degree we read sometime in Scripture of an Assurance 1 Thess 1.5 of a full Assurance Heb. 9.22 of all riches of the full assurance of understanding Col. 2.2 this assurance in the first closing with Christ what ever degree it is in does not remove the habit and principle of doubting though it does mortifie it in part that it never recovers its strength again yet there will be frequent returnings of this spirit of doubting it will attend a Saint less or more as long as he lives and many times in the first closing with Christ the assurance is not in such a degree but that there will be actual doubting the workings of a spirit of fear are not wholly removed some doubtings and misgivings of heart are consistent with assurance a man may see that it must needs be so that it can't be otherwise and yet immediately have recoylings of spirit but the assurance of the soul so far prevails over all his doubtings that he can venture himself in the arms of Jesus Christ 3. The soul is assured at this time by the Spirit of God that the Gospel is true and the messages of salvation certain The comforter shall convince of righteousness Joh. 16.10 the Spirit works a principle of faith and draws it into act sanctifies the reason and understanding and discovers the glorious excellency of God whereby the heart is assured indeed this assurance cannot arise from any other cause natural reason will not assure men of this for the reason of man is miserably corrupted and cannot see such spiritual things 1 Cor. 2.14 the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned Indeed natural reason from Scripture principles may strongly argue the truth of this way of salvation against the Papist and other Hereticks but natural reason can't satisfie men about those scripture principles yea though natural reason be enlightned by a common work of the Spirit so as to be greatly affected with the Gospel for a time yet it cannot assure a man of the truth of it neither is it possible for Satan to work any such assurance in men men are sometimes afraid whether the discovery they have had were not the delusions of the Devil but though the Devil may comfort false hearts and fill them with joy yet he cannot assure men of the truth of the Gospel for he can only raise those principles that are in men and not put a new principle of faith in them whereby it is that the truth of the Gospel is discerned neither can the Devil give a discovery to the soul of the glorious nature of God or excellency of Christ so as that the heart should trust him love him c. Satan can make no such discoveries to a natural man as a natural mind is uncapable of receiving so that this assurance is the peculiar work of the Spirit From this particular we may conclude the Faith of two sorts of persons to be false on this account that they never have been assured of the truth of the Gospel 1. Such as are perswaded of the truth of the Gospel only from tradition the bottonie of many mens perswasions is the profession and judgment of such men among whom they live this is the doctrine that they have been bred up in the principle that their Parents have taught them they abhor to have any thoughts to the contrary because they have been Educated in this way upon the same ground that a Mahometan and Papist is tenacious of the religion of his Country and as the Heathen were wont to stick to the religion of their Forefathers Jer. 2.11 14. Mic. 5. upon this account many receive the Gospel and this may be a great advantage to men because they are brought under means and are kept from prejudices against the Gospel and so tradition cannot be true faith men cannot be assured of the Gospel upon this foundation this can only be the bottom of a strong opinion and conjecture not of Assurance 2. There is also another sort whose Faith does appear from hence to be unsound namely such who believed that God meant them in the calls of the Gospel because they found some good affections in themselves if their heart had been dead and unsavoury they could not have thought that God called them but the foundation of their believing that they were invited was they found some goodness in themselves but certainly this was built upon conjecture and an opinion of their own and therefore they could not be assured of it they had no assurance that they were called though they might have a strong confidence yet they could not be assured from thence that they were invited 2. In the first closure of the soul with Christ the Soul comes to him meerly upon the incouragement of the call of God in the Gospel God invites sinners in the Gospel to come to Christ and many ways urgeth them so to do and from thence the soul takes its encouragement There were many other things that encouraged them before to wait upon God for converting grace as the power of God Gods converting of others his strivings with him by his Spirit but the thing that is his encouragement to come to Christ is the call of the Gospel he sees his warrant in the call of the Gospel the call of the Gospel is the foundation of his faith that is the reason of his faith that God calls him in his Word The call of God does contain in it sufficient encouragement to believe for therein God shews his readiness to save sinners therein he shews that there is a way of salvation prepared for them therein he binds his faithfulness to them and lays bonds upon himself to save them if they come to Christ and this is the encouragement to them to believe Acts 13 48. they glorified the Word of the Lord and as many for it may be read such as were ordained to eternal life believed For the right understanding of this Consider 1. 1. It is indifferent with this first closing with Christ whether the soul takes notice of the call to believe as Gods call or Christs call some souls in their first closing take notice that Christ calls them others that God calls them and it is no material thing which of these ways it be if either the soul hear God or hear Christ calling him the answer to that call is true faith for there is sufficient warrant for us to come either from the voice of God or the voice of Christ this is an abundant demonstration of it that the call of the Gospel is sometimes propounded to us in Scripture as the call of God Jer. 3.22 Gal. 3.15 2 Tim. 1.9 and sometimes it is propounded unto us as the call of Christ Rev 3.18.20 there is this difference between them that Christ calls us by an authority derived from God God does derive his
true that Jesus Christ entred upon his Kingly power and Office as well as his other Offices from the first publishing of the covenant of grace upon the fall of man and Jesus Christ did in all ages execute that Office in governing the world and bestowing salvation on the Elect but the Scriptures do plainly set forth that Christ has some particular administration put into his hands since his sufferings Eph. 1.20.1 2. since his resurrection God has put all things under his feet Phil. 2.9 speaking of the same time he says God has given him a name above every name Rev. 1.38 I am he that liveth and was dead and behold I am alive for evermore Amen and have the keys of hell and death the meaning of these Scriptures is that since the Exaltation of Christ the Administrations of things is in the hands of the man Christ Jesus the management of things is carried on by Christ as man the God-head is not excluded but Christ as man has an hand in the government of the world Christ his humane nature will visibly mange the day of Judgement God will judge the world by the man whom he bath ordained Acts 17 31. and this administration is put into his hands that he may bestow eternal life and salvation upon sinners Acts 5.3 him hath God exalted with his right-hand to be a Prince and a Saviour to give repentance to Israel and remission of sins and if God presently upon the obedience and sufferings of Christ has put such power into his hands it is a clear evidence that he has fully paid for our salvation if Christ had fallen short of purchasing our salvation God would not have given him a commission to have bestowed it God would have stood for full satisfaction he would have objected that it would have bin against justice to have saved them but now Christ having fully paid the debt God exalts Christ to his own right-hand and invests him with full authority to bring them unto blessedness CHAP. V. The fifth Argument from the promise of salvation to all those that do believe in the righteousness of Christ the sixth Argument from the command of believing in Christs Righteousness Argument 5. THat righteousness which God by his promise in the Gospel dos encourage us to trust in for our salvation it is safe to appear before God in that righteousness that God proposes to us to place our confidence in adding a promise of eternal life we may safely appear before him in that right ousuess is unquestionably sufficient to purchase our salvation and we may safely have our dependance upon it as the price of eternal life but God does in the Gospel encourage us by his promise to trust in the righteousness of Christ for salvation he has promised oternal life to all them in the Gospel that do believe in the righteousness of Jesus Christ This I shall clear up unto you in these Propositions PROPOSITION 1. That the encouragement that God gives to those that believe in the righteousness of Jesus Christ is that they shall have eternal life sometimes in the Scripture we find that they that believe shall have their sins forgiven Acts 10.43 but we must not understand that they are only brought into a state of reconciliation at present from which they may fall away again that only their former sins are pardoned So that if they should sin again it is not at their peril of eternal damnation but the thing that the Gospel encourages believers with the hopes of is salvation sometimes it is expressed in more general terms that they shall not be confounded 1 Pet. 12.6 they shall not be cast out John 6.37 sometimes it is expressed that they shall not enter into condemnation John 5.24 sometimes positively That whosoever believeth on him should not perish but have everlasting life John 3.16 PROPOSITION 2. That God engages himself by promise to give Believers eternal life he does not give them some uncertain encouragement of it but binds himself by his promise when God expresses himself in his Word that he that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life Joh. 3.36 and that he that believes and is Baptized shall be saved Mark 16.16 he does not manifest meerly his purposes though all Gods purposes are irrevocable neither are such expressions meer declarations of what God is frequently wont to do as it is with many passages in the Book of Proverbs but they are proper promises God himself calls them promises 2 Tim. 1.1 According to the promise of life by Jesus Christ so Rom. 4.16 Gal. 3.22 and this is a part of the covenant indeed the main part of it God is bound by covenant to give life unto Believers and because Christ has purchased this and other blessings that God is by covenant engaged to bestow he is called the Mediator of the new covenant Heb. 12.24 and hence it is a part of faithfulness to preserve Believers unto glory 1 Thess 5.23 24. the faithfulness of God stands bound unto Believers Heb. 10.2 3. PROPOSITION 3. This promise of eternal life is made to those that believe on the Righteousness of Christ those that have their dependance upon the blood and redemption of Jesus Christ all those that have their expectation from the Righteousness of Christ shall be saved Rom. 2.25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through Faith in his blood We must place our Faith in the sufferings of Jesus Christ this is that Faith triumphs in as the matter of Justification Rom. 8.34 Who is he that condemneth it is Christ that died Quest Here we may enquire What act of Faith it is that is the condition of the covenant of Grace Ans 1. That act of Faith that is the condition of the covenant is a relying upon God through Jesus Christ for salvation as offered in the Gospel there are many acts of saving Faith besides this Faith respects the whole book of God all the Promises Threatnings Prophecies therein by saving Faith we believe the creation of the World the general Deluge the coming of Christ in the flesh but these actings of it are not the condition of the Govenant so likewise by Faith we do depend upon Christ for particular out ward blessings but though that be a thing that does accompany Salvation yet it is not the condition of the covenant but that act of Faith which is the condition of the covenant has those four properties First It is a relying upon God God is the ultimate object of Faith what Christ does in order to our Salvation he does as the Messenger and servant of his Father so that Faith is to rest upon God therefore we are said to come to God by Jesus Christ Heb. 7.25 God is the object of Faith both under the covenant of works and the covenant of grace Our Faith and Hope must be in God 1 Pet. 1.21 Secondly It is a relying on God for Salvation tho sometimes the thoughts are especially upon
pardon of sin but that is in order to Salvation but their Faith does lay hold of God for salvation Act. 16.30 34 and that this is a property of that act of Faith which is the condition of the covenant appears from hence because the offen of grace are proposed in that manner that we believe for pardon and salvation that is the great thing promised in the covenant John 3.14 and therefore that is the great thing entertained by that Faith which is the condition of the covenant Thirdly It is a relying upon God through Christ Christ is the Mediator that we must come by he is the great Ordinance that we must make use of we must have our dependance on God through him and therefore when we accept of the call of the Gospel we are said to believe in him come to him open to him receive him Joh. 35.37 Rev. 3.20 Joh. 1.12 Sometime we are said to believe in his Name Job 1.12 there can be no entring into the covenant of grace or performing the condition of it without coming unto Christ and therefore in such places where Christ is not known there is no salvation Fourthly It is a relying on him as offered in the Gospel 2. The Scripture does propose Christ to be believed on both as the purchaser and dispenser of salvation the Word of God does propose him to be the object of Faith both as purchaser and dispenser of life he is made to us for Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption he is declared to be the purchaser of Salvation 1 Tim. 2.6 He has given himself a ransom for us so he is declared to be the dispenser of it He has power over all flesh to give eternal life to as many as God has given him John 17.2 Christ is not a Priest only but a Prophet and a King and our Faith does not justifie us meerly as it relies upon the blood and righteousness of Christ which are the matter of our justification but as it entertains Jesus Christ for that is the condition of the covenant 3. It cannot be proved from the Word of God that a man can come to Christ for Salvation without relying particularly upon his righteousness it will not be evinced from Scripture that a man can close with Christ as a saviour in general and not distinctly selt upon him as having satisfied the justice of God for us because the heart will not be satisfied in the safety of coming to Christ except he see a way how the Law is answered and therefore God has taken care from the beginning of the World to make known the sufferings of Jesus Christ and there was a continual representation of them in the ancient Church he that understands not the strictness of the Law cannot see the need of Christ and he that understands not the sufferings of Christ cannot see the safety that is in Christ for such who are under the sentence of so strict a Laws there is one great difficulty in the way of receiving this position viz. that the Disciples of Christ who were good men and did believe in Christ and professed that he had the words of eternal life yet did not understand the sufferings of Christ Mark 9 31 32. He said to them the Son of man is detivered into the hands of Men and they shall kill him and after that he is killed he shall rise again the third day but they understood not that saying so Mat. 16 21 22. and when he suffered it made them question whether he was the Messiah Luk. 24.21 But it is possible they might believe the Doctrine of Christs sufferings and yet not understand either that manner of it that it should be done by the Priests and people of Israel or not understand the time of it being carried away with the vulgar error of the Jews that the Messiah would set up a glorious worldly Kingdom but it is very hard to conceive that they should be wholly ignorant of the signification of the Sacrifices and of the meaning of many Prophecies of the Old Testament respecting this thing 1 Pet. 1.11 PROPOSITION 4. The Promise to those that believe in Christ is universal there be some indefinite promises which are declarations of what God will do for some or many of his People and no particular Saint can from thence conclude that they shall be made good unto them but this promise is universal hereby God absolutely binds himself to every Believer to give him eternal life 1. This appears because the words of universality are added to their promise so that God becomes engaged to every Believer so the promise is sometimes expressed to all Act. 13.39 All that believe are justified so Rom 3.22 and by all we are not to understand as sometimes some of all sorts but all and every one for so it is expressed sometimes John 3.16 Whosoever believeth on him shall have everlasting life Act. 10.33 whosoever believeth on him shall have remission of sins so that God engages himself to Believers man by man so he speaks to men particularly if any man hear my voice and open unto me I will come in c. Rev. 3.20 2. There is no limitation of this promise expressed in the whole Scriptures sometime there is some condition that a promise is to be understood with that is set down in some other place of Scripture but there is not any thing expressed in the Scripture that does limit or restrain this promise or confine it to some Believers In Mark. 16 16. it is said He that believeth and is Baptized shall be saved but being Baptized is no part of the condition of Salvation but is mentioned as a fruit and evidence of Faith that it is not a condition is plain because in the threatning that is added he does not say that he that is not Baptized shall be damned but he that believeth not Holiness is not properly a condition of salvation such promises as make mention of holiness don't make Gods covenant with believers conditional holiness is no such condition as renders the salvation of believers questionable such promises as mention it only shew the order and way wherein God will bestow salvation to believers holiness is a promised condition God is engaged to give holiness to Believers 1 Thess 5.22 23 holiness cannot be properly a condition because before his perseverance in holiness he is justified that is declared an heir of glory Rom. 5.1 therefore the condition is already fulfilled God offers life to sinners upon the condition of believing and the way mentioning of that condition is exclusive of any other The invitation to believe is sometime directed to some particular sorts of sinners as to those that are thirsty Isai 55.1 to those that labour and are heavy laden Mat. 11.28 but it is one thing for an invitation to be particularly applied to this or that sort of sinners another thing for it to be confined unto them the invitation is directed to all sinners
