brought them to the worst part of it for the south part was the hottest and dryest and barrennest part of the countrey thus God seemes to goe on in crosse wayes and this hides the excellency of the things of God and hence it comes to passe they are not seen If it be so then that the things of God are not seen to a carnall eye and require more then reason to apprehend them First it should make us cease wondering that men of excellent parts and reason doe not see the things of God but slight them be not offended at this they are things not seen it is a great deceit in many who think that because such and such men have larger abilities of reason then others to understand naturall things that therefore it must needs follow they have deeper apprehensions of spiritual things and yet men reason thus what you poor simple men and women understand these things when there are great Schollars and learned men that see them not this argues a carnal heart as if the strength of reason could make men apprehend more then faith can doe You know what Christ sayes Father I thank thee that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them to babes Math. 11. 25. Notwithstanding such expressions of Christ yet we see the temper of the men of the world alas they look upon religion as a most foolish and ridiculous thing and so for strictnesse in the wayes of religion when a man shall see another very earnest about a thing that he thinkes is of no consequence at all he cannot but impute folly to him so when the men of the world see the people of God servent and zealous about those things that they can see no excellency in and see them willing to venture and suffer for them they count this folly and madnesse when Christ being in danger of his life John 18. 37 38. tells Pilate that he came into the world to bear witnesse unto the truth sayes Pilate what is truth speaking in a slighting way as if he had said you come here to answer for your life and you had need look to that and what doe you talk of truth now your life is in question So carnall men when they see others venture their estates and lives for poor inconsiderable things as they esteem them they count this folly and why doe they doe so because the things of God are not seen Therefore in spirituall and heavenly things we must alwayes endeavour to beat down reason and to advance faith sayes Luther In the things of God we must not continually be asking the reason for they are the things that are not seen Nay sayes he faith kills the beast reason in spiritual things Though it is true being kept under faith there is good use of it yet it is as a beast to be slaine that so we may see the more of spirituall things I meet with a story in a book of a company of Bishops that were gathered together and there was a Philosopher with them who disputed against the Christian faith and he argued so subtilly that he non-plust the Bishops Now there was a godly man a poor weak man there and he desired he might have liberty to dispute for that they were so non-plust in and though at first they were afraid he would spoyle the cause through his weaknesse yet at length they gave him leave to speak and he propounds certaine principles of religion to the Philosopher and said to him doe you believe these things and said no more but doe you believe these things and upon this the Philosopher yeilds I have heard sayes he nothing all this while but words but now I finde a divine vertue come into me that I can no longer resist the Christian faith and this meerly upon the propounding of the objects of faith with urging upon him Doe you believe certainly in the things of faith we must believe before we can understand them fully our faith must sometimes help us to conceive and not alwayes our conceiving help to us to believe we finde this in Peter John 6. 69. And we believe and are sure that thou art the Christ the Son of the living God mark we believe and are sure He doth not say we are sure and believe but first believe and then are sure by believing we come to be sure There are many they would faine be sure that Christ died for them that their sins are pardoned and that they are the children of God and they endeavour to make this out by arguments from the effects and would try themselves by such and such notes but we should rather and in the first place goe the way the Apostle doth here we believe and are sure we should cast our souls upon the truth of the word and by believing come to be sure So much for the First the things of God are things not seen But now faith that doth evidence and make them cleare We know in whom we have believed 2. Tim. 1. 12. and the mercies of God in Christ are called The sure mercies of David Acts 13. 34. Faith is not a meer notion imagination or conceit but t is that which makes all sure and certaine to the soul I should have answered a case here whether or no there may not be faith without assurance that is without assurance of a mans own salvation by Christ Certainly it must needs be a great mistake to put that upon the being of faith which is the riches of faith for so the Scripture calls assurance a man may be able to carry on his Trade though he be not rich and a man may be a believer though he be not rich in assurance now assurance is the creame of faith the riches of faith I should have shewn also how farre faith can be an evidence where there is doubting Onely thus the assurance we have by faith building upon the word and drawing conclusions from divine principles for that I should have spoken of how faith draws things up to an evidence by divine and spirituall principles and what these principles are but we cannot stand to open this but it is so farre an evidence that the soul can venture upon it as I told you before faith is a foundation that the soule dare venture upon as that Martyr said though I cannot dispute for the truth yet I can dye for the truth Where faith comes with a convincing light though there may be doubts and fears and temptations yet it can trust and depend and the soul resolves if I perish I will perish here let all the world say what they will I finde this is the way and whatever comes of it I will not goe back and by this meanes over-powers the soul and carries it through opposition and so faith is an evidence Many things should have been spoken by way of application As First If faith be an evidence to other things and makes them seen
misery that they shall indure to eternity to fill up every moments misery that all the misery they shall indure to eternity they shall possesse it presently and together and therefore the torment of a brute creature is infinitely short of a reasonable suppose a brute beast were in hell yet its misery would come infinitely short of a mans because a brute creature apprehends no more misery then that instant but now if a reasonable creature be in torment and knowes it shall be in it eternally by thought and discourse it can fetch into that very instant all the paine that it must endure for ever And so for happinesse those that are saved shall be infinitely happy every moment because they shall fetch in all the happinesse they shall have to eternity to make them every moment happy this is the work of reason Now if reason can make future things to be as present how much more can faith that is not only reason elevated but is a principle higher then reason as it is in dispaire a man that dispaires brings hell to himself before he is in hell and makes hell that is absent as if it were present Hence some in their dispairing have cryed out they were in hell as Francis