taste and relish of the joy of the world to come and yet are carried all this while in a fool's Paradise and think there is no fear of their safety never knowing that they are cast-aways till they come to the gates of hell and find themselves by woful experience shut out of Heaven And their case is woful that are thus deceived Know then that it is not every faith that justifies a man a man may have faith and yet not be justified The Faith that justifies is the Faith of Gods Elect. Tit. 1.1 There is a faith that may belong to them that are not Gods elect but that faith does not justifie In the Epistle of Timothy that faith which justifies must be a faith unfegn'd 1 Tim. 1.5 2 Tim. 1.5 Now here 's the skill of a Christian to try what that faith is which justifies him Now this justifying faith is not every work of Gods Spirit in a mans heart For there are supernatural operations of the Spirit in a mans heart that are but temporary that carry him not thorow and therefore are ineffectual but the end of this faith is the salvation of our souls 1 Pet. 1.9 We read in the Scripture of Apostacy and falling back Now they cannot be Apostates that were never in the way of truth This being an accident we must have a subject for it Now there is a certain kind of people that have supernatural workings some that are drawn up and down with every wind of Doctrine these are they that have this cold and temporary faith temporary because in the end it discovers it self to be a thing not constant and permanent We read in John 11.26 That they that are born of God that is that live and believe in Christ never see death shall never perish eternally but yet we must know withal that there may be conceptions that will never come to the birth to a right and perfect delivery And thus it may be in the soul of a man there may be conceptions that will never come to a ripe birth but let a man be born of God and come to perfection of birth and the case is clear he shall never see death He that liveth and believeth in me shall not see death And this is made a point of faith Believest thou this There is another thing called conception and that is certain dispositions to a birth that come not to full perfection True a child that is born and liveth is a perfectly alive as he that liveth an hundred years yet I say there are conceptions that come not to a birth Now the faith that justifies is a living faith there is a certain kind of dead faith this is a feigned that an unfegned faith The life that I now live I live by the faith of the Son of God Dost thou think a dead faith can make a living soul It s against reason A man cannot live by a dead thing not by a dead faith Now a dead faith there is A faith that doth not work is a dead faith Jam. 2.22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works and by his works was faith made perfect for verse 26. As the body without the spirit is dead or without breath is dead so faith without works is dead also See how the Apostle compares it as the body without the spirit is dead so faith without works is dead also The Apostle makes not works the form of faith as the soul is the form of the man But as the body without the spirit is dead so that faith that worketh not that hath no tokens of life is dead but then doth not the other word strike home Faith wrought with his works It seems here is as the Papists say fides informis and works make it up as the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of it But compare this with the other places of the Scripture and the difficulty will be cleared for instance weigh that place 2 Cor. 12.9 Where the Apostle pray'd to God that the messenger of Satan might be removed from him and he said unto him My grace is sufficient for thee for my strength is made perfect in weakness What Does our weakness make Gods strength more perfect to which nothing can be added No it is My strength and the perfection of it is made known in the weakness of the means that I made use of for the delivery of mans soul from death So here the excellency and perfection of our faith is made known by works when I see that it is not an idle but a working faith then I say it is made perfect by the work When it is a dead faith that puts not a man on work never believe that will make a liâ—ing soul. In St. Judes Epistle ver 20. it hath another Epithete viz. The most holy faith not holy only but most holy That faith which must bring a man to God the holy of holies must be most holy It 's said that God dwells in our hearts by faith Ephes. 3.17 Now God and faith dwelling in a heart together that heart must needs be pure and clean Faith makes the heart pure It were a most dishonourable thing to entertain God in a sty a filthy and unclean heart but if faith dwell there it makes a fit house for the habitation of the King of Saints therefore it purifieth the heart Well then dost thou think thy sins are forgiven thee and that thou hast a strong faith and yet art as prophane and as filthy as ever How can it be It is a most holy faith that justifieth it is not a faith that will suffer a man to lie on a dunghil or in the gutter with the hog There may be a faith which is somewhat like this but it is but temporary and cometh short of it But now there is another thing which distinguishes it it is the peculiar work of faith In Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision but the new creature Gal. 6.15 and again Gal. 5.6 Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision availeth any thing but faith which worketh by love It 's twice set down Now what is a new creature Why he that hath such a faith as works by love not a dead faith but a faith that works but how does it work it not only abstains from evil and does some good acts which a temporary may do but it s such a faith as works by love The love of God constrains him 2 Cor. 5.14 and he so loveth God as that he hates evil for Gods sake the other does it not out of love to God all the love he hath is self-love he serves his own turn on God rather than hath any true love to serve him Now that we may the better distinguish between these two I shall endeavour to shew you how far one may go farther than the other I know not a more difficult point then this nor a case more to be cut by a thread then this it being a
