appointed to be a seal to this doctrine of faith in the righteousness of Christ 't is a confirmation of this doctrine and the covenant of God to give salvation through faith in Christ and therefore it was John the Baptists manner before he baptized persons to teach them that they must believe on Christ Acts 19.4 5. and the Apostles and Apostolical men would not baptize any adult persons but such as professed to believe on Christ Acts 8 36 37. and indeed when persons do subject themselves unto this ordinance of baptism they do acknowledge that doctrine of salvation by Christ and therefore in that promise which Christ puts into the mouths of the Apostles when he sends them to preach the Gospel he makes mention of baptism Mark 16.16 he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved Baptism is mentioned as the evidence of Faith. 3. Because Baptism represents and shews forth the washing away the guilt of our sins by the blood of Christ This is held forth in that 1 Pet. 3.21 the like figure whereunto even Baptism doth also now save us not the putting away of the filth of the flesh but the answer of a good Conscience towards God by the resurrection of Jesus Christ For the opening of this plead you may mind 1. That the Ark spoken of ver 20. was a Type of Christ therefore Baptism is said to be a like figure the Ark wherein Noah's Family was preserved in time of the deluge typified our Salvation by the Lord Jesus therefore it is said that Noah by preparing the Ark became Heir of the Righteousness which is by Faith Hebr. 11.7 2. Baptism does save us as it is a shadow of some spiritual thing therefore it is said the like figure even Baptism savâ—s us not but that Baptism has some real influence into salvation as indeed all Ordinances have so the Types of old but the salvation he attributes to Baptism is representative 3. The Salvation represented by Baptism is the purging of the Conscience from the guilt of sin called the answer of a good Conscience the washing of the body signifies the washing of the soul 4. The reason why he ascribes the answer of a good Conscience to the resurrection of Christ and not to his death is because though his death purchased it yet his resurrection is the great evidence of the satisfactoriness of his sufferings therefore we are said to be begotten unto a lively hope thereby 1 Pet. 1.3 2. We are taught the efficiency of Christs Righteousness unto salvation by the Ordinance of the Lords Supper the Lords Supper was instituted by Christ immediately before his sufferings wherein Bread and Wine in the celebration of that Ordinance are made the signs of the body and blood of Christ they are not natural signs of any such thing but have that signification put upon them by Christ and God is teaching us in this Ordinance that we have falvation through the sufferings of Christ 1. This appears because here the death of Christ is represented as a violent and penal death here is a representation of Christ crucified here is not meerly the shewing forth of his death but the manner of his death to mind us of it that he died in a way of punishment that he suffered that vengeance that was due unto us for our sins Isai 53.8 for the transgression of my people was he stricken 2. Here the death of Christ is represented as being upon our account 1 Cor. 11.24 this is my body which is broken for you Christs death was the payment of our Debt we were the principal Debtors Christ was the Surety our guilt was transferred unto him he deserved not such sufferings himself but underwent them as a publick person and therefore by his Sufferings we may be justified and saved 3. In this Ordinance the death of Christ is to be shewed forth till he comes 1 Cor. 11.26 which shews that it is satisfactory to the justice of God it had not been worth the while to appoint signs for the remembrance of it to the Worlds end if it had not procured our salvation it had better have been forgotten if it had not procured our redemption 4. The Wine in the Lords Supper is said to be his blood of the New-Testament Mat 26 28 why is it so called but that it purchases the blessings of the New-Testament the Covenant of Grace is confirmed by the blood of Christ on the same account he is called the Mediator of the New-Covenant or Testament Hebrews 12 24. 5. His Blood is here represented as shed for the remission of sins Mat 26 28 that sins might be forgiven and it would never have been thus represented if it had not been effectual for this end his minding us for what purpose it was shed shews that the end is thereby attained 6. In this Ordinance we are invited to put our trust in the death of Christ Mat 26 26 27 take eat this is my body and drink ye all of it when the body feeds upon the Sacramental Bread and Wine the Soul is to do that which answers unto it the Soul is to feed upon Christ crucified which is nothing else but the acting Faith on him Joh. 6 53. Having thus cleared it that in the Sacraments of the New-Testament we are taught the efficacy of Christs Righteousness unto Salvation it remains that we add something to shew the evidence that arises from hence that it is safe appearing in the righteousness of Christ and Gods teaching of us this makes it evident what way soever God teaches it in but there is some peculiar light that does arise from this way of teaching by the Sacraments of the New-Testament that may help more abundantly to satisfie our hearts in this Truth 1. If God teach us this in the Sacraments of the New-Testament this shews that it lies much upon the heart of God to strengthen our Faith in this particular that it is safe appearing before God in Christs Righteousness this shews that God is very careful that we may believe in Christ if we see a man promise another an Estate make an instrument of conveyance sets his hand and adds his Seal to it we conclude that he desires to give him all manner of assurance and would leave no room for doubting so when we see God sending his servants to witness in his Name that there is salvation in Christ that he gives it under his hand has left it upon Record in his Word and adds also sensible signs for the establishment of our Faith we may conclude that God is very careful to leave no room for doubting in this particular his design is to put the thing out of all question and certainly God would never thus busie himself to delude us nor take such care to satisfie us in this particular but that this is the very way of Salvation 2. If this be the thing that God teaches us in the Sacraments of the New-Testament then there are
Massachusetts Historical Society FROM THE BEQUEST OF GEORGE EDWARD ELLIS Seventh President of the Society Received September 1◠1895. THE Safety of Appearing at the DAY OF Judgement In the Righteousness of Christ Opened and Applied By Solomon Stoddard Pastor to the Church of North-Hampton in New-England Phil. 3.8 9 Yea doubtless and I do count all things but less for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord for whom I have suffered the loss of all things and do count them but dung that I may win Christ and be found in him not having mine own righteousness which is of the Law but that 〈…〉 To the Church of Christ in North-Hampton A Main part of the Work which the Lord Jesus has committed to me at present is to be doing service to your Souls and the Souls of your Children to be directing quickening and encouraging of you in the way unto eternal life which work requires the utmost care and diligence not only in respect of the necessity that you stand in of that blessedness which is the design and tendency thereof but also in respect of that difficulty that you will unavoidably meet withal in your pursuit of that blessedness however many men that know not their own hearts and are utterly unexperienced in the way of life may fancy it to be a matter of ease to go to heaven as if there were but a step between them and heaven and upon that account are bold to cast off all care about it at present yet such as have tried it and are walking in that way can upon plentiful experience witness to what Christ has taught us That strait is the Gate and narrow is the Way that leadeth unto Life every thing in corrupt nature is opposite to it and upon this account he requires Ministers to use their utmost industry in their work Luk. 14.23 Compel them to come in I have travelled in this work among you for many years and I may say without ostentation that I have obtained mercy of the Lord to be faithful I have made it my business to gain Souls to Christ and build them up in Faith and holiness principally insisting upon such things as have reached the heart of Religion and I reckon it one of the choicest mercies of the Lord towards me that I have not run in vain nor laboured in vain I have great cause to bow my knee to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ and bless his Name that he has made me an instrument of bringing many among you into saving acquaintance with himself and I count it worth the while to spend the residue of my dayes in promoting the welfare of your Souls It is in pursuance of this design that this small Treatise is published not that my care is confined to your selves I owe a regard to the prosperity of other places the scope of this Discourse is to clear up the way of Salvation by Christ I meddle not with those false Doctrines that have been invented by men in opposition to this truth the Lord hath been pleased to keep these Churches sound in the Faith and does not yet lay a necessity upon his Ministers here to spend their time in the confutation of such erronions Opinions but I have made it my work to establish your hearts in this Truth to satisfie your Consciences from the Scripture in the safety of your reliance upon Christ vindicating the same from those secret