Spira he said he was in hell and hell fire was upon him because by dispaire that which is future hath a reall kinde of subsistance in the heart of a man as if it were now present Now as dispaire brings in the reallity of Gods wrath that is future and makes it as present so faith brings in the reallity of Gods love and mercy that is to come and makes it as present and it is as genuine a work of faith to make future things present as any work of faith Now I should have shewn you in what respects faith makes things present that are to come and what is the work of faith in them But briefly it makes all things present that are to come First because it sees all things as certain as if they were already if a man have a bond of one for a hundred pounds that he is sure off he sayes here is a hundred pounds because of the certainty of it Secondly because faith lookes upon the possession of things that not only they shall be but that now there is a possession of them and that two wayes First Christ our head is gone before to prepare mansions for us and in our name to take possession of heaven therefore we have taken possession in our head and then Secondly we have the first fruits of the spirit the first fruits of the glorious things of heaven and in that regard we our selves have taken possession and therefore they are as present to faith Thirdly there is such an infinitenesse in eternity that the time that is to be before we have ful possession is not considerable therefore faith lookes upon them as present And then Fourthly faith eyes the things of heaven continually and they are therefore present because they are alwayes in the eye of faith And Fifthly the presentnesse of them is seen in this because the Saints enjoy all in God for this is the happinesse of heaven to see all glory and blessednesse in God Now faith doth something of this here faith inables us to see great things in God Now the enjoying communion with God for the present and beholding of heaven in God and seeing all things in him this must needs make a present reall subsistance of them to the soul Thus I have spoken briefly of faiths being the substance of things hoped for For the use If faith be the substance of things hoped for and gives being to things so high and glorious as the things of God are First then certainly faith it self must needs be a very substantiall thing faith is not a conceit and notion for it gives reality and substantial being to those things the world counts conceits faith is the most substantialest glorious thing in the world It is that in the working of which the power of God appeares more then in any thing in the world therefore in Ephes 1. 19 20. there are some six or seven gradations of the wonderfull power of God that appeares in the working of faith Now that must needs be an exceeding substantial thing that hath such a mighty power of God in working of it God doth not use to put forth extraordinary power for the doing of ordinary things Now when he speaks of faith he sets out his power in a glorious manner and in an extraordinary way and thereby tells us that faith hath some great matter in it And indeed faith hath much in it though it be a grace that empties us of our selves yet it is that whereby the believer is enabled to doe one of the most glorious workes that ever creature was enabled to doe as now for a poor soul to see its self in its own filth under sinne and guilt and to see the wrath of an infinite deity incensed against it to see the infinite justice of God requiring satisfaction and the infinite holinesse of God hating of sinne to have the accusations of conscience of Satan of the world and being sensible of all this yet to lay hold upon a mediator between God and man and to trust in a righteousnesse beyond it self and to tender it up to God the Father for a full attonement and satisfaction and to venture its self and eternall estate upon it and being unholy and filthy in it self yet to unite it self to God in as neer a union for the kinde of it as possibly a creature can have with the Creator next the hypostaticall union of the humane nature of Christ with the divine I say for faith to be able to doe this it is a high and most glorious work and there is an abundance of the power of God appeares in it By this how may we discover the vanity of the faith of the greatest number of people in the world who have nothing but meer emptinesse in them their very faith is only a notion and no marvell then if all things they believe be but notions they can doe nothing with their faith You say you hope and believe and trust in Gods mercy but what can you doe with your faith what reall substantiall work of faith is upon your hearts when faith comes there comes the mighty power of God and his wonderfull glory into the soul that creats as it were and gives substantiall being to the most high and glorious objects in the world therefore know that faith is not a dead slight empty thing in the soul but it hath a mighty operation upon the hearts of men and women and certainly that faith that must save a soul must have high and glorious operations in the soul Againe if faith gives a substantial being to things hoped for then we must learne to strengthen and exercise our faith in the things we hope for which of us doe not
then it is an evidence to it self I meane thus It is therefore possible for a soul to know its own good condition and its interest in Christ meerly by the very work of faith it self though for the present it be not able to argue aposteriori from the effects of faith yet it may argue apriori faith may evidence it self Many Christians goe on in a doubting way meerly because they think they must have evidences of their faith by some effects that follow their faith and till then they can have no comfort t is true where true faith is there wil be fruits and effects of it but certainly if you could learne this mystery of the Gospel to finde an evidence in faith it self you would sooner come to comfort And it is a safer way a great deal as thus if you have doubts about your condition and feare your sinnes are not pardoned and that you have no interest in Christ the way to be freed from these doubts and feares is by renewing the act of faith it self by presenting to your souls the riches of the grace of God in the Lord Jesus and by viewing the glory of that see if it will not draw out your souls to believe And if upon this your hearts stirre not for the present set these things before your souls againe and turne not from renewing the acts of faith to pore upon your corruptions and then say you can see no interest that you have in Christ but look upward againe and againe and by the very viewing of them a vertue will come in to draw the heart to believe As by presenting the law there is an efficacy to terrifie and afright so by presenting the glorious things of the Gospel there is an efficacy to draw out faith And then you are to renew the very primitive work of faith that is to close with Christ and to cast your selves upon the freenesse of the grace of God in Christ and though you finde in your hearts such and such corruptions and are ready to say shall such a one as I am so polluted and defiled cast my self upon the grace of God in Christ yet lay hold upon Christ and you have as much reason to doe it from thence as from any thing and therefore this must be thy course to renew this primitive act of thy faith again and again I but yet my doubts and feares remaine but if thou wouldest have an evidence to it againe again a thousand times over and at last there will