for first r. last p. 108. l. 12. for Dominus reginae r. Domina regina p. 109. l. 13. dele two p. 199. l. 13. for rigorous r. vigorous THE CONTENTS Of the Third VOLVMNE SERMON I GALATIANS 2.20 TEXT Opened Page 2 Doctrine 1 Every godly gracious man is a living man and lives a spiritual life Page 3 Explication 1 What this spiritual life is 1. A supernatual perfection Page 3 2 It ariseth from our Vnion with Christ by the Spirit Page 4 3 By it we act move and work towards God Ibid 2 How it may appear that every godly gracious man is thus a living man Proved 1 By vegetative life Page 5 2 By sensitive life ib. 1 They are sensible of their sins Page 6 2 Of the hiding of Gods face ibid 3 Of the miseries of the Churches Page 7 3 By rational life ibid How it may appear that others are not in this state of life Page 8 Objections answered Page 9. 10 Application Comforts for the Saints 1. It is above the life of Adam in innocency Page 12 2. It is the most pleasant life ibid 3. It is the most communicative life Page 13 4. The Lord looks upon all our former sins under a mollifying consideration ibid Object I am afraid I have not this spiritual life because I am dead cold and stiff Answered There is a deadness opposite to liveliness as well as a death opposite to life Page 15 There is a difference between the coldness of a living man and the coldness of a dead man ibid Object I am afraid I am not alive because I do not grow Answered 1. Do you grow out of love with your own righteousness Page 16 2. Are you less subject to be offended than before Page 17 3. Do you grow more off from youth ful things that godly men look to ibid Object I am alive to the world Answered Page 18 Duties flowing from this spiritual life 1. We should live at a higher rate than the world doth Page 20 2. Our hearts should not run too much after the things of this world Page 21 3. Our comunion and fellowship should be more with the living ibid Exhortation to those that are dead in sins to come to Christ Page 23 SERMON II. Gal. 2.20 Doctrine 2. Our Justification by faith alone is no enemy but a real friend to our spiritual life Page 26 Explication 1. What is meant by Justification by faith alone Page 27 2. How doth it appear that free Justification by faith alone is the original of all our holiness 1. By contraries Page 29 2. By the paralel between the first and second Adam Page 31 3. By the sence of free remission of sin Page 32 Instanced in 1. Repentance Page 33 2. Mortification ibid 3. Obedience Page 34 3. Objections Answered Page 34. 35 4. What there is in free Justification by faith that doth advance our holiness 1. The more a man forsakes his own good for Christ the more is Christ engaged to give his good to him Page 36 2. God doth never suffer any man to pass under relation but he writes the Law of that relation in his heart ibid 3. The more a man agrees with God the fitter he is to walk with God Page 36 4. As by seeking Justification by works a man is estated in the covenant of works so by seeking Justification by faith alone a man is estated in the covenant of grace Page 37 Application Hence we see the reason why men are no more gracious Page 39 Object I fear my obedience was never right because I have turned aside to a covenant of works Answered Page 41 Object My obedience is not right because it is so little Answer 1. Doest thou limit thy self Page 42 2 Doest thou oppose them that have much ibid Object My obedience is not right because I do not find the visible characters of Justification upon my Sanctification Answered 1. Doest thou mourn for sin because 't is pardoned Page 44 2. Is there a meeting of all graces in thee ibid Object Suppose I have not stood cleer from my own doings in matter of Justification how shall I do to do it Answered 1. Be humbled in the sight of God Page 46 2. Study much the transaction of things between God the father and Jesus Christ ib. 3. Acquaint your souls with the difference between the covenant of works and the covenant of grace ibid 4. When your duties are highest let your souls go beyond them ibid 5. When they are lowest you have an opportunity to stand cleer from them Page 47 SERMON III. Gal. 2.20 Doctrine Every true beleever that seeks Justification by faith alone is a self-denying person Page 50 Explication 1. What it is for a man to deny himself Answered Page 51 2. Whereby it may appear that the Gospel works this grace in the heart of man Answered 1. If the Law cannot do it the Gospel must Page 52 2. He that lives under the Gospel is of a disposition contrary to the world Page 53 3. He is tender of intrenching upon Gods prerogative Page 54 4. The more truly a man repents the more sensible he is of his own unworthiness ibid An objection How doth the Gospel only do this seeing moral men Heathens and Papists have spoken and written much for humility and self-denial Answer 1 Though they be humble yet they are proud of humility Page 56 2 'T is only in some particulars ibid 3 He is ruled by reason and not by the spirit ibid 4 There is no mysterie in it as there is in a Christians For 1 A Christian cries out what shall he do to be saved and yet he expects not to be saved by doing Page 57 2 He accounts himself lesse than the least of all Gods mercies and yet he thinks God hath done more for him than if he had given him all the world ib. 3 He prizes every duty though never so small and yet counts all dung in respect of Jesus Christ ib. 4 He looks upon himslf as the greatest of sinners yet would not change condition with a Drunkard c. for all the world ib. 5 He mourns under reproaches and yet triumphs over them ib. 6 He counts all he doth nothing and yet praiseth God for every thing ib. 4 What there is in the Gospel to being a mans heart to this frame Answered 1 The more of Gods glory a man sees the more humble he is Page 58 2 The more self-denial a man sees in Christ the more he denies himself Page 60 3 The more a man sees himself a debter to Christ the more humble he is Page 61 4 When Christ comes into the soule all other things must out ib. Application How hard a thing it is to Beleeve Page 62 Reply We hope we all have faith Answer Are there not some that 1 Cannot deny themselves in outward things Page 64 2 Seek themselves in spiritual things ib. 3 Stint themselves in the service of God Page 65
