placeth a Christian upon the top of mount Pisga and there letteth him see a sight of the promised Land And doth open a door in Heaven thorow which a Christian is admitted to see Christ sitting upon His Throne And Faith hath not only a kind of Omnipotency as is clear That all things are possible to them that believe but it hath a kind of Omnisciency and all knowledge that it can take up and comprehend the greatest mysteries of heaven according to that word Prov. 28. 5. He that seeketh the Lord shall understand all things As if hee said there is nothing dark to a believing Christian as there is nothing impossible to â— believing Christian. As likewise Faith â—s that grace that must take aside the vail that is spread over the face of a crucified Christ. And Faith is that precious spy that goeth forth and taketh up these wonderfull excellencies that are in him The grace of love as it were is born blind and it hath nothing wherewith to solace it self but that which is presented unto it by this noble and excellent grace of Faith Now before wee shall speak any thing to these things that wee did propose to speak of it at the last occasion wee shall yet speak a little unto some things which are necessary to be known for the distinct up taking of the nature of justifying Faith which is the great commandement of this everlasting Gospel and that which wee would first speak to shall be this What is the reason and ground that the Gospel conveyance of righteousnesse and life and of the excellent things of this everlasting Covenant should be through the exercise of the grace of Faith For it is not said in the Scripture that repentance justifieth that love justifieth or that mortification justifieth but it is Faith only that justifieth and it is Faith by which a Christian inheriteth the promises so that is clear that Faith is that Conduit-pype through which are conveyed to us the great blessings of this everlasting Covenant I. And the first ground of it is this it is through Faith that all our blessings may be known to be by love and by free and unsearchable grace as is clear Rom. 4. 16. While the Apostle is giving a reason why the inheritance is conveyed to a Christian through Faith It is of faith saith he that it might be of grace for if the inheritance were conveyed to a Christian through a Covenant of Works then these spotlesse draughts of infinite love and of unsearchable grace should not be written on our inheritance as is clear Rom. 4. 25. And it is that great designe of Christ to make his grace conspicuous in conveying salvation to us through Faith II. There is this second ground likewise of it that all the promises and blessings of this everlasting Covenant might be sure and stedfast to us therefore they are conveyed to us through the exercise of the grace of Faith as is clear Rom. 4. 16. They are of Faith saith he that they might be sure or as the word is that they might be settled when the promises of life and of eternal salvation were conveyed to us through mans obedience were they not then most uncertain and unstable But is not heaven your everlasting crown now stedfast unto you seeing you have that golden pillar of Christs everlasting righteousnesse to be the foundation of your Faith and the strength of your confidence in the day of need III. There is this third ground why the promises and excellent things of this Gospel are conveyed to a Christian through the exercise of Faith that all boasting and gloriation might be excluded according to that word Rom. 3. 27. By what law is boasting excluded Not by the law of works but by the law of Faith And certainly seeing Christians have all the great things of heaven conveyed to them through the exercise of Faith think yee not that this shall be your first song when yee shall be within the gates of that new Jerusalem Not unto us not unto us but unto thee doth belong the glory of our salvation O what a precious dignity were it but for one half hour to be admitted to hear these spotlesse songs that are sung by these thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands of holy Angels that are round about His Throne Doth not David that sweet singer of Israel now sing more sweetly noâ— he did while he was here below Doth not deserted Heman now chaunt forth the praises and everlasting song of him that sitteth upon the Throne And doth not afflicted Iob now sing sweetly after his captivity is reduced and he entered within that land where the voice of joy and gladnesse is continually heard Would ye have a description of Heaven I could give it no tearm so suitable as this Heaven is a rest without a rest for though there remain a rest for the righteous yet Rev. 4. 8. These four beasts that stand before the Throne they rest not night nor day crying holy holy holy is the Lord God Almighty yet there is much divine quietnesse in that holy unquietnesse that is above IV. There is this last ground why the blessings of the Gospel and life and righteousnesse are conveyed to us thorow the exercise of Faith that the way to attain to these things might be pleasant and easie we are certainly perswaded that the way of winning to Heaven by a Covenant of Works was much more unpleasant and difficult But is it not an easie way of entring into the holy of Holies to win unto it through the exercise of Faith Are not all wisdoms wayes pleasantnesse and are not all her paths peace Was not that just self-denial in one that said he would not take up a Crown though it were lying at his foot But oh that cursed self-denial doth possesse the breasts of many so that though that Crown of immortal Glory and eternal blessednesse be lying at your feet yet ye will not imbrace it nor take it up Is not the hatred of many to Christ covered with deceit and therefore Your iniquity shall be declared before the Congregation Now that what we have spoken upon this might be more clear and that the nature of â—ustifying Faith be not mistaken We would have you taking notice of these things 1. That the grace of Faith doth not justifie Christian as it is a work or because of any inherent excellency and dignity that is in this grace above any other graces of the Spirit â—ut Faith doth alone justifie a Christian instrumentally and objectively that is it is â—hat by which a Christian is just by laying hold â—n the precious object of it the righteousness of Christ. And to clear this we would only have you knowing this That Faith doth juifie as it closeth with Christ but not because 〈◊〉 closes with Christ which some vainly are â—old to assert because there is not any digâ—ity or worth in the act of Faith in closing with Christ
overcometh temptations Hope it overcometh difficulties but Love stayeth at home and divideth the spoil There is a sweet correspondence between those graces in this Faith it fighteth and conquereth and Hope it fighteth and conquereth but Love it doth enjoy the Trophies of the victory And Fourthly there is this difference the noble grace of Faith it shall once evanish into sight That noble grace of Hope it shall once evanish into possession and enjoyment But that constant grace of Love it shall be the eternal companion of a Christian and shall walk in with him unto the streets of the New Ierusalem And I would ask you that question What a day shall it be when Faith shall cedâ— to sight What a day shall it be when Hope shall yeeld its place to Love and love and sight shall eternally sit down and solace themselves in these blessed mysteries these everlasting consolations of Heaven world without end And fifthly there iâ— this difference lesse will saâ—isfie the gracâ— of Faith and the grace of Hope thaâ— will satisfie the grace of Love Faith iâ— will be content with the promise and Hopâ— will be content with the thing that is promised but that ambitious grace of Love iâ— will be onely content with the promiser Love glaspeth its arms about that Preciouâ— and noble object Jesus Christ Love is a â—â— spicious grace It oftentimes cryeth forthâ— They have taken away my Lord and I knoâ— not where they have laid him So that Faiâ—â— is oftentimes put to resolve the suspicions â—â— love I can compare these three graces to nothing so fitly as to those three great Worthies that David had These three graces they will break thorow all difficulties were it a host of Philistines that so they may pleasure Christ and may drink of that Well of Bethlehem that Well of everlasting â—onsolation that â—loweth from beneath the â—hrone of God Love is like Noah's dove â—t never findeth rest for the sole of its foot â—ntill once it be within that Ark that place â—f repose Jesus Christ. And sixthly There is this last difference between them Faith taketh hold upon the â—â—ithfulnesse of Christ Hope taketh hold â—pon the goodnesse of Christ but Love it â—â—keth hold upon the heart of Christ. And â—hink yee not it must be a pleasant and soulâ—â—freshing exercise to be continually taken â—â— in imbracing him that is that eternal adâ—iration of Angels Must it not be an exâ—ellent life dayly to bee feeding on the finest the wheat and to bee satisfied with honey â—â— of the rock O but Heaven must be a pleaâ—â—nâ— place And if once we would but taste â—â— the first ripe grapes and a cluster of wine â—â—aâ— groweth in that pleasant land might not â—â—e be constrained to bring up a good report it But now to come to that which wee purâ—â—se mainly to speak of at this time The 〈◊〉 thing concerning Faith that wee proâ—â—sed from the words was the object upâ—â— which Faith exerciseth itself which is 〈◊〉 set down to bee the Mame of his Son Iesus Christ. And that we may speak to this more clearly wee shall first speak a little to the negative what things are not the fit object of Faith and then to the positive shewing you how this Name of God and of His Son Christ is the sure ground upon which a Christian may pitch his Faith For the first yee must know that a Christian is not to build his faith upon sense nor sensible enjoy ments Sense may bee an evidence of Faith but it must not bee the foundation of Faith I know there are some that oftentimes cry out Except I put my fingers into the print â—â— the nails and thrust my hand into the hole â—â— his side I will not believe and indeed it is 〈◊〉 mystery unto the most part of us to bee exercising Faith upon a naked word of promise abstracted from sense to love an absent Christ and to believe on an absent Christ are the two great mysteries of Christianity But that sense is no good foundation for Faith may appear 1. That Faitâ— which is builded upon sense is a most unconstant a most fluctuating and transient Faitâ— I know sense hath its fits of love and as were hath its fits of Faith Sometimâ—â— sense is sick of love and sometimes sense 〈◊〉 strong in Faith but ere six hours go about sense may bee sick of jealousie and sick 〈◊〉 misbelief as yee will see from Psal. 30. 6 〈◊〉 sense that bold thing it will instantly 〈◊〉 out My mountain standeth strong I will â—â—ver be moved but behold how soon it chanâ—eth its note Thou hides thy face and I 〈◊〉 troubled At one time it will cry forâ—â—â— Who is like unto him that pardoneth iniquity and that passeth over transgressions but ere many hours go about it will sing a song upon another key and cry out Why art thou â—ecome unto mee as a liar and as waters that â—ail 2. That Faith which is built upon â—ense it wanâ—eth the promise of blessednesse â—â— this is annexed to believing that is founded upon the Word according to that in â—oh 20. 29. Blessed are these that have not â—en and yet have believed nor hath that â—ith that is built upon sense such a solide â—y waiting on it as faith that is built upon â—he naked word of promise as may be cleared from that word 1 Pet. 1. 8. where faith exercising it self upon Christ not seen maketh a Christian to rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory a joy that doth not atâ—â—nd believing founded upon sense 3. That â—ith that is built upon sense it giveth not â—uch glory to God for faith that is built â—â—on sense it exalteth not the faithfulnesse 〈◊〉 God it exalteth not the omnipotency of â—od I will tell you what is the divinity 〈◊〉 sense let me see and then I will believe 〈◊〉 it knoweth not what it is to believe â—â—on trust and because the Lord hath spoken 〈◊〉 his holinesse And in effect Faith that is â—â—ilt upon sense is no Faith even as â—â—m 8. Hope that is seen is no hope And therefore when the Lord seeth a Christian â—â—king sense an idol that hee will not beâ—â—ve but when hee seeth or feeleth this doth â—â—en provoke the Majesty of the Lord to withdraw himself from that Christian and to deny him the sweet influences of heaven and these consolations that are above so that in an instant hee hath both his sense and hiâ— faith to seek 2. A Christian is not to make his grace the object of his Faith that is when a Christian doth behold love burning within him when hee doth behold influences to pâ—ayâ—â— encreasing and mortification waxing stroâ—â— hee is not to build his faith upon them thiâ— was condemned in the Church in Ezek. 16 14. compared with the 15 verse I mâ—â— thee perfect with my comlinesse but the usâ— that thou didst make of it thou didst put 〈◊〉 trust in thy beauty and then thou didst plaâ—