that live under the Gospel except those that have committed the unpardonable sin the promise is absolute to all Believers without any exception at all 3. There is no limitation of the promise to be understood there is no exception to be understood men need not fear that God has some reservation in his own breast for no exception that is not fairly to be understood can be of any force to avoid the performance of a promise nothing can be understood to contradict what is expressed besides God tells us that there is no exception Joh 6.37 He that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out PROPOSITION 5. That the promise of eternal life is made to one act of believing on Jesus Christ 't is not the habit but the act of Faith that the promise is made to the promise under the covenant of works was not made to habitual holiness and the promise under the covenant of grace is not made to habitual Faith as a Womans disposition to marry a man does not give her a right to him or his estate but the actual marrying of the man so it is here it is in a way of covenanting that we have an interest in the covenant of grace the Scripture sets forth that Faith that gives us right in the covenant of grace by words that signifie actions as coming to Christ opening to him believing on him and the like but it is one act of believing that makes a man an heir of life God offers eternal life on condition of one act of believing when God sayes He that believeth shall be saved the meaning is not that he that believeth as long as he lives shall be saved but he that performeth one act of Faith one act of Faith gives a man as real an interest in Christ as a thousand one act of covenanting makes up the match one act of closing with Christ makes a man an heir of life after acts of Faith may evidence his title to heaven but it is the first act of Faith that gives him his title God offers life to us in the Gospel on this condition that he will accept of it Joh. 5.24 and it is unreasonable to think that the meaning of it is if we accept of it an hundred or a thonsand times or as long as we live but the meaning is if we do once accept of it and therefore those that have accepted of it are said to have eternal life 1 Joh. 5.13 This further appears 1. Because they that have performed one act of Faith are already justified and adopted their sins are presently pardoned on their coming to Christ God don't suspend the act of Justification and wait to see whether they will continue to believe but out of hand he issues out a pardon for them If called then justified Rom. 8.30 and these are presently adopted Job 1.12 and there is no revoking of these acts 2. When once Men believe it is part of Gods covenant to make them continue to believe it cannot be properly the condition of the covenant for it is a part of the mercy promised unto us when we come unto Christ all the subsequent acts of Faith are part of that salvation that God promises and surely that that is due unto us by the covenant can't be properly the condition of the covenant continuance of Faith is part of that sanctification which God has engaged to us 1 Cor. 1.30 3. If God did not offer life upon condition of one act of believing we should not have sufficient encouragement to perform one act of believing on Christ if God should say to a sinner if you will accept of the offer of salvation both now and hereafter I will save you what ground could the sinner have to believe the sinner would readily say how doe I know that I shall believe hereafter he could see no safety in such an offer a presumptuous Sinner that doted on his own strength might venture on it but a man that knows himself could not find rest in such an offer but now when he offers life to us if we will now accept it the soul can find encouragement enough there Jer. 3.22 And since God has promised life unto all that believe in the righteousness of Christ it must needs be safe to appear before God in this righteousness we need no greater assurance of salvation than the promise of God this is a sufficient security to believers whatever unlikelihoods may appear to them at at any time of their salvation the faithfulness of God stands engaged and this is a foundation of everlasting comfort the witness of God gives greater assurance than the testimony of all the men in the world if we believe the witness of men the witness of God is greater John 5.9 this we may fecurely rejoice in the words of the Lord are pure words as silver tryed in a furnace of earth purified seven times Psal 12.6 there is no deceit or fraud in Gods promises this is armour of proof against all temptations his truth shall be thy shield and buckler Psal 91 4. if our souls were a thousand times dearer to us than they are we might quietly venture them on the promise of God. God has made a promise to us has sent his servants to publish it in his name has ordained the office of the ministry to witness it unto us from him and surely he has not appointed them to go with a lye in their mouths God has not only said it but given it us under his hand left it upon record to be a witness for us this is the record that God hath given to us eternal life and this life is in his Son John 5.11 and we may quietly rely on this it is impossible that the promise of God should fail of its accomplishment God is faithful 1 Thes 5.23 he is very faithful Psal 119.138 his faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds Psal 36.5 it endureth for ever Psal 117.2 God can't forget his word sometimes the memories of men don't serve to keep their promises things slip out of their remembrance but God is not subject to any such infirmity he always minds his covenant Psal 111.5 his promises are all written on his heart no tract of time can wear them out of his remembrance he has remembred his covenant for ever the word which he commanded to a thousand generations Psal 105.8 God is unchangeable men are fickle and inconstant in one mind to day and another to morrow sometimes men change their minds out of meer fickleness somtimes from the change of their condition or divers appearances in providences but God is not subject to any mutation his purposes are more firm than mountains of brass he says repentance shall be hid from his eyes Hos 13.14 God is perfectly holy and therefore cannot fail of his word men having a principle of sin in them may be out-bid to neglect the fulsilling of their promises but there is not the least spark of
to heaven when there was a better path before sure God who is infinite in wisdom would not have provided a righteousness for sinners in Christ if they could provide one for themselves this providence of God does speak you to be under a dreadful mistake Gal. 3.21 If there had been a Law given that could have given life verily righteousness should have been by the Law Rom. 8.3 4 What the Law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin condemned sin in the flesh that the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us Gal. 2.16 5. This way of salvation by mens own righteousness is cross to Gods design the great design of God in pardoning and saving of sinners is to glorifie the riches of his grace to let the world understand what a gracious God he is God has other methods to glorifie his other attributes by the creation of the world by his giving of the Law by eternal punishments upon wicked men and angels he glorifies his power wisdom holiness and justice but notwithstanding these works of God the pardoning grace of God lay hid but he has contrived the salvation of sinful man as for the further manifestation of his other attributes so in special to make known the riches of his pardoning and saving grace Eph. 1.7 in whom we have redemption through his blood the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of his grace Eph. 2.7 speaking of the benefits we have by Christ he gives this as the reason That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness towards us through Christ Jesus and this way of salvation by Christ and a proper means for the furthering of this end though Christ has purchased pardon and glory for us that does not hinder the manifestation of Gods grace for though our pardon and salvation be a due debt in respect of Christ yet it is a free gift in respect of us though there be a purchase yet not by us but God sent his Son to make that purchase for us Rom. 6.23 the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord but when men seeks salvation by their own righteousness they seek it in a way directly repugnant to the design of God this is a way to exalt themselves and to rob God of his glory when men trust in themselves they glory in themselves they boast in their own excellency and not in the free grace of God for if it be of works then it is no more grace Rom. 11.6 the self-rightous man does cross Gods end if he should attain Salvation in that way God would miss his aim the self-righteous man takes a course to dash the counsels of God to pieces and make the design that was upon his heart in the salvation of Sinners come to nothing he seeks to overthrow this glorious contrivance of God for the advancement of the glory of his grace if man should have salvation as the fruit of his own earnings and the reward of his own deservings man would be blessed but the glory of grace would not be manifested Gods design would fall to the ground and the counsel of his heart for ever miscarry but the counsels of God stand for ever and the thoughts of his heart to all generations can it enter into the heart of any man to conceive that God will not be true to his own design but gratifie the humors of men by saving of them in such a way as is destructive to it surely men are horribly stupid to expect salvation in such a way as will not stand with Gods design what ever hopes of this kind men feed themselves with they will end in disappointment if such men be not disappointed God must be disappointed CHAP. IX USE II. Examination Whether men do believe in the Righteousness of Christ VSE II. TO put you upon the Examination whether you do put your trust in the righteousness of Christ if so then you are in a safe condition and may stand before God another day with comfort in the great day of the Lord multitudes that have made a profession of Religion will miserably fail of their expectations and that upon this account that they want the Wedding Garment but although you have many failings yet if you believe in Christ you shall not be confounded 1 Pet. 2.6 all your Religion signifies nothing as to your salvation if you do not believe in Christ if you would know then what you are like to meet withal at the day of judgment whether you shall find acceptance with the Lord when tousands shall not try your selves by this whither you do believe on Jesus Christ there be some other wayes of trial from all those things that do accompany salvation but this is the principal way to which indeed all others are reduceable there be other properties that are evidential of a mans safety but this is the foundation evidence as that which gives him his right and title to salvation 1 Joh. 5.13 I have written to you that believe on the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life examin therefore whether you do indeed believe on the Son of God there be many that say they have Faith Jam 2.14 there be many pretenders to Faith there is as much deceit in the heart about Faith as about any other grace there are imitations and resemblances of Faith such as the Scripture does give the name of Faith unto Luk. 8.13 which for a while believe all sorts of men that make prosession of the Doctrine of salvation by Christ profane men profess this and self-righteous men profess this men that were never sensible that God was indeed angry with them and men that do imagine that they have pacified him are both of them pretenders to Faith in Christ men that do indeed trust in that that they never did much provoke God and men that trust in that they have pleased him again do both make profession of their Faith in Christ therefore it stands you in hand strictly to examine whether you do indeed believe in the righteousness of Christ And you may try it these several wayes 1. By the foregoing work of Humiliation 2. By the manner of the souls first closing with Christ 3. By the living a life of Faith on Christ Jesus 4. By that holiness that does accompany and flow from Faith in Jesus Christ 1. Try your Faith by the foregoing work of Humiliation there is a preparatory work necessary before a sinners closing with Christ this is a work that comes between the rest of the foul in sin and the sinners accepting of Christ men do not immediately step out of a condition of quietness in sin into a state of salvation a tree must first be prepared bofore it be laid in the building the bodies at the resurrection must be prepared before life
does inwardly teach it has a prevailing power therefore it is called a rod of strength Psal 110.2 it comes with power upon the heart 1 Thes 1.5 when God convinces men of the truth of it it alwayes works effectually upon them 1 Thes 2.13 let but the truth of it sink into a mans soul and Christ will be precious unto him 1 Pet. 2.7 the light of the gospel turns about the wills of men Psal 110.3 3. If the sinner could stay away from Christ the corruption of his heart would make him stay away from Christ if men were able to stay away they would not be able to come there is a great deal of opposition in the heart of a sinner to believing in Christ men are as great enemies to the gospel as they are to the law sinners are dreadful averse to come to Christ how many objections and cavils have men to keep them from Christ how many by-paths will they turn into before they come to Christ how much sorrow will they endure before they come to Christ Phil. 3.18 Rom. 10.3 and this opposition of heart would not suffer them to come except they were made to come if they were nor under a necessity of coming they would stay away 4. It is against nature when men have this inward light let into them to stay away from Christ there is a principle put into every man in his first creation to seek his own happiness and however the nature of man be corrupted yet that principle is not lost but remains strong in men however they mistake the way yet the desire of all men is happiness the Devil blinds men and tells one that this is the way and another that that is the way but still they are driving an end that design Psal 4.6 who will shew us any good and therefore when the Spirit of God shews a man that Christ is the way to happiness that there is salvation in Christ he cannot but come to him Joh. 6.6.8 to whom shall we go thou hast the words of eternal Life 5. When the sinner comes at first to Christ this inward teaching of the Father works such affections that he cannot but come when his eyes are opened his affections are so wrought upon that he cannot but come when he comes out of darkness into light his heart is affected with the sight of Christ and he cannot stay away there are three affections that are wrought upon one is hope he sees a hope of blessedness if he comes to Christ he sees in that way hopes of pardon and glory Heb 6.18 who are fled for refuge to lay hold on the hope that is set before us another is Love when the soul comes to see Jesus Christ offering himself he cannot but love him and look on this way of salvation as a glorious way he despised Christ before but now he charges his mind he prizes him 1 Pet. 2.7 to them that believe in Christ is precious and then it works on fear he dare not lose the opportunity he does not know whether he shall have another call so that he dares do no other than take God at his word Objection This seems to overthrow the liberty of mans will if he can't come to Christ where is his Freedome Answer Liberty does consist in an indifferency unto contrary Acts or Objects sometimes indeed men have such a liberty but that is peculiar to some cases liberty is not opposed to necessity but to force the will cannot be force by any external violence but it may be necessitated by reason and