yet I had a good meaning I intended it at that time well that is not enough If thou hadst faith thou wouldest doe it indeed doe not say I had a good meaning for if thou hadst faith it would not onely worke a good meaning in thee but it would worke power in thee to doe this that thou wouldest be able to mortifie these affections it would worke a reall and an effectuall change in thee Consider how faith doth it faith takes CHRIST when you haue taken CHRIST as soone as euer you haue him he sends his Spirit into your hearts and the Spirit is able to doe all this and doth as Saint Paul saith when hee had CHRIST once I am able to doe all things through Christ that strengthens mee So certainely when thou hast CHRIST as thou commest to take the elements of Bread and Wine if thou hadst taken him indeed thou wouldst be strengthned to doe all things thou wouldst finde thy heart able to doe this thou shouldest finde a change in thy heart that thou wouldst doe it without difficulty thou wouldest finde thy selfe turned and changed thou wouldst haue new affections and a new life And if thou doe not finde this know that thou hast nothing to doe with the Sacrament know it before-hand and know that thou hast had warning giuen thee that thou receiuest vnworthily and art guilty of the body and blood of CHRIST that is thou committest such a sinne as those did that killed CHRIST What was their sinne that killed him They despised him they mocked him they knew him not to be CHRIST they made no account of him their greatest worke in killing him was they despised him they mocked him So thou commest and art bold with him here it is a despising of CHRIST If thou didst reuerence him if thou didst feare him if thou didst tremble at him if thou didst know him to be such a one as he is thou wouldst not be bold to doe it And therfore if thou wilt venture vpon small grounds to goe on in sinne and yet come and receiue the Sacrament the Apostle saith thou art guilty of the body and blood of Christ that is thou committest a sinne of that nature and therefore looke to it Secondly if thou wouldst know whether thy faith be true or no consider whether thou hast this consequent of it the Spirit of Prayer for wheresoeuer there is a Spirit of faith there is also a Spirit of prayer that is marke it and you shall see the reason why I deliuer this to be a signe of faith Faith you know is wrought in vs by the Spirit of Adoption Now what is the Spirit of Adoption but the Spirit that tels you that ye are sonnes as in Gal. 4.6 So many as are sonnes receiue the Spirit of sonnes Now whensoeuer the Spirit tels a man he is a sonne that is workes faith in his heart the second thing that the Spirit doth it teacheth him to pray and therefore those words are added that you cry Abba Father that is the Spirit neuer doth the one but it doth the other if it be the testimony of the Spirit And therefore this is the second signe If thou haue such a perswasion that the Spirit haue spoken to thee if thou wouldest know whether this be a delusion or no thou shalt know it by this If thou haue the Spirit it will make thee able to cry Abba Father it will make thee able to doe two things First it will make thee able to cry that they shall be earnest prayers which thou makest thy prayers shall be feruent they were cold before thou camest to performe lip-labour thou camest to doe the duty to performe it perhaps euery day but alas what prayer was it This shall make thee cry But againe which is the maine not onely so but thou shalt speake to him as to a Father that is thou shalt goe to GOD and looke vpon him as one doth vpon a Father as one lookes vpon one whose loue he is sure of of whose fauour he doubts not one that hee knowes is readie to heare his requests It may bee thou hast prayed before but not to him as to a Father all the while that is the worke of the Spirit if it euer giue thee testimony of thy sonneship it will make thee pray feruently and it will make thee pray to God as to a Father that is to be made able to pray But you will say euery body can pray Is that such a signe is that such a distinguishing marke and character to bee able to pray My brethren be not deceiued in it you must know that prayer is not a worke of the memory or a worke of the wit A man that hath a good wit or a ready invention or a voluble tongue may make an excellent praier in his owne esteeme and in the esteeme of others but this is not to pray Prayer is the worke of a sanctified heart it it the worke of GODS Spirit There is a double prayer Rom. 8. there is one praier which is the voice of our owne spirit there is a second praier which is the voice of Gods Spirit in vs that is when the Holy Ghost hath so sanctified the heart when hee hath put it into such a whole-frame of grace that the heart comes to speake as it is quickned as it is acted and moued from GODS Spirit Now saith the Text there God knows the voice of his own Spirit for that makes requests according to his will he heares that prayer But now the prayers which are made by the voice of our owne spirit he knowes not the meaning of them that is he heares them not he hearkens not to them Consider whether thy prayer be such or no consider whether thy prayer bee the voyce of Gods Spirit in thee But thou wilt say How should I know that Thou shalt know it by this as I said before Dost thou come to him as to a Father Another man prayes to GOD it may be all his life but hee comes to him as to a stranger yea sometimes he may be very earnest when it is no prayer but when he is put to an exigent he may be earnest as a Thiefe is earnest with the Judge to spare him there may be much earnestnesse although this may bee farre off from prayer But canst thou come to GOD as to a friend Canst thou come to him as to one whose fauour thou art assured of Canst thou come to him as to a Father Except thou canst doe this know that he regardeth not thy prayers And this me thinkes now when we consider we should not deferre our repentance and thinke with our selues I will repent when I am sicke I will goe to GOD in the time of extremity Well it may be thou maist doe it but alas canst thou come to speake to God now as to a friend when
desire long enough but how shall we be able to doe it I will tell you in a word and so conclude First you must pray for it it is a lovely suite when we come to the Lord and tell him that we desire to love him that we would faine doe it if we could and beseech him not to deny us that request that we know is according to his will doe you thinke that the Lord will refuse you in that case especially if you begge it importunately at his hands For if you object and say we have prayed and have not obtained it know that to love the Lord is a precious thing and therefore the Apostle reckons it so You will say How doth this prayer doe it I say that it doth it partly by obtaining at Gods hands for when you crie earnestly hee cannot denie you But as he did with the lame and the blinde when they were importunate hee never neglected any but healed them When you crie to the Lord and say I would faine love thee but I cannot will hee not be as willing to heale thy soule to give thee legges to runne after him and eyes to see him as he was to heale the lame and the blinde certainly he will not denie thee But besides that prayer doth it because it brings us to converse and to have communion with him by prayer wee are familiar with God by that meanes love growes betweene us as you know when you converse with men it is a means to get love Againe prayer doth it because when wee are much in calling upon God the Lord delights to shew himselfe to such a man yea at such a time for the most part as hee shewed himselfe to Christ when he was praying as he did to Moses and to Cornelius and others And againe prayer it exerciseth this love it blowes up the sparke of this love and makes a flame of it therefore much prayer begets much love If you would be abundant in love be fervent and frequent in this dutie of prayer pray much and you shall finde this effect of it it will beget love in you You will say prayer is a generall meanes for other things Why doe you put it as a peculiar meanes to get love The reason is because love in an especiall manner is a gift of the Spirit a fruite of the holie Ghost and it is true it must be a peculiar worke of the Spirit to beget love It is true faith comes by hearing and hearing begets faith it is done likewise by the Spirit but love is more peculiarly than other graces the gift of the holie Ghost And therefore 2 Thess. 