and perfire them Now Faith taketh hold not onely on the faithfulnesse of God that hee is a God of truth and that in him there is no lie but likewise it taketh hold on the omnipotency of God that hee is one to whom nothing is too hard and on the infinite mercy and love of God that hee is one who doth delight to magnifie this Attribute above all his works And these are the three great pillars of justifying Faith From the first it answereth all these objections of sense which do ordinarily cry forth Doth his promise fail for evermore And that with this one word If hee hath once purposed it hee will also do it and if hee hath once spoken it hee will also make it come to passe From the second it answereth all these objections that may arise from carnal reason and probability which tend to the weakning of his confidence And these do oftemtimes cry out How can these things be But Faith laying hold upon the omnipotency of God it staggers not at the promise but is strong in the Faith giving glory to God And it is the noble and divine exercise of this Heroick grace of Faith that these objections of reason and probability which it cannot answer it will lay them aside and yet close with the promise Which was the practice of believing Abraham who considered not his own body being weak nor the barrennesse of Sarahs womb As likewise it was the commendable practice of that woman Matth. 15. who not being able to answer the second trial of her faith from reason yet notwithstanding Faith made her cry out Have mercy upon mee O Son of David And from the last a Christian doth answer all the arguments of misbelief which do arise from the convictions of our unworthinesse and sinfulnesse which makes us oftentimes imbrace that divinity of Peters Luk. 5 8. Depart from me for I am a sinful man But Faith taking hold on the infinite mercy and love of Christ it answereth all with this He walks not with us according to that rule of merit but according to that precious and golden rule of love and boundlesse compassion But before we shall speak any thing unto you of these things wee would a little point out some few things to be known as previous to these we shall not dwell long in pointing out the nature of justifying Faith it is that grace whereby a Christian being convinced of his lost estate and of an utter impossibility to save himself he doth flee to the righteousnesse of Jesus Christ and unto him who is that precious City of refuge and there doth abide till our High Priest shall die which shall not be for ever Or if ye will it is a sweet travelling of the immortall soul betwixt infinite misery and infinite mercy betwixt an utter impossibility to save our selves and a compleat ability in him to save to the uttermost betwixt abounding sin and superabounding mercy Hence Faith is often holden forth to us in Scripture under that notion of coming Isa. 55. 1. Ho every one that thirsteth come ye to the waters Rev. 22. 17. Whosoever will let him take the water of life freely Heb. 7. 25. Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come to God by him And we may say by the way that if once a sinner could be brought to this to count all his own righteousnesse but filthy rags and to belive that a man is as really justified before God by imputed righteousnesse as if it were by inherent holinesse surely such an one were not far from the Kingdom of God Neither shall we stand long to point out this unto you that it is your duty to believe for it is clear not only from this place but likewise from Isa. 45. 22. Look unto me and be ye saved all the ends of the earth Matth. 11. 28. Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest Joh. 14. 1. Ye believe in God belive also in me Isa. 55. 1. Ho every one that thirsteth come ye to the waters and he that hath no money Come buy without money and without price But Oh! it 's a great misery of many and that which may be a subject of perpetuall lamentation that we can neither be subject to the Law as commanding to obey it or as threatning to believe it Nor to the Gospel as promising to imbrace it and sweetly to receive it O but that primitive temptation and delusion whereby Sathan did deceive our first father is that whereby he yet seeks to catch and delude many souls viz. That though we eat of the forbidden fruit and walk in the vain imaginations of our own hearts yet he doth suggest this to us that we shall not die but shall once be as God This is Sathans great and deâ—â—ding divinity And therefore to inforce his great and precious Command a little further wee shall propose these considerations First That the Gospel hath laid no obstruction in our way of closing with Christ and partaking of the effects of the Gospel but on the contrary sheweth that the great impediment is our want of willingnesse which wee lay in our own way as is clear from Ioh. 5. 40. Yee will not come to mee that yee may get life as likewise from Rev. 22. 17. where the gates of the Gospel are cast open and whosoever will are commanded to enter in So that although you may father your misbelief upon your inability or that your spot is not the spot of his people yet know that the rise and original of it is the want of willingnesse But to make this more clear wee would have you knowing this that all the qualifications annexed to this Commandement of Faith as that in Matth. 11. 28. speaketh out the qualifications rather of these that will come than of all these that ought to come Oâ— hee inviteth these that through the spiriâ— of discouragement and misbelief have the greatest reluctancy to come And may noâ— that cardinal and soul-refreshing promise Ioh. 6. 37. stop the mouth of misbelief so that it should have nothing to say Hâ— that cometh unto mee I will in no wayes casâ— out Yee may reduce your misbelief rather to the sinfulnesse of your will than to the sinfulnesse of your walk And if once yee could come the length of willingnesse to imbrace Jesus Christ all other objectioâ— and knots should be sweetly loosed and dissolved Secondly Consider that though we should pray the on half of our time and weep the other yet if we want this noble grace of Faith the wrath of God shall abide on us What are all the works of these hypocrites and these gâ—â—string acts of Law-sanctification but a plunging of our selves in the ditch untill our own cloaths abhorre us Therefore it is that after the Prophet Zachary hath made mention in the 12. Chapter of his Prophesie of making bitter lamentation for him whom wee have
of sin which is death and be constrained to cry out Wo is me for I am undone And with the other eye to ascend and look to that help that is laid upon One that iâ— mighty and to make use of the righteousnesse of a crucified Saviour that so what we want in our selves we may get it abundantly made up in him III. There is this likewise that obstructeth our closing with Christ our too much addictednesse to the pleasures and carnal delights of a passing world which is cleaâ— from Luk. 14. 18 19 20 21 22. Matth. 22 5 6. where these that were invited to comâ— to the feast of this Gospel they do makâ— their apologie and with one consent do refuse it some pretending an impossibility tâ— come and some pretending an unavoidable inconveniency in coming And O! What a rediculous thing is that poor complement that these deluded sinners used to Christ I pray you have us excused And is it not the world the great plea and argoment that they make use of When they will not come and make use of Christ IV. There is this lastly which doth obstruct ones coming to Christ their unwillingness to be denyed to their own righteousness Which is clear from Rom. 10. 23. And wee conceive if once these two were believed which are the great Tropicks out of which all these arguments may be brought to perswade you to imbrace Christ to wit the infinite excellency of His person on whom we are to believe and the infinite losse that these do sustain who shall be eternally rejected of him We might be persuaded to entertain a divine abstractednesse and holy retirement from all things that are here below and to pitch our desires alone upon him who is the everlasting wonder of Angels and the glory of the higher House O did we once suppose the unspeakable happinesse of these whose Faith is now advanced unto everlasting felicity and fruition and hath entered into that eternal possession of the promises might we not he constrained to cry out It is good for us once to be there Christ weepeth to us in the Law but we do not lament and he pypeth to us in the Gospel but we do not dance He is willing to draw us with the cords of men and with the bonds of love and yet we will not have him to reign over us May not Angels laugh at our folly that wee should so undervalue this Prince of love and should contemn him who is holden in so high esteem and reverence in these two great Assemblies that are above of Angels and of the spirits of just men made perfect Christ hath now given us the first and second Summonds the day is approaching when the sad and wofull summonds shall be sent against us of departing from him into these everlasting flames out of which there is no redemption and this shall be the capestone of our misery that we had once life in offer but did refuse it And though there were four gates standing open toward the north by which we might have entered into that everlasting rest yet we choosed rather to walk in the paths that lead down to death and take hold of the chambers of hell O but there are many that think the Gospel cunningly devised fables and foolishnesse they being unwilling to believe that which sense cannot comprehend nor reason reach and this is the reason why the Gospel is not imbraced but is rejected as a humane invention and as a morning dream c. SERMON II. 1 Joh. 3. 23. This is his Commandment that ye should believe on the Name of his Son Iesus Christ c. THere are three great and cardinall mysteries in the unfolding of which all a Christians time ought to be spent First There is that precious and everlasting mystery of Christs love and condiscendency which those intellectual spirits the Angels are not able fully to comprehend Secondly There is that woefull mystery of the desperate deceitfulnesse and wickednesse of the heart which no man was ever yet able fully to fathom and comprehend And thirdly there is that precious mystery of that eternal felicity and blessednesse that is purchased unto the Saints that once they shall reign with Christ not a thousand years only but throughout all the ages of everlasting and endless eternity so that there is this difference betwixt the Garden of everlasting delights that Christ hath purchased to the Saints and that first Paradise and Eden wherein man was placed There was a secret gate in the first thorow which a man that had once entered in might go out again But in this second and precious Eden there is no accesse for going out And all that is to be known of these three mysteries is much comprehended in this to know that they cannot fully be known Paul was a blessed proficient in the study of the first mystery and had almost attained to the highest Classe of knowledge and yet he is constrained to professe himself to bee ignorant of this Hence is that word Eph. 3. 19. That ye may know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge And is it not a mysterious command to desire people to know that which cannot be known The meaning whereof we conceive to be this in part that Paul pressed this upon them that they should study to know that this mystery of Christs love could not be known Ieremiah was a blessed proficient in the knowledge and study of the second mystery he had some morning and twilight discoveries of that and yet though in some measure he had fat homed that deep yet he is constrained to cry out chap. 17. vers 9. The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked who can know it And indeed that which Solomon saith of Kings Prov. 25. 3. may well be said of all men in this respect The heavens for heighth and the earth for depth and the heart of man is unsearchable The Apostle Paul also was a blessed proficient in the study of the third mystery having some morning and twilight discoveries of that promised rest and was once caught up to the third heavens and yet when he is beginning to speak of it 1 Cor. 2. 9. he declareth all men to be ignorant of the knowledge of this profound mystery of mans blessednesse and cryeth out Eye hath not seen nor ear heard neither have entered into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him And if there bee any thing further to bee known of these mysteries the grace of Faith is found worthy among all the graces of the Spirit To open the seven seals of these great deeps of God Is not the grace of Faith that whereby a Christian doth take up the invisible excellency and vertue of a dying Christ Is not Faith that precious grace by which a Christian must take up the sports and blemishes that are within himself And is not the grace of Faith that precious grace that