walk or speak or do any act of a living man so these cannot do the actions of men that are quickned and enlivened they cannot pray with the spirit they cannot love God c. They cannot do those things that shall be done hereafter in Heaven There 's not one good duty which this natural man can do If it should be said unto him Think but one good thought and for it thou shalt go to Heaven he could not think it Till God raise him from the sink of sin as he did Lazarus from the grave he cannot do any thing that is well pleasing unto God He may do the works of a moral man but to do the works of a man quickned and enlightned it 's beyond his power For if he could do so he must then have some reward from God for however we deny the merit of good works yet we deny not the reward of good works to a man that is in Christ. There 's no proportionable merit in a cup of cold water and the Kingdome of Heaven yet he that gives a cup of cold water to a Disciple in the name of a Disciple shall not lose his reward Here then is the point The best that a natural man doth cannot so relish with God as that he should take delight in it or reward it whereas the least good thing that comes from another root from a quickned spirit is acceptable and well pleâ—sing to him Consider for this end that which is set down Prov. 15.8 Tâ—ke the best works of a natural man his prayers or sacrifice and see there what is said The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord. It s said again Prov. 21.27 where there are additions The Sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord How much more when he brings it with a wicked mind Suppose there should come upon this man a sit of devotion where he hath or should have some good motions is it then accepted no it is so far from being accepted that it is an Abomination to God how much more then if he brings it with wicked mind That is if he brings it not with a wicked mind it is an abomination how much more with it See the case set down in Haggai 2.12.13 14. If one bear holy flesh c. shall it be holy And the Priest answered no. Then said Haggai if an unclean person touch any of these shall it be unclean And he said it shall be unclean Then answered Haggai so is this people so is this nation before me saith the Lord and so is every work of their hands it is unclean A man may nor say prayer is a sin because it it is so in them no it 's a good duty but spoil'd in the carriage He marrs it in the carriage and therefore insteâ—d of doing a good work he spoils it and so in stead of a reward must look for punishment 1 Tim. 15. The end of the Commandment is love out of a â—ure hâ—art a good conscience and faith unfeigned Let the things thou dost be according to the Commandment Look what thou dost be in the middle end and beginning according to the Commandement If wrong in all these then though the work be never so materially good being faulty in the original middle or end it 's so far from being a good work that God will not accept of it and thou mayst rather expect a plague for spoiling it then a reward for doing it See then the beginning of a good work it must be from a pure heart A man not ingrafted into Christ is a dâ—filed polluted person his very mind and conscience are dâ—filed The conscâ—ence is the purest thing a man hath it holds out last and taketh part witâ— God that as Jobs messenger said I only am escâ—ped to tell theâ— Job 1 15. So conscience only remains to declare a mans faults to God and to witness against the man and yet this very light the eye of tâ—e soul is deâ—iled therefore if thou have a corrupt fâ—untain if the heart be naught the fountain muddy whatever stream comes from it cannot be pure Again the end of it is love Consider when thou dost any duty what puts thee on work Is it love doth constrain thee If love do not constrain thee it is manifest that thou dost not seek God but thy self and art to every good work a Reprobate Tit. 1.16 that is thou art not then able to do any thing that God will accept the best thing thou dost will not relish with God A hard estate indeed that when a man shall come to appear before God he shall not have one good thing that he hath done in all his life that God will own Some there be that take a great deal of pains in coming to the word in prayer publick and private in charity and giving to the poor Alas when thou shalt come to an account and none of these things shall stead thee not one of them shall speak for thee but all shall be lost How heavy will thy case be 2 John 8. Look to your selves that you lose not the thing that you have wrought By being indisposed to do the works of a living man we lose all that is to say God will never own nor accept them we shall never have reward for them So that here is the case thou being dead unable to perform the works of a living man canst have no reward from heaven at all until a man is quickned and hath life from Christ his works are dead as well as his person Without me saith our Saviour you can do nothing Ja. 15.5 St. Austin on this place observes that Christ saith not Without me ye can do no great matter No but unless you be cut off from your own stock taken from your own root and be ingrafted into me and have life from me and be quickned by me you can do nothing at all Nothing neither great nor small all that you do is lost So that if there were nothing but this being dead you could do no good action I know that in me that is in my flesh saith St. Paul there dwelleth no good thing Rom. 7.18 that is nothing spiritually good nothing for which I may look for a reward in heaven The Lord will say of such a man thou hast lived ten twenty forty or it may be fifty years under the Ministry and yet hast not done a good work or thought a good thought that I can own Cut down this fruitless tree why cumbers it the greund Luk. 13.7 And this is the case of every man of us while we continue in our naâ—ural condition till we be ingrafted into Christ and live by life God will own nothing we do But now we are not only dead and indisposed to the works of a living man though this be a very woful case and we need no more misery for this will bring us to be cut down and cast into the
