abound and suffer need Heb. 13. 5. Let your Conversation be without Covetousness and be ye content with such things as ye have for he hath said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee 2. When your Delight in God Heaven and Holiness is still kept up Rom. 8. 5. For they that are after the Flesh do mind the things of the Flesh but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit 3. When the Heart is kept in a preparation for the Duties of your heavenly Calling SERMON XII JOB 19. 25. For I know that my Redeemer liveth THese words were spoken by Iob a Man for the present miserable and suspected by his Friends as one that neither feared God nor trusted in him Therefore to comfort himself in his Misery and to vindicate his Innocency he makes Confession of his Faith In this Confession you have the grand and most important Articles reckoned up 1. He doth solemnly declare and believe the promised Messiah to be his Saviour I know that my Redeemer liveth 2. His coming to Judgment and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the Earth 3. The Resurrection of the dead with application to himself for he saith ver 26. And though after my Skin Worms destroy this Body yet in my Flesh shall I see God 4. And Lastly the beatifical Vision ver 27. Whom I shall see for my self and mine Eyes shall behold and not another though my reins be consumed within me We have to do with the first Article his belief of Salvation by the promised Messiah For I know that my Redeemer liveth I am not ignorant that this whole Context is carried to another sense not only by the Iewish Doctors but by some Christian Interpreters of good account whose Reasons consisting wholly in Grammatications I list not now to examine The common and received Sense seemeth to be better 1. Because these Words are ushered in with a solemn Preface containing in them some notable Truth Oh that my Words were now written Oh that they were printed in a Book Oh that they were graven with an Iron Pen and Lead in the Rock for ever For I know c. Surely such a passionate Preface will become no other matter so well as the great Mystical Truths of the Christian Faith 2. The Word Goel or Kinsman Redeemer will suit with no Person so well as Christ. 3. The rest of the Passages do not run smoothly unless they be accommodated to this Sense and that I take to be the most obvious Sense which the Words will best bear 4. Iob as it is clear by many Passages in this Book had often disdained all Hopes of being restored to any Temporal Happiness in this Life affirming that all his hope was gone that he was worse than a Tree cut down This is the drift and current of all his former Discourses 5. When he saith that he should see God in his Flesh and with the same Eyes he now had I cannot imagine why these Passages should be so emphatically spoken if he only intended in this Paragraph an hope of being restored to his Temporal Happiness Having premised this In the words observe 1. The causal Particle for giving thereby a reason why he would have his words so marked because of the excellency of the matter 2. The Article of Faith my Redeemer liveth 3. The manner how this Article is asserted and professed by Iob. 1. With certainty of perswasion I know 2. With Application and Appropriation My Redeemer For I know my Redeemer liveth All put together will yeild this point Doct. That it is a great comfort to the Saints in all their Afflictions to know that they have a Redeemer living in Heaven This is the first thing whereby Iob comforteth himself I. I shall consider the matter of the Comfort II. Shew you how it is applicable to all Afflictions I. The matter of the Comfort consists in four things 1. That there is a Redeemer 2. That he is their Redeemer 3. That he liveth 4. That they know this upon certain and infallible Grounds 1. That there is a Redeemer for he doth not say I know that my Creaton liveth but my Redeemer The Word is Goel The Septuagint render it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He that will deliver me Theodotion better 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 My near Kinsman liveth The Word properly signifies such an one as in regard of propinquity or neatness of Kindred had right to redeem a Mortgage or the like Engagement of Land or Livelyhood Lev. 25. 25 26. If thy Brother be waxen poor and hath sold away some of his Possession and if any of his Kin come to redeem it then shall he redeem that which his Brother sold. Or else to prosecute the Law against the Murderer of his Friend or Kinsman Numb 35. 19. 24. It is taken sometimes more largely for any Deliverer out of Thraldom or Avenger of wrong in general And so is in the old Testament applied to God or Christ to whom the term chiefly belongeth To God because of his powerful Providence and rescuing his People out of their Calamities Psal. 25. 22. Redeem Israel O God out of all his Troubles To Christ to whom it is most proper Isa. 59. 20. And the Redeemer shall come to Zion and to them that shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob which the Apostle applieth to Christ Rom. 11. 26. He then is the Redeemer and it implieth 1. That he is our Kinsman after the Flesh or by Incarnation 2. That he paid a price to God for us in his Passion 3. That he pursueth the Law against Satan and rescues us by his Power All which are notable grounds of Comfort For under the Law the Redemption of the Inheritance or the Person of the poor Brother sold was to be made by the next of Blood and that by the Male side not by the Mothers but by the Fathers side and he also was to be the Avenger of Blood 1. There is much comfort in this that Christ is our Kinsman Bone of our Bone and Flesh of our Flesh and therefore certainly will not be strange to his own Flesh. He did redeem us not only jure proprietatis by virtue of his Interest in us as our Creator but jure propinquitatis by virtue of his Kindred one of us of our Stock and Lineage the Son of Adam as well as the Son of God The Apostle tells us Heb. 2. 11. For he that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified are all of one For which cause he is not ashamed to call them Brethren As the first Fruits offered to God were taken out of the same heap so he was of the same Mass with us Christ is not only Man but the Son of Man he might have been Man if God had created him out of nothing or he had brought his substance from Heaven But he is the Son of Man one descended of the Loins of Adam as we are even thus He that sanctifieth and they
Jesus Christ required and so much spoken of in Scripture I will content my self but with two Reasons at this time 1. Faith in Christ is most fitted for the acceptance of God's free Gift Faith and Grace do always go together and are put as opposite to Law and Works Rom. 4. 16. It is of Faith that it may be of Grace Eph. 2. 8. For by Grace ye are saved through Faith and not of your selves it is the Gift of God not of Works left any Man should boast Faith establishes and keeps up the Interest and Honour of Grace for it is the free Grace and Favour of God to condescend to the Rebel World so far as he hath done in the new Covenant We present our selves before him as those that stand wholly to his Mercy have nothing to plead for our selves but the Righteousness and Merit of our Redeemer by virtue of which we humbly beg Pardon and Life to be begun in us by his Spirit and perfected in Glory 2. Why Faith in Christ Because the way of our Recovery is so strange and wonderful It can only be received by Faith Sense cannot convey it to us Reason will not and nothing is reserved for the entertainment of this glorious Mystery Pardon and Salvation by our Redeemer but Faith alone If I should deduce this Argument at large I would shew you nothing but Faith or the Belief of God's Testimony concerning his Son can support us in these Transactions with God The Comfort of the Promise is so rich and glorious Sense and Reason cannot inform us of it Eye hath not seen nor Ear heard nor can it enter into the Heart of Man to conceive 1 Cor. 2. 