4. saith the Apostle You are taught of God to love one another That is it is such a thing as God teacheth or else our teaching will never doe it that which he saith of love to the brethren we may say of the love of God the Lord hath put love into man man loves many times and knowes not why many times he hath reason that he should love and yet he cannot because it is a peculiar gift of God That naturall affection for a man to love his children all the world cannot doe it all the arguments in the world cannot perswade a man for if arguments could doe it we might perswade others to doe so but none can love so as the father doth his childe and why but because the Lord workes that in men So the love of God is a peculiar worke of the holy Ghost none are able to love Iesus but hee in whom the Lord hath wrought it in whom the holy Ghost hath planted this affection Therefore the way to get it is earnestly to pray to acknowledge the power of the holy Ghost to goe to him and say Lord I am not able to doe it this acknowledgement of the power of the holy Ghost is the way to prevaile Besides you know the power of God is so transcendent beyond the pitch of our nature that except the holy Ghost worke more than nature we shall never be brought together in agreeablenesse and sutablenesse wee are no more able to love the Lord than colde water is able to heate it selfe there must be somewhat to breede heate in that water so the holy Ghost must breed that fire of love in us it must be kindled from heaven or else we shall never have it Secondly another speciall meanes to enable you to love the Lord is to consider your owne condition to consider your sinnes what you are what hearts you have and what lives you have lead You will say how doth this beget love Yes this is a great meanes Mary loved much because much was forgiven her that is Mary Magdalen had great sense of her sinnes the Lord had opened her eyes to see what a one shee had beene what sinnes she had committed And because she had that sense of her sinnes her eyes were open to see her owne vilenesse thence it is saith he she loved much For when we are humble and poore in spirit when we are little in our owne eyes then the Lord will come and shew mercy on us when a man shall see his sinne and shall thinke with himselfe I am worthy to be destroyed I can expect nothing but death then the Lord shall come sodainly as it were and shall tell us you shall live and shall reconcile himselfe to us this will command love We shall never receive the Gospell as to love Christ till we come to poverty of spirit till we be thus humbled as in the first of Luke it is the speech of Mary My soule doth magnifie the Lord and why because he had respect to the poore estate of his handmaiden When she was little in her owne eyes and made no account of her selfe and thought not her selfe worthy to be looked after the Lord comes and takes her and vouchsafes her such an honour as to cause his owne Sonne to be borne of her now she could not holde but that was it that enflamed her heart with love to the Lord my soule doth magnifie the Lord because he had respect to the poore estate of his handmaid So wee see in David you never finde a greater expression of love in David than at that time when hee was most humbled when the Prophet came to him and tolde him what the Lord would doe for him that he would build him and house David begins to consider what he was what is David saith he What am I or what is my fathers house That is I am but a poore miserable man I am but thus borne what have I done that the Lord should respect me so farre If David had not beene so little and so vile in his owne eyes those great mercies had never so wrought on his heart And therefore I say the way to make us abundant in love is to consider our sinnes to be humbled to consider what
himselfe put not his hand to the worke no man is able to beleeue You may thinke when you see such generall propositions as these that Christ is offered to euery creature vnder heauen and that whosoeuer beleeueth shall be saued you may thinke I say that it is easie to bring this home in particular to say Surely this pardon belongs to mee My Brethren it is another thing for a man indeed to beleeue for him to take CHRIST so as to deny himselfe for him to take him so as to mortifie his lusts so as to take vp his crosse so as to obey CHRIST to follow him in all things this is a thing that no man is able to doe vnlesse GOD enable him to it with his almighty power For the heart of euery man by nature is so shut vp against CHRIST that it will giue no entrance to him he may stand and knocke long enough vnlesse GOD himselfe shake off the bolts and open the gates and breake open these euerlasting doores that the King of Glory may come in we will not admit him but keepe him out Euery man naturally hath a hard heart that cannot repent that cannot turne from sinne he will bee content perhaps to take Christ for a Sauiour but to take him so as to obey him and feare him so as to loue him this no man will doe or can doe vnlesse the Holy Ghost enable him But you will aske How doth the Holy Ghost doe it The Holy Ghost doth it by these three acts First by putting an efficacie into the Law and making that powerfull to worke on the heart to make a man poore in spirit that so he may be fit to receiue the Gospell For the Law though it be fit to humble a man yet it is no worke of sanctification If a man were able to doe any thing he were able to see the righteousnesse the Law requires and how far he is from it and to discerne the curse vpon the not doing of it and yet this he is not able to doe without the spirit of bondage the spirit of bondage must make the Law effectuall as well as the spirit of Adoption doth the Gospell That is except the LORD himselfe presse the Law on our hearts so as to cause it to make sinne appeare to vs wee that are the Ministers of GOD may discouer your sinnes we may shew you the rectitude required in the Law we may shew you the danger yet all will be to no purpose vnlesse God awaken you if he will set sinne vpon the conscience to worry a man to plucke him downe when GOD shall charge sinne on him that he shall feele the weight and burthen of it when he shall sharpen sinne and cause it to vse its sting this makes a man fit to receiue CHRIST otherwise if the sonnes of Thunder should speake to men if we should come in the spirit and power of Eliah nay if GOD himselfe should thunder from heauen all would not moue the heart of a man all would not awaken him to see his sinnes till God himselfe shake the heart To conuert the Gaâ—ler in Acts 16. the foundation of the Prison was shaken which was a resemblance of the shaking of his heart wee may as well shake the Earth as strike the heart of a sinner without the worke of GOD. For though the Law be a sword yet vnlesse GOD take that sword into his hand and strike therewithall himselfe it shall not be able to wound a sinner Therefore the first worke of the Holy Ghost is to awaken a sinner to set sinne vpon him that he may be fit to receiue CHRIST Secondly when this is done that the heart is thus prepared by the Spirit then the Holy Ghost shewes vs what we haue by CHRIST he shewes the vnsearchable riches of CHRIST what is the