of suffering comes there is a remarkable speech Zach. 13.7 The Father seemeth to say concerning the Son that it was against his heart to smite him The expression was a lively one it went to his heart to smite one that was his equal that did him no wrong Awake O sword against my Shepherd and against the man that is my fellow You know of whom it is spoken by Matthew Mat. 26.31 I will smite the Shepherd and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered The Lord is ready to break him Isa. 53. The Sword was as it were unwilling to smite The man that is my fellow A blow lighting on God's fellow equal with God of what value is it Consider the difference betwixt a man and a man The State of a Prince makes great odds between that is done to him and that is done to another man When David would adventure himself into the batttl Thou shalt say they go no more with us lest thou quench the light of Israel 2 Sam. 21.17 and more â—ully 2 Sam. 18.3 Thou art worth ten thousand of us They would not hazard the person of the King in the battel Why because thou art worth ten thousand of us The dignity of a Prince is so great that ten thousand will not countervail the loss of him If this be the esteem and worth of David what is the worth of David's Prince If thus with a King what with the King of Kings and Lord of Lords This is a great ground of the sufficiency of Christ's suffering Heb. 9.13 If the blood of Bulls and Goats sanctifie to the purifying of the flesh how much more vers 14. shall the blood of Christ who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God purge your Consciences from dead works to serve the living God It is not the offering of the body only but he did it through his eternal Spirit When the Martyrs and Saints offered themselves a sacrifice they offered it through the flames of their love and therefore embraced the stake and love is described as strong as death but Christ did not offer his Sacrifice with the flames of his love though love was in him the greatest that ever was but with the everlasting flames of his Godhead and Deity with that fire from heaven which is a consuming fire He did the deed that will purge our Consciences from dead works Act. 20.28 Take heed unto your selves and to the flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseerâ— to feed the Church of God which he hath purchased with his own blood God hath purchased the Church with his own blood whose blood God's blood The blood of God must be shed He who thought it no robbery to be equal with God must shed his own blood As Zippora saith to Moses a bloody husband hast thou been to me Exod. 4.25 So may Christ say to his Church a bloody Spouse hast thou been to me that my blood must be shed for thee 1 Cor. 2.8 Had they known they would not have crucified he Lord of Glory that is they would not have crucified God He that was crucified was the glorious Lord God Act. 3.15 You denyed the holy one and killed the Prince of life Here 's the matter unless the Prince of life had been killed thou couldst not have life This the Apostle sets down as the ground of all before he comes to the particularities of his humiliation and sets down who it was who was thus humbled He whom the Heaven of Heavens could not contain he must descend into the lowermost parts of the earth that 's a descent indeed His Humiliation appears in this that he who was thus high became a man and being found in fashion as a man he humbled himself and became obedient unto death even the death of the Cross. In this humiliation consider I say these two Points 1. The person who was humbled 2. The degrees of his humiliation Some things have regard to the whole course of his life others to the conclusion or period of his life All his life from his incarnation to his passion was a continual thred of humiliation from his Cradle to his Cross from his Womb to his Tomb So here is set down the humbled life of our blessed Saviour For I would not have you think his humiliation consisted only in coming to the Cross when they so mercilesly handled him it cost him more then so as sinners have the curse of God on them in their life as well as in their death So Christ must have a miserable life as well as an accursed death Though the heat came at the end o the Tragedy yet his whole life was a continual suffering Consider the degrees of it 1. He made himself of no Reputation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he emptied himself It was the second person in the Trinity that thus humbled and emptied himself not in his divine nature but his assumed of all his transcendent endowments Consider the particulars of it he took on him the form of a servant Was not this a great humiliation That the second person in the Trinity should stoop so low as to take on him the nature of one who is not worth the looking on That he should take dust and ashes upon him Psalm 113.5 6. Gods greatness is thus expressed Who is like unto the Lord our God who dwelleth on high who humbleth himself to behold the things in heaven and in the earth What Humiliation is that Compare these two humiliations tonether It is an humiliation to cast but his eye upon the Heavens to look upon the most glorious of all his works to look upon the Angels but what is man that thou so regardest him That thou shouldst not only look upon him but take him up and make him an inmate under thine own roof This is a greater abasement but here 's a further degree Christ during the time of his pilgrimage was content to deprive himself of his Glory that he now enjoyes By reason of his Hypostatical Union with the God-head he deserves all honour and glory When he brought his first begotten into the world he saith And let all the Angels worship him Heb. 1.6 Every knee bows to him that is thus highly exalted We see Christ crowned with glory and honour all Dominion and Power being made subject unto him yet he for thirty three years and an half was content to be exiled from his Fathers court John 17.5 Glorifie thou me with the glory I had with thee before the world was Which is expounded in the Proverbs where the Wisdom of God was shewn before the world was framed Prov. 8.30 Then I was by him as one brought up with him and I was dayly his delight rejoycing always before him this was the work before the foundation of the World which God was doing the Father was glorifying the Son and the Son was glorifying the Father The Father took infinite delight in the Son and the