9. the things God hath prepared for them that love him It is not meant only of Heaven but of the whole Preparations and rich Provisions God hath made for us in the Gospel It is not a thing can come to us by Eye or Ear or the conceiving of Man's heart we only believe and entertain it by Faith And then the Persons upon whom it is bestowed are so unworthy that certainly it cannot enter into the Heart of Man that God will be so good and do so much good to such Adam when he had sinned grew shy of God and ran away from him Besides the way God hath taken for our deliverance is so supernatural God so loved the World that he sent his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth on him should not perish but have everlasting Life That God should become Man that he should submit to such an accursed Death for our Sakes is so high and glorious it can only be entertain'd by Faith Besides our chief Blessedness lies in another World He that lacketh Faith is blind and cannot see afar off Here in this lower World where our God is unseen and our great Hopes are to come where the Flesh is so importunate to be pleased where our Temptations and Trials are so many and Difficulties so great we are apt to question all and we can never keep waiting upon God were it not for Faith and a steady Belief in the Lord Jesus Christ. For these Reasons if you look into the Scriptures it is why Faith is so much insisted upon that we may keep up the honour of God's Grace and because this Grace of the Redeemer is so mysterious and wonderful 4. The Use of these two Graces discover their Nature What is Faith and Repeatance Repentance towards God is a Turning from Sin to God The Terminus à quo of Repentance is our begun Recovery from Sin and therefore called Repentance from dead Works Heb. 6. 1. The Terminus ad quem to which we return is God and our being devoted to God in Obedience and Love God never hath our Hearts till he hath our Love and Delight till we return to a Love of his blessed Majesty and delight in his Ways This is called in Scripture sometimes a turning to God in many other places a seeking after God a giving up our selves to God 2 Cor. 8. 5. They gave up themselves to the Lord. This is the Repentance by which we enter into the Gospel-State Now what is Faith Besides an Assent to the Gospel which is at the bottom of it It is a serious thankful broken-hearted Acceptance of the Lord Jesus Christ that he may be to every one of us what God hath appointed him to be and do forevery one of us what God hath appointed him to do for poor Sinners It is serious and broken-hearted done by a Creature in misery and thankful for such a wonderful Benefit a trusting to this Redeemer that he may do the Work of a Redeemer in our Hearts to save us from the evil of and after Sin And thus I have briefly opened this necessary Doctrine as clearly laid down in the Scripture And this is your Entrance in the Evangelick State II. For our Continuance therein For we must not only mind our Entrance but our Continuance Our Lord Jesus tells us of a Gate and a Way the Gate signifies the Entrance and the Way our Continuance And we read of making and keeping Covenant with God we read of Union with Christ that is our first Entrance for this Faith is the closing Act and exprest sometimes by a being married to Christ. But there is not only an Union with Christ but an Abiding in him Abide in me and I will abide in you Now as for our Continuance I would shew you that the first Works are gone over and over again Faith and Repentance are still necessary For the Righteousness of God is revealed frm Faith to Faith And Repentance is still necessary But I shall only press two things First New Obedience Secondly Daily Prayer 1. New Obedience is required 1 Ioh. 1. 7. If we walk in the Light as he is in the Light we have fellowship one with another and the Blood of Iesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all Sin Holy Walking is necessary to the continuance of our being cleansed from Sin and therefore Mercy is promised to the forsaking of our Sins Prov. 18. 13. He that confesseth and forsaketh his Sins shall find Mercy Isa. 55. 7. Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous Man his thoughts and let him return unto the Lord and he will have Mercy upon him and to our God for he will abundantly pardon Our Hearts were not sound with God in the first Covenanting if we undo what was done If we build again the things we have destroyed then we are found Transgressours Gal. 1. 18. Well then a Man that seeks after Pardon seeks after it with the ruine and destruction of Sin Sin was the greatest Burden that lay upon his Conscience the Greivance from whence he sought ease the Wound pain'd him at Heart the Disease his Soul was sick of And was all this Anguish real and shall a Man come to delight in his Sores again and take up the Burden he groaned under and tear open
to the uttermost all that come to God by him seeing he ever liveth to make Intercession for them Christ is there compared with the Levitical Priesthood They were many that succeeded one after another and being hindred by Death could never bring their Work to perfection but this Priest ever liveth to plead the Churches Cause with God presenting his Human Nature in his Sight and appearing continually before his Fathers Throne and this for all that come to God by him They are his Clients and he is their Advocate it is against the Rules of that Court to plead for others that continue in their Unbelief and Impenitency After the Beast was slain without the Camp the Levitical High-Priest did enter into the Sanctuary with Blood So Christ after his Sacrifice did enter into the Heavenly Sanctuary with the Names of the twelve Tribes of all the Saints on his Breast and Shoulders there to appear before God for us Heb. 9. 14. He ever liveth to accomplish the Fruits of his Purchase for those that are reconciled to God by him as an High-Priest to answer the Accusations of Satan as our Advocate to stop the breaking out of Wrath. As Ionathan in Saul's Court did mitigate his Father's Anger against David so Christ doth interpose Night and Day to prevent Breaches and to preserve a mutual Correspondence between God and us as our Lieger-Agent to sue out Grace sutable to our Conflicts Difficulties and Temptations as our Friend in Court to procure the Acceptance of our Prayers as our Mediator and Intercessor Heb. 8. 2. 4. His Living is the Root and Cause of our Life For he having purchased Eternal Life not only for himself but for all his Members ever liveth to convey it to them and maintain it in them Ioh. 14. 19. Because I live ye shall live also Joh. 6. 57. As I live by the Father so he that believeth in me shall live by me By reason of the Mystical Union that is between Christ and Believers they may rest upon it that as long as the Head hath Life the Members shall not be utterly without Life for Christ is a Pledg and a Pattern of that Power that shall work in us in order to Life Spiritual and Eternal 4. The next Ground of Comfort is the Certainty of Perswasion I know that my Redeemer liveth As if he had said I do not doubt of it nor suspect it in the least I know implies 1. A clear Understanding of this Mystery The more fully we understand the Grounds of Faith the more Efficacy they have upon us to beget Confidence and Joy of Faith in us The Fears that haunt us are the Fruits of Darkness and Ignorance accompanied with a sense of Guilt but as Gospel-Knowledge increases they vanish as Mists do before the Sun Psal. 9. 10. They that know thy Name will put their Trust in thee If God were better known he would be better trusted 2. I know implies Certainty of Perswasion This is either Certainty of Faith or of Spiritual Sense First Of Faith which depends on the Certainty of God's Revelation that was either the general Promise in Paradise Gen. 3. 15. God had said The Seed of the Woman shall break the Serpents Head Now upon this Promise Iob is as confident of a Redeemer as if he had seen him with his bodily Eyes Thus Abraham is said to have seen Christ's Day Iohn 8. 56. And Heb. 11. 13. These all died in Faith not having received the Promises but having seen them afar off and were perswaded of them and embraced them Or his Faith was built upon some particular Revelation Heb. 1. 1. God who at sundry times and by divers manners spake unto the Fathers by the Prophets They had a sufficient Discovery of the Redeemer to be a Ground of Faith Certain it is the Eyes of Believers were then upon him We are told that Christ was the Lamb slain from the Foundation of the World Rev. 13. 8. He is set forth in Prophecies and Types Now Faith is the Evidence of Things not seen not seen by Sense but clearly seen in the Promise He was the Joy of all Ages even of those that lived before he came in the Flesh. The same is true after the Coming of Christ as well as before for we believe in him whom we have not seen 1 Pet. 1. 3. We should as heartily love him and rejoyce in him as if we had conversed with him bodily Only we have an Advantage History is not so dark as Prophecy and it is more easy to believe what is past where we have the Suffrage and Experience of so many Ages to confirm us than to expect what is to come where we have only God's bare Word to support us The Mystery is now more clearly revealed to us than before the Exhibition of our Saviour Therefore according to our Advantage so should the Increase of our Faith be We should be able to say 2 Tim. 1. 12. I know whom I have believed and I am perswaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed to him We should rest upon Christ with more confidence Secondly The Certainty of Spiritual Sense We know that he is a Redeemer by the discovery of the Word that he is our Redeemer by the Application of the Spirit as he manifests himself to us and in us This Knowledge of Spiritual Sense is often spoken of Iob 13. 