discovery of reason the light of nature does not teach us that there is any way of reconciliation much less does it teach us what it is the light of nature may discover to us that many pretended wayes of acceptance are delusions for it is contrary unto reason to imagine that God will take up with such things but to determine what is the way is clearly beyond the most raised understanding of man without divine revelation upon a supposition that there was a possibility of any other way of acceptance for sinners besides this by Jesus Christ and I know no ground from Scripture to say that God was confined to this way that he was necessitated if he would save sinful man to take this course in order to his Salvation it will unavoidably follow that the light of nature will leave man short of this knowledg how can the light of nature reach the free determination of the Will of God but besides this the knowledg of the way of our acceptance with God through Christ does necessarily suppose the knowledg of those two great mysteries that of the holy Trinity and that of the Incarnation of the Son God which do utterly surpass all the dictates of the light of nature Flesh and blood reveals not those things but the Father that is in Heaven Mat. 16.17 hence the Gentiles were utterly mistaken as to this way of reconciliation and as Paul speaks became vain in their imaginations But besides these there are many others who have been advantaged with the light of the Gospel that have been unsatisfied in that account which the Scriptures have given concerning the way of our acceptance and have pleaded for such methods of Salvation as the Word of God is utterly a stranger to withal wresting many passages of Scripture to vindicate their own delusions thus as the Jews of old so especially the Papists Socinians now go about to establish a righteousness which the Gospel does not acknowledg and fix upon a way of acceptance with God that has no better foundation than their own sophistical reasonings this is not to be attributed to any obscurity in the Scripture in the matter of our Justification but greatly to the pride that men have in their own understandings carnal reason suggests that otherwayes are more probable than that which is commended to us by God carnal reason is full of objections against the Doctrine of our acceptance by Christs righteousness and men know not how to deny their own reason they dent carry a sence upon their hearts of the imperfections and deceits of their own reason they know not what dim sighted things they are carnal reason is a thing much idolized many men have not learned that lesson to be satisfied in the testimony of God but make their understanding the rule and measure of Principles in Religion lay so much weight upon their own reason that they judg things must be so as their reason represents them loth to entertain any thing in matters of Faith that they do not see with their own eyes partly to the enmity of the hearts of men unto this way of acceptance by Christ this way of Salvation is very suitable to our necessities but no wayes suitable to our natural disposition mans heart would sooner fall in with such a way of Salvation wherein he might have somewhat of his own to glory in this way tends much to the exalting of God and abasing and emptying of man the spirit of man is to set up his own righteousness and not be beholden unto the righteousness of another which makes men unwilling to believe this Doctrine of our acceptance by Christ and this opposition of the heart hereto prepares men to receive the contrary Doctrine Arguments that have little strength in them will take great impression upon men of corrupt minds where there is strength of affections plausible pretences will gain consent slender proofs will serve the turn where mens spirits are strongly byassed But it were well if none else did reject this Doctrine but only those that do professedly plead against it there be multitudes that do joyn in making this confession that are far from entertaining it how high so ever mens professions be there are no more that do thorowly believe this than are regenerated and effectually called there is a kind of perswasion of it which carnal men may have which perswasion the Scriptures sometime calls Faith but it is such a perswasion as leaves men really ignorant of this Truth some men have a perswasion of it wrought by tradition because it is handed down to them from former Generations and generally received in the places where they live or by those that they have particular esteem for upon the same account that a Turk gives credit unto the principles of his Religion Jer. 2.11 the Doctrine is received upon the authority and testimony of man which leaves the Soul under such uncertainty as quite obstructs the spiritual efficacy of the truth upon their hearts There is a perswasion that arises from rational convictions their reason tells them that other wayes of acceptance are frivolous that of all wayes that are pretended this must needs be the true way and they can strongly argue that there is acceptance to be obtained in this way from the accomplishment of the covenant of works by Christ from the design of God to magnifie his Grace c. but this perswasion is not sufficient to encourage a foul to venture himself on Jesus Christ There fs also a perswasion that ariseth from common illumination besides that light which is let into the hearts of men in their conversion there is a more than ordinary illumination bestowed upon some sinners the spirit of God gives an affecting sight of the way of Salvatipn enlightning natural Conscience with a great discovery of the way of life by Jesus Christ this is called a tasting of the good Word of God Heb 6.5 the fruit whereof is a rejoycing in the Gospel Mat. 13.20 this illumination is only by an extraordinary assistance of mens natural reason not by giving an eye of Faith unto them neither is this light sufficient to satisfie all the objections which may afterwards arise in the heart hence such men if afterwards they have a thorow sight of their hearts dare not venture their souls on Christ till God by a further work of the Spirit has convinced them of the certainty of the Gospel but there is no man how great soever his profession how large soever his knowledg is that continues in a natural condition does thorowly be-believe this truth This I shall clear up by two Considerations 1. Because all those that do thorowly believe this will immediately venture themselves upon Christ as there is no perswading of men before to come to Christ so there can be no keeping of them from Christ after they are convinced of this the assurance of the truth of the Gospel is ever accompanied with a powerful operation
of it upon the heart â— Thess 1.5 God teacheth men the truth of the Gospel and thereby prevails with them to come to Christ in that way it is the Father puts forth his drawing power Joh. 6.44 45. the Gospel alwayes works effectually where it is believed and received as the truth of God 1 Thess 2.13 God carries on all his works upon the hearts of his Elect in a way of conviction the devils way of working is by blinding of man by prejudice and false reasons but Gods way of working is by teaching of men thus God carries on preparatory work and thus he carries on saving work God deals with men as with rational creatures and prevails upon their hearts in a way suitable to those natures though he put forth acts of power yet not of violence on the Will but he gains the consent of that by the discovering of those reasons that are of sufficient weight to sway it indeed the understanding and will in man being faculties of the same soul and really one and the same thing the same act of God upon the Soul that puts light into the understanding does also suitably incline the will God works all holy inclinations in the will by convincing us and making us believe those truths that are the grounds of them we believe and love believe and repent believe and fear believe and submit believe and so venture on Christ God convinces us of the truth of the Gospel and that there is sufficient righteousness for us in Christ and so we come to him John 16.10 and therefore all those that are assured of the truth of the Gospel do close with Christ and are regenerated and this leads us to the interpretation of several passages of Scripture where such Men as assent to the Doctrine of the Gospel are said to be in a good condition Rom. 10.9 If shou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and believe with thine heart that God raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved 1 Joh. 4.15 Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God God dwelleth in him and he is in God 1 Joh. 5.1 Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God 1 Joh. 5.4 Who is he that overcometh the World but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God These passages are not to be understood of that Faith which is common to Professors that Faith that may be separated from holiness which James calls a dead Faith Jam 2. ult but of that assurance that is wrought in the heart by the Holy Ghost A second thing that clears it is that when natural men fall under the awakening work of the Spirit they immediately call the Gospel in particular this truth of the safety of our appearing in Christs Righteousness into question though they might seem before to themselves and others well satisfied yet when ever they come to lie under the sense of Gods anger and Conscience is writing bitter things against them they are full of scruples and objections against the Gospel t is a long time usually before such persons can give entertainment to this Truth and when it is done it is wrought in them by the mighty power of God all that Ministers can urge upon them will not take place the choicest Evidences will not sink into them till God opens their hearts as he opened the heart of Lydia sometimes the hearts of such men will be objecting against this way in general as if there were not salvation for sinners in this way they scruple how the righteousness of one will avail for the Salvation of another c. but principally their scruples are respecting themselves in particular they are not satisfied that God calls them that there is enough in Jesus Christ for the washing away of their sins that God would take it well for them to venture themselves on Christ they think they must be better first and more broken for their sins this is directly contrary to the Doctrine of the Gospel for the Gospel does not only teach in general that there is salvation in Christ for sinners but that it is safe for any that will be they never so blind hard-hearted impenitent and rebellious and guilty to venture themselves on the righteousness of Christ men do not only oppose the Gospel when they question whether Believers shall be saved but when they question whether there be sufficient encouragement for them to come to Christ There are two sorts of natural men that are pretenders not only to the belief of the truth of the Gospel but also to trusting in Jesus Christ which upon examination will be found to deceive themselves one sort are many unawakened sinners some of whom are not so much as civilized nor of moral conversation yet they profess to place their trust in Jesus Christ such as those the Apostle Iames expostulates with Iam. 2 14. ad finem but what ever such men say concerning their putting their trust in Christ the real foundation of this hope is an ignorance that they have offended God they may please themselves sometimes with the general notion that Christ has wrought out redemption for sinners and make a little use of Christ dying for sinners to quiet their hearts but the bottom of their confidence lies in this that they are strangers to the provoked justice of God they dont think that God is angry for their sins they live a life of carnal security Psal 50.21.55 11.9 the other sort are self-righteous sinners who say they put their confidence in Christ but their great encouragement is that they have attained somewhat that does draw the heart of God unto them there are many self-righteous men that do not profess any trust in their own righteousness they have been so trained up in the contrary Doctrine that they could not quiet their own hearts if they knew that they did it but yet under a notion of resting upon Christ they rest upon themselves their religious qualifications are their main stay they are far from putting themselves upon a strict Trial by the Law but they imagine some excellence in themselves and that is their encouragement to go to Christ the Jews made account their works would do much towards their Salvation the grace of God making up the defects thereof Rom 9.32 so do those trust partly to their works partly to Christ making a mixture of the Law and Gospel and both these sorts of men notwithstanding their pretences are strangers to the safety of appearing in Christs righteousness And as natural men do not truly believe this Doctrine so Saints themselves have but little belief of it the people of God may justly fall under that reproof Luk. 24.25 Fools and slow of heart to believe there are times when God is pleased abundantly to assure the Souls of his people of this truth 1 Thess 1.5 the fruit whereof is a sweet and quiet resting upon Jesus Christ but the natural unbelief of
receive Gods testimony and act faith thereupon until he knows God Paul says I know him whom I have believed 2 Tim. 1.12 and every man must know God before he will believe him many men â—o entertain some of the things that God says so the Devils believe and tremble but those perswasions rise from the convictions and not from faith in Gods Word No man will receive any thing meerly on Gods testimony until he know him and therefore will not be assured of that which he can know no other way but by faith and which carnal reason has many objections against 3. The conviction of this Truth is by the Spirit of God it is the work of Gods Spirit to satisfie the heart in this that it is safe appearing in the righteousness of Christ God does create light in the mind to discover this the outward call of the Gospel presents the object before men and the work of the Spirit is to give men eyes to see the truth of it mens natural reason makes them understand the sense of the Proposition and the Spirit of God puts a new light in them whereby they understand the truth of the Proposition their perswasion about this is the fruit of Divine Instruction This I shall shew from several Texts of Scripture John 16.7 8. The comforter will reprove the World of sin of righteousness and of judgment in this Text for the clearing of what is before us we shall take notice of three things 1. That the comforter here is the Spirit of God this is clear not only because he was a person sent to assist in and succeed the Ministry of the Apostles but also because he is called the Spirit of truth John 14.16 17. He shall give you another comforter even the Spirit of Truth 2. That the works of the Spirit here is conviction so 't is in the Margent the word signifies to convince by Argument and Reason and here is the Argument that the Spirit shall convince by ver 10. Because I go to my Father and ye see me no more so the word is used John 8.9 1 Cor. 14.24 3. That the thing that the Spirit does convince of is our safety in Christs Righteousness it is his righteousness that he speaks of for his going to the Father is the argument of it and it is the sufficiency of his righteousness to our salvation This is clear by two things First Because the Spirit is promised to confirm the Doctrine of the Apostles And then Secondly because the argument mentioned verse 10 does confirm this truth Christs Ascention to the right-hand of God shews that he has performed the work he came for and wrought righteousness John 6.45 Every man therefore that hath heard and hath learned of the Father commeth unto me the meaning of this is not that all that were godly among the Jews that had been taught of God should ackowledge Jesus of Nazareth and depend on him this is indeed a truth that upon the setting of convincting light before them they would do it so did Nathaniel Joh. 1.49 the Eunuch Act. 8.37 Cornelius and Lydia this is not the meaning for when he says every one that hath heard learned of the Father he means every one that has been taught by God the Doctrine of the New-Testament and he speaks of such teaching as did immediately draw men to Christ but the meaning is that they who have been taught the Gospel by God will believe on Christ so that this is clear from hence it is the work of God to encourage men to come to Christ and God encourages men by satisfying their hearts in the safety that is in the righteousness of Christ that perswasion that draws men to Christ is wrought by God. Rom. 8.30 And whom he called them he also justified by this Scripture it appears that it is Gods work to satisfie the heart in the safety of coming to Christ when he sayes that they are called of God he means they are inwardly called of God he intends not the outward call because he speaks of it as a proper effect of Predestination and certain fore-runner of Justification and this inward call is nothing else but the enlightning of the mind to see the truth and certainty of the outward call so that those Arguments which God sets before us in his Word to perswade us to come to Christ those he satisfies our hearts in by the inward work of his Spirit by his Spirit he sets home the precepts invitations and promises of the Gospel this inward Call is that which satisfies the heart so that it answers the call of God. Objection 1. It seems not to be work of the Spirit to convince men that they may safely appear in Christs Righteousness because after they have been convinced they doubt again and call it in question whether they may venture on the righteousness of Christ Answer We may well argue that if they have been convinced throughly by the spirit that they will never be utterly carried away with unbelief to reject this truth but we cannot conclude that they would never doubt men may call those things in question which they have learned by the spirit of God so the Prophet did 1 King. 13.17 18 19. yea men may question things that they have been taught by the saving work of the spirit God revealed it to the Disciples that Jesus was the Son of God Mat. 16.16 17. yet afterwards they questioned it Luk. 24.21 they say we verily thought it had been he that should have redeemed Israel the Psalmist no doubt had been convinced that God is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him and yet afterwards he had such workings of heart as these verily I have cleansed my heart in vain Psa 73.13 and it is no wonder for the blindness of the mind is but in part removed and sometimes they have not the exercise of that light which is in them the Devil is busie to throw scruples and objections into their hearts and they have several principles in themselves that lead them to doubt of those things that God has convinced them of they have a principle of unbelief carnal reason and enmity to the truth so that it is no wonder that they have doubts about it Objection 2. If men were convinced by the spirit they would have more understanding than many of them have of this way of salvation many of them understood very little of the confidency of this way of Salvation with the Law of God how the sufferings of one could answer for so many there are maeny Objections that they dont see through Answer Every one that is taught of the spirit has so much knowledg in this way of life as is a foundation for Faith he must have so much knowledg as that his Conscience may be satisfied in the truth of it t is also true that the teachings of the spirit do clarifie mens understandings they come hereby to have more clear conceptions of
Gospel truths but men may be taught by the spirit and yet be very unable to give a resolution of many Objections the Disciples were taught of God that Jesus was the Son of God Mat. 16.17 and yet knew not what to say to that Objections that Elias must first come Mat. 17.19 tho a Christian cannot answer many Objections about the sufficiency of Christs Righteousness yet he knows that that will satisfie his heart that it is sufficient namely that God gives this testimony to it and invites him to venture upon it 4. Consider in what way the spirit of God works this conviction and assurance and that is by a spiritual illumination of the mind the spirit of God is not wont in adult persons to reveal this Doctrine in any extraordinary way he works this conviction in such adult persons only as have the knowledg of the Doctrine by hearing and reading of the Word men must not expect to be taught that in a miraculous way which they may learn in an ordinary way neither would this be suffieient to work a through conviction and assurance of it a man may have things revealed unto him extraordinarily by God that has no Faith as Balaam neither does the Spirit assure men of this in way of testimony the Spirit of God is wont to testifie and witness some things to the soul of the Saints the Spirit it self beareth witness with our spirits that we are the children of God Rom. 8.16 but he does not in that way reveal unto men the truth of the Doctrine of the Gospel but he openeth our eyes to see the truth of it the Spirit gives us eyes to see and also the actual understanding of the truth of the Gospel he puts a principle of spiritual understanding into us by a work of creation ye were sometimes darkness but now are ye light in the Lord Eph. 5.8 he also assists us actually to discern the truth of this way of salvation by Christ while the soul is hearing reading and meditating of it he puts a light into him discovering it to be true and sometimes while the soul is thinking of his misery the spirit brings to remembrance some word and with that puts in a light into the soul that satisfies the heart in the truth of the Gospel and this is wrought these three wayes 1. The Spirit helps us to see the truth of this in the testimony of God in his Word 't is not any inward testimony that our Faith depends upon but the testimony of God in his Word and the inward work of the Spirit is to help us to receive the sure Word of Prophecy and depend upon that God witnesses in his Word plentifully to that that there is salvation wrought out for us by Christ that he has redeemed us purged away sins brought in everlasting righteousness and in this testimony of God we see the truth of the thing it self the Spirit satisfies the heart and clears it up to him that this is Gods testimony that it is no deceit that it is not any device or forgery of man under a pretence of Gods testimony but that this is the very Word of God the Word comes in Gods Name and has many characters of divine authority in it and the soul is satisfied that it is Gods Word 1 Thess 2.13 ye received it not as the word of men but as it is in truth the Word of God The Spirit also satisfies the heart in the faithfulness of God naturally men have no assurance of the faithfulness of God though they profess it but the spirit convinces the soul that the Lord is a God of truth I know him whom I have believed 2 Tim 1 12. he does with Sarah judge him faithful that has promised and here though his soul be precious to him yet he can quietly venture it upon his Word 2. The Spirit helps us to see the certainty of this in a way of reasoning from other Principles which we do undoubtedly receive there is an assurance by arguing from such things as we are certain of this is called the demonstration of the spirit 1 Cor. 2.4 when once a man is principled in that foundation that the testimony of God in his Word is certain and infallible then he is assured of such principles as these that Jesus Christ who was our Surety is exalted to the right hand of God that sinners are invited to rely upon the blood of Christ that Christ has fulfilled the righteousness of the Law for us for these things are plainly laid down in the Word of God he had the notion of these things before but now he is assured of them and being assured of them God help him to argue from them the infallible certainty of salvation by Christs righteousness John 16.10 the spirit convinces of righteousness because I go to my Father so a Christian sometimes after he is come to Christ finds by experience in that way the sanctifying and comforting presence of God with him and from hence he argues and is more established in the Doctrine of salvation by Christ 3. The Spirit helps to see the glorious excellency of God and Jesus Christ and thereby the great Objections of his heart do vanish away and fall of their own accord there are some less Objections which arise for want of distinct knowledg and from a mis-understanding of some places of Scripture which though they prove temptations yet don't wholly hinder the workings of Faith but the main Objections of the heart were that God could not find in his heart to pardon such sins as they have been guilty of and that the Law threatens them with ruine but the spirit discovers unto the soul the excellency of God in Christ the riches of Gods grace and the preciousness of the righteousness of Christ and then those Objections fall Psal 36.7 How excellent is thy loving-kindness O Lord therefore the sons of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings Joh. 17.3 This is life eternal that they might know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent Consider 5. That this is a great work of Gods Spirit to convince men and assure them that it is safe appearing in the righteousness of Christ it is a matter of exceeding great difficulty to give entertainment unto this truth and hence it is that many men are never satisfied in it all their dayes they continue all their lives long under the means of grace and yet never come unto the knowledg of this truth and many others whom God has perswaded of it have been long before they were satisfied though they have been full of inward troubles and fears and thereby put upon it to be inquisitive into the way of salvation yet were long before they came to Christ their hearts were unsatisfied about their safety in so doing and after prevailing and clear conviction doubts are ever and anon arising in their hearts and this difficulty must needs be very