be an evidence of the act of faith it self But you will say this may be presumption to cast ones self upon the free grace of God in Christ I answer this is no presumption because the very act it self gives thee a right to all that is in God and Christ Now presumption is when a man takes that which he hath no right to and if a man doe that to which he hath no right before yet if that he doth give him a right it is no presumption But you will say this is a licentious way gives liberty O do not wrong faith when thou though thou canst see no reason for it in the want of sight and sense canst venture thy selfe upon the riches of the grace of God in Christ it is the most glorious work that thou canst possibly doe in this world shouldst thou be able to live to overcome all thy corruptions and to doe the greatest service imaginable it could not be so glorious a work as this And it is the most difficult thing in the world and therefore no doctrine of liberty that soul that can goe through all the difficulties of faith that can overcome its infinite guilt and the terrours of the law and notwithstanding all that comes between God and it can venture upon the free grace of God in Christ may overcome all the difficulties in the world Many other things might have been in urging of this as now though we are in the dark and sight and sense and all is gone yet exercise faith and if thou wouldest study to magnifie God as a Christian this is the onely way There is a notable instance of credit that Alexander gave to his Physitian and the example of the trust he put in him did mightily honour him before all his Nobles Alexander being sick one sends to him and adviseth him to take heed of Philip his Physitian for that one had feed him to poyson him his Physitian brings him the potion and Alexander gives him the letter and drinkes the potion presently intimating that he would not believe what was reported of him and this was a mighty honour done to his Physitian and so when thou hast no evidence in thy selfe yea when thou hast many temptations that speak ill of the free grace of God in Christ and that tell thee Christ hath left thee and forsaken thee and that it would never be thus and thus with thee if Christ intended any good to thee and when temptations are in their greatest heat and speak the worst of Christ Now to venture thy soul upon Christ Christ will take it as the greatest honour thou art capable of doing to him and it is the readiest way to advance the riches of his grace and mercy And be afraid of unbeliefe as well as of presumption be afraid least thou shouldest not magnifie the riches of the grace of God in Christ which is his great designe amongst the children of men I thought to have laid downe something to shew what encouragement we have to believe in case of want of evidence when we are in the dark and can see no light and to have given rules to help our faith But I will conclude with this one use By what hath been delivered you may all see what an excellent and admirable grace faith is and of what use it is O brethren in these times wherein there is such feare trouble and distraction now to have faith to give a subsistance to all the things that God hath spoken of a subsistance to all the glorious promises that God hath made to his people what a wonderfull blessing is this now exercise faith and by faith give a subsistance to all these promises make them a foundation to rest upon be willing to venture all you have your Estates names liberties lives for the furthering and fulfilling the glorious promises which God hath made unto his Church and if you have faith that gives foundations to those promises you will doe so And though we see nothing but darknesse and misery upon the world yet let us exercise faith if the hour of temptation be yet to come as who knowes then we shall have need of faith and faith onely in such darknesse can helpe us to light And for preparation for such times labour to strengthen faith and by what you have heard you may see what stead faith will stand you in in any danger It is a great comfort to a Christian that though
he be in the dark in many things as there are many truths now disputed about Churches and the like yet to know he hath that in him that will make the things of eternall life evident to him It is a wonderful blessing of God to have a principle that gives subsistance and evidence to such things as these are How exceedingly would many poor souls rejoyce if they might have an evidence but of some one truth of religion as the truth of a deity which reason gives light in they are so pestred with Atheisme that they would give a thousand worlds to be rid of it Now if this be so great a mercy to have that which doth evidence onely one principle of religion what a glorious mercy then is it to have faith to evidence all the glorious things of God and to make them cleare and plaine to you you can remember there was a time when you thought them fancies and conceits but now you see them as cleare as the light of the Sun and you would not now for a thousand worlds but you saw them as you doe Hereafter brethren when we shall see them not by faith but by sense O how shall we blesse God then that we had before an evidence of these things made to our souls What would have become of us if we had not had an evidence to cleare those things to us that lead to this glory to evidence the righteousnesse of God in Christ for eternal life I saw these things subsisting and evident before and now God reveales them fully to me whereas on the other side those that want a principle of faith to make them substantiall and evident to them when they shall come to be substantiall and evident to their sense O what a horrid terrour will it be unto them then you will say O Lord that I had seen these things before my heart then would never have been taken so with the things of the world I ran madly upon the vanities of the world to get riches and honours and I thought I was the onely happy man and that those things were the onely substantial and reall things and those things that I heard the Preacher speak of I thought them to be but notions and conceits but now I see they are reall and substantiall O miserable man that now I am O the work of faith that can make those that are of weak parts to see the great things of God James 2. 5. Hearken my brethren sayes the Apostle God hath chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith To understand the great things of faith that poor men should understand the great the deep the glorious things of God that were hid from the foundations of the world it is a wonderful work therefore when John sent to Christ to know if he were the Messias Christ gives this as one argument The poor receive the Gospel Mathew 11. 