conviction natural men sin voluntarily yet necessarily they reject the Gospel voluntarily Joh. 5.40 yet necessarily Joh. 6.44 Saints in heaven love and serve God necessarily yet freely so t is here Psal 110.3 thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power From this Particular we may conclude the faith of such men to be false as have made a faith of their own convinced sinners hearing they shall certainly be ruined that do not believe in Christ and that they that do believe shall be saved set themselves in their own strengths to work their hearts to this duty and after a while imagine that they have got the victory and have prevailed over their unbelief and wrought their hearts unto a closure with Christ this Faith is not right it s very true that after a man has been brought in he may in this way by Gods assistance come to perform renewed acts of Faith but it is never thus in the first closure with Christ at first God layes a necessity upon men they cannot but come to Christ Eph. 1 19 20. what is the exceeding greatness if his power to us-ward who believe according to the working of his mighty power which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead when the sinner comes indeed to Christ he is compelled to come Luk 14.23 Before I leave this Particular I shall answer two Doubts in the hearts of some Saints from hence Doubt 1. I fear my closing with Christ is not right because after God let light into me I objected awhile before I yielded the light did not at first overcome me Answer Many times when God comes with that inward call of the Gospel he does not at one instant let in such light as does overcome all objections but after God begins to bring the call home to the soul there are some struglings of unbelief before he yields sometimes the light is such that it strikes all objections dead at a blow sometimes it answers them gradually the light breaks in fuller and fuller till at last it quite overcomes him as in Moses's call Doubt 2. I fear my closing was not right because when I came first to Christ I had a fear and trembling on my heart I bad not such full satisfaction as some have but crouded through difficulties Answer Some have more clear light than others but every one has so much that he cannot but venture though there be remaining darkness yet they have so much light as overbears them that their hearts are carried out to rely on Christ and that is sufficient Rom. 4.18 who against hope be teved in hope 3. The third way of Trial is by living a life of Faith on Jesus Christ they that have received Christ by Faith do not satisfie themselves that they have believed but do from time to time live a life of dependance on Christ this life Paul lived Gal. 2.20 I live by Faith in the Son of God that is the duty of them that have believed 1 Joh. 5.13 I have written to you that have believed on the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life and that you may believe on the Son of God. And this is the spirit of those that have believed they live a life of dependance upon Christ for every thing even for outward things for life health peace liberty provision protection for private and publick blessings
carnal confidence that grows upon mens mourning does expose some to the same sin a man may do that many times that he hates Rom. 7.15 the hearts even of godly men are extreamly tainted with sin CHAP. X. Vse 3. Exhortation To Awakened sinners to believe on the Righteousness of Christ Jesus USE III. IF it be safe appearing before God in the Righteousness of Christ here is ground of Exhortation to all such as are awakened to believe in this Righteousness such sinners whose Consciences are indeed awakened are deeply concerned how they shall appear before God while other men are busying themselves to get worldly comforts seeking a felicity in this World and casting off the care of their souls you are making it your business to get into such a condion that you may be accepted with God that you may not miss of eternal salvation it is a matter of trembling to you to think of being a cast-away you dread the thoughts of damnation and are willing to take any pains that you may avoid it you have been labouring for peace and can't get it you have been searching for it as for hid treasures but hither to you have not obtained it you would fain be saved at last what ever trouble you go through here though you should be poor in this world afflicted all your dayes if you might be saved then you have your desire such persons are exhorted from hence to venture their souls upon the righteousness of Christ it is natural to such men to seek help from their own righteousness but beware of that many a soul has been lost in that way that way of self-righteousness is sprinkled with the blood of Souls many a man and woman have been undone in taking that by-path as you desire the welfare of your souls come to and accept of Jesus Christ roll your selves upon him make him your stay and your refuge flee for refuge to the hope that is set before you Heb. 6.18 despair of all other methods of Salvation and trust alone in Jesus Christ let fall all other pleas as such that can stand you in no stead and return the case of your soul upon this plea of Christs righteousness lay up all your hopes in Christ have your whole dependance upon his righteousness Jesus Christ has made a compleat purchase of Salvation he has bought off the guilt of sin and has bought blessedness and life eternal for sinners and God has stated this law of Grace that he that believes in Christ shall be saved by him God has constituted a rule of forgiveness and salvation God has constituted a new covenant according to which he will dispense life unto sinners he tenders a new Covenant unto us according to which we may receive justification from Christs righteousness God tells us upon what terms we shall have life he has stated the method wherein he will bestow mercy he has laid out the way in the Gospel and declares that whoever believes on Christ shall have everlasting life John 3.16.36 this is the only way wherein men shall receive Salvation from Christ if men come not to these terms they shall perish notwithstanding the purchase of Christ 't is only in a way of believing that men come to have any saving benefit by Christ believing in Christ is the condition of the covenant of grace this is indeed a suitable way for our partaking of the benefits of Christ 't is suitable that they should accept of the grace of God and righteousness of Christ that are saved by them it is very meet that salvation should be in such a way that the honour of Gods grace and Christs righteousness may be preserved yet the great reason of Gods stating this way of salvation by Faith was his soveraign pleasure there was no absolute necessity of this that salvation by Christ should be obtained in a way of believing Faith interests us in Christ but it is not through any natural vertue in Faith but by the free constitution of God the influence that Faith has into our justification and salvation is by Gods appointment God has voluntarily stated his law of grace there was no necessity that there should be any condition at all laid upon us God might without the performing of any condition by us have justified by Christ as we were made sinners by the sin of Adam without our consent so might we have been made righteous without our consent but it pleases God to require a condition which seems to be partly that we may have salvation in the way of a covenant which is for our comfort partly to render them that refuse the condition the more inexcusable the pleasure of God is the reason that there was a condition and like wise that Faith is the condition if he had made love to himself or sorrow for sin the condition that would have carried a face as if justification were the reward of our works yet God might have done it if he had pleased but he has stated this law of Grace that he that believeth shall be saved Act. 10.43 whoever believeth on him shall have remission of sins this is the covenant of reconciliation therefore as you do desire everlasting blessedness venture your souls upon the righteousness of Christ this is a way of safety In urging this Exhortation I shall 1. Present some Motives before you 2. Mention some considerations further to inforce those Motives 3. Answer such Objections as awakened sinners are wont to make 1. One Motive is the great sin of rejecting of Christ and not coming unto him men have reason to be afraid to continue in unbelief because there is so much sin and iniquity in it many a wakened sinners that do confess and bewail other sins and speak of them with bitterness of spirit do not lye under the sense of this sin here they are ready to excuse themselves or justifie themselves they don't take the blame of their rejecting of Christ to themselves they plead for that and vindicate themselves as if it was not their fault as if they had not sufficient reason to believe but herein you are greatly mistaken you look upon your unbelief to be your infirmity and calamity but not your sin this is a meer delusion the professed rejecting of Christ was that which filled up the measure of the Jews sins and the heart rejecting of Christ is sin John 16.9 the comfortes shall convince of sin because they believe not in me and tho this heart rejecting of Christ be not a flagitious yet it is a crying sin you cannot anger God more by any thing than by continuing in the neglect of Christ this is the great controversie that God hath with sinners not that they have been guilty of these or those particular transgressions but that they abide in the rejection of the Gospel you may see the greatness of this sin by the many rules that are broken by this sin and by the fountain of it 1. See the
in his spirit to have this engagement fulfilled unto every believer Christ is not willing to lose one believer but claims the promise and is set for their salvation John 17.20 I pray for them also that shall believe on me through their word and what does he desire for them among other things that they may be where he is to behold his glory ver 24. 3. The Lord is perswading of you to believe in Christ he is urging of you and stirring of you up this is the very design of the Gospel to gain mens consent to come to Christ he invites you to come Rev 22.17 and is giving you an account what preparation he has made for your acceptance he has appointed the Ordinance of the Ministry upon this design to draw you to Christ and make up the match between you and Christ 2 Cor. 5.20 yea upon this account he sends his spirit into your hearts to terrifie you to mind you of your dying day of eternal judgment of the sinfulness of your lives and hearts that you may be compelled to come away to Christ that you may not be able to rest without him and why should God concern himself so to perswade you to believe if this were not a way of salvation what design can God have upon his heart in these works of his but to save you if you will hearken unto his voice why does God take so much pains about this if the life of your souls did not depend upon it would God strive so to bring you to Christ if you would not be the better for coming unto him certainly God layes extraordinary weight upon it and is deeply engaged in it to bring you unto Christ and would he be so if it were not a way of life and blessedness God would let men alone and never busie himself so to perswade them to believe in Christ if the life of their souls did not depend upon it it would not be worth the while for God with a great deal of care and by many wonderful works of his spirit to bring men to believe if this were not the way of salvation it would not become the wisdom and goodness of God to labour in this manner to perswade men to believe if this were not the way of life 4. God promises salvation to you if you will believe God is not at liberty to accept or reject you but he has brought himself under bonds and entred into a solemn covenant to save you if you come to Christ he has made a firm engagement without any exceptions conditions reservations to bestow salvation upon you that he might put the thing without doubt he has given you his word that he will save you you conclude that if you continue in this condition wherein you are you shall be damned because God threatens you so and may you not with as good ground conclude that if you believe you shall be saved because God promised you so he has not only promised eternal life to those that are already believers but he has promised it unto you upon condition that you will believe Act. 10.43 whoever believeth on him shall receive remission of sins God has given you the assurance of his Word his actions do speak this to be his design but by his word he has engaged his faithfulness to you the holiness and fidelity of God and the care he has for his own honour stand security for your salvation if you come to Christ in this promise you may see the condescending grace of God how willing he is to satisfie you and the firm ground you have to go upon in coming to Christ for salvation you have the Word of God to bear you out 5. God has many wayes confirmed and strengthned his promise not but that his bare word is security enough but because men have distrustful hearts and are full of surmises and jealousies he has given abundant security to us of the stability of his promise he has given it us under his hand we have his word to shew for it he has made a firm indenture subscribed and recorded it he has not only spoken it by word of mouth but has made a firm deed and published it under his hand and millions of men can witness to it that he has bound himself to save those that come to Christ 1 Joh. 5.11 this is the record that God hath given us eternal life and this life is in his Son he has also established his promise by sealing to it circumcision was the seal of the righteousness of faith Rom. 4.11 men seal indentures to shew the reality of their purpose and to make their promise legally more firm so God has by many Sacraments in the Old Testament and by Baptism and the Lords Supper in the New Testament sealed to the covenant and ratified the same by holy Ordinances that would be prophaned if the covenant should fail God has also sworn to the covenant of grace it had been unreasonable for us to have desired such a confirmation from God but God voluntarily condescended to it to gain our belief Heh 6.17 18. that we might have strong consolation the Oath of God does declare the promise to be irrevocable and that God will not repent Psal 110.4 the Lord hath sworn and will not repent God has given you all manner of encouragement that you may evidently see an impossibility of failing of salvation if you come to Christ 6. God has made Jesus Christ the Judge of the World he has appointed him to take the examination of men and to give sentence upon them he has promised Christ that believers shall be saved and he has put power into the hands of Christ to see the thing accomplished and leaves the managing of the great Day of Judgment to him Acts 17.31 he will Judge the World in righteousness by that Man whom he has ordained and certainly Jesus Christ will not suffer any to perish that come to him Christ has died for the salvation of believers and how can it be imagined but he will adjudge them unto life Christs Righteousness cannot but be a good plea in the day of Judgment where Christ is the Judge those that have an interest in the righteousness of Christ shall pass without exception in that day he will be as ready to acquit them in the Day of Judgment as he was before to die for them Christ Jesus has a deep sence of the vertue and worthiness of his Death and Obedience and will be ready to accept of you on that account Heb. 9.28 2. I shall add some considerations further to enforce these motives 1. Many others do venture their souls on Christ the perswasions of the Gospel have prevailed upon many there be thousands of men and women that have relinquished all other hopes and have built upon this foundation many others have hearkened unto God and it is a shame to you to be more backward unto duty than others there are