and live to God Had he now sought Justification in a away of works and by the Law could he have ever bin able to have answered to this temptation Ye may see what the Apostle saies in the 7. chap. of his Epistle to the Romans he gives you a Similitude thus As a woman so is the sould of every man So long as a woman is married unto one man she brings forth children unto him and not unto any other but is dead unto all others but when that man dies she is free to marry and she marries another and she brings forth children unto him Now saies the Apostle at the 4. verse Wherefore my brethren ye also are become dead to the Law by the body of Christ that ye should be married to another even to him who is raised from the dead that we should bring forth fruit unto God So that so long as a man is married to the Law he can never bring forth fruit unto God Now then thus lies the Reason If that the Law and Justification thereby be no Friend but a real Enemy unto all our Holiness then contraries having contrarie consequences Justification by faith alone is a friend and no Enemy unto our Spiritual life and Holiness Seondly This also will appear if ye consider the paralel between the first and second Adam Christ is our second Adam Now saies the Apostle in the 5. of the Romans As by the sin of one death came upon all men to condemnation so by the Righteousness of one life comes unto many Well but how came condemnation upon all men by the sin of one The first Adam he was a common person he did stand for all mankind when he sinned all mankind sinned and therefore assoon as any one is born the sin of Adam being imputed to him judicially that imputation is the original of all the Unholiness that is among the children of men So our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ being our second Adam he is a Common person stands in the room of al the Elect he was obedient not for Himself but for Them Christus non meruit sibi Obeyed not for Himself and he died not for himself but for them righteous for them When therefore a man is born into the world is regenerate by faith then all that Righteousness of Christ the second Adam is imputed to him And this imputation of his Righteousness by faith is the original of all that Holiness that is in our lives thus As al the Unholiness and Wickedness that is in the world does flow from the imputation of the first Adams sin So al that grace and holiness that is in the world does flow from the imputation of the second Adams Righteousness Now by faith alone this Righteousnes is imputed and does become ours and therefore Justification by faith alone is the principle and original of all our grace and holiness Thirdly If free-remission of sin and the sence thereof be the cause of our Holiness then Justification by faith alone must needs be a friend unto it For these Two Free-remission of sin and justification by faith alone go together and are ordinarily taken for one And therefore in the 3. of the Romans The Apostle having said as the 24. verse Being justified freely by his grace he saies at the 28. ver That a man is justified by faith and saying That a man is justified by faith he saies That a man is justified freely by grace these are put together Now Free-remission of sin and the sence thereof is the Cause of al our Holiness Ye know what the Apostle saies Tit. 2.11 12. The grace of God hath appeared unto all men teaching us to deny Vngodliness and worldly lusts and to live righteously and soberly in this present world All Holiness comes from thence The apparition of grace Free-remission of sin And ye know what it is that doth hatch the Chicken 't is not the fire that does hatch the Chicken nor is it the cold water that does hatch the Chicken but laying of the eggs under the warm feathers of the living Hen. Come to a man or woman that hath many eggs that are yet not Chickens within a month or two these are al become living Chickens Say you How comes it to pass that all these are now living Chickens What! did you lay these eggs unto the fire No for then they would have been roasted What! did you lay these eggs in the cold water No then they would have rotted but I laid them under the warm wings of the living Hen and so they are become chickens So you come to a living soul a living heart and you say Friend how came you to be thus enlivened and quickned a month or two ago I heard you complaining of your dead heart Oh! my heart is dead but how came you to be thus enlivened and to be thus quickned Did you go and lay your heart against the fire of the Law No that would have scorch'd me and tormented me What did you go and lay your heart in the cold world No that would have rotted me How then Truly after all my fears and after all my doubtings I went and laid my cold heart under the warm wings of divine-Divine-love and so it came to pass that I am thus enlivened and I am thus quickened as you see this day for the which I blesse the Lord for ever Three things there are that do make up a gracious Conversation Repentance for sin past Mortification of sin present and the Obedience of faith or Obedience Now as for Repentance look I pray what is said in the 7. Chapter of Luke and see what is the Cause of that You reade there a story of a great Sinner that became a great Penitent at the 37. verse Behold a woman in the City which was a great sinner and she came and stood behind Jesus at the 38. verse weeping and began to wash his feet with tears and did wipe them with the hairs of her head She wept much Why for saies the text at the latter end of the Chapter she loved much But why did she love much She loved much because much was forgiven her So then Remission is the Cause of Repentance And have ye not so much expresly in that 16. Chapter of Ezekiel and the last verse I will establish my Covenant with thee that thou maiest remember and be confounded and never open thy mouth any more because of thy shame when I am pacified towards thee for all that thou hast done So that this shame and repentence comes from pacification And as for this matter Luther had so great a fight into it that saies he before I was justified by faith alone and saw into this matter of Free-remission I look't upon that word Repent as a terrible word I did even hate that word and I wish't that there had been no such word in all the book of God but after once that word justitia was opened the righteousnesse
