cherished it Eph. 5.29 The Lord Jesus Christ cannot hate his owne flesh nor forget his owne body the bodies of the Saints but in love will raise them even while they lie in the dust they are his body Our propriety in a thing doth draw out our affection to the thing Our bodies belong to the Lord and are in his heart and affections even while they moulder in the dust therefore let this truth nierce your understandings and sinke deepe into your memories and be fully perswaded that your bodies shall be raised because they are not so much your bodies as the body of the Lord Jesus The Scripture as you have heard speakes so gloriously of that union which all the Saints have with Jesus Christ in that one Spirit which is in Christ and in every Saint that it seemes to hold forth Christ as incompleat till he have gathered all his members into one body And certainly Christ will not appeare incompleat in his body at the resurrection which he should doe should hee not by his power command the bodies of the Saints to come out of the earth Therefore he will not suffer any part of himselfe to lie in the dust he will not appeare at the generall resurrection without a limb not without a hand not without a finger not without the least member Thou that art the meanest Christian that apprehendest thy selfe to be but as the toe of Christ mayst be strongly perswaded of thy resurrection for I tell thee whâ—â— Christ shall appeare at the great resurrection he will not be without a toe not without the lowest and most inferiour member of his body He will appeare in his fulnesse and all the Saints gathered together and made one with him in body and spirit are his fulnesse and compleatnesse The King when he rides in triumph or to his great Counsell he rides in his Royall Robes and in all his glory When Christ shall appeare the second time he will ride in Triumph as a Conquerour of all Enemies and will ride to his great Counsell or Parliament of Saints who are to judge the Delinquents of the world And the Saints are his glory 2 Cor. 8.23 and therefore they must be raised that hee may be in his full glory If thou looke upon thy selfe and thy body and consider how thou hast dishonoured God in thy body it may bee thou mayst be startled in thy spirit and have such sad thoughts as these Will Christ ever raise this body as his that I have abused to sinne shall this body be glorified which I have dishonoured by base and filthy lusts but when thou hast any such thoughts as these in which the Devill appeares to thee as an Angel of light to make thee question the truth of the glorious resurrection of thy body then looke beyond thy selfe beyond the sinnes that thou hast committed against God in thy body and spirit And think thus with thy selfe This body though I have abused it by lust and intemperance though I have dishonoured God by the sinnes which I have committed and acted aâ— it were upon a stage in this body and flesh of mine yet now the property is altered I am not now to looke on it as my body I am to look on it as the body of the Lord Jesus it is that body that he hath washed from all sinne in his owne bloud it is that body that he died for that he might cleanse it from filthinesse and uncleannesse it is his body he hath right to it and a propriety in it it is his and none of mine Christ will not lose that which belongs to himselfe and therefore it shall be raised in glory We see how unwilling men are to part with that which is their possession and inheritance We know how Naboth answered Abab who would have had his Vineyard 1 King 21.3 Should I give the inheritance of my Fathers unto thee we are the inheritance the possession of the Lord Jesus and he will not lose any part of his inheritance This Argument is of sufficient strength to silence carnall reason if it were throughly weighed by us in the ballance of the Sanctuary For if a man look on himselfe as out of himselfe and the being which he hath in the first Adam and behold himselfe as one with the Lord Jesus in a spirituall onenesse seeing himselfe as such a part of Christ as a hand or a foote may be said to be a part of the bodie and knowing Christ hath undertaken to provide for his body and to owne it for his owne this will establish him in an unshaken considence that the Lord Jesus Christ intends to raise his body and to
Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord Rev. 14.4.13 As the Psalmist speakes Psal 17. When I awake I shall be satisfied with thy likenesse that is at the great day of the resurrection after I have had a long sleep in the dust when the night is past and the day of the resurrection shall shine I shall awake and then I shall be satisfied with thy likenesse Isa 57.2 The Prophet hath an expression that runnes this way speaking of righteous and mercifull men saith he they shall enter into peace they shall rest in their beds And when Stephen was stoned to death the Holy Ghost tellâ—â—â— us that he fell asleep Act. 7.60 And the Primitive Christians called the places where they buried their dead 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sleeping places The Earth to every Saint is but a sleeping place Jesus Christ shall come downe from Heaven with a shout and with the voyce of the Arch-angel and with the Trump of God And this great Trumpet being blown the dead in Christ shall awake and rise He that dyeth in Christ and is one of his dead men doth not dye but sleep And at the resurrection shal in a moment awake out of his sleep When