penitent Thief upon the Cross had but a little time to turn him in and yet a good part of that little Note he spent in labouring to gain the Soul of his fellow-Thief Luk. 23.40 Dost not thou fear God seeing thou art in the same condemnation Be assured of this that as the gain of Souls is the best of all gains So the blood of Souls of all other blood will lie the heaviest upon the Conscience of such as are guilty of it Vse 3 Vse 3. Of Exhortation Exhortation to convert Souls The third Use may be for Exhortation 1. To all sorts of Christians in general and then 2. In special to those whose Office and Function calls upon them more importunately to labour in the Conversion of Souls Branch 1. In general to all First To all in general for we must not think it is the Ministers work alone For what knowest thou O wife whether thou shalt save thy husband or how knowest thou O man whether thou shalt save thy wife 1 Cor. 7.16 And what knowest thou O Christian whether thou shalt save thy Neighbor Do what thou canst in a wise way it may be God may second thy endevours thy Reproof or thy Exhortation by his own Spirit The poor Woman of Samaria was an Instrument under God of drawing on her Neighbors to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ Joh. 4. And what dost thou know but God may bless thy endevours with the like success And therefore whilst others spend time in idle discourse for he that is of the earth Joh. 3.31 speaketh of the earth let Christians spend their time in Exhorting and Comforting and Edifying one another as the Apostle speaks 1 Thess 5.11 Branch 2. In particular to Ministers And if all in general then surely Ministers of all others Ministers in a special manner should aim at the Salvation of Souls because the great end of their Commission from God is to take Curam animarum the Care of Souls to turn men from darkness to light from the power of Satan to God Act. 26.18 Note It was an excellent saying of him that was in this place before me and deserved to be so in every respect in his Book of the Loadstone Chap. 8. says he If God would give a Christian his wish especially a Minister of the Gospel and say to him as sometime he said to Solomon when he offered a thousand burnt-offerings at Gibeon Ask what I shall give thee 2 Chron. 1.7 what should he desire either before or more than this viz. than that he might receive a large portion of that Magnetical vertue from God which was bestowed upon Peter and Paul and other Primitive Preachers whereby they drew many thousand Souls to the knowledge of Jesus Christ and the world went after him Therefore let all sorts of Christians in their place and sphere especially Ministers of the Gospel labour in the Conversion of Souls Motive 1 Shall I give you some Motives The Reasons may be Motive enough For of all works it is the most excellent The excellency of Converting Souls and men generally delight to be imployed in excellent works Men will do and dare any thing to become great in the world but this is the onely way to become great in the sight of the Lord. Luk. 1.15 He shall be great in the sight of the Lord says the Angel speaking of John the Baptist And why great Mark ver 16. Many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God Conversion of Souls to God makes men of great account in the sight of the Lord. Motive 2 Secondly consider This is a main end of our Calling The end of the Ministery and of all those Ministerial Gifts we receive from Jesus Christ for the better discharge of our Calling He gave all for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministery for the edifying of the body of Christ Eph. 4.12 c. He gave not these Gifts that we might gain profit or applause to our selves but that we might gain Souls to him Motive 3 Thirdly consider The Conversion and Salvation of Souls cost the blood of the dearest Soul that ever was Souls cost the blood of Christ and that is the blood of Jesus Christ Therefore should Ministers take special heed in feeding of their flock and in the Salvation of those Souls which Christ hath purchased with his own blood Act. 20.24 Motive 4 Fourthly If we be negligent herein it will cost us our own blood Else it will cost our blood If we neglect our duty our duty they may die in their iniquity but their blood shall be required at the Ministers hands Ezek. 33.8 9. Motive 5 Fifthly Not onely the Precept but the Example of Jesus Christ Example of Christ doth press us to this duty of Conversion of Souls He was a diligent and constant Preacher himself and it was his very meat and drink to take occasion of converting Souls Joh. 4. He is the good Shepherd that seeks up his lost sheep and when he hath found it he lays it on his shoulders rejoycing and bringeth it home that others also may rejoyce with him Luk. 15. Nay it was the very last work that Christ commended to us by his Example when he took his leave of us and left the world He converted the poor Thief at the last gasp as if Christ had said This work is the very end of my Death that poor sinners might live and be converted And this work I commend upon my death to all my friends if you love me do as I have done in my last farewel Let this be your work to convert Souls to God I have given you an example that you should do as I have done before you Motive 6 Sixthly This is the best and truest Testimony of our unfeigned love to Jesus Christ Best sign of love to Christ Joh. 21.15 16 17. Upon Christs threefold Interrogation Lovest thou me and Peters threefold Profession of his love to Christ you have Christs threefold Injunction Feed my Lambs Feed my Sheep Feed my Sheep As if the feeding of Souls the saving of Souls were the truest testimony of our love to Jesus Christ Motive 7 Seventhly This is also the best testimony of our thankfulness to Jesus Christ for our conversion Testimony of our thankfulness to Christ when we endevour the conversion of others It was that which David promised to God in a grateful acknowledgement of Gods mercy in the pardon of his own sins Psal 51.13 Then will I teach transgressors thy ways and sinners shall be converted unto thee As if he should say Lord if thou wilt convert me I will endevour also the conversion of others unto thee Motive 8 Eighthly We should labour the conversion of others because we our selves were once in the same condition with those that are yet aliens from the Common-wealth of Israel Remembrance of our own condition
