with high estimations The young man when Christ bade him sell all that he had and give it to the poore It was praeceptum experimentale he goes away sorrowfull Thirdly to the Scepter and Government of Christ we will not have this man Reigne over us say they and you reade in Psalme 2. How they did consult to break his bands asunder The Scepter of Christ is Heavenly and his Lawes are spiritual and his Wayes are righteous and straight they lay injunctions on the inward man as well as on the outward conversation and binde the thoughts and the intentions and affections Now what do you meane to pinne up a spirit which would have elbow roome what would you have a licentious heart and a turning and winding conscience to be precised and narrowed and restrained and so every way straitened You must give it leave to break the Sabbath to improve its gaines dishonestly to sweare now and then and to comply c. Fourthly to the Righteousnesse of Christ O what a do had that blessed Apostle with the Romanes with the Galatians with others to break them off from Iustification by Works And to fasten upon their hearts the Justification by Faith We are apt to stand upon our selves and to look for the matter of our acceptance and acquittance in our selves on man he thinks that his good meaning shall make him speed Another thinks that his doing no body any harme will let him into Heaven or else God help us Another stands on his devout Sacrifices Another on his charitable bounties Yea and those who should know better in the Doctrine of Justification how extreamly do they cling to their inherent Graces much a do before they can be made to cast their Crowns to the earth and to give the glory only to Christ who is worthy What paines is God forced to take to break us off from our selves we are so proud and so unwilling to be beholding to Gods free grace and Christ that God is faine to break our heart to pieces and to split our ship into shivers that we might only to Christ He must imprint the holy and mighty vigour of the Law on our consciences to shew us our utter impotency and sensibly acquaint us with our marvellous imperfections in graces and interruptions in duties and excursions of daily sinnings and all to fetch us entirely to cast our safeties only on the righteousnesse of Jesus Christ CHAP. XI The facility of error and mistake about believing SEcondly as it is hard to believe so it is easie to mistake and delude our selves in the matter of believing Four things make it to be so 1. One is the various kindes of faith 2. Another is the consimilitude of one of the extreams of faith 3. The easinesse of both And 4 the aptnesse in our hearts to be satisfied with these First there are divers kindes of faith As the Apostle spake of bodies all bodies are not the same bodies but there are bodies Coelestial and bodies Terrestial so I say of Faith all faith I speak of habitual faith is not the same kinde of faith we read of a Faith which the Devils have and we read of a Faith which the Hypocrites have and we read of a Faith which even Christs enemies whom he did not dare to trust had and we read of a Precious Faith a Faith of Gods Elect a justifying and saving faith Divines ordinarily distinguish of faith There is an Historical faith which is a crediting the word relating but not an embracing of it promising it is like the passing through a Garden and observing and smelling but not a flower is gathered so in Historical Faith the eye of the understanding goes over the Word of God and hath some apprehensions and general grants and intellectual submissions that God doth not lye but what he saith is true Neverthelesse there is not that quality of justifying faith in this which makes the heart to close with the goodnesse of truth and to embrace Christ 2. There is a wonderful faith a faith of miracles to remove mountaines to raise the dead which had some special and immediate promise and yet it was a gift bestowed on those who had no faith to save themselves Many who have cast out devils may at the last day be cast among the devils Lord Lord have not we Prophesied in thy name and in thy name cast out Devils And yet Christ bid them depart Non novi vos 3. There is a temporary faith which hath in it some great apprehensions of the truths of God yea and reverent assents yea and some delightfull contentations in the same yea and some fruitfull expressions and with all these a singular degree of profession even to a zealous forwardnesse and notoriousness so that a man may be in the eye of others like a tall Ship and yet there is a Leake in the bottome which on the sudden sinks all This temporary faith though in many respects it handles the same object with saving faith it is tampering much about Christ and the promises yet it is intrinsically and extreamly different from it It doth not differ from it in respect of eminency or degrees nor in respect of existence or duration onely for the one is a living Spring and the other is a decaying Flood but in respect of formal nature also The temporary faith doth not indeed bring all the heart and settle it on Christ 4. There is this justifying and saving faith which bestowes the whole heart on Christ and takes Christ unfeignedly to be Lord and Saviour Now where there are so many sorts it is not a great difficulty nor an impossibility to mistake error is manyfold said the Phylosopher but the truâ—h iâ— single and there is but one line to hit the mark out many to misse it Nay secondly there is a great consimilitude of one of the extreames of faith with faith it self viz. credulity It is strange yet ordinary that a man should make a heaven of his own and a God of his own and a Christ of his own and a faith of his own and a way to heaven of his own Presumption is a work much of an idle fancy and a gracelesse heart like a thiefe very apt to finger the Kings coine but without a warrant But to the thing Is there knowledge in faith why presumption pretends to that is there confidence in faith what more bold then presumption is there any sweet assurance in faith why presumption never doubted but could believe ever since a man was borne is there any joy in faith why presumpâ—ion is as jocond and carelesse as if there were no heaven to be got no sinne to be bewailed nor course to be reformed Lastly these are easie and we are apt to content our selves with these instead of a true beleeving in Jesus Christ. To get a little seeming knowledge to carry Religion upon the lip and Christ on the tongue to be bold upon Gods mercy and Christs death
Salvation for a sinner Secondly that there is a way tending thereto as a meritorious 5. Arguments cause of it Thirdly that every man is a sinner for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God Rom. 3. 22. Now then know that there are but two wayes of life according Two wayes of life to which there is a double Covenant First one Legal Secondly the other Evangelical The Legal Covenant is do this and live the Evangelical Covenant is believe and live The Legal Covenant grounds salvation in our own persons and the Evangelical in the righteousnesse of another person And these Covenants are opposite that one cannot consist with the other For and mark this though the Law and the Gospel may and do and shall consist as the Law is a word of rule for obedience yet they cannot possibly consist is the Covenant of justification and salvation that is whosoever will stand to the Covenant of works to be justified by it he rejects the Covenant of grace and so Econtra Well then this being true that our life is to be had by the Covenant of Works or of Grace I will briefly shew unto you that we sinners can never be justified and saved by the Legal Covenant which if I clear then it will be evident that our salvation is only by faith in Jesus Christ Thus then all the possibility to be justified and saved by the Legall Covenant ariseth from one of these grounds viz either because That there is a fulnesse and exactnesse in inherent holinesse 3. Things That there is a dignity and efficacy in actual obedience which they call good works That there is a latitude or sufficiency of duty to fulfil the Law which may be conceived to be in a regenerate person but none of these can justifie and save Ergo For the first viz inherent holinesse this holinesse is that 1. Inherent holinesse which is wrought in our whole soul by the Spirit of God whereby of wicked he makes us good and of unholy he makes us holy and according to the severall degrees of it is the person lesse or more holy Now this we say that though the justified person hath this infused inherent holinesse Yet this is not that which Cannot justifie and save can justifie him before God that is for the dignity of which he can stand so before the judgement of God as to be pronounced just and righteous and so acquitted which I prove thus 1. That can never be the cause of our justification which is defective and imperfect and leaves yet the person in some measure sinful I 4. Reasons of it cannot in the Court of Justice be pronounced perfectly just for that righteousnesse which is imperfectly just no more then he can in a strict court be reputed to make full satisfaction who hath not paid halfe his debt or to be throughly well who is scarse able to walk three turnes in the Chamber But that holiness which is in us inherent holinesse is very imperfect I speak of that which is in us here on earth it is not adequate or parallel to the whole will of God which requires perfection of degrees as well as of parts That it is imperfect is as cleare as day First it is at combate with sin Ergo it is not perfect the argument is good for whiles one contrary is mixed with the other there is still imperfection Sinne and Grace are contrary and conflictings shew imperfection as victory notes perfection Secondly that which may be encreased is not perfect but our inherent holinesse may receive more encrease Hence those many exhortations to perfect holiness 2 Cor. 7 1. and to labor after perfection 2 Cor. 1. 3. Thirdly all the parts of holinesse are imperfect Faith is not so clear an eye nor Hope so fixed an Anchor nor Love so pure a streame but that each of them need additions of degrees of strength of help the Moon when it draweth into nearest conjunction with the Sun and is filled with the longest beames of communicated light it hath yet her spots which like so many reproaches stick in the heart of her so is it with the holiest person on earth with the largest measures of inherent graces he hath yet great measures of sinne which like so many spots do blemish and disable the soul to stand perfectly pure and just before the eyes of God That righteousnesse by which we are justified is manifested without the Law See Rom. 3. 