the Father Word and Spirit did make the Fabrick of the world all things were speedily and suddenly made for the making of any thing there was but verbum factum the word spoken and presently the thing was made Let there be Light and there was light let there be a firmament and there was a firmament so when the Lord Jesus Christ shall speake the word and bid us awake in a moment in the twinckling of an eye those that are dead in the Lord shall awake out of the sleep of death And here by the way let me give you another observation You see at the great day that the dead that lye in the dust shall be raised by the command of Christ who shall bid them come out of the dust Now as no rationall man would conclude from this place that the dead who it may be have their dust lying in severall places in every part of the world a portion of their dust have any power to raise themselves though they are bid to awake eve so when God speaking to soules that heare the word preached doth command them to believe repent live holily and rejoyce we cannot conclude that there is any power strength and ability in the creature to doe what they are commanded to doe no more then the dead can awake of themselves though Christ commands them to awake As when Christ did bid Lazarus come forth of the grave he did presently come forth though he had not any power in himselfe to come forth but that power that bid him come forth enabled him to come forth so though Christ exhort us in the Gospel to believe and to doe good duties we have no power in our selves to doe good duties but that power that bids us doe good duties must inable us to doe them or else we are never able to doe them which moved Augustine to pray thus Da domine quod jubes jube quod vis give Lord what thou commandest and command what thou wilt Againe in the next place take notice that those who shall be raised are called the inhabitants of the dust yee that dwell in the dust the dust for a time is a habitation for the Saints in Eccles 12.5 It is said Man shall goe to his long home The grave is a home or house for a time which may assure us of the resurrection of the same bodies which are entrusted to the dust that which dwelleth in the dust and no other thing in stead of it must be be raised out of the dust Thirdly here is a reason laid downe in the next verse to assure us of our resurrection Thy dew is as the dew of Herbes The Lord Jesus in the power of his Spirit shall be as a heavenly dew upon the dead bodies and dust of the Saints to raise them up and quicken them to a new life Christ in the power of his Spirit may be compared to dew for three reasons first because as the dew comming downe upon the earth the earth bringeth forth grasse without the help and labour of man Mich. 5.7 so without the labour and strength of the creature the Lord Jesus the dew of Heaven coming down upon the dust and ashes of the Saints shall quicken them to a life and make them flourish after they have layen rotting and moldering in the grave Secondly as the dew doth come downe speedily and suddenly upon the earth as you may gather from that expression of Hushai in that speech of his to Absalom concerning David 2 Sam. 17.12 We will come upon him in some place where he shall be found and light on him as the dew falleth upon the ground As the dew falls suddenly and unexpectedly so we will surprise David So the Lord Jesus will come in the twinkling of an eye suddenly upon the bodies of the Saints Therefore he compares his comming to the comming of a thiefe in the night and to lightning which we know is darted through the middest of Heaven with great volubilitie and swiftnesse In the third place Christ shall be as dew because as dew doth make the herbs on which it falls to be fruitfull and to waxe green and flourish after they have seemed to be dead So the Lord Jesus Christ shall quicken the dead carkasses of his Saints and put a life into their dust Thus Moses the holy servant of God speaking of his Doctrine in reference to the flourishing of it Deut. 32.2 saith that his Doctrine shall drop as the raine and his speech shall distill as the dew as the small raine upon the tender herb and as the showers upon the grasse As the dew of Heaven makes the things upon which it falls fruitfull and fertile so the Lord Jesus Christ falling downe upon the dust and ashes upon the rotten bones putrifyed carkasses and skuls of the Saints shall cause them to flourish and to spring up and they shall have a new life put into them by his comming downe upon them Fourthly the Prophet saith that the earth shall cast out her dead from whence we may strongly conclude the resurrection of the same body which is cast into the earth That body which was dead and buried in the earth shall be raised out of the earth But I have sufficiently spoken of these points in my former discourses So that if I should speak from all these particulars I should rather repeat what I have said then present you with new matter The thing therefore that I shall open unto you to day for the furtherance of your joy shall be this to shew you what great joy there shall be at the resurrection of the dead which is held forth in these words Awake and sing I doe make bold to finish this subject here among you this day because I
