them a City and in enjoying God they enjoy all And then observe that the Happiness of Believers is for ever they are not freed from all evil for a time only and enjoy all good for a time only but for ever And so they have everlasting Life 2. Let us enquire what is this believing what this Faith is upon which a man or woman comes to have everlasting Life I answer 'T is not a bare assent to the Truth of the Gospel 'T is not a meer Historical Faith Yea though you should be somewhat affected with it and hear the Word with Joy and do many things as Herod did But this believing is a Receiving of Christ himself in some word of Grace wherby the humbled Sinner doth wholy rely upon Jesus Christ for Life and Salvation Although we are to believe all that is Written in the Law and the Prophets and the whole Word of God yet Christ as a Saviour and Mediator is the object of justifying Faith Gal. 3.2 Received ye the Spirit by the works of the Law or by the hearing of Faith Faith is wrought in us by the hearing of the Gospel by some word of Grace wherein Christ is held forth as a Saviour either Explicitly or Implicitly The Text saith He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting Life And Paul bids the Jaylor believe on the Lord Jesus and thou shalt be saved So that whatsoever word the Lord hints to us to work and beget Faith in our Hearts yet the Soul doth not stay there but Ventures and Casts it self wholy upon Jesus Christ as the Saviour and Mediator Thirdly To give you some Demonstrations or Arguments to prove that whosoever believeth on the Son hath everlasting Life 1. God the Father promised this to Christ the Mediator in the behalf of his Ransomed ones Tit. 1.2 In hope of Eternal Life which God that cannot lie promised before the world began God promised to Christ no less than Eternal Life for his Seed Rom. 6. last The Gift of God is Eternal Life through Jesus Christ our Lord. 1 Joh. 2.25 This is the Promise which he hath promised us even eternal Life This was promised to Christ that by his Obedience all his People should be made Righteous and have Eternal Life 2. Christ as Mediator prayed for no less than Eternal Life for his people and the Father always heareth him Joh. 17.24 Father I will that those whom thou hast given me may be with me where I am that they may behold my Glory which thou hast given me 3. Jesus Christ hath purchased Eternal Life for his People Hebr. 9.15 And for this cause he is the Mediator of the New Testament that by means of Death for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first Testament they which are called might receive the Promise of Eternal Inheritance Christ having made Satisfaction for the Sins of his People and brought in an everlasting Righteousness for them What should now hinder them of Everlasting Life who believe on his Name 4. One thing more to shew you in what sense it is said in the Text That he that believeth on the Son hath everlasting Life not only shall have it but hath Everlasting Life Seeing that Believers have Sin dwelling and remaining in them and are liable to Temptations and Buffetings of Satan and liable to all kind of outward Sorrows and Afflictions and have this Earthly Tabernacle yet to put off How can it be said that a Believer now hath everlasting Life I answer 1. In regard of the certainty of it As when it is said Babylon is fallen 'T is as certain that Babylon shall fall as if it were fallen already So it is as certain that Believers shall have everlasting Life as if they had it already And so it is said 2 Tim. 1.9 Who hath saved us and called us We are saved already 2. In regard that everlasting Life is begun to a Believer Every Believer is in a justified estate his Sins pardoned and the Righteousness of Christ imputed to him and Holiness and Communion with God is begun already in this Life his Fellowship is now with the Father and his Son Jesus Christ 3. In regard of Christ our head Ephes 2.6 He hath raised us up and made us sit together in Heavenly Places in Christ. The members of the mystical Body are now in Heaven though not in their own Persons yet in Christ their Head Heb. 6.20 Whither the fore-runner is for us entred even Jesus He hath taken up Heaven for them and appears in the presence of God for them Application Use 1. From what is said here That he that believeth on the Son hath everlasting Life and he that beleiveth not on the Son shall not see Life but the wrath of God abideth on him Learn that there is an everlasting estate appointed for every one either everlasting Life or everlasting Death An eternity there is for every one of us and we are near it we are upon the brink of it we are near Heaven or Hell The Lord knows that we mind these present things too much and eternity very little But O! That when we come to dye to go into eternity that we may be in Christ that so when the Earthly house of this Tabernacle shall be dissolved we may have a Building of God an House not made with hands Eternal in the Heavens O! that we may remember our eternal condition more that the thoughts of Eternity may be with us in our Callings and Business all the day long and that we may make sure of our interest of Christ that we may have everlasting Life Use 2. Wonder at the Lord's Grace in Christ that he should give everlasting Life to any of us fallen sinful men God doth not give everlasting Life to any of the Angels that sinned but cast them all down to Hell And you that live under the Preaching of the Gospel bless God that you hear of these glad tidings of everlasting Life through Christ and hearing this way of Life Preached and Declared to you O! that you may receive Christ That you may believe on him that you may have everlasting Life Use 3. Heere is matter of strong consolation to those that have believed on the Son O! Let such rejoyce in the Grace of God the Lord hath abounded towards them in his kindness through Christ Jesus It is true you may meet with many sorrows here in this world but rejoyce in this that there is no Condemnation to you because you are in Christ Jesus And not only no Condemnation but you have everlasting Life You may lose Estate Name Liberty and Life in this World but you can never lose everlasting Life for he that believeth on the Son hath everlasting Life Use 4. Here is Direction to those that are convinced of their sins that are weary and heavy laden whose consciences are pressed with the burden of their sins as if they had a heavy mountain lay upon them
Therefore trust in the Lord in all difficulties Say as David Psal 62.1 Truly my Soul waiteth upon God from him cometh my Salvation Vers 2. My Soul wait thou only upon God for my expectation is from him You can speak it by experience that Power belongeth unto God and that also unto the Lord belongeth Mercy You have had experience of both in his calling you out of darkness into his marvellous light therefore wait upon him and trust in him to perfect all that doth concern you both for Soul and Body Lastly Be willing to do or suffer any thing for Christ 1. Be willing to live to him The Apostle shews that it is but reasonable that we should live unto the Lord not only as we are Creatures but also upon the account of Grace 2 Cor. 14.15 Because we thus judge that if one died for all then were all dead and that he died for all that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves but unto him that died for them and rose again Those that live by Christ it is but reasonable that they should live to him We must not of all others live to our selves besides our old obligation to obedience which we owe to God as our Creator and Soveraign Lord Grace lays a further obligation upon us to live to him 2. Be willing to dye for him if he call us to it Paul had heard the voice of Christ speaking from Heaven to him as all that are called do though not in such a manner as Christ spake to him and so he was made alive and now how precious was Christ to him he was willing to suffer any thing for his Name and Glory Act. 21.13 I am ready not only to be bound but to dye at Jerusalem for the Name of the Lord Jesus He was sensible that Christ had given him spiritual Life and therfore thought it a small matter to lay down his bodily Life in a way of bearing witness to his Name SERMON III. John III. 33. He that hath Received his Testimony hath set to his Seal that God is True THe words before going John says No Man received his Testimony though he testifie nothing but what he had seen and heard in Heaven and no man received his Testimony and yet here immediately it follows that He that hath received his Testimony says that God is True He that hath implying there was some that did receive it that is none few or none None in comparison of those that did not receive it some few there were that did receive it And here in this Verse John doth declare the Commendation of those that did receive Christ and what matter of encouragement to those that do receive Christs Testimony Why he says they do exceedingly Honour and Glorifie God they do subscribe as it were with their Hand and set their Seal to the Truth of God that what the Lord speaks and Christ speaks and what God the Father speaks is Truth and in doing this they Honour and Glorifie God by subscribing and setting to their Seal that God is True As he says he that set to his Seal that God is true doth Testify of what is Truth But how doth it appear that the Spirit is given unto those that Testify of him You may see it cleared in the opening of the Proposition So that the proposition is this taking up the words of the Text. Propos Whosoever he be that doth receive the Testimony of Christ doth set to his Seal that God it True You heard before in the opening of the former clause what we are to understand by the Testimony of Christ and then what we are to understand of the receiving the Testimony of Christ By the Testimony of Christ we are to understand the Gospel of Life and Salvation held forth to poor Sinners that you heard cleared from Scripture and for the receiving of it what is it to receive it it is not only a receiving it into the understandings and also into the affections and receiving it with some kind of Joy and Gladness but also a receiving it into the Heart and Soul in a way of Faith and Believing Believing is receiving the Testimony of Christ I shall not stand to speak of these things but shall now shew you that that Testimony that every believing Soul doth give of Jesus Christ doth set to his Seal that God is true First To shew that God is Truth Secondly what we are to understand by this setting to the Seal that God is true Thirdly To shew by what and wherein and how it doth appear that every believing soul that doth receive the Testimony of Christ doth believe that God is True First To shew you that God is Tru◠〈◊〉 that God is true and faithful in his Word in whatsoever he speaks in his Gospel as that which the Evangelists in the Gospel speaks of in the Testimony of Christ is true When God proclaimed his name by Moses he says of him He is abundant in goodness and in truth he is as abundant in his truth every way as in his goodness And in another place its said God is not as Man that he should lye hath he spoken it and shall he not do it And so I might multiply Scriptures to that purpose the Truth of God is from everlasting to everlasting whatsoever he speaks it shall be what he hath spoken with his mouth he will fulfil Every man says the Apostle are Lyars Let God be true and every man a Lyar in respect of God it is even so And so in the New-Testament God is a God that cannot Lye It cannot stand with his infinite Nature He cannot Lye yet it is impossible for God to Lye He must cease to be God were it ever so But it must needs be so Brethren that God is a God of Truth for God is the Author of all truth He is the Fountain of Truth and you know a Fountain cannot contain sweet waters and bitter He is Light and in him is no darkness at all He is Truth it self and no Lye there can be no falshood at all in him He is the Author of Truth the Devil is the Author of Lyes and the founder of them the Devil is the Father of Lyes and therefore God cannot be the Father of them but he is the Author of 〈◊〉 But â—gain it cannot be that God should speak that which is not truth which he doth not intend for God is an unalterable God an unchangeable God He don't speak and unspeak again but he is Immutable and unchangeable the same to day and forever without any shaddow of turning In our speaking there 's change and shaddow of turning but there is no shaddow of change or turnings in God He says not one thing and intends another If God should promise Life and Salvation unto all those that lay hold of Righteousness and Life and then they fall short of it here were change and shaddow of turning but there 's no shaddow
THE GLORY OF CHRIST Set forth in several SERMONS FROM JOHN III. 34 35 36. and V. 25. AND The necessity of Faith in order to pleasing GOD. FROM HEBREWS XI 6. By that able and faithful Servant of Jesus Christ Mr. Thomas Allen late Pastor of a Church in the City of Norwich LONDON Printed by A. M. and R. R. for Edward Giles Bookseller in Norwich near the Market-place 1683 TO THE READER IT being desired that more might be published of the Works of this Reverend Author Mr. Thomas Allen you have here some more Sermons taken from him in short-hand which have been transcribed with care and diligence The main points of the Gospel are handled in these Sermons so that those that Read them may understand the Authors knowledg in the mystery of Christ And they are delivered with plainness of speech with words easie to be understood so that it will easily appear that his aim was to set â—orth Christ and not to set forth himself in â—is Preaching His speech and his preachâ—ng was plain grave solid weighty and â—owerful like an Ambassador of Christ These Sermons arise naturally from the Texts of Scripture they are upon for it was not the manner of this Author to name a Text only for fashion sake One great cause of ignorance in the people is because there is no more direct opening and applying the Scripture The more Scripture is solidly opened and practically applied in a Sermon the better the Sermon is whatsoever the injudicious and ignorant do think to the contrary Indeed as I never heard any man Pray too long at a time so I never heard any man Preach too long upon a Text. But as many that seem to pray long do oftentimes rather Discourse than Pray and keep so little to the business of Prayer that while they seem to Pray long they Pray very little So it is with some in Preaching that though they name the same Text a great while as if they Preached many Sermons from it yet it may be Preach not one according to the direct scope and tendency of the words they are upon I take notice of this to commend the Author of these Sermons as a pattern to young Preachers not to think it any part of the excellency of their Sermons to take but a few words for their Text or to be long upon the same words but to open and apply as much Scripture as they can at 〈◊〉 time which will not only prevent many impertinences in Preaching But when what is said ariseth immediately and naturally from the portion of Scripture handled the people may take notice that it is not so much the Minister as God himself that speaks these things to them in his word These Sermons also are Orthodox sound according to the truth which is after godliness We have lived in a time of an inundation of errors and heresies and yet the Lord hath continued the truth of the Gospel in the Churches of the Saints And although the Churches of the Congregational way have been looked upon by some as Seminaries of error yet through the presence of Christ in the midst of them the truth of the Gospel hath continued in them as well as in other Churches of Christ that differ from them in some points of order and discipline Blessed be the Father of lights that hath kept the guides and members both of Congregational Churches and other reforming Churches stable and steady in the main truths of the Gospel which have been publickly owned and professed in the Land since the reformation whereas many others have been carried away with diverse and strange Doctrines There seems to be a great conspiracy in these days against the Lord Jesus as the