that Christ should lay this Charge upon them that they should not let their hearts be troubled They might think that they ought to be troubled for these things yea that they could not but be troubled for them Heb. 12.5 Jer. 5.3 Isaiah 42.24 25. For we should not despise the chastening of the Lord as we should not faint when we are rebuked of him We should take heed of both extreams It was the Sin of the Jews that when God smote them they were not grieved and that they did not lay his Judgment to heart 1 Pet. 5.6 John 11.33 We ought to humble our selves under his mighty hand And we find that Christ himself was troubled at the death of Lazarus Now to all this I answer That we should not suffer our selves to be transported by any Passion neither should Sorrow too much affect our hearts but as it is said of Christ in the place now mentioned He troubled himself So it is in the Margent according to the Greek we should in our Passions be not only Passive but Active ruling our own spirits Prov. 16.32 letting them out only so far as the matter requires as it is said of Lot 2 Pet. 2.8 That he vexed his righteous soul We use to say of Fire and Water they are good Servants if they be kept within their bounds but they are bad Masters when they exceed their limits We may say the same of our Passions we may yield so far to sorrow as to ballast the mind therewith and keep it steddy so it will make the heart better Eccl. 7.3 But we must not so far give way thereto as to overburden our spirits therewith so as to sink them 2 Cor. 2.7 Psal 102. Prov. 15.13 Psal 77.4 Job 2.13 Neh. 8.10 Job 15.11 or overwhelm them so as to break our spirits so as to make us unfit for Prayer or uncapable of Counsel nor so as to weaken our hands in the Lords works nor so as to slight his consolations or to give others occasion to think that we have low thoughts of God as if we could not satisfy our selves with him and his Favour as David did in his Troubles Psalm 63.3 4. without the Addition of outward Comforts 1 Sam. 1.8 As Elkanah took it ill that Hannah could not content her self with him as better than Ten Sons Joab looked upon it in David as a slighting of his faithful Subjects 2 Sam. 19.6 when he was so out of measure troubled for the loss of Absalom For the Second Objection That they are things of that nature which he had forewarned them of that they could not but be troubled at them I answer That as Christ would not deceive his Disciples with vain hopes but tells them the worst before-hand So he provides a sufficient Remedy against the Troubles which he forewarns them of He doth not as some that take upon them to confute some dangerous Errors when their Arguments are weak and not satisfactory and so they do more hurt than good while reciting such Errors they publish them to the World without a sufficient Answer not sufficiently fortifying persons against them But as Christ told them such things as filled their hearts with sorrow so he provides Consolations for them answerable thereto as he doth ordinarily proportion the Consolations of his People 2 Cor. 1.5 to their Tribulations He doth indeed in this and the following Chapters propound particular Remedies against those several Troubles which he had warned them against But the great Catholicon or General Remedy which he recommends to them is Faith in God and in Jesus Christ Ye believe in God believe also in me which words are not only an opposite Command to what he warns them against as that of Christ to Thomas John 20.27 be not faithless but believing but also a means to prevent Trouble of Mind Some question how these words should be read because the Greek word is the same in both places and may be taken either indicatively as they speak or imperatively that is either declaring what they already did or requiring what they should do So that some read them Ye believe in God ye believe also in me Therefore they should not let their hearts be troubled Matth. 1 16. as indeed they had professed their Faith not only in God but in Jesus Christ Others again read them both as a Command to believe in God and to believe in Christ because they think it is not likely that he should commend them for their Faith or acknowledg that they did believe when he blames them so oft for their unbelief as Matth. 6.30 and 14.31 Mark 2.40 But when there is Faith and that to a good degree it may fail for a time under Temptation as Abraham did tho he was the Father of the Faithful both in Egypt and in Gerar. Gen. 12.13 Gen. 20.2 John 14.9 Heb. 1.9 Some read it Believe in God and ye believe in me as Christ tells them He that had seen him had seen the Father because he was the express Image of his Person So he that did believe in the Father John 10.30 did believe also in him because he and the Father were one But I think our Translation doth best express our Saviour's meaning They did not question God's Being or Veracity but they were required further upon pain of Damnation to believe on Christ John 8.24 And he saw what was like to befal him would shake their Faith as indeed it did and they were ready to give up their Hopes John 16.32 Luke 24.21 1 John 5.13 So he may here press them still to believe or to continue so to do As the Apostle saith These things have I written to you that believe on the name of the Son of God that ye may know that ye have eternal life and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God that is may continue still so to do What is objected against this Interpretation of the Words is not considerable viz. That it is not likely that the same word should be taken in two several Senses in one Verse There is nothing more ordinary than to have the same words in different Moods in the same Verse which is the case here as Ezek. 3.27 He that hears let him hear and he that forbears let him forbear So Matth. 19.12 He that is able to receive it let him receive it But it is more to translate the same words differently in the same place which yet the nature of the thing or the matter in hand doth sometime necessarily require as John 2.23 24. many believed in his name but Jesus committed not himself to them or durst not trust them CHAP. II. I Will now proceed to shew 1. What it is to believe in God and Christ 2. Why it is here required that we should not only believe in God but in Jesus Christ 3. What an effectual Remedy this is against Trouble of Mind