hope of our calling and the glorious inheritance prepared for the Saints and what is the exceeding greatnesse of his power in them that beleeue I say we neede the Spirit to shew these things But you will say a man may see these things without the helpe of the Spirit It is true in some manner you may but not in such a manner as shall affect you For there is a manner of seeing proper onely to the Saints and that is the proper worke of the Spirit in them when wee shall so see them as to be affected with them Otherwise you may reade the Scriptures a thousand times ouer you may vnderstand them yet you shall not bee affected with them till the Holy Ghost shew them vnto you This is the secret of GOD that he reuealeth to those whom he meaneth to saue that is when hee presents these spirituall things prepared for vs in Christ in such a manner as that we shall loue them and embrace them when we shall not only see the truth of them but the goodnesse of them when GOD shall not onely shew vs the aduantages we haue by Christ but the excellency of Christ so that we shall be in loue with his person as well as to be ready to receiue the priuiledges with him Now this is done by the Spirit 1. Cor. 2.12 Wee haue receiued the Spirit of GOD by which wee know the things that are giuen vs of GOD and they are reuealed to vs by the Spirit They are two or three times repeated in that Chapter as if he should haue said If you saw them no more then other men doe then naturall men doe you would bee no more affected with them then they are but when you haue the Spirit of GOD to shew you the things that are giuen you of GOD that is the thing that workes vpon you and affects you And so in Ioh. 14.21 saith CHRIST I will come to him and shew my selfe to him When CHRIST sheweth himselfe to a man it is another thing then when the Ministers shall shew him or the Scriptures nakedly read doe shew him for when Christ shall shew himselfe by his Spirit that shewing draweth a mans heart to long after him otherwise we may preach long enough and shew you that these spirituall things these priuiledges are prepared for you in Christ but it is the Holy Ghost that must write them in your hearts we can but write them in your heads Therefore the Lord taketh that as peculiar to himselfe I will write my Law in your hearts That is I will make you affected with the things that I shew you and this is the teaching of GOD. There is a teaching by men and a teaching by GOD that is when God shall enable a man to see things in good earnest otherwise it will be but as a man that sees a thing when his minde is vpon another matter so wee shall see and not see but when the Holy Ghost shall shew you these things you shall see indeed till then you may heare oft enough of these things but your hearts
will bee minding other matters some about their profits and some their pleasures c. but when the Holy Ghost shall shew you these things that is when he presents them to vs that draweth the heart from minding other things to seeke after CHRIST to long after him and not to content your selues till you be vnited to him But besides this there is a third act of the Holy Ghost by which hee workes it and maketh this faith effectuall and that is the testimonie that the Spirit giues to our spirits telling vs that these things are ours when the heart is prepared by the Law and when these things are so shewed vnto vs that wee prize them and long after them yet there must bee a third thing that is to take them to our selues to beleeue that they be ours and there needeth a worke of the Spirit for this too for though the promises be neuer so cleere yet hauing nothing but the promises you will finde that you will neuer be able to apply them to your selues but when the Holy Ghost shall say Christ is thine and these things belong to thee and GOD is thy Father when the Spirit shall beare witnesse with our spirits by an immediate work of his owne then we shall beleeue This is necessarily required and without this wee shall not beleeue It is true the holiest man doth it two wayes One is by cleering of the promises shining into our hearts by such a light as makes vs able to discerne them and to beleeue them and to assent to them But besides that hee doth it by an immediate voice by which he speaketh immediately to our spirits that wee can say as they said Ioh. 16. Now thou speakest plainly and speakest no parable we vnderstand thee fully so till the Holy Ghost speake to vs we are in a Cloud GOD is hid from vs wee cannot see him cleerely but when we haue this Spirit of Adoption to giue vs this witnesse then wee beleeue plainely indeed Therefore in Isay 57.19 saith the Lord I create the fruit of the lips Peace c. That is the Ministers may speake peace to you but vnlesse I goe and ioyne with the Minister except I adde a power of mine owne that is such an almighty power as I vsed in the Creation it shall neuer bring peace to you I create the fruit of the lips that is the words of the Minister to be peace otherwise they would be ineffectuall Therefore I say there must bee a worke of the Spirit to perswade a man in such a case And you shall finde by experience let a Minister come to them that are in despaire they will not apprehend the promises though we vse neuer so cleere reasons though we argue with them neuer so long and neuer so strongly we shall finde that all will doe nothing it will be but labour spent in vaine till GOD himselfe open the Clouds till hee will smile on a man and send his Spirit into the heart to giue a secret witnesse to him till there be a worke of his owne joyning with the promises we finde by experience that our labour is lost It is true we ought to doe this and euery man is bound to looke to the Word for faith commeth by hearing and to hearken to the Ministery for it is Gods ordinance to breed faith in the heart but yet till there be a worke of the Spirit a man shall neuer be so perswaded as to haue any sure and sound comfort by it Now all this is done by the Spirit it is the wonderfull worke of GOD for when CHRIST is propounded to men when he is offered as we haue often offered him to you we haue shewed you what accesse you haue to him that no man is excluded that he is offered to euery creature vnder heauen we haue shewed you the generality of the promise that it takes in all that you are contained vnder it that you may apply it to your selues I say when all this is done yet when a man comes to performe this to apply it to himselfe he is no more able to doe it then a dead man is able to stirre himselfe Therefore the same power that raised CHRIST from the dead is required to worke faith in our hearts as it is in Eph. 1.19 According to his mighty power which he wrought in Christ when hee raised him from the dead So that it is as great a worke to moue a mans heart to CHRIST as to put life into a dead man we are as vnapt and backward to it as a dead man is to receiue life For what else is the reason that when we preach CHRIST to you when hee is offered to you that there bee so few that are affected with him that there be so few that take him doth it not shew that you are dead yea so dead that vnlesse GOD call you and that there be a mighty worke of the Spirit the hearts of men will neuer answer vnto vs. Therefore that is required as a condition in all them who will come Act. 2. So many as the LORD our GOD shall call That is when wee preach except there bee a secret voyce of the Spirit of CHRIST speaking to your hearts as wee doe to your eares and saying Come and take CHRIST no man will come We see CHRIST said to his Apostles Follow mee and presently they followed him for it was not the outward voice that did it there was a secret voice within so when GOD shall call men to take CHRIST then they doe it but not before That word that is vsed Luk. 14.23 Goe and COMPELL them to come in that my House may be full it intimates a great backwardnesse in vs. When men are compelled it shewes that not onely the arguments are strong and forcible but that there is a great backwardnesse in men that they must as it were be constrained that they must be put on it by force and against their will such is the vnaptnesse that is in men So saith CHRIST no man comes to me except the Father draw him That phrase of the Holy Ghost shewes that there is an extreme backwardnesse that if they be not forced to come as it were they will not doe it not but that when a man is once wrought vpon by the Holy Ghost hee commeth of himself but that phrase is vsed only to shew that backwardnesse that is in man by nature For when the Holy Ghost hath wrought vpon the will and hath turned that then a man commeth vpon his owne legs and is moued from an inward principle of his owne therefore men are so drawne that withall they runne after him as it is Cant. 1. but it shewes this thing for which I haue vsed it that there is a wondrous backwardnesse in all of vs by nature and that this must be done by a great worke of the Spirit Therefore the Apostle