glory so the bodies of the Saints shall be bodies of glory there shall be a heavenly brightnesse on them Therefore Daniel speaking of the Saints at the resurrection hee saith Dan. 12.3 that they that are wise shall shine as the brightnesse of the firmament and they that turne many to righteousnesse as the Stars of Heaven As the Starres are glorious creatures and the brightnesse of the firmament is a great glory to our eyes so there shall be a Celestiall Star-like glory upon the bodies of the Saints they shall not be grosse lumpish and heavie bodies as they are now but spirituall bodies as swift as a Seraphim The bodie is now a clog and weight to the soule it is ergastulum animae as the Platonists say it keepeth the spirit under and presseth it down with the weight of it but then the bodie shall be a spirituall body so that in this body the Saints shall ascend into the aire as in a Charriot of triumph and glory to meet the Lord Jesus As Elias was carried up to Heaven so shall the Saints in these bodies of theirs rise in glorie to meet the Lord Jesus Christ in the ayre Now they are subject to diseases then they shall be freed from all diseases now they are subject to death then death shall be swallowed up and every Saint in his owne person shall appeare as a Conquerour of death and of the grave every Saint shall have this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this song of triumph in his mouth O death where is thy sting O grave where is thy victory The sting of death is sinne and the strength of sinne is the Law but thanks be unto God who hath given us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ Our bodies then shall be incorruptible wholly like the body of Christ therefore the Apostle saith that the bodie it must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phil. 3. last conformable in likenesse to the glorious bodie of the Lord Jesus Christ himselfe you see what perfection there shall be in the bodies of the Saints though they be vile now they shall be honourable and glorious then though they be now as pieces of earth they shall be then more bright then the Starres of Heaven or the Sunne in the firmament This glorie God will put upon the bodies of the Saints and being thus made happy in their bodies and spirits when they shall see themselvs in this happy condition filled in their bodies and spirits with the glory of God it cannot but cause great joy If a man lye sick a long while and have a weake distempered crazie bodie when he is restored he rejoyceth that he hath health and strength and is freed from the weaknesse that was upon him shall not there be great joy then when the Saints shall rise when they that had weake crazie and vile mortall bodies here shall see themselves in bodies of glory in bodies as glorious as the body of the Lord Jesus Againe there will be great cause of joy to these Saints when they shall be thus united in their bodies and soules and shall meet the Lord Jesus Christ because they shall have great dignitie put upon their persons they shall bee raised as no meane persons As wicked ungodly and unbelieving men shall be raised as slaves and vassals and be brought forth in chaines and fetters before the dreadfull tribunall of the Lord Jesus Christ so the Saints shall all come forth as Kings every one of them shall be dignified with the glorie and Majestie of a King This is that that is spoken of in the Revelation where it is said that Christ hath made us Kings and Priests and wee shall reigne upon earth We shall reigne in our bodies As an Ambassadour said of the Senate of Rome that he apprehended that there were as many Kings as Senators in the Senate-house Quot Senateres tot Reges So there shall be as many Kings as Saints at the resurrection and every one shall have Kingly glory and Majesty every one together with the Lord Jesus reigning as a King upon the earth Rev. 5.10 Therefore if men rejoyce in the enjoyment of earthly Kingdomes and Crownes which are lined with cares that a King professed that if men knew the troubles which attended upon a Crowne no man would stoop to who it up what joy will there be when wee shall reigne as spirituall and heavenly Kings with the Lord Jesus Againe there will be great joy because all things that may occasion any sorrow or sadnesse shall be quite removed away all teares must then be wiped from the eyes of all the Saints Rev. 7.17 there must be no more sighing no more griefe no more sorrow All earthly infirmities and weaknesses which are accompanied with griefe and paine shall be removed for our bodies shall be Celestiall bodies 1 Cor. 15.40 raised up in incorruption 1 Cor. 15.42 And there shall be no more blindnesse or blacknesse upon our spirits Here so long as wee carrie sinne about us though we know it is pardoned though we know it shall be remembred no more Heb. 8.12 though we know in point of Justification that it may be sought for and cannot be found Jer. 50.20 yet so long as wee feele it opposing the Spirit of glory and holinesse in us by the filthy nature of it so long it will occasion sorrow griefe and some trouble to the soule but at the generall resurrection as sinne is now compleatly taken away in our Justification to those that believe in the Lord Jesus such being those blessed ones spoken of in the 32. Psal whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sinnes are covered So then sinne shall be wholly taken away to our owne sense feeling and apprehension by the Spirit of Sanctification There shall be no corner then in the soule spirit or body for any lust or uncleannesse and consequently no place for sorrow Sinne is like the evill spirit that possessed Saul that made him melancholy and sad and