one day to see the joyes of heaven and bring them back again they would â—ot pursue after these blessed and everlasting â—njoyments O is not Christ much undervaâ—ued by us But I must tell you this One wo â— past but behold another wo is fast coming O â—he sâ—reighing of these spirits that are enterâ—d into their everlasting prison-house out of which there is no redemption What shall â—e your choise when Christ shall come in the â—louds I am perswaded there are many â—o whom at that day this Doctrine would be â—avishing viz. That there were not a death â—hat there were not a God and that there were â—ot an eternity Oh! will yee believe That â—he sword of the Iustice of God is bathed in heaâ—en and shall come down to make a sacrifice â—ot in the land of Idumea nor in the land of Bozra but hee is to make a sacrifice among his â—eople who seemed to make a Covenant with â—im by sacrifice Ah ah shall we say that â—f that argument were used to many that within fourty dayes they should bee at their â—ong and everlasting home they would yet â—pend thirty nine of these days in taking pleaâ—ure upon their lusts I am perswaded of â—his that there are many who think that the â—ay betwixt heaven and earth is but one days â—ourney they think they can believe in one day and triumph at night But O! it shall â—e a short triumphing that such believers as â—hese shall have Therefore O study to close with a crucified Saviour rest on him by faith delight your selves in him with love and let your souls be longing for the day when your â—oice shall bee heard in heaven and O how â—weet shall it be sung Arise arise arise my love my dove my fair one and come away foâ— behold your winter is past your everlasting summer is come and the time of the singing of birds is near When Christ shall come over these mountains of Bether hee shall cry Behold I come and the soul shall sweetly answer Come Blessed Lord Iesus Come O what a life shall it be that with these two arms yee should eternally incircle Christ and hold him in your arms or rather be incircled by him Wait fâ—â— him for he shall come and his reward is with him and he shall once take home the wearied travellers of hope SERMON IV. 1 Joh. 3. 23. This is his Commandment that ye should believe on the Name of his Son Iesus Christ c. THere are two great and excellent gifts which God in the depth of his boundlesse love hath bestowed on his own First There is that infinit gift and royal donation his own beloved Son Jesus Christ which is called The gift of God Ioh. 4 10. And secondly There is that excellent gift of the grace of Faith which God hath bestowed upon his own which is also called The gift of God Ephes. 2. 8. Faith is the gift of God And is it not certain that these two gracious gifts ought to ingage ouâ— souls and hearts much unto him Infiniâ—e Majesty could give no gift greater nor his Sâ—â— and infinite poverty could receive no â—â—her gift so suitable as Christ It was the most noble gift that heaven could give and it is the greatest advantage for earth to receive it And wee could wish that the most part of the study and practice of men that is spent in pursuit after these low and transient vanities might bee once taken up in that precious pursuit after Christ. We could wish that all the questions and debates of the time were turned over into that soul concerning question What shall we do to be saved And that all the questions controversies and contentions of the time were turned over into that divine contention and heavenly debate Who should be most for Christ who should be most for exalting of the noble and excellent plant of â—enown and that all our judgings and searchings of other mens practices and estate might â—e turned over into that useful search â—ro â—rove and examine our selves whether we be in â—he faith or not And I would ask you this question what are your thoughts concernâ—ng precious Christ seeing he is that noble â—bject of Faith We would only have you â—aking along these things by which Christ may be much commended to your hearts First There was never any that with the â—yes of Faith did behold the maâ—ehlesse beauâ—y and transcendent worth of that crucified â—aviour that returned his enemy There is â—oul conquering vertue in the face of Christ â—nd there is a heart captivating and overâ—oming power in the beauâ—y of Jesus Christ. â—his first sight that ever persecuting Saul got of Christ it brought him unto an endlessâ— captivity of love Secondly There is thâ— that we would say of precious Christ whicâ— may engage our souls unto Him that for alâ— the wrongs Believers do to Christ yet hatâ— He never an evil word of them to His Fattheâ— but commends them which is clear froâ— that of Ioh. 17. 6. where Christ doth conâ—mend the Disciples to the Father for thâ— grace of obedience They have keeped thâ— Word and for the grace of Faith verse 8 They have believed that thou didst send me and yet were not the Disciples most defectiâ—â— in obedience both in this That they did noâ—â— take up their crosse and follow Christ and alâ—â— in that they did not adhere to Him in thâ— day that He was brought to Cajaphas hall and were they not most defective in the graâ—â— of Faith as is clear from Matth. 17. 17. aâ—â— likewise from Ioh. 14. 1. He is pressing theâ— to believe in Him and yet He doth commeâ—â— them to the Father as most perfect in thâ— things Thirdly There is this that wâ— would lastly say of Him who is the noble oâ— ject of Faith look to the eminent depthâ— Christs condescendency and then ye will provoked to love Him Was it not infiâ—â—â—â— love that made Christ to ly three dayes in tâ—â— grave that we might be through all the agâ— of Eternity with Him Was it not in fâ—â—â—â— condescendency that made His precious he wear a crown of thorns that we migâ—â— eternally wear a crown of Glory Was not infinite condescendency that made Chrâ—â—â— wear a purple robe that so we might wâ—â— that precious robe of the righteousnesse of â—he Saints And was it not matchlesse condescendency that Christ who knew no sin was made sin for us and like unto us that so we might become like unto him and be made the righteousnesse of God in Him But to come to that which we intend mainâ—y to speak upon at this time which is that â—econd thing that we proposed to speak of â—rom these words and that is concerning the excellency of this grace of Faith which we cleared was holden out in that that faith was called his commandment which is so â—alled by way of eminency and excellency There are many things in Scripture which may sweetly point out the
is a sweet and refreshing command for it is oftentimes recorded in Scripture to the advantage of this grace and unspeakable joy and heavenly delight are the hand-maids that wait upon it But more particularly to make it out we shall speak to these things The first is That this grace giveth a Christian a broad and comprehensive sight of Christ and maketh him to behold not only the beauty of his actings but the beauty of his person and there are these three precious sights that Faith giveth to â— Christian of Christ. First It letteth the Christian see Christ in his absolute and personalâ— excellency taking him up as the eternal Soâ— of God as the Ancient of Dayes as the Father of Eternity as the expresse Image of Hiâ— Fathers person and the brightnesse of his glory and this filleth the soâ—l with divine fear anâ— admiration Hence is that word Heb. 11. 27 That we see by Faith him that is invisible As if he had said Faith is that grace that maketh things that are invisible visible unto us Secondly It letteth the soul see Christ in his relative excellencies that is what he is to us Faith taketh up Christ as a Husband and from thence we are provoked to much boldnesse and divine confidence and withall to see these rich possessions that are provided for us by our elder Brother who was born for adversity Faith taketh up Christ as a blessed Days man that did lay his hand upon us both And from thence it is constrained to wonder at the condescendency of Christ it taketh him up as dying and as redeeming us from the power of the grave and from the hands of our enemies and this provoketh Christians to make a totall and absolute resignation of themselves over unto Christ To serve him all the dayes of our life in righteousnesse and holinesse And thirdly Faith maketh the soul behold these mysterious draughts of spotlesse love those divine emanations of love that have flowed from his ancient and everlasting love since the world began Would you know the great ground why we are so ignorant of him who is the study of Angels and of all that are about the Throne it is this we are not much in the exercise of faith And if we would ask that question What is the way to attain to the saving knowledge of God in Christ We could give no answer to it but this Believe and again believe and again believe Faith openeth these mysterious seals of his boundlesse perfection and in some way teacheth the Christian to answer that unanswerable question What is His Name and what is his Sons Name There is this secondly that pointeth out the sweetnesse of Faith that it giveth an excellent relish unto the promises and maketh them food to our soul. What are all the promises without faith as to our use but as a dead letter that hath no life But faith exercised upon the promises maketh a Christian cry out The words of his mouth are sweeter unto mee then the honey and the honey comb as is clear from Heb. 11. 12 13. It is by Faith that wee imbrace the promises and do receive them Thirdly The sweetnesse of Faith may appear by this that it enableth a Christian to rejoyce under the most anxious and afflicting dispensations that hee meeteth with while hee is here below as is clear from Rom. 5. 1 5. where his being justified by Faith hath this fruit attending it to joy in â—ribulation And likewise from Heb. 10. 