This is believing with all the heart when we do gladly and willingly apply our selves to him for Grace and Salvation For thus to seek to God Heb. 11.6 or to Christ is to come to him That which is called coming to God is in the same verse expounded diligently to seek him so they say Jer. 2.31 We are Lords we will come no more unto thee Psal 10.4 Joh. 1.12 The wicked through the pride of his countenance will not seek after God So we must receive Jesus Christ that is accept of him for our Saviour submit our selves to his way and method of Salvation saying with Paul Lord what wilt thou have me to do Acts. 9.6 Gal. 5.6 So our Faith must work by love his readiness and willingness to save us at the price of his own Blood 1 Joh. 4.19 must make us love him who loved us first And this love will constrain us while we judg that he dying for us when we were dead we should no more live to our selves but to him that died for us 2 Gor. 5.14.15 and is risen again I will endeavour to make this more plain by a similitude There may be some Physician in the Country whom we may reckon our selves happy that we ever knew or heard of Tho' there are many that know of such a person and perhaps live near him yet do not regard him because he is nothing to them while they find themselves well and see no need of him But we were sick of a dangerous disease which we never heard that any were cured of till this Physician came amongst us but hearing that he cured all that he took in hand that would follow his directions that he was so obliging that he turned away none that came to him that he expected neither see nor present from the poor that had nothing to give but cured them Gratis we chose him for our Physician applied our selves to him followed his Directions and find already such a change and alteration in our selves and so good success that we resolve to stick to him and follow his directions looking for perfect cure in time from him This is our case Jesus Christ is come into the World to save sinners many know this but are never the better for it because they not finding themselves sick think they need not the Physician Mat. 9.12 Rom. 10.14 and so never apply themselves to him But we knowing the miserable condition wherein we were think our selves happy that ever we heard tidings of him for how should we believe on him of whom we have not heard But we looked upon it as worthy of all acceptation That Christ came into the World to save sinners Hereupon we applied our selves to him 1 Tim. 1.13 tho' we had neither price nor present to find acceptance with him yet did we not seek his favour that we might continue in Sin but that he would save us from our Sins and bless us in turning us from our iniquities Thus we see that Faith Mat. 1.21 Acts 3.26 or that saving act whereby we are justified and saved is neither a bare notional knowledge nor a barren dead Faith but such a belief of the Gospel as doth suppose our miserable estate by nature as brings us to Jesus Christ as our only Saviour not only for pardon of sin so as we may avoid the wrath to come but for entire and compleat Salvation Rom. 6.14 so as iniquity may not have dominion over us but that we may be freed from the bondage of it and so redeemed from it as to be a peculiar people to God zealous of good works Tit. 2.14 I shall have occasion to add something afterwards which may more fully clear up this point and so shall at present proceed to the second thing which I propounded to speak of viz. Why we are to believe in Christ as well as in God First If we consider Christ as God of the same Essence with the Father Joh. 5.23 Joh. 10.30 so we are to honour the Son as we honour the Father for so he and the Father are one But if we consider him as Mediator so we are to believe in him as the immediate object of our Faith and by him to believe in God 1 Pet. 1.23 Joh. 17.3 As the knowledge of Christ must be superadded to the knowledge of God for obtaining Eternal Life so Faith in Christ must be joined with our Faith in God We must come to God by him Heb. 7.25 None can come to the Son but by the Father that is Joh 6.44 Joh 14.6 by his grace drawing them But none can come to the Father but by the Son That is they must have access to the Father through his mediation As the Tyrians made Blastus their Friend when they came to desire Peace of Herod Acts 12.20 So if we would have Peace with God we must have access to him by Jesus Christ it is he that must bring us to God Rom. 5.2 Eph 2.18 1 Pet. 3.18 Ephes 1.6 We must first by Faith come to Christ and he must introduce us to God that we may find acceptance with him The Jews were so terrified at the giving of the Law that they were afraid of having to do any more immediately with God and therefore desired that Moses might come betwixt God and them Exod. 20.19 Now as the Athenians had an obscure notion of an unknown God but the Apostle declared to them him whom they ignorantly worshipped Acts 17.23 so here the Jews had some Conviction of the necessity of a Mediator and they pitched on Moses as the fittest person for it that they could think of But God answered to the ground of their desire Deut. 18.15 c. Ephes 3.20 and promises them a Mediator which they could never have thought of that was fit for that Office doing for them above what they could ask or think As God doth doth many times in answering the Prayers of his people grant the thing which they desire but not in such a way or by such means as they might think of but by some more proper way or means which his wisdom finds out But further before the Incarnation of Christ they were to believe in the Messiah to come but now that he was come and had given sufficient proof that he was the promised Messiah by doing these works which never any man did they were to determine their Faith on him in particular Joh. 15.22 Joh. 8.24 or dye in their Sins But he doth likewise press this upon them because he foresaw what discouragements they were like to meet with and how likely their Faith was to be shaken in this particular 1 Cor. 1.23 A crucified Christ was a stumbling-block to the Jews and to the Greeks foolishness The Jews thought that the Messiah when he came should abide for ever John 12.34 therefore his Disciples when they saw his
shall have too much ground to suspect that our Faith is not an unfeign'd Faith 1 Tim. 1.5 2 Tim. 1 5. Tit. 1.1 or the Faith of Gods elect if it do not work by love It is further evident That Assurance must be maintained by Reflection or Self-Examination because the Apostle makes that to be the scope of his Epistle That those who believe on the name of the Son of God may know that they have eternal life 1 John 5.13 and may still believe or be confirmed in their Faith If any doubt what those things are that he refers to doubtless they are not the things immediately going before but the Epistle in general In several places of which he shews what doth evidence a state of Salvation and what is inconsistent therewith as Ch. 1.6 7. Ch. 2.3 15. Ch. 3.14 Ch. 5.1 4. Now after all this some are unsatisfied with this way of attaining Assurance or rather maintaining it as being neither satisfactory nor necessary and it seems to found our Assurance and Comfort on something in our selves For this last Objection to dispatch it in few words As fruit tho it grow from the Root yet grows upon the Branches so tho all our Hope and Comfort be originally from the Grace of God yet this manifesting it self in its effects we may comfort our selves in what God hath wrought in our selves as well as rejoice in behalf of others when we see them walking in truth 2 John 4. or see in them those things that accompany Salvation Heb. 6.9 or have Salvation following on them And if any say this may suffice for a Judgment of Charity which is all that is