before had a base and unworthy opinion of Paul and Silas but now Lords Sirs what shall I do As the Heart is so the Judgement is and Newnesse of Nature hath with it Newnesse of Light We can now see the men and their authority and their office and embassage and the end of all their reproofes and instructions and therefore the very feet of them who bring good tydings and publish peace and salvation are beautiful It argues the heart to be base and sordid which can slight and scorne the Messengers of Christ he hath no grace who can contemne and vilifie a Minister of grace But two things God ever works when he confers grace viz. A love of the word of Grace and an Honouring of the Messengers of Peace Sensible sinners are ever inquâ—sitive Sirs what shall I do and so they in Act. 2. 37. Even they were pricked in their hearts they cry out men and brethren what shall we do There are two sorts of sinners First some are hardned unsensible wholly overgrown with sin and are past feeling Eph. 4 18. Their sin is in them like the waters in the Ocean under all which if a man doth lye yet he feeles no weight nor burden because the Elements in their proper places are not sensibly weighty so where sin is in its center men are unsensible of the burden of it They feele it not nor their misery and therefore neither complaine nor enquire Secondly others are made sensible not onely by the ordinary light of a naturall conscience but by the contrary principle of new and infused Grace It is with them like as with a man recovering out of a deep sicknesse his health comes in and makes him now sensible of his weakness and complaining and desiring help So when God doth by his blessed spirit work the lively sense of sinne in the heart of a person the basenesse of it the danger and misery of it O he cannot now remaine thus live thus he must have a guide he goes to a Messenger one of a thousand to instruct and direct him For first conscience truly awakned cannot beare its own burden it s own divisions feares accusations present condition and therefore the person will enquire whether there be no balme in Gilead Secondly againe sensiblenesse of sin is Opus respectivum it is a work for further work God doth for this very end make us sensible of our sin and misery that we might enquire after the meanes of grace and safety Thirdly once more scarse one sensible sinner of many thousands that is able to be his own Counsellor or comforter we are not able always to apply those sweet directions those proper and heavenly comforts as God promises to our own necessities which yet we may distribute with a full and tender heart to others in their exigencies for there is a great difference betwixt the proposing of comfort and the applying of comfort He who is to propose it hath a medicine to deliver He who is to apply it hath a medicine to take There be many contrary arguments and risings of an unbelieving and fearful nature in the person who is to apply the truth and goodness of Gods promise to himself so that he is not alwayes able to see the reach and compasse of them to himself and therefore no marvel if he seeks out for direction in the midst of his own confusions and for a help to apply in the midst of his own feares and distractions The maine and choise thing which the troubled soule lookes after is how to save it selfe Sirs what shall I do to be saved There be divers sorts of troubles and according to their grounds and qualities doth every person lay out for help and remedy Some are troubled with meer sickness and health is the thing which they would have Some with poverty and riches are the things which they would have Some with ignominy and favour and good opinion is the thing which they would have Some with outward afflaction and punishment and exemption is the thing which they would have Remove from me this Plague onely said Pharaoh Some are troubled with meer terrors of conscience and quiet and ease is the thing which they would have Others are troubled in soule for their sinnes by which God is dishonoured and their heart polluted now how these may be saved This is the thing which these would have Come to a soul sensibly groaning under the weight of sinne and say why Soul be of good cheer thou hast goods laid up for many yeares Oh sayes that soul miserable comforters are they to me Lord be merciful to me a sinner Come againe and say you have many good and kinde friends Alas saith the soul friends are Physicians of no value to my troubled and perplexed soul Lord be merciful to me a sinner Come to that soul and discourse to him of the defect of sin of the richnesse of divine mercy of the Grace that God hath promised to give of that sorrow of that repentance of that faith of that blood of Christ O now sayes that soul say on give not over mercy is that which I would have and Grace and Christ and Salvation this is it which I would have how I may be brought out of this miserable and damnable condition Suppose a man were very sick and one should come and tell him many merry tales to delude the sense of his sicknesse this were nothing to a man sick indeed for it is not a tale but wholsome Physick which would help him he had rather by much heare the Physitian discoursing and counselling and applying So it is with the truly troubled soul yea that is it which he desires and would have to be set in the right way how to save his soul Shew us the Father said Philip and that is sufficient so here shew me the way of salvation and I desiâ—e no more And the reason of it is this because There is nothing which suitâ— with the troubled soul but the way of salvation the helps and remedies of it are not to be found unless in these wayes If a man hath a burden on his back take it off and that is the way to ease him if a man hath a feavour cure him of that and this is the way to help him if a mans bone be out of joynt set it in his proper location and this is the way to comfort him In like manner is it here The distresses of the soul are spiritual and only spiritual waies relieve spiritual troubles I now see God at difference with me how may I be reconciled to him I see the dishonour against him how may I pacifie him I feel the guilt of sin who shall take that off for me I would be a changed and new person who will work this in me what course must I take to get God to look graciously on me to get these sins pardoned this heart to be sanctified I cannot passe over this point without a
THE Humbled sinner RESOLVED What he should do to be Saved OR Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ the only way of salvation for sensible sinners DISCOVERING The quality object acts seat subject inseparable concomitants and degrees of justifying faith The agreement and difference of a strong and weak faith the difficulty of beleeving the facility of mistake about it and the misery of unbelief The nature of living by faith and the improvement of it to a full Assurance Wherein several Cases are Resolved and Objections Answered By Obadiah Sedgwick Batchelour in Divinity and late Minister of the Gospel in Covent Garden Matth. 11. 28. Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest LONDON Printed by T. R. E. M. for Adoniram Byfield at the Bible in Popes-head Alley neere Lumbardstreet 1656. To The RIGHT HONOURABLE William EARLE of BEDFORD Barron of Thornaugh OBadiah Sedgwick in Testimony of his real thankfulnesse for all his singular Respect unto him and great incouragement in the work of the Ministery in Covent-Garden and of his Pious care in settling so able and faithful a successour to carry on the work of the Gospel in the said place Presenteth this ensuing Treatise TO THE Reader Christian Reader IT is sufficient commendation to the ensuing Treatise to let thee know that it was Written and compleated by Mr. Obadiah Sedgwick in the time of his health It hath now pleased God by sicknesse to disenable him for publick service in the way of preaching and if by Printing that he hath formerly preached he may become further useful to the Church of Christ as it will be much comfort to him so I doubt not but it will be matter of much rejoycing and great benefit unto many others These Sermons handle the doctrine of justifying faith and if they shall prove instrumental either to work or increase faith in thee Let God have the glory and the Authour thy fervent prayers for his recovery Thy Servant in the work of Christ EDM. CALAMY To the READER Good Reader THis Treatise commendeth it self to thy acceptance upon a double account the one is the known worth of the Author the other is the great usefulnesse of the subject matter The Authour is Mr. Obadiah Sedgwick no novice in the things of God but one that for a long time both beyond the seas and at home in City and in Countrey hath kept up the vigour of a convincing Ministery which the Lord hath abundantly prospered to the converting of some and building up of others and no doubt to the conviction of many more who shall one day know that a Prophet of the Lord hath been amongst them Besides one of an exemplary godlinesse and long experience in the wayes of God of whose excellent spirit the world hath had a sufficient taste in those choise Treatises that are already published under his name certainly from such an able head and holy heart nothing can be expected that is cheap and mean 'T is a losse a losse that cannot enough be bewailed that so eminent and useful an instrument is now by bodily weaknesse and prevailing indispositions taken off from his publick Ministerial labours there is no murmuring against the hand of God but the wasting of the old stock of our able Ministers should be more laid to heart alas we that are to succeed in the Lords work I am sure I can accuse one with what a weak and unequal pace do we follow their great examples and being too too early by the removal of such choise instruments put upon publick services no wonder if we faint under the burden 'T is some recompense for this losse that this worthy servant of God is yet alive not only to honour his own Ministery which was most consolatory by his private discourses full of faith and spirit and patient yea cheerful submission to the Will of God concerning him but also to single out such Treatises of his own as may be of most use to publick benefit and edification The other reason is the usefulnesse of the subject matter Of all graces faith is the chiefest of the most universal and constant influence on the spiritual life we work by love but we live by faith in the chaine of graces described 2 Pet. 1. 5 6 7. the first link is faith as giving strength and efficacy to all the rest what is the grace that yieldeth the Lord the glory of his mercy veracity and power but faith it honoureth God more then an uniforme entire obedience to the whole moral Law in innocency could possibly have done and pleaseth him more then he was displeased with the sin of Adam All graces keep time and pace with faith if faith be weak love cannot be strong nor obedience carried on in an even tenour the back of patience will soon be broken and temperance exercise but a weak and feeble restraint on our lusts and passions till we learn to counter-ballance present delights with future enjoyments Faith is the eye of the soul to see things to come and the hand of the soul to receive Jesus Christ and all benefits in him Faith But I will not digresse into the common place certainly no Treatise of Faith can be unwelcome to a gracious heart especially such an one as this is where matters are carried on with such evidence and demonstration of the spirit and as to the stile with a sweet eligancy and yet tempered with gravity and judgement I could speak more but to avoid suspicion of partiality and private affection to my worthy Predecessour and Father I shall only adde this 't were pity that so excellent a Treatise should come forth in an age pestred with such a throng of needlesse Writers but that it is likely to be found out by its own lustre and brightnesse like a sparkling diamond among an heap of pibbles and common stones The Lord continue the life of and if it be his gracious will restore so much of strength to the Authour that he may increase the Churches treasure by publishing those excellent Discourses concerning the Covenant of grace and other such like spiritual arguments which he hath in store by him Reader I am Thine in all Christian offices THO. MANTON The humble sinner resolved what he should do to be saved Acts 16. 30 31. Sirs What must I do to be saved And they said believe on the Lord Iesus Christ and thou shalt be saved and thy house CHAP. I. The Dependance of the words PAul and Silas on their journey make a step to Philippi a chiefe City in Macedonia vers 12. They had a special call for it ver 9. Being there the next Sabbaâ—h they apply themselves to Praying and Preaching ver 13. and each of these was crowned with a blessed effect By the former Lydia is converted ver 14 15. By the latter the Devils is dispossessed out of a Damosell ver 16 18. The Word and Prayer are the great power of God to change
