Discouragements removed by Faith Faiths Triumph over fear of Divine desertion God may forsake his people in five respects yet it is but gradual and momentary not total and final Reasons of Gods forsaking his people 1 For prevention of Evil two ways 2 For Confirmation in Good five ways The Life of Faith in Consolation Two Propositions stated 1 That the Just lives the Life of Consolation 2 That he lives this Life by Faith Four Reasons why the Lord will have the Just live comfortably Six Reasons why Consolation comes by Faith Faith fetches in Comfort from the Trial and Evidence of the Truth of Grace Objections against Assurance of Divine Love inferred from Marks and Signs of true Grace answered It is a preposterous course to judge of our interest in Divine Love by our Comforts before we have tried the sincerity of our Graces Differences of Regenerating Grace from Common Uses of the Life of Consolation in Believers 1Vse Information in five Particulars 1 Of the cause of sadness in the faithful 2Vnregenerate souls are uncomfortable souls 3 Religious Life is the onely comfortable Life Objection against this That the Saints walk sadly answered Where the Rise of the Saints heaviness is discovered in three general Causes The first is taken from themselves in five particulars The second from Satan The third from God himself who eclipses his Peoples Comforts for three Reasons 4 Information what to desire for our best friends 5 Information what great happiness attends the end of Saints in death 2Vse of Reproof 1 Of mis-judging the Life of the faithful 2 Of Papists who rob of Comfort while of Faith 3 Of such who fetch Comfort from Sense 4 Of such who refuse Comfort upon the Promises 5 Of such who go for Comfort to false Prophets 3Vse of Exhortation To live this life of spiritual comfort 1 Three Motives Vnder the third is set forth ten Properties wherein a believers joy excels all natural worldly sinful joy 2 Means to get and maintain spiritual Joy Faith is acted seven ways for the increase of Joy Having seen how the Just live by Faith in regard of Spiritual Life It remains to shew how they live by Faith in regard of Eternal Life The Work of Faith about Eternal Life Faith assures of three things about Eternal Life 1 That there is an Eternal Life This Faith makes good by Scripture and five Reasons flowing by necessary Consequence from Scripture 2 Faith informs a Believer what the happiness of Eternal Life is and wherein it consists viz. In the perfect Vision of God which causes perfect transformation in perfect Knowledge Love Obedience Joy which perfect transformation causes perfect Satisfaction which Satisfaction consists privatively in a fivefold freedom from whatever may annoy or interrupt the Joy of glorified Saints positively in the possessing of whatever good can be desired to make up complete Joy and Satisfaction which consists in a fourfold fulness of the Subject in glory as also in the fulness of the Object viz. The beatifical Vision of God 3 Faith assures a Believer of his peculiar interest in Eternal Life Under which Head is shewn How Faith assures a Believer of his particular interest in Eternal Life This it doth six ways all which are largely handled Five Reasons why Believers are kept out of possession of heaven so long after assurance of their interest in Eternal Life Uses of living by Faith in order to Eternal life 1Vse Confutation of such who deny Eternal Life both in respect of the Soul at present and of the Body after the Resurrection Five proofs of Eternal Life 2Vse Reproof to five sorts of persons 1 To such as complain that Religion is a fruitless Profession 2 To such as despair in stead of acting Faith for Eternal Life 3 To such as exercise their fancy more than faith concerning Eternal Life where vain curiosity in moving Questions about the state of glory rather than a due care to make sure an interest in it is condemned 4 To such who have an interest in Eternal Life but do not act faith to the improvement of that interest 5 To such who minde Earth for a portion more than Eternal Glory 3Vse Examination of Faith in respect of Life Eternal Whether we believe aright that there is such a state and that we have an interest in it 1 Sign By our carriage in Life Whether our Affections Meditations Speeches and Actions be heavenly such as sute such an inheritance 2 Sign By our respect which we bear to Death viz. as a passage to Eternal Life as a conquered Enemy Four Degrees of Christs Conquest over Death for all his Question stated Whether godly persons may not be afraid to die and unfit to die 4Vse Exhortation To live by Faith in respect of Eternal Life Five Motives to get assurance of Eternal Life Four Means to assure of Eternal Life 5Vse Comfort and Encouragement against the evils and temptations of this present life drawn from the nature of our heavenly life where hope or assurance of heaven is demonstrated to bear up the heart under adversity and to preserve the Souls integrity under temptations of Prosperity 6Vse Admiration and Thankfulness for our heavenly life To excite to this the excellency of heaven is set out five ways 1 By the excellent Names or Titles given to it 2 By the excellent Properties of it which are four 3 By the excellent Price given for it 4 By the excellent Causes of it 5 By the excellent Effects of it Thankfulness for Eternal life demonstrated two ways Reasons for living by Faith The Eighth General Head or Quaere concerning the Life of Faith viz. What are the Reasons why God will have the just to live by Faith and why a Christian should be willing thus to live First sort of Reasons taken from a Believers Condition in the flesh This is set out in five particulars 1 Absence from the Lord. 2 Distance of time 'twixt the Promise and Performance 3 The necessity of keeping the Saints humble 4 Saints present state of Imprfection for whose direction and support the Word and the Ministery of it is afforded Question herestated concerning the Divine Authority of the Scriptures Arguments of four sorts to prove it 5 Past Experiences of Gods faithfulness in fulfilling his Promises are given for a firm encouragement to exercise future Faith Three Grounds to expect that God will make good the same Promises for time to come Second sort of Reasons for living by Faith viz. The Relation betwixt Christ and Believers 1 Relation Christ is the Fountain of all Grace of whose fulness we receive onely by Faith 2 Relation Christ is our Lord and we cannot honour him without Faith Faith honours the Grace Faithfulness and Power of God Third sort of Reasons taken from the nature and use of Faith 1 It is our livelyhood with the difference of Faith under both Covenants 2 We first fell away from God by unbelief therefore he will recover his honour in
upon him Faith gathers ground upon God by such like Arguments as these 1. For himself I know God loved me in times past therefore sutely he loves me still Jer. 31.3 The Lord hath appeared to me of old saying Yea with an everlasting love have I loved thee c. He did good to me in time past therefore he will do good to me again Psal 77.5 I have considered the dayes of old Will the Lord cast off for ever I will remember the years of the right hand of the most High Psal 71.5 6 c. Thou art my hope O Lord from my youth c. 2. For the Church Isa 51.9 Awake awake O arm of the Lord awake as in the ancient dayes in the generations of old c. As if he had said Thy power is everlasting and thy Covenant is everlasting that 's the same for ever Ergo. Thus faith puts life in the soul by laying hold on time past Though times change Mal. 3 6. yet God changeth not 2. For Time Present Thus Faith lives upon God Time Present 1. In asking daily bread and all other necessaries because God promiseth to be the God of his people at all times and in all places for ever Heb. 13.5 Phil. 4.11 2. In being content with the present condition and believing that present dispensations are for our good Thus 1 Cor. 3. Present things are said to be ours Faith tells a man whatsoever is done in the course of Providence in Heaven or Earth it is ours and for our good Whereas unbelievers are never content with the present but alwayes Wishers and Woulders 3. For Time to Come Time Future All that God will ever do and that is much all shall be for our good come what can come Faith sayes My Father sits at the stern and guides all Unbelievers though well for the present are ever distrustfully careful for the morrow next day next year O what shall become of me and mine But the believer lives by his faith Gen. 17. I will be thy God and the God of thy seed after thee Heb. 13. I will never leave thee nor forsake thee Thus he lives by faith in the several parts of Time past present and to come And faith in the one strengthens faith in the other 2 Cor. 1.10 Who hath delivered us and doth deliver in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us Secondly for the Adjuncts of time Prosperity 2. Adjuncts of Time and Adversity good and evil dayes one or other Psal 62.8 Trust in him at all times ye people God is a refuge for us 1. Faith in time of Prosperity 1. For Prosperity And as touching it we shall observe how the just lives by faith 1. In obtaining 2. In using 3. In parting with a prosperous condition 1. In seeking it 1. He lives by faith in obtaining Prosperity For faith both directs a man in the right order of seeking it viz. By seeking the kingdome of God and the righteousness of it in the first place and then expecting all other things to be added Mat. 6. Mat. 6.33 And they are the best riches that are thus got by way of consequence While the unbeliever hastes to be rich O cives cives c. and hath an evil eye Prov. 28.22 and cries Money money before all And faith also directs a right measure and moderation of Spirit in seeking Prov. 30.8 9. Give me neither poverty nor riches feed me with food convenient for me making us willing to be at Gods carving And moreover in the right means as giving understanding out of the Word to hate every false way Psal 119.128 not as the unbeliever who lives by his wits not by his faith First Negatively Faith seeks not Prosperity either by Vsury Prov. â—8 8 or by Cheating 1 Thess 4.6 or by Gaming Prov. 13.11 Which Gaming besides it hath no blessing is also the occasion of many sins as Covetousness Anger Blasphemy c. and believe it such sport will bring down judgement in earnest Secondly Affirmatively Faith directs to seek Prosperity 1. By Diligence in our Calling Prov. 10.4 The hand of the diligent maketh rich 2. By not trusting to our diligence but Gods promise to the diligent Prov. 10 22. The blessing of the Lord it maketh rich Not sacrificing to our own Net but acknowledging with the Psalmist that unless the Lord build the house they labour in vain that build it c. Psal 127.1 2. In using it 2. He lives by faith in the using of Prosperity As 1. with an humble diffidence in our selves and the creature lest when we are full of the world full of our selves by pride and security and self-confidence Prov 30 9. we should forget God The Moon at the full is furthest from the Sun and in greatest danger of Eclipse because the earth is then between Wherefore faith applies that Caveat Psal 62.10 When riches increase set not your heart on them 2. With an holy confidence in God when we have most as if still as poor as Job 1 Tim. 6.17 Charge the rich that they trust not in uncertain riches but in the living God c. Faith applies that charge It then crucifies a man to the world when he is full of the world 3. In not serving himself or his lusts but serving God in his good estate So did Job by the Devils own confession when he said Doth Job serve God for nought Job 1.10 To be rich in good works is made the right use of riches 1 Tim. 6. Honour the Lord with thy substance that 's the Command Prov. 3.9 An unbeliever sayes May I not do what I will with my own c He remembers not that what he hath is Gods and himself but a steward therefore he serves himself and makes provision for the flesh Rom. 13. to satisfie the lusts of pride of drunkenness of uncleanness c. When I fed them to the full they were as fed horses Jer. 5.7 A full-fed horse that lifts up his heel against his Master is unworthy of his provender But ordinarily this poor creature is more loving to his Master then men to God according to that complaint Isa 1.2 Lastly in laying his goods out to spiritual advantages so making friends of enemies for ordinarily no greater enemy to our salvation than these things friends of the Mammon of unrighteousness Luke 16 9. So to lay out is to lay up against a time of need not onely in the world to come but in this world Eccles 11.2 Give a portion to seven and also to eight for thou knowest not what evil shall be on the earth Contrary to the reasoning of an unbeliever or churlish Nâ—bal 3. As he lives by faith in obtaining and using 3. In parting wiâ—h it so in being willing to part with a prosperous condition He that in prosperity terminates his desire in the creature lives by sense But he that terminates his desire in God lives by
what a glorious sight would it be In Heaven the Saints shall behold the Sun of Righteousness in the highest firmament and the eye of their Soul shall be strengthned to behold his glory to eternity That 's the first Perfection of knowledge 2. Perfect love Faith assures That in Heaven there shall be a Perfection of Love both to God and one another Indeed this follows from the former Perfect knowledge of God begets Perfect Love The Saints then shall love God beyond all measure who is infinitely lovely Here it 's the grief of a gracious heart that it can love God no more there it shall be the joy of a glorious Soul that it shall love God above all yea above it self and both it self and all other things in God And in this respect the Apostle gives Love the preheminence 1 Cor. 13. above Faith and Hope that when Faith shall be turned into Vision and Hope into Comprehension yet Love abideth or endures to eternity Faith assures That in Heaven 3. Perfect obedience Obedience to the will of God shall be perfect and this follows likewise from the former Perfect Obedience springs from perfect Love If ye love me keep my Commandments Joh. 14.15 The Saints knowing God perfectly shall perfectly love him and perfectly loving God shall perfectly keep his Commandments Rev. 22.3 His servants shall serve him ver 4. And they shall see his face Here we see onely the back parts of God In Heaven we shall see him perfectly and serve him perfectly Faith assures 4. Perfect joy That in Heaven there shall be perfect Peace and Joy The Kingdom of Heaven is righteousness peace and joy Rom. 14.17 When our righteousness is perfect then is our Peace too Here indeed imputed Righteousness is perfect but imparted inherent Righteousness is not to be perfected till the life to come and then shall be perfect peace Peace with God with our fellow-Citizens with our own Consciences And perfect joy too At thy right hand is fulness of joy Psal 16. ult A full joy and so a full reward 2 Joh. v. 8. There is a double fulness Of the Object Of the Subject Faith assures the Saints of both First There shall be a fulness of the Subject Fourfold fulness of the subject in glory Every part of Soul and Body shall be filled 1. The Vnderstanding shall be full of light that every question shall then be put out of question 2. The Will so full of subjection to the Will of God that there shall be no reluctancy 3. The Affections so full of harmony there shall be no jarring 4. The Body so full of glory that it shall be made like to the glorious body of Christ Phil. 3. ult Fulness of the Object Secondly there shall be a fulness of the Object The Saints in glory shall have whatever may make them happy whatever they can desire Joh. 14.8 They shall see God and so see the Father as that it shall suffice them They shall have Rest 2 Thess 1.8 And that which hath rest hath obtained its perfection to the full In a word 1. We shall be freed from whatever may annoy us 2. We shall enjoy whatever we can desire Fivefold freedom in heaven We shall be freed c. 1. From all the labours of this life Here we are born to labour Job 5.7 as the sparks to fly upwards There is rest 2. From the Necessities of Nature There is no need of Meat 1 Cor. 15.28 Drink Physick Clothing Lodging God shall be all in all 3. From the filth and power of Sin Here the best cry out Oh wretched c. Rom. 7.24 There we shall never sin more 4. From the company of sinners Here is complaining Woe is me that I am constrained to dwell in Meshech Ps 120.5 There shall be a perfect separation without any mixture Wheat with Wheat and Tares with Tares like to like to all eternity 5. From all sorrows and pains Rev. 21.4 The life of the best here is an April-day it hath some gleams of comfort but many showers In Heaven shall be constant Sun-shine for evermore Secondly We shall be possess'd of whatever good can be desired There we shall enjoy the sweet society of God Christ Angels Saints and with all these an eternal Sabbath And thus Faith like Moses on the top of Mount Pisgah discovers the promised Land afar off or like the Spies gathers up some Clusters of Canaan and brings them to a Believer here in the Wilderness Thirdly 3. Faith assures That eternal life is the Believers Faith assures a believer of his peculiar interest in this Life Eternal And indeed this is the very life of this life to know our right to this Tree of Life in Jesus Christ For as 't is nothing so comfortable to a man that beholds another mans Temporal Inheritance adorned with Woods Orchards Gardens Rivers and goodly Buildings as to be able to say with good warrant All these are mine I have good Evidence to shew for them So is it nothing so comfortable to be able to discourse of the happiness of Heaven as by the certainty of Faith to say By the grace of God all this is mine I have good Evidence to shew for it Indeed otherwise it 's a punishment nay it 's a part of Hell it 's poena damni to know that there is such a Glory in Heaven while himself hath neither lot nor part in it This is like Balaam's sight of Heaven or Dives his beholding Lazarus in the bosom of Abraham while there was a great gulf between them This I say is part of the Torment of Hell But this is the Life of a Christians knowledge concerning Life Eternal when he can upon good grounds say This is mine The lines are fallen unto me in a pleasant place yea I have a goodly heritage therefore my heart is glad my glory rejoyceth my flesh also shall rest in hope Psal 16.6 9. I know that my Redeemer liveth c. For we know c. 2 Cor. 4.1 Now how is a Christian assured of this his interest in Eternal Life but by Faith For Eternal Life is the End or Ultimate Object of Faith Receiving the end of your faith even the salvation of your Souls 1 Pet. 1.9 There are indeed many witnesses of it Three in Heaven and three in Earth 1 Joh. 5.7 8 c. And this witness of Faith is one of the Three on Earth The Spirit and Water and Blood The Spirit witnesseth to our Spirits Rom 8.16 By Water is meant the Benefit of our Sanctification By Blood our Justification by Faith in Christ or Expiation by the Blood of Christ applied by Faith and it may here be observed That though Blood alone saves a Christian yet it doth not alone witness his salvation Sanctification goes not into the matter of Salvation as a cause yet it goes into the matter of witness But according to the former Exposition Faith laying