glorious Name Exod. 34 6 7. The Lord the Lord God merciful and gracious long-suffering and abundant in goodness and truth keeping mercy for thousands forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin and that will by no means clear the guilty c. Especially the consideration of his mercy and readiness to receive sinners when they come to him for mercy This will encourage a poor worthless creature to believe in him For naturally it is otherwise with us in regard of our own guilty Consciences we have hard thoughts of God as if he were a very cruel and austere Master reaping where he hath not sowed and gathering where he hath not strowed Mat. 25 24. expecting to reap the fruits of Obedience where he never did sow abilities of Grace for the producing of such fruits Though this be utterly false if we look as far as to our first Parents But these I say are those hard thoughts of God that naturally spring up in our wâ—cked hearts and these thoughts are many times heightned and improved by Temptation from the Devil who as he represents God made all of Mercy to a presumptuous sinner without any consideration of his Justice so on the other side he represents God made all of Justice to an humbled sinner without any consideration of his Mercy And doubtless he that in the state of Innocency durst be so bold to accuse God to our first Parents as if he envied their happy condition will much more accuse God of severity to men lying in a state of guilt and corruption who are much more inclinable to suck in the Temptation This is that envious person that is evermore sowing the seeds of Contention Accusing Man to Man Ephes 4.26 27. Man to God as Job 1.9 God to Man Gen. 3.5 That if it be possible there may be no Reconciliation no Mercy held forth on Gods part and no Faith to receive that Mercy on our part Now therefore God on the other side that he may encourage poor guilty creatures to believe and come in He holds forth in the Gospel the glorious Riches of his Free grace professeth his unfeigned willingness to receive all such as are willing to receive him and his Son Jesus Christ upon Gospel-terms that is to receive Christ wholly to be their Prophet Priest and King God is so willing to receive poor Creatures that he causeth these glad tidings of the Gospel to be published makes Proclamation of Pardon to all that are willing to lay down their arms and come in Nay he inviteth perswadeth intreateth wooeth beseecheth Mercy upon her bended knees becomes a suiter to Misery to accept of Mercy and if this be not enough he Commandeth poor lost creatures to believe on his Son Jesus Christ Now the serious consideration of this is a special Means under God to make the Creature willing to believe Object But I know not whether God commands me to believe or no Or whether the death of Christ shall ever be effectual for my good Answ Thou canst not know whether the death of Christ shall be effectual for thy everlasting good till thou dost believe For he that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself 1 Joh. 5.10 And he that believeth not the Son shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him Joh. 3. last But this thou maist be sure of God Commands thee to believe Because in the season of Grace God commands the Gospel to be preached to every creature Mar. 16.15 16. And what is the sum of the Gospel but this 1 Joh. 3.23 This is his Commandment that we should believe on the Name of his Son Jesus Christ And what is it to believe in him but to receive him to be our Prophet Priest and King Joh. 1.12 But as many as received him to them gave he power to become the Sons of God even to them that believe on his Name The one expounds the other Believing in Christ is Receiving of Christ and Receiving of Christ is Believing in Christ and he that thus Receives Christ and thus believes in Christ shall never perish The death of Christ shall certainly be effectual for the good of all such and for none else And so much for the fourth Means The consideration of Gods readiness to receive sinners that fly to him for Mercy Attributes of God special Means to beget Faith I might adde other Attributes of God besides his Mercy as special Means to beget and strengthen Faith As 1. Power of God First the Power of God in making good his Promise all the Devils in Hell and wicked Men upon Earth cannot hinder him And this was that which encouraged Abraham to believe Rom. 4.20 21. He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief but was strong in faith giving glory to God and being fully perswaded that what he had promised he was able also to perform 2. Truth of God Secondly the Truth and Faithfulness of God 1 Thess 5.24 Faithful is he that calleth you who also will do it It is better to trust God upon his Word than all the men in the