34 35. Doth not Faith hold the crown in its right hand and letteth a Christian behold these infinit dignities that are provided unto them after they have as a strong man run their race And when a Christian is put into a furnace hot seven times more then ordinary it bringeth down the Son of man Jesus Christ to walk with them in the furnace So that they walk safely and with joy through fire and water and in a manner they can have no crosse in his company For would yee know what is the description of a crosse It is to want Christ in any estate And would ye know what is the description of prosperity It is to have Christ in any condition or estate of life What can ye want that have him and what can he have that want him He is that All so that all things besides him are buâ— vanity But beside this Faith doth discover unto a Christian that there is a sweet period of all his trials and afflictions that he can be exposed unto so that he can never say that of faith which Ahab spake of Micajah He never prophesieth good things to me But rather he may say alwayes the contrary Faith never prophesieth evil unto me it being a grace that prophesieth excellent things in the daâ—kest night and sweetly declareth that though weeping do endure for the evening yet joy cometh in the morning And that though now they â—o forth weeping bearing precious seed yet at last they shall return rejoycing having sheaves in their bosome And this may bring in the fourth consideration to point out the sweetnesse of Faith That it giveth a Christian a refreshing sight of that â—and that is a far off and maketh him to behold that inheritance that is provided for the Saints in light it goeth forth to the brook Eshcol and there doth pluck down those grapes that grow in Emanuels land to bring up a good report upon that noble Countrey we are sojourning towards and the City the streets whereof are paved with transparent gold And howbeit it may be a perplexing debaâ—e between many and their own souls whether or not these eyes that have been the windows through which so much uncleannesse hath entered and these species of lust have been conveyed into the heart shall once be like the eyes of a dove washed with milk and fitly set and be admitted to see that glorious object the Lamb that sitteth upon the Throne Or whether ever these tongues that have been set on fire of hell and these polluted lips that have spoke so much against God and Heaven and all his People and Interests shall ever be admitted to sing these heavenly Halelujahs amongst that spotlesse queer of Angels and that assembly of the first born or if these hands or feet that have been so active to commit iniquity and so swift to run after vanity shall even bee admitted hereafter to carry these Palme Branches and to follow the Lamb where ever hee goeth and whether ever these hearts that have been indeed a Bethaven and house of idols may yet notwithstanding bee a dwelling for the Holy Ghost Though these things wee say and such like may bee the subject of many sad debates to some weary souls and cause many tossings to and fro till the morning yet faith can bring all these mysteries to light and looking within the vail can let us see thousands of thousands who were once as ugly as our selves yet now having washed their robes and
Oâ— are there not many of us that are in a golden dream that suppose we are eating but when we awake our soul is empty whose faith is a metaphysick notion that hath no foundation but mans apprehension and this shall never bear us through the gates of death nor convey us in into eternity of joy 2. May not this presse you to follow after assurance that it is the compendious way to sweeten all your crosses As is clear from Hab. 3. 17 18. where the convictions of this made Habbakuk to rejoyce in the God of his salvation Though the fig tree did not bear fruit and the labour of the olive did fail and there were no sweetnesse to be found in the vine and from Heb. 10. 34. where they took joyâ—ully the spoiling of their goods knowing within themselves that they had a better and an enduring substance This is indeed that tree which if wee cast into the waters of Marah they will presently become sweet for it is not below the child of hope to be much anxious about these things that he meets with here when he sincerely knoweth that Commandement shall come forth Lift up your head for the day of your eternal redemption draweth near even the day when all the rivers of his sorrow shall sweetly run into the ocean of everlasting delighâ—s 3. A Christian that is much in assurance he is much in communion and fellowship with God as is clear from the Song 1. 13 14. and Song 2. 3. where when once she cometh to that to be perswaded that Christ was her beloved then she sat down under his shaddow and his fruit was pleasant â—nto her taste for the assured Christian doth taste of these crums that â—all from that higher Table and no doubt these that have tasted of that old wine will not straight way desire the new because the old is better And then 4. It is the way to keep you from Apostacy and making defection from God Faith is that grace that will make you continue with Christ in all his tentations as is clear from 2 Pet. 1. 10. where this is set down as a fruit of making our calling and election sure that if we no these things we shall never fail Faith makes a Christian to live a dependent life for would you know the motto of a Christian It is this self diffidence and Christ dependence as is clear from that word in the Song 8. 5. that while we are walking through this wildernesse we are leaning upon our welbeloved 5. This assurance will help a Christian to overcome many tentations There are four sorts of tentations that assâ—ult the Christian there are temptations of desire temptations of love temptations of hope and temptations of anxiety all which a Christian through this noble grace of Assurance may sweetly overcome he that hath once made Christ his own what can he desire but him As Psal. 27. 4. One thing have I desired of the Lord What can he love more then Christ or love beside Christ all his love being drowned as it were in that Oâ—ean of his excellencies and a sweet complacency found in the enjoyment of him And as to hope will not assurance make a Christian 〈◊〉 forth Now Lord what wait I for my hope is in thee And when the heart is anxious doth not assurance make a Christian content to bear the indignation of the Lord and patiently submit unto the crosse since there is a sweet connexion betwixt his crosse and his Crown Rom. 8. 35 36. If he suffer with him he shall also reign with him And lastly There is this argument to presse you to assurance that it sweemeth the thoughts of death it maketh death unto a Christian not the king of terrours but the king of desires and it is upon these grounds that assurance maketh death refreshfull unto a Christian. 1. He knoweth that it is the funerall of all his miseries and the birth-day of all his blessed and eternal enjoyments 2. That it is the Coronation day of a Christian and-the day when he shall have that Marriage betwixt Christ and him sweetly solemnized And that when he is to step that last step hee knoweth that death will make him change his place but not his company And O that we could once win unto this to seal that conclusion without presumption My beloved is mine and I am his We might without presumption sing one of the songs of Sion even while we are in this strange land and taking Christ in our arms might sweetly cry forth Now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace for my eyes have seen thy salvation Comfort your selves in this that all your clouds shall once passe away and that that truth shall once come to passe which was confirmed by the oath of an Angel with his hand lifted up towards Heaven That time shall be no more Time shall once sweetly die out in eternity and ye may be looking after new heavens and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousnesse O long to be with him for Christ longeth to have you with him SERMON VI. 1 Joh. 3. 23. This is his Commandment that ye should believe on the Name of his Son Iesus Christ c. THere are three most precious and cardinal graces which a Christian oughâ— mainly to pursue There is that exalting grace of Faith that comforting gracâ— of Hope and that aspiring grace of Love and if once a Christian did take up that heavenly difference that is between those sister-graces hee might be provoked to move after them most swiftly as the chariots of Aminadab And there is this difference between those graces Faith is a sober and silent grace Hope is a patient and submissive grace Love is an ambitions and impatient grace Faith cryeth out O my soul be silent unto God Hope cryeth out I will wait patiently for the Lord untill the vision shall speak but Love it cryeth out How long art thou a coming and it is waiting to hear the sound of his feet coming over the mountains of separation That is the Motto of Hope Quod defertur non aufertur that which is delayed saith Hope is not altogether taken away and made void and that may be the divine embleme of the grace of Love It is sight infolding desire in its armes and it is desire cloathed with wings â—reading upon delay and impediments There is this second difference between these graces the grace of Faith it embraceth the truth of the promises the grace of Hope it embraceth the goodnesse of the thing that is promised but that exalting grace of Love it embraceth the Promiser Faith cryeth out Hath hee spoken it Hee will also do it Hope â—ryeth out Good is the Word of the Lord be â—â— unto thy servant according to thy promise And Love it cryeth out in a higher note As is the apple tree amongst the trees of the â—ood so is my well-beloved amongst the sons â—hirdly There is that difference between â—hese graces Faith it
THE Mystery of FAITH Opened up Or some SERMONS concerning Faith two whereof were not formerly Printed Wherein the Nature Excellency and Usefulnesse of that noble Grace is much cleared and the practice thereof most powerfully pressed Whereunto are added other three Sermons two concerning the Great Salvation one of these not formerly Printed and a third concerning Death By Mr. ANDREW GRAY late Minister of the Gospel in Glasgow All these Sermons being now carefully Revised and much Corrected Joh. 3. 18. He that believeth not is condemned already because he hath not believed in the Name of the only begotten Son of God Edinburgh Printed by George Swinton and Iames Glen Anno 1669. Mr. GRAY'S Mystery of Faith Christian Reader AMong many weighty and soul pierceing Sentences that you will find in these following Sermons this is oneâ— That the Professors of this â—ge whether they go to heaven or hell they will be the greatest debtors that shall be in â—ither placeâ— the 〈◊〉 to the free grace of God and the other to his Justice And certainly if we speak of those in this time whose â—lessed lot it shall be to inherit the Kingdom â—hey cannot but acknowledge themselves inâ—ebted to his love above all that have gone â—efore them for wâ—shing them from such ugly â—â—llutions â—â— this generation hath been defiled â—ith for bringing them through so great triâ—â—ilations preserving them in the midst of so â—â—eat tenâ—ations and dangerous sâ—ares as have â—compassed them yea and still keeping in the â—â—ght before them notwithstanding of so many â—asts if we may so speak from all the four â—inds of hell to blow it out And on the other â—nd if we speak of these whom in this geâ—â—ration shall perish assuredly their debt unto â—ivine Iustice must be exceeding great above â—â—l who are gone down to the pit before them â—â—cause the Roll of their mercies will be found have been many â—â—bits longer and many cuâ—s broader than theirs who lived in the preâ—ding ages and the great things that the â—â—rd hath wrought in our dayes have born a greater testimony against the wickednesse hardnesse and atheism of this time then of many former But above all the great measure of Gospel-light that he hath no lesse plentifully offered then wonderfully preserved to this generation beyond all our Ancestors hath undoubtedly made the sin of these who shall utterly reject their own mercy so out of measure sinfull and their unbelief so exceedingly inexcusable that their guilt must needs justifie Corazin and Bethsaida or Sodom and Gommorrah in that day when every man shall give account of himself to God And amongst the many preaching witnesses that al as we are afraid shall compear in that day against many yet living in their pleasures and dead while they live This now glorified Author cannot but be one whose testimony must be very condemning especially to the vain loose negligent and time-wasting youth in this age For when hâ— was first drawn to the Ministry he was but youth indeed scarce twenty years compleat fâ—â— within that age that by the constitutions oâ— this Church except in case of more then common abilities which indeed he had is required for entring to that great and holy Calling And for the space of two years after whicâ— was all the time that the Church enjoyed his Labour he was helped to presse the Truths anâ— Threatnings of God so home upon the Conscience of