holiness the external acts of grace may be so imitated that no man can discern the difference though ordinarily the conversation of the saints be better than the conversation of other men yet others may attend the external part of godliness as much as any saint for 't is not grace that gives men power to do that which is externally good nature gives men the power to do the action and grace gives men power to do it in a right manner and for a right end and the corruption in natural men be strong to hinder them from the external acts of Religion yet that may be over-ruled natural men have a power to do the external duty and they may have a will too through some over-ruling consideration Paul tho a Pharisee may have a blameless conversation tho Vrith was not a faithful Priest yet he was a faithful Witness Isai 8.4 many a natural man is of chast conversation temperate in the use of meat and drink just in his dealings with men charitable to the poor strict in observing of the Sabbath he may be greatly instrumental in promoting the publick good abound in Fasting and Prayer fall in with the better party take much pains for the conversion of others yea the Apostle intimates that a man may give all his goods to feed the poor and his body to be burned and not have charity 1 Cor. 13.3 an opinion of merit is sufficient to make many men give all they have to the poor and men may suffer death in the cause of God that have no grace either from sturdiness of spirit some are men of high spirits and count it a disgrace to them to yield they scorn that others should get the day of them they will not disparage themselves nor humor their enemies so as to yield to them or from confidence of their salvation lotting upon it that if they dye in such a cause they shall surely go to heaven 2. They may attain unto great religious frames many carnal men have had very strong pangs of affection their hearts may overflow in a religious way many that have no principle of grace have had great impressions on their hearts from the Word of God the hearts of natural men have been considerably engaged in the wayes of God the Gallatians many of whom Paul was afraid of were formerly greatly affected with the Gospel Gal. 4.15 he that was not prepared to go thorow sufferings tells Christ in a pang he will follow him whither soever he goes Luk. 9.57 58. Saul has a great pang because God had wrought salvation in Israel 1 Sam 11.13 they sang Gods praise that soon forgat his works Ps 106.12 13. men may receive the word with joy yet not hold out in a day of persecution Mat. 13.21 men may bewail their miscarriages tho their hearts be not mended 1 Sam. 26.21 men may delight in Religion that are not sincere in it Job 27.9 10. men may abominate some sins though none be mortified 1 Chron. 21.6 the Kings word was abominable unto Joab men may be full of zeal that are strangers unto Christ Phil. 3.6 these pangs and religious frames are nothing else but the various workings of an enlightned conscience and self-love some men are enlightned to see their danger in a way of sin and the hopes of blessedness in a way of returning to God God puts a light into the mind whereby men come to see their present danger and hell and eternity and wrath seem real things unto them and after a while God gives many of them some special encouragements of the possibility of salvation natural men are sometimes under a common conviction of the glory of God a natural man is capable of some discoveries that way and these convictions work upon that natural principle of self-love and hence arise that fear joy hope thankfulness that many natural men do experience all those religious frames and dispositions that are in natural men are nothing else but the various shapings of self-love the same principle of self-love which made them before to follow the World and their pleasures does after conviction make them seek after holiness Christ and salvation 3. They may continue in the practice of Religion all their dayes tho many times they do not but fall away sometimes to Heresie sometimes to Prophaness and ordinarily if they live long they grow sapless and unsavoury so as to have little relish of Religion upon their hearts and generally those taâ—ls which they have had of the good Word of God are lost after a while so as to have no enlivening impression on the heart these affections which sometime were in them wither away yet without question many of them do continue in the practice of Religion as long as they live if they may continue in the practice of Religion one year why not seven why not twenty why not as long as they live love of credit a compliance with the custom of the place where they live the workings of natural conscience may have such an influence upon them as to make them continue in the practise of Religion Christ indeed sayes of some that they believe for a time and in time of temptation fall away Luk. 8.13 but his meaning is that it is commonly so but experience shews that a temporary Faith may live under persecution all false Faith indeed may be called temporary because it is subject to perish in time it is not built upon such a foundation as to make it stand against all temptations true Faith is built upon firm foundations the power mercy and faithfulness of God and the perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ and in these things there is a bottom for Faith in the dismallest times that may come here is that which will answer all temptations 2 Thess 2.16 but a false Faith is built upon failing foundations the goodness of his frames mistakes about the love of God and hence his faith may fail though I know no condition that a false heart can be brought into except one wherein he may not continue to believe he may continue to believe under great afflictions from the hand of God under great persecutions from men in a dying day indeed if God do discover to him what an heart he has and shew him the plague of that his false Faith will die away for the foundation of it sc an opinion of his own goodness is taken away but yet even then he may continue in the practice of Religion 3. Let us consider what are the temptations that make men seek salvation by their own righteousness and certainly they must be great temptations that have so strong an efficacy upon the hearts of men godly men have much to do to restrain and subdue this spirit in themselves and generally convinced sinners are mightily carried away with this Spirit though God do so plainly witness against it in his Word yet multitudes of men are seeking life in this way so that we may
5. You act contrary to self-love it is every mans duty to love himself and seek his own good God commands men to prosecute their own good in a way of subordination to his glory God allows no man to ruine himself but requires them to seek their own wellfare all their days Mat 6.20 and indeed what ever sin a man commits he acts contrary to the rule of self-love all sin is hurtful and not beneficial to men but in a peculiar manner they act contrary to this rule in rejectin of Christ for therein they refuse a tender of blessedness God in the Gospel is offering salvation unto them if they will but accept of Christ they shall immediately be made heirs of blessedness so that in refusing Christ they reject at once all the glory of heaven and the great fruits of Christs purchase that they might enjoy here in this world they are enemies to themselves put away salvation from themselves you act in this thing like a deadly enemy to your own soul if a man that were poysoned should refuse an antidote if he that was condemned should refuse a pardon would they not be therein enemies to themselves so are you in refusing Christ Prov. 8.36 all they that hate me love death 6. You hereby hinder your selves from doing any thing that is good from doing any thing in obedience to God by neglecting of Christ you keep your selves in a way of disobedience the rejecting of Christ is the reason why you live an unspiritual life your neglecting to come to Christ makes you neglect every other spiritual duty you may perform indeed many external duties and attain unto inward affections but you will never do any duty in a spiritual and acceptable manner until you come to Christ faith in Christ is the first act of obedience that any sinner does perform that man that don't believe don't love God mourn for sin aright nor seek the glory of God it is faith that purifies the heart Acts 15.9 it is by faith that a man first gives up himself to be Gods servant so that by neglecting to believe you bring your selves under a necessity of neglecting every other spiritual duty this is the reason that whatever you do in religion is done in hypocrisie 2. You may see the greatness of this sin in not coming to Christ from the fountain from whence it does proceed in secure sinners it flows nextly from a contempt of salvation their eyes are dazied with the glory of the world they are unsensible of eternal things they regard not the end and therefore it is no wonder that they do not regard the means but in awakened sinners the neglect of coming to Christ arises from these two things 1. Pride This way of salvation by Christ don't fuit their proud spirits God has chosen such a way of life as suits his glorifying his grace but it does not suit with their naughty hearts this way wherein God carries away all the glory don't please them and hence it is that they are striving by all ways they can devise to find out some other method wherein they may have salvation they don't like it to be so much beholden unto God but would fain find something in themselves to glory in hence they have an opposition of spirit to comming unto Christ John 5.40 you will not come to me that you may have life it is not meerly from weakness but from pride and sturdiness of spirit that they don't come unto Christ 2. From their not believing the testimony of God he tells them plainly that there is righteousness enough for them in Christ that if they will come they shall be saved but they don't lay weight upon the Word of God Gods Word don't remove their doubts they are not satisfied in the preciousness of Christs righteousness nor in the riches of Gods grace nor in the stability of the covenant they do not believe the report of the Gospel Isa 53 1. and hence they don't see their way clear they are afraid to come to Christ they imagine it will be presumption they think it is a way to get a curse and not a blessing 2. The next motive is the certain ruine of all unbelievers there is nothing else to be expected if you continue to reject Jefus Christ but to be destroyed for ever the misery that will overtake you is exceeding great 't is not poverty sickness disgrace temporal death but somewhat ten thousand times worse then those this is that that the eternal state of your souls turn upon if you come not unto Christ you will fall short of everlasting blessedness and must take up your abode among Devils you are now under a possibility of enjoying the presence of God and dwelling in the highest heavens in unspeakable joy and happiness but it is all lost and gone for ever if you give not entertainment to the invitations of the Gospel and after you have spent a few days in vanity you must lye down in sorrow and have your portion in the lowest hell death will deliver you into the hands of tormenters and you shall have darkness without light pain without ease and sorrow without joy it had been better for you if you had never been born the wrath of God will lie like a talent of lead upon your soul you will have no friends to comfort you no worldly enjoyments to refresh you no hopes to support you but must set your self to bear what you cannot bear and to endure that which is in tollerable it may make ones flesh to tremble to think what miseries some in this world have endured from cruel enemies and bloody Persecuters but those miseries were but for a little time and fell nextly upon the body and they are not to be compared with those miseries that are reserved for unbelievers in another world will it not be a dreadful thing to be separated from the joyes of heaven and that glorious society that is there will it not be dreadful to dwell with the Devil and his Angels will it not be dreadful to be left to the terror of a guilty conscience the beginnings whereof here have made many men choose death rather than life will it not be dreadful to be filled brim full with the fiery wrath of God to have every limb of thy body and faculty of thy soul as full as it can hold of the indignation of the Almighty how loth will you be when it comes to to enter into this condition men would shrink into nothing if it were possible terrors will take hold upon them as waters they would fain escape out of the hands of revenging Justice how will you draw back when you see your selves upon the borders of distruction men would be glad that the Rocks would fall upon them and the hills cover them so they might but escape what will you think of it when the Devil shall lay hold of you to drag you down to hell how will you cry
our selves with an idle dream which would deceive us â—â—men are blamed in the Word of God for such confidences Isa 29.18 it is not lawful or warrantable for us to believe in that which we have not sufficient encouragement to believe in but we have not sufficient encouragement to believe in the righteousness of Christ if it be not safe to appear before God in it what can encourage us to depend upon and be satisfied in that which it is not safe to depend upon 2. If it be commanded that we believe on the righteousness of Christ then it is duty so to doe then we are bound in conscience to come unto Christ we cannot without sin stay away from Christ and therefore surely it is safe to trust in the righteousness of Christ the holy God would never make it our duty to trust in that which is not a sufficient ground of faith it were an hard lesson to be bound in conscience to do that which we could not satisfie our consciences in doing it were wildness for any man to imagine that God should command us to love that which is not lovely or to mourn for that which is not matter of sorrow or to rejoyce in that which is not matter of joy so it is to think that God should require us to trust in that which is not a ground of confidence that would be very hard for God to bind us to put our confidence in that which we could not put our confidence in except we were out of our wits if it were not safe to trust in Christs righteousness what could induce us to do it except we were under a delusion it is against nature for man to put confidence in any thing but under this notion that there is ground of confidence in it what perswasions can prevail to make men rest on that which they could not safely rest upon the Lord is a righteous God and gives no such unequal command all his commands are righteous he requires but what is equal Psal 119 138. 3. If God commands us to believe on the righteousness of Jesus Christ then we must do it upon pain of damnation if we fail thereof every sin does by Law deserve death and the continuance in the neglect of any known command does unavoidably bring death and ruine and so the neglect of this command John 3.18 He that believeth not is condemned already because be hath not believed in the Name of the only begotton Son of God certainly then it must be a safe thing to believe on Jesus Christ if there be no safety in believing there is no reason that we should be punished for not believing if there be no safety in believing in Christ then it is madness to believe in Christ and will God punish us for not acting the part of mad men it were an unreasonable thing for a man to believe in Christ if it were not safe so to do and therefore unreasonable that he should be punished for not doing of it will God damn man for not building their hopes for Heauen upon the sand will God cast a man into Hell because be will not embrace a delusion and put his confidence in a broken Reed the Lord is a righteous God and would never punish men for not believing if they had not abundant encouragement to believe the command of this holy God gives us great security in believing John 12.50 I know that his command is life everlasting OBJECTION Here it may be objected against this Argument That we are commanded by God to believe for many things and to believe in the righteousness of Christ for them which we have no certain security that we shall enjoy in a way of believing whatever we pray for we must do it believing and we must do it in the Name of Christ thus we are to believe for health for the conversion of all our Children for rain and other publick mercies so that it is no bard or unreasonable thing to be commanded to believe for that which is not sure in a way of believing neither do we want sufficient encouragement to believe though the thing we believe for be not sure to us in that way ANSWER That Act of Faith which is the condition of the Covenant of Grace is far differing from other acts of Faith that are required of us we do believe for a mercy when by a spirit of Faith we take hold of any of those encouragements which God gives us with respect to that mercy that when we are encouraged by the power of God the mercy of God the love of God to us indennite promises the redemption of Christ to rely upon God with quietness for a mercy with submission to his holy will. We do believe in God for that mercy and this we have sufficient encouragement to do though there be no certainty that we shall enjoy the mercy in that way and this God may fairly command us though he don't absolutely promise the mercy but that Faith which is the condition of the covenant of Grace does much differ from this that is an accepting of Christ and Salvation by him as offered to us and a relying on him for it according to the promise of the Gospel that this is the Faith that is required as the condition of the covenant of grace is evident because it is called a receiving of Christ justifying Faith is the receiving of the promise of the Gospel 't is a relying upon God in Christ according to the invitations of the Gospel and God would never require us to accept of an offer and rely upon him for it if it were not safe so to do how is it possible for any man to rely upon God for the making good of his offer if it were not safe so to do CHAP. VI. The seventh Argument from the Spirits assuring Men of the truth of the Gospel The eighth Argument from Gods bestowing the beginnings of Salvation on Believers here in this World. Argument 7. THat Righteousness which the Spirit of God convinces and assures men that they may safely appear before God in that they may safely appear in but the Spirit of God does convince and assure men that they may safely appear before God in the righteousness of Christ that must needs be true which the spiril convinces men to be true Satan labours to shake mens belief of this and raises doubts and questions in the heart about it and from thence we may argue probably that it is true but the spirit of God does perswade and convince men of the truth of it and establishes the heart in it and from thence may infallibly argue the truth of it In opening and declaring this Argument we may Consider 1. That many men are convinced and assured that it is fafe appearing before God in the righteousness of Christ there are some kind of perswasions about it in the hearts of many others that are bestowed partly upon the testimony of men partly