goest and nothing but death shall part betweene me and thee When Naomi saw that she was stedfastly minded she tooke her along with her So if GOD should receiue men at the first many men would come in and take hold vpon Christ and make a profession of his Name but they would not hold out to the end with him But when CHRIST shall tell them I haue not so much as a place to lay my head in if thou wilt haue me thou must deny thy selfe and take vp thy Crosse and thou shalt finde a great deale of trouble and suffer persecution If a man now notwithstanding this will not be beaten off from Christ but though Christ turne the deafe eare to him for the present and present to him all manner of difficulties yet if he will notwithstanding all this be constant still in importuning God to haue CHRIST when GOD shall see that his mind is thus set he will take him along with him hee will be thine and thou shalt be his his people shall be thy people this is it that knits the knot betweene you My Beloued is mine and I am his his Word is passed for it he hath promised his consent now if we will giue ours the match is made If it were doubtfull whether wee should haue his consent it were another case but we haue a sure Word for it wee should learne therefore to importune him Now when we haue done this when wee are come with this boldnesse and haue laid hold vpon CHRIST then let vs looke to the priuiledges then let vs take the pardon of our sinnes adoption and reconciliation and all things else only remember that condition of after-obedience that though wee may come freely and come with this boldnesse and though nothing be required but that we take this Sonne of GOD that is offered yet I say there is a condition of after-obedience wee must resolue to serue him and to loue him with all our heart we must resolue to doe that that Ruth promiseth to Naomi to liue with him and to be with him and that his people shall be our people c. But you will say I am willing to doe this to part from my lusts and to be to CHRIST alone but I am not able my lusts are strong and preualent To this I answer If thou bee but willing Christ desires no more I would but aske thee this Suppose that thou wert able to ouercome those lusts take a man that is strongly giuen to good-fellowship as they call it to company-keeping that is giuen to fornication to swearing or whatsoeuer the sinne bee take any preualent lust that is in any man that now heareth me I would aske him this Question Put the case thou wert able to get the victory ouer thy lust wouldst thou be content to part with it and to take CHRIST If thou sayest No I had rather enioy the sweetnesse of my lusts still Art thou not now worthy to be condemned But if thou answer I would vpon condition I were able to ouercome my lusts I assure thee GOD will make thee able GOD requires no more but a willingnesse to come and take CHRIST the other is Gods worke I but I haue tryed and haue not found it so I answer it cannot be thou hast not yet solued to part with thy lusts thou hast not yet set downe this peremptory conclusion in thy selfe that thou wilt forsake euery thing that you may haue CHRIST If any man say he is willing to take CHRIST and to part with the sweetnesse and the pleasantnesse and the profitablenesse that his lust brings to him if he could get the victory if hee were freed from the sollicitations of them Let me tell thee thou must first resolue to take Christ vpon his owne conditions and for the other GOD hath promised to doe that himselfe 1. Cor. 8.9 God will confirme you and keepe you blamelesse for he is faithfull that hath called you to the fellowship of his Sonne As if hee should haue said Doe you thinke that GOD will call men to CHRIST that he will beseech men to take his Sonne will he call you to the fellowship of his Sonne and will hee not keepe you blameles he hath promised it and sworn it if he should not doe it hee should be vnfaithfull when GOD calleth you to come vnto Christ he promiseth that the vertue of Christs death shall kill sinne in you and that the vertue of Christs Resurrection shall raise you vp to newnesse of life GOD hath promised that he will giue the Holy Ghost for he neuer giues his Sonne to any but he giues them the Spirit of his Sonne too Now Hee that hath called you is faithfull and he will doe it So that I say if thou wilt come in that is if thou wilt accept of CHRIST vpon his conditions it is certaine GOD will receiue thee and if thou find thy selfe troubled with the violence of any lust or of any temptation presse vpon GOD vrge him with his Word and promise that he would assist thee by his own strength that he would enable thee to ouercome that he would giue thee the Spirit of his Sonne and resolue as Iob Though he kill me yet will I trust in him for I haue a sure promise Heauen and Earth shall passe but not one tittle of his sure Word shall passe till it be fulfilled Now because this is a point of much moment this laying hold vpon the promises and because it is a thing that is not easily done therefore I will shew you these two things The first is this that the vnderstanding must be rightly informed what ground a man hath to doe it when a man comes to beleeue the forgiuenesse of his sinnes let him not thinke I haue a perswasion that my sinnes are forgiuen therefore they are forgiuen but a man must labour to see the ground of it for a thing is not true because wee are perswaded it is so but the thing is first true and then we beleeue it GOD hath first offered forgiuenesse of sinnes to you and then you looke vpon his Word and so beleeue it But I say when a man is perswaded in a confused manner without any iust ground without a cleere knowledge of the progresse of faith how it goeth along this is not right this keepeth many from assurance because they are not cleerely instructed in it For to the end that faith may take hold of the promise that it may be sure to vs we must conceiue of the right method and that stands in these foure things First we must see our owne condition we must be sicke before we can seeke to the Physician we must see our selues to be condemned men that there is nothing in vs to helpe our selues wee must be broken in heart in some measure wee must see our selues to bee children of wrath and then we will come and seeke for a remedy and that
