people righteous before God Christ was sent to fulfill the Law for his people by his Active and Passive obedience He came to do and procure all that is required to the compleat and perfect salvation of his people In a word Jesus Christ was sent into the World not meerly as a Prophet to teach the Mind and Will of God or to be an example of holiness but he was sent to be a Priest in a proper sense to make atonement and satisfaction for the sins of his people and to obtain eternal redemption for them Application Use 1. We may see here that the work of Redemption was a great work Not the highest Angel of Heaven nor all of them put together were able to perform this but God sent his Son about this work Use 2. We may see here that the heart of God the Father was in this great work of redeeming and saving the elect The Father himself loved them for he sent his Son he gave his only begotten Son that they might live through him Use 3. We may see here the love of Christ unto those that the Father had given him That he was willing to be their Mediator for as he is often said to be sent of the Father so he is said to come Heb. 10.7 Lo I come to do thy will O God Christ was so sent as that he came freely came with alacrity and chearfulness for his delight was with the Sons of men his heart was in this work Lastly Let this encourage sinners to come to Christ to venture their souls upon him Do not question whether God will accept of you by anothers righteousness discharge you by a payment made by a Surety deliver you from going down to the Pit upon a ransom given by another for all this was the contrivement of the Lord himself to glorifie both his Justice and his Mercy for ever Therefore let sinners cast themselves upon Christ and fear not this Rock will never fail that Soul that is built upon it I come now to the next words where it is said that Christ speaketh the words of God for God giveth not the spirit by measure unto him Doct. 2. That Jesus Christ our Mediator hath the spirit given him by the Father without measure This is a great and glorious truth and very sweet and comfortable to the Saints that the Lord Jesus their Mediator hath a fulness of the spirit Psal 45.7 Anointed with the oyl of gladness above his fellows Christ hath the spirit above what any of the Saints have and see Isa 61.1 Isa 2.11 And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him the spirit of wisdom and understanding the spirit of council and might the spirit of knowledg and of the fear of the Lord. And you have a visible fulfilling of those Prophecies John 1.32 And John bare record saying I saw the spirit descending from Heaven like a Dove and it abode upon him And so Acts 10.3 God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power who went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed with the Devil for God was with him And in another place It pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell All fullness of the Spirit all fullness of Grace dwells in Christ Three Things for the opening of this point 1. What is here meant by the Spirit 2. How the Spirit is said to be given to Jesus Christ seeing he is God How can any gift be said to be conferred upon him seeing he is God and infinite in himself 3. How it may be said that the spirit is given unto him without measure 1. What is here meant by the spirit 1. The Gifts and Graces of the Spirit these are given to Christ not by measure but without measure 2. The Spirit it self Luke 4.14 And Jesus returned in the power of the spirit full of the Holy Ghost Believers have not only the Gifts and Graces of the Spirit but the Spirit it self Rom. 8.9 If any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his and the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwells in you v. 11. And if the Spirit be in Believers and dwells in them much more in Christ himself 2dly How can Christ who is God and so infinite and uncapable of addition be said to have the spirit given unto him I answer briefly in a word or two It is true that Jesus Christ as God is infinite and as God he is not capable of having the spirit given unto him but the spirit was given unto Jesus Christ as man the spirit was given to his humane nature which he took upon him 3dly If the spirit was given to the humane nature of Christ how can the humane nature hold the fullness of the spirit the humane nature is finite how can it receive an infinite how then is it said that God hath not given the spirit by measure unto him I answer The expression in the Text is not to be understood without any limitation as if the Spirit were given to the humane nature of Christ in an infinite manner and as if the humane nature were of an infinite capacity the Divine nature of Christ is infinite but though the Divine and humane nature in Christ are eternally united yet they are not confounded This then I say that the spirit was given to the humane nature of Christ beyond all comparison beyond all the Saints on Earth or in Heaven and above all the Angels put them all together The spirit is given to Christ as man incomparatively and transcendently beyond what ever men or Angels have had or shall have It pleased the Father that in him all fullness should dwell which cannot be said of any other Object It is said that Jesus increased in wisdom and stature and in favour with God and man Luk. 2.52 How had he such a fullness of the