Sanctified in a large sence but where do ye find in al the Bible of any Hypocrite that Christ is said to be in him really united unto an Hypocrite No this is the great Priviledge of a beleever only Col. 1.27 Christ in you the hope of Glory Fourthly If Jesus Christ be really united unto each beleever by his Spirit Then a beleever shal never die again spiritually die again I have read of a Woman that when her Husband was dead she would eat and drink the ashes of her Husband have his bodie burnt to ashes and so eat and drink the ashes of her husband and being asked the reason because saies she I mean to part with him no more I have parted with him once already when we were one but now I will be made one with him in another way and I will part no more with him So if Christ be in a Beleever really in a Beleever Christ really united unto each Beleever by his Spirit Then Christ and that Beleever shal never part again that Beleever shal die no more for the same Spirit that raised up Christ from the dead dwelling in a Beleever shal also raise up a poor beleever yea though he fal into the grave of sin he shal never die spiritually again upon this account Fiftly If Christ be really united unto al beleevers by his Spirit Then they may come with boldness unto the throne of grace and with unlimitted expectations of mercie from God the Father and from Christ Jesus The nearer ye are unto any Person the more boldness ye have towards him and the larger will your expectations be from him If a man marry his Servant whilst she was his maid she was not so bold nor could expect so much from him when she becomes the Wife then she is more bold and can expect more because now she is nearer A Child may have more boldnes and expect more from the Father than the servant and the servant that is within doors more than the servant that works in the field but the Wife that is nearest she is most bold comes with most boldness into the presence of the man and hath the largest expectations from him because she is nearest to him So the nearer that the soul of a beleever does get unto God the more boldness he may have when he comes to God and the largen expectations of mercy from him Now if Christ were in a beleever only by the Habit of grace and Christ in the soul were nothing else but the Habit of grace here were yet a great distance from Christ but now if Jesus Christ be really United unto each Beleever by his Spirit here is a close Union indeed And therefore upon this account every beleever may come with boldness now and with Unlimitted expectations of mercy from God the Father being brought thus neer that Christ Himself is really in the beleevers soul And what a Glorious and Blessed Condition is every beleever in now upon this account Applyca First Here I would stand admire and call upon you all to admire the Condescending Glorious and Unspeakable love of Christ It was infinite love in Christ to condescend so far as to come down into our Nature when he was incarnate but as if he were not neer enough to us then he comes down into the heart of a beleever by his Spirit When Christ was upon the Earth we were in him as in a common Person Now Christ is in Heaven he is in us by his Spirit What Glorious Condescending love is here If a Father Portion a Child set him up in a good Trade and the child decay through his own folly the Father will not Portion him again possibly he may help him but he will not give him ordinarily parents do not give so great a Portion to help him up again somewhat the parent will do but not so much as at the first The Lord of Heaven he put a great Portion into our hands at first and we decayed and broke and behold the Lord does not only give us as good a Portion as we had at the first but infinitely better for now the Lord Christ is United unto each Beleever now he comes and dwels in the soul of a beleever by his Spirit The Psalmist wondered and admired at the love of God to Man Psal 8.1 4. O LOrd saies the Psalmist how excellent is thy Name Lord what is man Why Lord what is man that thou visitest him He wondred at the love of God that would visit man But behold a greater love than so to visit poor man for Christ is come down into the soul of a beleever he is come into him by his Spirit not only come to visit him but Christ really United unto each beleever by his Spirit What Glorious and Condescending love is here Secondly Upon this account no Wicked man should dare to oppose any of the children of God Why because Christ is in them Christ not only in his Graces but Christ really in all beleevers by his Spirit And will a man dare to speak evil of him that is one with Christ or to defile the Temple of the Lord and the dwelling place of the Lord 1 Cor. 3.17 He that defiles the Temple of the Lord him will God destroy Take heed what you do if there be any opposers here Thirdly What abundance of Comfort is here unto all beleevers Christ is in you of a truth not only by the infusion of his Grace but Christ really in you by his Spirit It is some comfort to a sickly man that he hath a Physitian alwaies in the house with him and to a woman that is neer her time of travail that the Mid-wife is in the house with her What comfort is it then unto a poor soul that Christ is alwaies in him really in him by his Spirit You that are beleevers will not this content you He is too Covetous whom God cannot suffice He hath all things that hath him that hath all things Now every beleever hath Christ Christ really in a beleever by his Spirit not Notionally not by the Habit of grace only but Christ is really United unto each beleever by the Spirit Here is Comfort Comfort Comfort unto all those that are beleevers Object But I fear that Christ is not in me I do not find or perceive that Christ is in me and therefore I can have none of the comfort of this Doctrine were Christ really in me by the Spirit Christ would be working in me but I do not find these workings of Jesus Christ in me and were the Spirit in me it is quick lively and powerful I should do great things for God but alas I do nothing for him and therefore I fear that the Lord Christ is not in me of a truth Answ 1 First I grant That where Christ comes into the soul he does cause the soul to do great things for God greater than it could do before So it was with