Mediator between God and sinners Men are studying how they may ascribe as little to Christ as may be to whom we are to ascribe all concerning the making atonement for our sins and the bringing in an everlasting righteousness to justifie us before God Indeed Christ hath been so abundantly Preached amongst us and many have such outward advantage by a profession of his name that they cannot well openly renounce him yet they are secretly undermining the very fundamental points of our Religion Many amongst us slight what hath been generally taught concerning our fall in Adam original sin Christs satisfaction for sin and the imputation of his righteousness to them that believe on his name and make a mock of being weary and heavy laden with the sense of the wrath of God due to us for sin and looking to Jesus as the Mediator and resting our weary Souls and perplexed Consciences upon him as our only Saviour Now if these foundations be destroyed if these main Doctrines be denied we are really putting away the Lord Jesus from us though we use never so many external Rites to make shew of honour to his name Yea it is considerable That this opposition to the main points of our Religion is fiercey maintained by persons greatly differing in other things yet in this they agree and are very earnest upon the matter to deny the Gospel I speak of these things to this end to shew what great need there is of Preaching much of our fall in Adam of the corruption of our nature of the sentence of death and condemnation that we are under for sin of the person and offices of Christ the Mediator of the necessity of knowing him and fleeing for refuge unto him as this Author hath excellently shewed in these Sermons and so he did in all his Preaching Indeed this Author was a son of thunder and a son of consolation he took all occasions from the Texts he Preached upon to thunder out the wrath of God against sinners to set them before Mount Sinai and shew them the fiery Law that they might be convinced of their lost and undone condition in themselves and then endeavoured to bring them unto Mount Sion and shew them Jesus the Mediator and the blood of sprinkling that taketh away sin In his Preaching he shewed the people the flaming Sword the curse of the Law shewed them that the avenger of blood was coming and then told them of Christ as the City of refuge and cryed to them to flee unto him And indeed he is a right Preacher of the Gospel that can thus change his voice and readily turn his discourse upon all occasions The blessing of Heaven go along with these Sermons that they may be for the profit of many that they may be saved Martin Finch The Glory of Christ set forth John III. 34 35 36. For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God for God giveth not the spirit by measure unto him The father loveth the son and hath given all things into his hand He that believeth on the son hath everlasting life and he that believeth not on the son shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him IN these Words our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ is described
and now there comes a powerful Light into the heart to reveal Christ so as to enable the Soul to see Christ held forth in the Promises and to receive him The Apostle saith 1 Tim. 1.15 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners Now the Soul saith It is so indeed 't is worthy of all acceptation the Soul now is wrought by the Spirit to approve and like this way of Salvation and heartily close with it Now the Understanding is enlightned and the Will rectified and brought to embrace Christ It is the Lord that makes this change He worketh in us to will and to do Phil. 2.13 Every one that is converted receives Christ Joh. 1.12 But to as many as received him to them gave he power to become the Sons of God even to them that believed on his Name Though it may be that the Souls receiving Christ at first is scarce discerned but afterwards by renewing acts of Faith upon Christ and by the effects of Union with Christ we may come to see that we have received Christ and are made partakers of Spiritual Life There is a certain moment of time when a man hath Spiritual Life put into him he heareth the voice of the Son of God and liveth But the work is so secret and mysterious that it is hard for us to say that just such a day such an hour we heard the voice of the Son of God and lived Though some may be able to know the time yet not all that are made alive by Christ But we find by degrees the acts and effects of Spiritual Life whereby we may know that we have heard the voice of the Son of God and live When we receive Christ then we are made alive indeed for wheras we were under the sentence of death by the Law now we are forgiven all trespasses and have the Righteousness of Christ imputed to us And those that receive this gift of Righteousness are not only freed from Hell but shall reign in life by Jesus Christ Rom. 5.17 When we truly receive Christ we are sanctified also Together with the Faith that the Lord gives us to receive Christ for our Justification he also gives his Spirit to work in us a Principle of Holiness and new obedience that we may be both in repect of Justification and Sanctification alive from the Dead Application Use 1. Here we may see the miserable estate that every man and woman is in that hath not heard the voice of Christ. Brethren and beloved do you believe this that dead sinners are made alive by hearing the voice of the Son of God Then those that never yet heard the voice of the Son of God they are yet dead in Trespasses and Sins If you never yet heard the voice of Christ then you are dead men all your sins are upon you you are under the sentence of death by the Law and if you never come to hear the voice of the Son of God this sentence of Death will be upon you for ever And if you never yet heard the voice of Christ to put spiritual life into you then you are dead also as to any Life of Grace and Holiness Those works that you are ready to be proud of and glory in they are all but dead works and you do not truly serve the living God But you will say we hope we have heard the voice of Christ we have heard many able Ministers many good Sermons we have had the Word opened to us Answer This is a Priviledg indeed to have the Word Preached to you but it is not the voice of a man no nor of the Angels of Heaven if they should speak to you that can put Spiritual Life into you except withal you hear the voice of the Son of God Therefore If you never yet heard the voice of Christ to make the Preaching of the Gospel effectual to your Souls I say unto every such person as God said to Abimilech Gen. 20.3 Thou art but a dead man thou art a Sinner and the wages of Sin is Death thou art a condemned man and thou hast no Life of Holiness neither Therefore consider your case and condition Examine your selves Whether the Word Preached hath had that power upon your hearts to draw you to Christ and to turn you from your Iniquities Objection If that we hear the Word Preached by men yet you say that except we hear the voice of the Son of God we cannot live then to what purpose should we attend upon the Preaching of the Gospel Answer It is your Duty to hear what God the Lord speaketh by his Servants and Ministers and though the Word Preached cannot Convert you without the Voice and Power of Christ yet it may please the Lord at one time or other to make the Preaching of the Word effectual upon your hearts as he hath done to others Use 2. See the exceeding greatness of Christ's Power He is able to make dead Souls to live he is able to quicken those who are dead in Trespasses and Sins a work which neither Men nor Angels can do Yea know and take notice That it is no labour no difficulty to Christ to make dead Souls live He can do it easily and suddenly He can do it with a word He can do it as easily as you or I can speak a word The Text saith That the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God and they that hear shall live Use 3. Of Direction to those that have heard the voice of the Son of God and are now quickned and are made alive 1. Bless and praise the Lord stand and wonder at what the Lord hath done for you If any of you had been dead and in the Grave and Christ had said to you as he did to Lazarus come forth and so you had been raised but from a bodily death to live again this had been a great wonder But this is a far greater wonder O! therefore bless the Lord say this my Soul was Dead and is alive I was under the Sentence of Death for the Breach of the Law and now I am pardoned I was without any life of holiness and now the Lord hath given me a new Heart a new Spirit Thus when I lay in my Blood the Lord said unto me Live 2. Love the Lord Jesus who hath delivered your Soul from Death Love him because he first loved you and said to you when you lay in your Blood Live Love him and love the word of his Grace by which he quickened you Never forget his Word the Word of his Grace by which he hath quickned your Souls Love his Word and Ordinances wherein he hath put forth the Power of his Grace to youâ— Souls 3. Trust in the Lord to perform all things for you If you have heard the voice of the Son of God and Live then you have had experience of the Power of Christ indeed
that give Alms they perform the very same Duty the one gives as much alms as the other and yet what the one doth may be accepted with God and pleasing to him and the other not whence comes the difference One doth it in Faith and the other not Abel and Cain brought their offerings to God God had respect to Abel and his Offering and God had not respect to Cain and his Offering what was the ground of the difference saies the Apostle By Faith Abel offered a more acceptable Sacrifice than Cain Well but what Faith is it then whereby a Soul and his Duties and Services come to be pleasing unto God Answ Brethren do not mistake your selves it is not that Faith whereby a man or Woman gives his consent to and believes all that is written in the Scriptures all that is revealed in the Gospel concerning Christ a man or woman may believe all this and yet this is not the Faith whereby he comes to be accepted as you know the Devils believe all this and yet are not accepted So a man or Woman may believe all that is revealed in the Gospel and yet never please God But what Faith is it whereby a Man and his Duties and performances come to please God and without which it is impossible to please God Briefly there is a three-fold Faith required for the acceptance of a mans services and performances with God that God may be pleased with them Mind it I pray for it is a thing of great concernment and possibly that which very few have considered 1st There is required saving Faith in Christ that which we call justifying Faith such a believing in Christ whereby a Soul comes to be in Christ and Christ in the Soul whereby Christ becomes the life of the Soul the very principle of Life in the Soul a justifying saving Faith in the habit the principle of Faith the grace of Faith infused into the heart whereby a Soul comes really to be united to Christ and have an Interest in him to be in Christ as you know the Scripture frequently speaks I shall not stand to give you Scriptures for that you see Brethren here how Abel and how Enoch came to please God it was by Faith What Faith It was this true Justifying Faith this Faith in Christ that was to come for it was by their Faith in Christ that they came to be accepted and their Offering was accepted and pleasing unto God by Faith Abel was accepted and his Offering and Sacrifice was accepted Cain he offered his Sacrifice but it was not accepted because he had not this justifying Faith Enoch he pleased God and whence was it It was by his Faith and saies the Apostle thereupon he had his Testimony that he pleased God it was by his Faith his justifying Faith in Christ whereby he came to be accepted his person was accepted of God and consequently his services came to be accepted of God a man or woman must first have a principle of Life before he can live a Spiritual Life now Christ is a Christians life and how comes Christ to be the Life of a Christian Namely by his Faith when he comes to believe in Christ then Christ is his Life the principle of his life the Spirit of Christ now is in the Soul that is a plain word which the Apostle hath in Rom. 8.9 If any man have not the spirit of Christ he is none of his And saies Christ in John 15.5 As the branch cannot bring forth Fruit of it self except it abide in the Vine no more can ye except ye abide in me And without me mark without me ye can do nothing Nothing that is pleasing to God the word without me holds forth not so much without Strength from Christ though that is true too but the word signifies properly in the Original without me that is separated from me not united to me that is the word in the Greek just as when a Branch is cut off from the Vine the Branch cannot bring forth Fruit without ful disputations for one believeth that he may eat all things another who is weak eateth Herbs Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not and let not him that eateth not judge him that eateth for God hath received him And again at verse 5. One man esteemeth one day above another another esteemeth every day alike What then Let every Man be fully perswaded in his own mind if he do venture to eat any kind of Meats let him be fully and clearly perswaded in his own mind that he may do it and then he eats in Faith and if he do not observe those days if he be fully perswaded in his own mind then he doth it in Faith in the two last Verses he calls this Faith Hast thou Faith Have it to thy self before God Hast thou Faith that is hast thou a perswasion that it is lawful for thee to eat any kind of meats or it is Lawful for thee to forbear the Observation of those Days Hast thou Faith have it to thy self But mark Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing that he alloweth and he that doubteth is damned if he eat because he eateth not of Faith He that doubteth that is he that questioneth whether it be lawful for him to eat this kind of meat or no he that doubteth whether he shall do well to observe this day or no He that doubteth is damned if he eat because he eateth not of Faith That is he is not fully perswaded in his own mind for whatsoever is not of Faith is Sin whatsoever is not of that perswasioâ— that it is according to the Will of God oâ— not contrary to the Will of God if he do it without that perswasion then it is not of Faith and so is a damnable sin though the thing be Lawful in it self yet if he doth the same thing doubtingly it is a damnable sin that he commits without this Faith this perswasion in his Mind that what he doth is according to the Will of God and this Faith is requisite to the pleasing of God So here in the instance before us in Abel and also in Enoch Abel pleased God by offering up a Sacrifice he had this Faith not only a Justifying Faith but he had this Faith he was perswaded that what he did offer up in Sacrifice was according to the Will of God and so Enoch he walked with God and had this Testimony that he pleased God that in the course of his Lise the steps of his Life was according to the Will of God he walked with God the actions that he did he was perswaded was according to the Will of God and thus he pleased God and this is a Second Faith that is required to the pleasing of God 3dly There is another Faith that is required further to the pleasing of God without which though I be a Believer and have a justifying Faith and though I be perswaded that what