required of us in reference to others but it is not sufficient to that judgment of certainty which we should have concerning our selves This will receive an answer from what I have to say upon the two other exceptions Now whereas it is said that this way of self-examination leaves Christians at great uncertainty about their Spiritual Estate and the evidences that are usually given for satisfying them are not so convincing but Christians are perplexed still with fears and doubts I answer That we should not go to Ministers either in hearing or reading or conferring as Naaman went to the Prophet to be cured of his Leprosie expecting that he should do it with a word of his mouth and a stroke of his hand 2 King 5.11 We cannot expect that they should presently resolve us about our Spiritual condition but there is much diligence to be used by our selves as there is in all things of any worth which are difficult As this deserves our diligence so it requires our diligence not only for the tryal of our Grace but for the exercise of it It is observed by some that Christians in our days have not ordinarily that Assurance which others have had in former times and I doubt the observation may be true but I think it proceeds not so much from any error about the nature of Faith as from decay in Grace and that manifest declining that there is in the practice of Religion and it is no wonder that professors of Religion are such strangers to Assurance and Spiritual Comfort while there is such a manifest difference betwixt the Christians of these days and of former times and I desire that the words of one suspected by none to derogate from the Grace of God or the operations of his Spirit in reference to man's Salvation may be diligently heeded It is saith he impossible that many professors whom we see and converse withal should have any solid peace with God It is a fruit that will not grow on an earthly selfish frame of mind and conversation God forbid but that our utmost diligence and continued endeavours to thrive in every Grace should be required thereunto Now in this case I neither think it so easy a matter as some do to attain Assurance nor such an impossibility as others do Some Learned Men think that Assurance doth generally accompany saving Faith because they suppose the Soul must needs know its own acts and so must necessarily know when it believes and when it repents and consequently infer its own Justification But tho it be easy to know our own acts considered Physically or Naturally that is when we put forth such an act in general as when we believe or repent or know God yet it is another thing to know our own acts morally considered or as they ought to be qualified in order to such ends as they are appointed to There may be a Faith which is but temporary Mat. 13.21 or for a season there may be a repentance like that of Nineveh which may avail to the preventing of temporal Judgments but not to Salvation There may be such a knowledge whereby we do not know things as we ought to know them 1 Cor. 8.2 Tit. 1.16 so we may only profess that we know God But we must know that we know him 1 Jo. 2.3 Jer. 22.16 by our Obedience as the fruit or effect thereof so it requires search and self-examination 2 Cor. 13.5 to know whether we are in the Faith or in the state of true believers But on the other hand some suppose it impossible to attain Assurance by reflecting upon any thing in our selves as an evidence of God's special Grace or favour towards us and that they may wholly disable Christians for inferring any Assurance from any thing in themselves they deny both propositions from whence they should draw their conclusion For example we say that those who love the brethren are passed from Death to Life 1 Jo. 3.14 By reflecting upon our selves we add further that we love the brethren thence we conclude that we are passed from death to life Now these men with whom we have now to do deny both the Propositions that is they deny we know that we our selves are passed from death to life by our love to the brethren making this to be rather a ground of a judgment of Charity concerning others than a judgment of certainty concerning our selves for we may surely make a better judgment of our own love to the brethren than of the love of others only they think a judgment of Charity may suffice towards others but we are now speaking of Assurance of our own love but in this argument they insist on the second Proposition denying absolutely that we can know our own love to the brethren or at least that Christians can ordinarily know it there being so many properties of it which it is hardly possible for any Christian to find in himself 1 Cor. 13.4 c. but further we must know them to be brethren they say otherwise Papists or any sort of persons love those of their own way looking upon them as brethren Yea we see such Divisions and Animosities and mutual Exacerbations among Christians as it seems impossible either to attain to a judgment of Charity
against Jerusalem it was threescore and ten years but when it is compared with the everlasting kindness wherewith he hath mercy on his people it is but a little wrath and for a moment Isaiah 54.8 Children look but a little way before them and it seems hard to them to be kept to their books and to School-discipline or to hard labour under a severe master and they consider only the present ease and pleasure of others that are left to themselves But their wiser parents look further and consider how short a time they are at School or at an Apprentiship in comparison with the rest of their lives what Preferments what Riches many attain to by a good improvement of that time and on the contrary what Straits what Miseries many are reduced to that trifle away their younger years But there is a far greater disproportion betwixt the things of this life and that which is to come and as great a difference betwixt their duration and continuance Now by Faith we take a view of the things that are not seen which are eternal and are as sure of them as if we saw them as if we were with Paul caught up into Paradise 2 Cor. 12.4 to see the glory of Heaven or as if we had some place opened to us to look into the Lake that burns with fire and brimstone for evermore as the Prophet had a place opened through the wall to see the Abominations that were done by the house of Israel Ezek. 8.7 c. Now while we do by Faith look to these things and while we see the time of this life but as an handbreadth to Eternity Psalm 39.5 Rom. 8.18 we shall reckon the sufferings of this present life not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us nor any way answerable to those miseries which poor sinners must be tormented with night and day for ever and ever Rev. 20.10 Therefore as in our spiritual combat we should take to our selves Faith as a shield to hold up against the fiery darts of the wicked Ephes 6.16 so we should take it to us as a Perspective-glass through the help of which we shall not only see afar off beyond time to Eternity but it will bring the things of the world to