in his heart to do it he saith not with Joseph How can I do this great wickedness and sin against my God The other saith I could do this evil well enough but I will not Thou canst not beâ—n those that are evil saith Christ in his Epistle to the Church of Ephesus This was her great commendation Revel 2.2 Now he that is born of God cannot sin there is that seed that spring in him that for his life he cannot sin but it turns his heart from it for his life he cannot tell how to swear lye c. or joyn with others in wickedness but this must be understood of the constant course of their lives I speak not what they may do in temptations when they are surprised but in the course of their lives they commit sin as if they knew not how to do it the other doth it skilfully these coblingly and bunglingly they do it ill-favouredly thus it is with a wicked man in doing a good work he cobles it up This is intimated unto us in the very Phrase of the Apostle Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin It is not the same thing to sin in St. John's acception and to commit sin committing sin is the action of the Artist and Practitioner in the Trade From this the seed of God which abideth in the regenerate secureth him 1 Joh. 3.9 Psal. 32.12 Thy faith then must be a faith that worketh by love Canst thou do those good works thou doest out of love then my soul for thine thou art saved Get me any temporary that loves God and I shall say something to you Hast thou then a faith that causeth thee to love God a working faith and a faith that will not suffer thee to do any thing displeasing to him if thou hast such a faith thou art justified before God 2. And so I come now to the point of justification the greatest of all blessings Blessed is he saith David whose transgression is forgiven and whose sin is covered blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity It is the most blessed condition that can be it is set down by way of Exclamation O the blessedness of the man to whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity or as the Original imports O the blessedness of the man discharged from sin Here are many blessings conceived in our justification from sin For justification see what it is the Scripture in St. Paul's Epistles speaks of justification by faith and in St James of justification by works Now it will be useful to us in this point to know whence justification comes it comes from justice Tsedeck as the Original hath it and Hitsdiq to justifie so that justification and righteousness depend one upon the other for what is justification but the manifestation of the righteousness that is in a man And therefore in Gal. 3.21 they are put for one the same thing For if there had been a Law given which could have given life verily righteousness had been by the Law that is justification had been by the Law Again If righteousness be by the Law then Christ is dead in vain Gal. 2. that is also if justification had been by the Law c. Justification is a manifestation of righteousness and as many ways as righteousness is taken so many ways is justification which is a declaration of righteousness so that if there be a double righteousness there must be also a double justification Beloved I bring you no new doctrine be not afraid of that but I shew you how to reconcile places of Scripture against the Church of Rome and those things which the Papists bring against us in this point It stands by reason seeing justification is a declaration of righteousness that there must be so many sorts of justification as there be of righteousness Now there is a double sort of righteousness Rom. 8.4 That the righteousness of the Law may be fulfilled in us see then there is a double righteousness there is a righteousness fulfilled in us and a righteousness fulfilled by us that is walking in the Spirit The righteousness fulfilled in us is fulfilled by another and is made ours by imputation so we have a righteousness without us and a righteousness inherent in us the righteousness without us is forgiveness of sins and pardon of them which is a gracious act of God letting fall all actions againsts me and accounting of me as if I had never sinned against him all my life time then there is a righteousness within me an inherent righteousness And if a righteousness then justification for that is but a declaration of righteousness And so that which the Fathers call justification is taken generally for sanctification that which we call justification they call forgiveness of sins that which we call sanctification they call justification so that the difference is only in the terms Justification we must know is not taken only as opposed to condemnation which is the first kind of righteousness Rom. 6.7 He that is dead is freed from sin if you look to the Greek or to the Margent it is he that is dead is justified from sin This is not took in the first sense as opposed to condemnation but in the other sense as it hath relation to final grace The perfection of sanctification is wrought in me for where there is final grace there is a supersedeas from all sin so Rev. 22.11 Let him that is righteous be righteous still the Greek is let him that is righteous be justified still See then the difference between St. Paul and St. James St. Paul speaks of that which consists in remission of sins as in comparing the Apostle with David will appear Blessed is the man whose sins are forgiven St. James speaks of justification in the second acception You need not fly to that distinction of justification before God and justification before men Think not that St. James speaks only of justification before men Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up Isaac on the Altar What justified by killing his Son this was a proper work indeed to justifie him before man to be a parricide to kill his son though it were not so before God So Psal. 106. we read how God accounted the act of Phineas for righteousness Thus you see how works are accounted righteousness in the second kind of righteousness In the former righteousness we are justified by faith for in righteousness inherent there is goodly chain of vertues Add to your faith vertue c. add one grace to another Add to vertue knowledge Faith is but one part of the Crown Now this justification in the first sense whereby my sins are forgiven is called the righteousness of God because of Christ which is God because it is wrought by Christ Dan. 9. he is called an everlasting righteousness which continueth for ever world without end for do not think the Saints in heaven have only the second kind