authority from none but Jesus Christ as Mediator does derive his authority from God but his authority is a sufficient warrant Mat. 17.5 hear him and hence Ministers may indifferently invite men in the name of God or Christ 2 Cor. 5.20 now then we are Ambassadors for Christ as though God did beseech you by us we pray you in Christs stead be ye reconciled to God. 3. There is no necessity that at the time of the souls closing with Christ he should be reading or hearing the call of the Gospel it is by those calls but many times they do not prevail while a man is hearing of them but afterwards sometimes it is in the very time of hearing Acts 14.1 2. Acts 2.41 but it may be as well afterwards it may be in time of prayer and often is or in meditation God does it for them that wait upon him in his Ordinances but not always in the time of Ordinances thus it is with other works of the Spirit awakening of finners comforting of Saints and Sinners Mat. 21.29 be said I will not but afterwards he repented and went. 3. There is no necessity that this closure with Christ should be wrought by the letter of the Scriptures frequently it is by some particular word but it is many times otherwise sometimes the thing is urged by a Minister according to the Scripture and God makes some sentence that he speaks effectual Acts 16.31 32. so somtimes in meditation God makes men see the general cal of the Gospel though no particular place be pitched upon thus 't is sometimes afterwards with Saints 4. There is no necessity that the particular word that draws the soul to Christ should be in the form of an invitation it is many times so as by those words Mat. 11.28 Rev. 22.17 but it may be by any other Gospel expression as by those words 1 Pet. 2.24 who bore our sins in his own body upon the Cross Isai 53.6 he was wounded for our sins and bruised for our iniquities Eph. 5.2 he hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God of a sweet smelling savour it may be wrought by any Gospel precept promise declaration God by any such word may let in a light to shew the soul the truth of the Gospel Call. From this particular we may conclude the saith of two sorts of persons to be false 1. Such as ventured at first upon Christ from that encouragement that God loved them they thought that God had a love for them either from his outward providences he smiled on them in his providences and blessed them and heard their prayers or he manifested his love to them by restraining their corruptions and keeping of them from such evil practices as others are addicted unto or else from some inward comfort that God has given them God gave them some inward comfort when they were in a sad condition and from thence they conclude the love of God and so are bold to venture themselves on Jesus Christ they have had some inward joy and that they make the foundation of their Faith and so they quite prevent Gods order they get first a faith of assurance that God loves them and then they have a saith of dependance but the particular love of God is not the foundation of our faith there is no need of knowing that in order to believing the love of God is to be cleared up by effectual calling 2 Pet. 1.10 Gods love to the soul is a secret till he does believe Eph. 1.13 after ye believed ye were sealed with the holy Spirit of promise God may reveal the love he has to a man unto some other before the man believes as the love God had to Jacoh was revealed to Rebecca but not to the man himself Gods particular love is not the foundation of Faith but the call of the Gospel 2. Such as ventured first upon Christ upon that encouragement that they loved God they found affections to God and Christ and that made them think that God meant them in the call of the Gospel that made them think that it was not presumption for them to come to Christ that made them think that God would not reject them their first encouragement rises from themselves and then in a secondary way they take encouragement from the Gospel that adds to their encouragement but this faith is a rotten faith it has not a right foundation such a faith may make men live more comfortable here but it will deceive them Rev. 3 17. 3. In the first closure with Christ there is such a light let into the Soul of the sinner that he cannot but come to Christ when he does come there is a necessity upon him to come it is thus many times very remarkable afterwards but eminently so at first before he comes he cannot come and when he does come he cannot but come the sinner has at that time such a supernatural light let into him that he is under constraints to come to Christ all the wit in hell can't perswade him to stay away where God begins to open the eyes there may be some objecting but before God has done the light is so full that the soul is carryed captive by it Ministers are required to compel men to come in Luke 14.23 that is to use compelling arguments such as when God sets the same home will compell men the light that God puts in to the soul at that time is such that he cannot withstand it it silences all his carnal reasonings stops his mouth answers his objections so that he cannot stand out any longer John 6.45 every one that has been taught and hath learned of the Father commeth unto me This I clear up from these considerations 1. All that have this inward light and teaching doe come unto Christ 't is true there is an illumination that is not effectual to work saith Mat. 13.20 2 Pet. 2.21 that light is only the irradiation of the natural understanding but there is an inward light that is always attended with faith such men as have a thorow conviction of the gospel doe ever close with it that light that is sufficient in order to saith is always efficacious the inward call of the gospel is always answered Rom. 8.30 whom he called them he also justified all those that God draws do run after him Cant. 1.4 they that know Christ will come to him John 17.35 Psal 9.10 and this shews that they cannot but come if this inward light could be resisted some would resist it among so many thousands some would refuse to come this way would not be universally successful with men of all tempers and inclinations if it did not necessitate them some or other would be found that would refuse 2. This inward light is said to come with power upon the soul it has a perswading overcoming power with it it has power to gain the will and draw the consent of the heart the gospel where the Spirit
only rules of external obedience but also of internal reaching after the glory of God labouring to do duties with an upright heart watchful against the secret motions of sin Act. 24.16 and herein do I exercise my self to have always a conscience void of offence towards God and towards man such persons as have pangs upon their hearts to walk in Gods ways and then leave off again are far from an holy life that is the spirit of a wicked man Psal 36.31 he hath left off to be wise and to do good none can be said to live an holy life but such as in a course are practising of the ways of God and it is thus where there is an inward principle of holiness tho' habitual holiness be not sufficient in order to the practise of holiness without divine assistance yet Gods ordinary manner is to assist all sorts of principles which he has put into his creatures and he has promised also special assistance unto grace so that they that have a principle of grace are walking in their ordinary course in the way of holiness Prov. 2.22 That thou mayst walk in the way of good men But though they that lead an holy life keep Gods commands in a course yet they are guilty of continual sinning against God the corruption that is in the heart of a Saint is making continual opposition unto holiness as for the external part of it many a man attends that that has not a spark of grace and there is a great deal in a Saint besides grace that helps him to observe the outward part of his duty pride covetousness slavish fear contribute much to that but there is abundance of opposition to the inward part of obedience faith love c. and though there be a course of holiness and time after time an exercise of grace yet it does not follow that the inward actings of grace are more frequent than the actings of corruption without question the case is far otherwise though grace through the special presence of God is getting forward yet there are in the heart of a Saint abundance more of the workings of pride then humility unbelief than faith earthliness than heavenly mindedness the best of the Saints have but a little strength Rev. 3.8 a Saint commits a multitude of sins every day and the actings of grace are few comparatively And besides this though he that leads an holy-life walks in Gods command in a course yet he may have some special fits of sinning as he that is wise may in a fit carry him self very foolishly so he that is godly may in a fit carry himself very sinfully a meek man may have a fit of passion as Moses had and the Father of the Faithful may have a fit of unbelief there are sometimes when godly men have strong pangs of corruption and sin does prevail not onely over grace but over conscience and respect unto their credit and every thing that stands as an impediment in the way of it corruption may overflow all its banks and for a turn a good man may carry himself very badly and some of the people of God have more of such distempered fits than others have and they do prevail to a greater height in some than in others but these are but fits the ordinary way of a Saint is a way of obedience 3. Where there is an holy life this course of walking in Gods commands is out of a gracious respect unto God there be thousands of actions that are materially good that are not formally so if they be done meerly from self-love they are not good it is necessary that they be done out of a gracious respect unto God. I rather chose so to express it then to say they must be done for the glory of God because there are some internal actings of grace wherein the soul has no end thus when God draws the heart to love him the man has no end thus when the Spirit of God makes a mans heart break for sin he has no design in it when a man sets himself to mourn for sin he has an end but when the heart is grieved for sin he cannot help it he has no design in that though he has a motive and he ever has a gracious respect unto God the glorious excellency of God has an influence upon his heart that are some duties that cannot be done but from a gracious respect unto God there are some holy actions that cannot be done but by a principle of grace as to believe in Jesus Christ to love God to hate sin another man that has not grace may imitate these but he can't do them what faith he has and love c. differs to-to genere from the faith and love that is in Saints these holy actions cannot be done but by a gracious respect unto God selvish considerations may have some influence into these as Gods love to us has some influence into our love to him but in these actions the soul is principally swayed by a gracious respect unto God Job 42.5 6. and such other acts of obedience as may be done meetly upon selvish considerations are done by him that lives an holy life principally upon spiritual considerations Mat. 10.42 yet in a subordinate way he does and may make use of selvish considerations and such as moral men are swayed by such considerations in their place are of weight God urges them in his Word as the examples of men the benefit of holiness the punishment of sin men must not condemn themselves because they have a respect unto such things in their obedience Heb. 1.7 22. From this way of Trial we may conclude three sorts of men to have no true Faith. 1. Such persons as live from time to time in disobedience unto God there be pretenders to faith that live an irreligious and carnal life if they live not in any sensual lusts yet are indulging themselves in other sins regardless of fanctifying the Sabbath neglecting prayer allow themselves in worldliness pride malice and the like James has given us the character of the faith of such men Jam. 2.26 Faith without works is dead the gospel is a doctrine according to godliness there is no more effectual means to purge away sin than faith in Jesus Christ 2 Tit 11.12 faith is an heart purifying grace Act. 15.9 those that believe Christ have salvation began in them here they are saved from the dominion of sin and therefore those men that do indulge themselves in any lust are destitute of faith whatever their pretences be whatever they tell of their comforts and discoveries they have but a shadow of faith if they had faith as a grain of mustard-seed those corruptions would be removed faith don't work by wantonness and malice and sensuality and worldliness but by love Gal. 5.6 such men dream they have faith can men believe in Christ and be servants unto Satan are men believers yet rebellious persons do men receive the grace
David has reference to these purifyings when he says purge me with hysop and I shall be clean Psal 51.7 and hence it is that we have such expressions in the Prophets he shall sprinkle many Nations Isa 52.15 I will sprinkle clean water upon you and you shall be clean Ezek. 36.25 hence also it is said of them Rev. 7.14 They had washed their Robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 4. The freedom of the manslayer at the death of the High-priest holds out the same truth he that casually slew a man was to abide in the city of refuge till the death of the High-priest and then was to return to his own city Numb 35.25 Joshua 20.6 that was to signifie to them that spiritual liberty that is proved for us by the death of Christ Christ Jesus is our High-priest Heb. 3.1 Heb 7.26 and by his death has wrought out deliverance for us Zech. 9.11 as for thee also by the blood of the covenant I have sent forth the prisoners out of the pit wherein there is no water 5. The brazen serpent was a type of this the brazen serpent was lifted up in the wilderness that they that were stung with the flying fiery serpent might look upon it and be healed Numb 21.8 9. this did shadow forth the healing vertue of Christ crucified the application of the type is made by Christ himself John 3.14 15. as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness so must the Son of man be lifted up that whosoever believeth in him might not perish but have everlasting life mind 1 A similitude between the condition of him that was stung and the sinner the venome of the serpent was very tormenting and that may be one reason why the serpents are called fiery because this poyson burnt like fire thus it is with the guilty sinner his heart is full of perplexing sorrow and he is tormented with the fiery darts of the Evil One. 2. There is a similitude between the lifting up of the brazen serpent and the manner of Christs death therefore his death is set forth by that phrase of being lifted up that phrase notes his sufferings Joh. 8.28 when ye have lift up the Son of man then ye shall know that I am he John 12.32 33. and if I be lifted up from the earth I will draw all men unto me this he said signifying what death he should dye 3. There is a similitude between the carriage of him that was stung and the guilty sinner he that was stung must look upon the brazen serpent the guilty sinner must behold this Lamb of God with an eye of faith believe in him and he shall be saved 6. The Manna and the watter out of the rock held forth this truth they were fed with Manna for forty years and the water out of the Rock followed them almost so long whereby God represented unto them the nourishing vertue of Christ crucified and therefore the Apostle calls the Manna spiritual meat and the water of the rock spiritual drink and not onely so but he calls them the same spiritual meat and drink that is the same which we partake of under the Gospel 1 Cor 23.3 4. and Christ sayes that it is his flesh that is the true spiritual meat and his blood that is the true spiritual drink John 6.55 my flesh is meat indeed and my blood is drink indeed and Christ Jesus teaches the Jews that he is the true bread that came down from heaven John 6.49 50. your Fathers did take Manna in the wilderness and are dead This is the bread that cometh down from heaven that a man may eaten hereof and not dye 7. The white garments of the Priests and the beautiful