for all And yet he doth for Sin OH miserable man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of sin So Peter Manasseh c. 2. Their sufferings to avoid sin Daniel was content to be thrown into the Den of Lyons the three Children into the Fire Paul and Silas into the Stocks and many of Gods people have chosen to embrace Prisons Stakes Fire and the hottest Persecutions rather than sin Which doth plainly evidence to us They esteemed Sin the Greatest Evil. 1. Greater than Poverty which yet is a great evil Melius est Panem mendicare quam Fidem perdere Better to Beg saith one than to sin Heb. 11.24 to the 28. Moses chose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the Pleasures of sin for a season The like of that Christian Moses Galcacius Caracciolus who was a Noble Prince and Marquess who yet that he might not sin left and forsook all he had and betook himself to live meanly with the people of God meerly to enjoy the Ordinances And Musculus a man of excellent Learning and a famous Divine who rather than sin would close with any condition The Story tells us That being driven out of all he had he was content rather than sin to betake himself to a Poor Trade to be a Weaver to get bread to maintain his wife and children Afterwards being cast out of that way the world looking upon it as too good for him he betook himself to work with a Spade in the Common Ditch of the Town to get his living He could down with any condition rather than sin Nay they have not onely apprehended sin a Greater Evil than Poverty But 2. Greater than Prisons greater than Death it self It was the speech of Ambrose Vultis in vincula rapere Vultis in Mortem Voluptas est mihi Will you cast me into Prison will you take away my life All this is desireable to me rather than to sin When Eudoxia the Empress threatned Chrysostome whom she afterward banished He sends to her Go tell her saith he Nil nisi Peccatum timeo I fear nothing in the world but sin 3. Nay they have apprehended sin a Greater evil than Death Basil speaks of a Rich Virgin who being condemned to the fire and sentenced to lose her estate because she would not Worship Idols yet afterward was promised life and restitution of estate if she would She replyed Valeat vita Pereat Pecunia Farewel life let money perish Look through the Ten Bloody Persecutions and our Late Marian-days and you shall finde many instances to this purpose 4. Nay yet further They have not onely apprehended sin a Greater Evil than Death but yet more A Greater Evil than Hell it self It was the speech of Chrysostome Ego sic censeo sic assiduè praedicabo c. I thus think and thus will I ever preach that It is more bitter to sin against Christ than to Suffer the Torments of Hell Anselm saith That if on the one side were presented unto him the Evil of sin and on the other side the Torments of Hell he would rather choose to fall into Hell than to fall into sin At such a distance were their hearts set against sin And nothing more ordinary than such expressions as these from the Saints in temptations in troubles of spirit or in clearing their own hearts Rather slay me Rather Damn me Rather cast me into Hell than let me sin against thee c. But this shall be sufficient to clear the Doctrinal part We come to the Application 1. Consectary 1. If sin be the Greatest Evil in the world 1. Consectary Then let us fall down and admire the Wisdom of God and adore the Goodness of God who out of the Greatest Evil could bring the Greatest Good who makes the Greatest Evil an Occasion of the Greatest Good that ever was wrought Bernard was so taken up with the thoughts of it that he saith Foelix Culpa quae talem meruit Redemptorem Happy fault which occasioned such a Redeemer We should be humbled for the fault bless God for the Remedy and withal admire that wisdom and that goodness which hath taken occasion by mans wickedness to declare his own goodness by mans sin to make known and express the infiniteness of his wisdom power mercy justice c. That this should be an occasion to draw out all his Glorious Attributes That he should bring Good out of Evil Life out of Death Heaven out of Hell Good out of sin Cordials out of Poyson Let us never doubt never suspect but God can bring good out of any thing turn the Greatest Evils to the advancement of his Glory and the good of his people who can out of sin and Hell bring good What is it to turn Afflictions Persecutions the Plots and Malice of men What is it to turn Troubles Wars c. to his own Glory and Advancement of his own cause who was able to turn Sin to all this He that can turn the Evil of sin which is Pure Evil and the Greatest Evil can much more turn the Evil of Trouble to the good of his people This made the Apostle say that All things should work together for good to them that love God c. He that hath experience of this needs not to doubt of any thing else That God that can turn Sin can turn Afflictions Crosses Persecutions c. to the good of his Church and people 2. Consectary 2. Hence conclude then That it is the Saddest punishment 2. Consectary the Fearfullest judgement in the world To be given up to sin This is the utmost punishment that God insticteth upon men and therefore the Greatest of all Punishments God doth usually proceed by Degrees in the ways of his judgements first he begins with lesser if lesser will not do then he proceeds to greater he will punish yet Seven times more and still the further he goes the greater are his strokes Now this is the finishing the concluding stroke this is the last punishment and the Greatest of all other To give a man up to the state of sin To say to a man Thou that art filthy be filthy still and thou that art unclean be unclean still This he tells them in Ezek. 24.13 Because I would have washed thee purged thee and thou wouldst not be purged therefore thou shalt not be purged And so he tells the Israelites Because you would have altars to sin therefore altars shall be to you to sin Hos 8.11 Oh! There is no sadder judgement in the world than for a man To be given up to his own hearts lust This sets an Eternal night of Darkness A Meipso me libera Domine saith Augustine Good Lord deliver me from my self You had better be given up to the lusts of men to the malice and cruelties of blood-thirsty men better to be given up to the utmost rage and malice of our bloody Cavaliers and Irish Rebels than to be
and that this God is to bee worshiped Atheists in practice wee have many every Parish is full of them Such as the Apostle speaks of Tit. 1.16 Who profess they know God but yet in works they deny him But Atheists in Judgement none can bee Hence Tully the Heathen could say I have known men without King Laws Government Cloaths but none so savage but have a God Many have indeavoured to blow out that light but never could Wee read of Caligula who laboured all hee could to blow out this Candle and to strengthen his Atheisme by Arguments and Reasons yet when it thundred hee ran under a Bed his fears and guilty conscience telling him of some divine Power which hee could not withstand Another who laboured the like and though hee had wrought out all Faith yet hee had not wrought out all Fears Hee still feared as hee would say that there was a God And what if there should prove to bee a God at last Now then there being such light in Conscience as to discover there is a God and conscience thereupon concluding this God must bee worshiped by the help of further light the Light of the Word the Light of the Works the Light of good Example the Light of good Education together with the implantation of some common and general Principles whereby conscience is strengthened from above A man may bee inabled to do much in the wayes of godliness and yet his heart continue unsound without any spiritual Principle of Grace wrought in him 2. A second ground is some present distress and trouble upon the Conscience or upon the Bodies of men upon the spirit or flesh of men 1. Some present distress upon the spirit of a man It may bee Conscience is now for present upon the rack God hath let in a beam of light into the conscience by the Law and discovered a mans sin And with that light hath let fall a spark of his wrath due to sin upon the conscience which hath for present fill'd the soul of man with horrors and fears with sad and black thoughts and apprehensions of death and Hell Which may put a man upon Prayers and Performances upon doing much in the wayes of God Wee read that Absolom sent for Joab to come to him but hee came not Hee sent again yet hee comes not At last Absolom sets fire upon Joabs corn and then hee came amain but with no better heart it is likely more unwillingly than before so God doth often call upon men in the ministry of the Word But men will not come At last God sets fire on the conscience le ts some spark of Hell fall upon them And then they run to Duties to Prayers to do something Though perhaps as unwillingly as before All this doth force them but yet not perswade them willingly to come in As the satisfying of conscience troubled may bee an end of the performance of many duties so the trouble it self may bee a ground to put them upon performance As Peace is the end of the Plaister so the wound is the ground of it As Peace is the end of undertaking of duties so the wound is the ground wherefore they are undertaken 2. Outward Pressures upon the bodies of men may bee another ground to prevail with unsound hearts to do much in outward service Psal 78.34 35 36. When the Lord slew them then they sought him and they returned and inquired early after God And they remembred that God was their Rock and the most High God their Redeemer Here was much They return to God That is in all outward appearance They sought him they inquired early after him And the ground of this was Gods hand upon them when the Lord slew them saith the Text. And you see what was the frame of their spirit in all Neverthelesse they did but flatter him their hearts were not upright with him they were unsound The like wee read Jer. 2.27 They gave God their backs and not their faces yet in the time of their trouble then who but God with them In the time of their trouble then they cry arise and save us This was like the Samaritans Devotion When the Lions slew them then they inquired after the worship of God when God sent Lions among them And many there are of their spirit Good under the Rod. Whiles the Rod is on their backs the Book is in their hands then nothing but read and pray But no sooner doth God slacken the cords or take them off the rack deliver them out of their present distress and trouble but they return again to folly This is just Mariners Devotion Whilst the Storm lasts then they cry and pray but no sooner is the storm blown over but they are as vile as ever They had not so many Prayers before as Oathes now And do wee not see it thus with many who will not own God in a Calm Then their hearts say depart from us wee desire not the knowledge of thy wayes Yet in a Storm they will flye to him thou art our Father our God But this not for Love but for shelter As many a man may bee glad of a place for shelter in a Storm which they could never brook to live in after the storm is over So they will own God a Tower a place of shelter in time of trouble but not an habitation a place of abode in times of Peace Thus you see the third thing The grounds that a corrupt heart may so abound in outward Performance The fourth remains which is 4. Where is the fault Or how comes it to pass that a man may do thus much in the wayes of God and yet bee unsound yet miss of Heaven Where lies the fault I conceive though the work it self bee faulty for how can a good work come from a bad heart Yet the great crack lies more in the Work-man than in the work Duties are good Prayer is good Hearing good The fault doth mainly lye in the Person that doth these Their spirits are unsound in these holy wayes I will lay down the maim the fault under these five or six Heads 1. Hee fails or is faulty in the latitude and extent of his Obedience His Obedience is a limited and stinted Obedience 1. Either limited to some commands which are most sutable to him Hee doth not apply himself to the Obedience of all the commands of God There are some duties hee will not do and some corruptions hee hath no heart to leave 2. Or secondly It is limited to the flesh to the outer part of the Command and doth not extend it self to the Spirit and extremities of the Command of God You must know there is an Extra and an Intra an Outside and an Inside in every Command of God some part of it binding the Flesh another part injoyning the Spirit Many keep the Letter of the Law which yet never care for the Spirit of the Law Both these you shall see in the Scribes and
been so great but it was to part with his Isaac a Child of many prayers and of many promises and in whom his heart delighted 6. And again if hee had been to part with him in the ordinary way of nature by natural death the tryal not so great but hee was to part with him in a Sacrifice wherein hee was to bee mangled and cut in peeces 7. But yet had another been the executioner of his child it had been some mitigation But Abraham himself must bee his executioner hee must do this sad act And not to do it among his friends who perhaps might have stept in and comforted him in this tryal but hee was to go three dayes journey to an unknown place and there hee was to take away the life of him hee loved so dearly Yet herein Abraham obeyed Gods command and therin shewed his sincerity When the Precept of tryal might seem to contradict the Precept of Obedience when his dutiful Obedience to the one might seem to speak his undutifulness to the other yet herein hee declared his sincerity Whereupon God tells him now I know thou loves mee when now thou hast made it known now thou hast discovered thy sincerity seeing thou hast not with-held thy only son Gen. 22.12 here was sincerity now I know thou fearest God The like I might instance in Job in David in Mordecai they had their discovering times times of tryal So that God doth still single out some special times wherein hee discovers the sincerity of his own people And if you would bee ever able to clear your sincerities read the carriage of your hearts at these special times One quarter of an hour may give a man surer evidence of his sincerity or hypocrisy than all the time of his life besides There are five special times wherein you may have the advantage Read your spirits in times of if you bee careful to read your own spirits to clear the sincerity of your hearts 1. In times of darkness and temptation 1. Darkness Read the actings and goings out of your spirits at such times an unsound spirit will now fall from God desist in his duty strike sail But the sound spirit hee will hold closer to God Cujus faciem timer ejus faciem invocaâ— and follow him when hee seems to forsake him Hee will go on to love him although hee bee not able to clear whether ever hee shall bee beloved of him Hee will repent of sin though hee bee not able to evidence whether ever God will pardon sin Hee will go on to obey and serve God though hee bee not able to determine whether ever God will reward his obedience or no. Such like dispositions do now break forth in a sincere heart in the times of greatest darkness which in times of clearer manifestation have no occasion to shew themselves And these are the most undoubtedst evidences of your sincerity which perhaps you shall ever meet withall in your lives As wicked men do discover their greatest corruptions in their highest advancements so Gods people do discover and exert and put forth the highest acts of grace in their lowest and meanest conditions As the Sun shews greatest glory when it is lowest when setting So c. As Christ set out the greatest acts of divinity in his lowest abasements then hee sealed up the beams of the Sun rent rocks graves open the earth trembles c. So the Saints c. This is that the Psalmist saith unto the upright there ariseth light in darkness Where the heart is unsound it is dark in the greatest light so on the contrary there is light in the greatest darkness Hypocrisy is like painted windows which let in no light sincerity is like windows of Glass Times of manifestation 2. See how your hearts and spirits work towards God and towards sin in times of light and clearer manifestations of God Where the heart is unsound comfort doth him no good hee will do something in a storm then perhaps pray c. but hee will do nothing in a calm Comforts make him more careless more loose more remiss in his Christian way Where on the contrary hee who hath a sound spirit as hee is carried strongly towards God when hee with-holds his manifestations so if God do but let in a beam of his Countenance into his soul hee rejoyceth more in it than in a World Nay and these comforts do quicken him to further duty hee cannot lye at anchor but hee must launch out into the deep and lay out himself his parts his abilities c. I have sometimes told you that quickness and comfort may bee separated a man may have comfort without quickness hee may have joy without life But quickening was never separated from comfort A man cannot have joy but there will bee life c. Affections are like tinder and Comfort like sparks not a spark of comfort can fall upon the heart but the whole soul is set a fire and carried strongly on after God Comforts from God ever lead the soul to communion with God Of outward distress 3. See how your spirits do work towards God in times of outward distress and calamities upon you 1 An unsound spirit hee is for the most part proud and impatient under Gods hand and ready to think God doth him wrong in afflicting him But where the spirit is sincere hee is humble hee is patient hee layes his mouth in the dust kisseth the rod and accepteth of the punishment of his iniquity as you see the phrase Levit. 26.41 Example in Aaron 2. Again an unsound spirit hee roars under the lashes Flagella dolent quare flagellantur non dolent cryes under the affliction never complains of the sin As you see Jer. 30.15 Why cryest thou c. But where the heart is sincere no evil troubles him so much as the evil of sin You see it in David when plagued 3. Again an unsound spirit hee desires to have the stroke removed not to have his heart amended The other desires rather the amending of his heart than the removal of the stroke Saith Bernard I had rather God should better my heart than remove his hand rather continue my strokes Malim erudiri quam â—ruâ— than my sins You see this in Job when Gods hand was on him Job 34.32 That which I see not teach thou mee and if I have done iniquity I will do it no more as if hee had said Lord I know not the particular cause of this distress what it is thou aims at what I see not teach thou c. 4. A fourth time Of Prosperity wherein to read your hearts is in times of prosperity An unsound spirit grows worse by mercy mercy deadens sâ—â—â—â—ens his heart Isa 26.10 Let favour bee shewed c. Hazael professed much when hee was low but no sooner advanceâ— but mark then how hee acted against God his Church and people indeavouring to make his raising their ruine So
innoble his members p. 97 3 Faith puts us upon soul-innobling imployment p. 97. 4 Faith intitles us unto a soul-innobling inheritance p. 98 12 Royalty Faith is a soul-fatning grace which it doth after this manner 1 By destroying soul-consuming lusts p. 99 100 2 Faith puts a man into a soul-fatning pasture p. 100 3 Faith feeds upon soul-fatning dainties p. 101 1 On the Promises 101. 2 Upon a soul-fatning Christ. Faith feeds upon Christ 1 In the Word 2 In the Sacrament p. 102 103 13 Royalty Faith is a heart-emptying grace Ibid. 1 Of opinion of Righteousnesse in our selves p. 104 105 2 Of all opinion of strength to help our selves p. 106 107 14 Royalty Faith is an heart-inriching and filling grace p. 108 109 1 It inricheth the head with knowledge p. 110 2 The heart with grace p. 111 Four invaluable things 1 Favour of God in Christ 2 Souls of men 3 The Spirit 4 The Graces of the Spirit â—hese are such riches God bestowes upon none but beleevers Ibid. A Beleever the poorest and richest man in the world p. 112 15 Royalty Faith is an heart-raising grace 1 From the death of sin p. 113 2 From the death of inward trouble p. 114 1 By looking back upon soul-raising experiences p. 115 2 Looks upon soul-raising promises Ibid. 3 Layes hold upon a soul-raising Christ p. 116 4 Indites soul-raising prayers uses Arguments from it self from God p. 117 16 Royalty Faith is an heart-chearing grace p. 118 This joy of Faith is First Spiritual Secondly Hearty Thirdly Satisfying Fourthly Constant p. 119 Faith will inable to rejoyce 1 In Bonds 2 In Sicknesse 3 In Poverty Ibid. Five grounds of rejoycing p. 120 Objection Who more sad than Beleevers Answered 120 to 122 Five grounds of Sorrow arraigned at the bar of right reason p. 122 1 Is it thy former sin 2 Is it thy present corruption 3 Is it thy imperfections 4 Is it thy afflictions 5 Is it because under some present temptation Ibid. Matter of joy if Faith to see Gods aims in six particulars p. 122 123 17. Royalty Faith is an heart-guiding grace p. 124 It guides the heart in difficult cases p. 125 Faith will not own the flesh as a King nor as a Counsellor p. 126 18. Royalty Faith is an heart-establishing grace p. 127 Unbeleef unsettles the soul Ibid. Two things Faith establisheth the soul against First Against fears Secondly Against falling Against five sorts of fears p. 128 1 Of Men. 2 Of Want Ibid. 3 Of Death p. 129 4 Of Hell Ibid. 5 Of Judgement p. 130 2 Faith establisheth the heart against falling 1 Against total Apostacy p. 130 2 Against final Apostacy p. 131 1 Faith sets the soul upon a soul-establishing bottome 2 Interests the soul in a soul-establishing covenant Ibid. 3 Doth beget in a man soul-establishing principles p. 132 Six Principles Faith begets in a man p. 132 133 Use 1 Of Tryal incouragement to it 1 It is possible p. 134 135 2 Though possible yet it is difficult 1 In respect of the deceits p. 136 2 In respect of the doubts and mis-givings of our own heart at all times especially at three times First Of Humiliation p. 137 Secondly Of Temptation Ibid. Thirdly of Desertion p. 138 Secondly It is necessary to know whether wee are beleevers First In respect of comfort Ibid. Secondly In respect of Obedience p. 139 140 Two Rules observed in the Tryals following First Grand Rule the Word of God Secondly To lay down such evidences as are universal to all beleevers weak as strong p. 140 Method observed for Tryal are evidences taken First From the usual manner of Gods working Faith Secondly From the grace it self wrought First The manner of Gods working Faith 1 By discovering sin p. 141 2 By discovering the fulnesse and al-sufficiency that is in Christ p. 142 3 The freenesse of his Righteousnesse to all commers 4 Stirs up the soul to persevere 5 How God works Faith p. 142 143 Secondly Some evidences taken from the grace it self 1 Of a weak 2 Of a strong Faith Ibid. 1 The weakest faith hath strong desires after Christ wherein is shewed the difference between an unbeleevers desires and a beleevers p. 143 144. 2 A Weak faith will close with the precepts of God p. 144 145 3 Weak faith is joyned with mourning and sorrow for the weaknesse of it Ibid. 4 Weak faith is unfeigned faith not counterfeit 5 Weak faith is a holy faith accompanied with holinesse of heart holinesse in life p. 145 146 6 A weak faith doth not rest in weaknesse 7 A weak faith will cleave to Christ Five things by way of support to a weak faith 1 The smallest degree if true is saving p. 146 2 Though weak yet it is a growing 3 The weakest gives the soul union with Christ 4 It gives communion with Christ 5 It hath equal share in Gods love Difference between want and weaknesse p. 147 Evidences of a strong faith 1 An high prizing of Christ p. 148 Two things make Christ precious to a mâ—n 1 The knowledge of Christ and that 1 The want of Christ 2 The worth of Christ Ibid 2 The apprehension of the souls interest in him this a strong beleever doth p. 149. Four Tryalls whether we prize Christ p. 149. Some things more peculiar to a strong Faith than to a weak Faith p. 150 151. 2 Strong in Faith and strong in hope and expectations of the thing beleeved p. 152. Strong Faith and strong Patience Ibid. Strong in Faith and strong in Obedience p. 153. Strong for active and passive obedience p. 154 3 A strong Faith will beleeve nothing contrary to his beleefe Ibid. Though Satan takes up arguments from God 1 Inward or p. 155 2 Outward dealing with him p. 155 156 4 A strong Faith will trust God in difficulties 1 With small means p. 156 2 Without means p. 157 3 Against means p. 158 5 A strong Faith is accompanied 1 VVith much peace p. 158. 2 VVith much joy p. 159 6 Strong Faith will subdue strong corruptions Ibid. 7 Overcome strong temptations Ibid. 8 Over come strong doubts 159. 9 Strong Faith and strong prayers Strong 1 To wrestle with God p. 160 2 To prevail with God p. 160 161 10 Strong Faith can take 1 Long delays p. 161 2 Strong denials from Gods hand p. 161. 162. 11 Strong Faith hath strong desires 1 To go to Christ by death 2 That Christ would come to judgement p. 163 Use of Exhortation First To get Faith Motives 1 From the greatnesse of the sin of unbeleef it offers injury to all-God 1. VVisdome 2 Mercy and Love 3 Power 4 Truth p. 164 165 2 Unbelief is a mother sin the womb of sin entertainer maintainer of sin p. 165. 3 Unbeleef is a soul-killing sin p. 167. 2 Motive from the necessity of Faith 1 Needfull in respect of our persons Our persons are 1 Under the guilt 2 Power 3 Dominion of sin p. 167. 2 In respect of
evidences p. 293 1 Because evidences of this kinde are obscure full of ambiguity ibid. 2 Because they are unconstant and instable p. 294 Fetch your evidences from your Justification your interest in Christ in the Covenant These are 1 The clearest ibid. p. 295 2 The purest ibid. 3 The most satisfying p. 296 4 The most constant evidences p. 297 Third Use If it bee possible to do thus much and bee unsound then what care ought there to bee to clear the soundnesse of our spirits in our performances p. 298 First Clear the sincerity of your hearts in your performances in particular and that in three things 1 In your hearing p. 299 2 In your praying ibid. 3 In your mourning for sin ibid. First A sincere heart desires sincere preaching ibid. As 1 Hee desires to receive the truth of God p. 301 2 Hee is willing to receive every truth of God ibid. 3 Hee is willing to receive it as the truth of God ibid. But now an unsound spirit 1 Hee is not willing to receive the truth 2 Not every truth 3 Not as truth As not 1 For it self ibid. p. 302 2 Not to bee a King over them ibid. Thirdly Now an honest heart in hearing is such as 1 Hears the word as Gods word 2 Hee sides with the word of God against himself 3 Hee desires to profit by the word ibid. 4 Hee hears the word with reflection p. 303 Secondly To clear the sincerity of your hearts in matter of Prayer First Character First Where the heart is sincere in prayer there is a doing of the duty with all our strength ibid. Second Character There is no rest nor content to the soul till the heart bee wrought to the work p. 304 Third Character A heart sincere in Prayer doth thirst after communion with God in Prayer ibid. Object How shall a man know when hee hath communion with God in duty ibid. Answered p. 306 1 In general Thou meetest and hast communion with God in duty when God hath inabled thee to act grace in a duty ibid. 2 When the performance of a duty doth lead the soul into better freedome p. 307 Fourth Character A heart sincere in prayer doth rise up praying from prayer hee goes away with affection of and to prayer after the prayer is done ibid. p. 308 Fifth Character A heart sincere in prayer doth eye it self in prayer It is a heart that diligently observes it self in duty views all the workings of the soul and takes notice of all the imperfections of the soul in duty p. 308 309 Sixth Character A heart sincere in prayer is a praying heart p. 310 Object But you will say Then all our hearts are sincere for who is it that doth not desire the thing hee prayeth for Answered p. 310 1 Thou prayest for grace but thou dost not desire grace in the beauty and extent of it ibid. 2 Thou prayest for the subduing of thy lust but dost thou desire what thou prayest for p. 311 3 You pray for Heaven and one would think you did desire this but dost thou know what Heaven is when thou prayest for Heaven p. 312 Heaven not desirable to corrupt hearts in several particulars p. 313 Seventh Character A sincere heart in prayer doth not only desire but truly indeavour the thing prayed for p. 314 3 Part clears sincerity in matter of mourning ibid. Several Characters of true mourning p. 315 First Character A sincere mourning is a deep mourning ibid. Second Character A sincere mourning is an universal mourning ibid. Third Character A sincere mourning is a mourning for sin p. 317 Fourth Character Sincere mourning is proportionable and that in two things 1 Of the measure of sin ibid. 2 Of the merit of sin p. 318 Fifth Character Sincere mourning is a faithful mourning And that in three particulars p. 319 Sixth Character Sincere mourning is a filial mourning ibid. Which comes 1 From Gods love to the soul ibid. 2 From the love of the soul to God p. 321 Seventh Character Sincere mourning is a fruitful mourning and that in four particulars It is ibid. 1 Heart-humbling sorrow p. 322 2 Heart-fatning sorrow ibid. 3 Grace-strengthening sorrow ibid. 4 A divorcing sorrow ibid. Hypocrites mourning for sin in seven particulars p. 323 Clear sincerity in obedience in general illustrated in several Characters First Character Sincere obedience is universal obedience And that p. 324 1 In suffering as doing ibid. 2 In Relative commands as well as Absolute 3 In Affirmative as well as Negative p. 325 4 In the Spirit as well as in the Letter p. 326 Second Character Sincere obedience is such an obedience which doth 1 Come from a right spring p. 327 2 Is wrought by a right rule ibid. 3 In a right manner p. 328 4 To a right end ibid. Object It is also requisite to aime at Gods glory in every action Answered p. 329 Third Character Sincere obedience is fruitful obedience p. 330 Fourth Character Sincere obedience is filial obedience p. 331 In seven cases Children of God may bee cold in them p. 332 Second Use is an Use of Exhortation and that in four Branches First Branch Get a sincere heart p. 332 1 Motives 1 Because it sets a value on them p. 333 2 Distinguisheth our works from others Ibid. 3 Otherwise all are lost p. 334. 4 Sincerity is the chiefest thing God eyes in men Ibid. 5 Sincerity affords most comfort Ibid. 6 Sincerity fences the heart against Apostacy p. 335. Cure of Hypocrisy is 1 A difficult cure p. 336. 2 A painful cure p. 337 Means of cure 1 Convince thy heart of the evill of an unsound heart p. 338. 2 Consider there is a God p. 339 3 Thou must be new made p. 340. 4 Use Prayer Ibid. Rules for Preservatives Ibid. Uses that may be made of these Rules p. 341 Rules for clearing sincerity Ibid. 1 Make a through search Ibid. 2 Acquaint thy self with the most clear evidences p. 342 Objection But how shall I know what are those heart clearing evidences Answered p. 343 344. Second Rule is Take not up your evidences from the carriage of your spirits either when at best or at worst Ibid. and p. 445. 4 Rule Judge not thy sincerity by some particular acts p. 346 5. Rule Be careful to read your spirits p. 346. Five several times to read your spirits 1 In times of Darknesse p. 347 2 In times of Manifestation p. 348 3 In times of outward Distresse Ibid. 4 In times of Prosperity p. 349 5 In times of Danger Ibid. 4 Branch of Exhortation To declare the sincerity of the heart on all occasions p. 350 351. We are called to it 1 By God p. 352. 2 By our distressed brethren Ibid. 3 Our own Church and Nation Ibid. 4 Our Consciences Ibid. THE CONTENTS OF The wonderful workings of God FOR his Church and People EXOD. 15.11 Who is like unto thee O Lord amongst the Gods Who is like thee glorious in holinesse
Beware of all the Occasions Allurements c which might draw you to sin You would watch in all Times in all Companies good and bad in all Places None are so secure but you may fall into sin if you be neglective of your Christian Watch. Thus where fâ—â— is apprehended to be the Greatest Evil there will be the Greatest care and circumspection against sin Such a man 1. He is Acquainted with the falls of others which are to him not Land-Ma ks to Walk by but Sea-Marks and Rocks to Shun 2. He is Acquainted with the weakness and wickedness of his own heart and spirit and therefore watches He knows he cannot trust any member alone without a Guard upon it The eyâ— are full of sin Adultery Pride Envy lusts of the Eye 1 Jonn 2.16 And he cannot trust his eyes without Jobs Covenanâ— I have made a Covenant with mine eyes why then should I think â—n a maid Chap. 31.1 The Tongue is full of sin Of Cursings Murmurings Revilings Vain-Communications And there is no trusting of it without David Bridle Psal 39.7 I will keep my mouth as with a Bridle that I â—ffend not with my Tongue He knows his own weakness and wickedness and therefore dares not trust any member without his Keeper 3. Such a man he is acquainted with the power and policy of Satan who as Luther calls him is Non Promotus sed Expertus Doctor A subtle enemy whose Temptations are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rev. 2.24 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 2.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eph. 4.14 He suits his temptations according too 4. Such an one he is acquainted with the danger and deceitfulness of sin and how it is 1. Deceitful in its Object 2. Deceitful in its Arguments 3. Deceitful in its Pretences and Excuses Nullum vitium sine patrocinio 4. Deceitful in its Incroaches 5. Deceitful in its Promises And therefore will he keep an holy circumspection an humble awful jealous fear over his own spirit lest he should fall into sin He looks on sin as his Greatest Evil and his Greatest care and endeavors are to avoid sin 4. If sin be the Greatest Evil 4. Sin calls for greatest endeavors to be rid of it Then should it be our chiefest endeavors to be rid of sin Every man would labor to be rid of an Evil and the Greater the Evil the greater is our desire to be rid thereof Now sin is the Greatest of Evils How much more then should we labour and endeavor to be Rid of the Greatest of Evils Alas Alas what are all other Evils to the Evil of Sin which makes our good evil And yet to see the vileness of mens spirits they would fain be rid of all other evils but not of Sin so Pharaoh Take away this Death this Plague They complain of the evil caused but not of the evil causing of the evil punishing but not of the evil punished Flagella dolent Quarè Flagellantur non dolent saith Augustine They howl under the present scourges and afflictions but never lament the sin they would fain be rid of the Pain but yet they would fain keep the Tooth Whereas alas till sin be removed the afflictions will not be removed If they be yet not in mercy but in judgement And your Present Deliverance doth but Reserve you for a severer stroke Where on the contrary If sin be removed the affliction will be removed They are like the Body and the Shadow Remove the Body and the Shadow must needs be removed Sin is the Body and afflictions be but the Shadow Or if the Afflictions do continue yet if God take away sin the Evil of the Evil is taken way Sin is the sting of every Affliction Sin is that which imbitters every Cross And sin being taken away that which is Vindictive is taken way and that which is Medicinal and for Salvation doth remain It is more fruitful than penal All for merciful ends and out of merciful respects when sin is taken away 1. If sin be the Greatest Evil Then let us rather choose to fall into the Greatest Evil in the world than into the least evil of sin All other Evils have some Good in them and are to be the Objects of Choice in case we cannot avoid them but we must admit of sin Thus you see Moses did as you may read Heb. 11. He chose rather to be afflicted with the people God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season But now sin it is All-evil and No-good and there is nothing in the world should make us to chuse sin 2. Is sin the Greatest Evil Let this then put us on to pity and pray for such who are under a state of sin You pity sick Friends poor Friends undone Friends But alas what are all these evils to the evil of sin what is Poverty what is Sickness what is anything to the Evil of Sin All these are but Outward this is an Inward Evil. All these are but of a Temporal nature Death but a Conclusion to them all But this is of an Eternal nature All other will never make you the Object of Gods wrath and hatred And therefore spend some tears put up some prayers for such who are under the state of sin O saith Abraham that Ismael might live in thy sight So say thou There is such a Friend and such a Friend a Brother a Father c. who lies under sin is in a state of sin Oh! that thou wouldst pity their souls Oh! that thou wouldst snatch them out of the state of sin 3. If sin be so Great an Evil Let us then fall down and Admire 1. The greatness of Gods Patience in bearing with sinners 2. The greatness of Gods mercy in pardoning sin 1. Admire Gods patience in bearing with sinners 1. Here Admire the greatness of Gods patience in bearing with sinners It may be thou hast been an Unclean Sinner a Drunken sinner a Swearing-wretch these twenty thirty forty it may be threescore years and more And hath God spared thee Oh! here see the wonder of Gods patience If it were not that God is Almighty in the power of his patience it had been impossible he should have spared thee so long He tells us so Hos 11.9 I am God and not man I will not enter into the city viz. to destroy it So Mal. 3.6 I am JEHOVAH I change not Therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed Implying if he had not been God if he had not been Almighty in the power of his patience they had certainly been cut off long before If men be daily provoked and irritated with injuries and do not come out to revenge we attribute it either to their Pusillanimity or to their Impotency either to their want of courage or want of Power But now it is not so with God His patience is his power Numb 14.17 18. when God had threatned to destroy them Moses prays to God to forbear them and he calls