Spirit and yet is said to increase in Wisdom I Answer The Word being made Flesh he was full of Grace full of the Spirit from his very birth but he is said to increase in Wisdom in respect of the effects and opperations expressions and declarations of his Wisdom One Question more How comes it to be so that the Lord Jesus is so filled with the spirit in his humane nature Answer 1. One reason is taken from the nearness of his humane nature to the Divine Brethren Jesus Christ is the Son of God the natural Son of God he hath the very essence of God the nature of God and the humane nature of Christ is brought very near to the God-head It is brought as near as our Bodies to our Souls and therefore it is said that in him dwells the fullness of the Godhead bodily that is personally The Sun is the Fountain of light and the nearer we come to the Sun the more we partake of light so the humane nature of Christ being brought so near to the God-head as to be taken into
The Application 1. That by Nature we are spiritually dead You read of some that are dead whilst they live 1 Tim. 5.6 And saith Christ Let the dead bury the dead but follow thou me As the Body without the Soul is dead So we now being without Christ are dead men and women 1. We are dead men in regard of the Sentence of Death and Condemnation past upon us by the Law Gal. 3.10 Cursed is every one that continueth not in every thing that is Written in the Book of the Law to do it Rom. 5.12 By one man sin entred into the world and death by sin for that all have sinned All our first Father Adam's house are but dead men before the Lord we are all guilty before God Though we are not executed yet we are under the Sentence of Death by the Law and the Sentence of the Law will be executed at last if we be not pardoned in Christ 2. We are dead men as to the life of Grace and true Holiness Our best works are but dead works Heb. 9.14 The carnal mind is enmity against God for it is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be Though indeed before Conversion we may do things that are good for the matter yet we do nothing from a right principle and to a right end Joh. 15.5 Without me ye can do nothing Except we have Spiritual Sap and Life from Christ we can bring forth no true fruit but are like a dead and withered Branch that hath no life in it 2. What that Life is that Christ gives to dead Sinners 1. The Life of Justification When we are united to Christ the Sentence of Death by the Law is taken off We use to say that of a Malefactor when the Sentence of Death is passed upon him that he is a dead man But if once a Pardon come that makes him a living man then he cannot be executed Rom. 8.1 There is therefore now no Condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus There was a heavy Sentence of Condemnation passed upon us by the Law but now we are in Christ we are pardoned in Christ and now there is no Condemnation Now as Paul saith Gal. 2.20 I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me 2. We have from Christ the Life of Sanctification the life of Grace and Holiness too whereby the Soul hath a Spiritual Inclination and Disposition to act towards God according to that Hebr. 8.10 I will put my laws into their mind and write them in their hearts Ezek. 36.26 27. A new heart also will I give you and a new spirit will I put within you and I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you an heart of flesh And I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes The Preaching of the Life that Christ giveth is to them that perish foolishness Some are fit to make a mock at Life and Justification by the Blood and Righteousness of Christ And so likewise at Conversion at the infusing of Grace into the heart wherby we come to live unto God But as these things are plainly revealed in the Scripture so to them that believe these things are precious 3. Let us enquire what we are to understand here by the Voice of the Son of God 1. The Gospel may be called the voice of the Son of God as it is an Instrumental means to make dead Souls to live The Gospel is called The Word of Grace Acts 20.32 The Word of Christ Col. 3.16 The Word of Life Phil. 2.16 By the Dispensation and Preaching of the Gospel Christ conveyeth himself into our Souls The Letter the Law killeth seeing we are sinners the Law is the ministration of death to us 2 Cor. 6.7 It tells us we are dead men cursed men it revealeth the wrath of God due to us for our sins The Law through our default cannot give us Life because we have not a Righteousness that the Law requires in our selves But it is the Gospel that reveals to us the new way to Life that shews us an Attonement and Righteousness in another We can neither be justified by the Law nor be sanctified by it We cannot be justified by it because we cannot fulfil it We cannot be sanctified by it because it only commands us to obey but giveth no new strength now we have lost the Holiness we had in Adam 'T is the Gospel that reveals to us how we may be justified before God and may have the Image of God renewed upon us But to make us spiritually alive there must be more than a bare Declaration of the Gospel many hear the Gospel Preached many years and yet never hear the voice of the Son of God and Live Therefore here is more to be understood 2. By the voice of the Son of God is meant the Secret Efficacy and Power of the Spirit of Christ so put