But now Faith will help a Soul to go over all these Objections it is my Duty and I will do it in Obedience to the Will of God notwithstanding this or that or the other Temptation God hath commanded me to pray evermore and Pray without ceasing and that I should pray and not faint possibly Satan will come with his Temptations and Objections Do you not see that God seems to be angry and offended with your Prayers God seems to answer you contrary to your Prayers then to what end is it for you to pray Yet Faith will help a Soul to answer all with this It is my Duty it is Gods command and therefore I will do it For Faith does carry a Soul beyond Difficulties and Objections As you see it was with Abraham his Faith carried him beyond all his carnal reasonings and objections As when God called him to go out of his Native Country into a place that he knew not and it may be scarce ever heard of in all his Life Flesh and Blood now and the Devil would be ready to make Objections What! shall a Man venture to go he knows not whither But now Faith helped him to go on therefore it is said in Hebrews 11.8 By Faith Abraham when he was called to go out into a place which he should afterward receive for an inheritance obeyed and went out not knowing whither he went He went because of the Command of God in obedience to the call of God So when Abraham was called to a hard piece of Service to offer up Isaac here might have been a Temptation What shall I go and cut the Throat of him in whom all the promises are to be performed From Isaac Christ was to come and God had told Abraham that in him all the Families of the Earth should be blessed yet go saies God and sacrifice your Son Here was the command Abraham goes notwithstanding all the Cavils and objections of carnal reason Abraham goes about it in obedience to the command of God Brethren take this as another direction to help us to pray in Faith notwithstanding the objections and Temptations that may take us off it is our duty here is the Command of God for it and out of obedience to Gods Command I will do it whatever come of it You read in the 5th of Luke the beginning that Peter had been Fishing all Night and had Caught nothing in the Morning Christ stood upon the shore and called to him saies he Cast your Net on the Right side of the Ship Sir saies he we have been labouring and toyling all Night and have caught nothing it is but a vain thing But yet he did recollect himself nevertheless at thy Command we will do it and thereupon casting out the Net upon Christ's command they had a very great Draught in so much that they were Amazed Well this is the second direction to help us to pray in Faith to pray in Obedience to the Lords Will. Thirdly The third Direction is this namely to be eying of the Lords Promise and to pray by vertue of some promise or other and this will mightily strengthen and help Faith in Prayer If a Soul have but a promise to encourage him in Prayer by this means the Soul will come to see as through a Crevice the Willingness of God to hear him and answer him The Soul may possibly scruple and Question But if I pray will the Lord hear me But if the Soul comes in the vertue of a promise he comes with a great encouragement and perswasion that God will hear him Now Brethren for your help in this thing in praying by vertue of some promise understand and know that there are two sorts of promises there are some more general promises concerning Gods hearing Prayer and then there are some more particular promises concerning some particular Mercy or Blessing that we pray for Now as for the general promises the Scripture is full of them that God is a God hearing prayer in Psalm 65.2 O thou that hearest Prayer unto thee shall all Flesh come God is a God hearing Prayer for the encouragement of all Flesh to come unto him So in Psalm 86.4 5. Unto thee O Lord do I lift up my Soul for thou Lord art good and ready to forgive and Plenteous in Mercy unto all them that call upon thee Here is a general promise so in Psalm 102.17 He will regard the Prayer of the Destitute and not despise their Prayer And in Psalm 145.8 The Lord is nigh unto all that call upon him that call upon him in Truth He is nigh them to hear their Prayer So in the New-Testament saies Christ in Matt. 7.7 8. Ask and it shall be given you seek and ye shall find knock and it shall be opened unto you for every one that asketh receiveth c. And so you have such expressions frequently up and down in the Scripture that are general promises to encourage the Soul in Prayer as the Apostle saith in Rom. 10.12 The same Lord over all is Rich unto all that call upon him Such general promises you have frequently in the Scripture and then there are some more particular promises about Gods hearing Prayer as now for some particular Mercy or Blessing that a Man or Woman may stand in need of there are some particular promises that suits them more particularly As you know Jacob he makes use of that Lord saies he Thou hast said that thou would'st do me good When he was in danger by his Brother Esau in Gen. 32.9 10 11. Lord saies he Thou hast said that thou would'st do me good God had promised to bless him and he makes use of that promise and strengthens his Faith in his Prayer by that Argument And so David in 2 Sam. 7. there you may read how the Lord made a gracious promise to David and his House to establish the Throne to him and his posterity that his Posterity should succeed him in his Throne David would have built God a House Well saies God wilt thou build me a House I will build thy House for thee There was a Gracious promise well David makes use of this promise in the latter end of the Chapter verse 27 For thou Oh Lord of Hosts God of Israel hast revealed unto thy Servant saying I will build thee an House therefore hath thy Servant found in his Heart to pray this Prayer unto thee c. So Jehoshaphat in 2 Chron. 20. having his Land invaded by a Foreign Enemy he goes to God in Prayer but mark how he eyes a promise in his Prayer vers 8 9. And have built thee a Sanctuary therein for thy name saying If when evil cometh upon us as the Sword Judgement or Pestilence or Famine we stand before this House and in thy presence for thy Name is in this House and cry unto thee in our affliction then thou wilt hear and help c. He takes hold of the promise of God and pleads that in