Husband vers 15.2 An earnest desire of further communication of his Spirit and communion with himself vers 16. In Christs answer there is contained a Promise of his gracious acceptation of such fruits as the Church shall yeeld him vers 17. This verse which I have read to you is a branch of the second part scil The gracious profession of Christ his love to his Church of which if I read no more than this verse wee see enough set down to astonish and amaze us all Thou hast ravished my Heart my Sister my Spouse Quid mirum si regnum caelorum vim patitur c What wonder if the Kingdome of Heaven suffer violence when the King of Heaven himself suffers violence Christ doth here speak in the manner of a Lover whose heart is exceedingly ravished and taken with the beauties vertues and graces of his Spouse Give mee leave to explain the words and wee come to Doctrin 1. Thou hast ravished What is meant by that The expression is great that the God of Heaven should bee so taken even to ravishment with his Church and people And yet let mee tell you the word speaks more than any expression can utter The word is in the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of which these interpretations 1. Aben-Ezra translates rapuisti animam meam Thou hast taken away thou hast stolne away my Heart my Sister my Spouse 2. Rab. Sol. Traxisti animam meam ad te Thou hast drawn my heart to thee 3. Talmudici prisci Copulasti cor meum cum tuo Thou hast coupled my heart to thee thou hast One-ed my heart as if hee should say thou hast so joyned mee as thou and I have but One heart 4. Another Vulnerasti cor meum Thou hast wounded my Heart my Sister my Spouse 5. The seventy They 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Excordiasti Eripuisti cor meum Thou hast unhearted mee thou hast taken my heart from mee And here our Translators Thou hast ravished my Heart All which laid together they are mighty expressions setting down to wonder and amazement the exceeding love of Christ to the Church Thou hast ravished wounded stolne away drawn my heart to thee 2. My Sister my Spouse Wee will joyn them both together both are spoken of the same person the Church of God which Christ calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. Sister Because shee is the Daughter of his Father in Heaven and fellow-heir of Glory with Christ 2. Spouse Because Christ had married himself unto her 3. With one of thine eyes with one chain of thy neck Not to postil on them 1. With one of thine eyes with one chain i. e. with thy Graces thy Wisdome and Knowledge thy Faith and other Graces As if hee had said I need not to behold both thine eyes the beauty of one of them is so great it takes my heart And I need not to behold all thine Ornaments even one chain alone hath taken my heart and drawn my heart to thee Christ hath an high account of the least of his peoples Graces Thus having explained the words wee come to the conclusions Thou hast ravished my heart Doct. 1 1. That the Heart of Jesus Christ is exceedingly taken with his Church and people Thou hast ravished Doct. 2 2. That which doth so indear the Heart of Christ to them that which takes the Heart of Christ is the beauties and graces of his people Doct. 3 3. The least Grace of his Church doth greatly take the Heart of Christ One Eye one Chain Wee think hee cannot love us wee are so weak in Grace but it is his own though never so weak and hee can love wee will fall upon the first of these Doct. 1 That the Heart of Jesus christ is exceedingly taken with his Church and People In the prosecution of this wee will shew 1. What is meant by his Heart being taken 2. Wee will shew that Christs Heart is thus taken 3. Wee will shew upon what grounds his Heart is so much taken with his Church and so come to apply For the first What is meant by his Heart being taken And here I must tell you in the entrance that wee cannot sufficiently express it It is one of the highest expressions in the Book of God towards his Church that the Heart of Jesus Christ should bee taken with his Church An expression which if wee but let lye upon our spirit the weight thereof would sink us shall I say hee doth dearly and entirely love us nothing is too much to do nothing is too great to suffer nothing too much to give to us hee doth exceedingly love us Shall I say his heart doth exceedingly delight in us his soul doth exceedingly rejoyce over us above all the World Shall I say wee are exceeding precious in his eyes wee are choice in his esteem Isa 43.3 4. such as he will give the World for such as hee will give himself for if hee can but gain us hee esteems hee hath riches enough and reward enough for it Shall I say his desires are towards us hee in a manner desires no more than us shall I say hee thinks himself happy in the injoyment of us wee are reward enough for all his pains and all his labour Why all this and more the Scripture saith and all this is yet short of this expression his Heart is taken with us This the next particular will give us further insight into 2. That the Heart of Jesus Christ is exceedingly taken I may demonstrate to you by diverse arguments That which the thoughts are taken up withall that the heart must needs bee taken withall This is plain you know a man will busie his thoughts about that which hee cares for wouldest thou know what thou lovest Vis nosse quod ames attende quod cogites Bern. see what thy thoughts are upon As if hee had said there can bee no better character to discover what your hearts are taken withall than to examine what your thoughts are most taken up withall for what the thoughts are taken up withall the heart is taken withall Now the thoughts of Christ are exceedingly taken up with his Church and people Wee are ever upon his thoughts There hath not been a moment from all eternity wherein wee have been out of the thoughts of Christ Before the World was wee were on his thoughts hee thought on us to everlasting life loved us with everlasting love After wee had lost our selves wee were then on his thoughts when hee interposed himself between God and us to stay his wrath from us Before wee came into the World wee were on his thoughts witness all the Scripture in which are such expressions of his heart to us After hee came into the World you see wee were the whole of his thoughts wee lay ever upon his heart you see by his doings sufferings prayer for us Read the 14 15 16 17. of John See how his thoughts were taken up with us when hee was to leave us what love
the Apostle 2 Cor. 5. This should make us live more humbly more actively more studious to please more diligent to obey more carefull to serve him This should make us live at higher rates for Heaven more spiritual more heavenly minded It is a Cord let down from Heaven to fetch our souls up thither And doth this cause us to bee more remiss more careless Doth this which should quicken slacken our hand to duty Oh base ungrateful neglect of Love 3. when wee take heart to sin thereby Grow more loose careless This is an high abuse of this Love Because God is Good wilt thou bee Evil because hee is Merciful wilt thou bee sinful because hee is Gracious wilt thou bee impious What fearful abuse of Love is this This is to wound Christ in the house of his friends To return good for good is but Humane To return evil for good is Wicked To return good for evil is Christian-like But To return evil for good and the greatest evil for the greatest good Sin for Love this is devilish Were you his enemies hee knew how to deal with you hee could revenge himself and the abuses of his love upon you but you are his friends and those bowels which you wrong are stirred in him when hee goes about to punish you Oh Ephraim How shall I give thee up how shall I deliver thee Israel my bowels are turned within mee My repentings are kindled together Hos 11.8 The greatness of God prevails with wicked men that awes them often that they dare not sin against him But the goodness of God this should prevail with us There is mercy with thee therefore thou art to bee feared It is set down as the Principle in such with whom the heart of Christ is taken Hos 3. ult They shall fear the Lord and his goodness in the latter dayes None but venimous spirits will suck poison from such a sweet as thence to draw incouragements to sin from that which is the great incouragement to service The Love of Christ had so prevailed with Chrysostome that hee used to say Ego sic censeo sic assidue praedicabo And Anselme That if on the one hand hee should see sin and on the other the torments of Hell hee had rather chuse to fall into Hell than fall into sin 4. When wee stagger and doubt give way to misgiving thoughts of Christs Love and unbeleevings of our own hearts wee abuse this Love What is it possible that Christ should do or suffer more than hee hath done and suffered to perswade your hearts of his Love If Christ should ask the question of you who doubt most of his Love What shall I do to answer your scruples to satisfie your souls for ever in this that I love you could you rationally desire more than what hee hath expressed in his words and to your heart and if notwithstanding all bee in vain 1 Sam. 25.21 may hee not justly say as David of Nabal Surely in vain have I done all this when this all commeth to nothing 3. Direction to them of the Church 3. Bee much in the contemplation of this Love of Christ Dwell upon this This Love of Christ will bee matter of eternal perusal in Heaven Wee shall do nothing but read over this Love Oh! let us not bee strangers to it now View it in the 1. Fulness 2. Freeness 3. Bounty 4. Perpetuity thereof 1. Measure it in the Fulness of it It is a Love which reacheth to every necessity A love able to make you holy and able to make you happy Thou art under guilt and sin thou art terrified by the one and ashamed and confounded because so loathsomely defiled by the other Why It is a pardoning a purging a sanctifying Love it is a Love as large as himself though the persons beloved bee finite 2. Read it over in the Freeness of it 1. It was an undeserved 2. It was an unsought-for Love 1. It was an undeserved Love Wee may provoke him to anger but wee cannot tempt him to love Amat Deus non aliundè hoc habet The former doth arise from our sins the latter from himself His chusing justifying adopting saving love all are free 2. It was an unsought-for Love Never a prayer put up for it I am found of them that sought mee not Isa 65.1 3. Read it over in the Bounty and Expressions of it 1. What hee did 2. What hee suffered 3. What hee hath given to his Church 4. Look upon it in the Perpetuity Permanency and continuance thereof A Love which reaches from Eternity to Eternity From Eternal chusing to Eternal glorifying An unchangeable Love Let us then peruse this Love Read it over in all the Dimensions Dwell upon the thoughts of it till your hearts bee Humbled melted inabled in-nobled winned quickened comforted c. The Thoughts of this Love are 1. Soul-humbling Thoughts Nothing layes the soul lower than Love The consideration of this will vile a man to Hell Ezek. 36.25 to 33. where you may read some expressions of love how it affects These would bee 2. Soul-melting Thoughts They will not only humble but melt not only break but dissolve the heart Nothing doth melt the soul more than Love The Law may break us but it is as the breaking of a flint every dust retains hardness but it is the Gospel that melteth us The thoughts of Gods Justice do stone the heart make it more hard but the thoughts of Gods Mercy do melt the heart You know you never mourn indeed till Love till Mercy do melt you Every drop of tears sticks like an hailstone and congeals in the eyes but when Love comes in then all the springs are opened and a man is dissolved into waters So much apprehensions of this Love of Christ so much godly sorrow They are like the Fountain and the Stream whereof the one doth rise no higher than the other The thoughts of this Love have 3. A Soul-inabling Power It will not only ingage us to service as the Apostle The Love of Christ constrains mee But it will inable us to service make us pray and pray with affections pray with life make us hear and hear with strength This puts us upon work and puts life vertue and vigor into our actions No actions stronger than those that come from Love Things incredible and impossible to others are yet easy to them who love See what the Saints have gone through what they have done what they have suffered Let but the thoughts of this love lye on your spirits a little and you will finde that Love is strong as death Cant. 8.6 and will mightily carry us through that which otherwise may seem impossible They will bee 4. Soul-innobling thoughts They will make you like themselves Whatever the soul feeds on the soul is digested into the nature of it So here feed on the thoughts of this love and your spirit will bee digested into it Whiles wee behold as in
a glass the glory of the Lord wee are changed into the same Image from Glory to Glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord 2 Cor. 3.18 In nature the meat is digested into the nature of the eater Here the eater is turned into the nature of the meat The contemplation of his Glory makes you glorious They will bee 5. Soul-winning Thoughts Love you know is of an attractive nature Amor amoris Magnes Nothing wins more than Love Love is the Loadstone to draw Love again As the Sun shining upon a Glasse begets a reflection of the beams back again so the love of God shed abroad in our hearts begets a reflection of love back again toward God You see Mary Much was forgiven her shee had tasted of much love from God and shee returned much love again to him Shee loved much The Power of God doth shake the heart The Majesty of God doth dread the heart The Justice of God doth awe the heart But it is the Mercy of God the Love of God which doth perswade win and draw the heart Nothing wins a mans heart to God but his Love The fear of God dread of God may bring a mans feet into his wayes but it is the Love of God which brings his Heart into his wayes They are 6. Soul-quickening 7. Soul-comforting thoughts Oh then that wee were but wise to improve this Doctrin this truth to the good of our souls I tell thee Christian if thou wouldest give this truth but scope in thy heart it would help thee and relieve thee of all the burdens under which thou groanest 1. Dost thou labour under a proud heart this would humble thee 2. Dost thou labour under a dejected heart this would raise thee 3. Under a dark heart this would comfort revive thee 4. Under a dead heart this would quicken thee and put the Spirit of Heaven into thee whiles thou art on earth 5. Under an hard heart this would break thee Nay this would melt thee dissolve thee into waters I say the more thou gets up with Elijah into this Chariot of love the more would the mantle of sin and corruption depart from thee 6. Under a worldly heart This would dead thy heart for ever to the World and set thee all on flame with the fire of heavenly affections I am confident of it whatever a Christian desires to injoy whatever a Christian desires to bee rid of if hee can but dwell upon this truth and bee able to manage it Hee shall have it more fully hee shall have it more quickly than any other way Wouldest thou bee rid of a proud heart wouldest thou have an humble heart wouldest bee rid of a dead heart and desirest a quick heart wouldest bee rid of an hard heart and have a broken heart wouldest bee rid of an unbeleeving of a doubting of a dejected heart and wouldest bee mighty in Faith full of comfort Why do but let thy soul bee carried captive with this Truth bee but content this Truth should master thee bee but willing to entertain it beleeve it imbrace it I am confident on it all this will bee done I may set down a probatum est to it Oh! That wee were wise to manage this Truth There are many look upon this but as a pleasant dream a Chimera a fiction And some beleeve it but slightly there wants depth of earth And some there are poor souls to whom the comfort of this truth belongs who think this is too good news for them They think if they should own it it would bee but too great a sale for too small a Boat rather overturn them than do them good rather ruine them than help them And therefore they must feed upon black thoughts upon Hell upon justice upon sin upon their corruptions Ah! Poor souls Satan deludes you you take a way to undo your selves Either to discourage you to say there is no hope or else to break you that you shall never bee able to do God service Look as long as you will into Hell pry as long as you will into the dark vaults of your souls rake as long as you will into the kennel of your hearts You shall finde nothing in Hell but Hell in your hearts but sin and having found it run from him That man looks too much on sin who shutteth his eyes from a mutual interview of love between God and his soul And hither you must come at last Free-Grace must bee owned Free-Mercy must bee acknowledged and advanced by you if ever you would bee saved if ever you would bee comforted You mâ—y think what you will but sure I am 1. There are no Christians more chearfull 2. None are more thankfull 3. None are more humble 4. None are more beleeving 5. None are more active 6. None are more couragious 7. None more serviceable and usefull toward God and men than they who lye continually at the breast of the promise than they who set up Gods Free-Grace and own that good which God makes out to them Thou mayest bee a Christian but thou wilt bee a sad Christian an uncomfortable Christian a dark Christian a deserted Christian a dead Christian an unserviceable Christian if thou dost go on to feed upon black thoughts and wilt not own that comfort which Christ tenders imbrace that good which Christ speaks and beleeve the Riches of his Grace and Mercy to poor sinners Do but sit down and from the sight and sense of thine own unworthiness take but occasion to advance Free-Grace and Mercy Let there bee place for that to come in Let those thoughts finde entertainment And thou shalt quickly finde a strange change in thy spirit 1. Thou who couldest not mourn before shall now bee able to poure our tears as if thou wert all turned to water 2. Thou who before couldest not beleeve couldest not bee comforted wilt even think it a wonder that ever thy heart should bee so dark so doubtful 3. Thou who before wast dead shalt now finde a spirit of life come into thee and make thee active in the work of the Lord. Make but the Experiment and thou wilt converse more with the promise with the Love of Christ with the Free-Grace of God whiles thou livest if you would but remove your unbelief But who shall remove this stone God alone must do it But if this were done this truth would let in a flood of mercy upon you and even sink and over-whelm you in a Sea of mercy and glory where now you go drooping and hang down your heads because you will not own that portion which Christ hath left you nor that comfort which Christ doth tender and speak to you 4. Direction to them of the Church 4. Direction to them of the Church 4. Labour for a reciprocall affection a mutual taking between Christ and us Is Christs heart taken with you Oh! let your hearts bee taken with him Doth Christ love you Oh! do you love Christ Are you
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. These fourscore and six years I have served Christ and hee hath never hurt mee all this time and how then can I blaspheme my King and Saviour The like of Cyprian who being desired to consult with himself before hee should suffer Fac quod tibi praeceptum est replies Do your office In so just a thing as this there needs no Consultation The like of that rich Virgin which Basil speak of who being condemned to the fire was offered her life and estate if she would renounce her Faith shee returns Valeat vita pereat pecunia c. Let my mony perish my life cannot and though I lose this life I shall have a more enduring a more abiding a more abounding life in Christ To these many more might bee added to shew how Faith doth furnish the Soul with suffering Resolutions as that of Chrysostome who said if you take away my goods c. 3. Faith begets suffering graces courage magnanimity patience humility self-denyal contempt of the World high prizing of God It sets God above all the comforts and contentments in Heaven and Earth It gives adherence to the Truth by which the Soul is inabled to undergo any thing 4. It laies in suffering-strength strength from God strength from the Promise which saith When thou passest through the water it shall not overflow thee when thou passest through the fire it shall not kindle upon thee c. Isa 43.2 It fetcheth strength from Christ who like Simon of Cyrene helps to bear part of every Cross Thus Faith goes out of it self stands upon anothers bottome leans upon anothers power rests upon anothers strength whereby the Soul is inabled to go thorow any thing All this is conveyed by this Instrument of Faith 5. It propounds to the Soul suffering rewards That For these light afflictions which are but for a moment wee shall receive a far more exceeding and eternal weight of Glory That for the loss of temporals wee shall gain eternals That If wee suffer with Christ wee shall reign with Christ. That No man shall lose Father or Mother or Wife or Children or Lands or Houses or Brethren or Sisters for his Names sake but hee shall receive an hundred fold more here and shall inherit everlasting life Matth. 19.29 God will bee all this to thee Nay God will bee more than all this to thee More than Riches more than Friends more than Life it self unto thee All which considerations do exceedingly inable the Soul to undergo sufferings and tryals Eleventh Royalty 11. Faith is an Heart-in-nobling-Grace That which sets one man above another 11. Royalty of Faith It s a Soul-in-nobling-Grace That which doth raise up and exalt one man above another in Gods esteem is Faith that which doth put a difference between man and man is Faith or nothing Acts. 15.9 1. Faith is such a Grace as sets us above others our Persons above others A Grace which makes us Kings and Priests unto God which raises us and sets us out of the croud They are noble whom God doth in-noble honourable whom God doth honour God is the King of Kings the Fountain of all Honour who can exalt whom hee pleaseth and throw down whom hee pleaseth who can in-noble whom hee pleaseth and abase whom hee will And this honour have all his Saints This hath God thrown upon the poorest Beleever hee hath made him a King and a Priest Rev. 1.6 1 Pet. 2.5.9 2. Faith sets our performances above others Our prayers our duties our obedience Faith raises them above others Heb. 11.4 By Faith Abel offered to God a more excellent Sacrifice than Cain Cain offered Sacrifice as well as Abel but Faith put the difference betwixt them By Faith hee offered a more excellent a more noble Sacrifice than Cain Faith puts a difference betwixt the works of Christians and the works of Heathens Though there were no difference for the matter yet Faith puts a vast difference for the manner Faith puts a difference betwixt the Abba-Fathers of a Childe of a Saint and the Ave-Maries of a superstitious Papist betwixt the Prayers of a Saint and the Devotions of a sinner betwixt the cryes of a Saint and the howlings of an Hypocrite But to return Faith is an Heart-in-nobling-Grace 1. It begets in us Soul-in-nobling-Principles Principles like our selves It is such a Grace as doth sublimate a man begets high glorious and heavenly Principles in the soul By this wee are made partakers of the divine nature It is an Heart-spiritualizing-Grace Whereas Unbeleef doth sensuallize a man beasts a man as Nebuchadnezzar Dan. 5.20.21 Hence wee read An Unbeleeving heart is called a gross heart make their heart gross so Faith doth raise up a man spiritualizes a man A Beleeving heart is a fine heart a spiritual heart It refines the soul Faith doth raise up a man as high above reason as reason doth raise a man above meer sense It sets a man as high above a man as Reason doth a man above a Beast Faith is the Spirit of Grace Not only a spiritual Grace but the Spirit of all our spiritual Graces It hath nothing but spirituality in it and hath to do with nothing but spiritual things with God with Christ with Heaven with Justification pardon of sin All which are spiritual things far above sense nay and Reason too their objects reach not so high which things though they bee Real and none more Real yet they are spiritually Real not sensually Real to Faith not to sense nor to Reason neither And therefore unbeleeving men do esteem these things either meer-nothings or they are next door to nothing in their thoughts Imaginary things Notiones secundae which have no foundation in Being no existence in the World 2. Faith doth implant us into Soul-in-nobling-Relations 1 It makes us Servants to the great God of Heaven and Earth who though it were Hyperbollically said of Tyrus Merchants yet may it truly bee said of God makes all his servants Kings Gods service is an honourable a noble service Nay it makes us not only Servants but 2. It makes us friends of God Abraham a Beleever was call'd Gods Friend nay not only Friends but 3. It makes us Sons and Daughters of God Gal. 3.26 You are the Children of God by Faith Wee may glory in our Pedegree A Beleever is best born nobly born Jam. 1.18 Of his own Will begat hee us by the Word of Truth Joh. 1.13 Born of God Nay 4. It makes us the Spouse of Christ who is such as Husband as doth en-noble his Wife Wee know among men The Wife is honoured with her Husbands honour The Lawyers have a speech Mulier fulget Radiis Mariti The Wife shines with the Husbands Rayes shee shines with his brightness If hee bee honourable whatever shee was before yet now shee cannot bee base If hee bee noble shee cannot bee ignoble because hee confers and throws all his honours upon his Wife So here by Faith being
is a Soul-inriching-Grace It gives a man not only Title and interest into a Soul-inriching-God a Soul-inriching-Christ a Soul-inriching-Treasure but gives the soul the possession and injoymnet of all this By Faith wee possess God injoy God and by no other way but by Faith in Christ Though Faith be poor in it self the poorest Grace of all as having nothing of its own such a Grace as lives all upon anothers stock is fed with anothers food rich by anothers riches as the Apostle said of himself Hee was poor yet making many rich having nothing yet possessing all things so I may say of Faith Though it bee poor in it self yet it makes us rich doth inrich us with all the riches of Christ though it hath nothing in it self yet it possesses all things it possesseth Christ which is all Oh! If you bee rich in Faith you cannot bee poor in Grace Quantum credimus Tantum amamus Quantum credimus Tantum speramus Saith Aug. poor in Holiness Faith sanctifies So much Faith so much Grace so much Faith so much Love so much Faith so much Hope so much Faith so much Humility so much brokenness of spirit for sin so much Patience Zeal c. Never was it known a strong Beleever to bee a weak Christian So much Faith write down so much Grace Little in Faith and little in Grace little in love c. Grace is still proportionable to the measure and degrees of Faith like the fountain and the flood Hence Faith is called the Mother-Grace 2. Pet. 1.2 3. Grace and Peace bee multiplyed on you by the Knowledge of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By the acknowledgement that is by Faith The augmentation of Faith doth cause the multiplication of Grace not in the kinds only but in the degrees The more Faith in degrees the more Grace Grow in Faith and you grow in all Grace Decrease in Faith and all the Graces of God decrease in thee There is decay of Love of Joy of Patience The ground of all decayes is the decay of Faith Well then To draw to a conclusion of this you see Faith is an inriching-Grace 1. It inricheth the understanding with knowledge with heavenly wisdome which is better than gold It makes the Head a store-house of divine knowledge There is some Knowledge before Faith Scientia Principiorum the Knowledge of Principles But the best Knowledge is after Beleeving Wee beleeve and know saith John First beleeve and then know Crede ut intelligas beleeve that thou mayest understand Hence David Psal 119. Teach mee good Judgement for I have beleeved thy Word Not that I may beleeve but for I have beleeved Non possunt discere qui nolunt credere Addiscentem oportet credere Hence Augustine upon Heb. 4.2 The Word did not profit them because it was not mixt with Faith in them that heard it saith They cannot learn because they will not beleeve Hee that would learn must beleeve As Knowledge of things revealed goes before Faith so Faith goes before the exact understanding and clear apprehensions of them How shall a man bee able to understand these heavenly Mysteries in the Word all which are far above Reason The Mystery of the Trinity the Mystery of Christ in whom there is nothing but Mysteries His Person a Mystery his Nature his Works all Mysteries 1 Tim. 3.16 Without Controversy great is the Mystery of godliness God manifested in the flesh justified in the spirit seen of Angels preached unto the Gentiles believed on in the World received up into Glory That hee should bee God-Man mortall and immortal That there should bee such greatness and such baseness such infiniteness and yet such finiteness in one person These are all Mysteries Hence Christ is called Isa 9.6 Wonderful because all is wonderfull in Christ hee is wonderful in his Person in his Nature in his offices in the managing of them A chain of wonders So the Creation a Mystery Resurrection a Mystery Christian Religion is nothing else but a bundle of holy Mysteries Which how shall any man understand until first hee beleeve Hee that seeks to know before hee beleeve shall never know The best way to know is to shut your eyes captivate Reason and Beleeve and then you shall see and know Thus you see Faith inricheth with Spiritual Knowledge 2. As Faith inriches the Understanding the Head with Knowledge so it inriches the Heart with Grace It makes the Heart a Treasury of divine and holy Graces The least of which are worth all the Riches of the World Divines set down four invaluable things 1. The Favour of God in Christ 2. The Souls of Men. 3. The Spirit 4. The Graces of the Spirit 1. The Favour of God That 's invaluable Psal 63.3 Thy loving kindness is better than Life And Life is the most precious thing a man hath in the World Skin for Skin and all a man hath will hee give for his life The Devil was right there Now Gods loving-kindness is better than Life 2. The Souls of Men. What will it profit a man to gain the whole World and lose his Soul Christ sets the gain of the whole World against the losse of one Soul Hee puts one Soul in one Balance and the whole World in another And one Soul weighs down all What will it profit its too light All that gain cannot make up this loss It is an incomparable loss because an irrecoverable loss once lost lost for ever There 's no recovery of a lost soul Though a man may lose other things yet may hee recover them again Man may lose Riches c. but not his Soul when once lost for want of beleeving 3. The third invaluable is the Spirit not to bee bought with silver or gold Hence Peter told Simon-Magus when hee would have bought the Spirit Thy mony perish with thee Thinkest thou the Gift of God may bee bought with mony 4. The Graces of the Spirit The least of which doth weigh down all the World The least grain of Grace of Love of Repentance of godly sorrow Humility is worth ten thousand Worlds Faith is more precious than gold saith Peter Now these are the Riches that Faith doth possess the Soul of the invaluable Riches of Grace Other Riches God deals out promiscuously and No man knows either love or hatred by any thing before him A man may do wickedly and prosper as it was said of Antiochus Epiphanes Dan. 8.24 â—5 These Riches Gods enemies do share in as well as his friends Nay and have often the greatest share the greatest portion Job 21.7 Jer. 12.1 Dives may have more wealth Saul more command Agrippa more gorgious apparel than the dearest of Gods Saints But now these are such Riches as God bestows upon none but Beleevers Abraham gave portions to the Sons of the Concubines and sent them away but unto Isaac hee gave all hee had Rex honores dignis Other Riches may bee taken away A man may bee rich to