forth as to turn the heart to the Lord. As the Lord Jesus did say to Lazarus when he was Dead Lazarus come forth and at the same time put Life into him So when the set time is come for the conversion of any of the Elect people there goes forth such a Power of Christ as to put Spiritual Life into them Ministers may speak and spend their strength in calling to dead Souls to come forth but except the Lord put in with them so as to effect the work men will still abide in death Object Hearing presupposeth Life Therefore how is it said That they that hear the voice of the Son of God shall live Can they hear before they live Answer This hearing the voice of the Son of God and living Spiritually are both at the same time As Lazarus when Christ bad him come forth he heard and lived at the same time Christ speaking to the heart with such Power as to turn the heart to himself goes before Spiritual Life in order of Nature but not in order of Time Conversion is a work of Spiritual Creation and so is not like other things The Lord saith live and the Soul liveth 4. Let us enquire what the Lord works upon a man dead in trespasses and sins to make him live Spiritually I shall not stand to speak of what the Lord doth by way of Preparation for the Souls receiving Christ this must be supposed that the Lord doth set our sins in order before us convince us of Sin and of Judgment to come But the very thing by which we are translated from Death to Life is the Lords giving us his Spirit to unite us to Christ whereby we receive the Life of Justification and Sanctification from him The Lord gives the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation Ephes 1.17 God who commanded Light to shine out of Darkness hath shined in our hearts to give the light of the knowledg of the Glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 4.6 The Sinner was convinced of his lost estate before
and now there comes a powerful Light into the heart to reveal Christ so as to enable the Soul to see Christ held forth in the Promises and to receive him The Apostle saith 1 Tim. 1.15 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners Now the Soul saith It is so indeed 't is worthy of all acceptation the Soul now is wrought by the Spirit to approve and like this way of Salvation and heartily close with it Now the Understanding is enlightned and the Will rectified and brought to embrace Christ It is the Lord that makes this change He worketh in us to will and to do Phil. 2.13 Every one that is converted receives Christ Joh. 1.12 But to as many as received him to them gave he power to become the Sons of God even to them that believed on his Name Though it may be that the Souls receiving Christ at first is scarce discerned but afterwards by renewing acts of Faith upon Christ and by the effects of Union with Christ we may come to see that we have received Christ and are made partakers of Spiritual Life There is a certain moment of time when a man hath Spiritual Life put into him he heareth the voice of the Son of God and liveth But the work is so secret and mysterious that it is hard for us to say that just such a day such an hour we heard the voice of the Son of God and lived Though some may be able to know the time yet not all that are made alive by Christ But we find by degrees the acts and effects of Spiritual Life whereby we may know that we have heard the voice of the Son of God and live When we receive Christ then we are made alive indeed for wheras we were under the sentence of death by the Law now we are forgiven all trespasses and have the Righteousness of Christ imputed to us And those that receive this gift of Righteousness are not only freed from Hell but shall reign in life by Jesus Christ Rom. 5.17 When we truly receive Christ we are sanctified also Together with the Faith that the Lord gives us to receive Christ for our Justification he also gives his Spirit to work in us a Principle of Holiness and new obedience that we may be both in repect of Justification and Sanctification alive from the Dead Application Use 1. Here we may see the miserable estate that every man and woman is in that hath not heard the voice of Christ. Brethren and beloved do you believe this that dead sinners are made alive by hearing the voice of the Son of God Then those that never yet heard the voice of the Son of God they are yet dead in Trespasses and Sins If you never yet heard the voice of Christ then you are dead men all your sins are upon you you are under the sentence of death by the Law and if you never come to hear the voice of the Son of God this sentence of Death will be upon you for ever And if you never yet heard the voice of Christ to put spiritual life into you then you are dead also as to any Life of Grace and Holiness Those works that you are ready to be proud of and glory in they are all but dead works and you do not truly serve the living God But you will say we hope we have heard the voice of Christ we have heard many able Ministers many good Sermons we have had the Word opened to us Answer This is a Priviledg indeed to have the Word Preached to you but it is not the voice of a man no nor of the Angels of Heaven if they should speak to you that can put Spiritual Life into you except withal you hear the voice of the Son of God Therefore If you never yet heard the voice of Christ to make the Preaching of the Gospel effectual to your