another thing for thee to be a servant of sin Not who assaults me but whom I love and serve he is my Lord. When the heart goes off from Christ to the approbation and love and habitual obedience of sin now sin is thy Lord But if by faith thou hast sworne fealty to Christ then though all temptations begirt thee though the insolencies of corrupt nature break in upon thee to captivate or to alienate thy heart from service to Christ yet amidst all oppressions yea under all the knocks and buffettings and interruptions by sinne the heart cries out I acknowledge no Lord but Christ him I would obey him I honour I love his I am and I yet hate those sins which yet I cannot conquer SECT V. FOurthly a fourth tryal of true faith is this It makes the heart humble and lowly Every unbeleeving heart is proud and hath high imaginations and stands upon its own bottom It hath no sound experience either of God or of it self But true faith casts a man quite out of himselfe it sees no ground of confidence and excellency from any thing in our selves Faith hath a double aspect 1. One is upon us 2. Another A double aspect of faith is upon God and Christ When faith looks down upon us alas it findes no matter of boasting in the world for either it findes sinnes which should abase our hearts or else imperfections which should curb our pride or wants which should shew unto us our indigence and dependance The Evil which it findes may confound us and the good which it findes may make us ashamed not only because it is so short and defective in what we ought to have but also because we have not answered the giving of that good with just thanks or we have not improved that good to the advantage as we might have done When faith looks upward to God and Christ there it sees all the causes of all our mercy and of all our happinesse have we pardon of sinnes why saith Faith the cause of this is in Gods love Have we righteousnesse why saith Faith the cause of this is in Christs merits Have we any gifts any acceptance any remembrance from heaven why saith faith the cause of this is only in Christs blood All that I have is given me and the cause of all that giving is utterly out of my self so that the soul sits down now and sayes O Lord in my selfe I am nothing nay of my self worse then nothing but what I am I am that by thy grace All I have is thine my bread my health my life my body my soul all thine If any love if any mercy if any Christ if any grace if any comfort if any strength if any stedfastnesse if any performances if a good work if a good word if a good affection if a good thought why all is thine thou only art the cause I am lesse then the least of thy mercies and what is thy servant that thou shouldest look on such a one as I am Thou madest me and thou boughtest me and thou calledst me and thou justifiest me and thou savest me Though faith makes thy condition high yet it makes thy person low Thou shouldst by faith be not high minded but feare Rom. 11. 20. why not high minded because standing by faith Because this standing of faith is not of our selves but in God but in Christ Faith is the foot of the soul but heaven the grace of heaven the strength of heaven is the ground upon which the foot doth stand SECT VI. FIfthly true faith is fruitful James 2. 18. I will shew thee my faith by my works ver 21. Was not our father Abraham justified by works verse 22. seest thou how faith wrought by his works and by works was faith made perfect The Apostle in that Chapter speaks of a double faith A double faith One was a counterfeit faith a shadow as it were which had the looks but not the substance it was a dead faith which hath the limbs but not the soul and life But how did it appeare that this faith was dead did it not speak many good words yes saith Saint James It gave gâ—od words praeteria nihil no good works It could say to the poore be ye cloathed and be ye warme but gave nothing to cloath or to feed why saith he this mans faith is vaine â—hat is he hath not the true quality of faith and it will stand him in no stead Another was a lively and justifying faith It had in it the true nature and property of faith but how did that appear The Apostle answers by Works You know that there is a great difference 'twixt these two viz. the justifying of a mans person before God and the justifying of a mans faith before the world That which justifies my person before God is only faith in Jesus Christ and that which Justifies as one particular my faith before men not to be a dead but a living faith is the acting of good works Hence that of Paul Tit. 3 8. This is a faithful saying and those things I will that thou affirme constantly that they which have beleeved in God might be careful to maintain good works these things are good and profitable unto men Right is the speech of Saint Augustine sequuntur justificatum though non precedunt justificandum As in a clock the finger makes not the clock to Austin go but the clock it and yet the motion of the finger without shews whether the clock goes within So although works do not cause or infuse justifying faith nor yet cause our Justification yet they do cleerly manifest whether we have such a faith as doth indeed justifie or not Obj. You will say the work of Faith is to look up and to come and to deal with God only and therefore to breath out good works which respect men seems not to be any testimony of faith Sol. I answer 1. The Apostle there expressely distinguisheth the lively and the dead faith by works as if he said it is so 2. There is if you will let me distinguish so as it were a double act of faith One is proper and personal and this is circumscribed to that Heavenly employment of receiving or presenting in and through Christ Another is Grateful and this is extended to the sending forth of good works Not as if it were a work of superarogation for faith findes the doing of good works under many commands and also the rewards of them under many promises but because faith sees also a sweet and reasonable equity that if God be good to me in Christ I should be good to some for Christs sake And verily as the worklesse person doth not now own Christ by faith so hereafter Christ will not own him by mercy depart from me Obj. But yet you will reply good works cannot be a sure testimony of faith because many evil men may performe them and some beleevers have not wherewithal
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
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
for a soul which is bitterly sensible of its wonderful and continual emptinesse Till the Angel came and opened Hagars eyes to see the fountaine she gave up her child for dead so unlesse we have faith to open our eyes to see the fountain of grace and mercy in God and Christ I tell you that in many of our exigencies we shall throw away all all as dead and lost and hopelesse 2. Againe It is nothing but faith which gives spirit unto us from a bare promise one word of God is security enough to faith If a Marriner can get to the top of the Mast and descry but a point of land he is now glad all is well faith is said to see the promises afar of Heb. 11. well saith faith to the soul now as Paul to them which sayled with him be of good cheer thou shalt yet do well grace and mercy and help will come God hath promised it and Christ will make all the promises Yea and Amen and now the soul lives because of that good and faithful word c. Secondly If we consider God himself there is sufficient reason why we should live by faith There be six arguments which we may behold in God to envite 6. Things and perswade us to live by faith First his Alsufficiency I am God alsufficient said he to Abraham What 's that That is I am an absolute and independent essence in respect of my self infinitely perfect and enough and have enough and enough to satisfie all the world Take all the particular creatures in the world and view into their natures and conditions you shall finde every one of them to be imperfect to be depending to be replenished with wants even one man for his own particular is covered over with innumerable wants the wants of his soul are many so of his body so of his estate what then and how many are the necessities of every man But now God is alsufficient that is he hath enough to supply every man He can open his hand fill every living thing Thou openest thy hand said David Ps 145. 15. and satisfiest the desire of every living thing and he is able to make all grace abound saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 9. 8. He is rich to all that call upon Rom. 10. 12. He is able to do Eph. 3. 20. exceeding abundantly above all we can ask or think My God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Jesus Christ Phil. 4. 19. The Sunne you see hath light enough for a whole world and a fountaine hath water enough for a whole countrey Why all good is in God both originally and eminently and causally that is he is goodnesse it self and all goodnesse fulnesse without want strength without weaknesse holinesse without blemish yea and the universal cause of goodnesse and therefore infinitely able to supply and help and do good there is no one necessity but he is able infinitely to succour it and many yea all necessities are not to be compared to the unfathomed greatnesse and exceedingnesse of his fulnesse and alsufficiency 2. His Command As God is an absolute and full good all our helps do center in him as in their compleat cause so he hath commanded us to live upon his alsufficiency by faith How often do you read those charges Trust upon the Lord commit thy way to the Lord rest upon him stay upon the God of Jacob cast thy care on him As if God should say unto the sons of men I am he and there is none else besides me who can do you good there is not any good in all the world which you want but I am able to supply it I am alsufficient for wisdom for holinesse for mercy for power for grace for comfort for peace If you want water you would go to the Spring and if you want light you would look up to the Sunne and if you want any good why will you not look up to me who am goodnesse it self I tell you that I am a God and have the greatnesse and the fulnesse of a God Nay and I charge and require you when you need any thing come to me for it I am the Master of all the families of the earth and the Lord of all good It is my expresse will that you come unto me and that you put your trust on me that you beleeve on my alsufficiency that you live upon that stock which is in my fulnesse Nay I shall take it exceeding ill if you rest your selves or live on any other 3. His Promises Consider this two wayes 1. Generally his promises of good wherein is ground to trust 2. Particularly His promises to them that will and do trust Psal 37. 3. Trust in the Lord and verily c. Isa 26. 3. Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee because he trusteth in thee So Isa 57. 13. This puts life to all the rest for though God were never so able to do good and though his commands were never so urgent to live on him for all our good yet if he had not made over this good unto us we might maintain secret feares and discouragements But now God hath promised all good unto us that is he hath firmly and graciously made it over As if he should say all the good that I can do I will do it for thee all the ample fulnesse in me is to replenish thee it is to supply thy wants and necessities and I assure thee in the Word of a God it is so Psalme 84. 11. The Lord is a Sunne and shield the Lord will give grace and glory no good thing will he with-hold from them that walk uprightly Ver. 12. O Lord of Hosts blessed is the man that trusteth in thee There is not any one particular want which is fit to be stiled a want and fit to be supplied in this life for soul but God hath by promises particularly engaged all his sufficiency to help and supply it Doest thou want an holy heart a returning heart an heart to hate sinne to mourn for sinne a beleeving heart an upright heart a meek and patient heart a joyful heart doest thou want any grace more grace pardon of sin assurance of pardon strength against sin strength for any duty active or passive wantest thou any convenient and fit good for thy body for thy name for thy estate for thy children for thy family any good for life at death after death Not any one of these which God hath not distinctly promised If you knew a man to be sufficient to have an estate worth ten thousand pounds and all free you will presently trust him for an hundred pounds or if such an one should command any in his need to come to him and borrow this would draw many to him but if he should take a man out particularly and say to him Friend my estate is thus great I have a great estate and I pray thee if
by faith p. 99 How faith produceth a change of the condition and how of the person p. 99 Every beleever hath a changed and hâ—ly heart p. 99 Wherein this change lies ib. No man hath a changed nature but a beleever p. 100 Enquire after this change in thy self p. 100 Change of condition easily complyed with an evidence of strong faith p. 128 Christ What it signifies p. 18 Christs anointing doth import his assured ordination abundant qualification sweet and pleasant acceptation both with God and man p. 19 20 Vnto what Christ was anointed p. 20 Vid. Priest Prophet King Christs and his Churches enemies who they are and how conquered by him p. 28 Whole Christ the adaequate object of faith p. 41 Whole Christ taken and received by faith p. 42 How Christ is taken by faith as a Saviour and Priest p. 43 How Christ is taken by faith as a Saviour and King and Prophet p. 45 Taking and receiving Christ as Lord and Saviour hath many things in it p. 46 Vid. Taking All that can save and justifie a man is only to be found in Christ as the meritorious cause p. 62 Christ should be the main scope of our preaching and studying p. 67 Christ may be preached two ways p. 67. Plentifulnesse of our supplies in Christ encourageth to live by faith on him p. 248 The ordination of Christ to supply beleevers encourageth trust p. 249 Christs services done in behalf of beleevers encourageth trust p. 250 Christ is given out of rich grace mercy and love p. 190 Christ is worth your taking though we be unworthy of receiving p. 191 Christs disposition encourageth trust p. 251 Christs conjunction and relation encourageth trust p. 253 Christs invitation encourageth trust p. 255 Christs assurances that he will not fail him that lives by faith on him p. 255 Foure things by which we may be perswaded that Christ will do us good if we live by faith on him p. 255 Christs offices encouragements to live faith on him p. 256 257 Impossible to have supplies for the soul any other way then by faith in Christ p. 258 Comfort Comfort not sure but by believing p 64 Distinguish betwixt the ground of our comfort and the testimonies of our interest in them p. 64 Communion No prison can boult out communion with God p. 3 Communion with God in Ordinances and duties not so sweet in a weak beleever as in a strong p. 149 Reasons of it p. 150 Confidence Confidence of easie answers for great matters an argument of strong faith p. 125 Covenant A double Covenant and for two wayes of life p. 56 Impossible to be saved by the legal Covenant whence it is so p. 56 Vid. Holiness Vnbelief makes void the Covenant of grace p. 89 A true beleever is in singular Covenant with God p. 114 Covenant of grace what it is in the offer and revelation of it and what in respect of our entrance and admission into it p. 114 115 Happinesse of being in Covenant with God p. 115 Every beleever in the same fundamental Covenant with God p. 145 Crucifying Crucifying vertue from Christ p. 143 D Day Day of grace fear of having outstood it divers considerations about it p. 203 Debts Christ takes our debts upon himself the comfort of it p. 112 Degrees Degrees of faith what they are and how beleevers differ in them p. 122 123 Reasons of the diversity of degrees of faith p. 124 Delay vid. Hasty Desertions In times of desertions to live upon Christ and the promises an argument of a great faith p. 130 Discouragement Stedfast following Christ notwithstanding discouragements argues a strong faith p. 125 Distrust Arguments of distrust when they grow weak faith gets strength p. 128 Doubtings Doubtings argue weaknesse of faith p. 131 Doubtings prejudice our suits p. 150 Doubts of the weak beleever about his title and mistakes in passages betwixt God and the soul p. 155 Duty Want of a heart to duty should not discourage from beleeving p. 210 Faith puts life into our duties the Reasons of it p. 211 E Exchange A real exchange betwixt Christ and beleevers and wherein it is p. 111 F Faith Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ the only way to salvation p. 13 Faith in Christ described p. 32 The spring and fountain of justifying faith p. 32 The subject of faith p. 34 The sâ—at of faith p. 35 Three kindes of faith distinguished viz. Credere Deum Deo in Deum p. 36 How faith is seated in the will how in the understanding p. 36 37 The proper act of faith as justifying p. 37 The object of justifying faith p. 40 The immediate object of justifying faith p. 4. 1 Vid. Christ The consequent object of faith p. 48 Faith may be considered Absolutely Actually Correlatively Instrumentally how to be understood p. 52 53 How faith justifieth p. 71 72 Whether faith deal with the person of Christ or the benefits of Christ first p. 73 Divers kinds of faith p. 84 Historical faith what it is p. 84 Faith of miracles what it is p. 85 Temporary faith what it is Ib. How temporary faith differs from justifying faith Ibid The consimilitude betwixt faith and presumption p. 86 The easinesse of faith short of justifying and of presumption and our aptnesse to rest in that Ibid Rules for the discovery of faith p. 90 Some things faith doth produce not as essential properties but as magnificent testimonies and how we must distinguish betwixt them p. 91 93. Some things faith doth produce yet not alwayes therefore we may not conclude a wait of faith from the absence of these p. 91 92 Many inward contrarieties to the intrinsecal acts and fruits of faith p. 94 Evidences of faith cannot be given by way of abstraction but by way of existence how to be undersstood p. 95 A double contrariety to faith Ib. Faith endeavours after increase and wherein p. 107 Wherein true faith in one differs from faith in another p. 120 121 Signes of a great and strong faith p. 125 Signes of a weak faith p. 131 Vid. Weak The vital act of faith is not reflexive but direct p. 136 Motives to greaten our faith p. 156 Exhortations to labour for faith p. 157 Impediments and hindrances to faith p. 168 Means whereby God works faith p. 176 The proper rise and ground of faith is without our selves p. 189 To receive Christ by faith is not a matter of merit but a point of duty p. 190 Faith no hindrance to holinesse p. 208. The time of contrariety is the time for faith to work p. 209 Two offices of faith p. 216 Vid. living by faith Faith of adherence and faith of evidence the difference betwixt them p. 259 The frequent exercise of faith improves it to assurance p. 282 Fruitful True faith is fruitful The more fruitful the stronger faith p. 130 G Glory vid. Salvation The inheritance of glory all beleevers have a like interest in it p. 142 How many wayes God hath glory from