workings of unbelief that are wont to rise up in the hearts of men that you and others may grow up unto all the riches of the full assurance of understanding and the acknowledgment of the misteries of God even of the Father and of Christ That you may be armed against those temptations wherewith your Faith is wont to be assaulted and learn to live in all conditions upon the righteousness of Christ If the Lord please to bless this Discourse together with other endeavours of his Servants in the Countrey both in Preaching and Writing to be a means to bring many Souls to an hearty closing with Jesus Christ that will be the great security of the Countrey against that degeneracy that is begun and against those superstitious practises that are entertained in other professing places the life of Religion takes beginning in the spiritual knowledg of Christ and is maintained by the same as long as we are built upon this Rock the Gates of Hell will not prevail against us The Lord who has watched over you in the time of dayes when you lay open to the fury of the Heathen and that has given special tokens of his Presence with you in his Ordinances both in the dayes of your former Pastor and also in late times continue to own and bless you and enrich you with all the Graces of his Spirit and give you Faith to sit under the shadow of Christ with great delight Which is the Prayer of Him who is Your Servant for Jesus sake Solomon Stoddard The Safety of Appearing in the Righteousness of Jesus Christ CHAP. I. The Introduction shewing the Difficulty of Believing this Truth THere is such Light remaining in the Conscience of fallen Man as has made him inquisitive after a way of acceptance with God and though several particular persons do not ordinarily concern themselves about it yet in all Nations and Ages there have been those that have made it matter of solemn search the abundant evidence that men have of the being purity justice and greatness of God in conjunction with the testimony of their own hearts concerning their guilt has made them restless till they can come at some satisfaction in this point men have been studious in many other points from a thirst after knowledg and to gratifie their curiosity but in this enquiry they have been much influenced by the cryes and disquietness of their own burdened Consciences the fearful apprehensions of Gods anger have spurred them on to discover a way of reconciliation they have not been able so to stupifie their hearts with worldly occasions and carnal delights as to let fall the consideration of this but have been compelled from their own terrors to make that enquiry as they Mich. 6.6 7. Wherewith shall I come before the Lord c. Many men who have busied themselves in this enquiry have not been advantaged to attain a right resolution thereof the Heathen Nations had lost the knowledg of the way of Salvation something in Religion was handed down to them by tradition and something particularly that had a reference unto Jesus Christ especially Sacrifices but the knowledg of the respect they had to him was quite worn out among them and the light of nature is utterly deficient in this particular that light is sufficient to discover to us that God is provoked with us that knowledg flows from our understanding of the nature of God and the experience which we have of our own sinfulness but the way of reconciliation does exceed the
such that no unworthiness nor provocation can overcome his mercy but there is a sufficiency of grace in him for any thing that is an act of mercy A second thing that makes awakened sinners fear that there is an impossibility of their salvation is an apprehension that it is contrary to the Justice of God and not reconcilable with the sentence of the Law God stands bound in faithfulness to see the Law made good and they are to seek about the consistency of the Law and Gospel the clearing up of which difficulty I shall refer unto the next chapter at present it may suffice to say that God in his Word declares it to be consistent with his Justice Rom. 3.26 that he may be just and the Justifier of him that believeth in Jesus it is a great help unto conscience to see how the Justice of God and Righteousness of the Law is preserved in the Justification of sinners but where the manner of it is not well understood conscience has matter of satisfaction in that God testifies that it is so The second thing to be premised is What we are to understand by the Righteousness of Christ and that which is intended hereby is the whole course of the Obedience and Sufferings of Jesus Christ by the Righteousness of Christ we are to understand that which he performed as a surety his mediatorly Righteousness this Righteousness is spoken of John 16.10 Of Righteousness because I go to my Father Rom. 5.18 by the Righteousness of one the free gift came upon all to the justification of life Dan. 4.24 to bring in everlasting Righteousness upon this account it is that he is said to be made for Righteousness to us 1 Cor. 1.30 to be the Lord our Righteousness Jer. 23.65 this is sometimes called the Righteousness of God Rom. 10 3. Rom. 3.21 either because Christ who wrought it out for us is God as well as Man or because it is a righteousness of Gods providing in distinction from a Righteoufness of our own working out sometimes it is called the Righteousness which is by Faith Heb 11 7 because Faith is the condition whereby we come to be interrested in it sometimes they are joined together and it is called the Righteousness of God which is by Faith Rom. 3.22 Phil 3 9. That this Righteousness of Christ doth not only intend his active obedience but likewise his sufferings is manifest from hence because the Righteousness of Christ is that whereby we are justified it is by that that we come to be righteous in the sight of God Rom 5 18 and not only this active obedience of Christ has an influence into our Justification but his sufferings also the Apostle does once seem to attribute it to his Obedience Rom 5 19 by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous but this don't exclude the sufferings of Christ from having a part in our Justification Obedience may comprehend his suffering for in them he was obedient or else when it is said that by his Obedience we are made righteous that part of Justification may be understood which does consist in giving a title unto heaven there are two parts of Justification one is absolution from guilt the other is declaring men heirs of life this latter may be intended which is the fruit of the active Obedience of Jesus Christ or else by Obedience as one principal part of Christs Righteousness the whole may be intended as when we are said to be justified by his blood his active obedience is not excluded but the sufferings of Christ have an influence into our justification as well as his Obedience for we were in such a state that active obedience alone was not sufficient for our Justification when man was in innocency he needed only active obedience for his justification but man fallen needed more for his justification than Obedience he needed satisfaction somewhat to pacifie the provoked anger of God no meer Obedience would make a recompence for sins for the Law threatned death for them the holy life of Christ could not satisfie for sin it was something of another kind that the Law required namely the sufferings of death and the Scripture doth abundantly witness unto the influence of Christs Sufferings into our justification we are justified by his blood Rom 5 4 so we are said to be redeemed cleansed from sin reconciled to God to have our sins purged with his blood which was typified by the sacrifice under the Law so that the Sufferings of Christ are intended as well as his active obedience by his Righteousness And the Sufferings of Jesus Christ may very properly be called a part of his Righteousness partly because in them he did fulfil the command of God and that duty that lay upon him as our surety that was one of the things he undertook as our Mediator to redeem us from the curse being made a curse for us as it was his duty to fulfil the precepts of the Law for us so likewise to bear the penalty of the Law if he had failed in that he had not answered his Office obligations he stood bound to God to undergo the punishment of our sins God expected that from him to make his Soul an Offering for sin Isa 53 10. and he was under a command to lay down his life as the second person in the Trinity he was equal to the Father but as Mediator he was commanded by him John 10.18 I lay it down of my self I have power to lay it down and power to take it again and this Commandment have I received of my Father Jesus Christ sulfilled the Law of the Mediator in his sufferings and therefore he is said to be obedient unto death the death of the Cross Phil. 2 8. the same is implyed in that expression he learned obedience by the things that be suffered Heb 5.8 the meaning is not that he learned to obey but he Learned by the sufferings what a difficult thing Obedience was it was a part of his Obedience to suffer and so may be called his righteousness and so indeed there is righteousness in those sufferings of the Saints which in a way of holiness they do expose themselves unto and those sufferings of Christ may be called his righteousness partly because by them he became legally righteous the sins of the Elect were imputed unto him and he was legally guilty he stood bound to answer for the sins of his people and accordingly was apprehended by the justice of God and the punishment of the Law inflicted upon him by bearing of which he has paid the debt and the Law has no more power over him by his sufferings he is become righteous in Law and discharged from any more sufferings for ever having suffered the punishment of our sins the Law has acquitted him has nothing at all to object against him he has answered the Law and now is reputed legally righteous hence it is that presently upon his suffering he