shall never bee able to strengthen Faith that lives in himself 5. Walk in the Earth of the Law As Faith strengthens Obedience so Obedience strengthens Faith As Faith multiplies so let duty multiply The way to nourish the one is the way to increase the other 6. Make it your chief riches to bee rich in Faith And then all your designs and indeavours will bee for the increase of it The wordly man labours toils sweats here for the World And what is the reason but because hee makes this his riches so it is here 7. Exercise Faith much And this is the way to increase it Men that can imploy a greater measure of Faith shall have it Bee careful that the exercises of Faith may bee proportionable to the measure of Faith received It is the way to get it increased God will not have the stock lye dead in our hands Hee will not give more than wee can imploy The Talents were according to their several abilities Some had two some one some five When God sees a man of great layings out hee laies in moâ—e still Exercise Grace For within the compass of the exercise of Grace lies that which will nourish and increase Grace 8. Treasure up sound Evidences of Faith The stronger our Evidences the stronger our Faith And therefore store up sound Evidences One falshood among thy Evidences staggers thy Faith 9. Bee thankful for the measure thou already hast Thankfulness is a Grace big with Mercy Men are often injurious to the increase of Faith by unthankfulness for that measure they have Wee are too much like covetous men looking after further degrees so much as to overlook that which God hath already bestowed Our complaints would bee others contents others would bee glad of them Therefore let us get an heart inlarged for the measure wee have It is the way for God to inlarge his hand to bestow more upon us 10. Maintain Humility an humble spirit God gives Grace and hee gives increase of Grace to the humble Humility is the Nurse of Grace The empty heart shall bee filled Nature abhors emptiness Grace much more 11. Bee much in acquaintance with God Know more of his mind more of his heart Read him as hee hath discovered himself in the Word in his Christ 12. Gather and lay up Faith-strengthening-Experiences Keep a Catalogue of holy Experiences of Gods Love and goodness to thee All these are fuel to nourish and strengthen Faith And now having done with the Doctrin of Faith I must conclude with a Doctrin of works Wherein I shall desire your practice of it This upon occasion of a collection for the Poor as soon as I have done the preaching of it It is very orderly that works should follow Faith Your works of Charity our Doctrin of Faith The Papists do charge us that wee cry down works and preach nothing but Faith Faith making it Titulum sine Re. I hope it will bee seen at this time that preaching Faith Formalitèr I preach works Eminentèr And I could not possibly have taken up a better ground for works than to preach the Doctrin of Faith first Indeed wee preach Faith without works in Justificationem as touching Justification But wee say Faith and works must go together in our conversation As Faith doth Justifie our Persons so works do justifie our Faith And thus Abraham was justified by works his works declared him to bee just Good works are the breath of Faith as the word in James signifies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And as the body without breath is dead so Faith without works is dead also Good works are the fruit of Faith the Children and Issue of Faith As Rachel said Give mee Children else I dye so Faith Give mee Children give mee works else I dye otherwise I have not a living but a dead Faith So you see wee set up works too though wee cry them down in the matter of Justification Are good works good for nothing because not good to justifie The Sun is not good to give light to blind men Is it therefore good for nothing Gold is not good to asswage hunger Is it therefore of no use Wee say works are necessary 1. In respect of God 2. In respect of our selves 3. In respect of others 1. In respect of God 1. To shew our Obedience 2. To glorifie his Name 3. To testifie our Thankfulness 4. To beautifie his Gospel 2. In respect of our selves 1. To make our Calling and Election sure 2. To declare our Sincerity 3. To procure Mercy 3. In respect of others 1. To refresh the Bowels of the Saints 2. For example of Vertue 3. To stop the mouthes of wicked men who would else take occasion to blaspheme the Gospel and speak evil of Profession 4. To winne others to gain enemies to the embracing of the Truth And therefore seeing good works are thus necessary bee you stirred up to so concerning a duty The Apostle saith Whiles you have opportunity to do good do good to all men Here is now an opportunity Take it God honours thee if hee give thee an heart to do such a good work Your Bounty is your Honour A TREATISE OF THE Slownesse of Heart TO BELEEVE BY SAMVEL BOLTON D. D. And MASTER of C.C.C. LONDON Printed by Robert Ibbitson for Thomas Parkhurst and are to be sold at his Shop over against the Great Conduit in Cheapside 1656. A TREATISE OF THE SLOWNESSE OF HEART TO BELEEVE JOHN 1.50 Jesus answered and said unto him because I said unto thee I saw thee under the Fig-tree beleevest thou thou shalt see greater things than these IN the latter part of this Chapter wee see that goodness is of a diffusive and spreading nature If thou bee good thou wilt desire and indeavour to make others good when Christ hath once revealed himself to any soul it will bee very studious to make him known to others So vers 35 36. you read that God having revealed Christ to John hee makes him known to his Disciples one of whom was Andrew vers 40. hee could not conâ—eal the good news but makes it known to his Brother Peter vers 41. Afterward Christ reveals himself to Philip vers 43. and upon it Philip makes him known to Nathaniel vers 45. so communicative and diffusive is goodness like the liquid Elements of Air and Water which cannot bee kept in their own bounds and limits From the forty fifth verse to the end of this Chapter there is contained a discourse 1. Between Philip and Nathaniel And then 2. Between Christ and Nathaniel The first between Philip and Nathaniel is from the 45. to the 47. verse where you have 1. Philips discovery of Christ to him vers 45. wee have found him of whom Moses and the Prophets did write 2. Nathaniels harsh entertainment of it vers 46. can any good thing come out c. 3. Philips care to resolve him and to take away this prejudice in the latter part of the 46. verse come
because you fall short of that eminency in them you are thereupon dâ—â—couraged and wounded in your comforts But admit that others of the Saints were as excellent as thou seest them as thou apprehends them and grant it that thou wert weak and full of many imperfections Yet why should this keep thee off from Christ and the Promise It is strange that that which should draw thee to the promise should drive thee from the Promiâ—e will a man refuse physick because hee is sick a cordial because hee is faint meat because hee is hungry mony because hee is poor cloathing because naked you would think this to bee unreasonable and why not the other Assure your selves that is not a good sight of imperfection that shall either blinde or bleer the eye of Faith and hinder us from beholding Christ and the Promise or that shall discourage and deter us from going over to Christ and the Promise Thou would'st bee as others of the Saints before thou didst beleeâ—e thou must beleeve before thou can bee as others are that which put a difference between thee and him was Faith there is the same treasury and the same fulness in Christ for thee as for others if thou get Faith to make use of it Besides why should imperfections keep thee off What man will reject a present pardon because hee sees himself unable to do the Prince future service who will not take it and bee more thankfull and the more admire the Princes clemency that should accept of him after all his rebellions when yet hee could have no eye or respect to any future service of advantage hee could do the Prince And why then should wee reject Gods pardon because wee see not our selves able to do him future service You should take it and bee more thankfull more admire the riches and freeness of Gods Grace who justifies the ungodly Ceâ—tâ—inly that which gives you the advantage and puts you into the way of the admiration of God serves the end most which God aimes at in giving of pardon therefore hee pardons that you might admire and say Micah 7.8 Who is a God like unto thee pardoning iniquity but the more sin the more imperfections the more advantage you have to admire the riches and freeness of Gods Grace and Mercy therefore why should this discourage you Besides though Princes may pardon former treason yet they cannot change the traiterous heart nor can they inable them for the future to bee loyal and obedient But now God can with the pardon of sin hee can and doth change the heart of the sinner hee sends him away with another heart with the forgiveness of former disobedience hee gives strength and ability to obey for future and therefore why should either present sense of sin and imperfection or the apprehension of the want of future ability keep us off from closing with Christ and the Promise seeing by this the sin is pardoned the nature is healed and the soul inabled to future service Indeed the way to do him service is to come in c. 2. As wee look upon others heights so wee look upon others depths and by that keep off from the Promise It may bee wee see and hear of others of the Saints who have been exercised with great troubles terrors legal breakings c. and have been in sad conditions it may bee for many months nay years and thou reflectest upon thy self and seest thou was never thus humbled thou never had experience of such legal breakings either none at all or not in that measure which others have had and thereupon thou concludest certainly the Promise doth not belong to mee And this is another ground which prevails with many c. Now to take off this in a few words 1. Why should anothers humiliation bee a pattern for thee when it may bee that which inlarged his troubles were 1. Some outward cross and affliction which was joyned to his inward trouble as when the fountains from below and windows from above were opened there was a great flood a deluge So when afflictions from beneath and troubles from above concurre this is a deluge of sorrow 2. Or may bee that which inlarged another mans trouble was some horrible temptations injections of Satan blasphemous bloudy thoughts c. 3. Or may bee some bodily distemper the predominancy of some humour as melancholly which gives edge and entertainment to terrors and spiritual troubles 4. Or may bee his ignorance in the Covenant of Grace the tearms of Mercy 5. Or may bee the long concealing of his trouble as you see David Psal 32. 6. Or may bee giving credit to the lying suggestions of Satan 7. Or may bee his pride his unbelief jealousy frowardness of spirit as it is with such as will nourish themselves in a needlesse bondage and will not hearken after comfort making their chains heavier than God hath made them who will not suffer a thought of hope or comfort to enter through the anguish of their bondage Like the Children of Israel in Egypt Exod. 6.9 God sent them delivery but they looked not after it through the extreamity of their bondage And is there any reason then that others humiliation should bee a pattern to thee Thou mightest as well desire part of their cross which yet thou wouldst not do for a great part of many mens humiliations is either their sin or their cross c. 2. Why should other mens humiliations bee a pattern for thee when yet God doth not require the same measure nor is the same measure alike necessary to all neither in respect of God or of men 1. Not in respect of man some need not so much as others As some mens flesh is harder to heal than others so some mens hearts A Needle may do that to one which a lance will not do to another A frown to one which blows will not do to another Some men are of crabbed and untoward spirits and knotty blocks had need of hard wedges 2. Some men have longer scores greater reckonings have been greater sinners than others and though not ever yet ordinarily God doth proportion the sorrow to the sin 3. Some men of greater parts of greater places who are not so easily humbled many things may bee in the subject which may vary the case And as the same measure is not necessary in respect of man so the same is not necessary in respect of God his ends are various 1. Some men hee intends to bestow greater measure of grace upon than upon others and hee layes a proportionable foundation 2. Some hee intends to use as one of a thousand to comfort others therefore hee doth exercise them with difficulties with humiliations eclipses of his favour with temptations injections of Satan decayes relapses that they may bee experimentally able to settle and comfort others 2 Cor. 1.4 3. Some hee intends for great services great imployments to make them Champions in his cause And therefore hee doth humble them
the more at their bringing in As you see Paul Luther Augustine All Gods people are Souldiers but few are Champions some hee hath for lighter skirmishes and less humimiliation will serve their turn to prepare them for them But such as hee intends for the main battle to bee Champions in his cause hee doth usually exercise with greater difficulties that so they might not start aside in the day of tryal 4. Some hee intends to bee patterns and examples of mortification in the world and therefore carries them on with troubles of spirit and lets them lye longer in them that being raised up they may bee dead to the World ever after Thus you see the like measures are not necessary neither inrespect of Gods ends nor in respect of your selves and why then should any mans humiliation bee a pattern for thee All that can bee said in it is this that so much is required as to cast us out of our selves make us weary of our sins willing to sell all cut off right hands pull out right eyes to part with the dearest and beloved sins for Christ Wee all agree it is sufficient when it doth cast a man out of himself and bring him over to Christ and how much that is who can set down A less degree will do that in one which it will not in another if the same measures were alike necessary for all then it would follow 1. That every one is so to labour to come to that measure as to receive no comfort in the Promise till hee have attained it 2. And it would follow that what comfort any may have gotten in the Promise they are to yeeld up if they have not had the like measures that others have attained to and what perplexities fears doubts would so bee left in the consciences of men so that they would never finde a bottome to stand on As in Grace a man would never have comfort if his comfort were to arise from the measures and not from the truth So in humiliation many poor souls in taking others for a pattern have lost the rule and put themselves into a greater in capacity to close with the Promise at a greater distance from Christ than they were before and have made themselves miserable for the present and for the future and so have gone drooping even to their graves And it had been better for many speakers and hearers too if this Doctrin had been pressed more before How many have had their heads broken in peeces with it and it is easier for these troubles to break the head than to break the heart But thus much for the second Thus you see wee have finished the two generals That wee are slow of heart to beleeve What are the grounds that men are slow of heart to beleeve 3. Wee come to the next what are the reasons that this temper of spirit is so offensive unto God I have given you many reasons in my Sabbath dayes discourse on the third of John Why God was so severe against unbeleef All which would serve as so many demonstrations of this point wee will at this time adde but these three more Reas 1. Slowness of heart to beleeve is a temper very offensive to God because it argues and speaks a corrupt heart A heart byassed with other respects which hinders from closing with Christ As Christ saith Joh. 5.44 How can you beleeve when you seek honour when you are byassed with such respects as these Such a spirit either it argues ignorance or pride or love of sin or jealousy of the truth of God the goodness of God and this is very offensive jealousy is the rage of a man c. which is more provoking because God hath so far condescended to our weakness for our establishment that hee hath not only given us his Promise his Covenant his Oath and Seal and all to comfort us And if notwithstanding all this wee shall nourish a spirit of jealousy and cherish our doubts and distrusts this must needs bee very displeasing unto God Vae nobis si nec juranti Deo credimus Aug. If a man should give you his Promise and yet to satisfie you to his Promise hee should annex his Oath and to his Oath his Seal c. If yet notwithstanding you will bee jealous and distrust him how would this make a mans bloud to rise how would hee break forth into rage what will you not beleeve mee do you think mee to bee a Devil do you think I will bee perjured c. And how much more must this provoke God who is immutably true of his word One syllable being a better bottome for a soul to rest upon than all the Protestations of men and Angels men though true Angels though true yet they are not in themselves immutably true because they are but Creatures but now God is hee is truth it self no shadow of change in him Nay and not only true but able to make good his Word what hee hath promised Men may bee true and yet want ability to perform but what God hath said hee will do because hee is faithfull and hee is able to do because almighty And hath God condescended to us so far as not only to give us his Promise his Oath Covenant and Seal and are wee yet slow of heart to beleeve do wee yet nourish jealousies and distrusts Why then judge if this must not needs bee a high provocation of God And that is the first reason because this sin speaks corruption of heart Reas 2. Because such a spirit what in it lyes makes void and null the great things of God I say as much as in thee lyes for thou canst not do it As the Apostle saith God is faithfull whether men beleeve or beleeve not so God is mercifull powerfull wise gracious true whether men will beleeve or beleeve not But this I say as much as in thee lies thou makest void all the great and stupendious things of God wee will name these seven 1. Thou makest void the great councels of God all the thoughts of his wisdome in contriving such a way to advance his glory in the salvation of men God had purposed and contrived from everlasting to make himself glorious to set up and advance the glory of his wisdome and grace and this is the way his wisdome pitched upon from everlasting to do all this by sending of Christ into the World and thou by standing out dost not only frustrate Gods ends in thy salvation but as much as in thee lyes nullest and makest void all the thoughts and contrivings of his wisdome for all this is to no purpose while thou stands out and wilt not beleeve 2. Thou makest void all the thoughts of his Mercy in which he desired to set forth himself and make himself visible to the lost sons of men by sending of Christ into the World But now if thou wilt not beleeve to what purpose were all these great things of God to what purpose
c. for the supply of strength 3. You make your selves every way unserviceable to God as I shewed you you make your selves unable to do unable to suffer for him You make your selves good for nothing unserviceable to God to the Church to his cause to your selves too c. Many there are that think they can do God better service in standing off than in comming in by Fear than by Faith They think that in nourishing their doubts and their fears they do cherish their care watchfulness humility And on the contrary they think that if once they should come to beleeve then they should bee more loose and careless and take more liberty to themselves Indeed you would have more liberty to service not to sin You would not bee tyed to service with coards of fear but with bands of love your principle of service and your manner of service would bee changed where now you serve nim out of fear then out of love now out of convictions of conscience then out of propensions of a divine nature now you serve him as slaves involuntarily then as sons with willingness and delight c. Now you do duty as a task then as your trade And you will walk in the wayes of duty though you see no commings in As a man that loves his trade that loves his calling hee will hold it up and follow it though hee get nothing by it though no gain or comming in by it So the soul which hath a Principle bred in him suitable to the things of God which is wrought by Faith hee will hold up to pray and to do duty though hee finde not commings in there is a natural agreeableness between him and duty between his spirit and the work and though hee never get good by it yet hee will hold up his spirit to the doing of it As it is with a man whose nature is sensualized that hath sinned away the very common Principles pluckt up the very senses of nature hee will drink and bee drunk though hee undo himself by it though hee hurt his body impoverish his estate yet hee will drink c. As Solomon saith a Whore will bring a man to a morsel of bread will undo a man yet hee will go on in sin hee will not leave his sin though undone by it hee will sin not only though hee get nothing but though hee get hurt though hee undo himself thereby yet hee will go on in sin and the reason is that universal sutableness that is between his soul and sin So on the other side a godly man hee will serve God hee will hold on in duty in obedience though hee finde no comming in by it There is such a sutableness between the spirit of a beleever and the work that though there is no commings in though hee finde no peace no comfort in the wayes of God yet hee will hold up to the work Where now an unbeleever if hee do not by these things get peace which is all hee looks after in the doing of it if he do not get comfort at last hee throws off all because there was no Principle of sutableness to hold him to the duty Therefore you see how Satan deludes you Faith alone is the spring of action that which sets us a work and quicken us in working if Faith bee up all his Graces will bee so too and if that bee down all other Graces are weak and down with it As Parisiensis saith it is the vertue of a Christal when the vertues of other precious stones are extinct to raise them and revive them again So doth Faith with our Graces when Davids heart was down in Psal 43.5 you see hee recovers himself by his Faith no sooner did hee exercise his Faith but his heart is raised That which quickeneth you to service and inables you in service is Faith and that which deads your spirit and makes you unserviceable is unbeleef and therefore bee convinced of your sin 2. Bee humbled for it this is the great sin the womb of sin the Mother and Nurse of sin as I have shewed That which holds up Satans Kingdome in you is your unbeleef if this fort were once taken all the rest would quickly yeeld up You see when Christ would conquer covetousness hee labours to conquer unbeleeving as you see Mat. 6.25 to the end That being overcome all the rest yeeld up and are vanquisht Nay it is a sin which doth not only uphold particular sins but the state of sin It is called a state of unbeleef wee do not say a state of drunkennesse a state of swearing c. but a state of unbeleef others are but particular this an universal sin And is there not then cause to bee humbled for it you see what a sin it is how you wrong God how you gratifie Satan how you injure your selves and is there not cause then to bee humbled for it Men are hard to bee humbled for this sin because hard to bee convinced either that they are guilty of it or that it is a sin Prophane and wicked men worldly men they will not bee convinced that they do not beleeve Though there bee nothing more plain if the Devil did not delude them for Faith and sin cannot stand together you can no more separate Holiness and Faith than Light and the Sun And humbled men they are hard to bee convinced that it is a sin Though it is easy to convince them that they do not beleeve they are sensible enough of that yet it is hard to perswade them that it is a sin not to beleeve that it is their duty to beleeve they think they do well in keeping off from the Promise they express their tenderness of Gods justice and holiness and judge it a great wrong to both that God should bee merciful to such sinners as they But I must tell thee it is a greater sin than all thy sins a killing a murthering an undoing sin It is a finishing sin that seals thee up in a state of sin and therefore you had need to bee convinced of it and humbled for it 3. Bee yee quickned to beleeve What shall I do now to perswade with you who are slow of heart to beleeve to come in and beleeve Alas all that I can say is nothing if God do not mightily work upon your hearts and perswade with you Shall I tell you there is an inexhaustible fulness of mercy in God and merit in Christ for the greatest sinner among you and this is something Shall I say that God is willing to forgive the greatest sinner of you if you will now come in and beleeve If you will go by Gods revealed will and thou hast no other rule to go by nor to bee judged by there God tells thee that hee keeps open house hee invites hee excites hee intreats hee beseeches to come these were something to perswade with our hearts But I shall pass them I will only name these two
Pharisees 1. They did something yea they did much They fasted they prayed they paid Tithes of all that they had c. But they did not all There were other Commands which they gave liberty to themselves in They could oppress defraud bee unjust And they failed in the Second too That their Obedience did not extend it self to the spiritualness of any command As you see Christ chargeth them Matth. 5.21 They did not Murder they did not commit Adultery but they gave way to Unjust Anger to Adulterous Thoughts Unchast Glances Contemplative Wickedness Speculative Uncleanness c. And so in all the rest This is the first maim in his Obedience 2. Hee is faulty in the Manner of his Obedience Though for the Matter of his Obedience hee do not fail Hee doth Pray Hear do Duties which others do yet hee is faulty in the Manner of his Obedience Hee doth not pray in Faith pray with affections Hee confesseth sin but a broken spirit doth not run through the confession of sin His heart is never touched with sin Hee prayes for Grace but his spirit is never touched with the Beauties of Grace nor carryed after it with desires for it Hee looks perhaps to the Matter but neglects the Manner Hee looks after the substance but neglects the Circumstances This is the difference between the gross Hypocrite and the close Hypocrite The gross Hypocrite looks after the Circumstance not after the Substance Though indeed they are not such Circumstances as these are they are but outward not inward The close Hypocrite hee looks after the Substance but neglects the Circumstances Hee prayes but never mindes to pray in Faith If a man pray and pray not fervently if hee hear and hear not faithfully if hee obey and obey not willingly if hee shew Mercy and not chearfully if hee keep the Sabbath and not with delight all his services are nothing worth 3. Hee is faulty in his Aims and Ends His Ends are corrupt His Aime is as his own Ends his own Profit Gain Pride Ostentation Himself is the end of his Obedience some way or other A man never wrought out of himself must needs work to himself And obedience which ariseth from a mans self is terminated in a mans self again It must bee a Principle from Christ which carries the soul to Christ A man can go no higher than his Principle And therefore having Principles no higher than himself his Obedience must needs bee terminated in himself As all Rivers they run to the Sea They came from the Sea and therefore return back again to the Sea so all those duties which arise from a mans self must needs bee finished in himself Such a man hee is the God himself whom hee serves Hee makes himself the end of all his service though hee look as far as the end even to Heaven in his service Here then is the third thing wherein hee is faulty Hee makes himself the end of all his Obedience Hee hath not a single Eye to the Glory of God His service is neither begun in God nor wrought by God nor finished to God Neither begun by his Grace nor finished to his Glory 4. Hee is faulty in this that hee rests upon what hee doth and looks no higher Hee looks upon all hee doth as upon so many bribes for a pardon as so much good monies laid out for Heaven Hee weaves a web of Righteousness to cloathe himself withall Hee never looks out for another Righteousness to bee justified by but rests upon that which hee himself hath wrought Which being not only imperfect but impure a rag and a filthy rag hee must needs miscarry in it If this had been enough to have brought men to Heaven God might have spared a great deal of labour Christ a great deal of blood by giving man ability to do duties and then all had been done But there was an infinit wrath to bee born an infinite justice to bee satisfied which none but Christ can do And here you see the Scribes and Pharisees failed also They did much but they looked out for no other Righteousness than their own In this they rested for Life and Justification 5. They make duty it self their Obedience which should quicken their Obedience They rest upon the bare performance of the duty and never look to the end of Duty So they rest upon the bridge and never go over Duty serves an unsound spirit for Obedience But Duty doth but quicken and strengthen and inable a godly man to Obedience 6. But the sixth and the main Crack is here These spiritual Performances do not arise from spiritual Principles from an heart principled from above from an heart universally sanctified Here is the Bane of all Here are new works but an old heart New Practises but a mans old Principles You see this Isa 1.10 to 16. But I will now instance in the fifteenth only When you spread forth your hands to Heaven I will hide my eyes and when you make many Prayers when you abound in duty adding Prayer to Prayer as the Word is I will not hear Your hands are full of blood They were unregenerate unsanctified They were new practises but the old heart still The like you see of the Scribes and Pharisees They fasted prayed did much in the wayes of God But their hearts were not changed they were unregenerate still were not principled from above This you see plain Joh. 3. where Nicodemus one of the chief of the Pharisees knew not yet what Regeneration meant Christ tells him of Regeneration and hee replies How is it possible that a man should bee born again when hee is old Can hee enter into his Mothers womb again By which you see though hee did all those things reported of the Pharisees as Fasting Praying Tithing c. yet â—â—s hee a stranger to this great work of Regeneration change of Nature hee knew not what it meant So that you see here is the great fault of all A man walks in new Practises with an old Heart an Heart never truly throughly spiritually changed There is a fourefold Change 1. A change from good to evil This is a fearfull change 2. A change from evil to good This is a blessed change 3. A change from evil to evil from one to another 4. A change from some evil to some good I will express it in these four words There is 1. A Moral Change 2. A Partial Change 3. A Formal Change 4. A Spiritual Change 1. There is a meer Moral Change When a man changeth from sinfull notorious wayes to Morality Temperance Justice Equity Patience Contentation And sticks there and goes no further And here thousands who lye in the bosome of the Church stick and perish 2. There is a Partial Change wherein men leave some particular sins and practise some particular duties This is a particular Conversion When men were Drunkards Swearers unclean persons c. And now are perswaded to leave these particular sins and betake