love to us than by the manifestation of our love to him for our love to him is no other than a reflexion of his love to us Labour therefore to prove thy love to God that if Jesus Christ should ask thee the same question he asked Peter Joh. 21.15 Lovest thou me thou maist answer as he did Yea 2 Cor. 8.8 Lord thou knowest that I love thee And if Jesus Christ should answer again How dost thou prove the sincerity of thy love Thou maist answer again Lord I prove it by my love to thy sheep and by my love to thy lambs though I cannot feed them in every respect as Peter did yet I desire to feed them as I am able I do not love them for my own ends because I would feed upon them and clothe my self with their fleece but that I may clothe them and feed them as their necessities do require And this is that which in the judgement of Jesus Christ himself publish'd in the face of al the world in the last day doth publish the sincerity of our love to him Mat. 25. â—0 Inasmuch as ye have done it to one of these my brethren ye have done it unto me Prove therefore thy love to God and that will strengthen thy faith in God for as faith works by love Gal 5.6 so the works of love do strengthen faith Faith as the occasion of its exercise and an evidence of its being but faith is not perfected in its essence and nature by Works but by the Promises The seventh and last Mean is 7. Experiences To stir up the manifold Experiences of Gods goodness and faithfulness to us for the time that is past for this is a special Mean to strengthen our faith for the time to come Former Experiences may and ought to build us up in future Confidences If God hath delivered for the time past and doth deliver for the present we are bound the more firmly to believe that he will yet deliver for that which is to come 2 Cor. 1.9 10. For when God fulfils with his hand what he speaks with his mouth 1 King 8.15 such a Providence being a further Seal of his Promise ought to confirm our Faith For why we know God is still the same God and changeth not the Covenant is the same everlasting Covenant the Mediator of the Covenant is the same Jesus Christ yesterday and to day and for ever why should not our faith be the same also and more abundant If a Christian may say God hath delivered and doth deliver and will yet deliver why may he not also say I have trusted in this God and do trust in him and I will trust in him for the time to come Come what can come I am resolved to trust in him Job 13.15 Though he should slay me yet will I trust in him I have ever found him a faithful Master to me and why should not I continue a faithful Servant to him His Word reports him to be a faithful God and his Works also do speak the same I know this may a gracious Soul say by my own experience and therefore they that know thy Name will put their trust in thee for thou Lord hast never failed them that seek thee Psal 9.10 Be sure therefore to keep a Catalogue of Gods merciful Providences in answer to thy Prayers This was Davids Cordial in a fainting Fit I remember the years that are past Psal 77.5 143.5 It was that which incouraged him against the Philistim when he remembred how God had took his part against the Lion and the Bear 1 Sam. 17.37 The Lord that delivered me out of the paw of the Lion and out of the paw of the Bear he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistim And 't is that which may exceedingly strengthen the faith of a poor creature when it is able to say I prayed to God at such a time and he heard me graciously I was in a Soul-straight and he spake peace to my Soul I had such an enemy rose up against me and he changed his heart that he would not hurt me or he withered his hand that he could not hurt me I was in doubt and he made my way plain before me I was in woful perplexity and he said to my heart Fear not yea I never sought him in sincerity but he was ever found of me in mercy And therefore if I should now begin to distrust this God after all this experience he may justly say to me as one faithful friend says to another when he begins to grow jealous or suspicious What will you not take my word did I ever fail you was I ever false to you what iniquity hast thou or thy Fathers found in me that thou shouldst now begin to suspect me O may God say to an experienced Christian of all men in the world thou hast the least cause to stagger at the Promise If thou doubtest of the Word yet at the least thou shouldst believe me for the works sake Joh. 14.11 And thus you see former experience may and ought to build up in future confidence And these are the Means by which a weak Faith may be strengthned And so have we now dispatch'd the first general Branch of the Exhortative part of the Application relating to our selves If Faith be our Life under God then should we labour 1. To get it 2. To keep it when we have it 3. To act it and live by it as well as keep it 4. So to live by it as to increase the stock of our Faith from day to day The poorest Cottager lives as truly as the richest man in the world but not so comfortably nor so fully he is faint to pinch himself both back and belly he goes to bed with many a hungry meal and the like And so it is with him that is weak and poor in the faith he lives indeed by faith but not so fully and comfortably as he that is rich in the faith His Comforts are fewer and his Fears are more All these things should perswade us to increase our faith Second Branch of Exhortation Of Converting others to the Faith But we leave that Branch of Exhortation that concerns our selves and come now to that which relates to others and in concluding this by Gods Assistance we shall conclude the whole subject of Faith For if Faith be such an excellent Grace then as in other good things so also in this the more common it is the better it is It is an excellent thing to be instrumental in the propagating the common Faith Tit. 1.4 Jude 3. and the common Salvation Look as a Father or Governour that lives comfortably upon his outward means himself thinks himself bound in conscience to maintain his Family and to lay up for his Children and so do good to the poor that they may live the better by his means as well as himself So that man that lives by Faith himself and
these are the things which the just lives by faith in concerning adversity Quaer 3 Thirdly We come to enquire in what manner he lives by faith in troubles or in what particular passages of Providence And here are these things observable Ans Manner of living by faith in troubles 1. That he does it 1. In preventing the storm So 2 Kings 19.6 upon Hezekiahs prayer of faith the storm of Sennacheribs invasion was driven back And Jon. 3. the Ninevites believing God drave back that storm threatned by Jonah Nor Devils nor Witches have any power over a man if he believes therefore Christ to Peter Luk. 22.32 Simon Simon Satan hath desired to have you that he may winnow you as wheat but I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not as if he had said So long as Faith holds out Satan hath no power whom therefore resist stedfast in the faith 1 Pet. 5. 2. In looking at God Ordaining all troubles sc 1. That every man must look for some Rom 8.29 where speaking of sufferings he sayes We were predestinate to be conformable to the image of his Son 2. What and how many every man shall have Faith sees the Cup in a Fathers hand Thou couldst have no power unless it were givon thee from above said Christ to Pilate 3. In looking at God Ordering and Disposing all things in middest of Confusion Joseph his selling imprisoning and exalting again all was by Gods disposing though the instruments knew it not Phil. 1.12 Paul tells them that the things which happened to him seemingly as a stoppage in truth made for a furtherance of the Gospel And Rom. 8.28 We know that all things work together for good to them that love God 4. In seeing God Bounding and Limiting troubles as in Jobs case Chap. 2. When affliction breaks in as the sea Faith hears God say Huc usque Hitherto and no further shall thy proud waves come Isa 10 22. The consumption determined shall overflow in righteousness And so again Isa 27.7 8. In measure thou wilt debate with it He will stay his rough wind in the day of the east wind 5. In seeing Gods Protection that however the storm comes to fall upon us yet he is so merciful as to hold his holy hand of protection over us Yea Psal 91.4 He shall cover thee with his feathers and under his wings shalt thou trust his truth shall be thy shield and buckler 6. In Supporting or seeing Gods Support that however the storm comes and falls upon us without any shelter yet God is merciful in giving sufficient strength to bear it 1 Cor. 10.13 God is faithful who will not suffer you to be tempted above what you are able but will with the temptation make a way to escape that you may be able to bear It is many times a wonder nay a Miracle to see how God supports his people when they cannot get off the trouble yet making them hear My grace is sufficient for thee viz. my grace applied by faith 7. In Sanctifying troubles Rev. 7.17 There they that came out of great tribulations washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. There is a malignity in all afflictions but faith in Christ crucified takes away that malignity and venomous sting Isa 27 9. This is all the fruit of those troubles To purge away their sin 8. In Saving and Delivering or fitting the soul for deliverance that howsoever troubles lie on a great while the Lord will send help in due time Therefore God is styled A present help in time of trouble Psal 46. And although many be the troubles of the righteous yet the Lord delivers them out of all as it is Psal 34.19 Wherefore it is noted that it was by faith that Israel was delivered out of Egypt when they passed through the Red sea Heb. 11.29 9. In Sanctifying Deliverance Luke 1.74 75. Who hath delivered us out of the hands of our enemies that we might serve him in holiness and righteousness before him all the dayes of our lives Quaer 4 Now further By what means does the just live by faith in the troubles of this life Ans Means of living by faith in troubles Ans First in weighing spiritual mercies against temporal evils 1 Sam. 30.6 David ready to be stoned comforted himself in the Lord his God The Lord himself propounds a spiritual mercy against a temporal evil to sustain his people under it Isa 30.20 Though the Lord give you the bread of affliction and the water of affliction yet shall not thy Teachers be removed into a corner The Apostle make use of such a support 2 Cor. 4.16 17. For this cause we faint not for though our outward man perish our inward man is renewed day by day 2. In making the soul to rest upon the naked Word of God though it be against ordinary reason So Abraham Rom. 4.17 Believed in hope against hope according to what was spoken so shall thy seed be In hope of Faith against hope of Reason Thus by faith we believe the Creation of the World by the bare Word of God without precedent matter Heb. 11.3 Faith looks up to the promise Isa 43.1 2. When thou passest through the waters I will be with thee and through the rivers they shall not overflow thee when thou walkest through the fire thou shalt not be burnt c. 3. In enabling the soul to relye on Gods Attributes which make good his Word and Promise As 1. His Power Gen. 17.1 I am God Almighty walk before me and be thou perfect 2. His Truth and this binds him as Power enables him to help Psal 31.5 Into thy hands I commit my Spirit O Lord God of Truth Heb. 11.11 Sarah believed him faithful who had promised 3. His Love to help and even to prevent as the Prodigal's father ran to meet his son afar off Isa 65.24 Yea before they call I will answer and while they are yet speaking I will hear See Psal 32.5 4 His Vnchangeableness Jam. 1.17 with whom there is no shadow of change 4. In making the absent good to be present Faith looks beyond the clouds and skies and seek all clear above Moses Heb. 11.25 c. looks through the affliction and reproach of Christ and sees the recompence of reward We rejoyce now saith the Apostle in hope of glory Rom. 5.2 So faith sees the after-good of the Church as present Revel 18.2 Babylon as good as fallen above a thousand years before 5. In strengthning Patience Therefore Faith and Patience are joyned together So Heb. 10.35 36 37. Cast not away your confidence which hath great recompence of reward For you have need of patience that when you have done the will of God you may inherit the promise Now by patience we possess our souls through it all is calm within while storms are without A wounded conscience within is worse then the outward burthen like a sore back to the horse But faith heals