Lords Supper so when you meet with any temptations to beat you off from this way of believing when you have been contracting any special guilt when you go before God in solemn prayer and besides what is to be done on such occasions as these it is a duty to have the heart working and carried out in this way at other times and it will be so where the heart is in a believing frame men then will love to be thinking upon the precious righteoousness of Christ and putting forth acts of dependance thereupon God requires you to be much in the exercise of Faith 1 Joh. 5.13 those things have I written to you that believe on the Name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life and that you may believe on the Name of the Son of God. This ought to be upon a double account 1. This is an honour due to God and Jesus Christ it becomes us to be putting honour upon them by reniewing those acts of Faith when a man is drawing his encouragement from the righteousness of Christ and the free grace of God prizing Christs Righteousness satisfied with that rejoycing in it rolling himself upon it he is putting honour thereupon and it is no more than it does deserve it becomes us to be giving this glory unto God and Jesus Christ when the acts of Faith are much intermitted and when there are any actings of unbelief we do deny them their due honour but the exercise of Faith is a practical acknowledgment of their glory and this is one part of that way of holiness wherein the people of God are walking unto salvation the first act of Faith in Christ is the fulfilling of the Covenant other acts of Faith are a part of our attending that way of holiness which is the way of life 2. This is the way of our comfort we need to be from time to time renewing the acts of Faith that we may live a comfortable life this is a way to have a stable and well grounded comfort for in this way of salvation God has given us everlasting consolation and good hope 2 Thess 2.16 the actings of unbelief fill the soul with trouble that saint must needs live a sorrowful life that is much carried away with an unbelieving heart such a life is attended with many terrors and fears unbelief is the sinking of the heart the prevailings of a spirit of discouragement bring a man into a most perplexed condition and he that lives in a way of carnal confidence will live a life of trouble though at times his joy may be great yet there will often be such discoveries of his heart and convictions of his danger as will fill his soul with fear and trembling the only way to live a sweet and comfortable life is to live by Faith upon Christ the actings of Faith give rest unto the heart there will be some measure of comfort wherever Faith is in exercise though a man be in the dark about his condition yet the very actings of Faith will support his heart Faith discovers a resting place for the soul in the exercise of Faith the soul is receiving of encouragement therefore Faith is often expressed in Scripture by joy Phil. 3.3 Hab. 3.18 indeed there is a sweetness and pleasingness in the exercises of every grace because they are suitable to that new nature that God has put into his Saints but there is a special sweetness in the exercise of Faith because the nature of it is to entertain a well grounded comfort and encouragement the very actings of Faith have a great deal of comfort in them and the reflection of the soul upon those acts of Faith has a great deal of comfort in them Faith it self is comfortable and the sight of Faith is comfortable Faith comforts as it entertains the glad tidings of the Gospel as it discovers a door of hope the light of Faith comforts as it discovers a sure evidence of Salvation In prosecuting of this VSE we shall consider three things 1. That Saints are apt to be discouraged from believing on the righteousness of Christ for acceptance 2. What their discouragements are together with proposals for the removing of them 3. What course saints should take that they may live by Faith on Christs righteousness and not be discouraged 1. Consider Saints are apt to be discouraged from believing on the righteousness of Christ for acceptance there are two sorts of discouragements that Christians have with respect unto their acceptance one sort is when they are discouraged as if they were not accepted as if they were not saints and in a state of salvation their present state is dark unto them and this arises either from Gods dispensations towards them or their carriages towards God God layes afflictions upon them exercises them with inward temptations don't give assurance of his love don't answer their prayers don't quicken their hearts in his Ordinances and they are carried away with corruption don't feel the working of love in their hearts have not such spiritual hearts as others of the people of God and so they are ready to sink as if their present state were not a state of peace with God the other sort of discouragement is when they are afraid to come unto Christ for acceptance they are called upon to believe but are discouraged from that duty it don't enter into them that God is free to accept of them through Christ they dare not believe and these two sorts of discouragements are generally Companions and go together though not alwayes usually when Christians are discouraged as to their present state they are also more backward to believe than at other times and their hearts are frighted because of the greatness and number of their sins and when they are in an unbelieving frame they are many times discouraged as if they were not Saints and can't discern those signs that they can see plain enough at another time this latter sort of discouragement whereby Saints are discouraged from believing in Christ is that we are now discoursing of and this discouraged frame is one of those frames that are contrary to a believing frame there are two other frames in Christians that are contrary to believing in Christ one is a slighty careless and regardless frame of spirit respecting acceptance with God and eternal salvation mens hearts are sometimes so deeply engaged in the world that they are little concerned about the state of their souls they have not the weight of it on their hearts to make sure a part in Christ sometimes Christians are under the prevailings of a sensless Spirit they have not sense nor solemnity enough upon their hearts to put forth an act of Faith the other is a self-righteous frame whereby Christians are apt to be drawing of their encouragements for their acceptance with God from their own righteousness but besides these there is a discouraged frame of spirit whereby Saints are afraid to believe
sins upon him Christ was legally guilty of our sin and God punished him 1 Pet 2.24 He bare our sins in his own body upon the tree sai 53.4 Surely he hath born our griefs and carried our sorrows Rom 4.25 He was delivered for our offences And here we may take notice of a great difference between the first and second Adam The first Adam brought the guilt of one sin upon us but Jesus Christ takes away the guilt not only of that but of our innumerable personal Transgressions and this the Apostle minds Rom 5.16 And not as it was by one that sinned so is the gift for the judgment was by one to condemnation but the free gift is of many offences to justification the first sin that Man is guilty of layes him open unto death and his after sins do multiply his Obligations unto death but do not expose him unto so many several deaths yet they do expose him unto a sorer and greater degree of eternal death where there are several sins meeting in the same person they are to be punished with an aggravated death one death must be endured equivalent to so many several deaths for every sin must be accounted for in the day of judgment Eccles 12.14 and therefore Christ that he might procure a remission of all our sins bore a punishment proportionable to them all he was punished for them all Isai 53.5 He was wounded for our transgressions what he redeemed us from that he endured himself Gal. 3.13 only it must be remembred that by reason of the dignity of his person that sorrow which he endured was a greater measure of punishment that it would have been in us The Eighth thing to be considered is That the Righteousness of Jesus Christ is sufficient for the Elect of God in all ages he has an everlasting Priesthood and the vertue of his Sacrifice dos cotinue from the beginning to the end of the World therefore he is said to bring in everlasting Righteousnes Dan. 9.24 His Righteousness was efficacious for the ages before his coming though it was not then actually wrought out in former Generations this righteousness was available for justification as a man may be discharged of a Debt because of the Bond of his Surety before the money is paid so Christ was preached as the way of Salvation from the very fall of Adam Gen. 3.15 The seed of the Woman shall bruise the Serpents head the way that the Patriaks were justified was by Faith in Christ Rom. 4.3 hence they are said to be saved by Grace Act 15 11 the Covenant which was made with Abraham was made in consideration of the righteousness of Christ Gal 3 17 The covenant that was confirmed before by God in Christ Christ was actually slain after the World had stood about four thousand years but he was reckoned as slain from the foundation of the World Rev 13 8 the vertue of his blood reached unto the first ages of the world that is implied Heb. 9.25 26. Nor yet that he should offer himself often as the High Priest entereth every year into the holy place with the blood of others for then must be often have suffered since the foundation of the World but now once in the end of the World hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself Hence there was through him remission of the sins that were past Rom 3 25. he died for the redemption of transgressions that were under the first Testament Heb 9 15 the means of the salvation of the Fathers was accomplished in the dayes of the Gospel they were saved before but the price of this Salvation was payed when Christ died that is intended by that expression Heb. 11 40 God having provided some better thing for us that they without us should not be made perfect His Righteousness is also efficacious for all ages after his coming Christ payed for the salvation of those Generations that were not born then he satisfied for sins that were not then committed for God has appointed the Gospel to be Preached to the end of the World Mat. 28 19 20 yea Christ appointed that his death should be shewed forth in the Lords Supper unto the day of Judgment 1 Cor. 11 26 in the Redemption of Christ God shewed grace to the ages to come Eph 2 7 there will be some saved by Christ in all Ages to the end of the world Eph 3 31 the Saints under Antichrist are said to be redeemed by Christ Revel 14 6. The reason of this everlasting efficacy of Christs Righteousness is from Gods acceptance God might accept it as well before it was wrought out as after and it was as easie for Christ to redeem millions of men as one Christ being a Surety the same righteousness that will serve for one will serve for all as it is with the sin of Adam it is as sufficient to condemn millions as one and if Christ had been to redeem many more he needed not to have done or suffered any thing more what is done by the representative is reckoned to all them whom he represents The last Proposition for the cleaning of the Argument is That Christ has so purchased Salvation that the Elect cannot fail of it and herein lies one great difference between the first Adam and the second though the first Adam made us Heirs of death yet there is a possibility of our escaping destruction but the second Adam has so made us Heirs of life as that it is impossible that we should miss thereof that is intended Rom. 5 17. If by one mans offence death reigned by one much more they that receive abundance of Grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in lise by one Jesus Christ Christs purchase gives us such a title to Salvation as that there can be no failure of it 2 Thes 2.16 God has given us everlasting consolation and good hope through Grace the reason of the difference is because there was an exception in the Law that we must dye except our Surety died for us but the promise of eternal life which Christ has purchased does admit of no exception the promise made unto Christ does admit of no exception Psal 72 17. Men shall be blessed in him according to that promise to Jacob all the Families of the earth should be blessed in his seed and the promise made unto Believers does admit of no exception there are many promises that have a limited interpretation some are indefinite and some are conditional but this promise is absolute and universal Joh. 3.16 God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth on him might not perish but might have everlasting life Before I leave this Argument it is needful to answer one Objection which is this If Christs Righteousness be that which the Law requires of us then God would deal with those that have an interest in that as he would have done if they had performed
David has reference to these purifyings when he says purge me with hysop and I shall be clean Psal 51.7 and hence it is that we have such expressions in the Prophets he shall sprinkle many Nations Isa 52.15 I will sprinkle clean water upon you and you shall be clean Ezek. 36.25 hence also it is said of them Rev. 7.14 They had washed their Robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 4. The freedom of the manslayer at the death of the High-priest holds out the same truth he that casually slew a man was to abide in the city of refuge till the death of the High-priest and then was to return to his own city Numb 35.25 Joshua 20.6 that was to signifie to them that spiritual liberty that is proved for us by the death of Christ Christ Jesus is our High-priest Heb. 3.1 Heb 7.26 and by his death has wrought out deliverance for us Zech. 9.11 as for thee also by the blood of the covenant I have sent forth the prisoners out of the pit wherein there is no water 5. The brazen serpent was a type of this the brazen serpent was lifted up in the wilderness that they that were stung with the flying fiery serpent might look upon it and be healed Numb 21.8 9. this did shadow forth the healing vertue of Christ crucified the application of the type is made by Christ himself John 3.14 15. as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness so must the Son of man be lifted up that whosoever believeth in him might not perish but have everlasting life mind 1 A similitude between the condition of him that was stung and the sinner the venome of the serpent was very tormenting and that may be one reason why the serpents are called fiery because this poyson burnt like fire thus it is with the guilty sinner his heart is full of perplexing sorrow and he is tormented with the fiery darts of the Evil One. 2. There is a similitude between the lifting up of the brazen serpent and the manner of Christs death therefore his death is set forth by that phrase of being lifted up that phrase notes his sufferings Joh. 8.28 when ye have lift up the Son of man then ye shall know that I am he John 12.32 33. and if I be lifted up from the earth I will draw all men unto me this he said signifying what death he should dye 3. There is a similitude between the carriage of him that was stung and the guilty sinner he that was stung must look upon the brazen serpent the guilty sinner must behold this Lamb of God with an eye of faith believe in him and he shall be saved 6. The Manna and the watter out of the rock held forth this truth they were fed with Manna for forty years and the water out of the Rock followed them almost so long whereby God represented unto them the nourishing vertue of Christ crucified and therefore the Apostle calls the Manna spiritual meat and the water of the rock spiritual drink and not onely so but he calls them the same spiritual meat and drink that is the same which we partake of under the Gospel 1 Cor 23.3 4. and Christ sayes that it is his flesh that is the true spiritual meat and his blood that is the true spiritual drink John 6.55 my flesh is meat indeed and my blood is drink indeed and Christ Jesus teaches the Jews that he is the true bread that came down from heaven John 6.49 50. your Fathers did take Manna in the wilderness and are dead This is the bread that cometh down from heaven that a man may eaten hereof and not dye 7. The white garments of the Priests and the beautiful garments of the High-Priest hold forth this Truth whereby is taught that comliness in the sight of God that does arise from the righteousness of Christ this is evident from the interpretation given Zech. 3.4 take away the filthy garments from him and unto him be said I have caused thine iniquity to pass away and thou shalt be cloathed with change of raiment the taking away of filthy garments notes the taking away of iniquity therefore the cloathing with change of raiment notâ—s the putting on of the robe of Christs Righteousness so the Righteousness of Christ is set forth by white raiment Rev. 3.18 God sets forth the efficacy of Christs righteousness by these various types that the Church of old might be well principled in this doctrine God was leading of them into an understanding of this way of salvation directing of them to look for salvation only through the sufferings and obedience of Jesus Christ the various representations whereof was of great use to beget faith in such as understood the meaning thereof and were a great evidence of that delight which God took in the righteousness which Christ was to fulfil in the fulness of time Argument 3. Because God has had such love to sinners as to send his Son to dye that they might be reconciled unto him therefore there is no question to be made of it but he will bestow salvation on all those that have an interest in the death of Christ this is the Apostles argument Rom. 5 8 9. but God commendeth his love towards us in that while we were yet sinners Christ dyed for us much more being now justified by his blood we shall be saved from wrath by him and in the next verse he repeats the argument in other terms for if when we more enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his life the meaning of the argument is that if God had so much love to us as to send his Son to purchase our reconciliation when we were Offenders then certainly being brought into a state of reconciliation by Christ we shall be saved by him In opening this argument we shall consider First the foundation that he builds it upon and then the force of the consequence 1. The foundation that he builds this argument on is That God had such love to sinners as to send his Son to dye for them this was an act of wonderful love it was great love in Christ to come to dye and great love in the Father to send him to dye this was more than man could hope for when he had sinned it was quite beyond his expectation this was such compassion as could enter into the heart of none but God himself to contrive if the thoughts of holy Angels had been asked they would have thought it too great a mercy to have been bestowed on sinful man they were wonderfully affected with it when it came to pass Luke 21 13 14. there suddenly was with the angels a great multitude of the Heavenly Host praising God and saying glory to God in the highest and on earth peace and good will towards man indeed in this affair God acted principally from a love to his