the Blood of Christ upon us and that by the Eternal Spirit the Spirit of God This is the way and the only way whereby a man or woman comes to be habitually clean and holy by Faith in Christ whereby the Soul is not only justified from the Guilt of sin but there is the Spirit of Christ conveyed and communicated to the soul whereby there is a principle of Holiness of Habitual Holiness put upon the Soul Well this is now the first general Rule and therefore I say Brethren and Friends it is of great concernment to us to look to that if we would act Faith in our Duties so as to please God we must first of all look that there be a work of Faith wrought in our hearts that we do truly believe on Christ and to that end we should be venturing to lean the weight of our Souls upon Christ and upon his Blood and Righteousness as it is tendred and held forth to us in the Gospel and to this end also let us wrastle with the Lord and beg for the Spirit of Faith to be given out to us Christ hath promised that our Heavenly Father will give the Holy Ghost to them that ask him This is the first Rule to look that we be true Believers 2. Secondly As Faith does possess the Soul with Habitual Holiness so it is by Faith also that a Soul comes to be cleansed from actual Guilt Therefore the Second Rule to act in Faith in our Duties and Performances is to put away all Guilt all sinful Uncleanness from us when we come to perform any Service or offer up any Sacrifice to the Lord If a Man or Woman come before the Lord in the guilt of any known sin that he lives in if he do not put that away it makes all his Duties unclean and not pleasing to God A man cannot act in Faith so long as he comes knowingly with any guilt upon his Conscience living in the neglect of any known Duty or living in the commission of any known sin if he live in it he cannot act in Faith Faith will purge and cleanse the Soul from sin that he will put away all guilt when he comes to draw near to God See what is said in Job 11.13 14 15. If thou prepare thine heart and stretch out thine hands towards him If Iniquity be in thine hand put it far away and let not wickedness dwell in thy tabernacle for then shalt thou lift up thy face without spot c. When you come to stretch out your hands towards God in Prayer or when you come to draw near to him in any Duty Then saies he if there be Iniquity in your hand put it far away Do not come to God in Prayer or in any Ordinance in any known Sin that you do allow your selves in for if you do you cannot perform those Duties in Faith and so they cannot be pleasing unto God Therefore be sure that you put away all evil from you As now for Example to shew you the Application of this Rule that you may know how to make use of it for every Duty suppose now you go to prayer if you would pray in Faith so as to please God you must not allow your selves in any known sin No says David in Psal 66.18 If I regard Iniquity in my heart the Lord will not hear me I cannot make a Prayer in Faith If you have made a thousand Prayers though you be a Believer in the main yet all those Prayers that you have put up in such a way with the guilt of any known sin upon you that you allow your self in and go on in your Prayers have not been put up in Faith and so God will not regard them Therefore be sure of that when you come to pray see that you do not allow your self in any known sin So if you come to hear the Word if you would hear in Faith so as to please God in it you must put away all evil out of your hands In Jam 1.21 says the Apostle there Lay aside all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness and receive with meekness the ingrafted word which is able to save your souls Do you desire to hear the Word in Faith so as it may be a saving Word to your Souls Then Lay aside all Filthiness and Superfluity of naughtiness Allow your self in no known sin when you come to draw near to God in any Ordinance So the Apostle Peter 1 Pet. 2 1 2. saies the Apostle there Laying aside all malice and guile and hypocrisie and envy and evil-speaking as new-born babes desire the sincere milk of the word that ye may grow thereby Do you desire to hear the Word so as you may please God in your hearing Then let there be no Envy nor Malice nor Hypocrisie allowed in your hearts for else you cannot receive the Word so as to be milk to your Souls so as to grow and profit by it And so also if you come to any other Ordinance as to the Lords-Supper you must come in Faith to it and partake in Faith or else we cannot please God by it Now this is one way whereby we come to partake in Faith namely by cleansing our selves Saies the Apostle 1 Cor. 5.7 8. speaking by way of Allusion to the