wilt look upon other things as things that thou regardest not much thou wilt grieve for them as if thou grievedst not and rejoyce as if thou rejoycedst not thou wilt use the world as if thou usedst it not thy heart will be taken up about Christ and about the things that belong to the kingdome of God thy intentions will be set upon the things that belong to the service of God and thy owne salvation This is a thing by which you may plainly discerne the truth of your love examine therefore what it is upon which you bestow the maine and the top of your intentions Indeed my brethren the greatest things that the world hath are not worthy of the toppe and strength of our affections for they are but trifles Therefore if you love the Lord Iesus if you prize him aright and be righâ—ly affected towards him you will esteeme nothing great but the enjoying of his favour and nothing of worse consequent than the losse of it nothing will be of any great moment to you but onely sinne and grace sinne that displeaseth him and grace that brings you into favour with him as for other things you will looke upon them as trifles you will not put the strength of your mindes to any thing else this is the nature of love it is vehement toward the thing that it loveth Moreover it hath also this property of fire that it is still aspiring it is still enlarging it selfe still growing on assimulating and turning every thing into its owne nature it is overcomming and is not ready to be overcome Which propertie of fire is noted in that place I spake of in the morning Much water cannot quench it it is as strong as death Now death you know overcomes all so will love it will breake through all impediments Consider whether you finde this disposition in your selves that your hearts are still drawing nearer and nearer the Lord that they are still aspiring up towards heaven that you are still going onward and thriving in the worke of grace But that which of all other things will manifest most to us this affection of love it is those affections which depend on it you shall know it I say by the affections that hang upon it It is true that all the affections depend upon love but for this time I will instance but in two namely Anger and Feare Looke whatsoever it is that a man loveth where he findes any impediment in the prosecution of it hee is angry hee desires with as much earnestnesse to remoove that impediment as hee loves the thing Take any man even of the mildest disposition if in any thing that hee loveth much and intendeth much there be an intercurrent impediment that shall interrupt him he is angry though otherwise he be of a most meeke disposition For anger is but earnestnesse to remove the thing out of the way that hinders us whatsoever a man loveth hee is angry with the impediments that hinder him in it Come now and examine your love to the Lord by your anger that anger that proceedes from love to the Lord we call zeale will you professe that you love the Lord and yet your hearts are not moved when he is dishonoured Thinke with thy selfe when thou art wronged in thy name or some body miscalleth thee misreports of thee and prosecutes thee with evill speeches and revilings is not thy wrath kindled in thee against such a one Well if thou love the Lord Iesus as thy selfe as thou oughtest to love him above thy selfe why are not thy affections stirred in thee when thou hearest him dishonoured when thou knowest that his Name is ill spoken of If a man should take from thee thy wealth or any thing that is deare to thee if a man should come and violate thee with ill tearmes thou wouldest be angry with him and be ready to flie in the face of such an one If you be thus affected to the Lord and to his glory why doe you not doe the like for him You know David did the same Mine eyes gush out saith he with rivers of water because men keepe not thy Law Therefore know that if you finde not your hearts affected with the things that belong to God that there is no anger stirred up it is a sure argument that you love him not It is observable that is said of olde Ely 1 Sam. 4.3 when newes was brought him that the Israelites were fled that moved him not so much when it was tolde him morever that there was a great slaughter among the people that stirred him not neither when it was tolde him yet that his two sonnes Hophni and Phineas were slaine yet this did not so much affect him but when it was tolde him that the Arke of the Lord was taken the text noteth something more than ordinary that hee was so stirred with it that he fell from his seate it cost him his life Can you find this affection in your selves that you are not moved with the death of childreÌ„ so much or for the losse of your goods or for your owne particular discontents as when you shall heare that the glory is departed from Israel that religion suffers any eclipse in any place that the Gospell of Iesus Christ is hindred This is a thing that will try your love to the Lord. If you finde that you can heare of the desolation of the Churches and of the increase and growing of Poperie and yet you doe not take it to heart to be affected with it you doe not grieve for it it is a signe that you want love to the Lord. You know what is noted of them in Ierem. 36.24 when the King had done an abominable action that hee had cut the roll insunder that Ieremiah gave him and cast it into the fire that was upon the hearth before him it is sayd that those that were about him did not rent their clothes nor petition to him c. As if hee should say in this they discovered a wonderfull want of love to the Lord and to his cause that they were not moved with this dishonour that was offered to God and to his servant and to the cause of Religion at that time You know what disposition Paul had in this case Act. 17. He observed that the place where he was was given to Idolatry the text saith His spirit was stirred in him his zeale and his anger was kindled in his breast Therefore consider what your affections to the Lord are by this holy anger that is in you Moses you know was the meekest man vpon the earth and yet you know how he was mooved how his zeale was kindled in his breast when he saw the idolatry of the people In the next place consider your feare For if you love the Lord it will cause you to feare and tremble at his word and at his judgements for whom a man loves much he regards much and when a man regards
actions that is they are likewise precious Therefore let no man say he hath faith and love and as good a heart as the best though his actions be not so good though he be not so strict in his carriage for it cannot be my brethren For first of all if a mans heart be good hee hath the spirit of God dwelling there now saith the Apostle 2 Tim 1.6 The spirit is not a spirit of feare or a spirit of weaknesse a spirit that onely makes attempts and is not able to bring things to passe but it is a spirit of power a spirit of a sound minde That is doe not thou pretend thou meanest well and desirest well and thinke it is sufficient but stirre up the gift that is in thee set thy selfe on worke doe the actions that belong to thee in thy place and doe not say I am not able to doe it for wee have not received a spirit that is weake but a spirit of power the same I may say to every Christian If ye be in Christ yee have the spirit which is a spirit of power So you have it likewise Gal. 5.25 If you live in the spirit walke in the spirit that is if you have so much of the spirit as to make you living men shew it by walking in the spirit by following the spirit by doing that which the spirit guides you to therefore it is impossible that a man should have a right minde but that his workes also will be good because grace is strong in 2 Tim. 2.1 And thou my sonne be strong in the grace received c. As if hee should say grace is a strong thing it strengthens every man that hath received it if thou professe thou hast received the grace of Christ to regenerate thee to change thee and to make thee a new creature let that appeare by shewing thy selfe strong in thy actions able and ready to doe every thing that belongs to thee in thy place Indeede flesh is weake so much flesh so much weaknesse for that is weake and fading and withering and mutable it is grasse and all the purposes of it and the desires of it are no better but the spirit is strong and grace is strong quite contrary