afflicted him in his spirit But when the Lord Jesus Christ shall appeare then all sinne shall be done away to our sense and feeling as it is done away now in our Justification Then we shall be as perfectly sanctified throughout both in bodie and spirit as wee are now perfectly justified Now the life that wee live in the flesh is by Faith in the Sonne of God by seeing how compleatly we are justified from sinnes lusts corruptions those enemies to the Lord Jesus Christ that wee carrie in our bosomes but then wee shall be as perfect in respect of the life of sanctification as wee are now perfect and compleat in respect of our Justification So that the cause of sorrow and trouble shall quite be taken away There shall be no place then left for Evangelicall sorrow the sorrow that now is wrought in the Saints is Evangelicall not Legall but the joy and glory which doth remaine for the Saints hereafter shall be so great that there shall be no
to a short allowance though he be an heire to great possessions Wee are Wards as yee heard even now and wee are under a guardian though wee are rich in reversion happinesse and heaven and all things being ours yet God keepes us low here Let us desire that the time of our wardship may be expired that wee may come to that happinesse which he hath promised that wee may awake and sing and be happie in a more full enjoyment of God and this is the desire of those that are truly faithfull When Christ saith He will come and appeare What doe the Saints answer Even so come Lord Jesus come quickly Rev. 22.2 If a naturall carnall man should speake forth that which lies at the bottome of his heart when Christ saith He will come he would say O Lord never come I am not conformed to thine Image I am not made a new creature by hearing of thy Gospel O let me never see the face of Christ But the man that knows the love of God and truly understands he everlasting Gospel when he heares Christ say I come presently there is this eccho by which he answereth the Lord Christ in his owne Spirit Even so come Lord Jesus come quickly When the Judges are in their circuits malefactors tremble and quake but an innocent man that hath a good cause expects and deâ—â—res to have it heard and is glad that they are â—ome so wicked and ungodly men who are theeves robbers murtherers and malefactors guiltie of all sinnes and lie in imâ—risoned shackled in their own consciences when they heare that the Lord Jesus shall ride is circuit and appeare as a Judge unlesse they have seared consciences they cannot but tremble and quake But the other when Christ shall be as a Judge to the wicked he shall be as a Saviour to them therefore they cannot but desire the coming and appearing of the Lord. Wherefore let us desire the appearing of the Lord Jesus let us not live as the men of the world that are afraid and tremble quake when they heare of a Judgement day Christ coming to judge every man according to his workes but let us continue in the assurance of Gods grace beleeving that our sinnes are pardoned Let not the coming of Christ be our feare but our desire let us desire 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to wait as one doth upon one that he would speake with for the Sonne who shall deliver us from the wrath to come and shall put a Crowne of glory on our heads which he hath promised to all those that love him Againe that I may draw to a conclusion let this sweeten all miseries troubles and afflictions that we shall meet with here below If wee meet with persecution with imprisonment with hatred in the world with reproaches from men let this be sufficient to sweeten all Consider the day is coming it is at hand Christ is at the dore Jam. 5.10 and you shall awake and sing while these that now rejoyce shall howle and lament Beloved Thinke it not strange concerning the fiery triall which is to try you as though some strange thing happened unto you But rejoyce in as much as yee are partakers of Christs sufferings that when his glory shall be revealed yee may be glad also with exceeding joy 1 Pet. 4.13 14. God leads his people to happinesse by straits Heaven is a Palace of glory a spacious place but the way to it is narrow the gate is straite by which wee must enter in unto it Let the joyes provided for us at the end of our journey sweeten unto us the troubles and difficulties of the way God intended to make Job a great man but before God brings him to his full height of greatnesse God first brings him to the dunghill So God will bring us first to the dunghill he will lay us in the dust and then make us such glorious creatures as you have heard the Saints shall be at the resurrection Joseph was to be ruler in Aegypt but first he must be laid in prison so God layes his first in prison he brings them to a low condition to be nothing in the world and afterward layes them in the prison of the grave and then hee raiseth them to be Kings Priests Rulers and Judges with the Lord Jesus Christ Wherefore let this meditation of the resurrection sweeten trouble and perfume the grave unto us And let it likewise sweeten all the comforts that wee enjoy here by looking upon them as pledges of the joy which wee shall have at the resurrection Let it sweeten the mercies of this day which will have little relish in them without this Alas what is it to looke on Nationall deliverances mercies victories and conquests over our enemies unlesse you see your happinesse in the Lord Jesus What is it if the Land have peace if thou hast