garments of the High-Priest hold forth this Truth whereby is taught that comliness in the sight of God that does arise from the righteousness of Christ this is evident from the interpretation given Zech. 3.4 take away the filthy garments from him and unto him be said I have caused thine iniquity to pass away and thou shalt be cloathed with change of raiment the taking away of filthy garments notes the taking away of iniquity therefore the cloathing with change of raiment notâ—s the putting on of the robe of Christs Righteousness so the Righteousness of Christ is set forth by white raiment Rev. 3.18 God sets forth the efficacy of Christs righteousness by these various types that the Church of old might be well principled in this doctrine God was leading of them into an understanding of this way of salvation directing of them to look for salvation only through the sufferings and obedience of Jesus Christ the various representations whereof was of great use to beget faith in such as understood the meaning thereof and were a great evidence of that delight which God took in the righteousness which Christ was to fulfil in the fulness of time Argument 3. Because God has had such love to sinners as to send his Son to dye that they might be reconciled unto him therefore there is no question to be made of it but he will bestow salvation on all those that have an interest in the death of Christ this is the Apostles argument Rom. 5 8 9. but God commendeth his love towards us in that while we were yet sinners Christ dyed for us much more being now justified by his blood we shall be saved from wrath by him and in the next verse he repeats the argument in other terms for if when we more enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his life the meaning of the argument is that if God had so much love to us as to send his Son to purchase our reconciliation when we were Offenders then certainly being brought into a state of reconciliation by Christ we shall be saved by him In opening this argument we shall consider First the foundation that he builds it upon and then the force of the consequence 1. The foundation that he builds this argument on is That God had such love to sinners as to send his Son to dye for them this was an act of wonderful love it was great love in Christ to come to dye and great love in the Father to send him to dye this was more than man could hope for when he had sinned it was quite beyond his expectation this was such compassion as could enter into the heart of none but God himself to contrive if the thoughts of holy Angels had been asked they would have thought it too great a mercy to have been bestowed on sinful man they were wonderfully affected with it when it came to pass Luke 21 13 14. there suddenly was with the angels a great multitude of the Heavenly Host praising God and saying glory to God in the highest and on earth peace and good will towards man indeed in this affair God acted principally from a love to his
own glory that he might in this way manifest that mystery of the Trinity and his glorious attributes yet this does not derogate from the greatness of Gods love in sending his Son to dye mans corrupt reason is ready to entertain diminitive thoughts of the compassions of God in this thing sometimes the heart reasons that God did it for his own glory but he could have glorified himself in mans ruine or he might have glorified his grace towards the Angels that fell and not towards man and certainly if God did it for his glory men do very ill to entertain any thoughts that do diminish from the glory of God sometimes the heart reasons that it would have been hard measure for God to have left mankind to have perished without providing a way of salvation seeing we came sinners into the world but it was upon no such account that God did it he was not conscious of any wrong in his dealings to man his dispensation towards mankind in punishing of them with the loss of his image for their sin in Adam and in imputing the sin of Adam is equal and righteous Rom. 3.23 all have sinned and come short of the glory of God men likewise reason sometimes against the riches of Gods grace in this thing from hence that sin don't hurt God but though it don't hurt him yet it wrongs him if a man should revile his Prince it may be it would not hurt him if he should throw stones at him as Shimei did at David yet he might not hurt him but he would wrong him greatly so sin is a great wrong unto God Psal 51.4 against thee thee only have I sinned and it is wonderful love for God to give his Son to dye for us John 3.16 so God loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son c. I shall pass by other considerations to help to shew the greatness of his love and onely select those five that serve to enforce the argument that lies before us 1. It was great love that God should send his son to endure such sore sufferings for us it was much that God should condescend upon any account that his Son should undergo such sufferings it was a great thing that God should be willing that Christ should be brought into such a condition when we consider the glorious excellency of his person and the dear love of the Father to him it may well be admired by us that God should find in his heart to put him upon such sufferings we may well conclude that those persons for whose sakes all this was were greatly beloved of God that the heart of God was mightily concerned in their good it was a great thing for the glorious Son of God to suffer any thing much more to bear what he did his suffering was very great he was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief Isa 53.4 1. He suffered much pain though many men have endured more yet it was a great deal that the Son of God endured especially when he was cruelly scourged and after that crucified that manner of death was exquisitely painful Psal 22 16. they pierced my hands and my feeet the nailing of his body to the cross and the weight of his body being born by those wounded parts for so many hours could not be without exquisite pain he expresses it by his bones being out of joint Psal 22.14 it must needs be a terrible torture because persons that were crucified was not wont to be very long in that condition before they dyed The suddenness of their death could not be from the meer effusion of blood but the exquisiteness of their pain contributed much to it 2. He suffered much disgrace he endured all manner of indignities from men he of whom God said let all the Angels of God worship him subjected himself to great contempt they flouted at him mocked him made themselves sport in abusing him spit on him yea the punishments that were inflicted on him were very disgraceful such as were wont to be inflicted on the basest of men the death of the cross was a shameful death his enemies studied to render him vile and contemptible the Heathens were wont afterwards to upbraid the christians with their crucified God. 3. He suffered much inward trouble not onely from the sence he had of his outward troubles and from the temptations of the Devil but also from Gods withdrawing the sence of his savour putting into him the sence of his wrath the fiery wrath of God typified by that fire from heaven that consumed the sacrifices took hold of him as believers have great inward peace of conscience arising from his righteousness so had he great inward sorrow arising from the guilt of our sins he tells his Disciples that his soul was very sorrowful and very heavy even unto death Mat. 26.28 and as this was the occasion of his sweating great drops of blood so probably of his suddain death he dyed before the others that were crucified with him of which it is hard to assign any other reason than this that the sence of Gods wrath much hastened his death as God tells Moses that no man can see his sace and live that is the sight of Gods love and glory as the Saints see it in heaven is such that the nature of man in this state of mortality cannot bear it it would kill him to have such a sight so there is a parity of reason that the sence of Gods wrath in the extremity of it is too much for mortal man to bear and was the thing that hastened the death of Christ 4. He suffered a state of death and he continued in a state of death for some time his body and soul were rent asunder which state is contrary unto nature the union of body and soul was dissolved and his body left for a time stark dead and his soul in a preternatural estate of separation a state which nature does abhorr exceeding contrary to the instinct and inclination of nature 2. It was great love for God to send his son to dye for us when we had grievously offended him for we were looked upon under that consideration when God sent his Son to dye for our salvation 't is true ' that at that time some of the Elect were in heaven ' wholly saved from the guilt and pollution of sin others of them were not then born and so were uncapable of being actual offenders at that time but we were looked upon in that action as offenders for the sins of the Elect that were in heaven were not at that time satisfied for their debt was not paid And God certainly knew that the Elect that were to be born would be Offenders Christ when he died died for Transgressors Isa 53.6 all we like shee have gone astray and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all for God to take such care of the salvation of man that had abused him and
great considering these things 1. That Man in his natural state is an enemy to this way of salvation as man is an enemy to the Law of God so to the gospel of Jesus Christ the heart dont like this way of salvation man had rather be saved in another way man is proud and can't endure to go a begging and be beholden to the free grace of God for his salvation he had rather earn it himself than take it as a gift of God hence men set their wits on work to descry another way that is more suitable to their honours and to find exceptions against this way of salvation by Christ he don't like the method and so is inventing of cavils to turn off the calls of God. 2. That man is ignorant of the gracious nature of God men don't understand how merciful God is are apt to measure the compassions of God by their own and make a judgment of God by themselves hence they are full of carnal reasonings against this way of life they think it is a great deal more probable that they should be accepted on the account of some worthiness in themselves they think it utterly unlikely that God should accept of them till their hearts are better they think it would be desperate presumption to venture upon Christ before they are better they think God is so angry with them that he cannot find in his heart to pardon them they take notice of the severity of God upon others and conceive of him as very difficult to pardon they imagine there must be something considerable in them to commend them to God and draw the heart of God unto them 3 The Devil is busie to hinder men from entertaining this truth the Devil is most industrious in this matter because their entertaining this truth will deliver them from his dominion 2 Cor. 11.3 he is possessing of men with prejudices against this truth casting in objections and fortifying of the heart against the perswasions of the word and this does considerably increase the difficulty because of the subtilty of Satan to represent his temptations with great appearance of reason and smooth a delusion so that it shall have a great face of truth because of his ability together with his reasonings to work so upon the affections as to make the soul more opposite to the entertaining of the truth 4. Man by nature does not believe the testimony of God this truth cannot certainly be known but by faith reason may argue something for it but not conclusively but natural men are destitute of a principle to receive the testimony of God they are ignorant of the glorious nature of God and so of his faithfulness and therefore though they may look on it a thing probable because of Gods testimony having heard a same of him yet they cannot be assured of it upon his word since they know him not so that it is a great and wonderful work of Gods spirit to help men over all these difficulties and convince them that 't is safe appearing in the righteousness of Christ Consider 6. The evidence that this work of the spirit gives in to the truth before us and we may plainly gather from hence that it is safe appearing in Christs Righteousness For 1. The Spirit of God is holy and cannot deceive or delude us it is in consistent with the spotless purity of the spirit of God to convince us of that which is not true who can imagine that the holy spirit of God would take pains with men and work a miraculous change in them to make them believe a lie why does God busie himself so in this work but that it is of everlasting concernment unto the souls of men it is true that God may judicially blind men by withdrawing light from them but he never goes about to perswade men of a lye would God perswade men to cast themselves upon Christ if there were not safety in so doing 2. We are commanded not to quench the Spirit 1 Thes 5.19 we must cherish the motions and entertain the convictions of the spirit which certainly would not be our duty if the spirit did convince of any thing that is not true we are not bound to receive delusions but by all means to be oppposing and resisting of them it cannot be our duty to entertain salshoods and give way to deceits and therefore those convictions which we are bound to cherish are certainly true I might also argue from the manner of the spirits convincing which is by enlightning and opening of the eyes but if this which he convinces us of were not true the conviction would be by blinding of us and putting out our eves where one by sophistical reasonings does perswade another of a salshood makes him believe a lye he does it by darkening his understanding the opening of the eyes is not the way to lead men into error Argument 8. That Righteousness upon the account of which God bestows the beginnings of salvation here it is safe to appear before God in but upon the account of Christs Righteousness God bestows the beginnins of salvation here There are some degrees of salvation which God bestows upon believers here upon the account of his righteousness they have an inchoation of salvation already God begins to fullfil his promise presently Tit. 3.5 2 Tim. 1.9 they are justified already Acts 3.39 all that believe are justified they are adopted 1 John 12. as many as received him to them gave he power to become the Sons of God even to them that believe on his name they are saved from the curse of the law as to outward dispensations Rom. 8.28 all things shall work together for good to them that love God that are called according to purpose But I shall only urge two things wherein the people of God have experience of the beginning of salvation and therein an evidence of their full salvation by Jesus Christ in due time namely sanctification and inward comfort 1. The people of God are sanctified in a way of believing on the righteousness of Christ they that do believe in Christ are sanctified they do lead an holy life dying unto sin and living unto righteousness they are delivered from the servitude unto sin and do become servants of God indeed this cannot be made evident by experience to the world because the world cannot certainly know that those that profess faith in Christ have it in reality nor that those that seem to live an holy life do so indeed yet there is that which falls under the observation of the world that may considerably help forward their satisfaction in this particular 1. Among those that do profess to believe in Christ there are many that live in such a manner that there is not evidence that they are not sanctified 't is not so with all those that profess to believe in Christ there are many that make such a profession that have no faith and therefore it is no wonder
