THE MYSTERY OF FAITH OPENED UP Or some SERMONS concerning Faâ—… two whereof were not formerly printed Wherein the Nature Excellency and Usefulness of that noble Grace is much cleared and the practice thereof most powerfully pressed Whereunto are added three other Sermons two concerning the Great-Salvation one of these not formerly printed and a third concerning Death By that pious and worthy Servant of Jesus Christ Mr. Andrew Gray late Minister of the Gospel in GLASGOW All these Sermons being now carefully revised and much corrected John 3.18 He that believeth not is condemned already because he hath not believed in the Name of the only begotten Son of God Glasgow Printed by ROBERT SAâ—… and are to be sold at his shop 〈…〉 CHRISTIAN READER AMongst many weighty and soul piercing sentences that ye will find in these following Sermons this is one That the professors of this age whether they go to Heaven or Hell they will be the greatest debtors that shal be in either place the one to the free grace of God and the other to his Justice And certainly if we speak of these in this time whose blessed lot it shal be to inherit the Kingdom they cannot but acknowledge themselves indebted to his love above all that have gone before them for washing them from such ugly pollutions as this generation hath been defiled with for bringing theÌ„ through such great tribulations preserving them in the midst of so great tentations and dangerous snares and have encompassed them yea and still keeping in the light before them notwithstanding of so many blasts if we may so speak from all the four winds of Hell to blow it out And on the other hand if we shal speak of these who in this generation shal perish assuredly their debt unto Divine Justice must be exceeding great above all who are gone down to the pit before them because the rod of their mercies will be found to have been many Cubits longer and many Cubits broader then theirs who lived in the preceeding ages and the great things that the Lord hath wrought in our days have born a greater testimony against the wickedness hardness and atheism of this time then of many former But above all the great measure of Gospel light that he hath no less plentifully offered then wonderfully preserved to this generation beyond all our Ancestors hath undoubtedly made the sin of these who shal utterly reject their own mercy so out of measure sinful and their unbelief so exceedingly inexcusable that their guilt must needs justifie Corazin and Bethsaida or Sodom and Gomorrah in that day when every man shal give account of himself to God And amongst the many preaching-witnesses that alace we are afraid shal compear in that day against many yet living in their pleasures and dead while they live This now glorified Author cannot but be one whose testimony must be very condemning especially to the vain loose negligent and time wasting youth in this age For when he was first drawn forth to the Ministry he was but a youth indeed scarce twenty years compleat for within that age that by the Constitutions of this Church except in case of more than common abilities which indeed he had is required for entring in that great and holy Calling And for the space of two years after which was all the time that the Church enjoyed his labour he was helped to press the truths and threatnings of God so home upon the consciences of his hearers that as it was observed of him by one of his most learned and pious Colleagus Master Durham who is now in glory with him he did many times cause the hair of their head to stand up The Lord not only hereby verifying his Word that he can take the weak things of the World to confound the strong and out of the mouths of babes can perfect his own praise but designing also as would seem of purpose to send a boy out of the school for a reprover of the sluggishness of his people that thereby the aged might be the more ashamed and the younger more afraid Neither do we think that this was all but truly when we consider what measure of graces gifts and experiences the Lord did bestow upon so young a person and then with what humility self-denial gravity prudence diligence authority and moderation he was helped to manage these Talents during that short time of his Ministry It may be justly conceived that the Lord brought him forth to be a great conviction even to many of us in the Ministry who came into our Masters Vineyard long before him and will go out behind him And indeed to us it looketh somewhat like the Lords taking up of the little child and setting him amongst the midst of his contending Disciples in thâ—se times that even they who would be greatest amongst us might be the least and see somewhat of their own weakness As to the little Piece whatever ye shal find in it it hath this to say for it self that whereas many writings in the World do intrude themselves upon the Press yet this the Press hath violently thrust into the world For some young Student from his good affection to the edification of the Lords people and no doubt from his high esteem of the precious Author his memory having given into the Press a copy of some of these Sermons being only notes taken from his mouth when he preached them no sooner were they seen abroad but all the Presses in the Nation fell a laboring about them so that if we mistake not in less then two or three months time three or four Impressions were cast of yet all of them so imperfect and maimed that howbeit the excellency of the matter and the fresh remembrance of the worthy Author his name made him very sweet to many especially those who had heard him preach yet the unsuitable dress wherein they appeared and their mistakes of the first Writers they being hard lyable to take up every thing as it was spoken occasioning diverse material failings in the sense besides lesser faults could not but be a trouble to those who were acquainted not onlie with the singular graces but parts also of the eminent Youth This gave occasion to some friends to speak a little what way these prejudices which both the Truth and the Authors name might ly under by these uncorrect Impressions And finding that the Copy which by providence the worthie young Gentlewoman who was his wife had lying by her though it was but Notes taken from his mouth yet was the most correct that could be found And that it also did contain the whole purposes that had been preached upon the Texts Yea the whole purposes concerning Faith that he had preached according to that method proposed in the first of the Sermons formerly published This was undertaken to be revised by some who albeit none of the fittest for the imployments yet rather or nothing should be done in the business were
upon one that is mighty and to make use of the righteousness of a crucified Savior that so what we want in our selves we may get it abundantly made up in him III. There is this likewise that obstructeth our closing with Christ our too much addictedness to the pleasures and carnal delights of a passing world which is clear from Luke 14.18.19.20.21.22 Mat. 22.5.6 where those that are invited to come to the feast of this Gospel they do make their Apologie and with one consent do refuse it some pretending on impossibility to come and some pretending aâ— unavoidable inconveniency in coming And O! what a ridiculous thing is that poor complement that those deluded sinners used to Christ I pray you have us excused And is not the world the great plea and argument that they make use of when they will not come and make use of Christ IV. There is this lastly which doth obstruct ones coming to Christ their unwillingness to be denied to their own righteousness which is clear from Rom. 10.23 we conceive if once these two were believed which are the great Tropicks out of which all these arguments may be brought to perswade you to imbrace Christ to wit the infinite excellency of his Person on whom we are to believe the infinite loss that those do sustain who shal be eternally rejected of him we might be preswaded to entertain a divine abstractedness holy retirement from all things that are here below and to pitch our desires alone upon him who is the everlasting wonder of Angels and the glory of the higher House O! did we once suppose the unspeakable happiness of those whose Faith is now advanced unto everlasting felicity fruition and hath entered into that eternal possession of the promises might not we be constrained to cry out It is good for us once to be there Christ weepeth to us in the Law but we do not lament he pipeth unto us in the Gospel but we do not dance he is willing to draw us with the cords of men and with the bonds of love and yet we will not have him to reign over us May not Angels laugh at our folly that we should so undervalue this Prince of love and should contemn him who is holden in so high esteem reverence in these two great assemblies that are above of Angels and of the souls of just men made perfect Christ hath now given us the first and second summons the day is approaching when the sad and woful summons shal be sent against us of departing from him into those everlasting flames out of which there is no redemption and this shal be the cap-stone of our misery that we had once life in our offer but did refuse it And though there were four gates standing open toward the North by which we might have entered into that everlasting rest yet we choosed rather to walk in the paths that lead down to death and take hold of the chambers of hell O! but there are many that think the Gospel cunningly devised sables and foolishness they being unwilling to believe that which sense cannot comprehend nor reason reach and this is the ground why the Gospel is not embraced but is rejected as an humane invention and as a morning dream c. SERMON II. JOHN 3.23 This is his Commandment that ye should believe on the Name of his Son Jesus Christ c. THere are three great and cardinal mysteries in the unfolding of which all a Christians time ought to be spent First there is that precious and everlasting mystery of Christs love and condescendency which those intellectual Spirits the Angels are not able fully to comprehend Secondly there is that woful mistery of the desperate deceitfulness and wickedness of the heart which no man was ever yet able to fathom and comprehend And thirdly there is that precious mystery of that eternal felicity and blessedness that is purchased unto the Saints that once they shal reign with Christ not a thousand years only but throughout all the ages of everlasting endless eternity so that there is this difference betwixt this garden of everlasting delights that Christ hath purchased to the Saints and that first Paradise and Eden wherein man was placed There was a secret gate in the first thorow which a man that had once entered in must go out again But in the second and precious Eden there is no access in going out and all that is to be known of these three mysteries is much comprehended in this to know that they cannot fully be known Paul was a blessed proficient in the study of the first mystery and had almost attained to the highest class of knowledge and yet he is constrained to profess himself to be ignorant of this Hence is that word Ephes 3.19 That ye may know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge And is it not a mysterious command to desire people to know that which cannot be known The meaning whereof we conceive to be this in part that Paul pressed this upon them that they should study to know that this mystery of Christs love could not be known Jeremiah was a blessed proficient in the knowledge and study of the second mystery he had some morning and twi-light discoveries of that and yet though in some meaâ—ure he had fathomed that deep yet he is constrained to cry out chap. 17. vers 9. The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked who can know it And indeed that which Solomon saith of Kings Prov. 25.3 may well be said of all men in this respect The Heavens for height and the earth for depth and the heart of man are unsearchable The Apostle Paul also was a blessed proficient in the study of the third mystery having some morning and twi-light discoveries of that promised rest and was once caught up to the third heavens and yet when he is beginning to speak of it 1 Cor. 2.9 he declareth all men to be ignorant of the knowledge of this profound mystery of mans blessedness and cryeth out Eye hath not seen nor ear heard neither have entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him And if there be any thing further to be known in these mysteries the grace of Faith is sound worthy amongst all the graces of the Spirit to open the seven seals of the great depths of God Is not the grace of Faith that whereby a Christian doth take up the invisible excellency and vertue of a dying Christ Is not Faith that precious grace by which a Christian must take up the spots and blemishes that are within himself And is not the grace of Faith that precious grace that placeth a Christian upon the top of mount Pisga and there letteth him see a sight of the promised Land and doth open a door in heaven thorow which a Christian is admitted to see Christ sitting upon his Throne And faith hath not only