if they be not sanctified but there be many in whose lives there is no evidence that they are destitute of holiness no man can justly charge them with living in any known sin with any unmortifyed corruption or acting from a corrupt principle in religion but this cannot be said concerning others that do not make this profession moral men among the Heathens Turks or Jews there are few or none of them but would make it evident to a man of a discerning spirit that was familiarly acquainted with them that they were under the rule and power of some lust 2. Among those that profess to believe in Christ there are many men in whom there are very speaking evidences that they lead an holy life they do not only walk inoffensively in their conversation but there is a great deal of the breathings of a spirit of holiness in them their carriage savours of the fear of God love to God submission to the will of God care of the advancement of the glory of God there carriage has a great relish of piety and holiness there is as much appearance of holiness as can ordinarily be expected from men that have still a principle of corruption remaining in them 3. Many of those who has formerly lived a corrupt life when once they are in appearance brought home to Christ do give great evidences of an holy life many that live among the people of God do live very corruptly but when once such men come to embrace the Gospel in appearance many of them do become very exemplary in holiness cast off all their former ways of sin and live an humble spiritual obedient life as far as man can judge But there are two wayes whereby the truth of this is evident above exception One is by the testimony of Gods Word the Scripture does commonly give the title of Saints unto believers hence that title of Saints in Christ Jesus is given to the Church at Philippi 1 Phil. 1. so they are called holy brethren that are partakers of the heavenly calling Heb. 3.1 and Saints and faithful in Christ Jesus are used as terms equivalent Eph. 1.1 all those that are implanted into Christ do crucifie their corruptions Gal 5.24 hence good works are a demonstration of the truth of Faith James 2.18 Another way whereby it is made evident is by the experience of many saints hereby it is made evident to them though not unto the world every believer has experience of a great change in himself though they have many fears whether it be indeed a life of holiness that they live it is exercising unto them whether they go beyond hypocrites and are acted by any higher principles than self-love and confcience yet there be several that at times do evidently see a spirit of holiness working in themselves so that their consciences do bear witness that they are the children of God besides what they do perceive of a daily bent of heart to keep Gods commands there are at times more visible and sensible actings of grace there are times when the strings are wound up to the height when grace breaks forth as the light and the heart is satisfied in that that he has a spirit of holiness John 21.17 Lord thou knowest all things thou knowest that I love thee Psal 18.23 I was also upright before him And this fanctification which the people of God have they have in a way of believing some take sanctification so largely as to comprehend the work of regeneration and count regeneration also an effect of closing with Christ but I will not now discuss that controversy though there is no doubt but regeneration is the fruit of Christs purchase but I take sanctification for that work of Gods spirit whereby he does more and more purge away the remainders of sin and carry on the work of holiness in the hearts of his people and this is the fruit of faith in Christ Acts 26.18 they are sanctified by faith that is in me Gal. 2.20 I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me and this sanctification comes from Christs purchase he has by his death redemed us from the power of sin Tit. 2 4. who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purisie to himself a peculiar people zealous of good works so John 17.1 Pet. 1.18 19. Heb. 9 14. 2 The people of God have inward spiritual comfort in a way of believing in the righteousness of Christ it is very true that many men that do not profess the true religion and many others that tho they do profess the true religion yet do not in sincerity embrace it have much inward comfort under an expectation of blessedness hereafter but the people of God that do believe in Jesus Christ have inward comfort in that way peculiar to themselves Which we may consider under these two heads of peace of conscience and communion with God. 1. The people of God in a way of believing have peace of conscience and this is not a particular priviledge of some believers but a blessing that all do in some degree partake of those men that before their coming to Christ were under the terrors of an evil conscience conscience was terrifying of them and binding them over to eternal judgement do upon their closing with Christ enjoy a tranquility of mind and inward peace Indeed this peace may be interrupted and disturbed because of darkness and temptations and because conscience is but in part satisfyed but they are never brought back to take up such conclusions against themselves as before their closing with Christ but commonly they do enjoy some comfortable serenity of heart have the answer of a good conscience by the resurrection of Christ 1 Pet. 3.21 this comes to pass by these two things 1. When a soul comes to Christ the soul is satisfied that there is peace with God to be obtained in a way of coming to Christ that there is safety in coming to Christ the inward call of the Gospel satisfies the soul that there is salvation in Christ for all that come to him conscience is thereby well satisfied in the sufficiency of Christ the freeness and the fulness of the grace of God 1 Pet. 2.7 to him that believes Christ is precious the objections of the heart are removed by the convincing work of the Spirit 2. The first act of closing with Christ is not so sensibly done but that he does take some notice of it some after acts of faith may be more plain and in continuance of time the soul may lose the exact knowledge of the time of his first closing with Christ and the circumstances of it but this first closing with Christ is not so secret a thing but that it falls under the observation of conscience Jer. 3.22 This is clear For 1. The act it self is very observable when the soul comes at first to close with Christ there is a weighty change
conclude there is some strong current that men are carried away with some great intanglements that men are thus ensnared with though many are not aware of it yet there are mighty temptations to lead them into this mistake and we may reduce them to these Heads 1. The pride of mans heart fallen man is a proud creature tho he has so much to bring down his spirit yet he is extreamly addicted to magnifie himself Job 11.12 vain man would be wise though man be born like a wild Asses colt self-love which is the very root of original sin runs principally in this channel men are miserably devoted to this way of sinning though men have extreamly debased themselves and degraded themselves from that excellency which God bestowed on them yet they are exceeding prone to swell with pride pride is thought to be the first sin of the devil and we are sure there was a great deal of pride in the first sin of man that temptation of being like Gods knowing good and evil had a principal influence into the apostacy of our first Parents and this spirit runs through the life of man from his child-hood to old age therefore called the pride of life 1 Joh. 2.16 how many methods have men found out to gratifie their pride what cost are men at what pains do they take what hazards do they run that they may satisfie this lust of pride men are proud of every thing all natural excellencies acquired endowments external enjoyments are fewel to pride men are proud of their duties and graces yea proud of their sins too proud of the mercies that God bestows on them and proud of the afflictions that they have or have had pride is deeply rooted in the heart of man and hence it is that he is so addicted to seek salvation by his own righteousness the spirit of a self-righteous man is to exalt himself setting up a mans own righteousness is directly contrary to the work of humiliation and the grace of humility a Pharisaical spirit is a proud spirit Luk. 18.14 pride is the reason of mens setting up their own righteousness and it has an influence these two wayes 1. Pride makes men desirous to live upon themselves and to be beholden to the grace of God no more than needs must proud man had rather be the author of his own happiness than to have it in a way of free gift most men had rather earn their living with their fingers end than live upon the charity of other men so in this case men had rather compound with God for heaven upon the account of their own services than be beholden to free grace it would please the haughty heart of man exceedingly to have the honour of saving himself that he might have that to boast of that he had heaven as the fruit of his own labours Boasting is excluded by the law of Faith Rom. 3.27 and therefore the heart don't like that way mens spirits will very hardly come down to take life as a gift from a provoked God men can hardly stoop to it to come to the door of mercy if they can make any other shift they will not do it it is exceeding cross to flesh and blood to have nothing of his own to glory in and to yield himself to be a poor vile and unworthy creature to be altogether helpless in himself man was once set out with a good stock and might have earned heaven and t is very hard to him to yield himself a prodigal he stomacks it to come for alms it would be hard to one especially that has been rich so to do this we may see in the Prodigal Luk. 15.14 15. he began to be in want and went and joyned himself to a Citizen of that Countrey nothing but extremity would bring down his spirit so as to make him return to his Father he had rather work hard than come a begging to his Father 2. Pride makes men conceited of their own Righteousness proud men are wont to have an high opinion of their own things they set an high rate on their own excellencies and so do men of their Righteousness pride makes men unreasonable in their esteem of it they magnifie it beyond all bounds pride hinders them from passing an unpartial judgment upon what they do and are they think their hearts are a great deal better than they be when Hazael was told what he should afterward do he answers the Prophet Is thy Servant a Dog that he should do this thing 1 Kings 8.12 13. they imagine that their corruptions are mortifyed that they love God and Jesus Christ Prov. 30.12 There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes yet not cleansed from their filthiness pride makes them take up a good opinion of their own hearts upon small appearances and when they have only a few pangs of affection presently they are conceited that they have sincere desires after holiness and faith or at least that there is such an inclinableness to the ways of God which will with diligence grow up to be love to God and his Wayes They think they shall bring their hearts to it after a while and are conceited that their services are very pleasing and acceptable to God they think there is worthiness in them that they deserve to be accepted they think they carry it better than others pride makes men to admire their own excellency to fall in love with their own beauty they extol the services that they do because they are their own Luke 18.12 I fast twice in the week and give tithes of all that I possess 2. Another temptation is that God in the Scripture does manifest and testifie his great approbation of holiness and obedience prayer and repentance God gives great encouragement unto men to walk in ways of holiness He bears witness often to his acceptance of the obedience of his people God is all along in the Scripture witnessing the regard that he has unto holiness sometimes he tells us that he does delight in it Psal 15.8 The prayer of the upright is his delight that he loves it Psal 11.7 the Righteous Lord loveth Righteousness that he loveth the Righteous Psa 146 8. The Lord loveth the Righteous that he is reconciled to such as do amend their ways Isai 55.7 let him return unto the Lord and he will have mercy on him and God makes promises of all sorts of blessings unto holiness of outward blessings peace and plenty and honour and long life and of spiritual mercies of the manifestation of himself and communion with them and of eternal life you have your fruit unto holiness and the end everlasting life Rom. 6 22. men meeting with abundance of such passages in the Scripture are greatly strengthened in their apprehensions of the efficacy of their own righteousness to procure their justification such passages of Scripture are strained by them and they grow up thereby into a more established opinion of their safety upon
be put into them so the heart of a sinner must be first prepared before it be united unto Christ Act 2.37 9.4 5 16.29 30 and hence the call of the Gospel is particularly directed to them that are prepared to such as are a thirst Isai 55.1 to such as are weary and heavy laden Mat. 11.28 not but that it is other mens duty also to believe but because it is their next and immediate work to close with Christ whereas it is other mens next work to come off from the World and out of themselves in order to their closing with Christ There are two degrees of this preparation the first is a work of awakening whereby the sinner is convinced of a present necessity of peace and reconciliation with God whereby be is put upon a diligent use of all means in order to his salvation the other is Humiliation whereby the sinner is brought out of himself and off from all his carnal confidences to yield himself a Prisoner to God until the soul be thus humbled he is not capable of Faith men will not come to Christ till they are convinced of an absolute necessity of Christ men will never take salvation as a gift of free grace until they are convinced of the necessity of the free grace of God they that are whole need not the Physitian but they that are sick Mat. 11.12 and they that conceit themselves whole do conceit that they don't need the Physitian men that do not come off from all their own confidences will not put their confidence in Christ and therefore until men have this work of Humiliation God does not open their eyes to see the offer of the Gospel so that whatsoever Faith men have that have not had a work of Humiliation their Faith is not of the right kind for this is the manner of God whenever he has fully prepared a soul for Faith by a work of Humiliation then to infuse Faith and many times he does it presently when he has by the wonderful work of his spirit prepared a sinner for Christ he does bestow Christ upon him though I dare not say there is any direct promise made to Humiliation in the Scripture a man is not an heir of the promises till he does believe yet universal experience does confirm it it seems to be in this case as in the work of nature when the Child in the womb is prepared for a soul God does alwayes infuse a soul into it though there be no such promise so where the sinner is prepared for Faith God does infuse that In order to your making use of this Trial we shall consider what this work of Humiliation is and the manner how it is wrought Question What is the work of Humiliation Answer 1. Negatively in two particulars 1. It is not a broken bleeding spirit for sin many men take it to be so and when they understand that they must be humbled before their coming to Christ they strive after this broken frame of spirit and when they find but little of it they complain they are not humbled enough and give that as a â—â—ason why they do not come to Christ but what sinners find this way is more like humility than humiliation men think if they could get much of this Spirit they should be prepared for Christ indeed but this is quite another thing from that humiliation that does go before Faith. Argument 1. This appears because an unregenerate man can't trnly mourn for sin from what principle should he do it before he is born again he may be grieved for it under other considerations as it exposes him to a great deal of misery here and hereafter yea as it is in it self evil but not as the greatest evil as it is against God to suppose that a man can sincerely mourn for sin before his conversion it is to suppose him converted before his conversion it is in regeneration that all the graces of the Spirit are implanted in the heart it is then that the heart of stone is taken away Ezek. 11.9 while men remain in a state of nature as they do under this work of humiliation it is absolutely beyond them to hate sin or mourn for sin nature improved by common conviction will never produce this effect every naturul man is dead in sin Eph. 2.1 all his works in religion are dead works Heh 9.14 there is no inclination in his heart to mourn for sin men must have a work of new creation upon them before they can do this Eph. 2.10 created in Christ Jesus unto good works Argument 2. While natural men seem to have relentings and breakings of heart for sin it is impossible but they should put their confidence therein as long as he does imagine that there are any good affections in himself he will be lifted up with them these affections will keep him from being humbled men will feed upon these husks as long as they can get them there is no bringing of a natural man out of his strong hold until it be thrown to the ground a bleeding heart is meat for carnal confidence there is that spirit of pride and slavish fear in natural men that as long as they can imagine any good in themselves they will hang upon it Rev. 3 17. thou sayest thou art rich and increased in goods Argument 3. When a man is indeed under the work of humiliation he sees he cannot mourn for sin he sees his mourning frames are gone he finds his heart shut up and the pangs of affection which he sometime had gone beyond recovery in order to the work of Humiliation God makes men to see their hard hearts and hence they are wont to complain when God is about to humble them that God has left them and is giving them over to an hard heart But it is one thing to be judiciously hardned another to have their eyes opened to see the natural hardness of their heart then a man sees that his heart is an heart of stone Argument 4. Mourning for sin is a fruit of reconciliation it folows upon the revealing of the mercy of God in Christ all the sorrow and shame that went before were meerly legal but evangelical repentance follows Faith men never come to have any genuine mourning for sin before they are converted all that went before was in hypocrisie but a spirit of repentance flows from faith and is peculiar to such as are reconciled Ezek. 6. ult thou shalt loath thy self when I am pacified towards thee for all that thou bast done saith the Lord God. 2. Humiliation is not a willingness to be damned some have thought that to be necessary and that this was humiliation some have thought they have attained to this and 't is possible that under some strong pang persons may find somewhat of this nature but certainly they did not know their own hearts in it neither does God require any such thing of men in order to their coming to