the Law of God requires under the paine of eternal damnation The perfection of good works according to the strict exigence of the Law consists especially in two things 1. One is that a man be able to performe them with all of his heart and with a plenary love without the intervening or sliping in of any evil inclination or motion which abates that due and required intension or in any measure sprinkleth or tainteth them with any defilement 2. Another is that a man is to perform good works in that manner with a perpetual and constant ten our or course all his life Those two are the ingredients of perfection as appears by that of Christ Thou shalt love the Lord c. And that of Paul He is cursed that doth not continue in all that is written c. Gal. 3. 10. These are the conditions of works legally good and which must justifie a man if he will be justified according to the legal Covenant But who can performe such perfect and good works Adam might have done them and Christ did but what one sinner can who can say my heart is cleane and that we do not in many things offend all Paul cries out I am carnal but the Law is spiritual The good that he would do he could not do and the evil which he would not do that did he do Good Lord how often are we at a losse in our most retired meditations and how our hearts lie flat on earth when our eyes look towards heaven in prayer For one good work that we do how many bad which we should not do like boyes for one faire line twenty with blots and blurs or like the Archers whereas they hit the mark once they misse it a hundred times Let us but cast the accounts of our ill works with the good and we shall finde with shame and sorrow that our good works are not equal with our bad in number nor so strong in dignity to wipe out the bad but the bad as they are more for number so their cry of gilt is more meritorious to cast both our persons and all our works before the judgement seat of God then the good to ingratiate or merit for us 2. What proportion 'twixt our works and 'twixt our pardon and salvation If Jacob be lesse then the least of outward benefits Good God! how far more unworthy are we of the spiritual yea of the Eternal When we have done all we have not done more then duty and that can never be merit which is but duty nay when we have done all we can we have not done our duty we are but unprofitable servants and that which failes of duty comes short of dignity or merit It is true that God commands accepts delights in will graciously reward good works what for their own sake No for his mercies sake he will save the man whose heart is holy and whose life is fruitful What for the works sake No but for his Christs sake It cannot be denied but that there is some relation 'twixt good works and salvation as between the meanes and the end but there is not that relation as 'twixt an efficient cause and an effect for the efficient cause of our salvation is only Gods grace and favour Nor as 'twixt a meritorious cause and the reward for the meritorious cause of our salvation is only the obedience of Jesus Christ Nor as 'twixt an apprehensive cause may I use such an improper speech for that only is faith the instrument of our salvation c. There is not in regenerate men such an adequation or full 3. Noe ability to keep the whole Law wholly answerablenesse of duty as to keep and fulfil the Law as it is the Covenant of life and salvation There are divers Arguments to cleare this I will touch one or two 3. Reasons 1. Imperfect actions do not fulfil a perfect Rule no more then a short line answers a long copy or a line partly crooked doth that which is streight But the duties which regenerate men perform are imperfect actions for as much as they flow from an imperfect agent viz. from the soul of a Christian which is partly spiritual and partly carnal not wholly spiritual nor wholy carnal even from this doth the Apostle conclude the impossibility for us to fulfil the Law Rom. 8. 3. viz. from the weakness or infirmity of the flesh that is of the old man not yet fully purged and changed 2. If any man could perfectly fulfil the Law then some man had no need of Christ either to be his Redeemer or to be his Intercessor for a Redeemer and Intercessour is in case of transgression and failing and so Christ should be to a regenerate person at least an idle and fruitlesse intercessour for as much as it doth appertaine to his intercession to pacifie and reconcile and ingratiate but what use of this where all things and services are just already as they should be without any animadvertency of the Law against them But Christ is an Intercessor even for the Saints He makes intercession for us saith Paul Rom. 8. and Saint John implies that an Advocate is for a sinner only for him 1 John 2. 1. If any man sinne we have an Advocate c. If for a sinner only then for a transgressor of the Law and if for a transgressor of the Law then not for one who doth perfectly fulfil it 3. If the just must live by faith Then he cannot perfectly fulfil the Law for then he might live by his works but the just shall live by his faith Gal. 3. 11. That no man is justified by the Law in the sight of God it is evident for the just shall live by faith Mark the place shall live by faith If it comes to the matter of life and death then farewel works Cursed is every one that doth not continue in all that is written to do them If he will save his life he must get him faith to fly to mercy and Christ yea and mark of whom he speaks this It is not of a person unconverted but it is of the just even the just must live by his faith that is By Christ on which faith doth rest not by his own merits works obedience Now put all this together there are but two ways to save a man either by faith in Christ or else by the observance of the Law But none can observe the Law so as to be justified by it Because 1. His holinesse is short 2. His works ineffectual 3. His performances unanswerable Ergo to beleeve in Christ is the only way Every mouth is stopped by the Law and all the world is to become gilty before God Therefore by the Deeds of the Law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight for by the Law is the knowledge of sin Rom. 3. 19 20. Suppose a man had many great debts and several poore friends and he seeks to one of them good sir be
alwayes hold If the Sunne be up it is day But this now Learning is or should Simile be an Antecedent to preferment it should go before it yet it is not an infallible truth that every one who gaines learning should enjoy preferment Thus is it in the nature of faith There are some Antecedents there are some things which must of necessity go before faith yet they alone do not formally and assuredly conclude that a man hath faith as for instance A man cannot beleeve in Christ he cannot receive Jesus Christ with all his heart he hath some historical evidence of Christ he must have some knowledge of Christ what he is and what he hath done or else he cannot take him to be his Lord and Saviour Yet this knowledge doth not infallibly conclude justifying and saving faith for as much as the Devils and Hypocrites may see much of Christ they may have a high degree of intellectual apprehension Again a man cannot by faith take Christ to be his Lord and Saviour unlesse he hath some sensiblenesse of his sinful condition our heart will not look towards Christ it cannot conceive of his excellencies nor of his own necessity until we feel our sinfulnesse and lostnesse and vilenesse The whole neither need nor look for a Physician yet a person may be sensible of his sinful condition he may not only by the light of natural conscience apprehend some broader and stirring enormities but he may by a smart and quick light let in by the Ministry of the Word discern heaps of wickednesse in his life and heart for which his conscience may sting him with wonderfully bitter accusations and yet such a person possibly may not rise from trouble to faith as is evident in Cain and Judas So then remember this that in the searchings and trials for faith you do not conclude the presence of the habit from the common antecedent of faith for as much as faith is but a contingent consequent of them sometimes it doth follow sometimes it doth not As in Marriage sometimes it doth follow the motion which is made and sometimes it doth not so the espousing of our soules to Christ by faith sometimes it doth follow knowledge sometimes it doth not sometimes it doth follow the preaching of the Word and yet sometimes it doth not for all have heard yet who hath beleeved said the Apostle Rom. 10. sometimes it doth follow the motions and inward excitations of the Spirit and sometimes it doth not 2. There are some things which faith only doth produce yet because it doth not produce them alwayes a man therefore must not negatively conclude from the absence of them the absence of faith You know that holy and spiritual joy it is the sole fruit of faith therefore faith the Apostle 1 Pet. 1. 8. Beleeving ye rejoyce with joy unspeakable and glorious There is nothing which can present to the heart of a Christian such full cause of joy as faith such a God such a Christ such a love such a blood such a mercy such happinesse such unmixt and proper and sutable good There is a carnal joy which sparkles from the cup of pleasure and there is a glistering joy which the raies of gold may produce and there is a beastly joy which the fulfilling of sinful lusts may send forth and there is a flashing and transient joy which the pride of hypocrites may dart out but sound and weighty and holy and pure and spiritual joy which is a well grounded and not to be repented affecting of the heart that comes only from faith Yet it comes from faith as a separable effect look as trouble and sorrow is a Contingent antecedent so even in actu imperato true joy is a separable fruit of faith Though the branches and green leaves do sprout out of the living root only yet this color doth not appeare at all times Though the blade comes only from the graines cast into the earth yet you cannot alwayes observe the blade Though the flesh and natural complexion flows only from health yet there may be sad occasions which though they do not extinguish health may yet fowle and blubber the complexion So even the beleeving person may sometimes have a tear in his eye an handkercheif in his hand a sigh in his breast and yet have faith in his heart He may sit down in ashes and feed on tears as David did and for all this he may be a true beleever He is not alwayes able to see the causes of his joy nor to break through the contrarieties to his faith nor to remove the quashings of his comforts Therefore when you are to try your selves about your faith do not make a negative inference from separable evidences 3. There are some things which faith only doth produce not as essential properties but as magnificent testimonies The moral Phylosophers distinguish 'twixt the effects and acts of liberality as it is absolutely considered and as it is eminently considered being raised to magnificence To give a farthing according to the rules and circumstances of morality even this is an act of liberality but to build a Colledge this is now an act of liberality grown into the greatnesse of magnificence So is it in the matter of faith there are some fruits of faith which come from it absolutely considered according to the vital constitution of it And there be other fruits which come from it eminently considered faith is come to an height to a strength when it sends them forth Though a child cannot bear a burden of an hundred pound weight yet he can desire the breast and suck the bearing of such a burden belongs to strength and yet the very sucking shews that he hath life Though a Christian be not able in all respects at all times with all moderation and silence to passe presently through every heavy occurrence which shews strength of faith yet his heart may most affectionately cling about Christ which shews the truth of faith Assurance is a fruit of an eminent faith and so is a more habitual 3. Eminent fruits stedfastnesse of quiet submission and confidence in all estates conditions and so is that maintenance of the heart upon Gods promises in the times of strong contrarieties Now as Divines should warily open their lips so should you wisely distinguish of the evidences of a true faith some being if I may so terme them essential and others being eminent some there are which discover the truth others which testifie the strength of faith It is one thing to shew unto you the properties of a man another thing to shew unto you the properties of a strong man Many a poore Christian hath been deeply gravell'd â—â— others and extreamly afflicted by his own spirit for want of this distinction of the properties of faith Because he reades and hath heard what admirable and singular fruits and effects faith hath sent out as Assurance and full assurance and with these some glorious