to the flesh as the Prophet speakes Isa. 31.3 Yee are men and not Gods flesh and not spirit when he would shew their weaknesse as if weaknesse were a concomitant of the flesh and strength a concomitant of the spirit Therefore if you have the spirit of Christ in you there will be strength to goe through good workes not onely to intend them and purpose them and resolve on them but you will put those resolutions and purposes in execution Secondly it must needes be so because there is a chaine betweene good workes and the inward rectitude of the heart a chaine that cannot be disjoyned for ye shall finde that these three things alwayes goe together First as that indeede is the beginning of every mans renewing there must be a knowledge a man must be enlightened hee must be renewed in the spirit of his minde as the Apostle saith Now if the knowledge bee right if it bee a convicting knowledge a sanctifying knowledge a knowledge to purpose it will draw on affections it cannot chuse they are never separated you are never truly enlightened by Gods spirit but affections follow necessarily and then if the affections be right if knowledge draw on holy affections love and feare and desires c. affections are the immediate principles of actions there is no man that hath right affections but good workes will follow so that these three are never disjoyned sanctified knowledge draweth on holy affections and holy affections draw on good actions as yee have it in Matth. 13.5 Their hearts are waxed fat and their eares are dull of hearing and why you shall see the chaine there lest seeing with their eyes they should understand with their hearts and be converted and I should heale them Marke it if they should see with their eyes the Lord hath given them up to judge amisse of things that seeing they doe not see that is they see not to purpose they are not convinced they doe not judge for if they did see with their eyes that is if they did see indeede they would have understood with their hearts their affections would follow in their hearts and if they were set aright then they would be converted that is their lives would be turned to God and if these three were done he must needes heale them but saith God I am resolved not to heale them therefore they shall see as if they did not see for these will draw on one the other So I say if the heart were right if there were faith and love good workes would follow therefore let no man say hee hath grace hee hath love and faith except his life also be holy and good Lastly wheresoever there is faith and love there is a change of nature for you know that wheresoever they come faith that is effectuall and love that followeth from faith it makes a man a new creature they are the very things wherein a new ereature consists Now when a mans nature is changed it must needes be active for that which is naturall to a man he doth without unevennesse there is no inequality in his doing it he doth it constantly where there are naturall principles of actions the actions flow like water from a spring indeede where the nature of a man is not changed that is where there is onely good purposes and good desires and no alteration of nature there actions doe not come as water from a spring but as water from a pompe that is forced and extorted but where there is a change of nature there is no difficultie a man doth it with facility and with desire it is his meate and drinke to doe the will of God Therefore I say good workes will follow there will be the same degree of holinesse of rectitude in your lives in your actions as there is of grace as there is of faith and love in your hearts And this is enough to make the point plaine to you the maine businesse will be to make use of it and to apply it to your selves And first let us make this use of it not to content our selves with good meanings onely as it is the fashion of men to say my heart is as good as yours and my meaning is as good as yours though I be subject to infirmities though I cannot make such a shew though I cannot doe so much as others doe this is the common objection and though men say it not constantly yet they thinke it otherwise they would not content themselves in such a condition as they doe But I say deceive not your selves in this for my brethren you must know that you may have good purposes and good meanings we will not deny you that you may have these
and yet have no true grace for you must know thâ—t good purposes and desires may arise from these two things which every unregenerate man is capable of There may be knowledge as you know an evill man may have knowledge of all the mysteries of salvation as well as the most holy I doe not say he hath the sanctified knowledge but the law of God is partly written in his heart the Lord hath taught every man somewhat Secondly in an evill and unregenerate man there may be not onely knowledge but an approbation of that which is good they can approove that which is good so farre they may goe I doe not say they can delight in it for that is another thing they doe not love and delight in it that is not sutable to them yet they may approove it Now from these two principles to know that which is good and to approove it they may goe so farre as to purpose and desire to serve God they may have good meanings but yet if actions follow not if there be not reformation in their lives if a man deny not himselfe in his beloved sinne if hee come not to that outward profession of holinesse that is required in Scripture and is seene in the lives of the Saints he hath nothing to comfort himselfe withall these good meanings will not serve the turne For know this though it be true as wee see there may be actions where there is no sound heart as the second and third ground brought forth a kinde of fruite when there was neither of them right hypocrites you know may goe farre they may make a blaze as your commets doe more than the true starres though this be true that there may be abundance of good workes where there is no rightnesse and soundnesse no sincerity no purenesse within yet againe also on the other side wheresoever there is sincerity there are good workes and though many times the outside be cleane when the inside is not yet the inside is never cleane but the outside is cleane too And that is the thing we must examine our selves by though it be not a good rule to say I have good workes therefore my heart is right yet it is a good rule to say on the other side I want good works therefore my heart is not right except there be a generall reformation in your lives except things be reformed that you know to be amisse Indeede when it is not revealed to you then there is something for you to say but when you know that such a duty is to be done that your speeches should be holy that they should be seasoned with salt that you ought to abstaine from sinnes of all kindes from all appearance that you ought not to admit any kinde of dalliance not the least touch of any sinne now not to set your selves with all your might to reforme this this is a sure argument you are not right for if the generall frame of the heart be good there will be a generall reformation of the life Therefore let no man say I purpose well but in this particular infirmity I must be spared to such a thing my nature is prone and I am given to it I cannot tell how to refraine it and I hope it is not so great a matter say not so for if the heart be right the actions will be right and unblameable For though you see sometimes a man may have a good colour from flushing and painting when the constitution of the body within is but crasie and unsound yet againe it is true there is never any that hath a sound and haile constitution there is never a healthfull body but the complection is good the heart is never right but you shall see it without though you have leaves without fruit yet you never have fruite but