much in a way of charity perform good works and be given to Alms-deeds in relieving the poor Saints of Christ is not this pleasing unto God! if I suffer for the Truths sake doth not this please God! why do but observe and consider what the Apostle here saith without faith it is impossible to please God And consider also what the Apostle speaks 1 Cor. 13.3 says he Though I give all my goods to feed the poor and if I give my body to be burned yet all is nothing without charity without Love and whence comes this Love but from Faith it is Faith that worketh Love Now if the Apostle say it is impossible to please God without Faith then certainly this is a Truth whether we can believe it or no it is a Truth notwithstanding all that can be objected against it It is impossible mark the word when he saies impossible he doth not mean that it is a very hard and difficult thing that which may come to pass with a great deal of difficulty as sometimes that is meant by impossible in Scripture-phrase as in Mark 10.27 says Christ to them With men it is impossible Impossible that is very hard very difficult but now to please God without Faith is not only impossible with such an impossibility but it is impossible so as it opposes God in his determinate Counsel Without faith it is absolutely impossible to please God Such an impossibility as the Apostle speaks of in Heb. 6.4 For it is impossible for those who were once inlightned and have tasted of the heavenly gift c. if they fall away to renew them again to repentance It is absolutely impossible it is beyond Gods determination So in Heb. 10.4 It is impossible that the blood of Bulls and of Goats should take away sin It is impossible that all the blood of all the creatures under Heaven should take away the guilt of sin So here without Faith it is impossible for a man or woman to please God absolutely impossible Let me now give you two or three demonstrations to make it evident and apparent in every mans Conscience I hope through the assistance of the Spirit of God And O that the Lord would perswade us of the truth of this That it is impossible to please God without Faith First Because all that ever an unbelieving man or woman doth or can do is all for self and not for God and is it possible then to please God when he does nothing at all not one thing for God but all for self every thing for self every duty that he performs is all for self every unbeliever is just Judas like in John 12.6 Judas was a Thief and had the Bag and bare what was put therein he had Christs Bag and the Disciples Bag ay but he had another Bag of his own so every unbeliever hath a Bag he seems to have a Bag for God and for Christ but he hath a Bag for self and he puts all into that Bag He may seem to do a great deal for God he may pray much and frequently and earnestly he may read the Word very much and attend very often upon the Word Preached he may be frequent in the ordinary duties of the Worship and Service of God nay let me say further he may be taken up in extraordinary duties too as Fasting and Prayer and the like and â—â—t still all for self and nothing at all for God Look into Zach. 7.5 6. saith the Lord there Speak unto all the people of the Land and to the Priests saying when ye fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh month even those seventy years did ye at all fast unto me even unto me And when ye did eat and when ye did drink did ye not eat for your selves and drink for your selves All for self Thus it is with every unbeliever whatever he doth he doth for self he is compassed about in the Circle of self and cannot get a hairs breadth beyond it and do you think that we can please God in any duty or service that we perform when the Lord sees and knows that we do all for self do you think that God can accept of that Service Make it your own case suppose now you had a Servant you give him Meat and Drink and Wages and he Works and Labours and Toyls but all is for himself now though he labour and work yet is it pleasing to you is it acceptable to you Or suppose you have a Factor and you send him to Trade for you you trust him with your Stock and he is diligent in his Trade and follows his business but all his Trade is for himself would you accept of this is this pleasing to you no you will say he is a very unfaithful wretched Servant and you cannot be pleased with him Why this is the very case God hath sent us into the World to Trade for him and to act for him now all that ever we do whilst we are in a state of unbelief is for self we do every thing for self truly until 〈◊〉 Soul comes to believe on Christ all that he doth is for himself he cannot get out of the circle of self but now when a Soul comes to receive Christ by Faith then he comes to act for Christ and to deny self never can deny himself before as it was with the Apostle Paul Paul before his Conversion he did very much but yet all was for self he was very zealous for the Law and he was very upright but all was for self but now when he comes to believe on Christ self is laid aside Now saies he I am nothing 2 Cor. 12.11 Though I be nothing Paul an Apostle an eminent Saint of Christ and yet he is nothing Now saies he I am nothing I can do nothing I cannot pray I know not how to pray nor do no-nothing as I ought to do it I cannot so much as think a good thought saies he now self is abased self is put down but now mark Christ is lifted up 1 Cor. 15.10 I laboured more abundantly than they all yet not I but the Grace of God which was with me not I saies he but the grace of God with me or in me so saies he in Philip. 4.12 13. I know how to abound and how to want I have learned in all states and conditions therewith to be content I can do all things saies he through Christ that strengthens me Thus when he comes to believe he exalts Christ and abases self Faith is a self-emptying Grace it makes the Soul to be little or nothing and makes Christ to be all it hath no strength in its self but doth all in the strength of Christ and till the Soul comes to believe on Christ self is the cheif agent in all that he doth and therefore now it is impossible for a man or woman ever to please God by all that he can do till he comes to believe You know what
the Blood of Christ upon us and that by the Eternal Spirit the Spirit of God This is the way and the only way whereby a man or woman comes to be habitually clean and holy by Faith in Christ whereby the Soul is not only justified from the Guilt of sin but there is the Spirit of Christ conveyed and communicated to the soul whereby there is a principle of Holiness of Habitual Holiness put upon the Soul Well this is now the first general Rule and therefore I say Brethren and Friends it is of great concernment to us to look to that if we would act Faith in our Duties so as to please God we must first of all look that there be a work of Faith wrought in our hearts that we do truly believe on Christ and to that end we should be venturing to lean the weight of our Souls upon Christ and upon his Blood and Righteousness as it is tendred and held forth to us in the Gospel and to this end also let us wrastle with the Lord and beg for the Spirit of Faith to be given out to us Christ hath promised that our Heavenly Father will give the Holy Ghost to them that ask him This is the first Rule to look that we be true Believers 2. Secondly As Faith does possess the Soul with Habitual Holiness so it is by Faith also that a Soul comes to be cleansed from actual Guilt Therefore the Second Rule to act in Faith in our Duties and Performances is to put away all Guilt all sinful Uncleanness from us when we come to perform any Service or offer up any Sacrifice to the Lord If a Man or Woman come before the Lord in the guilt of any known sin that he lives in if he do not put that away it makes all his Duties unclean and not pleasing to God A man cannot act in Faith so long as he comes knowingly with any guilt upon his Conscience living in the neglect of any known Duty or living in the commission of any known sin if he live in it he cannot act in Faith Faith will purge and cleanse the Soul from sin that he will put away all guilt when he comes to draw near to God See what is said in Job 11.13 14 15. If thou prepare thine heart and stretch out thine hands towards him If Iniquity be in thine hand put it far away and let not wickedness dwell in thy tabernacle for then shalt thou lift up thy face without spot c. When you come to stretch out your hands towards God in Prayer or when you come to draw near to him in any Duty Then saies he if there be Iniquity in your hand put it far away Do not come to God in Prayer or in any Ordinance in any known Sin that you do allow your selves in for if you do you cannot perform those Duties in Faith and so they cannot be pleasing unto God Therefore be sure that you put away all evil from you As now for Example to shew you the Application of this Rule that you may know how to make use of it for every Duty suppose now you go to prayer if you would pray in Faith so as to please God you must not allow your selves in any known sin No says David in Psal 66.18 If I regard Iniquity in my heart the Lord will not hear me I cannot make a Prayer in Faith If you have made a thousand Prayers though you be a Believer in the main yet all those Prayers that you have put up in such a way with the guilt of any known sin upon you that you allow your self in and go on in your Prayers have not been put up in Faith and so God will not regard them Therefore be sure of that when you come to pray see that you do not allow your self in any known sin So if you come to hear the Word if you would hear in Faith so as to please God in it you must put away all evil out of your hands In Jam 1.21 says the Apostle there Lay aside all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness and receive with meekness the ingrafted word which is able to save your souls Do you desire to hear the Word in Faith so as it may be a saving Word to your Souls Then Lay aside all Filthiness and Superfluity of naughtiness Allow your self in no known sin when you come to draw near to God in any Ordinance So the Apostle Peter 1 Pet. 2 1 2. saies the Apostle there Laying aside all malice and guile and hypocrisie and envy and evil-speaking as new-born babes desire the sincere milk of the word that ye may grow thereby Do you desire to hear the Word so as you may please God in your hearing Then let there be no Envy nor Malice nor Hypocrisie allowed in your hearts for else you cannot receive the Word so as to be milk to your Souls so as to grow and profit by it And so also if you come to any other Ordinance as to the Lords-Supper you must come in Faith to it and partake in Faith or else we cannot please God by it Now this is one way whereby we come to partake in Faith namely by cleansing our selves Saies the Apostle 1 Cor. 5.7 8. speaking by way of Allusion to the Passover Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us let us therefore keep the Feast not with the old leaven of malice and wickedness but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth If we draw near to God in this Ordinance we must cleanse our selves in Jam. 4.8 Draw near to God and God will draw near to you And how shall we draw near to God so as God may draw near to us Mark what follows Cleanse your hands ye sinners and purifie your hearts ye double-minded Here is the way for us to draw near to God in a way of Faith for it is properly the work of Faith to purge the Heart and to purge the Hands That is the second Direction that may serve as a General Direction to help us to draw near to God in any Duty or Ordinance so as to please God 3. The Third way to perform Duties so as to please God is this It is the proper work of Faith to empty the Soul of it self Now if you will draw near to God in any Duty or Ordinance so as to please God then come with Self-emptyings for Faith is a self-emptying Grace that is the proper work of Faith to empty the Soul of it self Now there are two things that Faith does empty the Soul of in the performance of holy Duties The one is It empties the Soul of the sense of its own Sufficiency and Ability to perform holy Duties and also it empties the Soul of the sense of its own worthiness to receive any Mercy from the Lord in any Duty or Ordinance These two things Faith doth empty the Soul of and so you shall find it that where Faith hath been acted and
look at it as a very weighty thing as a matter of very great Concernment and so to be very careful about Preparation for it but now when People look at it as a small light and ordinary thing the taking of a little Bread and Wine c. These things are of ordinary use amongst us and so they come in an ordinary manner to it not acting and exercising Faith about it but now when a Soul comes to look at it as Faith doth help a Soul to look at it as a very great Ordinance of Jesus Christ which he hath appointed and thereupon the Soul comes to be serious about the participation of it now I say Faith doth not only inable the Soul to look at it as an Ordinance and Institution of Jesus Christ but withal it doth enable the Soul to look at it as an Ordinance appointed for Communion with Jesus Christ and Fellowship with him as you know the Apostle speaks 1 Cor. 10.16 The Bread which we break is it not the Communion of the Body of Christ and the Cup of blessing which we bless Is it not the Communion of the Blood of Christ Christ hath appointed it for this very end that we should have Communion and Fellowship with him in his Death in his Merits in his Righteousness in what he hath obtained it is appointed for that very end and purpose and therefore when people do not consider wherefore Christ hath appointed it it is made the lesser account of and people are the more careless in their approaching to it they come and eat a piece of Bread and drink a Cup of Wine c. But they do not look at it as a solemn Ordinance appointed by Jesus Christ for that end and purpose therefore I say remember this if you would partake in Faith it should be our care to look at it as the great Institution and Ordinance of Jesus Christ and appointed for that end and purpose that we might have Communion and Fellowship with Jesus Christ in it This is the first Direction Secondly If you would partake of this Ordinance in Faith then be careful to look to the right administration of it Faith doth cause us to look to the administration of it that it be according to Christs Institution and appointment for otherwise we do not partake of it as an Ordinance and Institution of Jesus Christ if it be not administred according to the appointment of Christ and that we must be perswaded of if we would act in Faith we may look at it as a great Ordinance and Institution of Jesus Christ yet notwithstanding if so be we are not perswaded of that that the administration of it is according to the Will of Christ to the institution and appointment of Christ truly then we cannot exercise Faith in it and therefore there are these two things to be attended to to this end if we would act in Faith about the administration of it that it is administred according to the Institution of Christ Namely First That the person administring it is appointed and called by Christ to do it For now if so be that another should come that Christ hath never called to it to administer it Christ will not own it for his own Ordinance and Institution we cannot then look for the presence of Christ nor for the Blessing of Christ As now for example if there should come one in the Kings name that pretends to be sent and authorised by the King yet if he be not sent if he come and Execute such an Office if he be not authorised by the King all his actings and executions are invaluable and signify nothing So in this case if any come in the Name of Christ to administer the Institution of Christ if Christ have not authorised him and given him commission to do it this is no Ordinance that Christ will own because it is not administred by such a person whom he hath sent and appointed the administration therefore is invaluable and of no effect therefore I say it doth concern us to look to that to be perswaded of that that those that do administer this Ordinance to us are such as are authorised by Christ to the Work Quest But you will say How shall I know that that I may be perswaded of that I know that this hath been little minded in former times and God might please to wink at the former times of Ignorance but now in these times of light he doth require that we should be more exact about his Institutions and appointments How shall we know then you will say that we may be perswaded that such as do administer this Ordinance are appointed by Jesus Christ Answ For Answer Something you may remember was spoken the last time about hearing that we should hear those that were sent by Christ if we would hear in Faith But briefly for our present purpose Consider I pray and understand how Christ doth call and ordain one to administer these Institutions of his briefly and plainly thus When a person is called by a Church of Christ according to the Will of Christ by the directions that Christ hath laid down in his Word according to the Rules of the Gospel and set apart accordingly for that work and business to teach and administer the Holy things of Christ when a person is thus called to Office in the Church by a Church of Christ acting regularly according to the Rules that Christ hath laid down in his Word now such a one is called and authorised by Christ And therefore I say consider that if we would be perswaded about the right administration of this Ordinance we must be satisfied in our spirits that such as are the administrers of it are called and appointed by Jesus Christ to do it in his name otherwise Christ will not own it and therefore truly it is matter of wonderment that women should be allowed to administer any Ordinance as now Baptisme in case of absolute necessity as they call it a Midwife may take Water and Baptise a Child this is a person that Christ did never institute to administer that Ordinance and Christ will never own that as an Ordinance of his so administred So on the other side amongst others that profess higher namely to take and set apart one for this time to administer the Ordinance and another for another time to call out one Brother for to administer the Ordinance one time and another another time is this according to the institution of Christ Doth Christ call out one to be an Officer at one time and another at another time and not to have a standing Officer in the Church Therefore I say let us be careful to keep o the Institution of Christ to observe Christs Institution and to be well perswaded that the Ordinance is administred according to the Institution and Will of Christ otherwise we cannot act in Faith in the partaking of this Ordinance That is one thing about the right