own glory that he might in this way manifest that mystery of the Trinity and his glorious attributes yet this does not derogate from the greatness of Gods love in sending his Son to dye mans corrupt reason is ready to entertain diminitive thoughts of the compassions of God in this thing sometimes the heart reasons that God did it for his own glory but he could have glorified himself in mans ruine or he might have glorified his grace towards the Angels that fell and not towards man and certainly if God did it for his glory men do very ill to entertain any thoughts that do diminish from the glory of God sometimes the heart reasons that it would have been hard measure for God to have left mankind to have perished without providing a way of salvation seeing we came sinners into the world but it was upon no such account that God did it he was not conscious of any wrong in his dealings to man his dispensation towards mankind in punishing of them with the loss of his image for their sin in Adam and in imputing the sin of Adam is equal and righteous Rom. 3.23 all have sinned and come short of the glory of God men likewise reason sometimes against the riches of Gods grace in this thing from hence that sin don't hurt God but though it don't hurt him yet it wrongs him if a man should revile his Prince it may be it would not hurt him if he should throw stones at him as Shimei did at David yet he might not hurt him but he would wrong him greatly so sin is a great wrong unto God Psal 51.4 against thee thee only have I sinned and it is wonderful love for God to give his Son to dye for us John 3.16 so God loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son c. I shall pass by other considerations to help to shew the greatness of his love and onely select those five that serve to enforce the argument that lies before us 1. It was great love that God should send his son to endure such sore sufferings for us it was much that God should condescend upon any account that his Son should undergo such sufferings it was a great thing that God should be willing that Christ should be brought into such a condition when we consider the glorious excellency of his person and the dear love of the Father to him it may well be admired by us that God should find in his heart to put him upon such sufferings we may well conclude that those persons for whose sakes all this was were greatly beloved of God that the heart of God was mightily concerned in their good it was a great thing for the glorious Son of God to suffer any thing much more to bear what he did his suffering was very great he was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief Isa 53.4 1. He suffered much pain though many men have endured more yet it was a great deal that the Son of God endured especially when he was cruelly scourged and after that crucified that manner of death was exquisitely painful Psal 22 16. they pierced my hands and my feeet the nailing of his body to the cross and the weight of his body being born by those wounded parts for so many hours could not be without exquisite pain he expresses it by his bones being out of joint Psal 22.14 it must needs be a terrible torture because persons that were crucified was not wont to be very long in that condition before they dyed The suddenness of their death could not be from the meer effusion of blood but the exquisiteness of their pain contributed much to it 2. He suffered much disgrace he endured all manner of indignities from men he of whom God said let all the Angels of God worship him subjected himself to great contempt they flouted at him mocked him made themselves sport in abusing him spit on him yea the punishments that were inflicted on him were very disgraceful such as were wont to be inflicted on the basest of men the death of the cross was a shameful death his enemies studied to render him vile and contemptible the Heathens were wont afterwards to upbraid the christians with their crucified God. 3. He suffered much inward trouble not onely from the sence he had of his outward troubles and from the temptations of the Devil but also from Gods withdrawing the sence of his savour putting into him the sence of his wrath the fiery wrath of God typified by that fire from heaven that consumed the sacrifices took hold of him as believers have great inward peace of conscience arising from his righteousness so had he great inward sorrow arising from the guilt of our sins he tells his Disciples that his soul was very sorrowful and very heavy even unto death Mat. 26.28 and as this was the occasion of his sweating great drops of blood so probably of his suddain death he dyed before the others that were crucified with him of which it is hard to assign any other reason than this that the sence of Gods wrath much hastened his death as God tells Moses that no man can see his sace and live that is the sight of Gods love and glory as the Saints see it in heaven is such that the nature of man in this state of mortality cannot bear it it would kill him to have such a sight so there is a parity of reason that the sence of Gods wrath in the extremity of it is too much for mortal man to bear and was the thing that hastened the death of Christ 4. He suffered a state of death and he continued in a state of death for some time his body and soul were rent asunder which state is contrary unto nature the union of body and soul was dissolved and his body left for a time stark dead and his soul in a preternatural estate of separation a state which nature does abhorr exceeding contrary to the instinct and inclination of nature 2. It was great love for God to send his son to dye for us when we had grievously offended him for we were looked upon under that consideration when God sent his Son to dye for our salvation 't is true ' that at that time some of the Elect were in heaven ' wholly saved from the guilt and pollution of sin others of them were not then born and so were uncapable of being actual offenders at that time but we were looked upon in that action as offenders for the sins of the Elect that were in heaven were not at that time satisfied for their debt was not paid And God certainly knew that the Elect that were to be born would be Offenders Christ when he died died for Transgressors Isa 53.6 all we like shee have gone astray and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all for God to take such care of the salvation of man that had abused him and
that live under the Gospel except those that have committed the unpardonable sin the promise is absolute to all Believers without any exception at all 3. There is no limitation of the promise to be understood there is no exception to be understood men need not fear that God has some reservation in his own breast for no exception that is not fairly to be understood can be of any force to avoid the performance of a promise nothing can be understood to contradict what is expressed besides God tells us that there is no exception Joh 6.37 He that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out PROPOSITION 5. That the promise of eternal life is made to one act of believing on Jesus Christ 't is not the habit but the act of Faith that the promise is made to the promise under the covenant of works was not made to habitual holiness and the promise under the covenant of grace is not made to habitual Faith as a Womans disposition to marry a man does not give her a right to him or his estate but the actual marrying of the man so it is here it is in a way of covenanting that we have an interest in the covenant of grace the Scripture sets forth that Faith that gives us right in the covenant of grace by words that signifie actions as coming to Christ opening to him believing on him and the like but it is one act of believing that makes a man an heir of life God offers eternal life on condition of one act of believing when God sayes He that believeth shall be saved the meaning is not that he that believeth as long as he lives shall be saved but he that performeth one act of Faith one act of Faith gives a man as real an interest in Christ as a thousand one act of covenanting makes up the match one act of closing with Christ makes a man an heir of life after acts of Faith may evidence his title to heaven but it is the first act of Faith that gives him his title God offers life to us in the Gospel on this condition that he will accept of it Joh. 5.24 and it is unreasonable to think that the meaning of it is if we accept of it an hundred or a thonsand times or as long as we live but the meaning is if we do once accept of it and therefore those that have accepted of it are said to have eternal life 1 Joh. 5.13 This further appears 1. Because they that have performed one act of Faith are already justified and adopted their sins are presently pardoned on their coming to Christ God don't suspend the act of Justification and wait to see whether they will continue to believe but out of hand he issues out a pardon for them If called then justified Rom. 8.30 and these are presently adopted Job 1.12 and there is no revoking of these acts 2. When once Men believe it is part of Gods covenant to make them continue to believe it cannot be properly the condition of the covenant for it is a part of the mercy promised unto us when we come unto Christ all the subsequent acts of Faith are part of that salvation that God promises and surely that that is due unto us by the covenant can't be properly the condition of the covenant continuance of Faith is part of that sanctification which God has engaged to us 1 Cor. 1.30 3. If God