if they be not sanctified but there be many in whose lives there is no evidence that they are destitute of holiness no man can justly charge them with living in any known sin with any unmortifyed corruption or acting from a corrupt principle in religion but this cannot be said concerning others that do not make this profession moral men among the Heathens Turks or Jews there are few or none of them but would make it evident to a man of a discerning spirit that was familiarly acquainted with them that they were under the rule and power of some lust 2. Among those that profess to believe in Christ there are many men in whom there are very speaking evidences that they lead an holy life they do not only walk inoffensively in their conversation but there is a great deal of the breathings of a spirit of holiness in them their carriage savours of the fear of God love to God submission to the will of God care of the advancement of the glory of God there carriage has a great relish of piety and holiness there is as much appearance of holiness as can ordinarily be expected from men that have still a principle of corruption remaining in them 3. Many of those who has formerly lived a corrupt life when once they are in appearance brought home to Christ do give great evidences of an holy life many that live among the people of God do live very corruptly but when once such men come to embrace the Gospel in appearance many of them do become very exemplary in holiness cast off all their former ways of sin and live an humble spiritual obedient life as far as man can judge But there are two wayes whereby the truth of this is evident above exception One is by the testimony of Gods Word the Scripture does commonly give the title of Saints unto believers hence that title of Saints in Christ Jesus is given to the Church at Philippi 1 Phil. 1. so they are called holy brethren that are partakers of the heavenly calling Heb. 3.1 and Saints and faithful in Christ Jesus are used as terms equivalent Eph. 1.1 all those that are implanted into Christ do crucifie their corruptions Gal 5.24 hence good works are a demonstration of the truth of Faith James 2.18 Another way whereby it is made evident is by the experience of many saints hereby it is made evident to them though not unto the world every believer has experience of a great change in himself though they have many fears whether it be indeed a life of holiness that they live it is exercising unto them whether they go beyond hypocrites and are acted by any higher principles than self-self-love and confcience yet there be several that at times do evidently see a spirit of holiness working in themselves so that their consciences do bear witness that they are the children of God besides what they do perceive of a daily bent of heart to keep Gods commands there are at times more visible and sensible actings of grace there are times when the strings are wound up to the height when grace breaks forth as the light and the heart is satisfied in that that he has a spirit of holiness John 21.17 Lord thou knowest all things thou knowest that I love thee Psal 18.23 I was also upright before him And this fanctification which the people of God have they have in a way of believing some take sanctification so largely as to comprehend the work of regeneration and count regeneration also an effect of closing with Christ but I will not now discuss that controversy though there is no doubt but regeneration is the fruit of Christs purchase but I take sanctification for that work of Gods spirit whereby he does more and more purge away the remainders of sin and carry on the work of holiness in the hearts of his people and this is the fruit of faith in Christ Acts 26.18 they are sanctified by faith that is in me Gal. 2.20 I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me and this sanctification comes from Christs purchase he has by his death redemed us from the power of sin Tit. 2 4. who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purisie to himself a peculiar people zealous of good works so John 17.1 Pet. 1.18 19. Heb. 9 14. 2 The people of God have inward spiritual comfort in a way of believing in the righteousness of Christ it is very true that many men that do not profess the true religion and many others that tho they do profess the true religion yet do not in sincerity embrace it have much inward comfort under an expectation of blessedness hereafter but the people of God that do believe in Jesus Christ have inward comfort in that way peculiar to themselves Which we may consider under these two heads of peace of conscience and communion with God. 1. The people of God in a way of believing have peace of conscience and this is not a particular priviledge of some believers but a blessing that all do in some degree partake of those men that before their coming to Christ were under the terrors of an evil conscience conscience was terrifying of them and binding them over to eternal judgement do upon their closing with Christ enjoy a tranquility of mind and inward peace Indeed this peace may be interrupted and disturbed because of darkness and temptations and because conscience is but in part satisfyed but they are never brought back to take up such conclusions against themselves as before their closing with Christ but commonly they do enjoy some comfortable serenity of heart have the answer of a good conscience by the resurrection of Christ 1 Pet. 3.21 this comes to pass by these two things 1. When a soul comes to Christ the soul is satisfied that there is peace with God to be obtained in a way of coming to Christ that there is safety in coming to Christ the inward call of the Gospel satisfies the soul that there is salvation in Christ for all that come to him conscience is thereby well satisfied in the sufficiency of Christ the freeness and the fulness of the grace of God 1 Pet. 2.7 to him that believes Christ is precious the objections of the heart are removed by the convincing work of the Spirit 2. The first act of closing with Christ is not so sensibly done but that he does take some notice of it some after acts of faith may be more plain and in continuance of time the soul may lose the exact knowledge of the time of his first closing with Christ and the circumstances of it but this first closing with Christ is not so secret a thing but that it falls under the observation of conscience Jer. 3.22 This is clear For 1. The act it self is very observable when the soul comes at first to close with Christ there is a weighty change
wrought in it it is a thing quite contrary to what he has been doing he has been reasoning against it making objections standing out against all the pleadings of God with him but now when he closes with Christ he lets fall all his objections and gives entertainment unto Christ before he despised him now he prizes him before argnments did not sink into him now they do now he makes Christ well-come this is exceeding remarkable easy to be observed this carriage of the soul is set forth in Scripture by opening to Christ coming to him marrying of him is so contrary to his carriage immediately before that it is of easy observation 2. There is a great ability in conscience to take notice of the more secret stirrings of the heart conscience has a wonderful quick eye conscience is a curious observer of mens actions Rom. 2.15 the conscience takes notice of the secret windings and turnings of the heart the desires the ends the thoughts that pass through him Heb. 4.12 by the help of the word conscience makes discovery of the secret thoughts and intents of the heart there is a wonderful sharp sightedness in conscience to discover the carriage of the heart 3. Conscience at this time is more than ordinary exact in taking notice of the carriage of the heart at other times Conscience will take notice of small things but at this time Conscience does most carefully observe what is done for Conscience is now in a blessed condition it is a matter of life and death how he carries now under the call of the Gospel Conscience takes more notice of this than of hundreds of other things this is a thing that his salvation depends upon Conscience has been pursuing of the sinner a great while telling of him that if he would not close with Christ he was undone and must burn in hell for ever he has been neglecting to hearken to conscience and conscience has given him no rest now when he comes to do the thing that conscience has been so long urging him unto conscience will take special notice of that conscience will watch like Benhadads Servants 1 King. 20 33. as a man would much observe it when he had compleated a design that he had been labouring in many years 2. The people of God in a way of believing have comfortable communion with God there is a state of communion with God whereby a believer has a standing interest in the favour power wisdom of God and the righteousness of Christ and in all his offices but besides this there is an actual communion with God which is sometimes more insensible sometimes more sensible sometimes the people of God do enjoy glorious actual communion with God in this world this is one of those enjoyments that man fell from by his sin and no man in his natural estate does enjoy A carnal man may have many internal discoveries of God and be mightily affected therewith but they do not properly enjoy any communion with him but the people of God doe 1 John 1.3 our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ the fullnes of this is reserved in heaven but there is an inchoation of it here God had communion with Abraham and others of old in a visible appearance and now has communion with his Saints though in a more spiritual manner And there are four particular ways of it that I shall mention 1. By discovering his own glorious nature to them sometimes God breaks out of the clouds and makes a discovery of his own glory to the soul he has promised to the pure in heart that they shall see God and sometimes he does cause his glory to pass before the soul sometimes God makes a special discovery of one of his attributes and sometimes of another of his soveraignty holiness mercy faithfulness Job 42.5 6. now mine eye seeth thee 2 Cor. 3.18 we all with open face behold as in a grass the glory of the Lord hereby men come to know God other men have notions of God but a Saint knows him And there are two effects of these discoveries One is a drawing out of the actings of grace they put new life into the soul they are very quickening and powerful on the heart The other is That they enkindle a desire to know more of God they make the soul long after further acquaintance with God to see his power and glory as they have seen him in the Sanctuary Psal 63.3 2. By revealing of Christ and gospel-grace unto the soul God does not only at first conversion but many times after make a discovery of Christ to the soul the Lord shews the soul the safety of this way of salvation Saints long for this Phil. 3.10 That I may know him and the power of his resurrection and God is at times gratifying them Christ is opening this mystery of the Gospel unto them the Lord draws nigh and holds forth the Scepter of mercy the acceptableness of his sacrifice the freeness of his grace the wonderfulness of his love the certainty of salvation in a way of believing and these discoveries that the Lord makes of the Gospel doe answer all the objections of the heart that though the soul was before in an unbelieving frame he has power to resist no longer these discoveries make Christ very precious he esteems him as one that does indeed save from sin and wrath these discoveries make the soul contented with Christ he sees he needs nothing but this righteousness to carry before God he has done looking out else-where for help yea he takes delight in this way of salvation it is a way that pleases he counts it glorious 1 Tim. 1.11 3. By promises of particular mercies God does draw nigh to some of his people and by his spirit make known unto them that he will bestow some particular mercy upon them thus he sometimes promises assistance in their works recovery from sickness publick deliverance of old God has sometimes by the Prophets made particular promises to wicked men as to Abab and Jehu whether he does any such thing by his spirit now to those that are carnal men is not so certain but undoubtedly he does to some Saints and that in answer to their prayers when they have been begging a mercy for God he by some promise gives assurance to the soul that the request shall be fullfilled 4. By witnessing his love to the soul God does not only help the soul to gather it by consequence but God by his spirit does evidence the same to the soul that he may quicken the heart in holiness and that he may help the soul under temptations and sinking discouragements or arm him against some special conflicts he gives witness to his good estate Gen. 7.1 Rom. 8.16 this differs much from those tasts that hypocrites may have wherein they have some sence of the sweetness that is in promises for this is by way of testimony yea the spirit does make it
that presents it self for his relief is the reformation of his sins and diligent applying himself unto the duties of Religion and they are travelling this way after peace sometimes many years with a neglect of Christ men ought indeed to seek their peace with reformation but not by their reformations but men are mightily wedded to this way of seeking salvation by their own duties this is one of those things that make the work of conversion so exceeding difficult it is a difficult thing to bring men to be earnestly seeking salvation and when they are brought unto that it is very difficult to bring them to seek it in the right way they sought it not by faith but as it were by the works of the Law Rom. 9.32 but men have no ground at all for this it is safe appearing before God in the righteousness of Christ but it is no ways safe for men to trust in their own righteousness when men make their own righteousness the ground of their confidence they do but flatter themselves and please themselves in a vain delusion their own works can never procure their acceptance with God. In prosecuting this Vse let us consider 1. Who they are that seek salvation by their own Righteousness 2. What righteousness they do attain unto 3. What are their temptations to seek their salvation in this way 4. What confidence they have in their own righteousness 5. How they do to hide it from themselves that they trust in their own righteousness 6. The vanity of mens trusting to their own righteousness The first thing to be considered is Who they are that seek salvation by their own righteousness But before I give you their characters it will be needful to premise two things 1. They that seek salvation by their own Righteousness do not expect salvation from the covenant of works as it requires perfect obedience in order unto life they dare not adventure their souls on the strictness of the Law though they had need to do so if they seek life by their own works but they do not thus they look upon their righteousness as that which will allay the Anger of God and be an inducement unto God to save them that which will win the good-will of God and draw the heart of God to them yea they look upon their righteousness as that which will bring God in their debt that God is beholden to them for their service yet they do not lay claim to blessedness by the strictness of the Law for they know and confess themselves to be sinners they pray for forgiveness which things are inconsistent with justification by their own works the Jews did not stand upon a strict covenant of works Rom. 9.31 32 they sought it as it were by the works of the Law but these men do make such a mixture of the covenant of works with the covenant of grace wherein the covenant of works is predominant they make some profession of the Gospel and yet adhere to a covenant of works therefore the Apostle tells them that if they be circumcised Christ shall profit them nothing Gal. 5.2 they made account to have some benefit by Christ so they made account to have some benefit by grace therefore the Apostle tells them that whoever of them are justified by the Law are fallen from grace they did not pretend to the strictness of the Law but took in Gospel Principles into their way of justification and yet were legal all the while this makes the Apostle dispute in that manner against them Rom. 6.11 if it be grace it is no more of works otherwise grace is no more grace but if it be of works then is is no more grace otherwise work is no more works they mingled grace and works together they made their own works the foundation of their hopes and yet took in the plea of Gods grace and Christs Righteousness they thought their own works did contribute something and the grace of God through Christ would make up their defects 2. The Saints of God have a great deal of a self-righteous spirit remaining in them and men must not conclude because they find such workings in their hearts that they are self-righteous no doubt many of the Galatians that were tainted with the doctrine of the Legallists were really converted Gal. 4.14 there was somewhat of this spirit in Peter Mat. 19.29 we have forsaken all what shall we have therefore as the people of God are not compleatly delivered from other corruptions so not from carnal confidence there is such a spirit working and sometimes prevailing in them but there is also in the Saints an evangelical spirit Phil. 3.3 we rejoyce in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh they allow not themselves to have any confidence in the Flesh These things premised take these characters of those men that seek salvation by their own righteousness 1. Such men as magnifie themselves by their duties and frames they count highly of themselves because of what they do pride is the very spirit of self-righteousness The self-righteous man sets a great price upon what he does he loves to be thinking upon what he has done how his heart melted in such a duty how his affections were drawn out and enlarged in such a prayer what he has done and suffered in the cause of God he loves to chew over duties again as things that do commend him to God while another man is magnifying free-grace and the Righteousness of Christ the self-righteous man is idolizing his own services falls in love with his own beauty is taken with his own carriage and thinks that God and man should be taken with him he thinks his works do ingratiate him with God and draw the heart of God towards him so the Pharisee Luke 18.12 I fast twice in the week and give tithes of all that I possess he minds God of it what a choice man he was and thinks that God has not many such servants as himself he counts his own righteousness his riches Rev 3 17. he is rich in prayers rich in mournings rich in duties of Religion and of charity he is not brought to be poor in spirit he don't see himself without money and without price but has a considerable estate of his own to live upon he thinks that by his duties he gains somthing towards the paying for salvation Phil. 3.7 he places his confidence in those things and glories in them as a rich man boasts of his wealth so he boasts of his righteousness and despises other men as the Pharisee Luk. 18 11. I am not as other men or like this Publican whereas the spirit of a Saint is to glory in the righteousness and sufferings of Christ Gal. 6.14 God forbid that I should glory save in the Cross of Jesus Christ 2. Such men make their duties their refuge in time of danger such men are oftentimes scared from a remembrance of their former courses and sence of present