come nearer to us and make them seem as at hand for tho they be not really nearer yet that distance of time which they are at from us will seem as nothing when we compare it with that Eternity which is beyond time wherein we must be for ever happy or miserable according to what we propound to our selves as our chief end And let us but consider what is the principle that all the world is acted by what is the spring that moves the several wheels that are moving some one way and some another or what is it that as it is said concerning Noah doth comfort men concerning their work and toil of their hands but the hopes of future Advantages Honour Riches for these the Soldier exposes himself to a thousand hardships and hazards The Merchant leaves his Friends and Country try and commits himself to the waves runs the risque of suffering Shipwrack being taken by Pyrates and subjected to perpetual Slavery And if we do run the like hazards for the profession of Religion which men seldom do let us by this Perspective look before us not only to the recompence of Reward which will abundantly answer all our losses and sufferings but to the penalty that we shall incur if we do not by patient continuance in well-doing wait for Honour and Glory and Immortality there being no middle place between Heaven and Hell And let us but consider the difference betwixt our case and the case of those that endure such hardships and run such hazards for the things of this world The Apostle sets it forth in two things borrowing a similitude from things then in use amongst them one did strive for a corruptible crown 1 Cor. 9.25 26. a Garland of Flowers or Lawrel the other for a crown of Glory that fades not away 1 Pet. 5.4 The one did run uncertainly the other with more assurance of success So here there is no comparison betwixt what we shall receive through Faith and Patience and what men receive as the reward of their labours and sufferings here in this world either for the nature or for the continuance of it and we are at greater certainties about it Here the race is not to the swift Eccl. 9.11 nor the battel to the strong nor bread to the wise nor riches to men of understanding nor favour to men of skill but time and chance happens to all But if we be stedfast unmoveable abounding always in the Lord's work we may know that our labour shall not be in vain in the Lord. 1 Cor. 15.58 I should here conclude but that as the Apostle would provoke the Jews to emulation by the Gentiles so I would by a Heathen Rom. 11.14 provoke Christians to look by Faith to the things which are not seen which are eternal Seneca in the beginning of his Preface to his Natural Questions shews That as there is a difference betwixt Pholosophy and other Arts so there is a difference betwixt that part of Philosophy which respects men and that which respects God This latter he saith is more high and sprightly and supposes something greater and more beautiful which Nature hath placed out of sight and unless he might be admitted to these things he should not think it worth the while to be born or to take such pains and adds O how contemptible a thing is man if he do not raise up himself above human things If an Heathen could speak thus what a shame is it for us that have the help of Divine Revelation to fall under the reproach and censure of those that mind earthly things It is by faith alone that we can look to those things out of sight let us thereby raise up our selves to take a view of the other World both the good and evil things of it and this will so raise and enlarge our minds that we shall have meaner thoughts of the things of this life and not concern our selves so far in the pursuit of the good things of the world or in the avoiding the evil things of it as thereby to be taken off from minding those things that are above or so as to run the hazard of falling short of that rest which we have a promise left us of entring into CHAP. X. HAving treated thus far of the nature of Faith and the benefit and advantage that Cristians have thereby I shall now add something for encouraging persons to believe and for directing them the rein And whereas some speak of the Souls preparation for Christ I will endeavour to shew you briefly and plainly what is required in order to believing And first there is nothing to be done
in order to our believing which may commend us to Christ for his acceptance It is said a mans gift makes room for him Prov. 18.16 and brings him before great Men by means thereof he hath free access to great Men and finds favour with them But we can bring neither price nor present to Christ Isaiah 61.10 Cant. 8.10 nor come to him as a Bride adorned with Jewels that we may be in his eyes as one that finds favour we must rather come to Christ that we may buy of him Gold tried in the fire Rev. 3.18 Isaiah 55.1 that we may be rich and white raiment to cover our nakedness and eye-salve to anoint our eyes and we must buy this without money and without price It is as they speak the antecedent put for the consequent Judg. 2.14 Psalm 44.12 as God is said to sell his people when he delivers them into the hands of their Enemies tho he sell them for nought because in selling there is a delivering of what is sold into the hands of the Buyer So we are said to buy when we make a thing our own or get it into our own hands Ezek. 16. Tho the Prophet speaks chiefly of the mean Condition of the Jews when God took them to be his peculiar people and advanced them to such greatness yet that was a Representation of the State and Condition wherein God finds Sinners when he chuses them out of the World and sets than apart for himself Our righteousness is but as filthy rags Isaiah 64.6 These do not reach to cover a man's Nakedness but it is seen through them and if they be filthy rags they rather make a person more loathsome than become an Ornament to him so far as they do reach So our best Works or Duties reach but a little way they extend but to a small part of our lives and so far as they do reach they are polluted and defiled with sin We must not come with our own righteousness to Christ but we must be married to Christ that we may bring forth fruit to God Rom. 7.4 And if any say we are married to Christ by faith and so must receive that Grace whereby we believe before we are married to him I answer It is in this case as it happens in some Marriages If a mean person marry one that is much above her tho she be entitled by Marriage to what is her Husband 's if she hath not wherewithal to bear the Charge of the Marriage or to come to him as Rebecca did to Isaac she must take on trust what will defray this Charge on the Credit she hath by such a designed Marriage or be furnished with what is necessary from him So tho we are entitled to the benefits of Christ by our believing on him yet it is given to us to believe on him for his sake Phil 1.29 through whom we receive the first Grace as well as all the rest 2. There is nothing required in us to make the Grace of God to become effectual He doth not as those that make choice of such as