world upon the strongest Bonds and Engagement that can be devised Judg. 16.11 Samson told Dalilah how she might binde him with strong cords that he could not go from her but he told her false But God tells us how we may binde him to our selves by the Word of his Promise that he cannot get from us and he tells us true Mat. 5.18 Heaven and earth shall pass but one jot or tittle of the Word shall never fall to the ground The Truth of God is a special Foundation of Faith Thirdly the Vnchangeableness of God 3. Unchangeableness of God He is the Unchangeable God and so there is no occasion why God should in the least alter his Word because he doth never alter his minde he is an Unchangeable God Mal. 3.6 I am the Lord I change not therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed Now I say the consideration of these Attributes of God that he is Merciful Powerful Faithful and Unchangeable the self-same God from Generation to Generation without the least shadow of Change Jam. 1.17 The consideration of all these will be a special Means to strengthen Faith But Fifthly if thou wouldst believe Fifth Mean of begetting faith Sight of treasure in Christ Col. 1.19 2.3 Joh. 1.16 labour to see thy own Wants and Weaknesses on the one side and those infinite Treasures of all good that are laid up in Christ on the other side to that end that going out of our selves into him by Faith we might out of his fulness receive grace for grace For indeed as unbelief is nothing else but going out of God into our selves So Faith is nothing but a going out of our selves into God through Christ O labour therefore to see thy own wants and weaknesses thy want of Wisdom want of Righteousness want of Grace want of Strength and labour
unto him and yet this is that which wicked men do bear up themselves withall insomuch that they shall with much confidence plead it to Christs own face at the day of Judgement Luk. 13.26 Then shall ye begin to say We have eaten and drunk in thy presence and thou hast taught in our streets c. but what is Christs answer I tell you I know you not whence you are depart from me ye workers of iniquity But assure we our selves Satan will not onely delude wicked men with carnal knowledge of Christ but with a carnal and common knowledge of their Christian friends They shall bolster themselves up in this my Father or my Grandfather were eminent Professors of the faith and therefore I doubt not but I shall crowd into heaven in their company The Jews boasted much of Abrahams faith who was their father and so of Isaac and Jacob and of the Prophets surely they had a strong presumption that they should fare the better in the last day for their sakes and therefore Christ to take away their carnal confidence tells them plainly Luke 13.28 There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth when they shall see Abraham Isaac and Jacob and all the Prophets in the Kingdome of God and they themselves thrust out O many a wicked Wife Son c. shall see his glorified Father Husband c. but little enough to their comfort then there shall be two in one bed the one shall be taken and the other left the one shall go to heaven the other to hell Why so The one was a believer the other an unbeliever And look as the unbelievers infidelity cannot prejudice the believer so the believers faith faith cannot priviledge the unbeliever Every man shall then stand upon his own bottome whether he hath built upon the rock or upon the sands And therefore as it was wittily said of Non-residents He that serves his place by a Curate must go to heaven by a Curate so we may say truly and seriously in this case He that believes onely by another must onely go to heaven by another for he shall never come there himself unless himself believes for the just shall live by his faith Vse 2 2 Use If every one must have faith of his own then every one should have a Minister of his own Instruction for that 's the usual way of begetting and increasing faith Rom. 10.17 Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God I confess God may sometime bless the Ministery of a stranger but that which God delights to work by most commonly and most effectually is a Minister of our own Heb. 13.17 Submit to them that have the rule over you for they watch for your souls as they that must give account Every soul then should have a Watchman Think seriously what answers they will be Note when God asks three Questions on the sick-bed and you need spiritual help and comfort 1. Why do ye not send for the Minister according to Jam. 5.14 If any be sick let him send for the Elders of the Church and they pray for him And you answer Lord we have none of our own 2. Why no Minister according to that in Heb. 13.17 Answer We were not able to maintain one unless he would vow perpetual single life 3. And then God asks Are you not able to expend twice thrice as much in things less necessary for feeding or clothing the body in one moneth or week than you should in a whole year to your Minister And you feign to answer I 'll beg mercy of God At what time soever a sinner repents he shall finde mercy When alas that answer is not Scripture but coyn'd This is Scripture Prov. 1.28 When distress and anguish cometh upon you then shall they call upon me but I will not answer they shall seek me early but shall not finde me for that they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the Lord. Vse 3 3 Use It exhorts us to prove our own selves and so to prove our own faith 2 Cor. 13.5 Examine your selves Exhortation whether you be in the faith prove your selves We will examine our gold and silver and if