21. and what that righteousnesse is he expresseth in ver 22. even the righteousnesse of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe But inherent righteousnesse is not manifested without the Law Why because the Law commands this inherent righteousnesse viz. To love the Lord our God with all our hearts c. That cannot be the cause of our justification and salvation upon which the conscience dares not to rest in the secret agonies of conflict or in the eminent houres of death when the soul is to enter conflict with the wrath of God being wounded with the sense of sinne and cited as it were before the tribunal of Gods holy and strict justice dares it then to put it self seriously and in good earnest upon its own holinesse to make its peace to be its propitiation to satisfie the trials and demands of Gods justice One Chemnitius well observeth of the Papists that when they are to dispute with men they will plead for inherent holinesse but when they are to contend with God they will flie only to Christ tutissimum est said Bellarmine It was no ill meditation that of Anselme Conscientia mea meruit damnationem Paenitentia mea non sufficit ad Anselme satisfactionem sed certum est quod miserecordia tua superat omnem offensionem that is O Lord my conscience tells me I have deserved damnation all the repentance that I have or can perform comes short of satisfaction but thy mercy even thy mercy only can pardon and so exceed all my transgressions The most holy persons do every day sin and need daily pardon and daily mercy how then can we be justified or saved for the merit or dignity of any holinesse in our selves How ridiculous were it that he should think himself to stand in great favour and acceptation before his Prince for the singularity of his continued vertues and performances who every day breaks out into such acts which need the Kings gracious mercy and pardon There is no dignity or meritorious efficacy in actual holinesse or 2. Actual holiness or good works cannot justifie 2. Reasons of it in good works by reason whereof we can be justified and saved I know this fields is very large I will not expatiate but speak in a word of it with a proper respect to the thing in hand I prove the thing thus 1. No man since Adams fall can performe works in that perfection which
is like the starres twinkling though placed in the heavens and every duty though it be a motion yet it is like that of Jacobs thigh which was touched and halted to his dying day So that if God should enter into judgment with the righteous person even the righteousnesse that is in him would not be safety and defence unto him As a man that hath a precious â—â—ding dares not to adventure it in any crackt and broken vessel so no Christian may or can dare to adventure the safety of his soul upon the leaking vessels and bottoms of his own holinesse or services This very smoak of doubtings which still mount up with our flames of faith and the grosse affections which cling to the root of our most heavenly love and part of that rock of hardnesse is seated and complanted with the freshest spring of softnesse and mournings and those infinite and frequent intermissions both of our prayers and hearings and readings and any kinde of dutiful doings that we are so shufled away from our devotions by the invasions and entertainment of strange thoughts in the times of our devotion I say those and infinite emaculations or spots do so adhere and cling about and defile our selves and that which comes from us that in proceeding of pure justice we may cast down our selves on the ground and beg for mercy much rather then to stand at the barre and plead for reward But now here is the great stay of a beleeving soul which hath truly received Christ that Christ will finde a full exact compleat most acepâ—able righteousnesse for it in which the soul shall stand boldly before the judgement seat Rom. 3. 19. By the obedience of one shall many be made righteous 2 Cor. 5. 21. We are made the righteousnesse of God in him 1 Cor. 1. 30. Ye are of him in Christ Jesus who of God is made unto us wisdome and righteousnesse c. Jer. 23. 6. In his dayes Judah shall be saved and Israel shall dwell safely and this is the name whereby they shall call him The Lord our righteousnesse The righteousnesse of Christ is therefore called the righteousnesse of God Rom. 8. 17 because it is it which God hath designed and which God doth accept for us in our justification and for and in which he doth acquit and pronounce us righteous Now in this lies our comfort thus viz. 1. That though our inherent holinesse be imperfect yet Christs righteousnesse is absolute 2. That as it is a full righteousnesse and every way answerable so it was designed by God to be that which should justifie the beleeving sinner 3. That God accepts of that righteousnesse and will clear any who hath it 4. That if by faith we have taken Christ Christ doth assuredly bestow his righteousnesse on us not by putting it into our persons but by improving it to our good It is though not infused into us yet imputed unto us and God will through it pronounce us clear SECT III. THirdly a third comfort to a beleever in Jesus Christ is this That he is in singular Covenant with God for the Covenant is with faith in Jesus Christ it was to Abraham and to his seed that is to all the faithful Observe a few things here 1. The Covenant of grace in the offer and revelation of it is the treaty of eternal happinesse 'twixt God and sinners whatsoever good a soul can desire to exempt it from misery and to make it truly happy there it is 2. The Covenant of Grace in respect of our entrance and admission into it is a most gracious and spiritual and firme engagement of God to be our God and to performe all the good which he hath there undertaken I will be a God unto you I will shew mercy unto you you shall have loving kindnesse I will give you grace in all kindes I will not faile to assist and guide and lead and uphold you I will be a father to you a rock to you a Sanctuary an alsufficiency an exceeding great reward So that if you need any thing come to me I have it for you and do not fear to come for I will assuredly do you good I am willing to do it for I have promised it and be you confident to possesse for I have obliged my self by Covenant to performe 3. He that beleeves in Jesus Christ is assuredly in the Covenant for Christ on whom he beleeves is the Messenger of the Covenant and his blood is the blood of the Covenant and in him all the promises of the Covenant are Yea and Amen If thou hast given thy consent to Christ if thou hast bestowed thy heart on him if thou hast truly received him to be thy Lord and Saviour undoubtedly God is become thy God and all those ample and rich and congruous and blessed undertakings in his Covenant they are all for thee thou art the man to whom God saith I will surely have mercy on him and to whom he saith Sin shall not have dominion over him for he is under grace and to whom he saith I will hear him and heale him and guide him and keep him Thou mayest go to all those treasures of divine promises as to thy own garden and take of any flower lay hold on any promise respecting thy particular exigence and say this is mine When thou lookest down into thy self thou mayest reade many wants with wet and sad eyes but then if thou look up to the Covenant thou mayest by faith espy all thy supplies with a glad heart Why God did put thy good into the Covenant and there thou shalt assuredly finde it Doest thou read of any altering grace of any pardoning grace of any enlarging grace of any preventing grace of any assisting grace of any preserving and upholding grace of any recovering and raising grace of any pacifying and comforting grace why all this is for thee and all that God hath there undertaken is thine SECT IV. FOurthly if you do beleeve in the Lord Jesus Christ you may then with boldnesse approach the throne of grace Ephes 2. 18. For through him we both have accesse by one Spirit to the Father Heb 10. 21. Having an high Priest over the house of God Ver. 2â— Let us draw neer with a true heart in full assurance of faith 1 John 5. 13. These things I write unto you that beleeve in the Name of the Sonne of God Ver. 14. And this is the confidence that we have in him that if we ask any thing according to his will he heareth us Obj. You shall finde in your heart many sinful modesties you are afraid to be so bold with God and whether God will do such great matters for you yea and there are many unbeleeving fears our broken services shall never be accepted and who are we that the Lord should regard our prayers Sol. But if a man doth truly beleeve in Jesus Christ 1. His way is open to Heaven 2. He hath a friend and not an
great assurance Now in all these respects except the first faith in one may differ from faith in another How many hearts are set only towards Christ O that I could apprehend him but I cannot believe How many souls do apprehend him yet O that we were apprehended by him how many are apprehended by him that is know him to be theirs by some gracious and firme evidence yet by and by with Mary weeping they have taken away my Lord. Yet some others rise high and stay long in restings in perswasions in affirmings that it is heaven with them many dayes together You may see one Christian look up to heaven with teares of joy as Job I know that my redeemer liveth Another looking Job Pubâ—ican Paul the faâ—aul up with teares of grief Lord be mercifull to me a sinner You may see one sitting down with thanks who gave himselfe for me Another falling down in Prayer I believe Lord help my unbelief You may see one triumphing above all feares and David scruples I am perswaded that nothing shall separate me from the love of God in Christ and yet another combating with many feares but will the Lord be favourable unto me One blesseth God for assurings another cries unto God against doubtings one is like Mary rejoycing in God my Saviour another like Hester in ventring towards the Scepter and if I perish I perish One saith thou art my rock my fortresse my strong tower my portion for ever and the horne of my salvation another sighes and breakes out O that salvation were come out of Sion O that I could believe O that I were once perswaded Thus it is with severall believers as with severall children one lies in the cradle another is led by the nurse another is going by the chaires and another can run Or as it is with a flock of sheep some are strong and bearing others are young and must be gently led or carried Or as with an Orchard some trees are able and well limbed others are tender plants and are weakly rising Reasons of which diversity may be either the different ages of Causes of it Ages Helps external faith In some it hath had a longer time of strengthening in others it is but seed newly sowen or else different externall helps some believers are brought up in a more fertill soyle under powerfull ministries which are experimentally acquainted with inward conflicts and therefore are more suited to weak consciences to understand and remove their feares and doubts and to answer objections either arising from natural unbelief or from Satans subtilties others live upon a more hard hand and want those directions and counsells Or else different assistances of Gods Spirit for as that Spirit Inward assistances breaths where he lists so he blowes where he lists some he is pleased to assist more in a way of combate others more in a way of conquest though he be the Spirit of life to all that believe yet he is the Spirit of assurance to some of those more then to others Or else the different employments and services all believers Services meet not with equall conflicts either within or without they are not put upon the same trialls the same crosses the same difficult duties Now the Lord is wise as well as good and therefore proportions different measures of faith according to the diverse degrees of exigencies A man can do and suffer much after a day of gracious assurance whose heart perhaps would have trembled if his doubts and fears had been yet to be answered Yea and some hearts are more apt to Pride and forgetfulness Pride which are therefore kept shorter lest they should swell by multitude of revelations To all which if we adde that sometimes former sinnings Former sinnings may justly make the soul to tugge long for assurance because the Lord will not give easie and sweet answer before we know that it is an evil and bitter thing to sin against him SECT III. NOw I proceed to the second general viz. the proofes of a strong faith with the instances of a weak faith in truth Three queries how to know 1. Whether our faith be great 2. or little 3. and yet true You see there are two parts of this I will begin with the first which respects the discoveries of faith in strength Concerning which take these things briefly Signes of a great Signes of a great and strong faith and strong faith 1. Confidence of easie answers for great matters is an argument of a strong and great faith As in the Centurion who came to Christ for the healing of his servant who was sick of a palsey and grievously tormented speak the word only and my servant shall be healed that is Though he be very weak yet I am confident that thy power is very strong thou needest not to trouble thy person one word from thy pleasure will heal him Matth. 