Lastly If we would exercise Faith in our participation of this Ordinance then our Faith should be imployed about the Sacramental objects and actions before us for this is the nature of Faith to make a particular application of such things to our selves Now then in the things about the Sacraâ—ent and the actions in the Sacrament in this Ordinance Faith is to be found acting and making a particular application as for example to help you a little when we see the Bread and Wine set in order and readiness for the administration now Faith should act this way namely that God the Father hath prepared a spiritual feast for me and God hath invited me now to this marriage feast as you know we read in Matthew 22.4 He sent out his servants saying tell them which are bidden I have prepared my Dinner my Oxen and my â—atlings c. Thus a Soul should act in a way of Faith now God the Father hath called me to this great feast I am unworthy that ever I should partake of it and yet God the Father hath invited me and called me and hath shown me the preparation that he hath made and these things God hath called me to and invited me 〈◊〉 and hath prepared them for me and Oh the wonderful rich Grace of God towards me And then again when you see the elements prepared the Bread and Wine before you here now is occasion for your Faith to consider of the Love of God the Father and the love of the Lord Jesus Christ that God the Father should prepare Jesus Christ his own Son for me set out by these elements here is the infinite love of the Father to me and here is the wonderful love of the Lord Jesus Christ to me that hath prepared these things for me that Jesus Christ should set out himself as Bread for me Oh! the Love of the Father and the Love of the Son that is held forth to me And again when we see how the Bread is sanctified blessed and broken by him whom Christ doth appoint to do it according to his own Institution saying Take eat this is my Body which was broken for you now Faith should act as if Jesus Christ himself did speak to you from Heaven saying take eat this is my Body broken for thee For Christ hath appointed and Ordained him to do it in his Name and doing it in his Name and according to his Institution it is all one as if Christ himself did it Now then Faith should act as if I did hear Christ speaking from Heaven to me This is my Body broken for you so also when we see the Cup or the element of Wine and hear those words also pronounced This Cup is the New-Testament in my Blood which was shed for many for the remission of Sins truly now we should take these words as spoken from the Lord Jesus Christ himself to us this is my Blood shed for you for the remission of your Sins as if Christ himself did speak from Heaven to us And so again when we do eat the Bread and drink the Wine take them down into our bodies according to Christs Institution now our Faith should act particularly Namely thus in resting and leaning and relying upon Jesus Christ for acceptance in the sight of God and for remission of Sins and for Salvation this acting of Faith is eating and drinking Saies Christ in John 6.56 He that eateth my Flesh and drinketh my Blood dwelleth in me and I in him And what is this eating the Flesh of Christ and drinking the Blood of Christ but acting and exercising of Faith in our eating and drinking the outward elements So that when we eat and drink with our Bodies we should act Faith with our Souls and eat with our Souls leaning and resting upon Jesus Christ for acceptance in the sight of God for remission of Sins and for peace with God and for everlasting Life and Salvation this is eating and drinking by Faith this is that which Faith doth Now if you would partake of this Ordinance in Faith then Brethren particularly apply the Objects and actions of this Ordinance to your own Souls and thus now I have given you some few Directions about exercising of Faith in this Ordinance of the Lords Supper without which not only without the habit and grace of Faith but without the exercise of Faith you cannot partake worthily you cannot partake so as to please God for without Faith it is impossible to please God even in this Ordinance I thought to have spent some time in speaking to another head namely how we should exercise Faith in our particular Callings and occasions and matters that concern this life for we must act and exercise Faith in all or else we do not please God in what we do even in our very outward occasions and business I am unwilling to make another discourse upon this subject and therefore I shall if you please to give me leave only give you four or five heads of things that might have been further inlarged upon by way of Direction How to exercise Faith in our particular callings and several conditions that we may be in in this life I will but name them you may enlarge upon them in your own private Meditations Briefly then 1st In the first place Would we exercise Faith in our particular Callings and Stations and Relations and condition that we are in then be careful to eye the hand of God leading and bringing of you into this or that calling condition and course of Life that we may be able to say as Paul did 1 Cor. 1.1 Paul called to be an Apostle of Jesus Christ through the Will of God It was the Will of God that brought him into that state and course of life so must we be able to say or else we cannot act and exercise Faith in our particular Callings Stations and Relations we must be able to say that God hath led me into this or that or the other course of life or into this and that change of Condition Faith doth not lead a man to make haste to be over hasty for any thing I have a mind to such a thing I have a strong fancy to it and and therefore I must enter into such a Calling or enter into such a change of Condition but Faith doth put a Soul upon this Namely to be solicitous to understand the Mind of God and therefore observe it Faith will put a Soul upon earnestness and frequency in Prayer to seek counsel of the Lord whether this or that be according to his Will or no and also to advise with Christians about it that so he may understand the Mind and Will and Counsel of God about it That is the first Rule Secondly Another Rule is this we should be careful to walk with God in that particular place and station and relation wherein God hath set us according to his Will for otherwise we do not exercise Faith in it and therefore when a man is led into such a Calling such a way and course of life it is not for him to act and walk according to the example of others to make the practices of others his rule No but we must look what the Will of God is and make that our Rule As now if a man or woman be brought into a change of condition into a Married condition it is not for that man to say Well I will carry it towards my Wife as she carry it to me or for the woman to say I will carry it to my Husband as he carry it to me no this is not a rule to walk by the examples of others but let us look to our own duty what the Will of God is concerning a Wife or a Husband Remember this is a Second rule To walk in our particular calling and station and relation according to the Will of God Thirdly Another rule and direction is this if you would act and exercise Faith in your particular callings then be frequently looking up unto the Lord for his guidance and help and assistance in your occasions and business Let us look up frequently to the Lord that he would guide us and assist us and help us for we must have Strength and Wisdom and Spirit and Grace from God day by day to walk with God in our places and stations we had need therefore be frequent in looking up unto the Lord for guidance and assistance and help in the places and stations wherein he hath set us And Fourthly Look up to the Lord for pardon through the righteousness of Christ and the merrits of his Death for the pardon of our failings and miscarriages in our callings and places and stations we had need to be frequently looking up for pardon that God would pardon our miscarriages and sailings and weaknesses in our places and stations that we do not walk so according to the Will of God as we ought to do we had need look to the Grace and Blood of Christ to be pardoned And then Fifthly and Lastly This might also have been further spoken to namely to leave the Issue and event and success of our endeavours with the Lord to leave all wholly with him all our burthens and cares leave them all with the Lord Let us be careful to do our Duty and to walk with God according to his Will in our places and relations and leave the event with the Lord. Cast your burthen upon the Lord Psalm 55.22 and he shall sustain you And so the Apostle Peter 1 Pet. 5.7 Casting all your care upon the Lord for he careeth for you So should you do and thus walking in our particular Callings and stations and places and relations we shall come to exercise Faith and thereby so walk as to please God O! that now you have heard this point and truth opened that for the future the Lord would help us to be careful to exercise Faith in all our Duties in our praying in our hearing and in our partaking of the Lords Table and in our particular Callings and relations otherwise we cannot please God for the Apostle says here Without Faith it is impossible to please Him Thus much for this Text and this Time FINIS
by a threefold adjunct 1. From his Authority and mission from the Father in those words He whom God hath sent 2. From his Fidelity in the discharge of that work he is employed in in those words He speaketh the words of God As a faithful Messenger from a King will act according to his commission so our Lord Jesus who was faithful to him that appointed him he speaks the Word of God and nothing else but the Word of God 3. Our Lord Jesus is described and set forth by his Ability and qualification for that work he was employed in this you have in those words For God giveth not the spirit by measure unto him The Spirit is given to Christ as Mediator without measure or above measure He whom God hath sent The word here translated sent comes of the same word that the Apostle doth Christ is the great Apostle the great Messenger of the Covenant whom all the Elect delight in Mal. 3.1 The Apostle and high Priest of our profession Heb. 3.1 John the Baptist and the other Prophets and so likewise the Apostles they were Gods Ministers and Ambassadors but our Lord Jesus he is Ambassadour extraordinary Men and Angels too Luke 1.18.19 â—ave been sent and employed by God but none of them were ever sent as Christ was to make reconciliation for iniquity and to bring in an everlasting righteousness This was he who was the brightness of the Fathers Glory and the express Image of God he only was able by himself to purge away sin neither was ever any other set about this work but he God never laid the help and salvation of his people upon any but that mighty one Doctrine 1. That Jesus Christ our Mediator was sent of the Father There is frequent mention made by our Saviour of his being sent of God To mention a few places John 17.3 And this is life eternal that they might know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent Vers 8 For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me and they have received them and have known surely that I came out from thee and they have believed that thou didst send me And again vers 21 That they also may be one in us that the world may believe that thou hast sent me Vers 25 O righteous Father the world hath not known thee but I have known thee and these have known that thou hast sent me 1. How shall we understand this Phrase That Christ was sent of the Father Sent of God! This is a great mystery which we shall not fully understand till we come to Heaven when Christ is said to be sent of God 't is to be understood principally and primarily of him as he is the Son of God and so he is said to come down from heaven John 3.13 To descend Eph. 4.9 But he being in that respect equal with God the Father Eternal Infinite Immense Omnipresent as the Father is it may be asked How the Lord Jesus is said to be sent of the Father Answ 1. The Lord Jesus may be said to be sent of the Father as Mediator in respect of the Covenant of Redemption between the Father and him for the salvation of the Elect for though Christ as God is equal with the Father yet with reference to the work of Redemption he is said to be his Elected one and Servant Isa 41.1 Behold my servant whom I uphold mine Elect in whom my soul delighteth 2. The Lord Jesus may be said to be sent of the Father in regard of his Incarnation so Gal. 4.4 5 But when the fulness of time was come God sent forth his son made of a woman made under the Law to redeem them that were under the Law Now brethren upon this account because the Father prepared him a body Heb. 10.5 He is said to send him to redeem us 3. The Lord Jesus may be said to be sent of the Father in regard of his commission him hath God the Father sealed John 6.37 Christ and no other is ordained of God an high Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedeck 2. How doth it appear that Jesus of Nazareth was the true Messiah he that was sent of God to be the Saviour according to the Promise made unto the Fathers Answ 1. By the miracles he wrought Nicodemus could say so much John 3.2 says he We know that thou art a teacher come from God for no man can do these miracles but he who is sent of God John 5.36 37 I have a greater witness then that of John for the works that my father hath given me to finish the same works bear witness of me And so when John Baptist sent unto Christ to know whether he was the Messiah saith our Saviour Go and shew him the things which you do hear and see the Blind receive their sight and the Lame walk the Leapers are cleansed 'T is true the Prophets and the Apostles wrought miracles but not by their own power and holiness but Christ wrought them by his own power 2. By his raising of himself from the dead As he is said to be raised by the Father so he is said to be raised from his own power John 2.20 21 Destroy saith he this temple speaking of his Body and I will raise it up in three days To these might be added many other demonstrations as that all the Notes and Characters of the Messiah mentioned in the Old Testament were fulfilled and accomplished in him Moreover every believer hath the witness in himself that Jesus is the Son of God 1 John 5.20 Their faith is not a meer historical faith or grounded upon what is commonly owned and professed where they live but the Spirit beareth witness to their hearts that Jesus of Nazareth is the Son of God the true Messiah that was to come into the World 3. The next thing is to shew you wherefore God sent his Son into the world The great business that Christ was sent into the world for was to save his people from their sins to save them that were given to him of the Father There were some particular persons given to Christ by name to be his people to be his sheep that he should take care of to bring to eternal life John 17.2 Thou hast given me power over all flesh that I should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given me 1 John 4.14 And we have seen and do testifie that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world that is his Elect of the world of mankind And so it was Prophesied of Christ Dan. 9.24 that he should make an end of sin and make reconciliation for iniquity and bring in an everlasting righteousness There was not one man in the world that was able to make reconciliation for his iniquity Christ was sent to do that There was none righteous no not one Christ was sent to bring in an everlasting righteousness to make his