there are leaves there are actions appearing Therefore learne to judge aright of your selves content not your selves with good purposes onely you see the complaint of the Scripture of the lacke of this in people What is the reason the Lord calls for obedience rather than sacrifice because that is the touchstone that every man is tryed by I am weary saith he of your fat of rammes I am burdened with your sacrifices Esay 1. The thing that I desire is that you cease to doe evill and learne to doe well that is the thing that the Lord lookes for at every mans hand these outward performances are good they must be done and these good meanings must be had but yet that is not enough you are not to judge your selves by that But it will be objected that the best men have their failings those that have a good heart yet doe wee not finde them subject to infirmities as well as other men and if this be the rule we are to be judged by who shall be saved To this I answer first it is true that the most holy men may many times doe that which is ill but it is by accident it is when they are transported when they are carried besides their purpose As a man that is bound for such a place sayling such a way his compasse stands stil right he alters not that though the wind carry him violently another way yet he lookes still to the right way that is his intent still and it is knowne by this when the winde is over and the gust is past he returnes againe and saileth to the haven he intended to goe to at the first So it is with all the Saints they saile by a right compasse their intents are still good whensoever they doe otherwise it is by accident it is when they are overborne by some temptation by some passion when they are not perfectly themselves Againe you must know this that every holy man as hee hath grace in him and a principle of holy actions so he hath also flesh in him and a principle of evill actions now that principle may sometimes prevaile and get ground of him yea it may prevaile mightily sometimes and make him doe as evill actions as the worst man For that is a true rule a man that excelleth in grace may sometimes excell in ill doing you must take me aright that is a man that hath a more impetuous spirit than another so that none excelleth such a spirit when it is set aright he may be as impetuous in evill-doing for a fit for a time when that evill principle within him shall get the better Therefore though you see a good man sometime unlike himselfe for a fit yet it is at that time when the flesh prevailes for now grace though it be there yet sometimes it is laid asleepe it is not alwayes acted As the Philosopher was wont to say It is one thing to have knowledge and another thing to use it alway so it is with grace sometimes the Saints doe not use that grace and holinesse and hence it is
2. 2 Cor. 5.21 2. Quest. How we shall come by it Ans. Esay 9.6 Ioh. 3.16 Rom. 5.17 Reasons why it is by gift Rom. 4.5 3. Quest. To whom it is giuen Ans. Mark 16.15 Reu. 22.17 Obiect Ans. 1. Answ. 2. Ans. 3. Ans. 4. Obiect Ans. 4. Quest. Vpon what qualifications it is giuen Ans. 1 Cor. 6.9 1. Obiect Ans. 1. Ans. 2. Simile 5. Quest. Ans. Simile Simile Esay 55.1 What this taking is Ans. Faith what Obiect Answ. 1 Tim. 1.15 Simile Three things must concurre in receiuing Christ. Ioh. 5.44 Ioh. 1.11.12 Three things required in the will in taking Christ. 6. Quest. What is required of vs when we haue it Ans. Mat. 3.2 Tit. 2.14 Obiect Ans. Obiect Ans. Ioh. 1.12 13. Vse 1. Mar. 16.16 Ioh. 6.44 Cant. 3. Vse 2. Mat. 11.28 29. Three considerations to moue men to take Christ. Doct. 2. Two Couenants 1. Absolute Ier. 31. Ezek. 36. 2. Conditionall Mar. 16. Rom. 4.5 Quest. Ans. Though holinesse be required it is Gods worke Simile Eph. 2.10 Habits Why God will saue men by faith 1. Reason 2. Reason 3. Reason 4. Reason 1 Cor. 1.30 Eph 4. Freedome from euill to the Saints whence it is Faith what in generall Assent of three sorts Iustifying faith How it differs from generall faith 1 In the obiect 2 In the act of the will Heb. 11 1â— Definition of iustifying faith How faith taketh Christ. We must not only beleeue but receiue Christ. Ioh. 3. Foure things touching faith 1 The obiect of it 2 Cor. 1. Ioh. 3. True loue lookes first to Christs person Mar. 16. Baptizing what meant by it in Mat. 16. 2 The subiect of faith What required in the vnderstanding 2 Cor. 4. What required of the will Rom. 5.17 Ioh. 1.12 This act of the will wrought by God 3 How faith iustifieth Faith altereth not the nature of sinne Note 4 The acts of faith 1 To reconcile vs. 2 To pacifie the heart Direct and reflect act of faith Difference betweene them 3 To purifie thâ— heart Vse 1. Not to be discouraged to come to God A double quality in faith Quest. Ans. Faith emptieth a man of two things 1 Cor. 1.30 Double complaint in sense of want Vse 2. To reioyce in God Eph. 1.6 Eph. 2. 2 Cor. 1.30 Rom. 6.4 Phil 3. Reu. 7.11 Vse 3. To labour for faith aboue all Gal. 5.5.6 Without faith God regards not morall vertues Difference betweene faith and morall vertues Difference betweene faith and shewes of holinesse Vse 4. To apply the promises with boldnesse Gods free promise should incourage vs to come with boldnesse 1 Ioh 1.9 Luk. 11.6.8 Obiect Answ. Christ requireth but a willingnesse to mortifie our lusts Obiect Answ. 2 Cor. 8.9 Two things in laying hold on the promises 4. Things in the vnderstanding Quest. Ioh. 16. Ioh. 6.44 Cant. 2.3 The will drawne by 3. meanes 1. Meanes 1 Cor. 10. 2. Meanes 3. Meanes Arguments to perswade vs of Christs willingnesse to recâ—iue sinners 1 By expressions in Scripture 2 By Christs practice when he was on Earth 3 Else Christs blood were shed in vaine 4 By the example of others pardoned 5 Else no flesh should be saued 6 By the infinitenesse of Gods mercy Obiect Ans. 2. Obiect Ans. By denying our selues we enioy our selues better Obiect Ans. Doct. 1. Doct. 2. Doct. 3. Faith admits degrees Two parts in the Doctrine Faith admits of degrees in 4. respects 1 In perswasion Obiect Ans. Obiect Ans. Wherein faith and opinion differ 2 In respect of difficulties Numb 11. 3 In regard of extent The reflect act of faith admits degrees Vse 1. To comfort Vse 2. For exhortation 2 Pet. 1. 13. Motiues to grow in faith Doct. The faith that saues vs must be effectuall Men are apt to deceiue themselues That many men haue a false faith proued by instances both in the Old and New Testament Ioh. 2.23.24 Ioh. 5.35 Mat. 22.8 9 10 11. opened Mat. 13. Ier. 3.10 opened Deut. 5.25 Verse 29. Simile Three things opened 1 The Causes why the faith of many is vneffectuall which are fiue Cause 1. Taking Christ vpon mis-information Instances 1 The yong man that came to Christ. Luk. 18. 2 The Scribe Mat. 8.20 opened Note Cause 2. Taking Christ out of feare Isa. 58. opened Note Simile Cause 3. Taking Christ for loue of the good things by him and not for loue to his person Note Simile Ioh. 6.26 opened Some men seeke mercy and not grace Cant. 5.12 opened We may looke to our own aduantages by Christ. Cause 4. Want of humiliation Deut. 30.6 opened The Spirit of Elias what Without sound humiliation sinne is not accounted the greatest euill nor Christ the greatest good Cause 5. Because faith is not grounded aright Eph. 4.10 opened Col. 1.23 opened Hope that is not wel grounded holds not out Deut. 13.1 2 3. opened 2 Pet. 3.17 2 Wherein the efficacy of faith consisteth Three things opened 1 In what sence faith is called effectuall Things are said to be effectuall in 4. respects 1 When they doe their proper office The proper function of faith what Faith may bee effectuall though it bee mingled with doubting Iam. 1.7 8. opened A double-minded man who Papists tenent of doubting What doubting it is that faith excludeth How to try truth of doubting Simile Some men cleaue to Christ for wans of temptations True faith not without doubtings and feares sometimes Simile Doubting a signe of a good heart 2 A thing is effectuall in opposition to that which is vaine and empty Simile Simile Iam. 2.17.20 26. 