wheat yet they remained firm as our Saviour saith of the faith of miracles If ye had faith as much as a grain of mustard-seed ye should say to this Mountain be removed and it would obey you Mar. 11.23 So for common faith which the Apostle calleth so because it is common to all the Elect Tit. 1.4 if thou hast so much faith thou shalt be able to remove Mountains of Corruptions suppose thou hast a trembling hand scarce able to hold yet have the perswasion of the woman in the Gospel If I may but touch him I shall be whole I shall be saved healed if I can but touch him And mark our Saviour The People thronged about him and he saith Who is it that toucheth me A wonder that he when they crowded him should ask such a question but Christ knew that some body touched him beside the touch of the multitude indeed that woman â—ouched him more than the crowd that pressed him as St. Augustine saith Illa mulier quae fimbriam tetegit magis tetegit quà m turba quae pressit it is said in the Text The poor woman came trembling and told him all the truth And he said be of good comfort though thou hast a paralytick and palsie-sick-hand yet the touch is enough Luk. 8.47 the least faith brings as much life as the greatest Object But then what need a man look for a great faith Sol. Yes by all means for though thou hast much comfort by a little weak faith yet the more faith the more comfort and therefore it is to very much purpose to labour after a strong faith Abraham it is said staggered not through unbelief Rom. 4.20 if thou hast a strong faith thou wilt have a strong consolation Thou mayest by thy weak faith be healed of thy disease yet by the weakness of thy faith mayest want much of the strength of thy comfort therefore thou must go from faith to faith Rom. 1.17 but know this that a new-born child 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not yet so strong as a man yet he is as much alive as the strongest and tallest man so that again thus thou art yet but a new-born babe not so strong or so lively as one more grown but yet thou hast all the lineaments of the new creature in thee though thou art not so strong and lively as another may be Object Did not you tell me that it was not every faith that did justifie but a working faith how then doth faith alone justifie Sol. I answer When faith justifieth there is one thing said of another the subject and the predicate are Faith justifies Justification is attributed unto faith Look on the word only whether it doth determine the subject or the predicate doth faith which is alone severed from good works justifie so the proposition is false First that faith which is alone separated from love and the fruits of good works doth not justifie but let the alone be put to the predicate faith justifieth alone i. e. faith is the only vertue in the soul whereby a man is justified that is true As if a man should say the eye alone seeth 't is true if we put it thus the eye severed from the members of the body seeth it is false If the eye were taken out of the head it would neither see alone nor at all but the meaning is this the living eye is the organ whereby a man discerns a visible object so faith though joyn'd with other graces yet takes not other with it for helps of Justification Object But why should God select this vertue among others that are more noble Sol. I say as before God had respect to the low estate of his hand-maid it was reason that God should chuse the lowest and the meanest God selected this poor beggars hand for two reasons First in respect of God I say 1. Therefore it is of faith that it might be by grace to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed not to that only which is of the Law but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham who is the father of us all Rom. 4.16 so that here are two strong reasons one in respect of God thaâ— God by so mean a thing as a beggars hand should bring a man to justification and the other in respect of faith it self that it might be by grace for when thou bringest nothing but a bare hand ready to receive a pardon this must needs be of grace If God say thou must love me this were an exchange not a free gift I lay down something and I take up something for it Faith is that naked hand which fills it self with Christ it layeth fast hold on Christ crucified with all his merits As if a man were ready to be drownd there is a cable cast to him to lay hold on and he laying hold on it is drawn safe to the Land but a man when he lays hold on the cable must let go all his other holds which he laid hold on before Thus must a man let go all other holds and lay fast hold on Jesus Christ. Faith hath two faculties 1. It opens its self to let fall all other things And then 2. When it is a naked hand it layeth hold on Christ and then it is filled with Christ when the believer esteems all dross in comparison of Christ it hath all fulness by grace Where is then rejoycing and boasting Rom. 3.27 it is excluded by what Law of works nay but by the Law of faith And then chap. 4.2 For if Abraham were justified by works he hath whereof to glory but not before God faith taketh away all boasting Let him that glorieth glory in the Lord. Therefore it is of faith that it might be of grace This is the reason in respect of God 2. In respect of our selves To the end the promise might be sure to the seed what is the reason why people doubt and think nothing sure it is because they come not with a naked hand I must have such a measure of humiliation of patience all to bring somewhat with us whereas if we look on these things we shall never be heard If the bare acceptation of Christ with a trembling hand will not make thee sure thou understandest not the excellency of that very treasure whereof thou art possessed what canst thou have more than the bare receiving of such a gift by faith The reason why we are not more sure is because we come not with a naked hand By the way there are many means some à priori others à posteriori 1. For the first they are those things by which faith is wrought though they are not so evident yet they are most sure when I consider God calls me in my blood having nothing in me and will be friends with me bids me take his Son and I do not bids me take his Kingdom and glory with him and I refuse it though this be a matter not