so the second Adam derives pardon and holinesse therefore he is called a quickning spirit 1 Cor. 15. It is not 'twixt Christ and believers as 'twixt a root and a dead limb which hangs on but hath no life nor sap Christ hath really no such members in his body he is not like Nebuchadnezzars image whose head is of gold and the feet of clay for a man to boast much of his head of Christ of gold and yet he to remaine a piece of clay he to have a nature utterly heterogeneous unto Christ this man deceives himself For every plant every graff that is inserted into Christ hath the aliquality of his nature Hence those who in John 1. 12. are stiled Beleevers they are said in the next ver 13. to be borne of the Will of God Now as in the natural birth there is a new forme so in the heavenly there is a supernatural and holy frame of grace ingenerated Thirdly No man hath a changed nature but a Beleever Why Because no man hath grace but from Christ and none have Christ but Beleevers Again it is impossible for a man to be lovely in the eyes of God without faith but if any man might have a changed and sanctified heart and yet want faith then one might be lovely in Gods eyes wanting faith for as much as God loves and delights in an holy heart So then this is most evident that if faith goes not without a change and if every Beleever hath a change and no unbeleever hath it I say this will follow Therefore if a man can finde a change of his heart he then hath the truth of faith Now then enquire is there vertue gone from Christ to make thy dark minde seeing thy stubborn judgement yeilding and prizing thy proud heart humbling thy filthy heart cleansing thy hard hard relenting and mourning thy carnal affections to be heavenly thy sinful soul to be holy be confident of this that it is sound faith Though there be yet remainders of corruption yet if the inclination of the soul be châ—nged by grace doubt it not thou hast faith But for such as talk of a faith which stands in opposition to hoâ—inesse and please themselves in a gracelesse faith in such a faith as hath no society or companâ— of graces in the soule O farre be such a faith from any one of us An unholy beleever is as proper a phrase as an holy devil Presumption is a most confident work but it is a very loose quality 1 Cor. 6. 9. Be not deceived neither fornicators nor idolaters nor adulterers nor effeminate nor abusers of themselves with mankinde verse 10. Nor theeves nor covetous nor drunkarks nor revilers nor extortioners shall inherit the Kingdom of God Ver. 11. And such were some of you but you are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified in the Name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God Do not abuse thy soul with a conceit of faith and justification if thou hast no change of heart by sanctification SECT IV. THirdly a third tryal of true faith in Christ Jesus is this It will stoop to Christ as well as rise to him It enters the soul into a new service it takes Christ and him only to be its Lord. You read that there was a Marriage feast to which some did come and there was the Kings son sent out to rule and reigne but few yeilded unto him Many men will come to Christ to finde a feast but few come to Christ to bear his Scepter they would come under the safe-guard of his blood who flie the Authority and dominion of his sword they like Christ the Priest but not Christ the Lord. I will briefly shew you two things to clear this tryal 2. Things First no unbeliever will accept of Christ to be his Lord only because 1. His heart hath another Lord It hath set up some sinne or other or some part of the world or other to which it gives service as to his Lord. He is our Lord to whom we give service and his servants we are whom we do obey Now the unbeleeving heart either serves the world or obeys sinne in the lusts thereof Let the commands of sinne and Christ come into an ordinary and usual competition let the commands of profit or pleasure and Christ come into competition Now you shall see that the unbelieving heart will go after its Lord it will not hearken to Christ it prefers sin before him it will easily adventure Christs displeasure to fulfil its own lusts 2. Againe his heart cannot choose Christ it cannot like him for a Lord Why because the dominion of Christ is holy and heavenly and directly opposite to the fordid principles and affections and wayes of an unbeleeving heart It is a burden yea a very vexation to such a heart to heare but the report of the holy Laws of Christ and of their power and authority to oblige the inward man and the outward conversation Psal 2. 2. They take counsel against the Lord and against his anointed saying ver 3. Let us break their bands asunder and cast away their cords from us 'T is true whether wicked men will stoop or no Christ is a Lord in respect of designation but he is not their Lord in respect of approbation They will not have this man to rule over them Secondly Every Beleever admits of Christ to be his Lord as Thomas said My Lord and My God John 20. 28. see c. and so 1. Faith sets up the Scepter of Christ and sweetly frames the soul to a willing subjection 2. Again faith takes whole Christ and therefore Christ is the only King and Lord to faith 3. Again faith knows that the whole person is Christs purchase his blood hath bought us and so passed us into the entire dominion of Christ ye are bought with a price ye are not your own said the Apostle 1 Cor. 6. 19 20. Now then try your selves in this who is your Lord why brethren Thus it is faith gives the propriety and title and disposition of our hearts and wayes to Christ Obj. 'T is true before we were called to faith in Christ we were disobedient we served divers lusts we set up our sins and the world Sol. But now being made partakers of rich mercy and grace in Christ we shall surely rebel against other Lords but Christ that is against all other Lords whose commands are contrary to Jesus Christ Our hearts are his and our affections his and our strength his and our service and submission his Obj. I deny not but sinne will be stirring even in a beleeving heart it will be assaulting it will now and then usurp upon the soul and vex and captivate Sol. But the rebellion of a sinful nature is one thing and the dominion of it is another thing Sinne will stir as an enemy where Christ doth reign as a Lord But it is one thing for thee to be a combitant with sinne
to do them Sol. I answer 1. Good works may be so stiled either First materially because they are such things as may do good Secondly formally being sealed with all the circumstances which are required to make them good both for spiritual composition and Divine acceptation Now though wicked men may performe works good materially yel formally they do not for to make a work formally good there must be the concurrence of all circumstances the person must have a good heart and a good ground and a good end and a good Christ c. 2. Though every Beleever cannot actually do every good work yet some good works or other he can do though he cannot give mony yet he can give prayer c. Now think on this ye who have riches and wealth and professe faith on Christ and yet scarce a person a poor distressed person can blesse God for your fruitful faith nay the very doing of a small good work sometimes doth even try all the faith in the soul a man doth many times beleeve he shall surely want and impoverish his estate if he should be rich in good works SECT VII SIxthly true faith doth desire and endeavour after increase Help my unbelif said the unbeleeving father O Lord increase our faith said the Disciples I pray observe a few things 1. That true faith begins in weaknesse Like a childe at the first very tender oâ— like the light at the first very broken Presumption being a work of fancy and borne with its strength and perfection it is fully assured and utterly confident at first But Jacobs ladder hath many steps 2. That though it hath weaknesse yet it hath life as the spark of fire though it be little yet it is hot and though the childe be weak yet it can suck even the weakest faith in Christ will be much about Christ it will be weeping at his grave or washing of his feet or looking on his person 3. There are yet many degrees wanting to faith either thou canst not be perswaded or not fully perswaded or not constantly pâ—rswaded 4. If the faith be true and living it will bend after a rising and that First in respect of its acts of receiving trusting perswading Secondly in respect of its object It would yet apprehend more and feel more of the communion and vertues of Christ All the preaching in the world doth not increase a false and presumptuous faith nor doth the administration of the Sacraments adde thereto But the living they grow and he must have more faith who hath any Paul would apprehend even as he is apprehended The soule which hath true faith would have yet more victorious â—ieldings more stedfast embracings more confident restings c. like the childe which sucks and thrives SECT VIII SEventhly true faith in Christ and a mournful heart for sinne go together Zach. 12. 10. They shall look upon me whom they have pierced and shall mourne for him as one mourneth for his only sonne There are two things which faith will fetch up in the soule one is love to Christ another is sorrow for sinne There may be a terror without faith the conscience may be crackt and wounded but till faith comes there is no sorrow the soul is not altered nor melted that which melts the soul is kindnesse and mercy and that which 〈◊〉 them is faith if thou doest cast an eye of Faith on Chrisâ— that eye will have some tears for forced sinning against Christ You shall finde in Scripture that true beleevers are characterized by this That they be mourners in Sion and they return with weepings and supplications and they poure out waters before the Lord and unbeleeving persons are described by hearts of Adamant of rocks of stone by hardned by unsensible by irrelenting hearts The text saith that when Christ looked on Peter he went out and wept bitterly there is a piercing vertue in a gracious look from Christ. The soule which hath been long humbling it selfe and much in seeking for mercy and a good look from heaven It is when any gracious manifestation of favour darts down even resolved into tears never did the child weep more soberly upon his reconciliation to his loving father then the beleeving Christian doth mourn in sober sadnesse when his faith gets to see God reconciled to him in Christ he reades his pardon with teares of joy There are two parts of sorrow One is essential which consists in a strong displeasure of the will against the soul for sinning against a good God Another is contingent which consists in those dreary teâ—res flowing into the eyes now this is contingent for when the heart is many times filled with teares like Davids bottle yet it may so fall out that the eyes may be silent in such expressions c. CHAP. XIV Singular comfort for all true Beleevers IF to beleeve in Jesus Christ be the only Vse 3 way to be saved then here is singular comfort to all true beleevers What Solomon spake of wisdome that I say of faith her Prov. 3. 17 18. wayes are wayes of pleasantnesse and all her paths are peace She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her and happy is every one that reteineth her If this be a happy thing to have the Lord to be our God and David judged it to be a superlative happinesse If this be a blessed thing not to be offended at Christ O how sweetly and greatly blessed is the condition of a beleeving soul which hath God to be its God Christ to be its husband and heaven to be its portion Faith and Christ why they are the ring and the diamond they are the way and the life the soul cannot have such a prize as Christ nor such a hand as faith such a match as Christ nor such a grace to contract it as faith Now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace for mine eyes have seene thy salvation said Simeon He may cheerfully lay down his body in the dust who hath by faith given up his soule to Christ But to descend to some diâ—â—inct particulars of comfort to the soule which beleeves truly in the Lord Jesus Christ observe SECT I. FIrst this is one comfort in the Text that they are in the way to heaven Naturally we are out of our way as soone as we enter into the world as soone as they be borne they go aside said David and the way of peace they have not known and nothing sets us in the right way but faith for Christ is the way and it is faith which findâ—s a Christ It was not Philips natural eye but his spiritual faith which spied the Messias Christ is the waâ— to heaven and saith is the way to Christ Salvation it is the great object of â—he greatest desire and indeed I know no more excellently desiâ—able thing then God in a glorious union with whom is the perfection of our salvation Now if thou be a true beleever thou art in the way
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
it is a signe of a weak faith What shall we eate and what shall we drink and what shall we put on This our Saviour saith in Matthew 6. shewes little faith For the lesser the things are for which we are to trust the more weaknesse is there if we do distrust especially where the helper is sufficient and willing and hath past his promise Now God is willing to do for Beleevers more then all the earth is worth and hath done greater matters for them And therfore a suspition of him for small matters shews but a small perswasion 10. The more apt the heart is to be offended at the estate of Christ it is a signe that faith is weak This is evident in the Disciples who being weak in faith Christ was forced to keep many things in because they were not able to bear them and when he spake of his sufferings and departing from them they were much amazed and troubled SECT V. THus for the discoveries of faith in weaknesse Now follow the demonstrations of the truth in faith though weak The truth of faith hath a great latitude it is not confined to such an height to such a point of eminency as some conceive Look as heat hath severall degrees and as health hath many species and as life hath many steps within which the true nature of them may be seated so is it with faith the true nature of it may be in a great measure and yet in a lesser measure and though weak faith be not strong yet it is faith weaknesse is not like death which is opposed to life but like infirmity which is opposed to strength Strong faith is weak faith more perfected and weak faith is strong faith in disposition in tendancy it is within the compasse Negation is one thing imperfection is another thing no faith is quite opposite to faith but weak faith if it be opposed to strength yet it is not opposed to truth Now the truth of weak faith may appeare in these 5. Demonstrations of the truth of weak faith things First though weak faith be not sure that Christ is its Saviour yet weak faith will honour Christ as its Lord though it cannot see Christ bestowing it self on the soul yet it will make the soul to resigne up it self to Christ Though it cannot finde comfort yet it will oppose sin though it cannot comprehend Christ yet it would not willingly offend Christ Faith in strength can put out it selfe in perswasion I know that my redeemer liveth Job 19. Yet faith in weaknesse as was that of Thomas can put forth it self in subjection My Lord and My God I will have no Lord but Christ Io. 20. The vitall act of faith is not reflexive but direct It is not this Christ is mine but this I receive and embrace Christ now the weak faith cannot setle its title to Christ so as strong faith can do yet it can vindicate the title that Christ hath to the soul though it cannot see its own propriety in Christ yet it can maintaine Christs propriety to it it doth acknowledge it doth yield unto no Law or power or right over the soul but Christs it looks on sinne as an enemy