did not offer life upon condition of one act of believing we should not have sufficient encouragement to perform one act of believing on Christ if God should say to a sinner if you will accept of the offer of salvation both now and hereafter I will save you what ground could the sinner have to believe the sinner would readily say how doe I know that I shall believe hereafter he could see no safety in such an offer a presumptuous Sinner that doted on his own strength might venture on it but a man that knows himself could not find rest in such an offer but now when he offers life to us if we will now accept it the soul can find encouragement enough there Jer. 3.22 And since God has promised life unto all that believe in the righteousness of Christ it must needs be safe to appear before God in this righteousness we need no greater assurance of salvation than the promise of God this is a sufficient security to believers whatever unlikelihoods may appear to them at at any time of their salvation the faithfulness of God stands engaged and this is a foundation of everlasting comfort the witness of God gives greater assurance than the testimony of all the men in the world if we believe the witness of men the witness of God is greater John 5.9 this we may fecurely rejoice in the words of the Lord are pure words as silver tryed in a furnace of earth purified seven times Psal 12.6 there is no deceit or fraud in Gods promises this is armour of proof against all temptations his truth shall be thy shield and buckler Psal 91 4. if our souls were a thousand times dearer to us than they are we might quietly venture them on the promise of God. God has made a promise to us has sent his servants to publish it in his name has ordained the office of the ministry to witness it unto us from him and surely he has not appointed them to go with a lye in their mouths God has not only said it but given it us under his hand left it upon record to be a witness for us this is the record that God hath given to us eternal life and this life is in his Son John 5.11 and we may quietly rely on this it is impossible that the promise of God should fail of its accomplishment God is faithful 1 Thes 5.23 he is very faithful Psal 119.138 his faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds Psal 36.5 it endureth for ever Psal 117.2 God can't forget his word sometimes the memories of men don't serve to keep their promises things slip out of their remembrance but God is not subject to any such infirmity he always minds his covenant Psal 111.5 his promises are all written on his heart no tract of time can wear them out of his remembrance he has remembred his covenant for ever the word which he commanded to a thousand generations Psal 105.8 God is unchangeable men are fickle and inconstant in one mind to day and another to morrow sometimes men change their minds out of meer fickleness somtimes from the change of their condition or divers appearances in providences but God is not subject to any mutation his purposes are more firm than mountains of brass he says repentance shall be hid from his eyes Hos 13.14 God is perfectly holy and therefore cannot fail of his word men having a principle of sin in them may be out-bid to neglect the fulsilling of their promises but there is not the least spark of
that presents it self for his relief is the reformation of his sins and diligent applying himself unto the duties of Religion and they are travelling this way after peace sometimes many years with a neglect of Christ men ought indeed to seek their peace with reformation but not by their reformations but men are mightily wedded to this way of seeking salvation by their own duties this is one of those things that make the work of conversion so exceeding difficult it is a difficult thing to bring men to be earnestly seeking salvation and when they are brought unto that it is very difficult to bring them to seek it in the right way they sought it not by faith but as it were by the works of the Law Rom. 9.32 but men have no ground at all for this it is safe appearing before God in the righteousness of Christ but it is no ways safe for men to trust in their own righteousness when men make their own righteousness the ground of their confidence they do but flatter themselves and please themselves in a vain delusion their own works can never procure their acceptance with God. In prosecuting this Vse let us consider 1. Who they are that seek salvation by their own Righteousness 2. What righteousness they do attain unto 3. What are their temptations to seek their salvation in this way 4. What confidence they have in their own righteousness 5. How they do to hide it from themselves that they trust in their own righteousness 6. The vanity of mens trusting to their own righteousness The first thing to be considered is Who they are that seek salvation by their own righteousness But before I give you their characters it will be needful to premise two things 1. They that seek salvation by their own Righteousness do not expect salvation from the covenant of works as it requires perfect obedience in order unto life they dare not adventure their souls on the strictness of the Law though they had need to do so if they seek life by their own works but they do not thus they look upon their righteousness as that which will allay the Anger of God and be an inducement unto God to save them that which will win the good-will of God and draw the heart of God to them yea they look upon their righteousness as that which will bring God in their debt that God is beholden to them for their service yet they do not lay claim to blessedness by the strictness of the Law for they know and confess themselves to be sinners they pray for forgiveness which things are inconsistent with justification by their own works the Jews did not stand upon a strict covenant of works Rom. 9.31 32 they sought it as it were by the works of the Law but these men do make such a mixture of the covenant of works with the covenant of grace wherein the covenant of works is predominant they make some profession of the Gospel and yet adhere to a covenant of works therefore the Apostle tells them that if they be circumcised Christ shall profit them nothing Gal. 5.2 they made account to have some benefit by Christ so they made account to have some benefit by grace therefore the Apostle tells them that whoever of them are justified by the Law are fallen from grace they did not pretend to the strictness of the Law but took in Gospel Principles into their way of justification and yet were legal all the while this makes the Apostle dispute in that manner against them Rom. 6.11 if it be grace it is no more of works otherwise grace is no more grace but if it be of works then is is no more grace otherwise work is no more works they mingled grace and works together they made their own works the foundation of their hopes and yet took in the plea of Gods grace and Christs Righteousness they thought their own works did contribute something and the grace of God through Christ would make up their defects 2. The Saints of God have a great deal of a self-righteous spirit remaining in them and men must not conclude because they find such workings in their hearts that they are self-righteous no doubt many of the Galatians that were tainted with the doctrine of the Legallists were really converted Gal. 4.14 there was somewhat of this spirit in Peter Mat. 19.29 we have forsaken all what shall we have therefore as the people of God are not compleatly delivered from other corruptions so not from carnal confidence there is such a spirit working and sometimes prevailing in them but there is also in the Saints an evangelical spirit Phil. 3.3 we rejoyce in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh they allow not themselves to have any confidence in the Flesh These things premised take these characters of those men that seek salvation by their own righteousness 1. Such men as magnifie themselves by their duties and frames they count highly of themselves because of what they do pride is the very spirit of self-righteousness The self-righteous man sets a great price upon what he does he loves to be thinking upon what he has done how his heart melted in such a duty how his affections were drawn out and enlarged in such a prayer what he has done and suffered in the cause of God he loves to chew over duties again as things that do commend him to God while another man is magnifying free-grace and the Righteousness of Christ the self-righteous man is idolizing his own services falls in love with his own beauty is taken with his own carriage and thinks that God and man should be taken with him he thinks his works do ingratiate him with God and draw the heart of God towards him so the Pharisee Luke 18.12 I fast twice in the week and give tithes of all that I possess he minds God of it what a choice man he was and thinks that God has not many such servants as himself he counts his own righteousness his riches Rev 3 17. he is rich in prayers rich in mournings rich in duties of Religion and of charity he is not brought to be poor in spirit he don't see himself without money and without price but has a considerable estate of his own to live upon he thinks that by his duties he gains somthing towards the paying for salvation Phil. 3.7 he places his confidence in those things and glories in them as a rich man boasts of his wealth so he boasts of his righteousness and despises other men as the Pharisee Luk. 18 11. I am not as other men or like this Publican whereas the spirit of a Saint is to glory in the righteousness and sufferings of Christ Gal. 6.14 God forbid that I should glory save in the Cross of Jesus Christ 2. Such men make their duties their refuge in time of danger such men are oftentimes scared from a remembrance of their former courses and sence of present