Souls I say unto every such person as God said to Abimilech Gen. 20.3 Thou art but a dead man thou art a Sinner and the wages of Sin is Death thou art a condemned man and thou hast no Life of Holiness neither Therefore consider your case and condition Examine your selves Whether the Word Preached hath had that power upon your hearts to draw you to Christ and to turn you from your Iniquities Objection If that we hear the Word Preached by men yet you say that except we hear the voice of the Son of God we cannot live then to what purpose should we attend upon the Preaching of the Gospel Answer It is your Duty to hear what God the Lord speaketh by his Servants and Ministers and though the Word Preached cannot Convert you without the Voice and Power of Christ yet it may please the Lord at one time or other to make the Preaching of the Word effectual upon your hearts as he hath done to others Use 2. See the exceeding greatness of Christ's Power He is able to make dead Souls to live he is able to quicken those who are dead in Trespasses and Sins a work which neither Men nor Angels can do Yea know and take notice That it is no labour no difficulty to Christ to make dead Souls live He can do it easily and suddenly He can do it with a word He can do it as easily as you or I can speak a word The Text saith That the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God and they that hear shall live Use 3. Of Direction to those that have heard the voice of the Son of God and are now quickned and are made alive 1. Bless and praise the Lord stand and wonder at what the Lord hath done for you If any of you had been dead and in the Grave and Christ had said to you as he did to Lazarus come forth and so you had been raised but from a bodily death to live again this had been a great wonder But this is a far greater wonder O! therefore bless the Lord say this my Soul was Dead and is alive I was under the Sentence of Death for the Breach of the Law and now I am pardoned I was without any life of holiness and now the Lord hath given me a new Heart a new Spirit Thus when I lay in my Blood the Lord said unto me Live 2. Love the Lord Jesus who hath delivered your Soul from Death Love him because he first loved you and said to you when you lay in your Blood Live Love him and love the word of his Grace by which he quickened you Never forget his Word the Word of his Grace by which he hath quickned your Souls Love his Word and Ordinances wherein he hath put forth the Power of his Grace to youâ— Souls 3. Trust in the Lord to perform all things for you If you have heard the voice of the Son of God and Live then you have had experience of the Power of Christ indeed
in a State of enmity till such time as he comes to believe on Christ then indeed the enmity is taken away but till he come to believe on Christ he is an enemy to God and he hates God in his Soul and whatever he doth he doth but dissemble if he comes and confess his sins and give thanks to God and make petitions and supplications to God all this doth not please God he doth but Flatter and play the Hypocrite and Lye to God to his Face How then can a Man or Woman please God without Faith that is the Second demonstration Take one more Thirdly Without Faith it is impossible to please God why because all that ever a man or Woman doth that is an unbeliever is all but dead works all is Stinking Dead a dead Service and a dead Sacrifice whatever he brings to God it is dead his Prayers and Thanksgivings are dead and his Supplications and Petitions are all dead his Reading and Hearing the Word is all dead all that he doth is dead Now do you think that the living God can or will be pleased with dead services can this be pleasing to him all is dead because it comes from a dead principle every unbelieving man and woman in the World is spiritually dead and therefore all that comes from him must be dead they are all dead works as the Apostle calls them in Hebrews 6.1 Leaving the Principles of Repentance from dead works saies he and so in Hebrews 9.14 How much more says he shall the Blood of Christ who through the eternal Spirit offered up himself to God without spot purge your Concience from dead works c. when the Blood of Christ comes to be sprinkled upon the Soul by Faith then he is cleansed from dead works but before all is dead his faithfulness in his calling his thanksgivings his prayers and all is dead and how can this please a living God Can a man gather Grapes of Thorns and Figs of Thistles No. So can any thing that is lively and acceptable to God come from a dead Heart No. Can God be pleased with that which is dead that which is dead is displeasing to you if they give you dead Drink dead Beer or dead Wine doth it please you No you will say you had rather drink Water All the services that an unbeliever can perform they are all but dead in the savour of God they are all stinking loathsome things therefore how can these things be pleasing unto God This is the state of every unbeliever he is spiritually dead and all that he doth is dead nothing that is living or lively can come from a dead thing a dead thing cannot produce a living action but now by Faith a soul comes to be made alive when a soul comes to receive Christ he receives a principle of Life but every unbeliever is dead and therefore nothing that he does can be pleasing unto God So now you have heard the point demonstrated to