5. Why was that an argument that Christ was the Messias was it not rather an argument against him that the poor did it if the great ones had done it it had been an argument No The poor receive the Gospell And that those that are poor and weak in other things should have this mighty work wrought in their souls to be able to receive Christ and the Gospel this is an argument of the mighty power of God Brethren to have the use of the eye of the body by which we can see the great works of God the Sun Moon and Stars and can take notice of the glory of God in these this is a great blessing what man would be willing to loose the sight of his eyes to gaine a world because it discovers so much of the glory of God Now if the eye that receives onely these naturall things be so preecious O then what is it to have a principle within us an eye of faith clearly to evidence the great things and glorious councels of God unto us if a christall that can receive colours into it from without be precious O what is the christall of faith it may well be called precious faith for it receives into the soul the glory of God and the excellencies of Christ and the great things of eternall life And these are brought into the soul by faith in the reallity and power of them to raise the heart and to fill it with all joy and peace in believing and to carry the soul through all the troubles of this world O the eye of faith is a precious eye the eye of sense is precious because we can see visible objects by that but the eye of reason is more precious because that can make things seen which are not seen by the eye of sense reason can discourse up to God himself and it is the wonderfull excellency of a reasonable creature that God hath given him that ability that he can discourse so from the effect to the cause and from one cause to another till at last he gets up to God the first being of all This is an admirable indowment we should blesse God for but now if the use of reason have such an excellency in it because by that we have an evidence of reasonable things to us then still goe higher and labour to have a right esteem of this precious faith that gives unto us such evidence of the glorious things of God even that faith that God puts into our hearts on purpose that by it we might be able to receive into our souls those glorious and hidden mysteries of godlinesse that doe infinitely concerne our eternall peace This Sermon was preacht April 25. 1641. JOHN 8. V. 36. If the Sonne therefore shall make you free ye shall be free indeed IN this Chapter we have Christ continuing of his contest with the wrangling peevish Jewes in answering all that they said notwithstanding they snarled at every word almost that past But however it was with the multitude yet there were some that were taken with what he said for in vers 30. it is said As he spake these words many believed on him at least there were some beginnings of faith or some preparations to it And Christ tells them vers 31. That if they continued in his word then they were his disciples indeed as if he should say it is not enough that you are stirred for the present and professe you believe in me I will not take you for my disciples unlesse you continue in my word how often doe the flashes that are upon the hearts and consciences of men vanish and come to nothing they continue not in the word of Christ and therefore are not his disciples Christ tells them further that they must understand more concerning their condition then yet they apprehended And ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free v. 32. as if he should say though you have some confused apprehensions of things for the present yet it is but very little you know of your
JEREMIAH BVRROUGHES Late Minister of the Gospell J. Croâ—s Sculpsit THE SAINTS TREASURY Holding forth 1. The incomparable Excellency and Holinesse of God 2. Christs All in All. 3. The glorious enjoyment of Heavenly things by Faith 4. The Naturall mans bondage to the Law and the Christians liberty by the Gospell 5. A preparation for judgement Being sundry SERMONS preached in LONDON By the late Reverend and painfull Minister of the Gospel JEREMIAH BURROUGHES LONDON Printed by T. C. for John Wright at the Kings head in the Old-baily 1654. TO THE HONOURABLE FRANCIS ROUS Esq Speaker of the Parliament of the Commonwealth of England and Provost of Eaton-Colledge Honoured Sir IF a Heathen Poet could say Non omnis moriar I shall live though I die supposing his Works immortall though himselfe were mortall Upon how much better an account may a Prophet of the Lord say Non moriar sed vivam I shall not die but live both in respect of his immortall soule to which death is as the gate of life and in respect of the immortall travell of his soule being conversant in the Word of the Lord that abideth for ever The workes of the Saints of God in whom is the spirit of prophecie not onely live when they are dead but are instrumentall in the hand of grace both to plant life where it is not and water it where it is that it may spring forth more abundantly The chosen Vessell of the Lord by whose Ministry he was pleased to give out the Heavenly treasures laid up in these Sermons hath some yeares since put off his earth and put on that Inheritance of the Saints in light for which the Lord seemed earlie to have fitted him by his earnest and assiduous Travail in sitting others But though the Vessell be broken or rather indeed refined and translated to his masters more immediate use yet the Treasures abide for the common enrichment of the Saints For spirituall Treasures like the loaves blessed by our Saviour multiply in their use and when thousands have been enriched by them doe still remaine sufficient to enrich thousands To you honoured Sir is this small but Precious treasury presented not as though your own store were not already full for who knowes not how many precious Jewels through the riches of Christ in you you have richly set and polished for the adorning the Bride the Lambs wife Surely the spirit of Christ seemes to have chosen and sealed your Spirit to celebrate his own Nuptials in your Mystical Marriage and song of loves But as gold besides its own internal worth receives an Authentick impression from the Image and Superscription of the Prince And as in honouring the Lord with the best part of our substance An humble acknowledgement of his Interest both in the whole and our selves not any Addition to his fulnesse is intended So is this Treasury presented to the touch and test of your Judgement First as the Standard of approving things that are excellent And then as an humble testimony how much he owes himselfe to you that presents it That the Lord would make you long an Ornament and defence to his Saints and prosper his own pleasure in your hands is the prayer of Honoured Sir The most humble and most obliged of your Servants J. W. To the Christian Reader THe Authour of these ensuing Sermons hath so abundantly approved himselfe to the Church of God by his former labours both in preaching and writing that it would be rather a disparagement to him to offer any thing by way of commendation His name is yet like a precious Oyntment and so may it be so long as the Sunne and Moon endures These Sermons will discover themselves to be his genuine issue the severall lineaments and proportions of his stile though stiles differ as much as faces are here discernable Those that had the happinesse to be conversant with him and auditors to him are able to say Sic oculos sic ille manus sic ora ferebat So he opened his Text so he handled his Doctrine so he delivered his Application It is true these fragments of his are under the prejudice of being Posthumus works yet we may say of them as Paul said concerning himselfe We suppose they are not inferiour to the rest of his Works though they are born out of due time and fragments though they are yet are they to be esteemed Ramenta auri sunt pretiosa These Sermons are to be prized for their own worth and intrinsecall excellency whoever was Authour And this Authour is to be honoured for his reall worth whatsoever he is the authour of We shall adde this also for thy encouragement that these Sermons have been very happily taken by the pen of a ready writer Mr. Farthing now a Teacher of Shortwriting one who hath given ample testimonie of his great skill and dexteritie in writing Short-hand We think we may say there are not many words delivered by the Author that are left out However confident we are that there is nothing materiall which was by him preached but is here by the care and faithfulnesse of the Scribe presented to thy view The desire of the publishers is that the name of this worthy man of God may be kept in honour that thou maist transferre these things to thy own use and expresse them in thy life that what was spoken to some may be common to all what was accepted by them that heard it may be received and improved by those that read it This is all we have to communicate to thee it would be an injury to detaine thee longer from the reverend Author we only commend thee to the grace of God which is able to make thee abound in every good work and bid thee Fare-well Ja. Nalton Wil. Cooper Tho. Jacomb Matthew Poole Allen Geare Ralph Venning Septemb. 