to heaven when there was a better path before sure God who is infinite in wisdom would not have provided a righteousness for sinners in Christ if they could provide one for themselves this providence of God does speak you to be under a dreadful mistake Gal. 3.21 If there had been a Law given that could have given life verily righteousness should have been by the Law Rom. 8.3 4 What the Law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin condemned sin in the flesh that the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us Gal. 2.16 5. This way of salvation by mens own righteousness is cross to Gods design the great design of God in pardoning and saving of sinners is to glorifie the riches of his grace to let the world understand what a gracious God he is God has other methods to glorifie his other attributes by the creation of the world by his giving of the Law by eternal punishments upon wicked men and angels he glorifies his power wisdom holiness and justice but notwithstanding these works of God the pardoning grace of God lay hid but he has contrived the salvation of sinful man as for the further manifestation of his other attributes so in special to make known the riches of his pardoning and saving grace Eph. 1.7 in whom we have redemption through his blood the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of his grace Eph. 2.7 speaking of the benefits we have by Christ he gives this as the reason That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness towards us through Christ Jesus and this way of salvation by Christ and a proper means for the furthering of this end though Christ has purchased pardon and glory for us that does not hinder the manifestation of Gods grace for though our pardon and salvation be a due debt in respect of Christ yet it is a free gift in respect of us though there be a purchase yet not by us but God sent his Son to make that purchase for us Rom. 6.23 the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord but when men seeks salvation by their own righteousness they seek it in a way directly repugnant to the design of God this is a way to exalt themselves and to rob God of his glory when men trust in themselves they glory in themselves they boast in their own excellency and not in the free grace of God for if it be of works then it is no more grace Rom. 11.6 the self-rightous man does cross Gods end if he should attain Salvation in that way God would miss his aim the self-righteous man takes a course to dash the counsels of God to pieces and make the design that was upon his heart in the salvation of Sinners come to nothing he seeks to overthrow this glorious contrivance of God for the advancement of the glory of his grace if man should have salvation as the fruit of his own earnings and the reward of his own deservings man would be blessed but the glory of grace would not be manifested Gods design would fall to the ground and the counsel of his heart for ever miscarry but the counsels of God stand for ever and the thoughts of his heart to all generations can it enter into the heart of any man to conceive that God will not be true to his own design but gratifie the humors of men by saving of them in such a way as is destructive to it surely men are horribly stupid to expect salvation in such a way as will not stand with Gods design what ever hopes of this kind men feed themselves with they will end in disappointment if such men be not disappointed God must be disappointed CHAP. IX USE II. Examination Whether men do believe in the Righteousness of Christ VSE II. TO put you upon the Examination whether you do put your trust in the righteousness of Christ if so then you are in a safe condition and may stand before God another day with comfort in the great day of the Lord multitudes that have made a profession of Religion will miserably fail of their expectations and that upon this account that they want the Wedding Garment but although you have many failings yet if you believe in Christ you shall not be confounded 1 Pet. 2.6 all your Religion signifies nothing as to your salvation if you do not believe in Christ if you would know then what you are like to meet withal at the day of judgment whether you shall find acceptance with the Lord when tousands shall not try your selves by this whither you do believe on Jesus Christ there be some other wayes of trial from all those things that do accompany salvation but this is the principal way to which indeed all others are reduceable there be other properties that are evidential of a mans safety but this is the foundation evidence as that which gives him his right and title to salvation 1 Joh. 5.13 I have written to you that believe on the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life examin therefore whether you do indeed believe on the Son of God there be many that say they have Faith Jam 2.14 there be many pretenders to Faith there is as much deceit in the heart about Faith as about any other grace there are imitations and resemblances of Faith such as the Scripture does give the name of Faith unto Luk. 8.13 which for a while believe all sorts of men that make prosession of the Doctrine of salvation by Christ profane men profess this and self-righteous men profess this men that were never sensible that God was indeed angry with them and men that do imagine that they have pacified him are both of them pretenders to Faith in Christ men that do indeed trust in that that they never did much provoke God and men that trust in that they have pleased him again do both make profession of their Faith in Christ therefore it stands you in hand strictly to examine whether you do indeed believe in the righteousness of Christ And you may try it these several wayes 1. By the foregoing work of Humiliation 2. By the manner of the souls first closing with Christ 3. By the living a life of Faith on Christ Jesus 4. By that holiness that does accompany and flow from Faith in Jesus Christ 1. Try your Faith by the foregoing work of Humiliation there is a preparatory work necessary before a sinners closing with Christ this is a work that comes between the rest of the foul in sin and the sinners accepting of Christ men do not immediately step out of a condition of quietness in sin into a state of salvation a tree must first be prepared bofore it be laid in the building the bodies at the resurrection must be prepared before life
only rules of external obedience but also of internal reaching after the glory of God labouring to do duties with an upright heart watchful against the secret motions of sin Act. 24.16 and herein do I exercise my self to have always a conscience void of offence towards God and towards man such persons as have pangs upon their hearts to walk in Gods ways and then leave off again are far from an holy life that is the spirit of a wicked man Psal 36.31 he hath left off to be wise and to do good none can be said to live an holy life but such as in a course are practising of the ways of God and it is thus where there is an inward principle of holiness tho' habitual holiness be not sufficient in order to the practise of holiness without divine assistance yet Gods ordinary manner is to assist all sorts of principles which he has put into his creatures and he has promised also special assistance unto grace so that they that have a principle of grace are walking in their ordinary course in the way of holiness Prov. 2.22 That thou mayst walk in the way of good men But though they that lead an holy life keep Gods commands in a course yet they are guilty of continual sinning against God the corruption that is in the heart of a Saint is making continual opposition unto holiness as for the external part of it many a man attends that that has not a spark of grace and there is a great deal in a Saint besides grace that helps him to observe the outward part of his duty pride covetousness slavish fear contribute much to that but there is abundance of opposition to the inward part of obedience faith love c. and though there be a course of holiness and time after time an exercise of grace yet it does not follow that the inward actings of grace are more frequent than the actings of corruption without question the case is far otherwise though grace through the special presence of God is getting forward yet there are in the heart of a Saint abundance more of the workings of pride then humility unbelief than faith earthliness than heavenly mindedness the best of the Saints have but a little strength Rev. 3.8 a Saint commits a multitude of sins every day and the actings of grace are few comparatively And besides this though he that leads an holy-life walks in Gods command in a course yet he may have some special fits of sinning as he that is wise may in a fit carry him self very foolishly so he that is godly may in a fit carry himself very sinfully a meek man may have a fit of passion as Moses had and the Father of the Faithful may have a fit of unbelief there are sometimes when godly men have strong pangs of corruption and sin does prevail not onely over grace but over conscience and respect unto their credit and every thing that stands as an impediment in the way of it corruption may overflow all its banks and for a turn a good man may carry himself very badly and some of the people of God have more of such distempered fits than others have and they do prevail to a greater height in some than in others but these are but fits the ordinary way of a Saint is a way of obedience 3. Where there is an holy life this course of walking in Gods commands is out of a gracious respect unto God there be thousands of actions that are materially good that are