Christian when he is much in the exercise of secret Prayer and of much conversing and corresponding with God in that duty as is clear in that word from Dan. 2.21 When Daniel was praying at the evening oblation â—n the 23 verse he meets with a divine intimation of his peace with God O man greatly beloved of God as the Original hath it O man of great desires for he was desireable indeed and precious to him who holdeth the Saints in his right hand IV. This is also a fealing time to a Christian when he is called to the exercise of some great work and is to be put upon some eminent holy imployment this is clear Jer. 1.5 where Jeremiah being called to preach the Gospel unto such a rebellious people then he hath his eternal election declared unto him Before thou wast formed in the womb I knew thee Christ as it were giveth them that to be meat to them for fourty dayes and that in the strength of it they may go many a days journey V. There is also another sealing time when a Christian is first begotten to a precious and everlasting hope for when at first Christians begin to be acquainted with Christ even then sometimes 〈◊〉 declareth to them his boundless everlasting love And this is the ground why some of those who aâ—… but babes in Christ are so much in the exercise 〈◊〉 diligence so much in the exercise of the grace 〈◊〉 love and so much in the exercise of the grace 〈◊〉 tenderness it is even because of the solemn impresion of their interest in Christ that as it were they are dayly taken in to read their own names 〈◊〉 legible letters in the lambs book of life VI. And there is that last time that is a sealing time to a Christian and that is when he is pâ—… under some sad and afflicting dispensation Whâ—… the furnace is hot seven times more then ordinary Then doth God condescend to manifest himself 〈◊〉 his own When was it that John met with moâ—… of the revelations of heaven Was it not whâ— he was in the I le of Patmos for the testimony 〈◊〉 Jesus Christ his Kingdom and patience of our bleâ—sed Lord Rev. 1.9 And that place 2 Cor. 4 1â— Though our outward man decay yet our inward man is renewed day by day Now we would press you to be more serious 〈◊〉 the exercise of this precious grace And I shal 〈◊〉 you the coÌ„pend of Christianity in these few words 1. By faith to solace your selves in Christs invisible vertues and excellencies And 2. by hope to bâ— viewing that precious crown and those everlasting dignities that are to be given to the Saints And 〈◊〉 by mortification to be crucifying your idols And 4. by patience to be possessing your souls untiâ— once ye shall pass through that dark land to the valley of everlasting delight And as for those that contemn and undervalue the blood of this everlasting Covenant and I would have all those that delight not in closing with Christ and those who have not misbelief as their cross to consider this The wrath of the living and eternal God doth abide upon them who do not believe according to that word John 3.36 He that believeth not the wrath of God abideth on him It is a remarkable phrase because of this the wrath of God will not be a pilgrim to a misbeliever that will turn aside to tarry but for a night but the wrath of God to them who will not believe shal be their houshold companion and shall dwell with them And wo wo to them eternally who have this sad and everlasting companion to abide with them the wrath of a living God There is one thing we would have those knowing that amongst all those who are eternally to be debarred from Jesus Christ miâ—believers are put in the formost rank Revel 21.8 There he is to put away the the fearfull and unbelieving And from 2 Thess 1.18 When Christ shall come from Heaven with ten thousand of his Saints What to do It is even to execute vengeance on those that obey not the truth of the Gospel That is who do not believe and I pose your own hearts with this whether or not your names be written there in that roll amongst those who shall be cut off And that word 2 Thess 2 12. That they might be damned whâ— be believed not but took pleasure in unrighteousness O but the wrath of a dying Christ and of a crucified Saviour is dreaâ—ful It is more sad and terrible then the wrath 〈◊〉 God should have been if Christ had not dieâ— I will tell you O hypocrits in Zion the worâ— news that ever was published in your ears and 〈◊〉 is this Christ died and rose again and to thoâ— that are begotten to a lively hope they are glaâ—tyding of great joy and therein they may comfoâ— themselves but ye may wear a rough garment 〈◊〉 deceive and go to heaven in your own apprehensions but O the sad disappointments that is waâ—ting on many such And to close with this wâ— would obtest you as you would answer to you terrible and dreadful Judge that shal stand oâ— day upon his Throne which he shal fix in thâ— clouds we obtest you by all the joyes of heaveâ— and we obtest you by all the everlasting pains 〈◊〉 hell and we obtest you by all the curses that aâ—… written in the volume of this book and by aâ— the sweet and comfortable promises that are iâ— the everlasting Gospel and by the love that yoâ— own to your immortal souls and as you would not crucifie Christ afresh believe and embracâ— the offers which are presented now unto youâ— Know ye whether or not this shall be the lasâ— summons that you shal get to believe That soâ— if ye do reject it Christ shal come from heaven and pronounce that sad and lamentable Sentence to you Depart from me ye cursed I know you not Now to him that can bless these things unto you we desire to give praise SERMON III. JOHN 3.23 This is his Commandment that ye should believe on the Name of his Son Jesus Christ c. IT was a command that Solomon gave unto his son Prov. 22.26 That he should not be surety for debt nor be one of those that striketh hands But O! what spotless breaches of that command hath our blessed Lord Jesus committed when he did condescend to be surety for our debt and to pay that which was impossible for us to satisfy Hath not Christ made a precious exchange with sinners He wreathed about his own precious neck that bond and yoke of our iniquities and hath given to us that unweariable easie and portable yoke of his commandments amongst which this is one That we should believe on him spotless Christ was made sin for us that sinful we might be made the righteousness of God in him And is not this the condemnation of the World that we will not believe on him That
and infinite love unto eternity after must make Faith to fall in a sea of wondering raiseth the thoughts to the highest pitch of desire and estimation Fourthly we may likewise add that the impression of the preciousness of Christ which sense maketh upon the soul is not so constant nor so single as that which Faith doth make O but the grace of Faith giveth the Christian a broad look of Christ and letteth him see Christ cloathed with ornaments of glory and divine Majesty Sense followeth Christ rather that it may see his miracles and love that it may be fed with loaves but Faith follows Christ for himself above all II. The second consideration to speak the advantage of it is that the grace of Faith it hath as it were an arbitrary power with God so that whatsoever a Christian shall seek in Faith he shall receive it It was the noble gift that was once given to Faith that it never should seek any thing and be denied according to that word in Matt. 21.22 And all things whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer believing ye shall receive it And that word in John 15.7 Abide in me that is believe and the promise is annexed to this Whatsoever ye shall ask ye shall receive And it is clear likewise from the preceeding verse to our Text that if we obey this command of Faith Whatsoever we shal ask of God we shal receive it And I would speak these two things to you from this First that oftentimes Christ putteth a blank in a Christians hand who is much in the exercise of Faith according to that in Matth 20.32 Is there not an ample blank put into that mans hand What wilt thou that I should do unto thee Christ desireth him to fill up the blank with what he would And secondly there is this which is one of the greatest steps of Christs matchless condescendency that oftentimes when his own have sought in their presumption a blank to be put in their hand Christ condescendeth to give it according to that strange passage in Mark 10.35.36 the two Disciples who present this desire to Christ We desire say they that whatsoever we ask thou shouldest give it unto us And presently that is answered What will ye that I shal do for you Christ hath an infinit good will to satisfie the desires of his own and that which yet more speaketh out Christs boundless good will to satisfie the desires of all that belong to him it may be decared in that word John 16.24 where he chargeth his Disciples with this Hither to saith he have ye asked me nothing ye must not suppose that Peter James and John never sought a suite of Christâ— but the meaning of that expression is this Ye sought nothing in comparison of that which I was willing to give and which your necessity did call for at my hands which ye should have sought III. There is this third consideration to poinâ— out the advantage of Faith it is that grace thaâ— keepeth all the graces of the Spirit in life exercise Faith is that higher wheel at the motion oâ— which all the lower wheels do move if so we may speak Faith is that Primum mobile that first moves and turns about all these lower graces of the Spirit according to that 2 Pet. 1.5 Add to your faith vertue and to your vertue patience and to your patience brotherly kindness First the grace of Faith keepeth in exrcise the grace of love as is clear Eph. 3.17 where these two graces are conjoined As likewise from Rom. 5.1 compared with verse 5. Being justified by faith Then this leffect followeth upon it the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts And so it is certain that Faith keepeth love in life Faith being the spy of the soul and that intelligencer and precious messenger it goeth out and bringeth in objects unto love Faith draweth and bringeth in objects unto love Faith draweth aside the vail and love sitteth down and solaceth it self in the discoveries of Faith Secondly the grace of Faith likewise it keepeth the grace of mortification in exercise as is clear not only from Eph. 6.9 but from 1 John 5.4 This is our victory whereby we overcome the world even our faith And it is certain that Faith keepeth mortification in exercise and advanceth holiness not only because of this that Faith is that grace that presenteth to a Christian the absolute purity and spotless holiness of Jesus Christ but also because it maketh them esteem their idols taste less as the white of an egg and they become unto them as their sorrowful meat The best principle of mortification is this the discoveries of the invisible vertues of Jesus Christ that mortification which ariseth from the lovely discoveries of the excellency of Jesus Christ is most real and abiding as those waters which rise from the highest springs are not only constant but likewise most deep and excellent Thirdly Faith likewise hath influence upon mortification as it doth take hold of that infinite strength that is in Christ by which a Christian is inabled to mortifie his coruptions Fourthly Faith likewise maketh application of the blood of sprinkling by which we are purified from dead works Fifthly likewise the grace of Faith keepeth in exercise the grace of Humility as is clear Rom. 3.27 By what law saith he is boasting excluded It is not by the law of works but by the law of faith Sixthly Faith keepeth in exercise the grace of joy as is clear Rom. 15.13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing So that ye see the proper fruit of Faith is joy in the holy Ghost And certainly did we believe more we should rejoice more Seventhly and lastly Faith keepeth in exercise the grace of Hope for it is impossible for hope to be in lively exercises except Faith once be exercised which may be a shame unto you for how can we hope to attain the thing that is promised except our Faith first close with the promise So there is this difference betwixt the grace of Faith and the grace of Hope the grace of Faith closeth with the promises but the grace of Hope it closeâ— with the thing that is promised IV. There is this fourth consideration thâ—… may speak out the excellency of the grace 〈◊〉 Faith It is that grace by which a Christian doth attain to most divine fellowship and constant correspondency with heaven Would yâ— have that question resolved and determined What is the best way not to stir up our Beloved nor awake him until he please It is this be much in the grace of Faith this is clear from Ephes 3.17 That Christ may dwel in our hearts by faith By the exercise of all other graces Christ is buâ— a sojourner that turneth aside to tarry but for 〈◊〉 night but by the exercise of this grace he cometh to take up house with us I will tell you what Faith is it is a