29. 1653. Imprimatur EDM. CALAMY THE SAINTS TREASURY EXODUS 15. 11. Who is like unto thee O Lord amongst the Gods who is like unto thee glorious in holinesse fearfull in praises doing wonders THis Scripture is this day fulfilled in our Eares and before our eyes that which God hath already begun to doe for this Kingdome and the neighbour Churches doth shew unto us that there is none like unto the Lord Who is glorious in holinesse fearfull in praises doing wonders The words though they be in the middle of the song yet they are a kinde of an Epiphonema which usually is at the end but the spirit of Moses being raised in admiring at and blessing God for the great things he had done for his people he containeth not himselfe till he comes to the end but breakes forth in the very middle with this applause of the glory of God Who is like unto thee O Lord amongst the Gods who is like unto thee glorious in holinesse fearefull in praises doing wonders You see then the words are a part of Moses his song occasioned upon the goodnesse of God in delivering of his
law that we might receive the adoption of sons and especially that is very remarkable John 1. 12 But as many as received him to them he gave power to become the sons of God even to them that believe on his name The word translated power is another word in the greek He gave them authority to become the sons of God 't is a word that imports more then bare power Every one will challenge a part in sonship that they are the children of God but only those that are in Christ have authority to challenge it as their due If a stranger should say he was the Kings son and were heire to the Crown it would cost him his life because he is none of the Kings son but if one be declared by Act of Parliament to be the right heire to the Crown then he hath authority to challenge it 'T is so here when once we come to be in Christ then we have authority to claime this priviledge to be the sons of God and heires of heaven And this great priviledge that is so mightily above us we have it in Christ not only by way of the redundancy of his merit but by our union with him we are married to Christ and by union with his person are made one with him and so are sons by vertue of his sonship And are therefore sons of God in a higher way then the Angels are the Angels are sons by creation but we are the sons of God in Christ by vertue of our union in his sonship as Christ is the son of God the second person in Trinity and we made one with him so we come to be the sons of God in a mysticall way of union with him and Christ is all in all in that And then in point of reconciliation and peace with God Christ is all in all there Being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ Rom. 5. 1. It is not all the created power in heaven and earth that can bring true peace to a troubled soul there is no salve for a wounded spirit but the bloud of Christ applyed unto it t is he that is the brazen Serpent that is onely able to cure the strings of conscience as Luther sayes it is a harder matter of comfort an afflicted conscience then to raise the dead few think it so and wonder what people meane in being so troubled in conscience as they are I tell you were there not a mighty redeemer the conscience of a man or woman could never be pacified that once apprehends the wrath of God against them so that Christ is all in all there And so he is all in all in point of all our sanctification that is sanctification to life There is a generall kinde of sanctification the Scripture speaks of which comes some way from Christ but now I speak of that sanctification which is our spirituall life You know what the Scripture sayes John 3. 36. He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life and John 1. 16. And of his fulnesse have all we received and grace for grace There is the fulnesse of Christ conveyed into the soul so that our sanctification is not only from him meritoriously but efficiently yea and in a kinde materially too for he doth not only merit it and work it by his spirit but through our union with him there is a kinde of flowing of sanctification from him into us as the principle of our life as from the Liver there flowes bloud into all the parts of the body so through our union with Christ he having the fulnesse of the Godhead in him from him as from a fountaine sanctification flowes into the souls of the Saints there sanctification comes not so much from their strugling and endeavours and vowes and resolutions as it comes flowing to them from their clossing with Christ and their union with him there may be a great deal of striving and endeavouring that may be utterly ineffectuall for want of having recourse unto Christ as the spring and well head of all grace and holinesse I remember a Germane Devine professeth of himself that before he understood the grace of Christ in the Gospell he vowed and vowed and covenanted and covenanted a thousand times and could never overcome his corruptions till he understood Gods letting out of his grace through Christ and then he got strength against them and the reason why we faile in point of sanctification is because we think to get it all by maine strength but the ready way is to close with Christ by faith and then there will flow in life and grace to the soul there may be many morallities by the light of nature and the remainders of that light left in us but that is not the sanctification that is to life And hence it is that there is so much beauty and glory in the sanctification of the Saints because Christ is all in all in it and that there is such power and strength in it because it is of the strength of Christ for Christ is all in all in it And hence it is of an abiding nature and an immortall seed And therefore of a higher nature then that of Adams in innocency that lost but so cannot this because Christ is all in all in it so that Christ is all in our sanctification likewise Again he is all in all in the want of all things whatsoever we want doe we want grace doe we want gifts doe we want outward comforts in the world there is enough in Christ it is Christ that is instead of all that is better then all and that will supply all in his due time Those that know Christ and have acquaintance with him though they have this and that comfort taken from them yet they know how to make supply out of Christ they have that skill and art and mystery of godlinesse that they can make Christ to be all in all in the want of all and it is a great skill and mystery of godlinesse to know how to make up all in Christ in the want of all Again Christ to the Saints is all in all in the enjoyment of all when they enjoy never so much of creature comforts Christ is all in all in them the satisfaction that their soules have is not so much that they have the creatures that they have larger estates more friends greater comforts then others but in this they know how to enjoy Christ in all and can look upon it as a fruit of the covenant that God hath made with them in Christ and as coming from the fountaine of Gods eternall love and mercy in his Son Zech. 9. 11. God saies there As for thee also by the blood of thy covenant I have sent forth thy prisoners out of the pit wherein is no water That which is spoken there of the deliverance of the prisoners may be applied to all the mercies that a believer enjoyes whatever deliverance he hath from