Passover Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us let us therefore keep the Feast not with the old leaven of malice and wickedness but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth If we draw near to God in this Ordinance we must cleanse our selves in Jam. 4.8 Draw near to God and God will draw near to you And how shall we draw near to God so as God may draw near to us Mark what follows Cleanse your hands ye sinners and purifie your hearts ye double-minded Here is the way for us to draw near to God in a way of Faith for it is properly the work of Faith to purge the Heart and to purge the Hands That is the second Direction that may serve as a General Direction to help us to draw near to God in any Duty or Ordinance so as to please God 3. The Third way to perform Duties so as to please God is this It is the proper work of Faith to empty the Soul of it self Now if you will draw near to God in any Duty or Ordinance so as to please God then come with Self-emptyings for Faith is a self-emptying Grace that is the proper work of Faith to empty the Soul of it self Now there are two things that Faith does empty the Soul of in the performance of holy Duties The one is It empties the Soul of the sense of its own Sufficiency and Ability to perform holy Duties and also it empties the Soul of the sense of its own worthiness to receive any Mercy from the Lord in any Duty or Ordinance These two things Faith doth empty the Soul of and so you shall find it that where Faith hath been acted and
exercised there hath been Self-emptyings The Apostle Paul was a man that did live much in the excercise of Faith and he professes it Gal. 2.20 That he Lived by the Faith of the Son of God and you may observe how the Apostle emptied himself of Self-sufficiency and Self-worthiness for Self-sufficiency says he in Rom. 8.26 We know not how to pray nor what to pray for as we ought The Apostle Paul that was such a great proficient in the School of Christ such an eminent person yet saies he We know not how to pray he was empty of Self-sufficiency and saies he in 2 Cor. 3.5 Not that we are sufficient of our selves to think any thing as of our selves but our sufficiency is of God Saies he I am so insufficient that I cannot so much as think a good thought What was he sufficient for then And saies he in another place I cannot so much as will or desire any thing that is good It is God saies he that worketh in us both to will and to do of his own good pleasure And saies he in 2 Cor. 12.11 though I be nothing What a word is this The Apostle Paul that was one of the eminentest Saints that lived upon the face of the earth in his days yet says he I am nothing Paul living by Faith was emptied of the sense of his own sufficiency and truly so also he was emptied of Self-worthiness of receiving any Mercy from God For all his Duties and Services saies he I am less than the least of all Saints and Ephes 3.8 To me who am less than the least of all Saints is this Grace given c. And in 1 Cor. 15.9 saies he I am the least of the Apostles that am not worthy to be called an Apostle So if you observe it you may find it in all those that lived in the exercise of Faith how they have been emptied of the sense of their own worthiness Abraham the Father of the Faithful see how he lay low and even crept in the dust before the Lord and acknowledged himself not worthy to speak to the Lord in Prayer for Sodom that he was fain to Apologize for himself at every turn Let not the Lord be angry that I who am but dust and ashes have undertaken to speak unto the Lord Gen. 18.27 30 32. I am unworthy saies he to speak unto the Lord for any Mercy either for my self or Sodom And so Jacob Lord saies he I am less than the least of all thy Mercies Gen. 32.10 I am not worthy of the least Mercy from thee Thus Faith does empty the Soul both of self-sufficiency and also of self-worthiness Now then to shew you how you should make use of this Rule It will serve for every Duty that we perform when we come to pray we should draw near to God with this sense of our insufficiency to lift up a Prayer unto God we should come to God with a sense upon our hearts of our inability to perform the work and also with a sence of our own unworthiness that God should hear our Prayers when we have prayed never so well as others may judge yet we must come with self-abasing and self-emptying So if we go to hear the Word if we would hear in Faith we should make use of this Rule Lord I am unworthy to be admitted to hear thy Word I am unworthy that thou shouldst speak to me and I am insufficient to hear thy Word as I ought to hear it Thus come with self-emptying and self-abasement So when we come to the Lords-Supper Lord I have no strength now to partake of this Ordinance as I ought to do I cannot prepare my self for it I have no strength to partake of it I have no sufficiency at all to partake of this or any other Ordinance as I ought to do and I am unworthy that the Lord should draw near to me to let me have any Fellowship or Communion with himself This is the Third general Rule Fourthly If we would perform all Duties and partake in all Ordinances in Faith so as we may please God in what we do Then let us do all that we do in the Name of Christ for there is all our worthiness and all our acceptance You know the Apostle gives us this Rule iâ— Col. 3.17 Whatever ye do in word or in dâ—ed do all in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ For if we do not what we do in his Name it is not accepted Look as it was under the Law if a man under the Law were to bring a sacrifice he was to bring it to the Priest or else it was not accepted but it was to be an Abomination in Levit. 