we suspect it we will not take a piece but we 'll bring it to the ballance and touchstone and why so because we are like to have an interest in it it is like to be our own we are like to be the gainers or losers by it or else we would not take so much pains about And shall we not try our own faith whether false or counterfeit Yet this is a common fault we are more busied about other mens matters then our own as Peter said Joh. 21. Lord what shall this man do or what do you think of such a man is he right and all this while it may be we are strangers at home As the Lapwing draws the traveller as far as she can from her Nest so the Devil draws men as far as he can from the examining their own faith he fills their heads full of curiosity either in matters of opinion in stead of matters of Faith and Life and living by faith or if they be busied about matters of practice then to be more curious about other men than to make inquiry into our own condition But the truth is we shall never have comfort in such a way if ever we would have sound comfort we must prove our selves our own faith our own works Gal. 6.4 5. Let every man prove his own work so shall he have rejoycing in himself and not in another QUESTION VI. When and how long the just lives by Faith ANswer All his time and at all times Therefore no time is specified to include all Now this Question is double 1. When 2. How long When hath respect to the season How long to the continuance The season hath respect either 1. To the Parts or 2. Adjuncts of time The Parts of time are three viz. Past Present and To come The Adjuncts are especially two Prosperity and Adversity whence dayes are said to be good or evil dayes 1 Pet. 3.10 Not as if there were any inherent good or evil in one time more than in another simply considered But onely as sin and misery makes them so Now in all these seasons the just lives by his faith all his life and in every part of his life 1. Parts of Time And first for the Parts of time Past Present to Come Time past 1. He lives by faith in respect of Time past Though a natural man makes little or no use of time past but looks at it as lost that which death possesseth unless sometime vainly wishing O mihi praeteritos referat c. O that I had my time before me again or O that I were young again Yet a good man makes good use of time past and faith lives upon that which God hath done long before or enabled is to do in our dependance
for so the Apostle applies this Text very frequently to prove that the just man lives a Spiritual life by Faith Obj. Obj. But the Apostle may seem to wrest the words because the Prophet speaks here of a temporal deliverance from the Chaldeans Ans Ans 1. Their deliverance from temporal Babylon was a Type of their Deliverance from Spiritual Babylon 2. However the secondary objects of Faith be divers some Temporal some Spiritual some Eternal yet the prime and principal object of faith is still one and the same and that is Jesus Christ and Gods favour in Christ and before I can embrace the other I must first embrace this Therefore the same faith in Christ that enables me to live in temporal things enables me to live in spirituals also and so the Apostles argument from one to the other holds good Well then the just lives by Faith in respect of Spiritual life which is far more excellent then the other as grace is above nature And this is either the Life of I. Justification whereby the Soul layes hold upon Christ or II. Sanctification whereby the Soul draws vertue from Christ And that is either Renewing and Cleansing vertue the Life of Renovation or Fructifying the Life of Fructification or Mortifying Vertue the Life of Mortification or Vivifying the Life of Quickning and Vivification Confirming Vertue the Life of Conservation that God will not forsake his people Augmenting whereby life is encreased and Comforting Vertue the life of Consolation In the first our spiritual life is purified in the second beautified and in all these the just live by faith THE LIFE of FAITH IN JUSTIFICATION 1. HE lives by faith the Life of Justification and so the Apostle applies this very Text Rom. 1.16 17. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith as it is written And so again Gal. 3.11 where he doth oppose justifying by faith to justification by works of the law But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God it is evident for the just c. The just doth not live by his own justice but by faith that is by the application of the justice and righteousness of another That we may the better understand the excellency of this Life of Justification it will not be amiss to adde the definition of it according to the Scriptures seeing whatsoever is truly known is known by the causes thereof Justification therefore is thus defined It is a most gracious and righteous action of God whereby he imputing the righteousness of Christ to a believing sinner absolveth him from his sins and accepteth of him as righteous in Christ and as an heir of eternal life to the praise and glory of his own Mercy and Justice For Explication consider 1. The Act to justifie 2. The Object a sinner and yet a believing sinner and so made righteous 3. The Application of the Act to the Object and that 's onely by Faith 1. The Act to justifie Now to justifie signifieth properly to make just as to magnifie to make great though sometimes onely to declare great Now God makes just either By Imputation or Infusion of Righteousness The first is the life of Justification the second of Sanctification the first perfect the latter imperfect 2. The Object is a sinner God