his hearers that as it was observed of him bâ— one of his most Learned and pious Colleaguâ— Master Durham who is now in glory with him he did many times cause the hair of their head stand up The Lord not only hereby verifying his Word that he can take the weak things of the world to confound the strong and out of the mouth of Babes can perfect his own praise but designing also as would seem of purpose to send a Boy out of the School for a reprover of the sluggishnesse of his People that thereby the aged might be the more ashamed and the younger more afraid Neither do wee think that this was all but truely when we consider what measure of Graces Gifts and Experiences the Lord did bestow upon so young a person and then with what humility self-denial gravity prudence diligence authority and moderation he was helped to manage these Talents during that short time of his Ministry It may be justly conceived that the Lord brought him forth to be a great conviction even to many of us in the Ministery who came into our Masters vineyard long before him and will go out behind him And indeed to us it looketh somewhat like the Lords taking up of the little Childe and setting him amongst the midst of his contending Disciples in these times that even they who would be greatest amongst us might be least and see somewhat of their own weaknesse As to this little Peece whatever yee shall finde in it It hath this to say for its self that whereas many Writings in the world do intrude themselves upon the Presse yet this the Presse hath violently thrust into the world For some young Student from his good affection to the edification of the Lords People and no doubt from his high esteem of the precious Author his memory having given in to the Presse a Copie of some of these Sermons being only Notes taken from his mouth when he preached them no sooner were they seen abroad but all the Presses in the Nation fell a labouring about them so that if we mistake not in lesse noâ— two or three Months time three or four Impressions were cast off yet all of them so imperfect and maimed that howbeit the excellency of the matter and the fresh remembrance of the worthy Author his name made them very sweet to many especially those who had heard him Preach yet the unsuitable dresse wherein they appeared and their mistakes of the first Writers they being hardly able to take up every thing as it was spoken occasioning diverse material failings in the sense besides lesser faults could not but be a trouble to those who were acquainted not only with the singular graces but parts also of that eminent Youth This gave occasion to some friends to speak a little what way these prejudices which both the Truth and the Authors name might â—ly under by these uncorrect Impressions might be taken off And finding that the Copie which by providence the worthy young Gentlewoman who was his wife had lying by her though it was but Notes taken from his mouth yet was the most correct that could be found And that it also did contain the whole purposes that he had preached upon these Texts yea the whole purposes concerning Faith that he had preached according to that method proposed in the first of the Sermons formerly published This was undertaken to be revised by some who albeit none of the fittest for these imployments yet rather or nothing should be done in the businesse were conâ—tent to bestow
out that word in Isa. 65. 1. Behold me behold me O may wee not summond Angels and these twenty four Elders about the Throne to help us to wonder that ever such a command as this came forth that wee should believe on the Name of the Son of God after that wee had broken that first and primitive command That we should not eat of the forbidden tree Was not this indeed to make mercy rejoyce over judgement And O may wee not wonder at the precious oath of the everlasting Covenant whereby he hath sworn That hee delighteth not in the death of sinners What suppose yee were poor Adams thoughts when at first the Doctrine of Free-grace and of a crucified Christ Jesus a Saviour was preached unto him in Paradise What a divine surprisal was this that heaven should have preached peace to earth after that earth had proclaimed war against heaven Was not this a low step of condescendency to behold an offended God preaching peace and good will to a guilty sinner What could self-destroying Adam think of these morning and first discoveries of this everlasting Covenant Christ as it were in the morning of time giving vent to that infinite love which was resting in his bosome and precious heart before the foundation of the world was laid Wee know not whether the infinitenesse of his love the eternity of his love or the freedom of it maketh up the greatest wonder But sure these three joyned together make up a matchlesse and everlasting wonder Would any of you ask the Question What is Christ worth Wee could give no answer so suitable as this it is above all the Arithmetick of all the Angels in heaven and all the men on earth to calculate his worth all men here must be put to a divine non plus This was Iobs divinity Iob 28. 13. Man knoweth not the price of wisedome And must not Jesus Christ who is the precious object of Faith and wisedome of the Father bee a supereminent and excellent One who hath that Name of King of kings and Lord of lords not onely ingraven on his vesture which pointeth out the conspicuousnesse of his Majesty but even also upon his thigh to point out that in all his goings and motions hee proveth himself to bee higher then the Kings of the earth And howbeit the naked proposing of the object doth not convert yet if once our souls were admitted to behold such a sight as Christ in his Beauty and Majesty and to bee satisfied with the divine rayes of his transcendent glory then certainly wee should finde a blessed necessity laid upon us of closing with him for Christ hath a sword proceeding out of his precious moâ—â—h by which hee doth subject and subjugate his own to himself as well as hee hath a sword girded upon his thigh by which hee judgeth and maketh war with his enemies Wee confesse it is not only hard but simply impossible to commit a Hyperbole in commending of him His worth being alwayes so far above our expressions and our expressions alwayes so far beneath his worth therefore wee may be put to propose that desire unto him Exalt thy self O Lord above the Heavens But now to our purpose being at this time to begin our discourse upon that radicall and precious grace of Faith wee intend to speak of it under this twofold notion and consideration First We shall speak of it as it is justifying or as it doth lay hold upon the righteousnesse of a crucified Saviour makeing application of the precious promises in the Covenant of free grace which wee call justifying Faith And in the second place we shall speak a little-unto Faith as it doth lay hold upon Christs strength for advancing the work of mortification and doth discover the personal excellencies of Iesus Christ by which wee advance in the work of holinesse and divine consormity with God which wee call sanctifying Faith However it is not to bee supposed that these are different habits of Faith but different acts flowing from the same saving habit laying hold and exercising themselves upon Christ in different respects and for diverse ends Now to speak upon the first we have made choice of these words The Apostle Iohn in the former verse hath been pointing out the precious advantages of the grace of obedience and of keeping of his commands that such a one hath as it were an arbitrary power with God and doth receive many precious returns of prayer As likewise that one who is exercised in the grace of repentance is Gods delight which is included in this that he doth these things that are well pleasing in his sight And now in these words hee doth as it were answer an objection that might bee proposed about the impossibility of attaining these precious advantages seeing his commands were so large and that hardly could they bee remembered This hee doth sweetly answer by setting down in this one verse a short compend or breviary both of Law and Gospel viz. That wee should love one another which is the compend of the Law and The we should believe on the Name of His Son which is the compend of the Gospel And by this he sheweth the Christian that there are not many things required of him for attaining these excellent advantages but if he exercise himself in the obedience of these two comprehensive commandments he shall find favour both with God and man And as concerning this precious grace of Faith Wee have 1. the advantages of it implied in the words and clear also from the scope as no doubt all the commands have infinit advantages infolded in their bosome which redounds to a Believer by his practising of them And 2. the excellency of it holden forth in the words in that it is called His command as if hee had no other command but this And the Greek particle is here prefixed which hath a great deal of emphasis and force in it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But 3. There is this also the absolute necessity of this grace holden forth here in this word His Commandment as if he would have said by proposing of this command I do set life and death before you and that ye would not conceive that it is an arbitrary and indifferent thing for you to believe or not But be perswaded of this that as an infinite advantage may constrain you to the obedience of it so absolute necessity must perswade you to act that which is of your everlasting concernment And lastly Yee have the precious Object upon which Faith which is justifying doth exercise it self and that is upon the Name of the Son of God And no doubt Faith is that excellent grace which doth elevate the soul unto a sweet and inseparable union with Christ and is that golden and precious knot that doth eternally knit the hearts of these precious friends together Faith is that grace that draweth the first draughts of Christs precious Image on our hearts and by love doth accomplish
pierced as for an only Son Yet in the beginning of the 13. Chapter he maketh mention of a Fountain opened to the house of David for sin and for uncleannesse Which may intimate unto us that although we have washed our selves with our own tears yet there is use of the bloud of Christ and that we must bee washed in that fountain even from our own righteousnesses which are but as filthy rags Thirdly Consider that great and monstrous sinfulness that is in this sin of unbeleif we will strain at a gâ—at but many will easily swallow down this Camel we will tith Mint and Anise and fast twice in the week but neglect faith and love and judgment which are the weightier things of the Law And indeed there are these things which speak out the sinfulnesse of unbelief 1. That when the holy Ghost is sent to convince the world of sin Ioh. 16. 9. he pitched upon this sin as though there were no other sin of which the world had need to be convinced He will convince the world of sin because they believe not on the Son of God and no doubt there is more sinfulnesse in that sin than in many breaches of the Morall Law it being a sin against matchlesse love and against that which is the remedy of sin 2. That it is called by way of eminency disobedience as is clear from Heb. 4. 11. Lest any of you fall after the same example of unbelief or as the word may be rendered Lest any of you fall after that example of disobedience Eph. 2 2. 3. That among all these that shall be eternally excommunicate from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power these that are guilty of this sin of unbelief they are put in the first place Rev. 21. 8. And 4. that unbelief doth contradict and deny these three precious and cardinall Attributes of God 1. Doth not unbelief contradict his faithfulnesse and make him a liar 1 Ioh. 5. 