not peace of conscience by beleeving What is it if the enemies of thy body of the State and Kingdome be wholly routed and put under the feete of those that desire to stand for the liberties of the Subject if in the meane while thou be a vassall and a slave to the Prince of darknesse What is it for thee to be free from corporall enemies and yet to be under the power and led captive by the enemy of thy soule What is it if thou be a freeman in thy body and a slave in thy soule to all lusts filthinesse and ungodlinesse What is it to keepe such a day as this and to rejoyce in a carnall way for outward mercies when thou doest not spiritually rejoyce in the first place that God hath freed thee from the enemies of thy eternall salvation Rejoyce not onely as a Heathen may for nationall blessings but rejoyce as a Christian seeing God reconciled to thee in the Sonne of his love let the joy of the resurrection both sweeten thy troubles and adde spirituall fewell to the flame of thy joy for temporall mercies Truly wee then rejoyce in temporall things and in creature-comforts and mercies aright when we rejoyce in them in a spirituall way when wee see all sweetened to us in the Lord Jesus Therefore improve to the full this doctrine for the heightening of your joyes this day Let there not be an evill heart of unbeliefe in any to keepe him from rejoycing Though there were great plentie of Corne in Samaria yet the Lord that would not beleeve what the Prophet said though he saw it he did not taste of it 2 Kings 7.19 I tell you of great plentie and happinesse I have set it before your eyes as God hath enabled me but unlesse you beleeve you shall never taste of this heavenly Manna you shall never drinke of these rivers of pleasure Here is a cup of salvation you that have the lips of faith drinke and your soules shall be refreshed and comforted in the enjoyment of it but if you lie in unbeliefe you may want the joy and comfort that
us Brethren as we have heard Wee cannot bring forth sufficient reasons and arguments to make good our salvation by our works If we have nothing to comfort us but our owne works wee shall have no comfort at all in his presence Let us therefore as we are ingaged Trumpet out the praise of God for the manifestation of his rich and precious grace to us in the face of Jesus for justification and salvation Thirdly Let me exhort you to abide in the profession of grace to the end of your dayes Hypocrites may professe grace for a time but true Saints shall hold fast the doctrine of grace to the end Joh. 8.31 If yee continue in my word then are yee my Disciples indeed Paul and Barnabas exhorted the religious Proselites of Antioch Acts 13.43 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to continue or abide in Grace Looke up to God for grace and power according to his promise to enable you to hold fast the truth of his grace Let not the wise and learned of the world cryed up for godlinesse Religion and devotion draw you from this grace of God We live in dangerous in perilous times and there were never such underminers of grace as have appeared in these sinfull dayes some that deny the Lord that bought them But let us not be discouraged because some who have professed grace have fallen from their profession to fancy frothy Notions Anti-Christian absurdities and Familisticall speculations Consider rather what the Apostle affirmeth 1 Cor. 11.19 that there must be Heresies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is needfull that there should be such that they which are approved may be made manifest The Divell hath his Chapalines as well as God his Ministers and Embassadors As some shall bee sent of God to hold forth grace for the conversion of sinners to the righteousnesse of the just So some will vent there blasphemous conceits and cursed impostures to pervert men to destruction If the good God sow good seed the wicked one will sow Tares among the wheate Mat. 13.24 When the Gospel is preached with power there are multitudes come to the profession of it but after a while many of these fall to philosophicall fancies foolish dreames vaine fables and idle speculations loathing the plain Gospel the heavenly Manna as the Israelites did the Manna that came downe from Heaven this wee begin to finde by experience But let not this shake us from our stedfastnesse in the profession of the Gospel God hath appointed it to be so Paul was confident that after his departure from the Congregation in Miletus grievous wolves would enter in among them not sparing the flock and that of their own selves should men arise speaking perverse things to draw away disciples after them Act. 20.29 If the Apostle were cōfident in his time that it would be so when he saw them under the pure Discipline and Government of Christ under the charge of those Ministers Teachers and Officers whom the Lord Jesus Christ appointed over them filled with those gifts of the Spirit which were the fruit of his Ascension what wonder is it if wee meet with the Devills Hee-Apostles and She-Apostles in these sinfull times who vomit forth boldly to their own shame and Gods dishonor hellish and pestiferous Doctrines for the most high spirituall Truths of the Lord Jesus if wee consider what confusion and disorder is among the best of Saints now and are enlightned to see our want of many spirituall gifts and favours which they enjoyed which for the present God doth not bestow upon us Againe Let not the Abusers of grace cause you to