8. 6 7 8. What saith Christ now of this faith See v. 10. Verily I have not found so great faith no not in Israel The more difficult we esteem things to be in God or Christ the weaker is our faith If we impose a different readinesse of help or mercy or pardon on God according to the different matter which we are putting up unto him this argues want of strength For it is all one with God to pardon abundantly as to pardon singly and his power is as able for the greatest difficulty as for the least trouble But when the soul draws neer unto him and can beleeve great matters as well as small things that he will be merciful to great transgressions as well as compassionate to ordinary infirmities that he will subdue strong temptations as well as weak glancings that he will in time conquer the busiest inclination to sin c. this shews that faith is come to some strength 2. Againe a repetition of adherence and a stedfast following of Christ notwithstanding the discouragements which the soule may be apt to take from Christs behaviour towards it argues their faith to be strong and great 2 Sam. 23. 16. They were the three mighty men that brake through the Host and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem Matth. 15. 22. As in that woman of Canaan who came to Christ to heal her daughter Have mercy on me O Lord thou sonne of David how did Christ entertaine her the text saith he answered her not a word yet in the same verse it is said she cryeth after thee Christs silence raised her voice the higher Againe she came and worshipped him saying Lord help me how is she now answered It is not meet to take the childrens bread and to cast it to dogs such an answer to some spirits had been far worse then silence But mark it her faith followed Christ still and that very word which would discourage another encouraged her O that faith is strong which can urge Christ from a small hint Truth Lord said
yet both of them shall hold out to the end and meet at heaven You see several bottoms at sea one makes more speed then another and perhaps is better ordered but those duller and slower bottoms follow after and at length they come to the same Haven and so cast Anchor together So c. That Christ who is the Author will also be the finisher of all true faith and though faith may be very weak yet the weakest faith is invincible The gates no not of hell and they import the strongest opposition shall not prevaile against it It is confessed that Satan may much assault and batter and the world may oppose and totter and sinne may weaken interrupt and stagger even the foundations of the truest faith but to be oppressed is one thing and to be suppressed is another thing to be wounded is one thing to be killed is another For faith to fall in its strength is one thing for faith to faile in its being is another Simon Simon said Christ to Peter Satan hath desired to winnow thee as wheat but I have prayed for thee that thy faith faile not O malicious devil who hath strong temptations to weaken faith O gracious Saviour who hath stronger intercessions to preserve faith even the weakest faith is wrought by a divine band and is kept by an almighty guard See 1 Pet. 1. 5. Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation Answering the prayer of Christ John 17. 11. Holy Father keep them through thy own Name those whom thou hast given me Verse 20. Neither pray I for these onely but for them also which shall beleeve on me through their word Whosoever beleeves on me shall not perish said Christ Againe this is a sweet comfort that the weak believer shall hold out as well as the strong and that Christ is the Guardian of both verily that must needs be good which God gives and that must needs be sure which Christ keeps the weakest beleever is held by a strong hand and is secured by an inseparable arme 4. Every beleever is in the same fundamental league with God he is reconciled unto him and hath a true nay for ought I yet understand an equal interest in his special love and tendernesse It is freely confessed that the strong believer hath more Love sensible discoveries of the streames yet the weak believer is as deep in the fountaine They say in Logick that substantial relations do not admit of degrees of more and lesse as the Father is an equal Father to every child his paternity and their filiation are indivisible things So is it I am sure in this businesse God is one and the same Father to all that beleeve his radical love is alike his fundamental gifts which testifie that love are all alike one and the same Word one and the same Christ one and the same Sacraments one and the same Spirit And for his tendernesse why If any childe findes the gentle voice and easie Tenderness hand it is the weak childe If any believer findes soft and encouraging expressions from God it is the weak beleever God would have them comforted yea he hath prepared the brests of consolation for such sucklings yea and the knees to dandle Isa 66. 11 12 13. Isa 40. 11. them yea the hands to lead them yea the armes to carry them And Christ will not quench the smoking flax nor bruise the broken reed How often doth God call upon the weak ones to look up and behold their King and their salvation and to trust upon him and not to fear nor to be dismayed nay for his sake doth he often double and treble the promise yea he confirmes the promise I will surely have mercy on him yea he takes his oath he sweares by himself that he will not lie unto them nor faile them yea he ratifies and seales his word with blood and truth O how doth God condescend in his nature in his Word in his wayes in his dealings in his forbearances towards weak beleevers how hath he prevented and answered all objections to their hands all which shews his singular love and tendernesse unto them SECT VII NOw I proceed to the fourth and last discovery viz. The inequality of strong and weak faith in respect of circumstantial comforts and some other consequences thus they differ exceedingly though both be in a sure and saving condition 1. The weak beleever falls short of that joy which the strong beleever possesseth Joy may be considered three wayes either in its cause which Joy three ways considered is the love of God and the blood of Christ or in its title and claim which belongs to faith receiving Christ or in its actual presence and feeling which depends upon a beleeving apprehension and perswasion Now though the weakest beleever hath cause of great joy for as the Angel spake to the shepherds that may be said to him Fear not for behold I bring you good tydings of great joy for unto you is borne this day in the City of of David a Saviour which is Christ the Lord Luke 2. 9 10. And though he hath a true title to the sweetest joy for faith doth unite him to Christ and Christ entitles him to joy yet he hath not such an actual presence of joy as the strong beleever Every faith is an hand holding but the strong faith is the mouth tasting that sweet wine He hath not such full apprehensions of his own state he doth not yet so clearly conceive of that great love and goodnesse which God hath put in Christ for him He hath not such an evident view of his own particular interests in God or Christ but is infinitely tossed with doubtings and suspitions whether he may yet take Christ as his whether he may own the promises of mercy and appropriate the great loving kindnesse of a Father Now ignorance is apt to breed suspitions and doubts are apt to raise fears both of which keeps off or under actual joy No man can well joy in a concealed good or joy much in a questioned title All the good which God hath firmly and largely made over unto me in his Sonne it doth not affect my heart with gladnesse and rejoycing whiles I am in dispute with it and am rather apt to conclude it is not for me then that it is my portion The strong believer therefore hath this advantage of the weak he is more acquainted in particular about his good and so his heart rejoyceth with joy unspeakable and glorious his soul doth rejoyce in God his Saviour but the weak believer cannot yet see his pardon yea often suspects whether it shall be drawn or no one is in a faire day the other in a wet It is day to both The matter is cleare to the strong believer and therefore his heart goes away rejoycing the matter is doubtful to the weak beleever and therefore his soule goes away weeping One of them hath a good