our selves with an idle dream which would deceive us â—â—men are blamed in the Word of God for such confidences Isa 29.18 it is not lawful or warrantable for us to believe in that which we have not sufficient encouragement to believe in but we have not sufficient encouragement to believe in the righteousness of Christ if it be not safe to appear before God in it what can encourage us to depend upon and be satisfied in that which it is not safe to depend upon 2. If it be commanded that we believe on the righteousness of Christ then it is duty so to doe then we are bound in conscience to come unto Christ we cannot without sin stay away from Christ and therefore surely it is safe to trust in the righteousness of Christ the holy God would never make it our duty to trust in that which is not a sufficient ground of faith it were an hard lesson to be bound in conscience to do that which we could not satisfie our consciences in doing it were wildness for any man to imagine that God should command us to love that which is not lovely or to mourn for that which is not matter of sorrow or to rejoyce in that which is not matter of joy so it is to think that God should require us to trust in that which is not a ground of confidence that would be very hard for God to bind us to put our confidence in that which we could not put our confidence in except we were out of our wits if it were not safe to trust in Christs righteousness what could induce us to do it except we were under a delusion it is against nature for man to put confidence in any thing but under this notion that there is ground of confidence in it what perswasions can prevail to make men rest on that which they could not safely rest upon the Lord is a righteous God and gives no such unequal command all his commands are righteous he requires but what is equal Psal 119 138. 3. If God commands us to believe on the righteousness of Jesus Christ then we must do it upon pain of damnation if we fail thereof every sin does by Law deserve death and the continuance in the neglect of any known command does unavoidably bring death and ruine and so the neglect of this command John 3.18 He that believeth not is condemned already because be hath not believed in the Name of the only begotton Son of God certainly then it must be a safe thing to believe on Jesus Christ if there be no safety in believing there is no reason that we should be punished for not believing if there be no safety in believing in Christ then it is madness to believe in Christ and will God punish us for not acting the part of mad men it were an unreasonable thing for a man to believe in Christ if it were not safe so to do and therefore unreasonable that he should be punished for not doing of it will God damn man for not building their hopes for Heauen upon the sand will God cast a man into Hell because be will not embrace a delusion and put his confidence in a broken Reed the Lord is a righteous God and would never punish men for not believing if they had not abundant encouragement to believe the command of this holy God gives us great security in believing John 12.50 I know that his command is life everlasting OBJECTION Here it may be objected against this Argument That we are commanded by God to believe for many things and to believe in the righteousness of Christ for them which we have no certain security that we shall enjoy in a way of believing whatever we pray for we must do it believing and we must do it in the Name of Christ thus we are to believe for health for the conversion of all our Children for rain and other publick mercies so that it is no bard or unreasonable thing to be commanded to believe for that which is not sure in a way of believing neither do we want sufficient encouragement to believe though the thing we believe for be not sure to us in that way ANSWER That Act of Faith which is the condition of the Covenant of Grace is far differing from other acts of Faith that are required of us we do believe for a mercy when by a spirit of Faith we take hold of any of those encouragements which God gives us with respect to that mercy that when we are encouraged by the power of God the mercy of God the love of God to us indennite promises the redemption of Christ to rely upon God with quietness for a mercy with submission to his holy will. We do believe in God for that mercy and this we have sufficient encouragement to do though there be no certainty that we shall enjoy the mercy in that way and this God may fairly command us though he don't absolutely promise the mercy but that Faith which is the condition of the covenant of Grace does much differ from this that is an accepting of Christ and Salvation by him as offered to us and a relying on him for it according to the promise of the Gospel that this is the Faith that is required as the condition of the covenant of grace is evident because it is called a receiving of Christ justifying Faith is the receiving of the promise of the Gospel 't is a relying upon God in Christ according to the invitations of the Gospel and God would never require us to accept of an offer and rely upon him for it if it were not safe so to do how is it possible for any man to rely upon God for the making good of his offer if it were not safe so to do CHAP. VI. The seventh Argument from the Spirits assuring Men of the truth of the Gospel The eighth Argument from Gods bestowing the beginnings of Salvation on Believers here in this World. Argument 7. THat Righteousness which the Spirit of God convinces and assures men that they may safely appear before God in that they may safely appear in but the Spirit of God does convince and assure men that they may safely appear before God in the righteousness of Christ that must needs be true which the spiril convinces men to be true Satan labours to shake mens belief of this and raises doubts and questions in the heart about it and from thence we may argue probably that it is true but the spirit of God does perswade and convince men of the truth of it and establishes the heart in it and from thence may infallibly argue the truth of it In opening and declaring this Argument we may Consider 1. That many men are convinced and assured that it is fafe appearing before God in the righteousness of Christ there are some kind of perswasions about it in the hearts of many others that are bestowed partly upon the testimony of men partly
great considering these things 1. That Man in his natural state is an enemy to this way of salvation as man is an enemy to the Law of God so to the gospel of Jesus Christ the heart dont like this way of salvation man had rather be saved in another way man is proud and can't endure to go a begging and be beholden to the free grace of God for his salvation he had rather earn it himself than take it as a gift of God hence men set their wits on work to descry another way that is more suitable to their honours and to find exceptions against this way of salvation by Christ he don't like the method and so is inventing of cavils to turn off the calls of God. 2. That man is ignorant of the gracious nature of God men don't understand how merciful God is are apt to measure the compassions of God by their own and make a judgment of God by themselves hence they are full of carnal reasonings against this way of life they think it is a great deal more probable that they should be accepted on the account of some worthiness in themselves they think it utterly unlikely that God should accept of them till their hearts are better they think it would be desperate presumption to venture upon Christ before they are better they think God is so angry with them that he cannot find in his heart to pardon them they take notice of the severity of God upon others and conceive of him as very difficult to pardon they imagine there must be something considerable in them to commend them to God and draw the heart of God unto them 3 The Devil is busie to hinder men from entertaining this truth the Devil is most industrious in this matter because their entertaining this truth will deliver them from his dominion 2 Cor. 11.3 he is possessing of men with prejudices against this truth casting in objections and fortifying of the heart against the perswasions of the word and this does considerably increase the difficulty because of the subtilty of Satan to represent his temptations with great appearance of reason and smooth a delusion so that it shall have a great face of truth because of his ability together with his reasonings to work so upon the affections as to make the soul more opposite to the entertaining of the truth 4. Man by nature does not believe the testimony of God this truth cannot certainly be known but by faith reason may argue something for it but not conclusively but natural men are destitute of a principle to receive the testimony of God they are ignorant of the glorious nature of God and so of his faithfulness and therefore though they may look on it a thing probable because of Gods testimony having heard a same of him yet they cannot be assured of it upon his word since they know him not so that it is a great and wonderful work of Gods spirit to help men over all these difficulties and convince them that 't is safe appearing in the righteousness of Christ Consider 6. The evidence that this work of the spirit gives in to the truth before us and we may plainly gather from hence that it is safe appearing in Christs Righteousness For 1. The Spirit of God is holy and cannot deceive or delude us it is in consistent with the spotless purity of the spirit of God to convince us of that which is not true who can imagine that the holy spirit of God would take pains with men and work a miraculous change in them to make them believe a lie why does God busie himself so in this work but that it is of everlasting concernment unto the souls of men it is true that God may judicially blind men by withdrawing light from them but he never goes about to perswade men of a lye would God perswade men to cast themselves upon Christ if there were not safety in so doing 2. We are commanded not to quench the Spirit 1 Thes 5.19 we must cherish the motions and entertain the convictions of the spirit which certainly would not be our duty if the spirit did convince of any thing that is not true we are not bound to receive delusions but by all means to be oppposing and resisting of them it cannot be our duty to entertain salshoods and give way to deceits and therefore those convictions which we are bound to cherish are certainly true I might also argue from the manner of the spirits convincing which is by enlightning and opening of the eyes but if this which he convinces us of were not true the conviction would be by blinding of us and putting out our eves where one by sophistical reasonings does perswade another of a salshood makes him believe a lye he does it by darkening his understanding the opening of the eyes is not the way to lead men into error Argument 8. That Righteousness upon the account of which God bestows the beginnings of salvation here it is safe to appear before God in but upon the account of Christs Righteousness God bestows the beginnins of salvation here There are some degrees of salvation which God bestows upon believers here upon the account of his righteousness they have an inchoation of salvation already God begins to fullfil his promise presently Tit. 3.5 2 Tim. 1.9 they are justified already Acts 3.39 all that believe are justified they are adopted 1 John 12. as many as received him to them gave he power to become the Sons of God even to them that believe on his name they are saved from the curse of the law as to outward dispensations Rom. 8.28 all things shall work together for good to them that love God that are called according to purpose But I shall only urge two things wherein the people of God have experience of the beginning of salvation and therein an evidence of their full salvation by Jesus Christ in due time namely sanctification and inward comfort 1. The people of God are sanctified in a way of believing on the righteousness of Christ they that do believe in Christ are sanctified they do lead an holy life dying unto sin and living unto righteousness they are delivered from the servitude unto sin and do become servants of God indeed this cannot be made evident by experience to the world because the world cannot certainly know that those that profess faith in Christ have it in reality nor that those that seem to live an holy life do so indeed yet there is that which falls under the observation of the world that may considerably help forward their satisfaction in this particular 1. Among those that do profess to believe in Christ there are many that live in such a manner that there is not evidence that they are not sanctified 't is not so with all those that profess to believe in Christ there are many that make such a profession that have no faith and therefore it is no wonder
if they be not sanctified but there be many in whose lives there is no evidence that they are destitute of holiness no man can justly charge them with living in any known sin with any unmortifyed corruption or acting from a corrupt principle in religion but this cannot be said concerning others that do not make this profession moral men among the Heathens Turks or Jews there are few or none of them but would make it evident to a man of a discerning spirit that was familiarly acquainted with them that they were under the rule and power of some lust 2. Among those that profess to believe in Christ there are many men in whom there are very speaking evidences that they lead an holy life they do not only walk inoffensively in their conversation but there is a great deal of the breathings of a spirit of holiness in them their carriage savours of the fear of God love to God submission to the will of God care of the advancement of the glory of God there carriage has a great relish of piety and holiness there is as much appearance of holiness as can ordinarily be expected from men that have still a principle of corruption remaining in them 3. Many of those who has formerly lived a corrupt life when once they are in appearance brought home to Christ do give great evidences of an holy life many that live among the people of God do live very corruptly but when once such men come to embrace the Gospel in appearance many of them do become very exemplary in holiness cast off all their former ways of sin and live an humble spiritual obedient life as far as man can judge But there are two wayes whereby the truth of this is evident above exception One is by the testimony of Gods Word the Scripture does commonly give the title of Saints unto believers hence that title of Saints in Christ Jesus is given to the Church at Philippi 1 Phil. 1. so they are called holy brethren that are partakers of the heavenly calling Heb. 3.1 and Saints and faithful in Christ Jesus are used as terms equivalent Eph. 1.1 all those that are implanted into Christ do crucifie their corruptions Gal 5.24 hence good works are a demonstration of the truth of Faith James 2.18 Another way whereby it is made evident is by the experience of many saints hereby it is made evident to them though not unto the world every believer has experience of a great change in himself though they have many fears whether it be indeed a life of holiness that they live it is exercising unto them whether they go beyond hypocrites and are acted by any higher principles than self-love and confcience yet there be several that at times do evidently see a spirit of holiness working in themselves so that their consciences do bear witness that they are the children of God besides what they do perceive of a daily bent of heart to keep Gods commands there are at times more visible and sensible actings of grace there are times when the strings are wound up to the height when grace breaks forth as the light and the heart is satisfied in that that he has a spirit of holiness John 21.17 Lord thou knowest all things thou knowest that I love thee Psal 18.23 I was also upright before him And this fanctification which the people of God have they have in a way of believing some take sanctification so largely as to comprehend the work of regeneration and count regeneration also an effect of closing with Christ but I will not now discuss that controversy though there is no doubt but regeneration is the fruit of Christs purchase but I take sanctification for that work of Gods spirit whereby he does more and more purge away the remainders of sin and carry on the work of holiness in the hearts of his people and this is the fruit of faith in Christ Acts 26.18 they are sanctified by faith that is in me Gal. 2.20 I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me and this sanctification comes from Christs purchase he has by his death redemed us from the power of sin Tit. 2 4. who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purisie to himself a peculiar people zealous of good works so John 17.1 Pet. 1.18 19. Heb. 9 14. 2 The people of God have inward spiritual comfort in a way of believing in the righteousness of Christ it is very true that many men that do not profess the true religion and many others that tho they do profess the true religion yet do not in sincerity embrace it have much inward comfort under an expectation of blessedness hereafter but the people of God that do believe in Jesus Christ have inward comfort in that way peculiar to themselves Which we may consider under these two heads of peace of conscience and communion with God. 1. The people of God in a way of believing have peace of conscience and this is not a particular priviledge of some believers but a blessing that all do in some degree partake of those men that before their coming to Christ were under the terrors of an evil conscience conscience was terrifying of them and binding them over to eternal judgement do upon their closing with Christ enjoy a tranquility of mind and inward peace Indeed this peace may be interrupted and disturbed because of darkness and temptations and because conscience is but in part satisfyed but they are never brought back to take up such conclusions against themselves as before their closing with Christ but commonly they do enjoy some comfortable serenity of heart have the answer of a good conscience by the resurrection of Christ 1 Pet. 3.21 this comes to pass by these two things 1. When a soul comes to Christ the soul is satisfied that there is peace with God to be obtained in a way of coming to Christ that there is safety in coming to Christ the inward call of the Gospel satisfies the soul that there is salvation in Christ for all that come to him conscience is thereby well satisfied in the sufficiency of Christ the freeness and the fulness of the grace of God 1 Pet. 2.7 to him that believes Christ is precious the objections of the heart are removed by the convincing work of the Spirit 2. The first act of closing with Christ is not so sensibly done but that he does take some notice of it some after acts of faith may be more plain and in continuance of time the soul may lose the exact knowledge of the time of his first closing with Christ and the circumstances of it but this first closing with Christ is not so secret a thing but that it falls under the observation of conscience Jer. 3.22 This is clear For 1. The act it self is very observable when the soul comes at first to close with Christ there is a weighty change