failings sometimes when they hear the threatnings of the Word sometimes when it is a time of mortality so when they are ill and under apprehension that dying time is come and when in this fright they betake themselves to their own righteousness as their strong-hold a godly man makes his uprightness an argument to hope the self-righteous man makes his duties the foundation of his faith in a stormy time he gets under them for shelter instead of getting under the shadow of Christ he flies to his own duties they are his castle wherin he fortifies himself against fear they are his harbour where he casts anchor from thence he takes his great encouragement This was Pauls sheet-anchor before his conversion that he was touching the righteousness of the law blameless Phil. 3.6 the self-righteous man comforts up his heart with this that surely God will have some respect unto his pains his affections his charity his strict walking this is his fort that he retires unto in time of danger he has not been so bad as other men and he hopes God will not deal in rigour with him he thinks that his duties do lay some engagements upon the love of God and compassion he hopes his prayers and tears have some constraining efficacy upon the compassionate heart of God. Sometimes he thinks that his duties lay some bonds upon the justice of God he thinks it equal that he should be spared and that it would be extream rigour for God to cast him off at last when he has done so much for him Sometimes he thinks his duties have laid a tye upon the faithfulness of God God has made promises to them that seek and he claims an interest in them he makes his duties the slay of his soul and when conscience is pursuing of him he takes sanctuary here 3. Such men take their encouragement from their frames and duties to come to Christ many self-righteous men do draw comfort from Christ and they think they have their dependance on Christ count themselves believers but the comfort they draw from Christ is at the second hand their encouragement takes its first rise from some excellency in themselves They would not dare to trust in Christ but under such considerations as these that they are reformed not so bad as other men have love to Christ are sorrowful for their sins have a good affection to Ordinances and the people of God such considerations do embolden them to come to Christ he thinks if he were so bad and so bad Christ would not accept of him but it being otherwise with him he thinks he may venture he desires to be better with all his heart and so hopes that it is not presumption for him to come to Christ finding such frames in his own heart he thinks that Christ does mean him in the invitations of the Gospel so he makes his own duties a step towards Christ he makes his own gracious frames a preparation to his coming to Christ He dresses up himself in his own righteousness and when he has made himself as comely as he can adventures to cast himself upon Christ he imagines something in himself why God should bestow the righteousness of Christ rather upon him than upon another whereas a Saint comes to Christ meerly upon Gospel encouragements from the grace and faithfulness of God and righteousness of Christ Isa 45.24 Surely shall one say in the Lord Jehovah have I righteousness and strength 4. Such persons labour after some goodness to prepare them for Christ They are striying after some in order to their closing with Christ when they are invited to come to Christ for salvation they excuse themselves and think they are not good enough yet to come to Christ they think it would be presumption to come with such hearts as they have they think no body ever came to Christ that had such hearts but they think if they were better they might come and so they are labouring after some self-excellency in order to their closing with Christ they are purifying themselves and garnishing themselves that they may be fit to come to Christ they think if their hearts were more broken they might come if they had more love to Christ if they did see the real evil of sin and so they make it their business to get these qualifications they don't count it their next work to believe but think they must get some other self-excellency in order to believing so they make it their present work to mend their own heart and sometimes they think they get a little forward and then they go backward just like a man that undertakes to empty a fountain which fills as fast as he empties or like one that attempts to fetch a dead body to life he chafes it and it grows warmer but is as far from life as ever so those men are striving against their duliness hardness they tug with their own hearts to make them better for he thinks he must be better before he believes in Christ whereas a Saint when he finds his heart bad comes to Christ to make it better 5. They are discontented if they be not accepted because of their duties if God don't comfort them but they are held under terrors they wonder what the matter is and so likewise when God crosses them in his providences and follow them with afflictions their hearts are discontented they are heavy and displeased they think it strange that their duties are no more regarded that they should do so much and be requited so they lay hard dealing to Gods charge think it is not equal they are ready to look upon it to be a piece of cruelty that God dont help them when they have done so much for him especially if God comforts others that have not been so long in a way of Religion they find peace and communion with God this makes the heart swell men can't bear it that others should have mercy and they not a their services make them very discontented under Gods healing towards them Isai 58.3 Wherefore have we fasted say they and thou seest not wherefore have we afflicted our souls and thou takest no knowledg 2. Let us consider what righteousness such men may attain unto that seek salvation by their own righteousness and there is no doubt but such men may go a great way in Religion some attain one measure and others another but they may go far though they fall greatly short of what the least saints do attain yet they are capable of attaining a great deal they may attain so much as to exceed what many saints do attain as to the external part of Religion they may make a glorious shew so as to gain the approbation and applause of the people of God Take it under these three Heads 1. They may attain to as much as any Saint as to the external part of Religion all the external acts of holiness may be done by him that has no principle of
conclude there is some strong current that men are carried away with some great intanglements that men are thus ensnared with though many are not aware of it yet there are mighty temptations to lead them into this mistake and we may reduce them to these Heads 1. The pride of mans heart fallen man is a proud creature tho he has so much to bring down his spirit yet he is extreamly addicted to magnifie himself Job 11.12 vain man would be wise though man be born like a wild Asses colt self-love which is the very root of original sin runs principally in this channel men are miserably devoted to this way of sinning though men have extreamly debased themselves and degraded themselves from that excellency which God bestowed on them yet they are exceeding prone to swell with pride pride is thought to be the first sin of the devil and we are sure there was a great deal of pride in the first sin of man that temptation of being like Gods knowing good and evil had a principal influence into the apostacy of our first Parents and this spirit runs through the life of man from his child-hood to old age therefore called the pride of life 1 Joh. 2.16 how many methods have men found out to gratifie their pride what cost are men at what pains do they take what hazards do they run that they may satisfie this lust of pride men are proud of every thing all natural excellencies acquired endowments external enjoyments are fewel to pride men are proud of their duties and graces yea proud of their sins too proud of the mercies that God bestows on them and proud of the afflictions that they have or have had pride is deeply rooted in the heart of man and hence it is that he is so addicted to seek salvation by his own righteousness the spirit of a self-righteous man is to exalt himself setting up a mans own righteousness is directly contrary to the work of humiliation and the grace of humility a Pharisaical spirit is a proud spirit Luk. 18.14 pride is the reason of mens setting up their own righteousness and it has an influence these two wayes 1. Pride makes men desirous to live upon themselves and to be beholden to the grace of God no more than needs must proud man had rather be the author of his own happiness than to have it in a way of free gift most men had rather earn their living with their fingers end than live upon the charity of other men so in this case men had rather compound with God for heaven upon the account of their own services than be beholden to free grace it would please the haughty heart of man exceedingly to have the honour of saving himself that he might have that to boast of that he had heaven as the fruit of his own labours Boasting is excluded by the law of Faith Rom. 3.27 and therefore the heart don't like that way mens spirits will very hardly come down to take life as a gift from a provoked God men can hardly stoop to it to come to the door of mercy if they can make any other shift they will not do it it is exceeding cross to flesh and blood to have nothing of his own to glory in and to yield himself to be a poor vile and unworthy creature to be altogether helpless in himself man was once set out with a good stock and might have earned heaven and t is very hard to him to yield himself a prodigal he stomacks it to come for alms it would be hard to one especially that has been rich so to do this we may see in the Prodigal Luk. 15.14 15. he began to be in want and went and joyned himself to a Citizen of that Countrey nothing but extremity would bring down his spirit so as to make him return to his Father he had rather work hard than come a begging to his Father 2. Pride makes men conceited of their own Righteousness proud men are wont to have an high opinion of their own things they set an high rate on their own excellencies and so do men of their Righteousness pride makes men unreasonable in their esteem of it they magnifie it beyond all bounds pride hinders them from passing an unpartial judgment upon what they do and are they think their hearts are a great deal better than they be when Hazael was told what he should afterward do he answers the Prophet Is thy Servant a Dog that he should do this thing 1 Kings 8.12 13. they imagine that their corruptions are mortifyed that they love God and Jesus Christ Prov. 30.12 There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes yet not cleansed from their filthiness pride makes them take up a good opinion of their own hearts upon small appearances and when they have only a few pangs of affection presently they are conceited that they have sincere desires after holiness and faith or at least that there is such an inclinableness to the ways of God which will with diligence grow up to be love to God and his Wayes They think they shall bring their hearts to it after a while and are conceited that their services are very pleasing and acceptable to God they think there is worthiness in them that they deserve to be accepted they think they carry it better than others pride makes men to admire their own excellency to fall in love with their own beauty they extol the services that they do because they are their own Luke 18.12 I fast twice in the week and give tithes of all that I possess 2. Another temptation is that God in the Scripture does manifest and testifie his great approbation of holiness and obedience prayer and repentance God gives great encouragement unto men to walk in ways of holiness He bears witness often to his acceptance of the obedience of his people God is all along in the Scripture witnessing the regard that he has unto holiness sometimes he tells us that he does delight in it Psal 15.8 The prayer of the upright is his delight that he loves it Psal 11.7 the Righteous Lord loveth Righteousness that he loveth the Righteous Psa 146 8. The Lord loveth the Righteous that he is reconciled to such as do amend their ways Isai 55.7 let him return unto the Lord and he will have mercy on him and God makes promises of all sorts of blessings unto holiness of outward blessings peace and plenty and honour and long life and of spiritual mercies of the manifestation of himself and communion with them and of eternal life you have your fruit unto holiness and the end everlasting life Rom. 6 22. men meeting with abundance of such passages in the Scripture are greatly strengthened in their apprehensions of the efficacy of their own righteousness to procure their justification such passages of Scripture are strained by them and they grow up thereby into a more established opinion of their safety upon
the account of their own righteousness meeting with such commendations of the practice of holiness they are much confirmed in their carnal confidence in such ways as these 1. Hence they think their own righteousness does draw the heart of God unto them they think that their holiness does attract the affection and good will of God unto them they imagine that their holiness does work them into Gods love that the beauty of their holiness does captivate the affections of God and their cries and carriages do work upon divine compassions and make God willing to bestow salvation upon them and indeed a self-righteous man doth attribute more to his own righteousness than a Saint does to the righteousness of Christ a godly man neither does nor ought to make the righteousness of Christ the foundation of Gods sove Christ has purchased the favour of God and reconciliation with him but he did not purchase the good will and love of God there was no need of purchasing that God could love sinners freely there was no possibility of purchasing that that was too great a thing to be 〈…〉 Christ procured the effects of Gods love but not the love it self Gods love was the cause of Christs coming not the effect thereof but the self-righteous man imagines a vertue in his own righteousness to draw the heart of God to him and engage the love of God. 2 Hence they think their own righteousness does make amends for their miscarriages that they have made are atonement for themselves for their former sins they think their repentance makes up that breach that sin had made and that out of a respect unto that God forgets what they have done amiss they imagine that there is a reconciling vertue in their reformations and good services that they satisfie God for what has been past And herein they attribute more to their own obedience than we ought to do to the active obedience of Christ Christs active obedience was not sufficient to satisfie for sin it purchased the blessings of the covenant but it did not deliver us from the curse active obedience to the Law has merit in it if it be perfect but it has not any satisfying vertue it is something of another kind that God requires for satisfaction the Law threatens death for sin Rom. 6.23 The wages of sin is death so that Christs active obedience could not satisfie for sins if he undertake to satisfie for sins he must bear the punishment of death 3. Hence they think that out of a respect to their own righteousness and upon the account therof God will bestow salvation upon them they think that this is that which interests them in all the good of the covenant their own prayers and reformations and affections and zeal in the cause of God is that which makes them heirs of glory and gives them a title to the eternal inheritance They look upon their own righteousness as the price of heaven and think they have done something to the earning of glory they are at work for God and look upon heaven to be their wages And herein they attribute that to their own righteousness that ought to be attributed unto the righteousness of Christ This was the very design of the active obedience of Christ to give us a claim to glory because we were very unworthy and could not fulfil the condition of the Law Jesus Christ undertook for us and has performed the righteousness of the Law and merited eternal life Rom. 6.23 The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. 3. Another temptation to make men depend upon their own righteousness and seek salvation in that way is the seeming excellency of their own righteousness there is a real excellency in true holiness it is the perfection of mans nature sin is a vile thing but holiness does advance and perfect mans nature holiness is the glory of man The Righteous is more excellent than his Neighbour the Righteous are called excellent ones Psal 16.3 and though all the righteousness of self-righteous men is but hppocrisie and therefore an abomination in Gods sight yet they themselves do imagine that there is an excellency in it and from hence they make it a ground of confidence imagining an excellency in it they think God is taken with it and that it is meritorious they do from the excellency of their carriage promise salvation to themselves And there is a four fold excellency which they are wont to take special notice of 1. The moral excellency of their carriage they count their carriage excellent because they live according to principles of honesty and sobriety and piety they are no Drunkards nor Oppressors not Railers nor Sabbath-breakers nor Swearers c. but they have a good conversation they do not live a prophane nor sensual life are not blemishing themselves by vicious courses they have an amiable lovely and justifiable carriage their outward carriages are according to principles of reason and religion their behaviour is equal and honourable they walk without blame the Pharisee was lifted up with that he was no Extortioner unjust person nor Adulterer the young man was taken with that that he had been moral from his youth Mat. 19 20. Paul speaks of that as a thing which men build much upon that as touching the righteousness of the Law they are blameless Phil. 3 6. 2. The religious affections that they feel working in their hearts Sometimes such men have great affections they have melting affections under the considerations of their sins and Gods mercies outward salvation the sufferings of Christ for sinners and the like they have a delight in Ordinances strong desires after Christ and holiness they have a zeal against the sins of the times and for the better party the Scripture is plentiful in instances of such affections in unconverted men as Saul the stony-ground hearers and others and they count these sincere and are highly taken with them they look upon these to be the very spirits of religion things which do greatly ingratiate them with God. They look upon these affections as blessed frame of heart these they think are the things that God does especially delight in they count these heavenly frames of heart they are much affected with their affections now they reckon they have a suitable frame of heart to spiritual things 3. The difficulties that they go through in serving of God which raises the price of their services and makes them more available they mind that they take a great deal of pains in serving God in reading and praying and taking spiritual opportunities they dont gratifie a slothful spirit but are laborious in religion and they hope God takes notice of that so they are at considerable expense they spend of their Estates in works of piety and charity and on that account value their duties highly so they are much in fasting and in that way afflict their bodies so they upon the account of Religion have displeased