sign of an hypocrite to trust in his own duties and they set themselves to trust in Christ and think they do somewhat at it but their way of living is upon themselves and they are very great strangers to Christ this is not the guise of the people of God gal 2.20 the life thut I live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God. 3. Such persons as cannot venture upon Christ when they are in the dark about their estate when they think that they see signs that they are converted then they can believe they are very forward but when in the dark no Gospel encouragements will prevail upon them a saint may find it very difficult at such a time but a false heart stayes till he can discern some more hopes of his good condition before he can believe such a man does not live a life of Faith. Before I pass this way of trial I shall answer some Doubts about it that sometimes trouble the People of God. Doubt 1. I fear I do not live a life of Faith because I find abundance of unbelief I am exceeding distrustful see little as I ought to see of the excellency of Christ of the stability of the Covenant or of the freeness of Gods grace Answer It may be so and yet your Faith may be right there is a backwardness in Saints to believe Luk. 24.25 26. O fools and stow of heart to believe Saints have but a little Faith they that have most have but a little Rev 3.8 this is the general complaint of the people of God and generally it is from Faith that they are burdened with unbelief a spirit of Faith makes men qualified to discern their unbelief and makes men see an hainous evil in it Doubt 2. I fear I dont live a life of Faith because I am very ready to give way to a spirit of carnal confidence I am sure tâ—eâ—e is a great deal of false Faith in me if there be any stirrings of affection I am ready to idolize them and stay upon them Answer You may possibly think there is more carnal confidence working in you than there is hope of your good condition should be strengthened by the sanctifying fruits of the Spirit they are good signs but I grant you are not to be carnally confident though your Faith be of the right kind and you live a life of Faith yet you will be troubled with a spirit of carnal confidence as long as you live Mat. 13.27 Prov. 30.6 where the Apostle sayes we have no confidence in the flesh Phil. 3.3 his meaning is not that carnal confidence is wholly mortified but their Doctrine was that no confidence was to be in the flesh and they allowed none Doubt 3. I fear I dont live a life of Faith because my Faith brings me in so little supplies of Grace and Comfort God dont seem to own it Answer You gain confiderably by your Faith if you gain this to be kept following of God 1 Pet. 1.5 you must not be discouraged because God does not give you such signs as you desire Joh. 20 29. Blessed are they that have not seen and yet have believed the measures of comfort that God gives to his People are very various and sometimes God puts his people upon it against hope to believe in hope and that is a sign of a good Faith when a man sees but little coming and yet will believe still Rom. 4.18 Abraham against hope believed in hope Doubt 4. I am afraid because I am so bold to trust in God from time to time though I have so much sin I am afraid it is a life of Presumption not Faith Answer There is indeed a boldness to trust in God from conceits of mens worth that is not right but there is a two fold boldness that God will never blame men for one is the bearing up of their heart with the hopes of Gods favour upon good experience of it notwithstanding sin only you must beware you do not make light of sin because God has given you such hopes the other is a depending on Jesus Christ for the pardon of sin and accepting Gods offer notwithstand your sins yea though you have not such brokenness of heart as does become you Heb. 4.16 Let us come boldly to the Throne of Grace 4. Try the truth of your Faith by that holiness that does accompany and flow from Faith in Jesus Christ they that are true believers do lead an holy life Holiness does accompany Faith and therefore believers are commonly in Scripture stiled Saints 2 Cor. 1.1 there is a concatenation of Graces where there is one grace there is all as it is in a natural man all the natural faculties of the soul do accompany each other they live and dye together so it is with the several graces that are in Saints the same principle of Grace does inable the Soul to all sorts of holy actions Grace in the heart is but one principle though in respect of its various actings and objects it does receive various denominations and wherever Faith is it is accompanied with universal holiness and therefore holiness is given as a Sign and Character of Believers Gal. 5.24 they that are Christs have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts the actings of Faith go hand in hand with the excercise of other graces Faith is alwayes attended with universal holiness hence there are so many promises of Salvation made unto those that are holy though it be Faith only that gives men a title to heaven yet there are promises made unto holiness because that is a property of believers and hence also there are so many threatnings unto those that live unholily Heb. 12.14 without holiness no man shall see the Lord. And indeed holiness does not only accompany Faith but the exercise of it does flow from Faith Faith has a great influence into an holy life the actings of Faith upon the whole Word of God does greatly quicken a spirit of obedience it is a spirit of Faith that makes all the Arguments which the Scripture is full of to become powerful upon the heart whatever God proposes to us in his Word to make us obedient it will not have that effect upon our heart if it be not entertained by Faith men believe commands incouragements threatnings and so they become efficacious upon the heart the whole Word of God works on men as it is entertained by Faith all graces are quickened and drawn into exercise in this way men believe and hope they believe and love they believe and repent the Will and Affections never act in a gracious way but when the understanding does discover ground so to do by Faith we understand spiritual things and so our hearts are carried after them what ever grace is acted Faith is acted together with it and therefore in the 11th to the Hebrews whatever the Patriarcks did and suffered for God is ascribed to Faith. But as other
yielded any real obedience unto God therefore this threatning cannot be understood of the certain ruine of all that have hardned their necks after many reproofs if you he of this number there is free liberty and good encouragement for you to come to Christ notwithstanding Objection 5. But I am afraid that God has given me up to judicial hardness of heart that he has taken his spirit away from me and if so he does not intend me in the call of the gospel Answer 1. There is an hardness of heart that is not judicial indeed every man by nature is under the power of an hard heart there may be abundance of hard heartedness in you though no judicial hardness there may be some legal softness and tenderness and relenting where there is judicial hardness as it was with Pharaoh so there may be hardness where there is no judicial hardness this is an evidence of it because God promises them to take away the hardness of their hearts Ezek. 11.19 I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and I will give you an heart of flesh 2. Many others have feared that they have been judicially hardened that have afterwards been converted they that are judicially hardened do not use to be perplexed with this fear the judgment it self is wont to deliver them from fears of this kind but it is a frequent thing for souls under trouble to be afraid of this others have seen afterwards that they have been mistaken and so may you 3. The reasons why persons under the work of conversion fear that they are given up to hardness and that the Spirit of God has forsaken them is because the spirit does after a while change its way of working when the Spirit begins to work upon them his manner is to discover their danger and after a while to give them some encouragement whereby they come to have strong affections sorrow desire delight and now they are easily perswaded that the Spirit is at work with them and dont look upon themselves hardened but after a while when these affection fail them and they find themselves dull and senseless now they are afraid that the Spirit has left them whereas the reason is the spirit has changed his work and is about to shew them what hearts they have in order to the work of Humiliation if men could maintain their lively affections they would never come to Christ therefore the Spirit of God does leave them unto and lead them into an experimental knowledg of the hardness of their hearts so that this is no sign of the Spirits leaving you but an effect of the presence of the Spirit his manner is to convince men that they are poor and wretched and blind and miserable Rev. 3.17 4. The conditional offer of the gospel is made to you how hard soever your heart is you are called and if you will accept you shall be saved God rejects none that come to him by Christ do you accept the gospel and God will never object your hard-heartedness against you he never turned any away because their hearts were hard come to him and he will give you pardon and a soft heart too Objection 6. I am afraid I have committed that sin for which there is no Sacrifice it is said if we sin wilfully after we have received the knowledg of the truth there remaineth no more Sacrifice for sin Heb. 10.26 and I am afraid it is so with me for I have had great enlightnings and since I have been enlightned I have been guilty of a great deal of rebellion against God and have felt the workings of enmity to God in my heart and if so it is a vain thing for me to come to Christ he was not sacrificed for such Answer For the answering of this Doubt I shall open this Scripture to you and shew you what is meant by sinning and by wilful sinning 1. By sinning here is not meant any sort of sin but some special sin particularly the sin of Apostacy and renouncing of the gospel this is evident because this sin is that which he speaks of in the verse immediately preceding there he speaks of mens casting off their Christian society and therewith the profession of the truth which is the thing he disswades from in this verse and he evidently speaks of Apostacy when he comes to explain his meaning more sully ver 29. he calls this sin a treading under foot the Son of God c besides the same Apostle speaking of the same sin Heb 6.6 calls it a falling a way 2. By sinning or apostatizing wilfully we are to understand a malicious apostacy the word indeed does signifie willingly but it also signifies spitefully or maliciously or as in our version wilfully there are three ways that men may apostatize from the profession of the Gospel they may do it ignorantly when men are blinded by the arguments of Hereticks they may do it against their light through a spirit of fear as some good men have done and many others that have not sinned unpardonably in time of Persecution many have through weakness denied the Gospel they may do it spitefully and maliciously that is here intended for they are said ver 29. to do despite to the Spirit of grace by this you may fee that though there have been many backslidings after your illumination though you have had a stubborn and rebellious heart yet you may be free from the sin here intended and have opportunity to come with acceptance unto Christ Objection 7. I have not the qualifications that are mentioned sometimes in the invitation of the Gospel as Isa 55.1 Ho every one that thirsteth come ye to the waters Mat. 11.28 come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest therefore I fear I am not invited Answer 1. Some persons have these qualifications that fear they have not some men think they are not a thirst because they don't find longing desire after Christ their hearts are dead and senseless they don't find any love unto Christ but souls may be said to be a thirst when they are in want of refreshing when their souls are parched under the sense of Gods anger their hearts are ready to fail for want of comfort so they think they are not heavy laden because sin is not such a burden to them as it should be because they have not an heart to mourn for sin but there is no man can mourn for sin aright until he has closed with Christ but you are heavy laden if the anger of God and your danger do load you and you can't find any means in your selves to ease you of your burden Act. 16.30 What must I do to be save 2. The invitation is not confined to men that have these qualifications but only particularly applied unto them such are under special temptation and have special need of support it is one thing to apply the call to one particular
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
is the way to have grace quickned and strengthned Faith in Christ is the greatest furtherance of repentance and holiness Faith discovering the grace of God in Jesus Christ melts the heart for sin and arms the heart against it and Faith in Christ is the great ordinance of the Gospel for the subduing of sin in this way God will give his Spirit to work repentance and holiness Gal. 2.20 I live by Faith in the Son of God Isa 6.56 he that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me and I in him 3. The next thing to be considered is what course Christians should take that they may live a life of Faith upon Christs Righteousness and not be discouraged Direction 1. Diligently attend the Ordinances of God unto that end the Ordinances of God have a tendency to stir up Faith as well as other graces and it is in that way that God has promised his presence and Spirit God delights to be found in ways appinted by himself God has not said that we should seek him in vain Isa 45.19 Christ will be present with us in those ways Mat. 28.20 Gods very prescribing of means is an encouragement unto us to attend upon them especially when he has annexed his promise to the same if men be remiss and slighty in attending upon Gods Ordinances they are not likely to thrive in faith or any other grace it would be no wonder if they should wither away and live in a dark discouraged condition but if christians be careful to attend Ordinances and improve them for the strengthning of their faith they are in a hopeful way to thrive no wonder if there be a blast upon the inventions of men but experience teaches the people of God to say it is good for us to draw nigh unto God Psal 73 28. God can make faith to flourish without Ordinances and so he can maintain mens bodily strength without food he can reveal himself to those that seldom wait upon him but his manner is to dole out his spiritual gifts at his own gates he can make them flourish else where if he please but he chooses to do it in his own courts Psal 92.13 14. the Psaimist might have understood the end of the wicked in another place if God had pleased but he chose to give him the understanding of it in the Sanctuary Psal 73 17. God has appointed the place where we shall meet with him and there we must wait for him if men desire to flourish in faith they must be diligently improving Ordinances that way God loves to honour his own Ordinances and help his people in a way of Obedience and give forth his presence in such a way that they may see his faithfulness as well as his mercy beware that you do not under any pretences grow negligent in waiting upon God some men are carried away with a sluggish spirit they cannot endure to take the pains to wait upon God constantly and solemnly they love their ease and indulge themselves in a lazy way of carrying an end their religion and some are carried away with a worldly spirit they are Martha like cumbring themselves with much buisiness involving themselves so deep in the world that they can find little leasure to wait upon God their worldly buisiness over-rules their religion if you give way to these lusts conclude upon it that you will not thrive in faith you must be content with a little faith that give way to a slighty spirit in waiting upon God you never knew an eminent believer that was not a great prizer of Ordinances in this way there is hope that Faith will increase therefore diligently attend them Particularly 1. Read the Word of God diligently it is very useful to this end to read the writings of faithful and experienced men such books are of great use for the understanding of the Scripture but there is a peculiar usefulness in the Word of God it self because that is without error and mistake it is given by inspiration from God 2 Tim. 3.16 in other mens writings you have the judgment of men and many times their judgments are according to the Word of God and cleard up from thence but in the Scripture you have the testimony of God himself there is a divine authority in the Scripture the Scripture is the sentence of God a message from God it is cloathed with divine Majesty the Word of God has a power over the conscience there is secret vertue in it to stir up Faith there is a majesty and commanding authority in the Scripture yea the Scripture is sanctified by God to work upon the hearts of men Joh. 20.31 these are written that ye might believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God there is a special advantage in it to hear God speaking in his own language 2. Frequently attend the preaching of the Word that which God makes use of especially for the begeting of Faith is very proper for the nourishing of it Rom. 10.17 Faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the Word of God this is an ordinance as well as the reading of the Word and there is a special usefulness in it several ways the life and zeal that is in the delivery is of special use and a great means to affect the heart in the preaching of the Word counsels and encouragements are directed more partiticularly unto them and that by those that God has set over them that must give an account of their souls Act. 20.28 yea the very solemnity of the Assembly does help to solemnize the heart and prepare it to receive what is spoken from the Word of God. And therefore you should be forward to take opportunities for the hearing of the Word men had need have weighty grounds before they remove to such places where they are like to live many years without the preaching of the Word on to such places that they and their families can seldom come to the Publick Assembly and you had need be careful that you do not make frivolous excuses to stay away from the House of God if the weather be difficult or if there be some small bodily indisposition many count they have a good warrant to stay at home persons that could overlook such difficulties in order to a worldly design and although there be more liberty respecting weekly opportunities especially in neighbour places yet you had need have the weight of those two things upon your heart that you don't cast contempt upon the Ordinance of God and that you don't neglect the advantages that God gives for spiritual profit Psal 122.1 I was glad when they said unto me let us go into the House of the Lord. 3. Attend the Sacrament of the Lords Supper the great design of this Ordinance is for the strengthning of Faith therein is offered to us special communion with a crucified Saviour therein is a sacramental representation made before us of the death of Christ therein is a special offer
made unto us of the blood of Christ for the remission of sins Mat. 26.26 27 28. herein the hearts of Gods people have had peculiar establishment some when in a discouraged condition are backward to come to this Ordinance the Devil has a great hand in it to keep them from that which is the means of help they are afraid that they shall eat and drink judgment to themselves but God no where requires a faith of assurance in those that partake of that Ordinance this Ordinance is a special help to those that are in the dark with a good conscience and though it must be granted that to partake of it without Faith is a sin and so deserves damnation and so it does to pray or hear without Faith yet when the Apostle says that he that eateth and drinketh unworthily eateth and drinketh damnation or judgment to himself 1 Cor. 11.21 he intends particularly that evil of not distinguishing this eating and drinking from common eating or drinking doing it either ignorantly or profanely therefore he adds not discerning the Lords Body 4. Be earnest with God in prayer for the strengthning of Faith Christ prayed for Peter on this account Luk. 22.32 and on the same account we should pray for our selves prayer is the way to win any thing that we need from God importunate prayer is like the sword of Saul that returned not empty tho' the people of God are compassed with infirmities yet their prayers are very prevailing Elias was a man of like passions yet his prayers were successful God loves to gratifie his people he takes delight in the exercise of their graces in prayer he loves to encourage them in waiting on him according to his appointment therefore constantly attend this duty and be much in secret prayer be often pouring out your heart unto him this is duty Mat. 6 6. and in this way christians have much communion with God whereby their faith is strengthned such christians as can make shift so to stifle their consciences as to be negligent in this duty lose a great advantage for their flourishing in faith and holiness 5. In case of need advise with those that can help you when under darkness and temptation have recourse to such as can direct you that can speak words in season to them that are weary make use of such as are skilful and faithful some out of fearfulness or pride or through ignorance of their duty go with an heavy load upon their hearts a long while whereas it may be their scruples might be easily answered if they would have recourse to those that have skill by the blessing of God they might soon be led into such a way that they might have comfort Joh 33.23 if there be a messenger with him an interpreter one among a thousand to shew unto man his uprightness God fits some men to discover mens uprightness unto them and to shew them how to get it have recourse to such as may be able to comfort you with the comfort whereby they themselves are comforted of God. 6. Rely upon God in Christ to maintain Faith in you it is needful to have all your expectation from him if men be in the use of means for the strengthening of Faith and trust to their own endeavours they give God occasion to blast their labours and leave them to the doubtings and discouragements of their own hearts no wonder if God lets them fall that trust to their own strength you are not able to maintain a spirit of Faith in your selves nor to fortifie your hearts against discouragements by any power or wisdom of your own therefore it is fit you should depend on God in Christ to work it in you Christ is our under aker to preserve Faith Heb. 12.2 He is the author and finisher of Faith therefore be not proud of your own strength but under a sence of your own inability rely on Christ to work it in you continually Direction 2. Get a more clear large and distinct understanding of this way of salvation by Jesus Christ many Christians are exposed unto temptation by their ignorance though they know that that is a sufficient foundation for Faith yet they are but rude in knowledg greatly to seek about many things that they need to know for the establishing of their Faith many Christians fall under that reproof Heb. 5.12 ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the Oracles of God it is a great help against Discouragement to have a clear knowledg of the Gospel the highest degree of literal knowledg is not sufficient to make a man believe but without litteral knowledge there can be no Faith and without a considerable measure of it you will be in great danger to be out bid with such temptations as you might easily see thorow if you had more knowledg and therefore the Apostle exhorts them to grow in the knowledg of Christ 2 Pet. 3.18 Christians should be able to give a reason of the hope that is in them 1 Pet. 3.15 when they are under doubts a little information about the way of salvation by the gospel does remove their doubts therefore labour to get a distinct knowledg of the gospel that you may be able to give account of the design of God in it as it is revealed in the gospel of the equity of it and its consistency with the Law of the absolute freedome of the grace of God of the true reason why Christ died of the terms of the covenant of Grace and of the manner of Gods dealing with his when he brings them into union with Christ and after their union with him a clear knowledg of these and such like things are of great advantage unto faith two wayes 1. It supplies us with Arguments to prove this way of salvation hereby men are furnished with strong reasons for the confirmation of their Faith these things do shew that the salvation of a Believer is built upon a strong foundation by reason of mens ignorance men are strangers to many things that would confirm their Faith there be many things in the Gospel that would clear it up to men it they did know them that it is impossible that believers should fail of Salvation Men might if they had more knowledg be able many wayes to prove undeniably that it is a safe thing for them to come to Christ 2. It supplies us with answers to temptations and many carnal reasonings the strength of many of those reasonings that prove perplexing to the people of God lies in their ignorance many temptations would presently vanish if men had more understanding the objections that many times men are perplexed with are easily answered by those that are more skilful in the word of righteousness there is enough in the Gospel to satisfie their scruples if they did but understand it many things that are great stumbling blocks to them would not puzzle them at all if they had more knowledg Direction 3.