not formally so if they be done meerly from self-love they are not good it is necessary that they be done out of a gracious respect unto God. I rather chose so to express it then to say they must be done for the glory of God because there are some internal actings of grace wherein the soul has no end thus when God draws the heart to love him the man has no end thus when the Spirit of God makes a mans heart break for sin he has no design in it when a man sets himself to mourn for sin he has an end but when the heart is grieved for sin he cannot help it he has no design in that though he has a motive and he ever has a gracious respect unto God the glorious excellency of God has an influence upon his heart that are some duties that cannot be done but from a gracious respect unto God there are some holy actions that cannot be done but by a principle of grace as to believe in Jesus Christ to love God to hate sin another man that has not grace may imitate these but he can't do them what faith he has and love c. differs to-to genere from the faith and love that is in Saints these holy actions cannot be done but by a gracious respect unto God selvish considerations may have some influence into these as Gods love to us has some influence into our love to him but in these actions the soul is principally swayed by a gracious respect unto God Job 42.5 6. and such other acts of obedience as may be done meetly upon selvish considerations are done by him that lives an holy life principally upon spiritual considerations Mat. 10.42 yet in a subordinate way he does and may make use of selvish considerations and such as moral men are swayed by such considerations in their place are of weight God urges them in his Word as the examples of men the benefit of holiness the punishment of sin men must not condemn themselves because they have a respect unto such things in their obedience Heb. 1.7 22. From this way of Trial we may conclude three sorts of men to have no true Faith. 1. Such persons as live from time to time in disobedience unto God there be pretenders to faith that live an irreligious and carnal life if they live not in any sensual lusts yet are indulging themselves in other sins regardless of fanctifying the Sabbath neglecting prayer allow themselves in worldliness pride malice and the like James has given us the character of the faith of such men Jam. 2.26 Faith without works is dead the gospel is a doctrine according to godliness there is no more effectual means to purge away sin than faith in Jesus Christ 2 Tit 11.12 faith is an heart purifying grace Act. 15.9 those that believe Christ have salvation began in them here they are saved from the dominion of sin and therefore those men that do indulge themselves in any lust are destitute of faith whatever their pretences be whatever they tell of their comforts and discoveries they have but a shadow of faith if they had faith as a grain of mustard-seed those corruptions would be removed faith don't work by wantonness and malice and sensuality and worldliness but by love Gal. 5.6 such men dream they have faith can men believe in Christ and be servants unto Satan are men believers yet rebellious persons do men receive the grace
carnal confidence that grows upon mens mourning does expose some to the same sin a man may do that many times that he hates Rom. 7.15 the hearts even of godly men are extreamly tainted with sin CHAP. X. Vse 3. Exhortation To Awakened sinners to believe on the Righteousness of Christ Jesus USE III. IF it be safe appearing before God in the Righteousness of Christ here is ground of Exhortation to all such as are awakened to believe in this Righteousness such sinners whose Consciences are indeed awakened are deeply concerned how they shall appear before God while other men are busying themselves to get worldly comforts seeking a felicity in this World and casting off the care of their souls you are making it your business to get into such a condion that you may be accepted with God that you may not miss of eternal salvation it is a matter of trembling to you to think of being a cast-away you dread the thoughts of damnation and are willing to take any pains that you may avoid it you have been labouring for peace and can't get it you have been searching for it as for hid treasures but hither to you have not obtained it you would fain be saved at last what ever trouble you go through here though you should be poor in this world afflicted all your dayes if you might be saved then you have your desire such persons are exhorted from hence to venture their souls upon the righteousness of Christ it is natural to such men to seek help from their own righteousness but beware of that many a soul has been lost in that way that way of self-righteousness is sprinkled with the blood of Souls many a man and woman have been undone in taking that by-path as you desire the welfare of your souls come to and accept of Jesus Christ roll your selves upon him make him your stay and your refuge flee for refuge to the hope that is set before you Heb. 6.18 despair of all other methods of Salvation and trust alone in Jesus Christ let fall all other pleas as such that can stand you in no stead and return the case of your soul upon this plea of Christs righteousness lay up all your hopes in Christ have your whole dependance upon his righteousness Jesus Christ has made a compleat purchase of Salvation he has bought off the guilt of sin and has bought blessedness and life eternal for sinners and God has stated this law of Grace that he that believes in Christ shall be saved by him God has constituted a rule of forgiveness and salvation God has constituted a new covenant according to which he will dispense life unto sinners he tenders a new Covenant unto us according to which we may receive justification from Christs righteousness God tells us upon what terms we shall have life he has stated the method wherein he will bestow mercy he has laid out the way in the Gospel and declares that whoever believes on Christ shall have everlasting life John 3.16.36 this is the only way wherein men shall receive Salvation from Christ if men come not to these terms they shall perish notwithstanding the purchase of Christ 't is only in a way of believing that men come to have any saving benefit by Christ believing in Christ is the condition of the covenant of grace this is indeed a suitable way for our partaking of the benefits of Christ 't is suitable that they should accept of the grace of God and righteousness of Christ that are saved by them it is very meet that salvation should be in such a way that the honour of Gods grace and Christs righteousness may be preserved yet the great reason of Gods stating this way of salvation by Faith was his soveraign pleasure there was no absolute necessity of this that salvation by Christ should be obtained in a way of believing Faith interests us in Christ but it is not through any natural vertue in Faith but by the free constitution of God the influence that Faith has into our justification and salvation is by Gods appointment God has voluntarily stated his law of grace there was no necessity that there should be any condition at all laid upon us God might without the performing of any condition by us have justified by Christ as we were made sinners by the sin of Adam without our consent so might we have been made righteous without our consent but it pleases God to require a condition which seems to be partly that we may have salvation in the way of a covenant which is for our comfort partly to render them that refuse the condition the more inexcusable the pleasure of God is the reason that there was a condition and like wise that Faith is the condition if he had made love to himself or sorrow for sin the condition that would have carried a face as if justification were the reward of our works yet God might have done it if he had pleased but he has stated this law of Grace that he that believeth shall be saved Act. 10.43 whoever believeth on him shall have remission of sins this is the covenant of reconciliation therefore as you do desire everlasting blessedness venture your souls upon the righteousness of Christ this is a way of safety In urging this Exhortation I shall 1. Present some Motives before you 2. Mention some considerations further to inforce those Motives 3. Answer such Objections as awakened sinners are wont to make 1. One Motive is the great sin of rejecting of Christ and not coming unto him men have reason to be afraid to continue in unbelief because there is so much sin and iniquity in it many a wakened sinners that do confess and bewail other sins and speak of them with bitterness of spirit do not lye under the sense of this sin here they are ready to excuse themselves or justifie themselves they don't take the blame of their rejecting of Christ to themselves they plead for that and vindicate themselves as if it was not their fault as if they had not sufficient reason to believe but herein you are greatly mistaken you look upon your unbelief to be your infirmity and calamity but not your sin this is a meer delusion the professed rejecting of Christ was that which filled up the measure of the Jews sins and the heart rejecting of Christ is sin John 16.9 the comfortes shall convince of sin because they believe not in me and tho this heart rejecting of Christ be not a flagitious yet it is a crying sin you cannot anger God more by any thing than by continuing in the neglect of Christ this is the great controversie that God hath with sinners not that they have been guilty of these or those particular transgressions but that they abide in the rejection of the Gospel you may see the greatness of this sin by the many rules that are broken by this sin and by the fountain of it 1. See the