dislike grace or the Doctrine of grace By this the Divell may take great advantage against thee for thy hurt thou maist have injurious thoughts of the grace of God when thou eyest some who abuse grace but continue thou in grace fall not from thy profession nor dislike the preaching of it because thou observest some who abuse the grace of God turning it into wantonnesse Remember that in the times of the Apostle some Gospel Professors did walke so contrary to the Gospel that tender-eyed Paul could not speake of them without teares in his eyes whose end was destruction whose God was their belly whose glory was there shame who minded earthly things Phil. 3. Yet these vile wretches would talke of grace and the Doctrine of Christ knowing nothing rightly of grace or Christ And Jude doth acquaint us with some in his time that were crept in unawares turning the grace of our God into lasciviousnesse And he saith that they were ordained to this condemnation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 written downe long before to this condemnation so the word signifieth for as God hath appointed some to salvation so he hath appointed some to damnation and these ungodly men are of the number of the damned We wonder to see a generation of men sprung up among us that make nothing of Christ or the Father wee wonder to see men undervaluing and vilifying the grace of God neglecting all Christian duties and denying the word of God to be the word of God But it was so in the Apostles times there were such crept into their Congregations and why should it seeme a strange thing unto us that it is so now in these dayes of Babylonish confusion and Egyptian-darknesse seeing it was so in the bright dayes of light in which the Apostles lived who Prophecyed that in these latter dayes perilous times should come and men should depart from the faith That wee may not stumble in our Christian race at these abusers and scandalizers of grace let us know that grace is grace though men abuse it think not that grace is not grace because it is abused but know that the true doctrine of grace may and must be abused by wicked and ungodly men As the spider sucks poyson where the Bee sucks honey So where the Saints suck sweetnesse and honey the wicked and ungodly men suck poyson Where the godly fetch all their joy and comfort delight and refreshment there wicked men meet with their ruine and destruction The wayes of Gods truth and grace are right and the just and faithfull shall walke safely in them but the transgressors shall fall therein Hosea 14.9 Marke the place and what God speaketh In the same way in which the Saint doth walke to salvation the wicked shall stumble and fall into condemnation A Libertine hearing the doctrine of Grace sucks nothing but his bane from it Though the word be the savour of life unto life to them that believe yet is it the savour of death unto death to some 2 Cor. 2.16 I remember one saith of Medicaments that if they be given by a skilfull Physitian they are the helpfull hands of God auxiliares dei manus but if by one that is unskilfull they are poyson So the doctrine of grace when it is skilfully applyed when the Spirit of God teacheth us to make a right use of it it is the power
the same assistance of Gods grace draw some usefull conclusions from the premises and so put a period to my discourse for the present First this doth discover unto us the usefulnesse and excellency of the unfained faith of the elect As Noah was preserved from the destruction which came upon the old world by going for his safety into the Arke so by the foot of faith wee walke into our Arke Christ Jesus for the Salvation of our soules The world of sin is a dismall wildernesse full of fierie Serpents by faith we eye Jesus Christ as our brasen Serpent and set footing in the heavenly Canaan of gods grace while the sinfull Sodome of the world is destroyed with the raine of fire and brimstone by faith like Righteous Lot wee escape out of it when with Peter wee are readie to sinke and perish in the Sea of sinne by Faith we touch the saving arme of the Lord Jesus and are preserved when wee drinke the deadly poyson of finne by faith we take in Jesus Christ as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or antidote and the deadly poyson doth not hurt us but we are miraculously preserved Faith beholdeth Christ crucified before us Gal. 3.2 and evidently set forth who hath nailed the Law of workes our sinne and death to his owne crosse and wee who deserved damnation are saved through grace Christ is the man who is an hiding place from the wind and a covert from the tempest Isa 32.2 sin is a noxious and a destroying wind as wind in the cavernes of the earth is a cause of an Earth-quake so finne is the cause of destroying Earthquakes in the earthly hearts of men but Christ is our hiding place in which through beleeving wee are safe The Devills infernall windes and blastes destroy many a soule with which he filleth it with hellish errours and impieties to its destruction Acts 5.3 Christ filleth his people by breathing upon them in the Spirit of grace for their salvation but Christ is a shelter from the infernall blastes of Satan And while carnall and unbeleeving men are as a ship under sayle and the Devill unto them is as a powerfull winde violently blowing them to destruction Acts 26.18 Christ by enabling his people to beleeve doth blow them with the pleasant gales of his sweet spirit to the havens of peace and safetie Though there