nature hath qualified or fitted for improvement to great employments or take the advantage of any good humour which he finds men in that may dispose them to Eternal Life as some interpret the words of the Evangelist which in our Translation were ordained to eternal life Acts 13.48 Nebuchadnezzar when he would take some of the Children of the Captivity to train up for his Service chose such as were well-favoured or fightly and such as were skilful in all wisdom and cunning in knowledge and understanding science and such as had ability Daniel 1.4 But God doth not seek out such for his Service He makes the heart of the rash to understand knowledg and the tongue of the stammerers to speak plainly Isaiah 32.4 The Carpenter indeed must look out such Wood as is naturally fitted for his use he cannot make a crooked piece straight by bending or make a knotty piece cleave But a Founder can take any piece of Metal of what size or form soever or however rusty or batter'd and cast it into what Mold or Form he pleases So God can of stones raise up children to Abraham Matth. 3.9 And as he shews the freeness and riches of his Mercy in chusing the worst of Sinners so he shews the power of his Grace in making a thorough change in those in whom he finds the most deep-rooted Prejudices against the Gospel He turned Paul when he was in his full Carreer towards Hell while he was breathing out threatnings and slaughter against the Church Acts 9.1 and verily thought he ought to do many things against the name of Jesus of Nazareth and 26.9 Gal. 1.23 24. so that they glorified God in him when they saw such a wonderful change wrought in him But tho there be nothing in us which may oblige God to bestow his Grace on us or facilitate his Work in our Conversion or drawing us to Christ yet as Faith is our Act there is something required in order thereto that we may believe with all our heart Acts 8.37 or freely and willingly take hold on God's Covenant Prov. 27.7 Matth. 7.6 Matth. 11.28 Revel 22.17 The full stomach loathes the hony comb and swine will tread pearls under their feet Therefore only those that are weary and heavy laden and those that thirst are invited to come to Christ because none but such will come John asks the Pharisees and Sadduces Matth. 3.7 Who had warned them to flee from the wrath to come whereby he doth not I suppose mean the wrath that was to come upon that nation by the Romans but the damnation of Hell Luke 21.23 Matth. 23.33 1 Thes 1.10 as our Saviour elsewhere calls it Tâ—â—s is the wrath to come which Jesus deliverâ—â—â— from The Sadduces did not believe that there was any Future state and consequently any wrath to come The Pharisees trusted in themselves that they were righteous and so could not apprehend any danger of the wrath to come Therefore he seems to question their sincerity in the profession which they made and requires them to bring forth fruit meet for repentance and not to ground their hopes upon their Descent from Abraham As men are to give a reason of the hope that is in them 1 Peter 3.15 so they should have some reason for their believing or coming to God by Jesus Christ I shall take the liberty here to refer to what hath been said by a Grave Sober man on this Subject he being a person that none will suspect of going too far on this hand Mr. Walter Marshal in the Gospel Mystery of Sanctification p. 207 c. In the Instructions that he gives to prevent the defects that we are most liable to in the first Act of Faith he tells us 1. We must believe with a full perswasion that we are Children
of Wrath by Nature subject to the Curse of the Law the Power of Satan and insupportable misery to all Eternity 2. We must believe assuredly that there is no way to be saved without receiving all the saving benefits of Christ his Spirit as well as his Merits Sanctification as well as Remission of Sins by Faith It being as he saith the ruin of many souls that they trust on Christ for the remission of Sins without any regard to Holiness when as these two benefits are inseparably joined in Christ He herein grants more than many will desire of him that men should assuredly believe this in the first Act of Faith 3. We must be fully perswaded of the all-sufficiency of Christ for the Salvation of our selves and all that believe on him 4. We are to be fully perswaded of the truth of the general Free-promise in our own particular case 5. We are to believe assuredly that it is the Will of God that we should believe in Christ and have Eternal Life by him as well as any other Now without the two former of these we shall not mind coming to Christ but shall make light of him without the others we shall have little encouragement to come to him Now if any shall enquire whether these things which are perpatory to our believing or coming to Christ be in our own power or are the effects of God's Grace in us and whether conversion do always follow thereupon I Answer There are some things as much in our own power as any of our natural or moral actions are that may have a tendency to our conversion and therefore the Prophet complains of Israel Hos 5.4 that they did not frame their doings to turn to the Lord. And there is a Sermon in the Morning Exercise Published in the Year 1661. ☜ reputed to be Mr. Greenhills who was a person far from the suspicion of ascribing too much to the power of Nature which resolves the question what persons must and can do towards their own conversion Now it is certain that men may as well go by their Natural power where the word is preached as to places of temptation And there they are within the call of the Gospel and so are as the impotent persons at the Pool of Bethesda Jo. 5.1 c. 1 Cor. 3.5 c. Rom. 10 17 Luk. 8.12 in a nearer capacity of cure if it please God by his Spirit to give increase to what is planted and watered for faith comes by hearing and therefore the Devil endeavours to divert our minds from what we hear lest we should believe and be saved We see further how much it is in man's power to bend his mind to the study of any particular subject we see it plainly not only in mens chusing in general the study of Law Physick or Divinity but those that addict themselves to the study of Divinity chuse any particular point thereof to treat on And they who give not the least ground of hope that there is any saving work upon their own souls will press upon others such things as the consideration of may incline and dispose them to believing Ezek. 18.14 28. Psal 119.59 Rom. 2 23. and men have the same natural power to teach themselves which they have to teach others But all this will not reach to conversion any farther than God is pleased to give to every one I will now shew you what God doth towards the conversion of sinners or which may have a tendency thereto Some things he doth by his Providence which he makes many times subservient to his Grace Acts 17.26 He that determines the bounds of mens habitation casts them into such places where they may hear the Gospel preached plainly seriously by such as persuade men 2 Cor. 5.11 as knowing the terror