withal that he will write his Law in our hearts and when he promiseth in the Covenant of grace that he will write his Law in our hearts he doth also promise for to give his Spirit As when the Lord gave out the Law at first to man-kind he did write the Moral Law in mans heart so that the Heathen now have the Law written in their hearts the Moral Law whereby they are disposed and inclined to Morallity and Civillity So when the Lord comes and makes a Covenant of grace with the soul then he doth give out his Spirit to the soul and then he doth write his Law the Law of grace love and of the Gospel in that soul and that soul hath a secret disposition unto all the Commandements of the Gospel Now do ye not find it thus with you when sometimes you are tempted to what is evil do not ye say thus I cannot do it Oh! Lord thou knowest I cannot live as I have done and I cannot want the presence of God and Christ What means this Cannot but a Law within that God hath written in the heart there is the Spirit and there is Christ Thirdly Do not you find your souls sometimes carried out to what is good beyond and contrary to your own dispositions and natural inclinations It is written of Irajan the Emperor that He was an exceeding meek loving quiet good natured man and yet He was one of the greatest Persecutors in the Primitive times He had his hand in two as bloody actions against the Saints as any Persecutor in those times yet a man of a quiet loving sweet nature and disposition How came this to passe He was acted by Satan and being thus acted beyond his own disposition and inclination it argued that Satan had a greater hand and stroke in his action than himself had So when a man shall be carried on to what is good even contrary to his own nature and disposition what doth this argue but that the Lord Christ hath a greater hand and stroke in that action than himself hath Fourthly Do not you find sometimes who ever you are that make this Objection or lie under this fear That Christ doth not live in you do not you find that sometimes your soul is carried out to what is good beyond what you intended When Zacheus went up into the Sycamore-tree he only went up to see the outside of Christ but he comes down receives Christ into his house there he bids him welcome and saith Lord Behold Luke 19.8 the half of my goods I give to the poor Zacheus never intended this when he went up to see Christ What 's the reason The Lord Christ was upon his soul the Lord Christ was at work upon him and because he was carried out farther in this good work than ever he intended it thereby doth appear that the Lord Jesus Christ had a greater stroke in this spiritual action of his than himself had As on the other side A wicked man sometimes he begins to sin and saith he within himself I will do it but a little I will not goe very farre I will never do it again I will now take my leave of this sin it shall never be acted by me any more But he goes farther in it than ever he intended Why because the Devil hath a greater stroke upon him than himself hath So here when as a mans soul shall be carried out unto what is good beyond what he intended this argues that the Lord Jesus Christ is at work upon his soul and hath a greater hand and stroke upon his actions his spiritual actions than himself hath Now is it not thus with thee Fiftly Who ever thou art man or woman that makes this Objection and lies under this fear That the Lord Christ doth not live in thee Were you never perswaded of this did you never yet think that Christ was in you did you never yet beleeve that Christ lived in you Yes I confesse I had such thoughts once but oh I have lost those thoughts I have lost those perswasions But when you had those thoughts and when you had those perswasions how came you by them My soul was lying in a sad dark dead hardned condition my soul was ready to sink with despair and all on a sudden my soul was raised up within me to this perswasion for to think that Christ was in me and that Christ liveth in me Wel Either these thoughts were from Satan or from Christ Either this perswasion of yours was from Satan or it was from Christ Not from Satan for Satan doth not use to be so loving to a poor tempted soul to bear it up when it is ready to sink under Temptation Satan doth not use to be so loving to a poor soul to free it from Despair Then it was from Christ and if it were from Jesus Christ then Christ had a greater hand and stroke in this perswasion than thy own soul for thou sayest I was dead dull hardened ready to sink and I said Mercy is gone I shall never see the face of Christ again and all on a sudden these perswasions were raised in me Here Christ plainly hath a greater stroke in this perswasion than thine own soul Upon all this I do now appeal unto you who ever you are that lie under any of these Fears Hath it not been thus with you That all on a sudden you have been raised to these perswasions Do not you find That sometimes your soul hath been carried out to God even contrary to your own inclination and disposition Do not you find That sometimes your soul hath been carried out to what is good beyond all that you intended you thought to begin Prayer a little while and hath not the Lord sometimes come in and carried out your soul farther than ever you intended Do you not find a secret disposition or inclination to all the Commandements of the Gospel of Jesus Christ Do you not find That in the greatest actions and turnings of your lives Christ hath been at the end thereof Oh! yes If I should speak true I must needs say this Although I have not seen Christ at the end of every action yet as for the great actions and turnings of my life I must needs say Christ hath been there And the Lord knows I have a secret disposition to the Commandements of the Gospel And O Lord thou knowest that I have been carried out many times to what is good contrary to mine own disposition O Lord thou knowest I have been carried further in a way of good than ever I intended O Lord thou knowest When my soul hath been dead hardened and I have said Now mercy is gone and I am driven from mercy then then hath there been perswasions raised in me that Jesus Christ is in me Well be of good comfort soul be of good comfort from the Lord if thou hast these perswasions do not check them and if for the present you have