Righteousness in Christ 1. Active 2. Passive For in that we owed a double debt to the Law the one being perfect obedience for the present the other most deserved punishment for our fâ—rmer disobedience It was requisite that Christ beâ—ng our surety should pay whatsoever we owed unto God and that was the double debt of Doing and Suffering whatsoever the Law of God required at our hands 1. Active fulfilling all Righteousness and that for us as he became a Creature and not for himself Matth. 3.15 2. Passive Gal. 3.13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law being made a curse for us as it is written Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree Vse Thirst after this Righteousness Mat. 5.6 Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after Righteousness c. Philip. 3.7 8. and that I may be found in him not having my wn righteousness c. Formal Cause 3. The Formal Cause Imputation of Christs righteousness As by imputation of Adams sin we are guilty so by imputation of Christs righteousness we are righteous Rom. 5.19 For as by one mans disobedience many were made sinners so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous Rom 4.5 6. But to him that worketh not but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly his faith is counted for righteousness Reas His righteousnesse is onely perfect Heb. 7.26 For such an High-Priest became us who is holy harmless and undefiled separate from sinners and made higher than the heavens Jer. 23.6 He is the Lord our righteousness Onely his righteousnesse is infinite and everlasting Dan. 9.24 to bring in everlasting righteousness c. The righteousnesse of Angels and Saints is finite as well as tattered and torn the poor weary and heavy laden naked Soul can never lie down with rest in his bed Isa 28 20. for the bed is shorter than that a man can stretch himself on 't c. but Christs righteousnesse is so long and so large that it gives a man rest on his sick-bed Psal 41.3 The Lord will strengthen him upon his bed of languishing What is his comfort then but a clear sight of Christs righteousnesse Job 33.23 24. If there be a messenger with him to shew unto man his righteousness c. Rest on the death-bed and afterward in the grave Isa 57.2 They shall lie down in their beds and peace shall be with them c. Rev. 6.11 And white robes were given unto every one of them and it was said unto them that they should rest So that as God saith Psal 134.14 This is my rest for ever so may the Soul Final Cause 4. Final Cause 1. Supreme 1. The Supreme Gods glory Prov. 16.4 The Lord hath made all things for himself c. This is the end of all especially this work Rev. 5.9 The glory either of 1. Mercy and Love God so loved the world c. Joh. 3.16 Well saith God rather than Souls shall perish I will pour out the blood of my own Son Rom. 5.8 But God commendeth his love towards us in that while we were yet sinners Christ dyed for us Rom. 8.32 He spared not his Son c. Or 2. Justice not forgive without satisfaction Psal 145.17 The Lord is righteous in all his wayes and holy or merciful in all his works 2. Subordinate 1. Sanctification 2. Subordinate 2. Salvation Rom. 6.22 But now being made free from sin and become servants to God you have your fruits unto holiness and the end everlasting life All or most of these causes are set down by the Apostle Rom. 3.20 to 29. 1. The Efficient primary moving Cause internal free grace v. 24. 2. External moving Cause Mans Misery v. 23. Christs Merit v. 24. 3. Instrumental 1. The Word v. 21. 2. Faith v. 22. 4. Final 1. The glory of Gods 1. Severest Justice v. 26. 2 Richest Mercy v. 24. 2. Glorification of Man in Gods Justification and Salvation of Man v. 23 c. Quest How doth the just live by Faith the life of Justification Ans The answer shall extend to the several parts and degrees of Justifications Manifestation For though it be a perfect act of God yet it is a continued act and there are degrees of the manifestation of it To speak therefore 1. Of the Act it self 2. Of the Continuing and Renewing of the Act 3. Of the Assurance of the Act. See how the just lives by Faith in all these 1. For the first Act and work of Justification Faith in the act of justifying First Faith Convinceth a man of sin in a saving manner and so of his need of Christ and of his own impotency to obtain Justification and Salvation without Christ Mat. 5.3 Blessed are the poor in spirit as Gal. 5.6 Faith worketh by love so by poverty of spirit Secondly Faith puts persons into a Mourning confessing prayerful frame Mat. 5.4 Blessed are they that mourn but no blessedness if not springing from faith Zech. 12.10 I will pour upon them the Spirit of grace and supplication c. Jer. 31.9 They shall come with weepings and with supplications will I lead them Acts 2.37 They were pricked at their hearts c. This is the work of Faith though not alwayes so easily discerned to be of Faith by the party himself Thirdly Faith subdues the heart to lay down all Oppositions against God and to be willing to take any course God directs for Justification and Salvation Matth. 5.5 Blessed are the meek c. Acts 9.5 6. Paul speaks reverently Lord what wilt thou have me to do Jer. 31.18 Surely I have heard Ephraim bemoaning himself Thou hast chastised me and I was chastised as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke turn thou me and I shall be turned for thou art the Lord my God c. He submits obediently they are tame as a lamb Isa 11.6 Fourthly Faith fixeth the heart upon Christ alone and his Righteousness held out in the Promises with renunciation of our own even with indignation in point of Justification The Soul is hungry after Christs Righteousness as most excellent and loaths its own as dung and draught Phil. 3.6 7 8 c. What things were gain to me those I counted loss for Christ yea doubtless I count all things loss that I may win Christ and be found in him not having my own righteousness c. See these or most of these Luke 15. in that gracious Convert mentioned Luk. 15. set out as a patern as a picture and as a lively inviter for a poor sinner to look to that desires to partake of the like mercy 1. Faith Convinceth him to be in a perishing condition without his Fathers love ver 17. And when he came to himself he said How many hired servants of my Father have bread enough and to spare and I perish with hunger I say it was Faith that wrought this same conviction for it was not before he came to himself that is before he raised him
Prayer John 16.24 Ask and ye shall receive that your joy may be full Dan. 9.23 the 10 11 19 verses Faith puts the soul upon prayer the more faithful the more prayerful I have believed therefore have I spoken therefore Prayer is called The Prayer of faith Jam. 5.14 è contra Rom. 10. How shall they call on him in whom they have not believed Hearing of Prayers 4. By stirring us up to observe how God hears our Prayers for this assures us both of Gods love to us and of our loves back again to him Psal 116.1 I love the Lord because he hath heard my voyce and my supplication Judg. 13.23 If the Lord were pleased to kill us he would not have received a burnt-offering and a meat-offering at our hands neither would he have shewed us all these things c. 5. By receiving the Spirit in the sanctifying work of it 2 Pet. 1. from ver 5. to 12. 1 John 3.19 Hereby we know we are of the truth and shall assure our hearts before him Psal 50.23 To him that ordereth his conversation aright will I shew the salvation of God John 14.21 He that hath my commandments and keepeth them he it is that loveth me and he shall be loved of my Father and I will love him and will manifest my self to him Cant. 6.4 But let every man prove his own work and then he shall have rejoycing in himself alone and not in another 6. By making a bold and resolute Confession of Christ Christ useth to confess such and acknowledge and own them Matth. 16.16 17 18. after Peter had confessed Christ Christ confesseth him calls him by name tells him his privilege and that which flesh and blood had not revealed to him Rev 3.8 9. Thou hast not denied my name behold I will make them of the Synagogue of Satan to come and worship before thy feet and to know that I have loved thee There 's a new Name legible to him that overcomes 7. By getting and using an humble Spirit the proud God beholds afar off but comes near to the humble to them will he look to revive them Isa 66 2. 57.15 See 1. Pet. 5.5 Mary Magdalen the woman of Canaan calls her self a dog and so hath a special expression of love from him 8. By attending diligently upon the use of all Means for the further knowledge of God in Christ private and publike hearing asking Questions c. Cant. 3.1 2 3 4. It may be thou hast used some but not all and therefore wantest assurance 9. By labouring to be eminent in the filial reverential fear of the Lord such God more and more assures of his love Mat 4.2 To you that fear my name shall the Sun of Righteousness arise c. Acts 9.31 The fear of the Lord and the comfort of the Holy Ghost are coupled together Psal 25.14 The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him Prov. 14.26 In the fear of the Lord is strength and confidence Parents do not use to shew much countetenance to such children as they know will grow wanton under the expression of their favours So he but for such as grow more awful and regardful of their commandments the more kindeness they receive they care not how much love they shew to such c. And Faith begets fear Heb 11. Noah moved with fear c. 10. By calling to minde experiences Psal 77.3 7. c. there 's great reason to do this for his love is everlasting 11. When all is done or when all fail in renouncing all in thy self and relye on the free grace of God in Christ it may be the reason why thou art not assured thou leanest too much on thy own Graces Duties or Works as the meritorious cause of Assurance not as meerly instrumental as being the effects of free grace Oh! thou despairest because thou art a great sinner if less there were hope But relye onely on Christ for 1. God loves freely 2. Invites such as have no worth Isa 55.1 3. There is Mercy promised to him that cannot work but believe Rom. 4.5 Caution If true Assurance then presently it will change the heart 12. By a right apprehension of God in his Nature and Attributes very Truth Tit. 1.2 God that cannot lye Power Rom. 4.20 21. what he promiseth he is able to perform 3. Tryal of Assurance 3. He lives by Faith in the Tryal of his Assurance for bold presumption is most blinde and yet most confident Hos 8.1 2 3. Israel cryes My God we know thee yet set thy trumpet to thy mouth he shall come as an Eagle c. Some love not to be tryed Joh. 3.20 21. For every one that doth evil hateth the light neither cometh to the light lest his deeds should be reproved But true men love to be put upon their tryal Jacob Genes 31.32 With whomsoever thou findest thy goods let him not live before our brethren discern thou what is thine with me A fool is confident and he rageth if you question his tenure as a man in a fine dream rageth if awaked O I was in the finest dream I dreamt heaven was mine and Christ was mine that I was supping with him and feeding upon him but as Isa 29.8 he is empty still so c. Be not deceived with such dreams Jer. 29 8. Let not the prophets and diviners that be in the midst of you deceive you c. I had rather awaken you now than that the last Trump should awake you But as true Faith saith to God Lord prove me and search my heart Psal 26.2 139.23 So to men Mal. 2.7 The priests lips should keep knowledge and they should seek the law at his mouth c. as men go to Lawyers to ask counsel in their Conveyances and Assurances c. So to its own Soul 2 Cor. 13.5 Prove your selves whether you be in the faith 1. There 's great reason to try Assurance Reason of Tryal All is not gold that glisters 1. One may have a great name in the world to live and yet be dead as Sardis Rev. 3.1 2. Men may be confident and bold yet blinde Bayards Hos 8.1 2. 3. There 's an assurance and peace in the Soul from Satan Luke 11.21 When a strong man armed keepeth his palace his goods are in peace 4. An inheritance may be hastily gotten at the beginning but the end thereof shall not be blessed Prov. 20.21 So c. Quest How shall we know true Assurance from false Ans By the inward witness of the Spirit It 's true those that have received this cannot be deceived but because those that have not received it may be deceived and think they have it Ergo Try as Doctrines so Assurances 1 John 4.1 Beloved believe not every spirit c. Quest But how shall we know true Assurance Ans From the Cause instrumental the Word Tryal it self The Spirit works by the Word Isa 57. ult I create the
shall be turned convert thou me and I shall be converted for thou art the Lord my God Jer. 31.8 Thus truth of Grace sanctifies Reason and it sanctifies the Will and so it sanctifies the Affections to love God and by consequence to love that which God loves and to hate the contrary it sanctifies the Conscience to accuse and excuse upon just grounds it sanctifies the Memory to retain good things it sanctifies the Tongue to speak good things or at least it is pain and grief to keep silence Psal 39. it sanctifies the ear to hear good things and shut the door against the contrary it sanctifies the hand to do good things it sanctifies the feet the feet of the Soul to walk in good wayes In a word it sanctifies the whole man to the service of that God who hath redeemed him from death And thus the form of Sanctification consists in the renewing of the Image of God in righteousness and holiness Eph. 4.24 which implies also the defacing of the Image of old Adam and of Satan the pulling down of the old structure of sin before there can be a rearing up of the new structure of Grace a putting off the old man before there can be a putting on the new Thus you see the second Question resolved What this Sanctification is which by the way should teach us to examine whether we live this Life or no. Vse Examine whether we are sanctified Motive The just lives by Faith in the Trial of his Sanctification as well as Justification Psal 139.23 Search me O God and know my heart c. Master is it I 2 Cor. 11.2 I am jealous over you c. Is there any more in us then Civility or Morality can produce Is there an inward powerful universal change Quest VVhat difference is there between Morality and Sanctification Aâ—s This is a profitable question because many are deceived in this particular as the young man Mark 10.20 so many at this day rest in Civility c. Obj. Is there any hurt in Civility and Morality why do you Preachers speak so much against it Ans VVe speak not against the things themselves Of Civility but mens trusting to them and resting in them they are good in themselves and lovely dispositions as Christ looked upon the young man and loved him But when men rest in them and cry them up for true Sanctification there 's the danger Though Silver and Gold are the best Metals yet Brass Copper and Tin are good in their kinde but if a man will set the Stamp of good Coyn upon Copper Brass c. and gild it over that he may put it off for Gold c. he deserves to suffer for it So if a man will set the Stamp of true Grace upon Civility or Morality Jer. 6.28 30 Quest VVhat difference Ans A meer Moral mans Obedience is not general As 1. For Extent Difference betwixt Morality and Sanctification The Civil or Moral man his obedience is not general Herod must have his Minion Mark 6.17 Therefore Jam. 2.10 He that offends in one point is guilty of all but a gracious man doth all in purpose of heart Acts 13.22 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 è contra Saul 1 Sam. 15. will pick and choose 2. For Object The Moral mans obedience is more to the Law than the Gospel because the Law is revealed by nature Rom. 2.14 but the Gospel not so it is a mystery 1 Cor. 2.7 8. therefore he slights Christ Publicans and Harlots shall go into the Kingdom of God sooner than they On the other side Rom. 1.16 the Gospel is powerful to salvation 3. More in duties of the Second Table than the First because these are more known by nature than the first Hence profane ones take Gods Name and Sabbath in vain either in Oaths or ordinary talk as O God! O Lord though Deut 28.58 It is a glorious and fearful Name but Psal 119.228 I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right sayes a Saint 4. For Quality Moral men are onely for the form not the power of godliness they hate that as Vlpian the great Lawyer Galen the great Physician and Porphiry the great Philosopher great enemies to godliness Difficult duties exact walking loving enemies Matth. 5.43 these things they love not to hear of but especially that hard lesson of Self-denial Luke 14.33 as that young man Mark 10.22 5. His obedience is outward not inward so long as he abstains from actual Murther and Adultery Matth. 5.21 But Christ shews there the spiritualness of the Law 2 Cor. 10.5 Casting down imaginations bringing into captivity ever thought c. Rom. 6 17. Ye true believers have obeyed from the heart 6. He makes no bones of small sins as the Scribes and Pharisees Mat 5.19 20. 7. He hates such as are powerfully godly Acts 7 54. as they were out to the heart and gnashed on Steven with their teeth è contra 1 Joh. 3.14 We know that we have passed from death to life because we love the brethren 8. A meer Moral man doth commonly and willingly fail in the Principle End and Manner of Duty 1. Principle He doth all in his own strength but the other in the strength of Christ Phil. 4.13 I can do all things through Christ that strengthneth me 2. End His own glory Jehu 2 King 10.16 Come see my zeal c. So he See my gift in prayer Mat. 23.5 to be seen Contrà Psal 115.1 Not to us O Lord not to us c. 3. Manner as well as matter of actions either he rests in the notion Rom. 2.18 And knowest his will approving the things more excellent c. or if he be drawn down to actions yet affection is wanting Heb 9.14 dead works Chearfully Diligently Zealously Rom. 12.11 9. They love not to be touched in their Free-hold they love not discriminating differencing Doctrines according to Jer. 15.19 Separating the precious from the vile c. Luke 4.29 When they heard these things they were filled with wrath and thrust him out of the City But one that hath any grace loves to be tried and that God would send a messenger to search my heart to the bottom Psal 139. Luke 7.23 Blessed is he that is not offended i.e. offended with it or the messenger of it which Christ spake in the same case The poor receive the Gospel men of eminent parts for Civility and Morality are passed by and those men that renounce all these in point of Justification and are poor in spirit these are blessed Thus Faith tries Sanctification 1 Pet. 1.21 And if upon examination we be found guilty take the counsel Rev. 3.17 18. Because thou saist I am rich c. I counsel thee to buy of me gold c. If upon examination we finde we be truly sanctified prize Christ Phil. 3.6 7.8 What things were gain to us we count loss for Christ Be thankful 1 Tim. 1.13 17. who was before a blasphemer c.