preswaded there are many to whom at that day this Doctrine would be ravishing viz. That there were not a death that there were not a God and that there were not an eternity O! will you believe That the sword of the justice of God is bathed in heaven and shall come down to make a sacrifice not in the land of Idumea nor in the land of Bezra but he is to make a sacrifice amongst his people who seemed to make a Covenant with him by sacrifice Ah ah shall we say that if that argument were used to many that within fourty dayes they should be at their long and everlasting home they would yet spend thirty nine of those dayes in taking pleasure upon their lusts I am perswaded of this that there are many who think that the way betwixt heaven and earth is but one dayes journey they think they can believe in one day and triumphant night But O it shal be short triumphing that such Believers as those shal have Therefore O dy to close with a crucified Saviour rest on hiâ— by Faith delight your selves in him with loâ—… and let your souls be longing for the day wheâ— that voyce shall be heard in Heaven O hoâ— sweetly will it be sung Arise arise arise my lovâ— my dove my fair one and come away for behâ—… your Winter is past your everlasting Summer is comâ— and the time of the singing of the birds is neâ—… When Christ shall come over these Mountains 〈◊〉 Bether he shall cry Behold I come and the sow shall sweetly answer Come blessed Lord Jesuâ— come O what a life shall it be that with those two arms you should eternally incircle Christ anâ— hold him in your arms or rather be incircled by him Wait for him for he shall come and his reware is with him and he shal once take home the weâ—ried travellers of hope SERMON IV. JOHN 3.23 This is his Commandment that yâ— should believe on the Name of his Son Jesuâ— Christ c. THere are two great and excellent gistâ— which God in the depth of his boundlesse love hath bestowed on his own First there iâ— that infinite gift and royal donation his own beloved Son Jesus Christ which is called The gift of God John 4.10 And secondly there is that excellent gift of the grace of Faith which God hath bestowed upon his own which is also called The gift of God Ephes 2.8 Faith is the gift of God And is it not certain that these two gracious gifts ought to engage our souls and hearts much unto him Infinite Majesty could give no gift greater then his Son and infinite poverty could receive no other gift so sutable as Christ It was the most noble gift that Heaven could give and it is the greatest advantage for earth to receive it And we could wish that the most part of the study and practise of men that is spent in purfuit after these low and transient vanities might be once taken up in that precious pursuit after Christ We could wish that all the questions and debates of the time were turned over into a soul-concerning question What shal we do to be saved And that all the questions controversies and contensions of the times were turned over into that divine contention and heavenly debate Who should be most for Christ who should be most for the exalting of the noble and excellent plant of renown And that all our judgings and searchings of other mens practises and estats might â—e turned over into the useful search to prove and examine our selves whether we be in the faith or not And I would ask you this question What are your thoughts concerning precious Christ seeing he is that noble object of Faith We would only have you take along these things by which Christ may be much commended to your hearts First there was never any that with the eyes of Faith did behold the matchless beauty and transcendent worth of that crucified Saviour that returned his enemy There is soul-conquering vertue in the face of Christ and there is heaâ—… captivating and overcoming power in the beautyâ— Jesus Christ This first sight that ever persecution Saul got of Christ it brought him unto an endleâ—… captivity of love Secondly there is this that wâ— would say of precious Christ which may engagâ— our souls unto him that for all the wrongs believers do to Christ yet hath he never an ill word 〈◊〉 them to his Father but commends them which is clear from that of John 17.6 where Christ doâ—… commend the Disciples to the Father for the gracâ— of obedience They have kept thy word And for thâ— grace of Faith vers 8. They have believed that the didst send me And yet were not the Disciple most defective in obedience both in this The they did not take up their cross and follow Christ and also that they did not adhere to him in the daâ— that he was brought to Cajaphas Hall And weâ— they not most defective in the grace of Faith as 〈◊〉 clear from Matth. 17 17. and likewise from John 14.1 he is pressing them to believe iâ— him and yet he doth commend them to the Father as most perfect in those things Thirdly there is this that we would lastly say of him who iâ— the noble object of Faith look to the eminent depths of Christs condescendency and then you will be provoked to love him Was it not infinite love that made Christ to ly three dayes in the Grave that we might be through all the ages of eternity with him Was it not infinite condescendency that made his precious head wear a crown of Thorns that we might eternally wear a crown of glory Was it not infinite condesendency that made Christ wear a purple robe that so we might wear that precious robâ— of the righteousness of the Saints And was it not matchless condescendency that Christ who know no sin was made sin for us that so we might become like unto him and be made the righteousness of God in him But to come to that which we intend mainly to speak upon at this time which is that second thing that we proposed to speak of from these words and that is concerning the excellency of this grace of Faith which we cleared was holden out in that that Faith was called his commandment which is called by way of eminency and excellency There are many things in Scripture which may sweetly point out the precious excellency of this grace of Faith and we shal only speak to these things I. The first thing that speaketh out the excellency of Faith is this it exerciseth it self upon a most noble object to wit Jesus Christ Faith and Love being the two arms of the immortal soul by which we do imbrace a crucified Savior which is often pointed at in Scripture and we shal point at these three principal acts of Faith which it exerciseth on Jesus Christ as the object of it 1. The first is to make up an union
betwixt Christ and the believer Faith being indeed an uniting grace and that which knitteth the members to the head and to make this more fully appear we would point out a little what a sweet harmony and correspondency there is betwixt these two sister-sister-graces to wit Faith and Love Faith is that nail which fasteneth the soul to Christ and Love is that grace which driveth that nail to the head Faith at first taketh but a tender grip of Christ and then love cometh in and maketh the soul take a more sure grip of him Secondly ye may see their harmony in this Faith is that grace which taketh hold as it were of the garment of Christ and of his words but Love that ambitious grace it taketh hold of the heart of Christ and as it were his heart doth melt in the hand of Love Thirdly it may be seen in this Faith is that grace which draweth the first draught of the likeness and Image of Christ upon a soul but that accomplishing grace of Love it doth compleat these first draughts and these imperfect lineaments of Christs Image which were first drawn on the soul Fourthly by Faith and love the heart of Christ and of the believer are so united that they are no more two but one Spirit 2. There is this second act that Faith exerciseth on Christ and it is in discovering the matchless excellencies and the transcendent properties of Jesus Christ O what large and precious coÌ„mentaries doth Faith make upon Christ it is indeed that faithful spy which doth alwayes bring up a good report of him Hence it is that Faith is called understanding Coloss 2.2 because it is that grace which revealeth much of the precious truth of that noble object 3. And there is this third noble act of Faith exercising it self upon Christ viz. It maketh Christ precious to the soul according to that word 1. Pet. 2.7 unto you which believe he is pretious And if there were no other thing to speak forth its worth but that it is more then sufficient for no doubt this is the exercise of the higher House to be dwelling on the contemplation of Christs beauty and to have their souls transported with love towards him and with joy in him Reason and amazement are seldom companions but here they do sweetly join together First a Christian loveth Christ because of Christs actings and then he loveth all these actings because they come from Christ 2. Now secondly this pointeth out the precious excellency of the grace of Faith it is that grace which is most my sterious and sublime in its actings it hath a more divine and sublime way of acting then any other grace hence it is called The Mystery of Faith which speaketh this that the actings of Faith are mysteries to the most part of the world and I shall only point at these things which may speak out the mysterious actings of the grace of Faith 1. Faith can believe and fix it self on a word of promise although sense reason and probability seem to contradict the accomplishment of that promise Faith it walketh not by the low dictates of sense and reason but by a higher rule to wit The sure word of prophecy which is clear from Rom. 4.19 where Abraham believed the promise notwithstanding that sense and reason seemed to contradict it He considered not the deadness of his own body neither the barrenness of Sarahs womb but was strong in faith giving glory to God And it is cleâ—… from Heb. 11.29.30 where Faith believed their passing through the Red sea upon dry ground which was most contrary to sense and reason Faith be lieved the falling down of the walls of Jericho bâ— the blowing of rams horns which things are most impossible to sense and reason for sense will of tentimes cry out All men are liars and reasoâ— will say How can such a thing be and yet that he roick grace of Faith cryeth out Hath he spokeâ— it He will also do it Hath he said it Then 〈◊〉 shal come to pass 2. Faith can believe a word of promise notwithstanding that the dispensations of God seem to contradict it as was clear in Job who professed he would trust in God though he should kiâ—… him