you That it is impossible for any man or woman to please God without Faith We come now in the next place for the further clearing this truth and for your more distinct understanding of it to remove some objections that possibly may be made against it As first what is nothing pleasing to God without Faith You will say did not the Elect please God from all Eternity did not God chuse the Elect and set his love upon them did not they please God yet they had no Faith then it seems it is possible to please God without Faith Indeed if the Arminians were to answer this they would easily answer it for they make election to be upon foreseen Faith that God did foresee that such and such a man would believe and therefore he elected him and if so then the elect cannot please God without Faith but we do not joyn with them in that thing there was not any thing foreseen that did move God to elect one or another In Romans 9.11 the Apostle there instances in the two Children Jacob and Esau For the Children being not yet born having done neither good nor evil God did not consider them as having done good or evil that the purpose of God according to election might stand not of Works but of him that calleth It was said unto her the Elder shall serve the Younger God doth not consider that in point of election for election is not the effect of Faith foreseen but Faith is the consequent of Election he hath chosen us that we should be Holy that we should believe in Eph. 1.4 and in Acts 13.48 And as many as were Ordained to Eternal Life believed Election is antecedent to Faith and believing God was not pleased with the Elect because of their Faith no but they were chosen to Faith and then did not they please God without Faith there is the objection still Answ I answer shortly That the Elect did not please God but God was pleased out of his free Grace to set his Love of Benevolence upon them and thereby did intend in time to shew Love and Friendship to them I say it was not because they pleased God that God chose them and elected them but God was pleased out of his infinite free Grace and Love to ordain them in time to manifest his love of friendship to them so that it was not for Faith nor without Faith for they did not please God Obj. But then you will say Did not Adam in innocency please God if he did then it is possible to please God without Faith for Adam had no Faith in innocency Now before the fall Adam did please God was there not a sweet intercourse between God and Adam was there not a covenant made between God and Adam Did not God come and speak in a familiar way to Adam Surely Adam pleased God Adam had not Faith then it is possible to please God without Faith For Answer to this First In a word Adam had a Faith though not such a Faith as believers have now yet Adam had a faith of Affiance of Trust and Confidence and Dependance upon God which was required in the first Commandment and Adam had all the Commandments of the Law written upon his Heart 2. But Secondly This Truth doth presuppose man in a sinful fallen state Adam after his fall and so all the posterity of Adam now there is no Son nor Daughter of Adam since the Fall that can ever please God without Faith Adam himself since the fall if ever he pleased God it was by Faith for the Apostle speaks of those that are supposed to be Sinners and Enemies against God That without Faith it is impossible for them to please God Obj. But you will say Have not some that have been unbelievers by doing of those things that God hath required pleased God Look into the example of Jehu 2 Kings 10.30 You know that God commanded Jehu to go and cut off all the House of Ahab that was his Message
by a false Compass and so steers his Course wrong Truly thus it is with many Professors they perform Duties they go on with full sail in Duties they perform Duties every day and they attend upon the Lord as they have opportunity to hear the Word and read the Word daily they go on amain Ay but still they steer a wrong Course they sail by a false Compass and certainly they will never come to the Haven of Rest but will run upon their own ruine at last Therefore observe it the Devil will allow a Professor to go on in a course of Duties to pray every day in his Family and Closet he will allow him to go on in a course of Ordinances attending upon God daily so long as his Duties and Services are not touched with the Loadstone if they be not done in Faith he knows what will be the Issue of them he lets him alone because he knows he doth but deceive himself and delude his own Soul he looks to come to such a Haven but he will perish and miscarry for ever Therefore Brethren I pray consider whether it be not a matter of very great concernment for every one of us to look to it and be careful that all our Duties and Services be done in Faith or else we can never please God Well This is the Question How shall we so perform our Duties and Services in Faith as they may be pleasing unto God Answ In answer to it there are some Directions that I shall lay down that may be of general Concernment and reach all the Duties that we are to perform and shew you how we shall perform them in Faith that they may be pleasing unto God And then afterward we shall come to lay down more particular Directions how we may perform every Duty as Prayer in Faith and hearing the Word in Faith and partaking of the Lords-Supper in Faith how