18. I know that I shall be justified Heb. 10. 34. Knowing in your selves that ye have in Heaven a better and an enduring Substance Rom. 6. 6. Knowing this that your old Man is crucified that is feeling Now both these are of great Comfort the Certainty of Faith and the Sweetness of Sense for without the Certainty of Faith the Soul is only left to blind Ghesses and loose Conjectures and so can never have solid Comfort Without the Knowledge of Sense that is of our Interest in Salvation the Soul loses much of its Joy and Peace As Novices and Men that have never before been at Sea are troubled at the swelling of every Wave and Billow though they are safe yet because they do not know they are safe their Voyage is a Torment to them So those that take the Assurance of the Word of God for the Truth of Redemption by Christ and tremblingly build upon it yet because they know not their own Interest have not the Comfort of the Spirit their Journey to Heaven is the more troublesom Therefore it concerneth us to build upon a sure Foundation so to get a clear Interest II. How this is applicable in all Afflictions That easily appears from these Premises 1. In publick Troubles and Difficulties We are amazed and perplexed many times at the Events that fall out in the World and know not whereunto these things will grow Yet this is some Comfort and Support to all that are concern'd in Sion's Affairs that Christ is alive at his Fathers right-Hand and will pursue all things that make
which we could neither imagine nor hope for partly because the chief of our Blessings lie in another World and Nature cannot see so far off 2 Pet. 1. 9. Partly because Christ's most sincere People are afflicted with so many Difficulties and so seemingly forsaken and Temptations to Unbelief are many and pressing that it is hard to maintain any Life in our selves unless we have Faith that is a strong Assent and invincible Trust. Well now consider for what good reason God requireth Faith Sense only looks to things seeen and felt Reason seeth Effects in their Causes and yet but probably but Faith is a believing such things as God hath revealed because he hath revealed them and surely this only can sustain us in the expectation of God's Grace and Mercy unto Eternal Life Whilst we are employed in Duties so opposite to the bent of the carnal Heart and have so many Temptations to the contrary what can support us but a strong and lively Faith 2. Till we believe in Christ we can have no Comfort or Use of all his Offices How can we learn of him the Way of Salvation till we believe him to be the Prophet sent of God to teach the World the Way to true Happiness Mat. 17. 5. This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased hear ye him How can we obey him unless we believe in him that he is our Lord who hath power over all Flesh at whose Judgment we must stand or fall Acts 17. 30 31. Now commandeth all Men every where to repent because he hath appointed a Day in which he will judge the World in Righteousness by that Man whom he hath ordained whereof he hath given assurance unto all Men in that he hath raised him from the dead How can we depend upon the Merit of his Obedience and Sacrifice and be comforted with his gracious Promises and Covenant and come to God with boldness and Hope of Mercy in his Name and be confident that he will justify sanctify and save us unless we believe that he is a Priest who once made an Atonement and continually makes Intercession for us Heb. 9. 25. In the days of his Flesh when any came for any Benefit to him he put him upon his Trial Believest thou that I am able to do this Mark 9 23. Iesus said unto him If thou canst believe all things are possible to him that believeth Believest thou that I am able to Martha Joh. 11. 26. Thus they were not capable of any Benefit till they believed 3. With respect to that Holiness and Obedience which God expected from the Creature Christ came to restore us to God which he doth both as a Saviour and Law-giver to his Church and till we believe in him both these Qualities and Functions miss of their Effect 1. As a Saviour he came to take away the Curse of the Law and to put us into a capacity to serve and please God by giving us his Spirit to renew our Natures and heal our Souls Isa. 53. 5. The Chastisement of our Peace was upon him and with his Stripes we are healed 1 Pet. 2. 24. Who his own self bare our Sins in his own Body on the Tree that we being dead unto Sin should live unto Righteousness by whose Stripes ye were healed We shall never mind our Duty nor be capable to perform it unless we believe that he is such a Saviour 2. As a Law-giver obliging us by his Authority to live in obedience unto God The Kingdom of the Mediator is clearly subordinate to the Kingdom of God for he came not to vacate our Duty but to establish it he came to restore the lost Groat to the Owner the lost Sheep to the Possessor the lost Son to the Father As the Grace of Christ doth not vacate the Mercy of God so the Authority of Christ that novum Ius Imperii doth not free us from the Authority of God Now who will submit to an Authority that is not convinced of it or doth not believe it But when once we believe then we bow Heart and Knee 4. With respect to our Comfort Often in Scripture Faith is represented as a quieting Grace The Comfort Quietness and Peace of the Soul dependeth much upon Faith in Christ as an all-sufficient Saviour which banishes our Fears and makes us in our greatest hardships to trust Christ with all our Happiness and to feast the Soul with a constant Peace and everlasting Joy Whether this World be turned upside down and be dissolved whether we be in Poverty and Sickness or in Health or Wealth whether we be under evil Repute or good whether Persecution or Prosperity befall us how little are we concern'd in all these if we know in whom we have believed 2. Tim. 1. 12. Heaven is where it was before and Christ is at the right hand of God how little then should all these things disturb the Peace and Comfort of that Soul that shall live with God for ever Psal. 112. 7. But Sin is our greatest trouble If Sin be your Trouble I answer Is it your Infirmity or Iniquity If Infirmity There is no Condemnation to them who are in Christ Iesus c. Rom. 8. 1. If Iniquity break off your Sin by Repentance and then there may be Comfort for you for Christ came to save us from our Sins USE 1. Is to confute Mens Presumptions of their Eternal good Estate whereby many damnably delude their own Souls 1. Some when they hear that whosoever believeth shall be saved have a carnal Notion of Christ that if he were alive they would own him and receive him into their Houses and use him more friendly than the Iews did This is but a knowing Christ after the Flesh 2 Cor. 5. 16. He is not to be received into your Houses but into your Hearts Besides we do not know our own Hearts or what we should have done if we had lived then a Person of such contemptible appearance as Christ was and so free in his Reproofs of the Sins of the Times would not have been for our turn no more than theirs The Iews said Mat. 23. 30. If we had lived in the days of our Fathers we would not have been guilty of the Blood of the Prophets The Memory of Corah Dathan and Abiram was as detestable to the carnal Iews as that of Iudas and Pontius Pilate to Christians but they were not a whit the better Men no more are we 2. They do great reverence to his Name and Memory profess themselves Christians and abhor Turks and Infidels No this will not do neither Many prize Christ's Name that neglect his Office honouring the Physician without taking his Remedies never brought Health They have learned to speak well of Christ by rote after others but they do not savingly and sincerely believe in him to cure and heal their Souls and suffer him to do the work of a Mediator there The other Respect is to be ascribed to the Chance of their