streames on the Spring or the beames on the Sun and the fruitfulnesse of both depends upon the richnesse of faith Though the habits of grace depends immediately on Gods Spirit and not on faith yet the measures of grace depend instrumentally very much on faith it being the Conduit pipe that which draws grace for grace from Christ A weak believer cannot have such a strength of affection nor vigor of actions as the strong He is not so thankful you shall for ever finde this to be true that what is a weakening to faith that is a lessening to thanks No mans tongue is more in praise then he whose heart is filled with perswasion God hath but cold thanks from him who is yet disputing and questioning his receipts where the mercy is fully cleared there the heart is exceedingly enlarged But till the soul sees it self indeed a debter it will prove but an ill and slow pay-master How can I fully thank God that he hath expressed that Mirandum of love to give Christ to me when yet I do in my soul suspect and question whether this be so or no How can I fully blesse and praise God for his rich mercy in the pardon of my sinnes whiles my soul doth yet suspect that the book is uncrossed and the controversie of guilt is not yet taken up 'twixt God and me But where faith is strong there praise is great when the Moon is fullest of light then the tydes are higher in their returnes so the more clear apprehensions of Gods love to us in Christ even raiseth affections to a greater flow of thankful retributions Psal 103. 1. Blesse the Lord O my soul and all that is within me blesse his holy Name Ver. 2. Blesse the Lord O my soul and forget not all his benefits See how he chargeth and rechargeth his soul to praise but why Ver. 3. Who forgiveth all thine iniquities Ver. 4. Who crowneth thee with loving kindnesse and mercies 7. The weak Beleever will be more puzled to die then the strong believer It is with the strong believer as with Simeon who held Christ in his armes Now said he lettest thou thy servant depart in peace for mine eyes have seen thy salvation He may easily desire death to let him out of a miserable world who hath assuredly got and hath Christ the Authour of a better life Or as with Paul having a desire to depart and to be with Christ which is far better 2 Cor. 5. 1. We know if our earthly house c. we have a building of God For the strong believer knows that Christ is to him in life and death advantage By him we shall go to the God of all mercies and to the Father of all consolations He shall go to that mansion which his Saviour hath provided and there have a glorious union with God and society with Saints for ever But the weak beleever will perhaps stagger and his heart will divide it self I would not yet die if I must what shall I do Christ is he whom I have loved and served but I am not sure that he is mine Heavenly glory is the wages for our service but I am not sure that I shall go into it matters are yet doubtful and my heart is yet fearful I know not whether such sinnes are yet taken off and how will God look upon me if I die of whose loving favour I have not been assured whiles I have lived I hope the best and yet I see cause to fear death may do me good yet I had rather live to clear accounts 'twixt God and my soul that so then I might give up c. 8. The weak beleever hath not such cheerful expectations nor quiet submissions as the strong believer The strong believer is at it as the Church in Micah My God will hear me and if he denies a particular good yet he can sit down and sing when he is going to prayer he chears up his heart with a confidence on God and when he findes God determining and revealing his will there he blesseth God and follows his calling But the weak believer is apt to forestal a mercy he cannot see a plain way for his grant nor an easily quiet heart after his denial 9. The efficacy of temptations doth more intangle the weak beleever then the strong like the weaker vessel at sea amidst the greater waves Satan doth cousen his soul with ease and ever and anon disrobes him of his comforts like a lewd subtile enemy he forceth the weak believer often to try and clear his title and increaseth mistakes in all passages 'twixt God and the soul 1. If he doth cast himself on mercy then it is presumption If he holds off then it is infidelity and rejecting of Christ 2. If he doubts then it is despaire and a forsaking of God 3. If he sinnes then it is unpardonable because since knowledge and mercy 4. If he findes distractions in dutie then this is hypocrisie in the heart 5. If he meets with hellish suggestions of which Satan is only the Author O then who could be in Christ and have such abominable thoughts 6. If the Ordinances do not presently comfort O then they are sealed up and there is no faith else the Word would profit 7. If every corruption be not subdued in every degree and motion and act O then vertue is not gone from Christ the heart is still nought and the faith unsound 8. If not the same constant tenor of smart affections why then there was never any true love of God no reverence of him now nor fear nor duties but the soul is dead utterly hardened and God hath no pleasure in it 9. If God doth answer the soul yea but that is but an imagination If he doth not answer why then it is cleare that God neither doth nor will ever regard you 10. If I do not go to the Sacrament why then thou slightest Christ and his blood If I go and come away with tears O then thou wast unbeleeving or else thou hadst been sent away with joy and increase 11. If I do not put on for grace then thou art wicked If I do put on for grace then thou art so wicked that God will not bestow it on thee Thus doth Satan involve and distresse and set the soul of a weak Believer like a man at chesse forward and backward he makes him to suspect every mercy and every grace and every affection and every duty and every promise and every Ordinance so violently doth he tosse though he cannot totally sink the heart of a weak believer SECT VIII Motives to strive to greaten thy faith 1. THis is a signe of truth True grace is rising dead things do moulder and artificial things remaine the same but the living childe is growing to a full stature Phil. 3. Not as though we had already attained the graine of mustard-seed grows and the smoaking flax will flame Presumption hath all its perfections at first 2. This is
have I stretched forth my hands Nay thy unbelief grieves the very heart of Christ he grieved at their unbelief â—he complaines of that slownesse in thy heart to believe O slow of heart to believe c. nay and he sheds tears because thou dost not believe and receive him When he came near the City he wept over it O Hierusalem thou that c. How often would I c Sixthly consider how unreasonable and unequal and sottish 6. Motive a thing it is not to receive Christ being thus revealed and offered 1. There is none who have right to thy soul but God and Christ our souls are Gods workmanship and Christs purchase Why then should we not give to God that which belongs to God and to Christ that which is his own Ye are not your own saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 6. 19 20. for ye are bought with a price God put forth his own power to make thy soul and Christ shed his heart blood to redeem thy soul and yet wilt thou through infidelity with-hold it from him and passe it over into the possession of a stranger an enemy 2. Christ out-bids all Merchants for thy soul he out-bids sin and he out-bids all the world and he out-bids Satan Can the Sonne of Jesse give you vineyards said Saul can sinne give thee that which Christ can can the world let them now appear and declare their strength and treasury Is there any one of them that presents redemption unto thee Is there any one of them that can procure remission and pardoning mercy for thee Is there any one of them which can satisfie the wrath of God for thee which can make thy peace which can present thee righteous before the judgement seat which can settle eternal life upon thee All this can Christ do none of this can they do 3. Thou canst not possibly be a loser by receiving or believing on the Lord Jesus Christ Suppose it cost thee many tears and many prayers and many searchings and many waitings yet Christ will recompence all these in a moment one word I am thy salvation It is I be not afraid I am thine as thou art mine thy sins are forgiven thee will be a day for all former nights Suppose that the world doth cast thee off as they cast him out of the Synagogue who beleeved and professed Christ yet Christ will come unto thee as unto him And as Elkanah said to Hanna 1 Sam. 1. 8. Am not I better then ten sons or as the Prophet answered the King for the hundred talents God will be better unto thee 2 Sam. 20. 9. So will Christ he will supply all thy losses he will be better unto thee then houses and lands then father and mother an hundred fold better in this life and a thousand fold better in the life to come 4. What just extremity of shame and blacknesse of confusion will befal thee if thou be so wickedly unreasonable to keep off thy soul from Christ When thou art cited before God and Christ and the holy Angels and just men And God shall demand of thee why whom hast thou served upon whom hast thou bestowed thy soul who was it that made thy soul Thou Lord who was it that purchased and redeemed thy soul Thou Christ and who beseeched thee to bring back thy soul Thou by thy servants in thy Word And what did they say unto thee which should have prevailed upon thee They did assure me in thy Name that if I would come in and accept of Christ I should have favour and pardon and eternal life and what did keep back thy soul from accepting of this O it was such a lust that I loved and it was the world which I preferr'd And wouldest thou prefer earth before heaven thy profit before thy soul nay wouldest thou prefer a base sinne before a merciful God and a blessed Redeemer Thy own mouth doth testifie against thee was not my mercy better then a sinne was not my Sonne better then a sinne take him all ye children of darknesse sease on him my wrath to the utmost close him up in the lowest pit of hell conscience gnaw on him and sting him for ever fire and brimstone consume and torment him eternally he shall never have part in my mercy he shall never have portion in my Sonne He shall never see my face nor heaven who preferred his sinne his delights his profits before my love my mercy my Christ and his own soul Lastly faith would do great things for thee and Christ would do wonders for thy soul if once thy heart could be perswaded to consent unto him and to accept of him as Lord and Saviour SECT II. Secondly the impediments and hindrances Obj. But now as the Eunuch said There is water what hinders Obj. me that I may not be baptized so you may say why her is Christ set out to the life here are arguments faire enough to draw on my soul what hinders that we do not believe and receive Christ Sol. After all these discoveries yet the heart stands off and why because there are yet many cords with which the soul is held there are yet several impediments which do intangle and seduce the heart which keeps it down from mounting and rising up to the Lord of life against which we must earnestly labour if ever we would beleeve in the Lord Jesus Christ I will touch some of the choisest of them 1. One impediment to faith is that natural Atheisme in the sons of men You know that as in the concoction or digestion of meats that which is a prejudice to the first concoction or digestion of meats is a hindrance to the two other and as in points of demonstration that scruple which weakens the apprehension of the truth of the principle it ever disable the strength of â—ssent to the deduced conclusion So is it in divinity whatsoever vile quality in the soul prejudiceth the reverent respects oâ— the most common and first truths it doth hinder it 〈◊〉 in the embracing of the depending truths which receive 〈◊〉 authority and strength from the grants of the 〈…〉 Now Atheisme it is a slighting quarrel with the first truths Atheistical spirit it hath most sordid and loose conceptions of God and of his Word it doth not set up God in the greatnesse of his nature and Majesty of his Attributes and Authority of his Word God looks not like a God unto him nor doth the Word of God work upon him like the Word of God God is not in all his thoughts he doth not really conceive of him as one who indeed is omnipotent and so holy and so just and so merciful as he reveales himself Those sweet truths of favour and kindnesse and mercy and the blood of Christ they are either nothing to him or as empty notions Those sharp threatnings against an unbelieving person with condemnation and wrath and hell they are as terrible fables and scar-crowes to him He doth not believe