it is observable what time the Trumpet of the Jubile was to be blown Levit. 29. 9. Then shalt thou cause the Trumpet of the Jubile to sound on the tenth day of the seventh moneth in the your land What was this day of atonement it was the day of the publike humiliation of all the people for their sins the day of fasting and prayer appointed by God to afflict their souls is called a day of atonement and the Trumpet to proclaime the Jubile must be blown upon that very day wherein the people had been afflicting their souls for their sins therefore now if there be any soul that hath been humbled before the Lord and hath been afflicted for sin behold this is the work that is now to be done to blow the Trumpet of Jubile to such a soul and to proclaime liberty in the name of Christ unto you and as the Psalmist sayes Psalm 89. 15. Blessed is the people that know the joyfull sound It is translated by some they are blessed that know the joyful sound of the Jubile Now this Jubile having reference to our Jubile by Christ blessed are they that heare this joyful sound that we have here in the Gospel Now the first thing of this joyful sound of the Jubile and liberty we have proclaimed by Christ from the law is this thou shalt not be cast for thy eternal estate by the law the law may terrifie thee but it shall not cast thee indeed it must cast the children that are in bondage to it for their eternal estate but if thou beest a believer in Christ if thou art a childe of the free woman this is thy liberty I say thou shalt not be cast for thy eternal estate by the law we doe not love to have any businesse of great concernment to be cast by those that are rigid and severe be of good comfort O believer thou hast heard of much severity in the law but the great businesse concerning thy soul and eternal estate is above the law It hath nothing to doe with thee thou hearest many times dreadful threats of the law and these threats it may be doe often terrifie thee and thou art ready to say who can stand before this holy God but peace be to thee thou believing soul for thou art set at liberty from the law by Christ and this is the first joyful sound The second joyful sound of liberty thou hast by the Gospel is this thy law-giver is no other then he that is thine husband thou hast to deal with no other now in the matters of thy soul but with him that is thy husband and thy advocate by whom all is ruled John 1. 2. 1. If we sin we have an advocate with the Father and advocate that is thou hast to deal now with Christ thy law-giver who upon every transgression presently is thy advocate with the Father who stands up to plead for thee and to answer all accusations against thee I say he that undertakes for thee and engageth all the interest he hath in his Father for thee thou hast to deal with him for thy law-giver about thy soul and eternal estate and this is the second joyful sound thou hast of the Trumpet of the Jubile of the Gospel of the liberty thou hast by Christ Thirdly being delivered from the bondage of the law this is now thy liberty that thou art made a law to thy self I meane thus there is nothing now required of thee but it is written in thy own heart God writes his law in the tables of stone and all that is required of thee in obedience to it is written in thy heart so that thou doest not now so much yeild obedience to the law because of the condemning power of it and punishment due unto it as from a principle of love to it For we must know that we are not set free by Christ from obedience to the law we are bound to obey the law still but here is the difference we are not servile to the law we keep it freely thou keepest the law now by being a law to thy self and having all that God requires of thee in his law written in thy heart by the law of sanctity that he hath given thee that is the third joyful sound The fourth joyful sound is this by the liberty thou hast now by Christ this is thy condition that whatever thou doest though there be never so many imperfections in it yet if God can spy out but the least good thing in thee he will take notice of that and cast away all the evil if God sees but any thing of his own spirit in thee he will be sure to take notice of that If there be but one dust of Gold though it be mixt with abundance of drosse God will not loose it but will finde it out God he is not strict to mark what is done amisse by his children but he is strict to marke what is done well by them Indeed the law tells us nay a moral man will tell us that to make an action good all circumstances must concurre but the liberty of the Gospel tells us that where there is any good any grace in an action God observes and takes notice of it To give but one instance for this and it is an excellent one for this purpose Peter 1. 3. 6. the Apostle propounds Sarah as a patterne for good women Even as Sarah obeyed Abraham calling him Lord. Shee never calls him Lord but then when shee did it unbelievingly and yet God takes notice of that word and never mentions her unbeliefe Now Sarah was a free woman and this is the gracious dealing of God with the free woman and if thou beest a child of the free woman this is thy priviledge that God wil take notice of every good action thou doest Isai 42. 3. A bruised reed shall he not break and the smoaking flax shall he not quench The word signifies as soon as ever the flax begins to be black God will not reject it so that if there be but the least degree of good it is accepted And that is the fourth joyful sound by the Gospel The fifth joyful sound is this suppose thou canst not doe any thing yet if there be but a will a desire in thee God accepts that will for the deed Many carnal hearts please themselves with this but this is the case of those that are set at liberty by Christ perhaps thou canst not pray I but present thy self before God as the Apostle speakes and that shall be accepted of God and know if ther be any excuse to be made for thee Christ will finde it out and make it before God for thee that is the fifth joyful sound The sixt thing wherein the liberty we have by Christ consists is that though the Gospel call for obedience yet it doth it in such a sweet and loving way that it would make any heart in the world in love with it it drawes by