must set Though it may be morning yet with some and high-noon with others yet the night of death comes when no man can work The times come on apace when the keepers of the house shall tremble and the strong men shall bow themselves and the grinders cease because they are few and they that look out of their windows be darkned c. Eccles 12. The strongest life in nature must yield to death but this Spiritual life of the Soul is always on the increasing hand and never declines The just lives by Faith the Life of Augmentation to his dying day even till he comes to the state of perfection and in that state he stands for ever How excellent therefore is this life above all other lives yea above all other things in the world All flesh is grass Isa 40 of a withering nature but the word of the Lord and that life which is begotten by that Word endureth for ever it is ever upon the growing hand Some love to give in their Coat of Arms a young Branch or the Moon increasing with this Motto Pluâ—Vltra But alas if they look at Temporal things they do but speak as they would have it not as they shall have it 'T is but a dream not a reality They think their houses shall continue for ever and their dwelling-places to all generations but alas they do but think so for man being in honour abideth not he is like the beasts that perish Psal 49 They shall be sure to perish and their houses too The greatest Persons the greatest Families the greatest Kingdoms have their periods they have their declensions old age and death as well as their youth and manhood Grey hairs are here and there upon Ephraim Hos 7.9 though he know it not But true grace is ever in the Spring there is no fall of the leaf in this Region Psal 1.3 A Christians Arms are indeed like Joseph's A fruitful Bough even a fruitful Bough by a well whose branches run over the wall Gen. 49.22 Some fruitfulness indeed doth hinder the growth of trees but a Christians fruitfulness doth increase his growth though he be fruitful yet his branches run over the wall His life of Fructification doth help forward his life of Augmentation The just lives by Faith the life of Augmentation Inform. 2 A second Point of Information is To let us see the difference betwixt a Believer and Unbeliever or a true Believer and an Hypocrite True Believers are like the Moon in her increase Hypocrites like the Moon in her wane ever less and less till it altogether disappears They are like the grass upon the house top Psal 129. which withereth afore it groweth up to its full height But true Faith is ever upon the growing hand Inform. 3 Thirdly it informs us That there are Degrees in Sanctification because there is a growth in Sanctification and therefore Sanctification is not perfect at the first For where any thing is perfect there can be no addition or diminution But in Sanctification there is a daily addition and augmentation They that are truly gracious grow in grace 2 Pet. 3. and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ And therefore it shews the Mistake of those who conceive Sanctification to be perfect at first and so make no difference betwixt Sanctification and Justification whereas the Scripture makes a wide difference for Justification is imputed Sanctification is imparted and inherent Justification is perfect Sanctification is imperfect in this life in the best of Saints even in the Apostle himself Phil. 3.12 I count not my self perfect Therefore there are degrees in Sanctification it is not perfect at the first Though all Saints are justified alike they have an equal measure in that grace yet all are not sanctified alike each hath his measure Eph. 4.7 some have two talents some five c. Mat. 25. Inform. 4 Yet fourthly observe No man should content himself with a small measure of grace He that hath Faith lives the Life of Augmentation So that it is not enough to walk according to the Rule in some things but our endevour must be to walk up to the utmost extent even to the height and breadth of the Rule which is to walk accurately Eph. 5.15 And till we come up to the Rule we must ever be on the increasing hand getting ground of corruption and coveting earnestly the best gifts For this is the man that lives by Faith the Life of Augmentation And if we do not grow and go forward we are sure to go backward as it is with the Mariner that is rowing against the stream if he do but intermit a stroke or two he loses of his course and as it is in our vital heat Vid Ames cas consc l. 2. c. 12. it never stands in one state if it increases not it decays It also serves for Reproof Vse 2 First to those that grow not at all Reproof for want of due growth They are like Trees or Beasts that are hide-bound they stand at a stay they thrive not they come not forward May be they had as much knowledge love to God c. seven years ago as now and so when for the time they ought to be teachers they had need one teach them which be the first principles of the Oracles of God Heb. 5.12 Like those silly women spoken of by the Apostle 2 Tim. 3.7 ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth Have these the true life of grace Remember the grounds before laid down That 1. Grace is of a growing nature 2. Of a sweet and desireable nature 3. That the End of Christs coming is frustrate in respect of them Again have these any Faith For 1. as Faith increaseth so other graces Where is the Root when there is no growth in the Branches 2. How are such united to the Head that grow not O what a dishonour to their Head as if he had no vertue to communicate to his Members 3. How do such remove the impediments of Spiritual growth How can such as these have any good assurance that they are planted in the Courts of the Lord You would wonder in case you had purchased a piece of ground in a good soil planted a yong Orchard appointed a skilful Gardiner took notice of the height of your Trees if you should come ten or twenty years after and finde them no higher You would say I never saw the like in all my life these Trees were just as high when I planted them as now I could reach the tops of them then and so I can now it 's the strangest thing that ever I saw surely they are dead And yet do but change the name and thou art such a Tree thou wert planted in Godâ— Orchard twenty years ago thou hadst then as much love to God and zeal for God as now it is to be feared thou art dead though thou hast a name to live
the end shall be saved Mat. 10.22 But the Saints shall continue Psal 138.8 The Lord will perfect that which concerneth us Phil. 1.6 He that hath begun the good work will perform it till the day of Jesus Christ The Apostle was confident of it and so may we for what is the ground of this confidence not any thing in our selves we are apt to fall way but the Promise and Faithfulness and power of God He hath begun the work and he hath said it and he will perform it therefore we may be sure of Salvation Vse 3 3 Use We should from hence be Exhorted to labour for Truth of Faith and Truth of Grace To labour for truth of grace above all other things Why because they are so durable In all other things we love Certainties and cannot abide to be at an uncertainty We do not love to be Tenants at will to be turn'd out at an hours warning yea we rather desire to be Freeholders than Tenants upon the best terms Oh how careful are men to make all sure to them and their heirs for ever c. Surely Si isti callidi rerum aestimatores If the crafty esteemers of things do prize Meadows and Lands above other goods because they are not so subject to hurt and casualty how much more should we prize the truth of grace which gives us interest in eternal life and can neither be snatcht away by force nor stoln away by craft it can neither be lost by fire nor water The best of other possessions in the account of Christ are but other mens goods Luke 16.12 because ere long they must go to another and are like a Foot-ball now one man hath the Ball on his foot by and by another takes it from him within the turning of a hand a third catches it from him and so it goes on from one to another So these worldly things turn and are tost up and down they are not our own but another mans goods as well as ours but grace he calls our own Luke 16.12 because we shall never lose it it is durable riches indeed Prov. 8.18 Let us therefore take our Saviours advice Joh. 6 27. Labour not for the meat that perisheth but for the meat that endures unto eternal life and Mat. 6.19 20. Col. 3.3 Vse 4 This also is for Exhortation to us To endevour to persevere and hold out to the end Labour after Perseverance that it may appear that our grace is indeed true grace and that we live by Faith It is said of the Parthians They begin their Battels with as great valour as any people whatsoever but they faint quickly and continue but a while The like may be said of many in their Spiritual Warfare With the Parthians and with the Galatians they begin well but they cannot say with S. Paul they have fought a good fight they have finished their course because like Hymenaeus and Alexander they have faln away from the Doctrine of the Faith and it may be from the Profession of the Faith also But it is the glory of a Christian to persevere to the end Therefore whatever you part with do not part with your grace as Job 2.3 He held fast his integrity Though he lost Goods and Children and Friends and almost life too yet still he held fast his integrity Let it be our resolution that whatever we lose by Gods help we will never let go our grace Let us say of grace as Jacob to the Angel I will not let thee go till I have got the blessing As a man at Sea is willing to part with all so he may but save his life So let us be willing to part with any thing so we may keep Christ and his grace for this is even the life of our lives Moâ—ives to Perseverance That we may be the more effectually stirr'd up to endevour to persevere 1. Consider that God is constant in his love to us 1. Constancy of God in his love Heb. 13.5 He hath said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee therefore we should be constant to him And indeed our constancy to him is a certain fruit of his unchangeable love towards us The Saints will never utterly forsake God because God doth never utterly forsake them And the consideration of his Faithfulness should as an argument prevail with us to be faithful Heb. 10.23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering for he is faithful that hath promised As God hath loved us with an everlasting love Jer. 31.3 So let us love him with an everlasting love à parte post though we cannot à parte antè 2. It is the honour of a Christian 2. A Christians honour to persevere against all opposition God himself seems to admire it in Job chap. 2.3 that notwithstanding all his sufferings yet he held fast his integry To hold fast our integrity in trying times is not onely commendable but admirable To continue good while we suffer evil is the very height and crown of Goodness Look as it makes sin out of measure sinful when we hold fast our sins in the midst of Judgements Amos 4.6 c. I have smitten you thus and thus yet you have not returned to me saith the Lord That was the aggravation of their sin So it makes grace out of measure gracious it is the highest commendation and exaltation of grace when we can hold fast our grace in the midst of Tentation and Opposition As God sets a brand of Infamy upon such as trespass more in the day of their distress This is that King Ahaz saith God 2 Chron. 28.22 when his Conscience within was seared as with an hot iron God sets a brand upon his Name without as Malefactors are branded at the Bar that all may know them for Rogues and Thieves So God sets a Mark of Honour and Renown upon such as persevere in evil times This is that Job saith God that holds fast his integrity in the worst of times and therefore deserves to be ranked among the best of men none like him in all the earth Job 1.8 It is the honour of a Christian to hold fast his integrity It is his honour here and it shall be his honour to all Eternity Rev. 2.10 Be thou faithful to the death and I will give thee a Crown of Life On the other side Oh what a disgrace it is to fall from grace yea if it be but from some degrees of grace We think it a great shame to be degraded and so devested from Titles of Honour he that falls back and proves Apostate he degrades himself he un-Saint himself Christ hath made us Kings and Priests to God his Father Rev. 1.6 but he that falls back suffers another to take his Crown Rev. 3 11. Hold fast that which thou hast that no man take thy Crown To backslide is a dishonour To backslide a dishonour 1. To the Persons themselves Luk. 14.30
of the Church onely tied to the Body as wooden Legs never living Members 1 Joh. 2.19 They went out from us because they were not of us if they had been of us they would have remained with us Therefore examine whether thou art a true child of God or no a true child of God abides in the house for ever Joh. 8. A true Christian is no changeling no Time-server in matter of Religion his Yea is Yea indeed and his Nay is Nay as 2 Cor. 1.17 18. He knows Christian Religion is not a thing that a man may play fast and loose with say and unsay do and undo as times and company and occasions alter No 't is Religi à Religando of binding a man fast to God and his Principles A man is then a Christian when his confidence in Christ is held stedfast to the end Heb. 3.14 Examine therefore if thou hast such graces as do accompany Salvation such as are not common to hypocrites An hypocrite may go far 1. He may esteem the People of God a blessed People How far an hypocrite may go as Balaam did 2. He may joyn himself to them as Simon Magus did 3 He may reform his outward conversation in many things as Herod did 4. He may in outward appearance be like a wise Virgin have his Lamp and make a shew with it though he want oil 5. He may have much knowledge and excellent gifts of Preaching and Praying Mat. 7.22 6 He may have some sweet taste and joy in the word of Truth such as Philosophers do finde in their studies for the contemplation of every Truth bringeth with it naturally a delight and the more eminent the Truth the greater is the delight Q. But what is wanting then whence is it that such an one comes short of Salvation Where an hypocrite comes short Resp. 1. An hypocrite never come up to delight in the whole Truth in every part of the Truth When it is a piercing and searching word a cutting word to say then Good is the word which the Lord hath spoken Herod did not so Therefore examine thy self how impartial thou art in receiving the whole Truth of God and that in the love of it 2. He does not desire grace as grace but onely out of a natural desire of happiness as Balaam therefore consider how sutable a good is grace to thy Soul Art thou as Isa 55.1 thirsty and is grace as Milk and Wine to the refreshing of thy Soul There is not in hypocrites a Spiritual appetite to feed upon Jesus Christ to eat his flesh and drink his blood 3. If thou wouldst go beyond an hypocrite there must be an unfeigned study not onely to keep from external acts of sin but to mortifie all that is flesh in us with all the affections and lusts of it Gal. 5.24 and to serve God in the Spirit This care is wanting in hypocrites 4. Thou must attend to do what thou dost in obedience to the Word that proved Josiah a good man indeed 2 Chron. 35.26 viz. His goodness according to that which is written in the law of God 5. Thy great study and aim must be in all thou dost to approve thy self to God to please God and not men to serve God and not thy self Gal. 1.10 If I yet please men I should not be the servant of Christ Col 3.22 23. even servants in their meanest imployments in serving their Masters must not do what they do as men-pleasers but in singleness of heart fearing God and whatever they do do it heartily as to the Lord and not unto men 6. All thy Obedience to God must spring from Faith working by love Gal 5.6 If sins be forgiven all duties will spring from Love the Soul loving much having much forgiven Luke 7.47 In all these Particulars hypocrites come short and therefore it is no wonder if they fall short at last but he that in these things is sincere shall never be moved Obj. But what shall we say of David and Peter what difference between these and Saul and Judas Did not these fall away from the grace they had received Resp There may be great intermissions in the actings of grace in a truly regenerate man in time of Tentation or Spiritual Desertion yet he shall not continue in that condition but shall recover his fall by the restoring grace of God Psal 37.24 Though he fall he shall not utterly be cast down for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand Jer. 32.40 I will put my fear into their hearts that they shall not depart from me Vse 6 6 Use In that the just lives by Faith and perseveres by Faith in this life Of Thankfulness this should excite and stir us up to Thankfulness If Adam had cause to be thankful to God for making him in his own Image placing him in Paradise and giving him dominion over all creatures how much more have the Faithful cause to be thankful who are instated in a better condition of happiness than either Adam in Paradise or the Angels in Heaven before their Fall For however it is true their condition was very happy and glorious yet it was mutable they might fall and fall they did and we finde by woful experience to this day the mortal wounds and bruises that cleave to the Sons and Daughters of Adam through his Fall But God I say hath instated the faithful in a better condition that though in themselves they are weak creatures yet through his provision for their security they shall never totally fall from the grace of Regeneration And therefore if we ought to be thankful for outward mercies of health wealth liberty peace and the like which at best are very fading like the flower of the field How soon may a mans health be turned into sickness wealth into poverty liberty into bondage and slavery and peace into war How much more should our hearts be raised up in thankfulness for such mercies as are not onely Spiritual and therefore more excellent in their very nature but are also the sure mercies of David unchangeable But the sure mercies of David are unchangeable and therefore more excellent in their continuance A man would be thankful to a friend that would give him a livelyhood for seven years much more to such a one that would freely settle the perpetuity upon him and his Heirs for ever How thankful then should we be to that God who freely bestows upon us not a livelyhood onely but even life it self And what life not of Nature onely but of Grace also not Temporal but Eternal Psa 21 24. He asked life and thou gavest it him even length of days for ever and ever We prize lives according to their duration some creatures they say are born and die again the same day and are therefore of little account But we prize those most that continue longest The long life is a blessing of that Commandment Eph. 6. which is the first Commandment with