the chiefest good 7. It is that which stirres up the heart with a choice of Christ and resolution to have him what ever may befal it 8. It is that which makes the heart to cry servently to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ to work his blessed grace of faith Yea which draws out of us strong supplications with many teares and longings and to implead all the promises of making mercy good and Christ good and faith good unto us 9. It is that which establisheth the soul to a patient expectation for ever to lie at the poole for ever to attend the doors of the Sanctuary till the soul can take and close with Christ by true beleeving But then to open unto you the way more distinctly I would commend this course unto a person that he may at length get a believing heart 1. Study thy natural condition throughly The right sense of this 8. Things though it doth not formaâ—ly cause faith yet it may have a compelling force to make us look after Christ and to strive for faith The Apostle calls the Law a Schoolmaster to Christ Gal. 3. why because it doth reveal such a smart and strong evidence of the sinful condition that it scourgeth a man out of himself to look for a Saviour yea it helps much to cast the proud soul down and to break and crush his natural bottom which otherwise would stâ—ve off and hinder a man from believing Therefore study thy natural condition O I would believe and I would have Christ yea but why what need seest thou in thy self of him I tell you that the more desperate the soul sees its own natural condition the more willingly may it be drawn to apprehend adore and embrace its remedies and safeties Now there are three things to convince our selves of about our natural condition I meane the state without Christ First the ugly vilenesse of it That it is sinful and stark naught it is no such thing as God doth like or approve but his soul abhors and hates it For it is compounded of nothing but want of good and inclination to evil to all that is opposite to God and holinesse That thou art in it poor and blinde and miserable and naked an ignorant opposing unconceiving creature of any spiritual good proud and sensual and vain and earthly loathsom and dead Secondly the sure and fearful misery of it Thou art without God without Christ without the Covenant not a drop of mercy for thee whiles thou remain'st thus but all the wrath of God is against thee and thou art under the dominion of sinne and terrible curse of the Law all the threatnings in the book of God are ever ready to sease on thee and how soon may they arrest thee if God gives them commission Thirdly the utter insufficiency to deliver thy self out of this state Thou art never able to merit the least mercy nor to answer the great justice of God Though thou shouldest offer thousands of lambs and ten thousand rivers of oyle thou art so totally broken in thy strength that thou canst not pay a farthing and never canst thou be a Redeemer to thy self from thy sins or Gods justice Now drive and fasten these things as real and experimental truths into thy heart till thou art shut up under sinne as the Apostle speaks Gal. 3. that is so convinced on all sides concerning thy natural self that thou art faine to fall down and cry out O Lord I am unclean I am uncleane I am uncleane a miserable wretch a lost person for ever unlesse thou shew great compassion to my poor soul This condition is deadly and barren I am full of sinne and without strength and this condition is so fearful that verily I will not rest in it Men and brethren what shall I do to be saved Is there no balm in Gilead for a wounded soul no City of refuge for a distressed sinner no Rock of safety for a shipwrackt person no hope of salvation yet left for me 2. Then study the hope of a sinful soul Why though thou hast been very wicked and hast exceeded in transgressions yet there may be hope The Gospel it is the â—ape of good hope it is that which thrusts out some sight of land to a tossed sinner It is a message from heaven proclaiming both the hope and possibility and also the way and method of salvation for a sinful person Look as the Law points out a way of salvation for a righteous and innocent man so the Gospel doth for an offending and sinful man Therefore study it much take some accurate paines to be throughly and really informemed and convinced what Gods dispositions are therein revealed towards sinners Now here are two things which I would commend 1. One is the study of Christ Study him all over perhaps thou mayest see that in him which may answer many yea all thy feares Perhaps thou mayest see so much in him as may win much upon thy heart to come in and accept of him by faith Therefore peruse him well First that he is God and man and as so a Mediator and because so therefore an Almighty and a compassionate Redeemer Secondly that it proceeds from the love and Counsel of God to give him to be the Saviour of sinners God did see the fallen state and great misery of men and his absolute insufficiency to recover himself and therefore his own love moved him to give his own Sonne in whom he did ordain the salvation of sinners Thirdly that Christ was willing to become a Mediator yea he did freely give his life to make peace and procure salvation and this sacrifice of his was both acceptable and effectual Fourthly that God would have thee to come unto him for life and that Christ is the surety and Mediator and only hope of sinners Fifthly that Christ hath in him all and enough to make up thy state and to reconcile thee and God and to get full pardon and to present thee righteous and to procure for thee eternal life Sixthly that Christ seeks even after thee by the Ministry of the Gospel and both offers himself with all his purchase unto thee and hath and yet doth beseech thee to accept of him I say study these things who knows how the great studies of Christ may be at length blessed with faith in Christ This I am sure of that the ignorance of the nature and offices and works and benefits and alsufficiency and marvellous affections and readinesse in Christ is a notable strength to unbeliefe Ergo on the contrary the knowledge of them is a good means for faith 2. Another is the study of the new Covenant Why what mayest thou not there see to draw on thy soul to Christ yea what arguments doth God there fill thy mouth with to conquer himself He gives thee in that Covenant ample and prevailing grounds by which thou maâ—est with an humble confidence even plead with him for Christ and faith
to Christ Great sinnings are never eased either by dispaire or by unbelief But two things they should cause 1. One is great humblings and sorrow 2. Another is great desires and beseechings for Christ Suppose a man owed his whole estate his only way was to beg a whole discharge suppose a man had many wounds and deep ones too for this reason should he go to the Chyrurgion Why Brethren what would you alone do with great sinnings Can you ever discharge them can you ever satisfie for them Nay do they not open unto thee thy great need of Christ and point the way to him 1. God hath greater mercies then we sins 2. Christ hath stronger merits and satisfactions to the utmost 3. Greater sins should hasten us into the mercy-seat the greater wounds to the Physician 4. The greatest sinners when humbled have been accepted and pardoned Manasses Maâ—y Magdaline Paul Some great sinners have miscarried because they never came to Christ 6. Hadst thou lesse sinnes wouldst thou not come in Why then c. 7. The greatest sinner never miscarried by coming to Christ and the least sinner doth for not coming to Christ Thy not coming to Christ bindes all thy sins on thy soul Thy unbelief is a worse sin then all the rest and that shall appear unto thee thus First it is a refusal of all thy remedy as if it were a small thing to provoke Justice thou doest now provoke mercy too Secondly it is that which besides its own gilty qualities keepâ— also all the former guilts upon the account Every sin that thou hast committed heretofore it doth keep its sting iâ—s accusation its force against thee if thou wilt not beleeve so that this can be neither safety nor wisdome for thee to hold off because of the greatnesse of thy sins Christ is a great Saviour He is called a mighty Saviour and the salvation in him is called a great salvation and the redemption in him a plenteous redemption 1 Joh. 21. If any man sin we have an Advocate wiâ—h the Father Jesus Christ the righteous v. 2. And he is the propitiation for our sins and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world I remember in the Levitical Law there were sacrifices for all sorts of sins what did they prefigure but the ample efficacy in the death of Christ which was an atonement for sins of all kindes and was as the daily sacrifice for the expiation of the continued and augmented number of transgressions Why what are thy thoughts of Christ and of redemption in him doest thou not know First that the sinner must finde his full discharge in his blood thou must be beholding to Christ for the payment of the smallest as well as of the greatest debt Secondly That the strength and merit of Christs death exceeds the merit of all sin where sin abounded there grace abounded much more If it had not then the sinner could not have been pardoned for then justice had not been satisfied Thirdly What the extension of Christs death may be I will not dispuâ—e but this is clear the intension or merit of his death is infinite and exceeds the greatest sins Why if sins had not been great or if the greatnesse of them did prejudice from Christ really God would never have given so great a Saviour as Christ the Apostle saith Heb. 7. that he is able to save to the utmost And that he redeemes us from the law Gal. 4. From all transgression whatsoever committed against the Law and from all the curses of the Law against them Fourthly Christ hath already answered this scruple by giving instances of mercy to great sinners was not David a murderer of Vriah was not Mary Magdalen a foul sinner was not Zacheus a griping oppressor was not Paul a bitter and sore persecutor were not those amongst the Corinthians sinners in the highest forme and yet Christ called them and washed them and justified them Fifthly the matter is not 'twixt thee and Christ about the greatnesse or littlenesse of former sinnings but about the present disposition and affection of thy soul not what thou hast loved heretofore but what thou wilt now love not what thou hast followed and served heretofore but what thou wilt now chuse and obey Though the Jewes had been a sinful Nation laden with iniquity a seed of evill doers corrupters of themselves Isa 1. 