the heart is darkening that light which God has put in and though it cant utterly extinguish it yet it raises many mists that do obscure it Paul himself that seems to be second to none in the knowledg of Christ intimates that he was sensible of a great want here in that expression that he may know him the power of his resurrection Phil. 3.10 There are these frames of heart that the people of God are subject unto that do plainly demonstrate that there is but little Faith concerning this Doctrine the first is a slighty frame concerning it as if it were not a matter of much moment whether it were true or no sometimes when Saints are meditating of it or hearing of it and the invitations of grace there is a senseless and regardless frame as if it were not worthy observation Discourses of that kind are not relished but become light food whereas if it were received by a lively Faith it would be affecting being a thing of greatest concernment the Doctrine of the Gospel when entertained by Faith is as a cordial to the Soul it is meat and drink to it Cant. 2.3 I sat under his shadow with great delight this Doctrine is full of sweetness and comfort 1 Pet. 1.9 16. Acts 1.34 the more assurance men have of the truth of it the more comforting power it has on the heart The second is a self righteous frame for as this spirit reigns in many natural men so it prevails much in Saints there is a great aptitude to be comforting of themselves in the hopes of acceptance with God from their own graces and duties not only as an evidence but as that which does ingratiate them with God hence they are more ready to trust in God when under the sence of gracious frames and their holy carriages then at other times whereas were they under the lively apprehensions of the certainty of this way of Salvation by Christs righteousness they would see there were no need of these things to commend them to God and were there not secret jealousies about the sufficiency of Christs righteousness for them they would not be so ready to catch at any appearance of somewhat in themselves to commend them to God such carriages are to be layed to the charge of an unbelieving heart The third is a discouraged frame Christians are many times much over-born with this frame their spirits are sunk within them lest they be not upright for fear they never had a thorow work of regeneration there are many more immediate occasions of this sometimes because they have not a distinct knowledg of the several steps of the spirit of God under the work sometimes because they see so little sanctification sometimes because they imagine that God does not deal with them as with such as are truly converted he dont answer their prayers comfort their Souls meet them in Ordinances as he does others but the very foundation and root of their discouragement is their doubtings of the truth of the Gospel for we may observe that men under discouragement are still harping upon the greatness of their provocations and their unworthy carriages they run in a legal strain they are still insisting on the multitude and aggravations of their sins had men but a spirit of Faith prevailing in them these would be humbling things but not discouraging men would not so harp on this thing but would see enough in Christ to quiet their hearts Psal 71.16 45 Isai 24. and accordingly it is observable that when a Saint is under greatest discouragements if God does but open his eyes to see indeed this way of Salvation by Christ he will no longer stand insisting upon his fears but with comfort and joy roll himself on Christ the inward discoveries of the Gospel make his temptations vanish yea he does not only rejoyce in Christ but can sometimes discern that sincerity which he was so doubtful of before indeed the doubting of the Gospel does not only make the hearts of men fail when they are fearful of their sincerity but it has often also a considerable influence into those doubtings about sincerity and hinder men from seeing those evidences that are discernable of their uprightness by all which it does appear that it is a matter of solemn care that sinners be convinced and assured of the truth of this Doctrine that it is safe appearing in the righteousness of Christ and that Saints also be further convinced that they may grow up to all the riches of the full assurance of understanding to the acknowledgment of the mystery of God even of the Father and of Christ as the Apostle speaks Col. 2.2 which is the design of this present Treatise CHAP. II. TWo Things Promised 1. THe possibility of Salvation of Sinners it is not beyond Gods Mercy nor contrary to his Justice 2. What is intended by the Righteousness of Christ To make the way to the Subject proposed more plain I shall premise two things First That there is a possibility of the Salvation of Sinners for a sinner when his Conscience is awakened lies open to that temptation among others that it is impossible for such an one as he to be saved and these fears arise upon a double account the first is he fears it is beyond the mercy of God to pardon him his sins are so great that they have turned away the heart of God from him that God cannot find in his heart to pity and pardon such a sinner as he is man is very prone to limit the mercy of God and entertain low and dishonourable thoughts of his grace especially when under a sense of his anger but such an imagination as this is altogether groundless what his merciful purposes are towards this or that particular man is beyond us to determine till he makes it known but no man has cause to question the sufficiency of Gods mercy in order to his pardon and salvation there is an infinite Ocean of mercy in his heart sufficient for all sinners To clear up this I shall shew first wherein the merciful nature of God does consist and then shew you the greatness of it For the first The merciful nature of God is a divine perfection whereby he can find in his heart to shew mercy if he pleases a merciful nature in man is a bent and inclination of heart unto the exercises of mercy the heart of man is biassed set and bent that way but we must not conceive this of God the merciful purposes of God were the free actings of his own will God was an absolute free Agent either to bestow mercy or deny it as he pleased if he had naturally an inclination to shew mercy he could not have forborn to shew mercy without going contrary to the inclination of his own heart the exercise of mercy does not flow necessarily from the merciful nature of God but he exercises grace freely from His Sovereign Wiâ—l and Pleasure there is nothing in Gods
received ye the Spirit by the works of the law or by the hearing of faith Gal. 3.2 the law is not of faith Gal. 2.12 if the inheritance be of the law it is no mere of promise gal 3.5 18. if there had been given a law that could have given life verily righteousness should have been by the law Gal. 3 21. that I may be found in him not having mine own righteousness which is of the Law but that which is through the faith of Christ the righteousness which is of God by faith Phil 3 9 by the deeds of the law shall no flesh be justified in his sight but now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested Rom 3 20 31 we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law Rom 3.28 if they that are of the law he heirs faith is made void Rom 4 14 if by grace it is no more of works Rom 11 6 by these places it seems there is no need of having the righteousness of the law in order to our justification The resolution of this doubt does depend upon the right understanding of what is meant by the law and by the works of the law by the law he intends a meer covenant of works abstracted from that gracious way of accomplishing of it which God has revealed in the Gospel and thus the law is utterly uncapable of justifying of us it is weak through the flesh Rom 8.3 and the way of life by the law is distinguished from that way by faith for though the covenant of works leaves room for salvation by Christ and does no way forbid such a way of salvation yet it provides no Mediator for fallen man yea is utterly silent as to a Mediator for him leaves sinful man in a perishing condition denouncing the curse against him shews him no way of salvation tells him not of any possibility of salvation the covenant of works made no provision for salvation but it gave way to mans salvation in case the righteousness of it were fulfilled by a surety so that the way of life by the law and by the Gospel are divers ways but not opposite the covenant of grace supposes a covenant of works and finds out a new way of fulfilling it yet the practise of those who sought Justification by the covenant of works alone was contrary to the doctrine of grace whosoever is justified by the Law that is seeks to be justified on conceits that he is justified by the law is fallen from grace Gal 4 5. the Law and Gospel are indeed by God in a glorious subordination one to the other but men by seeking to be justified by the covenant of works alone do set one in opposition to the other By the works of the law the Apostle understands such works as men themselves do perform in conformity to the law this is evident because he calls them his own righteousness which is of the Law Phil. 3.9 and these works are utterly uncapable of justifying us though Christs works according to the law are the matter of our justification Rom 5.19 but our personal conformity to the law being attended with so much imperfection can't justifie us we must seek our justification by the righteousness that the law requires but not by our own works according to the law Israel is not blamed for seeking after the righteousness that is the righteousness of the law but because they sought it as it were by the works of the Law Rom. 9.31 32. For the fuller clearing up of this Truth that Christ has performed the Righteousness that the Law required of us whereupon the satisfaction of our Consciences does so much depend I shall briefly speak to these Particulars 1. What is the Covenant of Works 2. What difference is there between the Covenant of Works and the Covenant with Adam 3. That the Covenant of Works did admit of a Mediator 4. That Jesus Christ is a Mediator 5. Christs work as Mediator was not to restore man to his former condition but to bring him to Salvation 6. That Christ has performed the Righteousness of the Law. 7. That he performed the Righteousness of the Law for us 8. That this is sufficient for the Elect of God in all Ages 9. That he has so purchased Salvation that the Elect cannot fail of it The first thing to be considered is What is the Covenant of Works as it relates to Man I shall not now consider it as the Angels are concerned in it and I shall give this deseription of it The Covenant of works is an everlasting Rule of Righteousness wherein God requires perfect Obedience as the condition of Life and forbids all disobedience on pain of Death the Explication of this may be taken up in these Propositions PROPOSITION I. The Covenant of Works is not an agreement between God and man but a rule of Righteousness between them sometimes the word Covenant is taken for a promise without condition Gen. 9.11 but frequently for a Law with promises and threathings persons indeed are not taken into the Covenant of Grace without their actual consent but this is not necessary in other Covenants as in the Covenant that God makes with the Infant seed of his People Deut. 5.3 29. Deut. 15. the children of Gods people are born under this Covenant that is under that Law with such sanctions so in the Covenant of works there is no need that Man should consent Adam did not give his consent antecedently to the making of the Covenant for he was made under it and there are millions of men that never gave any consent unto it yet hand as firmly bound by it as if they did God being infinitely mans superiour and having a Legislative power over him might make him under such a Covenant without asking his consent this covenant is nothing else but a righteous rule which God by his own authority has constituted between himself and man according unto which he will distribute awards and punishments to men In this covenant God has given Law unto himself marked out a path for himself to walk in he was at liberty might if he had pleased have forborn to exact punishment for sin might have annihilated man after a course of perfect obedience might have chose in some other way to have rewarded his obedience might have bestowed blessedness on him as an absolute free gift without any condition at all but in this covenant he has bound up himself and laid down a rule according to which he will proceed PROPOSITION II. The covenant of Works is an everlasting rule of righteousness between God and man this is a Rule that God never will vary from it is not proper to say that the covenant of works is abrogated it is very true that the condemning power of it respecting Believers is taken away but that is by the fulfilling of the Law not abrogating of it the covenant of works does yet continue in its full force it takes
argue that the everlasting purpose of God to save us by the sufferings of Christ cannot be disanulled by a law that was made in time and therefore that law must be so understood as not to cross that design The fourth thing to be cleared is That Jesus Christ is a Mediator Though the law left room for a Mediator yet God was at liberty whether he would provide one or no but he has provided Christ and put him into this Office. Christ stands in that relation of a Mediator and this implies both duty and authority to work out all our salvation for us both as to the purchasing and also the applying of salvation That Christ Jesus is a Mediator is set down in express terms 1 Tim. 2.5 There is one Mediator between God and man the Man Christ Jesus the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is peculiar to the holy Scripture Socinus would have it to signifie only Gods Interpreter and it may be that may be the meaning Gal. 3.19 it was ordained by angels in the hand of a Mediator but the word generally notes one that stands between God and man to make up the breach that sin had made that this is intended in the forementioned place is evident by the next words ver 6 who gave himself a ransome for all so that his mediation consisted in giving himself a ransom or at least he was such a Mediator as did give himself a ransom this must also be the meaning of the word Heb. 9.15 and for this cause he is the Mediator of the New Testament that by means of his death for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first Testament they which are ealled may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance There is plainly held forth that he executed his Mediatorly Office in dying for transgression and in order to our injoying an eternal inheritance The same Mediatorly Office of Christ is held forth 1 Cor. 8.5 6. for though there be that are called Gods whether in heaven or in earth as there be Gods many and Lords many but to us there is but one God the Father of whom are all things and we in him and one Lord Jesus Christ by whom are all things and we by him The Heathens did distinguish between their Gods into celestial and terrestial the celestial and soveraign Gods they thought to be immortal of a sublime and pure nature the terrestial were the Deified souls of famous men deceased whose Office it was to be as Mediators and Agents between the soveraign Gods and mortal men these they called Baalims or Lords unto these superior and inferior Gods hâ—d toes elegantly allude ver 6. so that when he says that to al 's there is but one Lord he means one Mediator the same Mediatorly Office of Jesus Christ is held forth forth in those titles of Prophet Priest and King which are frequently given unto him and contain under them the several parts of his Mediatorly Office There are three things requisite unto the Mediatorly Office of Christ the fitness of his person the consent of the Father and his own consent The first thing requisite was the fitness of his person whereby he was capable of discharging this Office it did not become infinite Wisdom to lay such a task on one that was uncapable of performing it and this requisite was found in Jesus Christ this undertaking was too great for any meer creature but it was not too heavy a burden for the shoulders of Jesus Christ he was fit to purchase our salvation and also to apply it and upon this account he was much prized by God he is said to be Elect and Precious 1 Pet. 2.6 as a Prince prizes some men because they are of such abilities that they are fit to serve him in the greatest Offices of the Kingdom so God having a design to save sinners he prizes Christ as a person fit to bring about that design The principal fitness of Jesus Christ for the work of Mediator consists in his being God man in our person yet we must not think that he did not enter into his Office till he was actually incarnate the incarnation was necessary to his full discharge of that work but he entred into his Office and began to fulfil it before his incarnation our sins were not actually imputed to him till his incarnation but he was a Mediator immediately upon the fall of man from that time his blood was efficacious Rev. 13.8 He is the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world from the time of the making of the covenant of grace he was a Mediator Heb. 12.24 and the salvation of the Patriarks in the first ages of the world was the fruit of the mediation of Christ and therefore that solemn consecration of Christ at the time of his Baptism was not unto the Office of a Mediator but the work of his publick Ministry Christ by being man was fitted as for some other parts of his Office so especially to fulfil the law for man to obey and suffer for us had he been only God he had been uncapable of obedience or sufferings had he taken upon him the nature of angels he had been uncapable of obeying and suffering for us the Mosaical Law concerning the right of redemption in the kinsman did typifie that Christ should be our kinsman this manifested what God intended but that doth not prove that there was a necessity of it but if he had assumed the angelical nature he could not have fulfilled that law that was given to man the precepts and curses of the law were fitted to mans nature and some of them could not be fulfilled By the angelical nature besides the teuour of the covenant of works with man ran thus that man must fulfil the righteousness of the law and in case of disobedience man must bear the curse of it this the Apostle shews when he teaches us that because we did partake of flesh and blood Christ also partook of the same that by death he might deliver us Heb. 2.14 and intimates ver 16. that if he had taken the nature of angels it would not have served the turn and whereas he adds that he took on him the seed of Abraham we are not to understand that there was any necessity of that any further than from the promises and prophesies thereof that he should come of that stock but he mentions his coming of Abraham as that which evidenced that he was of the same nature with us Christ by being God was fitted not only for his Prophetical and Kingly Office to the execution whereof Divine Power and Wisdom was requisite but he was also fitted for his Priestly Office so that the divine nature had an influence into the satisfactoriness of the sufferings of Christ that is held forth Heb. 9.14 how much more shall the blood of Christ who through the eternal spirit offered himself without spot to God purge your consciences from dead works
our selves with an idle dream which would deceive us â—â—men are blamed in the Word of God for such confidences Isa 29.18 it is not lawful or warrantable for us to believe in that which we have not sufficient encouragement to believe in but we have not sufficient encouragement to believe in the righteousness of Christ if it be not safe to appear before God in it what can encourage us to depend upon and be satisfied in that which it is not safe to depend upon 2. If it be commanded that we believe on the righteousness of Christ then it is duty so to doe then we are bound in conscience to come unto Christ we cannot without sin stay away from Christ and therefore surely it is safe to trust in the righteousness of Christ the holy God would never make it our duty to trust in that which is not a sufficient ground of faith it were an hard lesson to be bound in conscience to do that which we could not satisfie our consciences in doing it were wildness for any man to imagine that God should command us to love that which is not lovely or to mourn for that which is not matter of sorrow or to rejoyce in that which is not matter of joy so it is to think that God should require us to trust in that which is not a ground of confidence that would be very hard for God to bind us to put our confidence in that which we could not put our confidence in except we were out of our wits if it were not safe to trust in Christs righteousness what could induce us to do it except we were under a delusion it is against nature for man to put confidence in any thing but under this notion that there is ground of confidence in it what perswasions can prevail to make men rest on that which they could not safely rest upon the Lord is a righteous God and gives no such unequal command all his commands are righteous he requires but what is equal Psal 119 138. 3. If God commands us to believe on the righteousness of Jesus Christ then we must do it upon pain of damnation if we fail thereof every sin does by Law deserve death and the continuance in the neglect of any known command does unavoidably bring death and ruine and so the neglect of this command John 3.18 He that believeth not is condemned already because be hath not believed in the Name of the only begotton Son of God certainly then it must be a safe thing to believe on Jesus Christ if there be no safety in believing there is no reason that we should be punished for not believing if there be no safety in believing in Christ then it is madness to believe in Christ and will God punish us for not acting the part of mad men it were an unreasonable thing for a man to believe in Christ if it were not safe so to do and therefore unreasonable that he should be punished for not doing of it will God damn man for not building their hopes for Heauen upon the sand will God cast a man into Hell because be will not embrace a delusion and put his confidence in a broken Reed the Lord is a righteous God and would never punish men for not believing if they had not abundant encouragement to believe the command of this holy God gives us great security in believing John 12.50 I know that his command is life everlasting OBJECTION Here it may be objected against this Argument That we are commanded by God to believe for many things and to believe in the righteousness of Christ for them which we have no certain security that we shall enjoy in a way of believing whatever we pray for we must do it believing and we must do it in the Name of Christ thus we are to believe for health for the conversion of all our Children for rain and other publick mercies so that it is no bard or unreasonable thing to be commanded to believe for that which is not sure in a way of believing neither do we want sufficient encouragement to believe though the thing we believe for be not sure to us in that way ANSWER That Act of Faith which is the condition of the Covenant of Grace is far differing from other acts of Faith that are required of us we do believe for a mercy when by a spirit of Faith we take hold of any of those encouragements which God gives us with respect to that mercy that when we are encouraged by the power of God the mercy of God the love of God to us indennite promises the redemption of Christ to rely upon God with quietness for a mercy with submission to his holy will. We do believe in God for that mercy and this we have sufficient encouragement to do though there be no certainty that we shall enjoy the mercy in that way and this God may fairly command us though he don't absolutely promise the mercy but that Faith which is the condition of the covenant of Grace does much differ from this that is an accepting of Christ and Salvation by him as offered to us and a relying on him for it according to the promise of the Gospel that this is the Faith that is required as the condition of the covenant of grace is evident because it is called a receiving of Christ justifying Faith is the receiving of the promise of the Gospel 't is a relying upon God in Christ according to the invitations of the Gospel and God would never require us to accept of an offer and rely upon him for it if it were not safe so to do how is it possible for any man to rely upon God for the making good of his offer if it were not safe so to do CHAP. VI. The seventh Argument from the Spirits assuring Men of the truth of the Gospel The eighth Argument from Gods bestowing the beginnings of Salvation on Believers here in this World. Argument 7. THat Righteousness which the Spirit of God convinces and assures men that they may safely appear before God in that they may safely appear in but the Spirit of God does convince and assure men that they may safely appear before God in the righteousness of Christ that must needs be true which the spiril convinces men to be true Satan labours to shake mens belief of this and raises doubts and questions in the heart about it and from thence we may argue probably that it is true but the spirit of God does perswade and convince men of the truth of it and establishes the heart in it and from thence may infallibly argue the truth of it In opening and declaring this Argument we may Consider 1. That many men are convinced and assured that it is fafe appearing before God in the righteousness of Christ there are some kind of perswasions about it in the hearts of many others that are bestowed partly upon the testimony of men partly