And no doubt but this was the practice oâ— believing Jacob he trusted that that promise should be accomplished that the elder should serve the younger though all the dispensations of Goâ— which he did meet with seemed to say that promise should not be accomplished 3. Faith can believe a word of promise even when the commands of God seem to contradicâ— the accomplishment of that promise this is cleaâ— in that singular instance of Abrahams Faith that notwithstanding he was commanded to kill his promised seed upon whom did depend the accomplishment of the promises yet he believed that the promises should be performed And though there were indeed extrordinary and strange tryâ—ls of his Faith as he had natural affections to wrestle with yet over the belly of all these believing Abraham he giveth Faith to the promise and bringeth his son Isaac to the Altar though he did receive him back again this is clear from Heb. 11.17.18.19 4. Faith can exercise it self upon the promise notwithstanding that callenges and convictions of unworthinesse and guilt do wait on the Christian this is clear 2 Sam. 23.5 that although his house was not so with God as did become yet he believed the promise as likewise it is clear from Psal 65.3 Iniquities prevail against me and yet that doth not interrupt his faith but he saith As for our transgressions thou shalt purge them away And certainly it were a noble and precious act of Faith to believe notwithstanding of unanswerable challenges of guilt the best way both to crucifie our Idols and to answer those challenges is believing and hoping against hope and closing with Christ this is clear from Isa 64.6.7 compared with ver 8. where after strange challenges the Prophet hath a strange word but now O Lord thou art our Father There is an Emphasis in the word now for all this yet thou art now our Father 5. And lastly this pointeth out the mysterious acting of the grace of Faith that it exerciseth it self upon an invisible object even upon Christ not yet seen according to that word 1 Pet. 5.8 Whom having not seen yet ye love in whom though now ye see him not yet believing 〈◊〉 I pose the greater part of you who are here whâ—ther or not these be two of the greatest paradoâ—… and mysteries unto you For is not this a mâ—stery to love him whom we never saw Whom having not seen yet ye love To love an absent aâ—… unseen Christ is a mystery to the most part of thâ— world and is not this a mystery to believe on his whom we never saw In whom though ye see hiâ— not yet believing And I shal add this that Faiâ—… can hold fast its interest with God notwithstanding the most
most lamentable crosses that ever he had as is clear Psal 13.3 Lighten mine eyes said David that is let me behold and be satisfied with thy face and the motive that he backeth it with is this Lest I sleep the sleep of death David thought himself a dead man if Christ did withdraw his presence from him also it is clear Cant. 3.1 compared with the following verses where absence from Christ and want of communion with him was the greatest crosse the Spouse had and it is clear from John 20.11.12.13 where Mary had a holy disdain of all things in respect and comparison of Christ But I will tell you what an hypocrite doth most lament and that is the want of reputation amongst the Saints that is the great god and Idol amongst hypocrites and thee which when not enjoyed hypocrites and Atheists lament most the world and the lust of their eyes when they want these then they cry out They have taken away my gods and what have I more They think heaven can never make up he losse of earth And certainly if many of us would examine our selves by this we should find our selves most defective I would pose all you who are here who have taken on a name to be followers of Christ whether or not ye have been content to walk thirty days in absence from Christ and yet never to lament it Hath not Christ been thirty dayes and more in heaven without a visite from you And yet for all this you have not cloathed your selves with sackcloath I will not say that this is an undeniable evidence of the totall want of the grace of faith but it doth eminently prove this that the person who hath come this length hath lost much of his primitive love and much of that high esteem which he ought to have of matchlesse Christ what can you find in this world that maketh you converse so little with heaven I think that it is the noble encouragement of a Christian when he is going down to his grave that he hath this where with to comfort himself I am to change my place but not my company Death to the believing Christian being a blessed transition and transportation to a more immediat constant and uninterrupted enjoyment of God But I believe that if all who have the name of Believers in this generation should go to heaven they might have this to say I am now not only to change my place but also my company For these seventy years I have been conversant with my Idols but now I am to converse with more blessed divine and excellent company O that ye might be perswaded to pursue much after an absent Christ Were it not a sweet period of our life to breath out our last breath in his arms and to be living in the faith of being eternally with him which might be founded upon his Word II. There is this second evidence of one that is in the Faith They do endeavor to advance that necessary work of the mortification of their Idols according to that word 1 John 3.3 Every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself even as he is pure Acts 15.9 Faith it purifieth the heart And concerning this evidence least any should mistake it I would say these things to you First the mortification of a Christian as long as he is here below it doth more consist in resolutions than in attainments it is certain that there are high attainments of a Christian in the mortification of his Idols but his resolutions go far above his performances Secondly we would say this That those Christians who never came this length in Christianity to make that an universal conclusion and full resolution What have I to do any more with Idols They may suspect themselves that they are not in the Faith For a Chrâ—stian that is in Christ he is universal in resolutions though he be not so in practice but defective in performances A Christian may have big resolutions with weak performances for resolutions will be at the gate of heaven before practice come from the border of hell there being a long distance betwixt resolution and practice and the one much swifter then the other And thirdly We would likewise say that ye who never did know what it was to endeavour by prayer and the exercises of other duties the mortification of your lusts and Idols ye may be afraid that ye have not yet the hope of seeing him as he is And I would say this to many who are setled upon their lees and who never did know what it was to spend one hour in secret prayer for mortifying an Idol that they would beware lest that curse be past in heaven against them I would have purged you and ye would not be purged therefore ye shall not be purged any more till ye die That iniquity of refusing to commune with Christ in the work of â— ecret mortification I say that iniquity shall not be purged away And we would once seriously desire you by that dreadfull sentence that Christ shall passe against you and by the love you have to your immortal souls and by the pains of those everlasting torments in hell that ye would seriously set about the work of spiritual mortification that so ye may evidence that ye have believed and that ye have the soul-comforting hope of eternal life I would only speak this one word to you and desire you seriously to ponder it What if within twelve hours hereafter a summons were given to you without continuation of dayes to compear before the solemn and dreadful Tribunal of that impartial Judge Jesus Christ what suppose ye would be your thoughts Will you examine your own conscience what you think would be your thoughts if such summons were given unto you I am perswaded of this That your knees would smite one against another and your faces would gather paleness seeing your conscience would condemn you That you had been weighed in the ballance and found light O think ye that ye can both fight and triumph in one day Think ye that ye can fight and overcome in one day Think ye your lusts and unmortified corruptions so weak and faint-hearted an enemy that upon the first appearance of such imaginary champions as most part of us are in our own eyes that your idols would lay down arms and let you trample on them Believe me mortification is not a work of one day or one year but it is a work will serve you all your time begin as soon as you will and therefore seeing you have spent your dayes in the works of the flesh it is time that now you would begin and pursue after him whose work is with him and whose reward shall come before him III. Now there is this third evidence by which a Christian may know whether he be in the faith or not it is that Christ is matchless and incomparable unto such an one according to that word 1. Pet. 1.7
indeed that tree which if we cast into the waters of Marâ—h they will presently become sweet for is it not below the child of hope to be much anxious about these things that he meets with here when he sincerely knoweth that commandment shal come forth Lift up your heads for the day of your eternal redemption draweth near even the day when all the rivers of his sorrows shal sweetly run into the Ocean of everlasting delight 3. A Christian that is much in assurance he is much in communion and fellowship with God as is clear from the Song 1.13.14 and Song 2.3 where when once she cometh to that to be perswaded that Christ was her beloved then she sate down under his shadow and his fruit was pleasant unto here taste for the assured Christian doth taste of these crums that fall from that higher Table and no doubt those that have tasted of that old wine will not straightway desire the new because the old is better And then fourthly it is the way to keep you from apostasie and making defection from God Faith is that grace that will make you continue with Christ in all his temptations as is clear from 2. Pet. 1 10. where this is set down as a fruit of making our calling and election sure that if we do these things we shall never fail Faith maketh a Christian to live a dependent life For would you know the Motto of a Christian It is this self diffidence and Christ-dependence as is clear from that word in the Song 8.5 that while we are walking through this wilderness we are leaning upon our well-beloved 5. This assurance will help a Christian to overcome many temptations There are four sorts of temptations that assault the Christian There are temptations of desire temptations of love temptations of hope and temptations of anxiety all which a Christian through this noble grace of assurance may sweetly overcome He that hath once made Christ his own what can he desire but him As Psal 17.4 One thing have I desired of the Lord. What can he love more then Christ or love besides Christ all his love being drowned as it were in that Ocean of his excellencies and a sweet complacency found in the enjoyment of him And as to hope will not assurance make a Christian cry forth Now Lord what wait I for 〈◊〉 mine hope is in thee And when the heart is anxious doth not assurance make the Christian to hear the indignation of the Lord and partiently submit unto the cross since there is a sweet connexion between his cross and his Crown Rom. 8.35.36 If he suffer with him he shal also reign with him And lastly there is this argument to press you to assurance that it sweetneth the thoughts of death It maketh death unto a Christian not the King of terrors but the King of desires And it is upon these grounds that assurance maketh death refreshful unto a Christian 1. He knoweth that it is the funeral of all his miseries and the birth-day of all his blessed and eternal enjoyments 2. That it is the coronation day of a Christian and the day when he shall have that marriage betwixt Christ and him sweetly solemnized and that when he is to step that last step he knoweth that death will make him change his place but not his