17.3 4. Whatsoever man of the house of Israel there be that killeth an Oâ— or Liamb c. And bringeth it not unto the door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation unto the Priest that soul hath shed blood and shall be out off from among his People Though he brought never so good a sacrifice in it self yet it must be brought unto the Priest And so they were to bring their sacrifices and have them laid upon the Altar or else they were an Abomination and not acceptable to God Now Brethren Jesus Christ is our great High-Priest and Jesus Christ is our Altar too by whom and upon â—â—â—m all our services and sacrifices must be â—â—â—ered or else they are not accepted of God therefore whatever you do whatever Prayer you make whatever Ordinance you partake 〈◊〉 do all in the Name of Jesus Christ or else you do not do it in Faith and it will not be pleasing unto God Quest You will say What is it to perform a Duty in the Name of Jesus Christ so as it may be acceptable and pleasing to God Answ For answer Brethren It is not enough for us to make mention of the Name of Christ in our Prayers and to say Through Jesus Christ our Lord as you commonly conclude your Prayers I do not blame you for this But it is not the naming of the Name of Christ that is this doing of it in the Name of Christ What is it then you will say for me to pray or hear the Word or partake of any Ordinance in the Name of Christ Briefly for I would not inlarge there are these Three things implied in it First That we do look for our access into the presence of God through Christ and for his sake says the Apostle in Ephes 2.18 For through him we both have an access by one Spirit unto the Father Through him we both that is both Jews and Gentiles have access by one Spirit unto the Father we have access into the presence of the Father through Christ You know Brethren after Adam fell and transgressed he was driven out from the presence of God Before indeed he had communion with God and access into the presence of God but after he had broken the Covenant that God had made with him he was
people righteous before God Christ was sent to fulfill the Law for his people by his Active and Passive obedience He came to do and procure all that is required to the compleat and perfect salvation of his people In a word Jesus Christ was sent into the World not meerly as a Prophet to teach the Mind and Will of God or to be an example of holiness but he was sent to be a Priest in a proper sense to make atonement and satisfaction for the sins of his people and to obtain eternal redemption for them Application Use 1. We may see here that the work of Redemption was a great work Not the highest Angel of Heaven nor all of them put together were able to perform this but God sent his Son about this work Use 2. We may see here that the heart of God the Father was in this great work of redeeming and saving the elect The Father himself loved them for he sent his Son he gave his only begotten Son that they might live through him Use 3. We may see here the love of Christ unto those that the Father had given him That he was willing to be their Mediator for as he is often said to be sent of the Father so he is said to come Heb. 10.7 Lo I come to do thy will O God Christ was so sent as that he came freely came with alacrity and chearfulness for his delight was with the Sons of men his heart was in this work Lastly Let this encourage sinners to come to Christ to venture their souls upon him Do not question whether God will accept of you by anothers righteousness discharge you by a payment made by a Surety deliver you from going down to the Pit upon a ransom given by another for all this was the contrivement of the Lord himself to glorifie both his Justice and his Mercy for ever Therefore let sinners cast themselves upon Christ and fear not this Rock will never fail that Soul that is built upon it I come now to the next words where it is said that Christ speaketh the words of God for God giveth not the spirit by measure unto him Doct. 2. That Jesus Christ our Mediator hath the spirit given him by the Father without measure This is a great and glorious truth and very sweet and comfortable to the Saints that the Lord Jesus their Mediator hath a fulness of the spirit Psal 45.7 Anointed with the oyl of gladness above his fellows Christ hath the spirit above what any of the Saints have and see Isa 61.1 Isa 2.11 And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him the spirit of wisdom and understanding the spirit of council and might the spirit of knowledg and of the fear of the Lord. And you have a visible fulfilling of those Prophecies John 1.32 And John bare record saying I saw the spirit descending from Heaven like a Dove and it abode upon him And so Acts 10.3 God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power who went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed with the Devil for God was with him And in another place It pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell All fullness of the Spirit all fullness of Grace dwells in Christ Three Things for the opening of this point 1. What is here meant by the Spirit 2. How the Spirit is said to be given to Jesus Christ seeing he is God How can any gift be said to be conferred upon him seeing he is God and infinite in himself 3. How it may be said that the spirit is given unto him without measure 