themselves to some general and common duties of a Christian And there are many men who are mended thus They will hear a Sermon and do some outward duties But they are not new made And this is but like the putting of a new peece of cloath into an old garment the rent will bee made worse Christ sets this down in the parable The unclean spirit is cast out for a time but afterward returneth with seven spirits worse than himself and so his last end proves worse than his beginning Mat. 12.43 c. 3. There is a Formal Change when men in outward appearance do seem to walk in all duties of holiness and to forbear the commission of any gross sin And yet never had their hearts wrought upon All this while it is but their practises not their Principles that are truly changed And these are the men that do so much Of these St. Paul speaks 2 Tim. 3.5 Having a form of godliness yet denying the Power From such turn away By which phrase I told you was implied that though an Hypocrite hath nothing in him which is essential to a Christian as a Christian yet may hee bee the compleat Resemblance of a Christian in all those things which are not essential to him Hee may bee the compleat picture of a godly man from top to toe in every member every limb every duty for the externals of it 4. There is a Spiritual Change wherein the frame and constitution of the inward man is changed and all is made new 1. Not new for substance of soul and body 2. Not new for faculties of soul and body As new understanding new will c. Here a mans new Practises flow from new Principles Here are not only new Wayes but here is a new Heart Hee hath a new Life in him a new Spirit in him by which hee is moved And the want of this is the great Crack the great Fault the Ground why a man may do much in the wayes of God and yet miscarry at last But there will bee one great Objection which seems to throw down all this The Objection is this Object Nature cannot act ultra Sphaeram above it self Nature cannot go any further than Nature As wee say of the Water Quantum descendit tantum ascendit Water can rise no higher than it falls So may it bee said of Nature Nature cannot act above Nature cannot act above her Principle But to do these things is above the power of Nature Therefore hee who doth these duties is above a state of Nature Answ For answer of this Wee say it is true in the Main A man that hath no more than meer Nature in him cannot act above meer Nature But Nature may bee strengthened from above There may bee higher Principles set in Nature which may inable a man to go higher than common Nature though not yet above one in state of Nature A man may bee inabled to act above Nature yet the Principle is not so high as to inable a man to act above a man in the State of Nature For the better clearing of this Wee may consider Nature in diverse forms or ranks 1. There is meer Nature with those reliques as some say But rather I say restored Principles which God gave to man after hee had lost all that hee might bee a Man not a Devil For when by sin wee had lost all if God had not out of pitty to mankinde restored something wee should have been as bad as Devils in the world one devoure murther commit all outrage upon another Now in this state something may bee done not much 2. There is nature civilized and moralized Nature refined by moral Principles which whether they bee in nature before and so but husbanded and improved or whether they were some common gifts of the Spirit wee will not now dispute but conclude this latter Now by these a man may bee inabled to do above the common sort of men hee having higher Principles than meer nature fallen and therefore is able to do more in all the works of morality works of Justice Righteousness Charity c. This you see in the Heathens who far excelled the common sort of men their Principles being far higher 3. There is Nature sublimated and raised yet higher by implantation of higher Principles than these are by the help of which a man may bee inabled to do above the purest natures of the Heathens and yet but Nature The knowledge of God of Christ of Sin of Grace Heaven Hell together with the implantation of some general Principles common gifts and graces of the Spirit may so sublimate a man that by the help of these a man may not only bee wrought up to do more than meer Nature fallen but more than Nature strengthened with moral Principles is able to do You see this in Judas Demas Herod c. whose actions were above meer Nature as comming from higher Principles but yet not above men in the state of Nature This work upon men though not so much as spiritual yet it is more than meer Moral Though hee have not so high a Principle as a spiritual man yet is his Principle higher than a meer moral mans And by the help of that common Illumination general workings of the Spirit broken workings of humiliation hee may bee inabled to pray hear read confer fast profess and what not for all outwards and yet want the Sanctifying Spirit of Christ There may bee a supernatural work of the Spirit upon some men whereby nature may bee strengthened from above and yet they may want the saving work of the Spirit You see then distinguished Heb. 6.4 There were some who were inlightened and had tasted of the Heavenly gift This was a Supernatural work but yet this was not a Saving work vers 9. I am perswaded better things of you and such as accompany salvation though I thus speak Thus you see the Objection cleared And the fourth thing laid open viz. Where the fault is that a man may do thus much and yet bee unsound I adde but thus much to it more 1. Hee is a man who was never humbled for sins And this is a sure Rule The heart never broken was yet never sound 2. Hee is a man that was never truly cast out of himself and therefore can go no higher than himself in all hee doth 3. Hee is a man was never fully changed hee walks in new wayes with an old heart 4. Hee is a man who is carryed upon holy works with a slavish spirit Hee would sin but dares not Hee doth Duty but hath no minde to do it What the Apostle saith of himself the good I would do I do not and the evil I would not do that do I Hee on the contrary must say if hee speak truth The good I would not do I do and the evil I would do that I do not I dare not Hee is a man who hath no principle of spiritual life in him Hee
Hee is willing to receive truth as the truth that is in the Power Majesty and Authority of Truth And sets it up as King in his spirit To which hee desires to yeeld subjection and obedience in all Hee lets it come in in its inlightening in its convincing power in its humbling and awakening power as well as in its quickening and comforting power Every truth shall bee received as the truth of God But now an unsound spirit Hee is not willing to receive the truth some truth hee dare not own least they should disturb him in a way of sin As the Apostle 2 Pet. 3.5 Of this they are willingly ignorant they have no desire to know this They desire to shut out the light that their corruptions may not bee disquieted Mat. 13.15 They wink with their eyes that they might not understand 2. They receive not every Truth It may bee such as are notional they will or such as may stand with their lusts and present advantages not such as are practical and cross them in their corrupt ends and practises They look upon some truthes as an ignis fatuus that if they should entertain them and follow them they would lead them into danger It was the speech of a King of France that hee would lanch no further into the deep than hee might come safely to shore That is hee would follow Truth no further than hee may preserve himself and his own If those bee hazarded hee will forsake the Truth 3. They receive it not as Truth 1. Not for it self 2. Not to bee King over them 1. Not for it self but for other private and personal respects Either for their gain their advantage or for fear and danger or out of respects to the greatness or quality of the persons who do entertain a Truth Whereas a godly man doth love the person for the Truths sake As St. John writing to the Elect Lady whom hee said hee loved for the Truths sake 2 Joh. 1.2 They that love the Truth for the persons sake may say they love the Truth for the Ladies sake The one the person for the Truths sake the other the truth for the persons sake So you see they receive it not as Truth for it self 2. They receive it not as Truth to bee Lord and King over them To which they yeeld obedience and subjection in all things Many men would govern Truth but they will not suffer Truth to govern them They would keep Truth though but in prison for all their keeping is but imprisoning but they will not suffer Truth to keep them though the Truth would make them free Corrupt spirits they receive Truth as a Servant not as a King And before they receive it they will ask what it can do for them what service what advantage can it bring them If none Truth shall not bee entertained of them 3. A sincere heart in hearing the Word is an honest heart and there is the summe of all This Christ expresseth in the Parable of the Sower and the Seed Luk. 8.15 the sincere spirit received the Word with an honest and good heart Now the honesty of a mans spirit in hearing or an honest heart in hearing is such as 1. Hears the Word as Gods Word bee the instrument never so weak and despicable yet it shall prevail with an honest heart because it is Gods Word You have an expression in Isa 11.6 A little Childe shall lead him Whoever comes with a message from God whoever brings a word hee shall prevail and perswade with him An honest servant will take notice of his Masters mind though a Child bee the messenger hee looks not on the person that brings it but on the message brought So though the person bee never so weak if hee bring a word from God an honest heart will vail to it 2. An honest heart sides with the Word of God against himself hee takes part with a truth against himself Whereas an unsound heart sides with his corruption against the Word fights against that which fights against it but an honest heart sides with the Word against his corruption 3. An honest heart desires to profit by the Word 1 Pet. 2.2 As new born Babes desire the sincere Milk of the Word that they may grow thereby Hee is a man that is resolved to practise whatever God reveals Hee hath no exceptions or reservations to himself but is bent to practise every Truth God reveals to him Hee asketh the way to Sion with his face thitherward as one resolved to go the way that God shall reveal This was that which Paul said Lord what wilt thou have mee to do They were not verba expostulantis but verba submittentis Hee was not only desirous to know but resolved to do whatever God did reveale to him An honest heart desires every Truth to bee made his own And that there may bee Principles bred in the spirit sutable to the Truthes revealed to him Hee is desirous that every degree of illumination may bee a further degree of sanctification That his heart may bee transformed into the nature of truthes revealed It doth not content him to have truthes in the head and a lye in the heart Truth in the head and error in the spirit Light in the head and darkness in the heart but hee desires the whole man may bee digested into the nature of truthes Truth formed in his soul 4. An honest heart hee hears the word with reflection As in reading the word hee reads himself with it So in hearing the word hee doth peruse himself with it Hee hears with reflection hee hears with application charging and clearing his heart according to the evidence which conscience gives in upon hearing of the Word 2. Clear the sincerity of your hearts in matter of praying I told you in the beginning that it was possible for a man to pray nay and make many prayers to abound in praying hee may pray in publick pray in private pray in the Church and pray in his closet hee may multiply to pray as the word importeth Isa 1.15 And yet his heart bee unsound And therefore you who do abound much in prayer labour to clear the sincerity of your hearts in this duty Wee will give you these Characters of an heart sincere in Prayer 1. Character Where the heart is sincere in Prayer there is a doing of the duty with all our strength There will bee a laying out of all the strength and powers within us The strength of our Judgement the strength of our will and our affections the strength of the whole soul in the work Prayer when sincere is a wrestling work Jacob wrestled with God that is hee wept and prayed Hos 12.4 Prayer is the souls contention the souls strugling with God It is a sweating work It is the sweat and blood of the soul A sincere heart layes out its strength in prayer Though a mans strength bee but weakness yet if a mans strength bee in the work
it is sufficient to evidence a mans sincerity Indeed if a man had a Male in his flock and should offer to the Lord a female If â—â—ee had a better and should give God a worse If hee had strength and yet served the Lord with weakness this would declare the heart to bee unsound But when a mans strength is in the work though that strength bee but weakness yet it will evidence the sincerity of the heart And there is no reason that you should look upon those Prayers as cast as lost Prayers where your strength is in them When thou hast been with God and performed a duty although but weakly many imperfections in it much unbeleef much hardness much deadness and coldness yet if your strength have been in the duty you may rise up without confusion and shame upon this ground your strength hath been in it your heart doth not condemn you you are able to clear this to your spirit your strength hath been in the work But now such are here condemned and cast who have a Male in their flock and offer to the Lord a Female God curseth such Cursed c. Mal. 1.14 When you have strength and serve God with weakness when you will turn off God with your cold your lazy sleepy and formal devotions and will not take any pains with your own hearts in these holy works This discovers your spirits to bee unsound and false to God 2. Character Where the heart is sincere in Prayer there is no rest or content to the soul till the heart bee wrought into the work A sincere heart in Prayer is an heart-sincerity in Prayer not a tongue in Prayer not an head in Prayer but an heart in Prayer Prayer is not lip-work or head work but heart work And where the heart is sincere hee is not content till the heart bee in the work Hee is not content to bee down on his knees if his heart bee not up To have an hand in the work if his heart bee not also in it A sincere heart labours to get his heart into the work Hee prayes in prayer Jam. 5.17 There is an affective collation with the duty If hee confesseth sins hee desireth to get affections sutable to the confession of sin An heart wounded and broken under the sight and sense of sin If hee prayes for pardon hee labours to get an heart apprehensive of the want and also of the worth of mercy and seeks a mercy as a condemned man a pardon If hee pray for Grace or the subduing of lusts still hee labours to get an heart sutable to the things hee wants and that which hee doth desire It was the speech of Bradford that hee would never leave a duty till hee had brought his heart into the frame of the duty Hee would not leave confession of sin till his heart was broken for sin Hee would not leave petitioning for Grace till his heart was quickened in desire He would not leave gratulation till his heart was inlarged with the sense of the mercies he enjoyed and quickned in the return of praise But now an unsound heart if hee can but post over a duty If but say his prayers though hee have never laboured to get his heart into them yet he is well enough This is to draw neer with our lips when yet our hearts are far from God This is to offer God a bulk and carkass of duty without the life and spirit of duty and so it is abominable to God A body without a soul stinks so here your Confessions of sins are Commissions of sins Iterations of sins when your hearts are not sensible and affected with sinnes you confesse Hee that remembers sinne with delight doth commit the sinne again He that remembers sin without sorrow doth but revive his former guilt hee removes it not A man may displease a man as much with the Confession of a fault as in the Commission of the fault If a man had offended you and should come in a sleight way to confess his fault you would be more offended at him for his confession than for his fault So when you shall come before God and confess your sins without any compunction for your sinnes without any sense of sin or sorrow for it you do aggravate your sins and increase guilt instead of removing guilt from your souls An hard heart and a dry eye in the confession of sin is an aggravation of your sins 3. Character An heart sincere in Prayer doth thirst after Communion with God in Prayer If a duty leaves the soul on this side God unlesse it have carried the soul over to God and brought a man to some further Communion with him with his mercy his love his grace his Spirit the soul is not content with duty Others they make duty the end of duty prayer the end of prayer And therefore if they can but rid their hands of a duty though they had no communion with God in it yet they are well enough But now a sincere heart hee looks above a duty hee looks upon duty but as a bridge to convey him over to God as a means to bring God and his soul into neerer communion and if yee have not seen God and found God in a duty if his spirit hath not conversed with God as a Father as a friend as a child with his father as a man with his friend he hath no content in duty Obj. But you will say how shall a man know when he hath Communion with God in duty Answ For the answer of this I must first tell you that there is a great mistake among men and women of a tender spirit about this point that they think they have no communion with God unles they have met with God in an heart-chearing and an heart-comforting way when God comes in with joy with comfort with chearings and inlargements Then they are willing to grant you they have had communion with God But if God have come in in an heart breaking humbling and casting down their souls in the sight and sence of their sinnes and imperfections They do not think they have Communion with God And therefore I must tell you first in the general That you may have Communion with God as well in an heart humbling as an heart reviving an heart Comforting way In the life to come in heaven all our Communion with God is with Comfort with fulness of joy At his right hand is fulnesse c. Psal 16.11 with thee there is a fountain of joy Then all tears shall bee wiped away from our eyes But in this life on earth we have mixed communion and have communion with God as well in humblings as in comfortings You go upon a duty and you think to meet God one way and hee comes in another way Sometimes you expect God in a comforting and God comes in in a quickning way Sometimes thou expects God in an heart breaking way and God comes in in a comforting
way As the wind sometimes it blows up rain sometimes it blows away rain So the Spirit of God which bloweth where and when and how it listeth sometimes blows up rain comes into the soul in an heart humbling and breaking way And sometimes it blows away rain and comes into the soul in a cheering and heart comforting way In both these the soul hath communion with God in joys and tears in mournings as well as comfortings And that in the general to answer the mistake of weaker Christians Quest And now to the answer of the question How a man shall know when he hath had communion with God in a duty 1 I Answer 1 In general then thou meetest with God and hast communion with God in duty when God hath inabled thee to act grace in a duty An unregenerate man may act parts and gifts in a duty but he cannot act grace hee hath none to act If then God do inable thee to act grace in a duty to act thy faith to close with promises to act thy repentance for sinne to act love to God All or any of these graces thy soul hath then communion with God in duty 2 Again When the performance of a duty doth lead the soul in better frame a more humble frame or in a more watchful frame when the heart is more quickned or more broken When the heart is farther set against sin more resolved to walk with God and obey him when the frame of a mans spirit is changed or bettered in any of these ways it is a sign that thou hast had communion with God in duty though God hath not come in with fulness of comfort with chearings or joys In this life most of our communion lyes in quickning grace In the life to come our communion is risen up to full comfort our life then is all joy And so much shall serve for the third Character and the answer to the Objection 4. Character A heart sincere in Prayer doth rise up praying from Prayer hee goes away with the affections of and affections to prayer after the Prayer is done The Duties of an unsound heart they come but from a cistern his devotion is a stinted devotion When the Prayer is done his affections are done also the water is all run out his affections are then done also perhaps before But the Duties of a godly man they arise from a spring a fountain and his heart is not runne out with his Prayer hee hath affections of Prayer when the Prayer is done hee riseth up praying from Prayer The much hee hath done is but a little of that which his soul desires to do An unsound mans actions are as big as his heart perhaps larger but for a sincere spirit the heart is still bigger then the action all he doth is but a little of that hee desires to do I say where there is sincerity there is a desire of more all is but a little of that abundance that is in his heart When hee hath mourned for sinne hee wisheth still he could mourn more Hee hath an affection of sorrow within him larger than any expression of sorrow hee can shew So you see David Rivers of tears runne down mine eyes because men keep not thy law Not that David had so much moisture within him as to swell a river poor man hee had not so much moisture in him but he had such an affection of sorrow that if hee had had as many tears as would have swelled a River made a Sea they should all have been laid out for sin And indeed if a man had wept a sea of tears and his affections of mourning did end with his expressions of sorrow hee had not yet wept at all nor shed one true tear of godly sorrow for sin So again when hee hath prayed still his heart is above his action and hee riseth up praying from prayer with a praying spirit affections when the Prayer is done This was that which made Christ commend the poor Widdows charity shee gave but two mites and yet hee saith shee had given more than all the rest Her heart was bigger than her action her affections than her expressions of charity Others they gave but their purses were larger than their hearts they emptied their hearts but not their purses Shee her heart was bigger than her purse shee emptied her purse but not her heart thus shee gave more So this is the fourth a sincere heart is larger than his duty hee riseth up praying from Prayer all hee doth is but a little of that hee desires to do but a little of that abundance that is in his heart Others their actions are as large nay larger than their hearts they have little heart to the duty and their heart is gone hath done before the duty bee done A wicked man doth sin out of the abundance of his heart as Christ saith out of the abundance of the heart come c. Mat. 12.34 Hee is never weary of sinning hee hath a fountain for that but though hee sin out of the abundance of his heart yet hee doth not pray out of the abundance of his heart his heart â—s done before his Prayer is done if not they end together Well think of it hee who yet hath not this Principle which I speak of hath not yet a Gospel Principle though hee do neveâ— so much hee is not yet under the conditions of Grace and Mercy These are the lowest terms of the Gospel 5. Character A heart sincere in Prayer doth eye it self in Prayer it is a heart that diligently observes it self in the duty views all the workings of the soul and takes notice of all the imperfections of the spirit in duty As to gather comfort and praise God if right so to bee humbled and afflicted if amiss And indeed our sincerity is as much discovered in lamenting the imperfections of a work as in the most perfect performance of it Where then the heart is sincere the soul takes notice of the imperfections that do accompany it and when the duty is done falls a lamenting the imperfections of its Faith of its sorrows the deadness of its desires Ah! it now laments that hee hath beheld so much sin with no more sorrow looked upon so many abominations with no more mourning That hee hath had no more Faith to close with the Promises of pardon of Grace of purging That hee hath had so barren so shallow so sleight thoughts of Gods love That hee hath been so cold in his affections again towards God That he hath had so sleight conceptions of sin and no more sorrow for it That his heart hath been no more affected with the miseries of others nor no more inlarged to seek God for them That there hath been so much earth in Heaven so many carnal thoughts so much distractions in his spiritual imploiment Ah! my Brethren a good heart sits down when duty is done and goes and mourns over all his Prayers weeps over all
which thou wouldest think it a mercy to injoy Them wee branch into four particulars 1. Shall I say you shall injoy God there 1. God who though happiness to a gracious heart yet a torment to a corrupt spirit I have read of the Irish Earth that no venemous creature can indure to live upon it that if a man should make a circle of Irish Earth and put a little English Earth in the midst of it for a center if a Toad or any venemous Creature were upon the English Earth it would dye there rather than come upon the Irish ground I tell thee the Irish Earth will better brook a Toad than Heaven a sinner or a sinner Heaven 2. You shall injoy freedome from sin never sin more 2. Freedome from sin Not to sin is here our Law hereafter it shall bee our Nature And is this a mercy to bee rid of sin sin which is meat and drink now what can the Drunkard be willing to be rid of his cups the unclean person of his Dalilah the covetous man of his bags can hee think an eternall divorce from such things hee loves so dear a mercy 3. You shall injoy perfection of Grace to bee swallowed up with holiness 4. An eternal Sabbath And these are things which certainly a corrupt heart doth not desire And so you see it is possible for a man to pray for those things which hee hath no desire were granted Therefore the Character is firm that it is the sign of a sincere heart in prayer when hee doth truly desire the thing prayed for And thus much for the sixth Character 7. Character The seventh and last A sincere heart in Prayer doth not only desire but truly indeavour the compassing of the thing prayed for Oculum ad sidus manum ad clavum As the wise Mariner hee hath not only an eye to the Star but his hand also upon the Helm or as the Plow-men of Sparta they had one hand up to Ceres whom they feigned the Goddesse of Corn and the other upon the stilts of the Plow they joyned plowing with praying So here a sincere heart hee doth not only pray lift up his heart to Heaven but hee puts also his hand to the work to compasse what hee prayes for doth hee pray for pardon of sin hee labours to get his Faith more strengthened in assurance of pardon Desires hee subduing of corruption hee makes use of Christ c. Desires hee grace hee is carefull in the use of all means c. Psal 5. I will direct my Prayer and look up 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The words are very emphatical there are two military words used in that place the first to set or put an Army in array So hee would order his Prayers and then hee would look up and stand sentinel Gods power and grace must not exempt us from the use of the means but make us more diligent in the use of all means to have our desires accomplished Exod. 17. Wee read that Joshuahs sword and Moses prayer were to go together if the sword had gone out without Prayer if they had fought and had not prayed they had not prevailed for God will not bee neglected if the Prayer had gone up and the Sword had not gone out had they prayed and not fought they had not had successe for God will not bee tempted but both these went together and then Gods blessing was on them So here should wee indeavour and not pray wee can look for no good wee go out in our own strength and cannot prevail and should wee pray and not indeavour wee may expect the same successe God will neither bee tempted nor neglected But if wee joyn them both together if the hand back the heart indeavours second our desires wee may expect Gods blessing on us This is the last Character A sincere heart is conscionable in the use of all means for the accomplishing the things prayed for 3. Part. Clear sincerity in matter of mourning There is yet a third Particular wherein to clear the sincerity of your hearts and that is in matter or mourning I told you that it was possible for a man not only to pray but to seem to mourn too and yet his heart bee unsound You read of the Israelites they did not only pray but they joyned fasting to prayer as you see in the next words to my Text but more plainly Zach. 7.5 When yee fasted and mourned in the fifth Month did you at all fast to mee saith the Lord There was fasting and mourning joyned to fasting yet hearts unsound There is false mournings as well as true Crocodile tears false tears as well as false prayers And therefore it behoves us to try the sincerity of our hearts in mourning for sin Wee will lay down these Characters of it 1. Character Characters of sincere mourning A sincere mourning is a deep mourning a sad and serious sorrow for sin Such a sorrow as doth deeply affect the heart with the thoughts and apprehensions of the burthen and bitterness of sin A sincere mourner hath sad and deep apprehensions of the nature demerit and filthiness of sin he looks upon sin as an offence against a just a pure a holy God as the breach of a pure a holy and an eternal Law as a wounding and crucifying of Christ as a grieving and sadding of the spirit of Grace as a wounding and undoing his own soul for ever Which deep and inward thoughts of the nature of sin work deep and inward mourning for sin The heart is wounded the soul humbled and grieved his spirit melted and peirced within him for sin which hee hath committed against God It is not his tongue only that repents in expressing and confessing his eyes in weeping but his heart in deep and inward mournings for sin Another may make more noise more cryings roarings howlings but his sorrow is more inward more secret more still and yet more deep As you know the deepest waters run the stillest so the deepest sorrow makes least noise So that is the first a sincere mourning is a deep mourning An Hypocrite his mournings are but shallow mournings hee hath but shallow and fleeting thoughts of the nature and demerit of sin hee may say with Pharaoh I have sinned or cry out in a strait Lord have mercy upon mee or hang down his head like a bulrush for a day or roar upon the present rack of trouble for a time but he never hath any deep and serious thoughts of sin as sin His prayers are howlings and his mournings are roarings Gods people they mourn like Doves wicked men they bellow like Bulls under the apprehension of sin 2. Character A sincere mourning is an universal mourning hee mourns for all sins A sincere mourning is an universal mourning hee mourns for all sins As hee hates all small and great so hee mourns for all yea for such sins is his heart affected which another mans light doth
special and particular fruits set down 2 Cor. 7.11 of godly sorrow on which I want time to insist But now an hypocrites sorrow is a sorrow to sorrow a paenal not a fruitful sorrow hee is never the better for all his howling his heart never the more humble his spirit never the more broken his soul never the more set against Sin These tears they leave him as they found him they are not changing and transforming tears hee is never the more watchful never the more careful to please God hee rather grows more secure takes more heart to sin against God hee thinks hee hath done penance and satisfied the Law hee hath discharged the former score by his present roarings and therefore may beginne a new reckoning a new score and sin more freely against God whereas true mourning makes us watchfull and so our falls make us secure To sum up all in a little 1 The unsound heart hee mourns for Sin either as clad with punishment or as it bringeth the evil of punishment after it the first you see in Pharaoh the second in Ahab The other laments Sin as Sin sin abstracted and separated from wrath and punishment 2 The one howls under the present lashes the evil of punishment the other under the evil of sin 3 Sence doth provoke the one to mourning faith and love do cause the other to mourn 4 The ground of the one is self-love the ground of the other love to God 5 The one is slavish the other childish 6 The end of the one is peace and joy of the other it is discouragement and dispair as in Cain and Judas c. 7 The one breeds a bitternesse and turbulency of spirit the other humility mildness self-denial Thus I have shewed you these three things and cleared them I beleeve there 's many of you who do not pray at all many who are yet to shed one tear for Sin Alas when was the time thou hast entred thy Chamber thy closet and broken thy heart for sin humbled thy soul for sin Let mee tell thee thus much thou hast sinned this sinne will have sorrow one time or other if not here in fruitful mourning hereafter in paenal mourning in weeping and gnashing of teeth If thou wilt not sorrow for a time thou shalt howl for ever It may bee thou thinks no such matter conscience is now at peace Ista tranquillâ—tas tempestas erit it is like a book bound up if once opened your peace shall end in a storm your joy in sorrow happy thou if God wound thee that hee may heal thee break thee that hee may bind thee humble thee that hee may comfort thee It is better bee broken here than to go whole to hell better be wounded here than to go sound to hell better to bee a sad Saint than a merry Devil What David prayed for his enemies may wee pray for our best friends Send them down quick to Hell Send them down here by humiliation that they may avoid eternal damnation hereafter Wee began with the last first viz. clear your sincerity in your performances in particular wee named three particulars in Hearing Praying Mourning Wee come now to the end which is the first in order of nature though wee have made it last in time Clear sincerity in Obedience in the general 2. Clear the sincerity of your hearts in Obedience in general Now to this as to the former I will give you some Characters of a sincere Obedience Sincere Obedience is 1. A faithful 2. An universal 3. A fruitful 4. A filial Obedience Wee shall only single out some of them because wee are willing to finish this Doctrin 1. Character Full. A sincere Obedience is a full Obedience an universal Obedience It is universal in respect of the subject the whole man it is universal in respect of the object the whole Law it is universal in respect of durance the whole life Hee who obeyes sincerely obeyes universally his obedience is not only sutable to the rule in respect of the nature and quality of it but it is proportionable also to the rule in respect of the latitude and extent of his obedience There is no man that serves God truly who doth not indeavour to serve God fully Sincerity turns upon the hinges of universality It is said of David that hee had respect to all the Commandements of God and that hee hated every false way Hee had not obeyed any if hee had not respected all nay which is yet more Act. 13.22 hee fulfilled all the will of God the words are in the plural number 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all the wills and Commands of God and of Zachary and Elizabeth Luk. 1.6 that they walked in all the Commandements of God blameless hee who obeyes sincerely indeavours to obey thoroughly Wee will instance in these branches 1. In suffering as doing First Hee will obey God in suffering Commands as well as doing in losing as well as gaining Commands An unsound spirit may follow God while hee can follow his own game too while they can serve God without cost without pain or losse c. such men love cheap obedience But when Obedience comes to bee chargeable when his Obedience to God may cost him his liberty his riches his estate then they retire while Religion and the World do walk in the same path there are many who will tread the paths of Religion but when there comes a turning that they must shake hands and part riches one way Christ another God one way the World another then they will forsake Christ You see it was so with the young man hee was willing to follow Christ so far as hee might bee no loser so far as to keep his wealth too But when Christ told him if hee would follow him hee must sell all when it comes to this that either hee must part with his Riches or with Christ then hee falls off and went away sorrowing But hee who obeyes sincerely serves God for himself such a man will obey God though to the hazard and loss of all hee will obey God in costly as well as cheap losing as well as gaining duties Such a man prizeth more of one act of Obedience than hee doth of all his injoyments and will take up naked Obedience though with the loss of all As hee will not commit a sin though hee might gain the World for it so hee will not neglect a duty though hee lose a World for it You see this in the three Children in Daniel and in Queen Maries dayes those go in Sheep-skins who might have gone in Silks c. Secondly Hee will obey God in relative Commands as well as absolute Sincerity doth not only lye in absolute Commands towards God but in relative Commands one towards another And where the heart is sincere hee will not only hear and pray and obey God but hee will walk in all duties of Righteousness and charity towards his Brother Hee is