4 5 6. Forsakers of the Lord provokers of the holy one of Israel Apostates Revolters putrified from the sole of the foot even unto the head stark naught Yet God comes unto them and Articles thus with them ver 16. Wash you make you clean cease to do evil vers 17. Learn to do well as if he should say though you have been thus abundantly evil yet now harken unto me let your hearts be turned from sins and bestow them on me and my service Object But what shall we do for pardon of the former sins Sol. Why saith God do not you trouble your selves for that only hearken unto me and be willing and obedient for hereafter and as for former sinnings though your sinnes be as scarlet they shall be as white as snow though they be red like crimson they shall be as wool ver 18. The same I say in this case Christ will finde blood enough to get the pardon of sins if thy heart would come off from sin to accepâ— of him I stand not saith Christ upon what thou hast been I can easily discharge thee only that which I require is this leave thy sins and accept of me I beseech you take heed of two things one is a secret Pride that you will not be brought to be beholding to God for great pardons Another is a present love of sin This and not the former sinnings prejudiceth from Christ Obj. But God is just and he will not hold the sinner guiltlesse and he hath revealed his wrath from heaven against all unrighteousnesse and therefore if I should flye to the City of refuge yet from thence would he withdraw me and be avenged of me Sol. I Answer 1. Even this also should constraine thee to believe forasmuch as by unbelief thou becomest a great rebel against the Gospel and he will come in flaming fire to take vengeance on them that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus 2 Thes 1. 8. 2. Unlesse justice be satisfied assuredly it will never spare thee for Justice will have either thy obedience or thy satisfaction But then the way to present satisfaction to Gods justice is to beleeve in Christ forasmuch as God was in Christ reconciling the world to himselfe not imputing their trespasses It was Jesus Christ who performed full obedience and endured an accursed death to satisfie Gods justice and this not for himself but for the believer and for none but for the believer So that there is no other way comfortably to answer justice but by believing in Christ For now thou hast a surety one who stood
the very behaviour of the father of the Prodigal brake the heart of him with more thawings and kindly mournings then ever did his former misery and hardship O this that though he was an ungracious spend-thrift a stubborne childe a lewd companion Luke 15. yet his father should run to meet him that he should fall upon his neck and kisse him the kindnesse of those lips wounded his heart with the deeper sense and judging of his own unkindnesse So when a sinner shall by faith see Christ steping forward in the Gospel puting forth the hand to him calling him come thou hast done evil as thou canst hast wronged my father me my spirit my servants thy selfe I will get thee pardon for all feare not nor be dismayed I will will take upon me the discharge I will be thine my blood thine my righteousnesse thine O this melts the heart thou canst not take Christ but thy heart will break nor read thy pardon but thine eyes will melt what for me Lord yea for thee what after such deep rebellions yea after all and that most freely and willingly Good Lord how the soul weeps now c. Secondly faith sees sin in the greatest vilenesse It is one thing to see sin Hell-gates and another thing to see sin if I may so allude at Heaven-gates there I see it in its reward which causeth feare here I see it in its proper nature which causeth hatred when I can see sin as the wrong of a righteous and holy will as a rebellion against a holy and just Law as a provocation of a great and holy God as the speare thrusting through the heart of our Lord Jesus Christ as the basest quality and vilest abuse and indignity to love and mercy and blood now now I begin to melt to grieve a God is wronged a Father is wronged a Saviour is wronged 3. Faith melts the promises and the promises melt the heart Why brethren our soft and mourning hearts are not first in us and then in the promises but first in them and from them they come down into us The heart of flesh is first in that promise Ezek. 36. I will take away the heart of stone and give you an heart of flesh and thence it comes to the person for to fashion and mollifie his heart But what draws the promises Is it not faith It is the only hand which reacheth out unto them and receives them whence it doth fully follow that beleeving will be no prejudice but a great furtherance to thy mournful humblings and softnings Obj. I grant it when a man can indeed beleeve this beleeving will much abate and perhaps remove the actuals of an horrible stumbling that is a man shall not now feel such a desperate terrifying bitter hopelesse anguish as before but yet it doth open a full veine within the soul which drops with vitall sorrows with gracious lamentings with hearty displeasures with hopeful tears and though under them the soul is not so hurried yet it weeps bitterly as the wife which holds the lately reconciled husband by the hand or as the child which is newly pardoned and embraced This is a truth that faith can heale the teares of a slave and breed the tears of a childe It can rebuke the ragings of the sea and yet continue its flowing courses It can still a raging conscience and yet beget a streame of godly sorrow it can both quiet a troubled spirit and raise within us a soft and mourning heart Yea to speak plainly a man never till then begins to mourn as a childe till he hath faith to see God as a father and the gracious looks of Christ which only faith espies they upbraid our sinnings more and no such springs of grief as they 6. Obj. But I have stood out my day and have refused many invitations and offers as now I may not beleeve I am sure that Christ will never regard me because of my former proud refusals of him in his gracious offers and invitations Now the day is gone It is too late Sol To this I answer 1. That not only the positive refusals but also the slighting pretermissions of the voice of the Gospel are undoubted sinful for if disobedience to the Law then much more unto the Gospel is very bad no man can refuse his remedy but he makes his wound the greater 2. Again it is granted the greater kinde of refusal adde a greater measure of guilt the refusals of light against light is a more dark condition that is when a man knows the Gospel to be the voice of Christ and to propound heaven and mercy upon the only termes and yet he is not gathered this is sinne in more degrees then the passing over it then ignorance and inobservation againe the more wilfully a man refuseth his opportunity and invitations this also makes the refusal more hainous and calls upon the soule for greater humblings But then know 5 s Things 1. That Christ is not alwayes so quick to break off for ever for some refusals It is not an uncapable condition a sealed state if a man hath stood out against many particular invitations This simply is not the sinne against the holy Ghost and therefore it is pardonable and if the sinne be pardonable then the sinner is capable of Christ in whom alone sin is to be pardoned 2. Scarce any beleever who is called after the ripenesse of yeares but hath often refused before his conversion many invitations by grace and mercy It were an horrid harshnesse for any Minister to send all them to hell who once refuse the news and tender of heaven Nay we see that Christ hath several seasons of conversion some he brings home to himself at the night at the later end of the day who questionlesse refused him in the former part of the day nay that grace which doth gather a man to Christ conquers our refusing hearts Ergo meer refusing is not an eternal prejudice It is true that whiles I do refuse I cannot beleeve yet though I have formerly refused I may yet beleeve There is a double refusal of Christ and the invitations of the Gospel one is malitious this is fearful another is temerarious and this is pardonable That is accompanied with a despitefulnesse of spirit this depends much upon rashnesse temptations inadvertency Againe there is a double refusal one is total but temporary A man doth not hearken though Christ doth call he will not subscribe though Christ propounds but goes in his own way and course yet at length with Paul he may be struck to the ground and yeild up himself to Christ Another is total and final which is an impenitent rebellion A man holds out against the voice of Christ for ever there is no hope for such a person 2. No broken and grieved heart for former refusals can justly say that it hath stood out its day and it is too late to beleeve This is a thing of some concernment and many
make his addresse unto the Lord Jesus for cure and health and that he should by faith accept of him and trust upon him for the healing of his soul and the subduing of his sins and then verily you shall finde vertue to come from Christ raising a greater hatred of sin war with it in the very fountaine watching and praying against it and the power of the ordinance successively weakening and crucifying the power of sin Lastly know this that the time of contrariety is the time for faith to work When a man sees death then is it the time for faith to believe life When he sees the grave then is it the time for faith to believe a resurrection when he sees guilt then is it the time for faith to believe pardoning mercy when he sees himself a sinner then is it the time for faith to believe a Saâ—iour when he sees strong corruptions then is it the time for faith to believe great grace when he sees great discomforts then is it the time for faith to believe strong consolations the exigences of sense and the reliefes of the promises are quite contrary what I feel is one thing what God doth promise is another thing That which the patient observes in himself is sicknesse and that which he hopes for in the medicine is health Hath God made thee sensible of thy sins dost thou finde thus much that al that thou canst do wil not become a rebuke of corruption thou art able now to see the strength of thy sinfull nature but to remove it thou art utterly unable Why what is now to be done truly as in the sense of the guilt of sin we must then flye by faith to God and put our soules upon his free mercy for pardon so in the sense of the filthy strength of sin we must to heaven by faith and put our soules on Gods faithful promises in Christ for the healing and subduing of it This is the way and therefore strive to walk in it you may try other waters but they shall not help you and perplex your own thoughts but they shall not availe you the cure of the sinful soul is only in heaven and it is faith only which can lift up a soul to God and Christ which puts it into the Pool When sin is felt then let faith work If thou canst finde any one promise which God hath made of sanctifying and healing and subduing Why here 's ground for faith yea for thy saith for in these promises are the cures of thy sinful nature and faith it is which will apply the healing medicines to thee 8. Obj. Yet I am not satisfied saith the sensible sinner and fearfull soul Why Because First I cannot finde an heart to duty to pray and seek of God and surely if God did purpose and mean any good to me he would in some measure frame and encline and excite my heart towards him Secondly yea and againe though I do sometimes seek and entreat yet I observe that what I was that I am nothing comes of it how then can I may I should I be enduced to believe