Conversion When they were in this dismal Condition they were not troubled with Cares for Wife or Children Houses or Lands how can we think but that these men died in Peace that were in so good a Humour yet see what follows verse 36. Nevertheless they did flatter him with their mouths and lied unto him with their tongues Besides consider the Vnworthiness of it I le Forsake Sin when Sin Forsakes me We leave it when we can keep it no longer Thank you for nothing may God say if you could you would sin longer this is that Folly which deferring our Repentance brings us to But to draw to a conclusion God hath set us a Certain Day and if we pass the time wo be to us For though he is full of Mercy and Patience yet Patience hurt oftentimes harms and provokes the Almighty to Fury God will not alwaies strive with man but his daies shall be an hundred and twenty years if he convert in that space and return well if not he shall be swept away And to this purpose is that parable Luke 13.6 A certain man had a fig-tree planted in his Vineyard and he came and sought Fruit thereon and found none Then said he unto the dresser of his Vineyard behold these three years I came seeking fruit on this fig-tree and find none Cut it down why combreth it the ground There is an appointed time then fore ordained by God wherein he offers us Grace Let it alone saith the dresser one year more It may be seven years or ten it may be but two hours for ought thou knowest that God may offer thee longer this space No man knows the time and its continuance but he that hath appointed it to this purpose Which is a point I thought not to speak of but not I will You hear much talk of Gods eternal and everlasting election and we are to apt to rest on this that if we are elected to salvation we shall be saved and if not we shall be damned troubling our selves with Gods work of Praedestination whereas this works no Change in the party elected until it come unto him in his own Person What is God's election to me It s nothing to my comfort unless I my self am effectually called We are to look to this effectual calling The other is but Gods love to sever me from the Corrupt mass of Adams posterity But what is my effectual calling It s that when God touches my heart and translates me from the Death of sin to the life of Grace Before this effectual calling even the elect Ephesians were without Christ Aliens from the Commoa-Wealth of Israel Strangers from the Covenant of promise having no hope and without God in the World Ephes. 2.12 Now there are certain times which God appoints for this effectual calling wherein he uses the means to work on us and of which he can say what could I do more then I have done And mayst thou not fear an actual rejection since thou hast lived thus long under the means of Grace That God hath waited these not only three but mâ—ny years the dew of Heaven continually falling on thee and that yet thou shouldst remain unfruitful Doest thou not fear I say that dismal sentence cut it down why combereth it the ground Gods grace is not to be dallied with as wanton Children do with their meats if we do thus slight him he may justly deprive us of all See a terrible place to this purpose Heb. 6.7 8. The earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it and bringeth Herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed receiveth blessing from God but that which beareth Thorns and Briers is rejected and is nigh unto cursing whose end is to be burned Consider these places God calls us where the droppings of his Grace are distilled consider then do we bring forth that fruit which is meet for the dresser answerable to those continual distillings and droppings on us If our consciences witness for us happy are we but when there have been these showers of grace out of Gods word flowing down upon us and yet we have received so much Grace in vain O what can we expect but a curse in this life and eternal death in the World to come What can we look for but the fig-trees curse which was barren The Tree was not cut down but withered We are near the same curse if we answer not Gods grace When we have had so long a time the Ministry of the Word and yet suffer it to be lost through our barrenness our condition is sad and woful we can look for nothing but withering Heb. 6.9 But beloved I must hope better things of you and such as accompany salvation Labour therefore to prevent and arm your selves against this suggestion and fallacy of Satan and resolve to hear God in this acceptable time now to set to the work which if we do all will be well God will be gracious to us If otherwise we are undone for ever Till you have learned this lesson you can no further Wherefore let not Satan possess you with that madness to cause you to pass and let slip this golden opportunity through a false conceipt that you may have a more seasonable day of your own for repentance hereafter I will not say that a death-bed repentance is alwaies fruitless the Ancient Fathers though they give no encouragement to defer it till then yet in case it be so long put off they injoyn it even then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Chrysost. in Psal. 51. pag. 675 and 705. Edit Savi-lian As long as thou breathest even in the last day of thy life upon thy bed when thou art expiring and about to depart from the Theatre of this life then repent the straitness of the time doth not exclude the Philanthropy of God that love which he beareth to Mankind Onely remember what I have said of the danger of this procrastination and how unfitting a season it is for so great a work and what reasons we have to judge it seldome serious GAL. 6.3 4. For if a man think himself to be something when he is nothing he deceiveth himself But let every man prove his own work and then shall he have rejoycing in himself alone and not in another HAving entred on the Doctrine of the conversion of a sinner in that Text Heb. 4.7 upon which depends our everlasting salvation I laboured to perswade you of the necessity of taking the accepted time of embracing the proffers of Gods grace and of the necessity of doing it speedily I shewed you that there is a certain time in which God will be found and that this time was the present time I declared unto you the great danger that would follow if we took not God at his word but refused his day for a day of our own as if we were wiser than he If when God calls and holds out the Golden Scepter we refuse to