hath given thee a heart to love all Saints poor godliness as well as rich grace in russet and gray as well as grace in Silks c. And to love them as Saints as having the image of Christ on them To have communion with them to love brotherly communion to love them most where you see most grace c. So for hatred 1 He hates not all sin 2 He hates no sin as sin if any at all Now if God hath given thee a heart c. 3 To Ordinances So again 1 He loves not all the Ordinances 2 He loves not any Ordinance as an Ordinance Hee hath no savour in an Ordinance he hath no prizing of an Ordinance hee hath no hunger after an Ordinance no rejoycing in an Ordinance no care to walk answerable to the Ordinances If then God hath given thee a heart to do all this these are speciall evidences Thus you see in brief I have shewed you a taste of clearing evidences by which you may examine your own spirits c. 3 General Rule 3 If you would clear your sincerity then remember this Rule Take not up your evidences from the carriage of your spirits either when they are at best or when they are at worst but in a middle way wherein thou art most thy self this will best clear your sincerity If thou seek for an evidence when thy spirit is at the worst thou may sometime finde it too low to afford thee any thing if at the best thou may find it too high to be a continuing evidence and so in the one thou maiest bee discouraged in the other deceived many have flashes of affection in some present heat who yet have not soundnesse of spirit in them Herod heard the Word with joy here was a heat but all his joy would not inable him to part with his Herodias no soundnesse Let it be your wisdome to take up your evidences in a middle way neither when at best nor when at worst that is your most constant frame and that temper is most thy self in the other we are carried above our selves in comforts or cast below our selves in temptations and there is no sure judging not the best judging of the frame 4 Rule 4 Judge not of the sincerity of thy spirit by some particular acts But let the constant frame of your spirits and general conversation discover it If particular actions might determine the case wee should sometime conclude those unsound who are sincere and them sincere who are yet unsound You may look upon a child of God and see him sometimes to have his planetical and extravagant motions though the constant course and bent of his spirit bee Godward We read of David murthering and committing adultery fearful sins Wee read of Joseph swearing Job cursing the day of his Nativity falling out with his stars Jonah vexing Peter denying Thomas not beleeving And if you judge by the particular Acts though exceeding bad you will condemn the generation of the just On the Contrary you shall see Pharaoh desiring the prayer of Moses Balaam in a good mood desiring to dye the death of the righteous Saul condemning of himself Ahab humbling of himself Ninevey repenting Foelix trembling Herod hearing John Baptist joyfully And if we now judge by these particular actions though seemingly good wee shall justify those whom God condemns Wee have a maxime in Logick that no general Rule can bee stablished upon a particular instance and another that no particular instance can overthrow a general rule So here as no man can safely conclude from no better premises than from some few actions though in themselves materially and substantially good that the heart is therefore sincere So on the contrary no man ought to conclude because of some planetical and extravagant motions that a mans heart is unsound We are not to judge of sincerity by some particular actions good or evil but wee are to take up our judgement of our selves by the general frame bent and disposition of a mans heart together with his general and constant conversation in the ways of God and this will best discover our selves to our selves So much for the fourth Rule 5. Rule 5 The fifth Rule whereby we shall be inabled to clear the sincerity of our hearts is Be carefull to read your spirits and take exact notice of your hearts at sometimes more especially God in the wisdome of his Providence doth single out some special times wherein hee discovers the hypocrisy of the unsound and declares the sincerity of his own It is very seldome that God doth suffer a man to end his days before hee have tryed him and so discovered him one way or another The young man in the Gospel went on fairly for a long time and it is like thought his condition good enough but at last you see Christ put him to the tryall and by that discovered to him the unsoundnesse of his heart Herod hee went on fairely for a time hee heard John hee heard him often hee heard him gladly nay and reformed too in many things but at last God discovered his unsoundness God uncased him and made known the deceit of his heart So Saul went on for a while but at last God discovered him So Simon Magus and Balaam And as God hath times for the discovery of Hypocrisy in the wicked so hee hath some special times and occasions wherein he doth discover the sincerity of his own people Moses was a holy man but hee had the time of his tryall hee might have been esteemed the sonne of Pharaohs Daughter have enjoyed all the plenty and honour of the Court but hee refused to bee called the son of Pharaohs daughter sleighted all that honour and chose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin which are but for a season here was the discovery of his sincerity Heb. 11.24 25. Abraham hee was a holy man but yet he passed through times of tryall too And they were great ones To name but one God commanded him to offer up his son in sacrifice here was a triall a great triall Gen. 22.2 1 Had hee been only to have parted with a dutiful Servant it had been something but to part with a Son that is more 2 If with a Son yet but an adopted sonne the tryall had not been so great but this was a natural son 3 If with a natural son yet if hee had been but one of many that tryall had not been so great but this was not only his own but his only son 4 If with his own Son if with his only son yet if Abraham had been young and so probable to have had more the tryal had not been so great But it was with his own his only son and the son of his old age hee was never like to have more 5 Nay yet further though he had been c. yet if he had been an Ismael and not an Isaac the trial had not
Saul Jehu Where now on the contrary where the heart is sound all their raisings raise God God is advanced in all their advancements And the higher God sets up them the higher will they indeavour to raise and set up God his glory his cause his people Mâ—â—cies on an enemy strengthen him to sin but on a friend strengthen to service hee is but a man of greater ability to serve God Many think if they were but so rich so great Oh how would they advance God and his cause how make all to serve him but thy heart may deceive thee if thy heart bee not sound the higher God raiseth thee the lower thou wilt lay him the more good God doth for thee the more evil thou wilt do to him It is a special time to read your spirits to see to your sincerity in time of prosperity There is no tryal in afflictions alone they have something in them may make men humble meek c. but look to them in times of prosperity of a Church Religion cause of God Many men have stood firm in the times of affliction of a Church which stagger fall back in times of redemption of a Church That is the saddest It is no strange thing for men to stagger to fall in the times of a declining in the Church for fear c. But that is a corrupt heart indeed corrupt with a witness that falls away in prosperity That is the fourth time 5. See how your spirits work in time of difficulty of danger Of Danger An unsound heart thinks how hee may avoid the danger a sincere spirit how hee may avoid the sin Heb. 12.4 striving against sin not against danger trouble but against sin to keep their consciences pure and undefiled An unsound spirit thinks how hee may save his carkass a sound Christian how hee may keep his conscience As Epaminondas who resolved to keep his buckler or dye for it being wounded to death Cryes out num salvus clypeus meus intimating hee was not hurt if his buckler were safe What hee of his buckler a sincere heart cryes out of his conscience num salva conscientia An unsound spirit hee sees and judgeth his safety sometimes to lye in the neglect of duty and therefore in times of danger hee will bank and decline his duty for fear of man But a sound spirit hee sees his safety to lye in the doing of his duty and his danger in the neglect of it An unsound spirit will rather choose sin than affliction Job 36.21 But where the spirit is sincere he will rather chuse the greatest evil Vultis in vincula injure vultis in mortem voluptas est mihi than the least sin as Daniel and the three children Ambrose saith will you cast me into prison will you take away my life all this is desirable rather than sin And when Eudoxia the Empresse threatned Chrysostome with banishment go tell her saith he I fear nothing in the world but sin And the reason is Nil nisi peccatum timeo because they look on sin as the grand and universal evill the womb of evill and all other evils but the births of sin It hath been the founder of hell for before sin no hell t was that which laid the corner stone in that dark vault nay it is that which hath filled hell with those treasures of wrath and still addes to it and increaseth the fewel Rom. 2.5 Nay they look not only upon sin as â—n evil universal but as universally evil no good in sin And therefore when the Apostle would speak the worst of Sin hee could find no name worse than in its own to set it out by sinfull siâ— as you see Rom. 7.13 These may bee the special times wherein you may read your own spirits and bee able to gather evidences of your sincerity 3. Branch of Exhortation You that have cleared your sincerity do you labour to maintain the evidences of it c. 4. Branch of Exhortation To exhort them whose hearts are sincere that they would declare the sincerity of their hearts on all occasions I have told you that God hath special times for the tryal and discovery of the sincerity of his own people And it should be our wisdomes to take notice of those times and seasons and our care at those times to declare our sincerity Balaam had once a time to declare his sincerity when hee was hired with wealth and honor to curse the People of God but not approving himself at that time hee was branded for an hypocrite for ever Saul had once a time to discover his sincerity when hee was commanded to go and slay all but missing that time of declaring sincerity hee is branded c. The young man had a time too when Christ propounded to him to part with all and follow him but missing that not taking time to declare sincerity c. Solomon had a time too but he was too neglectfull and what follows hee is questioned whether ever saved or no he is pictured between heaven and hell as if men knew not where to fix him These had all special times afforded to them of declaring their sincerity and like vile wretches they make them times of discovering Hypocrisy And there is not a man of you but God doth afford you some or special other occasions in your lives of declaring the sincerity of your hearts which if God give wisdome to discern of and a heart to close with you will bee happy but if not you will smart for it God may suffer you to lye and roar upon your death-bed for want of an evidence of sincerity because you are neglective of declaring your Sincerity when God affords you an occasion of it Oh what sad thoughts will these bee when thou shalt look upon thy life and think with thy self Such a time I was in such a place in such an office had such an opportunity to shew my self for God to advance his glory to do good to his Church his people his cause and yet vile wretch I neglected it I bawked it I was unserviceable or I used my power my strength my authority as an Engine against God against his people against his cause this will be trouble with a witness Well then if you would prevent this let every one in their several places and stations declare the Sincerity of their hearts Make your places your power your parts your riches your friends serviceable to God to his Church to his Cause As Christ made all his Ascensions for the good of his Church so do you Think it not much to adventure and hazard any thing for the glory of God the good of the Church Pray for the Church act for the Church do for God suffer for God run this brave adventure to hazard all for the good of the Church of God Hee who raiseth up Gods glory though by the ruines of himself hee who advanceth Gods cause though himself lye low for it shall
our performances Faith is the salt that seasons all p. 167 168. 2 Branch of the Exhortation to those that have Faith to exercise Faith 1 In matter of Justification under the guilt of sin trust in God for pardon of sin p. 169. 2 Trust in him for sanctification 3 Trust in him for Mortification of thy Lusts five Scriptures to incourage us 170. 4 Exercise Faith in case of difficulties Ibid. 5 Exercise Faith in case of desertion p. 171. 6 In case of Calamity Nationall or personal p. 172. 3 Branch of the exhortation let us grow up in trust Ibid. Incouragements 1 The more Faith the more in love and favour with God p. 173. 2 The more Faith Grace more love of God more Patience Courage Obedience 3 The more spiritual comfort 4 The more strength to prevail with God Ibid. Means for the begetting of Faith 1 Keep close to Faith-begetting Ordinances 1 Word p. 174. 2 Prayer p. 174 175. 2 Have much to do with Faith-begetting company Faith-begetting Conference p. 175. 3 Cherish Faith-begetting considerations 1 Thoughts of our selves p. 175. 2 Of God cherish especially three thoughts p. 176. Two doubts keep men off from beleeving Ibid. Wee must do as those Lepers 2 King 7.3 4. p. 177. 12 Means for increasing Faith A conclusion p. 178. 179. With the doctrin of Works p. 180 181. The Contents of The slownesse of Heart to believe JOHN 1.50 Jesus answered and said unto him because I said unto thee I saw thee under the Fig-tree beleevest thou thou shalt see greater things than these PArts of the Chapter p. 185 186. Parts of the Text. 187. 1 Question arising out of the words p. 187. Answered Ibid. and p. 188. 2 Question for unfoulding of the words answered p. 188. Doctrins from the scope of the Text. 1 Doct. The eyes of Christ run through the world and behold the evil and the good Three Uses made of it p. 189. 2 Doct. Such is the goodnesse of God that hee commends us for that which is his own Two Uses made of this p. 189. Doctrins the Text more fully holds forth First That slownesse of heart to beleeve is a temper of spirit very offensive unto God Secondly It is very pleasing unto God when we will beleeve in him upon small Revelation Thirdly God will reveal great things to them who do so beleeve in him The first Doctrin cleared p. 190 191. That we are slow of heart to beleeve demonstrated in five particulars The 1 Greatnesse of that power put forth in the working Faith p. 191 192. 2 The complaints of sinners when they come first to beleeve p. 192 193. 3 Rhetorick work God useth to a poor humbled cast down sinner to bring him to beleeve p. 193. 4 Way God takes to confirm the covenant of mercy to beleevers p. 194. 5 Complaints of the Preacher p. 195. Grounds of the slownesse of heart to beleeve First From Satan who hath two stratagems p. 195 196 197. Secondly From themselves 1 From ignorance p. 197. 2 Pride 3 Too much tendernesse p. 198 199. 4 Doubt of Gods will p. 200. 5 Some rest on this side Christ p. 200 201. 3 Ground why wee are slow of heart to beleeve is taken from others p. 202. 1 Wee look upon their height p. 203. 2 Upon others depths p. 204. 205. 206. Three Reasons why this frame of spirit is so offensive to God 1 It argues and speaks a corrupt heart p. 207. 2 As much as in it lyes it makes void all the stupendious things of God p. 107. in particular 1 The great counsel of God 2 The thoughts of his mercy 3 The purposes of Gods mercy to thee p. 20. 4 Frustrates the expectation of God p. 209. 5 Gods end in sending Christ 6 The death of Christ 7 The promises of God to Christ p. 209. 3 Reason this keeps a man in an unserviceable condition both to God and Man p. 210 211. Use See how Satan doth delude their souls whom hee perswades not to beleeve is a vertue is a thing pleasing unto God p. 212. Reasonings of poor souls why they must not beleeve p. 213. 2 Use of Exhortation to three things 1 To bee convinced of the greatnesse of the sin 1 You wrong God 2 You gratify Satan Satan hath two glasses to discover sin p. 215. Quest How shall I know when God and when Satan discovers sin p. 216. A sinful looking on sin in seven particulars p. 217. 3 You injure your selves in three particulers 2 Be humbled for it p. 219. 3 Be quickned to beleeve p. 219 220. Consider 1 It is Gods command and that is first a sufficient warrant 2 It is sufficient security p. 220. 2 Consider you can do God no greater pleasure than to come in and beleeve in him p. 221. Faith a weapon to be weilded against seven charges of Satan p. 221 222. THE CONTENTS OF HYPOCRISY ISAIAH 58.2 THe World divided into four ranks of men p. 26 Those that are in the pale of the Church ranked in three sorts ibid. Those that are pretenders for Heaven into two sorts of which are the 1 Formal Christian ibid. 2 Upright and sincere Christian ibid. The Text opened ibid. Doct. That it is possible for a man to do much in the wayes of God even to abound in all outward performances and yet bee false at heart and have an unsound spirit here and miss of Heaven hereafter p. 263 The Doctrin proved and cleared by diverse Particulars as The first Particular is 1 Hee may hear the Word p. 265 2 May abound in hearing ibid. 3 May hear with affection ibid. Four kindes of affections that a Formalist may hear with 1 With affection of wonder and astonishment p. 266 2 Affection of fear and trembling ibid. 3 With delight and some kinde of love ibid. 4 With affection of Joy ibid. Secondly A man may not only hope but pray too nay make many Prayers ibid. And hee may joyn fasting to prayer ibid. Thirdly A man may seem to bee humbled to mourn and to weep for sin and yet bee unsound p. 267 There are four sorts of tears ibid. 1 Tears of Anger ibid. 2 Tears of desparation such as are the damned in Hell ibid. 3 Tears of compassion ibid. 4 Tears of Godly-sorrow ibid. Fourthly A man may seem to do much walk in many wayes of duty in outward shew of obedience to the letter of command ibid. Fifthly A man may cast up his vomit disgorge himself of all his old wayes p. 268 Hee may leave sin either 1 Out of fear of evil ibid. 2 Out of a wearinesse of it ibid. 3 Out of love of some contrary sin ibid. 4 Out of want of fit Instruments and means to compass his sin ibid. Sixthly A man may accompany himself with the People of God ibid. Seventhly A man may not only do but suffer too and yet bee unsound ibid. Reasons are 1 Reas Because no unsound spirit hath any thing in it which is essential to a
Christian as a Christian ibid. 2 Reas Because a false professor may have a compleat resemblance of a Christian in all those things which are not essential to a Christian p. 269 Thus the first thing is cleared now wee come to the second thing propounded Secondly How it may stand with 1 Gods end 2 Satans end 3 A mans own ends to abound in duty and yet not bee sincere First It may stand with Gods ends both 1 Towards the good and they are merciful ends 2 Towards the bad and they are partly merciful and partly judicial First It may stand with Gods ends towards the good and they are merciful ends ibid. p. 270 First That God may serve his own glory by them for the bringing in and building up of the godly ibid. Secondly God suffers unsound hearts to abound in duties to maintain an holy jealousy and watchfulnesse in the hearts of his own people p. 271 Thirdly To make us see there is something in duty more than duty which sets a value upon duty and makes it of worth ibid. Fourthly To tell us that there are other things to bee done of a Christian than meerly to pray here p. 272 Fifthly To make his people more solicitous after surer more stable and proving evidences than these are ibid. Secondly As it may stand with Gods ends to the good so it may stand with Gods ends to the bad 1 His merciful ends p. 273 2 His judicial ends ibid. Secondly It may stand also with Satans ends and that 1 Towards the good p. 274 2 Towards the world ibid. 3 Towards themselves ibid. 1 It may stand with Satans ends towards the good 1 Hereby Satan doth labour to cause Gods people to throw off the work to desist in their way ibid. 2 If hee cannot prevail with Gods people to throw off the work yet hee hath a second end and that is to discourage Gods people in the work ibid. 3 If Satan cannot prevail thus far yet hee labours by these men to scandalize the godly to bring evil reports on all that walk in the wayes of life p. 275 You know how wicked men argue viz. 1 Either from particulars to generals ibid. Or 2 By the failing of the person ibid. Secondly It may stand with Satans end in respect of the world as 1 To keep them off from entring upon the way of life p. 276 2 To strengthen the prejudice of wicked men against the wayes and people of God ibid. 3 Hereby hee hardens them in a way of sin ibid. Thirdly How it may stand with Satans ends towards themselves that thus abound in duty and yet are unsound ibid. 1 To aggravate their condemnation ibid. 2 Because such men are surest his of any and that on two grounds ibid. 1 If hee stands in that condition hee thinks hee is sure enough ibid 2 If hee falls hee thinks him sure enough because the hazard is great p. 277 3 It may stand yet further with Satans ends because hee hopes to have some further good of them another day p. 278 For the Devil knows 1 They will bee the surest and trustiest servants to him of any p. 279 None in the world have more of the infernal nature than they p. 280 Thirdly How it may stand with their own ends who having corrupt hearts yet should notwithstanding abound in duty 1 To answer the cases of conscience ibid. 2 To pacifie the quarrels to satisfie the gripes and gnawings of conscience p. 281 Conviction doth arise from some common not saving light and that 1 Because it discovers grosse sins not secret sins 2 It discovers open sins not spiritual sins ibid. 3 It discovers no sin as sin in the nature of it ibid. Other ends there are which are more low than the former as 1 For ostentation and gifts of pride p. 282 2 For affection credit and esteem in the world ibid. 3 For the advancement of their worldly designes ibid. 4 That by this means they might procure Gods blessings on them in this life ibid. Next thing is to shew what the grounds are whence it ariseth that a corrupt heart may abound in outward performances p. 283 First ground is natural conscience ibid. Second ground is some present distresse and trouble on the conscience or upon the bodies of men upon the spirit or flesh of men ibid. p. 284 1 Some present distress upon the spirit 2 Outward pressures on the body ibid. The fourth thing remains which is four where the fault lies or how it comes to passe and that in six particulars p. 285 1 Hee fails in the latitude or extent of his obedience Hee is limited 1 Either to some command most suitable 2 Or to the flesh that is to the outwards of the command ibid. 2 Hee is faulty in the manner of his obedience p. 286 3 Hee is faulty in his aims and ends ibid. 4 Hee is faulty in that hee resteth upon what hee doth and looks no higher p. 287 4 Hee makes it self his obedience which should quicken his Obedience ibid. 6 These spiritual performances do not arise from spiritual Principles ibid. There is a fourfold change 1 A Moral change p. 288 2 A Partial change ibid. 3 A Formal change ibid. 4 A Spiritual change But not new ibid. 1 For substance of soul and body p. 289. 2 For faculties of soul and body ibid. Object Nature cannot act ultra sphaeram above it self nature cannot go any further than Nature Answered ibid. It is true in the main but Nature may bee strengthened from above ibid. Nature considered in diverse forms and ranks 1 There is a meer Nature with those reliques as some say But I say restored Principles ibid. 2 Nature civilized and moralized 3 Nature sublimated p. 290 Thus you see the Doctrin cleared and the fourth thing answered 1 Hee is a man who was never humbled for sin ibid. 2 Hee is a man that was never truly cast out of himself ibid. 3 Hee is a man that was never fully changed ibid. 4 Hee is a man who is carryed upon holy works with a slavish heart ibid. There are two great weights that carry him about 1 Fear of Hell p. 291 2 Hope of Heaven ibid. Use If a man do thus much and yet fall short of Heaven what then shall become of them that do nothing ibid. Sincerity lyes in labouring and how ibid. These things are necessary 1 Necessitate Precepti God hath commanded them 2 Necessitate Medii they are the way to life ibid. Object This discourageth us If a man may do thus much and yet fall short of Heaven then it is as good to sit still and do nothing Answered p. 292 Wee should argue after this manner Because I may do all this and yet not bee sincere therefore I will labour to bee sincere in the doing of them ibid. Second Use Discovers the sandinesse and unsafenesse of those bottoms to rest a mans soul upon ibid. To stir up those that fear God to get better
are on the Body the Estate the Name but this is An Inward Evil. An evil upon the Soul which is the Greatest of Evils 2. All other evils are but of a temporal nature They have An End Poverty Sickness Disgrace all these are great evils but these and all other they have An End Death puts the conclusion to them all But This Evil of sin is of an Eternal nature that shall never have end Eternity it self shall put no period to this 3. All other evils do not make a man the subject of GODS wrath and hatred A man may have all other evils and yet be in the Love of GOD. Thou maist be Poor and yet Precious in GODS esteem thou maist be under all Kinde of miseries and yet Dear in GODS thoughts to thee But now this is an evil that makes the soul the subject of GODS wrath and hatred As the Absence of all other goods the Presence of all created evils will not make thee Hateful to GOD if Sin be not there So the Presence of all other goods and Absence of all other evils will not render thee Lovely if sin be there 4. All other Evils do but oppose your well-being nay and your well-being for present for they cannot rob you of future happiness But this opposeth your well-being for ever For you cannot be Happy if you be not Holy Nay this opposeth your Being It brought Death you would sin your selves into Nothing again if GOD did not hold you up To be that you might Be miserable for sin 5. All other evils are but Destructive to a mans self fight but against Particulars But this is contrary to the Universal Good contrary to GOD and as far as it may Destructive to the very Being of God As I shall shew hereafter 6. All other evils are GODS creatures and so far good He owns all the rest he is the Author of all the rest Is there any evil in the City that I have not done Amos 3.6 meaning All the Evil of Punishment Penal not Sinful Evil But this is the Devils Creature yea and worse than he being All sin 7. All other Evils are Gods Physick and used as Medicines either 1. For prevention of this Or 2. For the cure of this 1. For prevention of this That you might not be condemned with the world he lays afflictions and evils upon you 1 Cor. 11.32 He suffered Satan to tempt Paul and gave him up to his buffetings which yet is the Greatest Evil in the world next to sin the Greatest penal Evil in the world And all to prevent sin as the Apostle himself saith 2 Cor. 12.7 God sent a Messenger of Satan to buffet him And what was the reason why it was to prevent sin Lest he should be exalted above measure that is left he should be proud And as he useth all other Evils for Prevention So 2. For the cure of sin And you know no Medicine can be so bad as is this Disease Now all other Evils God hath laid upon his people for the cure of sin or for the recovery of them out of the state of sin And to speak as much as I can at once There is not so much evil in the Damnation of a Thousand worlds of men for sin As there is evil in the Least sin the least sinful thought that riseth upon your spirits inasmuch as the good of these falls short of the good and glory of God Thus you see by Collation and Comparison of this Evil with others in which I might much more inlarge my self that Of all Evils Sin is the greatest Evil We will now come to 2. The Demonstration of the Point 2. Demonstrations 1. Demonstration 1. That which fighteth against and opposeth the greatest Good 1. Demonstration or Reason Sin opposeth the greatest good 1. God must needs be the greatest Evil But now Sin opposeth and fighteth against the greatest Good Hence a Father calls sin Dei-cidium God-slaughter that which strikes against the Being and Essence of God that which were it strong enough were it Infinitely evil as God is Infinitely good would labor to Un-Be God God is Summum Bonum and indeed Non datur Summum Malum sin cannot be infinite If Sin were as evil as God is good that is Adequately and Proportionably if Infinitely evil as God is good sin would be Too hard for God to pardon it would be Too hard for God to subdue Too hard for God to Conquer Sin would endeavor to conquer God Indeed there is more evil in the least sin than there is good in any nay all the Angels of Heaven and therefore you see it conquered them spoiled all their goodness made them Devils which it could not have done if the good in them had been greater than the Evil in sin And though it be not able to conquer God to overcome him there is more goodness in God than Evil in Ten Thousand Hells of sin and so it cannot overcome the power of God the mercy of God the holiness of God yet it fights against God and makes party against him every day It musters up all its strength against God and comes into open field to Bid Defiance against him every day Nay when it is beaten out of the open field by the power of God and his Ordinances then it hath strong Holds as the Apostle tells us 2 Cor. 10.4 and from thence fights against him and opposeth him there it lusts against him it wills against him the heart riseth against him When sin is beaten out of the field yet a long time it will be before it be beaten out of strong Holds When sin in Practise is overcome and conquered yet sin in Affection is hard to be overcome That Contrariety that is between God and your Heart is hard to be conquered It will cost you many a battel many an assault before you can conquer sin in its strong Holds overcome sin in the Heart Though sometimes it may seem to be overcome and to render up all yet afterwards it gathers together again and will make new and fresh assaults upon you to weaken and to wound you Nay and herein lies the Malignity the poysonous and venemous nature of sin that though God hath conquered it though it be never so weakned yet will it act against God spit its venome still An Emblem of it you have in the Thief upon the Cross that when he was nailed upon the Cross his hands and feet made fast and had but one member loose yet that one member could spit its venome at Christ revile Christ so though God hath crucified sin yet so long as there is any life in it it will act it self and spit venome against God which shews that Great Contrariety betwixt God and sin And this Contrariety and Opposition of the Chiefest Good must needs shew sin to be the Greatest Evil. 2. Demonstration â— Demonst sin universally evil All evil 2. That which is Universally Evil all Evil
delivered up to Your selves to the lusts of your own hearts Nay you had better to be Given up to Satan than to be Given up to your selves your sins The Incestuous person was Delivered up to Satan as you read 1 Cor. 5.5 And was restored again and the better for it But we never read of any who were Delivered up to themselves who ever returned never any who were Given up to the lusts of their own heart that ever recovered Better then To be delivered up to Satan than to sin inasmuch as All Penal Evils fall short of Sinful Evils It is Judicial in respect of God who may punish one sin with another and curse sin with hardness of heart But this is a sinful evil in respect of us we bring the writing and the wax and God puts to the seal and then we are shut up for ever And you are in the High-way to this who Go on in sin and will not be reformed when God hath laboured by Sickness Afflictions to recover you you are in the way to this Final Doom You that are filthy be filthy still c. 3. Consectary 3. Consectary 3. If sin be the Greatest Evil in the world Then see what fools they are who seek to rid themselves of other Evils by the Admission of sin He who labors to prevent other evils or remove other evils by the admission of sin runs into the greatest evil of all He kills himself to save himself he destroys himself to preserve himself He that thus saves his life doth lose his life There were never any times so bad but Gods people might have been safe in them if they would have admitted of sin But they have seen their safety to lie in Suffering when they could have no safety but in the Admission of sin You see it in the practice of the Three Children It was the speech of the Primitive Christians when they were threatned with Prisons and Deaths if they would not renounce Christ Parce precor Imperator Tu Carcerem Ille Gehennam S are good Emperor thou threatnest a Prison but Christ Hell When Cyprian was sentenced to dye upon the same ground the Governor perswaded with him that he should pity himself and rather Renounce his error than lose his life and consult a little on it He answers him Fac quod tibi praeceptum est In re tà m justâ nulla est consultatio Sir you are my Judge you are none of my Counsellor In so clear and just a cause there needs no Counsel I will not dishonor the justness of my cause to enter into Parlee and Consultation whether to suffer or sin The like of that Virgin whereof Basil speaks who bade adieu to estate and life rather than abandon her Profession Oh! it were a sad thing to secure our selves by that which is our ruine to purchase our liberty by bondage our safety by sin You see what it cost F. Spira and Cranmer in Queen Maries days who knevv not hovv to be avenged on himself for his act but by Burning that hand first that had subscribed to sin It is better to be still in Prison than for sin to set open the Prison door Inasmuch as its better to be Gods Prisoner than the Devils Freeman Better to lose all than to preserve our estates by the admission of sin And therefore whatever your troubles are whatever your fears whatever your dangers bevvare of preserving your selves or purchasing liberty or life it self at so dear a rate as by the admission of sin by Dishonoring God and wounding your own conscience Beware of getting Man your Friend by purchasing God to be your Enemy We know not yet what our times may come unto but it is out of the reach of the power or malice of men To make you miserable if they do not first make you sinful 4 Consectary 4. If sin separately considered be so great an Evil 4. Consectary What then is sin circumstantiated sin against knowledge against means If there be so much evil in sin in the least sin what then in the greatest If Atomes be so great How great then are Mountains If impertinent thoughts be so sinful as having more sin in them than all the treasures of heaven besides God and Christ can expiate what then are rebellious thoughts contrived Murders speculative Adulteries contemplative wickedness covetous Aims and Ends contempts of God slightings and undervaluing of his ways If there be so much sin and hell in a vain idle word what a hell of sin what mountains of wrath in your Carrion-communications your stinking-discourses your bloody and horrid oathes and blaspemies Nay if there be so much evil in one sin and one sin simply considered what shall we think of sin compounded sin circumstantiated sin made exceeding sinful sins against knowledge against means against mercies Oh! sit down and consider one sin and see much in it Such a sin I committed against knowledge such a one against checks of conscience such a one against the motions of the Spirit c. and tell me if the least sin be not exceeding sinful 5. Consectary 5. Consectary If sin be so great an evil then see what fools they are who make a mock at sin Prov. 14.9 Fools make a mock at sin they sport at sin It is a sport to swear to be drunk c. they will sin for sport and recreation It is their recreation to do evil to drink to swear to lye to profane Gods-day These are Fools What Natural Fools No he that goes about with a Whistle and a Bable and a Coat is in far better case than he He is a Spiritual Fool the greatest Fool. Will you sport with poyson will you sport your selves with Hell nay worse Will you recreate your selves with destroying your selves will you sport your selves with that which was so bitter to Christ and will be so to thee if ever thou be pardoned Who would sport at that which is the misery of lost men and Devils both here and in Hell to eternity One would think this poor sport and recreation to tear in pieces the flesh and wound and shed the blood of A Stranger of An Enemy but how much more of Our Dearest Friend Thou who sportest at sin dost so with Christ sportest thy self in killing Christ crucifying Christ tearing the flesh of â—hrist again Every oath is a dagger to his heart as the spear to his side again It is the highest piece of a Devilish nature in the world To sport at sin None but Devils do it It is the Burden of God he complains of it and he accounts it an ease when he is rid of you Ah! I will ease me of my adversaries Isa 1.24 It is the Wounding of Christ the Grief of the Spirit the Trouble of Angels the destruction of the Creatures Will you sport at that which hath brought all evil on man all on Christ which hath made Hell fuelled Hell and the Torment of souls