company And O that we could once win unto this to seal that conclusion without presumption My Beloved is mine and I am his We might without presumption sing one of the Songs of Sion even while we are in this strange land And taking Christ in our arms might sweetly cry forth Now lettest â—hou thy servant depart in peace for mine eyes have seen thy salvation Comfort your selves in this ' that all your clouds shall once pass away and that that truth shal once come to pass which was confirmed by the oath of an Angel with his hand lifted up towards heaven that time shal be no more Time shal once sweetly die out in eternitie and ye may be looking after new heavens and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness O! long to be with him for Christ longeth to have you with him SERMON III. JOHN 3.23 This is his Commandment that ye should believe on the Name of his Son Jesus Christ c. THere are three most precious and cardinal graces which a Christian ought mainly to pursue there is that exalting grace of Faith that comforting grace of Hope and that aspiring grace of Love And if once a Christian did take up that heavenly difference that is betwixt these sister-sister-graces he might be provoked to move after them most swiftly as the chariots of Aminadab And there is this difference between these graces Faith is a sober and silent grace Hope is a patient and submissive grace Love is an ambitious and impatient grace Faith cryeth out O my soul be silent unto God Hope cryeth out I will wait patiently for the Lord until the vision shal speak But Love it cryeth out How long art thou a coming And it is waiting to hear the sound of his feet coming over the mountains of separation That is the Motto of Hope Quod defertur non aufertur that which is delayed saith Hope is not altogether taken away and made void And that may be the divine embleme of the grace of Love It is Sight infolding Desire in 〈◊〉 arms and it is desire cloathed with wings treading upon Delay and Impediments There is this second difference between these graces the grace of Faith it embraceth the truth of the promises the grace of Hope it embraceth the goodness of the thing that is promised but that exalting grace of Love it imbraceth the Promiser Faith cryeth out Hath he spoken it he will also do it Hope cryeth out Good is the word of the Lord be it unto thy servant according to thy promise And Love it cryeth out in an higher note As is the apple tree amongst the trees of the wood so is my well-Beloved amongst the sons Thirdly there is that difference between these graces Faith it overcometh temptations Hope it overcometh difficulties but Love stayeth at home and divideth the spoil There is a sweet correspondence between those graces in this Faith it fighteth and conquereth and Hope it fighteth and conquereth but Love it doth enjoy the trophies of the victory And fourthly there is this difference the noble grace of Faith it shal once evanish into sight That noble grace of Hope it shall once vanish into possession and enjoyment but that constant grace of Love it shal be the eter 〈◊〉 companion of a Christian and shall walk in with him unto the streets of the New Jerusalem And I would ask you that question What a day shal it be when Faith shal cede to Sight What a day shal it be when Hope shal yeeld its place to Love and Love and Sight shal eternally fit down and solace themselves in these blessed mysteries these everlasting consolations of heaven
world without end And fifthly there is this difference less will satisfie the grace of Faith and the grace of Hope then will satisfie the grace of Love Faith it will be content with the promise and Hope will be content with the thing that is promised but that ambitious grace of Love it will be only content with the Promiser Love claspeth its arms about that precious and noble object Jesus Christ Love is a suspicious grace it oftentimes cryeth forth They have taken away my Lord and I know not where they have laid him So that Faith is oftentimes put to resolve suspicions of Love I can compare these three graces to nothing so fitly as to those three great worthies that David had These three graces they will break thorow all difficulties were it an host of Philistins that so they may pleasure Christ and may drink of the well of Bethlehem that well of everlasting consolation that floweth from beneath the throne of God Love is like Noahs dove it never findeth rest for the sole of its foot until once it be within that Ark that place of repose Jesus Christ And sixthly there is this last difference between them Faith taketh hold upon the faithfulness of Christ Hope taketh hold upon the goodness of Christ but Love it taketh hold upon the heart of Christ And think ye not it must be a pleasant and soul-refreshing exercise to be continually taken up in embracing him that is that eternal admiration of Angels Must it not be an excellent life dayly to be feeding upon the finest of the wheat and to be satisfied with honey out of the rock O but heaven must be a pleasant place And if once we would but taste of the first ripe grapes and a cluster of wine that groweth in that pleasant land might we not be constrained to bring up a good report of it But now to come to that which I purpose mainly to speak of at this time The last thing concerning Faith that we proposed from the words was the object upon which Faith exerciseth it self which is here set down to be the Name of his Son Jesus Christ And that we may speak to this more clearly we shal first speak a litle to the negative what things are not the fit object of Faith And then to the positive showing how this Name of God and of his Son Christ is that sure ground upon which a Christian may pitch his faith For the first ye must know that a Christian is not to build his faith upon sense nor sensible enjoyments Sense may be an evidence of Faith but it must not be the foundation of Faith I know there are some that ofttimes cry out Except I put my fingers into the print of the nails and thrust my hand into the hole of his side I will not believe And indeed it is a mystery unto the most part of us to be exercising Faith upon a naked word of promise abstracted from sense to love an absent Christ and to believe on an absent Christ are the two great mysteries of Christianity But that sense is no good foundation for Faith may appear 1. That Faith which is builded upon fense is a most unconstant a most fluctuating and transient Faith I know sense hath its fits of love and as it were hath its fits of faith Sometimes sense is sick of love and sometimes sense is strong in faith but ere six hours go about sense may be sick of jealousie and sick of misbelife as ye will see from Psal 30.6.7 Sense that bold thing it will instantly cry out My mountain standeth strong I shal never be moved but behold how soon it changeth its note Thou hidest thy face and I was troubled At one time it will cry forth Who is like unto him that pardoneth iniquity and that passeth over transgressions But ere many hours go about it will sing a long upon another key and cry out Why art thou become unto me as a liar and as waters that fail 2. That Faith which is built upon sense it wanteth the promise of blessedness for this is annexed to believing that is founded upon the word according to that in John 20.29 Blessed are those that have not seen and yet have believed Nor hath that Faith that is built upon sense such a solide joy waiting on it as Faith that is built upon the naked word of promise as may be cleared from that word 1. Pet. 1.8 where Faith exercising it self upon Christ not seen maketh a Christian to rejoice with joy unspeakeable and full of glory 〈◊〉 joy that doth not attend believing founded upon sense 3. That Faith that is built upon sense 〈◊〉 giveth not much glory to God for Faith that is built upon sense it exalteth not the faithfulness of God it exalteth not the Omnipotency of God I will tell you what is the divinity of sense Let me see and then I will believe but it knoweth not what it is to believe upon trust and because the Lord hath spoken in his Holiness And in effect Faith that is built upon sense is no faith even as Rom 8. Hope that is seen is no hope and therefore when the Lord seeth a Christian making sense an Idol that he will not believe but when he seeth or feeleth this doth often provoke the Majesty of the Lord to withdraw himself from that Christian and to deny him the sweet influences of Heaven and those consolations that are above so that in an instant he hath both his sense and his faith to seek 2. A Christian is not to make his graces the object of his Faith that is when a Christian doth behold love burning within him when he doth be hold influences to prayer increasing and mortification waxing strong he is not to build his faith upon them this was condemned in the Church Ezek. 16.14 compared with the 15. verse I made thee perfect with my comliness but the use that thou didst make of it thou didst put thy trust in thy beauty and then thou didst play the harlot It is certain that grace when it is the object of our Faith it doth provoke God to blast the lively exercise thereof and to make a Christian oft times have that complaint Wo to me my leanness my leanness testifieth to my face I will tell you three great mysteries in Christianity about grace The first is to ride marches between these two not to deny what they have and yet to be denyed to what they have Many times there is grace-denying and not self-denying but this is that we would press upon you to be denyed to grace according to that which is recorded of Moses His face did shine and he knew it not He did misken it as it were and was not at all puffed up with it for so the words we conceive may run Secondly it is a great difficulty for a Christian to be denyed to his self-denyal to be humble in his being humble for if pride
for that end that it might be communicated unto all his members and so out of his fulness we shal receive and grace for grace But secondly the Text holdeth more partâ—cularly this excellent object of Faith to be tâ—… Name of his Son That ye believe in the Name 〈◊〉 his Son And here indeed we may be at a stand It is long since Agar did non plus all the woâ—… with that question What is his Name and whâ—… is his Sons Name if thou canst tell O how little a thing can be known of him And O how brutish is this generation that knoweth so much lesse then might be known of him in such a day of the Gospel But that we may speak a little according to our weak measure of Faith as closing with the Name of Christ His Name is his glorious attributes by which he revealeth so much of himself in the Scriptures as poor mortals can take up We did show you before that there was three of these that were the main pillars 〈◊〉 justifying Faith Faithfulness Omnipotency aâ—… his infinite Love and Mercy And how from theâ—… may be answered all the objections of sense oâ— carnal reason and of misbelief arising from convictions of unworthiness And certain it is thaâ— faith in all its conflicts maketh much use of thâ— Names of Christ And there is not an object thaâ— a poor tempted soul can make but faith can framâ— an answer to it out of some of these excelleâ—… Names of God or of his Son Christ It woulâ— be a more long-some work than I intend to leâ— you see this in all But I shall only instance thaâ— in One glorious Name of God by which he proclaimeth his glory Exod. 34. The Lord the Lord God merciful and gracious long-suffering and abundant in goodness and truth keeping mercy for â—…usands forgiving iniquity transgression and 〈◊〉 and that will by no means clear the guilty c. think there are seven ordinary objections which â—ay be answered from that place First it is an â—dinary objection which misbelievers do make â—hat they are under the strength of their corrupâ—ion that they are black as the Tents of Kedar and not beautiful as the Curtains of Solomon And doth not the first letter of that Name anâ—ner this that he is a merciful Lord the one imâ—orting his ability to save and to bring down every high imagination The other importing is infinite delight to help those that have no rength and are under the power of their adverâ—ries the power of God being of no larger exâ—nt then this