people righteous before God Christ was sent to fulfill the Law for his people by his Active and Passive obedience He came to do and procure all that is required to the compleat and perfect salvation of his people In a word Jesus Christ was sent into the World not meerly as a Prophet to teach the Mind and Will of God or to be an example of holiness but he was sent to be a Priest in a proper sense to make atonement and satisfaction for the sins of his people and to obtain eternal redemption for them Application Use 1. We may see here that the work of Redemption was a great work Not the highest Angel of Heaven nor all of them put together were able to perform this but God sent his Son about this work Use 2. We may see here that the heart of God the Father was in this great work of redeeming and saving the elect The Father himself loved them for he sent his Son he gave his only begotten Son that they might live through him Use 3. We may see here the love of Christ unto those that the Father had given him That he was willing to be their Mediator for as he is often said to be sent of the Father so he is said to come Heb. 10.7 Lo I come to do thy will O God Christ was so sent as that he came freely came with alacrity and chearfulness for his delight was with the Sons of men his heart was in this work Lastly Let this encourage sinners to come to Christ to venture their souls upon him Do not question whether God will accept of you by anothers righteousness discharge you by a payment made by a Surety deliver you from going down to the Pit upon a ransom given by another for all this was the contrivement of the Lord himself to glorifie both his Justice and his Mercy for ever Therefore let sinners cast themselves upon Christ and fear not this Rock will never fail that Soul that is built upon it I come now to the next words where it is said that Christ speaketh the words of God for God giveth not the spirit by measure unto him Doct. 2. That Jesus Christ our Mediator hath the spirit given him by the Father without measure This is a great and glorious truth and very sweet and comfortable to the Saints that the Lord Jesus their Mediator hath a fulness of the spirit Psal 45.7 Anointed with the oyl of gladness above his fellows Christ hath the spirit above what any of the Saints have and see Isa 61.1 Isa 2.11 And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him the spirit of wisdom and understanding the spirit of council and might the spirit of knowledg and of the fear of the Lord. And you have a visible fulfilling of those Prophecies John 1.32 And John bare record saying I saw the spirit descending from Heaven like a Dove and it abode upon him And so Acts 10.3 God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power who went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed with the Devil for God was with him And in another place It pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell All fullness of the Spirit all fullness of Grace dwells in Christ Three Things for the opening of this point 1. What is here meant by the Spirit 2. How the Spirit is said to be given to Jesus Christ seeing he is God How can any gift be said to be conferred upon him seeing he is God and infinite in himself 3. How it may be said that the spirit is given unto him without measure 1. What is here meant by the spirit 1. The Gifts and Graces of the Spirit these are given to Christ not by measure but without measure 2. The Spirit it self Luke 4.14 And Jesus returned in the power of the spirit full of the Holy Ghost Believers have not only the Gifts and Graces of the Spirit but the Spirit it self Rom. 8.9 If any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his and the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwells in you v. 11. And if the Spirit be in Believers and dwells in them much more in Christ himself 2dly How can Christ who is God and so infinite and uncapable of addition be said to have the spirit given unto him I answer briefly in a word or two It is true that Jesus Christ as God is infinite and as God he is not capable of having the spirit given unto him but the spirit was given unto Jesus Christ as man the spirit was given to his humane nature which he took upon him 3dly If the spirit was given to the humane nature of Christ how can the humane nature hold the fullness of the spirit the humane nature is finite how can it receive an infinite how then is it said that God hath not given the spirit by measure unto him I answer The expression in the Text is not to be understood without any limitation as if the Spirit were given to the humane nature of Christ in an infinite manner and as if the humane nature were of an infinite capacity the Divine nature of Christ is infinite but though the Divine and humane nature in Christ are eternally united yet they are not confounded This then I say that the spirit was given to the humane nature of Christ beyond all comparison beyond all the Saints on Earth or in Heaven and above all the Angels put them all together The spirit is given to Christ as man incomparatively and transcendently beyond what ever men or Angels have had or shall have It pleased the Father that in him all fullness should dwell which cannot be said of any other Object It is said that Jesus increased in wisdom and stature and in favour with God and man Luk. 2.52 How had he such a fullness of the Spirit and yet is said to increase in Wisdom I Answer The Word being made Flesh he was full of Grace full of the Spirit from his very birth but he is said to increase in Wisdom in respect of the effects and opperations expressions and declarations of his Wisdom One Question more How comes it to be so that the Lord Jesus is so filled with the spirit in his humane nature Answer 1. One reason is taken from the nearness of his humane nature to the Divine Brethren Jesus Christ is the Son of God the natural Son of God he hath the very essence of God the nature of God and the humane nature of Christ is brought very near to the God-head It is brought as near as our Bodies to our Souls and therefore it is said that in him dwells the fullness of the Godhead bodily that is personally The Sun is the Fountain of light and the nearer we come to the Sun the more we partake of light so the humane nature of Christ being brought so near to the God-head as to be taken into
have dominion over the works of thy hand thou hast put all things under his feet all sheep and oxen yea and the beasts of the field the fowl of the air and the fish of the Sea 4. All things that do concern the ordering of the Churches here in this world are given and committed to Christ as Mediator What Officers shall be in his Churches what Discipline Government Censures Ordinances and Worship these things are not left to mens Inventions but all must be ordered as Christ hath appointed in the Word Mat. 28.18 19 20. And Jesus came and spake unto them saying All Power is given unto me in Heaven and in Earth Go ye therefore and teach all Nations baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded The very Apostles were limited that they should teach nothing to be observed in Spiritual matters but what Christ commanded and then much more all Church-Guides in these days for the Father hath given the Power of making Laws and Orders for his Church into Christs hand only No Power on Earth can add or take away from the Sacraments Censures Officers and Ordinances that Christ hath appointed for the Father hath given all things into his hand 5. All Providential Dispensations in this world are given into the hand of Christ all publick and private concernments Thou hast given him Power over all flesh Joh. 17.2 For the Father judgeth no man but hath committed all Judgment unto the Son Joh. 5.22 We must not understand these things as if God the Father had so put things into the hand of Christ as if he had not Power and Authority still over all but the meaning is that he hath given the management of all into Christ's hand as Mediator by way of Honour and Trust to order all for the Glory of God and for the Eternal Salvation of those whom he hath given him to be his Mystical Body And so I come to the Second thing to shew you Why or to what end the Father hath given all things into Christ's hands as Mediator 1. The Father hath done this for his own Glory Phil. 2.11 12. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him and given him a Name above every name That every tongue should confess that Christ is Lord to the Glory of God the Father 'T is for the Glory of God the Father that he hath laid help upon such a mighty One and set such a King upon his holy Hill of Sion 2. The Father hath done this for the Glory of Christ too That all men should honour the Son as they honour the Father Joh. 5.32 Wherefore when he brings in the first begotten into the world he saith Let all the Angels of God worship him Heb. 1.6 3. The Father hath done it for the Churches sake too for the Elects sake he hath given him to be the head over all things to the Church Ephes 1.22 to order all things for the accomplishing and perfecting their Salvation and to that end he hath the heart of man amongst other things given into his hand that Christ hath power as Mediator to make his people willing to close with him Psal 110.3 Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power Joh. 6.37 All that the Father giveth me shall come unto me Joh. 12.32 And I if I be lifted up from the earth will draw all men unto me Application Use 1. Seeing the Father hath given all things into Christ's hand then let us all come to Christ receive him believe in him And this is the very Use that Christ himself makes of this point Mat. 11.27 28. All things are delivered unto me of my Father And no man knoweth the Son but the Father Neither knoweth any man the Father but the Son and he to whomsoever he will reveal him Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest Seeing the Father hath given all into Christ's hand come unto him for whatsoever you want come to him for Pardon for Righteousness for peace of Conscience for Knowledg for Sanctification for all Joh. 6.27 Labour not for the meat that perishes but for that meat which endureth to everlasting Life which the Son of man shall give unto you for him hath God the Father sealed He hath Authority and Commission from the Father all things are given into his hand Him hath God the Father sealed therefore come unto him that you may have the meat that endureth to everlasting Life He hath the keys of Hell and of Death He is able to save to the uttermost He is able to rescue you from the very jaws of Hell therefore I say venture your Souls upon him The Father hath appointed him to be Prophet Priest and King come therefore unto him for all that you stand in need of Use 2. Seeing the Father hath given all into Christs hand let all submit to Jesus Christ Psal 2.12 Kiss the Son lest he be Angry and ye perish from the way We are all to do Homage to Christ to be subject to Christ and this is called a Kissing of the Son You read of those that did not bow the knee to Baal nor kissed him It is spoken of the People of God that would not owne Baal and the Idolaters that worshiped the Sun and the Moon because they could not reach them to kiss them therefore they kissed their hand in token of Homage and Subjection to them as is implyed in Job's words Chap. 31.26 27. So that this is one thing that is intended by this Phrase of Kissing the Son that we should do Homage unto him and be Subject unto him Therefore seeing all is given into Christs hand and he shall Judge the Quick and the Dead at his appearing and his Kingdom give dilligence that you may be found of him in Peace that you may be accepted in him as a Saviour and accepted of him as a Judge for we must all appear before the Judgment-Seat of Christ But may some say When we consider what a great Lord Jesus Christ is and that the Father hath made him the Judge of all and that he shall come in all the Glory of the Father with all his holy Angels and all must appear before his Judgment-Seat to give an account the thoughts of Christ begin to be terrible to us sinful guilty creatures we begin to say in our hearts How shall we be able to stand before this great Lord and Judge Answer Christ is a Priest as well as a King a Saviour as well as a Judge So that if you put your trust in him as a Mediator and be found in his Righteousness then you may be able to stand before him else not Therefore labour to know Christ in his Priestly Office and believe in him that you may be washed and made white in his Blood and that he may be the Lord your Righteousness then