though it cannot see Christ as a friend 2. What weak faith doth want in the breadth of perswasion that it makes up in the depth of humility A weak believer though he cannot see himself great in Gods eyes yet he doth appeare low in his own eyes it will not quarrell with God because he opens himself no more but abaseth it-self because it is most unworthy of the least of truth and goodnesse There be two things which all true faith will work One is to value Christ Another is to under value our selves It can put glory on Christ and take shame to it selfe He is the sweetest Saviour and I am the greatest sinner Faith usually acts in one of these either in receiving or in abasing For either it makes the soul to see its happinesse in Christ which breeds joyfulnesse or to see its own unworthy vilenesse because of sin and so it causeth lowlinesse of spirit Strong faith like John can be in Christs bosome but weak faith like Peter will fall down at Christs feet strong faith may be seen by the eye and weak faith by the knee that stands up and blessed God for Christ this falls down and begs of God for Christ And this not for my sake O Lord for to me belongs nothing but shame and confusion but for thy goodnesse sake O Lord for to thee belong mercies and forgivenesses 3. Weak faith though it hath but tender confidences of its interest in Christ yet it hath strong dislikes and combates with that unbelief which hinders his perswasion Though weak faith cannot see Christ as its ease c. yet it can feel unbelief as its burden and trouble There are two things if I mistake not which accompanie all true faith and the weakest One is to magnifie the state in Christ Another is to dislike the state out of Christ O happy is that man who can comprehend as he is comprehended saith weak faith and what shall I do with this unbelieving heart this doubting suspecting fearful heart shall I alwaies question shall I alwaies find these disputings carnal reasonings reelings staggerings Lord help this unbelief Lord perswade this heart of mine cause it to trust in thy salvation in Christ say unto my soul that thou art my salvation The weak beleever hath many prayers in his heart many tears in his eyes and many conflicts in his minde he believes and doubts he prayes and doubteth he mornes and doubteth yet though he doubts he will believe and though he doubts he will pray and because he still doubts he will therefore still morne He looks often towards Christ O that I could believe he looks often on his own heart why wilt thou not yet believe he looks up to God O make me to believe sometimes he spends his time in prayer for more faith somtimes in dispute with his weak faith one maine difference 'twixt him and the strong believer is this that the strong believer hath got into Christs armes and this weak beleever is fighting for the way unto him Weakfaith will not rest in weaknesse if truth be in it In a weak child well and living there are two qualifications of life one is this that it is Active another is this that it is Progressive it will be doing and it will be encreasing So it is with al true faith though weak it is a drawing of the soul unto Christ yea it is a drawing of something more from Christ unto the soul what hinders it that grieves it and what it wants after that it longs and craves No grace is right which is idle or labours not to exceed it self Lord help my unbelief said that weak believer O Luke 9. Lord encrease our faith said they of little faith The weak criple he would be lying
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
then nothing and in the mean time to lose eternity a soul a Christ a heaven yet thus it is the poor creatures at the best but our servants have goâ— our hearts whiles Christ complaines against us we withhold our souls from him our just Lord and best Master But if there were not more glory in Christ then honour in the world if there were not more gaine in Christ then profit in the world if there were not more love in Christ then friendship in the world if there were not more comfort in Christ then discouragements in the world if there were not more safeâ—ies in Christ then dangers in the world nay if the real and â—rue exceedings of infinite betternesse were not on Christs part iâ— durst not so to encline your hearts for saith in him c. Sixthly the cunnings of naâ—ural unbâ—l of are a great impedimâ—nt I will not speak of al of them only I wil discover a few all which are hindrances Imaginations of impossibiâ—iâ—y it cannot be that if I should labor for faith that ever I should get it the intentions of mercy lie not that way nor do the streames of graâ—iousness â—un towards such a deeply sinful and guilty soul my sins are grown to such a vastnesse of provocation as if all the Angels in heaven should be senâ— unto me I could never credit their relation of hope or peâ—câ— unto me Now when the heart is thus forestalled with a strength of conceit that God never did nor wilâ— bend the â—uâ—ement of the blood of Christ towards the soul Why the bands sink no man will be perswaded to compasse impossibilities Apprehensions of difficulty Vnbelief sets upâ—â— Lyon in every paâ—â— and so keeps off from all endeavour First I shall never be able to pare time I shall never be able to pray I shall never be able to keep on in such a course I shall never be able to leave such society I shall never be able to deny the world I cannot take such paines I cannot waite I cannot tell how to get off these sinnes to change this heart to bring it to yield to Christ Discourse of carnall reasonings which try all the promises of God at a humane bar disputings against just precepts by unjust practices and the undertakings of a great and faithful God by the shallownesse of a blind and proud and weak understanding throwing up infinite exceptions Instances of sense and feeling Why if a man will judge of God by what he alwaies hears and feels within himself he shall never believe Yea if I were now sure I should have mercy that Christ were mine that my sins were pardoned if I could see my heart changed and sins dispersed and subdued then I would put out for faith and then I would look up to Christ And wouldst thou have thy cure before thy plaister thy health before the Physick thy life before thy soul the portion before the person thy nonefast before thy meal the benefits of Christ the vertues of Christ before Christ himself SECT III. Thirdly the Meanes NOW I come to direct you unto the use of such meanes by which God workes this saving faith in the hearts of men Where premise with me some particulars 1. There is no natural power in man to produce a cause within himself This great grace of faith is no fruit of the wisdome of the flesh nor is it the birth of a corrupt will if it were possible for a natural heart to see all the excellencies of Christ if it were possible for him to draw out and behold all the arguments of Scripture yet could he not by his own strength make his own heart to believe 2. The immediate and sole cause of faith is the Spirit of God He it is who is greater then the heart and who can perswade and draw the heart and who can change and renew the spirit which till it be renewed by him will never be moved to beleeve in Christ 3. There are meanes appointed by God and which God doth ordinarily blesse for the production of faith as he hath ordained meanes for the revelation of Christ so he hath likewise consecrated meanes to lead the soul unto him to implant faith 4. Now the great and ordinary meanes by which God workes faith in the hearts of men I speak of such as are come to ripenesse of years is the preaching of the Word So Acts 13. 48. When the Gentiles heard this they were glad and glorified the Word of the Lord and as many as were ordeined to eternal life believed Rom. 10. 17. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God Eph. 1. 13. In whom ye also trusted after that ye heard the Word of truth the Gospel of your salvation That the Word is the Ministerial instrument which God useth to beget faith in Christ may thus appeare 1. It is that which discovers unto the soul its extreame misery and great need of Christ nothing quickens the conscience to that reflexive evidence to the cleare and true sight of the natural state which pricks the soul which in a sort compels the soul to look after the Redeemer of the world as the Word doth You see it hath been thus formerly that when men have heard it it hath unfolded their state unto them it hath broken all their proud imaginations it hath driven them to their feet it hath made them to cry out men and brethren what shall we do to be saved Yea and we find it in experience to be so that the preaching of the Word it opens the eyes of sinners it frames in them the sense of sinfulnesse and accursednesse it makes them indeed to feel the need of a Physician of such an one as Christ 2. It is that which discovers a share for a broken ship which doth reveale and proclaime to poor sinners Articles of peace in Christ it makes known the great love of God and Christ and how that Christ is the Sonne of God and was sent by God and satisfied for sinners and this was accepted 3. It makes the soul to confesse those things as most true and good in themselves It convinceth a man that of a truth God meanes graciously to men that his Sonne was a Sacrifice was a propitiation that he did purchase pardon and salvation for sinners 4. It is that which casteth down all the reasonings arguments and dâ—sputes of the minde against the conditions of Christ and râ—nders all the termâ—s of Christ upon which he will be taken as most equal and faire and reasonable 5. It is that which clears the way for the soul against all its feares and unbeleeving doubts from the freenesse of Gods mercy from the fulnesse of Christs redemption from the willingnesse on Christs part and requests unto us to accept of him 6. It is that which doth powerfully renew the disposition of the understanding and will and so incline them to esteeme of Christ as the highest truth and to bend after him as
in thy stead and answered Justice for all thy sins 3. Divine justice will not desire a double satisfaction It will not require satisfaction from thee and from thy surety too The quarrel ceaseth 'twixt thee and God for Christ hath by his own blood taken that up As Elihu spake of uprightnesse that I say of believing in the Lord Jesus if thou doest then the Lord will be gracious unto thee and will say deliver him from going down to the pit for I have found a ransome Job 33. 23 24. Obj. But I who am I so totally unworthy there is nothing in me to move Christ to engratiate me he will never bestow himself on such an one as I am will ever Christ look on such a dead dog as I am I answer to this 1. Personal unworthinesse it is no prejudice You read in Mat. 7. Things 8. 8. that the Centurion came to Christ for his servant and believed on him and sped well Yea will you say but he was worthy nay he professeth the Obj. contrary Lord I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof Sol. as if he should say I have nothing in me to demerit and challenge this gracious act of thine nothing and yet I believe that thou canst and wilt heal my servant so the Prodigal I am not worthy to be c. 2. Nay the humble sense of our unworthinesse it is a furtherance Christ doth not expect any excellencies and meritorious motives from thee thou must come unto him as an empty vessel the full soul and the sound spirit is not for him bring a soul to Christ which is spread all over with misery and need why such a soul is a proper object for mercy to deal with bring a soul to Christ which is all over with lostnesse with poverty with sicknesse with unworthinesse why this is the soul upon which Christ will look It s never well with a man untill he can take Christ upon his knee upon a bare knee with an empty hand that is till he be brought to be poor in spirit that he is nothing and deserves nothing and begs of Christ to accept of him even for Christs sake The Lord be merciful to me a sinner went home justified when the thank God I am not as other men returned as he came a proud Pharisee You shall finde it thus that God looks most on him who looks least on himself The humble and contrite spirits which are broken out of themselves and can cry out O Lord I am really vile and mostly unworthy These the high God who inhabits the lofty places doth behold And Christ is ready to take him by the hand who thinks himself unworthy to touch his feet There are two tempers which like Christ well one is a beleeving heart and another an humble soul 3. Personal worthinesse is not the motive nor designed ground for faith in Christ The ground of belief that which invites the soul to draw on it self to Christ is no deserving or eminent quality in our selves but the goodnesse and fidelity of the promise and the gracious offer of Christ himself to the soul Behold he calls thee why this is enough if thou canst finde God holding forth the golden Scepter offering Christ unto thee upon such and such termes and thou consent unto them with all thy heart thou mayest confidently close and lay hold on Christ by faith This is the wise skill of a Christian truly to observe the proper rise of faith When God promised Abraham a son the text saith he did not consider his own body Rom. 4 19. that is he did not consult with the strength of his own nature what an able principle there was in himself to compass such an effect but he was fully perswaded that what God had promised that he was able to performe The ability and fidelity of Gods promise exceedingly enclined his heart to believe So is it here about faith in Christ if thou doest consider thy own body thy own deserts thy own excellencies thou shalt never beleeve for faith can finde no ground in these to encourage the soul but the ground of faith is without our selves Why God offers me Christ and Christ calls me unto him being heavy laden and he saith that he who beleeves in him shall have eternal life Now this is a word of truth and this word of his is worthy of all acceptation I will venture my soul upon it It is with faith as with a bird cast him into the water he cannot flie that element is too grosse for him he cannot gather and beat his wings there and therefore is kept down but cast him into the aire which is a more pure element then he can clap and â—pread the wings and mount why faith is the wing of the soul and the promise is that spiritual element that aire which breaths a life and motion to faith faith is raised by it alone and it is checked and hindered whiles the soul would force it to act it self upon those poor and grosse excellencies in our selves Faith desires no better object then Christ nor suâ—â—r pawnes then Gods promâ—se Fourthly to receive Christ by faith it is not a matter of merit but a point of duty When God commands a sinner to repent and to forsake his sinnes and take him he shall have mercy iâ—â—e will do it This may not now be said O Lord I am not worthy to obey thee in this duty if I were worthy to repeâ—t I would repent nay but O man divine commands are to be obeyed it is thy duty to repent So God commands the soul to beleeve in Christ to accept of him The soul now looks on the excellencies of the gift but forgets the obligation of duty It s true Christ is a most excellent gift and blessing there is not such a thing in all the world for a poore sinner as Christ but then know that his excellencies may not take thee off from thy duty This is his Commandment that we beleeve on the Name of his Sonne Brethren you are mistaken to beleeve in Christ being proposed unto us in the Gospel it is not a matter of indifferency I may or I may not nor is it a matter of curtesie as if we did a work of supererogation more then God requires nay but it is a matter of conscience a man sinnes he violates a command an evangelical precept if he doth not beleeve It is not a dispute of worthinesse or unworthinesse but it is obedience to the Command which thou art to look upon 5. Christ is given out of rich grace and mercy and love and therefore none can receive him but the unworthy There is this difference 'twixt the reward of Justice and the gift of graciousnesse Justice hath an eye upon the disposition and acts of the person and according unto their qualities and degrees doth it commensurate reward or punishment But graciousnesse hath an eye only upon it self the free