of the Lord. And he may exercise them under some affliction which may be as a ground-rain soaking to the roots and softning the clods and turning them to mold that the seed that hath been long buried may spring up of that which persons have a long time before heard and never thought of after when some humbling affliction befalls them they bethink themselves 1 Kings 8.47 and repent But such works fall short many times of true Conversion Hos 6.4 Gen. 20.6 Jo. 16.8 and this goodness proves but as the morning cloud or early dew which passes away God doth something further by his common grace restraining men from much evil I confess I think our Saviour where he speaks of the Spirit 's reproving or convincing the World understands the World of such whom he chose his Disciples out of and distinguishes them from but I think it is not intended of any inward working of the Spirit upon their hearts but of those Miracles which he wrought which confirmed the truth of Christ's Resurrection and of his Doctrine By such means as I have now mentioned men may be brought near the Kingdom of Heaven but never enter into it Mark 12.34 See Cassander's consultation p. 45. But those preparations which Salvation doth follow upon are as the soberer Papists acknowledge wrought by Gods Grace and Spirit He enlightens the mind so as we have a more clear sight of Heavenly things and other apprehensions of them than before we had when it pleases God to reveal his Son in us Gal. 1.16 Isa 53.2 Cant 5.10 Jo. 6.44 45. he that before had no form nor comeliness in our eyes nor any beauty that we should desire him is now the chief of Ten thousands in our account and altogether lovely God draws us to Christ by teaching tho I do not think that all the efficacy of God's Grace consists in propounding things to the understanding or in enlightening the understanding to conceive aright of them But by a secret touch of his Spirit he so effectually inclines our hearts to him 1 Kings 8.57 Phil. 2.20 that we do in a sort naturally mind spiritual things that is freely without constraint This of the Spirit 's enlightning the mind is not a peculiar notion of Enthusiasts but the commonly received Doctrine of sober Protestants So Bishop Pierson on the Article of the Holy Ghost in his Exposition of the Creed tells us The work of the Spirit is double external and general or internal and particular By the former he reveals the will of God to the whole Church by the latter he illuminates the understanding of particular believers that they may receive the truth the Holy Ghost working in us an assent to that which is by the word propounded Again God doth by his Spirit convince us spiritually of our state and condition and the word Eph. 6.17 Heb. 4.12 Acts 2.37 which is the sword of the Spirit and sharper than any two-edged Sword piercing to the dividing asunder betwixt the Soul and the Spirit the joynts and the marrow pricking sinners at the heart so as it shall be as a Sword in their bones
therefore he will shew his displeasure against it But it is so likewise in Spiritual blessings we read of great things ascribed to Faith Acts 15.9 as purifying the heart overcoming the World quenching all the fiery darts of the wicked 1 Jo. 5.4 Eph. 6.17 Now it doth not all these things in a moral way as Moses overcame by looking to the recompence of the reward but we are thereby strong in the Lord and in the power of his might Heb. 11.26 Ephes 6.10 2 Tim 2.1 1 Peter 1.5 Col. 1.11 or in the grace that is in Christ Jesus and we are kept by the power of God through Faith to Salvation It is the Divine Power that keeps us and we are strengthned thereby or according thereto and not only morally by his word as men may strengthen each other Job 43.4 Ezek. 13.22 but it is Faith that takes in this aid or assistance of Grace or the supplies of the Spirit of Jesus Christ Phil. 1.9 which are communicated from him to the several Members of his Mystical Body as the Spirits are from the Head in the Natural Body and as Christ dwells in the heart by faith Ephes 3.17 so we derive Spiritual Life and Virtue from him in the daily Exercise of Faith he leaving those usually to themselves that trust to their own strength as Youth and Young men are ready to do when those that wait on the Lord and look to him for supplies of Grace shall surmount all difficulties and persevere in well-doing without weariness or fainting Isaiah 40.30 31. Psalm 27.14 He will strengthen the heart of those that wait on him and give Grace to such humble Souls as distrusting themselves rely upon him for strength and assistance CHAP. IX THere is yet one way more whereby Faith becomes such an effectual Remedy against Touble and that is as we thereby have a view or prospect of the other World or of the Future state We thereby look to the things that are not seen which are eternal And if any shall say 2 Cor. 4.18 the word there used doth not imply that he saw them or had a view of them but only that he made them his scope or aim I answer The word sometimes signifies to mark or observe as well as to consider or have respect to Rom. 16.17 Phil. 3.17 Heb. 11.27 And we do in a sort see the things which we aim at Moses is said to endure as seeing him that is visible which implies not the manner of his enduring but the ground of it not as if he had seen him that is invisible but because he saw him that is invisible or like one that saw the invisible God John 1.14 So as the glory of the only begotten Son of God is a glory becoming such an one And if it be said there is a Contradiction in the terms to see him that is Invisible I answer It is an Elegancy used frequently in Scriptures where a word in the same place is taken in different senses as to believe in hope Rom. 4.18 1 Tim. 5.6 against hope And she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she lives She lives Naturally but is dead Spiritually So God is invisible to our bodily Eyes but we see him by faith which is the evidence of things not seen Heb. 11.1 And if it be further objected that Faith and Sight are opposed in Scripture as We walk by faith and not by sight And in whom 2 Cor. 5.7 1 Pet. 1.8 tho now ye see him not yet believing ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory For this latter place distinguish of seeing as before and the sense is plain and for the former place Faith is there opposed either to the Vision of God which we shall have in the Future state or to present sense implying that we should govern our lives not by Sense or what we see but by what we belive or hereafter hope for And the Apostle when he would set forth the virtue of Faith and of what excellent use it is to support Christians under Trials and Sufferings he grounds it upon this Heb. 11.1 that it is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen It gives as it were a real and present subsistence to things that are yet but future and so hoped for and giveth us as full satisfaction concerning those things which we do not see as if we saw them clearly before our eyes And these two things make that which is future to affect