we may perform every Duty in Faith that so we may please God in what we do First Then for the General Rules that we may make use of in all Duties for the performing of them in Faith that so they may be pleasing unto God 1. First then take this for a general Rule that may be of concernment for every Duty Let us look especially that we be Believers that we have a Faith in Christ for if we be not Believers we can never perform any Duty in Faith we must first believe in Christ before we can perform any duty in Faith Therefore I say Let us be sure of that that the work of Faith be wrought effectually in our hearts that we do really and truely believe on Christ be sure of that lay that for a foundation and the more clear that is the more sure we are of that that there is a real work of Faith wrought in our hearts we may be the more easily perswaded that what we do we do in Faith though that alone is not enough neither But without that it is impossible for us to do any thing in Faith so as to please God it is by Faith that our persons come to be accepted without Faith our persons are not pleasing unto God No It is through the beloved that we must be accepted in our persons Ephes 1.6 And if our persons be not accepted nothing that we do can be accepted No we may pray day by day and cry aloud and we may perform extraordinary Duties too and none of these accepted if our persons be not accepted through Faith in Christ there must be the foundation of all For Brethren it is by Faith that our hearts are purified and made holy now if so be that we be not holy we cannot please God by any thing that we can do for he is a holy God and whatsoever is pleasing to God must be holy Now it is by Faith that our hearts come to be purified Act. 15.9 By Faith we come to have an habitual Holiness wrought in us though there may be and there is still a body of sin but still there is a Principle of Holiness by Faith wrought in the heart whereby we come to be made holy in Gods account For if so be that we be not made holy through Faith then all that ever we do is unclean all that comes from us is unclean look as the Fountain or Spring is so is all that issues from it every drop of water that comes from it is accordingly Can you bring forth a clean thing out of an unclean None can do it Does a bitter fountain send forth sweet water No it cannot be The fountain must first be made clean and sweet or else all the streams will be according as the fountain is A corrupt Tree cannot bring forth good fruit make the Tree good or the fruit cannot be good All that comes from a man or woman that is in a state of unbelief is unclean and whatever Duties or Ordinances he touches is unclean and polluted and therefore cannot please God Look as it was under the Law if one that was Legally or Ceremonially unclean touched any thing it was unclean Hag. 2.12 13. If one bear holy flesh in the skirt of his garment and with his skirt do touch bread or pottage or wine or oyl or any meat shall it be holy And the Priests answered and said no it shall be unclean So now whatever Duties be performed under the New-Testament if we be not Believers if our hearts be not purified by Faith truly then all that we touch is impure and unclean to us as the Apostle saith Tit. 1.15 Unto the pure all things are pure but unto them that are defiled Who are those he explains it in the very next words and unbelieving is nothing pure They can do nothing that the Infinite Holy and Pure God can be pleased with Now there is no way for a Soul to be made clean to lave an habitual Holiness but through Faith wrought by the Spirit of Christ and the application and sprinkling of the Vertue of the Blood of Christ upon the Conscience So a man or woman comes to be made clean In Heb. 9.13 saies the Apostle there For if the blood of bulls and goats and the Ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean sanctifie to the purifying of the flesh that is The Holy Water under the Law that being sprinkled upon the unclean did purifie him and make him clean and if the sprinkling of that water did purifie from Ceremonial Uncleanness How much more shall the blood of Christ verse 14. Who through the eternal Spirit offered up himself to God purge your Conseiences from dead works to serve the living God Two things the Apostle doth plainly hint to us in this Scripture Namely 1. That all our Works that we perform before we be cleansed by the Blood of Christ they are all but dead works unholy and unclean And then 2. it implies thus much That we come to be cleansed from our dead works by the sprinkling of
the Blood of Christ upon us and that by the Eternal Spirit the Spirit of God This is the way and the only way whereby a man or woman comes to be habitually clean and holy by Faith in Christ whereby the Soul is not only justified from the Guilt of sin but there is the Spirit of Christ conveyed and communicated to the soul whereby there is a principle of Holiness of Habitual Holiness put upon the Soul Well this is now the first general Rule and therefore I say Brethren and Friends it is of great concernment to us to look to that if we would act Faith in our Duties so as to please God we must first of all look that there be a work of Faith wrought in our hearts that we do truly believe on Christ and to that end we should be venturing to lean the weight of our Souls upon Christ and upon his Blood and