manifest at that time that it is his testimony and hereby this differs from the delusions of Satan as the Prophets knew it to be the Lord that revealed things unto them so Saints at the time knew it to be the Spirit of God that witnessed to them they do not need any other help at that time to know it to be the voice of God they do not need a candle to see the Sun though soon after they may have doubts Thus I have cleared up the assumption of the Argument it remains that somewhat be added to evidence the proposition that it must needs be safe appearing in that righteousness upon the account of which God does bestow the beginnings of salvation here And I may evidence that from these two Principles The first Principle is That righteousness which does purchase any part of the good of the covenant does purchase the whole good of the covenant by the righteousness of Christ believers stand already possessed of some part of the good of the covenant and that righteousness that brought them into the possession of that will in due time bring them into the possession of what remains for that which purchases any part of the good of the covenant must needs purchase the whole the condition upon which all the good of the covenant depends was one so that the good of the covenant must be wholy purchased or wholly forfeited it could not be in part purchased in part forfeited the condition of the covenant of works was perfect righteousness if that were performed all the good of the covenant was purchased if that were not performed all the good of the covenant was forfeited an imperfect righteousness would not purchase any one good thing mentioned in the covenant one sin was sufficient to break the whole covenant and expose unto death one sin would make a course of righteousness for many years utterly ineffectual unto the purchase of any good and lay the sinner open unto the curse of the Law Gal. 3.10 Rom. 6.23 whatever was done towards the performance of the condition of the covenant signified nothing except the full was performed that God required so the condition of the covenant of the Mediator was perfect obedience to the law of the Mediator viz. perfect obedience to the commands of the law and perfect bearing of the curse 't is true that the active and passive obedience of Christ have a distinct respect one of them to the possession of good the other to the removal of evil the one is meritorious the other satisfactory one procures the blessings promised the other delivers from the evils threatned but yet Christ being made under such a covenant the success of one depended upon the other and they are joyntly together the purchasing cause of our salvation and one of them would have had no efficacy at all towards our salvation if not accompanied with the other so that this principle stands firm that that righteousness that does not procure all the good of the covenant procures none that righteousness can purchase no good for us that is not sufficient for our compleat salvation that cannot purchase the beginnings of salvation that does not justifie us seeing therefore on the account of Christs righteousness we have already the beginnings of salvation that righteousness is suffieient for our Justification and Salvation The Second Principle is That God in giving the beginnings of salvation in a way of believing in Christs righteousness for salvation does own that to be the way of salvation God does in this way give such mercies as are evidences of his favour and such as do accompany salvation he subdues sin quickens the heart in holiness reveals his loving kindness c. And herein God does plainly testifie that this is the way to salvation and that the righteousness of Christ was the procuring cause of salvation if the righteousness of Christ were not sufficient for our salvation God would be angry with us for believing in Christs righteousness we might expect frowns and judgments in this way but Gods giving the beginnings of salvation in this way does eminently own it to be the way of life when did God in such a way own men in a way of depending upon their own righteousness or external priviledges they have some common mercies but none of the beginnings of salvation but the beginings of salvation being bestowed in this way are an evident sign of divine approbation of it God bore witness to the Apostles preaching this doctrine by many wonderful signs Heb. 2.4 and he bears witness to those that by saith receive this doctrine by wonderful gracious effects in them he gives the earnest of heavenly glory which evidently shews the efficacy of this righteousness which they trust in to accomplish their salvation Eph. 1 13 14. in whom after that ye believed ye were sealed with that holy spirit of promise which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession unto the praise of his glory CHAP. VII The ninth Argument From the Sacraments of the New-Testament Two Objections against this Doctrine Answered Argument IX IT is safe appearing before God in that righteousness the efficacy whereof unto salvation we are taught in the Sacraments of the New-Testament But in the Sacraments of the New-Testament we are taught the efficacy of Christs righteousness unto salvation God in these Sacraments is by sensible signs teaching of us this truth so that in the Sacraments there is a divine testimony to this doctrine 1. We are taught the efficacy of Christs righteousness unto salvation by the ordinance of Baptism as 't is said of circumcision that it was a seal of the righteousness of Faith so is baptism the washing of water signifies our washing in the blood of Christ as the legal washings had a respect unto the cleansing away of sin by Christs blood so has our baptismal washing this ordinance practised first by John and afterwards appointed by Christ to be a perpetual ordinance in the gospel church is appointed on this design to strengthen our Faith in this Doctrine 1. This appears because by baptism is held forth our fellowship with Christ in his sufferings that is signified thereby that we have an interest in the vertue of his sufferings that his sufferings are made over unto us that we do participate in the good and benefit of them Rom. 6 3. so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death there was sealed up unto us the vertue and efficacy of his death therefore verse 4. we are said to be buried with him by baptism into death the like expression you have Col. 2.12 we are thereby partakers of his sufferings as if we our selves had suffered and if this be held forth then our justification and reconciliation is held forth for that is procured by the sufferings of Christ Rom. 5.10 we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son. 2. Baptism is
solemn Ordinances founded upon this Doctrine of Salvation through the blood of Christ this Doctrine is the foundation that these Ordinances are built upon the design of these holy Ordinances is to be witnesses to us of our Redemption and Salvation by the blood of Christ and indeed the Ordinance of the Ministry is founded upon the same bottom if this Doctrine were not true there had been no occasion for these Ordinances as it was with the Sacraments of the Old Testament they were seals of the righteousness of Faith so are the Sacraments of the New-Testament and certain it is that all the Ordinances of God are built upon realities who can imagine that God would appoint any Ordinance that should be like the stock that is the graven Image a Doctrine of Vanities Jer. 10.8 God delights in no Worship but what has a good foundation in the Sacraments God requires us to worship him in a religious attendance upon him while he is teaching us this Doctrine of salvation by the righteousness and blood of Christ in the Sacraments God requires us to worship him in a religious acknowledgment of the truth of this Doctrine and this would never be if the Doctrine were not infallibly true God needs no such Worship as is not built upon a real foundation it is not suitable to give him any Worship that is not built upon realities God would never accept any such honour as this from us much less require us to give it him if this Doctrine of Salvation by the blood of Christ were not true to deny the Doctrine of Salvation by the blood of Christ is to make the Sacrament a meer mockery in the Sacrament God does by sacred Ordinances witness to the salvation of Believers and he will never prophane his own Ordinances by failing in the performance of that promise these Sacraments being Ordinances appointed of God to teach us this Doctrine of salvation by Christs blood we are thereby warranted to pray for a blessing upon them for the furtherance of our spiritual and eternal good but this we might not do if the Doctrine held forth by them were not true the Sacraments being appointed by God to testifie this Doctrine to us we have a warrant in the celebration of them and at other times to praise and bless the Lord for sending Christ Jesus to work out salvation for us but certainly if this Doctrine were not true there would be no reason for us so to do neither would the Lord accept of such praises if there were not certain salvation to be had by Christ no man alive can give a reason of the institution of the Sacraments nor salve the honour of God who has appointed them to teach us this Doctrine of salvation by the righteousness of Christ There be two things principally that may be objected against this Doctrine Objection 1. That Faith is said to be imputed for righteousness Rom. 4.3 21 22. Gen. 15.5 6. to which it may be added that Faith under the Gospel comes in the room of works that were required under the Law hence Faith and Works are so often opposed by the Apostle in the matter of Justification Rom. 3.28 Gal. 2.16 Answer 1. That Faith that is imputed to us for righteousness is believing in Jesus Christ it is not any act of Faith nor any other act of justifying Faith that is imputed for righteousness but only believing in Christ this is evident because that is the description of justifying Faith in other places of the Scripture he that believeth in him shall have everlasting life John 3 6. this Faith is described ver 22. But for us also to whom it shall be imputed if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead here this Faith is described 1. It is Faith on God a relying or depending upon him 2. The consideration under which this is acted on God that is as having raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead that is as having wrought out salvation for us by Jesus Christ it may be objected against this interpretation that this Faith that was imputed for righteousness to Abraham is called a blessing God Rom. 4.3 and the promise that he believed was a promise of a numerous posterity Gen. 15.1 5 6. Ans This Faith of his did include in it a believing of the promised seed and a believing on him God had before promised that in him all the families of the earth should be blessed Gen. 12.3 and now he promises him a posterity like the stars in number and Abraham entertains this promise as it included in it the promised seed and as Christ says rejoyced to see his day and saw it and was glad Job 8.56 this was reckoned unto him for Righteousness this is plain from Gal. 3.6 7 8. 2. Faith in Jesus Christ does inforest us in the righteousness of Jesus Christ whoever has this faith has the righteousness of Christ God might have made over this righteousness of Christ to us without any condition if he pleased or upon any other but faith was suitable and God has appointed this to be the way of our partaking in the righteousness of Christ and hereby men come to have an interest in that men come to have an interest in Christs righteousness called gold and white raiment by buying that of him that is by believing on him Rev. 3.18 The righteousness of God is through-Faith in Christ Phil. 3.9 so that all that have this faith have the righteousness of Christ 3. It is very probable that the Apostle intends no more when he sayes Faith is imputed for righteousness then this that Believers are reckoned righteous through the righteousness of Christ the phrase seems to import somewhat else then if he had said that their Faith was their righteousness to be reckoned for righteousness seems to note to be accepted in stead of personal righteousness and so Faith is accepted through the righteousness of Christ this is further confirmed from that phrase Heb. 11.7 He became heir of the righteousness which is by Faith that is of the righteousness of Christ which is applied unto us by Faith and there is no necessity of understanding any thing more by that phrase the righteousness of Faith Rom. 4.11 13. but the righteousness which we have an interest in by Faith. 4. Yet it may be granted without danger that Faith is our evangelical righteousness but not our legal righteousness God has made two covenants with men the one is the covenant of works the other the covenant of grace in the covenant of works perfect holiness is the condition that is the righteousness that must be fulfilled in order unto life in the covenant of Grace believing is the condition and this may be called Gospel righteousness because according to the terms of the Gospel all Believers are declared righteous in the sight of God and the promise of salvation is made unto believing but believing is not our legal righteousness it does
sign of an hypocrite to trust in his own duties and they set themselves to trust in Christ and think they do somewhat at it but their way of living is upon themselves and they are very great strangers to Christ this is not the guise of the people of God gal 2.20 the life thut I live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God. 3. Such persons as cannot venture upon Christ when they are in the dark about their estate when they think that they see signs that they are converted then they can believe they are very forward but when in the dark no Gospel encouragements will prevail upon them a saint may find it very difficult at such a time but a false heart stayes till he can discern some more hopes of his good condition before he can believe such a man does not live a life of Faith. Before I pass this way of trial I shall answer some Doubts about it that sometimes trouble the People of God. Doubt 1. I fear I do not live a life of Faith because I find abundance of unbelief I am exceeding distrustful see little as I ought to see of the excellency of Christ of the stability of the Covenant or of the freeness of Gods grace Answer It may be so and yet your Faith may be right there is a backwardness in Saints to believe Luk. 24.25 26. O fools and stow of heart to believe Saints have but a little Faith they that have most have but a little Rev 3.8 this is the general complaint of the people of God and generally it is from Faith that they are burdened with unbelief a spirit of Faith makes men qualified to discern their unbelief and makes men see an hainous evil in it Doubt 2. I fear I dont live a life of Faith because I am very ready to give way to a spirit of carnal confidence I am sure tâ—eâ—e is a great deal of false Faith in me if there be any stirrings of affection I am ready to idolize them and stay upon them Answer You may possibly think there is more carnal confidence working in you than there is hope of your good condition should be strengthened by the sanctifying fruits of the Spirit they are good signs but I grant you are not to be carnally confident though your Faith be of the right kind and you live a life of Faith yet you will be troubled with a spirit of carnal confidence as long as you live Mat. 13.27 Prov. 30.6 where the Apostle sayes we have no confidence in the flesh Phil. 3.3 his meaning is not that carnal confidence is wholly mortified but their Doctrine was that no confidence was to be in the flesh and they allowed none Doubt 3. I fear I dont live a life of Faith because my Faith brings me in so little supplies of Grace and Comfort God dont seem to own it Answer You gain confiderably by your Faith if you gain this to be kept following of God 1 Pet. 1.5 you must not be discouraged because God does not give you such signs as you desire Joh. 20 29. Blessed are they that have not seen and yet have believed the measures of comfort that God gives to his People are very various and sometimes God puts his people upon it against hope to