sinners Mary Magdalen Paul and others 1 Tim. 1.16 sometimes on the tender love of Christ abundantly manifested when here on earth sometime the spirit sets home one of these considerations and sometime another which draws the heart to believe when under the greatest sence of vileness Psal 36.7 how excellent is thy loving kindness O God therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings 2. The heart fixes sometimes on the consideration of Gods saithfulness that is a mighty stay to the heart when he has a spiritual sight of the faithfulness of God when that is fastned on the heart that makes him receive the promise whatever improbability there be in it Heb. 11.11 when we have to do with a faithful man we lay weight upon his word so does the believer on Gods when this consideration of his faithfulness is fastned on his heart the soul says it must needs be so as God promises for God is a God of Truth it is impossible that God should lye God cannot mistake nor deceive his word is infallible his promise cannot fail hereby he stops the mouth of carnal reason God has promised so and so to us and promised so and so to Christ and he is not fickle and inconstant repentance is hid from his eyes 1 John 5.9 if we receive the witness of men the witness of God is greater why should I fright my self with appearances and uncertain reasonings why should I doubt though the things are strange and wonderful though we can't see the reason of these things the Word of God cannot fail we may venture our souls on it if they were more worth than they are Psal 91 4. 2 Tim. 1.12 3. The heart fixes sometimes upon the sufficiency of Christ that comes with mighty power upon the heart stilling accusations dissipating fears drawing the heart to rejoyce in Christ Phil. 3.10 that I may know him and the power of his Resurrection somtimes the Lord fastens it on the heart that Christ is the way that God has appointed unto life Heb. 10.19 20. sometimes that Christ has born our sins in his own body 1 Pet. 2.24 sometimes that Justice is satisfied the Law fully answered by Christ that God may without any injustice pardon and save Rom. 3.26 that the sacrifice of Christ is acceptable unto God Eph. 5.2 that God has fully avenged himself on Christ 2 cor 5.21 that Christ is our Passover the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world that all the families of the earth shall be blessed in him that he is our High-priest bearing our names on his breast in the most holy place these and scores of such considerations which the Lord at times fastens on the hearts of his people do wonderfully help them to cast themselves upon Christ giving him the glory of redeeming them Rev. 5.12 worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honour and glory and blessing Question 3. In what conditions does a believer thus exercise faith in Christ Answer 1. Where he is more clearly satisfied in his own good estate there are times when the people of God have very comfor table satisfaction that they are in a good condition they have comfortable hopes that they are in a state of Justification that God has pardoned their sins and will save them these hopes arise from a discerning of their former actings of faith their sanctification and that joy in the Holy Ghost which they have had and at such times as these they do live a life of Faith upon Christ when they can see their sanctification they do not build upon that as the matter of their justification neither do they so live upon any signs as to lie in the neglect of acting dependance on Christ though there is too much of that Spirit to live upon signs and to neglect Christ yet this Spirit does not rule a Saint but notwithstanding his hopes his venturing himself upon the free and gracious offers of the Gospel though he finds comfort in those evidences that God gives him of his good estate yet he is from time to time renewing his acts of dependance upon Christ Cant. 2.3 I set under his shadow with great delight and his fruit was sweet unto my taste 2. When he is more in the dark about his condition there are times with many at least of the people of God when they are greatly exercised with fears there be many things that give occasion of fear to them they are afraid because they see great workings of corruptions cannot discern love to God do not find love to Ordinances seem to grow worse and worse so they are afraid because they nave not such comforts as other christians have they do not find that presence of God with them that they think they should have if they were Saints many temptations they meet withal that shake their hopes exceedingly but in this condition they do not neglect to believe in Christ though when they are in the dark they have great struglings of unbelief but they do not cast off their faith in Christ their faith has not dependance upon their signs when signs fail yet the foundation of their faith remains though they see not yet they do believe at such a time it is their duty to believe when they are in darkness and have no light their work is to stay on the name of the Lord Isai 50.10 and this is their spirit Saints live by faith and not by sight 2 Cor. 5 7. and though they are at a loss what they are and what they have done yet they see ground of faith in Christ their relyance does not depend upon their assurance Psal 73.26 my flesh and my heart faileth but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever By this way of trial we may conclude against three sorts of persons that they have not true Faith. 1. Such persons as satisfie themselves that they have believed in Christ and closed with him sometime formerly and don 't live in a way of believing they nourish an hope because they have believed at such a time but neglect to roll themselves on Christ from time to time so it is with some dry and unsavoury professors they have got an hope from some old works they had upon their hearts many years since they trust that that will carry them to heaven and don 't live a life of faith but live in a wretched neglect of Christ many times such mens religion is quite worn out by that time they grow into years and they are like salt that has lost its favour Heb. 3.14 2. Such persons as generally live upon their own righteousness but only now and then they force themselves to rely on Christ the general way of their living is upon their good frames and services but now and then they have a Sermon against their trusting in their own righteousness or it is given as a
actings of Faith have an influence into Holiness so in a special manner the actings of Faith upon Jesus Christ we are satisfied by Faith in him Act. 26.18 the peculiar actings of Faith on Christ have a special influence into an holy life and that two wayes 1. The believing of the Gospel does in its own nature stir up men to holiness when men by Faith do entertain the calls of God in the Gospel it has a strong impression on their hearts to move them to holiness when men see the readiness of God to pardon them the wonderful grace of God in the Gospel it prevails with them to lead an holy life Psal 26.23 Thy loving kindness is before mine eyes and I have walked in thy truth the sence of the grace of God apprehended by Faith makes men admire the glorious excellency of God love God fear to offend him troubled that they have grieved him and wronged him the discoveries of Gospel grace leave an everlasting impression upon the heart to love and honour God. 2. The believing on Christ is the way wherein God has promised to carry on the work of Sanctification in this way God gives forth the assistances of his Spirit for the carrying on of this work God in the invitations of the Gospel calls us to glory and vertue 2 Pet. 1.3 Faith in Christ is the condition of the covenant of grace and therefore thereby God becomes engaged to keep men in the wayes of holiness as all other covenant mercies are made over to the soul in this way so likewise sanctifying grace and besides that God has directed us to exercise Faith upon Christ for Sanctification he tells us that without him we can do nothing John 15.5 that he is made to us for Sanctification 1 Cor. 1.30 that whatever we do in word or deed we must do all in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ Col. 3.17 this is a principal means prescribed unto us in order to the carrying on of the work of Sanctification we must attend other appointments and ordinances of God prayer reading hearing sacraments watching meditating sim but we may not trust to any of our own strivings but especially attend this ordinance of the covenant of grace to roll our selves upon Christ as being the purchaser and the dispenser of this blessing waiting for the influences of his Spirit and in this way he assists and strengthens his to lead an holy life For the opening of this way of Trial we may consider what an holy life is It is a course of walking in all Gods Commandments from a gracious respect unto God here you may distinguish between a principle of holiness an holy frame an holy action and an holy life a principle of holiness is a quality inabling and inclining a man to keep all Gods commands out of a gracious respect unto God an holy frame is a raised prevailing disposition unto holiness by the habit it is disposed to holiness by an holy frame to a more ready and chearful practice of holiness when the heart is in an holy frame it is like an instrument in tune like a good knife that has a good edge an holy action is an action commanded of God done out of a gracious respect unto God an holy life is a course of walking in all Gods commands from a gracious respect unto God In this discription three things are to be minded 1. That where there is an holy life there is a walking in all Gods commands there may be a reformation of some particular sins where there is not an holy life any one way of sin makes a mans life unholy if men allow any way of disobedience the life is not holy in an holy life there is an abstaining from every known sin and the practice of every known duty Luk. 1 6. They were both righteous before God walking in all the Commandments and Ordinances of the Lord blameless he that leads an holy life does observe all those commands that direct his outward behaviour of himself and he attends all those commands that direct the carriage and behaviour of the heart those commands that require internal duty love fear and those that do require the right manner of doing his duty doing of it for Gods glory doing of it in the Name of Christ doing of it with diligence with delight the casting off of any duty makes the life unholy The principle of grace that is in a Saint does both inable and incline the heart to keep all Gods Commands there is no command given by God but there is a suitable inclination in the heart of a Saint unto it there be in the heart of a Saint some general inclinations to all Gods commands some inclinations that respect every one of Gods precepts that are principles of universal obedience and they are three love to God fear of God and saith in God these three influence a man to all that obedience that God requires these incline the heart to do every thing that God requires hence sometimes we read that love makes us keep Gods commands 1 John 5.3 so all Religion is called the fear of God because that influences all Isai 50.10 so Faith is a general principle of obedience Heb. 11.7 8. besides these there are in a godly man more particular inclinations to the commands severally which are not of such latitude these are the off-spring of the other thus patience inclines a man to keep some commands temperance others bounty others pity others 2 Pet. 1.5 6. But this walking in all Gods commands does admit of divers degrees all the people of God in this life fall short of perfection and some fall far short of that perfection that others do attain every one that is travelling in a path don't travel with equal diligence and speed so here some are more dull heedless and negligent than others are and many Saints do fall short in respect of some outward commands of some that are but natural men but every one must have such a measure of obedience to Gods commands as speaks faithfulness such as speaks a spirit of fear faith and love there must not be an heart allowance of any sin the conscience of a natural man may allow none but the heart and will of a Saint does allow none there are many sins which a christian does commit often in a day as the actings of unbelief by-ends worldly affections and pride but yet he does not allow them and his disallowance is seen in acts of hatred towards these sins repenting of them watching against them out of hatred and by his performing contrary actions namely of humility faith c. 2. Where there is an holy life this walking in Gods commands is in a course that is their way and manner and trade whatever exactness a man may have for a fit that will not denominate his life holy he that leads an holy life is in his ordinary course attending the rules of holiness and that not
and reject the holiness of God do men take Christ for their Priest and the Devil for their King if faith were in mens hearts those lusts would never rest there faith would be purging of them out such unholy persons do not adorn the Gospel but are blemishes to the societies to which they do belong the Scripture gives us an account of the humility heavenly mindedness love self-denyal of believers and if these men be believers they are of another kind then the Scripture tells us of such men do turn the grace of God into wantonness as if Christ came into the world to procure them a liherty to sin without danger as if the gospel did countenance iniquity such men are not guilty of deceiving many others if the sinfulness of their wayes be known men may easily tell what their faith is and if they were not stark blind they could not deceive themselves but if they hope for heaven in this way they will surely be mistaken God threatens them with damnation 2 Pet. 3.7 they that continue ungodly will as certainly perish as if there were no gospel indeed such men are not fit to be saved they are not fit for the company that is in heaven for the comfort that is there nor for the employment that is there 2. Such persons as are observing Gods commands only under some pangs for a time they set themselves carefully to do their duty and make conscience of their duty and reform things that are amiss and afterwards they wither away again and from one neglect fall to another they grow bold to sin and careless of duty lie in the practise of evil they had a fit of religion but have lost it such men have no faith if men had faith they would continue in the practise of Gods will unbelief makes men depart from God Heb 3.12 Faith is a preservative from Apostacy Heb. 10.39 we are not of them that draw back unto perdition but of them that believe to the saving of the soul such men as have once been zealous in religion and now don't regard it or live in any way of disobedience have no true faith faith will not preserve men from falling but it will from falling away and from a course of disobedience 3. Such persons as do not walk in Gods commands out of a gracious respect unto him though they be exceeding diligent and conscienscious yet they are not acted from spiritual considerations they do not duties from a spirit of obedience and for the glory of God and from a true sence what a glorious God this is these men have no faith for they have no true holiness they have no faith for by faith men come to have a spiritual understanding of the glorious excellency of God and if they understood that they would serve him because he is such and hence those men that are acted by a principle of morality in their religion have no faith and those men that are acted only by an enlightned conscience have no faith many men are terrified and scared into religion out of a spirit of fear they reform and do duty but this is not real holiness an enlightened conscience is not sufficient to make a man produce any one holy action though men abound in duties of religion yet it be not from a right motive they have no