unto it By the way then take notice of the filthiness of sin how filthy is it that the Lord compares it to the vomit of a dog Then there follows another comparison of it It is as the Sow that is washed and returns to her wallowing in the mire See another loathsome resemblance of this temporary faith the Sow was washed but how her swinish nature was not washed from her as long as the Sow is kept from the mire in a fair Meadow with the Sheep she looks as sleek and clean as they she was washed there is an external change but her nature remained bring the Sow and the sheep to a puddle the sheep will not go in because it hath no swinish nature but the other retaining its swinish nature though before in outward appearance as clean as the sheep was yet she goes again to her wallowing in the mire There may be the casting away of a man's sins and yet no new creature wrought in him That I may shew this to you take this example A man known to be as covetous a man as liveth he loveth his money as well as his God yet perchance this man is brought in danger of the Law and must be hanged for some misdemeanor committed this man to save his life will part with all he hath What is his disposition changed no not a whit he is as covetous as before he is the same man he doth it to save his life and to this end he is content to part with his money The same mind had those in the Acts of the Apostles who in a storm cast their wares into the Sea with their own hands Act. 27. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 willingly and yet half unwillingly for the saving of their lives they would part with these things yet it was with a great deal of repining and reluctancy As we read of Phaltiel when his wife was taken from him he followed behind weeping 2 Sam. 3.16 till they bid him be gone and return back So these men forsake their sins and hate them but it is but imperfectly they part with them but they part weeping Well at this parting there may be a great deal of joy it may taste not only the sweetness of the Word of God but because they are in a disposition and way to salvation they may have some kind of feeling of the joys and taste of the powers of the world to come as the Apostle speaks Heb. 6.4 It is impossible for those who were once enlightned and have tasted of the heavenly gift and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost c. There is a supernatural work wrought in them and they have tasted the good Word of the Lord they begin to have some hope and rejoyce in the glory of the world to come What is the difference then here is a tasting but as it is Joh. 6.54 it is not said he that tastes my flesh and tastes my blood but he that eats my flesh and drinks my blood hath eternal life There is a difference betwixt tasting and drinking there may be a tasting without drinking and the Text saith Matth. 27.34 When they gave Christ Vinegar he tasted thereof but would not drink He that can take a full draught of Christ crucified he shall never thirst but shall be as a springing fountain that springeth up to everlasting life but it shall not be so with him that doth but taste The Vintner goes round the Cellar and tastes every Vessel he takes it into his mouth and spits it out again and yet knows by the tasting whether it be good or bad the wine goeth but to his palate it reaches not the stomach So a temporary believer tastes and feels what an excellent thing it is to have communion with Christ and to be made partaker of his glory but he does but taste it Look in Hosea 5.15 where we have another instance of this temporary Believer Ye would think they sought in God in a good sort and in as good a manner as one could desire well but how did they seek him It was only upon occasion in time of affliction I will go and return to my place until they acknowledge their offence and seek my face in their affliction they will seek me early and again Hosea 6.4 The Lord complains of them notwithstanding They will in their affliction seek me early Was not this a fair returning Come say they let us return unto the Lord for he hath torn and he will heal us c. What a deal of comfort did they seem to gather from the wayes of the Lord But see what follows Hosea 6.4 O Ephraim saith the Lord what shall I do unto thee O Judah what shall I do unto thee For your goodness is as the morning cloud and as the early dew it goeth away that is it is but a temporary thing wrought by affliction which will not abide As when a wicked man on his death-bed desires that God would spare him and restore him to his health and that he would become a new man all this comes but from the terrours of death for it oft proves that if God restores him he becomes as bad if not worse than ever he was before But that I may not hold you too long 2. Take this for another difference That Gods children can as earnestly desire grace as mercy The temporary desire mercy but never desire grace The believer desires grace to have his nature healed to hate his former conversation The temporary never had nor never will have this desire should one come to the temporary believer and tell him God will be merciful unto him you may go on and take your fill of sin you shall be sure of mercy he would like this well and think it the welcomest news as could be because he only fears damnation and self-love makes him only desire freedome from that but now the child of God hates sin though there were no Hell Judge nor Tormentor he begs as hard of God for grace as for mercy and would do so were there no punishment His nature being chang'd he desireth grace as well as mercy which the temporary never does 3. The last mark is from the words of the Apostle Neither circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision but faith which worketh by love Love and the new creature puts Gods children on work their hearts are first altered and changed by being made new creatures As the Scripture saith his flesh is circumcised he is a dead man dead not as formerly in trespasses and sins but dead unto them Ephes. 2.1 Rom. 6.11 Deadness argueth impotency of doing those things which a living man doth he cannot walk c. The temporary will not sin for fear of after-claps but this man cannot sin his heart is changed he is dead to sin we see how both abstain from sin but the temper and disposition is not alike The temporary believer perchance commits not the sin but he could find