you may have boldness to stand before him and not be ashamed and confounded at his coming Therefore I say now come to him as a Saviour before whom at last you must come as a Judge Use 3. Seeing all things are given into Christ's hand let not Believers fear these black storms of Persecution that may come upon them in this world The same Jesus that shed his Blood for his People he hath the ordering over-ruling and disposing of all things Know that nothing can come upon you but it must pass through the hand of Christ therefore fear not Not only men but Devils also are subject to his Power yea he hath Power over our Lusts and Corruptions therefore they shall not have dominion over us And in the worst times fear not that the People of God will be rooted out no Christ sitteth upon the floud he sitteth King for ever Object But if the ordering of all things is given into Christ's hand it seems strange that he suffers many times his Enemies to be the chief in Power and his People to be low and persecuted Answer Christ suffers it yea orders it so that he may have the greater Glory in carrying on his work against so much opposition The Gospel never prevailed more in the world than when the Rulers were Heathens and Persecutors and Christ hath Glory too in punishing his Enemies here and hereafter And as for the People of God they are the more Spiritual and Heavenly and Courageous in times of Persecution Use 4. Seeing all things are given into Christ's hand this may assure us of the perseverance of Believers What should hinder it Christ is above Satan above the corruption of their hearts and seeing the Father hath given them to him he will keep them unto the end Joh. 17.12 Those whom thou gavest me I have kept and none of them is lost save the Son of Perdition And as for Judas called here the Son of Perdition he never was a Believer in the sense that the rest were Joh. 6.64 but a Devil vers 70. Though Judas was given to Christ to be an Apostle for a time and given into Christs hand as the very Devils are so as that he shall punish them for ever yet Judas was never so given to Christ to redeem to save to bring to Glory to be a Member of his Mystical Body For those that are so given to Christ not one of them can be lost seeing Christ hath taken the charge of their Salvation and wants neither Wisdom nor Faithfulness nor Love nor Power to bring them safe to Heaven Now I come to vers 36. He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting Life And he that believeth not the Son shall not see Life but the wrath of God abideth on him Here you have the Conclusion of this Heavenly Sermon or Speech of John the Baptist He had set forth Christ's Glory and Excellency as the Churches Bridegroom vers 29. He that hath the Bride is the Bridegroom but the friend of the Bridegroom which standeth and heareth him rejoyceth greatly because of the Bridegrooms voice This my joy therefore is fulfilled He had shewn how he must increase and be glorious in the eyes of all that he came from above from Heaven and is above all that the Father sent him and gave him the Spirit above measure that the Father loved him and hath given all things into hand And now he comes to make the Use and Application of this That men would believe on the Name of the Son of God This Duty of Believing on Christ is pressed by two strong Arguments or Motives The first Argument is taken from the great benefit that comes by believing on Christ He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting Life This is a great benefit indeed Life is very desirable especialy everlasting Life yea for further encouragement to believe in Christ he saith That he that believeth on the Son hath everlasting Life Not only that he shall have it but he hath it already he hath everlasting Life The second Argument is taken from the contrary namely The great Danger the great Evil and Misery that will be the portion of all those that do not believe the Son And this is set out not only Privatively he shall not see Life but Positively as an addition to that misery The wrath of God abideth on them Doct. 1. That he that believes on Christ the Son of God hath everlasting Life Doct. 2. That he that believeth not the Son that believeth not in the Lord Jesus shall not see Life but the wrath of God abideth on him Doct. 1. That whosoever believeth on Christ the Son of God hath everlasting Life This is much spoken of That he that believeth on the Son is delivered from the wrath to come Joh. 3.14 15 16. As Moses lifted up the Serpent in the Wilderness so must the Son of Man be lifted up that whosoever believeth on him should not perish but have everlasting Life Joh. 6.40 This is the will of him that sent me that every one that seeth the Son and believeth on him should have everlasting Life And vers 47. Verily verily I say unto you he that believeth on me hath everlasting Life He speaks it with an Asseveration Verily verily he that believeth on me hath everlasting Life Joh. 20.31 But these things are written that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God and that believing ye might have Life through his Name 1. Let us enquire what is meant by this everlasting Life that is the Portion of every one that believeth in Christ 2. What is this believing this Faith upon which a Man or Woman comes to have everlasting Life 3. To give you some Demonstrations or Arguments to prove that he that believeth on the Son hath everlasting Life Because possibly some may Question it 4. Shew you in what Sense he that believeth on the Son hath everlasting Life already for the Text saith such an one hath everlasting Life 1. Let us enquire what is meant by this everlasting Life which is the Portion of every believing Soul By everlasting Life here we are not to understand that Life that consists in the Union of Body and Soul No Brethren though our Bodies and Souls should be everlastingly united and never be seperated by Death yet that is not the everlasting Life here spoken of yea and the Damned at the Resurrection shall have their Bodies and Souls united together and shall so continue to Eternity and yet they never see this everlasting Life This everlasting Life in the Text is the greatest hapiness that we are capable of It consists in Two things 1. Freedom from all sin and from all evils whatsoever called 1 Thess 5.9 The obtaining of Salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ 2. The enjoyment of all that is Perfectly Good Grace and Glory Psal 84.11 this state is called the better Country even an Heavenly Heb. 11.16 God is the Believers God and he hath prepared for
wrath of God Can you endure to have the wrath of God to abide upon you Let me beseech one thing of you even for the Lord's sake and for your own Souls sake that when you come home that you would retire a little get alone and seriously ponder these words He that believeth not the Son shall not see Life but the wrath of God abideth on him Ask your own hearts whether you believe what is spoken here and that it shall be fulfilled upon all those that reject Christ And when you are alone put it upon your hearts to consider seriously what it is to have the wrath of God abide upon you what a miserable condition that will be If you had but a Sentence of Death passed upon you by a Judge of Assize how terrible is it to most men But then how dreadful will this be to you when the Lord shall say Depart from me ye Cursed when the Lord shall say that you shall never see Life but the wrath of God shall abide on you for ever Did you never see one under a deep sense and apprehension of Gods wrath O how such an one will cry out And yet it is but some drop or so that falls upon the Conscience here in this Life in comparison of Hell If you have not seen any under the sense of God's wrath consider what the Scripture saith of Cain and Judas what Terrours they were under and read the Story of Francis Spira there you may see what amazing astonishing Expressions and Wishes came from him under a sense of God's wrath lying upon him he was so tormented that but he was watched by his Friends and could not get opportunity he would have killed himself Yea and consider our Lord Jesus Christ who never had any sin inherent in him yet standing in the room of his People and having their sins imputed to him that by his Suffering in their stead Justice might be satisfied for Sin How he was filled with Astonishment and Grief under the wrath of God due to our sins Mat. 26.38 Then saith he unto them My Soul is exceeding sorrowful even unto death Luk. 22.44 And being in an Agony he prayed more earnestly and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground And he cried out upon the Cross My God my God why hast thou forsaken me We must not think that the Captain of our Salvation was thus sorrowful and sweat drops of Blood and cried out so vehemently for the fear and pain of bodily death which many Martyrs and other men have endured without any great disturbance but Christ bare that in his Sufferings that was ten Thousand times more dreadful he had the Iniquities of all his people at once laid upon him and so bare the wrath of God due unto them Our Lord Jesus Christ the Mighty One being God-man soon made Satisfaction for the sins of his people and so was acquitted and discharged and is now in the same Nature wherein he Suffered at the right hand of God But I pray consider If we bear the wrath of God our selves what shall we do You see it is no light matter it will be a burden too heavy for us to bear it will make us wish again and again that we had never been born And truely if we do not believe on the Son who hath born wrath for Sinners and who alone delivers from the wrath to come it must abide upon us Think of these things between the Lord and your own Souls and let us call to one another and awaken one another and tell one another of the danger that we are in If this house where we are were set on fire and one were asleep here it were time to awaken them O! If you have Children Servants Acquaintance that are in an ignorant and prophane way call to them and endeavour to convince them of their sins and draw them to believe in Christ Quest But it may be some will say you press this believing in Christ very much and what is there in believing that those that believe should have Everlasting Life Answ There is nothing of Merit of Efficiency or Causality in our believing to free us from the wrath of God and to bring us to everlasting Life For everlasting Life is the Gift of God through Jesus Christ our Lord so that we do not set up Faith to have any part with Christ in the Glory of our Salvation But I pray consider it that Faith is that Grace whereby we lost Sinners being convinced of our Sins and having no hope of any help and relief in our selves do wholy betake our selves to Jesus the Mediator for our Salvation So that Christ is all and doth all and by Faith we receive and embrace Christ our Justifier And so hath the Lord ordained that by going out of our selves and receiving Christ the Mediator we have the Gift of Righteousness even the Righteousness of Christ imputed to us to the Justification of Life So that it is not Faith as a Work but Faith as a Hand or Instrument whereby we receive Christ the Saviour that justifies us in the sight of God Quest But how shall I come to believe on the Lord Jesus Answ 1. You must be convinced of Sin You must see that you are guilty before God that you cannot stand before the Holy Lord God But alas Mens hearts are so taken up with the Cares and Pleasures of the world and think so little of Eternity and the Judgment to come that it is in the thoughts of few how they shall be discharged from the guilt of their Sins and have everlasting Life 2. You must see that there is no help for you in your own personal Righteousness How can there when you have sinned already And all the Righteousness that you can perform in this Life is defective and full of Imperfections You must know that there must be a perfect Righteousness to justifie you 3. You must know that Christ is he that is Ordained of God to be the Saviour That you can be saved only by his Blood and Righteousness and so cast your self wholly upon him This Faith is the Gift of God No man can come to Christ except the Father which hath sent him draw him And though some may think this believing in Christ a notion a fancy or however a common or easy thing yet as it is a real thing wrought in the hearts of the Elect by the Spirit of God so it is no easy thing to believe truly on Christ when a sinner is convinced of the Greatness of God the Holiness of his Law the revenging Justice of God and his own guilt and filth it is a great work of God to fix and stay the heart upon the Lord Jesus Christ to deliver such a one from going down to the pit and bring the soul to everlasting Life Object I dare not come to Christ because I do not know I am Elected Answer You cannot
The Application 1. That by Nature we are spiritually dead You read of some that are dead whilst they live 1 Tim. 5.6 And saith Christ Let the dead bury the dead but follow thou me As the Body without the Soul is dead So we now being without Christ are dead men and women 1. We are dead men in regard of the Sentence of Death and Condemnation past upon us by the Law Gal. 3.10 Cursed is every one that continueth not in every thing that is Written in the Book of the Law to do it Rom. 5.12 By one man sin entred into the world and death by sin for that all have sinned All our first Father Adam's house are but dead men before the Lord we are all guilty before God Though we are not executed yet we are under the Sentence of Death by the Law and the Sentence of the Law will be executed at last if we be not pardoned in Christ 2. We are dead men as to the life of Grace and true Holiness Our best works are but dead works Heb. 9.14 The carnal mind is enmity against God for it is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be Though indeed before Conversion we may do things that are good for the matter yet we do nothing from a right principle and to a right end Joh. 15.5 Without me ye can do nothing Except we have Spiritual Sap and Life from Christ we can bring forth no true fruit but are like a dead and withered Branch that hath no life in it 2. What that Life is that Christ gives to dead Sinners 1. The Life of Justification When we are united to Christ the Sentence of Death by the Law is taken off We use to say that of a Malefactor when the Sentence of Death is passed upon him that he is a dead man But if once a Pardon come that makes him a living man then he cannot be executed Rom. 8.1 There is therefore now no Condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus There was a heavy Sentence of Condemnation passed upon us by the Law but now we are in Christ we are pardoned in Christ and now there is no Condemnation Now as Paul saith Gal. 2.20 I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me 2. We have from Christ the Life of Sanctification the life of Grace and Holiness too whereby the Soul hath a Spiritual Inclination and Disposition to act towards God according to that Hebr. 8.10 I will put my laws into their mind and write them in their hearts Ezek. 36.26 27. A new heart also will I give you and a new spirit will I put within you and I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you an heart of flesh And I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes The Preaching of the Life that Christ giveth is to them that perish foolishness Some are fit to make a mock at Life and Justification by the Blood and Righteousness of Christ And so likewise at Conversion at the infusing of Grace into the heart wherby we come to live unto God But as these things are plainly revealed in the Scripture so to them that believe these things are precious 3. Let us enquire what we are to understand here by the Voice of the Son of God 1. The Gospel may be called the voice of the Son of God as it is an Instrumental means to make dead Souls to live The Gospel is called The Word of Grace Acts 20.32 The Word of Christ Col. 3.16 The Word of Life Phil. 2.16 By the Dispensation and Preaching of the Gospel Christ conveyeth himself into our Souls The Letter the Law killeth seeing we are sinners the Law is the ministration of death to us 2 Cor. 6.7 It tells us we are dead men cursed men it revealeth the wrath of God due to us for our sins The Law through our default cannot give us Life because we have not a Righteousness that the Law requires in our selves But it is the Gospel that reveals to us the new way to Life that shews us an Attonement and Righteousness in another We can neither be justified by the Law nor be sanctified by it We cannot be justified by it because we cannot fulfil it We cannot be sanctified by it because it only commands us to obey but giveth no new strength now we have lost the Holiness we had in Adam 'T is the Gospel that reveals to us how we may be justified before God and may have the Image of God renewed upon us But to make us spiritually alive there must be more than a bare Declaration of the Gospel many hear the Gospel Preached many years and yet never hear the voice of the Son of God and Live Therefore here is more to be understood 2. By the voice of the Son of God is meant the Secret Efficacy and Power of the Spirit of Christ so put forth as to turn the heart to the Lord. As the Lord Jesus did say to Lazarus when he was Dead Lazarus come forth and at the same time put Life into him So when the set time is come for the conversion of any of the Elect people there goes forth such a Power of Christ as to put Spiritual Life into them Ministers may speak and spend their strength in calling to dead Souls to come forth but except the Lord put in with them so as to effect the work men will still abide in death Object Hearing presupposeth Life Therefore how is it said That they that hear the voice of the Son of God shall live Can they hear before they live Answer This hearing the voice of the Son of God and living Spiritually are both at the same time As Lazarus when Christ bad him come forth he heard and lived at the same time Christ speaking to the heart with such Power as to turn the heart to himself goes before Spiritual Life in order of Nature but not in order of Time Conversion is a work of Spiritual Creation and so is not like other things The Lord saith live and the Soul liveth 4. Let us enquire what the Lord works upon a man dead in trespasses and sins to make him live Spiritually I shall not stand to speak of what the Lord doth by way of Preparation for the Souls receiving Christ this must be supposed that the Lord doth set our sins in order before us convince us of Sin and of Judgment to come But the very thing by which we are translated from Death to Life is the Lords giving us his Spirit to unite us to Christ whereby we receive the Life of Justification and Sanctification from him The Lord gives the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation Ephes 1.17 God who commanded Light to shine out of Darkness hath shined in our hearts to give the light of the knowledg of the Glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 4.6 The Sinner was convinced of his lost estate before