if we could perceive it is a heart renewed and sanctified and in some measure indowed with a love of that God who hath begotten us to a lively hope 1 Pet. 1.3 and with a love of our fellow-brethren who are begotten of the same incorruptible seed and born of the same womb 1 Ioh. 5 2. who hang upon the same Brests and are heirs of the same inheritance with our selves Now when we see these things in our selves by a reflect act of Faith the testimony of a renewed Conscience this evidence must needs bring abundance of comfort to the Soul This reflect act of Faith it is like the Rainbow which is nothing else but the reflection of the Sun in a watry Cloud which though it be no Cause why the earth shall no more be drowned with waters yet it is made a sure Sign thereof by the Ordinance of God Gen. 2.10 11 12. So we say of this reflect act of Faith in the looking upon the work of Love and other sanctified Graces in the Soul though they are no causes why the believing Soul shall be no more overflowed with the deluge of Gods wrath yet they are a sure sign and token thereof by Gods appointment as the Rainbow was And indeed the way of grace in Gods sanctified ones is nothing else but the reflection of the Sun of Righteousness in a watry cloudy Soul warming and melting it into tears because it can love Jesus Christ no more or can get no more assurance of his love Well saith Christ to such a Soul I will establish my Covenant with thee and this shall be the sign of it Isa 54.9 10. For this is as the waters of Noah unto me as sure as the Covenant made with Noah concerning the waters For as I have sworn that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth so have I sworn that I would not be wroth with thee nor rebuke thee For the Mountains shall depart and the Hills be moved but my kindness shall not depart from thee neither shall the Covenant of my peace be removed saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee Therefore examine thy Grace Objections against trial of our comforts by our graces rather than of our graces by our comforts Obj. Oh but he that hath but common graces may go very far so that it is hard to discern the one from the other if we try our selves by our Graces and not by our Comforts Ans As there are common Graces so common Comforts such comforts as are common to Hypocrites as well as true Believers There is the joy of an Hypocrite of the stony ground of Herod who heard John gladly Obj. How then can we discern the one from the other the joy of Gods People from the joy of an Hypocrite Ans Though an Hypocrite may rejoyce in some part of the word as to hear of a Christ of a Saviour of Heaven and Glory yet he cannot indure to hear of Affliction and Self-denial But a true Believer rejoyceth in every part of the Word even in that which holds forth Christ as a King a Commander a Crucifier of the Body of Sin as well as of his own Body for sin Oh how glad is he when the Word strikes at the Master-root of his corruption Oh more of that saith he let the righteous smite me again and again Good is the word which the Lord hath spoken But an Hypocrite is so far from rejoycing in such a Word that he flies in the face of the Reprover as Herod did Note that the same difficulty of trial and proneness to mistake is as incident to that preposterous way of judging our selves by our comforts as by our graces when John came once to touch him to the quick But that is the first answer viz. There are common comforts as there are common graces Ergo The trial of our selves by our graces is as easie as by our comforts 2. We answer when we speak of the Touchstone of Trial from which a Christian receives his comfort our meaning is this That we receive it onely in such graces as accompany Salvation as the true fear of God the true desire after God in hungring and thirsting after his Righteousness and a true love to the People of God Obj. Oh but there may be in an Hypocrite or Unregenerate man all these A fear of God a desire after God a love to his People 1. A fear of God yea such a fear as to depart from evil Jonah 1.16 Then the men feared the Lord exceedingly and offered sacrifices to the Lord and made vows Gen. 26.6 Abimelech was with-holden from Adultery by the light of natural conscience 2. A desire after God and after grace as the five foolish Virgins desired oyl Mat. 25.8 3. A love to Gods People with great respect such as was the respect of the Egyptians to the Israelites that they would lend them not ordinary houshold-stuff onely but that which was most dear and precious to them Jewels of Silver and Gold and this was generally throughout all the Land of Egypt And what favours did Pharaoh shew to Joseph Nebuchadnezzar to Daniel Ahasuerus to Esther and Mordecai Therefore these graces may be in unregenerate men Difference of regenerating grace from common Ans And though there may be a kinde of fear of God and desire after God and love to his People which unregenerate men may have yet not the true and saving fear of God c. Q. But how shall we know the difference Ans Why the Word doth clearly hold forth a difference 1. In the fear of God As for the first An unregenerate man may have such a fear of God as to endevour to depart from some evil but not from all like the Samaritans of whom it is said after the Lord sent Lions amongst them They feared the Lord and yet feared their own gods too and therefore the Lord accounted it as no fear at all 2 King 17.33 34. But he that truly feareth God makes conscience to depart from every evil way Prov 8.13 The fear of the Lord is to hate evil if not in action yet in affection and serious endevours 2. In desire of grace 2. An ungenerate man though he may have a kind of desires after grace yet he desires not grace as it is grace First he desires not grace for the love of grace but for the love of happiness As the Virgins desired oyl when they were ready to die not because they loved the oyl or the light but because without that oyl and light they could not go in with Christ but must be shut out to have their portion with the Devil and his Angels for ever But the oyl of grace is truly lovely to a gracious heart They have spiritual sense to smell the sweet favour of the oyntment Cant. 1.2 and they love the light Joh 3.21 He that doth truth cometh to the light 3. In love to Gods people 3.
time oppressed with sorrows ask thy Heart and Soul that question which David did in the like case Psal 42.5 twice in one Psalm Why art thou cast down O my Soul and why art thou so disquieted within me and certainly the Soul would return answer My distress of sadness springs from my Vnbelief You may know the disease by the cure In the very next words O put thy trust in God hope thou in God for I shall yet praise him who is the health of my countenance and my God All sorrow of heart springs principally from our Vnbelief not from the greatness of other evils I mean destructive sorrow for godly sorrow is a friend to godly joy It is not so much the weight of the burthen as the soreness of the back that troubles the poor Beast So it is not so much the weight of outward evils as the inward soreness of a galled Conscience not purified nor healed by faith that vexeth and troubleth the poor Creature Were all sound and well within a believer might look upon the grimmest visage of outward troubles and laugh in their face Job 5.22 It is a believer he speaks to At destruction and famine thou shalt laugh neither shalt thou be afraid of the beasts of the field O the sweet Security that holy men do finde under the shield of Faith It is not onely a guard from outward evils but it guards the Hearts and Minds of Gods People from the very fear of evils approaching and from the sorrows of present evils This is a Receipt from Christ to keep the Heart in a cheerful frame Carry this about with thee continually and then shalt thou be never overwhelmed with sorrow I dare not say Thou shalt be free from trouble but this I dare say Thou shalt never be overcome of trouble so long as thou canst believe Hear what the Apostle saith 2 Cor. 4.8 We are troubled on every side yet not distressed we are perplexed but not in despair persecuted but not forsaken cast down but not destroyed An unregenerate heart is a comfortless heart Inform. 2. Unregenerate soul uncomortable soul and so a faithless heart Where there is no shield against sorrow how can there be comfort Where there is nothing but deadness where the Soul is without God without Christ without the Covenant of Promise Eph. 2.12 what ground can there be of Hope It is the presence of the Sun that makes day and the absence of the Sun makes night So the Presence of God maketh a day-light of Comfort and his absence makes a night of Sorrow and darkness Creature-comforts are but Star-light at the best yea without God they are vanity and vexation of Spirit but when God is against a man they take part with God against the possessors of them as Balaams Ass riseth up against her Master when he riseth up against God How can a wicked man have comfort in his Possessions when God once possesses him with the serious thoughts of Death of Hell of Wrath Therefore an unregenerate heart is a comfortless heart Though Josephs brethren had their Sacks full of Corn and their Bags full of Money yet their hearts were full of fear and why They doubted they had not the favour of the Lord of the Countrey and they knew they could not live without him they must to him again when their Corn were spent and they were afraid his displeasure would be their utter undoing So it is with a wicked man though he abound in worldly comforts although he have his Pastures full of flocks his Barns full of corn his Coffers full of silver and gold yet for all that if God be not reconciled in Christ all these are but miserable Comforters he may lie down in sorrow for all that Isa 50. last Therefore an unregenerate heart is a comfortless heart There is no peace there is no joy to the wicked saith my God Who would rest in such a condition where there is no rest to be found O who would lie down in such a bed of Snakes Inform. 3. Religious life the only comfortable life The onely truly comfortable life is a religious life a Life of Faith Some seek it in Profits some in Honour and some in Pleasures of Sin but when all is done it is no where to be found but in God Faith draws comfort from God when sense can draw none from the Creature There was a time when Davids Mountain of Prosperity was removed so that he could finde no comforts in his Wives nor in his Children nor in his Possessions nor in any thing that was formerly comfortable to him for the Amalekites had swept all away yet even then he could comfort himself in the Lord his God 1 Sam. 30.6 When there is the greatest famine of Comforts upon earth yet Gods People finde bread enough in their Fathers house and it is Faith that opens the Cupboard door when unbelievers perish with hunger Faith opens the Cupboard-door of their heavenly Father The just lives by Faith the Life of Consolation O then learn to take notice of the difference betwixt the godly and the ungodly the believer and the unbeliever in this respect Hear what God says Isa 65.13 14. Therefore thus saith the Lord Behold my servants shall sing for joy of heart but ye shall cry for sorrow of heart and bowl for vexation of spirit Wicked men indeed may have a counterfeit joy as they have counterfeit grace they may set a good face on it when they have a full sorrowful heart Even in laughter the heart is sorrowful and the end of that mirth is heaviness Whereas true joy is the upright mans portion Psa 32. last Be glad in the Lord and rejoyce ye righteous and shout for joy all ye that are upright in heart Gal. â—2 But the fruit of the Spirit is in love joy and peace Obj. But wicked men are very merry and cheerful without any such check they are so merry they are the very Musick of the company as Job saith of himself Job 17.6 He hath made me also a by-word of the people and aforetime I was a tabret What he said as a Patient for they played upon him as men play upon Instruments they may say as Agents We are the Musick of the company where we go Ans I answer They may be so upon a gross mistake of their own condition as a godly man may be sorrowful upon mistake of his condition because he knows not his own happiness So a wicked man may be merry and cheerful because he knows not his own condition Belshazzar was in a miserable condition before he saw the Hand-writing upon the wall but he was merry and jovial before because he knew it not but so soon as he saw that intimation of Gods displeasure his guilty Conscience strook him and he was all a-mort So it is with all wicked men though they rejoyce in sin at the first though it be sweet in their mouths yet at last it