be married to me if we refuse the Son takes it wonderfully ill Therefore Psal. 2.12 he says Kiss the Son lest he be angry and ye perish in the way when his wrath is kindled but a little blessed are all those that put their trust in him So in the Hebrews God swore that because of infidelity those unbelieving Jews should never enter into his rest All the rest of the threatnings of the Law were not backed with an oath there was some secret reservation of mercy unto them upon the satisfaction of Divine Justice but here there is no reservation God hath sworn such shall never come into Heaven Look not for a third thing in God now as a mitigation of his oath it cannot be he hath sworn that an unbeliever shall never enter into his Rest. These five things are the grounds of Faith even unto the worst and unworthiest persons that may be and by all or some of them he creates Faith in us which once wrought in the heart by the spirit of God secretly and we discerning the same this is the witness of our spirit Now our spirit having viewed all these things and the promises upon which they are grounded thus it witnesseth as if one should demand of a man Are these things presented to thy view true Yes will he say true as true as the Gospel then the next thing is is all good and profitable O yes says he all is very good and desirable then the upshot is I but is this good for thee If your soul answer now Yes very good to me if then thou accept of this and wrap and fold thy self in the promises thou canst not wind thy self out of comfort and assurance to be Christ Jesus for pray what makes up a match but the consent of two agreeing so the consent of two parties agreeing upon this message makes up the match betwixt us and Christ uniting and knitting us unto him There are also being now incorporated other means to make us grow up him by which time discovers what manner of ingrafting we have had into him for we see four or five scions are ingrafted into a stock yet some of them may not be incorporated with the stock but wither So many are by the Word and Sacraments admitted as retainers and believers of the promises who shrink and hold not out because they never were throughly incorporated into Christ but imperfectly joyned unto him But howsoever all that come to life must pass this way if they look for sound comfort And thus much shall suffice for the witness of our Spirit in Justification But the testimony of our spirit goes further wherein I might shew how in sanctification our spirit saith Lord prove me if there be any evil in me and lead me in the way everlasting he loves the Brethren and desires to fear God as Nehemiah pleads Nehem. 1.11 Be attentive to the prayer of thy servant and of thy servants who desire to fear thy name This is the warrant that I am partaker of that inward true washing and not of that outward only of the Hog which being kept clean and in good company will be clean till there be an occasion offered of wallowing in the mire again But when I find that though there were neither Heaven to reward me nor Hell to punish me if opportunity were offered yet my heart riseth against sin because of him who hath forbidden it this is a sure evidence and testifies that I am a child of God This is for the first thing in bringing of a man in to survey the promises belonging to Justification and Sanctification wherein our spirit seeing it self to have interest doth truly and on sound judgment witness the assurance of our Salvation Secondly when I find Christ drawing me and changing my nature that upon the former reasonings view and laying hold of Christ making me now have supernatural thoughts and delights for this a man may have then certainly my spirit may conclude that I am blessed for saith the Scripture Blessed is the man whom thou chusest and causest to come unto thee But some like Dreamers do dream of this only I know not on what grounds but do I this waking with my whole soul doth my spirit testifie it upon good grounds why then I may rest upon it it is as sure as may be Thus much is the testimony of our spirit Now it is clear how faith is wrought briefly two ways which the Lord useth to bring a man to the survey of those grounds upon which our spirit doth witness First he works upon the understanding Secondly On the will and affections It is a strange thing to consider how this work is begun and finished so that we may say hereof as the Lord poseth Job in Job 38.37 Who hath put wisdom in the inward parts Or who hath given understanding to the heart And in another place Where is the way where light dwelleth and as for darkness where is the place thereof First God enlightens the understanding with the thunderings of the Law when he shews a man such a sight as he could not have believed and convinceth hem in general that his estate is not good that without mercy Hell attends him this is a flash of Lightning from Mount Sinai Secondly comes a Thunder-clap laying all down laying flat the will and affections dejecting a man so that this first secret work of faith is a captivating of the understanding will and affections Now the act both of the understanding and the will is set forth in this case Hebr. 11.13 These all died in faith not having received the promises but having seen them afar off were perswaded of them and embraced them c. In this Scripture is set down the two hands and arms of faith First believing Christ out of sight Secondly laying hold and embracing the promises They in the old Testament did not receive Christ in the flesh and so are said to look afar off as the Apostle speaks 1 Pet. 1.8 Whom ye having not seen ye love in whom though now ye see him not yet believing ye rejoyce c. But the Apostle adds they were perswaded of the promises and embraced them This is the work of the spirit upon the understanding convincing the soul of sin shewing there is a remedy tells the soul all is marvellous true that God hath revealed in his word and then draws to this conclusion Christ came to save sinners whereof I am chief therefore he came to save me Yet all this while the will may be stubborn and rebellious and the affections disordered therefore here comes in the second arm of faith not only being perswaded of the word as a word of truth but as a good promise of good things to me so that here is another degree of the working of the spirit to compel the will and affections so sweetly grace having removed that perversness and disorder which governed them before Now this gentle enforcing and often