1. What is here meant by the spirit 1. The Gifts and Graces of the Spirit these are given to Christ not by measure but without measure 2. The Spirit it self Luke 4.14 And Jesus returned in the power of the spirit full of the Holy Ghost Believers have not only the Gifts and Graces of the Spirit but the Spirit it self Rom. 8.9 If any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his and the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwells in you v. 11. And if the Spirit be in Believers and dwells in them much more in Christ himself 2dly How can Christ who is God and so infinite and uncapable of addition be said to have the spirit given unto him I answer briefly in a word or two It is true that Jesus Christ as God is infinite and as God he is not capable of having the spirit given unto him but the spirit was given unto Jesus Christ as man the spirit was given to his humane nature which he took upon him 3dly If the spirit was given to the humane nature of Christ how can the humane nature hold the fullness of the spirit the humane nature is finite how can it receive an infinite how then is it said that God hath not given the spirit by measure unto him I answer The expression in the Text is not to be understood without any limitation as if the Spirit were given to the humane nature of Christ in an infinite manner and as if the humane nature were of an infinite capacity the Divine nature of Christ is infinite but though the Divine and humane nature in Christ are eternally united yet they are not confounded This then I say that the spirit was given to the humane nature of Christ beyond all comparison beyond all the Saints on Earth or in Heaven and above all the Angels put them all together The spirit is given to Christ as man incomparatively and transcendently beyond what ever men or Angels have had or shall have It pleased the Father that in him all fullness should dwell which cannot be said of any other Object It is said that Jesus increased in wisdom and stature and in favour with God and man Luk. 2.52 How had he such a fullness of the Spirit and yet is said to increase in Wisdom I Answer The Word being made Flesh he was full of Grace full of the Spirit from his very birth but he is said to increase in Wisdom in respect of the effects and opperations expressions and declarations of his Wisdom One Question more How comes it to be so that the Lord Jesus is so filled with the spirit in his humane nature Answer 1. One reason is taken from the nearness of his humane nature to the Divine Brethren Jesus Christ is the Son of God the natural Son of God he hath the very essence of God the nature of God and the humane nature of Christ is brought very near to the God-head It is brought as near as our Bodies to our Souls and therefore it is said that in him dwells the fullness of the Godhead bodily that is personally The Sun is the Fountain of light and the nearer we come to the Sun the more we partake of light so the humane nature of Christ being brought so near to the God-head as to be taken into
Therefore trust in the Lord in all difficulties Say as David Psal 62.1 Truly my Soul waiteth upon God from him cometh my Salvation Vers 2. My Soul wait thou only upon God for my expectation is from him You can speak it by experience that Power belongeth unto God and that also unto the Lord belongeth Mercy You have had experience of both in his calling you out of darkness into his marvellous light therefore wait upon him and trust in him to perfect all that doth concern you both for Soul and Body Lastly Be willing to do or suffer any thing for Christ 1. Be willing to live to him The Apostle shews that it is but reasonable that we should live unto the Lord not only as we are Creatures but also upon the account of Grace 2 Cor. 14.15 Because we thus judge that if one died for all then were all dead and that he died for all that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves but unto him that died for them and rose again Those that live by Christ it is but reasonable that they should live to him We must not of all others live to our selves besides our old obligation to obedience which we owe to God as our Creator and Soveraign Lord Grace lays a further obligation upon us to live to him 2. Be willing to dye for him if he call us to it Paul had heard the voice of Christ speaking from Heaven to him as all that are called do though not in such a manner as Christ spake to him and so he was made alive and now how precious was Christ to him he was willing to suffer any thing for his Name and Glory Act. 21.13 I am ready not only to be bound but to dye at Jerusalem for the Name of the Lord Jesus He was sensible that Christ had given him spiritual Life and therfore thought it a small matter to lay down his bodily Life in a way of bearing witness to his Name SERMON III. John III. 33. He that hath Received his Testimony hath set to his Seal that God is True THe words before going John says No Man received his Testimony though he testifie nothing but what he had seen and heard in Heaven and no man received his Testimony and yet here immediately it follows that He that hath received his Testimony says that God is True He that hath implying there was some that did receive it that is none few or none None in comparison of those that did not receive it some few there were that did receive it And here in this Verse John doth declare the Commendation of those that did receive Christ and what matter of encouragement to those that do receive Christs Testimony