like him that is like him in Holiness and like him in Happiness Our Vision will make a Transformation The desire of Union which is so intrinsick to Love is never satisfied till then Here we have a little of God in the midst of Sin and Misery Sin straitens our capacity from receiving more and God sees fit to exercise us with Misery only affording us an intermixture of heavenly Comfort But our full Joy is reserved to the Day of Christ's appearing 2. They that love God desire also that God may be glorified that his Truth may be vindicated his Love and Justice demonstrated His Truth is vindicated because his Threatnings and Promises are all accomplished Sin will no more be had in Honour nor Pride and Sensuality bear sway Love to the Saints will be seen in their full reward and his Justice demonstrated on the wicked in their full Punishment All matters of Faith shall then become matters of Sence and what is now propounded to be believed shall be felt and God shall be glorified in all 2. The Saints love Christ as Mediator we love him now though we see him not 1 Pet. 1. 8. Whom having not seen we love and believing in him rejoyce with Ioy unspeakable and full of Glory But desire to see him as our surest and best Friend We have heard much of him felt much of him and tasted much of him but we desire to see him especially when he shall appear in all his Glory Mat. 25. 31. The Son of Man shall come in his Glory and all his Angels with him All Clouds about his Person shall vanish he shall appear to be what he is the Saviour and Judg of the World 3. They have a love for the Church for the Church in general shall at that day be adorned as a Bride for her Husband and fully freed from all Sin and trouble 'T is no more eclipsed by its lamentable Imperfections corruption of Worship division of Sects or the persecutions of the World nor polluted by the Distempers of its diseased Members all is then Holy and Glorious Christ will present it as a Glorious Church without spot or wrinkle Eph. 2. 7. 4. They love themselves in God and their own Happiness is then fully to be perfected All the desires and hopes of Believers are then satisfied They that are now scorned and persecuted shall have the reward of their love to God be perfectly loved by him A gladsom day it will be with God's people 2 Thess. 1. 10. It is said Christ shall be admired in the Saints and glorified in all them that believe Glorified not actively but objectively Poor Creatures that are newly crept out of the Dust and Rottenness shall have so much Glory put upon them that the Angels themselves shall stand wondring what Christ means to do for them And then for all their labour they shall have rest they shall rest from their labours that is all their troublesom work shall be over for their pain and sorrow they shall have delight 1 Pet. 4. 12. For their shame they shall have Glory put upon them both in Body and Soul Our Lord Christ despised the Shame for the Glory set before him Heb. 12. 2. III. It hath a great Influence upon the Spiritual Life and keeps Religion alive in our Souls That will appear if you take either word in the Text Waiting or Patience 1. If you take the first Notion Waiting or Looking as it draws off the Mind from things present to things to come 1. Looking to the end of things giveth Wisdom Deut. 32. 29. Oh that they were wise that they would consider their latter end It is not so much to be stood upon who is happy now but who shall be happy at last If Men would frequently consider this it would much rectify all the mistakes in the World If we would inure our Minds not to look to things as they seem at present or relish to the Flesh or appear now to such short-sighted Creatures as we are but as they will be judged of at the last day at Christ's appearing How soon would this vain shew be over and the Face of things changed and what is Rich and Pleasant and Honourable now appear base and contemptible at the latter end Then shall we see that there is an excellency in oppressed Godliness that exalted Wickedness and Folly is but shame and ruine Do but translate the Scene from the World's Judgment to Christ's Tribunal and you will soon alter your opinions concerning Wisdom and Folly Misery and Happiness Liberty and Bondage Shame and Glory the mistaking of which Notions pervert all mankind and there is no rectifying the mistake but by carrying of our Mind seriously to the last review of all things For then we shall judge things not by what they seem now but by what they will be hereafter Solomon tells us Prov. 19. 20. Hear Counsel and receive Instruction that thou mayst be wise in thy latter end That is true Wisdom to be found wise at last Time will come when we shall wish and say in vain Oh that we had laid up treasure in Heaven that we had laboured for the Meat that perisheth not that we had esteemed despised Holiness that we had set less by all the vanities of the World that we had imitated the strictest and most mortified Believer for those are only esteemed and have honour in that Day More particularly 1. It would much quicken us to Repentance Acts 3. 19. Repent and be converted that your Sins may be blotted out when the day of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. All things shall be reviewed at Christ's coming and some Mens Sins remain and others are blotted out None but those that are converted and turned to God can expect that Benefit Unless we be recovered from the Devil the World and the Flesh and brought back again in Heart and Life to God there will be no escape Now those that wait for this day should prepare for it that they may stand in the Judgment with comfort The wicked shall have Judgment without Mercy but the Believer shall be accepted upon terms of Grace Days of torment shall come to the one from the presence of the Lord and days of refreshing shall come to the other The state in the World of believing Penitents is a time of Conflict Labour and Sorrow but this trouble and toil is then over and they shall enjoy their rest Consider these things Where would you have your refreshment and in what Many seek their refreshing now either in brutish pleasures and sit down under the shadow of some earthly Gourd which soon withers but those that seek their refreshment in the enjoyment of God shall then be satisfied Nothing certainly makes us so sollicitous about a serious Reconciliation with God as the Consideration of this Day 2. It engageth us to Holiness and puts Life into our Obedience We that look for such things what manner of Persons ought
For Continuance in the new Covenant and delightful Obedience unto God The Remedy is not only suted to the Disease but the Duty to the Reward Our Duty is to know God and to love Him and our Reward is to see Him and be like Him 1 Ioh. 3. 2. There is a marvellous Sutableness between the End and Means Holiness and Happiness Conformity to God and our Communion with Him the Holiness required of us now and the Happiness we expect hereafter perfect Conformity and uninterrupted Communion And they differ only but as the Bud and the Flower the River and the Ocean Here it is begun hereafter perfected III. In the Application of his Grace to particular Believers he hath abounded towards us in all Wisdom and Prudence 1. In the Way God taketh to convert Souls to Himself there is a sweet Contemperation and Mixture of Wisdom and Power There is a Proposal of Truth and Good to the Understanding and the Will and by the secret Power of his Grace it is made effectual We are taught and drawn Ioh. 6. 44 45. No Man can come unto me except the Father which hath sent me draw him In the 45th vers And they shall be all taught of God Every Man therefore that hath heard and learned of the Father cometh unto me There is opening of blind Eyes and the turning of an hard Heart Acts 26. 18. To open their Eyes and to turn them from Darkness to Light c. Eph. 1. 18. The Eyes of the Understanding being opened c. Col. 3. 10. Renewed in Knowledg Turning the Heart Acts 16. 29. God opened the Heart of Lydia Acts 11. 21. The Hand of the Lord was with him and a great Number believed and turned to the Lord. His Hand implieth his Power Thus God worketh strongly like Himself sweetly with respect to us that he may not oppress the Liberty of our Faculties Christ comes into the Heart not by Force but by Consent We are transformed but so as we prove what the Will of God is Rom. 12. 2. He draweth we run Cant. 1. 4. The Power of God and Liberty of Man do sweetly consist together As God is said to create in us a new Heart he is also said to give us a free Spirit Psal. 51. 10 12. Eph. 2. 10. We are said to be his Workmanship created in Christ Iesus unto good Works which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them So he puts a new Heart and we are said to walk in his Ways Ezek. 36. 26 27. A new Heart will I also give you and a new Spirit will I put within you and I will take away the stony Heart out of your Flesh and I will give you an Heart of Flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in my Statutes and ye shall keep my Iudgments and do them Thus God sheweth forth the powerful Efficacy of his Grace and doth also win the Consent and good Liking of the Sinner he obtaineth his Effect and yet doth preserve the Liberty of Man's Nature and the Principles thereof It is not only Voluntas mota but mutata the Nature is changed and renewed 2 Cor. 3. 18. But we all with open Face beholding as in a Glass the Glory of the Lord are changed into the same Image from Glory to Glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord. 2. In the perswasive and moral Way the Wisdom of God is seen as taking the most likely Course to gain the Heart of Man discovering Himself to us as a God of Love Kindness and Mercy Guilty Creatures stand aloof from a condemning God our Fear of his Justice maketh us run from him Gen. 3. 