us more and work more effectually upon us We say indeed among men that seeing is believing And they have Proverbial Speeches in other Nations like this of our own There is so much deceit and falshood to be found among men that persons will hardly believe till they see or have sufficient ground for it and so will not venture much on uncertain hopes But when we have to do with God that cannot lie believing is seeing that is when we have his Word to ground our Faith upon we are as sure as if we saw with our eyes or as if things were proved to us by a Mathematical Demonstration that is by such clear evidence as nothing can be objected against But tho we look upon things as certain they do not much affect us if we look upon them as at a great distance of time therefore wicked men relieve themselves against the fear of future Evils by looking upon them as at a great distance Ezek. 12.27 Amos 6.3 or putting far away the evil day We are likewise encouraged to patience by the near approach of the recompense of reward because he that shall come will come and will not tarry Heb. 10.37 James 5.8 9. Luke 21.28 The coming of the Lord draws nigh The judge stands before the door And our Saviour bids his Disciples lift up their heads when their redemption draws nigh If persons were going to some places and tired with the tediousness of their Journey and discouraged with the Difficulties and Dangers that they meet with in their way questioning whether they should find the way to it or hold out till they come at it should come to the top of an Hill and before they are aware see the place that they are going to a little before them what Courage and Life would it presently put into them As Columbus that first discovered the West Indies when his men were ready to Mutiny having been wearied with a Voyage of Sixty days over the Ocean he perceiving the Clouds to look clearer concluded that they were not far from Land and so promised them to return if they did not within three days discover Land which they did before the end of the third day So if we could get a sight of the other World as Moses did of the Land of Cannan on the top of Pisgah Deut. 3.27 What Vigour and Life would it add to us when we
are ready to faint and be discouraged Now Faith according to the Description given of it serves us as a Telescope or Perspective Glass discovering to us the things which we see not and making things seem near which are afar off We thereby have as full certainty of the things of the other World as if they were evidently set forth before your eyes to use the Apostles words Gal. 3.1 Yea the things of eternity are hereby brought near to us and seem to us as at hand and thereby our Affections are much abated to the things of this World The time being short and the fashion of this World passing away we may rejoice in the good things of it as if we rejoiced not and mourn for the evil things of it as if we wept not moderate both our Joy and Sorrow the end of all things being at hand and we being even ready to enter upon the borders of Eternity 1 Cor. 7.29 c. And that we may the better understand how Faith brings things nearer to us or makes them seem at a less distance let us consider that God being Eternal and seeing all things at one single view one day is with him as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day and tho we are indeed finite Creatures and measure Time by Succession yet taking a view of Eternity and looking to the things that are Eternal the things of this World are nothing compared therewith and the time of this Life but as a moment in comparison with the days of Eternity We may observe That Old men that have lived long in the World make nothing of Seven years yea reckon Twenty years but a short time when Younger persons look upon it as a long time Those that are of narrow minds and consider no more than what they have seen and have never gone far from home look upon Twenty or Thirty miles as a long way But those that have travelled to the Indies or Thousands of miles from home reckon Twenty or Thirty Miles as nothing yea those that have by the Study of Geography or looking on Globes or Maps observed the vast Compass of the World would account so many Miles as a very small matter and a great Traveller would think himself as good as at home if he were within so many Miles of it So tho we were never taken up as Paul into the Third Heaven yet the Description which we have of it in the Scriptures may sink the things of this World quite below our Consideration Those that write Descriptions of other Countries give us an Account ordinarily of the Scituation of the Place the Compass or Extent of it the Nature of the Soil the Commodities that it affords the Healthfulness of the Air the Genius or Temper of the People But the Countries so described are sometimes found to be but imaginary Vtopia's or meer Fancies And others when we come to see them fall far short of the Description which we had of them and deceive our Expectations But as we have by Faith a full Assurance of future Glory the Scripture being no cunningly devised fable 2 Pet. 1.16 so we are assured it will not deceive our Hopes or fall short of the Account which we have of it in the Scrpitures As Luther would say Christ and Heaven are not capable of an Hyperbole For tho it is true that may be said of them which is false yet their true and real Worth will exceed whatever the Tongue of Men and Angels can speak of them The report which the Queen of Sheba heard of the Glory and Wisdom of Solomon in her own Country exceeded her belief but what she found when she came to see far exceeded the Report 1 Kings 10.7 c. The one half of it had not been told her So glorious things are spoken of the City of God Christ tells his Disciples There were many Mansions in his Fathers house enow to receive not only the innumerable Company of Angels but the General Assembly of that great multitude which no man can number of all nations and kindreds Rev. 7.9 Psalm 16.11 and people and tongues There is fulness of joy and pleasures for evermore And it is not as some places where there is plenty of all things but the Air is bad so as the Inhabitants are but short-liv'd Isaiah 33.24 Rev. 21.4 but there the inhabitants shall not say they are sick There will be no death nor sorrow nor crying nor pain I will not take upon me to set forth particularly the greatness of this Glory It being that which eye hath not seen nor ear heard nor hath entered into the heart of man 1 Cor. 2.9 And that which God hath prepared that he might therein shew the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy which he hath afore prepared unto glory Rom. 9.23 We must not consider things absolutely but comparatively and this will much alter our Account of them Let us observe the Account which the Apostle gives of his own Sufferings and his Fellow-Christians they were pressed out of measure above strength insomuch that they despaired even of Life and for his own part Acts 20.23 bonds and afflictions did abide him wherever he went and we have a particular Account