doth not justifie those that were just before but such as were unjust 1 Pet. 3.18 Christ hath once offered for sin the just for the unjust There was a time then when we were unjust a time when we were sinners when we were ungodly Rom. 5.6 Christ dyed for the ungodly and While we were yet sinners Christ dyed for us much more then being justified we shall be saved from wrath through him So that as to heal signifies of a sick man to make sound so to justifie is of a sinner to make righteous and if it were not so where were the excellency of Gods free grace to make us righteous if we never were in a state of sin He that in no consideration looks at himself as a sinner fallen in the first Adam cannot possibly look at himself as a righteous person recovered in the second Adam How can God be said to shew mercy to that man that was never in misery to redeem that man that was never lost Lost I say and that really and not onely in his own conceit and apprehension 3. The Application of the Act to the Object and that is by Faith as here in the Text. Though a sinner be justified yet it is onely a believing sinner and so of a sinner is made just Rom. 5.1 being justified by faith c. By Faith how not as the meritorious but onely as the instrumental cause of our justification For the clearer understanding of this we must know according to the former definition there are several causes of our Justification viz. Efficient Material Formal and Final The Efficient cause is either 1. Principal or 2. Instrumental Principal is either 1. Working or 2. Moving to the Work Causes of Justification 1. Principal The 1. Principal working Cause is God himself It 's an action of God Rom. 8.38 it is God that justifieth Isa 43.25 I even I am he c. Vide Rom. 9.16 All other causes are nothing to this though man believeth and man wills and runs on chearfully in the wayes of God yet from whence comes all this but from God that justifieth a poor sinner So that it is not of him that willeth or of him that runneth c. but of God of God the Father as the Primary Cause the Son as the Meritorious the Holy Ghost as Applicatory It is God that justifieth who shall condemn c. He that is the Law-giver he justifies from the offences committed against the Law The 2. Principal Cause Moving or promoting to the Work is either 1. Internal Gods Mercy Justice It 's a gracious and a righteous action of God nothing without him the first Mover 2. External 1. Mans Misery moving to pity the Samaritan c. the Infant Ezek. 16. 2. Christs Merit moving to forgive Col. 1.14 In whom we have redemption through his blood even the forgiveness of sins 2. Instrumental Cause 2. Instrumental and that 1. On Gods part the Word Manus offerentis 2 Cor. 5.18 He hath given to us the Ministery of Reconciliation Dan. 12.3 Rom. 4.11 2. On our part Faith Manus accipientis Rom. 4.5 But to him that worketh not but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly his faith is accounted for righteousness Rom. 10.5 c. Therefore faith doth not justifie by merit and dignity of the work for then we should be justified by works though by faith but onely by the Instrumentary application of Christs Righteousness 2. The Material Cause Christs Righteousness Material cause as Jacob gat his blessing in Esau's garment therefore called The Righteousness of God Rom. 1.17 the Righteousness of that Person who is God Now there is a twofold
Righteousness in Christ 1. Active 2. Passive For in that we owed a double debt to the Law the one being perfect obedience for the present the other most deserved punishment for our fâ—rmer disobedience It was requisite that Christ beâ—ng our surety should pay whatsoever we owed unto God and that was the double debt of Doing and Suffering whatsoever the Law of God required at our hands 1. Active fulfilling all Righteousness and that for us as he became a Creature and not for himself Matth. 3.15 2. Passive Gal. 3.13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law being made a curse for us as it is written Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree Vse Thirst after this Righteousness Mat. 5.6 Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after Righteousness c. Philip. 3.7 8. and that I may be found in him not having my wn righteousness c. Formal Cause 3. The Formal Cause Imputation of Christs righteousness As by imputation of Adams sin we are guilty so by imputation of Christs righteousness we are righteous Rom. 5.19 For as by one mans disobedience many were made sinners so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous Rom 4.5 6. But to him that worketh not but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly his faith is counted for righteousness Reas His righteousnesse is onely perfect Heb. 7.26 For such an High-Priest became us who is holy harmless and undefiled separate from sinners and made higher than the heavens Jer. 23.6 He is the Lord our righteousness Onely his righteousnesse is infinite and everlasting Dan. 9.24 to bring in everlasting righteousness c. The righteousnesse of Angels and Saints is finite as well as tattered and torn the poor weary and heavy laden naked Soul can never lie down with rest in his bed Isa 28 20. for the bed is shorter than that a man can stretch himself on 't c. but Christs righteousnesse is so long and so large that it gives a man rest on his sick-bed Psal 41.3 The Lord will strengthen him upon his bed of languishing What is his comfort then but a clear sight of Christs righteousnesse Job 33.23 24. If there be a messenger with him to shew unto man his righteousness c. Rest on the death-bed and afterward