for ever Oh! make not that your joy which was Christs sorrow and will be yours eternally if now your joy in sin be not turned to sorrow for sin 6. Consectary 6. If sin be the Greatest evil 6. Consectary Then see the utter impossibility of any thing under heaven to relieve and help us from under the guilt of sin save JESUS CHRIST onely Hast thou committed but one sin thou hast done that which all the Treasures of Righteousness in Heaven and Earth are not able to relieve thee or help thee in save JESUS CHRIST There is as much required for the answering the guilt of one sin as the guilt of a thousand Infinite Righteousness is required for one and no more is required for a thousand And that Righteousness none but Christ alone hath Nothing can relieve us but that which is Adequate in righteousness to the Evil of sin Now there is no righteousness in the world that is proportionable to the Evil of sin but the Righteousness of Christ 1. Our own you know is too short it is called A menstruous rag A rag and therefore cannot cover us Menstruous and therefore though it should cover us yet it would but cover filth with filth as the Prophet speaks Isa 30.1 They cover but not with the covering of my Spirit that they might adde sin to sin that is the sin of their righteousness to the sin of their unrighteousness They cover a blot with a blot adde sin to sin dung to dung 2. Nor will the righteousness of the Law be large enough if it were supposed that a man were able to fulfil all that righteousness and keep the whole Law Present obedience though supposed to be Adequate to the Righteousness of the Law will never answer for former offences and disobediences The Law indeed is strong enough to damn a thousand but cannot save one it can pour Hell and Wrath and Condemnation upon a World of sinners but is not able to pour Grace or to give Justification to one The Apostle tells us Rom. 8.3 4. What the Law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh God sending his own son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin condemned sin in the flesh The same Apostle also tells us Gal. 3.21 If there had been a Law given which could have given life righteousness should have been by the Law The Apostle tells us again Gal. 3.17 The Law was given four hundred and thirty years after the promise to shew we must not work that we may be justified but be justified that we may be able to work If God had intended The Law the instrument of Justification he would have given the Law Four hundred and thirty years before the Promise 3. Nay yet further It is not the righteousness of Angels which yet is a Greater Righteousness than that of the Law inasmuch as the Angels were above Man in Innocency because this also is but a created Righteousness a finite Righteousness and no way proportionable to the evil of sin If it had one sin had not spoiled those glorious Angels of their Goodness at once and made them Devils which that sin doing shews There was more evil in sin than Good or Righteousness in them Well then This shews the utter impossibility of any other under heaven or in heaven to Free us from the Evil of sin but JESUS CHRIST Nothing but Infiniteness can deal with sin It must be Infinite wisdom To finde out a way It must be Infinite mercy To pardon Infinite power To subdue Infinite merit To purge and cleanse And Infinite Grace To destroy sin However you think of sin yet this hath been the Great Enemy which God and Grace have been contending withal ever since the world began And it hath put All-God to it even the Infiniteness of the infinite God to rescue us and to save us out of the Hands and Power of sin His infinite Wisdom Power Mercy Truth Holiness have been all imployed to conquer sin I say so to conquer sin as to save you the sinners The Great design of God in sending Christ into the world his Incarnation Humiliation Death Passion all were about this The conquering and destroying of sin How Great an Enemy was this that God must send out his Son to conquer it He can arm Flyes Lice Frogs the meanest of Creatures to overthrow the Greatest Power and Puissance of the earth but no less than his Son was strong enough to conquer sin You may think of sin as meanly as you will swallow it without fear live in it without sense commit it without remorse yet assure your selves that this you make so slight of required No less than the infinite power of God to conquer the infinite mercy of God to pardon the infinite merit of Christ to answer for it It was that which fetcht the Dearest Blood from the Heart of Christ and will have Thine too if thou gettest not an interest in him 7. Consectary 7. Consectary 7. If sin be the Greatest Evil Then see how much we are bound to CHRIST who hath born your sins who hath born All this evil for you you who have an Interest in him Oh the Love of CHRIST that he should bear sin which is more than all miseries a greater evill than Death than Hell it self is If there were one in the world that were content to be Poor for you to Bear Pains for you to be Sick for you to be Arrested for you to go to Prison for you to Dye for you nay to Bear the Wrath of God for you nay the pains of Hell for you How would you think your selves bound to such an one for doing it Why This hath CHRIST done for you He hath Born sin which is a Greater Evil than all these An evil that hath All these evils in the bowels of it Such as none but Christ was Able to Bear If God laid the least sin upon thee pure sin which none but CHRIST did ever bear here in this world it would crush thee to pieces with the weight of it though all the Pillars of Heaven all the Glorious Angels should contribute their strength to thee to help thee to bear thee up The least sin doth deserve and draw down an infinite wrath which nor thou nor all the Angels in Heaven are able to stand under The Damned bear it in Hell They bear it and cannot bear it They are slain with it but cannot dye Ever consuming never consumed And therefore how much are you bound to CHRâ—ST who hath Born sin a Greater evil than All other Evils and with sin All the Torments and Wrath and Justice due to sin All the world is not able to express that Torment which Christ indured when he did Bear sin when he did sweat drops of blood clods of blood when he wrestled with the justice Grumos Sanguinis did bear the wrath of God when he cryed out My GOD my GOD Why hast thou
hovv should this make us advance Christ admire Christ prize Christ What should indear our hearts more to Christ than this That he hath born our sins and so born them as we shall never hear them if vve have an interest in him 8. Consectary 8. If sin be the Greatest Evil Then it calls out 8. Consectary 1. For the Greatest Sorrow 2. For the Greatest Hatred 3. For the Greatest Care to avoid it 4. For the Greatest Care to be rid of it If sin be the Greatest Evil Then it must have The Greatest Sorrow 1. Sin calls for greatest sorrow No affliction no trouble no evil should be so bitter to us as sin because sin is the Greatest Evil. It is a sad thing to see our hearts tender and sensibly affected with Lesser evils and troubles and yet to be hard and insensible for sin which is the Greatest of evils It would therefore be our wisdom when any other evils be upon us To turn all our sighs tears and sorrows upon sin It is an Aphorism in Physick Erumpens sanguis vená sectâ sistitur If a man bleed vehemently in one place they let him blood in another and so turn the stream of blood another way It should be our wisdom when our souls bleed and our hearts mourn for other evils to turn all those mourning affections upon sin Let them run in the right chanel Those tears must be wept over again which are not shed for sin Sorrow is like Mercuries Influence Good if it be joyned with a Good Bad if it be joyned with a Bad Planet It is not so much the Sorrow as the Ground and Spring of the Sorrow The object of it is to be taken notice of Sorrow was naught iâ— Judas good in Peter it was naught in Saul good in David In the one it was a Sorrow to death in the other a Sorrow to cure the wound of Death In the one worldly in the other â—â—dly Worldly sorrow causeth death And such is all sorrow thâ— hath not sin for the ground grace for the principle God â—â—t the end Where â—â—n is apprehended the Greatest evil it will have the Greatest sorrow Sorrow to exceed all other sorrows 1. Though not ever in quantity and bulk yet in quality and worth A little Gold is worth a great deal of Earth and Rubbish 2. Though not in strength yet in length and continuance Other sorrows are but like a Land-flood for a time occasioned by a Story which when that is over the flood is down This Godly sorrow doth arise from a spring and having a fountain to continue it it is Permanent when the other is gone This is the difference between the Godly and the other Gods people their sorrows which are Spiritual do arise from a spring their worldly from a storm a tempest The wicked their spiritual sorrows arise from a storm some present vvringing of Conscience fear of vvrath and their vvorldly sorrovvs arise from a spring Where sin is apprehended the Greatest Evil there it shall have the Greatest sorrow 1. A sorrow Proportionable to the Measures and Greatness of Sin 2. A sorrow Proportionable to the Merit and Desert of Sin As the merit of sin is infinite so the sorrovv for it must be an infinite sorrovv Infinite I say Non Actu sed Affectu not in the act and expression but in the Desire and Affection of the soul He vvhose Heart and Eyes dry up together vvhose Expression in Tears and Affection of Sorrow do end together though he had wept a sea of Tears he had not yet truly wept for sin Where sorrovv is Godly it hath Affections of mourning vvhen the expression of mourning ceaseth because every drop of tears doth arise from a spring of tears vvithin As every Act of Faith doth arise from a believing disposition an habit of faith vvithin every act of Love from a Principle of love vvithin So every expression of sorrow from an affection of sorrovv in the spirit Hence vve read 1 Sam. 7.6 their sorrovv is exprest by this Metaphor They drew water as out of a vvell and poured it out before the Lord. Their eyes did not empty so fast as their hearts filled Their eyes could not pour it forth so fast as their hearts did yield it up All their Expressions of Mourning did fall short of those Affections of Sorrow vvhich vvere in the heart This is sorrow for sin A sorrow proportioned to the measure to the demerit of sin A sorrow that doth exceed alâ— other sorrovvs though not in quantity yet in quality th ugh not in strength yet in length and continuance 2. Is sin the Greatest Evil 2. Sin calls for the greatest Hatred Then it calls out for the Greatest Hatred Nothing is properly the Object of Hatred but Evil And that not All kind of Evil but sinful Evil Penal Evils are rather the Objects of Fear than of Hatred because these are Improperly Evil. Nothing indeed is evil but vvhat makes us evil anâ— these may be a means to make us good and therefore are not properly evil and so an Object of hatred Sinful evil is properly the object of hatred because this is properly evil and being the Greatest of Evils should therefore have the greatest of our hatred Psal 92.10 You that love the Lord see that you Hate evil It is not enough for you to be angry vvith sin and displeased vvith sin for so a man may be vvith his Friend one vvhom he loves upon some discourtesie Nor is it enough that you should strike sin for so many do to day and imbrace it to morrovv But you must endeavor to kill sin Hatred labors after the Un-being of that it hates Nothing but the destruction and blood of it vvill satisfie the soul that truly hates sin There is a great deal of mistake in men concerning this point I might shevv you the secret deceits of the spirit concerning it in brief and hovv far those come short of hatred of sin 1. A man may fall out with a sinner by whom he hath been drawn into sin and yet not Hate the sin execute the Traytor and yet like the Treason 2. A man may fall out with himself for sin and yet not hate sin When he hath brought some inconvenience to himself by his sin which otherwise he liketh well enough 3. A man may fall out with sin and yet not hate sin Cast away the coal when burnt with the fire that is in it and yet not offended with the blackness of it or the defilement which he getteth by it 3. Sin calls for the greatest care to avoid it 3. If sin be the Greatest Evil Then it calls out for the Greatest Care to avoid it Men are naturally afraid to fall into evil What study vvhat care vvhat endeavors to prevent Evil Did you apprehend sin to be the Greatest of Evils there vvould be no less care to avoid sin You vvould endeavor to walk closely and exactly with God to
sins to be the greatest of evils Though Spiritual sins were hid from them their light was not able to discover Infidelity and Gospel-sins yet Moral-sins they have discovered and have avoided them and would hazard themselves nay and suffer too rather than they would commit such sins The examples of Plato Scipio Cato and many others will clear this And all this was discovered by the Glass of Nature done by Nature but not by meer Nature fallen but by Nature well-husbanded by Nature improved by the implantation of Moral Principles together with Restraining Grace and other common gifts of the Spirit The Greatness of their Hatred against sin the Greatness of their Care to avoid sin the Greatness of their Sufferings rather than they would commit sin might be enough to discover to us the Greatness of the Evil of sin But pass by this 2. The second Glass wherein you may see the greatness of sin is The Glass of the Law A Glass which discovers sin in all its Dimensions the Guilt Demerit Filthiness and Sinfulness of sin Hence the Apostle Rom. 7.7 saith I had not known sin but by the Law that is I had not known sin so hainous as it is I had not known sin in the wideness and latitude of it I had not known the sinfulness of sin if it had not been for the Law if the Law had not been a Glass to have discovered sin to me This discovered sin in its Greatness David Psal 119.96 I have seen an end of all Perfection but thy Law is exceeding broad that is by revealing the compass of sin in proportion to its Wideness and Greatness Oh! This will discover to thee more nakedness in one sin than all the world can cover more indigency in one sin than all the Treasures of created righteousness in heaven and earth are able to supply more obliquity and injustice in one sin in a very wandring thought than all the Deaths of men and Annihilations of Angels are able to Expiate Search into the Law and thou shalt discover Thousands of sins which fall under Any One Law of God Oh! Here is A Glass 3. Look upon sin in The Glass of the Griefs Woundings Peircings and Sorrows which the Saints have found 1. In their Admissions and first Entrance into the state of Grace 2. In their Relapsings and Turnings again to folly 1. For the first See what Groans Humiliations they have indured in their first admissions into an estate of Grace in Manasseth 2 Chron. 33.12 in Paul Acts 9. in the Converted Jews Acts 2.37 when the nails which peirced Christ now stuck in their hearts as the arrow in the stags side How many of the Saints have there been who have been cast into a bed of miserable sorrow lain bed-rid under the stroke of Justice perhaps for many years And all this for sin No age is without a Thousand examples of it 2. Look upon the sorrows and breakings which the Saints have indured upon their Relapsing into sin See in Peter in David Read what sad expressions he hath in Psalm 6. from vers 1. to vers 7. and in Psalm 32.3 4 5 verses So Psalm 51. How doth he complain how his Soul is troubled his bones are broken his eyes are consumed with sorrow his bed swims with tears And all this for sin Here is a Glass wherein you may see the Evil of sin to be the Greatest Evil. Yea and the least sin when God sets it on will do all this 4. Look upon sin in Adam and there see the greatness of it That one sin of Adam hath brought All the Miseries Sickness Death c. upon All his Posterity since that time It hath been the Damnation of thousands of millions of men and still it runs on Gods justice is still unsatisfied if it were there would be a stop We should Dye no more Be sick no more c. Oh! Here you may see sin sin in its Extensiveness 5. Look upon sin in Christ See there what Humblings what Breakin gs what Woundings what Peircings what Wrath it brought upon Christ himself It was that which mingled that Bitter Cup with such woful ingredients which had we but fipt of it when it was so tempered would have laid our souls under more wrath than All the damned in Hell do suffer Christ did Bear Pure Justice for sin Nay it made him who was God as well as man sanctified by the Spirit to that work strengthned by the Deity To sweat drops of blood and even to struggle and seem to draw back and pray against the work of his own Mercy and to decline the business of his own coming into the world Ah! none knows but Christ nor is a finite understanding able to conceive what Christ underwent when he was to Bear sin and with that To wrestle with the infinite wrath and justice of the infinite God the Terrors of death and the Powers of the world to come Here is a Glass wherein you may see The greatness of sin The wideness of sin The guilt of sin The demerit of sin All which are set out to the life in the Death Sufferings Breakin gs and Woundings of the Son of God You that make light of sin go to Christ and ask him How heavy it was even that which you make so light of which pressed him down to the ground And the least sin would have pressed thee and all the pillars of heaven to the Bottom of Hell for ever 6. A sixth Glass Look upon sin in the Damnation of the soul for ever that nothing would satisfie the justice of God but the Destruction of the Creature No Sickness no Prisons no Blood no Sufferings but the Sufferings of Hell And those not for a Time but for Ever Ah! see here the greatness of sin which might be further amplified by the consideration of the preciousness of the soul which yet sin ruines to all eternity And therefore would you know sin Quaere Damnatos Ask the damned what sin is Lay thy Ear to Hell and hear those Skreechings those Howlings those Roarings of the Damned And all this is for sin Oh they are dear-bought pleasures which must be thus payed for with everlasting pains Thus you see what sin is by all these Glasses And therefore Oh! how ought we to be Humbled for our slight thoughts of sin which is so great an Evil USE Now if it be so Then see what need we have to Aggravate sin to the utmost in our confessions of sin because all we can say of it will fall infinitely short of the Haâ—nousness of sin You can aggravate no sin so high as to raise it above it selfe as to make sin greater than it is You can have No Magnifying Glass to greaten sin above the Greatness of it You have such Glasses to make greater other things above their own higness which are able to present small things great mean things of vast bigness But you have no Glass to multiply sin and make sin
appear Bigger than it is The sufferings of the Saints the sorrows of the Saints the sufferings of the Damned are too short The Glass ot the Law the Glass of Christs sufferings which is the greatest this doth not shew sin greater than it is It doth but discover sin in its Just Proportions and Dimensions It had not been justice in God to have required more blood and to put his own Son to more suffering than sin deserved Nor would this have stood with Gods Love his Pity and Mercy to his Son to have put him to more than sin deserved Though now there be mercy more than enough for the greatest sinners as the Apostle saith 1 Tim. 1.14 yet there was not Justice more than enough exercised upon Christ for the demerit and guilt of sin The Death of Christ was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 An Adequate Ransome for our souls and sins And yet there is a Redundancy of merit an Overflowing of merit in the Satisfaction of Christ to Ransome a thousand worlds more to that if need were As sin is infinite in regard of the Object so Satisfaction is infinite in respect of the Merit Hence Christs death is not onely said to be A Satisfaction but A Purchase not onely A Payment but A Purchase A Satisfaction it was to the Justice of God for sin Full. And A Purchase of all good things from the Mercy of God to which his Justice in respect of the Validity and Worth of Christs Satisfaction is bound to us But this by way of Digression See then what need there is To Aggravate sin to the utmost because we cannot multiply sin to the greatness of it There will be many singular fruits of so doing 1. This will breed shame and confusion of spirit for sin 2. This will make you advance and relish mercy better When the debt seems little we are ready and apt to undervalue a pardon But when sin appears exceeding sinful this doth make us value mercy prize a pardon When sin is seen the greatest Evil Mercy and Pardon will be apprehended the greatest Good 3. This puts us into the neerest disposition To forsake sin As he who extenuates sin is resolved to continue in sin so he who truly aggravates sin desires to be rid of it 4. Besides It breeds a Displacency with our selves when we consider How ill we have dealt with God 5. It produceth self-judging and self-condemnation as we see in David Psal 51. 6. It will produce spiritual softness and tenderness of heart for sin But this I must pass over USE If sin be the Greatest Evil Then it is the Greatest Mercy in the world to be rid of sin The greater the evil is the greater is the mercy to be rid of it But now sin is the Greatest Evil. And therefore you shall see it set down as the only mercy that comes in by Christ Mat. 1.25 He shall be called JESUS because he shall save his people from their sins As if all other things coming in by Christ were included in this one He shall save his people from their sins He doth not say Hee shall save his people from Hell c but From sin From no other evil in the world And this is the Greatest Mercy When God would speak the utmost even the greatest thought of Mercy that ever came upon his heart when he would set down the greatest work of Mercy that ever the God of Mercy wrought he saith no more but He shall save his people from their sins Sin was the utmost Evil and therefore the saving from sin was the greatest good And hence David Psal 32.1 2. saith Blessed is he whose iniquity is forgiven and whose sin is covered Blessed is that man to whom the Lord imputeth not sin Indeed we have mean thoughts cheap thoughts of pardon of sin and the reason is because we have slight thoughts of sin But if God once open our understanding and make us see the vastness and wideness of the evil of sin and if that he should joyn a feeling sense to that sight and make us feel what sin is if he should let but the least sparkle of his wrath fall upon our spirits for sin it would make our faces gather blackness we should quickly change our note and say Oh! Blessed and for ever blessed are they whose iniquity is forgiven and whose sin is covered But lest I should seem to Beat the aire we will therefore Circumstantiate this Mercy a little and you shall see the Greatness of it Though indeed this were enough to tell you that sin is the Greatest Evil Thence would necessarily follow That it is the Greatest Mercy in the world To be rid of sin which will more fully appear if we consider the following particulars 1. First then The pardon of sin is the dearest-bought Mercy and that is something to shew the Greatness of the Mercy You know the Greater the sum is that is to be paid for the Purchase of a thing provided there be no want of wisdom in the Buyer nor want of Honesty in the Seller the Greater still and of more worth is the Thing bought or Purchased But now This Mercy Pardon of sin was a Mercy dear-bought It cost Blood Mat. 26.28 and that Not the blood of Bulls and Goats for that it was impossible it should take away sins as the Apostle hath it Heb. 10.4 What then was it Why it was The Precious blood of Christ 1 Pet. 1.18 19. You were not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold from your vain conversation but with the precious Blood of Christ as of a Lamb without blemish and spot And this The Blood of God Acts 20.28 Feed the Church of God which he hath purchased with his own Blood Now sit down and think what a Mercy that must needs be which is the Price of blood and that of the Son of God There was no Want of Wisdom in the Buyer he could not be over-reacht he knew the worth of the Commodity Nor was there want of justice or goodness in the Seller He was just and would not take one drop of blood more than the thing was worth And he was A Father too and therefore would not put his Son to more sufferings and require more than the thing was worth 2. This is the purest Mercy of all other The Pardon of sin A mercy that comes from the Heart and Good-will of God to you God may give you all other things and hate you You may be Rich and yet Reprobates Great in the world here and be Damned hereafter Dives may have wealth Herod Eloquence Saul Command Agryppa Glorious Apparel a man may do wickedly and yet prosper These things are not Truly good nor Truly evil If good the wicked should not have them If evil the Saints should not have them These are such things as God reacheth from his Hand not from his Heart they are general favors not special Love But this is a Peculiar-Favor the Saints
Oh! it is dear to him therefore hee gives charge to the World touch not one of these you touch the apple of mine eye offend not one of these little ones they are dear to mee hee is chary over them Yea hee doth not only charge but menace too and threatens men if they shall hurt any of his little ones It had been better for you that a Milstone were tyed about your necks and cast into the middle of the Sea than to offend any of these little ones Christ is exceeding chary over his Church and People they are dear to him Take a taste of it Job 18.8 when hee himself was in that Agony and when hee suffered himself to bee hailed before the Judges and to dye yet you see how chary hee was over his Disciples why saith Christ I am hee you seek for if therefore you seek mee let these go their way As if hee had said I am hee whom you seek and against whom your malice goes forth do what you will with mee but spare these let these go what have these done with Jonah cast mee into the Sea that the storm may cease nail mee on the Cross fling mee into the grave do with mee what you will that these may escape Oh! Christ must needs bee chary of them when hee would put his back between his Church and the stripes interpose his soul between the wrath of God and them Drink of that bitter cup that they might not taste of it bee wounded that they might bee healed bear the curse that they might carry away the blessing as there was no sorrow to his sorrow so no love to his love all loves are lost nay seem hatred in comparison of his Another place John 7.9 to the 16. see there when he was to go from them how chary hee was over them he commends them to his Father and desines him to keep them whom hee had given him As if hee had said Father they are mine and I love them dearly I have done much for them but I will do more therefore preserve them therefore keep them I am no more in the World but these are in the World holy Father through thine own name keep those whom thou hast given mee thus you see how chary Christ was over them And therefore his heart is exceedingly taken with his Church Hee will keep them from trouble hee will buy out their trouble with the troubles of the whole World and their lives with the lives of thousands you have a place for this Isa 43.3 4. I gave Egypt for thy ransome I gave Ethiopia and Seba for thee God will give whole Kingdomes for his Church to preserve them from trouble I have loved thee therefore will I give men for thee and people for thy life As if hee had said I stand not at it to give the heads of a thousand men the lives of ten thousands to save thy life to preserve thee The Ramme to save Isaac hee is chary of them if not to keep them from trouble yet to support them in trouble Hee is chary of them hee will deliver them out of trouble hee will not suffer the rod of the wicked to rest Though for a time yet c. many are the troubles of the Righteous but hee knows how to deliver his and reserve the wicked If Christ do not deliver thee from trouble yet hee will deliver thee in trouble and at last hee will deliver thee out who knows how to deliver his when thou not c. That which a man thinks all too little nothing too much too dear to bestow upon that the heart of a man is exceedingly taken withall Where all the expressions that a man can lay out do still fall short of his affections to it it is a sign the heart is much taken with such a thing When a man thinks not riches nor labour nor his bloud his life too dear this shews the heart is much taken with it Now the Church is so dear to Christ that hee thinks nothing too dear nothing too much for it It was not his bloud within his veins nor his life within his breast which hee counted too dear for her Hee can beseem to bestow any thing on her Hee will bestow temporals on her Dabit sua quod non detinuit se at least so much as is necessary for her All things necessary for life godliness if hee give himself how much more all things Rom. 8.32 will hee give the greater and deny the less no. That love which gave the greater will not deny thee the less if it were good for thee so much hee hath ingaged himself by Covenant to give thee as to bear thy charge to Heaven and then there is no want The Lions shall hunger and suffer want c. Hee bestows Grace on thee and Faith is more precious than Gold Hee might bestow out words on thee and yet his heart never taken with thee Dives had more wealth uttered more eloquence Saul more command Agrippa more glorious apparel than those his heart is taken withall Hee may give Wealth to a Dives Command to a Saul Eloquence to a Herod But hee never bestows Grace on any but it is an evidence his heart is taken with a man As Abraham gave portions to the sons of the Concubines but Isaac had the inheritance Hee will bestow his Spirit on thee to inlighten renew c. Hee will bestow himself on thee the collectioner of all other blessings God cannot extend his love further in giving nor wee ours in desiring And that which a man bestows himself upon must needs bee precious in his eyes Christ doth bestow himself on thee Who is the summum genus of gifts the gift of gifts The gift which doth intitle us to all other gifts all is yours if you bee Christs The gift which sweetens and sanctifies all other Like the Unicorns horn takes away the venome and poison of all other There is a curse with all other gifts if Christ bee not given A curse to your Gold your Silver your Prosperity your Meat Drink Health and Strength But where Christ is given hee takes off the curse sanctifies all hee doth not only turn comforts into blessings but crosses into blessings A blessing in sickness in poverty in death c. Christ bestows himself upon his Church hee doth pass over himself and all his by deed of gift hee and all his is yours As you and all yours are his your sins and sorrows all his And all his are yours his merits his Spirit As Christ said to the Father so may yee to Christ all thine is mine his merit cloathing his bloud drink flesh meat Hee is meat drink cloaths Christ doth not stay here but hee bestows Heaven upon his Church It is the Mannor house which hee hath reserved for his Spouse Father I will that those whom thou hast given mee may bee where I am c. Joh. 17.24 They are married together and co-habitation