Sol. Here are two sore and real scruples which do indeed vehemently beat upon a sensible sinner I shall endeavour to assoyle them successively 1. I cannot finde an heart to any duty to pray for faith c. I Answer 1. As the inability to holy duties depends on natural corruption so the indisposition towards them depends exceedingly upon unbelief There is nothing disheartens a man more towards God then it For bâ—sides this that unbelief in its own nature is a departure from God it is a bias drawing the soul downwards This also is true of it that it represents God to the soul in all the appearances and methods of discouragements It makes the soul to see nothing in God or from God which might encline it to him O saith unbelief there is such holinesse and purity in him that he will never endure thee there is such truth and justice in him that he will surely be avenged of thee There is such strength and power in him that he will certainly meet with thee and lay load on thee There is I confesse a mercifulnesse in him but alas his tender bowels of compassion his ready forgivenesse extends not to thee there are many sweet intimations in his promises but they concern not thee there is a mighty salvation in Christ and powerful intercession to ingratiate some persons and their services but what of this to thee He is a God hearing prayer yea but he will not regard the cryes nor tears of some but their Sacrifices are an abomination unto him And thus doth unbelief set up God utterly against the soule so that the poor soul conceiving of God as an enemy dares not come neer it flies off it is even afraid to speak to him It is perswaded by unbeliefe that God will frowne upon all that is done whereupon the spirit sinks the affectionâ— are flatted I have no minde nor heart am like a lump a stock a stone Secondly it is faith which will fetch up the soul Psal 27. 13. I had fainted unlesse I had beleeved to see the goodnesse of the Lord c. As if he should say my spirits were even breathing themselves out I was even sinking down giving up all unlesse I had beleeved but that confidence of Gods goodnesse towards me that did put life into me that did fetch me again that did put heart into me You see now the spring is coming on that those seemingly dead branches of the trees they begin to thrust out some hopeful sproutings and put on another colour of freshnesse why because the root is now more fed and warmed It is faith which will put colour into our faces and spirit into our hearts and life into our duties For 1. Faith sets open the mercy-seat It represents God to the Two reasons of it soul in all his attributes of graciousnesse not as an hard tyrant but as a good God willing to give audience to the humble requests and suit of a poore sinner Nay willing to dispatch and grant his requests What is thy request said Ahashuerus to Queen Ester it shall be granted thee c So saith the Lord What wouldest thou have of me Is it mercy I do promise it unto thee Is it grace I promise that unto thee Is it strength is it comfort is it deliverance whatsoever it be if thou beleeve on me I will not fail to give to thee Nay I will do it freely nay cheerfully with all my heart and with all my soul Jer. 32. Yea this makes the soul to come unto God as the ship into the haven with full speed and stretched sailes O the soul bends the knee with cheerfulnesse when it sees it shall be raised up with kindnesse a man may have some heart to pray when he knows My God will hear me that God hath a readiness to answer 2. Faith sets the soul in
acts of faith are capable of weaknesse and also of opposition one man may more confidently trust and expect and another lesse sometimes the same man is more pure and high in the act of trusting and sometimes he hath much ado with his heart to get it to roll it self on Christ but yet he doth do it against many feares and against many corrupt reasonings now he lives by faith but then know it is an ill businesse instantly to reverse the acts of faith faint in it or but to suspect Jesus Christ himself either in his power or goodnesse or truth Fourthly to live by faith on Christ it is an extensive work it is to trust on him not for one thing only but for every thing which concerns the state of the soul The soul is a needy thing naturally it is so and so it is spiritually either it needs grace or more grace or strength or comfort or peace or mercy and pardon something or other it wants now Christ is an adequate supply to the soul he hath grace enough and righteousnesse enough and power enough and peace and plenteous redemption Now then as our wants appear or as they multiply so must faith appear and abound in its acts if we will be said to live by faith I will be righteousnesse to thee saith Christ and I will trust upon thee for it saith faith I will be sanctification to thee saith Christ and I will trust upon thee for it saith faith I will be redemption to thee saith Christ and I will trust unto thee for that too saith faith yea I will trust upon thee to be my continual propitiation continual intercession to be my continual sufficiency and strength for more grace for quickning for comfort for salvation for all Doth corruption work againe and I will to Christ againe to subdue it he will do it for me doth Satan renew his temptations and I will renew my addresses to Christ who will againe I trust bruise him under my feet my comforts are gone but I will to Christ I will live upon him he will come again and then my joy shall be full And indeed the life of faith as it is a multiplied work for it makes the soul to live upon Christ for its manifold grace so it is a repeated work it leads on the soul often and often even for the same kinds of supplies Obj. O saith the soul I did go to Christ and did beseech him to rebuke Satan and I trusted on him and followed my suit and found it so but now Satan tempts again now sin works again now my heart is down again dull and dead and feeble again Ans I say to such an one to live by faith is to keep house with Christ it is to be a daily guest it is to relie upon him it is so often to come as we have need it is to draw water often from the same fountain As if Christ did say to a person whatsoever thy soul needs come to me for it and whensoever yet come I will do it for thee and the heart goes confidently to the Lord of its life and hope of its salvation SECT IV. Quest 4. WHat Arguments to move us not onely to get faith in Christ but also to live by it Sol. They are so many that I know not well where to begin First If we consider our own condition this might put us upon the life of faith First the life of faith is congruous to our condition for what is our condition but a depending being such a being as subsists upon and by another Take us as creatures and so we are but beames of light which the sunne lets forth supports contracts drawes in We are like a glasse which God doth frame and hold in his own hand or else we cannot stand or like the flowers they must be set in the ground and then watered and fenced or else they live not our whole being and working and maintenance is from him that made us In him we live and move and have our being And take us as new creatures so shall we find that not only our natural breath but our spiritual being not only life but grace too depends not on him who hath it but on God who gave it Grace is a sweet streame but that flowes and runnes still because still fed by a living spring It is a fruitful branch but that branch doth stand and bear because upheld and supplied by a more fruitful root Hence is it that Christ is called the head and we the members he is called the root aâ—d we the branches he the foundation-stone we the buildâ—â—â— he is called the rock we the house built on that rock h◠〈◊〉 husband we the wife and spouse he the Lord and we thâ— sâ—râ—ants he the Shepheard and we the sheep he the nurse and we the babes All which do evidence this much that our life is in him upon him for we are dependants from him we live therefore upon him we should live Secondly the necessity of our condition our condition here below doth so shift and vary and faile go and come that if we do not live by faith we cannot honestly live at all Helpe failed me on every side said David all men forsook me said Paul We know not what to do said Jehosaphat God is pleased to call off all our comforts to gather up into his own hands of promises all our supports It is with us many times as with a Ship laden but on a sudden broken to pieces now the persons of necessity must swim towards the shore and to the rocks So God doth dash in pieces our lower confidences he cracks a full estate he separates very friends he gives not a heart to people to shew us compassions and sorrowes on all sides poure in themselves a man hath nothing in all the world left him but Gods bond is word of promise So for the estate of the soul it is frequently so clouded so darkned so checked so distressed so assaulted that all the meanes under heaven do not relieve it if the Lord doth not help if Christ be not the rock it cannot be delivered or supported Now in such cases where the condition is wholly reduced to the promises or unto Christ there can be no living but by faith The heart of a man is either broken with despaire and griefe or will break into the wayes of wickednesse if it lives not by faith in the cases of all sensibe sequestrations For 1. It is only faith which can espy something for the soul now Who is he that sits in darknesse and sees no light let him trust in the Name of the Lord and stay upon his God Isa 50. 10. Faith can see the stars in the thickest night of darknesse there is nothing but faith which can tell the soul of rich mercy in the times of greatest sense of exceeding guilt and there is nothing but faith which can finde out fulnesse of grace in Christ