love There is that second obâ—ection of misbelief that we have nothing to comâ—end us to Christ but all that we have to boast of are infirmities and imperfections and this â—s abundantly answered from that second letter 〈◊〉 his name that he is Gracious which imporâ—…th the freedom of the dispensations of his love â—hat he walketh not with us according to that â—…le of merit but according to that golden and exâ—ellent rule of love It is a great dispute whether Mercy or Grace be the greatest wonder whether â—he love of Christ or the freedom of it be the â—reatest mystery sure both these put together â—ake up a matchless wonder Thirdly misbelief will object that we have forsaken him dayes without number and that we cannot trace bâ—… our apostacy unto the first day of its rise and not that abundantly answered from that letter 〈◊〉 his Name that he is long-suffering This beâ—… that glorious attribute in God the glory of whâ—… he defireth to magnifie above all his Name Fourthly misbelief doth ordinarily propose this objection that we have multiplied our transgression and have committed whoordome under every grâ—… tree and have given gifts to our lovers even â—…ring our idols so that we may take up that 〈◊〉 mentation Is not our sin great and our transgresion infinite And is not this also answered 〈◊〉 that letter of his Name that he is abundant goodness That though sin abound in us yâ— grace doth much more superabound in him Wâ— confess indeed that there are some that may wâ—… under that condition that if they had no othâ—… exercise throughout eternity but to make confession they might confess and never maâ—… any needless repetition And truly in some 〈◊〉 spect it is a mercy that we are mysteries unto 〈◊〉 selves for if we did know compleatly the sevâ— abominations of our hearts and these mysteriâ—… actings of the body of death we would be in 〈◊〉 zard to choose strangling and death rather 〈◊〉 life Yet may not one glimpse of that abundaâ— goodness satisfie us and calm the storm Fiftâ—ty saith misbelief we know that we have brokâ— our vowes and covenants with God and that 〈◊〉 these things that we have taken on have beâ—… but as flax before the fire of temptation so tâ—… â—e have no hope that he will have mercy upon â—hose that have broken wedlock and have not seen stedfast in his covenant But is not that â—undantly answered from that letter of his Name That he is abundant in truth which speaâ—eth that That though we deny our selves yet he abideth faithful and doth not alter the words that hath gone out of his mouth It is the infiniâ—e blessedness of man that though he be changeable yet they have to do with one that is an unchangeable being Sixthly there is that objection That notwithstanding all these things are matters of encouragement to some yet they know â—ot whether or not the lot of everlasting love hath fallen upon them and whether their names â—e in the ancient records of heaven But this is answered from that letter of his Name He keeâ—eth mercy for thousands which showeth us that great number of those upon whom the lot of everâ—asting love shal fall And if there were no other â—entence in all the Scripture this might be a sufâ—icient matter of a song and might make us cry â—ut Who is like unto him whose compassions have â—o end And who desires to magnifie his mercy â—…ove all his works And lastly misbelief maketh his objection They have sinned not only against â—ight not only against vows not only after much â—njoyment of God but even after the application 〈◊〉 threatnings so that they conceive that their â—aker will not have mercy upon such Yet this is â—ally answered likewise from that letter of his Name He forgiveth transgression iniquity and sin which three words do abundantly speak forth that there is no transgression which he will noâ— pardon there being but one particular amongâ—… all that innumerable number of sins which loâ—geth in the heart of fallen men that he declared unpardonable and there is none of our disease 〈◊〉 that is above the infinite art of love and concerning which we can take up that complaint There is no balm in Gilead and there is no I hysician there And though providence may muster up many impossibilities yet let Faith take the promise in the one hand and impossibilities in the
and is crying out that word in Isai 65.1 Behold me behold me O may we not summon Angels and those twenty four elders about the Throne to help us to wonder that ever such a command as this came forth that we should believe on the name of the Son of God after that we had broken that first and Primitive command That we should not eat of the forbidden tree VVas not this indeed to make mercy rejoice over judgement And O may we not wonder at the precious oath of the everlasting Covenant whereâ—…y he hath sworn that he delighteth not in the death of sinners What suppose ye were poor Adams thoughts when at first the doctrine of free-grace and of a crucified Christ Jesus a Savior was preached unto him in Paradise What a divine surprisal was this that Heaven should have preached peace to earth after that earth had proclaimed war against Heaven Was not this a low step of condescendency to behold an offended God preaching peace and good-will to a guilty sinner What could self-destroying AdaÌ„ think of these morning first discoveries of this everlasting Covenant Christ as it were in the morning of time giving vent to that infinite love which was resting in his bosome precious heart before the foundatioÌ„ of the world was laid We know not whether the infiniteness of his love the eternity of his love or the freedom of it maketh up the greatest wonder but sure these three joyned together maketh up a matculess and everlasting wonder Would any of you ask that question what is Christ worth We could give 〈◊〉 answer so sutable as this It is above all the Arithmetick of all the Angels in Heaven and all the men on earth to calculate his worth all men here must be put to a divine non plus This was Jobs divinity Job 28.13 Man knoweth not the price of wisdom and must not Jesus Christ who is the precious object of faith and wisdom of the Faither be a supereminent excellent One who hath that name of King of Kings and Lord of Lords not only engraven on his vesture which pointeth out the conspicuousness of his Majesty but even also upon his thigh to point out that in all his goings motioâ—s he proveth himself to be higher than the Kings of the earth And howbeit the naked proposing of the object doth not convert yet if once our souls were admitted to behold such a sight as Christ in his beauty and Majesty and to be satisfied with the divine rayes of his transcendent glory then certainly we should find a blessed necessity laid upon us of closing with him for Christ hath a sword proceeding out of his precious mouth by which he doth subject subjugat his own to himself as well as he hath a sword girded upon his thigh by which he judgeth and maketh war with his enemies We confess it is not only hard but simply impossible to commit an hyperbole in commending of him his worth being always so far above our expressions our expressions alwayes so far beneath his worth therefore we may be put to propose that desire unto him Exalt thy self O Lord above the Heavens But now to our purpose being at this time to 〈…〉 discourse upon that radical and precious grace of Faith we intend to speak of it under this twofold notion consideration First we shal speak of it as it is justifying or as it doth lay hold upon the righteousness of a crucified Savior making application of the precious promises in the Covenant of free grace which we call justifying Faith And in the second place we shal speak a little unto Faith as it doth lay hold upon Christs strength for advancing the work of mortification and doth discover the personal excellencies of Jesus Christ by which we advance in the work of Holiness and divine conformity with God which we call sanctifying Faith However it is not to be supposed that these are different habits of Faith but different acts flowing from the same saving habit laying hold and exercising themselves upon Christ indifferent respects and for diverse ends Now to speak upon the first we have made choise of these words The Apostle John in the former verse had been pointing out the precious advantages of the grace of ObedieÌ„ce of keeping of his CoÌ„mands that such an one hath as it were an arbitrary power with God doth receive many precious returns of prayer As likewise that one who is exercised in the grace of Repentance is Gods delight which is included in this that he doth those things that are well pleasing in his sight And now in these words he doth as it were answer an objection that might be proposed about the impossibility of attaining these precious advantages seeing his commands were so large and that hardly could they be remembred This he doth sweetly answer by setting down in this one verse a short compend or breviary both of Law Gospel viz. That we should love one another which is the compend of the Law and that we should believe on the Name of his Son which is the compend of the Gospel by this he showeth the Christian that there are not many things required of him for attaining these excellent advantages but if he exercise himself in the obedience of these two comprehensive commandments he shall find favor both with God and man And as concerning this precious grace of Faith we have 1. The advantages of it implyed in the words clear also from the scope as no doubt all the coÌ„mands have infinite advantages infolded in their bosom which redouÌ„ds to a believer by his practising of them And 2. the excellency of it holden forth in the words in that it is called his command as if he had no other command but this And the Greek particle is here prefixed which hath a great deal of emphasis and force in it and this is his Commandment But 3. there is this also the absolute necessity of this grace holden forth here in this word his Commandment as if he had said by proposing of this command I do set life and death before you and that you would not conceive that it is an arbitrary indifferent thing for you to believe or not but be perswaded of this that as an infinite advantage may constrain you to the obedience of it so absolute necessity must perswade you to act that which is of your everlasting concernment And lastly ye have the precious object upon which Faith which is justifying doth exercise it self and that is upon the name of the Son of God and no doubt faith is that excellent grace which doth elevate the soul unto a sweet inseparable union with Christ and is that golden precious knot that doth eternally knit the hearts of these precious friends together Faith is that grace that draweth the first draughts of Christs precious image on our hearts by love doth accomplish and perfect them No Faith