his heart on us but though hee saw what wee would bee yet hee loved us How then shall it bee able to over-turn the thoughts of his heart when once they are fixed on us Men indeed are not able to see to the utmost of things they are not able to discover and fore-see all the inconveniences and evils that may arise and therefore that being discovered after which was not fore seen before may bee a ground to alter their affections and change their thoughts when fixed The less Judgement and fore-sight in men the more fickleness and changeableness in men But now God hee fore-saw all Hee fore-saw all that which thou now thinkest is a ground for him to alter his mind to thee And if all that fore-seen could not hinder him from fixing his love on thee neither shall it bee able to move him to take off his heart when once his heart is taken with thee Hence hee is said to make an everlasting Covenant with us and hee will never depart from us Nay Hee will put his fear into our hearts that wee shall never depart from him Jer. 32.40 And Isa 54.9 10. saith the Lord speaking of the Covenant of Grace which hee will make with his people It shall bee as the Waters of Noah unto mee for as I have sworn that the Waters of Noah should no more go over the Earth so have I sworn that I will not bee wroth with thee nor rebuke thee As if hee had said this is as sure as the other the one as firm as the other You have experience of the one beleeve the other I give you the same pawn the same seal of Heaven to confirm it If Men were as bad as Devils they should never bring a second flood upon the World because God hath sworn never to destroy it And as hee hath sworn to that and is therefore stedfast and immutable So hee hath sworn to the other that hee will never leave you nor forsake you and therefore God will not Object But alas Do wee not see that God doth sometimes forsake his Church and People Answ Now for the answer of this wee will premise these three Distinctions 1. There is a seeming and there is a real forsaking 2. There is a Temporary and an eternal forsaking 3. There is a partial and a total forsaking From these wee will lay down three Conclusions in answer to the Objection 1. Conclusion God doth sometimes Seemingly Deus bonos non negligit cum negligit when hee doth not really forsake his people God doth not really neglect his People when hee seems to neglect them Hee seemed to neglect and forsake Job Heman David Christ himself when hee cryes My God! My God! why hast thou forsaken mee It was Dissimulatio non indignatio as one speaks Hee feigned himself to bee gone but was not gone The Cloud may take the Sun from our sight but not rent it from the Skie God may seemingly bee gone when hee is really there Hee seemed to bee gone from Job but hee was really there Otherwise Job could not have trusted in him in that great difficulty The same I may say of Heman of David Though God seemed to bee gone yet hee was really there Otherwise they could not have prayed exercised their Faith and sought after God as they did So also was it with the Church in the Canticles cap. 3.1 cap. 5. beg And that is the first Conclusion God may seemingly when not really forsake his People 2. Conclusion God may partially forsake his People but hee doth never totally forsake them I say God may in part forsake his People which may bee occasioned on their part by some fresh and new-acted sin As you see it was with David Psal 51.1 David had sinned God had withdrawn himself God was gone comfort was gone light was gone for a time Works of Darkness and walking in Darkness went together Hee did not follow the Direction and therefore wanted the Consolation of the Spirit But though hee doth partially sometimes yet hee doth never totally forsake his people For the clearer understanding of this Conclusion you must know there is a threefold Presence of God 1. Quickening 1. Comforting 3. Supporting 1. God may forsake a man in part in respect of his Quickening presence and leave a man to the barrenness flatness deadness of his own spirit for a time that the soul cannot pray hear meditate do any thing as formerly it hath done As it was with Sampson when his locks were cut his strength was gone and therefore though hee thought to go out and do as hee did in former times yet hee found there was no such matter hee was become even as another man so it is here our strength lyes not in our hair but in our head When God is gone our Locks are cut our strength is gone And though wee may think to go upon duties as at other times and meet with those lively and vigorous workings of spirit in duty yet wee shall finde no such matter wee are even become as other men Indeed so much of his Quickening Spirit God leaves in the worst of times as usually to keep up the heart to duty The soul will pray will read c. but hee gives not so much as to carry the soul through the duty with that life and vigour of affection which formerly it had Time was that the soul never came to prayer without an inflamed heart never upon the duty without a quick and inlarged soul But now the spirit is dead in duty cold in duty heartless in the performance of those things wherein the heart was so much taken 2. God may forsake a man in respect of his Comforting presence Though man is not able to rob us of our comforts and take away our joyes they are such as the armes of men are not long enough to reach yet God hee can Hee may eclipse our joyes and damp our comforts and withdraw the beams of his Countenance from us and leave us in darkness and trouble I say hee may turn our Day into Night our Light into Darkness our Comforts into Discomforts Thus you see it was with Job with David with Heman Psal 88. who although they had the Quickening-presence of God yet they wanted his Comforting-presence And indeed of the two it is better to want the Comforting than the Quickening-presence Better to want Comfort than Life Joies than Graces or the lively exercise of them The one is the Esse the other but the Bene Esse of a Christian A man may live and serve God and obey him and yet want his Comforting-presence as you see Isa 50.10 But hee cannot live without his Quickenning-presence 3. God may forsake a man in part in respect of his Quickening-presence and hee may more forsake a man in respect of his Comforting-presence But God doth never forsake us in respect of his Supporting-presence In the saddest condition in the darkest night in the stormiest day the soul
shall bee of Christ of his beauties his love c. because Christ is in thy heart What the heart is taken withall the Tongue will discourse on 1. And indeed wee cannot have a fuller Subject to discourse on Other Subjects they are empty subjects quickly barren Talk of what you will you will bee quickly at an end The bottome of other things are quickly sounded But Christ is a full Subject Whatever you fall upon is fulness in Christ An everlasting spring which affordeth fresh supplies of matter New and unconceiveable discoveries do arise afresh to bee matter of supply to all eternity 2. You cannot have a sweeter subject Christ is All-sweet A Rose without prickles A Rose for sweetness without prickles for content And nothing is so but Christ All the things of the world since the fall have been Roses beset with thorns Though there bee many sweets in the World yet they are not all-sweet they are beset with thorns crosses with comforts and afflictions with affections Christ is All-sweet and nothing but sweet Tota pulchra as hee said of his Spouse Thou art all-fair Beauty without spot Sweet without prickles Hee is a Garden full of flowers full of sweets You can light of none but you may lade your thighs and go home satisfied 3. You cannot have a more delightfull subject Christ is the delight of all both in Heaven and Earth Hee is Gods delight his heart is taken with him hee lies in his bosome And his Son in whom hee is wel pleased hee is the delight of the Angels whose delight it is to study Christ and desire to learn and hear further discoveries of Christ by his Church as Peter hath it 1 Pet. 1.12 4. You cannot have a more profitable subject A subject which in conversing upon wee are transformed into his Glory 2 Cor. 3.18 into the glory of him who is the subject of the discourse Have you not been kindled with heavenly fire have not your hearts burned in the converses of him as well as in the converses with him Indeed wee cannot converse of him aright but in some measure wee converse with him Doth it not sometimes fetch up your souls to glory and leave you in Heaven Do you not finde it profitable to quicken you to raise you to comfort you to inflame you to humble you to melt you to transform you Doth not a discourse of his love quicken you when you are dead comfort you when you are dejected raise you when faln humble you when proud inflame you when cold Inlarge you when straitned and pent within your selves Oh! That such worthless subjects should so often take up our Tongues and Thoughts And Christ so full so sweet so delightfull so profitable a subject which shall bee matter for our souls discourse to all Eternity shall bee thrown aside as if not worth taking up You whose hearts are taken with Christ declare it to your own comfort and the good of others In this let your thoughts bee taken up with him let your discourses bee more of him shew your selves to love him by thinking Christ speaking Christ living Christ more 6. Sign An heart taken with Christ thirsts after communion with and nearer conjunction to Christ You know whatever your hearts are taken withall you desire and thirst after communion and converses withall So it is here betwixt Christ and the soul The soul taken with Christ longs to bee with him and thirsts after communion with him 1. In Grace here 2. In Glory hereafter 1. In Grace here Oh! How the soul once taken with Christ desires converses with him in prayer in hearing in meditation Isa 26.8 9. The desire of our soul is to thy name and to the remembrance of thee With my soul have I desired thee in the night yea with my spirit within mee will I seek thee early And this is the Genius of a soul taken with Christ that duty doth not content him if hee finde not Christ in duty If the end of a duty have left him on this side Christ it hath left him so far short of comfort Others indeed though they do a duty yet as their hearts seek not Christ in the duty so their souls can rest content without him when the duty is done but it is otherwise with a right-born-soul 'T was the speech of Bradford that hee could never leave a duty till hee had found communion with Christ in the duty till hee had brought his heart into a duty-frame Hee could not leave confession till hee had found his heart touched broken and humbled for sin nor Petition till hee had found his heart taken with the beauties of the things desired and carried out after them nor could hee leave thanksgiving till hee had found his spirit inlarged and his soul quickened in the return of praises And it was the happiness of Bernard a Heaven upon Earth that hee saith of himself I never went from thee without thee Nunquam abs te absque te recedo Coelum extra Coelum Hee found God in every duty hee had communion with God in every prayer which indeed is Heaven on this side Heaven Thus hee whose heart is taken with Christ thirsts after communion with him and no duty contents him wherein hee hath not found either his quickening or his comforting-presence either communion with his Grace or communion with his comfort 2. As hee thirsts after communion with him here in Grace so doth hee desire communion with him in Glory To bee with the Lord as the Apostle Whiles the soul is here it sees the distance too great betwixt Christ and it that shee cannot injoy that sweet communion with him As the Apostle saith Whiles wee are present in the flesh wee are absent from the Lord. And therefore the soul breaths after him desires to bee with him Cupio dissolvi saith the Apostle I desire to bee dissolved and to bee with Christ The like of David Psal 42.1 2. As the Hart panteth after the water-brooks so panteth my soul after thee O God My soul thirsteth for God for the living God When shall I come and appear before God! Hee had tasted the sweetness of Christ and did not fear the bitterness of death Vitam in Patientia mortem in Desiderio Hee had Life in Patience Death in Desire because by death hee should bee carried to more sweet and intimate conjunction with Christ It was the speech of Augustine Lord I will dye that I may injoy thee Eja Domine mortar ut te videam nolo vivere Volo mori I will not live but I will dye I desire to dye that I may see Christ and refuse to live that I may live with Christ And this disposition you see in the Spouse here Her heart being taken with Christ shee could not brook the distance betwixt Christ and her and therefore cryes out Cant. 8.1 Make haste make haste my beloved Though in one sense it is true hee that beleeves makes not haste
dear are you precious to him let him bee dear and precious to you Whatever God doth to the soul it makes an impression in the soul of the same to God Hee loves us and thereupon wee love him so his heart is taken with us thereupon our hearts are taken with him You see here the mutual Indeerments betwixt Christ and his Church Cant. 5.16 Pauls heart was so much taken with Christ that hee was ever in his thoughts ever upon his tongue Hee names him sixteen or seventeen several times in one chapter 1 Cor. 1.1 as Chrysostome notes Peter did but let a word of Christ fall and it is a door to open to further discourse of him Hee takes occasion upon the naming of him to enter into discourse concerning him As you see 1 Pet. 1.7 8. So greatly were their hearts taken with Christ that they could think nothing but Christ speak nothing but Christ No sentence compleat wherein Christ was not part of it Hee was the one of their esteems the one of their affections the one of their desires the one of their delights And so ought hee to bee of ours Get your hearts taken with Christ this will make you Christians indeed this will make you humble active chearful Christians An heart taken with Christ is Heaven on this side Heaven An Heaven on Earth Glory in Clay It is the Paradise where Christ delights to walk It is the House where Christ delights to dwell It is the Throne where Christ sits in his glory It is the Habitation of the blessed Spirit It is the Delight of all the blessed Trinity An heart taken with Christ is the humble soul indeed is the active soul the living soul which breathes forth nothing but love and desire after Christ It is an heart dead to the world for the World can never take that heart which once is taken with Christ All is empty to him whom fulness fills All is blackness where Beauty shines Oh! then get but an heart taken with him and thou livest a Life of Glory and a Life of Grace This is the Porch of Glory the suburbs of Heaven I told you before there were four speciall times in which the heart was taken with Christ I might adde a fifth which I hope is our times When Christ goes forth in his glory for the redemption and deliverance of his Church and punishment of his enemies Then is the heart taken with him 1. Taken with his Wisdome 2. With his Justice 3. With his Power 4. With his Mercy and goodness Which are the visible attributes Christ doth manifest in the deliverance of his Church You see this Isa 25.9 when God went forth in his Glory to deliver his Church the Saints were taken with him even to admiration and speak glorying Loe This is our God wee have waited for him and hee will save us This is the Lord wee have waited and will bee glad in his salvation Here was a Triumphant song of the Church This is our God This who appears so glorious so full of Majesty This This is our God not yours And good reason 1. Christ never appears in his Glory to his Church but hee makes his Church glorious You see when God delivered his Church from Babylon hee did appear in his Glory Psal 102.16 When the Lord shall build up Zion hee shall appear in his glory And you see as hee appeared in his Glory so hee made the Church glorious Isa 54.11 12 13. speaking of the same time Behold I will lay thy stones with fair colours and lay thy foundations with Saphires I will make thy windows of Agates and thy gates of Carbuncles and all thy borders of pleasant stones 2. Christ now comes in with the Performance of Promises and needs then must he be glorious and the Church be taken with him If Christ were so glorious when hee made those promises what is hee when hee comes in to make good those Promises Christ hath reserved abundance of his visible Glory to bee seen by his Church now at the end of the World Our Fore-Fathers have seen him but an obscured Christ a persecuted and kept-down Christ Though glorious yet humble-glory But it will not bee long before the Church see him in his Glory when hee comes to destroy that man of sin with the brightness of his comming Blessed bee God for what our eyes see Let us follow him with admiration with the Church This is our God follow with spiritual triumph This is our God And let our hearts bee taken with his goings forth who is set forth in his glory now to redeem and to deliver his Church and People A TREATISE OF THE NATURE AND ROYALTIES OF FAITH BY SAMVEL BOLTON D. D. And MASTER of C.C.C. LONDON Printed by Robert Ibbitson for Thomas Parkhurst and are to be sold at his Shop over against the Great Conduit in Cheapside 1656. A TREATISE OF THE NATVRE ROYALTIES OF FAITH JOHN 3.15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have eternal life I Have intended with Gods assistance to enter upon a Discourse of Faith which might last till we come to the place where faith shall be no more And although my preaching of faith may end before yet your practising of it must not The just shall live by faith and the just must dye in faith This Text I have chosen for the foundation of this Discourse Which before I come to handle in particular I shall shew what coherence and dependance it hath with the former words For which purpose you must know that this Chapter from the beginning to Verse 22. contains a discourse between Christ and Nicodemus In which you may observe 1. The Occasion of the Discourse 2. The Discourse it self 1. The occasion of this Discourse most likely was a Question put by Nicodemus which is not here expressed but is probably implyed in Verse 3. in that it is said That Jesus Answered and by the Answer you may guess what the Question was It may be such an one as this What he must do that he might be saved 2. We have the Discourse it self Which was partly continued and partly interrupted Continued by Christ and partly interrupted by Nichodemus in divers places by his Objections Cavils and fleshly Reasonings This Text is a part of Christs continued discourse and hath special relation to the foregoing verse As Moses lift up c. so must the Son of man be lifted up Verse 14. That whosoever believeth in him be he who he will Jew or Gentile bond or free Barbarian Scythian c. Or be his sins what they will for nature never so hainous for number never so many for continuance never so long practised Yet whosoever believeth c. if they believe they shall be as readily and certainly pardoned and saved as other less offendors Whosoever believeth In which words we have 1. The Promise 2. The Condition of the Promise Or here is 1. An act Believe 2. The object Christ
of the Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and stay or lean upon his God and Isa 26.3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is staid on thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because hee trusteth in thee which word in the matter of Justification designeth that Act whereby finding and feeling our own weakness as unable to support our selves wee do lean and rest on Christ as David Psal 28.7 The Lord is my strength and my shield my heart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 trusted in him and I am helped c. And to these words in the Old Testament wee may adde those forms of words in the New and so wee shall finde that what in the Old is expressed by some one of these words is in the New expressed by beleeving in and upon To instance in a few We trust in the name of his Holiness saith the Old Testament Psal 33.21 and He that believeth in his name saith the New John 1.12 13. Trust in the Lord with thy whole heart saith the Old Prov. 3.5 If thou believest with thy whole heart saith the New Acts 8.34 37. In thee O Lord have I trusted let me not be confounded saith the Old Psal 31.1 25.2 and He that believeth on him shall not be ashamed saith the New Rom. 10.11 So that you see that to Trust and to Believe are Synonima import the same things though they differ in name yet not in nature He that Trusteth Believeth and he that Believeth Trusteth In which sense we have the phrases of believing in or upon 1 Pet. 2.6 Behold I lay in Sion a chief corner stone and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded Where by believing on him cannot be meant any thing but a laying and building our selves upon Christ as the foundation that we may be made a spiritual house as you have it in Verse 4 5. the like we have Rom. 10.10.11 He that believeth on him and so 2 Tim. 1.12 For I know in whom I have believed c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whence it is apparent that to believe in God is as much as to commit our selves to his trust for so it there followeth I am perswaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him or deposited with him or delivered up unto his keeping to that day that is his soul to everlasting life So that we see that to believe in Christ is with confidence and trust to rely upon him And thus much for the formal act of faith 2. For the formal object of faith and that not of faith at large for so the word of God is the objectum adaequatum of it but as it is particularly justifying faith quatenus justificat as it properly justifieth which is not the believing of every truth of God but that onely which by way of eminency is called The Truth that is Christ himself with all his merits John 14.6 and so here in the Text He that believeth in him Hence justifying faith is often called the Faith of Christ because he is the proper object of it Rom. 3 22 26. Gal. 2.16.20 And faith in Christ Acts 20.21 and Faith in the blood of Christ Whence I thus argue That Object to the Belief of which justification and salvation is promised that is the Object of justifying faith But to believe in Christ is Justification and Salvation promised Therefore Christ is the object of justifying faith Thus as briefly as I could having shewed what is the formal both act and object of justifying faith I shall now lay down this one Conclusion Doct. That the great thing which is required at our hands for Justification and Salvation is beleeving in Christ Hee that beleeves shall bee saved In the prosecution of this wee will shew 1 What Faith is 2 That Faith is the great requisite 3 Why God hath made choice of this to bee the instrument of Justification 4 How Faith doth justifie whether formally or instrumentally 5 What bee the Royalties of Faith 1 What Faith is For the first What Faith is Wee will not define the habit of Faith but the Act of Faith nor every Act but that only which justifieth Now according to the diversity of opinions herein such is the diversity of Definitions They who hold the Assent to bee the Act of Justifying Faith define it to bee a firm and willing Assent to the truth of God in generall and to this truth in particular that Christ is the Messiah and Saviour of the World They who hold it to bee a receiving of Christ define it to bee such an Act as whereby wee receive Christ in all his offices But not to trouble you with these That which I will give you is this Definition Faith is an Act of a regenerate person whereby knowing and assenting unto the Promises of God and to this Truth in particular that Christ is the Messiah or Saviour of the World doth rest upon him for Justification Sanctification and consequently for Salvation Now to explain this Definition 1 I say that Faith is an Act for wee speak not of Faith in actu primo as an habit infused and implanted in us but in actu secundo as an Act whereby wee are justified for wee are not justified by Faith as an habit or as a grace inherent in us but as I said by Faith as an Act as it goeth over to Christ as wee see here the Promise is not made to the Habit but to the Act of Faith Hee that beleeveth c. That is the first I call it an Act 2 The subject person so it is said to bee an Act of a regenerate person a man universally sanctified regenerated and born again for take Faith which way you please for the Act or for the Habit neither of them are before Regeneration 1 The Act of Faith that is not before the Habit of Faith a thing must bee in esse before it can bee in operari there must bee a Habit of Faith within before there can bee the exercise of Faith without 2 And this Habit of Faith is not infused before other graces it being part of our inherent Sanctification as infidelity is a part of our corruption nor is it again infused alone but together with the rest of the graces of Gods Spirit by which wee are regenerated So that Faith is an Act of a regenerated soul A man cannot beleeve till his understanding bee enlightened and his will changed and this is not before Grace Again to beleeve is an Act of a living man not of a soul dead in sin and therefore the soul must first bee indued with the life of Grace before it can perform this living action Indeed we are said to be sanctified by Faith and so it might seem that our Sanctification were a fruit of Faith an effect of Faith but wee are not to understand this as meant of the first work of Sanctification which is not acquired or put forth
therefore hee hath chosen Faith to bee the Grace whereby wee should bee Justified And if ever you would bee justified if ever you would have Glory give him Glory 4. The fourth thing at first propounded to bee cleared was How Faith justifieth For the clearer answer whereto wee will lay down these two Distinctions 1 Faith may be considered 1. Either formally as an inherent Grace of God in us 2 Or instrumentally as that whereby wee receive Christ In the first sense it hath nothing to do with Justification The Papist because wee deny Faith to justifie in respect of its own worthiness say that we make it titulum sine re as it were a matter of nothing whereas in respect of Justification wee acknowledge it the only instrument and that is much to bee said of it 2 Faith is considered 1. Either absolutely as a Habit or Act of ours 2. Or Relatively as it hath relation to Christ and makes us one with him In the former sense again it hath nothing to do with Justification but in the second sense as it is related to Christ and brings us over to Christ so it is said to justifie us because it brings us to him by whom wee are justified Act. 13.39 By him speaking of Christ all that beleeve are justified by him but not by Faith absolutely but only as relating to him Indeed wee are said to live by Faith as well as by Christ Gal. 2.20 to have remission of sins by Faith Act. 10.43 as well as by Christ Ephes 1.7 to bee justified by Faith Rom. 3.28 as well as by Christ Isa 53.11 to have peace with God by Faith Rom. 5.1 as well as by Christ Col. 1.20 to bee sanctified by Faith Act. 15.9 as well as by Christ 1 Cor. 1.30 to overcome the World by Faith 1 John 5.4 5. as well as by Christ John 16.33 To bee the Sons of God by Faith Gal. 3.26 as well as by Christ Ephes 1.5 to have eternal life and to bee saved by Faith John 5.24 Ephes 2.8 as well as by Christ Math. 1.21 John 3.17 1 John 5.11 But now you must consider that none of these are spoken of Faith absolutely considered as either an Habit or Act of ours but only relatively as Faith brings us to Christ and makes us one with him by whom alone wee are justified adopted sanctified c. for between Christ and Faith there is such a Relation that as Justifying Faith is called the Faith of Christ or Faith in Christ or Faith in his blood so again the Righteousness of Christ by which wee are justified is called the Righteousness of Faith And so wee conclude this point that Faith doth not justifie as absolutely considered in it self but relatively as it hath relation to Christ the object and as it brings the soul over to him makes us one with him by whom wee are justified have remission of sins salvation c. 5 What are the Royalties and Priviledges of Faith First Royalty 1. Royalty of Faith It s an heart-clearing Grace 1. Faith is an heart-clearing Grace When wee are under the guilt of sin Faith doth justifie us And it is one of the Royalties of Faith one of the Peculiars of Faith that Faith alone doth justifie As the Apostle Rom. 3.28 Therefore wee conclude that a man is justified by Faith without the deeds of the Law And this Faith clears the heart of the guilt of sin 1. By procuring a sufficient Pay-master Christ who hath satisfied Gods Justice to the full answered all Bills Bonds paid our debt to the utmost farthing Hence John 16.10 I will send the Spirit and hee shall convince the World of Righteousness because I go to my Father and you shall see mee no more That is hee shall convince the World That Perfect Righteousness is wrought for them That Gods Justice is compleatly satisfied But how shall wee know that Because I go to my Father and you shall see mee no more That is you shall see mee no more in this kind you shall see mee no more to come to suffer or satisfy for sin for I have done that already I have compleatly satisfied Gods Justice for sin And therefore you shall see mee no more in this kind Indeed If Justice had not been compleatly satisfied If there had been but one sin upon the file unsatisfied for wee should have seen him again Heaven could not have held him But now seeing hee is gone and wee see him no more an humbled a suffering-Saviour this shews all is done To this I might adde Col. 2.14 Hee hath blotted out the hand writing of Ordinances that was against us which was contrary to us and hath taken it out of the way and nailed it to his Cross where by hand-writing of Ordinances is not meant the Ceremonial-Law only but whatever did binde us over to the Curse whatever did binde us over to death All which Christ hath removed by his death And the Apostles Gradation is observable here In the 13th verse hee had set down that our sins were forgiven Yea but that is not enough may some say Though the debt bee discharged yet the writing is to shew No saith the Apostle The Hand-writing of Ordinances is blotted out But may some say again it is not so blotted out so defaced but it may bee read and put in suit again a new quarrel may arise No saith the Apostle It is taken away Oh! But you will say it is not so taken away but as it is laid aside for a time it may be produced hereafter No saith the Apostle there is no fear of that it is nailed to the Cross it is torn in peeces it shall never be seen again never shall a new quarrel arise for the same Christ hath not only paid the debt but canceld and torn in peeces whatever might witness or testifie against us If a Debtor did know his Debt were answered yet if hee have his Bonds and Bills uncall'd in hee is still in fear But when hee hath all things which acknowledged his debt crossed torn in peeces made utterly void then hee is safe hee knows there is a discharge Why Christ did not only discharge our debt but defaced and abolished all such things as made acknowledgement of our debt hee left nothing that might witness against us untaken away And this is the first way whereby Faith doth clear us viz. by producing and bringing forth Christ who hath cleared all who is called a Suerty Heb. 7.22 Not only in passing his word for us but paying the Debt for us answering all and cancelling all that was against us But Faith doth not clear us only by producing of a sufficient Pay-master but 2. By making us one with Christ by which this payment is ours is all for us So that wee may say with Ambrose Pro me natus pro me vixit pro me mortuus Faith will say hee was born for mee hee lived for mee hee dyed for mee for mee hee fulfilled all
by unbelief do slight all the threats of God denounced against sin if you make childs play of them as the word signifies 2 Pet. 3.3 If you look upon these but as Bug-bears things to keep men in awe and not real things No marvel if you bee not Humbled But if by Faith you would Realize these things to your selves and behold them not as Fancies and sad dreams but such things as are infallibly true real things not as painted Hell painted fire but as reall you would them finde them to work These mingled with Faith would lay a man in the dust Now this is a property of Faith to Realize the Object or thing beleeved and hence comes an influence on the soul to humble and abase it 3 Faith doth not only take up humbling Considerations and Realizeth all these to the Soul But Faith makes all this present Faith doth give a present being to all this Hence Heb. 11.13 Faith imbraceth the promise The word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Faith kisseth the promise gives a present being to the promise And as it gives a present being to the promise or word of comfort so to the threatning and word of terror Faith discovers death and hell and all at hand for Sin Faith looks upon sinne in all it's Doomes-day apparrel and array smels fire and Brimstone in sin Whereas unbeleevers they look on these things at the wrong end of the Prospective and that makes things neer seem a far off and that afar off is not seen at all But Faith looks upon them through the right end of the prospective And there things a far off are seen at hand present Hence it is called The Evidence of things not seen As it was said of Abraham Hee saw the day of Christ and rejoyced and yet Abraham was dead many hundred of years before Christ yet by vertue of his prospective by vertue of his Faith hee saw it as if it had been present though it were never so far off So here though the second day of Christ the day of judgement bee a far off yet Faith sees it and is humbled Faith gives it a present Being 4. Faith applies and brings home all this to Soul As the word of Comfort the Promise is applyed and brought home to the Soul by Faith so the word of Terror the Threatning is brought home to the soul by the same Faith by which the Soul is cast down and humbled The manner of Faiths Application is by a practical Syllogisme where the Major or first Proposition is the Word of God The Assumption or second Proposition is the Testimony of Conscience and the conclusion is inferred from them both as hee that beleeveth not but continueth in sir is for the present guilty and obnoxious to wrath at the last Judgement But I beleeve not but continue in sin Therefore I am for the present guilty and obnoxious to wrath to bee inflicted at the last Judgement Seventh Royalty 7. Faith is an Heart-softening-Grace Such a Grace as doth not only humble us but soften us not only break us 7. Royalty of Faith It s an Heart-softening-Grace but melt us In the Law it humbles us it breaks us but the heart like a flint every dust still reteins its flinty stony Nature is a stone And therefore in the Gospel it melts us it dissolves us Thunders of Sinai terrifie but Dews of Sion mollifie So much Faith so much Sorrow they are like the Fountain and the Stream whereof the one ariseth no higher than the other So much Faith and apprehension of Mercy so much brokenness of spirit for sin Where Unbelief doth stony the Heart harden the Heart dries up the spring and issues of sorrow No Heart is so hard as an Unbeleeving-heart neither the Promises nor Threatnings neither Mercy nor Justice neither Word nor works will melt it Faith on the contrary turns the Soul into Water dissolves a man into tears opens all the deep springs of sorrow in the Soul 1. Faith looks upon Heart-melting-Promises Takes a survey of the Riches of Gods Love and Mercy in making such precious Promises which doth exceedingly melt 2. Faith takes up Heart-softening-Considerations from the Love and Mercy of God towards us which are Heart-melting-Mercies from the goodness and sweetness of God Faith makes us see God as hee is It makes God no otherwise than hee is not more gracious not more merciful than hee is But Faith discovers him as hee is a gracious and a mercifull God It doth but undraw the Curtain but take off the Mask which Satan and Infidelity have put on and makes us to behold God as hee is in all his glorious excellencies Soul saving attributes and Mercies which who can behold by Faith but must needs mourn and dissolve into tears that they have offended him Thus you see Ezek. 36.31 when God had discovered himself in his Pardoning-Mercy his washing Forgiving-Mercy to the beleeving soul then they shall mourn and bee humbled Oh! There is nothing breaks the heart more than Mercy nothing melts a man more than the smiles of God the Mercies of God which being discovered to the Soul the Soul is not able to stand stubborn under it 3. Faith looks upon a Soul-melting a Soul-softening Object upon Christ a wounded a broken Christ And who can behold him but with an Humbled and a broken-heart A bleeding Christ without a bleeding Heart Oh! Here is enough in this Object to open all the springs of sorrow in us wee need not to go to Bellarmines Twelve Considerations to open the Fountain of tears in us wee need not bring in the miseries of mankind for one nor the sad condition of the Souls in Purgatory for another Wee need not bee beholden to him for such considerations as these to help us to mourn Oh! Here is enough in Christ in a broken and wounded Christ to open all the springs in thee and if thou hadst a Fountain of tears to spend them all The Considerations of his sufferings 1. Either in themselves 2. Or in their cause 3. Or as the Effects of sin 1. The Considerations of his breakings and sufferings as they were in themselves 1. The sufferings of his Body What woundings breakin gs scourgings crownings peircings did hee endure upon his Body 2. The sufferings on his Soul What conflict and struglings with the wrath of God the powers of darkness what weights what burdens what wrath did hee undergo when his Soul was heavy unto death be set with terrors as the word implies When he drunk that bitter Cup that Cup of bitterness that Cup mingled with Curses which made him sweat drops of blood which if men or Angels had but sip's of 't would have made them reel stagger and tumble into Hell 2. The Consideration of his sufferings in the Cause as the meriting cause of all our good procurer of all our Peace Life Salvation Hee was wounded that wee might bee healed scourged that wee might bee solaced drank the