faith for all their duties are but hypocrisie not onely when men make it their great end to get wealth and reputation but when they make it their great end to get peace of conscience deliverance from hell and the joyes of heaven if such things as these be the great things that have an influence into mens religion God will not accept of it saith makes men serve God from a spirit of love gal 5.6 Faith which worketh by love Before I pass this way of Trial I shall answer some doubts that may arise in the hearts of the people of God. Doubt 1. I fear whether I have any true holiness because I see such actings of corruption as seems inconsistent with holiness and love to God. Answer There may be such actings of corruption in a saint as are inconsistent with the actual love of God but men are often mistaken in thinking that sinful actings are not consistent with the habitual love of God many times a man sees such workings of grace as seems to him inconsistent with such sinful inclinations as afterwards he finds in his heart so 't is here but there is no act of sin the sin against the Holy Ghost excepted but is consistent with habitual grace whatever lust is in the heart it may be drawn into act notwithstanding the being of grace that grace that does not altogether destroy the disposition cannot altogether hinder the working of it there needs more than the being of grace to hinder the workings of the vilest corruptions Jonah 4.9 Doubt 2. I fear because in those conflicts that I have sin gets the upper-hand I set my self to carry patiently and yet am carried away with impatience and I set my self against such a temptation and yet am out-bid Answer They may be overcome in a particular skirmish that may overcome in the war a godly man is many times out-bid in his conflicts with corruption that argues the weakness not the total want of grace grace is sometimes under hatches corruption comes like a storm and bears down all before it corruption does not only out-bid conscience but grace too if a man throw a bawl right forward the strength of the bias carries it aside Doubt 3. I fear because I find a spirit in my self to seek my happiness in the world and to mourn for affliction as the greatest evil Answer Every one that has any worldly love and carnal sorrow has this spirit worldly love is not a loving of the world but a loving of it more than God so carnal sorrow is not a mourning for afflictions but a mourning for them as the greatest evil he that is under the power of worldliness has this spirit reigning in him but godly men so far as they are unregenerate and acted by a worldly spirit do prefer the World above God and make the world their God the spirit of worldliness is to idolize the world but notwithstanding this you may love God above the world and mourn for sin above any affliction though there be a spirit to prize the world above God yet there may be another spirit in you to prize God above all things and where there is any degree of true love to God there is a loving of God above all the unregenerate part loves other things more than God the regenerate loves God more than all other things Doubt 4. I fear because I commit such sins soon again as I have been mourning for Answer It is true that mourning for sin does mortifie sin and leave the heart more fortified against the temptation yet the same corruption is in the heart still and sometimes that
greatness of the sin by the many laws and rules that are broken by it men do violate many Commandments at once in this sin it is a complicated iniquity it is not a single sin but many evils are twisted together in it the rejecting of Christ crosses a great many rules men by their unbelief do cast abundance of dishonour upon God and lie in the breach of many Precepts There are many Rules broken by this sin For 1. You break that particular command of believing in Christ believing in Christ is not only according to many general rules but there is a special command for it we may not only argue this duty by consequence from some general Precepts but here is an express commandment for it it is in terminis required as we are beseeched to believe and invited so we are required John 6.29 this is the work of God that we believe on him whom he hath sent 1 Joh. 3.23 this is his Commandment that we should believe on the Name of his Son Jesus Christ so that by neglecting to come to Christ you break a plain express Precept you carry contrary to the very letter of the Word of God if it were not so expresly set down there might be more pretence for cavilling you might have more to plead that there was some mistake in mens arguing this to be a duty but now you do oppose a plain direct precept what colour can men have to question whither it be their duty when it is set down in the Scripture in so many letters and syllables some awakened sinners that have reformed their former wayes of sin and taken up a course of Religion are apt to please themselves that they don't live in any known sin whereas they live all the while in the neglect of coming unto Christ but how can you sooth up your selves with this when you neglect a plain and express Commandment 2. You deny to Jesus Christ the honour of his Mediatorly Office and of that great Sacrifice that he has offered up unto God God had made Christ Mediator he has committed the work of reconciliation unto Christ and Jesus Christ has undertaken it he was every way furnished for it and has discharged it and upon that account he is worthy to be depended upon Faith in him is an honour due to him Rev. 5.12 Worthy is the Lamb that was slain c. but by your rejecting of him you withhold that honour that belongs to him you deny him the honour of having made satisfaction for sin you should honour every one according to their desert but you cast contempt upon his sacrifice as if it were not sufficient for you you disparage him when you are afraid to venture upon him you cast great reflections as if there were no such virtue in his death and righteousness as is pretended there is a great deal of despising of Christ you belie him the language of unbelief is that his blood is not precious that it does not cleanse from all sin that his sacrifice is not pleasing unto God that the gold he tenders will not make you rich that the white Raiment he offers will not hide your shame thus Jesus is slighted and undervalued by every unbeliever they have low thoughts of Christ and carry accordingly 3. You cast great contempt upon the wisdom of God in finding out such a way of Salvation this is a way that God in infinite wisdom has contrived collos 2.3 there are in Christ all the treasures of wisdom and knowledg but you do desert this way as an unsafe way you dare not venture yourselves in this way as if God when he undertook to find out a way to bring sinners unto glory missed it and did not discover a way that will do that commends this way of life to us that God himself contrived it it is not the invention of man a thing plotted and devised by any finite understanding but the contrivance of God himself but you by refusing of Christ carry as if this were a deceitful way as if this way did not reach the needs of your soul this way is chosen of God and refused by you as if you understood better than God what you needed 4. You refuse wonderful love to reject the kindness and love of God is an abuse of it you ought with thankfulness to entertain Gods love but by rejecting of Christ you reject the greatest love that ever was revealed was it not an act of wonderful love for God to send his Son to dye for us what need had he to be at any such cost if we had been all damned what would he have lost by it we may see in this how deeply the heart of God was concerned in our salvation he did that for us which would have been too much for us to have asked we may well wonder that God would be willing to do such a thing for our salvation it was a great thing for God to be willing that sinners should be saved but for him to lay out himself so in order to it was much more Joh. 3.16 so God loved the world and again it was a great act of love for God to make such a law of grace that he that believeth shall be saved that he should make so small a thing the condition of salvation and say to us as the Prophet did to him wash and be clean if God had laid the sorest burdens upon us and put us upon never so many difficulties as the condition of salvation we should have had reason to bless his name but he only lays this condition on us to accept his offer it was great love that God should make this offer to you when he passes by thousands in the world and never speak a word to them about the way of life yet opens this way to you revealing of it and calling upon you to be saved he cast your lot in a time when and where these offers should be made and the way of life is held forth with all plainness and when he has snatched others away younger than you he is yet waiting upon you keeps knocking at your door and upon this account you are utterly inexcusable in refusing to come to Christ shall God be at a great deal of cost and care in order to your salvation and will you not accept of his Son shall Christ make a journey from heaven to save you and shall he lose his labour God in compassion has provided bread for you and will you not eat it a garment for you and will not put it on has he sent a Physitian and will you not accept his help are Gods bowel earning over your dying souls and will you reject his care indeed when you refuse Christ you despise the tender love of God and that heart is very hard that can slight such tender love you are guilty of great ingratitude that do reject this offer you are greatly injurious unto God thus to blow upon his love
yielded any real obedience unto God therefore this threatning cannot be understood of the certain ruine of all that have hardned their necks after many reproofs if you he of this number there is free liberty and good encouragement for you to come to Christ notwithstanding Objection 5. But I am afraid that God has given me up to judicial hardness of heart that he has taken his spirit away from me and if so he does not intend me in the call of the gospel Answer 1. There is an hardness of heart that is not judicial indeed every man by nature is under the power of an hard heart there may be abundance of hard heartedness in you though no judicial hardness there may be some legal softness and tenderness and relenting where there is judicial hardness as it was with Pharaoh so there may be hardness where there is no judicial hardness this is an evidence of it because God promises them to take away the hardness of their hearts Ezek. 11.19 I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and I will give you an heart of flesh 2. Many others have feared that they have been judicially hardened that have afterwards been converted they that are judicially hardened do not use to be perplexed with this fear the judgment it self is wont to deliver them from fears of this kind but it is a frequent thing for souls under trouble to be afraid of this others have seen afterwards that they have been mistaken and so may you 3. The reasons why persons under the work of conversion fear that they are given up to hardness and that the Spirit of God has forsaken them is because the spirit does after a while change its way of working when the Spirit begins to work upon them his manner is to discover their danger and after a while to give them some encouragement whereby they come to have strong affections sorrow desire delight and now they are easily perswaded that the Spirit is at work with them and dont look upon themselves hardened but after a while when these affection fail them and they find themselves dull and senseless now they are afraid that the Spirit has left them whereas the reason is the spirit has changed his work and is about to shew them what hearts they have in order to the work of Humiliation if men could maintain their lively affections they would never come to Christ therefore the Spirit of God does leave them unto and lead them into an experimental knowledg of the hardness of their hearts so that this is no sign of the Spirits leaving you but an effect of the presence of the Spirit his manner is to convince men that they are poor and wretched and blind and miserable Rev. 3.17 4. The conditional offer of the gospel is made to you how hard soever your heart is you are called and if you will accept you shall be saved God rejects none that come to him by Christ do you accept the gospel and God will never object your hard-heartedness against you he never turned any away because their hearts were hard come to him and he will give you pardon and a soft heart too Objection 6. I am afraid I have committed that sin for which there is no Sacrifice it is said if we sin wilfully after we have received the knowledg of the truth there remaineth no more Sacrifice for sin Heb. 10.26 and I am afraid it is so with me for I have had great enlightnings and since I have been enlightned I have been guilty of a great deal of rebellion against God and have felt the workings of enmity to God in my heart and if so it is a vain thing for me to come to Christ he was not sacrificed for such Answer For the answering of this Doubt I shall open this Scripture to you and shew you what is meant by sinning and by wilful sinning 1. By sinning here is not meant any sort of sin but some special sin particularly the sin of Apostacy and renouncing of the gospel this is evident because this sin is that which he speaks of in the verse immediately preceding there he speaks of mens casting off their Christian society and therewith the profession of the truth which is the thing he disswades from in this verse and he evidently speaks of Apostacy when he comes to explain his meaning more sully ver 29. he calls this sin a treading under foot the Son of God c besides the same Apostle speaking of the same sin Heb 6.6 calls it a falling a way 2. By sinning or apostatizing wilfully we are to understand a malicious apostacy the word indeed does signifie willingly but it also signifies spitefully or maliciously or as in our version wilfully there are three ways that men may apostatize from the profession of the Gospel they may do it ignorantly when men are blinded by the arguments of Hereticks they may do it against their light through a spirit of fear as some good men have done and many others that have not sinned unpardonably in time of Persecution many have through weakness denied the Gospel they may do it spitefully and maliciously that is here intended for they are said ver 29. to do despite to the Spirit of grace by this you may fee that though there have been many backslidings after your illumination though you have had a stubborn and rebellious heart yet you may be free from the sin here intended and have opportunity to come with acceptance unto Christ Objection 7. I have not the qualifications that are mentioned sometimes in the invitation of the Gospel as Isa 55.1 Ho every one that thirsteth come ye to the waters Mat. 11.28 come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest therefore I fear I am not invited Answer 1. Some persons have these qualifications that fear they have not some men think they are not a thirst because they don't find longing desire after Christ their hearts are dead and senseless they don't find any love unto Christ but souls may be said to be a thirst when they are in want of refreshing when their souls are parched under the sense of Gods anger their hearts are ready to fail for want of comfort so they think they are not heavy laden because sin is not such a burden to them as it should be because they have not an heart to mourn for sin but there is no man can mourn for sin aright until he has closed with Christ but you are heavy laden if the anger of God and your danger do load you and you can't find any means in your selves to ease you of your burden Act. 16.30 What must I do to be save 2. The invitation is not confined to men that have these qualifications but only particularly applied unto them such are under special temptation and have special need of support it is one thing to apply the call to one particular