bringing down Heavenly Notions into Holy Affections and Righteous Actions then you will finde them sweet in the taste and swallow It 's not the looking upon Divine Truths by a meer notional act of the Understanding but the chewing and digesting them by Faith and Love that makes them truly comfortable Thy words were found and I did eat them And thy word was unto me the joy and rejoycing of my heart Jer. 15.16 Most persons look upon Divine Truths as people in a Market do on Commodities they pass by them or taste a little and cheapen them they onely have the true comfort of them who buy and eat and are satisfied And such are they who digest their knowledge into practice to such it 's the joy and rejoycing of their heart Joh. 13.17 If ye know these things happy are ye if ye do them Knowledge to a wicked man is as the morning light to a Thief Job 24.17 it 's as terrible as the shadow of death But to a godly man it 's like the morning light to an honest Traveller or Watchman it 's most desired beforehand and its most welcome when it comes And therefore the saving knowledge of God is compared to such a light Psal 130.3 My soul waiteth for the Lord more than the watch for the morning I say more than they that watch for the morning Act Faith therefore to the digesting of knowledge into love and the practice of it Study Affections more than Expressions or Notions 6. In true prizing heavenly joy 6. Act Faith to the true prizing of heavenly joy Such as truly prize the joy of the Spirit shall have plenty of it Now it 's onely Faith sets a true estimate upon the joy of Gods people Heb. 11.25 26. The Spirit of God is a Tender and delicate Guest it loves to make its abode and stay longest where 't is most freely welcome But if we check damp resist quench and grieve that Spirit how can we hope that it should rejoyce our spirits But prize it make it heartily welcome and thou shalt have more of its sweet company and communion The truth is we should prize one comfort from the Spirit more than all the world and then we should finde more than a world of Comforts in that single Comforter who is therefore called The Comforter by way of eminency Thou maist have comfort indeed in a Friend a Brother a Childe a Yoke-fellow but what are all these to the comforts of the Spirit The Spirit is able to comfort without these but these are not able to comfort without the Spirit Prize the comforts of the Spirit and be thankful for them and more shall be given The Primitive Saints prized the comforts of the Spirits so high that they would rather chuse to endure any Tortures from men than part with those comforts from God They were stoned Heb. 11.37 were sawn asunder c. Therefore God made them to rejoyce the more even with Joy unspeakable and full of glory which is not the ordinary lot of all Christians but of suffering Christians They were filled with Heaven when they seemed to sense to be in Hell as if Hell and Heaven were met together in the same persons An Hell of Torments from Satan and his Instruments an Heaven of Joys from God even glorious joys as if the God of this World and the God of the World to come did strive whether Torments or Comforts should get the Victory in the Saints But in conclusion Comforts triumph over Torments Love and Joy is stronger than Death while they die they overcome and are more than Conquerors through Christ that hath loved them They overcame by the Blood of the Lamb and by the word of their Testimony and they loved not their lives unto death Rev. 12.11 Prize the joys of God in life and thou shalt finde such joy as will drown the sorrows of Death That 's the fifth Means 7. Act Faith to make right use of our Joy 7. In right using joy when had Isa 2.11 Luk. 8.15 when we have it Take heed of too much sail and too little ballast lest you overturn all Rejoyce with reverence And bring forth the fruit of joy with patience lest unfruitful joy be nipt in the bud or turned into sorrow God comforts not his servants for nothing Neb. 8.10 but that the Joy of the Lord may strengthen them and encourage them to service and that they may comfort others 2 Cor. 1.4 with the same comfort wherewith they have been comforted of God And if we use it not to these ends we may soon suffer an eclipse in our comforts Why does God cause the Sun to shine upon the Moon but that the Moon may bestow that borrowed light on this Inferiour World Why does the Sun of Righteousness shine with beams of comfort upon any Souls but that they may communicate the same comforts to others Are ye then who were once darkness made light in the Lord Eph. 5.8 walk as children of light lest God eclipse your comforts Amos 8.9 and make your Sun to set at noon So long as the Cock runs the Fountain freely empties it self into the pipes We are but the Conduit-pipes of Comfort God is the Fountain The more we empty our selves into others comforting others the more will God empty himself into us comforting us The liberal person shall have plenty and he that scattereth shall have rain Prov. 11.25 'T is true of spiritual as well as corporal Alms both are comfortable And he that comforts others shall have the more himself And that 's the seventh and last Means of acting of Faith so as to live the Life of Consolation Thus the just man lives by Faith in regard of Spiritual Life Now thirdlly He lives by Faith in regard of Eternal Life Hab. 2.5 6. The Chaldean lays hold upon this present world ver 5 6. He is all for the body and sins against his Soul ver 10. Hab. 2.10 But Gods people lay hold on that knowledge which shall fill them with glory ver 14. Even the knowledge of the Righteousness of God to Life Eternal For so the Apostle applies this Text to that very degree of Faith Rom. 1.16 17. Not that there is any need of Faith in Heaven or the Means of Faith for these shall cease 1 Cor. 13.8 But because in this life by Faith we lay hold on Eternal Life 1 Tim. 6.12 we have the seal and assurance of it A carnal man says Seeing is Believing but a spiritual man saith Believing is Seeing Heb. 11.1 The work of faith about eternal life Now Faith grounded on the Word of God assures us of Three things about eternal life 1. That there is an eternal life of the Saints after this is ended 2. What the Happiness of this life is and wherein it consists 3. It assures a Believer of his peculiar interest in this life 1. Then Faith assures a Believer That there is
Hope This Anchor is described Heb. 6. ver 19. to be sure and stedfast such an Anchor as will hold till the storm be over and till we come at Heaven Q. But how does he prove that Ans By two Arguments 1. Because this Anchor is entred within the veil that is Comfortable inferences from Christs being our forerunner into Heaven alluding to the Holy of Holies therefore it hath sure Anchor-hold 2. Because ver 20. The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the fore-runner is for us entred that is Jesus Christ the great Master-Pilot Where these Particulars may be noted 1. Christ was once in the Ship of the Militant Church tost upon the waves of Temptation as much nay more than any other yet without sin 2. Christ is now gone ashore that is to Heaven where the Ship of the Church desires to land 3. Christ went ashore for us as much as for himself upon our business as much as his own A Forerunner for us is entred And that in two Respects 1. Christ assures our landing 1. To assure our Landing Christs landing is an evidence of ours He is where our Anchor is and so holds all fast by the hand of his Power 2. He facilitates it 2. To facilitate our landing Christs landing makes ours the more easie Christ went to heaven as to prepare a place for us Joh. 14.2 so a passage for us Christ opens the door of heaven Acts 7.56 He draws the ship to the shore As when he ascended the Cross he drew all his to believe in him so being ascended into heaven he draws all believers after him And this Ascension of Christ is a certain assurance of ours He possessing heaven assures That we shall possess it in due time Q. But why do Believers possess life no sooner Why do they live by Faith so many years together Why does not God give them full possession of it in this life It 's an Inheritance reserved 1 Pet. 1.4 2 Tim. 4.8 Col. 1.5 Why is it thus Why believers are without possession so long Ans A Believer lives without present possession of life Eternal in his own person Not for want of Power Love Care in God but out of abundance of love and fatherly care the Lord thus orders it Reas 1 1. To binde his Children to their good behaviour that they may know and acknowledge their beholdingness to God all their days It 's a wise expression of a Parents love to do their children good in such a manner and by such degrees that they may still remain sensible of their dependance and wants They give them not so much at first but they will have something left to give them at another time Fond Parents dote so much on their children that they sometimes put them into too early possession of all which makes them forget their Parents and slight them as if they could do well enough without them Now the Lord knows how apt we are to abuse priviledges and to be dis-ingenuous to God Popery is natural to every man if he hath a little more grace or doth a little more good than others he is ready to think of Merit presently as if he could live without God or as if God were beholding to him And therefore God gives his people imperfect parcels and first-fruits onely to cherish their dependance on him Reas 2 From the present condition of Believers They are in this life like children or heirs under age The greatest heirs have their Estate in Reversion if they had it in full possession it might do them more hurt than good Christians are not capable of their whole possession as Christ saith Joh. 16.12 I have many things to say unto you but ye cannot bear them now so God hath much glory to communicate to his children but they cannot bear it now Therefore God drops it into them here as we do water into narrow-mouth'd vessels as they are able to receive and not as he is able to give God keeps them in their Wardship and puts them not into full possession till they come to full age to a perfect man in Christ The heir as long as he is a childe differeth not from a servant Gal. 4.1 It 's spoken to shew the difference between Law and Gospel but may be applied to the difference between Earth and Heaven Reas 3 To put a difference between Earth and Heaven Had believers as much happiness here as there there would be no difference and so no desires would be at work after heaven Christians would not be willing to leave this world and go through the narrow passage of Death unless it were to obtain a better life Therefore God will put a difference in the degrees of their happiness that there might be difference in their affections that their affections may be raised as much above the world as heaven is above the earth that their hearts may be where their treasure is that whilst worldly men minde onely earthly things the conversation and City-trade of Gods people may be in heaven Phil. 3.20 Reas 4 God so orders it to Exercise the Graces of his People Especially 1. Faith Though they have little in hand they will trust God for the more God will try what credit he hath with his servants The Devil objects Gods People will serve him no longer than they have their pay in hand Job 1. But God makes it appear they are willing to wait for the Reward and will therefore trust God Job 13.15 19.25 2. To Exercise Patience Gods Word is called The Word of his Patience Rev. 3.10 because it requires submission to the Cross for the present and reserves the Crown till the Race be done Therefore saith the Apostle ye have need of patience that after ye have done the will of God ye may inherit the Promises Heb. 10.36 So Rom. 8.23 24 25. 3. To Exercise Humility and Self-denial in as much as that we are not fit to be trusted In our Creation God gave us our Pay beforehand But what follow'd We soon grew proud and disdainful and so fool'd away that precious Inheritance to satisfie a wanton Eye and an intemperate Appetite Therefore God to keep us humble keeps our estate in his own hand He will not trust us with it any more till we come to that place where there shall be no Devil to Tempt or Flesh to Betray us Reas 5 That Heaven may be Heaven indeed That glory may become exceeding glorious Prov. 13.12 Prov. 13.12 Hope deferred maketh the heart sick but when the desire cometh it 's a tree of life If we had our Heaven at first without any preceding Exercise it would be nothing so sweet and precious to us But then Canaan is Canaan indeed when People have gone through a Red-sea and an howling Wilderness Contraries opposed shine the brighter The God of all grace after ye have suffered awhile comfort stablish settle and strengthen you 1 Pet. 5.10 Perfection is most welcome after a
free grace But if a man thinks himself already in Christ and in the high-way to Heaven and yet remains under the power and Dominion of these reigning lusts he is grosly deceived They are the very words of the Apostle 1 Cor. 6.9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God Be not deceived neither Fornicators c. And thus we may know how whether we live by Faith in respect of Eternal Life By our Carriage in Life Mark 2. By the thoughts of Death We may know it by our Respect we bear to Death viz. as a passage to a better life For a faithful man looks at Death as a conquered Enemy Isa 25.8 it 's said He will swallow up Death in victory Now there are Four Degrees of this Victory of Jesus Christ over Death Degrees of Christs victory over Death The first is past and gone the two next are present and the fourth is yet to come 1. In his own death 1. The first was performed by Christ proprio Marte in his own single combat with Death and Hell Christ taking upon him the sins of Gods people all the world over Death sets upon him most furiously and seems at the first Bout to get the better it kills him and lays him in the grave But behold the glorious Victory of Jesus Christ as Samson when he was shut up in the City of Gaza Judg. 16. He arose in the night anâ carried away the gates of the City and bars and all So Christ our Spiritual Samson was shut up in the Grave with a great stone upon the Grave and brake open the brazen gates and iron bars and hath carried them away to the top of the Mountain of Mount Sion that they shall never hurt his people more Acts 2.24 He was raised up by the power of his God-head having loosed the pains of Death because it was not possible he should be holden of it Loosed the pains of Death It 's a word used in the birth of Children as if the Grave were pained as a woman in child-birth till it was delivered of him who was the first-begotton from the dead and so had the prerogative of the first-born to be a Conqueror even a Conqueror over Death Therefore it is said Rev. 1.18 I am he that liveth and was dead and behold I am alive for evermore Amen and have the Keys of Hell and Death The Keys What 's that By the Keys is certainly meant the Conquest as when a Town or City is subdued the Keys are presently delivered to the Conqueror as acknowledgments and Ensigns of his Victory So the Keys of Hell and Death are delivered up into the hands of Christ to signifie that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more Death hath no more dominion over him but he for ever hath dominion over Death So that the first and chief part of the victory belongs to Christ in his own person as he was mightily declared to be the Son of God by his Resurrection from the Grave Rom. 1.4 the other three belong to us The second Degree of Victory over Death is 2. In our Death The altering its nature to all Gods people For no sooner had Death struck Christ like a furious Wasp but it presently lost its Sting For the sting of Death sticks in Sin and therefore Christ having taken upon him the sins of his people Death strikes in her sting so deep that she is forced to leave it behinde her So that now the case is altered to Gods people however they die as well as others yet to them the sting of Death is taken out and so the nature of Death is quite and clean altered as if it were not the same Before it was a passage into prison where the Spirits are now in prison Now it 's made a passage out of Prison Having a desire to be dissolved Phil 1.23 Before it was a curse now a Blessing Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord Rev. 14.13 Before it was an Enemy a wicked man might say Hast thou found me 1 Kings 21.20 O mine enemy but now it 's a Friend and does many friendly offices Before it was loss a man lost his friends he lost his possessions he lost his very hopes Eccles 9.4 but now it 's gain Phil. 1.21 To die is gain He gains much access of glory for the present in his Soul in regard of its communion with God and he hath hopes of more when his body shall be raised again from the grave Prov. 14.22 The wicked is driven away in his wickedness but the righteous hath hope in his death And this is the second part of Christs Victory over Death 3. 3. In our judgements of death The third which most concerns the matter in hand is in Altering our Affections Judgements and Apprehensions concerning Death A most excellent Conquest 2 Cor. 10.4 5. Casting down imaginations Prov. 16.32 For suppose the Nature of Death should be altered so that of an enemy it should be made a friend yet if our judgements should not be altered but we should look at it still under the notion of an enemy we could have little comfort in the approach of it And therefore here is both the Mercy and Power of Christ seen in altering the judgement of his people concerning Death that now they can in some measure look at â—t as a Friend and as a Messenger sent from their heavenly Captain the Lord Jesus to take them off from their hard service How glad is the poor Souldier that hath stood Centinel a long cold night when the morning Watch comes Or one that hath been fighting against his Enemies as long as he can well strike or stand how glad is such a one when his Captain sends Relief to take him off and bids him Welcome home with a large Reward for all his dangerous and difficult service Now such and no other is the office of this Messenger Death and therefore Gods people looking upon it under this Notion love the appearing of it and rejoyce in it as the Apostle did 2 Tim. 4 6 7 8. For I am now ready to be offered and the time of my departure is at hand I have fought a good fight I have finish'd my course c. Henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of Righteousness which the Lord the righteous Judge shall give me at that day and not to me onely but to them also that love his appearing Mark it 's the property of a graâ—ious â—oul which Christ comes to it either in the particular or general Judgement to love his Appearing And this is the third Degree of Christs Victory over Death As it 's altered in it self so it s altered in his peoples Apprehensions of it And this is a double Mercy 4. In the general Resurrection The fourth and last Degreee which I shall but name is in the last and general Resurrection Look as when