Why he says they do exceedingly Honour and Glorifie God they do subscribe as it were with their Hand and set their Seal to the Truth of God that what the Lord speaks and Christ speaks and what God the Father speaks is Truth and in doing this they Honour and Glorifie God by subscribing and setting to their Seal that God is True As he says he that set to his Seal that God is true doth Testify of what is Truth But how doth it appear that the Spirit is given unto those that Testify of him You may see it cleared in the opening of the Proposition So that the proposition is this taking up the words of the Text. Propos Whosoever he be that doth receive the Testimony of Christ doth set to his Seal that God it True You heard before in the opening of the former clause what we are to understand by the Testimony of Christ and then what we are to understand of the receiving the Testimony of Christ By the Testimony of Christ we are to understand the Gospel of Life and Salvation held forth to poor Sinners that you heard cleared from Scripture and for the receiving of it what is it to receive it it is not only a receiving it into the understandings and also into the affections and receiving it with some kind of Joy and Gladness but also a receiving it into the Heart and Soul in a way of Faith and Believing Believing is receiving the Testimony of Christ I shall not stand to speak of these things but shall now shew you that that Testimony that every believing Soul doth give of Jesus Christ doth set to his Seal that God is true First To shew that God is Truth Secondly what we are to understand by this setting to the Seal that God is true Thirdly To shew by what and wherein and how it doth appear that every believing soul that doth receive the Testimony of Christ doth believe that God is True First To shew you that God is Tru◠〈◊〉 that God is true and faithful in his Word in whatsoever he speaks in his Gospel as that which the Evangelists in the Gospel speaks of in the Testimony of Christ is true When God proclaimed his name by Moses he says of him He is abundant in goodness and in truth he is as abundant in his truth every way as in his goodness And in another place its said God is not as Man that he should lye hath he spoken it and shall he not do it And so I might multiply Scriptures to that purpose the Truth of God is from everlasting to everlasting whatsoever he speaks it shall be what he hath spoken with his mouth he will fulfil Every man says the Apostle are Lyars Let God be true and every man a Lyar in respect of God it is even so And so in the New-Testament God is a God that cannot Lye It cannot stand with his infinite Nature He cannot Lye yet it is impossible for God to Lye He must cease to be God were it ever so But it must needs be so Brethren that God is a God of Truth for God is the Author of all truth He is the Fountain of Truth and you know a Fountain cannot contain sweet waters and bitter He is Light and in him is no darkness at all He is Truth it self and no Lye there can be no falshood at all in him He is the Author of Truth the Devil is the Author of Lyes and the founder of them the Devil is the Father of Lyes and therefore God cannot be the Father of them but he is the Author of 〈◊〉 But â—gain it cannot be that God should speak that which is not truth which he doth not intend for God is an unalterable God an unchangeable God He don't speak and unspeak again but he is Immutable and unchangeable the same to day and forever without any shaddow of turning In our speaking there 's change and shaddow of turning but there is no shaddow of change or turnings in God He says not one thing and intends another If God should promise Life and Salvation unto all those that lay hold of Righteousness and Life and then they fall short of it here were change and shaddow of turning but there 's no shaddow
the Soul hath been praying in Faith and God hath heard his Prayer though he give him not the particular thing he prays for yet he is made to submit to the Will of God This was just the case of Christ Christ prayed that the Cup might pass from him the Cup did not pass from him yet in his Prayer he was brought to submit to the Will of God Nevertheless not my will but thy will be done So possibly the Soul could not be satisfied with the dispensation of God he comes and commends himself and his case to the Lord and upon Prayer the Soul is brought to submit to the Will of God and to say not my will but thy will be done This is the first Secondly When the Soul is brought into a composed frame upon Prayer possibly the Soul was all in a hurry and royl before it met with something that was matter of affliction and perplexity and it was like the raging Sea the Soul could not rest night nor day well when this Soul comes and commits its self and case and condition to the Lord in Prayer and now there is a great calm and quiet in the heart and all is allayed on a sudden here is now the Power of Faith the spirit of Faith hath prevailed and God hath come in and answered that Prayer tho' not in the same kind and way that the Soul desired yet it is a sign it is a Prayer of Faith and God hath answered it because now the heart is quieted and composed after such a storm This was the case of Hannah Hannah was in a royle at first when she was upbraided for barrenness she goes and commends her Case to the Lord before she told Ely she was a woman of a troubled spirit 1 Sam. 1.15 I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink but have poured out my soul before the Lord. And