to Christ men must not wait for a willing spirit as a ground of encouragement to come to Christ God does not require that men should be first willing and then come it is a concomitant willingness only that God does require not an antecedent for indeed no man is indeed truly willing to believe in Christ until he does so 3. The meaning of it is that there is an universal liberty given to men to come to Christ he will bestow the blessing on none but those that will and upon any one that will the meaning is that he will reject no man that will come upon any defect whatever upon any account that may be thought of whatever their outward condition be whatever hearts they have whatever their former life have been whatever weakness there be in their faith it is an universal offer without an exception Objection 12. I am afraid I don't understand the meaning of the call God promises life to them that believe but there may be some interpretation or other found out that I did not think of I fear I should but deceive my self if I should come Answer You scare your self causelesly God has upon design so phrased the calls of the Gospel that all our scruples may be removed Joh. 6.37 he that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out God has made our way plain to Christ there can be no interpretation made contrary to the words of the call and they bind the thing sure enough there can be no interpretation contrary to the glory of free grace which is the great thing that God does design his design shall not fall to the ground there can be no such interpretation as shall rob Christ of his honour the honour of being a compleat Saviour yea there can be no such interpretation but what is suitable to the necessity of sinners this way of salvation is proposed to be an help to us and if we can't have salvation in a way of free grace upon Christs account but that there must be some worthiness in us it would be no help to us if God did stand for any worthiness in us we should be uncapable of salvation Objection 13. I am afraid if I should believe that I shall come in a wrong way and then I shall be in a worse condition then I am now then I shall go hoping to hell Answer If you come to Christ meerly upon Gospel encouragement you cannot come in a wrong way if you come indeed upon such encouragements as these that you have not much angred God that you have pacified him that your have a great love for him that you have not been so bad as other men that your heart is soft and broken for sin c. you don't come in a right way but if you come meerly upon the encouragements that God sets before you in his Word you do come in a right way God offers salvation to you and tells you that his grace is free that Christ has dyed for our sins and if this prevail upon you that though you are vile yet there is vertue enough in Christ for the pardon of them that God is a God of glorious grace and his Word is true and upon the encouragement hereof you come to Christ God will not reject you this is the faith that God calls for Psal 36 7. Psal 91.4 2 Tim. 1.12 Objection 14. In this way of coming unto Christ I must take all upon trust we don't see that it is so we cannot tell whether Jesus he the Christ whether God does take delight in his sacrifice and be willing to accept of us it is so reported and recorded but we don't know it to be so but must take it upon trust Answer We must indeed take things upon trust but it is upon the testimony of God if we must take it upon trust from man only that would be hard but it is not hard to take it upon trust from God we have more for it than against it we have nothing against it but vain conjectures and surmises the things themselves are not incredible this way of salvation is neither contrary to the justice of God nor beyond the mercy of God no man was ever able to give any demonstration against this way of salvation Men scare themselves with many vain scruples and ignorant imaginations of their own and are such conjectures and guessings to be set against the testimony of God God has sent us word from heaven that we may have salvation by Christ he gives his witness unto it and that may well satisfie us what God speaks he will make good if we receive the witness of men the Witness of God is greater and we may safely venture our souls upon his Word God assures us that it is so and gives a large account in his Word how the thing is brought about he gives us an account of the reason of it the means and method of accomplishing it and the design that is upon his heart in such a way as is exceeding agreeable unto right reason remoxing all weighty objections that can arise in your hearts if you will hearken unto cavils and the pretenses of reason and stand off from Jesus Christ you must expect to rue it another day but if you desire the good of your souls and to escape those miseries that shall come upon an unbelieving world reject temptations and cast away all the vain arguings of your hearts and accept of this glorious call and build upon this sure foundation you need not have any greater assurance than Gods Word which will endure when Heaven and Earth shall fail it is well for those men and women that have Word of God for their salvation it is bad building hopes of heaven upon mens fancies but it is safe building them upon Gods Word CHAP. XI Vse 4. Exhortation To Saints to live by Faith upon the Righteousness of Jesus Christ for your acceptance USE IV. I Shall conclude the Discourse with an Exhortation to the people of God to be often renewing acts of dependance upon Christs Righteousness for your acceptance with God be believing on Christ for your acceptance both now and in the day of Judgment a great part of the life of a Christian lies in the exercise of Faith and as you are to be exercising Faith in Christ for other things so especially for your acceptance and salvation 't is not enough that you have once ventured your selves on Christ and accepted of the tender of life made to you through him but you must live upon Christ for acceptance all your dayes you ought to be alwayes in a believing frame and never to put forth any act contrary unto the act of Faith and very often to be renewing of the acts of Faith for your acceptance there are many special occasions when it is duty so to do as when God is setting the offers of this grace before you in his Word and in the Sacrament of the
Lords Supper so when you meet with any temptations to beat you off from this way of believing when you have been contracting any special guilt when you go before God in solemn prayer and besides what is to be done on such occasions as these it is a duty to have the heart working and carried out in this way at other times and it will be so where the heart is in a believing frame men then will love to be thinking upon the precious righteoousness of Christ and putting forth acts of dependance thereupon God requires you to be much in the exercise of Faith 1 Joh. 5.13 those things have I written to you that believe on the Name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life and that you may believe on the Name of the Son of God. This ought to be upon a double account 1. This is an honour due to God and Jesus Christ it becomes us to be putting honour upon them by reniewing those acts of Faith when a man is drawing his encouragement from the righteousness of Christ and the free grace of God prizing Christs Righteousness satisfied with that rejoycing in it rolling himself upon it he is putting honour thereupon and it is no more than it does deserve it becomes us to be giving this glory unto God and Jesus Christ when the acts of Faith are much intermitted and when there are any actings of unbelief we do deny them their due honour but the exercise of Faith is a practical acknowledgment of their glory and this is one part of that way of holiness wherein the people of God are walking unto salvation the first act of Faith in Christ is the fulfilling of the Covenant other acts of Faith are a part of our attending that way of holiness which is the way of life 2. This is the way of our comfort we need to be from time to time renewing the acts of Faith that we may live a comfortable life this is a way to have a stable and well grounded comfort for in this way of salvation God has given us everlasting consolation and good hope 2 Thess 2.16 the actings of unbelief fill the soul with trouble that saint must needs live a sorrowful life that is much carried away with an unbelieving heart such a life is attended with many terrors and fears unbelief is the sinking of the heart the prevailings of a spirit of discouragement bring a man into a most perplexed condition and he that lives in a way of carnal confidence will live a life of trouble though at times his joy may be great yet there will often be such discoveries of his heart and convictions of his danger as will fill his soul with fear and trembling the only way to live a sweet and comfortable life is to live by Faith upon Christ the actings of Faith give rest unto the heart there will be some measure of comfort wherever Faith is in exercise though a man be in the dark about his condition yet the very actings of Faith will support his heart Faith discovers a resting place for the soul in the exercise of Faith the soul is receiving of encouragement therefore Faith is often expressed in Scripture by joy Phil. 3.3 Hab. 3.18 indeed there is a sweetness and pleasingness in the exercises of every grace because they are suitable to that new nature that God has put into his Saints but there is a special sweetness in the exercise of Faith because the nature of it is to entertain a well grounded comfort and encouragement the very actings of Faith have a great deal of comfort in them and the reflection of the soul upon those acts of Faith has a great deal of comfort in them Faith it self is comfortable and the sight of Faith is comfortable Faith comforts as it entertains the glad tidings of the Gospel as it discovers a door of hope the light of Faith comforts as it discovers a sure evidence of Salvation In prosecuting of this VSE we shall consider three things 1. That Saints are apt to be discouraged from believing on the righteousness of Christ for acceptance 2. What their discouragements are together with proposals for the removing of them 3. What course saints should take that they may live by Faith on Christs righteousness and not be discouraged 1. Consider Saints are apt to be discouraged from believing on the righteousness of Christ for acceptance there are two sorts of discouragements that Christians have with respect unto their acceptance one sort is when they are discouraged as if they were not accepted as if they were not saints and in a state of salvation their present state is dark unto them and this arises either from Gods dispensations towards them or their carriages towards God God layes afflictions upon them exercises them with inward temptations don't give assurance of his love don't answer their prayers don't quicken their hearts in his Ordinances and they are carried away with corruption don't feel the working of love in their hearts have not such spiritual hearts as others of the people of God and so they are ready to sink as if their present state were not a state of peace with God the other sort of discouragement is when they are afraid to come unto Christ for acceptance they are called upon to believe but are discouraged from that duty it don't enter into them that God is free to accept of them through Christ they dare not believe and these two sorts of discouragements are generally Companions and go together though not alwayes usually when Christians are discouraged as to their present state they are also more backward to believe than at other times and their hearts are frighted because of the greatness and number of their sins and when they are in an unbelieving frame they are many times discouraged as if they were not Saints and can't discern those signs that they can see plain enough at another time this latter sort of discouragement whereby Saints are discouraged from believing in Christ is that we are now discoursing of and this discouraged frame is one of those frames that are contrary to a believing frame there are two other frames in Christians that are contrary to believing in Christ one is a slighty careless and regardless frame of spirit respecting acceptance with God and eternal salvation mens hearts are sometimes so deeply engaged in the world that they are little concerned about the state of their souls they have not the weight of it on their hearts to make sure a part in Christ sometimes Christians are under the prevailings of a sensless Spirit they have not sense nor solemnity enough upon their hearts to put forth an act of Faith the other is a self-righteous frame whereby Christians are apt to be drawing of their encouragements for their acceptance with God from their own righteousness but besides these there is a discouraged frame of spirit whereby Saints are afraid to believe
Have no dependance upon signs it is a great fault of the people of God that when they are called to believe they are waiting for signs sometimes God gives his people signs and sometimes he denies signs unto them when God gives signs it is a duty to take notice of them when he gives them we must improve them for the strengthening of Faith it was a sin in Ahaz to refuse a sign Isai 7.12 God many times considers the weakness of his people and gives them signs which are a strengthening unto hope Rom. 5.4 and it is lawful to desire signs out of a sensibleness of the unbelief of our own hearts under the sence of that that we are easily outbid with temptation that our unbelieving hearts are ready to take advantage from the want of such evidences we may desire signs but it is not lawful to desire them from unbelief unbelief is never good nor any natural effect of it we have no reason to lie waiting for signs when we have the Word of God to incourage us to believe Mat. 16.4 God has sometimes sharply shewed his anger when his people have neglected the promise waiting for signs he has brought sharp affliction upon them Luk. 1.11 20. indeed sometimes God has granted the desires of his people when they have been unbelieving and have desired signs but he does not therein shew his approbation of those desires he condescends because of the infirmities of his people so he did to Gideon but Gideons heart smote him for what he did Judg. 6.39 so Christ condescended to Thomas but withal reproved him Job 20.29 therefore never wait for signs have no dependance upon them Consider 1. When God denies signs there is a sufficient foundation for Faith God never leaves his people without a sufficient ground for Faith it is no sign that a man is not in favour with God that God takes away signs and there is a firm bottom for Faith when signs are withdrawn such as have no light may trust in the Name of the Lord Isai 50.10 Gods call is a sufficient warrant to believe 2. God many times withdraws signes to draw forth the more glorious acts of Faith when men have got signs they are very ready to live upon them and lay more weight upon them than on the stability of the Word of God and God takes away those crutches that men may learn to go without them men are brought into such a condition that they may have nothing else to rely upon but the Word of God 2 Cor. 1.9 3. God takes great delight in the acts of Faith at such a time when signs fail acts of Faith at such a time put a great deal of honour upon God and God does greatly approve of such a Faith God don't reckon men bold and presumptuous for believing at such a time God loves to see men with the shield of Faith defending themselves from all temptations this is a Faith very commendable in the sight of God and God will eminently reward his people for believing on him at such a time a man cannot please God better than by exercising Faith under such circumstances under this consideration Abraham's Faith is commended that against hope he believed in hope Rom. 4.18 and Jesus Christ commends the Faith of the Woman of Canaan when under great temptation yet she would rely upon him Matth. 15.28 O Woman great is thy Faith be it unto thee even as thou wilt Direction 4. Beware of frowardness and discontent frowardness is one great cause of discouragement and unbelief men get into a discontented frame and then they don't know how to believe their spirits are disordered by the dispensations of God unto them because God brings great and long afflictions upon them don't hear their prayers don't give them those inward comforts that he does unto others and when their spirits are distempered with discontent they are greatly disadvantaged to receive the encouragement that God offers unto them discontent is an enemy unto faith therefore beware of a discontented spirit when you are under any rebukes of Providence look to your spirits and labour against the first stirrings of a froward spirit the workings of frowardness does prove a temptation to unbelief and so do the workings of any other corruption as the sinfulness thereof does fright a man from believing but this is not all a froward spirit leads a man into unbelief it is a principle and cause of unbelief And that these two ways 1. Frowardness blinds the minds of men frowardness bereaves men of their understandings passion draws a vail before the eyes God presents before men several encouragements to believe but those things don t sink into mens hearts when discontented a man in a discontented frame is out of frame to consider the weight of those things that God sets before him discontentedness makes him rashly and inconsiderately to reject encouragements when God is encouraging him he don't hearken and regard it Ex. 6.9 they hearkened not unto Moses for anguish of spirit and for cruel bondage frowardness does prejudice men against believing when a man is in such a frame he construes all Gods difpensations to be from want of love he thinks if God had any love for him he would never have dealt so with him if God had had a kindness for him he would have done this for him and prevented this or that evil but he takes it as a sign that God don't regard him when froward he puts the worst sense upon every thing and represents Gods dispensations to himself as flowing from want of love he is ready to say as she how canst thou say I love thee Judg. 15.15 yea frowardness makes a man justifie his unbelief it so blinds him as it did Jonah that he thinks he does well vindicates himself as if he had cause for what he did 2. Frowardness makes men love to cavil against the encouragements that God sets before them a man in a froward frame studies objections and indulges himself in a way of cavelling there is a great deal of wilfulness in their unbelief a froward heart humours himself in his raising of objections men take a pride in cavelling and turning of the calls of God when the heart is discontented there is a great deal of a sturdy spirit working in their unbelief if I had called and he had answered yet would I not believe that he did hearken unto my voice for he breaketh me with a tempest Job 9.16 17. Direction 5. Set hefore your selves the examples of other Saints there is a cloud of witnesses gone before you men that under all sorts of difficulties and temptations have been exercising Faith remember how Abraham believed the Lord and it was counted unto him for righteousness how Job carried himself when he says tho' he slay me yet I will trust in him how David says why art thou cast down O my Soul hope in God how Jonah recovers himself yet will I look again