3 A thing is said to be effectuall when it is operatiue Simile 4 When it goes thorow with the worke in hand 2 wherein the efectualnesse of faith consists in 4. things I When the preparation is good Luk. 9.62 opened Sound humiliation fits men for Christ. Instances 1 In the Israelites 2 In the Prodigall Men hold not without sound humiliation Reu. 2.25 opened Mat. 10. â— opened II When the vnderstanding is cleare When a man is said to be well built 1 When he beleeues the Scriptures in generall 2 The promises in particular Application of the offer of Christ. Eph. 2.19 20. opened Note Ioh. 4.44 Particular knowledge 1 Ioh. 1.19 opened Ioh. 6.68 opened The third thing wherein the efficacie of faith consists to take Christ. Heb. 10.22 opened Vers. 38. Eph. 3.17 Reu. 3 2â— What taking of Christ is effectuall Eph. 5.23 opened Gen. 2.24 We must draw neere out of loue to Christ. 1 Tim. 1.5 4 Thing wherin the efficacy of faith consists The turning of the whole soule Gal. 5. Working in doing and suffering Why the promises are made promiscuously God tryeth mens graces Ioh. 12.42 3 How effectuall faith is wrought It is not in mans power to beleeue Quest. Answ. How the Holy Ghost worketh faith by three things 1 Putting an efficacy in the Law A man cannot see his sins to purpose without the spirit of bondage Act. 16. 2 By shewing the
excellency and the riches of Christ. Eph. 1.18.19 opened Obiect Ans. No man can so see the riches of Christ as to be affected with them withâ—ut the helpe of the Spirit 1 Cor. 2.12 opened Ioh. 14.21 opened Ier. 31 33. opened 3 By assuring vs that these things are ours This also must be wrought by the Spirit The testimony of the Spirit wrought two waies 1 By clearing the promises 2 By an immediate voice Ioh. 16.29 Isa. 57.19 opened All arguments without the Spirit preuaile not Eph. 1.19 opened Act. 2.39 Luk. 14.23 opened That men are compelled to come in what it implies What is implyed by drawing Ioh. 6.44 opened How the Holy Ghost draweth Cant. 1.4 Eph. 1.18 4 Why God will accept no faith but that which is effectuall 1 Because else it is not faith because it is dead Similes 2 Because such faith hath no loue Rom. 8.28 3 Because the Deuils haue such a faith 4 Because it workes no mortification 5 Because else Christ should lose the end of his comming into the world 6 Good workes are the way to saluation Eph. 2.10 Rom. 2.6 Mat. 26.35 39. Vse 1. To try our faith whether it be sound Simile Iam. 2.14 Simile Exod. 34.6.7 Obiect Ans. Fiue arguments of Saint Iames against worklesse faith Note Vse 2. To judge our conditions by the efficacy of our faith Not to beleeue all that say they haue faith nor all that say they haue none Act of faith double Simile A man may haue faith though he want feeling Of those that say they haue faith but haue not Simile Psal. 119.7 Vse 3. To iustifie the Doctrine of good workes against the Papists slanders Difference betweene vs and Papists in the Doctrine of iustification Obiect Ans. Iustification double Rom. 4. Note Simile Answ. Faith made perfect by works what Simile 3 Obiect Ans. What meant by these words Faith without workes is dead 4 Obiect Ans. Why good works are required seeing they iustifie not Rom. 6.1 2. 1 They euidence our right in Christ. 2 God rewards according to our works 1 Pet. 1.15 3 Good workes necessary though not to iustification Different rise of good works in Papists and vs. An hypocrite cannot doe things out of loue to God 2 Cor. 13.2 Vse 3. To labour to grow in faith and assurance What course to take in weaknesse of grace Simile Labouring to strengthen faith of much vse 1 In getting assurance of pardon after sin is committed 2 In conflict with strong lusts 3 In want of graces How Ministers should build Simile Simile Vse 4. To looke to faith in our search Two wayes to increase assurance Simile Vse 5. To learne to iudge aright of our workes Iames 2.22 God accepts our workes no further then he findes faith in them Mat. 15.26 27. Heb. 11. God accepts the gift for the giuer To doe a thing by faith what Godlinesse what Heb. 11.6 Rom. 13. We must reckon common actions in our callings to be good workes Vse 6. To try if we haue faith 1 Triall A secret perswasion of the Spirit Reu. 2 17. Hidden Mannah White stone what it signifieth Gods manner of working faith Alike trouble of Spirit in conuersion not necessary to all and why Simile Soft voice what 1 Part of the soft voice a clearing of the promise Though the promises are neere vnlesse God cleere them we see them not Luk. 24. 2 Part of the soft voice the immediate testimony of Gods Spirit Rom. 8. Obiect Ans. How to know the testimony of the Spirit from a delusion How faith is wrought Whence longing after Christ comes Ioh. 19. How to know whether faith be wrought in vs. A beast cannot reflect vpon his actions as a man can How to know that the promise is cleared to vs. Rom. 8. The match betweene Christ and the soule reciprocall Fiue signes of effectuall faith 1. Signe True faith purifieth the heart Acts 15.9 Acts 26.18 Faith and repentance put together in the Scripture why True faith hath repentance Faith what it is Obedience Heb. 8.8 A Couenant what Generall reformation Christ dwels in the heart as the soule in the body Gal. 2.20 Isay 57.13.18 opened Simile How to know if Christ dwell in the heart Acts 8.37 opened Baptisme what Taking Christ deceitfully To take Christ with the whole heart what Act. 2â— 17 18. To turne to God what Faith and the desire of satisfying lusts cannot stand together Ier. 3. Men deceiued in the definition of faith Try faith as we doe other things Similes Digression for application to the Sacrament Rules of examination before and after the Sacrament Where Christ dwels indeed he giues power against sinne Phil. 4.12 To be guilty of the body blood of Christ what Quest. Answ. 2 Signe A Spirit of Prayer Spirit of adoption what Gal. 4.6 The Spirit of adoption maketh vs 1 Earnest in Prayer 2 Bold and confident Obiect Ans. True Prayer what Rom. 8. Prayer double The voice of Gods Spirit in vs what Quest. Ans. How to know the voyce of Gods Spirit in our prayers Wicked men come to God as a stranger the Saints as to a friend Hosea 7.14 opened Eph 3.7 3. Signe of faith Peace Rom. 5.1 Obiect Ans. Exod. 14. Psal. 3. 2 A twofold peace The third marke of faith it brings peace Phil. 4.6 opened Mat. 6. Ioh. 3.12 Gen. 24.7 4. Signe of effectual faith To hold out in cleauing to Christ. To hold out implyeth 3. things 1 To cleaue constantly to Christ. which noâ—e can doe that take Christ 1 Out of mis-information 2 Out of feare 3 Out of loue to his and not to him 4 Out of slender and slight grounds 2 To take no denyall 3 To be content to waite Hab. 2. Iam. 1. 5. Signe of effectuall faith the concomitants of it which are 4. 1 Loue. 2 Pet. 1.8 Gal. 5. 1 Cor. 13. Obiect Ans. Quest. Ans. Tryals of loue 2 Hope 3 Ioy. Rom. 15.13 1 Pet. 1.8 Obiect Heb. 6. Ans. Tryals of ioy Rom. 5.3 1 Pet. 1.8 Simile Heb. 6. opened 4 Humility Isay. 6. Vse To act and exercise Faith or to set it on Worke. Obiect Ans. Simile Simile Rom. 2. Heb. 11. Quest. Ans. How to vse Faith 1 In comforting our selues Gal. 3. opened Ioh. 16. Simile Considerations to helpe Faith in comforting the Soule Micha 7.8 Psal. 41.7 Quest. Ans. Eph. 4. 2 Tim. 2.19 2 Pet. 1.13 2 Vse of faith to guide and order our liues Simile Instances of faith guiding a man in difficult cases 1 Instance Ioh. 12.12 2 Instance 3 Instance 4 Instance Ier. 42. Ier. 42. 43. Obiect Ans. Ier. 26. 5 Instance Acts 6. 6 Instance Quest. Ans. 7 Instance 8 Instance Quest. Ans. 1 Tim. 4.10 Quest. Ans. To trust in GOD what Quest. 2 Cor. 1.10 opened Answ. Zeph. 3.12 Quest. Answ. 1 Tim. 1.5 2 Chro. 14.11 Quest. Ans. Obiect Answ. 2 Kings 5. Hester 6. Obiect Answ. 1. Isay 7. Isay 9. Answ. 2. Consisting of 3. parts Obiect Ans.