7 10. Adam hid himself from the presence of the Lord. So all his Posterity forsake God and hate him But God though the Superior though the wronged Party maketh Offers of Peace and sheweth how willing he is to be reconciled to us Having first laid the Foundation in the highest Demonstration of Goodness that ever could come to the Ears of Man to hear of or enter into the Heart of Man to conceive namely in giving his Son to die for a sinful World 2 Cor. 5. 19 20. What more apt to make Man relent And then because Man had fallen from the Love of God to the Creature Ier. 2. 3. What Wisdom doth God shew not only in the Offers of Pardon but Eternal Life and Blessedness infinitely beyond the false Happiness which carnal Self-Love inclineth us to that it is a Shame and Disgrace to our Reason to think these things are worthy to be compared together What are all the Pleasures Profits and Honours we dote upon to the Pleasures at God's right-Hand the Riches of the Inheritance of the Saints and the Glory which cometh from God And therefore what more powerful Motive can be produced than this Blessed Immortality Indeed God is invisible and the Glory is to come and sensual Pleasures are at hand ready to be enjoyed But Faith checketh Sense Heb. 11. 1. Faith is the Evidence of Things not seen O the Wisdom of God in the Frame of the Gospel 2. In the Effect it self the new Creature which is the wisest Creature on this side Heaven To evidence this to you I shall shew you that all Wisdom and Prudence consisteth in three things 1. In fixing a right End 2. In the choice of apt and proper Means 3. In a dextrous effectual Prosecution of the End by those Means 1. In fixing and propounding to ourselves a right End A wise Man doth not mind Trifles but is conversant about Things of the greatest Reality Necessity and Excellency such are God and Heaven All other Wisdom will prove but Folly in the end Others disquiet themselves about a vain Show Psal. 59. 6. Poor silly Creatures cark and labour and turmoil to get together a few poor transitory Enjoyments where there is neither durable possession nor solid Satisfaction The Honours Pleasures and Riches of the World are but Pictures and Shadows of the true Honours the true Riches and Fulness of Joy at God's right Hand Surely he is a wise Man that chooseth God for his Portion and Heaven for his Home Prov. 15. 24. The Way of Life is above to the Wise to avoid Hell beneath He is wise and hath chosen the true Sort of living which mindeth the Salvation of his Soul and looketh after Eternal Life Surely this is above and beyond any Wisdom Man can pretend unto to be happy not for a while but for ever 2. In the Choice of apt and proper Means A Man is wise enough if he knows his Duty and the Way to Happiness God hath appointed us the Way wherein to walk to fear him and love him and keep his Commandments Deut. 4. 6. Keep these Statutes for this is your Wisdom Job 28. 28. The Fear of God that is Wisdom and to depart from Evil that is Understanding There is an Excellency in this sort of Life Prov. 12.
in Jest and for fashion sake I am sure most live as if there were no such matter and the many Impostures and Cheats of Christendom and the divisions and scandals amongst us have weakned the Faith of many that were it not for shame they would turn professed Infidels There could not be such Boldness in sinning such Coldness in spiritual and heavenly things such Neglect of Christ and Heaven if Men were true and sound Believers Others content themselves with a negative Sense they do not question or contradict these Articles of Faith because they do not consider them but take up the common Opinion Hand over Head and were never assaulted with Temptations to the contrary they do not doubt of it say they but are they rooted and grounded in the Faith Col. 7. 23. Their not doubting comes from their non-attention Others have a speculative Assent there is a Certainty of Evidence and a Certainty of Adherence The former consisteth in the Conviction of the Mind the latter in the Bent of the Will and Affections An Object rightly propounded extorteth the former from the Understanding not expecting the Consent of the Will the latter followeth Imperium Consensum Voluntatis The former arises from the Evidence of the Thing the latter from the Consideration of the Worth Weight and Greatness of it 1 Tim. 1. 15. This is a faithful Saying and worthy of all acceptation that Iesus Christ came into the World to save Sinners They must not only be apprehended by us as true but seriously considered as the highest and most important Things so as that we may adhere to them with all our Hearts It is such a Belief of the Gospel as produces a firm and cordial Adherence otherwise it will not serve the End and Purpose of the Gospel which requireth us to crucify our Lusts sacrifice our Interests and perform those things which are unpleasing to Nature upon the Hopes it offereth to us and with confidence and joyfulness to wait upon God for his Salvation in the midst of all Pressures and Afflictions If your Adherence were more firm you would find your Comfort more lively fresh and constant your Obedience more uniform you would not be so shaken with Temptations and Assaults and the Incursion of worldly Cares and Sorrows In great Temptations the Children of God see the need of a firm and cordial Assent to the main Gospel-Truths Heb. 6. 1 2. Nay in ordinary Practices in every Prayer you make to God Heb. 10. 22. Let us draw nigh to God with a true Heart in full Assurance of Faith 1 Tim. 2. 8. I will therefore that Men pray every where lifting up holy Hands without Wrath and Doubting 4. Endeavour to arrive at the highest Degree of Assent Faith is or should be strongly perswaded of what it believeth It is an Evidence not a Conjecture not a Surmise but a firm Assurance We should certainly know what we believe We know thou art a Teacher sent from God Joh. 3. 2. We know and are sure that thou art Christ the Son of the Living God Joh. 6. 69. 2 Cor. 5. 1. We know that we have a Building of God 1 Joh. 5. 2. We know that we shall see him as he is 1 Cor. 15. 58. Be ye stedfast unmoveable always abounding in the Work of the Lord knowing that your Labour is not in vain in the Lord. Invisible things revealed by God should be certainly known because God hath told us such clear firm Apprehensions become us Faith is not a bare Conjecture but a certain Knowledge not we think we hope well but we know is the Language of Faith It is not a bare Possibility we go upon nor a probable Opinion but a certain infallible Truth I put you upon this partly because we have a great Argument in the Text If Iob could see it so long before it came to pass should we not now see it Believers of old make us ashamed who live in the clear Sun-shine of the Gospel Iob lived long before the Gospel was revealed the Redemption of Souls was at that time a great Mystery being sparingly revealed to a few But one of a thousand could bring this Message to a condemned Sinner that God had found a Ransom Iob 33. 23. Partly to put you upon earnest Prayer to God and other holy Means The Spirit opens our Eyes and inclines our Hearts Eph. 1. 17 18. I cease not to give thanks for you making mention of you in my Prayers that the God of our Lord Iesus Christ the Father of Glory may give unto you the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation in the knowledg of Him The Eyes of your Understanding being enlightned that ye may know what is the Hope of his Calling and what the Riches of the Glory of his Inheritance in the Saints II. I exhort you to apply and improve it to your particular Comfort I shall speak 1. To the Careless 2. To the Sensible 1. To the Careless who do not give diligence to make their Interest clear that they may be able to say I know that my Redeemer liveth Some are contented so they may be well in the World and live in Peace Credit and Mirth here but never look after an Interest in the Redeemer or to get a sure Hope of a Sentence of Absolution from him at the last Day They content themselves with a general Belief that Christ died for Sinners and only make use of it for the Increase of their carnal Security and Boldness in sinning We must not only consider what Christ hath done but what we are to do that we may be Partakers of the Benefits The general Work of Redemption Christ hath performed for us without any Consent on our part he took our Nature fulfilled the Law satisfied the Justice of God merited Grace but we must thankfully receive him live in him and to him before this is applied to us or we can have the Comfort of it 2 Cor. 5. 17. 2 Cor. 13. 5. They content themselves to think and hope well but do not make it sure upon good Grounds And when Questions and Scruples are raised in their Hearts there is not a full hearing of the Matter the Court is broken up ere things are well determined and so they run the Hazard of Uncertainty and live and die venturing their Souls upon the bare possibility of being saved never put it out of doubt nor assure their Hearts before God 1. Ioh. 3. 19. 2. To the Sensible To live upon this Truth in the midst of their Calamities especially that they may enjoy the Comfort of it in a dying Hour Obj. You will say we could take comfort in this if we knew we had a Redemer at God's right-hand but alas after all our Profession of the Name of Christ and long waiting upon God I cannot make this close Application to say My Redeemer liveth or My Spirit rejoyces in God my Saviour Joh. 1. 47. Answ. But cannot you bless God for the Gospel and