nor turnings in God Again God must needs be a God of Truth because he loves Truth Thou lovest Truth in the inward parts God loves truth in the Heart and God loves Truth in the Lips too Blessed is the man in whose Lips is no guile See how God threatens to punish a Lyar there shall in no wise enter into the Holy place any thing that defileth or any thing that makes a Lye And so in another place without are Dogs Idolaters and Adulterers and Lyars See how the Lord also doth threaten the King of Judah that had made a Covenant with the King of Babylon in Ezekiel 17.13.15 16. Shall he prosper shall he escape that doth such things c. As I live saith the Lord God surely in the place where the King dwelleth that made him King whose Oath he despised and whose Covenant he brake even with him in the midst of Babylon he shall die for it And it 's a remarkable story of the King of Hungaria King of the Romans he entered into a solemn Covenant with the Turks whereupon a while after the Pope by one of his Cardinals perswaded that King of Hungaria to break his Covenant and to come into his Country with an Army and the Turk seeing his Army with the Banner of Christs Name upon it he cried out O Christ come and take Judgement on him that hath thus broken Covenant with the Lord and the Lord did give Victory to the Turk and he took the King and cut off his Head and this for breach of Covenant And so in other instances says God your Carcasses shall lye down in the Wilderness and so in 1 Samuel 2.30 and Chapt. 3.13 See what course the Lord will take with the House of Eli Wherefore I the Lord God of Israel I said indeed that thy House and the House of thy Father should walk before me for ever But now the Lord saith be it far from me for them that honour me I will honour and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed c. Quest Why then it seems the Lord is not so faithful in his Word for sometimes the Lord doth not make good his Promises How then is he true and faithful in what he doth tho' this is not the business I principally intend yet for answer in a word Answ The Promises that God makes unto particular persons or people especially unto Temporal good things and Blessings they are made conditionally viz. If they don't walk so and so Or if they don't repent As now for example That threatning made to Niniveh it 's said except Niniveh doth return that is the meaning of it Tho' it s not always exprest yet it 's always implied That if they do not repent they shall dye or they shall be destroyed So now God promised the Israelites they should have the Land of Canaan that is conditionally to take heed how they walk before him and commit no Idolatry but now they continuing in Idolatry the Lord fails them why because they did not walk uprightly before him but sinned against him with their Idolatry And also his Promise is if they did put a difference between the precious and the vile then I would do so and so But now thou hast done so and so and tho' I have said so because you have not done so and so you shall not enjoy the mercies I have promised They are not always performed because they are conditional but God is true and faithful in what he promises But what are we to understand of the setting to the Seal What is this same setting of the seal to it that God is true Breifly It signifies thus much namely a bringing or giving a strong Witness that God is True for the setting to the Seal is not only a promise by word subscribing but also by setting of the Seal to thing See Nihemiah 9. last Verse Esther 8.8 The King is making impression with his Seal upon the writing for the enlargement of the Jews and it 's said the Kings Seal no man may pluck off You know it is ordinary the Sealing to a thing is the confirming of a thing Circumcision was as a Sign or Seal of strong Confirmation that Righteousness should be had in a way of faith and beleiving And says the Apostle Are not you the Seal of my Apostleship That is yea are my Witness and strong Testimony to evidence and clear that I am an Apostle sent of God because of the effects of that Ministry you see and find by me And so in another place The Lord knoweth them that are his having this Seal that every one that Nameth the name of Christ should depart from iniquity Here is a double Seal here is the Seal of Gods election chusing from Eternity the Lord knows who are his but also more secret Let him that receiveth the name of Christ depart from iniquity But how is this an evident demonstration that God is true why thus in receiving of the Testimony of God there 's a strong evidence that God is True First In that he doth now deny himself every Man and Woman that doth receive Christ by Faith doth deny themselves all a mans own Righteousness his own Services or performances He doth not look ever to be accepted of the Lord for any thing that he doth or can do not that he neglects Duty and Services and performances but when he hath done all yet all his hopes and expectations for any thing of whatsoever he hath done he desires nothing but acceptance in Christs Righteousnesâ— for if aâ—â— man will come after me saith Christ he must deny himself and follow me He must renounce all look for no acceptance with God for all that ever he suffers or can suffer for the Name of God The Soul will deny all deny it self it s own Liberty its name and credit its Life and all Again Secondly A man that doth receive the Testimony of Christ as he doth deny all so now he doth give up himself and lay the weight of his eternal condition upon Christ Says the Apostle I know in whom I have believed and I am perswaded and know that he is sufficient to keep whatsoever is needful for me I have ventured my eternity for it and upon it and my Soul must sink if Christ don't take care of me and save me for ever He renounces all his own righteousness and lays the weight of his Soul upon Christ Thirdly A man that doth receive the Testimony of Christ hath set to his Seal that God is true He did set to his Seal that Christ is true but how doth he set to his Seal that God is true yes for he whom God hath sent speaketh the word unto you Christ is sent of God and he speaks nothing but what he had from God Briefly by way of Application Use 1. If God be a God of Truth it doth concern every one of us to endeavour to be like unto God God is a God of
is said in the parable of the Talents in Matt. 25. He that had one Talent and improved it not but hid it he came and brought his Talent but did he please his Lord with the Talent He had not improved his Talent for his Lord and saies his Lord to him Thou wicked and sloathful Servant take away the Talent from him Now what would his Lord have said to him if he had improved it for himself he did not improve it for his Lord nor for himself neither and was this displeasing to his Lord how much more displeasing would it have been if he had improved it for himself Certainly whatever a man or woman doth if he do it not for God but for himself he cannot please God in it Then a man cannot please God without Faith because without Faith he cannot go beyond self Ephraim is an empty Vine he bringeth forth Fruit to himself Hosea 10.1 And so God speaks of every unbeliever such a man or woman is an empty vine he bringeth forth fruit to himself he doth not he cannot please God in any thing that he doth This is the first demonstration Secondly Without Faith it is impossible to please God because till a man or womans person be accepted and pleasing to God all that ever he doth cannot please God and that cannot be without Faith It is said in Genesis 4.4 5. that God had respect to Abel and to his Offering he had not respect to Cain and his Sacrifice but he had respect to Abel's Sacrifice why because he had first respect to Abels person By Faith his person was accepted and then his Sacrifice was accepted God had no respect to Cains Sacrifice because his person was not accepted and his person was not accepted because he was not a Believer When a Soul comes to believe on Christ then and not till then his person is accepted because that which made God displeased with him is removed and his Sin is pardoned and now the Soul doth appear Righteous in the sight of God but till a person comes to believe on Christ it is impossible that ever this person should please God because his person is not accepted then whatever comes from him is not accepted It is a full word that the Apostle hath to this purpose in Rom. 8.8 So then he brings it in by way of conclusion So then they that are in the Flesh cannot please God Obj. That are in the flesh you will say what is that was not Paul in the Flesh when he saies in Gal. 2.20 The life that I now live in the Flesh I live by the Faith of the Son of God Paul was in the Flesh and did not Paul please God all the believers that are upon the face of the Earth are in the Flesh and yet the Apostle saies here those that are in the Flesh cannot please God But I pray observe what the Apostle means by being in the flesh there is a douacceptation of the Word one is to live this life here in the Body but that is not the Apostles meaning when he says those that are in the flesh cannot please God for then never a Believer in the World can please God But then 2dly there is another meaning of the Word according to the Scripture to be in the flesh is to be in a fleshly carnal State a corrupt State an unchanged State an unbelieving State and condition they that are thus in the flesh cannot please God and this is the sence of the Holy-Ghost in Rom. 7.5 For when we were in the Flesh saies he c. why he was in the Flesh in one sence but he was not in the Flesh in another sence when we were in the Flesh that is when we were unbelievers in a fleshly carnal state when we were so in the flesh we could not please God and no man that is in the Flesh in that sence can please God But why is it not possible for a man or woman that is an Unbeliever to please God Why so why look but into the former verse Rom. 8.7 there he gives you the reason of it why those that are Unbelievers cannot please God because the carnal mind is enmity against God it is not subject to the Law of God nether indeed can be and then he brings in this conclusion So then they that are in the Flesh they that have a carnal mind they that are altogther unbelievers cannot please God because they are Enemies to God enemies in the highest degree for mark the expression he doth not say the carnal mind is an enemy to God but he puts it in the abstract the Carnal mind is enmity against God Enmity it self it is irreconcileable to God it is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be till God change it Now see the force of the demonstration every unbeliever is an Enemy to God and every thing he doth comes from a principle of enmity against God and do you think that can please God though he seems to do much for God he prays much and reads much and is much in thanksgiving and much in confessing of sin but all this comes from a principle of enmity against God and what can this please God Suppose now you should have an enemy and he should come and seem to speak you fair and you know that he hath a heart full of hatred and enmity against you possibly he comes and confesses he hath done you wrong and he is sorry for it but he hopes he shall do so no more if you know he comes and speaks this with a spirit of Enmity and that he doth maintain his enmity as fully in his heart and mind as ever are you pleased with these confessions no you abhor him the more because he comes in a dissembling hipocritical way Now God sees and knows our Hearts possibly we may be taken with some such expressions of an enemy and think he means as he says and take it in good part but a Man cannot deceive God So when an Unbeliever comes and confesses his Sins to God the Lord sees he doth it with a spirit of enmity he comes with his humble petitions and supplications and the Heart is full of Enmity and hatred against God Will the Lord now accept of this He comes and gives thanks to God but the Lord looks upon all as hypocritical and flattering and can this be pleasing to God in Psalm 78.34 When he slew them then they sought him and they returned and inquired early after God Verse 35. And they remembred that God was their Rock and the High God their Redeemer Now they challenge acquaintance with God and claim interest in God well but what doth the Holy-Ghost say of this their inquiring after God Verse 36. Nevertheless they Flattered him with their Mouth and they Lyed unto him with their Tongues And could God be pleased with this I pray consider this is the very case every Unbeliever is an Enemy to God is
in a State of enmity till such time as he comes to believe on Christ then indeed the enmity is taken away but till he come to believe on Christ he is an enemy to God and he hates God in his Soul and whatever he doth he doth but dissemble if he comes and confess his sins and give thanks to God and make petitions and supplications to God all this doth not please God he doth but Flatter and play the Hypocrite and Lye to God to his Face How then can a Man or Woman please God without Faith that is the Second demonstration Take one more Thirdly Without Faith it is impossible to please God why because all that ever a man or Woman doth that is an unbeliever is all but dead works all is Stinking Dead a dead Service and a dead Sacrifice whatever he brings to God it is dead his Prayers and Thanksgivings are dead and his Supplications and Petitions are all dead his Reading and Hearing the Word is all dead all that he doth is dead Now do you think that the living God can or will be pleased with dead services can this be pleasing to him all is dead because it comes from a dead principle every unbelieving man and woman in the World is spiritually dead and therefore all that comes from him must be dead they are all dead works as the Apostle calls them in Hebrews 6.1 Leaving the Principles of Repentance from dead works saies he and so in Hebrews 9.14 How much more says he shall the Blood of Christ who through the eternal Spirit offered up himself to God without spot purge your Concience from dead works c. when the Blood of Christ comes to be sprinkled upon the Soul by Faith then he is cleansed from dead works but before all is dead his faithfulness in his calling his thanksgivings his prayers and all is dead and how can this please a living God Can a man gather Grapes of Thorns and Figs of Thistles No. So can any thing that is lively and acceptable to God come from a dead Heart No. Can God be pleased with that which is dead that which is dead is displeasing to you if they give you dead Drink dead Beer or dead Wine doth it please you No you will say you had rather drink Water All the services that an unbeliever can perform they are all but dead in the savour of God they are all stinking loathsome things therefore how can these things be pleasing unto God This is the state of every unbeliever he is spiritually dead and all that he doth is dead nothing that is living or lively can come from a dead thing a dead thing cannot produce a living action but now by Faith a soul comes to be made alive when a soul comes to receive Christ he receives a principle of Life but every unbeliever is dead and therefore nothing that he does can be pleasing unto God So now you have heard the point demonstrated to you That it is impossible for any man or woman to please God without Faith We come now in the next place for the further clearing this truth and for your more distinct understanding of it to remove some objections that possibly may be made against it As first what is nothing pleasing to God without Faith You will