cut then thou art gone for ever For after death comes judgement In the meditation of this point me thinks I cannot but look upon God as beholding all the children of men in their fallen lost sinful and miserable estate with pity and compassion saying poor creatures they have sinned against me and have made themselves liable to eternal wrath which they understand not which they are not able to beare well a little time I will grant unto them to sue out their pardon and to come in and make up their peace with me and I will give them meanes for that end but let them look to themselves for according to the improvement of the time that I now give them so shall it be with them to all eternity if they neglect it they are gone for ever mercy then shall doe them no good so that the tenour upon which we all hold our lives it is no other then as a malefactor condemned to dye who hath granted to him through the favour of the Prince a little time of reprieval and some intimation withal given of a possibility in that time to sue out his pardon and according as he spends that time so it shall be with him for life or death Thus I say we all hold our lives we are all condemned before the Lord onely God hath out of his infinite grace provided a way and meanes of salvation for the children of men and gives us a little time we know not how long whether two or three dayes but as long as we live to look about us to provide for the making of our peace with him and if that be neglected all is gone and we are undone for ever great things then doe depend upon this uncertaine small time of our lives It is reported of Alexander that when he went against any City he did use to set up a lampe burning and would make proclamation that whosoever came in while this lampe was burning should finde favour and have his life but whosoever staid till this lampe was out he was but a dead man and must expect no mercy brethren know that God hath set up a lampe and our life is this lampe and God proclames Whosoever comes in while this lampe is burning shall finde mercy but if you stay till the lampe be out there is nothing but eternal misery to be expected Now this lampe of your lives may not onely goe out upon the consumption of the oyle but it may be put out by accidental meanes and if this lampe be once out and your work not done you are lost for ever We read 1 Kings 6. 7. that when Solomon was preparing the Temple he made all things so ready before hand that there was no noise of axe or hammer heard there Whosoever God intendeth for a living stone in the glorious Temple of Heaven he squares and fits them here there is no noyse of repentance and sorrow for sin after this life what is to be done must be done here nothing will doe it hereafter Whatsoever thou hast to doe doe it with all thy might for there is no work nor device nos knowledge nor wisdome in the grave whòther thou goest Eccles 9. 10. and Chapter 11. vers 3. In the place where the tree falleth there it lyeth Which way thou fallest when thou dyest that way thou shalt lie eternally if Godward then God is thine for ever if sinward then misery and destruction is thine for ever Eccles 12 7. Then shall the dust returne to the earth as it was and the spirit shall returne unto God who gave it The souls of wicked men doe returne to God that gave them as well as the souls of the godly that is they doe presently returne to God to receive the sentence of their eternal doome from him and to be stated in their everlasting condition there is a mighty change in the soul immediately after it is departed from the body and is brought to stand before the glorious God to be stated in its eternal condition There are twelve houres in the day sayes Christ wherein a man may worke but the night comes when no man can work John 9. 4. The time of this life is thy working time I but the night is coming and then no man can work Revel 6. 8. And I looked and behold a pale horse and his name that sat on him was death and hell followed him Hell immediately followes death where death surprizeth any in their natural condition that have not finished the work of making their peace with God 2 Cor. 5. 10. We must all appeare before the judgement seat of Christ to receive according to what we have done in the flesh whether it be good or bad It is not according to what we doe afterwards but according to what we have done here in the flesh so it must be with us for ever There can be no repenting no believing after this life body and soul being parted the whole man is not capable of a work of God upon it And besides immediately after death God takes all meanes away you shall never heare Sermon more never have admonition more never have good connsel more never have any working of Gods spirit more to draw you soules to Christ And not onely so but God then withdrawes himself so fully in regard of all the common workes of his spirit that there is a kinde of stating the soul in sin which yet cannot so properly in regard of God be said to be sin as evil so that it shall be impossible for thee to doe any thing but sin as the Saints though while they live here they have many lusts and corruptions in them yet immediately after death their souls are so fully possessed of the spirit that then they cannot sin so on the contrary though wicked men while they live here have divers common gifts of Gods spirit and many restraints upon them yet immediately after death they are so fully separated from God and God so fully withdraws himself from them that it is impossible for them to doe any thing else but sin and rebell against God and blaspheme him to his face There was in Adam in innocency a possibility not to have sinned there is in us while we live in this world an impossibility but that we should sin but in the world to come there is in the Saints an impossibility that ever they should sin and look how the impossibility is on the one hand with the Saints so is the impossibility directly contrary on the other hand with the wicked therefore the wicked must needs be stated in an everlasting evil condition There is no more possibility for the damned souls in hell ever to doe any thing but to blaspheme God then there is a possibility for the Saints in heaven ever to sin against God And yet further at the great day Christ gives up the kingdome to the Father and then there will be another manner of administration then before
them as certainly as if they were already 73 2. Faith looks upon the present possession of things ibid. 1. In Christ our head ibid. 2. We have the first-fruits of the Spirit ibid. 3. This time is nothing to eternity ibid. 4. Faith eyes the things of Heaven continually 74 5. The Saints enjoy all in God ibid. Faith it selfe is a very substantiall thing ibid. The vanity of the faith of most people discovered 75 We must learn to strengthen and exercise our faith in the things we hope for ibid. Spirituall and heavenly things are things not seen 76 1. They are hidden 77 2. They are beyond the principles of reason ibid. 3. The blindness of man naturally is such that he can not see these things ibid. 4. God orders things so in his providence that he goeth a contrary way as to sense and reason to what he hath promised ibid. We should cease wondering that men of excellent parts and reason doe not see the things of God 79 Faith doth evidence and make spirituall things clear 80 If faith be an evidence to other things then it is an evidence to it selfe 81 One way to be freed from doubts and feares is by renewing the act of faith it selfe 82 It is no presumption to cast ones selfe upon the free grace of God in Christ ibid. Christians should be afraid of unbeliefe as well as of presumption 83 The admirable use of faith 84 T is a wonderfull mercy to have faith to evidence all the glorious things of God ibid. Faith can make those that are of weak parts to see the great things of God 85 SERMON IV. Doctrine THere is a blessed liberty that Christians enjoy by Christ and onely by him 88 In what sense Christians are freed from the Law 89 The rigour of the Law opened in seventeen particulars 1. It requires hard things of those that are under it 90 2. It requires things which are impossible to be performed by those that are under