not these perswasions yet wait on the Lord for our Savior Christ hath said Joh. 14.20 I will send the Comforter and in that day ye shall know that I am in you and you in me and therefore wait upon Christ for that day Quest Suppose this Doctrine be true That Christ liveth in all Beleevers that he hath a greater hand and stroke in the actions the Spiritual actions of Beleevers than themselves have What Conclusions or practical Meditations shall we draw from hence Answ I will name some and lay them before you carry them home with you First If these things be true Then may every one say Now I see that the In-being of Christ in the soul is not a meer fansie a meer notion but carries with it the greatest reallity in the world For when Christ is in a Beleever there he lives acts and works yea and he hath a greater stroke in the spiritual actions of Beleevers than themselves have Surely therefore this In-being of Christ in the soul is a work of power of almighty power the same power that raised up Christ from the dead Secondly If these things be true Then here may a man say I see a great and vast difference between a Godly and a Wicked man Take a Wicked man and though he be never so great or rich yet Satan is in him Satan liveth in him and ruleth in him the Prince of the air ruleth in him and he is taken captive by the Devil at his will But now take a Godly man and though he be never so poor and mean yet Christ is in him Christ liveth in him Christ hath a greater hand and stroke in his actions than himself hath Take a Wicked man of the highest form and though he do Pray Hear Reade Confer or speak of good things yet not Christ but Himself works and acts in him Self worketh and acteth him But take a Godly man and though he be never so weak Christ liveth in him and hath a greater hand in his actions than himself Who would not be Godly who would not get into Jesus Christ Thirdly If these things be true What desparate madness is it for any to oppose the Saints and Children of God Especially for the matter of their Religion and gracious Actions It is opposition done unto Christ himself Christ liveth in them and the Lord Christ doth so live in a gracious man a Beleever as he hath a greater stroke in all his Prayers and in all his Duties than himself hath Then for a man to stand and scorn scoff and jeer at the Prayers Duties and gracious actions of a Beleever what is it but to make opposition to Christ Himself If there be ever an Opposer a Scorner in this Congregation Poor soul where wilt thou appear in the great day Fourthly If all these things be true Then may every Beleever say Now I see what a great evil it is for any child of God to say That his Duties are nothing but Hypocrisie or the work of Christ Hypocrisie Do you look upon the work of Jesus Christ as so vile and base nothing more base in your eye than Hypocrisie If Christ be in me He liveth in me He hath a greater hand and stroke in all my spiritual actions than my self hath Therefore through the grace of God I will be for ever wary how I say of my own Duties again They are all nothing but vile Hypocrisie Fiftly If these things be true Then here now I see the reason why a Beleever is and ought to be thankful to God for all those things that he doth to God and for God Not only thankful for what he receiveth from God but thankful for what he himself doth offer unto God We reade of David that when he and his people had offered a great Offering he praiseth the Lord for his own willingness to offer unto the Lord. So a Beleever is not only to be thankful for what he receiveth from God but also for what he himself doth do to God and for God Why because it is not be that doth it but Christ living in him and the Lord Christ hath a greater stroke in that action which he doth to God or for God than himself hath Therefore infinite reason why we should not only be thankful for what we receive from God but for what we do to and for God Sixtly If all this be true Then here we see a mighty engagement for every poor Beleever to come unto Duty although his heart be dead dull heavie and indisposed unto it Because it is not He but Christ worketh in him in Duty Am I therefore dead dull heavy and indisposed to Prayer or any Duty yet will I go and offer my self unto God in Prayer Either Jesus Christ will come down upon my Prayer God will come down in my Duty or else he will not If the Lord do what a mercy shall it be unto me If the Lord do not come down while I am at Duty and work all my work for me it shal be my affliction and I wil mourn after God But whether the Lord does come down in my Duty or whether he does not it is as it pleaseth Him I wil wait upon the Lord for it is He that worketh in us mightily Oh! my soul therefore for ever wait upon God in Duty yea although my heart be hard dead dull and indisposed thereunto Seventhly If all this be true What gracious holy heavenly lives should all those lead that pretend to the word Beleever Some there are that do pretend to the word Beleever I am a Beleever and they say they have Faith But if I have Faith indeed then Christ liveth in me Not the World liveth in me but Christ liveth in me Not Malice liveth in me but Christ liveth in me Not Pride liveth in me but Christ liveth in me But how many are there poor souls that may say in truth Pride liveth in me and Malice liveth in me and the World liveth in me but Christ liveth not in me And will ye say then that ye have Faith Let us not be deceived But if this be true That Christ liveth in all Beleevers what gracious and holy conversations should the conversations of Beleevers be And whensoever you fail in any thing you should even say Yea but would Christ do so My soul thus and thus hast thou spoken but would Christ have spoken thus and thus If all this be true Why should we not al stand wonder and admire at the infinite love of Christ It was much love in Christ for to come down into our Nature it was yet more for to come down into our Hearts by his Spirit yet more for to live act and work there but the Lord Christ he is not only come down into our Nature come down into our Hearts for to live act and work there but the Lord Christ hath an eye upon all our actions the Lord Christ hath a greater stroke in al our Spiritual