great considering these things 1. That Man in his natural state is an enemy to this way of salvation as man is an enemy to the Law of God so to the gospel of Jesus Christ the heart dont like this way of salvation man had rather be saved in another way man is proud and can't endure to go a begging and be beholden to the free grace of God for his salvation he had rather earn it himself than take it as a gift of God hence men set their wits on work to descry another way that is more suitable to their honours and to find exceptions against this way of salvation by Christ he don't like the method and so is inventing of cavils to turn off the calls of God. 2. That man is ignorant of the gracious nature of God men don't understand how merciful God is are apt to measure the compassions of God by their own and make a judgment of God by themselves hence they are full of carnal reasonings against this way of life they think it is a great deal more probable that they should be accepted on the account of some worthiness in themselves they think it utterly unlikely that God should accept of them till their hearts are better they think it would be desperate presumption to venture upon Christ before they are better they think God is so angry with them that he cannot find in his heart to pardon them they take notice of the severity of God upon others and conceive of him as very difficult to pardon they imagine there must be something considerable in them to commend them to God and draw the heart of God unto them 3 The Devil is busie to hinder men from entertaining this truth the Devil is most industrious in this matter because their entertaining this truth will deliver them from his dominion 2 Cor. 11.3 he is possessing of men with prejudices against this truth casting in objections and fortifying of the heart against the perswasions of the word and this does considerably increase the difficulty because of the subtilty of Satan to represent his temptations with great appearance of reason and smooth a delusion so that it shall have a great face of truth because of his ability together with his reasonings to work so upon the affections as to make the soul more opposite to the entertaining of the truth 4. Man by nature does not believe the testimony of God this truth cannot certainly be known but by faith reason may argue something for it but not conclusively but natural men are destitute of a principle to receive the testimony of God they are ignorant of the glorious nature of God and so of his faithfulness and therefore though they may look on it a thing probable because of Gods testimony having heard a same of him yet they cannot be assured of it upon his word since they know him not so that it is a great and wonderful work of Gods spirit to help men over all these difficulties and convince them that 't is safe appearing in the righteousness of Christ Consider 6. The evidence that this work of the spirit gives in to the truth before us and we may plainly gather from hence that it is safe appearing in Christs Righteousness For 1. The Spirit of God is holy and cannot deceive or delude us it is in consistent with the spotless purity of the spirit of God to convince us of that which is not true who can imagine that the holy spirit of God would take pains with men and work a miraculous change in them to make them believe a lie why does God busie himself so in this work but that it is of everlasting concernment unto the souls of men it is true that God may judicially blind men by withdrawing light from them but he never goes about to perswade men of a lye would God perswade men to cast themselves upon Christ if there were not safety in so doing 2. We are commanded not to quench the Spirit 1 Thes 5.19 we must cherish the motions and entertain the convictions of the spirit which certainly would not be our duty if the spirit did convince of any thing that is not true we are not bound to receive delusions but by all means to be oppposing and resisting of them it cannot be our duty to entertain salshoods and give way to deceits and therefore those convictions which we are bound to cherish are certainly true I might also argue from the manner of the spirits convincing which is by enlightning and opening of the eyes but if this which he convinces us of were not true the conviction would be by blinding of us and putting out our eves where one by sophistical reasonings does perswade another of a salshood makes him believe a lye he does it by darkening his understanding the opening of the eyes is not the way to lead men into error Argument 8. That Righteousness upon the account of which God bestows the beginnings of salvation here it is safe to appear before God in but upon the account of Christs Righteousness God bestows the beginnins of salvation here There are some degrees of salvation which God bestows upon believers here upon the account of his righteousness they have an inchoation of salvation already God begins to fullfil his promise presently Tit. 3.5 2 Tim. 1.9 they are justified already Acts 3.39 all that believe are justified they are adopted 1 John 12. as many as received him to them gave he power to become the Sons of God even to them that believe on his name they are saved from the curse of the law as to outward dispensations Rom. 8.28 all things shall work together for good to them that love God that are called according to purpose But I shall only urge two things wherein the people of God have experience of the beginning of salvation and therein an evidence of their full salvation by Jesus Christ in due time namely sanctification and inward comfort 1. The people of God are sanctified in a way of believing on the righteousness of Christ they that do believe in Christ are sanctified they do lead an holy life dying unto sin and living unto righteousness they are delivered from the servitude unto sin and do become servants of God indeed this cannot be made evident by experience to the world because the world cannot certainly know that those that profess faith in Christ have it in reality nor that those that seem to live an holy life do so indeed yet there is that which falls under the observation of the world that may considerably help forward their satisfaction in this particular 1. Among those that do profess to believe in Christ there are many that live in such a manner that there is not evidence that they are not sanctified 't is not so with all those that profess to believe in Christ there are many that make such a profession that have no faith and therefore it is no wonder
wrought in it it is a thing quite contrary to what he has been doing he has been reasoning against it making objections standing out against all the pleadings of God with him but now when he closes with Christ he lets fall all his objections and gives entertainment unto Christ before he despised him now he prizes him before argnments did not sink into him now they do now he makes Christ well-come this is exceeding remarkable easy to be observed this carriage of the soul is set forth in Scripture by opening to Christ coming to him marrying of him is so contrary to his carriage immediately before that it is of easy observation 2. There is a great ability in conscience to take notice of the more secret stirrings of the heart conscience has a wonderful quick eye conscience is a curious observer of mens actions Rom. 2.15 the conscience takes notice of the secret windings and turnings of the heart the desires the ends the thoughts that pass through him Heb. 4.12 by the help of the word conscience makes discovery of the secret thoughts and intents of the heart there is a wonderful sharp sightedness in conscience to discover the carriage of the heart 3. Conscience at this time is more than ordinary exact in taking notice of the carriage of the heart at other times Conscience will take notice of small things but at this time Conscience does most carefully observe what is done for Conscience is now in a blessed condition it is a matter of life and death how he carries now under the call of the Gospel Conscience takes more notice of this than of hundreds of other things this is a thing that his salvation depends upon Conscience has been pursuing of the sinner a great while telling of him that if he would not close with Christ he was undone and must burn in hell for ever he has been neglecting to hearken to conscience and conscience has given him no rest now when he comes to do the thing that conscience has been so long urging him unto conscience will take special notice of that conscience will watch like Benhadads Servants 1 King. 20 33. as a man would much observe it when he had compleated a design that he had been labouring in many years 2. The people of God in a way of believing have comfortable communion with God there is a state of communion with God whereby a believer has a standing interest in the favour power wisdom of God and the righteousness of Christ and in all his offices but besides this there is an actual communion with God which is sometimes more insensible sometimes more sensible sometimes the people of God do enjoy glorious actual communion with God in this world this is one of those enjoyments that man fell from by his sin and no man in his natural estate does enjoy A carnal man may have many internal discoveries of God and be mightily affected therewith but they do not properly enjoy any communion with him but the people of God doe 1 John 1.3 our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ the fullnes of this is reserved in heaven but there is an inchoation of it here God had communion with Abraham and others of old in a visible appearance and now has communion with his Saints though in a more spiritual manner And there are four particular ways of it that I shall mention 1. By discovering his own glorious nature to them sometimes God breaks out of the clouds and makes a discovery of his own glory to the soul he has promised to the pure in heart that they shall see God and sometimes he does cause his glory to pass before the soul sometimes God makes a special discovery of one of his attributes and sometimes of another of his soveraignty holiness mercy faithfulness Job 42.5 6. now mine eye seeth thee 2 Cor. 3.18 we all with open face behold as in a grass the glory of the Lord hereby men come to know God other men have notions of God but a Saint knows him And there are two effects of these discoveries One is a drawing out of the actings of grace they put new life into the soul they are very quickening and powerful on the heart The other is That they enkindle a desire to know more of God they make the soul long after further acquaintance with God to see his power and glory as they have seen him in the Sanctuary Psal 63.3 2. By revealing of Christ and gospel-grace unto the soul God does not only at first conversion but many times after make a discovery of Christ to the soul the Lord shews the soul the safety of this way of salvation Saints long for this Phil. 3.10 That I may know him and the power of his resurrection and God is at times gratifying them Christ is opening this mystery of the Gospel unto them the Lord draws nigh and holds forth the Scepter of mercy the acceptableness of his sacrifice the freeness of his grace the wonderfulness of his love the certainty of salvation in a way of believing and these discoveries that the Lord makes of the Gospel doe answer all the objections of the heart that though the soul was before in an unbelieving frame he has power to resist no longer these discoveries make Christ very precious he esteems him as one that does indeed save from sin and wrath these discoveries make the soul contented with Christ he sees he needs nothing but this righteousness to carry before God he has done looking out else-where for help yea he takes delight in this way of salvation it is a way that pleases he counts it glorious 1 Tim. 1.11 3. By promises of particular mercies God does draw nigh to some of his people and by his spirit make known unto them that he will bestow some particular mercy upon them thus he sometimes promises assistance in their works recovery from sickness publick deliverance of old God has sometimes by the Prophets made particular promises to wicked men as to Abab and Jehu whether he does any such thing by his spirit now to those that are carnal men is not so certain but undoubtedly he does to some Saints and that in answer to their prayers when they have been begging a mercy for God he by some promise gives assurance to the soul that the request shall be fullfilled 4. By witnessing his love to the soul God does not only help the soul to gather it by consequence but God by his spirit does evidence the same to the soul that he may quicken the heart in holiness and that he may help the soul under temptations and sinking discouragements or arm him against some special conflicts he gives witness to his good estate Gen. 7.1 Rom. 8.16 this differs much from those tasts that hypocrites may have wherein they have some sence of the sweetness that is in promises for this is by way of testimony yea the spirit does make it
no influence unto justification 2. To the second part of the Objection that promises of Salvation are made to Obedience I Answer 1. That the promises of eternal life are not made unto obedience as that which does merit eternal life and therefore the best of Gods servants do acknowledg themselves unworthy of any good Gen. 32.10 They shall walk with me in white for they are worthy Luk. 21.36 Watch ye therefore and pray alwayes that ye may be counted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass and to stand before the Son of man but the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rendred worthy often signifies no more than conveniency and suitableness so Eph. 4.1 walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called but the obedience of the people of God cannot merit eternal life there are two wayes of meriting neither of which can belong to the obedience of the Saints one is when men do merit a reward from absolute justice from the meer dignity of the work in this sence one man can merit from another but no man from God for whatever man does for God is but a due Debt and because no man can do any good but by the grace of God the work it self is the gift of God there is another way of meriting and that is according to the tenour of the Law when man keeps the Law he does deserve a recompence according to the tenor of it thus Jesus Christ has merited life for us Eph. 1.14 he has purchased the heavenly possession so the Angels merited blessedness for themselves but the Obedience of the Saints is not meritorious in this sense because it fails of legal exactness there be many sins mixed with their obedience and their best obedience is very imperfect and polluted and indeed it is upon the account of Christ that the obedience of the Saints is accepted 1 Pet. 2.5 We offer Sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ 2. The promises of eternal life are not made to obedience as the proper condition of it because God is absolutely engaged to bestow eternal life upon Believers every Believer has already performed the condition of the Covenant and is under an absolute promise of life John 1 2. This is the promise that he hath promised us even eternal life and obedience is promised to them therefore cannot be properly a condition 3. The promises of eternal life are made unto obedience as the sign of it obedience is an evidence that a man is an heir of eternal life good works do declare that a man is one that shall be saved obedience is an evidence of the love of God it is from love that a man is enabled to live a life of obedience and they are an evidence that a man is a believer where there is obedience there is Faith also men are sanctified by Faith in Christ Acts 26.18 4. The promises of eternal life are made to obedience as wherein God has appointed to lead men to it God has purposed to lead men in a way of holiness unto happiness and wherever he begins to deliver men from sin here to deliver them perfectly hereafter this is the order wherein God has appointed to bestow salvation first to sanctifie and then to glorifie God has appointed to prepare all those for glory here that he does intend to bestow it upon hereafter he prepares them here for that holy place for that holy company for that holy work that is there though they shall be more fully prepared at the time of their dissolution this is the method that God has designed to save men in that they shall have their fruit unto holiness and the end everlasting life Rom. 6.27 3. To the third part of the Objection that Glory is called the reward of Obedience I Answer 1. That when Heaven is called a recompence the word is not taken for that which is deserved there is a plain difference in the way wherein God inflicts death and bestows life Rom. 6 23. the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord. 2. Heaven is not properly bestowed upon the Saints upon the account of their obedience as the condition of it it is upon the account of the obedidience of Christ as the meritorious cause and upon the account of their Faith as the condition of it their obedience is indeed the way wherein they do receive it and so it is a recompence of it they have heaven in a way of obedience and heaven will make an abundant recompence for all their labour and travail the people of God take pains undergo hardships undergo many temptations and conflicts in a way of obedience but heaven will make amends for all and abundantly recompence all their trouble in the way of serving God at the end of their journey they shall receive heaven and that will make amends for all their trouble 3. Saints when they go to heaven shall receive a recompence on the account of their good works their good works are the condition of an additional glory the essential glory of heaven is given on the account of Christs purchase and that God has promised to bestow in a way of obedience but besides those promises there are others wherein God has engaged further degrees of glory upon condition of obedience there will be a gracious reward by the covenant of grace given to every act of obedience performed by the Saints Mat. 10. ult God will take an account of all the good works of his Saints and recompence every one so that the more any Saint does for God the more glory shall be bestowed upon him Phil. 4.17 and hence it is as one Saint does more for God than another so the glory of one shall exceed the glory of another God will not overlook any thing that is done by his people though the obedience of the Saints be imperfect yet it is capable of being rewarded by the covenant of grace it is not properly the condition of enjoying heaven but it is the condition of enjoying further degrees of glory in heaven CHAP. VIII USE I. Reproof to those that seek salvation by their own righteousness VSE I. THe improvement we shall make of this truth is first to reprove those that are seeking acceptance with God and salvation by their own righteousness that neglecting the righteousness of Christ are seeking the favour of God by their own works this was the very spirit of the Jewish Nation in those declining times wherein Christ Jesus was upon the earth and this is one great part of the apostacy of the Antichristian Church that they teach Justification by works but besides these it is the ordinary practice of such whose consciences are awakened and terrified first to seek their peace and work out their reconciliation by their own righteousness when once the sinner is stung with the guilt of sin and under the awful apprehensions of Gods wrath the first way
the account of their own righteousness meeting with such commendations of the practice of holiness they are much confirmed in their carnal confidence in such ways as these 1. Hence they think their own righteousness does draw the heart of God unto them they think that their holiness does attract the affection and good will of God unto them they imagine that their holiness does work them into Gods love that the beauty of their holiness does captivate the affections of God and their cries and carriages do work upon divine compassions and make God willing to bestow salvation upon them and indeed a self-righteous man doth attribute more to his own righteousness than a Saint does to the righteousness of Christ a godly man neither does nor ought to make the righteousness of Christ the foundation of Gods sove Christ has purchased the favour of God and reconciliation with him but he did not purchase the good will and love of God there was no need of purchasing that God could love sinners freely there was no possibility of purchasing that that was too great a thing to be 〈…〉 Christ procured the effects of Gods love but not the love it self Gods love was the cause of Christs coming not the effect thereof but the self-righteous man imagines a vertue in his own righteousness to draw the heart of God to him and engage the love of God. 2 Hence they think their own righteousness does make amends for their miscarriages that they have made are atonement for themselves for their former sins they think their repentance makes up that breach that sin had made and that out of a respect unto that God forgets what they have done amiss they imagine that there is a reconciling vertue in their reformations and good services that they satisfie God for what has been past And herein they attribute more to their own obedience than we ought to do to the active obedience of Christ Christs active obedience was not sufficient to satisfie for sin it purchased the blessings of the covenant but it did not deliver us from the curse active obedience to the Law has merit in it if it be perfect but it has not any satisfying vertue it is something of another kind that God requires for satisfaction the Law threatens death for sin Rom. 6.23 The wages of sin is death so that Christs active obedience could not satisfie for sins if he undertake to satisfie for sins he must bear the punishment of death 3. Hence they think that out of a respect to their own righteousness and upon the account therof God will bestow salvation upon them they think that this is that which interests them in all the good of the covenant their own prayers and reformations and affections and zeal in the cause of God is that which makes them heirs of glory and gives them a title to the eternal inheritance They look upon their own righteousness as the price of heaven and think they have done something to the earning of glory they are at work for God and look upon heaven to be their wages And herein they attribute that to their own righteousness that ought to be attributed unto the righteousness of Christ This was the very design of the active obedience of Christ to give us a claim to glory because we were very unworthy and could not fulfil the condition of the Law Jesus Christ undertook for us and has performed the righteousness of the Law and merited eternal life Rom. 6.23 The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. 3. Another temptation to make men depend upon their own righteousness and seek salvation in that way is the seeming excellency of their own righteousness there is a real excellency in true holiness it is the perfection of mans nature sin is a vile thing but holiness does advance and perfect mans nature holiness is the glory of man The Righteous is more excellent than his Neighbour the Righteous are called excellent ones Psal 16.3 and though all the righteousness of self-righteous men is but hppocrisie and therefore an abomination in Gods sight yet they themselves do imagine that there is an excellency in it and from hence they make it a ground of confidence imagining an excellency in it they think God is taken with it and that it is meritorious they do from the excellency of their carriage promise salvation to themselves And there is a four fold excellency which they are wont to take special notice of 1. The moral excellency of their carriage they count their carriage excellent because they live according to principles of honesty and sobriety and piety they are no Drunkards nor Oppressors not Railers nor Sabbath-breakers nor Swearers c. but they have a good conversation they do not live a prophane nor sensual life are not blemishing themselves by vicious courses they have an amiable lovely and justifiable carriage their outward carriages are according to principles of reason and religion their behaviour is equal and honourable they walk without blame the Pharisee was lifted up with that he was no Extortioner unjust person nor Adulterer the young man was taken with that that he had been moral from his youth Mat. 19 20. Paul speaks of that as a thing which men build much upon that as touching the righteousness of the Law they are blameless Phil. 3 6. 2. The religious affections that they feel working in their hearts Sometimes such men have great affections they have melting affections under the considerations of their sins and Gods mercies outward salvation the sufferings of Christ for sinners and the like they have a delight in Ordinances strong desires after Christ and holiness they have a zeal against the sins of the times and for the better party the Scripture is plentiful in instances of such affections in unconverted men as Saul the stony-ground hearers and others and they count these sincere and are highly taken with them they look upon these to be the very spirits of religion things which do greatly ingratiate them with God. They look upon these affections as blessed frame of heart these they think are the things that God does especially delight in they count these heavenly frames of heart they are much affected with their affections now they reckon they have a suitable frame of heart to spiritual things 3. The difficulties that they go through in serving of God which raises the price of their services and makes them more available they mind that they take a great deal of pains in serving God in reading and praying and taking spiritual opportunities they dont gratifie a slothful spirit but are laborious in religion and they hope God takes notice of that so they are at considerable expense they spend of their Estates in works of piety and charity and on that account value their duties highly so they are much in fasting and in that way afflict their bodies so they upon the account of Religion have displeased