5. You act contrary to self-love it is every mans duty to love himself and seek his own good God commands men to prosecute their own good in a way of subordination to his glory God allows no man to ruine himself but requires them to seek their own wellfare all their days Mat 6.20 and indeed what ever sin a man commits he acts contrary to the rule of self-love all sin is hurtful and not beneficial to men but in a peculiar manner they act contrary to this rule in rejectin of Christ for therein they refuse a tender of blessedness God in the Gospel is offering salvation unto them if they will but accept of Christ they shall immediately be made heirs of blessedness so that in refusing Christ they reject at once all the glory of heaven and the great fruits of Christs purchase that they might enjoy here in this world they are enemies to themselves put away salvation from themselves you act in this thing like a deadly enemy to your own soul if a man that were poysoned should refuse an antidote if he that was condemned should refuse a pardon would they not be therein enemies to themselves so are you in refusing Christ Prov. 8.36 all they that hate me love death 6. You hereby hinder your selves from doing any thing that is good from doing any thing in obedience to God by neglecting of Christ you keep your selves in a way of disobedience the rejecting of Christ is the reason why you live an unspiritual life your neglecting to come to Christ makes you neglect every other spiritual duty you may perform indeed many external duties and attain unto inward affections but you will never do any duty in a spiritual and acceptable manner until you come to Christ faith in Christ is the first act of obedience that any sinner does perform that man that don't believe don't love God mourn for sin aright nor seek the glory of God it is faith that purifies the heart Acts 15.9 it is by faith that a man first gives up himself to be Gods servant so that by neglecting to believe you bring your selves under a necessity of neglecting every other spiritual duty this is the reason that whatever you do in religion is done in hypocrisie 2. You may see the greatness of this sin in not coming to Christ from the fountain from whence it does proceed in secure sinners it flows nextly from a contempt of salvation their eyes are dazied with the glory of the world they are unsensible of eternal things they regard not the end and therefore it is no wonder that they do not regard the means but in awakened sinners the neglect of coming to Christ arises from these two things 1. Pride This way of salvation by Christ don't fuit their proud spirits God has chosen such a way of life as suits his glorifying his grace but it does not suit with their naughty hearts this way wherein God carries away all the glory don't please them and hence it is that they are striving by all ways they can devise to find out some other method wherein they may have salvation they don't like it to be so much beholden unto God but would fain find something in themselves to glory in hence they have an opposition of spirit to comming unto Christ John 5.40 you will not come to me that you may have life it is not meerly from weakness but from pride and sturdiness of spirit that they don't come unto Christ 2. From their not believing the testimony of God he tells them plainly that there is righteousness enough for them in Christ that if they will come they shall be saved but they don't lay weight upon the Word of God Gods Word don't remove their doubts they are not satisfied in the preciousness of Christs righteousness nor in the riches of Gods grace nor in the stability of the covenant they do not believe the report of the Gospel Isa 53 1. and hence they don't see their way clear they are afraid to come to Christ they imagine it will be presumption they think it is a way to get a curse and not a blessing 2. The next motive is the certain ruine of all unbelievers there is nothing else to be expected if you continue to reject Jefus Christ but to be destroyed for ever the misery that will overtake you is exceeding great 't is not poverty sickness disgrace temporal death but somewhat ten thousand times worse then those this is that that the eternal state of your souls turn upon if you come not unto Christ you will fall short of everlasting blessedness and must take up your abode among Devils you are now under a possibility of enjoying the presence of God and dwelling in the highest heavens in unspeakable joy and happiness but it is all lost and gone for ever if you give not entertainment to the invitations of the Gospel and after you have spent a few days in vanity you must lye down in sorrow and have your portion in the lowest hell death will deliver you into the hands of tormenters and you shall have darkness without light pain without ease and sorrow without joy it had been better for you if you had never been born the wrath of God will lie like a talent of lead upon your soul you will have no friends to comfort you no worldly enjoyments to refresh you no hopes to support you but must set your self to bear what you cannot bear and to endure that which is in tollerable it may make ones flesh to tremble to think what miseries some in this world have endured from cruel enemies and bloody Persecuters but those miseries were but for a little time and fell nextly upon the body and they are not to be compared with those miseries that are reserved for unbelievers in another world will it not be a dreadful thing to be separated from the joyes of heaven and that glorious society that is there will it not be dreadful to dwell with the Devil and his Angels will it not be dreadful to be left to the terror of a guilty conscience the beginnings whereof here have made many men choose death rather than life will it not be dreadful to be filled brim full with the fiery wrath of God to have every limb of thy body and faculty of thy soul as full as it can hold of the indignation of the Almighty how loth will you be when it comes to to enter into this condition men would shrink into nothing if it were possible terrors will take hold upon them as waters they would fain escape out of the hands of revenging Justice how will you draw back when you see your selves upon the borders of distruction men would be glad that the Rocks would fall upon them and the hills cover them so they might but escape what will you think of it when the Devil shall lay hold of you to drag you down to hell how will you cry
a cloud of Witnesses that have gone before you in other ages and many at this day that betake themselves unto Christ for refuge others that have been trying all conclusions and turning every stone have at last seen a necessity to come unto Christ others have been satisfied with the encouragements that God has given and have taken sanctuary in Christ men of judgment and prudence not subject to be led by fancies and delusions more than other men have let go all carnal confidences and fled to this hope set before them and this they have done nor once or twice in any hurry of temptation but they live in this way I live by faith in the Son of God Gal. 2.20 their coming unto Christ is no rash inconsiderate act but after they have had the consideration of it many years have weighed it and pondred it looked on all sides and considered all that can be said they don't see cause to repent but continue to believe it is no unadvised act they understand what they do 2 Tim. 1.12 and the longer they live the more established in a way of believing Gods dispensations towards them since their coming unto Christ are not such as do discourage them but they are more encouraged still to commit themselves unto Christ why don't you come also unto Christ methinks you should be ashamed to be listning unto carnal reasonings and giving way to the pride of your hearts when others have overcome them methinks it should stir up a spirit of fear to see others getting into the way of salvation and you left behind to be a prey to Devils think what your sins have been what inward workings have been in your bea rt and you must say you have as much need of Christ as other men think what the call of God is how free and full the invitation is and you must say you have as much encouragement to come to Christ as other men and others that love their souls as well as you do yours have ventured them in the hands of Jesus Christ and do you not think that it will be hard to you to see others stand at the right-hand of Christ another day and your selves rejected 2. You must never expect inward peace and quietness unless you come unto Christ you complain now in the bitterness of your souls what a sorrowful life you lead you find little comfort in any thing you are so terrified with a guilty conscience that it eats out the comfort of your life a dreadful sound is in his ears Job 15.21 you are under such apprehensions of the anger of God that you know not how to bear it when you hear or read the threatnings of Judgment you are terrified that that will be your portion when you see instances of judgment you are afraid that God will do so with you leave you to such and such sins bring such and such calamities upon you your heart is meditating terror affrighted with the thoughts of damnation Sermons terrifie you providences terrifie you your heart is always loaded the way to have inward peace and quietness is to come to Jesus Christ Rom. 5.1 being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ but until you come to Christ you must never expect to be better you may have a pleasing dream it may be for a while and your wound may be skinned over but you must not expect to have any true peace so long as you stand at a distance from Christ what peace can men expect while their