it 91 3. The Law exacts all of us under the condition of perfection ibid. 4. The Law accepts of no surety 92 5. The rigour of the Law is such that it acceps of no endeavours short of perfection ibid. 6. The Law requires constancy in all we doe ibid. 7. The Law exacts the obedience it requires exceeding rigorously 93 8. There is this rigour in the Law that upon any the least breach of it it doth utterly disenable the soul for ever performing any obedience to it again ibid. 9. The Law requires as perfect obedience as if we had all principles that might enable us to keep it ibid. 10. It requires it of us and yet gives us no strength to doe what it requires 94 11. In all the Law doth it strikes at our life ibid. 12. Vpon any breach it doth presently binde over the soul to everlasting death ibid. 13. When the Law is once offended it will never be made amends again by any thing we are able to doe ibid. 14. The Law accepts of no repentance 95 15. The Law when it hath opened our wounds and miseries it shews us no means of deliverance ibid. 16. The Law accidentally stirs up lust ibid. 17. The promises of the Law are but mean and low in comparison of the promises of the Gospel ibid. This rigour of the Law will not seem hard if we consider 1. That we have to deale with a God of infinite justice and worth 96 2. If we consider that state of perfection wherein God made man at first ibid. 3. If we understand aright what sin is ibid. 4. If we consider those things that we all take for granted that yet are as hard as these ibid. Use 1. All men in their naturall condition are in a very evill case 97 2. The saving of a soule is a great and mighty work ibid. 3. T is a vaine thing for carnal hearts to trust to their good meanings ibid. 4. If God reveal himself to a man onely by the law it is impossible but the soul must flye from him ibid. The liberty of the Gospel is a precious liberty 98 Our bondage under the law and liberty under the Gospel opened from Gal. 4. 21 c. ibid. The liberty of the Gospel opened in seventeen particulars 1. If thou beest a believer in Christ thou shalt not be cast for thy eternal estate by the law 100. 2. Thy Law-giver is no other then he that is thy husband and thy advocate ibid. 3. Thou art made a law to thy self by having the law of God written in thy heart 101. 4. Though there be many imperfections in what thou doest yet if God can spye out but the least good thing in thee he will take notice of that and cast away all the evil ibid. 5. If there be a desire in thee to doe good God accepts the will for the deed 102 6. Though the Gospel call for obedience yet it doth it in a sweet and loving way ibid. 7. The Gospel and liberty of it comes with abundance of life and strength 103 8. God doth compassionate those that are made free by the Gospel ibid. 9. The Gospel hath a mighty efficacy to melt the heart ibid. 10. The Gospel as it hath a melting power so it hath a healing power ibid. 11. Sins against the Gospel shall not have power to root out any habits of grace 104 12. The Gospel takes advantage at our misery to pardon us ibid. 13. All that is required of us may be accepted from another ibid. 14. The grace of the Gospel shewes a way wherein God shall have all the wrong made him up that ever thy sins did him ibid. 15. There is a perfect righteousnesse made over unto us in the Gospel 105. 16. The Gospel proclames admirable promises ibid. 17. The covenant of the Gospel shall never be forfeited ibid. SERMON V. THe Text opened 107. 108. Doctrine That the onely time that men have to provide for their eternal condition is the time of this life if it be not done here there is no help afterward for after death comes judgement 109 This point is one of the most serious points that concernes the children of men ibid. Wicked men when they die are stated in an irrecoverable evill condition ibid. The tenor upon which we all hold our lives 110 There can be no repenting nor believing after this life 112 After death God takes away all means of grace ibid. The souls of wicked men are then stated in such a condition that they can doe nothing but sin ibid. At the great day Christ gives up the Kingdom to the Father 113 Presently after death the wrath of God is let out fully into the soules of the wicked ibid. Use 1. We have cause to blesse God for the continuance of our lives especially those that have not throughly made their peace with God and are not upon certain and infallible terms in this great businesse of providing for their eternall estates ibid. 114 115 Use 2. Those are to be reproved that mispend and squander away the precious time of their lives about vanities and neglect the great businesse that they were sent into the world for 116 Time an exceeding precious thing ibid. Few think of the passing away of their time or that any great matter depends upon the time of their lives here in this world 117 Use 3. When death findes any man unprepared in an estate of unregeneracy that hath not made his peace with God it must needs be exceeding dreadfull because it brings judgement and states such a one in his eternall condition 120 Gods wrath let out fully upon the wicked immediately after death 121 Then they must bid an everlasting farewell to all comforts that ever they did enjoy ibid. The dreadfulnesse of death is applicable 1. To old people whose time is neer at an end therefore had need be sure that that great work be done of making their peace with God 123 2. To prophane wretches who instead of doing the work of their time and preparing for their everlasting estate goe directly backwards and make the breach between God and their soules wider 124 3. To those that have heretofore been in a good forwardnesse in the way of life and salvation but yet through the violence of their lusts have been turnd back againe ibid. 4. To those that upon every discontent wish themselves dead 125 5. To those that upon every drunken occasion for a word or two will venture their lives ibid. 6. To those that in trouble and anguish of conscience are ready to lay violent hands upon themselves ibid. 7. To those that have been upon their death beds as they thought and in danger of everlasting ruine and did then promise if they lived what new people they would be but afterwards forgot all 126 The efficacy and worth of a thing is when it is done in the season of it 127 The consideration of time and the worth of it should take off all sleightnesse of heart and roving dispositions 128 The consideration of this point should take off peoples hearts from the creature ibid. All young ones should now while God gives them time labour to make their peace with him 129 The danger of putting off the worke of repentance till we die 130 We should labour to make sure work in the great business of our eternall estate because that which is done in this world is available for ever ibid. Wee should not baulk any way of God for feare of suffering ibid. Temptations to sinne are to be repelled by the consideration of the great business we came into the world for 131 FINIS ERRATA IN some of the books p. 8. l. 33. for reference read inference p. 9. l. 11. for notion r. Nation l. 19. for Numb 27. r. Numb 23. p. 17. l. 27. for so take all r. take all p. 23. l. 19. for them r. him p. 25. l. 3. observe no stop at consciences p. 26. l. 26. for in this holy worship r. in his holy worship p. 31. read the text thus but Christ is all and in all p. 37. l. 33. for the humane r. humane p. 54. l. 24. read doe but take this one rule for that p. 76. last line for 2 Cor. 2. r. 2 Cor. 4. p. 99. l. 30. for Levit. 29. r. Levit. 25.