Righteousness as it is tendred and held forth to us in the Gospel and to this end also let us wrastle with the Lord and beg for the Spirit of Faith to be given out to us Christ hath promised that our Heavenly Father will give the Holy Ghost to them that ask him This is the first Rule to look that we be true Believers 2. Secondly As Faith does possess the Soul with Habitual Holiness so it is by Faith also that a Soul comes to be cleansed from actual Guilt Therefore the Second Rule to act in Faith in our Duties and Performances is to put away all Guilt all sinful Uncleanness from us when we come to perform any Service or offer up any Sacrifice to the Lord If a Man or Woman come before the Lord in the guilt of any known sin that he lives in if he do not put that away it makes all his Duties unclean and not pleasing to God A man cannot act in Faith so long as he comes knowingly with any guilt upon his Conscience living in the neglect of any known Duty or living in the commission of any known sin if he live in it he cannot act in Faith Faith will purge and cleanse the Soul from sin that he will put away all guilt when he comes to draw near to God See what is said in Job 11.13 14 15. If thou prepare thine heart and stretch out thine hands towards him If Iniquity be in thine hand put it far away and let not wickedness dwell in thy tabernacle for then shalt thou lift up thy face without spot c. When you come to stretch out your hands towards God in Prayer or when you come to draw near to him in any Duty Then saies he if there be Iniquity in your hand put it far away Do not come to God in Prayer or in any Ordinance in any known Sin that you do allow your selves in for if you do you cannot perform those Duties in Faith and so they cannot be pleasing unto God Therefore be sure that you put away all evil from you As now for Example to shew you the Application of this Rule that you may know how to make use of it for every Duty suppose now you go to prayer if you would pray in Faith so as to please God you must not allow your selves in any known sin No says David in Psal 66.18 If I regard Iniquity in my heart the Lord will not hear me I cannot make a Prayer in Faith If you have made a thousand Prayers though you be a Believer in the main yet all those Prayers that you have put up in such a way with the guilt of any known sin upon you that you allow your self in and go on in your Prayers have not been put up in Faith and so God will not regard them Therefore be sure of that when you come to pray see that you do not allow your self in any known sin So if you come to hear the Word if you would hear in Faith so as to please God in it you must put away all evil out of your hands In Jam 1.21 says the Apostle there Lay aside all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness and receive with meekness the ingrafted word which is able to save your souls Do you desire to hear the Word in Faith so as it may be a saving Word to your Souls Then Lay aside all Filthiness and Superfluity of naughtiness Allow your self in no known sin when you come to draw near to God in any Ordinance So the Apostle Peter 1 Pet. 2 1 2. saies the Apostle there Laying aside all malice and guile and hypocrisie and envy and evil-speaking as new-born babes desire the sincere milk of the word that ye may grow thereby Do you desire to hear the Word so as you may please God in your hearing Then let there be no Envy nor Malice nor Hypocrisie allowed in your hearts for else you cannot receive the Word so as to be milk to your Souls so as to grow and profit by it And so also if you come to any other Ordinance as to the Lords-Supper you must come in Faith to it and partake in Faith or else we cannot please God by it Now this is one way whereby we come to partake in Faith namely by cleansing our selves Saies the Apostle 1 Cor. 5.7 8. speaking by way of Allusion to the Passover Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us let us therefore keep the Feast not with the old leaven of malice and wickedness but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth If we draw near to God in this Ordinance we must cleanse our selves in Jam. 4.8 Draw near to God and God will draw near to you And how shall we draw near to God so as God may draw near to us Mark what follows Cleanse your hands ye sinners and purifie your hearts ye double-minded Here is the way for us to draw near to God in a way of Faith for it is properly the work of Faith to purge the Heart and to purge the Hands That is the second Direction that may serve as a General Direction to help us to draw near to God in any Duty or Ordinance so as to please God 3. The Third way to perform Duties so as to please God is this It is the proper work of Faith to empty the Soul of it self Now if you will draw near to God in any Duty or Ordinance so as to please God then come with Self-emptyings for Faith is a self-emptying Grace that is the proper work of Faith to empty the Soul of it self Now there are two things that Faith does empty the Soul of in the performance of holy Duties The one is It empties the Soul of the sense of its own Sufficiency and Ability to perform holy Duties and also it empties the Soul of the sense of its own worthiness to receive any Mercy from the Lord in any Duty or Ordinance These two things Faith doth empty the Soul of and so you shall find it that where Faith hath been acted and