is really his as certainly he is thine as thy husband is thy husband so the Christian is obliged to assure his heart thereof Which I shall easily clear by Argument 1. We are bound to draw neer unto God in the full assurance of faith Heb. 10. 22. Which is 〈◊〉 conceive in a cleare perswasion that we shall not faile but enjoy the good which he promiseth now this cannot be unlesse a man be assured and perswaded that God is his God and Christ is his Christ for as much as perswasion of audience doth always arise from a presupposed persâ—asion of personal and mutual interest I cannot by faith be perswaded that God wil give such a good thing or such unless I am first perswaded that he is my God that God is my God or Christ is my Christ It is a fundamental perswasion upon which all others are built for this gives life and settlement to my doubting soul I many times doubt but shall I have this thing which I ask yes sayes the beleeving heart but how are you assured of it I reply because God is my God he hath given himself unto me Ergo he will give this but how know you that God is your God Upon good ground why saith the beleeving soul of that I am abundantly perswaded I doubt it not hereupon the soul raiseth it self to that other assurance of acceptance and audience why then I will nor doubt of this I will be confident that then the Lord will heare for he is my God and David goes this way very often 2. We are bound all our dayes to give God thanks for his greatest mercies now I think that the bestowing of Christ upon the soule is as great a mercy as ever poore sinners had Obj. It is so but what of this Sol. But we cannot give God hearty thanks whiles we are doubtful of our particular interest in Christ Can'st thou go unto the Lord and say O Lord I blesse thee from my soul for all the mercies which thou hast conferred on me health I have and I know it for which I do thank thee riches I have and friends and this I know too and for them I thank thee too I thank thee also exceedingly from the bottome of my soul for that thou hast given thy own Sonne to me Jesus Christ but truly I know not whether thou hast given him to me or no I thank thee exceedingly for the pardon of my vile sinnes in this blood but verily I am not sure of this I rather think they are not pardoned Nay this will not runne smooth and the reason is because so much particular evidence as God gives a man of his personal interest in himself or Christ or his merits so much and no greater thankfulnesse will the soul be brought unto SECT IV. Quest 4. WHat Arguments to move beleevers to labour for the assurance of faith Sol. There are many 1. As he said to Job Do the consolations of God seem small unto thee That I say here doth assurance seeme a small thing unto thee Consider seriously the matters and things about which this assurance is conversant and thou shalt finde them of the greatest consequence in the world What doest thou think of Jesus Christ for a sinner Can there be a more excellent good then Christ I count all things but drosse and dung for the excellency of Christ said Paul Phil. 3. or can there be a more necessary good for thee then Christ Tell me in sad thoughts that if thou hadst all the pleasures of the world and all the honours ours of the world and all the riches of the world and yet wast Christâ—esse that is thou hadst no portion in Christ why what avails all this as long as thou art Christless as Abraham said seeing I am childlesse In whom is God reconciled unto thee but in Christ and how wilt thou stand before God if thou have not Christ by whom canst thou get salvation but by Christ and why then wilt not thou force thy soul to give all diligence to make thy part in Christ sure to thy soul that thou mayest come in all cases to that of Job I know that my Redeemer liveth and with Paul He loved me and gave himself for me Again what doest thou think of the pardon of sinnes verily the time was once even then when thy spirit did roare all the night and thou foundest no quiet in the day when thy moysture was turned into the drought of Summer and thy soul was disquieted within thee I say in that time thou couldest with many teares break out and say with David Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven and whose sinne is covered Psal 32. 1 2. Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity O what wouldest thou have given to have beleeved that thy sinnes should be pardoned thou couldest then discover death in so unpardoned a state and life then in a discharged and absolved condition Why I pray you is pardon of sinne so precious a thing and is the assured knowledge thereof a small thing Is it not enough to have the pardon passe not onely the seale of the King but the eye also of the malefactor Yea yet further what think you of eternal life what is it O I cannot reach it by thoughts much lesse by words Life no such thing on the earth as it eternal life what thing in heaven more then it To see my God my Christ to be gloriously united to them to be filled with the perfections of holinesse brightnesse of glory to know him as we are known to love him in the transcendency of love I know not what I say for I speak of eternal life O! if the the glimpse of divine favour here be the admiration of our soules the perfection of our joyes the heaven on earth tell me what is the fulnesse of his favour what is the full evidence of his favour what is the everlasting evidence of his favour Now eternal life is all this all this alas I have said nothing of it yet Eye hath not seen ear hath not heard neither hath it entred into the heart of man what God hath c. And is not this a matter to be determined and ascertained to our souls what to let eternal life hang in suspense verily though until we do mount and rise to the assurance of faith we leave for our part though the thing may be sure in it selfe even this also our eternal life as a thing doubtful Thou wile not hold the least quillet of thy land upon unevident and unsure term yet wilt thou c. 2. Assurance will marvellously settle and quiet the soul David expresseth so much Psal 4. 6. Lord life thou up the light of thy countenance upon us Ver. 7. Thou hast put gladnesse in my heart more then in the time that their corn and wine increased Ver. 8. I will lay me down and sleep The ship at anchor is safe but in a calme
and with all those to have a heart glued to the world folded up in the love of sinne resolved against all hazards to shift off all profession rather then to endure any storme what so great a task is this But to have a minde taught of God and to have an understanding bowed with the strength of Divine light and inward change to the obedience of truth and to have a will sweetly renewed and with an holy trembling humbly receiving Christ in his person and offices and bestowing the whole soul and body on him againe here the work sticks CHAP. XII The sure and dangerous misery of unbeliefe THe last thing which may stirre us to try our selves is the consideration of that amazing danger and unspeakable misery to which the soul is assuredly obnoxious in case of unbelief Why will you say What danger if we believe Obj. not I answer there are three special dangers First all thy sinnes stand upon record against thee like so many sad debts which thou hast run thy self into from thy conception to this very day They are all written with the pen of a Diamond there is no blotting out of a mans sinnes but by the blood of Christ and the unbeliever hath not his portion in that blood and therefore there are all thy sinnes uncancelled thy sinnes of nature and all thy sinnes of life such a sin and such a sin then and there and againe committed c. O how great is the volume of them the number of them cannot be numbred and the guilt of them cannot be conceived if one sin binds thee over to hell Good God! To what flames of vengeance and horrible degreâ—s and intensions of misery and wrath do all thy sins oblige thee Yea and as Solomon said in another case Prov. 9 12. If thou scornest thou alone shalt beare it so I say here if thou remain an unbeliever thou alone must answer for all thy sinnes Whatsoever the wrathful displeasure of God is whatsoever the horrors of conscience are whatsoever the gnawings of that worm are whatsoever the heat of hell flames are Whatsoever the doleful separation from God is Whatsoever curse the Law implies for sin that maist thou expect who wilt not believe in Christ O! if that wrath was so hot when it obliquely as it were fell on Christ where it had no unholy and self-guilty quality to admix with it selfe that he sweat drops of blood and cryed out my God c. How wilt thou with any patience ease possible quietnesse susteine the extream wrath of the Almighty Judge who art vile and filthy and hast a conscience with all thy torments to gall and vex thee with the stings of misery guilts and self-accusations tell me how art thou able what canst thou say how canst thou beare up before the Lord if he should arise if he should terribly arise to judge the nations He is the Holy God and Just and is True and Great in power What satisfaction canst thou bring where are thine oblations or with what wilt thou reconcile thy self to the Lord Whereby canst thou either make thy former sins to be no sins or perswade the Lord to be propitious to thee without Christ Nay verily he will judge thee as an unrighteous person for if thou hast not Christ what righteousnesse hast thou there is no hope for thee to be acquitted nay nor hope to be saved nay thou art sure to be damned Mark 16. 15. Go you into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature 16. He that beleeveth and is baptized shall be saved but he that beleeveth not shall be damned John 3. 18. He that believeth not is condemned already because he hath not beleeved in the name of the only begotten Sonne of God 36. He that beleeveth on the Son hath everlasting life and he that beleeveth not the Son shaâ—â— not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him Rev. 2. 8. The fearful and unbelieving are cast into the lake of fire and brimstone But you will say Why This is strange Why such Obj. extreame misery for not beleeving what sinne is it It is one of the greatest sins in the world not to believe that is Sol. not to receive the Lord Jesus Christ Because It is a sinne against the greatest love to the world Joh. 3. 16. God so loved the world that he gave c. Rom 5. 8. But God commendeth his love towards us that whiles we were yet sinners Christ dyed for us God shewed the greatnesse of his love to bestow his Sonne and Christ shewed the greatnesse of his love to dye for us Greater love said Christ can no man shew then to lay down his life c. Now for the Lord to finde out a way of Salvation and in love to our soules to offer this Son of his unto us and to beseech us to be reconciled and then for us like them who were envited to the supper we cannot come we will not come O this c. It is a sin for which there can be no remedy for asmuch as it is a sin against the only remedy of a sinful soul The sentence of the Law may be repealed by the Gospel but not ècontra There is no plaister for the soul but the blood of Christ which yet unbelief will not take and receive It is a sinne which as much as in it lies makes void and vaine all the Covenant of Grace turning all the goodnesse of it into nothing and all the truthes of it into lyes and makes the blood of Christ to be shed in vaine He that beleeveth not makes God a lyar because he beleeveth not the record that God gave of his Sonne 1 John 5. 10. It is a sin which directly murders the soul because it doth wilfully hold it off from Christ who would upon believing pardon and justifie and save All these things being premised let us now descend towards the triall or evidences of true faith in Christ where I beseech you observe CHAP. XIII Rules for the discovery of faith FIrst some Rules of Direction for the manner of â—vidence and testifying of faith that you may neither be deceived by presumption nor perplexed by error and doubting Two things Secondly some lively instance of true faith as the Word of God doth clearly represent them The Rules of discovery and finding out faith which are these SECT I. THere are some things without which faith cannot be in the heart and yet they do not necessarily and infallibly conclude that a man hath faith They do well distinguish in the Schools 'twixt an Antecedent and a Cause a Cause is such a thing as is before the effect and which beiâ—g put the effect also is put one will not go without the other But an Antecedent is that which must go before another thing yet it is not necessary that if it be that the other thing should follow The rising of the Sunne is a cause of day and therefore this will