believe in hope and that is a sign of a good Faith when a man sees but little coming and yet will believe still Rom. 4.18 Abraham against hope believed in hope Doubt 4. I am afraid because I am so bold to trust in God from time to time though I have so much sin I am afraid it is a life of Presumption not Faith Answer There is indeed a boldness to trust in God from conceits of mens worth that is not right but there is a two fold boldness that God will never blame men for one is the bearing up of their heart with the hopes of Gods favour upon good experience of it notwithstanding sin only you must beware you do not make light of sin because God has given you such hopes the other is a depending on Jesus Christ for the pardon of sin and accepting Gods offer notwithstand your sins yea though you have not such brokenness of heart as does become you Heb. 4.16 Let us come boldly to the Throne of Grace 4. Try the truth of your Faith by that holiness that does accompany and flow from Faith in Jesus Christ they that are true believers do lead an holy life Holiness does accompany Faith and therefore believers are commonly in Scripture stiled Saints 2 Cor. 1.1 there is a concatenation of Graces where there is one grace there is all as it is in a natural man all the natural faculties of the soul do accompany each other they live and dye together so it is with the several graces that are in Saints the same principle of Grace does inable the Soul to all sorts of holy actions Grace in the heart is but one principle though in respect of its various actings and objects it does receive various denominations and wherever Faith is it is accompanied with universal holiness and therefore holiness is given as a Sign and Character of Believers Gal. 5.24 they that are Christs have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts the actings of Faith go hand in hand with the excercise of other graces Faith is alwayes attended with universal holiness hence there are so many promises of Salvation made unto those that are holy though it be Faith only that gives men a title to heaven yet there are promises made unto holiness because that is a property of believers and hence also there are so many threatnings unto those that live unholily Heb. 12.14 without holiness no man shall see the Lord. And indeed holiness does not only accompany Faith but the exercise of it does flow from Faith Faith has a great influence into an holy life the actings of Faith upon the whole Word of God does greatly quicken a spirit of obedience it is a spirit of Faith that makes all the Arguments which the Scripture is full of to become powerful upon the heart whatever God proposes to us in his Word to make us obedient it will not have that effect upon our heart if it be not entertained by Faith men believe commands incouragements threatnings and so they become efficacious upon the heart the whole Word of God works on men as it is entertained by Faith all graces are quickened and drawn into exercise in this way men believe and hope they believe and love they believe and repent the Will and Affections never act in a gracious way but when the understanding does discover ground so to do by Faith we understand spiritual things and so our hearts are carried after them what ever grace is acted Faith is acted together with it and therefore in the 11th to the Hebrews whatever the Patriarcks did and suffered for God is ascribed to Faith. But as other
on t when tumbling into the lake that burns with fire and brimstone what can comfort you in that condition men take great delight here in their worldly enjoyments and pleasures but what comfort will it be to have good things when they are tormented in this flame men comfort themselves here that they have laid a foundation of worldly greatness for their children but what comfort will it be to them to think that their children are eating and drinking and sporting when they are drinking the dregs of the wrath of God and whatever honour their Sons come to their flesh upon them shall have pain and their soul within them shall mourn you have much to do now to bear any little affliction and how do you think to go thorow these calamities where nothing will be moderate where all evils shall fall upon you and that in the extremity of them you will wring your hands and tear your hair and gnash your teeth and curse your day and fill hell with outcries and lamentations this will be your portion if you continue to reject Jesus Christ Luk. 12.46 He shall appoint him his portion with unbelievers it is not a matter of probability a thing only to be much suspected but beyond all question that you even you are a damned man if you do not entertain the calls of the Gospel you are spending away your time in delays but you had need resolve the case if you refuse Christ you chuse misery you chuse death you chuse eternal damnation stand out from Christ a little longer you are a gone man men hope God will not be so hard to them as to damn them especially considering the services they have done and the pains that they have taken in religion but there is one law for all men under the Gospel he that believeth not shall be damned Mat. 16.16 the unbeliever lies open to damnation on a double account upon the account of his other sins and upon the account of his unbelief Jeb 2.3 how shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation let mens other qualifications be what they will yet if they believe not the wrath of God abideth upon them Joh. 3.36 God threatens them in his word with ruine and those threatnings are absolute such as bind him in faithfulness to damn every unbeliever there are many indefinite threatnings in the Scripture and many conditional but these are absolute ones against every one that continues in unbelief there is no possibility for them to escape This appears 1. Because it is contrary to the decree and appointment of God to save such as do not believe the decrees of God are inviolable it is a vain thing for any man to look for salvation contrary to Gods decree but it is against Gods decree to save unbelievers not that there is such a formal act in the decree that unbelievers shall be damned but this is a truth arising from the decree for God has determined to give faith unto all those that he has chosen unto salvation he has determined to lead them in a way of faith unto life 2 Thes 2.13 God has chosen you from the beginning unto salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth all that God has chosen unto life shall believe John 6.37 all that the Father has given me shall come unto me so that it is cross to the decree of God to save any man that has not faith the decree of God is a bar in the way of his salvation 2. Because faith is the condition of the covenant of grace there is one law for all men there is but one condition of this covenant John 5.24 he that heareth my words and believeth in him that sent me hath everlasting life c. we are directed to take this way for salvation there is no other way proposed in case of a failure in this so that the want of this must needs exclude men from the good of the covenant the want of this condition renders men uncapable of life 3. Because it must be so in Justice and Gods heart is as much upon the glorifying of his Justice as his grace one attribute is as due to him as another the glorifying of his Justice is not a by-business but a thing that his heart is deeply concerned in and Justice requires the ruine of unbelievers for they deserve it Rom. 6.23 the wages of sin is death and there is no way for Justice to be satisfied for their sins but by their ruine 4 Because it is foretold and prophesied of that Christ will destroy unbelievers when he comes to Judgment the Scripture gives us an account before hand of the transactions of the day of Judgment what will be the issue of things and befal these and those in that day and God tells us that unbelievers shall be ruined then he does not only threaten them with ruine but tells the Saints that such persons shall be ruined 2 Thess 1.7 8. he will take vengeance on them that obey not the Gospel of Jesus Christ Rev. 21.8 the fearful and unbelieving shall have their part in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone 5. Because the Sentence of God in the Gospel is that which men shall be judged by God declares in the Gospel that he that believeth not shall be damned and if unbelievers be tried by this rule they will certainly perish if God should try them by some other rule that they might fancy or imagine they might make a shift to escape but by this rule they are gone men and this is the rule they must be tried by God will have no respect in that day unto mens riches or learning or esteem among men or their civil or moral conversation but their case must be determined by the Gospel Rom. 2.16 God will judg the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my Gospel 6. Those that do not believe in Christ have not those other qualifications that do accompany salvation there be many other qualifications besides Faith that God has promised Salvation un to and some men that are under a conviction that they have not Faith are pretenders to some of those qualifications but they do but flatter themselves when they come to be examined by God they will be found destitute of all those holy qualifications they make a shew of humility patience love to God regard to his glory but those shews are but delusions all the religion of those men that have not Faith is hipocrisie there may be Morality without Faith and strong religious affections but there is no sanctification where there is no Faith there may be the shadow of it but not the thing it self Act. 26.18 Sanctified by Faith that is in me It is impossible for you to escape ruin if you do not believe and that is not all for your rejecting of Christ does not only expose you unto condemnation but to a greater degree of misery than multitudes will
endure that go to hell you may not think to escape as heathens will do your load will be heavier and your fire will be hotter and your judgment every way sorer than the judgment of other men God will proportion every mans misery to his iniquity and as you have enjoyed greater light and love so you must expect more amazing and exquisite wrath than other men conscience has more to accuse you of and condemn you for and so has God and you will sink down deeper into hell than other men you are treasuring up a greater measure of wrath than others against the day of wrath you have blessed God it may be many times for the means of Grace that he has bestowed upon you but you will curse your selves a thousand times more for not improving them you will wish that you had lived in the darkest corners of the earth among Scythians and Barbarians it will be a terror to you to think of your Baptism what books you have read what Ministers you have heard what counsels have been given to you every sinner will be in a dreadful condition then but it will be more tolerable for many than for you Mat. 11.22 24. 3. The third motive is that you shall be accepted and saved if you will believe Life and death are set before you though you have been a grievous sinner though you have hardned your heart against God along while though you have rejected counsels and despised reproofs and spent your dayes hitherto in sin and travelled a great way in the path that leads to death yet there is no necessity of your damnation you are capable of salvation still if you will not cast away your self by continuing in unbelief you must bear it your selves others that laboured after your salvation will do well enough the loss will be your own but there is no need of your being ruined there is yet an open door and liberty set before you to enter into the most holy place if you will but accept of Christ you shall have salvation you are crying out what must I do to be saved you are not so solicitous for worldly enjoyments but your care is to go to Heaven and there is reason for it it is a glorious thing to see the face of God to be spectators of his glory the glimpses of it here are more refreshing than all the sweetnesses of the World to see God Father Son and Holy Ghost and all the Attributes of God is most delightful if you go to Heaven there you will have an uninterrupted sight of God you shall see him as he is and no clouds shall ever darken the sight of his countenance then you shall have the abiding sense of his love never make any questien about it more but be delighting therein for ever then you shall be delivered from sin and made glorious after the image of God then you shall be with Jesus Christ it is a comfort to hear of him but then you shall be in his presence you have a fame of him now but then you shall see him your eyes shall behold your Redeemer him that is wonderful in his person God and man and wonderful in the glory that he is advanced unto you shall have external manifestations of his favour you shall hear his wisdom and see his glorious managements and behaviour of himself and have opportunity to express your thankfulness unto the face of Christ then you shall have the gifts of the Spirit in a glorious manner the company of holy Angels that have been helpful to you and Spirits that you have heard and read of in the Book of God Adam and Noah and Abraham Moses David Paul c. there your imployment will be glorious and your body will be glorious if you will but come to Christ besides a great deal of mercy that God will bestow upon you in this world you shall partake of eternal salvation as poor a sinful creature as thou art the Lord is offering eternal life to thee if you will but accept it as a free gift from him through Jesus Christ you shall be welcome to it though heavenly glory be so great and you be so unworthy God will bestow it upon you do you desire eternal life are you indeed set for happiness in another world if you are you may soon secure it and make it sure to you if you will entertain these calls of the Gospel and you shall be saved the Lord has given abundance assurance this is no pleasing dream but a thing certain and infallible This appears if you consider 1. Because God has been at a great deal of cost in order to the salvation of Believers If a man should engage so far in any undertaking as to spend a vast estate in it we should readily conclude that it lay indeed upon his heart that he was real in it and that his spirit was deeply engaged and thus it is in this case God has been at great expense he has laid out himself more for the salvation of Believers than he did for the making of the World he has exercised much of his wisdom on this design much power yea he gave his only begotten Son that whoever believeth on him might not perish but might have everlasting life Joh 3 10. must not his heart be much in it when he gave his Son to die could any thing have induced God to such a strange dispensation had not the salvation of Believers been a thing that his heart was resolved upon God has by this given conviction to the World that he is set to save believers when we consider how many wonders God wrought in order to it how he sent his Son from heaven constituted him a Mediator delivered him over unto death it may give us great satisfaction that God is really bent to save them why should he go so far if he did not intend to go thorow God that has spent so much for the salvation of believers will spend a little more to carry the work on to perfection God loves his Son too much to let him die in vain to put him to such sorrows and then to let the design of all his sufferings fall to the ground 2. God has promised Jesus Christ to save those that believe on him Christ Jesus did not die at uncertainties the Father had engaged to him the salvation of believers God covenantd with him multitudes should be saved by him and that in a way of believing Isai 53.11 by his knowledg shall my righteous servant justifie many for he shall bear their iniquities and Jesus Christ in expectation of that has laid down his life and is waiting for the accomplishment of the promise Christ has taken Gods word and has paid the price of their salvation and God will not fail of his promise this eternal transaction between the Father and the Son puts the salvation of believers beyond all question God stands engaged to Christ and Christ is set