hearts and in all your souls that not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the Lord your God spake concerning you all are come to pass unto you not one thing hath failed thereof And this he speakes to this end that he might perswade them to live by Faith and to trust in the same God for the time to come Therefore Deut. 7.17 To cure the peoples diffidence and distrust God puts them in minde of former experiences If thou shalt say in thine heart These Nations are more than I how can I dispossess them Thou shalt not be afraid of them but shalt well remember what the Lord thy God did unto Pharaoh and all Egypt So shall the Lord thy God do unto all the people of whom thou art afraid As if he should say That God who hath made good his promise in his peoples deliverance for the time past he will do it for the time to come also This was Davids gracious Logick both Reason rectified and Grace taught him to argue thus 1 Sam. 17.37 The Lord that delivered me out of the paw of the Lion and out of the paw of the Bear he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistim Paul fetches such another Argument from his deliverance out of the paw or mouth of the Lion And what of that 2 Tim. 4. Mark his Argument The Lord shall deliver me from every evil work and will preserve me to his heavenly Kingdom to whom be glory for ever and ever Amen Observe all these holy men of God by their former experience were built up in future confidence and so should we be Obj. If you shall say Where lies the strength of this Reason viz. Because God makes good his Word and Promise at one time to such as trust in him are we therefore sure he will make it good at another Ans I answer We may well be assured of it and that upon these grounds First from the Nature of Gods Covenant and Promise His Covenant is an everlasting Covenant Jer. 32.40 His Promise is very comprehensive it reacheth to all persons that are heirs of the Promise it belongs to all Saints Eph 3.18 To all places where ere those persons come 1 Kings 20 28. To all times Heb. 13.5 Isa 40.8 The Word of God standeth for ever Therefore whom God once delivers in a way of Covenant-mercy he will for ever deliver Secondly We may argue from the Nature of God For were the Covenant made never so sure like the Laws of the Medes and Persians that it should not be changed yet if God were of a changeable Nature all were as good as nothing As we see in the Covenants of vain and changeable men they snap them asunder as Samson did his cords But God is an Vnchangeable God and this puts life into that unchangeable Covenant Mal. 3.6 I am the Lord I change not therefore you Sons of Jacob are not consumed He is unchangeable in all his Attributes Unchangeable in his Love Jer. 31.3 In his Truth Psal 117.2 In his Power Isa 59.1 2. And therefore by the same reason that we trust in God once we have cause to trust in him for ever Isa 26.4 Trust in the Lord for ever for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength Thirdly The third and the last Argument is drawn from the Nature of the Price paid by Jesus Christ to his Father for all the good things that he hath promised The price of his own Blood which Blood of his in the Merit and Value of it is ever pleading and speaking better things than that of Abel Heb. 12.25 By vertue of his blood Christ pleads thus for each believing Soul Father bestow this Mercy on such a man for I have paid for that Mercy also And Father bestow such a Deliverance upon him for I have paid the price for that Deliverance also and so for a Thousand Mercies and Deliverances one after another As when the Price oâ— Ransom is paid for one in Prison when one or two doors are opened 't is an assurance to the poor Prisoner that the rest will soon be opened because the price is paid for the opening of all So in this case upon these grounds and experiences of Gods goodness and faithfulness for time past do we and ought we to strengthen Faith for the time to come The second sort of Reasons Second sort of Reasons for living by faith viz. The relation betwixt Christ and a Believer is drawn from that Relation which is betwixt Christ and a Believer 1. Christ is the Fountain and out of his fulness we do all receive grace for grace 2. Christ is our Lord and Master and therefore we are bound to give unto him the honour that is due to his Name But we can do neither the one nor the other without Faith we can neither receive from Christ what we want nor give unto Christ what is his due without Faith Christ is the Fountain of Grace 1. Christ is the Fountain and out of his fulness we all receive grace for grace but without Faith we cannot be united to this Fountain nor draw any thing from him The Water-Cock is in the house but the Spring-Head is in the field So the Water-Cock of Grace is in the Soul but the Spring-Head that feeds this is in Christ I am the life saith Christ Joh. 14.6 Life is radically in Jesus Christ Psal 36.9 For with thee is the fountain of life Now then there must be some Conduit-pipe to convey this Water of Life to the Soul and that is Faith Joh. 7.38 He that believeth in me as the Scripture haâ—h said out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water And thus a believer lives by a Principle out of himself namely in Jesus Christ Gal 2.20 I live by the faith of the Son of God who hath loved me c. 1 Joh 5.12 He that hath the Son hath life and what is it to have the Son but to believe in the Son to be united to him by Faith As the the Water-Cock is united to the Fountain by the Conduit-pipe As the Heads of those Rivers that water the Garden of Paradise were out of Paradise So the Head and Spring of those Streams of Grace that water the Soul are out of the Soul even in Christ the Fountain All my fresh springs are in thee Psal 87.7 Though some understand it of the Church of God it is more eminently true of God himself Therefore a gracious Soul lives by Faith because by Faith he is united to Christ the Fountain of all Grace Christ is our Lord and we cannot honour him without Faith Secondly As Christ is our Lord and Master we are bound to give to him the honour due to his Name Mal. 1.6 If I be a Lord and Master where is my fear and honour But we cannot honour him without Faith Faith brings a great deal of Honour to God and Jesus Christ therefore he will have
speak evil of the ways of God when in truth the fault is neither in God nor in the grace of Faith but in our own slothfulness we act not our faith when we have it Quest But you will say What should we do that we may act our faith Helps for the acting of faith Answ I answer First be sure to clear up thy interest in Christ 1. Cleering up interest in Christ Receive Christ on Gospel-terms 1. Wholly 2. Renouncing thy sins Isa 59.20 And the Redeemer shall come to Sion and unto them that turn from transgressions in Jacob saith the Lord. 3. Renounce thy own Righteousness Rom. 10.3 For they being ignorant of Gods righteousness and going about to establish their own righteousness have not submitted themselves to the righteousness of God 4. Take Christ with his Cross Mat. 16.24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples If any man will come after me let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me And by thy interest in Christ clear up thy interest in the Covenant of free Grace Isa 42.6 I the Lord have called thee in righteousness and will hold thine hand and will keep thee and give thee for a Covenant of the people for a light of the Gentiles Isa 49.8 And by the Covenant thy interest in all the precious Promises of God For all the Promises of God in him are Yea and in him Amen unto the glory of God by us 2 Cor. 1.20 Once prove thy self in Christ and thou maist prove thy interest to all the Promises of God for if in Christ then a Son if a Son then an Heir if an Heir then an heir of the promises Heb. 6.17 Wherein God willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of Promise the immutability of his counsel confirmed it by an oath This is the first and great thing that is to be done But yet this is not enough for Secondly Help 2. Application of the Promises next to the clearing up of thy interest in Christ and in the promises Thou must give all diligence not only to acquaint thy self with the promises and rich Legacies of thy heavenly father but thou must also endevour seasonably to apply them to thy particular occasions and conditions as also to put the promises in suit by prayers and so make use of them by faith in drawing out vertue from Christ as a rich man makes use of his mony or stock and store when he improves it and imploys it for the supply of his particular wants to feed him to clothe him c. What a shame and a vanity is it as Solomon speaks for a man to have abundance of wealth and yet not to have a heart to make use of it for the supply of his wants And the like shame it is to a Christian to have a stock of Faith and precious promises and yet not to have a heart to make use of them for the supply of his daily wants So that to live by Faith then is to act our Faith in the promise and to go to them upon all occasions as a man goes to his treasury for the supply of all his wants For faith is nothing else but a believing of Gods promise and a trusting to it through Christ for supply in the time of need As for Example First Art thou in doubt or dost thou want wisdom Several cases wherein Faith is to be exercised for the ordering of thy temporal or spiritual affairs then act thy faith in that promise Jam. 1.5 If any lack wisdome let him ask of God that giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not and it shall be given him Secondly Suppose thou art in outward troubles and seest no visible means for thy escape act thy faith in that promise Job 5.19 He shall deliver thee in six troubles yea in seven there shall no evil touch thee Thirdly Art thou in inward trouble of spirit for want of the light of Gods countenance Live by faith in that promise Psal 85.8 He will speak peace unto his people and to his Saints c. Fourthly Suppose thou art afflicted in this Thy corruptions are strong and thy graces weak O live by faith in that promise Mica 7.19 He will turn again he will have compassion upon us he will subdue our iniquities and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the Sea Or that 2 Cor. 9 8. God is able to make all grace abound toward you that ye always having all sufficiency in all things may abound to every good work Fifthly Art thou afraid of enemies act thy faith in that promise Isa 54. Last No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper c. Sixthly Art thou afraid of Satan or any in league with him Away with that fear act thy saith in that promise Numb 23.23 Surely there is no inchantment against Jacob neither is there any divination against Israel Seventhly Art thou afraid of the fury of the oppression act thy faith in that promise Psal 9.9 The Lord will be a refuge for the oppressed a refuge in times of trouble Eighthly Art thou afraid of want in thy estate Act thy faith in that promise Psal 34.10 They that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing Ninthly Art thou afraid of disgrace upon thy name act thy faith in that promise Zeph. 3.20 I will make you a name and a praise among all the people of the earth saith the Lord. Tenthly Art thou afraid of bodily sickness or death Act thy faith in such promises where God engageth himself either to prevent sickness or to support thee under it or to make death a passage to a better life Eleventhly Art thou afraid thy labours and endeavours in thy calling will prove fruitless Act thy faith in that promise Psal 1.3 Whatsoevor he doth shall prosper Which is still to be understood with subordination to Gods glory and our own salvation Twelthly Art thou afraid what may become of thy children when thou art dead and gone Trust God with them and act thy faith upon that promise Psal 112.2 The generation of the upright shall be blessed 13. Art thou troubled to see the present differences among Gods people Live by faith in that promise Jer. 32.39 I will give them one heart and one way that they may fear me for ever for the good of them and of their children after them 14. Art thou afraid of unprofitableness under Gods ordinances because thou findest much backwardness to them and much deadness under them apply that promise Isa 12.3 Ye shall with joy draw water out of the wells of salvation And that Isa 48.17 I am the Lord thy God which teacheth thee to profit which leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldst go 15. If thou be afraid of the hardness of thy bea rt and thy want of love to the Lord act faith in that promise Deut. 30.6 And the Lord thy God will circumcise thine heart and the heart of thy seed
to convert the Childe 't is too hard for a gracious man to infuse grace into another There 's no party within to joyn in the carrying on of that work Rom. 8.7 The carnal minde is enmity against God And there is Satan without opposing and withstanding Act. 13.8 Suppose any Soul to be born again certainly it is born not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God Joh. 1.13 There is God in the work if ever it be done All the Ministers under heaven cannot convert a Soul without the help of God and therefore it is a difficult work and therefore it is an excellent work also Reas 2 Secondly which follows upon the former it is a Work of great skill and wisdom It is a Work of great skill 1 Cor. 2.4 Col. 4.4 and therefore an excellent Work The most skilful works are accounted the most excellent works But this is a work of the greatest skill and wisdom in the world and therefore it is said They that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament And others reade it They that make others wise and it may well be read both ways for they that make others wise are truly wise themselves especially such as are best fitted for the work and therefore Solomon tels you He that winneth souls is wise Prov. 11.30 Or he that catcheth Souls out of the snares of the Devil and its own deceitful heart and fetcheth them within the compass of Gods Net he is a wise fisher of men he is a wise man indeed Every fool can cast away a Soul but he is a wise man that wins a Soul As it was said of Daniel so it may be said of such Excellent wisdom was found in him Dan. 2.12 The world indeed judgeth them fools Note and their preaching foolishness 1 Cor. 4.10 We are fools for Christs sake but the God of wisdom pronounceth them wise and of the two it is far better to be Gods wise man and the worlds fool than to be the worlds wise man and Gods fool For not he whom man but whom the Lord commendeth shall be approved 2 Cor. 10.18 He is wise that winneth Souls and they that are wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament Reas 3 Thirdly it is a Work of the greatest Love and Compassion and therefore an excellent Work 'T is true It is a Work of greatest love the Gift of Miracles and the Gift of Tongues are excellent Gifts but what are these to the Gift of Charity 1 Cor. 13.1 Though I speak with the tongues of Men and Angels and have not Charity I am become as sounding brass and as a tinkling cymbal And of all other Charity that is most excellent that is exercised towards the Souls of poor Creatures 'T is true 't is a good thing to be charitable towards the bodies of the needy to deal out bread to the hungry and to clothe the naked Isa 38.7 But when all is done that 's the most excellent Charity that is bestowed upon the most excellent part the Soul Otherwise a man may give all his goods away to the poor and yet have no Charity for all that 1 Cor. 13.3 And therefore look as God commends his love to us in this that his principal care was for the good of our immortal Souls so should we also in this particular commend our love one to another That 's most certain Soul-friends are the best and truest friends in the world and Soul-compassion is the best compassion that can be shewed Jude ver 22. And of some have compassion making a difference and others save with fear pulling them out of the fire It is an act of the greatest compassion that can be imagined to pull a Soul out of Hell-fire whether it be by fair means or by foul Is not such a Soul as a brand snatch'd out of the fire Zech. 3.2 O blessed for ever blessed be that hand that snatches any such brand out of the flames of eternal fire It is a work of the greatest love and compassion and therefore the most excellent Work Reas 4 Fourthly it is the most excellent Work because it aims at the most excellent End and we know it is the End that crowns the Action It aims at the most excellent End But the winning of Souls to God aims at the most excellent End For 't is such a work as brings most glory to God and most good to the Creature and therefore must needs be a most excellent Work 1. It brings most glory to God 1. It brings most glory to God and this is the great end of all ends Prov. 16.4 The Lord hath made all things for himself or for his own glory Now this blessed End is the main issue of this blessed Work 'T is true God will have glory even in the perdition of ungodly men and therefore it 's added in the same place Yea even the wicked for the day of evil The Lord hath made all things for himself yea even the wicked for the day of evil But the Argument is very strong If God have glory even in the destruction of some men how much more hath be glory in the Salvation of others Rom. 9.23 He makes known the riches of his glory in the vessels of mercy O the admirable riches of Free-grace shining forth in this work of God in the Conversion of Souls It glorifies all Gods Attributes and magnifies every part of his Name It glorifies his Love it discovers the bredth and length It glorifies his Love and depth and height of the love of Christ which passeth knowledge Eph. 3.18 19. 