Dan. 4. 35. The Inhabitants of the World are reputed before Him as nothing All created Beings must vanish out of our Sight when we think of God But how are the Creatures nothing which Faith teaches us and how something which Sense teacheth us Something they are unquestionably in respect of that derived and dependent Being which they have from God We must not establish the Pyrrhonian Conceit That the whole World is but a Phantastry indeed nothing and our Life but a Dream Or Sceptically to look upon the Being and Modes of all things as uncertain No Nor to imagine that Sense is so far fallible that a Man of sound Sense and Understanding may not be sure of the Objects conveniently presented to his Sense Certainly the Scepticks need to be scourged as Fools till they feel themselves something But vet it is of high Importance in the Work of Godliness to see the Creature nothing It is so 1. By way of Comparison with God 2. By way of Exclusion of God 3. By way of Opposition to God 1. By way of Comparison with God So God's Name only is I AM and then there is none besides him If the Creatures be compared among themselves some are good strong wise others not but they are all nothing in comparison of God Though there be a Difference between the Stars in the Night some are brighter and some are darker some of the first Magnitude second third c. Yet in the Day-time they are all alike inconspicuous all are darkned by the Sun's Glory When we compare the Creatures one with another we shall find different Degrees of Perfection and Excellency but by the glorious Brightness of the Father of Lights all these inferior Lights are obscured and their Differences unobserved God saith somewhere I am and there is none else I am alone I lift my Hand to Heaven and swear I live for ever It is counted an Usurpation of Divine Honour for the Creature to say I am Isa. 47. 8. Babylon said in her Heart I am So Nineveh Zeph. 2. 15. This is the rejoycing City that dwelt carelesly that said in her Heart I am and there is none besides me Isa. 47. 10. Thy Wisdom and Understanding hath perverted thee and thou hast said in thy Heart I am and there is none besides me For us to reckon upon our Wisdom Strength or Goodness is a Derogation from God God in Scripture is represented as only Wise only Strong and only Good Iob 9. 19. 1 Tim. 1. 17. Mat. 19. 17. The Creature hath but the Shadow of these things As it is but a borrowed Kind of Speech to call a Picture or a Statue a Man this is Caesar this is Alexander because of the Likeness and Representation So the Creatures are but a Resemblance when we call them Wise Strong Good To this Head may be referred those Expressions the true Light Joh. 1. 9. The true Vine Joh. 15. 1. These Terms originally agree to God and but in a borrowed Sense to the Creature 2. By way of Exclusion of God As the Sun-Beam is nothing when the Sun withdraweth or the Sound is nothing when the Musician taketh away his Mouth and Breath from the Pipe and Instrument Psal. 104. 29 30. Thou sendest forth thy Spirit and they are created thou takest away thy Breath and they die The Creature in comparison with God is in Reckoning nothing but in Exclusion of God it is in Reality nothing Because all their Life Wisdom Strength and the Acting of it is but borrowed and derived from God and held only at God's pleasure Naturally and spiritually it is true If any of us say I am we must add with Paul By the Grace of God I am that I am 1 Cor. 15. 10. And again I live yet not I but Christ Gal. 2. 20. If God withdraw his Providential Influence and Supportation we vanish into nothing Iob 7. 8. Thine Eyes are upon me and I am not Meaning That God fastening his Eye upon him in Anger would look him into nothing 3. In way of Opposition to God Either to his Cause and Interest in the World Isa. 41. 11. Behold all that are incensed against thee shall be as nothing The Creature beareth a big Bulk in the Eye of Sense seemeth not only as something but as all things and as long as a Man looketh to what is visible we have no Hope and Comfort to fasten upon But what are the Swift the Wise the Strong to God or against his Providence when God is angry for Sin and we use ordinary Means to avoid the Danger and do not reconcile our selves to Him and take up the Controversy between Him and us Alas Human Endeavours can avail nothing against his Wrath. Those probable Means which have prevailed at other times will prove a meer nothing Be we never so strong and wise and use never so many politick Means to avert the Judgment Amos 6. 13. Ye rejoyce in a thing of nought which say Have we not taken to our selves Horns by our own Strength They gloried in this that their Strength was renewed and encreased and so hoped to elude the threatned Judgment and to drive away any Enemy that might invade them They glory in a thing of nought saith the Prophet Alas What are Armies Troops Confederacies Councils Things of nought when God will blow upon them All things on this side God are of nought and vain to be gloried in when our Sins are come to an height and Judgments are threatned and near Secondly I will prove to you That the true Apprehension of this is mightily useful to us throughout the whole spiritual Life For no one thing keepeth the Creature upright so much as to see All in God and Nothing in the Creature This establisheth our Dependence on God's Promises in the most difficult Cases As Rom. 4. 17 18. What made Abraham to believe in Hope against Hope and give God so much Credit and Glory as he did By his Faith he believed in him that quickneth the Dead and calleth those things that are not as though they were Again there is nothing that doth so encourage us in the difficult Services which God calleth us unto as to remember God is All and the Creature is Nothing As when the Apostles went to preach the Gospel first at Ierusalem in the very Face of Opposition whose Interest led them to oppose it When among the Gentiles possessed of a Religion entailed upon them by the Tradition of many Ages and for which they were zealous the Devil stirring up the Hatred of many furious Spirits against them The Doctrine was novel and did not court the Senses but perswaded Men to row against the Stream of Flesh and Blood slighted by the People disputed against by their wise Men persecuted by the Powers that then were had no temporal Interest to back it and this to be promoted in the Face of the learned World by a few poor Fishermen when all Civil Disciplines were
the Text which is the end of this Love That whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have Life everlasting Where I observe 1. The connection of our Duty and Priviledg Christ dyed to procure a Covenant wherein Pardon and Life is offered to us upon gracious Terms In the Gospel we must observe what God hath promised and what we must do both must be alike acceptable us the Duty as well as the Benefit or else we consent not to the whole Tenour of the Covenant 2. The Universality of the Proposal That whosoever believeth on him no sorts of Men are excluded from the Remedy but those that exclude themselves by their Impenitency and Unbelief 3. The Nature of this Act and Duty which giveth a Right and Title to the Benefits offered and that is believing no more is mentioned here But none truly believe but those that carry themselves accordingly or perform the Duties which that Belief calleth for If it be such a lively operative Faith it will secure our Title to these Benefits 4. The Benefits are Negatively and Positively expressed Negatively they shall not perish Positively but have everlasting Life 1. The Negative Expression is mentioned partly because of our former Deserts we incurred the Sentence of Eternal Death which is taken off from penitent Believers they shall not be condemned with the unbelieving World partly because of our present Fears Guilt presents Destruction before our Eyes but the cause of that is taken away as Sin is remitted and weakned And partly to support us in our troubles they may be Afflicted but not perish for ever Chastned but not destroyed not for Perdition but amendment 2. The Positive part is expressed partly to shew our Heavenly Fathers Love who cannot be satisfi'd til he hath brought us into his immediate Presence And partly to answer the desire of the Faithful who long for everlasting Communion with him we cannot be satisfied till we befor ever with the Lord in a perfect state of Subjection to him and Fruition of him Doct. That Faith is the Way which God hath appointed whereby to receive Benefits by Christ. I. What Faith is II. How this is to be understood III. Why the Gospel Covenant layeth so much weight on it What is Faith surely it concerns us to know it since the Scriptures speak so much of it every-where There are in it three things 1. Assent 2. Consent 3. Trust. 