in the grave Isa 57.2 They shall lie down in their beds and peace shall be with them c. Rev. 6.11 And white robes were given unto every one of them and it was said unto them that they should rest So that as God saith Psal 134.14 This is my rest for ever so may the Soul Final Cause 4. Final Cause 1. Supreme 1. The Supreme Gods glory Prov. 16.4 The Lord hath made all things for himself c. This is the end of all especially this work Rev. 5.9 The glory either of 1. Mercy and Love God so loved the world c. Joh. 3.16 Well saith God rather than Souls shall perish I will pour out the blood of my own Son Rom. 5.8 But God commendeth his love towards us in that while we were yet sinners Christ dyed for us Rom. 8.32 He spared not his Son c. Or 2. Justice not forgive without satisfaction Psal 145.17 The Lord is righteous in all his wayes and holy or merciful in all his works 2. Subordinate 1. Sanctification 2. Subordinate 2. Salvation Rom. 6.22 But now being made free from sin and become servants to God you have your fruits unto holiness and the end everlasting life All or most of these causes are set down by the Apostle Rom. 3.20 to 29. 1. The Efficient primary moving Cause internal free grace v. 24. 2. External moving Cause Mans Misery v. 23. Christs Merit v. 24. 3. Instrumental 1. The Word v. 21. 2. Faith v. 22. 4. Final 1. The glory of Gods 1. Severest Justice v. 26. 2 Richest Mercy v. 24. 2. Glorification of Man in Gods Justification and Salvation of Man v. 23 c. Quest How doth the just live by Faith the life of Justification Ans The answer shall extend to the several parts and degrees of Justifications Manifestation For though it be a perfect act of God yet it is a continued act and there are degrees of the manifestation of it To speak therefore 1. Of the Act it self 2. Of the Continuing and Renewing of the Act 3. Of the Assurance of the Act. See how the just lives by Faith in all these 1. For the first Act and work of Justification Faith in the act of justifying First Faith Convinceth a man of sin in a saving manner and so of his need of Christ and of his own impotency to obtain Justification and Salvation without Christ Mat. 5.3 Blessed are the poor in spirit as Gal. 5.6 Faith worketh by love so by poverty of spirit Secondly Faith puts persons into a Mourning confessing prayerful frame Mat. 5.4 Blessed are they that mourn but no blessedness if not springing from faith Zech. 12.10 I will pour upon them the Spirit of grace and supplication c. Jer. 31.9 They shall come with weepings and with supplications will I lead them Acts 2.37 They were pricked at their hearts c. This is the work of Faith though not alwayes so easily discerned to be of Faith by the party himself Thirdly Faith subdues the heart to lay down all Oppositions against God and to be willing to take any course God directs for Justification and Salvation Matth. 5.5 Blessed are the meek c. Acts 9.5 6. Paul speaks reverently Lord what wilt thou have me to do Jer. 31.18 Surely I have heard Ephraim bemoaning himself Thou hast chastised me and I was chastised as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke turn thou me and I shall be turned for thou art the Lord my God c. He submits obediently they are tame as a lamb Isa 11.6 Fourthly Faith fixeth the heart upon Christ alone and his Righteousness held out in the Promises with renunciation of our own even with indignation in point of Justification The Soul is hungry after Christs Righteousness as most excellent and loaths its own as dung and draught Phil. 3.6 7 8 c. What things were gain to me those I counted loss for Christ yea doubtless I count all things loss that I may win Christ and be found in him not having my own righteousness c. See these or most of these Luke 15. in that gracious Convert mentioned Luk. 15. set out as a patern as a picture and as a lively inviter for a poor sinner to look to that desires to partake of the like mercy 1. Faith Convinceth him to be in a perishing condition without his Fathers love ver 17. And when he came to himself he said How many hired servants of my Father have bread enough and to spare and I perish with hunger I say it was Faith that wrought this same conviction for it was not before he came to himself that is before he raised him
excellent Effects of it Then surely as we have cause to admire the unparallell'd expressions of Gods goodness to us herein So have we cause to break forth into thankfulness as oft as we think of it and act our Faith for it No sooner did the Apostle Peter think of that heavenly Inheritance but he must needs break forth into blessing of God before he can tell how to speak of it or to utter what he had conceived about it 1 Pet. 1.3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead to an inheritance incorruptible c. Mark he cannot think of the inheritance but he is forced to break forth into blessing What though we have not reaped our full harvest yet you know Gods People were commanded to bring their Oblation of Thanksgiving when they received their first-fruits because the first-fruits were a Pawn and Pledge of the whole Harvest Deut. 26. So we are bound to be thankful to God when we have but received the first-fruits of grace when we have but so much grace as to live by Faith for Life Eternal because the first-fruits of grace do ascertain us of a full Harvest of glory in due time What though we have not yet a perfect victory over all our enemies Sin Satan and Death yet as Moses when God had delivered him and his People from the danger of the Sea and Pharoabs host he sings a Song of Thanksgiving to the Lord Exod. 15.1 though