2. It glorifies his Power The Psalmist says His Power Who knows the power of thy wrath Psal 90.11 But we may say Who knows the power of thy Grace God puts forth as great power in the Conversion of a Soul as in the Raising of a dead body as raising the body of Jesus Christ Eph. 1.19 20. as great a power as in the making the World and therefore the Work of Regeneration is called a Work of Creation Eph. 10. For we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works 3. It glorifies his Wisdom His Wisdom the manifold Wisdom of God Though we preach Christ to some a stumbling-block and to others foolishness yet unto all such as are called and converted as Christ becomes the Power of God so also the Wisdom of God 1 Cor. 23.24 4. It glorifies the Word of his Grace The Word of his Grace Though the Word of the Lord be reproached whilst people slight both the threatnings and the Promises of it as if God would do neither good nor evil yet it is marvellously glorified in the Conversion of Souls whilst the weapons of our warfare are mighty through God in pulling down strong holds of Satan in the unsanctified wit and will of man In this respect we are to pray that the Word
stress on the depth of humiliation is a great hindrance of Believing 502 503 Reasons why humiliation must Precede faith 522 523 524 Humility in all the periods or degrees of grace 525 Hypocrisy It is an impediment of spiritual growth 230 How far an Hypocrite may go 257 Wherein an Hypocrite comes short 258 An hypocrite cannot rejoyce in the whole word of God 302 303 Hypocrisy springs from unbelief 463 I Ignorance Vnbelief is the root and parent of it 462 Increase There is a divine and diabolical increase 213 How the increase of the natural man in moral vertues differs from the increase of God in saving graces 213 214 See growth See strength Injoyment Believers have the firmest tenure and sweetest injoyment of earthly blessings 77 78 Interest Interest in Christ clears up interest in the covenant of grace and this an interest to all the promises of which sons in Christ are heirs 560 Joy see Consolation How to discern the joy of a hypocrite from that of a Saint 302 303 The joy of a Believer excells all natural worldly sinful Joy in 10. Properties from 323 to 328 Means to breed Spiritual Joy 328 to 344 Judgment Faith applies the last judgment as a means of sanctification 127 128 Judgments on unbelievers 466 Examples of Gods judgments on apostates 250 251 Just Who are such and why said to live by faith not by their justice 31 None are just or justified till thy believe 32 Justification The life of Faith in justification 80 The definition of it which contains the act object and application of both and its fourfold causality 81 to 85 Faith puts forth a fourfold act upon the conscience heart of a sinner to fit him for pardon 86 87 Faith how it acts in the continuance of justification 88 Faith how it fetches in assurance of justification Faith moves a man to desire more faith in order to assurance of his justification and uses 11 Motives 89 to 92 Vses of the Doctrine of faith in justification 105 Justification by free grace breeds humiliation 105 106 Four Marks of true justification 107 We must not justifie sinners or condemn Saints 108 Motives to seek for the five-fold benefit of justification 110 111 Justification and sanctification are inseparable twins 141 142 The first and second evidence of justification what 301 K Keep See Establish Exhortation to keep faith 543 Reasons why we should look to the keeping of our faith 544 Seven Means whereby to keep faith 548 to 552 See Free Spirit See Perseverance L Libertinisme The root of it is feigned humility and laziness 143 Liberty Faith and Christian Liberty support each other 554 Many account it their liberty to sin 555 See Free Spirit Life Spiritual Gods People are in a state of life by way of eminency 8 The excellency of the Saints Life in seven particulars 8 9 10 11 Saints Life is a hidden life and why 12 Spiritual life proved to be existent in believers 12 Spiritual life very desirable 13 Signes of Spiritual life 14 15 16 Life Natural Five evil and troublesome concomitants of it 60 Believers injoy it by faith upon different grounds from unbelievers 67 68 Saints live a natural life by faith in seven respects 68 to 76 Life Spiritual Is twofold either the life of Justification or Sanctification the just life by faith in both 79 80 Four differences twixt true living Spiritual actions and false 187 188 Spiritual life is alway increasing 199 200 The comliness and pleasantness profit equity safety and necessity of such a life as it increaseth 200 to 226 Vide growth Life Eternal See heaven The work of faith about eternal life 334 It assures that there is an eternal life from scripture and reason with the degrees of it 335 336 What the happiness of eternal life is 336 337 Wherein it consists from 337 to 341 Confutation of those who deny eternal life 353 354 Motives to get assurance of eternal life from 374 to 379 Means to get this assurance The believers homage-penny for eternal life 386 The excellency of eternal life from 388 to 391 Life of unbelievers They live on their lusts pleasures upon Creatures and upon a fivefold undoing self 429 to 434 Limiting of God It is a great impediment of faith how cured 499 500 Logick Faiths holy logick 348 349 Love of God It is a reason why the Saints persevere 237 238 The want of feeling it should not hinder believing 503 Love to God is a means to increase faith 580 Love to the Saints Difference 'twixt that which is true and false 304 305 Lust Love of lust is the life of a sinner 429 Lusts haboured oppose faith with considerations how to abandon them 501 M Marriage How Saints live by faith in it and in single estate 73 Meanes In the conservation of the natural life must be used in faith 68 69 Meditation It is the fruit of holy affection 364 Meditation on Gods Attributes especially mercy is a good means to beget faith 536 Melancholy It is a scandal to Christian profession 319 320 Mercy Gods mercy becomes a suiter to mans misery 537 Ministry See Preaching What the chief work of a Minister is 427 428 The dignity of the Ministry 601 Exhortation to Ministers to preach in a soul-saving way 611 612 God usually blesses a setled proper Ministry 42 Merry Merry madnesse 311 Morality Difference 'twixt morality and Sanctification in nine respects 119 120 121 Mortification The influence of faith into the life of mortification 149 The art of faith in mortifying of lusts 151 to 154 Reasons why faith will have sin to be mortified 155 156 Error of such who refuse to believe till sin he mortified 158 Marks of true mortification 159 160 Enemies unto and juglers in mortification reproved 161 Alarm to Mortification 163 Motives to Mortification 164 165 Means of Mortification 166 167 168 169 Murther Soul Murther is the worst kind 17 470 N Natural men They are distingusht into two ranks 532 Necessity Of faith in Adversity 64 New Obedience See Fructification Nourishment Strong desires after Spiritual nourishment are a signe of Growth is Grace with three Cautions in this particular 206 207 208 209 Nursery Spiritual Faith lays hold on Christ in the Ordinances as breasts of Consolation and thence draws strength 293 294 295 O Opposition There is no true faith without Opposition 514 515 He that would believe must break thorow opposition 515 516 Gods Spirit delights to grapple with the greatest opposers of his word and wayes that he may convert them 516 Ordinances See Word Despising of them is an impediment of Spiritual growth 230 Neglect of the ordinances hinders believing 505 Five causes why men neglect the ordinances 505 to 511 Though it be not in the Power of the ordinances to beget or increase faith yet they are to be used 516 517 They who live above that is without ordinances are absurd 518 519 P Papists and carnal Professors These make Sanctification justification
devour each other 141 142 Papists faith is cobled up of pride and ignorance 40 Pardon A pardoned state is a peaceable state 296 Passion How faith moderates and subdues the Passions of Cares fear and sorrows 52 53 477 Patience Faith in adversity teaches and exercises patience 64 Peace Saints live by faith for it in two respects 71 The golden chain and order of righteousness peace and Joy 296 Perfection Conceit of perfection is an impediment of spiritual growth 229 Knowledg Love Obedience and Joy are perfect in Glory 338 339 Perseverance Faith triumphs in the life of Perseverance 233 234 Proofes from scripture that the just doth persevere 235 Perseverance is by vertue of faith 236 Reasons why the just shall persevere 237 to 240 Reasons why perseverance is through faith 240 241 Confutation of the doctrines of falling from grace 241 Five concessions wherein there may be a falling away 242 Exception to 7 particulars which can never be lost 243 244 Objections against perseverance answered 245 246 Motives to perseverance from 249 to 253 Means of perseveranee from 253 to 257 Truth of grace demonstrated by perseverance 257 Thankfulness for perseverance 259 260 Faiths incouragement to persevere amidst all discouragements 261 Vide establishment in faith Posterity Saints live by faith for blessings on posterity 73 Power of God It is a cause of the Saints perseverance 239 Praise It is due from Saints for their spiritual life 11 12 Prayer The exercise of it is a meanes of assurance 94 As also observation how God hears our prayers 94 The prayer of faith is a means of sanctification 131 132 133 Prayer is a means of spiritual growth 226 227 Prayer is a means to increase spiritual Joy 3â—9 Prayer may subdue hereticks when reason cannot 357 Prayer preaching must not justle out each other 529 Prayer a means to beget faith 527 529 Natural men ought to pray though they cannot pray acceptably without faith 530 531 Pray that thou maist believe believe that thou maist pray with acceptation 533 Prayers of others helpful to conversion 533 Whether a natural man ought to pray The question stated affirmatively and all objections answered 530 531 532 Prayer is a good means to preserve faith 551 552 Prayer is a means to increase faith 578 Preaching See Ministry The right Art of successful preaching 427 428 Precious Three things very precious 455 The precious touch of faith in four respects 456 457 Prejudice It quarrels the means of faith its cure 506 507 Presumption It postdates the use of means which should beget faith 509 510 Presumption of having faith already hinders believing together with its cure 510 511 Differences 'twixt presumption and true faith in the conception birth growth issue or fruits 511 512 Presumption is a Monster of pride and security 513 Pride Pride in the reason and will subdued in Sanctification 117 118 It is an hindrance of spiritual growth 231 Pride and unbelief are associates 2 3 Proud persons are neither obedient nor safe 3 Pride how manifold and how dangerous 5 6 Rank pride is the root of Popish Sanctity 143 Pride contemns the meanes of faith 507 508 Profession Multitudes make a profession of faith who live not by it 434 435 Promises Three-sorts of them all tending to assurance 92 93 Apply the promises of growth for growth in grace 228 229 Promises applyed are a believers livelyhood 414 415 Our own unworthyness pleaded against the promises is a main hindrance of believing its Cure 502 Direction in applying of the promises 526 Faith built on false promises of our own will fail 551 Promises to increase faith are a means to increase it 575 Prosperity How the just live by faith in Prosperity 46 47 48 The temptations of prosperity 385 Protestants Their Apology against papists in point of work 144 Purchase The wisest purchase is faith in Christ 468 469 Q Questions Curious vain questions concerning the state of glory busy mens fancies when as their faith should be acted to make sure their interest in that shate 359 R Rainbow How grace is like it as a sign of sparing mercy 301 302 Rarity Faith is the greatest Rarity in the world 458 Receive What it is to receive Christ on Gospel terms 560 Regeneration See Unregeration Love to God his word Saints holiness an effect of it 98 Difficulty of the new birth it is not without doubting 98 We are not born again of bloods nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man how this is to be understood See 528 See Sanctification Rejoyce See Joy It is the heigth of wickedness to rejoyce in it 321 To rejoyce in the creature as it draws from God is sinful 321 Relations See Friends Religious Religious life is the only comfortable life 310 311 Religious persons must neither be jovial nor austere 320 Religion no fruitless Profession 358 Renunciation Of self a reliance onely on free grace brings assurance 96 Resurrection Christs Resurrection is a means of Sanctification 126 127 Resurrection of the Body proved 354 355 Riches A Believers Riches are inexhaustible 477 478 Righteousness That of Sanctification is not to be confounded with that of Justification yet they are inseparable 32 33 S Sabbath Rightly sanctified it is a short and little heaven 381 Sacrament Faith applies Christ in the Sacraments for Sanctification 130 A complaint for neglect of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper 294 Sacraments are a means to increase faith 576 Sacrament not to be given to dead-hearted unbelievers 577 Complaint for interruption of the Sacrament and the corruption of it as the cause 578 Sadness See Heaviness Vnbelief is the spring of sadness 307 308 309 Why the Lord suffers his Saints to fall into sadness 315 316 See Consolation Sanctification Vide Regeneration The submitting to the Spirit in this Work is a means of assurance 94 The life of faith in Sanctification 113 There is a life of Sanctification in Believers besides that which is inherent in Christ himself proved by four Arguments 114 115 How Sanctification and Justification differ in four respects 116 What Sanctification is and wherein it consists 116 117 It works an holy change on the whole man 118 Difference 'twixt Sanctification and Morality in nine respects 119 120 121 Means whereby Sanctificacation is wrought 122 Faith applies Christ for union as the root of Sanctification 123 Faith applies Christs death for Sanctification and his Resurrection 126 127 Faith applies Christs second appearing and the last Judgement for Sanctification 127 128 Faith applies the Word of Christ for Sanctification 128 129 Faith makes use of the Sacraments for increase of Sanctification 130 Faith rightly uses and applies affliction for Sanctification 131 The Prayer of Faith is a means to sanctifie 131 132 133 Reasons of the necessity of Sanctification five 134 135 Five Motives to the life of Sanctification 145 146 There are degrees in Sanctification 201 202 Vide Growth Sanctification not the meritorious ground of