1. A firm and cordial Assent to this Truth that Jesus is the Son of God and Saviour of Mankind who came down from heaven and suffered for our Sins and became the Foundation of that new Covenant which offereth Pardon and Hopes of Bliss to all those who feeling the Burden of their Sins will trust their Souls upon Christ's Redemption and Ransom and forsake the World the Flesh and the Devil and take him for their only Lord and Saviour that by him they may return to God This Assent is a part of Faith but this is not all The reasonable Soul in Man hath Life Sense Appetite and Motion as the Souls of the Beasts have but this is not the difference between us and them besides Sense Life and Appetite we have Reason and Discourse So here Knowledg and Assent are implied in Faith but more is required to make it justifying and saying Assent is good as it is inductive of other things or leadeth on other things to wit Choice and Trust and it is not only good but necessary lest we build without a Foundation It was of great weight heretofore when Christ's Person and Doctrine was more questioned and contradicted Ioh. 8. 24. Unless ye believe that I am he ye shall die in your Sins lose all the Benefit of his Coming 'T is said 1 Ioh. 5. 1. Whosoever believeth that Iesus is the Christ is born of God It was a mighty thing then to believe and profess Christ to be the Messiah and to cleave to that Profession whatever Temptations they had to the contrary But I dare not leave the Decision of Mens Spiritual Estate upon that Trial only The bleak Winds that blew then in their Faces blow now on our backs and it as dangerous now to deny Christ to be the Messiah as it was for them to profess it However Assent is still necessary to put the greater Life and Power into our Faith for if the Fire were well kindled it would of it self break out into a Flame The stronger our Assent is the more powerful to beget Love and Dependance on God's Promises Obedience to his Commands and Perseverance notwithstanding Temptations This Assent to do its Work must be firm and cordial 1. Firm. You must believe unfeignedly that Christ is the Messiah and Redeemer of the World Acts 2. 36. Let the House of Israel know assuredly that God hath made this Iesus whom ye have crucified both Lord and Christ. The word signifies safely they may venture their All upon it Ioh. 17. 8. They have known There is a common customary superficial Belief that Men take up upon the Credit of their Forefathers and the Consent of the Country where they live And there is a sound Perswasion of the Truth of the Gospel wrought in us by the Spirit of God And though Human Credulity doth little yet this last serveth to renew the Soul Mat. 16. 17. Flesh and Blood hath not revealed it to thee but my Father which is in Heaven when Peter had said Thou art the Christ the Son of the Living God This makes us victorious over the Devil the World and the Flesh. 1 Ioh. 5. 5. Who is he that overcometh the World but he that believeth that Iesus is the Son of God If this important supreme Truth were well believed it would doubtless prevail against the Allurements of the World and the Flesh and make Men see that they have something else than this deceitful World to look after Truths go to the quick when soundly believed 2. Cordial Many seem verily to be perswaded that Jesus is the Son of God but are no way affected with this Mystery of Grace nor changed The Devils may give a bare Assent to this great Gospel Truth Compare Mark 5. 7. with Matth. 16. 16. The Confession of the Devil with the Profession of Peter The Devil owned Jesus to be the Son of the most High God as well as Peter the Son of the Living God Austms Observation is very good Hoc dicebat Petrus hoc dicebant Daemones Petrus ut Christum amplecteretur Daemones ut Christus ab iis recederet Peter said the same thing and the Devil the same thing Peter said it that he might embrace Christ the Devils that he might depart from them It is one thing to be of this Opinion that Christ is the Saviour of the World another to accept and receive him into our Hearts 2. The next thing which I shall observe in Faith is a Consent to receive Christ as God offereth him to us in the Gospel Joh. 1. 12. To as
think all their business is to get a Victory over their Consciences and though they do not deny their Lusts yet if they can be strongly perswaded that God will be merciful to them in Christ they shall not perish but obtain everlasting Life No we must obey we must deny our selves or else we do not trust Christ to bring us to Heaven in his own ways and methods but trust to some vain conceits of our own II. How this is to be understood That whosoever believeth since many other things are required of us as Repentance Mortification of Sin Self-denial new Obedience or Holiness Luk. 13. 5. Except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish Mortification Rom. 8. 13. If ye live after the Flesh ye shall die but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the Body ye shall live Self-Denial Luke 14. 16. If any Man come to me and hate not his Father and Mother yea and his own Life also he cannot be my Disciple New Obedience or Holiness Heb. 12. 14. Follow Peace with all Men and Holiness without which no Man shall see the Lord. I answer all Truths are not delivered in one place and therefore a solitary Faith will not bring us to Heaven but that which is seconded with other things But more distinctly I. Faith is not required to exclude other things that are connexed with it by the Ordination of God For every one that believeth Christ believeth the whole Gospel to be true Except against one part and you may except against all the rest Now it is evident in the Gospel that without Regeneration Repentance and Holiness no Man can be saved and see God therefore every one that believeth in Christ must trust him to obtain it in the way that he hath appointed and promised to give it 2. Faith is not required to exclude other things that are included in the nature of it or flow as genuine Effects from such a cause A purpose of Obedience is included in the Nature of Faith and actual Obedience is the fruit of it Every one that believeth Christ receiveth him in all his Offices therefore a purpose of Obedience is included in the nature of it and if Faith be sincere universal Obedience in Self-denial Mortification and our duty to God and Men will naturally be derived from it Therefore as he that is to entertain a King makes reckoning of his Train and that he will not come alone so every one of whom Faith in Jesus Christ is required must reckon that his Faith must be evidenced to be sincere by the Fruits of it III. Why is Faith required that we may receive Benefit by Christ For these Reasons 1. In respect of God 2. In respect of Christ. 3. In respect of the Creature 4. In respect of our Comforts 1. In respect of God that our Hearts may be possessed with a full apprehension of his Grace who in the new Covenant appeareth not as a revenging and condemning God but as a pardoning God This reason is rendred by the Apostle Rom. 4. 16. It is of Faith that it might be of Grace The Law brought in the Terror of God by being the Instrument of revealing Sin and the punishment due thereunto ver 15. The Law worketh Wrath for where there is no Law there is no Transgression no such stinging sense of it but the Gospel brought in Grace The Law stated the Breach but the Gospel shewed the way of our Recovery And therefore Faith doth more agree with Grace as it makes God more amiable and lovely to us and beloved by us by the discovery of his Goodness and Grace The saving of Man by Christ that is by his Incarnation Life Sufferings Death Resurrection and Ascension do all tend to possess our Hearts with his abundant Grace To the same tend also his merciful Covenant gracious Promises and all the Benefits given to us his Spirit Pardon and Communion with God in Glory all is to sill our Hearts with a Sense of the Love of God And all this is no more than necessary for a guilty Conscience is not easily setled and brought to look for all kind of Happiness from one whom we have so much wronged Adam when once a Sinner was shy of God Gen. 3. 