when she had gone before the Ark and commended her self and case to the Lord by Prayer it is said at Verse 18. That she went her way and did eat and her countenance was no more sad And so likewise this was David â—s case David was exceedingly troubled and perplexed and disquieted because of the sickness of his Child 2 Sam. 12. He fasted and prayed earnestly a long time and though the Child died yet David's spirit was calm and composed and when he heard the Child was dead then he anointed himself vers 20. and went into the House of the Lord and worshipped and he went also into his own House and did eat and drink as he used to do to the wonderment of his Servants about him God had composed his heart and though he had not the thing he prayed for yet he had his Prayer answered and his Prayer was a prayer of Faith Object But you will say May not another that hath no faith at all pray and find his spirit quiet how is this then the work of faith one that never had any faith at all possibly he may pray and have his spirit quiet and is never troubled at all wherein lies the difference Answ Mark I pray such a one that is not at all troubled about his condition he is after Prayer just as he was before Now I say this is an evidence that Faith hath been at work upon the heart namely when the spirit was all in a royle and commotion like the raging Sea and then upon Prayer it is calmed and quieted this is an argument that this Prayer is a prayer of Faith Thirdly It is an argument that a Soul prays in Faith when as the Soul is made to persevere in Prayer notwithstanding the discouragements and difficulties it meets withal for this is the proper work and effect of Faith to go on against discouragements and not to be taken off by difficulties As now the woman that had the bloody Issue she would fain have come to Christ but she met with impediments there was a great throng about him that she could not tell how to get near him but her Faith did carry her on against all the discouragements and impediments that she met withal she would press into the throng and if she could but touch the Garment of Christ she would be satisfied the throng should not keep her from Christ Mark 5.28 And so the blind man in Mark 10.46 c. that sate by the way-side begging he heard that Jesus was passing by and he cryed out Jesus thou son of David have mercy on me and he made such a noise that the people were offended at him and charged him to hold his peace and it is said vers 18. That he cried out a great deal more and Christ took notice of his Prayer and called him to him and said What wilt thou that I should do to thee verse 51. Lord said he that I might receive my sight Go thy way says Christ thy faith hath made thee whole It was a prayer of Faith and Christ did hear it and he was kept on praying against discouragements and impediments that he met with And so the woman of Cannaan came to Christ for her Daughter Matt. 15. she intreats Christ to have Mercy upon her Christ turns a deaf ear to her and and answers her never a word she goes on still and Christ denies her I am not sent says he but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel Here was discouragement upon discouragement she goes on still and says Christ It is not meet to take the Childrens bread and cast it to dogs Yet she would not be discouraged but went on till she had obtained the Mercy So I say when a Soul is drawn out to go on in Prayer notwithstanding discouragements and objections and temptations to the contrary it is an argument that it is a Prayer of Faith and God will hear it and answer it in his own time 4. I might have added a fourth which is this namely when a Soul is made to wait upon God still for an answer and return of his Prayer though the Soul have not yet an answer and doth not meet with a return yet notwithstanding the Soul is made to wait and to go on in waiting to wait and to persevere in waiting truly this is an argument that that Prayer is a prayer of Faith when the Soul is made willing to wait the Lords time and the Lords way for an answer of that he prays for and expects this is an argument of the exercise of Faith Says David when the Lord had promised him to give him the Kingdom Saul was then alive and he sought David's life David sometimes had Saul at an advantage as in 1 Sam. 26. and one of his Worthies that was with him said to him at ver 8. God hath delivered thine enemy into thine hand this day now therefore let me smite him I pray thee with the spear even to the earth at once c. No says David stay the Lords time vers 9.10 11. Destroy him not As the
to come and partake of the Lords-Table then we must have some grounds to hope and perswade our selves that we have some right to it or else we cannot partake in Faith Object But you will say This may be a ground of discouragement to many a gracious heart Many a gracious Soul is exercised with scruples of Conscience and may Question whether they have a right or no and such by this Direction must be forced to with-hold from it Answ For Answer briefly we are to know that every doubt and scruple and Question that Christians may have about their coming to this Ordinance is not sufficient for them to withdraw from it or to withhold their presence in it no they are not presently therefore to withdraw and withhold from the participation of it What shall they do then You will say Answ Briefly I pray mind it because it may concern some that are scrupulous and to be exercised with Questions and doubts whether they have right to it or no therefore such are seriously to consider what the ground of their doubt and scruple is whether it be sufficient and warrantable to cause a withdrawment from this Ordinance amongst others the grounds of scruple in this case may be reduced to three heads First Possibly some do Question and scruple their coming to this Ordinance for fear they should eat and drink unworthily and so eat and drink their own damnation that is my fear saies one and therefore I dare not come I fear I may not come I pray now therefore consider this briefly for I may not inlarge but consider this whether a mans Questioning whether he shall eat and drink unworthily be a sufficient ground and warrant for him to withhold from the Lords-Table I pray mind and consider what the Apostle saies 1 Cor. 11.27 28. Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread and drink this Cup of the Lord unworthily shall be guilty of the Body and Blood of the Lord. Let a man examine himself and so let him eat Mark doth the Apostle say that he that fears that he shall eat and drink unworthily shall therefore withhold no but let him be the more solicitous and careful to examine himself and prepare himself that he may not partake unworthily of it that the Apostle doth intimate The Apostle doth not give a liberty upon it to withhold Therefore I say that is not a sufficient ground because we fear we shall partake unworthily but therefore we should be the more Solicitous and careful to examine our selves and to be preparing our selves the more to partake of this Ordinance Secondly Ordinarily some do fear and doubt whether they may partake of this Ordinance or no by reason they find themselves so weak in Grace Oh! saies one my Faith is so weak and my other graces so weak that I fear I shall but sin if I should come to the Lords-Table Now I pray Consider whether this be a sufficient scruple or no for I pray mark Consider the end of this Ordinance and for whom it is appointed what is it appointed for those that are perfect in grace for those that are perfect in Faith and other graces Is it not appointed rather to be a means to perfect and strengthen our graces therefore the weaker we apprehend our graces to be the more need we have to draw near to Christ in this Ordinance for the further Communication of the Spirit and grace to us that we may be strengthened in our inward man and have our grace increased That is the second scruple Thirdly The third scruple may be this which commonly is the greatest of all but suppose that I have no grace at all as I question whether I have any grace in truth or no upon examination of my self I cannot find that I have any Faith is it for me to come to this Ordinance Mark I pray in a word briefly A Soul sometimes under Temptation may be ready to conclude it hath no grace at all but I pray consider thus much though a Soul cannot say that it doth truly believe on Christ yet if so be there be a real hungering and thirsting after Christ a real desire after Christ in such a case a Soul is to come and partake of this Ordinance Blessed are they that Hunger and Thirst after Righteousness for they shall be filled Therefore though you cannot say certainly that you have Faith really wrought in you yet notwithstanding if there be a real hunger and desire and thirst after the enjoyment of Christ and communion with Christ in such a case a Soul may may come to partake of this Ordinance and such a Soul hath a right to it This is now a third direction how we may come in Faith to this Ordinance Namely to have some grounds to perswade us to hope that we have a right to it otherwise we cannot come in Faith Fourthly Take a fourth Direction which is this Namely if we would act and exercise Faith in this Ordinance then we must be careful to be found diligent in those things that are required towards our preparation to it I pray mind it it is the proper nature of Faith to put a Soul upon diligence in applying its self to the means for the obtaining of any end it is the proper nature of Faith to put a Soul upon the diligent use of means tending thereunto this is the proper nature of Faith indeed presumption if it have any hope of any Blessing or Mercy presumption leads a man to neglect the means but the proper work and nature of Faith is to lead a Soul to the diligent use of the means to obtain the Mercy or Blessing it hopes for I could give you divers instances in Scripture for this how Faith doth put a Soul upon the diligent use of means that are required for such an end I remember 't is said in 2 Chron. 20. concerning Jehoshaphat he was invaded by a foreignâ— enemy and thereupon he set himself to seek the Lord in wrestling by Prayer well the Lord is pleased to give him a gracious answer by the Prophet in the midst of the Congregation vers 14 15. And he said Hearken ye Judah and ye Inhabitants of Jerusalem thus saith the Lord be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude for the Battel is not yours but the Lords Vers 17. Ye shall not need to fight in the Battel set your selves stand ye still and see the salvation of the Lord with you O Judah and Jerusalem fear not be not dismayed to morrow go out against them the Lord will be with you Now Jehoshaphat having this promise his Faith did carry him out to set himself in Battel-aray as if they were to fight for it he would not neglect the means that God had appointed So you read of Paul in Acts 27. Paul was in danger by Sea in a great Storm in danger to be wrecked and it is said the Angel of the Lord came to him vers 23 24. For