a kind of Omnipotency as is clear that all things are possible to them that believe but it hath a kind of Omnisciency and all knowledge that it can take up and comprehend all the greatest mysteries of Heaven according to that word Prov. 28.5 He that seeketh the Lord shal understand all things As if he had said there is nothing dark to a believing Christian as there is nothing impossible to a believing Christian As likewise Faith is that grace that must take aside the vail that is spread over the face of a crucified Christ and Faith is that precious Spy thatgoeth forth and taketh up these wonderful excellencies that are in him The grace of Love as it were is born blind and it hath nothing wherewith to solace it self but that which is presented unto it by this noble and excellent grace of Faith Now before we shal speak any thing to these things that we did propose to speak of at last occasion we shal yet speak a little unto some things which are necessary to be known for the distinct uptaking of the nature of justifying Faith which is the great commandment of this everlasting Gospel and that which we would first speak to shall be this What is the reason and ground that the Gospel conveyance of righteousness and life and of the excellent things of this everlasting Covenant should be thorow the exercise of the grace of Faith for it is not said in the Scripture that Repentance justifieth that Love justifieth or that Mortification justifieth but it is Faith only that justifieth and it is Faith by which a Christian inheriteth the promises So that is clear that Faith is that conduit-pipe thorow which are conveyed to us the great blessings of this everlasting Covenant I. And the first ground of it is this it is thorow Faith that all our blessing may be known to be by love and by free and unsearchable grace as is clear Rom. 4.16 while the Apostle is giving a reason why the inheritance is conveyed to a Christian through Faith It is of Faith saith he that it might be of grace for if the inheritance were conveyed to a Christian thorow a covenant of works then these spotlesse draughts of infinite love and of unsearchable grace should not be written on our inheritance as it is clear Rom. 4.25 And it is that gâ—eat design of Christ to make his grace conspicious in conveying salvation to us through Faith II. There is this second ground likewise of it that all the promises and blessings of this everlasting Covenant might be sure and stedfast to us therefore they are conveyed to us through the exercise of the grace of Faith as is clear Rom 4. â—6 They are of Faith saith he that they might be sure or as the word is that they might be setled When the promises of life and of eternal salvation were conveyed to us through mans obedience were they not then most uncertain and unstable But is not Heaven your everlasting crown now stedfast unto you seeing ye have that golden pillar of Christs everlasting righteousness to be the foundation of your Faith and the strength of your confidence in the day of need III. There is this third ground why the promises excellent things of this Gospel are conveyed to a Christian through the exercise of Faith that all boasting and gloriation might be excluded according to that word Rom. 3.27 By what law is boasting excluded Not by the law of works but by the law of faith And certainly seeing Chirstians have all the great things of heaven conveyed to them through the exercise of Faith think ye not that this shal be your first song when ye shal be within the gates of that new Jerusalem Not unto us not unto us but unto thee doth belong the glory of our salvation O what a precious dignity were it but for an half hour to be admitted to hear those spotless soÌ„gs that are sung by those thousaÌ„d times ten thousand thousands of thousands of holy angels that are round about this throne Doth not David that sweet singer of Israel now sing more sweetly then he did while he was here below Doth not deserted Haman now chant forth the praises and everlasting songs of him that sitteth upon the Throne And doth not afflicted Job now sing sweetly after his captivity is reduced and he entered within that Land where the voice of joy and gladness is continually heard Would ye have a description of heaven I could give it no term so sutable as this Heaven is a rest without a rest for though there remain a rest for the righteous yet Rev. 4.8 These four beasts that stand before the Throne they rest not night nor day crying Holy holy holy is the Lord God Almighty yet there is much divine quietness in that holy unquietness that is above IV. There is this last ground why the blessings of the Gospel and life and righteousness are conveyed to us through the exercise of Faith that the way to attain to these things might be pleasant and easie We aâ—e certainly perswaded that the way of winning to heaven by a covenant of works was much more unâ—leasant and difficult but it is not an easie way of entring into the Holy of Holies to win unto it through the exercise of Faith Are not all wisdoms wayes pleasantness And are not all her paths peace Was not that just self-denial in one that said he would not take up a Crown though it were lying at his foot But oh that cursed self-denial doth possess the breasts of many so that though that Crown of immortal glory and eternal blessedness be lying at your feet yet ye will not imbrace it nor take it up Is not the hatred of many to Christ covered with deceit And therefore your iniquity shal be declared before the Congregation Now that what we have spoken upon this might be more clear and that the nature of justifying Faith be not mistaken we would have you take notice of these things 1. That the grace of Faith doth not justifie a Christian as it is a work or because of any inherent excellency and dignity that is in this grace above any other graces of the Spirit but faith doth alone justifie a Christian instrumentally and objectively that is it is that by which a Christian is just by laying hold on the precious object of it the righteousness of Christ And to clear this we would only have you knowing this that saith doth justifie as it closeth with Christ but not because it closes with Christ which some vainly are bold to assert because there is not any dignity or worth in the act of Faith inclosing with Christ that can be the foundation of our justification else it were to confound that precious degree of free grace 2. There is this that we would have you all knowing that faith is not the instrument of justification as justification is taken in an active sense though it is
we will not delight our selves in loving of him And I would say this to you that though ye should weep the one half of your dayes and pray the other half yet if ye want this noble grace of Faith your righteousness shall be but like a monstruous cloath and filthy rags before him For what is praying without believing but a taking of his blessed Name in vain What is our conferring upon the most divine and precious truths of God without believing it is not a lying to the Holy Ghost and a flattering of God with our mouth And we would have you knowing this that there is a sweet harmony that is now made up betwixt Moses and Christ betwixt the Law and the Gospel The Law bringeth us to Christ as a Savior and Christ bringeth us back again to the Law to be a rule of our walk to which we must subject our selves So then would ye know the compend of a Christians walk It is a sweet travelling betwixt Mount Sinai and Mount Sion betwixt Moses and Christ betwixt the Law and the Gospel And we conceive that the more deep that the exercise of the Law be in a Christians conscience before his closing with Christ there is so much the more precious and excellent advantages waiting for him I. There is this advantage that waiteth on the deep exercise of the Law that it is the way to win to much establishment in Faith when once we begin to close with Christ O Christians would ye know that which maketh the superstructure and building of grace to be within you as a bowing wall and as a tottering sence of that oftentimes ye are in hazard to raze the foundation it is this ye were not under the exercise of the Law before your believing in Jesus Christ There are some who do not abide three days at Mount Sinai and these shall not dwell many days at Mount Sion II. There is this advantage that waiteth on the deep exercise of the Law it maketh Christ precious to a mans soul What is that which filleth the soul of a Christian with many high and excellent thoughts of Christ Is it not this to have the Law registrating our Bond and putting us as we use to speak to the Horn That is to have the Law cursing us and using the sentence of condemnation against us That which maketh us have such low and undervaluing thoughts of precious Christ is because the most part of us are not acquainted with the deep and serious exercise of the Law that is a mystery to the most part of a Christians practise Ye know that there were four streams which went out from the Paradise of God into which man was first placed and so may we say that there are four golden streams by which lost and destroyed man is brought back again to this Eden and Paradise of everlasting delights First there is the precious stream of Christs righteousness by which we must be justified And secondly there is that stream of his Sanctification by which we must be purified Thirdly there is that stream of the wisdom of Christ by which we must be conducted through this wilderness wherein we have lost our way And fourthly there is that stream of Christs Redemption by which we must be delivered from the power of our enemies and must turn the battel in the gate it is by the Redemption of Christ that we shall once sing that triumphant song O Death where is thy sting O Grave where is thy victory O but all these streams will be sweet and refreshing to a soul that is hotly pursued by the Law So long as we see not the ugliness of our leprosie in that glass of the Law we have our own Abana and Parpher that we think may do our turn but when once our case is truly laid open to us then will we be content to wash our selves in Jordan seven times III. There is this advantage that waiteth on the deep exercise of the Law that it maketh a Christian live constantly under the impression of the sinfulness of sin What is it that maketh sin exceeding sinful to a Christian Is it not this he hath been fourty dayes in Moses School And we conceive that the ground why such fools as we make a mock of sin is because we know not what it is to be under the power of his wrath and the apprehensions of the indignation of God But now to come to that which we intend to speak of we told you at the first occasion that we spake upon these words that there were many excellent things concerning the grace of Faith holden forth in them The first thing which was holden forth concerning this radical grace of Faith was the infinite advantage that redoundeth to a Christian through the exercise of Faith and giving obedience to this command which we cleared to be holden forth not only from the scope but also from the nature of this command And now to speak a little to the point we shall propose these cosiderations that may abundantly show how advantagious a thing this excellent grace of Faith is I. The first consideration that speaketh it is this that Faith maketh Christ precious to a soul according to that word 1 Pet. 2.7 To you that believe Christ is precious And we would have you knowing this that Faith maketh Christ more precious to a soul then sense or any other thing can make him And first Faith maketh Christ more precious then sense because the estimation which the grace of Faith hath of Christ it is builded upon the excellency of his Person but the estimation of sense it is builded upon the excellency of his actings so that because he is such to them therefore they love and esteem him But that heroick grace of Faith it taketh up the excellency of Christs person and that maketh him precious to them Secondly Faith makes Christ more precious then sense because sense looketh to that love which Christ manifesteth in his face and in his hands and in his feet But Faith looketh to that love which is in his heart Sence will cry forth Who is like to thee whose countinance is like Lebanon excellent as the cedar whose hands are as gold rings set with beril and whose legs are like pillars of marble set in sockets of gold Sense will look to the smilings of Christ and will wonder it will look to his dispensations and actings and will be constrained to cry out Who is like unto thee But the grace of Faith solaceth it self in the fountain from whence all these springs and sweet inundations of love do flow Thirdly Faith maketh Christ more precious then sense because Faith looketh not only to what Christ is presently but unto what Christ is from eternity before time and what Christ shall be unto eternity after time but sense only doth look to what Christ is presently And ye must conceive that the sweet travelling of Faith betwixt infinite love from eternity before