10 2. Doth it not contradict the infinitenesse of his power And 3 the infinitenesse of his love and supposeth that there is something too hard for him which his power cannot reach nor his infinite love overcome We may reduce many of our questions and disputings of his good will to this original viz. to the disputing of his power No doubt if we belong to him we shall once sing that note of lamentation over our unbelief This is our infirmity for changes are from the right hand of the most High And lastly to enforce this precious command of Faith consider that it is His Command which speaketh forth this that we must not take an indulgence or dispensation to our selves to believe or not to believe at our pleasure And is it not a strange thing that Christians are lesse convinced of the breaches of the Commandements of Faith then of other commands They think misbelief to be but a Zoar a little sin And it proceedeth either from this that the convictions of other sins as the neglect of prayer or the sin of swearing or committing adultery do arise from a natural conscience for there is somewhat of natures light to make us abominate and hate them when yet the light of nature will not lead us to the convictions of the sinfulnesse of misbelief it being a Gospel and more spiritual sin Or it proceedeth from this that unbelief doth ordinarily passe vail'd under the vizard of some refined vertue as humility and tendernesse though that rather it may be said that it is pride and ignorance cloathed with the garments of humility And no doubt Christ doth account it obedience to this Commandement of Faith the greatest act of humility as is clear from Rom. 10. 3. where it is called submission they submitted not to the righteousnesse of God Or else it proceedeth from this that we conceive that the commandment of Faith is not of so large extent as other commands and so doth not bind us to the obedience of â—t But know this that it shall be the condemnation of the world that they have not believed on the Name of the Son of God And no doubt but it is Sathans great design and cardinall project to keep us back from obedience to the commandement of Faith and that we should not listen to the precious promises of this everlasting Gospel but should reject the counsel of God against our selves and refuse his precious and divine call The second previous consideration that we would give shall bee to show you what are the causes that there is so much disputing of our interest and so little beleiving that we are unstable as water marring our own excellency spending so much of our time in walking under a cloud and are so seldom admitted to read our names iâ— these precious and eternall records of heaven No doubt these things have influence upon it viz. 1. That we are more judging of God by his dispensations then by Hiâ— word supposing ever the change of his dispensations to speak forth the change of ouâ— state This is misbeliefs divinity that wheâ— sense cannot read love in his face but he appeareth to frown and to cast a cloud oveâ— it then it is presumption saith sense tâ— read love in his heart or in his word Buâ— know it was a self denying practice of Believing Iob to cry out Though he shoulâ— kill me I will believe in him Thereforâ— make not dispensations your Bible other wise ye will stumble at the noon-ride of thâ— day and shall halt in your way Knew yâ— never what such a thing as this meaned to ascend in overcoming thoughts of his love notwithstanding any thing that his dispensations might preach We conceive that if the eyes of our faith were opened we might see infinite love engraven on the darkest acts and most dismal-like dispensations of his to us though it bee oftentimes written in dark and â—im characters of sense 2 There is this likewise which hath inâ—â—uence upon our so much disputing and misbelieving viz. a guilty conscience and the â—ntertainment of some predominant lust which oftentimes occasioneth our walking in darknesse and having no light This is â—lear from 1 Tim. 1. 19. where that precious â—ewel of Faith can bee holden in no other place but in a pure conscience that is that â—oyal palace wherein it must dwell And â—o doubt if once wee make shipwrack of a â—ood conscience wee will erre concerning our â—aith A bosome idol when it is intertained â—oth exceedingly mar the vigorous exercise â—f these graces which are evidences of our faith And certainly grace rather in its â—egrees than in its sincerity or simple being onely is that which giveth the clear evidence of Faith Therefore when we find not love â—â— its high and eminent actings wee hardly win to make it any clearly concluding demonstration of our Faith 3. As likewise a bosome idol when it is â—ntertained maketh use to lose much of our â—igh esteem and reputation of Jesus Christ which
upbraideth then because of their unbelief and then that danger followeth to wit hardnesse of heart this is clear also from Act. 19. 9. Where these two sister devils are conjoyned and locked together unbelief and hardnesse of heart because it is unbelief indeed that hindereth all the graces by which the grace of tendernesse must be maintained V. There is this disadvantage in the sin of unbelief that it is big with childe of apostacy from God and of defection from him according to that word Heb. 3. 12. Beware lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief and there the fruit of it to depart from the living God And certainly it is no wonder that unbelief travel in birth till that cursed childe of Apostacy be brought forth not onely because of this that an unbelieveâ— loseth the thoughts of the excellency of Christ but also because he increaseth in his thoughts of love towards his idols for Christ doth decrease in those who misbelieve and their idols do increase in their love and in their desires and in their estimation VI. There is this sixth disadvantage in the sin of unbelief it hindereth the communication of many signall workings and tokens of the love and favour of the most High according to that sad word that is in Mat. 13. 58. at the close He could not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief Unbelief as it were laid a restraint on Christ that he could not effectuaâ—e these things which he was willing to perform And to shut up our discourse at this time I would only adde these two aggravations which may somewhat enforce what we have spoken I say there are these two aggravations in the sin of unbelief even in his own who have a right and also his call to believe 1. That after Christ hath given most sensible discoveries of himself Wherein yee have seen him as it were face to face yet wee will not believe this is clear from Ioh. 6. 36. Though ye have seen me saith Christ yet yee do not believe in me There is not a manifestation of Christs presence but it is a witnesse against you because of your unbelief Would ye heat the voice of sense that is rectified It is this believe on the Son of God Secondly That notwithstanding of the signal demonstrations of the power of Christ yet though it were the mortifying of some lust and idol within them yet they will not believe but upon new temptations will doubt of his love to them Christ preacheth faith by his Word He preacheth faith by His fufferings He preacheth faith by his dispensations He preacheth faith by his promises he preacheth faith by his rods and if these five instruments will not ingage your hearts to believe what can move them Do not his two wounds in his precious hands preach out this point of Faith believe him Doth not that hole opened in his side preach this Doctrine That we should believe in him And these two wounds that he received in his precious feet do they not preach this That we should believe on a crucified Saviour And we would only say this that sometime it is the case of his own that after the convictions of this that it is their duty to believe and also after some desires to close with Christ yet they find inability to close with him Is it not certain that to will to believe is sometime present with you but how to perform ye know not And I would have a Christian making this foursold use of such a dispensation as that which is most ordinarily when convictions of our duty to believe and some desires to close with Christ is not followed with actual performances 1. To study to have your convictions more deeply rooted within you for it doth sometimes follow that resolutions and minâ—s to believe are not blest with actual believing because the conviction of our duty to believe is not deeply imprinted upon your conscience 2. Be convinced of that desperate enimity and that mystery of iniquity that is within you that yee can have some will to do without ability to perform Wee confesse it is not an ordinary disease in these days to have such a contrariety betwixt a Christians will and his practice our will for the most part being no better then our practice But sometime it is which may make you cry forth O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death 3. That ye would be much in the imploying of Christ that as hee hath given you to will so also hee might make you to do Christ is about to convince his own in such a dispensation as that That faith is the gift of God Faith is so noble a grace that it cannot be spinned out from our resolutions nor from our endeavours Faith is such a divine plant as the Fathers right hand must plant in our souls 4. Let it convince you of the excellency of the grace of Faith for the difficulty of attaining to any thing may speak out the excellency of that thing there is no sin but it may be easily win at There is an easinesse and facility to overtake the paths of our idols but the graces of the Spirit are so excellent things that wee must fight before we attain them And you who are strangers to Christ Iesus and have never known what â—t is to close with him wee would request you in Christs Name to be reconciled to him What know ye O men or rather Atheists but this shall bee the last summonds that yee shall get to believe And that because yee disobey this precious summonds there shall be one presented to you that yee cannot sit I remember of one man who looking upon many thousands that were under his command weeped over them when he considered how that within a few years all these should be laid in their graves and should be in eternity O but it were much of our concernment to bee trying our selves how it is with us We are not afraid that it is a breach of charity to wish that but one of each ten that are within these doors were heirs of the grace of life and had the solide and spiritual expectation of heaven I think if Christ were to come presently to speak to us hee might not onely say to each twelve that are here One of you shall betray me but wee are afraid that hee would say to each twelve that are here Eleven of you shall betray mee and but one only shall passe free O doth it not concern you to enquire where ye shall rest at night when the long shadows of the everlasting evening shall be stretched out upon you I think there are some that are so settled upon their lies that if they were one day in hell and saw all the torments that are there and were brought from it the next day to live on earth they would not repent And more there are some that take them up