to Christ men must not wait for a willing spirit as a ground of encouragement to come to Christ God does not require that men should be first willing and then come it is a concomitant willingness only that God does require not an antecedent for indeed no man is indeed truly willing to believe in Christ until he does so 3. The meaning of it is that there is an universal liberty given to men to come to Christ he will bestow the blessing on none but those that will and upon any one that will the meaning is that he will reject no man that will come upon any defect whatever upon any account that may be thought of whatever their outward condition be whatever hearts they have whatever their former life have been whatever weakness there be in their faith it is an universal offer without an exception Objection 12. I am afraid I don't understand the meaning of the call God promises life to them that believe but there may be some interpretation or other found out that I did not think of I fear I should but deceive my self if I should come Answer You scare your self causelesly God has upon design so phrased the calls of the Gospel that all our scruples may be removed Joh. 6.37 he that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out God has made our way plain to Christ there can be no interpretation made contrary to the words of the call and they bind the thing sure enough there can be no interpretation contrary to the glory of free grace which is the great thing that God does design his design shall not fall to the ground there can be no such interpretation as shall rob Christ of his honour the honour of being a compleat Saviour yea there can be no such interpretation but what is suitable to the necessity of sinners this way of salvation is proposed to be an help to us and if we can't have salvation in a way of free grace upon Christs account but that there must be some worthiness in us it would be no help to us if God did stand for any worthiness in us we should be uncapable of salvation Objection 13. I am afraid if I should believe that I shall come in a wrong way and then I shall be in a worse condition then I am now then I shall go hoping to hell Answer If you come to Christ meerly upon Gospel encouragement you cannot come in a wrong way if you come indeed upon such encouragements as these that you have not much angred God that you have pacified him that your have a great love for him that you have not been so bad as other men that your heart is soft and broken for sin c. you don't come in a right way but if you come meerly upon the encouragements that God sets before you in his Word you do come in a right way God offers salvation to you and tells you that his grace is free that Christ has dyed for our sins and if this prevail upon you that though you are vile yet there is vertue enough in Christ for the pardon of them that God is a God of glorious grace and his Word is true and upon the encouragement hereof you come to Christ God will not reject you this is the faith that God calls for Psal 36 7. Psal 91.4 2 Tim. 1.12 Objection 14. In this way of coming unto Christ I must take all upon trust we don't see that it is so we cannot tell whether Jesus he the Christ whether God does take delight in his sacrifice and be willing to accept of us it is so reported and recorded but we don't know it to be so but must take it upon trust Answer We must indeed take things upon trust but it is upon the testimony of God if we must take it upon trust from man only that would be hard but it is not hard to take it upon trust from God we have more for it than against it we have nothing against it but vain conjectures and surmises the things themselves are not incredible this way of salvation is neither contrary to the justice of God nor beyond the mercy of God no man was ever able to give any demonstration against this way of salvation Men scare themselves with many vain scruples and ignorant imaginations of their own and are such conjectures and guessings to be set against the testimony of God God has sent us word from heaven that we may have salvation by Christ he gives his witness unto it and that may well satisfie us what God speaks he will make good if we receive the witness of men the Witness of God is greater and we may safely venture our souls upon his Word God assures us that it is so and gives a large account in his Word how the thing is brought about he gives us an account of the reason of it the means and method of accomplishing it and the design that is upon his heart in such a way as is exceeding agreeable unto right reason remoxing all weighty objections that can arise in your hearts if you will hearken unto cavils and the pretenses of reason and stand off from Jesus Christ you must expect to rue it another day but if you desire the good of your souls and to escape those miseries that shall come upon an unbelieving world reject temptations and cast away all the vain arguings of your hearts and accept of this glorious call and build upon this sure foundation you need not have any greater assurance than Gods Word which will endure when Heaven and Earth shall fail it is well for those men and women that have Word of God for their salvation it is bad building hopes of heaven upon mens fancies but it is safe building them upon Gods Word CHAP. XI Vse 4. Exhortation To Saints to live by Faith upon the Righteousness of Jesus Christ for your acceptance USE IV. I Shall conclude the Discourse with an Exhortation to the people of God to be often renewing acts of dependance upon Christs Righteousness for your acceptance with God be believing on Christ for your acceptance both now and in the day of Judgment a great part of the life of a Christian lies in the exercise of Faith and as you are to be exercising Faith in Christ for other things so especially for your acceptance and salvation 't is not enough that you have once ventured your selves on Christ and accepted of the tender of life made to you through him but you must live upon Christ for acceptance all your dayes you ought to be alwayes in a believing frame and never to put forth any act contrary unto the act of Faith and very often to be renewing of the acts of Faith for your acceptance there are many special occasions when it is duty so to do as when God is setting the offers of this grace before you in his Word and in the Sacrament of the
as if there were not encouragement enough to believe in the offers of Christs righteousness to them this discouraged frame of spirit is that we shall particularly consider of as being directly contrary to the doctrine of our safe appearing in Christs righteousness which has been cleared up in the former part of this Discourse That Saints are very apt to be discouraged from believing is evident from the universal experience of the people of God they find it a difficult thing to live a life of Faith and find many doubtings arising in their hearts many jealousies that their hearts are suggesting they are apt to be discouraged from believing for other things outward blessings divine assistance and whatever God has promised and thus it is also with respect unto their acceptance with God were they not so apt to be discouraged they would live a more sweet and comfortable life than they do the Disciples of Christ were slow of heart to believe all that the Prophets have written Luk. 24.25 Saints are ready to say as he I am undone because I am a man of unclean lips Isai 6.5 their Faith would many time fail if there were not special assistance given unto them Luk 22.32 I have prayed for thee that thy Faith fail not the Apostle Paul plainly implies that he found great want of Faith when he expresses his caÌ„â— to know Christ and the power of his resurrection Phil. 3. 10. and hence it is that God is so often stirring us up in his Word to believe and has appointed so many means for the confirmation and establishment of our Faith and if we confider the state of the people of God it is no wonder that they have many doubtings and risings of discouragement in their he arts for the same principles that do so discourage natural men are in Saints though they be in part mortified yet they do remain there ignorance of God carnal reason pride of heart are remaining in them and Satan is busie to stir up jealousies in their hearts he is striking at their Faith casting in his fiery darts into them Eph 6. 16. and they have many discouraging temptations before their eyes which are matter for carnal reason to work upon which are next to be spoken unto 2. Consider what their Discouragements are together with Proposals for the removing of them Discouragement 1. The unspeakable greatness of the blessings that are offered in the Gospel he has a sense upon his heart that it is a wonderful priviledg to be brought into a state of acceptance with God the favour of God is better than life to be saved and translated from a mean condition in this world into the highest heavens to behold the face of God for ever to enjoy pleasures for evermore at the right hand of God to be made like the Angels of God 't is so great a thing that it will scarce enter into him considering how mean and unworthy he is if God had spoken of some little thing of some more mode rate felicity he should not have stuck so much at it but this is so inconceivably great that he is jealous whether God be willing to bestow it upon him the greatness of it puts him to a stand and makes it more unlikely in his eyes sometimes when he begins to rejoyce in it his heart checks him and he fears it is too good news to be true as the Disciples believed not for joy Luk. 24.41 and as it is spoken of them Psal 126.1 when the Lord turned again the captivity of his people we were like them that dream the heart does not so stagger at lesser mercies but the sense of the greatness of salvation makes it recoil and proves a temptation to unbelief he doubts of it and sayes will God in very deed do this thing when he would rejoyce in the thoughts of it he is pulled back by fears that it will not be so the greatness of it begets a secret damp upon his sonl least it should not be true it seems incredible For the removal of this discouragement Consider 1. The infiniteness of Gods mercy this is a great gift but it is not too great a gift for God to bestow he has an heart large enough to entertain such purposes as this men are ready to think that God will count it too much for them and that a more moderate felicity were fitter for them but the mercy of God is unlimited he does not envy mans blessedness he can find in his heart to bestow all his glory upon poor unworthy man God is rich inmercy Eph. 2.4 plenteous in mercy Psal 103.8 the greatest act of mercy is not beyond the merciful nature of God he can do any thing that is an act of mercy his mercy is such that it cannot be overcome with provocations but it can overcome the greatest provocations his mercy is such that it has no dependance upon mans worthiness God has grace enough not to give earthly blessings only but heavenly blessings unto men he has such mercy as that he can bear to see men in the possession of heavenly glory and not grudg at it or think much of it he has such mercy that he can take wonderful delight to see men happy 2. It is no impoverishing of God to bestow blessedness upon you God is not the poorer for making you and thousands of such as you happy God does not empty himself and lose of his fulness he has never the less for filling of you if a man that has much for himself give any thing to you he has the less for himself and that makes men the more backward to give unto others but it is not thus with God the Sun has not the less light for enlightning the world God does bestow all his mercy and salvation without any diminution to himself he is not the less happy himself by making you happy he can spare all this glory to you without any wrong to himself though this salvation be so great a thing yet God can afford to give it it is a difficult thing to men sometimes to perform their engagments to others but it is no difficult thing to God to perform his offers to you in my Fathers house there is bread enough and to spare Luke 15.17 God has not the less glory for himself nor for any of his friends by bestowing glory upon you 3. God made man oapable of enjoying blessedness God has made man not only capable of wordly delights but he has gâ—ven him an understanding and free-will whereby he is capable of enjoying God himself man is made of such a nature that he is capable of enjoying the presence of God and being capable of it he cannot be satisfied till he come to the enjoyment of him he cannot rest but in his center he cannot be happy till he enjoyes his proper object and surely God would never have created such a creature with such capacity if he had not an heart to bring him
but in special for Sainctification Acceptance and eternal Salvation For the opening of this we may consider 1. What are the actings of Faith that Believers are exercised in 2. Vnder what considerations are these actings of Faith drawn forth 3. The conditions in which a Believer is exercising Faith. Question 1. What are the actings of Faith that a Believer is exercised in Answer 1. Assenting to this Doctrine of salvation by Christ the gloriousness of Christs person and offices the vertue of his Sacrifice the readiness of the Lord to save sinners by him the readiness of God to accept of him through Jesus Christ the Believer receives these things as the Word of God 1 Thess 2.13 while other men are dissenting looking upon those things as cunningly devised Fables or withholding their consent as being uncertain reports that they have not sufficient assurance of the Believer acknowledges these things to be so indeed the report of the Gospel is entertained by him he don't look upon the things doubtful but the things are real things to him he don't look upon them as things that may be or are likely to be true but things that must be the declarations of Gods Word concerning these things come with Authority upon his heart he is satisfied that things are so he is not afraid that there is deceit in the bottom and that he is abused in these reports he dont demur and hesitate about them but they are firm conclusions in his breast they are as real to him as the shining of the Sun and the burning of the fire so Luke sayes of the passages of Christs life and death they are things which are most surely believed among us Luk. 1.1 they look on them as certain they are perswaded of the truth of them others are afraid whither they be so or not but a Saint is perswaded of them Heb. 11.13 they are to them as if they saw them with their eyes Joh. 8.56 Abraham rejoyced to see my day and saw it and was glad he saw the day of Christs incarnation and passion it was above two thousand years off but he saw it as if it were present Faith makes things evident while others are at a loss about things and cannot tell how to be satisfied they are in the dark and perplexed with surmises Faith makes the things plain and evident to Believers Hebr. 11.1 2. Accepting of Salvation by Christ 't is offered to him and he receives it the Believer takes the tender with all his heart while other men stand disputing whether they may he boldly runs the venture of it while others are waiting for more encouragement and are frighting of themselves with the reasonings of their own hearts he is thankfully accepting of the offer he sees a door open and he ventures to go in carnal reason tells him it is dangerous that he had need be advised what he does but let carnal reason say what it can he will venture the case he deserts all other profers and puts himself into this Castle and ventures his life in it he puts to Sea in this Bottom embarques himself here let what storms will come he parts with all for this Jewel and has his whole dependance upon this he forsakes all other Lovers and accepts the tenders of Christ carnal reason tells him he will bring himself to misery but he is willing to venture it he relinquishes all other hopes and puts himself into the hands of Jesus Christ he sayes as Paul It is a saying worthy of all acceptation that Christ came into the world to save sinners 1 Tim. 1.15 he flees for refuge to Christ when conscience is pursuing of him thither he betakes himself Heb. 6.18 he gets under the shadow of Christ and ventures himself upon that protection which Christ will give him when he hears what is to be said on all sides he makes choice of the offer of Christ and ventures himself with him he refuses other offers and takes this Jer. 2.22 Return ye back-sliding children and I will heal your back-sliding behold we come unto thee thou art the Lord our God. 3. Viewing and beholding the excellency of Christ as one that trusts in a Castle he loves to be viewing and taking notice of the strength of it the thickness and breadth of the walls so he that trusts in his own righteousness loves to ly poring upon the multitude of his services the fervor of his affections the pains he has taken and other things that set forth the excellency of it thus he that believes in Christ loves to be considering the excellency of Christ and of his righteousness feasting his eyes in beholding of him thus we are commanded to consider him Heb. 3.1 and this is the spirit of a Believer he is solacing and satisfying of his soul in the contemplation of Christs righteousness his heart dwells in the consideration thereof an unbeliever stands poring upon his unworthiness thinking how many sins he has been guilty of what occasion of anger God has against him discouraging his soul by minding how unworthy he is and he is still harping upon the greatness of his provocations but a Believer is of another spirit he is refreshing of his heart by taking notice of the glorious excellency of Christs righteousness and what wonderful security arises from thence sometimes he thinks how God chose this way of Salvation before the foundation of the World sometimes how God has poured out his anger upon Christ how their sins have been imputed unto Christ how God reckons the sufferings of Christ theirs how this way of salvation was shadowed forth to the antient Church how the People of God of old have placed their Faith in the righteousness of Christ there are a multitude of such considerations that the heart is dwelling upon Cant 5.10 seq My beloved is white and ruddy the chiefest of ten thousand 4. Prizing of Jesus Christ the Believer makes great reckoning of Christ 1 Pet. 2.7 he believes all those glorious characters that God gives of Christ and so he prizes him makes great account of the blood and righteousness of Chrst and of all the Offices of Christ he looks upon his own righteousness as nothing in comparison of the righteousness of Christ he reckons himself poor notwithstanding any thing of his own he counts himself undone without Christ but he prizes Christ looks on him as the Author of eternal salvation as the procurer and bestower of all good he has all his expectations from him all his hopes are built on him he has a great esteem of Christ he looks for no good but only from him his hopes of outward mercies of light and strength and deliverance from temptation of pardon and communion with God and eternal life are all derived from him he looks upon Christ as the stay and staff of his life he prizes him as having his whole dependance upon him he looks upon himself miserable and undone without him he counts an interest in