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
I would have the present grants are not satisfying of my desires yet something is got by every faithful seeking there is not one faithful prayer which thou hast dispatched to heaven but it delivers thy message and is returned with a blessing Either it gets more additions to some grace or other or more alienation from some sinne or other or more dispotion to some duty or other or more resolution to seek or more strength to waite Like the many Bees which go out every one comes home with some thing one with honey another with wax so every faithful prayer flies up to heaven and gathers something or other from the good promises and though not so much as thou desirest yet alwayes more then thou deservest though not so much as to satisfie yet as to help 5. Suppose that yet you are not answered it is then a sinne to murmur and quarrel but it is thy duty to wait I observe this 1. That God never gives thee so large an almes but that thou needest the next houre to become a farther Petitioner 2. That God is pleased to make the beggar to stay sometimes at door he doth not alwayes presently give what he intends certainly to bestow but as his own free grace is the treasury of our gifts and supplies so his own wisdom is the dispensor of the time and season Now then as the goodnesse of the promise should draw us to beleeve so the fidelity and certainty of it should cause us to wait and expect God doth give thee leave to urge him but he likes it ill to hasten him if God doth promise then it is thy duty to believe and if he stayes then it is thy duty to wait for God doth wait that he may be gracious and blessed are all they that wait for him CHAP. XVII Of living by faith HAving formerly shewed unto you what it is to beleeve in the Lord Jesus Christ and earnestly pressed upon you to get faith in him I now proceed to another Use which supposing that Vse 5 by this time you have attained unto faith shall be to excite and perswade you then to live by that faith in the Lord Jesus Christ Beloved there be two offices of faith One is to breed conjunction and acceptance and this is done when the heart is upon good and choise and deliberated grounds effectually inclined to content and take whole Christ upon his own terms Another is to breed dependance and this is done when the beleeving soul makes continued use of that fulnesse and vertue which is in Christ touching the continued exigencies of its state and condition in this life As it is with a woman she first gives her consent and becomes a wife and then being a wife she looks upon her husband as the onely person to supply her direct her comfort her provide for her and hers So is it with faith first it doth espouse the soule to Christ it takes him as Lord and husband and then it casts all the provisions of the soule upon him all the supplies and helps it trusts on him for righteousnesse on him for pardon of sinnes on him for grace one him for strength on him for comfort on him for eternal life c. Now because this is a point of singular consequence give me leave therefore and it matters not if now and then I make a little digression to unfold these particulars that you may the better understand and be assisted how to use that faith in Christ which you have to live upon him by it 1. What it is in the general to live by faith 2. To what states the life of faith may extend 3. What it is more particularly to live by faith on Christ 4. What arguments and enducements I have to presse not only the getting of faith but also the living by faith on Christ 5. In what particulars the Beleevers should live by faith on Christ 6. What things oppose the life of faith 7. Tryals if so that we live by faith 8. What good helps may be found out to assist and more and more to encline and enable the beleeving heart still to live by faith If any other profitable and pertinent enquiry may hereafter fall in for the better information and direction besides those particular heads which I have now propounded unto you you shall have a view of them likewise but for the present I can think of no more Now the God of mercy and Father of all consolations direct and blesse their deliveries so unto you that you may not only have that precious faith but live by faith nay and die in faith and so receive the end of your faith even the salvation of your soules SECT I. Quest 1. VVHat it is in the general to live by faith Sol. I will not now stand on the several kindes and sorts of life viz. That there is a life of vegitation which the trees and plants do live and a life of sense which the beasts and cattel do live and that there is a life of reason and knowledge which man doth live and that there is a life of faith which the Christian either doth or should live Neither will I stand upon the opposition 'twixt the living by faith and living by works one being a legal life and upon our selves the other being an evangelical life and upon Christ Nor now of that opposition 'twixt the life of faith and the life of sense the one being a life in hand the other in promises That depending upon our eye this upon our eare that is sense dwelling on what it can see and faith on that good word which it doth hear These things being passed over I conjecture that to live by faith may be thus described It is an heavenly and dutiful committing of our whole persons To live by faith what and of our whole estates unto God with a pious depending upon his faithful and good promises in Christ for sutable and seasonable supplies in all our exigences occurrences and changes whatsoever Here are divers things observable First to live by faith is to commit all to God It is as it were to intrust him with our selves and ours I know saith Paul whom I have beleeved and I am perswaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him 2 Tim. 1. 12. As if he should say I have put my very soul and life into the hands of Christ who I know will look to it take care of it for ever David makes this to be the putting of our selves under God as our Shepherd Psal 23. 1. and as our Keeper Psalm 121. 5. Mark this a man lives not by faith when he undertakes to be himself the Lord of himself or a God to himself when he trusts to his own heart or will subsist by his own arme or when he puts his confidence in any arme of flesh O no faith gives God the honour of our beings and safeties and resignes up all to be
an unbelieving heart But faith makes the soul well pleased because it presents the soul with such a good as cannot only satisfie but also exceed it God is an infinite goodnesse he who can satisfie more then a world may well content one mans heart and Gods favour is a satisfying good I shall be satisfied with thy favour said David and to this doth faith entitle yea this it doth reveale to the soul And I will tell you one thing that he who cannot be contented with a God and his favour with a Christ and his blood with a Covenant and its fulnesse he will never be content with any thing if alsufficiency be not enough to thee when can emptinesse and vanity please and satisfie thee What if a man hath but a little Garden yet if he hath a large Parke and ten thousand Acres of Arables and the Kings royal favour to grace all this I tell you this would sparkle his spirit it would breath a well-pleasednesse in him Thou complainest that thou hast but little of earthly things I grant it and a little may be enough enough depends more on quality then quantity but then though the Garden be but small yet the Park is large though thy portion in externals be not so great yet this with a great and all sufficient God and a blessed Saviour and a heaven to boot is enough and enough If the wife saith she hath but a small joynture yet if she hath a rich and tender husband she is to be blamed if she saith she hath not enough Faith viewes the Christians estate not as it is in its hand but as in her husbands hand in Christs and then all is well enough 4. It assures of universal and reasonable supplies The Lord is my Shepheard I shall not want so David Psal 23. 1. follow him a little in that Psalme and you shall see what God hath done Time past for him he made his pastures green and his waters still vers 2. O what a freshnesse and what a calmnesse doth faith make in the state His soul is taken care for and at the worst when he was in the valley of the shadow of death yet he was quieted from fear because his faith saw God there yea and found him there to uphold and comfort That for what was past Then for his present condition See ver 5. His table is prepared for him as if he took no care no anxious care he needed not to trouble himself Present thou preparest a table for me and not a mean table neither my cup runneth over nor yet a dull and uncheerful table thou anointest my head with oyle so that faith for the present findes food and cheer enough too But then for the future condition will this hold out See what faith findes in reversion ver 6. Surely goodnesse and mercy shall follow me all the dayes of Future my life Goodnesse perhaps that respected his temporal estate Mercy perhaps that respected his spiritual 1. One his body 2. Another his soul and both these shall follow him as the shadow that followes the body they should be still at hand but how long not for a day only but all his dayes not all the dayes of his dignities abilities health but all the dayes of his life Nay yet againe surely they shall follow me It was not a speech of fancy but of certainty it was out of all doubt and peradventure surely mercy and goodnesse shall c. So Psal 84. 11. The Lord God is a Sun and a shield the sun is the parent of light so is God of all good The Sun is the cause of all fruitfulnesse and cheerfulnesse so is God of all blessings and he is a shield to a Sunne for the doing of good and a shield to secure and protect from evil The Lord will give grace and glory Grace is the best thing which a man can nave on earth and Glory is the highest thing which a man can have in heaven But these he will give they shall not be bought but freely bestowed No good thing will he withhold c. As it he should say if grace be not enough for earth if glory be nâ—t enough for heaven think then of any other good thing there is not any other good thing which shall be withheld that is which shall not like the rain which ceaseth to be withheld poure down upon you Will you heare the Prophet say a word to this to this future supplies for them who live by faith then read Jer. 17. 7. Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord whose hope the Lord is Here we finde the beleever at his work of trusting or living by faith and at his wages too Blessed is the man that trusteth c. Indeed the Prophet speaks a great word he is blessed more cannot be said but let 's see how he proves that ver 8. For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters and that spreadeth out her roots by the river and shall not see when heat cometh but his lease shall be green and shall not be careful in the year of drought neither shall cease from yielding fruit If faith plants the tree in a springing soyl if it beholds the tree to spread and grow and bear in all weathers though heat cometh in al times though drought cometh yet the leafe is green and fruitful and ceaseth not to yield doth it not then assure us of supply for the fuâ—ure hath it not a good Store-house an ample treasury for the beleever What should I say more may not faith say that to the soul which God hath said to faith if so then we may well rejoyce for the present and be void of care for the future for God hath said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee Hâ—b 13. 5. Thou hast mercy and shalt still have mercy Thou hast grace and shalt still have grace Thy part in Christ and still shalt have it supplies of all good and still shalt have them 3. The life of faith is the only getting and thriving life What the Apostle spâ—ke of godlinesse that we may say of Faith It is great gaine for it hath the promises of this life and of the life which is to come Profit is that which most men look upon it is the cry of most who will shew us any good and faith hath a singular art of getting I observe that the gâ—od of a Christian in some respect hangs in the promises as water doth in the clouds and look as the boysterous windes rather drive away the clouds and rain though a few drops may slâ—p down but it is the sweet heat of the Sunne which makes the cloudes to open themselves and give out their store So the only way to drive away the promises as it were to remove them with their blessings is not to believe not to trust and the only way to make them to yield out their precious treasures is to believe to