the perils of the Wilderness and other evils were still behinde yet I say he is thankful because these first victories were a Pawn and a Pledge to them of a full and plenary Conquest and that God would never leave them till he had planted them in Canaan it self yea in that Celestial Canaan where God reigns for ever and ever And this was the ground of Moses his thankfulness ver 14. The People shall hear and be afraid c. ver 16 17 18. Fear and dread shall fall upon them by the greatness of thine Arm they shall be as still as a stone till thy people pass over O Lord till thy people pass over which thou hast purchased Thou shalt bring them in and plant them in the Mountain of thine Inheritance in the place O Lord which thou hast made for thee to dwell in in the Sanctuary O Lord which thy hands have established The Lord shall reign for ever and ever Thus Gods People like Moses are thankful for Victories not onely present and past but future also Though Gods People are yet upon the Sea of this world and not past the Wilderness they have cause to be thankful as Moses was because they have both a Promise and a Pledge of Canaan as he had Therefore it is observable that Gods people under the New Testament standing upon the glassie Sea of this world are said to sing the Song of Moses and of the Lamb Rev. 15.2 3. And I saw as it were a Sea of glass c. They sing the Song of Moses the Servant of God and the Song of the Lamb that is They sing such a Song as Moses did sing both for Mercies past and also in assured hope of Mercies to come And this Song is taught by the Lamb that is by the Lamb of God to all such as are redeemed by him and none can sing this Song but such as are redeemed A man cannot be thankful for that which he hath nothing to shew for he that hath nothing to shew for Heaven how is it possible such a man should be thankful for it And therefore such as have the White Stone and the New Name and the Name of Christ and his Father written in their Foreheads are such as sing this Song of Thankfulness Rev. 14.1 3. And they sing as it were a new Song before the Throne and before the four Beasts and the Elders and no man could learn that Song but the hundred fourty four thousand which were redeemed from the earth None but holy Men and holy Angels are fit for this work none can give hearty praise to God for victory over Sin Satan and Antichrist or for the Comforts of another World but they that have a part and a lot in that Inheritance As a stranger intermeddles not with the joy of Gods people so neither with that Praise which is onely comely in their mouthes Therefore let the redeemed of the Lord praise him and be thankful to him Quest How should they express and prove their Thankfulness Ans First In the hatred and forsaking of all sin Secondly In the practice of all holy duties and good works First In the hatred and forsaking of all sin at least 1. Thankfulness shew'd by forsaking sin in regard of the Dominion of it And why so Because by Sin 1. A man dishonours the Donor of this great Gift 2. He wrongs his own Soul 1. He dishonours the Donor execedingly Rom. 2.24 Sin dishonors God The Name of God is blasphemed and dishonoured among the Gentiles through you You for such as you who have received so much Light and so much Mercy from God to walk thus O what a shame is it for you thus to dishonour God! God loves you so dearly that he hath kept nothing from you no not heaven it self I say he hath kept nothing from you but his own glory And will you be so unthankful as to rob him of that by your sinful carriage A gracious Soul when he is tempted to sin and thereby to commit Spiritual Adultery against God and to stain his Glory should answer as Joseph did Gen. 39.8 9. My Lord and Master hath committed all that he hath to my hand there is none greater in all the house than I neither hath he kept any thing back from me but thee because thou art dear to him Gods glory is dear to him as the woman who is the glory of the man is dear to him how then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God It was a great sin in Absalom 2 Sam. 15. when David had received him into favour after his three months banishment and upwards and he was now declared his Reconciled Childe and Heir Apparent to the Kingdom in due time I say it was a great sin in him in stead of being thankful to his Father that he should presently prepare himself Horses and Chariots and a strong Guard endevouring to steal away the hearts of the men of Israel and his Crown also from his Father both at once And surely it is a great expression of unthankfulness in any after God hath once received them into favour and by Faith assured them of Eternal Life for such to return again to folly and walk crossly and to rob God of the Crown of his Glory by their sins God took it very unkindly at Davids hands that he of all other men