of his Sufferings 2 Cor. 11.23 c. But when he comes to speak of these things comparatively see how he changes his stile in one of the highest strains of Rhetorick that is to be found in Scripture or any other Author These afflictions which in themselves were so grievous and did often return upon them as the clouds return after the rain were but light and for a moment 1 Cor. 4.17 compared with that far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory which they wrought for them observe how he raises his strain he begins high yet how many notes doth he rise Glory a weight of glory an exceeding weight of glory a more exceeding weight of glory a far more exceeding weight of glory yea once more a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory and tho the word Hyperbole be twice used in the Greek there is no Hyperbole or Excess in the Apostle's Speech he doth use the word again and again to make an attempt at expressing the greatness of glory as if it were accumulated or heaped up yet he cannot thereby reach the thing it self which he would express and tho there seems to be a Meiosis or diminution in the former part of the verse as if he did not justly rate the sufferings of this life he speaks only of what they are comparatively Num. 13.33 as the Israelites were but Grashoppers compared with the Giants we should learn from such language in Scriptures to Habituate our selves to lower and meaner thoughts of the things of this world and higher thoughts of those things of the world to come Zech. 1.12 The Angels complain of the time wherein God had indignation
pleasure of but there is further a sweet smell or fragrancy in them which the sight intermeddles not with and there must be another sense of Smelling to enjoy the pleasure thereof So neither can we enjoy the pleasure of Wine without the sense of Tasting or of Musick without the sense of Hearing So likewise if a man do not understand any thing of Learning or have no Genius thereto he cannot take any pleasure in reading Books or in Academical Exercises which are better than Wine and Musick to others So if a man be not sanctified or renewed after the Image of God tho he would dispense with his Sin and admit him to Heaven he would say of it as of the Service of God what a weariness is it Mal. 1.13 he might be content to be there to be kept out of Hell as here he might be content to be in a place where there is a Sermon to be sheltred from a storm It was to no purpose for Barzillaâ— to go to David's Court when nature was so decayed in him that he could not enjoy any of the pleasures of it 2 Sam. 19.35 If it be said this doth not infer any necessity of Holiness here in this life for God can in a moment at death fit us for Heaven which is easily done when we lay down this body which is both a clog and a temptation to the Soul not only as it influences the Soul but as most of our sins are in order to provide for the body or to fulfil the lusts of the flesh I answer There is a necessity of Holiness here partly as there is such an inseparable connexion betwixt that and Faith which works by love and is dead without works this purifies the heart overcomes the world Gal. 5.6 Jam. 2.24 Acts 15.9 1 John 5.4 Heb. 11. Isa 43.21 Titus 2.14 Luk. 1.74 75. and the Apostle spends an whole chapter in setting forth the virtue of it Besides it is the pleasure of God to form a people for himself that they may in this world shew forth his praise and hath redeemed us to be a peculiar people to himself that we may serve him in holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our life He would have our light shine so before men that they seeing our good works may glorify our father which is in Heaven so that we do hereby keep up his Honour and a Remembrance of him in the world We have hereby likewise some prelibations or foretastes of future Glory which as I have already said we are not capable of without Holiness Numb 13.23 God would have some of the fruits of the Land of Canaan brought to the people in the Wilderness that seeing what goodly fruit it was they might be the more encouraged to go to possess it notwithstanding the difficulties and dangers that they were to encounter with and there is nothing that doth more raise our thoughts of future Glory than the earnest that we have of it here which we can no more understand without Holiness than we can the sweetness and virtue of Wine by hearsay without tasting We have hereby likewise a more lively sense of the Goodness of God to us in delivering us from the sinful state wherein we are by nature than we could have if we were perfected at once at death If a man be suddenly surpriz'd with an Apoplexy and immediately at once recovered from it he hath not such a sense of the Mercy that he hath received therein as one that is recovered by degrees from a Fever or some other Disease wherein he hath felt much of pain sickness weakness and hath not only known what it was to be revived by Cordials to be helped by Friends to to be eased by rest in his bed but after his recovery he can reflect with pleasure upon his former condition when it is past and more prize his present Ease and Health So those who have with the Apostle groaned under a body of sin and death will not only reflect with pleasure upon the supplies of God's Grace which they have had to strengthen them in their Spiritual conflict and to fortify them against temptations but will afterwards with more thankfulness acknowledge the goodness of God in giving them the victory through our Lord Jesus and bringing them into a state of perfection where they shall be freed from all annoyance of sin and temptations which they could never have so well understood had it not been for the experience which they had in that middle state wherein they found such a conflict while they were under cure and recovering by degrees So that it is a great mistake in any to think that holiness is not necessary if we may be justified without it or that justification is our great priviledge and holiness a burden imposed upon us which we must be content to submit to in consideration of so great a favour as the pardon of our sins Holiness is rather our honor and happiness Rom. 6.22 1 Thes 1.10 Acts 3.26 the prest of fruit of our being the servants of God here and Christ doth not only save us from our sins in delivering us from the wrath to come but by blessing us in turning us from our iniquities Thus have I briefly touched several things which more Learned men have treated of with more clearness and acurateness but I have not written to supply the defects of others or to add to what they have done but considering that this small Treatise might fall into the hands of some to whom it may not happen to read larger and more learned Books I have adventured to write something which I hope may be of some use to them for the right understanding of the important truths therein handled desiring my Readers candidly to interpret what hath been well intended and to bear with that weakness which I am as ready to own as any can be to charge upon me FINIS