Rom. 9.32 they sought it as it were by the works of the Law. 2. They pretend that they do not trust in their own works for tho they do take encouragement from them yet it is only as they are signs of a good estate not as the foundation of their Faith they say that Ministers do commonly give men signs from their works and qualifications to try their good estate and so does the Word of God and we find that holy men in Scripture have laid great weight upon them and they are not to be blamed for that that is not a self-righteous spirit but many men that make this pretence do make them the foundation of their Faith for they take their first encouragement from hence to come to Christ and dare not come when they can see nothing in themselves to encourage them 3. They pretend that they are not seeking salvation by their own righteousness but they are only labouring after a work of Humiliation to prepare them for Christ they have all along been instructed that there can be no true Faith without a foregoing work of Humiliation and therefore they only wait for that work in order to their coming to Christ but men do greatly deceive themselves in this thing a natural man may have a work of Humiliation but a natural man cannot heartily seek after it for every unhumbled sinner is striving against the work of Humiliation they are opposing of it either by endeavours to set up a righteousness of their own seeking in that way to escape condemnation instead of yielding to God they are flying to their strong holds sheltering themselves in their prayers reformations desires c. or else by wrangling as a person pursued runs away till overtaken and then he fights so the sinner when he sees that he can't save himself is contending with God objecting against divine proceedings thinks that Gods dealings are very hard measure Rom. 9.19 in both these methods they oppose the work of Humiliation and when a sinner thinks that he is seeking after the work of Humiliation he is opposing it he is indeed striving against the work of Humiliation when he is seeking of it as much as when he is seeking to strengthen and increase his desires and affections for indeed he is making a righteousness of Humiliation he labours after it that that may commend him to God he thinks that would ingratiate him with God he looks at Humiliation as an eminent peice of righteousness as a castle that would shelter him from the wrath of God he looks upon Humiliation as a choice frame of spirit he looks on at it as a great attainment so that those that stay away from Christ under pretence that they are not humbled and are waiting for a work of Humiliation are seeking salvation by their own righteousness 6. Let us consider the vanity of mens trusting in their own righteousness men do please themselves with an idle dream when they put their confidence in their own Righteousness all that they gain by it is to go the more pleasantly to hell mens own righteousness is but a sandy Foundation to build upon the hopes of such men shall be cut off and their trust prove a spiders web it is a needless thing for men to trust in their own righteousness there is foundation enough for Faith without that there is no need of our own righteousness to draw the heart of God to us the love of God is free and independent there is no need of our own righteousness to satisfie the Law for us Jesus Christ has done that fully there needs no addition of our own to perfect his work and it is a vain thing for men to trust in their own righteousness they idolize it and give an honour that does not belong to it yea such persons do cast great reflections upon Christ as if he laid down his life to no purpose they cast disparagement upon God they despise the love of God in sending Jesus Christ cast reflection on him as if he might have spared that cost they do what in them lies to make the death of Christ in vain yea it is a dangerous thing men think it is a great venture to depend up on the righteousness of Christ but it is a desperate venture for men to depend upon their own righteousness such whose eyes God has opened would not for a thousand worlds venture their souls upon that foundation there is not only hazard of miscarrying but certain ruine in that way the expectations of such men will end in miserable disappointment though Paul had done as much for God as any man alive yet he durst not entertain such a thought of appearing before God in his own righteousness Phil. 3.9 That I may be found in him not having mine own righteousness which is of the Law he that trusts in his own righteousness takes as certain a course to ruine his own soul as he that lives in ways of unrighteousness This appears 1. God has made no promise to you in this way there are promises made to them that trust in the Righteousness of Christ but there is not a syllable that way to those that trust in their own righteousness it is a presumptuous thing for any man to promise himself salvation in such a way wherein God does not promise it to him God indeed in the covenant of works does promise life upon the account of perfect obedience but what is that unto you who are destitute of that obedience who neither have nor ever can fullfil the condition of that covenant God also promises salvation in the Gospel to those that are sincerely godly and righteous but where does he speak one word of saving them upon the account of their own righteousness or to save those that confide in their own righteousness God is wholly silent as to any such promise if there were such a promise there would be a foundation for Faith but God gives no encouragement unto men to depend upon their own righteousness which he would certainly do if that were a way of safety for God undertakes in his Word to direct men the right way to heaven if this way had been right God would not have neglected to have promised salvation to them in this way besides it has bin Gods manner all along to deal with man in the way of a covenant to that end that men may be encouraged to walk in the right way to the obtaining of good and honour him by exercising Faith in his Word Gods manner is to propose conditions to men and give them assurance of the benefit in that way he never left mankind to guess at the way of salvation and to contrive by their own wisdom a suitable way to bring them to heaven the wisdom of man is utterly insufficient to any such work God knew his own mind what way pleased him and has bound himself unto man in that way when he first made man he entred into a
Christ indeed it is contrary to nature for men to be willing to be damned wicked men do act as if they love damnation Prov. 8.36 they that hate me love death they do so interpretatively but for men directly and understandingly to be willing to be damned is against nature God had planted a principle of self-love in men whereby they do necessarily desire their own happiness no perswasions can prevail with men not to desire their own happiness we may as soon perswade a stone not to be heavy or the Sun not to shine there is a weight upon the soul of every man carrying of it that way this is implanted by God in the very constitution of nature and remains in man in his corrupt and his renewed estate a man must shake off his nature before he can shake off this desire self-love is natural unto man man is capable of happiness and being capable of it stands in need of it he cannot be satisfied until his capacity of happiness be filled hence he necessarily and perpetually desires happiness besides this it is contrary to Gods command for a man to be willing to be damned for God has commanded us to seek salvation he is often calling upon us to be seeking life and that with earnestness Luke 13.24 Strive to enter in at the strait gate and this seeking must be with earnest desires and indeed when this work of Humiliation is wrought in the heart he yields under this encouragement that there is some hope of salvation in God hopes of life in this way is one of the things that make him lie down at Gods foot the four leprous men fell unto the Host of the Syrians because that was the most likely way for their lives to be preserved 2 King. 7 4. the Syrians submitted to Ahab in hope to find favour 2 King 20.31 when the soul is humbled he is as desirous of salvation as ever and it is the hope of that that has a great influence into his humiliation 2. Affirmatively it is an absolute submitting of himself unto Gods disposal when humbled he yields himself into the hands of God and makes an absolute resignation of himself unto the will of God he yields himself a prisoner he would have yielded upon terms before but now he yields absolutely as a Rebel when he sees himself conquered yields so does the Soul to God. This carriage is opposite to his carriage before 1. He does not seek deliverance from himself he yields to God despairing in himself he don't feed himself with vain hopes and carnal confidences any longer those hopes have all died away his strong holds that he trusted in are thrown down he does not stay any longer upon his affections reformations victories over corruptions c. he has no dependance upon any strength of his own to gain any thing that will commend him to God he has no dependance on Ordinances on his own wisdom to discover any way of help but he throws up all his carnal hopes as vain and submits himself to mercy Luk 15.17 2. He leaves off quarrelling with God before he was humbled his heart wrought within him he could not bear the thoughts of it that God should cast him off his heart rose up against God and he thought he had hard measure from God his sins were all decreed he had done what he could he took great pains and yet God did not shew him mercy his heart rose to think that God should make him to damn him save and pardon others and reject him but now his mouth is stopt he is silenced he lets fall all his pleas yields it to be fair for God to cast him off he says as David Psal 51 4. against thee thee only have I sinned and done this evil in thy sight that thou mayst be justified when thou speakest and clear when thou judgest Question In what way is this work of Humiliation wrought and the soul brought to submit himself to God. Answer In general it is wrought by conviction it is not wrought by the infusion of any new principle into him the soul under this work is in a state of nature neither is it wrought by mens own endeavours Humilation is not the fruit of mans industry but is a thing forced on him by conviction as men under the first work of the Spirit are by conviction forced to fear and so by a work of conviction they are compelled to yield themselves to God their strong holds are pulled down and they necessitated to resign themselves God works this work by conviction Particularly 1. By giving him experience of the failing of all means he sees no other way left he has been trying to wring himself out of the hands of God he has been turning every way and refuge fails him he sees all his carnal hopes fall flat to the ground his carnal hopes vanish and dye away he has been waiting for light and behold obscurity he has been trying all conclusions every way he could devile and think of turning every stone he hoped by his prayers to make his heart better and by his fastings and by his watchfulness sometimes he thought if he had more terrors that would do sometimes if he had more encouragements then his heart would be better he has tryed the utmost of his skill upon his heart sometimes he hoped that in time his heart would grow better sometimes if he could hear such a Minister sometimes if he could get such a good book that others had got much good by then his heart would mend the sinner is like a man lost in the woods that thinks if he steers such a course that will bring him to the path and if that fails he thinks if he steers such a course that will do but at last he can contrive no longer but is utterly lost in his own sence so the sinner has had many contrivances but all his projects faiâ—le upon experience he finds himself after all his pains under the reigning power of sin and that he is spiritually dead he thought he had made some proficiency but now he finds by experience that the life of sin is whole within him and that he has no power nor disposition to any thing that is good he has no spirit to any thing that is good he had enlargements formerly and thought he could delight in Sabbaths but God is pleased to withdraw those encouragements that he had and suffers the corruption of his heart to break out and upon that occasion his affections wither away that discourages him that his heart dies within him and he has no more strength now he sees he cannot love God mourn for sin c. and hereby all his vain hopes of mending his own heart fall to the ground Rom. 3 9. Sin revivived and I died 2. By convincing of the strictness of the Law this is another thing that helps to make him yield God convinces him of the rigour and exactness of the Law he
imagined before that his duties would make amends for his sins that God would be at peace with him because of his affections but God shews him that the Law stands for perfect righteousness the Law must be fully satisfied that the Law pronounces a curse for every sin that it can neither be abrogated nor moderated but must be fulfilled that the law curses every one that continues not in all things that are written in the book of the Law to do them gal 3.13 and herâ—by the sinner sees the insufficiency of all his duties and is brought to despair in himself 3. By leaving a hope in the heart that God may yet help him this conduces much to make the sinner yield there is a secret hope that God leaves in the heart that God will have mercy upon him God leaves an apprehension in men of the possibility of their salvation if they don't yield there is certain death but there is some hopes that God may spare them they have some hopes arising from the power of God he can make dry bones to live and from the mercy of God whose thoughts are not as mens thoughts nor his ways as mens ways but high above them as the heavens are above the earth that also begets some hope that there is a way of salvation by Christ that others have found help when they have been in such a case that there are promises of taking away the heart of stone Ezek 11.19 this hope helps the soul much in submitting to God. 4. By discovering his own Soveraignty men are greatly offended at Gods proceedings and unsatisfied about his decrees and providences and this hinders them from submitting unto him but God by his spirit lets in some discovery of his own soveraignty and thereby convinces him that God does him no wrong that God may bestow his grace where he pleases that he has dominion over his creatures this makes the soul confess with Job Job 42.2 I know thou canst do every thing the soul standing convinced of these things can do no other but yield up himself into the hands of God. Before I leave this way of trial I shall answer two scruples that may arise in the hearts of some of the People of God about their Humiliation 1. Doubt I sear whether I had a thorow work of Humiliation I never saw so much of the wickedness of my own heart as some others do speak of Answer 1. There is no necessity of seeing all those sinful inclinations that are in the heart particularly there is a great variety as to the particular discoveries that God makes to divers men and one great occasion of it is the different temptations that they are under some see more of a worldly spirit some more of a froward some more of an aspiring spirit a man may have discoveries of his own heart after he hath been a Saint many years that he never had before if a man see the fountain it is sufficient though he do not see all those various channels wherein it may run 2. There is no necessity of seing particularly their inability to every duty they must feel themselves spiritually dead they feel themselves unable to do any thing that is good but some men can speak abundance more particularly to their inability to this and that duty than others can there are some duties that did not come into their thoughts at that time it is necessary they should lose their sense of their ability to any thing should not be conceited of any power or sufficiency it is not enough for men to see that they can do nothing of themselves men may say that when they only find need of assistance and not of the infusing of a principle of grace into them but it is sufficient if they feel themselves spiritually dead but there is no necessity that at that time they must particularly take notice of their inability to love Gods People to be thankful c. though often they do their thoughts are wont to be fixed at that time on such particulars as they were wont before to pride themselves most in and such as they have special occasion at that time to think of from what the hear or read 3. There is a necessity of seeing so much of his own heart as to make him despair of mending it to see it wholly under the power of sin a man may see abundance of corruption and wickedness in his own heart and yet be a stranger to it though he sees a great deal yet if he imagines that he can cure it if he have hopes of getting victory over it he will not be humbled Isai 57.12 thou art wearied in the greatness of thy way yet sayest thou not there is no hope thou hast found the life of thy hand therefore thou wast not grîeved before he be humbled he must see himself altogether under the power of sin Rom. 7 9. 4. There is a necessity of seeing so much as to set him down that God may righteously cast him off a man may see much and yet not yield it that it is fair for God to reject him one foundation of quarelling is an opinion of what he is and has been doing this breeds a great deal of wrangling in the heart Isai 58 3 he is excusing of himself because he would be better and has taken pains in Gods service so that there is a necessity that he should see so much of his own wicked heart as may quite silence him that he may see himself inexcusable that he may not have a word to say but may be satisfied in Gods proceeding if he should cast him off Luk. 18.13 Doubt 2 I fear whither I have had a through work of Humiliation because I never found so much opposition to the yielding of my self into Gods hands as some others speak of others have more dreadful risings of heart and more horrible sturdiness of spirit and bore more dreadful terrors before they could be brought to yield were much longer opposing and resisting than it was with me somewhat this way I found but not so much as others and therefore I fear whither the work were true Answer 1. Men have had a great deal more of opposition to this work of Humiliation than they take notice off or understand all those methods and wayes that men take to establish a righteousness of their own are from a spirit of opposition to this work of Humiliation all mens endeavours to get any thing to commend them to God are the workings of this spirit mens flying to refuges of lies and hiding themselves in the strong-holds of their own righteousness are because they are not willing to submit to God all mens strivings to obtain the savour of God by their prayers affections reformations are upon this account that they are not willing to yield themselves to be lost why do men strive to earn their own salvation but because they are unwilling to submit to the meer mercy of
God. 2. Some men are naturally of a more stubborn spirit than others and upon that account they feel more dreadful opposition though every natural man is equally under the power of sin for they are totally so the disposition to sin against God does neither increase nor decrease in natural men though particular evil dispositions do yet some men by reason of their temper are of a more stubborn spirit and in other cases are wont to be more difficult to yield either to God or men than other men and that is one reason why they in this case do experience more opposition 3. There is a great difference in the risings of mens hearts against yielding to God from the different manner of Gods dispensations to the same under this work Especially in three things 1. Some men had abundance more confidence that they were in a good estate than ever others did obtain unto they were strongly perswaded that they were converted had had abundance of joy under the apprehension of their good condition and when these hopes come to be pulled away from them it is no wonder that their hearts work exceedingly they are like the troubled Sea that casts forth mire and dirt 2. Some men when they are emptied of their own righteousness are left more upon the borders of dispair than others are there is a secret hope that God does sustain the hearts of all by an hope rising from the power of God and the deliverance he has wrought for others c in some there is more of this hope in others less the more there is of this the more this work of submission is facilitated an enemy will sooner yield where he has more hope of mercy than where he has less the less hope men have the more difficult their submission will be that made the Syrians yield because they looked on the Kings of Israel as merciful Kings 1 King 20.31 3. God does discover his own soveraignty sooner unto some than unto others the conviction of that is the thing that silences the heart and makes it bow that brought down Jobs Spirit Job 42.2 5 the soul will not yield till convinced of this and God is pleased to deal with men variously as to this some he convinces sooner and thereby prevents much of those stubborn workings that otherwise would be 2. The second way of trial is by the manner of the Souls first closing with Christ there is a great difference between saints and hipocrites in their first venturing upon Christ though there be a similitude yet there is also a dissimilitude some persons indeed through negligence lose the distinct remembrance of this which occasions much darkness afterwards but a false heart does not experience such things in his first receiving of the Gospel as a sincere heart does there are some things that are common to one and to another but there are other things that are peculiar to the people of God if the manner of their closing were the same their Faith would be the same the manner of closing is such as doth distinguish them and take it up in such particulars 1. The soul is assured of the truth of the Gospel by the spirit of God before the Soul was full of doubts and questions but when he closes with Christ he is assured of the truth of the Gospel the reason that men do not entertain the truth of the Gospel is because they are not assured of the truth of it when they believe the truth of it then it works effectually up on them 1 Thess 2.13 ye received it not as the word of man but as it is in truth the Word of God which effectually worketh in you that believe When the soul first closeth with Christ it is satisfied in the truth of the gospel In the consideration of this we may take notice of three things 1. That at this time the soul knows the truth of the gospel he had the notion of it before but now he sees it to be so indeed it is a real thing unto him there is a light let into that soul discovering the truth of the gospel the soul has not indeed at that time an actual and distinct consideration of all the sundamental truths of the gospel so as to yield a particular assent to every one of them but all those foundation truths are radically made known at that time that is there is that light put into the soul then that will make him yield an assent to all those truths when he comes to have the actual consideration of them 1 Ioh. 2.26 ye have an unction from the holy One and know all things and at this time the soul has the actual consideration of some foundation gospel truths such as the infinite free mercy of God the vertue of the blood of Christ or the like and sees such things as neither his own reason nor Satan could make him to apprehend and although the soul has not the actual consideration of all foundation gospel truths yet he sees so much at that time as satisfies him in the truth of the gospel for the knowledg of th truth of the gospel does not depend upon the knowledg of all those things which must be true if the gospel be true the knowledg of some particular gospel truths may abundantly satisfie a mans heart that the gospel is true so as to encourage him to come to Christ and although the soul at that time does not give a particular assent to all those gospel truths which are the Pillars of our Faith yet he does reject none the truth of the gospel is discovered unto him and that not only in general that there is salvation in Christ for them that come unto him but also in particular there is salvation for him if he will accept of it he sees that there is a way of salvation for the most unworthy he sees also that this is offered by God unto him that there is that preciousness in Christ that freeness in Gods grace that faithfulness in Gods Word that is a sufficient encouragement unto him to venture his soul on Christ his eyes are opened to see that there is safety for him notwithstanding his unworthiness he thought he believed the gospel before but only did not know that God called him but now he sees gospel principles in such a manner that he is satisfied that God called him and that he may venture upon Christ 2. The soul has at this time an assured knowledg of the truth of the gospel it is not an opinion or conjecture arising from some probable appearances but an assurance therefore they say we believe and are sure Joh. 6.69 the soul sees that it is certainly so God gives us outwardly great assurance of the truth of the gospel and at this time the soul has inwardly an assurance of it t is very true there is a difference in the measure of assurance that one has and another has all assurance is not in the like
authority from none but Jesus Christ as Mediator does derive his authority from God but his authority is a sufficient warrant Mat. 17.5 hear him and hence Ministers may indifferently invite men in the name of God or Christ 2 Cor. 5.20 now then we are Ambassadors for Christ as though God did beseech you by us we pray you in Christs stead be ye reconciled to God. 3. There is no necessity that at the time of the souls closing with Christ he should be reading or hearing the call of the Gospel it is by those calls but many times they do not prevail while a man is hearing of them but afterwards sometimes it is in the very time of hearing Acts 14.1 2. Acts 2.41 but it may be as well afterwards it may be in time of prayer and often is or in meditation God does it for them that wait upon him in his Ordinances but not always in the time of Ordinances thus it is with other works of the Spirit awakening of finners comforting of Saints and Sinners Mat. 21.29 be said I will not but afterwards he repented and went. 3. There is no necessity that this closure with Christ should be wrought by the letter of the Scriptures frequently it is by some particular word but it is many times otherwise sometimes the thing is urged by a Minister according to the Scripture and God makes some sentence that he speaks effectual Acts 16.31 32. so somtimes in meditation God makes men see the general cal of the Gospel though no particular place be pitched upon thus 't is sometimes afterwards with Saints 4. There is no necessity that the particular word that draws the soul to Christ should be in the form of an invitation it is many times so as by those words Mat. 11.28 Rev. 22.17 but it may be by any other Gospel expression as by those words 1 Pet. 2.24 who bore our sins in his own body upon the Cross Isai 53.6 he was wounded for our sins and bruised for our iniquities Eph. 5.2 he hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God of a sweet smelling savour it may be wrought by any Gospel precept promise declaration God by any such word may let in a light to shew the soul the truth of the Gospel Call. From this particular we may conclude the saith of two sorts of persons to be false 1. Such as ventured at first upon Christ from that encouragement that God loved them they thought that God had a love for them either from his outward providences he smiled on them in his providences and blessed them and heard their prayers or he manifested his love to them by restraining their corruptions and keeping of them from such evil practices as others are addicted unto or else from some inward comfort that God has given them God gave them some inward comfort when they were in a sad condition and from thence they conclude the love of God and so are bold to venture themselves on Jesus Christ they have had some inward joy and that they make the foundation of their Faith and so they quite prevent Gods order they get first a faith of assurance that God loves them and then they have a saith of dependance but the particular love of God is not the foundation of our faith there is no need of knowing that in order to believing the love of God is to be cleared up by effectual calling 2 Pet. 1.10 Gods love to the soul is a secret till he does believe Eph. 1.13 after ye believed ye were sealed with the holy Spirit of promise God may reveal the love he has to a man unto some other before the man believes as the love God had to Jacoh was revealed to Rebecca but not to the man himself Gods particular love is not the foundation of Faith but the call of the Gospel 2. Such as ventured first upon Christ upon that encouragement that they loved God they found affections to God and Christ and that made them think that God meant them in the call of the Gospel that made them think that it was not presumption for them to come to Christ that made them think that God would not reject them their first encouragement rises from themselves and then in a secondary way they take encouragement from the Gospel that adds to their encouragement but this faith is a rotten faith it has not a right foundation such a faith may make men live more comfortable here but it will deceive them Rev. 3 17. 3. In the first closure with Christ there is such a light let into the Soul of the sinner that he cannot but come to Christ when he does come there is a necessity upon him to come it is thus many times very remarkable afterwards but eminently so at first before he comes he cannot come and when he does come he cannot but come the sinner has at that time such a supernatural light let into him that he is under constraints to come to Christ all the wit in hell can't perswade him to stay away where God begins to open the eyes there may be some objecting but before God has done the light is so full that the soul is carryed captive by it Ministers are required to compel men to come in Luke 14.23 that is to use compelling arguments such as when God sets the same home will compell men the light that God puts in to the soul at that time is such that he cannot withstand it it silences all his carnal reasonings stops his mouth answers his objections so that he cannot stand out any longer John 6.45 every one that has been taught and hath learned of the Father commeth unto me This I clear up from these considerations 1. All that have this inward light and teaching doe come unto Christ 't is true there is an illumination that is not effectual to work saith Mat. 13.20 2 Pet. 2.21 that light is only the irradiation of the natural understanding but there is an inward light that is always attended with faith such men as have a thorow conviction of the gospel doe ever close with it that light that is sufficient in order to saith is always efficacious the inward call of the gospel is always answered Rom. 8.30 whom he called them he also justified all those that God draws do run after him Cant. 1.4 they that know Christ will come to him John 17.35 Psal 9.10 and this shews that they cannot but come if this inward light could be resisted some would resist it among so many thousands some would refuse to come this way would not be universally successful with men of all tempers and inclinations if it did not necessitate them some or other would be found that would refuse 2. This inward light is said to come with power upon the soul it has a perswading overcoming power with it it has power to gain the will and draw the consent of the heart the gospel where the Spirit