Sidon And in the 7. Mark 24. He arose and went into the borders of Tyre and Sidon He went unto some place of Judea he did not go into the way of the Gentiles but he went unto some Town and place in Judea which was upon the coasts of Tyre and Sidon And here now he being A woman comes unto him Who is described at the 22. verse From her Country and from the Action which she did Behold a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts and cried unto him saying c. A Woman a woman of Canaan and Behold a woman of Canaan As if that the holy Ghost would have us take special notice of it Behold a woman of Canaan came unto him The Canaanites were of all others the most Wicked the Jews were for to cast them out of their Nation and not to converse with them in the Jews account they were Dogs And therefore our Savior saies afterward It is not lawful to cast childrens bread unto Dogs She was a Canaanite But now this Woman this Canaanite she Beleeves comes unto Christ and Beleeves greatly O woman great is thy faith Observ Pray let us observe the wonderful dispensation of God here The Jews that Christ was sent unto they rejected Christ a Canaanite that is called a Dog receives Christ Oh! the wonderful dispensation of Gods grace Mercy takes those in and Free-grace takes in those into Christ that are most unlikely The Jews they were called the Children of the Kingdom the children they turn Dogs Beware of the Concision Phil. 3.2 beware of Dogs Children turn Dogs and Dogs turn Children the Canaanite a Dog becomes a Child and beleeves and the Jews that were the Children of the Kingdom they turn Dogs and rend Christ Oh! what Free-grace and Love is here Who would rest upon any outward Priviledge though it be never so great Who would be discouraged in regard of any unworthinesse though it be never so much But what saies this woman Saies she Have mercy upon me O Lord thou Son of David my daughter is grievously vexed with a Devil Have mercy upon me O Lord thou son of David Why does she call him the son of David and not rather the son of Abraham and not rather the son of Adam and not rather the son of Man as Christ was often called why does she here call him the son of David We find in Scripture that Christ and David did often exchange Names And David your King shall reign over you Jer. 30.9 A Promise made to the Jews yet to be converted that is Christ David your King and not Abraham shall reign over you but David your King David was the King of the people of God and was to feed them and so Jesus Christ is King of the Church and feeds the people of God Abraham was not a King David a King and therefore thou son of David and not thou son of Abraham And then the Messiah ordinarily among the Jewes was called David And therefore this woman here saies O Lord thou son of David She does first of all acknowledge his Deity and therefore she cals him Lord O Lord Shee does acknowledge his Humanity and Incarnation and therefore she saies Thou son of David Her Faith was rightly planted here now ye have her Faith in the Musterd-seed look but down a few verses and you find it grown up into a great tree that the birds of the air and the Saints may come and build their nests in the branches of her Faith But here it is planted She had in her own countrey some that by Exorsisme did undertake for to cast out Devils she does not go to them she had her own gods in her own countrey she leaves them and she singles out Christ and she singles out that Name Title and Attribute of Christ wherein was most of the Covenant and most of the Promise and her faith now being thus rightly planted it rises up unto great perfection she comes on with boldness But stay O woman a little Thou art a great sinner thou art a Canaanite and so a Dog and what doest thou comming unto Jesus Christ I know what I do might she say I do not come to Peter I do not come to James I do not come to John but I come to Christ and I come to Mercy to Mercy it self I do not plead mine own Righteousness or mine own Patience or my Humility or Prayer or Perseverance in prayer but I plead Mercy Have mercy on me O Lord. Behold a Miracle in the midst of a Miracle saies Chrysostom The Angels in heaven cover their faces in beholding the glory of Jesus Christ and a poor Woman here on earth comes with boldness the Cherubims and Seraphims in heaven saies he fear before Christ fear above and faith below fear in Angels faith and boldness in a poor woman she comes with boldness Observ If faith be true and right it laies aside all one 's own righteousness and comes unto naked mercy passes by all other helps and means singles out Christ that Name and Title of Christ that hath most of the Covenant and of Gods love in it She does not only come with Boldness but she comes with Prayer Have mercy upon me c. She comes Praying for she came Beleeving Faith and Prayer well go together Prayer is the issue of Faith Faith is Prayer in the Coale and Prayer is Faith in the Flame she comes Praying And mark also She comes with Love and such Love as makes another bodies infirmity and weakness ones own For she does not say thus My Daughter is grievously vexed with a Devil have mercy on my Daughter but have mercy on Me her daughters vexation is her own her infirmity is her own Faith wrought the Love here Oh! that Parents would imitate this woman and go unto Jesus Christ for their Children that are vexed with Devils If a child be sick in body a parent wil run to God and cry for help but childrens souls may be vexed with Devils every Lust and Sin is a Devil and they do not run to Christ and say Oh! Lord have mercy on me for my Daughter or my Son or my Child is vexed with an unclean Devil or a prophane Devil But this woman having planted her faith rightly her faith here it does work by Prayer and it works by Love and she saies thus Have mercy upon me O Lord thou son of David my daughter is grievously vexed with a Devil But what now is Christs answer to her He answered her not a word Now comes the Temptations the Three great Temptations Do not wonder that I call these Temptations It is true God tempteth no man and Christ tempteth no man but take Temptation for Tryal so Christ tempts so God tempteth Satan he tempts a man for to draw out his Sin but Christ tempts for to draw out our Faith Satans temptations are black within white and sweet without but Christs temptations are black