say did not the Elect please God from all Eternity did not God chuse the Elect and set his love upon them did not they please God yet they had no Faith then it seems it is possible to please God without Faith Indeed if the Arminians were to answer this they would easily answer it for they make election to be upon foreseen Faith that God did foresee that such and such a man would believe and therefore he elected him and if so then the elect cannot please God without Faith but we do not joyn with them in that thing there was not any thing foreseen that did move God to elect one or another In Romans 9.11 the Apostle there instances in the two Children Jacob and Esau For the Children being not yet born having done neither good nor evil God did not consider them as having done good or evil that the purpose of God according to election might stand not of Works but of him that calleth It was said unto her the Elder shall serve the Younger God doth not consider that in point of election for election is not the effect of Faith foreseen but Faith is the consequent of Election he hath chosen us that we should be Holy that we should believe in Eph. 1.4 and in Acts 13.48 And as many as were Ordained to Eternal Life believed Election is antecedent to Faith and believing God was not pleased with the Elect because of their Faith no but they were chosen to Faith and then did not they please God without Faith there is the objection still Answ I answer shortly That the Elect did not please God but God was pleased out of his free Grace to set his Love of Benevolence upon them and thereby did intend in time to shew Love and Friendship to them I say it was not because they pleased God that God chose them and elected them but God was pleased out of his infinite free Grace and Love to ordain them in time to manifest his love of friendship to them so that it was not for Faith nor without Faith for they did not please God Obj. But then you will say Did not Adam in innocency please God if he did then it is possible to please God without Faith for Adam had no Faith in innocency Now before the fall Adam did please God was there not a sweet intercourse between God and Adam was there not a covenant made between God and Adam Did not God come and speak in a familiar way to Adam Surely Adam pleased God Adam had not Faith then it is possible to please God without Faith For Answer to this First In a word Adam had a Faith though not such a Faith as believers have now yet Adam had a faith of Affiance of Trust and Confidence and Dependance upon God which was required in the first Commandment and Adam had all the Commandments of the Law written upon his Heart 2. But Secondly This Truth doth presuppose man in a sinful fallen state Adam after his fall and so all the posterity of Adam now there is no Son nor Daughter of Adam since the Fall that can ever please God without Faith Adam himself since the fall if ever he pleased God it was by Faith for the Apostle speaks of those that are supposed to be Sinners and Enemies against God That without Faith it is impossible for them to please God Obj. But you will say Have not some that have been unbelievers by doing of those things that God hath required pleased God Look into the example of Jehu 2 Kings 10.30 You know that God commanded Jehu to go and cut off all the House of Ahab that was his Message
question not only the habit of Faith that a man or woman be a believer but also the very acting and exercise of Faith is requisite for our profitable partaking of this Ordinance The Grace of Faith is necessary for the giving of us a right to partake of this Ordinance for a Man must have life or else meat will do him no good set the daintiest meat before him that is dead he will be never a whit the better for it the meat cannot nourish him so if we have not a principle of spiritual life which is infused into the heart by Faith in Christ if we have not spiritual life spiritual food will do us no good therefore there must be the Grace of Faith Again This Ordinance of the Lords Supper it is a sealing Ordinance to seal and confirm and ratify the Covenant of Grace and the benefits of the Covenant now if so be we be not in the Covenant then this Ordinance cannot seal to us the blessings and benefits of the Covenant no we do but set a seal to a blank and that signifies nothing therefore I say it is necessary there should be the Grace of Faith the habit of Faith that those that do partake of this Ordinance should be Believers But this is that which I am to speak to that though only such as are Believers are to partake of this Ordinance yet it is not sufficient for us that we are Believers but if we would partake of this Ordinance so as to please God we must act and exercise Faith also about it For I pray consider 1. It is possible for those that are Believers to partake unworthily to eat and drink unworthily says the Apostle in 1 Cor. 11.29 He that eateth and drinketh unworthily eateth and drinketh damnation to himself Who doth he speak to there He writes to Believers Believers then may eat and drink unworthily How comes a Soul then to eat and drink worthily to partake worthily of this Ordinance Truly by the acting and exercising of Faith for though he have the habit of Faith he may partake unworthily What is the reason that divers Believers come to partake of this Ordinance some partake worthily and some unworthily The reason is because some partake in the exercise of Faith and they partake worthily and some partake without the exercise of Faith and they partake unworthily And mark how the Apostle goes on says he it is requisite that those that partake at the Lords Table that they should examine themselves Let a man examine himself vers 28. and so let him eat Examine himself concerning what why among other things about his Faith What whether he be a Believer or no Yes that is one thing he must examine whether he do truly believe or no whether he have the grace of Faith or no but that is not all suppose that be out of doubt and question that he is a Believer yet he must examine himself still about the acting and exercising of Faith in this Ordinance and therefore this Duty of Examination of a mans self doth imply that there must be an actuating and exercising of Faith in the partaking of this Ordinance Further says the Apostle they that come to this Ordinance must discern the Lords Body vers 29. He that eateth and drinketh unworthily eateth and drinketh damnation to himself not discerning the Lords body I may speak something by and by concerning that to help you to understand that but for our present purpose discerning the Lords body How shall a man or woman discern the Lords Body We do not discern the Lords Body by our bodily eye by looking on the Bread and Wine the outward Elements but it must be by the acting of a spiritual eye and what is that but the eye of Faith Faith then must be acted and exercised in this Ordinance or else we do not discern the Lords Body and if we do not discern the Lords Body then we eat and drink unworthily and so do not please God therefore there is required the exercise of Faith in the partaking of this Ordinance I might add further still that the Blessings and Benefits that are held forth and conveyed by this Ordinance are all spiritual Blessings and therefore they must be partaken of by the exercise of our spiritual sences It is not for a man or woman to come and take the Bread and Wine and savour it by the exercise of his bodily sense of tasting no but there must be the spiritual sences exercised so as to partake of the spiritual blessings that are held forth and conveyed by it Well then it is granted now that it is requisite that there must be not only the grace of Faith or the habit of Faith but there must be the actual exercising of Faith in the partaking of this Ordinance or else we cannot please God Quest Well then the great Question is how a Man or Woman should so exercise Faith in the partaking of the Lords Table that so he may please God in his partaking of it Answ There are four or five Directions that I shall briefly lay down to help you in the partaking of this great Ordinance in Faith and oh that we might be serious in attending to them that we may hear for the time to come First The first Direction is this If we would exercise Faith in our partaking of this Ordinance then we must look upon this Ordinance as a great Ordinance and Institution of Jesus Christ that he hath appointed as the means of our Communion and fellowship with him I pray mind it I say Faith doth help the Soul to look at this Ordinance as a great Institution of Jesus Christ that he hath appointed for the means of our Communion with him Two things here we are to take notice of 1. First of all that we are to look at it as the great Ordinance and Institution of Christ People for the most part especially those that do not act Faith they look at the outward elements and they come and partake of the Bread and Wine but they do not look at it as such an Ordinance of Jesus Christ now Faith doth help a Soul to look at it as the great Institution of Jesus Christ one of the greatest Ordinances that ever Jesus Christ did institute and appoint it was one of the last things that Christ did when he was to leave the World when the time of his suffering did approach and draw near the same Night in which he was betrayed he did institute this Ordinance Certainly it is an Ordinance of very great concernment that Jesus Christ should institute it and appoint it when he had such weighty matters laid upon his Hand when he was to take his farewel of the World yet then a little before he was betrayed he did institute and appoint this Ordinance If People did but rightly consider this that this is a great Ordinance and Institution of Jesus Christ it would make them serious about it and
to come and partake of the Lords-Table then we must have some grounds to hope and perswade our selves that we have some right to it or else we cannot partake in Faith Object But you will say This may be a ground of discouragement to many a gracious heart Many a gracious Soul is exercised with scruples of Conscience and may Question whether they have a right or no and such by this Direction must be forced to with-hold from it Answ For Answer briefly we are to know that every doubt and scruple and Question that Christians may have about their coming to this Ordinance is not sufficient for them to withdraw from it or to withhold their presence in it no they are not presently therefore to withdraw and withhold from the participation of it What shall they do then You will say Answ Briefly I pray mind it because it may concern some that are scrupulous and to be exercised with Questions and doubts whether they have right to it or no therefore such are seriously to consider what the ground of their doubt and scruple is whether it be sufficient and warrantable to cause a withdrawment from this Ordinance amongst others the grounds of scruple in this case may be reduced to three heads First Possibly some do Question and scruple their coming to this Ordinance for fear they should eat and drink unworthily and so eat and drink their own damnation that is my fear saies one and therefore I dare not come I fear I may not come I pray now therefore consider this briefly for I may not inlarge but consider this whether a mans Questioning whether he shall eat and drink unworthily be a sufficient ground and warrant for him to withhold from the Lords-Table I pray mind and consider what the Apostle saies 1 Cor. 11.27 28. Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread and drink this Cup of the Lord unworthily shall be guilty of the Body and Blood of the Lord. Let a man examine himself and so let him eat Mark doth the Apostle say that he that fears that he shall eat and drink unworthily shall therefore withhold no but let him be the more solicitous and careful to examine himself and prepare himself that he may not partake unworthily of it that the Apostle doth intimate The Apostle doth not give a liberty upon it to withhold Therefore I say that is not a sufficient ground because we fear we shall partake unworthily but therefore we should be the more Solicitous and careful to examine our selves and to be preparing our selves the more to partake of this Ordinance Secondly Ordinarily some do fear and doubt whether they may partake of this Ordinance or no by reason they find themselves so weak in Grace Oh! saies one my Faith is so weak and my other graces so weak that I fear I shall but sin if I should come to the Lords-Table Now I pray Consider whether this be a sufficient scruple or no for I pray mark Consider the end of this Ordinance and for whom it is appointed what is it appointed for those that are perfect in grace for those that are perfect in Faith and other graces Is it not appointed rather to be a means to perfect and strengthen our graces therefore the weaker we apprehend our graces to be the more need we have to draw near to Christ in this Ordinance for the further Communication of the Spirit and grace to us that we may be strengthened in our inward man and have our grace increased That is the second scruple Thirdly The third scruple may be this which commonly is the greatest of all but suppose that I have no grace at all as I question whether I have any grace in truth or no upon examination of my self I cannot find that I have any Faith is it for me to come to this Ordinance Mark I pray in a word briefly A Soul sometimes under Temptation may be ready to conclude it hath no grace at all but I pray consider thus much though a Soul cannot say that it doth truly believe on Christ yet if so be there be a real hungering and thirsting after Christ a real desire after Christ in such a case a Soul is to come and partake of this Ordinance Blessed are they that Hunger and Thirst after Righteousness for they shall be filled Therefore though you cannot say certainly that you have Faith really wrought in you yet notwithstanding if there be a real hunger and desire and thirst after the enjoyment of Christ and communion with Christ in such a case a Soul may may come to partake of this Ordinance and such a Soul hath a right to it This is now a third direction how we may come in Faith to this Ordinance Namely to have some grounds to perswade us to hope that we have a right to it otherwise we cannot come in Faith Fourthly Take a fourth Direction which is this Namely if we would act and exercise Faith in this Ordinance then we must be careful to be found diligent in those things that are required towards our preparation to it I pray mind it it is the proper nature of Faith to put a Soul upon diligence in applying its self to the means for the obtaining of any end it is the proper nature of Faith to put a Soul upon the diligent use of means tending thereunto this is the proper nature of Faith indeed presumption if it have any hope of any Blessing or Mercy presumption leads a man to neglect the means but the proper work and nature of Faith is to lead a Soul to the diligent use of the means to obtain the Mercy or Blessing it hopes for I could give you divers instances in Scripture for this how Faith doth put a Soul upon the diligent use of means that are required for such an end I remember 't is said in 2 Chron. 20. concerning Jehoshaphat he was invaded by a foreignâ— enemy and thereupon he set himself to seek the Lord in wrestling by Prayer well the Lord is pleased to give him a gracious answer by the Prophet in the midst of the Congregation vers 14 15. And he said Hearken ye Judah and ye Inhabitants of Jerusalem thus saith the Lord be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude for the Battel is not yours but the Lords Vers 17. Ye shall not need to fight in the Battel set your selves stand ye still and see the salvation of the Lord with you O Judah and Jerusalem fear not be not dismayed to morrow go out against them the Lord will be with you Now Jehoshaphat having this promise his Faith did carry him out to set himself in Battel-aray as if they were to fight for it he would not neglect the means that God had appointed So you read of Paul in Acts 27. Paul was in danger by Sea in a great Storm in danger to be wrecked and it is said the Angel of the Lord came to him vers 23 24. For