selfe Christ doth much for professed enemies he leaves not himself without some testimonies of much kindnesse even to them What will he do much for strangers much for enemies and nothing for beleevers for his own members for his own spouse Will he heal the eare of one who came to take away his life and will he not think you heale the heart of him who hath accepted of him unto life would he pray for them that nailed his hands and pierced his heart Father forgive them and will he not do much more for thee who grievest for thy sins prizest him in thy judgement embracest him with all thy heart wouldest serve him with all thy might For thee who art bone of his bone will he not pray for thee Father forgive him Father supply him Father comfort him Father sanctifie him Father strengthen and preserve him 6. His invitation This addes to all the rest Behold he calls thee Rev. 3. 18. Buy of me gold tried in the fire that thou mayest be rich and white rayment that thou mayest be cloathed and anoint thine eyes with eye-salve that thou mayest see Rev. 22. 17. Let him that is a thirst come and whosoever will let him take the waters of life freely Heb. 10. 22. Draw neer in full assurance of faith But this I have touched heretofore therefore I spare to insist proposing onely one thing that the invitation of Christ is not onely to faith but to the life of faith not only to acceptance but to dependance also not only to take his person but to trust and rest upon his merit and to serve our selves of his fulnesse As if Christ should say unto a beleever I am thine and all that I have is thine now I pray thee in all thy necessities come unto me live upon my stock draw from my fountaine when guilt is upon thee make use of my blood when wants are upon thee make use of my treasure when temptations are upon thee make use of my power when infirmities are upon thee make use of my intercession c. 7. His assurances What is that will you say Why this it is he doth assure the beleever thar if he will make use of him he will not faile him but will be effectual unto him See a place or two for this Mark 11. 24. What things soever ye desire when ye pray beleeve that ye receive them and ye shall have them Joh 14. 13. Whatsoever ye shall ask in my Name that will I do that your Father may be glorified in the same There be foure things by which we may be perswaded that Christ will do us good if that we will live upon him by faith First his expresse promise which you see in that place alledged John 14. 13. Whatsoever ye ask in my Name that I will do Observe it well he saith not ask one particular onely but whatsâ—ever ye ask in my Name be it mercy or be it justification or be it holinesse c. again I will do it as if he should say ye shall not need to trouble your selves and do not you fear by reason of your unworthinesse I will take the matter upon my self I will see it done now brethren when he that can help saith I will help when he that can do all things promiseth us that he will do any thing for us have we not cause to trust Secondly his sealing of the promises The promises you know do plentifully undertake all the latitude of the soules estate and of the bodies too There is mercy for transgressions grace for sinfulnesse comfort for teares peace for trouble strengâ—h for weaknesse victory for assault c. All which promises Christ hath sealed and ratified by his blood and therefore his blood is stiled the blood of the Covenant See Heb. 9. 15 17. 13. 20. The principal reason whereof is to settle the hearts of beleevers and to encourage their souls to live upon him for the performances of them they being all in him Yea and Amen 2 Cor. 1. 20. 3. His actual impetration of all that good which now we do enjoy Why O Christian art thou afraid to live upon thy Saviour for more good who was it that procured unto thee that same heavenly condition which now thou doest enjoy hast thou any relation to God as thy God Christ did procure it Is any one sinne subdued Christ hath done it Is any one sinne got off and pardoned Christ did procure it Is there any melting in thy breast any hatred of corruption any desires of grace any endeavour any strength Christ wrought them Thou doest seek them but Christ did work them Now this is to be learned that what special thing Christ hath done that is a pledge and an assurance that Christ is willing to do more Every gracious fruit and work points us to him the fountaine and cause upon whom we are to trust not only for the entrance but also for the progresse and compleatment of our spiritual estate 4. His personal donation He hath given himselfe unto thee and will he not do other things for thee which is greater 5. His offices All of them call upon us to live upon Christ by faith To what end was he Priest was it to satisfie for himself He needed not to satisfie for his own sinnes who was without all sinne Nor doth he make his own peace whom the father did and doth ever love Verily his satisfactions were for transgressors and if there be any scope and intention of the vertues of that satisfaction assuredly they look directly upon penitentiall beleevers so likewise his intercession which is another part of that office why is it think you for himself nay in that he is a Mediator and a Mediator is an Agent 'twixt two persons he hath no wants to be supplied he needs not to ingratiate himself assuredly brethren he ever lives to make intercession for us for us saith the Scripture and He ever lives to do that work He is continually offering and presenting the efficacy of his merit which as a sweet incense perfumes our continual Sacrifices so making them acceptable c. The like may be said of his Prophetical and Kingly offices he was invested with them as our Mediator and therefore for our good Now say what a blasphemous absurdity were it to conceive of Jesus Christ as of an Idol which hath eyes but sees not which hath eares but heares not which hath hands but handles not which hath feet but walks not That he should he a Priest to offer for sinne and yet we will not trust upon him for the pardon of the least that he should live to make intercession and yet we will not deliver any one request into his hands or relie on him to obtaine us any one good thing which we need or crave That he is a King able to subdue all his enemies a Prophet and able to teach any mans heart but we will not credit our souls upon him we will not
it is quiet faith makes our state sure and assurance peaceful Two effects he there delivers of this blessed assurance one is a transcendent joy and another is a compleat peace It glads the heart and it pacifies the heart It is most true that faith in its vital act of acceptation intitles us to both Every beleever hath cause of great joy sweet peace but it is faith in this eminent act of assurance which replenisheth the soul with actual joy and actual comfort For now the beleever sees and knows his happinesse He hath a Christ and knows it he hath pardon of sinne and knows it he stands in favour of God and knows it that which held up his soule is now opened all the causes of his comfort shine as it were and clearly discover themselves in a way of well grounded propriety As David said concerning his enemies Psalme 27. 1. The Lord is my light and my salvation whom shall I fear The Lord is the strength of my life of whom shall I be afraid So the assured soule in this case can exult God is my God Christ is my Christ they have pardoned my sinnes accepted of my person what should trouble me what should disquiet me my soule doth now rejoyce in God my Saviour Who shall lay any thing to the the charge of Gods Elect it is God that justifieth who is he that condemneth It is Christ that died Romans 8. 34. Sinne that is pardoned Justice that is satisfied my soul that is reconciled my person that is justified my prayers they are answered my heart that is pacified for God is mine and Christ is mine and I am his Before I am assured I see my sinnes look up to Christ and adventure my soule on him for pardon I trust on him yet I may feare but when I am assured I see my sinnes look up to Christ and my soule is quiet and rejoyceth As it was with the Israelites when they were Neere the red sea they looked back on their enemies and looked up to God but yet they were exceedingly afraid Afterwards when they had past through the read sea and stood upon the shore they looked back upon the same enemies but now as drowned and then their sighes were turned into joyes and their feares into peace They exceedingly rejoyed Why in assurance though we look upon the same sinnes yet not in the same manner Now we look upon them as drowned enemies as iniquities cast into the depths of the sea as pardoned iniquities Now though sin doth grieve the soule yet sinne pardoned doth quiet and rejoyce the soul 3. Assurance doth arme the heart against future temptations There are two sorts of temptations against both which the assurance of faith doth arme the beleever 1. To sinne Though assurance be a kinde of heaven upon earth yet in this doth the beatifical vision differ from a beleeving assurance that the one leaves no sinne at all but the other is a day of great comfort to a beleeving sinner yet even an assured person hath yet much of a sinning nature remaining in him Neverthelesse though assurance doth not wholly cast off feare yet it doth exceedingly keep off sinne A beleeving person shall not easily sinne whiles he is reading his pardon and looking his Christ in the face How can I do this great wickednesse and sinne against God If the meere respect of a God was so prevalent with Joseph O how much more powerful is the propriety in a God How can I do this great wickednesse and sinne against my God Should such a man as I flee said Nehemiah so the assured Christian should such a man as I sinne Nay remember it Sinne is never more odious to the heart then when the heart is most assured The great and rich mercy of God in Christ it is the principal bane of a temptation The man who formerly would have stept out against the threats of justice having now obtained mercy trembles at the very thoughts of sinning 2 To despaire it is possible for an assured person to sinne and then this is probable and more then â—o that new sinnings will quickly cloud olâ— assurance Though a beleever looseth not his life yet â—e may loose his health and though he hath a Father 〈◊〉 yâ—t by sinning he looseth the sight of that Father 〈…〉 exceedingly humbled and repents â—â—d 〈…〉 cannot read his former Evidences he 〈…〉 cast off for ever and shall be remembred 〈…〉 yâ—t an ancient assurance well grounded 〈…〉 and preserve the soul against despair◠〈…〉 â—hat God will not cast off the soul Jer. 〈…〉 hath appâ—â—â—â—ed of old unto me saying I 〈…〉 an everlastâ—ng love therefore with loâ—â—ng 〈…〉 thee Ver. 4. Againe I will build thee and thou shalt be built So Psal 8â— 30. 〈◊〉 his children forsâ—ke my Law and walk not in my judgments Ver. 31. If they break my statuteâ— and keep not my commandments Ver. 32. Then will I visit their transgression with the red and their iniquities with stâ—ipes Ver. 33. Neverthelesse my loving kindnesse will I not utteâ—ly take from him nor suffer my faithfulnesse to faile Vâ—r. 34. My Covenant will I not break c. Sure mercies of David Isaiah 55. 3. So for Christ Ioh 13. 1. Having loved his own he loved them to the end 4. Assurance by faith sweetens all other blessing to us Job speaking of many outward mercies in â—â—s children in his plenty his honours Job 29. 5. 67. and ver 3. he recounts one which shadowed all of them his candle shinâ—d upon my head Aâ— if the evidence of Gods favouâ— were like the light which gives life and beauâ—y to all the colours in the roome and without which all our blessings lay dead and dark O what an enlivening matter is this to all that I enjoy and God is my God too and Chriâ—t is my Christ too and my sins are pardoned too here is a dear and loving husband yea and God is my God too here are teâ—der and observing children yea and Christ is my Christ too here is plenty of food and raiment and friends yea and my sins are pardoned too But the want of this may check all our blessings and is able to marre the very comfort of our comforts I am exceeding rich yea but I cannot yet say that God is my God I am greatly honoured by man yea but I cannot yet say that Christ is my Redeemer I have health and marrow in my bones and want not for any outward mercy yea but I cannot yet say that my sinnes are pardoned for ought I know that may yet stand upon record which may lose my soul for ever 5. Nay again it is able to sweeten all our crosses a crosse is more or lesse heavy to the Christian by how much the more or the lesse God appeares to the soul The Disciples may even in a storme rejoyce if Christ be in the Ship It was an excellent speech that of Job 29. 3. By his light I walked through
acts of self-denial as in Abraham and his unstaggering embracing of a promise against which both reason and sense and nature might have disputed and urged O say they we have no faith Abrahams faith wrought full assurance removed all staggerings our hearts are still doubting we can hardly be perswaded we reel and stagger like the waves now on the shore and then instantly off now we beleeve anon we let go our hold and doubt And hence they uncomfortably conclude against their own souls the utter absence of faith from the defect of some particular and eminent expressions of faith not absolutely as faith but of faith as strong and exceedingly ripened we must not conclude negatively from the degrees to the habit As if one should conclude that he hath no silver in his purse because another hath a bank of many thousands or that he hath no legges to go because he is not so swift as Asahel or that the Sparrow flies not because he cannot mount up to the Sunne with the Eagle or that a child is no man because he cannot expresse the acts of a strong man 4. There are and will be many inward contrarieties to the intrinsecal acts and fruits of faith notwithstanding faith be truly in the soul and works there Faith though it hath the preheminence of other graces in respect of its office being the only Embassador as it were of the soul to Christ yet it hath no priviledge above them in respect of the subject that is in respect of the act and workings of it there but look as every other Grace hath some or other particular corruption opposite to its particular nature and its particular actings So even faith it self hath infidelity and unbelief opposing it both in the quality and in the several exercisings or actings of it There may be flame of the smoak and a hand with shaking and a tree trembling and a faith of doubting Yea if any grace hath the hardnesse of a more general and 〈◊〉 opposition then faith is it it being a grace of general 〈◊〉 and use to fetch in more grace and more strength against aâ—l sinne Now in our trials for faith it will be with us as with the Artificer in his search for the little raies of gold It 's true he shaâ—l finde much drosse here and there and yet if he can finde a very little peece of gold though amidst an heap of drosse he will say this is gold and will preciously esteeme of it and lay it up So when we are searching our hearts by the light of Gods Word for true faith without all doubt we shall meet with many doubtings much unbelief yet if we can finde any one degree of true faith which is more precious then gold we may not cast it away because it is found amongst its contraries but we must cherish and embrace it because the touchstone of the Word hath approved it to be a precious faith For and mark this we are not able to give you any evidences of faith or any other grace by way of abstraction but by way of existence that is not what may discover faith in a notional and the most singularly conceivable profession of it but such testimonies you have to discover faith as faith is now abiding in sinful persons who though they may have true faith yet as long as they live in earth will have many things in them contrary to faith There is a double contrariety to faith A double contrariety One is natural and this more or lesse will be in the soul of any beleeving person tell you can utterly raise the heart and eject sinne by the alteration of glory So long as we have flesh and spirit there will be a conflâ—cting 'twixt faith and unbelief As there was a mixtuâ—e of joy and sorrow at the erecting of the Temple Another is approved when a man neither doth nor will beleeve he neither doth accept of Christ nor will he have Christ to reigne over him and he likes his unbeleeving condition this is a fearful estate But though the contraries to faith do arise yet if they be not approved yet if they be resisted we must not conclude that we have no faith because of the opposition but rather assure our selves that we have it because of the resistance of that opposition We must not conclude against faith because of opposition inward or outward This inequality of acts conclude not an absence of the habit of faith Distinguish of 1. Radical habits 2. Actual exercisings which are sometimes more sometimes lesse sometimes clear sometimes interrupted sometimes the soul is free sometimes oppressed and violently carried by temptation to misjudge the condition The censure of our faith must not be allowed as is given in the time of our temptation and passion c. I said in my haste Psalme 116. Obj. But you will say we grant all this But how may a man know that his faith in Jesus Christ is a true and lively faith Sol. I answer SECT II. FIrst A true love of Christ is an infallible and essential evidence of a true faith in Christ There are foure things which will clear this as a lively testimony 4. Things of true faith If we can prove First that love is not separated from faith Secondly that there is no beleever in any degrees of faith but he hath a love of Christ Thirdly That there is no time or circumstance into which the beleeving soul is cast but still he loves Christ Fourthly that no unbeleeving heart can and doth love Christ I say if we can prove these foure conclusions then it will be most evident and certaine that the love of Christ is an infallible Argument or Testimony of a true faith in Christ Thus then 1. Love is not separated from faith If you peruse the Scripture you shall finde them go hand in hand Gal. 5. 