sins are not pardoned what peace can men enjoy as long as God is angry you must expect no other but to spend your days in vanity and your years in trouble if you give not entertainment unto Christ through fear of death they were all their life-time subject unto bondage Heb. 2.15 the venom of sin will be burning in your bowels until you look unto the brazen serpent and what madness is it for men needlesly to live a tormented life are you not weary of this condition have you a mind to live in sorrow longer don't you care to be delivered from your fears thou wilt never have peace without coming unto Christ you have tried a great while in vain and it will be in vain still but if you will give entertainment unto him his blood will heal the conscience scatter fears and refresh your hearts The sting of death is sin and strength of sin is the law but thanks be to God that giveth victory through Jesus Christ our Lord. 3. If you do no not come to Christ you will lose all the pains that you have taken in religion you had need be careful that you lose not the things that you have wrought the labour that you have taken in religion is all lost with respect unto some expectations of yours therefrom as to the mortifying of sin thereby the getting of the good-will of God the purchasing of pardon c. and if you do come to Christ you must see it to be lost in this respect Phil. 3.7 those things which were gain to me those have I counted loss for Christ but yet in some respect the pains you have taken may be of advantage unto you in as much as you are nearer to salvation than before you began to seek after God you have been travelling in the way towards heaven some men are nearer the Kingdom of God a great deal than others Mark 12.34 Thou art not far from the Kingdom of God you have been taking a great deal of pains have withstood temptations have got much knowledge have broken off your sinful practices come to understand somewhat of the plague of your own hearts you are got over many bars that lay in the way of your salvation you have escaped many rocks upon which some souls have split in pieces are in a fairer way to get to heaven than you were sometime since and it would be sad to perish upon the borders of Cannan after sore travel in the wilderness to sink at the mouth of the harbour after you have rid out many Storms to lose all your care and labour and sorrows after all to go down to hell among those that never took any pains for salvation and this you will certainly do if you do not come to Christ though you are past the streight of reformation yet if you don't enter and go through the gate of humiliation and faith if you do not cast away your carnal confidences you will not enter into life when the Galatians were carried away with opinions of their own righteousness Paul says to them have you suffered so many things in vain if it be yet in vain gal 3.4 all your labour will be in vain and your souls will be lost if you come not to Christ 4. You will exceedingly bewail it hereafter if you do not accept of Christ you will rue it in another world you stand upon frivolous objections neglect to come unto
Lords Supper so when you meet with any temptations to beat you off from this way of believing when you have been contracting any special guilt when you go before God in solemn prayer and besides what is to be done on such occasions as these it is a duty to have the heart working and carried out in this way at other times and it will be so where the heart is in a believing frame men then will love to be thinking upon the precious righteoousness of Christ and putting forth acts of dependance thereupon God requires you to be much in the exercise of Faith 1 Joh. 5.13 those things have I written to you that believe on the Name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life and that you may believe on the Name of the Son of God. This ought to be upon a double account 1. This is an honour due to God and Jesus Christ it becomes us to be putting honour upon them by reniewing those acts of Faith when a man is drawing his encouragement from the righteousness of Christ and the free grace of God prizing Christs Righteousness satisfied with that rejoycing in it rolling himself upon it he is putting honour thereupon and it is no more than it does deserve it becomes us to be giving this glory unto God and Jesus Christ when the acts of Faith are much intermitted and when there are any actings of unbelief we do deny them their due honour but the exercise of Faith is a practical acknowledgment of their glory and this is one part of that way of holiness wherein the people of God are walking unto salvation the first act of Faith in Christ is the fulfilling of the Covenant other acts of Faith are a part of our attending that way of holiness which is the way of life 2. This is the way of our comfort we need to be from time to time renewing the acts of Faith that we may live a comfortable life this is a way to have a stable and well grounded comfort for in this way of salvation God has given us everlasting consolation and good hope 2 Thess 2.16 the actings of unbelief fill the soul with trouble that saint must needs live a sorrowful life that is much carried away with an unbelieving heart such a life is attended with many terrors and fears unbelief is the sinking of the heart the prevailings of a spirit of discouragement bring a man into a most perplexed condition and he that lives in a way of carnal confidence will live a life of trouble though at times his joy may be great yet there will often be such discoveries of his heart and convictions of his danger as will fill his soul with fear and trembling the only way to live a sweet and comfortable life is to live by Faith upon Christ the actings of Faith give rest unto the heart there will be some measure of comfort wherever Faith is in exercise though a man be in the dark about his condition yet the very actings of Faith will support his heart Faith discovers a resting place for the soul in the exercise of Faith the soul is receiving of encouragement therefore Faith is often expressed in Scripture by joy Phil. 3.3 Hab. 3.18 indeed there is a sweetness and pleasingness in the exercises of every grace because they are suitable to that new nature that God has put into his Saints but there is a special sweetness in the exercise of Faith because the nature of it is to entertain a well grounded comfort and encouragement the very actings of Faith have a great deal of comfort in them and the reflection of the soul upon those acts of Faith has a great deal of comfort in them Faith it self is comfortable and the sight of Faith is comfortable Faith comforts as it entertains the glad tidings of the Gospel as it discovers a door of hope the light of Faith comforts as it discovers a sure evidence of Salvation In prosecuting of this VSE we shall consider three things 1. That Saints are apt to be discouraged from believing on the righteousness of Christ for acceptance 2. What their discouragements are together with proposals for the removing of them 3. What course saints should take that they may live by Faith on Christs righteousness and not be discouraged 1. Consider Saints are apt to be discouraged from believing on the righteousness of Christ for acceptance there are two sorts of discouragements that Christians have with respect unto their acceptance one sort is when they are discouraged as if they were not accepted as if they were not saints and in a state of salvation their present state is dark unto them and this arises either from Gods dispensations towards them or their carriages towards God God layes afflictions upon them exercises them with inward temptations don't give assurance of his love don't answer their prayers don't quicken their hearts in his Ordinances and they are carried away with corruption don't feel the working of love in their hearts have not such spiritual hearts as others of the people of God and so they are ready to sink as if their present state were not a state of peace with God the other sort of discouragement is when they are afraid to come unto Christ for acceptance they are called upon to believe but are discouraged from that duty it don't enter into them that God is free to accept of them through Christ they dare not believe and these two sorts of discouragements are generally Companions and go together though not alwayes usually when Christians are discouraged as to their present state they are also more backward to believe than at other times and their hearts are frighted because of the greatness and number of their sins and when they are in an unbelieving frame they are many times discouraged as if they were not Saints and can't discern those signs that they can see plain enough at another time this latter sort of discouragement whereby Saints are discouraged from believing in Christ is that we are now discoursing of and this discouraged frame is one of those frames that are contrary to a believing frame there are two other frames in Christians that are contrary to believing in Christ one is a slighty careless and regardless frame of spirit respecting acceptance with God and eternal salvation mens hearts are sometimes so deeply engaged in the world that they are little concerned about the state of their souls they have not the weight of it on their hearts to make sure a part in Christ sometimes Christians are under the prevailings of a sensless Spirit they have not sense nor solemnity enough upon their hearts to put forth an act of Faith the other is a self-righteous frame whereby Christians are apt to be drawing of their encouragements for their acceptance with God from their own righteousness but besides these there is a discouraged frame of spirit whereby Saints are afraid to believe