To you that believe Christ is precious And that word that Luke hath in his 7. chap. at the close That she to whom much was forgiven loved much Now lest this likewise should prove a discouragement to any I would only have you take notice of this that a Christian may be a believer and yet want the sensible discoveries of this that Christ is matchlesly precious to him but this is certain that when they are in the lively exercise of Faith it is impossible then for them not to esteem Christ matchless and I would speak this likewise to many who are here Have you not been living these ten years in Faith And I would pose you with this Esteem you not your Idols more matchless then Christ and more of worth then he It is impossible that there can be any lively exercise of faith and not esteem Christ matchless It is not to say it with your mouth and contradict it with your heart will do the business for if your heart could speak it would say I would sell Christ for thirty pieces of silver but mine idols would I sell at no rate Are there not many of you who love the world and its pleasures better then eternity of joy O! know you not that word O ye desperately ignorant of the truths of God! That he who loveth the world the love of the Father is not in him And yet notwithstanding of the light of the Word yet you would sell your immortal souls with Esau for a moss of pottage O! but it is a poor bargain when you have sold the eternity of joy for a passing world and for its transitory delights I would earnestly know what shal be your thoughts in that day when you shall be standing upon the utmost line betwixt time and eternity O! what will be your thoughts at that day But you are to follow on to endless pain by appearance and then you are to leave your idols I shall only desire that you may read the word Isai 10.3 What will ye do in the day of visitation and in the desolation which shal come from far To whom will ye flee for help And where will ye leave your glory You shall then preach mortification to the life though all the time of mortification shall be then cut off O but to hear a worldly minded man when eternity of pain is looking him in the face preach out concerning the vanity of this world might it not preswade you that the world is a fancy and a dream that shal flee away and shal leave you in the day of your greatest strait IV. And there is this fourth evidence of faith that a Christian who doth truly believe he is that Christian who entertaineth a divine jealousie and a holy suspition of himself whether or not he doth believe I love not that faith which is void of fear this was clear in the practice of believing Noah that though by faith he built the Ark yet he had fear mixed with his faith I know that there are some who are ignorant concerning this what it is to doubt concerning eternal peace and more it is not every one that doubteth that certainly shal get heaven fore I think an hypocrite may doubt concerning his eternal salvation however I think the exercise of an hypocrite under his doubtings it is more the exercise of his judgement then the exercise of his conscience And I may say that if all the exercise of the Law which is preached in these dayes were narrowly searched it would be more the exercise of light then the exercise of conscience We speak these things as our doubt which was never our exercise and we make these things our publick exercise which was never our private and chamber-exercise And I think that if all that a Christian did speak to God in prayer were his exercise he would speak less and wonder more We would be speechless when we go to God for often if we did speak nothing but our exercise we would have nothing to say And certainly it is true that often we fall into that woful sin of desperate lying against the holy Ghost by flattering God with our mouth and lying unto him with our tongue And I shall only say these two words there are some who have this for their great design viz. they would be at peace with their conscience and also they would beat peace with their idols they would gladly reconcile conscience and their idols together That is their great design And there are some whose design is a little more refined they study rather to be reconciled with their conscience then to be reconciled with God Their great aim they shoot at is this to get their conscience quieted though they know not what it is to have the soul-comforting peace of God to quiet them V. Now there is this last evidence of Faith that justifying faith is a faith which putteth the Christian to be much in the exercise of those duties by which it may be maintained for we must keep faith as the apple of our eye and for that end I would only give you these three things by which faith must be kept in exercise and a real Christian will be endeavoring iâ— some measure to attain unto these 1. It keepeth faith much in exercise to be much in marking and taking notice of the divine exercise and proofs of the love of God wherewith a Christian doth meet as is clear from that word in Rom. 5.4 Experience worketh hope I durst be bold to charge the most part that are indeed in Christ with this that they are too little in remarking and taking notice of the experiences of his love You should mark the place of your experience and much more you should mark the experience it self as is clear from Scripture that the very place where Christians did meet with experience in such an enjoyment of God they marked it Ezech. 1.1 By the rivers of Chebar the heavens were opened and I saw the visions of God And Gen. 32.30 Jacob called the place Peniâ—l The place of being after seeing of the face of God it was so remarkable unto him And we conceive that you would mark these two things mainly in your practice First you would mark if you can possibly the first day of your closing with Christ and your coming out of Egypt and we may allude unto that command if not more then allude to it in Deut. 16.1 Observe the moneth of Abib and keep the Passeover unto the Lord thy God for in the moneth of Abib the Lord thy God brought thee out of the land of Egypt And secondly we would have you much in marking these experiences which have encreased your faith and which have strengthened your love and which have made you mortifie your idols These are experiences especially to be marked 2. Faith is kept in exercise and we win to the lively assurance of our interest in God which we would press upon you by being
answer these temptations thou couldst not own them I say unto such underâ—aluers and slighters of the great Salvation as disâ—uraged persons And those who stay long in the â—ace of the breaking forth of children that when â—ou cannot answer your objections which hinereth you from closing with Christ I intreat â—ou disown them as if ye heard them not Say 〈◊〉 Think ye this lawful I say it is both lawful â—nd expedient for it was the practice of belieing Abraham He considered not his own body â—…ing dry as an old stick nor the deadness of Sarahs womb He did not consider these things which might have been objections to keep him from believing He might have started at these two objections Alace I am old and that objection could he not answer And my wise is past child-bearing neither could he answer that objection What then did he with them He slighted them both and considered them not Secondly I would say this to you who thus slight it because of discouragements If ye did know the worth of the great Salvation which is in this Gospel-redemption that is offered to you although ye had an army of objections to go through yeâ— would go through them to get a drink of the water of this Well of Bethlehem V. The fifth sort of persons who slight this great Salvation are those who will not do so much as take care and give pains to hear this great Salvation offered unto them For there are some persons who if they come to the Church desire to fit farthest off and so never take care to hear a word of this great Salvation and such are dreadful slighters of it Like unto these mentioned Jer. 6.10 To whom shal I speak and give warning that they may hear Behold their ear is uncircumcised and they cannot hearken Isai 28.12 But they would not hear Jer. 7.10 Who say we anâ— delivered to do all these abominations Yet they diâ— come and stand before him in the house which iâ— called by his Name VI. Sixthly those persons are slighters of thâ— great Salvation who when they hear it are 〈◊〉 more nay not so much affected with it then if 〈◊〉 were telling unto them the most senseless hisony of Thom as the Rymer or some other old â—…ble Like unto these mentioned Jer. 6.10 The word of the Lord is unto them a reproach they have no delight in it I would pose you all as in the sight of the Author of this great Salvation â—hen of women did you ever see your selves or â—ook ye ever pains to bring up your hearts to â—he love of this great Salvation Was it ever the â—ejoycing of your hearts that Christ died and â—ose again I do certainaly believe it and I am â—rswaded that there are decrees past in heaven â—ainst many of you That in hearing ye shal hear at not understand and in seeing ye shal see and â—…l not perceive For God hath made your hearts â—…rder then the flint or adamant so that ye shal â—esuse to return when he doth exhort you Beâ—eve me if I may so speak I think there is as such probability that the stones in the wall would hear if we would speak to them as â—…on as many of you VII Seventhly those persons are slighters of â—is great Salvation who never did complain â—at they wanted a right to this great salvation â—hope some of you are now convinced that yâ—â—ver came within the compass of this great salâ—ion I say yet unto you if ye did never spend â—e hour in secret weeping and lamenting beâ—ase ye had not a right to this Gospel redemption it is but too probable you had never yet a â—he to it Yea know it that such of you would little care to let precious Christ depart without any grief of heart I think if this were voiced within this house to day Whether or not shal Christ go and depart I doubt if there would be many heart-dissenters though many tonguedissenters Oh! I fear there would be many hearts here saying O Christ depart and go thy way Yea there are many Gadarens here who prefer their kine and swine to precious Christ and would beseech him to go out of their coasts VIII Eightly those persons slight the great Salvation who never took pains to engage their hearts to take hold of Christ and the Gospel Christ is near to you this day The great Salvation is near to you and is now even now offered unto you therefore are there any who will take pains to lay hold on it I obtest you all who are here by the beauty and excellency of him who is the Author of this great Salvation that ye come and partake of it I obtest you by all the joyesâ—… heaven that ye embrace this great salvation I obtest you by all the terrors in hell that ye embrace it I obtest you by the promises of the everlasting covenant that ye embrace it I obtest you by all the curses that are written in this book oâ— the covenant that ye embrace it I obtest you by the love you owe to your immortal souls that 〈◊〉 will once be wise and come partake of the greâ— Salvation May I now have it sayest thou Yeâ— I say unto you all ye may have it to day ye maâ— be partakers of it before ye go hence And so bâ— fore I proceed any further I do in the Name aâ—… authority of him who sent me here to day and is the Author of this great Salvation freely offer it unto you to day But I know there will be eight sorts of humors within this house to day in relation to this great Salvation which is now offered unto you 1. I think there will be some of Gallios disposition here to day that will care for none of these things yea there are many here that will not give a fig for the rich offer of the great Salvation But I say cursed be that person who putteth on Gallios temper to day that will care for none of these things 2. I fear there wil be many of Pilats humor here to day who will say they find nothing against the man yet will cry forth Take him and crucifie him They find no fault with Christ and yet will be content that he be crucified Now can ye say any thing against Christ who is the Author of this great Salvation Produce your strong arguments Are there any here who have any thing to say against him I am here to answer in his Name I hope there is not one here who hath any thing to say against the Author of this great Salvation And why then do ye not take him See unto your selves that there be none of Pilats humor here to day that will cry out Ye find nothing in Christ why he should not be received and yet will be content that he be crucified 3. There will be many of the Jews humor here to day who cry forth Away with Christ away with Christ and give me