6. For in Jesus Christ neither circumcission availeth any thing nor uncircumcision but faith which works by love that is Christ is not mine because I am a Jew nor is he mine because I am a Gentile but he is mine because I am a Beleever and if my Faith in him be true it will expresse it self by love I Thes 1. 3. Your work of faith and labour of love in our Lord Jesus Christ Faith and love are like a warm hand faith is the hand and love is the warmth in it faith cannot be the hand to take Christ but love will be the warmth to heat our affections unto Christ 1 Tim. 1. 14. The grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Ghrist Jesus Faith and love are like the husband and the wife and faith and love are like the mother and the daughter See 2 Tim. 1. 13. and Phil. 5. And indeed it stands with unanswerable reason that faith and love cannot be divided for as much as faith in Christ First represents the absolute and effectual cause of love to Christ
It doth see such a measure of goodnesse and mercy from God through Christ and such a height and depth and breadth of love to us in Christ and such an excellency of holy perfections and amiablenesse in Christ which drawes the soul with strong affections of love to Christ againe Secondly if faith might be without love then a person in Christ might be Anathema-maranatha forasmuch as he who loves not the Lord Jesus Christ is c. but it is a monstrous wickednesse to conceive that a beleever in Christ should be so Secondly there is no believer in any degree of faith but he hath a love of Christ The weak Christian as well as the strong the plant as well as the cedar The Father of a child who cryed out I believe help my unbelief as well as Abraham the father of the faithful Though one Christian may produce some testimonies which another cannot though every one cannot say with Paul I am fully perswaded yet every one can say with Peter when Christ demanded of him Simon son of Jonas lovest thou me Joh. 21. 17. He said unto him Lord thou Knowest all things thou knowest that I love thee Yea thirdly whatsoever straits the believing soul is cast into when it is in death in flames for Christ yet it can love Christ when it is under the crowd of temptations when it is in the bitter dayes of desertion When the Skirmish of reasonings do prevaile upon the soul so highly and strongly that the heart is ready to conclude against it self that God looks not on it Christ will not be mine yet even then however I love the Lord Jesus Christ I love him though I can see no sensible testimony of love from him my heart is still towards him he is my Center and Loadstone No meerly unbelieving person can love the Lord Jesus Christ For what is love Love you know it is the setling and transplanting of the heart It is such an affection as knits the soule to Christ but it is impossible that this should be whiles the heart hath no faith So then love of Christ is an infallible testimony of faith in Christ But you will say this is strange that love of Christ should be so Obj. lively and so distinguishing a testimony of true faith why doth not many a man yea every man professe that he loves Christ Beloved What men professe is one thing and what they Sol. affect and love may be another thing the semblance of love is a thing distinct from the sincere affection of love If your love be true and sincere never question the matter any further assuredly thy faith is right But this is the doubt this is it we question as much as the former Obj. whether we truly love Christ or no. A word to it and so an end of that triall If the love be true Sol. which is to Christ Then It will bestow our hearts on Christ only Nothing is too good for him whom we heartily love in true love the heart is in him who is loved and not in him who loves Anima est ubi amat non ubi animat and which way the heart goes all shall go that way It pitches on the person of Christ Love is base if it be 'twixt person and estate but pure love is 'twixt person and person I confesse that a wicked man an unbelieving person may have a tooth at the portion of Christ he may marvelously desire the merits of Christ pardon of sin exemption from hell but faith is it which drawes out such a love as makes the soul to admire it and to cleave unto the person of Christ It is sincere and conjugall It is not an adulterous love which is divided amongst several Paramours O no True love of Christ knowes no husband but Christ and no Lord but Christ he is the covering of our eyes SECT III. A Second trial of our true faith in Christ Jesus is this inward change and sanctity of the heart is an infallible testimony of a living faith Divines distinguish of a common faith and of a special faith and according to their nature so are their effects a common faith may elevate the minde to singular apprehensions notable expressions outward conformities in matters either not difficult or dangerous But special faith hath a distinguishing operation it works that which no false or pretensive faith can What 's that This is it it doth change the heart and is ever a companion with inward holinesse There be three things which I will shew you about 3. Things this First that true faith doth produce a change there is a twofold change 1. One of the condition which is when a man once in the state of death is now passed over to the state of life once in the termes of condemnation is now translated to the state of absolution and this change faith findes for us in Iesus Christ the imputation of whose righteousnesse in justification changeth the state so that our guilty debts are taken off and we are reconciled Secondly which is of the person and this change is the alteration of a mans nature for faith is not only a justifying grace but it is also a sanctifying grace Hence these phrases Acts. 15. 9. purifying their hearts by faith Acts 26. 18. that they may receive forgivenesse of sinnes and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in Christ. As the blood of Christ is a pure blood as well as a precious blood and as it is a clensing blood as well as an expiating blood so faith is a grace not only to acquit but also to purge and renew It is not onely an entitleing grace that is that grace which doth interest us into Christ and his benefits but it is also a conforming grace that is such a grace as works into us the vertues and holy qualities of Christ And therefore you read that it doth engraffe us into the similitude of his death Ro. 8. and into the fellowship of his sufferings and resurrection Phil. 3. 10. Secondly observe that every believer hath a changed and a holy heart 2 Cor. 5. 17. If any man be in Christ and you know that it is faith which unites to Christ and plants us into him he is a new creature that is that a man is altered in his inward frame in his faculties in his inclinations all over There is a change either in the cessation of some particular actions which an unbeliever may attaine and there is a change in the newnesse of nature when the soul is turned and biassed and enclined quite another way I confesse the Apostle doth not say if any man be in Christ he is a strong creature yet he saith he is a new creature for though every believer hath not that maturity and ripenesse and strength yet he hath a newnesse in his nature an holy change wrought in him throughout Look as the first Adam derived guilt and corruption to his posterity
Thou shalt see there all thy good set freely open that God stands not for this nor for that and it matters not what thou hast been there is mercy enough for what is past and there is grace to renew thy heart for the present and strength for the future and thou mayest sue out the Lord for this faith of which we now speak and he will surely give it unto thee 3. Study the main hinderances of distance twixt Christ and the Covenant and thy soul There is one thing above all the rest which keeps thee off and that is unbelief For God doth not require any other thing of thee in the entrance of Christ but only to accept of him He doth not say if thou hadst never offended me then I would have bestowed my Sonne on thee or if thou hadst not offended me so much or if thou canst bring any singular nature and excellent qualities of thine own then I will give my Sonne unto thee or then I will give thee leave No but all that he requires is this Beleeve and accept of my Sonne to be thy Lord and Saviour and I will in him give thee pardon Why now brethren this is the last and sore check of the match our hearts are unbelieving we will not condescend to this condition but fly hovering after some unknown and devised method of our own 4. Study much the sinfulnesse of unbelief that it is a sinne and a great sinne and that in thee What! after all sense of misery to hold off from remedy not to close with Gods great love as if God were not wise enough to shew thee the way of salvation or as if he were not true that thou darest not to venture and fasten thy soule and state upon his Word 5. Study well wherein the nature of faith doth consist Many Obj. persons seeme to complaine that they have no faith and Sol. cannot believe Why they are not right in the doctrinal part of faith they mistake faith exceedingly thinking it to consist in a full assurance and in a sensible taste of Gods love in Christ and in a sensible and clear perswasion that their sins are pardoned which because as yet they never had they therefore perplex themselves much about faith Therefore inform thy self what faith in Christ is It is the hearty accepting of Christ upon his own conditions if thy heart and soul are willing to accept of Christ as the only Lord to rule thee and as the only Redeemer to save thee and to cleave unto him for better for worse through all the changes which may befal thee for Christs sake why this is faith viz. An accepting of his person and a reposing of the soul upon him for its safety and a cleaving to him upon all states If thou canst finde thus much that there is no one sinne which shall rule thee to the love and obedience of which thou wilt resigne thy selfe but Christ is he whom thou choosest for to be thy Lord And there is no Name in heaven and earth upon which thou wilt put confidence for thy righteousnesse and discharge and salvation but only in Christ. And upon him thy soul entirely and unfainedly desires to rest it self thou hast true faith 6. Know this and convince thy self of it that thou shalt never hurt thy self nor offend God if thou couldest believe wherefore hath God given Christ and wherefore hath Christ given himselfe and wherefore is he now offered to sinners and wherefore are we commanded to beleeve if yet to beleeve that is to accept of Christ to consent to the acceptance of his person upon his own condition were a sinne 7. Withal this beg fervently of God that he would perswade thy heart to beleeve that is to accept of Christ to be thy Lord and Saviour and to rest thy soul upon him No man comes to me saith Christ except the Father draw him Now then O Lord draw me and I shall runne after thee O subdue this unbeleeving heart and give unto me the Spirit of faith and love and obedience Lastly look for this gift of faith to be wrought in thee by the Spirit of Christ in the Ordinances and wait upon God there continually Thou shalt in time perhaps sooner perhaps later finde thy soule touched and thy feares answered and thy soule made exceedingly willing to accept of Christ as thy Lord and to put it self upon him as thy Saviour Yea hold on in waiting and seeking and thou shalt not only have Christ formed in thee and faith formed in thee but thou shalt come to know him whom thou hast accepted and trusted This is a sweet and safe course for a sensible sinner viz. 1. To present up his request unto God in the Name of Christ earnestly beseeching him to declare this Almighty working of his Spirit in causing the heart to beleeve 2. Then to stand in the wayes of grant and come to the Ordinances wherein God doth reveale his arme and give faith and so enclines and unites the soul with Christ What thou doest earnestly seek in a private way that God doth ordinarily answer and bestow in a publick 3. Then wait and expect not to limit God just to this time nor to this preacher nor to cast off all confidence of answer upon present denials but to look up from day to day from week to week if at length God will give thee faith I never reade or heard of any whose hearts were thus set but God hath found a time to give unto them the desires of their souls He hath repâ—enished their souls with his salvation and loving kindnesse Therefore go on cheerfully in the use of these meanes whatsoever befals thee yet it shall be well with thee He that hath found Christ cannot but say that this way is good and he who is thus seeking of him shall say it was not in vaine to follow it SECT IV. Fourthly The Objections NOw I proceed to the resolution of those Scruples which do entangle the soul of a sinful sinner and hinder him from beleeving which beget extream fears and doubts that he may not lay hold on Christ and that God will never bestow Christ on him neither would he take it well of the soul to be so busie and forward Obj. 1. Why saith the sensible sinner my sinnings have been so great and transgressions so mighty that I may never look up with any confidence upon the rock of salvation nay it is not Satan onely but my own conscience which doth testifie against me the manifold numbers and the high exceedings of my rebellions I tell you you would tremble to think of such lewdnesse whereof I have been and now do stand guilty and the sensible consideration of them makes my heart to sink and checks me with shame and blushing when I think of laying hold on Christ Sol. For the assoyling of this Objection consider these particulars First the greatnesse of sinning should be a strong reason to compel in the soul