sinners Mary Magdalen Paul and others 1 Tim. 1.16 sometimes on the tender love of Christ abundantly manifested when here on earth sometime the spirit sets home one of these considerations and sometime another which draws the heart to believe when under the greatest sence of vileness Psal 36.7 how excellent is thy loving kindness O God therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings 2. The heart fixes sometimes on the consideration of Gods saithfulness that is a mighty stay to the heart when he has a spiritual sight of the faithfulness of God when that is fastned on the heart that makes him receive the promise whatever improbability there be in it Heb. 11.11 when we have to do with a faithful man we lay weight upon his word so does the believer on Gods when this consideration of his faithfulness is fastned on his heart the soul says it must needs be so as God promises for God is a God of Truth it is impossible that God should lye God cannot mistake nor deceive his word is infallible his promise cannot fail hereby he stops the mouth of carnal reason God has promised so and so to us and promised so and so to Christ and he is not fickle and inconstant repentance is hid from his eyes 1 John 5.9 if we receive the witness of men the witness of God is greater why should I fright my self with appearances and uncertain reasonings why should I doubt though the things are strange and wonderful though we can't see the reason of these things the Word of God cannot fail we may venture our souls on it if they were more worth than they are Psal 91 4. 2 Tim. 1.12 3. The heart fixes sometimes upon the sufficiency of Christ that comes with mighty power upon the heart stilling accusations dissipating fears drawing the heart to rejoyce in Christ Phil. 3.10 that I may know him and the power of his Resurrection somtimes the Lord fastens it on the heart that Christ is the way that God has appointed unto life Heb. 10.19 20. sometimes that Christ has born our sins in his own body 1 Pet. 2.24 sometimes that Justice is satisfied the Law fully answered by Christ that God may without any injustice pardon and save Rom. 3.26 that the sacrifice of Christ is acceptable unto God Eph. 5.2 that God has fully avenged himself on Christ 2 cor 5.21 that Christ is our Passover the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world that all the families of the earth shall be blessed in him that he is our High-priest bearing our names on his breast in the most holy place these and scores of such considerations which the Lord at times fastens on the hearts of his people do wonderfully help them to cast themselves upon Christ giving him the glory of redeeming them Rev. 5.12 worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honour and glory and blessing Question 3. In what conditions does a believer thus exercise faith in Christ Answer 1. Where he is more clearly satisfied in his own good estate there are times when the people of God have very comfor table satisfaction that they are in a good condition they have comfortable hopes that they are in a state of Justification that God has pardoned their sins and will save them these hopes arise from a discerning of their former actings of faith their sanctification and that joy in the Holy Ghost which they have had and at such times as these they do live a life of Faith upon Christ when they can see their sanctification they do not build upon that as the matter of their justification neither do they so live upon any signs as to lie in the neglect of acting dependance on Christ though there is too much of that Spirit to live upon signs and to neglect Christ yet this Spirit does not rule a Saint but notwithstanding his hopes his venturing himself upon the free and gracious offers of the Gospel though he finds comfort in those evidences that God gives him of his good estate yet he is from time to time renewing his acts of dependance upon Christ Cant. 2.3 I set under his shadow with great delight and his fruit was sweet unto my taste 2. When he is more in the dark about his condition there are times with many at least of the people of God when they are greatly exercised with fears there be many things that give occasion of fear to them they are afraid because they see great workings of corruptions cannot discern love to God do not find love to Ordinances seem to grow worse and worse so they are afraid because they nave not such comforts as other christians have they do not find that presence of God with them that they think they should have if they were Saints many temptations they meet withal that shake their hopes exceedingly but in this condition they do not neglect to believe in Christ though when they are in the dark they have great struglings of unbelief but they do not cast off their faith in Christ their faith has not dependance upon their signs when signs fail yet the foundation of their faith remains though they see not yet they do believe at such a time it is their duty to believe when they are in darkness and have no light their work is to stay on the name of the Lord Isai 50.10 and this is their spirit Saints live by faith and not by sight 2 Cor. 5 7. and though they are at a loss what they are and what they have done yet they see ground of faith in Christ their relyance does not depend upon their assurance Psal 73.26 my flesh and my heart faileth but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever By this way of trial we may conclude against three sorts of persons that they have not true Faith. 1. Such persons as satisfie themselves that they have believed in Christ and closed with him sometime formerly and don 't live in a way of believing they nourish an hope because they have believed at such a time but neglect to roll themselves on Christ from time to time so it is with some dry and unsavoury professors they have got an hope from some old works they had upon their hearts many years since they trust that that will carry them to heaven and don 't live a life of faith but live in a wretched neglect of Christ many times such mens religion is quite worn out by that time they grow into years and they are like salt that has lost its favour Heb. 3.14 2. Such persons as generally live upon their own righteousness but only now and then they force themselves to rely on Christ the general way of their living is upon their good frames and services but now and then they have a Sermon against their trusting in their own righteousness or it is given as a
actings of Faith have an influence into Holiness so in a special manner the actings of Faith upon Jesus Christ we are satisfied by Faith in him Act. 26.18 the peculiar actings of Faith on Christ have a special influence into an holy life and that two wayes 1. The believing of the Gospel does in its own nature stir up men to holiness when men by Faith do entertain the calls of God in the Gospel it has a strong impression on their hearts to move them to holiness when men see the readiness of God to pardon them the wonderful grace of God in the Gospel it prevails with them to lead an holy life Psal 26.23 Thy loving kindness is before mine eyes and I have walked in thy truth the sence of the grace of God apprehended by Faith makes men admire the glorious excellency of God love God fear to offend him troubled that they have grieved him and wronged him the discoveries of Gospel grace leave an everlasting impression upon the heart to love and honour God. 2. The believing on Christ is the way wherein God has promised to carry on the work of Sanctification in this way God gives forth the assistances of his Spirit for the carrying on of this work God in the invitations of the Gospel calls us to glory and vertue 2 Pet. 1.3 Faith in Christ is the condition of the covenant of grace and therefore thereby God becomes engaged to keep men in the wayes of holiness as all other covenant mercies are made over to the soul in this way so likewise sanctifying grace and besides that God has directed us to exercise Faith upon Christ for Sanctification he tells us that without him we can do nothing John 15.5 that he is made to us for Sanctification 1 Cor. 1.30 that whatever we do in word or deed we must do all in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ Col. 3.17 this is a principal means prescribed unto us in order to the carrying on of the work of Sanctification we must attend other appointments and ordinances of God prayer reading hearing sacraments watching meditating sim but we may not trust to any of our own strivings but especially attend this ordinance of the covenant of grace to roll our selves upon Christ as being the purchaser and the dispenser of this blessing waiting for the influences of his Spirit and in this way he assists and strengthens his to lead an holy life For the opening of this way of Trial we may consider what an holy life is It is a course of walking in all Gods Commandments from a gracious respect unto God here you may distinguish between a principle of holiness an holy frame an holy action and an holy life a principle of holiness is a quality inabling and inclining a man to keep all Gods commands out of a gracious respect unto God an holy frame is a raised prevailing disposition unto holiness by the habit it is disposed to holiness by an holy frame to a more ready and chearful practice of holiness when the heart is in an holy frame it is like an instrument in tune like a good knife that has a good edge an holy action is an action commanded of God done out of a gracious respect unto God an holy life is a course of walking in all Gods commands from a gracious respect unto God In this discription three things are to be minded 1. That where there is an holy life there is a walking in all Gods commands there may be a reformation of some particular sins where there is not an holy life any one way of sin makes a mans life unholy if men allow any way of disobedience the life is not holy in an holy life there is an abstaining from every known sin and the practice of every known duty Luk. 1 6. They were both righteous before God walking in all the Commandments and Ordinances of the Lord blameless he that leads an holy life does observe all those commands that direct his outward behaviour of himself and he attends all those commands that direct the carriage and behaviour of the heart those commands that require internal duty love fear and those that do require the right manner of doing his duty doing of it for Gods glory doing of it in the Name of Christ doing of it with diligence with delight the casting off of any duty makes the life unholy The principle of grace that is in a Saint does both inable and incline the heart to keep all Gods Commands there is no command given by God but there is a suitable inclination in the heart of a Saint unto it there be in the heart of a Saint some general inclinations to all Gods commands some inclinations that respect every one of Gods precepts that are principles of universal obedience and they are three love to God fear of God and saith in God these three influence a man to all that obedience that God requires these incline the heart to do every thing that God requires hence sometimes we read that love makes us keep Gods commands 1 John 5.3 so all Religion is called the fear of God because that influences all Isai 50.10 so Faith is a general principle of obedience Heb. 11.7 8. besides these there are in a godly man more particular inclinations to the commands severally which are not of such latitude these are the off-spring of the other thus patience inclines a man to keep some commands temperance others bounty others pity others 2 Pet. 1.5 6. But this walking in all Gods commands does admit of divers degrees all the people of God in this life fall short of perfection and some fall far short of that perfection that others do attain every one that is travelling in a path don't travel with equal diligence and speed so here some are more dull heedless and negligent than others are and many Saints do fall short in respect of some outward commands of some that are but natural men but every one must have such a measure of obedience to Gods commands as speaks faithfulness such as speaks a spirit of fear faith and love there must not be an heart allowance of any sin the conscience of a natural man may allow none but the heart and will of a Saint does allow none there are many sins which a christian does commit often in a day as the actings of unbelief by-ends worldly affections and pride but yet he does not allow them and his disallowance is seen in acts of hatred towards these sins repenting of them watching against them out of hatred and by his performing contrary actions namely of humility faith c. 2. Where there is an holy life this walking in Gods commands is in a course that is their way and manner and trade whatever exactness a man may have for a fit that will not denominate his life holy he that leads an holy life is in his ordinary course attending the rules of holiness and that not
and reject the holiness of God do men take Christ for their Priest and the Devil for their King if faith were in mens hearts those lusts would never rest there faith would be purging of them out such unholy persons do not adorn the Gospel but are blemishes to the societies to which they do belong the Scripture gives us an account of the humility heavenly mindedness love self-denyal of believers and if these men be believers they are of another kind then the Scripture tells us of such men do turn the grace of God into wantonness as if Christ came into the world to procure them a liherty to sin without danger as if the gospel did countenance iniquity such men are not guilty of deceiving many others if the sinfulness of their wayes be known men may easily tell what their faith is and if they were not stark blind they could not deceive themselves but if they hope for heaven in this way they will surely be mistaken God threatens them with damnation 2 Pet. 3.7 they that continue ungodly will as certainly perish as if there were no gospel indeed such men are not fit to be saved they are not fit for the company that is in heaven for the comfort that is there nor for the employment that is there 2. Such persons as are observing Gods commands only under some pangs for a time they set themselves carefully to do their duty and make conscience of their duty and reform things that are amiss and afterwards they wither away again and from one neglect fall to another they grow bold to sin and careless of duty lie in the practise of evil they had a fit of religion but have lost it such men have no faith if men had faith they would continue in the practise of Gods will unbelief makes men depart from God Heb 3.12 Faith is a preservative from Apostacy Heb. 10.39 we are not of them that draw back unto perdition but of them that believe to the saving of the soul such men as have once been zealous in religion and now don't regard it or live in any way of disobedience have no true faith faith will not preserve men from falling but it will from falling away and from a course of disobedience 3. Such persons as do not walk in Gods commands out of a gracious respect unto him though they be exceeding diligent and conscienscious yet they are not acted from spiritual considerations they do not duties from a spirit of obedience and for the glory of God and from a true sence what a glorious God this is these men have no faith for they have no true holiness they have no faith for by faith men come to have a spiritual understanding of the glorious excellency of God and if they understood that they would serve him because he is such and hence those men that are acted by a principle of morality in their religion have no faith and those men that are acted only by an enlightned conscience have no faith many men are terrified and scared into religion out of a spirit of fear they reform and do duty but this is not real holiness an enlightened conscience is not sufficient to make a man produce any one holy action though men abound in duties of religion yet it be not from a right motive they have no faith for all their duties are but hypocrisie not onely when men make it their great end to get wealth and reputation but when they make it their great end to get peace of conscience deliverance from hell and the joyes of heaven if such things as these be the great things that have an influence into mens religion God will not accept of it saith makes men serve God from a spirit of love gal 5.6 Faith which worketh by love Before I pass this way of Trial I shall answer some doubts that may arise in the hearts of the people of God. Doubt 1. I fear whether I have any true holiness because I see such actings of corruption as seems inconsistent with holiness and love to God. Answer There may be such actings of corruption in a saint as are inconsistent with the actual love of God but men are often mistaken in thinking that sinful actings are not consistent with the habitual love of God many times a man sees such workings of grace as seems to him inconsistent with such sinful inclinations as afterwards he finds in his heart so 't is here but there is no act of sin the sin against the Holy Ghost excepted but is consistent with habitual grace whatever lust is in the heart it may be drawn into act notwithstanding the being of grace that grace that does not altogether destroy the disposition cannot altogether hinder the working of it there needs more than the being of grace to hinder the workings of the vilest corruptions Jonah 4.9 Doubt 2. I fear because in those conflicts that I have sin gets the upper-hand I set my self to carry patiently and yet am carried away with impatience and I set my self against such a temptation and yet am out-bid Answer They may be overcome in a particular skirmish that may overcome in the war a godly man is many times out-bid in his conflicts with corruption that argues the weakness not the total want of grace grace is sometimes under hatches corruption comes like a storm and bears down all before it corruption does not only out-bid conscience but grace too if a man throw a bawl right forward the strength of the bias carries it aside Doubt 3. I fear because I find a spirit in my self to seek my happiness in the world and to mourn for affliction as the greatest evil Answer Every one that has any worldly love and carnal sorrow has this spirit worldly love is not a loving of the world but a loving of it more than God so carnal sorrow is not a mourning for afflictions but a mourning for them as the greatest evil he that is under the power of worldliness has this spirit reigning in him but godly men so far as they are unregenerate and acted by a worldly spirit do prefer the World above God and make the world their God the spirit of worldliness is to idolize the world but notwithstanding this you may love God above the world and mourn for sin above any affliction though there be a spirit to prize the world above God yet there may be another spirit in you to prize God above all things and where there is any degree of true love to God there is a loving of God above all the unregenerate part loves other things more than God the regenerate loves God more than all other things Doubt 4. I fear because I commit such sins soon again as I have been mourning for Answer It is true that mourning for sin does mortifie sin and leave the heart more fortified against the temptation yet the same corruption is in the heart still and sometimes that
on t when tumbling into the lake that burns with fire and brimstone what can comfort you in that condition men take great delight here in their worldly enjoyments and pleasures but what comfort will it be to have good things when they are tormented in this flame men comfort themselves here that they have laid a foundation of worldly greatness for their children but what comfort will it be to them to think that their children are eating and drinking and sporting when they are drinking the dregs of the wrath of God and whatever honour their Sons come to their flesh upon them shall have pain and their soul within them shall mourn you have much to do now to bear any little affliction and how do you think to go thorow these calamities where nothing will be moderate where all evils shall fall upon you and that in the extremity of them you will wring your hands and tear your hair and gnash your teeth and curse your day and fill hell with outcries and lamentations this will be your portion if you continue to reject Jesus Christ Luk. 12.46 He shall appoint him his portion with unbelievers it is not a matter of probability a thing only to be much suspected but beyond all question that you even you are a damned man if you do not entertain the calls of the Gospel you are spending away your time in delays but you had need resolve the case if you refuse Christ you chuse misery you chuse death you chuse eternal damnation stand out from Christ a little longer you are a gone man men hope God will not be so hard to them as to damn them especially considering the services they have done and the pains that they have taken in religion but there is one law for all men under the Gospel he that believeth not shall be damned Mat. 16.16 the unbeliever lies open to damnation on a double account upon the account of his other sins and upon the account of his unbelief Jeb 2.3 how shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation let mens other qualifications be what they will yet if they believe not the wrath of God abideth upon them Joh. 3.36 God threatens them in his word with ruine and those threatnings are absolute such as bind him in faithfulness to damn every unbeliever there are many indefinite threatnings in the Scripture and many conditional but these are absolute ones against every one that continues in unbelief there is no possibility for them to escape This appears 1. Because it is contrary to the decree and appointment of God to save such as do not believe the decrees of God are inviolable it is a vain thing for any man to look for salvation contrary to Gods decree but it is against Gods decree to save unbelievers not that there is such a formal act in the decree that unbelievers shall be damned but this is a truth arising from the decree for God has determined to give faith unto all those that he has chosen unto salvation he has determined to lead them in a way of faith unto life 2 Thes 2.13 God has chosen you from the beginning unto salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth all that God has chosen unto life shall believe John 6.37 all that the Father has given me shall come unto me so that it is cross to the decree of God to save any man that has not faith the decree of God is a bar in the way of his salvation 2. Because faith is the condition of the covenant of grace there is one law for all men there is but one condition of this covenant John 5.24 he that heareth my words and believeth in him that sent me hath everlasting life c. we are directed to take this way for salvation there is no other way proposed in case of a failure in this so that the want of this must needs exclude men from the good of the covenant the want of this condition renders men uncapable of life 3. Because it must be so in Justice and Gods heart is as much upon the glorifying of his Justice as his grace one attribute is as due to him as another the glorifying of his Justice is not a by-business but a thing that his heart is deeply concerned in and Justice requires the ruine of unbelievers for they deserve it Rom. 6.23 the wages of sin is death and there is no way for Justice to be satisfied for their sins but by their ruine 4 Because it is foretold and prophesied of that Christ will destroy unbelievers when he comes to Judgment the Scripture gives us an account before hand of the transactions of the day of Judgment what will be the issue of things and befal these and those in that day and God tells us that unbelievers shall be ruined then he does not only threaten them with ruine but tells the Saints that such persons shall be ruined 2 Thess 1.7 8. he will take vengeance on them that obey not the Gospel of Jesus Christ Rev. 21.8 the fearful and unbelieving shall have their part in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone 5. Because the Sentence of God in the Gospel is that which men shall be judged by God declares in the Gospel that he that believeth not shall be damned and if unbelievers be tried by this rule they will certainly perish if God should try them by some other rule that they might fancy or imagine they might make a shift to escape but by this rule they are gone men and this is the rule they must be tried by God will have no respect in that day unto mens riches or learning or esteem among men or their civil or moral conversation but their case must be determined by the Gospel Rom. 2.16 God will judg the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my Gospel 6. Those that do not believe in Christ have not those other qualifications that do accompany salvation there be many other qualifications besides Faith that God has promised Salvation un to and some men that are under a conviction that they have not Faith are pretenders to some of those qualifications but they do but flatter themselves when they come to be examined by God they will be found destitute of all those holy qualifications they make a shew of humility patience love to God regard to his glory but those shews are but delusions all the religion of those men that have not Faith is hipocrisie there may be Morality without Faith and strong religious affections but there is no sanctification where there is no Faith there may be the shadow of it but not the thing it self Act. 26.18 Sanctified by Faith that is in me It is impossible for you to escape ruin if you do not believe and that is not all for your rejecting of Christ does not only expose you unto condemnation but to a greater degree of misery than multitudes will