the harlot It is certain that grace when 〈◊〉 is the object of our Faith it doth provoke God to blast the lively exercise thereof and to make a Christian oftentimes have thâ—â— complaint Wo to me my leannesse my leaâ—â—esâ—â— testifieth to my face I will tell you thrâ—â— great mysteries of Christianity about grace The first is to ride marches between theâ—â— two not to deny what they have anâ— yet to bee denyed to what they have maâ—â— times there is grace-denying and not selâ— denying but this is that wee would presâ—â— upon you to bee denyed to grace according to that which is recorded of Moses his faâ—â— did shine and he knew it not hee did misâ—eâ—â— as it were and did not at all bee puffed â—â— with it for so the words wee conceive mâ—â— run Secondly it is a great difficulty fâ—â— a Christian to bee denied to his self denial 〈◊〉 â—ee humble in â—his being humble for if priâ—â— â—â—n have no other foundation it will build â—â— self upon humility and a Christian will â—â—ow proud in this that hee is growing humble Thirdly It is a difficultie for a Christian to examine his growing in grace and not bee puffed up It is certain a Christian ought to examine his growth in grace humbly according to that Psal. 63. 8. My â—â—ul followeth hard after thee thy right hand â—â—holdeth mee Hee doth not only take notice â—f this that his soul did follow after God â—ut of the measure of that pursuit my soul â—â—lloweth hard after thee and yet sweetly acknowledgeth it was not his own feet which â—â—rried him nor his own hand that kept him â—â—om falling 3. Yee are not to build your Faith upon â—our works and upon the righteousnesse â—f the Law I need not stand long to reâ—ure â—â—at practicall Popery that is amongst us â—â—at thinketh wee can go to heaven through 〈◊〉 Covenant of Works I told you not long â—â—â—e what your going to heaven through Covenant of Works speaketh even this â—â—râ—id blasphemy That it was an act of â—onstruous folly to send Christ to die for â—â—ers for if you can go to heaven withâ—â—t him was not Christ then crucified in 〈◊〉 And I would tell you now that â—â— is speaketh out your damnable ignorance 〈◊〉 the weaknesse and deceitfulnesse of your â—â—n hearts O yee that are so great deâ—â—ders of Salvation by the Covenant of â—orks I beseech you What is the reaâ—â—â— that yee break the Covenant of Works oftner then any for there is none thâ— thinketh they will go to heaven this way but these that are the greatest breakers of thâ— Covenant of Works And is not that inconsistent and most contradictory divinity yoâ—â— faith contradicting your practice and youâ— practice telling you that your faith is a lie Fourthly We must not mix our owâ— righteousnesse with Christ as the object oâ— our believing This is indeed an evill thaâ— often lodgeth in the bosome of the most refined hypocrite when Satan cannot prevaâ—â— to exclude Christ altogether then he is content with that whorish woman to divide thâ— childe and let the object of our faith be haâ— Christ and half of self And the truth iâ— many of these poor unwise sons who stâ—â— long in the place of the breaking forth â—â— children do willingly hearken to this oveâ—ture for fear it be presumption for such poâ—â— wretches to meddle too boldly with the righteousnesse of Christ but it were good sucâ— weak ones would consider that word Râ—â— 10. 2. where the Holy Ghost calleth thâ— making use of His righteousnesse an act â—â— submission They have not submitted saith hâ—â— unto the righteousnesse of Christ. O will yâ—â— not lay this to heart that our Lord will taâ—â— your believing or your putting on his righteousnesse for an act of great humility aâ—â— will take your misbelief as a marvelous act 〈◊〉 the highest pride and presumption Fifthly We are not to make providencâ— the object of our faith I know there â—â— some that ask the ground of their right 〈◊〉 heaven they will tell us that God hath been â—ind to them all their dayes I would only â—ay to such He may be feeding you unto the day â—f slaughter and no man knoweth love or hatred â—â—y any thing that is before him This much of â—he object of Faith negatively And now to speak to it positively we see â—he Text holdeth out Christ himself as that excellent and compleat object of Faith This â—s his Commandement that we believe on the â—ame of his Son and thus Faith closeth with Christ in a fourfold consideration First It â—oseth with God in Christ not with God immediatly and nakedly for hee dwelleth in â—â—ght inaccessible that no man can approach unto He is higher then the heaven what can we do â—nd deeper then hell what can we know Job 11. â—herefore wee must approach unto Him â—hrough a vail even the vail of Christ His â—esh Heb. 10 God is a consuming fire and of â—â—rer eyes then that he can behold iniquity and therefore we must first cast our eye upon that â—essed Days-man that laid his hand upon us â—â—th and look upon God as in Christ reconâ—ling the world to himself and so draw near â—nto him through a Mediator who is the first â—â—d the last and he that liveth and was dead â—â—d is alive for evermore able to save to the â—termost all that come unto God by Him â—eing he liveth for ever to make intercessiâ—n for them Secondly Faith closeth with â—hrist as tendered freely in a Covenant of â—omise We could have had nothing to do â—â—th Christ if he had not been given of the â—ther and offered himself in a free Covenant of promise but he being thus holdeâ— forth upon tearms of free love which dotâ— utterly abominat hyre and so nodle a proclamation issued forth under the great seâ— of Heaven That whosoever will may come anâ— drink of the water of life freely Upon thâ—â— the poor creature draweth near by vertue 〈◊〉 a right and stretching out the armes of moâ—â— enlarged affections doth run upon him witâ— that joyful shout My Lord and my God anâ— then maketh an absolute resignation of it seâ— unto him which is holden out in the Scripture by that sweet expression of kissing 〈◊〉 the Son And there are three parts of Chrisâ— blessed Body that the Christian must endeavour to kisse and imbrace the mouth â—â— Christ the hand of Christ and the feet â—â— Christ the kissing of his feet importing thâ— exercise of love the kissing of his hands thâ— exercise of subjection and the kissing of hâ—â— mouth the exercise of communion and fellowship with him Thirdly Faith closeâ— with Christ as the purchaser and meritorious cause of all the good we receive He is the person that hath purchased all these thiâ—â— unto us and there is not one blink of lovâ— there is not the smallest enjoyment that Christian meeteth with but it is the price the blood of Christ Christs precious bloâ— was laid down
for it Fourthly Faith â—â—seth with Christ as the efficient and workâ— of all our mercies all our enjoyments thâ—â— are far from him as the efficient cause that He is the worker of all these things in 〈◊〉 it is his precious fingers that must accomplish that blessed work of grace and they are from Christ as the dispenser of these things Christ is the great Steward of Heaven that doth communicate unto Believers all the Treasures of the Higher House For Him hath God the Father sealed O but that word that Christ once spake is much verified by Himself It is more blessed to give then to â—eciâ—ve Christ is that fountain and treasure 〈◊〉 whom all our gifts and graces are treasured â—p for before the blessing come to Believers â—hey come to Christ as the Head according â—o that word 2 Tim. 1 9. Which grace was â—iven to us in Him before the foundations of the â—orld were laid It was given to Christ beâ—â—e the world was made and for that end â—â—at it might be communicate unto all his â—embers and so out of His fulnesse we all â—eive and grace for grace But secondly The Text holdeth forth â—ore particularly this excellent object of â—â—th to be the Name of his Son That ye â—â—ieve in the Name of his Son And here â—â—eed we may be at a stand It is long â—â—ce Agur did non plus all the world â—â—th that question What is his Name and â—â—at is his Sons Name if thou canst tell â—â—ow little a thing can be known of Him â—â—d O how brutish is this generation that â—â—w so much lesse then might be known Him in such a day of the Gospel But â—t we may speak a little according to our â—â—k measure of Faith as closing with the â—â—e of Christ. His Name is His glorious â—â—â—uâ—es by which he revealeth so much of Himself in the Scriptures as poor mortals can take up Wee did shew you before that there was three of these that were the main pillars of justifying Faith Faithfulnesse Omnipotency and His infinite Love and Mercy And how from these may bee answered all the objections of sense of câ—rnall reason and of misbelief arising from convictions of unworthinesse And certain it is that Faith in all its conflicts maketh much use of the Names of Christ. And there is not an objection that a poor tempted soul can make but Faith can frame an answer to it out of some of these excellent Nameâ— of God or of his Son Christ. It would bee a more longsome work then I intend to let you see this in all But I shall onely instance in that One glorious Name of God by which he proclaimeth his glory Exod. 34. The Lord the Lord God mercifull and gracious long suffering and abundant in goodnesse and truthâ— Keeping mercy for thousands forgiving iniquitâ— transgression and sin and that will by no meanâ— clear the guilty c. I think there are seveâ— ordinary objections which may bee answereâ— from that place First It is an ordinarâ— objection which misbelievers do make thâ—â— they are under the strength of their corruption that they are black as the Tents of Kedaâ— and not beautifull aâ— the Curtains of Solomon And doth not the first letter of that Namâ— answer this that he is a mercifull Lord thâ— one importing his ability to save and 〈◊〉 bring down every high imagination Thâ— other importing his infinite delight to hâ—â— those who have no strength and are under the power of their adversaries the power of God being of no larger extent then his love There is that second objection of misbelief that wee have nothing to commend us to Christ But all that wee have to boast of are infirmities and imperfections And this is abundantly answered from that second letter of his Name that he is Gracious which importeth the freedom of the dispensations of his love that hee walketh nor with us according to that rule of merit but according to that golden and excellent rule of Love It is a great dispute whether Mercy or Grace be the greatest wonder Whether the love of Christ or the freedom of it bee the greatest mystery Sure both these put together make up a matchlesse wonder Thirdly Misbelief will object that wee have forsaken him dayes without number and that wee cannot trace back our apostasie unto the first day of its rise And is not that abundantly answered from that letter of his Name that hee is long suffering This being that Glorious attribute in God the glory of which hee desireth to magnifie above all his Name Fourthly Misbelief doth ordinarily propose this objection that wee have multiplied our transgressions and have committed whoredoms under every green tree and have given gifts to our lovers even hyring our idols So that wee may take up that lamentation is not our sin great and our transgression infinit And is not that also answered from that letter of his Name that hee is abundant in goodnesse That though sin abound in us yet grace doth much more superabound in him Wee confesse indeed that there are some that may walk under that condition that if they had no other exercise throughout eternity but to make confession they might confesse and never make any needlesse repetition And truely in some respect it is a mercy that we are mysteries unto our self for if wee did know compleatly the seven abominations of our hearts and those mysterious actings of the body of death we would be in hazard to choise strangling and death rather then life Yet may not one glimpse of that abundant goodnesse satisfie us and calm the storm Fifthly Saith misbelief wee know that we have broken our Vowes and Covenants with God and that all these things that wee have taken on have been but as flax before the fire of tentation so that wee have no hope that he will have mercy upon these that have broken wedlock and have not been stedfast in his Covenant But is not that abundantly answered from that letter of His Name That hee is abundant in truth which speaketh That though wee deny our selves yet he abideth faithfull and doth not alter the word that hath gone out of his mouth It is the infinite blessednesse of man that though hee bee changeable yet they have to do with one that is an unchangeable being Sixthly There is that objection That notwithstanding all these things are matters of encouragement to some yet they know not whether or not the lot of everlasting love have fallen upon them And whether their names be in the ancient records of Heaven But this is answered from that letter of His Name hee keepeth mercy for thousands which sheweth us that great number of those upon whom the lot of everlasting love shall fall And if there were no other sentence in all the Scripture â—his might be a sufficient matter of a Song and might make us cry out Who is like unâ—o him whose compassions have no end And who desires to