are infectious and destroying windes upon earth yet there are none in Heaven so though the men of the earth are infected with the winds of sinne and Satan to their ruine yet they who live in the Heaven of Gods grace by faith Jesus Christ is a defence unto them When darknesse and tempests are in the Spirits of men from the Law which they have broken Christ who rebuked the tempests of the Sea Mat. 8.2 doth rebuke tempestates mentis Hier the tempests of our troubled minds and consciences and by beleeving there is a great calme in the soule Sinne in the soule is like Jonah in the ship which bringeth a tempest with it but Christ through faith doth cast this Tempest-raiser into the sea of his Fathers grace and the soule is quieted and filled with joy and peace in beleeving The Philosopher saith that Logick to a rationall and learned man is the instrument of instruments 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without which he shall make little proficiencie in other Arts and Sciences So faith is the Organ or instrument to the spirituall man by which hee is made partaker of the wisdome and spirit of the Lord in which he is to doe all things and without which he can doe nothing Secondly this discovers the reason why the Devill and his agents doe so much oppose the Doctrine of faith and the preaching of it He is an enemie to mans salvation and therefore he is an enemy to the Doctrine of faith through which wee are saved The Devill doth what hee pleaseth to those who are without faith as being unable to resist him Unbeleeving men are like the Israelites without a shield or Speare to defend themselves Jude 5.7 And the Devill doth lead them captive at his will 2 Tim. 2.26 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as wild beasts are mastered and ruled by those who have taken them in a snare or net so the word fignifieth but when wee beleeve to Salvation we are furnished with power to oppose him who seeketh our damnation when we beleeve we are armed against his encounters and fitted against his opposition Faith is the soules defensive Shield by wich all his fierie darts are quenched Eph. 6.16 and therefore it is that he doth alwayes raise opposition persecution and reproaches against the Doctrine and prosessors of Faith Thirdly seeing salvation is by faith examine thy selfe concerning thy salvation by trying thy faith Men that are not in the faith who have not Christ in them are not approved Christians 2 Cor. 13.5 Know yee not your owne selves how that Jesus Christ is in you except yee bee reprobates The word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 except yee be unapproved It is possible that a man may be in a state of unbeliefe and yet no reprobate But he that cannot prove that he hath faith cannot prove himselfe to be a Christian or in a state of Salvation Querie it in thy soule whether thou hast such a faith as we have spoken of Yee have heard that wee are saved through faith which is a supernaturall gift of the Spirit by which those things which the naturall man cannot apprehend concerning salvation are made plaine to the soule Supernaturall things cannot be knowne but by something which is supernaturall As the things of nature are knowne by the light of nature things of reason by the light of reason So the things of eternall life and salvation by the supernaturall gift of faith which is the evidence of the supernaturall things of the Gospel which are invisible Heb 11.1 Abraham beleeved against hope Rom. 4.18 So a spirituall man beleeveth the things of Glory and eternall life which the short line of naturall reason cannot reach or fathome and which naturally he cannot hope for or expect Is thy faith who dost Professe thy selse a child of Abraham such a faith as Abrahams faith was who is the Father of the faithfull Secondly true beleevers see their salvation by faith alone Though a man have many seeds together in his hand yet hee may know the various and diverse natures of those severall seeds So though a justified man have many precious seeds of the Holy Spirit in his heart yet he knoweth the severall natures of them all Though he hath love to God in his heart as well as faith in God yet hee knoweth the nature of Faith which alone is avaylable to Justification Trie whether thou hast been enabled to flie to the strong Tower of Gods grace for safety against Hell sinne and Devills by the silver wings of Faith without the helpe of workes for Justification Thirdly a beleever seeth justification cannot be by grace
the riches of his grace Secondly God in Christ doth present himselfe as having a sufficiency of grace for the salvation of the greatest of sinners without workes but how doth carnall reason strongly and vigorously fight against Gods goodnesse concluding that if there were any truth in this Doctrine that the law and good workes would presenly be destroyed A natural man cannot believe that God is so gracious as Gospel-Ministers would perswade the world that he is As the unbelieving Lord when the Prophet told him of the great plenty in Samaria said If God should open windowes in Heaven could this this thing be 1 King 7. So a naturall man when Christ is offered to sinners without any works unlesse God give grace to believe hee is ready to say If the windowes of Heaven were opened and all the grace and mercie in Heaven should come downe upon us if God should let out all the bowells of his pitty and compassion to poore sinners it cannot be so as you say and speak