and also for the opening of the heart by working upon the affections Vse 5 Vse 5. Exhortation to the People To People twofold 1. To be willing to be wrought upon and to be converted 2. To be willing to attend upon such means as is most proper for the effecting of that great Work 1. To be willing to be wrought upon First To be willing to be wrought upon and to be converted For if it be such an excellent thing to be an Instrument of others Conversion then it must needs be excellent to be converted O remember the vast difference betwixt a man in the state of Nature and in the state of Grace betwixt a man converted and unconverted O remember whilst you are unconverted you are in a state of Darkness Enmity Death But when once converted in a state of Light Peace Life Motives 1. When ye are unconverted ye are in a state of Darkness Eph. 5.8 Once darkness c. 1. Darkness of Ignorance Ephes 4.18 Alas they know nothing 1. Of themselves and their miserable condition by nature Rev 3.17 I counsel thee to buy of me eye-salve c. 2. Of Christ in a Soul-saving way Ephes 2.12 Without Christ c. 2. Darkness of Sorrow at least when unconverted persons lie down in the Grave Isa 50. last They shall lie down in sorrow 2. In a state of Enmity Ephes 2.3 Children of wrath as well as others Joh. 3.36 God is an enemy to unbelievers and to be sure they are enemies to God Rom. 8.6 7. The carnal minde is enmity against God c. O what a dangerous condition this is It were better to have all the world enemies to us than God Remember what God saith Ezek. 22.14 Can thy heart endure or thy hands be strong in the day that I shall deal with thee 3. In a state of Death Ephes 2.1 Dead in sin and liable to death for sin to a first death and a second death and this of all terribles is the most terrible But secondly when once converted thou art in a state of Light Peace Life Mal. 4.2 1. In a state of Light Ephes 5 8. Ye were once darkness but now are ye light in the Lord. The Sun of righteousness doth arise with healing in his wings Healing the darkness of Ignorance Sorrow True Light and Heat come both together 2. In a state of Peace Rom. 5.1 Being justified by faith we have peace with God It is better to have God to be our friend than to have all the world beside 3. In a state of Life Luke 15. last This thy brother was dead and is alive And thus the just lives by his Faith the most excellent life that can be desired Therefore come in and be willing to be wrought upon c. Obj. If you shall say as they in Jeremy There is no hope I am so great a sinner God will never shew mercy to me It were presumption for me to offer to lay hold on the Promise Answ Look to the Pattern of great sinners converted on purpose to incourage others to come in to Christ Did Manasses or Mary Magdalen or Paul presume when they did believe 1 Tim. 1.13 I was a blasphemer a persecutor injurious c. and v. 16. How be it for this cause I obtained mercy that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all long-suffering for a pattern to them that should hereafter believe Onely be humbled for thy sins and accept of Christs Righteousness go not about to establish thine own Rom. 10.3 Remember As no man is accepted for his own Righteousness but Christs So no man is rejected for his own unrighteousness but for his final impenitency and unbelief Therefore be perswaded to come in Accept of mercy while God offers mercy Do not draw back when God is drawing of you I hope you have some good thoughts Act. 26. some good desires in your hearts You are almost perswaded O be not onely almost but altogether Perhaps some of you are even upon the very pangs of the New-birth O let not Spiritual difficulties cause you to draw back as Ephraim did Hos 13.13 O strive O pray The Kingdom of heaven suffers violence O be earnest with God and bemoan your backwardness Jer. 31.18 I have surely heard Ephaim bemoaning himself thus Thou hast chastised me and I was chastised as a Bullock unaccustomed to the yoke Turn thou me and I shall be turned c. Pray God to open the everlasting doors c. Psal 24 ult O yield to God when he perswadeth when he beseecheth When Christ and Satan are Suitors and Competitors do not put off Christ and yield to Satan Be not cruel to your own flesh and enemies to your own Souls Remember how you rejoyce Angels The Churches Christ himself Your own Hearts Therefore be perswaded c. Secondly 2. To be willing to attend upon such means as are proper Be willing to attend upon such means as are most proper for the effecting of that great Work To attend upon a Soul-saving Ministery God complains by the Prophet Jeremy that as the false Prophets did Prophecy smooth things and false things so his People did love to have it so Jer. 5 last That same Athenian itch in the people to hear some new strange thing Act. 17. doth too often draw forth an Athenian scratch from the speaker to tell what they so much desire to hear Act. 17.21 But 't is wisdom in both to be conversant in the pattern of wholesom words To give and receive that Spiritual food which may not so much please the palate as nourish the person to Life Eternal Doubtless he preaches best and he hears best that preaches and hears to the Salvation of the Soul Many thousand Souls in heaven shall bless God for ever for the plain and powerful preaching of the Word And many thousand Souls in hell shall complain to all Eternity that their hurt was soon healed and skinned over with silken language and soft words as the Prophet Jeremy speaks Vse 6 Vse 6. Of Thankfulness Of Thankfulness Of Thankfulness in case 1. We our selves are converted 2. If any by us or by our means be converted 1. If we be converted our selves First if the conversion of Souls be such an excellent Work Be thankful if we our selves be converted 1 Tim. 1.13 17. Now unto the King eternal immortal invisible the onely wise God be honour and glory for ever This shout of Praise follows upon the acknowledgement of Pauls Conversion and it were easie to shew how those Attributes have an influence on Conversion Eternity is little enough to praise God for such a Mercy Luk. 10.20 Rejoyce not in this that the spirits are subject unto you but rather rejoyce that your Names are written in heaven Psal 33.34 Sing unto him a new song play skilfully with a loud noise for the word of the Lord is right and all his works are done in truth This for