give a denyal unto all your prayers yet at the last he will own your prayers he will own your faith and he will say unto to thee Man or Woman Great is thy faith be it unto thee even is thou wilt I come to the Victory after this Combate Then Jesus answered and said unto her O woman great is thy faith be it unto thee even as thou wilt Here now the Lord does give a Testimony of her faith and he does give her the mercy desired First he commends her faith and secondly he commends the greatness of her faith O woman great is thy faith Quest Why does he rather commend her Faith than other graces she had other graces Here is Humility in this woman to be seen here is a great deal of Wisdom in this woman to be seen here is Prayer here is Perseverance in prayer Christ commends none of these but commends her Faith why does he rather commend her Faith than any other grace Answ Faith does commend Christ above all the other and therefore Christ will commend Faith above all other Duties or Graces Faith honors Christ and Christ will honor Faith It is faith that gives a Being to and is the root of all other graces He commends that It is only faith that brings Christ and the soul together and therefore he does commend faith above all other graces If the Lord Jesus Christ does commend faith so why should we not all labor especially to strengthen our faith Get faith you that have it not strengthen it you that have it Get Humility Patience Wisdom be much in Prayer and continue in Prayer but above all things get Faith Faith is the grace commended by Jesus Christ above all other graces therefore we should labor above all for to get faith and to strengthen faith It is observed from this place that Christ commends none but the Gentiles the faith of the Gentiles He saies concerning the Centurion I have not found so great faith no not in Israel he was a Gentile And here he saies concerning this women O woman great is thy faith and she was a Gentile What ever therefore thou hast been though a Canaanite though a Sinner though a great Sinner get faith labor to strengthen then thy faith and the Lord Jesus Christ will own thy faith at the last though for the present he seems to hide himself from thee yet he will own it at the last and he will commend it at the last Secondly He commends here the Greatness of her faith Wherein was the Greatnes of her faith Faith consists in the knowledge of Christ assent unto the truth a relying upon God in Christ in time of temptation it 's a Coming to Jesus Christ an Adherence to him But the greatness of her faith lay in this That in the midst of all these temptations yet she did hang on Christ and would not be beaten off by any of these discouragements or temptations Here was the greatness of her faith Observ The strength of faith does not lie in the assurance of our Salvation or of Gods love or of the mercy that we desire in prayer one may have strong faith and yet no assurance I say not only faith but strong faith This woman had no Assurance that we reade of not assurance of the thing that she begged that the Lord would hear her prayer she had no assurance of it only she hung upon Christ and would not away And when he put her away she gathered in upon him in the midst of all temptation and opposition still she did hang upon him So then a man may have faith and strong faith although he have no assurance And upon this account How many are there that have strong faith that think they have no faith at all Some think they have no faith because they cannot say Christ is mine Mercy is mine Heaven is mine but yet if in the time of your temptation ye can hand upon Christ and will not away from Christ but will still hang upon him still wait upon him you have not only faith but you may have strong faith a great faith as this woman had And let me tell you this for your comfort at the last the Lord will make a report of your faith unto your own heart Yea he will make a report answerable to your temptation for you may observe here That as the wound was made so the plaister was laid You have Three great temptations Answerably now the Lord Jesus Christ does testifie of this womon First of all He answered her not a word would not own her would not speak to her Now saies he O woman Then he said That he was not sent but unto the lost sheep Now he does own her for a Sheep and he saies she hath Faith Before he saies It is not meet to cast childrens bread to dogs This did argue that she was a Dog one most Unworthy Now he saies that she is most Worthy O woman thou hast not only faith but thou hast a great faith O woman great is thy faith So that I say still hang upon Christ in all your Temptations in the midst of all your Discouragments still hang upon Christ and the Lord Jesus he will not only make a report of your faith unto ye but according as your temptations rise so shall the report of your grace be from the Lord Christ unto your poor soul therefore hang upon Christ He does not only here give a testimony of her faith and the greatness of her faith but now he does give the Thing Be it unto thee as thou wilt Christ can deny nothing to a true Beleever a Beleever may have what he will of Christ at last Christ cannot hold though he do hide himself from his brethren as Joseph did for a time he cannot hold it out alwaies he cannot hold out the siege alwaies but he will give up himself to a poor Beleever O poor Beleever Be it according as thou wilt thou wouldst have Grace thou wouldst have this or that Mercy Be it unto thee even as thou wilt I 'le only take one Lesson from all and so conclude And the great Lesson that we should all Learn from this whole Story is To beleeve in the face of all Discouragement of all Opposition all Temptation still to hang upon Jesus Christ The very reading of this story provokes us hereunto Whatsoever your Temptations be whatever your Discouragements be yet hang on Christ never away still wait upon him Object You say it may be But I fear Christ and the Promise does not belong to me Answ But did Jesus Christ ever say unto ye with his own mouth I am not sent but unto the lost sheep and thou art none He said so to this woman and yet she did hang upon him and he commended her for her faith Object But you will say unto me I have been at prayer I have prayed long and I hear nothing of all my prayers Answ This