concerning free grace to sinners and ungodly ones So that if a naturall man should do nothing but heare Sermons and although Angells or Christ himselfe should come downe from heaven to preach unto him hee would be as able of himselfe to keepe the whole Law for justification as to beleeve truly and savingly in the Lord Jesus But some will say that if it be thus that a man may as easily in his owne strength keepe the Law as beleeve the Gospell why doth not God then rather enable us to keepe the Law that wee may be saved then bid us to beleeve the Gospel To this I answer that God saves us by enabling us to beleeve the Gospel and not by enabling us to keepe the Law for Justification because God will have the glory of his grace in our Salvation God will not save us in a way of working but in a way of beleeving that all the glory may be given to him The Apostle gives this as a reason why it is by faith and not by workes that no man might boast ver 9. Not of workes lest any man should boast By which argument he proveth that the Father of the faithfull was not justified by workes Rom. 4.2 If Abraham were justified by workes saith hee he hath whereof to glory As we may observe it in some people who are built upon legal principles like the Pharisee Luke 18.11 They are boasting that they are not as other men as though their good workes had made the difference betweene them and others This frame of spirit doth rob God of the glory of his grace who will not that any flesh should glory in his presence but that he that glorieth should glory in the Lord 1 Cor. 1.29.3 And therefore wee are saved by grace through faith in the word made flesh and not by the workes of the Law But secondly some will object why doth God take this paines with men in the Ministery of the Word if they are able to doe no more to their owne conversion then a dead man to his owne resurrection To this objection I have already given an answer yet give me leave to adde this to what hath been already spoken for the fuller satisfaction of those that are weak Though we are able to doe nothing of our selves yet God entreates exhorts and beseecheth us to be reconciled to him in Jesus Christ because in exhorting intreating and beseeching of us to beleeve he puts forth his power and his owne strength to enable us to beleeve while Paul exhorted the Gaoler to believe in the Lord Jesus that hee might be saved God enabled the Gaoler to beleeve Life and power is conveyed to the soule in Gospel commands and exhortations When Christ raised the sonne of the Widow of Naim to life Luke 7.14 he speakes to him Young man I say to thee arise No man who hath not lost his reason will conclude from hence that it was by the power of the young man that was dead by which hee was raised from the dead but by the power of the Lord Jesus who did bid him arise So though God speak in the Ministry of the word to those that are dead in sinnes and trespasses and bids them arise from the dead that hee may give them light yet we cannot conclude from thence that it is by the power of men by which they doe believe but it is by the power of the spirit conveyed in the preaching of the Word Christ commanded Lazarus to come forth but he came not forth in his owne strength but in the power and strength of him that commanded him out of the grave So wee command men to come forth out of the grave of sinne but they come not forth in their owne strength but in the power and strength of that spirit that commands them from the grave of sinne to the land of the living While Ezekiel prophesied over the dead bones breath came into them and they lived Ezâ—k 37.10 So while the Prophets of the Lord do preach over their sinfull impenitent hearers who are like the Prophets drye bones the breath of Heaven the spirit of the most High in the Ministery of the Gospell enters in into them and not by working but believing they are made new creatures and see the Kingdome of God In the next place you see faith is not of our selves it is not in any thing in man or in mans wisdome that man is enabled to believe what is reported concerning Gods grace in Jesus Christ Therefore this may convince us that that faith which is of our selves is a false faith and not the true justifying faith of the Saints The good fruit of faith cannot grow out of a wicked heart And the heart of a man naturally is wickednesse and every imagination of the thoughts of his heart is vanity and only evill continually Gen. 6.5 Psalm 94.11 When God lookes downe from Heaven upon the children of the first Adam hee seeth that there are not any that doe understand and seek God They are all gone aside they are all become filthy there is none that doth good no â—ot one Psal 14.2.3 And the Lord Jesus dyed for us when wee were enemies unto him and without strength to do any thing for our owne salvation Rom. 5.6 That faith therefore which is wrought by the strength of nature is not that true faith of the Gospel which is only wrought by the spirit of the Gospel According to that of the Apostle where he affirmeth that the Saints are justified by the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God 1 Cor. 6 11. Therefore if thy faith be a working or perswasion of thine own spirit If it be framed and hammered by thy selfe upon the anvile of thy owne spirit it is a counterfet perswasion and will not be able to advantage thee in the great day of the Lord Jesus As wee read in the Prophet Jeremiah of the visions of a mans owne heart and the visions