10. and Sin still makes us hang off from him Guilt is suspicious and if we have not one to lead us by the Hand and bring us to God we cannot abide his Presence For this End serveth Faith That Sinners being possest of the Goodness and Grace of God may be recovered and return to him by a fit Means In the new Covenant Repentance more distinctly respects God and Faith respecteth Christ Acts 20. 21. Repentance towards God and Faith in our Lord Iesus Christ. Repentance respects God because from God we fell and to God we must return We fell from him as we withdrew our Allegiance and sought our Happiness elsewhere to him we return as our rightful and proper Happiness but Faith respects the Mediator who is the only Remedy of our Misery and the Means of our Eternal Blessedness He opened the way to God by his Merit and Satisfaction and actually bringeth us into this way by his renewing and reconciling Grace that we may be in a capacity both to please and enjoy God and that is the reason why Faith in Christ is so much insisted on as our Title and Claim to the Blessedness of the new Covenant It hath a special aptitude and fitness for our recovery from Sin to God because it peculiarly respects the Mediator by whom we come to him 2. With respect to Christ. 1. Because the whole Dispensation of Grace by Christ cannot well be apprehended by any thing but Faith partly because the Way of our Recovery is so supernatural strange and wonderful that unless we believe God's Testimony how can we be perswaded of it That the Carpenter's Son should be the Son of that great Architect and Builder who framed Heaven and Earth that Life should come to us by the Death of another that God should be made Man and the Judge a Party and he that knew no Sin be condemned as a Criminal Person that one crucified should procure the Salvation of the whole World and be Lord of Life and Death and have such Power over all Flesh as to give Eternal Life to whom he will Reason is puzsed at these things Faith can only unravel them Partly because the Comfort of the Promises is so rich and glorious and the Persons upon whom it is bestowed so unworthy that it cannot easily enter into the Heart of a Man that God will be so good and gracious to us 1 Cor. 2. 9. Eye hath not seen Ear hath not heard neither hath it entred into the Heart of Man to conceive the Things God hath prepared for them that love him Therefore Sense and Reason could look for no such thing Faith is necessary and a strong Faith that it may work upon us These are things
saved 4. Necessitate Signi as Evidences of our Right to Salvation both to others and our selves Works or external Acts are more sensible and visible and also liable to the notice of our own Consciences and it is more hard to judg of the internal Grace than the external Fruits 1. As to others God seeth what is in our Hearts but Men see it not till the Effects manifest it When Iohn suspected the Pharisees he said to them Mat. 3. 8. Bring ye forth therefore Fruits meet for Repentance The Fear of God is more known by the external Act than by the internal Habit therefore that Description is given Prov. 8. 13. The Fear of the Lord is to hate Evil Pride and Arrogancy and the evil Way and the froward Mouth do I hate And Iob 28. 28. The Fear of the Lord that is Wisdom and to depart from Evil is Understanding The Current of a Mans Life and Actions doth best expound and interpret his Heart Thus the Psalmist discovered the wicked Psal. 36. 1. The Transgression of the Wicked saith within my Heart that there is no Fear of God before his Eyes 2. To our selves holy Conversation and Godliness is the surest note of our Regeneration We judg others by external Works alone For the Tree is known by its Fruit Mat. 7. 16. Charity forbids us to pry any further but we judg our selves by internal and external Works together If within we have Faith in Christ a love to God and hatred of Evil a delight in Holiness a deep sense of the World to come all which Graces make up the new Nature then these things issue out into an holy Conversation this breedeth Joy and Peace of Conscience 2 Cor. 1. 12. This is our rejoycing the Testimony of our Conscience that in Simplicity and godly Sincerity not with fleshly Wisdom but by the Grace of God we have had our Conversation in the World 1 John 3. 18 19. Let us not love in Word neither in Tongue but in Deed and in Truth and hereby we know that we are of the Truth and shall assure our Hearts before him 3. That good Works must not be opposed to God's Mercy and free Grace or Christ's Satisfaction Merit and Righteousness either in the matter of Justification or Salvation but kept in a due subordination to God's Grace and Christ's Merits This is the business of this Context to reconcile the Grace of God with the necessity of good Works è contrà and very well it may be for they are part of the Grace obtained He is most beholden to God and indebted to Grace who is enabled to do most good for all is from him Phil. 2. 13. He worketh in us both to will and to do of his own good Pleasure So that our very doing is receiving But because there are a sort of Men that may be called Justiciaries who trust and teach others to trust to their own Vertues and Works without a Saviour or ascribe the part of a Saviour to them and on the other side the Libertines who teach Men not to look at any thing in themselves at all not as an Evidence Condition or Means but to trust to Christ's Blood to be instead of Faith Repentance and Obedience which is their Duty to be performed by them therefore it will be necessary to be well acquainted with what is truly the Part and Office of Christ what is truly the Office of Faith and Repentance what of Works that you may be sure to give every thing its due and may wholly trust Christ for his part and not joyn Faith or any of your Works and Duties in the least degree of that Trust and Honour which belongeth to our Saviour but regard them according to that use for which they are commanded in the Gospel 1. Our Works whatever they are either Duties to God or Man are not the first moving cause or inducement to incline God to shew us Favour or to bring about our Salvation No this Honour must be reserved for the Grace of God which moveth and stirreth all in the business of our Salvation It was his Grace to provide us a Saviour John 3. 16. God so loveth the World that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting Life And the giving of Faith or converting Grace to some before others is the meer Effect of his Mercy and good Pleasure Eph. 2. 4 5. God who is rich in Mercy for his great Love wherewith he hath loved us when we were dead in Trespasses and Sins hath quickned us together with Christ by Grace ye are saved Then the Benefits consequent upon Conversion are from God's Love and Mercy As Justification Rom. 3. 24. Iustified freely by his Grace Not only by his Grace but freely that is not excited by our Works but acting freely of its own accord Then for Eternal Life we have it from the Grace of God and the Mercy of our Redeemer Jude 21. Looking for the Mercy of our Lord Iesus Christ unto Eternal Life So that Grace is the first Mover and Principle in the whole Business of our Salvation it is originally from Grace and all along by Grace 2. Our Works before or after Conversion are not that Righteousness not any part of that meritorious Righteousness by virtue of which Sins are expiated the Wrath of God appeased all Blessings of Heaven purchased and we reconciled to God For this is only to be ascribed to the Merit and Satisfaction of our Lord Jesus Christ. When we were Enemies we were reconciled by his Death and are saved by his Life Rom. 5. 10. He is our Propitiation we live by him 1 John 4. 9 10. In this was manifested the Love of God towards us because that God sent his only begotten Son into the World that we might live through him Herein is Love not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the Propitiation for our Sins It is Christ's Office and Honour to be a Sacrifice for Sin and a Propitiation for us and a perfect Saviour and Intercessor to obtain the Spirit to fit us for our present Duty and future Happiness We are his Workmanship in Christ. 3. Our Works or Duties which we perform in Obedience to God are not the first means to apply the Grace of the Redeemer or the Condition of our first entrance into the Evangelical Estate No that is proper to Repentance and Faith Rom. 3. 22. The Righteousness of God is by Faith unto all and upon all them that believe And Repentance is frequently required also to receive Pardon and the Gift of the Holy Ghost Acts 2. 38. Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Iesus Christ for the remission of Sins and ye shall receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost Acts 3. 19. Repent ye therefore and be Converted that your Sins may be blotted out It is the penitent believing Sinner that is