woman did pray to Christ he answered her not a word and yet she did hang upon him yet shee did beleeve and shee is commended for her beleeving Object You will say I am one that have been a great sinner an Unclean wretch even as a Dog surely there is no hope and no mercy for me Ans Did the Lord Jesus Christ ever Himself say to you as he said to this woman seeming to call her Dog yet she did hang upon him yet she did wait upon him yet she did beleeve and the Lord commended her for her faith Object I Pray indeed but it 's my Necessities makes me go unto God in Prayer and when I go unto God in Prayer my Necessities put me on Ans And was it not so with this woman Her daughter was grievously vexed with a Devil and thereupon her Necessity drave her unto Christ and yet poor woman she is welcome Object But I do not go unto Jesus Christ I go not unto Christ at all But Jesus Christ yet will come to you This woman did not come to Jerusalem Christ went down unto the coasts of Tyre and Sidon Christ came to her and yet she beleeved this stood with faith and Christ commended her faith Object I have no Assurance of Christs love and mercy towards me Answ Tell me Had this woman any assurance of the mercy that she prayed for She only brings in her wants propounds them to Jesus Christ laies them at his feet hangs upon him and this was her faith and she is commended for her faith and the greatness of her faith O woman great is thy faith So that do but now hang on Christ though thou hast not assurance of thy Salvation or of the love of God yet in the face of all Temptation and all Discouragment hang on Christ never away never be beaten off by any Discouragment hang on Christ wait on Christ and the Lord Christ will at last commend thee for thy faith and he will say unto thee Be it unto thee as thou wilt How shall people that go on in a continued way of Doubting and Unbelief ever look this poor woman in the face at the great day of Judgment this poor Canaanitish woman How will you be able you that go on in a continual way of Doubting and Unbelief to look the Lord Jesus Christ in the face Stir up your selves stir up your selves I beseech you to this great work of Beleeving I confess it 's a hard thing to Beleeve and harder to Beleeve than to keep all the Ten Commandements there is something in Nature to contribute towards the keeping of the Ten Commandements but there is nothing in Nature to contribute to thy Beleeving on the Lord Jesus Christ It is a very hard thing to Beleeve truly and those that make it an easie matter they do not know what it is to Beleeve But reade over this story and your hearts will be provoked to Beleeve to hang upon Jesus Christ do it and the Lord will commend your faith and own you and your faith FINIS AN EXACT ALPHABETICAL TABLE Of THE CHIEF MATTERS HANDLED In the Third VOLVMNE A Premonition to the READER COurteous Reader Be pleased to understand that the Two latter of these SERMONS being Preached the one before the House of Commons the other before the House of Lords we thought good to give thee notice that in this Alphabetical Table when thou seest the letter C. before the Page it directs thee to that Page in that Sermon preached before the House of Commons but when the letter L. then it directs thee to that Page in the Sermon preached before the House of Lords this if you be but heedful of you wil not er A ACTIONS see Godly Adam A paralel between the first Adam and the second Adam Page 31 Angels The preservation of the Saints is in the hands of Angels Page L. 13 Anger There is anger in God Page L. 4 How the word Anger is taken Page L. 5 How Anger is said to be in God Page L. 6 The extent of Gods Anger Page L 6 Gods Anger gives being to our Anger Page L 6 Anger see mercy Angry It is lawful for man to be angry and why Page L 8 B Beleeve How hard a thing it is to beleeve Page 62 Beleever Every true Beleever is an humble man Page 43 Beleevers need commandements and why Page 102 Christ lives more in a Beeleever than a Beleever himself doth proved Page 104 There are but few Beleevers in the world Page 107 Beleevers are in continual conflicts Page 107 Beleevers ought to be thankeful and why Page 113 Beleevers thinke meanly of themselves Page 208 Beleevers see Self-denying Christ Hypocrites Ordinances Meditations Benefit What benefit comes to the soule by the In-being of Christ Page 84 C Characters see Justification Carnal see Professors Children Children sometimes turn dogs Page 200 See Dogs Christ Christ is in all Beleevers Page 73 How many wayes Christ may be said to be in all beleevers Page 74 Christ is personally united to a beleever Page 75 How to know whether Christ be in a man or not Page 89 Duties flowing from the Inbeing of Christ in a soul Page 96 Christ lives in a beleever more than himself Page 98 That Christ lives in every beleever proved Page 98 The reason why Christ lives more in a beleever than himself Page 106 How to know whether Christ live more in a beleever than himself Page 108 The least of Christ is highly prized of beleevers Page 209 Christs coming is sudden Page C. 5 Christ coming how many wayes taken Page C. 6 How it may appear that Christs coming is sudden Page C. 7 Reasons why Christs coming is sudden Page C. 9 Christs coming is not far off reasons why Page C. 19 How infinitly we are beholden to Jesus Christ and why Page L. 8 See Humility In-being Benefit Love Beleever Christians see Moral Civility What morral Civility is good for Page 11 Coldnesse Difference between the coldnes of a beleever and the coldnesse of a wicked man Page 15 Conversion The Conversion of the Saints is sudden Page C. 8 Comfort The Comfort of the Saints is sudden Page C. 8 Comfort for the Saints Page 11 Comfort for Beleevers Page 88 D Dealing see Promise Death Death is the greatest evil Page 4 Deliverances Outward deliverances come to the Saints at unawares Page C. 9 Despair A caution against despair Page C. 13 Desperate A desperate sleep is now upon professors Page C. 20 Dispensation The wonderful dispensation of God shewed Page 200 Dog Dog how the word is taken in Scripture Page 207 Dogs often times turn children Page 200 See Children Duty see Spiritual Self-denial Christ E Election see Temptation Engagements Egagements for beleevers to come to duties Page 113 Example see Humility F Faith Man is Justified by faith and not by the works of the Law Page 1 Faith unites a man to God Page 4 Faith is an emptying grace Page 61