with Christ when they are inviteâ— to come and partake of it And say silently â—o the Minister or rather to their own conâ—ciences I pray you have me excused at this â—ime as these Luk. 14. 18. But I would only ask at such have ye any lawfull excuse why ye will not come and partake of this Great Salvation Is there any person here that hath any lawfull excuse to present I shall never take that off your hand Have me excused But be sure of this I shall never excuse you but accuse you Therefore I desire that these persons who have slighted the Great Salvation by complementing with Christ that they would complement no more wiâ—h Him at all But now imbrace it IV. The fourth sort of persons who slight this Great Salvation are these who give way to discouragements and unbelief so that they will not come and partake of this Great Salvation I say such of you are slighters of it and Christ will esteem you such Oh if ye knew the worth and vertue of this Great Salvation there would not be a tentation you could meet with â—hat would hinder you from imbracing it but if thou could not answer these â—emptations thou would not own them I say unto such undervaluers and slighters of the Great Salvation as discouraged persons And these who stay long in the place of the breaking forth of children thaâ— when ye cannot answer your objections which hinder you from closing with Christ I intreaâ— you disown them as if you heard them not Say â—â—e Think ye this lawfull I say it is both lawfull and expedient for it was the practicâ— of believing Abraham Hee considered not 〈◊〉 own body being dry as an old stick Nor thâ— deadnesse of Sarahs womb Hee did not consâ—der these things which might have been objections to keep him from believing Heâ— might have started at these two objections Alas I am old and that objection could heâ— not answer And my wife is past child heaâ—â— neither could hee answer that objectionâ— What then did hee with them Hee slighteâ— them both and considered them not Secondly I would say this to you who thuâ— slight it because of discouragements If yeâ— did know the worth of the Great Salvatioâ— which is in this Gospel redemption that is offered unto you although ye had an Army oâ— objections to go through yee would go through them all To get a drink of the wateâ— of this well of Bethlehem V. The fifth sort of persons who slighâ— this Great Salvation are these who wilâ— not do so much as take care and give painâ— to hear this Great Salvation offered unto them for there are some persons who iâ— they come to the Church desire to sit farrest off and so never take care to hear a worâ— of this Great Salvation And such are dreadfull slighters of it Like unto these mentioned Ier. 6. 10. To whom shall I speak anâ— give warning that they may hear Behold their ear is uncircumised and they cannot hearken Isa. 28. 12. But they would not hear Jeâ—â— 7. 10. Who say we are delivered to do all thesâ— abominations yet they did come and stanâ—â— before him in the House which was called by his Name VI. Sixthly These persons are slighters of this Great Salvation who when they hear it are no more nay not so much affected with it â—hen if they were telling unto them the most senslesse history of Thomas the Rymer or some other old fable Like unto these mentioned Ier. 6. 10. The word of the Lord is unto them a reproach they have no delight in it I would pose you all as in the sight of the Author of this Great Salvation men or women did you ever set your selves or took ye ever pains to bring up your hearts to the love of this Great Salvation Was it ever the rejoycing of your hearts that Christ dyed and rose again I do certainly believe it and I am perswaded that there are decrees past in Heaven against many of you That in hearing ye shall hear but not understand and in seeing ye shall see and shall not perceive For God hath made your hearts harder then the Flint or Adamant so that ye shall refuse to return when he doth exhort you Believe me if I may so speak I think there is as much probability that the stones in the wall would hear if we would speak to them as soon as many of you VII Seventhly These persons are slighters of the Great Salvation who did never complain that they wanted a right to this Great Salvation I hope some of you are now convinced that ye never came within the compasse of this Great Salvation I say yet unto you if ye did never spend one houâ— in secret weeping and lamenting because yâ— had not a righâ— to this Gospel Redemptionâ— it is but too probable you never haâ— yet â— right to it Yea know it that such of you would little care to let precious Christ deparâ—â— without any grief of heart I think if thiâ— were voiced within this house to day whether or not shall Christ go and depart I doubâ— if there would be many Heart dissâ—nters though many Tongue dissenters Oh I fear there would be many hearts here saying O Christ depart and go thy way yea there are many Gadarens here who prefer their â—ine and swine to precious Christ and would beâ—eech him to go out of their coasts VIII Eightly These persons slighâ— the Great Salvation who never took painâ— to engage their hearts to take hold of Christ and the Gospel Christ is near to you this day The Great salvation is near to you and is now even now offered unto you Therefore are there any who will take pains to lay hold on it I obtest you all who are here by the beauty and excellency of him who is the Author of this Great salvation that ye come and partake of it I obtest you by all the joyes of heaven that ye imbrace this Great salvation I obtest you by all the â—errous in hell that ye imbrace it I obtest you by the promises of the everlasting Covenant that ye imbrace it I obtest you by all the curses which are written in this Book of the Covenant that ye imbrace it I obtest you by the love ye owe to your immortall souls that ye would once be wise and come and partake of the Great salvation May I now have it saith thou Yea I say unto you all ye may have it to day ye may be partakers of it before ye go hence And so before I proceed any further I do in the Name and Authority of him who sent me here to day and is the Author of this Great Salvation freely offer it unto you Therefore take it off my hand embrace this Great Salvation offered to you to day But I know there will be eight sorts of humors within this house to day in relation to this Great Salvation which now is offered unto you 1. I think
not to be found in this is there not peace to be found through this Salvation is there not liberty to be found through this Salvation is there not eternal enjoyment of God to be found through this Salvation yea all Salvations are in this one Salvation Lastly It is a royal Salvation for it cometh to us from and through the Son of God Christ is the Author of it and we conceive Christ may be said to be the Author of this Salvation in these respects 1. He is the meritorious cause that did procure it it was the price of his bloud that was laid down for to purchase this Great Salvation 2. He is the fountain from whence it floweth according to that word which we have cited Heb. 5. 9. He became the Author of eternal Salvation 3. He is the person that fitteth our spirits for partaking of it and it is he that removeth mountains out of the way that we may have fair accesse unto the Great Salvation 4. It is he that must perswade our hearts to imbrace and take hold of it He standeth without and cryeth in to the heart to imbrace the Great Salvation And he standeth within making thy heart cry out Content I will imbrace the Great Salvation He is indeed the person that commendeth 〈◊〉 and doth point forth this Great Salvation unto us He is the noble Minister of it it began first to be preached by him Now Is there any of you that have fallen in love with the Great Salvation that ye may try your selves I shall give you some evidences of the persons that are near unto this Great Salvation 1. Is thy estimation of the Great Salvation increased be what it was in the morning when thou came hiâ—her Is thy estimation of the great Gospel Salvation a foot higher then it was in the morning I say unto thee thou are not far from the Great Salvation Come away 2. Is thy desire after the Great Salvation increased be what it was in the morning Hath thou stronger desires after the Great Salvation then before thou came hither that is an evidence thou art not far from it 3. Is thy thoughts of thy necessity of the Great Salvation greater then they were Thinketh thou that thou hast more need of the Great Salvation then ever thou thoughtâ—st before And is thy opinion and thoughts of saving thy self lesse then they were before thou camest hitheâ— Art thou forced to cry out none but Christ can save me I say thou art not far from the Great Salvation Will thou come away O that ye would once seal this conclusion with much heart â—eswasion I am undone without Christ I am undone without Christ who is the Author of the Great Salvation Are there any of you that are sensible that ye are in the fetters of sin and in the bonds of iniquity Are ye brought to the conviction of this that ye are yet in the gall of bitternesse I say if thou be brought to this length to be sensible of thy bonds and art crying out O Redeemer hasten and come away I say If thou be sensible of thy bonds and imprisonment and crying out O thou that was anointed from eternity to proclaim liberty to the captives and the opening of the prison to them that are bound O hasten and come away and redeem me even poor me sinking sinning perishing self destroying me thou art not far from the Great Salvation 4. Art thou a person who beginneth to weep because thou hast been so long a stanger to Christ and the Great Salvation Old men that are here how long have ye been strangers to the Great Salvation and to the Author of it Now will ye shed one tear for your estrangement and cry out Wo is me that Christ and I have been so long asunder I say if thou hast come that length thou art not far from the Great Salvation Come away O pity your selves make hast make hast and come away But now in the third place let me give you some evidenceâ— by which ye may know more clearly whither or no ye have imbraced this Great Salvation that ye may know your selves and that ye walk not down to your grave with a lie in your right hand The first evidence of a person that hath imbraced the Great Salvation is that he wilâ— have a high esteem of the Saviour and Author of the Great Salvation Hast thou â—â— matchlesse esteem of matchlesse Christ thâ— Saviour of the world that is a speaking evidence unto thee thou art a partaker of thâ— Great Salvation Art thou come this length that thou cryeth out none but Christ non but Christ It is a speaking evidence that thou art come to be a partaker of the Great Salvation when thou can cry out that word Exâ—d 15. 2. The Lord is my strength and my song â—he alone is become my salvation if Christ hath become thy Salvation then it is like he hath become thy Song I would ask this at you Were ye ever brought this length that ye durst noâ— adventure to praise Christ your alone but was forced to call in all the creatures and say O magnifie the Lord with me O that is an evidence that ye have imbraced his Salvation Secondly These who have imbraced the Great Salvation will study to maintain and keep their grips of it they will study to hold fast so precious a Jewel this is prest Gal. 5. ver 1. Stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free yea they will study to walk suitably to this noble mercy at least they will strive and endeavour to do it as is also prest in that same verse I say if thou hast been made a partaker of the Gospel of Salvation thou wilt strive to keep thy self from the power of these things that once triumphed over thee Thirdly A person that is a partaker of the Great Salvation will have a high esteem of this mercy and Salvation so Paul when he speaketh of it here he cannot but put some note of excellency to it calling it the Great Salvation Therefore I say if thou hast imbraced the Great Salvation thou wilt have so high esteem of it that not to be so subjected to it as thou should or to be in subjection to the power of thy lust in any measure will be his burden and afflâ—ction The man will be sorry when he is brought forth from the house of his bondage unto the Red sea he will be sorry that when he should have songs of triumph over his idols put in his mouth that they should sing songs of triumph over him Fourthly A person that hath imbraced the Great Salvation he will be longing sometimes for the day when this Salvation shall be compleat when he shall sing that song with thaâ— numerous multitude which cannot be numbered Rev. 7 vers 9. O what a day shall it be when thou shall begin to sing that song After this saith he I beheld and lo a great multitude of