sort of men another to limit it and confine it to them it may be applied particularly to young ones yet that does not exclude the Antient to poor ones yet that does not exclude the wealthy to afflicted ones and that does not exclude men that are in prosperity unto the Jews but that does not exclude the Gentiles Rev. 22.22 Whoever will let him come and take the water of life freely Objection 8. I have not a work of Humiliation I am not brought wholly out of my self therefore I am not called Answer 1. Persons that are not humbled are called to come to Christ their next work indeed is not to come to Christ but to come out of themselves and so come to Christ to forsake all other confidences and build on Christ to throw away other hopes and flee to this hope that is set before them to throw away their crutches and lean upon Christ self-righteous persons are invited Rev. 3.17 18. they that said they were rich are invited to come to Christ for gold tried in the fire 2. If persons are so far humbled as to be willing to take Christ on his own terms that is enough there needs no humiliation before faith but upon this account that persons may be so shiftless that they may be willing to take Christ as a free gift of God men need so much that they may not make lies their refuge but may be prepared to take the free offer of the Gospel so much as is necessary in order to a dependance on Christ and free-grace is needful and no more Objection 9. How can the Righteousness of Christ make God love one I have no righteousness of my own to draw the heart of God to me and I don't see how the righteousness of Christ can procure the love of God for me Answer 1. The use of the righteousness of Christ is to answer the demands of the Law for you the Law laid an objection in the way of your salvation which must be removed before you could be saved the Law would not admit of your salvation without a compleat righteousness and the righteousness of Christ does remove this objection this is as much as the Law does demand as the condition of life the righteousness of Christ makes you an heir of blessedness according to the law this removes the guilt of sin this supplies your want of worthiness so that hereby fair way is made for your salvation without any injustice Rom. 3.26 there needs nothing more to make your salvation free from any legal exceptions 2. There is no need that the righteousness of Christ should procure the love of God for you men are troubling of themselves in vain when they are seeking a cause of Gods love out of himself Gods love is the first cause of mans salvation and has no dependance upon any thing it is impossible that any thing out of God should move God to love you and there is sufficiency of grace in God to love you tho' there be no external cause to move him God loves men freely Hos 14.4 he can have mercy upon you because he will the love that God has to the angels of heaven is not built upon their righteousness but is the foundation of their righteousness because they were elect angels therefore they continued holy angels and the love of God to Abraham and all his Saints does not depend upon their righteousness nor upon the Righteousness of Christ indeed the love of God was the reason why Christ was sent to work out righteonsness for us Joh. 4.10 he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins Objection 10 I have not the inward call of the Gospel how can it be said then that God calls me I have indeed an external call but God does not inwardly call me and I wait for that Answer It is the outward call of the Gospel that gives men their warrant to believe it is the written Word of God that bears us out in it and you must not expect any other warrant but that you must not expect any new revelations to warrant your coming to Christ 2 Pet. 1.19 we have also a more sure word of Prophesie the inward call is nothing else but the opening of the ear to hear the outward call the inward call is only that illumination of the mind wherby we see God calling of us in his word the assuring us of the truth of the Gospel the call of God in his Word is that that gives men their encouragement to come to Christ the Word of God is the ground of faith Psal 91.4 his Truth shall be thy shield and buckler the design of the inward call is only to clear up the outward call and satisfie the heart in that the outward call evidences mens safety in coming there is Gods testimony and that is an evidence beyond exception 1 Joh. 5.9 Gods call in his Word makes it your duty to believe but that it would not do if it did not give you a sufficient warrant to believe the inward call helps us to read and understand our warrant but it is the outward call that gives warrant to believe the outward call is the foundation of saith Acts 13.48 they glorified the Word of the Lord and believed God speaks his heart in the outward call men slight it and say it is but an outward call but the outward call is no delusion God speaks uprightly in the outward call there you may see the heart of God how ready he is to bestow salvation upon sinners and the outward call binds Gods faithfulness the outward call lays such a tye upon God as makes the condition of believers very safe Heb. 10.25 let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering for he is fatthful that promised Objection 11. I have an unwilling spirit to come to Christ and therefore I am not called for the call is only to them that will Rev 22.17 whosoever will let him take of the water of life freely Answer 1. When God says whoever will he does not limit the call to them that will the offer is general and therefore is made unto them that will not as well as unto them that will men that are unwilling ought to come mens duty does not depend upon their willingness to do it God commands those that are unwilling the generality of the Jews were not willing to come to Christ yet God required them to come Joh. 9.29 this is the work of God that ye believe on him whom he hath sent God makes conditional promises unto such and will punish such men for their not coming unto Christ it will be a poor excuse at the last day for men to say they were not willing out of their own mouth God will conde mn them 2 When God says whosoever will he does not require any antecedent willingness before their coming the meaning is not that men must first find themselves willing and so come
Have no dependance upon signs it is a great fault of the people of God that when they are called to believe they are waiting for signs sometimes God gives his people signs and sometimes he denies signs unto them when God gives signs it is a duty to take notice of them when he gives them we must improve them for the strengthening of Faith it was a sin in Ahaz to refuse a sign Isai 7.12 God many times considers the weakness of his people and gives them signs which are a strengthening unto hope Rom. 5.4 and it is lawful to desire signs out of a sensibleness of the unbelief of our own hearts under the sence of that that we are easily outbid with temptation that our unbelieving hearts are ready to take advantage from the want of such evidences we may desire signs but it is not lawful to desire them from unbelief unbelief is never good nor any natural effect of it we have no reason to lie waiting for signs when we have the Word of God to incourage us to believe Mat. 16.4 God has sometimes sharply shewed his anger when his people have neglected the promise waiting for signs he has brought sharp affliction upon them Luk. 1.11 20. indeed sometimes God has granted the desires of his people when they have been unbelieving and have desired signs but he does not therein shew his approbation of those desires he condescends because of the infirmities of his people so he did to Gideon but Gideons heart smote him for what he did Judg. 6.39 so Christ condescended to Thomas but withal reproved him Job 20.29 therefore never wait for signs have no dependance upon them Consider 1. When God denies signs there is a sufficient foundation for Faith God never leaves his people without a sufficient ground for Faith it is no sign that a man is not in favour with God that God takes away signs and there is a firm bottom for Faith when signs are withdrawn such as have no light may trust in the Name of the Lord Isai 50.10 Gods call is a sufficient warrant to believe 2. God many times withdraws signes to draw forth the more glorious acts of Faith when men have got signs they are very ready to live upon them and lay more weight upon them than on the stability of the Word of God and God takes away those crutches that men may learn to go without them men are brought into such a condition that they may have nothing else to rely upon but the Word of God 2 Cor. 1.9 3. God takes great delight in the acts of Faith at such a time when signs fail acts of Faith at such a time put a great deal of honour upon God and God does greatly approve of such a Faith God don't reckon men bold and presumptuous for believing at such a time God loves to see men with the shield of Faith defending themselves from all temptations this is a Faith very commendable in the sight of God and God will eminently reward his people for believing on him at such a time a man cannot please God better than by exercising Faith under such circumstances under this consideration Abraham's Faith is commended that against hope he believed in hope Rom. 4.18 and Jesus Christ commends the Faith of the Woman of Canaan when under great temptation yet she would rely upon him Matth. 15.28 O Woman great is thy Faith be it unto thee even as thou wilt Direction 4. Beware of frowardness and discontent frowardness is one great cause of discouragement and unbelief men get into a discontented frame and then they don't know how to believe their spirits are disordered by the dispensations of God unto them because God brings great and long afflictions upon them don't hear their prayers don't give them those inward comforts that he does unto others and when their spirits are distempered with discontent they are greatly disadvantaged to receive the encouragement that God offers unto them discontent is an enemy unto faith therefore beware of a discontented spirit when you are under any rebukes of Providence look to your spirits and labour against the first stirrings of a froward spirit the workings of frowardness does prove a temptation to unbelief and so do the workings of any other corruption as the sinfulness thereof does fright a man from believing but this is not all a froward spirit leads a man into unbelief it is a principle and cause of unbelief And that these two ways 1. Frowardness blinds the minds of men frowardness bereaves men of their understandings passion draws a vail before the eyes God presents before men several encouragements to believe but those things don t sink into mens hearts when discontented a man in a discontented frame is out of frame to consider the weight of those things that God sets before him discontentedness makes him rashly and inconsiderately to reject encouragements when God is encouraging him he don't hearken and regard it Ex. 6.9 they hearkened not unto Moses for anguish of spirit and for cruel bondage frowardness does prejudice men against believing when a man is in such a frame he construes all Gods difpensations to be from want of love he thinks if God had any love for him he would never have dealt so with him if God had had a kindness for him he would have done this for him and prevented this or that evil but he takes it as a sign that God don't regard him when froward he puts the worst sense upon every thing and represents Gods dispensations to himself as flowing from want of love he is ready to say as she how canst thou say I love thee Judg. 15.15 yea frowardness makes a man justifie his unbelief it so blinds him as it did Jonah that he thinks he does well vindicates himself as if he had cause for what he did 2. Frowardness makes men love to cavil against the encouragements that God sets before them a man in a froward frame studies objections and indulges himself in a way of cavelling there is a great deal of wilfulness in their unbelief a froward heart humours himself in his raising of objections men take a pride in cavelling and turning of the calls of God when the heart is discontented there is a great deal of a sturdy spirit working in their unbelief if I had called and he had answered yet would I not believe that he did hearken unto my voice for he breaketh me with a tempest Job 9.16 17. Direction 5. Set hefore your selves the examples of other Saints there is a cloud of witnesses gone before you men that under all sorts of difficulties and temptations have been exercising Faith remember how Abraham believed the Lord and it was counted unto him for righteousness how Job carried himself when he says tho' he slay me yet I will trust in him how David says why art thou cast down O my Soul hope in God how Jonah recovers himself yet will I look again
toward thy Holy Temple such examples may be great inducements and helps to you to follow their example these examples are very quickning and full of argument they are very helpful to strengthen your Faith several ways 1. The examples of Saints recorded in Scripture are a warrant to you to believe their saith is recorded to shew you what you should do how you should carry in lâ—ke cases the examples of the faith of the Saints are set down by way of commendation they are presented before you as a pattern that you should walk after the record of those examples does shew that such a spirit and carriage is highly approved by God you question whether or no God will not count it presumption in you to believe under such circumstances but this may take off that God has recorded it in his Word that his people have been wont to trust in him in such cases and you are called upon by God to follow their example Heb. 6.12 be followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promise 2. In these examples you may see what a lovely glorious thing it is to depend upon God and be exercising of faith in difficult cases there is a great deal of the beauty and loveliness of grace seen in the exercise of it it is a taking thing to see those glorious workings of saith that were in Abraham Sarah Joseph Moses and others of the Saints the Apostle says we count them happy that endure Jam. 5.11 so we count them happy that believe the rules of Gods Word carry in them a commendation of themselves but when we see them practised they are very taking we count the exercises of faith that we hear of and read of excellent and they stir us up to imitation 3. These examples of believing do provoke unto an holy emulation as one Scholar is provoked to emulation by the learning of another so is one saint provoked to emulation by the faith of others the examples of other mens faith have a tendency to make you ashamed of your unbelief you may be ashamed to see your selves out-stripped by those that lived in darker times than you do you may be ashamed to think that you are worse then others that you should be more backward to honour the grace and faithfulness of God than others these examples have a tendency to make you pluck up that you may honour God as others have done Direction 6. Labour to get your hearts fully satisfied in the divine authority of the Scriptures if men have scruples and misgivings of heart about that they will be an occasion of discouragement such jealousies will interrupt the exercise of Faith for the word is the foundation of our faith the authority of the Word of God is our warrant to believe let all scruples of that kind be speedily removed as things that strike at the very root of faith see that you be well grounded in the authority of the Word don 't take it up as a tradition as a thing owned by those among whom you live but satisfie your hearts upon good ground that the Scripture is no device of man but the very Word of God and indeed God has given us as much assurance that it is his Word as we can reasonably desire and expect he gives his own testimony to it we receive the orders of authority upon their own testimony thus God witnesses to the truth of his Word he sets his hand to it Zech. 12.1 Rev. 1.1 and the Scripture has such characters in it as evidence it to be the Word of God the Word carries a sufficient evidence in it self there are such circumstances and marks in it as shew that it is not counterfeit if a Prince send an order to us we know it is not counterfeit by the seal the Secretaries hand the stile the matter of it so here all things are without exception the things are such as are suitable to the glory of God they were written by holy men that were Gods Messengers they are delivered to us by his Church they are such things as no man without revelation could write such things as no good man dare write without order from God such things as no bad man would write and they are confirmed by the accomplishment of predictions and by the presence of the Spirit blessing them unto conviction and conversion Direction 7 Lay up experiences both of the truth of Gods Word and Gods love to you first lay up experiences of the truth of Gods Word it is a great fault when persons do no not treasure up remarkable experiences of the truth of these things that God teaches us in his Word some men don't observe and take notice of such things God does in his providence give abundance of experience of the truth of threatnings they do many times come to pass in an eminent manner he fulfills his Word very plainly that men may see that sin is a provoking thing and a dangerous thing so God is giving experience of the truth of promises for a while the promise did not work but afterwards it was remarkably accomplished that Joshua takes notice of Josh 13.14 sometimes he gives eminent experience of his answering prayer 2 Sam. 1.27 sometimes of his making a good end of afflictions Jam. 5.11 and of the love he has to his people under their afflictions so Gen. 45 5. 2 Cor. 4.18 such things do much confirm our Faith that the Word of God is certain true Rom. 5 4. experience works hope Secondly lay up experience of his special love to you God gives his people experience of that in one degree or other lay up experiences of Gods converting you of the manifestations of his favour the discoveries of his glory his drawing forth the visible actings of grace such experiences as these may strengthen your faith they are of great use to scatter and remove many temptations wherewith your faith may be assaulted Direction 8. Get more spiritual acquaintance with God the spiritual knowledg of God is the foundation of all the practise of religion we know him and love him we know him and obey him we know him and submit to him we know him and put our trust in him Psal 9 10 they that know thy name will put their trust in thee in this way men come to believe at first and in this way their hearts come to be more setled in a way of believing if men understood more what God is that would deliver them from their doubtings 2 Tim 1 12 I know whom I have believed the more the soul sees of God the more he is satisfied that it is safe venturing upon his Word when we understand what a glorious faithful God the Lord is we see that we have sure ground to go upon and when we understand the riches of Gods grace that removes that great objection from our unworthiness which made men think that God was not free to save them and made them think he did not mean them in the invitations of the Gospel therefore make it your care to get as much acquaintance with God as you can revive upon your hearts the remembrance of those discoveries that formerly God has given you and be in the use of means to get new discoveries of the glory of God wait upon him to that end in the ways he has appointed and exercise faith upon the Lord Jesus as the great Prophet of his Church who bid us come to him that our eyes may be anointed with eye salve that we may see Rev 3 18 FINIS BOOKS to be Sold by Samuel Phillips at the West end of the Town-House in Boston ALLeins Rebuke to Back-sliders Alleins Remains Alleins Life and death Brooks Apples of Gold. Brooks Mute Christian Brooks Remedies against Satans Devices Brooks Privy Key of Heaven Baxters Family Catechism Baxters Poor Man's Family-Book Bunyans Conversion Bunyans Life of Mr. Badman Fox's Door of Heaven Fox's Time and end of Time. Galeaceous Carricciolous's Life Protestant Tutor Psalters Primers Sion in Distress Strong 's Spelling-Book Vincent on Prayer Vincents Catechism Vincent's Christs certain and sudden Appearing to Judgment Willard's Penitent Prodigal Willard's Childs Portion Willard on Justification With many other sorts of Books
is said to be justified justified in his Spirit 1 Tim. 13 16 that is by his Resurrection unto life by his sufferings he has delivered himself from that guilt that lay upon him and is become in the eye of the Law righteous CHAP III. The Proposition That it is a safe thing to appear in the Righteousness of Christ Arg I. Because Christs Righteousness is the Righteousness of the Law. THe Subject of the present discourse is That it is a safe thing to appear in the day of Judgement in the Righteousness of Christ it is safe to go before the Judgment Seat of God having no other righteousness to plead for our Justification but Christs Righteousness this Righteousness is sufficient and will prevail for the salvation of all those that have an interest in it we may with quietness depend upon it as that which will serve our turn there is no other Righteousness that can be come at that it is safe appearing in our own personal righteousness is many ways defective and uncapable of being the matter of our Justification that Righteonsness that is performed by the Saints is acceptable unto God but it can't procure the acceptance of their persons the acceptance of it self is procured by Christ Sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 2.5 but we may justly venture our selves upon the righteousness of Christ other foundations will prove sandy but the Righteousness of Christ is a firm foundation for faith and therefore it was Pauls great care that he might be found not in his own Righteousness which is of the Law but that which is through the faith of Christ Phil. 3.9 The Truth of which Proposition I shall demonstrate by the following Arguments Arg. I. The Righteousness of Christ is the Righteousness that the Law required of us it answers the demand that the Law makes of us and therefore it is safe appearing in it There is a necessity of our having the righteousness of the Law God has stated the Law to be a rule of his proceeding towards man wherein he has set down the terms upon which he will bestow life and execute death in that Covenant he gave not onely a Law unto man but likewise to himself from which he will never swerve O it is utterly vain for any man to expect acceptance with God without that righteousness which the Law requires until the Law be answered man can lay no claim to blessedness neither can God in faithfulness bestow blessedness upon man God has bound himself to see the Law fulfilled to a tittle this Law can't be abrogated nor disanulled Saints indeed are not under the condemning power of it because it has been fulfilled for them but yet the Law stands in fotce as a rule according to which God will distribute eternal rewards Math 5.18 One jot or one tittle of the Law shall in no wise pass till all be fulfilled man may break the Law but God will fulfil it the Law is never out of date and as it cannot be abrogated so neither can it be moderated God will never take up with less satisfaction then the Law admits of nor with a less perfect Obedience then the Law requires God does under the Gospel accept of imperfect Obedience but not for Justification There can be no varying from the utmost and highest demands of the Law the Law is unflexible and must be exactly attended it abates nothing so that a regular conscience can never give peace until the Law be fully answered the Law gives sin a condemning power 1 Cor 15.56 the sting of death is sin and the strength of sin is the Law therefore the Law must be answered And it is sufficient for us if we have the righteousness of the Law there is no danger of our miscarrying if we have that righteousness the sincerity of the angels in heaven is that they have the righteousness of the Law and that is a sufficient sincerity for us if we have the righteousness of the Law if we have the righteousness of the Law then we are not liable to the curse of the Law we are not threatned by the Law Justice is not provoked with us the condemnation of the Law can take no hold upon us the Law has nothing to object against our salvation that soul that has the righteousness of the Law is out of the reach of the threatnings of the law where the demand of the Law is answered the Law finds no fault the Law curses only for want of perfect obedience Gal. 3.10 yea moreover where there is the righteousness of the Law God has bound himself to give eternal life such persons are heirs of life according to the promise of the Law the law declares them heirs of life Gal. 3.12 the man that doth them shall live in them Now that the righteousness of Christ is that righteousness which the Law requireth of us is clearly held out in the Word of God Rom. 8.4 where the Apostle sets down the end of Gods sending his Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin condemning sin in the flesh which is that the Righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us the meaning of it must needs be that we might be made righteous by the imputation of Christs righteousness this righteousness is said to be fulfilled in us in as much as we have fulfilled it in our surety so Rom. 10.4 Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness to every one that believeth the end of giving Moses his Law was to drive us to Christ in whom alone we have the righteousness of the Law this is also clearly held out in all such Scriptures where Christ is said to be our righteousness and that we be made righteous by his Obedience for righteousness consists in answering the demands of the Law it is only that righteousness that the Law demands of us that can denominate us legally righteous if Christs Righteousness were not that which the Law requires of us we could not be accepted as righteous upon that account and the Scripture speaks particularly of Christs sufferings that they were those which the Law required of us Gal. 3.8 Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the Law being made a curse for us that curse that he redeemed us from is that he endured and that was the curse of the Law and indeed herein lies the excellency of Christs righteousness where by it is a foundation of so much comfort and support unto Saints that it is that righteousness that the law requires of us this is that consideration from which conscience does take satitfaction But there lies one great objection against this that the Apostle Paul seems to make an opposition between the righteousness of the law and the righteousness of faith and between justification by the law and justification by grace and by faith and by the promise so a man is not justified by the law but by the Faith of Jesus Christ Gal. 2.6