bitter Cup of wrath that wee might have the draught of Mercy Hee was slain But not for himself saith Daniel But wounded for our transgressions broken for our iniquities The Chastisement of our peace was upon him Faith looks upon these his sufferings as the meriting causes of our good 3. The Considerations of his sufferings as effects of sin as the effects of our sin as that which our sins have brought upon him Which Consideration must needs effect and break our hearts When the soul shall look upon Christ and say It was I that have been the murderer I that have been the Traitor my sins which brought all this evil on thee I sind and thou sufferedst It was I that did eat the soue Grape and thy teeth were set en edge My sins were thy death yet by thy death thou brought'st the sinner life I have wounded thee yet thou hast healed mee even out of that wound which my sins have made hast thou sent out a Plaisâ—er even thy Blood for my sins Oh! This must needs fill the heart with sorrow Faith still looks upon an Humbled Christ with an Humbled Heart upon a Broken Christ with a Broken Heart upon a Bleeding Christ with a Bleeding Heart upon a Wounded Christ with a Wounded Heart Hence Zach. 12.10 They shall look upon him whom they have peirced And how shall that sight affect them It follows They shall mourn for him as one mourneth for his only Son and lament for him as one lamenteth for his first born In that day there shall bee a great mourning as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the Vallie of Megiddon God made the same Organ for seeing and for weeping And the soul that sees well weeps well Never soul that did by the Eye of Faith look upon this Son of Righteousness but their frozen hearts did melt within them Would you ever bee mourning men and Women for sin would you bee in bitterness as one is in bitterness for his first born Oh! Steep your thoughts in the blood of the Lamb Dwell a little on Christ crucified Look wistly upon Christ by Faith and this will solvere Gelicidium melt and thaw our frozen hearts turn us from stones into flesh Eight Royalty 8. Christ is an Heart-transforming-Grace 8 Royalty of Faith It s an Heart-transforming-Grace Such a Grace as doth transform the Soul into the nature of the Object Faith is as powerful in this spiritual conception to work in us the image of the Object seen as Fantasy is oftentimes in the natural conception The Poets tell us of some that did transform such as beheld them into stones such a power there was in the Object the thing beheld as to transform say they But here it is true If by Faith wee cast our Eyes upon Christ of stones wee shall bee turned into men of sinners into Saints of a hard heart to a soft and fleshly of Children of Satan to the Sons and Daughters of God Joh. 1.12 As many as beleeved on him to them hee gave power to bee the Sons of God Sons not born of the flesh or the will of the flesh but of God who begets like himself As that which is born of flesh is flesh So that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit Hence wee are said to bee made partakers of the Divine Nature To bee transformed into the image and likeness of God To bee Holy as Hee is Holy Pure as Hee is Pure To bee as hee is in this World Never soul that looked on him by Faith but came away with another heart They looked to him and were enlightened saith the Psalmist Psal 34.5 But plainly you shall read the Transforming Power of Faith 2 Cor. 3.18 Whiles beholding as in a Glass the Glory of the Lord wee are changed into the same image from Glory to Glory Such a Glass hee is that never did the Eye of Faith behold him but the Soul was changed with the sight from a Wolf into a Lamb from a sinner into a Saint from Darkness to Light You were once Darkness now are you Light in the Lord. It turns a man upside down wholly transforms him Indeed there is no change of the substance of soul and body nor of the faculties of soul and body but the qualities of the faculties are cleer changed The Head is transformed where before was darkness now there 's Light where before it did judge highly of carnal things and low esteemed spiritual it doth now the quite contrary The Will is transformed where before it was full of obstinacy and stoutness contradiction and rebellion now there is pliableness to good and conformity between Gods Will and his They are not two but one Will. Gods Amen is his Amen Gods Fiat his Fiat Gods Will his will So the Heart that is transformed whereas before it was nothing but a noisome sink of sin nothing but a Cage of unclean birds the womb of sin a seminary of lust Now it is washed purged purified sanctified made a fit Receptacle for Christ an Habitation for God by his Spirit Thus you see Faith is an Heart-transforming-Grace Wee cry and say Oh! If I had another heart I could beleeve If my heart were more holy more sanctified why the way to get another heart is to beleeve do but beleeve and you shall see another heart come into you another Spirit another Soul Do but look upon Christ and you shall bee transformed It is such a look as sends a man away with another heart As the Wise men It is said After they had seen Christ beheld Christ they went home another way So when by Faith wee have seen Christ it sends the Soul another way with another spirit with other Principles with other Resolutions There is this Power of Faith to transform the Soul into the nature of the Object beleeved Belief of the Promises breeds Principles in the Heart suitable to the Promises Belief in Christ breeds a Spirit suitable to Christ As Faith Belief in God a Father breeds Principles of Love Fear Reverence and Obedience in the Soul such things as are agreeable So the belief in Christ a Saviour breeds Principles of Trust of Love of Desire with the like Ninth Royalty 9 Faith is an heart-pacifying Grace 9 Royalty of Faith It s an Heart-pacifying-Grace Isa 26.3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is staied on thee because hee trusteth in thee A place alledged by One who lying on his death-bed and injoying abundance of peace and calmness of spirit being demanded how it came to pass hee was not now assaulted with Satan replyed Hee knew no ground no cause save this God had promised To keep that soul in perfect Peace whose mind was staied on him who trusteth on him Hee relyed on Christ and therefore injoyed rest Isa 27.5 Let him take hold of my strength That is by Faith lay hold on my Covenant my Christ and I will bee at peace with him Hence the Apostle Rom. 5.1
strikes both wayes For the first Many have Peace who yet are not Beleevers I grant it Many who are unbeleevers have quiet Peace Are not in trouble as other men Psal 7.3 5. 1. A Peace they have but it is a false Peace And a true war is better than a false Peace 2. A Peace they have but it is not the Peace of God rather the Peace of the Devil The strong man keeps the house and therefore all is at Peace 3. A Peace they have but it is but an outward Peace not an inward Peace The heart knows its own bitterness even in the midst of laughter the heart is sorrowfull when the Countenance is full of chear the Conscience is full of woe As the godly have often the Pearle of Joy in the Heart when the dew of tears is in their eyes so the wicked 4 A Peace they have but it is but the Peace of a dreaming sleeping man not the Peace of a man awakened or it is but 5. A Peace of a condemned man before his Execution The Peace of a calm before a storm I have shewed you there is a fourfold Conscience 1. Good and quiet 2. Not god nor quiet 3. Good but not quiet 4. Quiet but not good which quiet doth arise partly From ignorance of their condition or From carnal security or From brawninesse of Conscience want of inquiry into Conscience But it is far from true Peace Sure I am Pax non est ubi non est Gratia Pax est Haereditas Sanctorum Where there is no Grace there is no Peace Hence saith one Peace is the inheritance of Saints only 'T was all the Legacy which the Prince of Peace lest to his Subject Peace I leave with you my Peace I give unto you Joh. 14.27 There may bee godlinesse without Peace for a time but there can bee no Peace without godlinesse As Jehu said to Jehoram What Peace so long as the Whoredomes of thy Mother and her Witchcrafts bee so many So I say to you What Peace There is no Peace saith my God to the wicked Isa 57.21 1. They have no Peace with God God is their enemy 2. They have no Peace with Conscience that is full of storms as one said of Jonah ubi peccatum ibi procella Where sin is there is a storm A sinfull Conscience is a stormy Conscience though for the present it is quiet yet it is like a Book bound up wherein if ever it bee unclasped if ever it bee opened nothing but hellish Tragedies will appear And that Peace thou hast in a sinfull way it is a fore-runner of eternal war it is but like the Peace of the old World They ate they drank they married and gave in marriage till at last the flood came and swept them all away Luk. 17.27 It is but the Peace of Sodom the Peace of Agag the Peace of Joab and Shimei the Peace of Eli's house the Peace of all ungodly men who when they say Peace and safety then sudden destruction as travel upon a woman with childe so that they shall not escape 1 Thes 5.3 Object 2. The second part of the Objection is Many are Beleevers who yet want Peace Ans Indeed the best have no perfection of Peace because they want a perfection of Grace They have no perfection of Peace because they have not the perfection of Faith the perfection of Grace If there were a perfection of Grace then there might bee a perfection of Peace But the perfection of both is reserved to another world Though sometimes Beleevers may have such a Peace as may overcome all doubts fears troubles c. yet ordinarily their Peace is not so high There is doubting as well as confidence fear as well as Faith trouble as well as Peace The Peace of the godly here is a peace joyned with war Our inward Peace is joyned with inward War war against sin and corruption It is such a Peace as doth not consist in freedome from war but in an actual warring The Flesh still lusting against the Spirit and the Spirit against the Flesh And till this great Make-baâ—e bee taken away till sin bee destroyed wee must look for no perfect Peace 2. But secondly You say Beleevers want Peace It may bee they do They want the sense of Peace but not the ground of Peace They have the ground of Peace interest in Christ Reconciliation with God Justification pardon of sin Sanctification although for present they want the sense of Peace the clear apprehensions of all this to their Souls They have Peace with God Rom. 5.1 But they want Peace with themselves The direct act of Faith gives a man Peace with God Isa 27.5 Let him take hold of my strength and I will bee at Peace with him But the Reflect act of Faith is it which gives a man Peace within himself A man may have the one and yet want the other 3. It may bee they hold some secret Compliance with some secret and sweet corruption There may bee some secret Jonah which lies under hatches some secret Achan which lies undiscovered some secret close corruption which may cause God to make war against his own people and deny them Peace And therefore in this case wee must do as the Marriners in the storm as Israel in their trouble cast lots enter upon inquiry what that is that troubles our Peace and then cast him over-board that our hearts may bee calmed Wee have a passage worth observation 2 Sam. 20. from vers 16. to 23. Joab besieged Abel and threatned war A woman cryes out from the City to know the cause Hee returns her answer There was one Sheba the son of Bichri who was a traitor to the King Cast his head over the Wall and all shall bee at Peace which done Joab and all Israel retired every man to his tent and there was a Peace Thus God doth oftentimes besiege one of his own Subjects because they harbour some secret Traitor some close lust and corruption And therefore it would bee our wisdome to inquire and finde out the Traitor to yeeld up our sins and God will bee at Peace with us whereas otherwise God will never bee at Peace with him who is at Peace with his lusts nor spare him that spares his sin 4. It may bee they want present Peace because for present they are in warring conditions 1. In great Combates with lusts and corruptions 2. In great Conflicts with Satan 3. In sad deserted conditions At which times they may want the sense of Peace The Soul is now in the pursuit of Peace And though with Rebekah they have some strugling in the womb for a time yet God will part the womb at last Hee will speak Peace to his People at last hee will break the Cloud and discover himself 5. You say Beleevers want Peace But it is not as they are Beleevers but as they are Doubters If they had more Faith they would have more Peace It may bee they
made the Spouse of Christ Christ doth en-noble his Spouse Christ doth adorn and beautifie his Spouse Ezek. 16.10 11 12 13. I cloathed thee with broidred work and shed thee and covered thee with silk I decked thee with Ornaments c. Wee shine with the beams of his Justice Holiness Riches Graces Christ is made to us Wisdome Justification Sanctification and Redemption 1 Cor. 1.30 Of his fulness wee all have received and Grace for Grace Joh. 1.16 Nay 5. Faith makes us the Members of Christ who is such an Head as doth en-noble his Members Christ throws more Glory and Honour upon the meanest Member of his Body than all the World is able to make us heirs of It were better to bee the meanest Member of Christ than to have all the Glory of the World out of Christ better to bee the meanest twig in this Vine Meliùs non â—â—se quà m sine Christo esse than to bee the most glorious branch in the World out of Christ Better it is not to bee at all than not to bee in Christ 3. Faith puts us upon Soul-in-nobling imployments It puts a man upon Prayer Holy exercises Communion with God which are noble Imployments above the World Faith makes the soul live high above the World above the Earth Faith carries the soul to Heaven makes it live were it had its First breath and being makes our way to lye above our Conversation to bee in Heaven our joyes to bee there our affections there our hearts there By Faith Enoch walked with God hee conversed with God had to do with God daily the great God of Heaven and Earth daily in supplications and meditations and holy conversation All which are noble imployments The higher the person wee have to do withall the more noble are the imployments And they are such as do in-noble the Soul No man hath to do with God in any way but hee is in-nobled by it Moses face shone when hee had been conversing with God God doth shed Glory upon all those who have to do with him None have to do with a glorious God but are made glorious None with an Holy God but are made holy If you have to do with him in Prayer or any of his Ordinances hee sends you still better away 4. Faith doth intitle us unto a Soul-in-nobling Inheritance unto Heaven unto Glory It makes us not only Sons of God but Heirs Every Son is an Heir nay and a Joint-Heir with Christ unto that eternal inheritance of Glory Rom. 8.17 Hence the Apostle 1 Joh. 3.2 Now wee are the Sons of God but it doth not yet appear what wee shall bee but wee know when hee shall appear wee shall bee like him for wee shall see him as hee is Then when Christ who is our life shall appear wee shall also appear with him in Glory Col. 3.4 Wee shall bee Citizens of Heaven Faith doth intitle us to Crowns of Glory To that House not made with hands eternal in the Heavens 2 Cor. 5.1 To an inheritance incorruptible and that fadeth not reserved in Heaven for us 1 Pet. 1.5 To a far more exceeding and eternal weight of Glory 1 Cor. 4.17 Which Inheritance is so certain by Faith to Beleevers that the Apostle saith Wee sit together with him in heavenly places Ephes 2.6 wee sit now with him in respect of our Union by Faith and shall sit with him hereafter in our Communion with his Glory when wee shall bee invested with those Royal Robes of Glory Thus you see Faith is a Soul-in-nobling-Grace It makes God a Father Christ a Brother Angels fellow-servants Heaven our Inheritance It brings a man into a noble kindred a noble family the family of Heaven and makes all the family of Heaven our kindred It brings a man unto noble acquaintance puts a man upon noble imployments intitles a man unto a noble inheritance invests us with in-nobling Priviledges and begets us a noble spirit a spirit suitable to all these suitable to our Father our Kindred our Acquaintance our Imployments our Inheritance The whole frame of Christianity turns upon the hinge of Faith As the Bloud through the veins so Faith runs through every vein of the whole body of Religion It is the staff of our strength the support of all our comfort and the life of our soul In my discourse of which I have though indeed the Priviledges of Faith requires an Angel rather than a Man to make relation of it yet I say I have adventured to lay down diverse Royalties and Priviledges of this Grace wherein all that I have said or can say falls short of the excellency of it When I have told you what I can you may say as the Queen of Sheba when shee found the Truth to exceed the Relation that the one half hath not been told you Coelum Deus so Coelum fides non patiuntur Hyperbolen I cannot here Hyperbolize I cannot play the Mountebank to set down more in the Bill than is in the Physick more in the Relation than is in the Balsome All I can say will fall short of the preciousness of Faith Yet mistake mee not whatever I have said or shall say of Faith I speak not of Faith absolutely but of Faith relatively The Act with its Object Wee will not make a Christ of Faith nor raise up Faith any higher than wee may set up Christ with it by it above it Well then to proceed wee have laid down diverse glorious Priviledges or Royalties of Faith wee have yet more remaining such as these Twelfth Royalty 12. Faith is a Soul-fatning-Grace The beleeving Christian is the thriving Christian 12. Royalty of Faith In a Soul-fatning-Grace It is such a Grace as doth nourish and strengthen the soul It weakens corruption but strengthens Grace It starves the flesh but fattens the spirit It is indeed a sin-starving-Grace Faith will not feed and fuel lust It will neither entertain nor maintain corruptions Faith will abridge sin of that nourishment those dainty bits which it met withall in an unbeleeving heart It will not lay in provision for lust Unbeleef is the Caterer and the Provider for sin Sin hath its full desire in an unbeleeving heart whatever it lusts after it shall have nothing shall bee wanting to feed lust If a man bee addicted to the lust of uncleanness there is nothing the lust doth desire but an unbeleeving heart will make a supply of It shall have Books Ballads Plaies for the purpose It shall have obscene objects and pictures to gaze upon There shall bee nothing wanting for the fomenting and cherishing of the corruption nothing shall bee denied that may oile and increase the flame of lust All a man hath all his power all his riches his estate shall bee laid out for the fewelling of his corruption and so I might shew in other lusts But now Faith it starves sin it will not hold out the dugg to nourish a corruption It will not provide
5. Not able to perfect it when it is begun to our hands Isa 26.12 Lord thou hast wrought all our works in us or for us So Rom. 7.18 To will is present with mee but how to perform that which is good I finde not There is a partial impotency in the hearts of the best and this is more or less according to the vigor and power of corruption in us As you see in Rom. 7.18 For I know that in mee that is in my flesh dwels no good thing for to will is present but not to perform But there is a total universal impotency in unregenerate men Every Imagination motion figment of his heart being evil only evil every day But admit wee could do any thing could make as many prayers as stars in Heaven weep as many tears as the Sea holds drops Nay could wee do as much as the tallest Angel in Heaven all this would be too short to winde us out of our misery that sin casts us into 2. Wee are not able to suffer and by our sufferings to help our selves out of this If wee should macerate and afflict our bodies suffer all the miseries in the world in way of satisfaction for the least sin Alas all would bee too little too short would not amount and come up to the least debt But what do I speak of this If wee could suffer as many thousand millions of years torments in hell as the World hath stood minutes from the Creation Nay and God should widen the capacities of the Soul make a man more strong and able to bear more wrath make a man a larger vessel to receive more torments that so in time the springs of his Justice may bee drawn dry the treasures of his wrath might bee expended and a full satisfaction bee made yet there would bee no time no eternity of torment wherin there would bee enough endured as a full satisfaction for the least sin for the least oath thou hast ever sworn for the least idle thought thou hast ever conceived c. The reason is all this is but finite and therefore cannot come up to satisfie for an offence of infinite demerit Thus Faith empties a man not only of opinion of Righteousness in himself but of opinion of helping himself by any strength of his own out of this Faith will tell thee There is an eternal Law violated and thou canst not make up that there is guilt of sin and thou art not able to satisfie for that God is an enemy and thou art unable to make him thy friend God is angry and thou art unable to appease him thou art liable to wrath and not able to avoid it thou art under the Curse and art unable to undergo it art cast into debt and art unable to make payment All which being discovered to the soul the soul falls down at Gods feet and saith not with him in the Gospel Have patience with mee and I will pay thee all But Have mercy upon mee for I am unable to pay God bee merciful to mee a sinner Oh! This will make a soul fall down at the feet of God and implore that mercy of God that hee would cancel all the obligations reverse all his Proceedings cross all Books pardon all debts between him and the soul Fourteenth Royalty 14. Royalty of Faith It s an Heart-inriching-Grace 14 Faith is an Heart-inriching and filling-Grace When Faith hath once emptied a man of himself makes him a fit receptacle then it fills his soul with Christ when it hath strip'd a man of his own rags then it puts on the Garments of Christ when it hath made a man poor in himself it inriches the soul with Christ when wee are nothing in our selves then Christ is made all to us Cor humile est vacuum spirituale Wisdome Justification Sanctification and Redemption 1 Cor. 1.30 An humble empty heart is the vessel of all Grace So much Emptiness so much Grace Because humility doth empty the heart for God to fill it If the heart bee emptied once it must needs bee filled Non datur vacuum Nature abhors emptiness Grace much more Faith doth inrich the soul with all the merits of Christ with the Spirit of Christ Christ imputed Christ imparted Christ infused with the Righteousness of Christ for Justification with the Holiness of Christ for Sanctification Faith will not want it if Christ have it Faith will not bee poor if Christ bee rich will not bee empty if Christ bee full Ego non sum meriti inops quamdiu ille non est inops miserationum Bernard I cannot bee poor saith Bernard so long as God is rich his Riches are mine Of his fulness I receive Grace for Grace Christ indeed is a Fountain but hee is a Fountain sealed up Hee is a Treasure but hee is a Treasure lockt up to an unbeleeving heart Faith is the Key that unlocks this Treasure opening the Treasuries of Heaven making an inlet of all the Glory of Christ Faith gives the soul communion with all the Riches of Christ So far as it is possible for Christ to bee communicated hee is made ours by Faith by it there is a conveyance made of all the great revenues of Christ. The great stock which Christ did purchase by his Blood is passed over to the beleeving soul There is a Deed of Gift made to such wherein I say Not the whole Righteousness of the Mediator Non tota Justitia Mediatoris sed Justitia tota Mediatoria his essentiall and incommunicable Righteousness but his whole Mediatory Righteousness that Righteousness which Christ purchased for us as Mediator the Righteousness of his active and passive obedience by the one doing our services by the other bearing our scourges by the one as was said before answering Gods commanding Justice by the other answering Gods condemning Justice the one in Praemium to free us from wrath the other in Pretium to intitle us to Glory all this is made ours As Boaz said to his Kinsman Marry the Woman and the Field is thine So when once by Faith wee are married to Christ his Blood is ours his merits ours his Spirit ours all are ours Faith gives us a propriety in all Tu vita mea ego mors tua Tu coelum meum ego gehenna tua Tu Justitia mea ego pâ—ccatum tuum Tu divitiae meae ego paupertas tua So that Faith may break forth into this rapture with that Father Lord I am thy death thou art my life I am thy Hell thou art my Heaven I am thy sin thou art my Righteousness I am thy poverty thou art my Riches And all the Riches which Christ did purchase with his Blood and sit down and think what the Blood of Christ the Blood of God as the Apostle calls it by communication of Properties what this might buy out at the hands of a Father why all this is made thine by Faith So that you see Faith
light into the world saith Christ that whosoever beleeveth in mee should not abide in darknesse The least touch of Christ by Faith doth raise up and revive the Soul in this sad Condition As the dead man was raised to life and revived but by touching the dead bones of Elisha 2 King 13.21 so the Dead Soul if it do but touch the Dead and crucified body of Christ by Faith is raised up and revived Such a vertue and influence comes from Christ as doth raise up and comfort the Soul Thus Faith doth raise the heart by laying hold of Christ He who raised up himself will raise up all his members If our head had been still under water wee had then perished but he being risen will raise us up also being his members 4 Faith inables a man to put up Soul-raising-prayers indites Soul-raising-prayers strong Prayers and cries to God As Prayer helps Faith So Faith helps Prayer It inables a man to wrestle with God now in the Dark of desertion as it did Jacob in the Dark of the Night Yea and to wrestle with him by his own strength the strength of his Covenant of his promise of his Christ In which Encounter Faith will take up arguments 1 From it self 2 From God 1 From it self By presenting its miserable Condition in the absence of God That all his own work is ready to sink and dy to come to nothing if hee help not Oh! will Faith say Lord my flesh fails my heart fails my strength fails my spirit fails Oh! Come down before I dye come strengthen the things that are ready to dye in me This argument David took up Psal 143.7 Hear me speedily O Lord my spirit fails Oh! Hide not thy face from mee lest I bee like unto them that go down into the Pit So Psal 39.10 12 13. Take thy plague from mee I am consumed by the stroke of thy hand c. Hear my prayer O Lord hearken to my cry Keep not silence at my tears for I am a stranger with thee a sojourner as all my Fathers were Oh! spare a little that I may recover strength before I go hence and be no more 2 Faith will take up arguments from God 1 From the justice and truth of God He hath promised never to leave nor forsake his people 2 From the immutability of God Thou art JEHOVAH thou changest not therefore the Sons of Jacob are not consumed Mal. 3.6 Thou never repentest of thine own work Thou never hast wooed my heart to lose it again Thou never tookest my heart to leave it again and take thy heart clean away Thou never didst set thy heart on mee to take it off again 3 From the power of God Abraham at a plunge was supported with this strong staff of Comfort when though by Gods command hee was to sacrifice his Sonne Isaac yet hee accounted that God was able to raise him up even from the dead Heb. 11.19 Lord if thou wilt thou canst Mat. 8.2 4 From the mercy of God Lord thou art gracious and merciful ready to relieve It 's true I am a sinner but thou art a Saviour I am sinful but thou art mercifull I am impious but thou art gracious I have done that Ego admisi undè me damnare potes Tu non amisisti undè me salvare soles for which thou mightest damn mee but thou hast not lost that by which thou mayest save mee True I am not worthy of a smile from Heaven I have deserved to bee sent from darkness here to everlasting darkness hereafter from this partial to total and universal darkness But Lord proportion not thy dealings to mee according to my deservings from thee Let not the strong God take a pattern from my weakness good God do not ever remember my evil least thou forget thine own goodness thine own mercy O bone Do-â—â— mine noli recordare malum moum ne obliviscaris bonum tuum But thou who art found of them who seek thee not Oh! Be mercifully found of a soul who seeketh thee Thus will Faith work it self out of trouble and gather arguments to prevail with God for deliverance It will take up arguments From Soul-raising-Attributes From Soul-raising-Promises From Soul-raising-Relations From Soul-raising-Experiences It will incompass God with Gods own strength And God cannot because hee will not deny God will not reject his own strength not strive against his own mercy not resist his own Spirit not falsifie his own Truth but will raise up and revive the Soul Thus you see Faith is a Soul-raising-Grace Where Unbeleef holds the soul under water buries the soul in these sad conditions Faith raiseth up and reviveth it A beleeving soul cannot long lye under trouble If all the Power Truth and Mercy of God will fetch him out hee shall bee sure to bee delivered Faith ingages and sets a work all these to help Oh! The Reason my Brethren why you lye so long in spiritual Agonies buried up in spiritual troubles is because you let not Faith come in to work for you let Faith have her perfect work and it will raise you Sixteenth Royalty 16. Faith is an Heart-chearing-Grace 16. Royalty Faith is an Heart-chearing Grace Faith is such a Grace as doth chear and comfort the soul with unexpressible Consolations It is such a Grace as makes an inlet of all the Consolations of God into the Soul Faith brings a report to the Soul that God is his God Christ is his Christ that his Name is written in the Book of Life his sins are pardoned his soul shall bee saved And such news as this must needs fill the soul with unexpressible Consolations with joyes unspeakable and full of glory All other joyes are but mad and disorderly joyes They are carnal not spiritual outward not inward joyes they are but painted not true Joyes imaginary not real Joyes unsatisfying not tull Joyes inconstant not stable Joyes The best false Raptures Anabaptistical Illusions not true Joyes But this Joy The Joy of Faith it is grounded joy it is 1. A spiritual Joy for the Nature of it 2. A Hearty Joy for the Nature of it 3. A Satisfying Joy for the fulness of it 4. A Constant Permanent Joy for the duration of it My Joy shall no man take from you Alas what are all other joyes to the Joy of Faith The least morsel of this Joy is worth all the full meals of worldly delights The least gleaning of this Joy is worth the whole Harvest of carnal mirth The least drop of this is worth an Ocean of any other There is more moisture in one drop of this than in a flood of temporal and carnal delights True Joy grows upon the stock of Faith Where there is no Faith there is no true Joy Faith is the Root and Joy is the Fruit. It is call'd The Joy of Beleevers Beleevers are the Subjects of it and a Joy in Beleeving Beleeving is the Root of it Rom. 5.1.2 Being justified by Faith wee have
there is stability Faith doth establish the heart from falling 1. Faith sets a man upon a Soul-establishing-bottome upon a sure Foundation upon Christ and hee is sure who is built there as the house on the Rock so the soul on Christ is safe Time was a man was his own Foundation but it was a sandy one but now his Foundation is Christ a Rock of ages 2. Faith doth interest a man in a Soul-establishing-Covenant not a Covenant of Works but of Grace Jer. 32.40 I will make an everlasting Covenant with them that I will never turn from them to do them good But I will put my fear in their hearts that they shall not depart from mee Isa 54.9 10. This is as the Waters of Noah unto mee for as I have sworn that the Waters of Noah shall no more go over the Earth so have I sworn that I will not bee angry with thee nor rebuke thee 3. Faith doth beget in a man Soul-establishing-Principles The Principles of Grace and Holiness The Graces of God which are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Without Repentance i. e. God doth never behave himself to those upon whom hee hath bestowed these Graces Sine mutatione stabiliter fixa So Aug. renders it and hence he saith on that place Nec quae illuminavit obcaecat nec quae aedificavit destruit nec quae plantavit avellit as though hee repented of the bestowing of them Whom hee hath inlightened hee doth not blinde whom hee builds hee doth not destroy and whom hee plants hee doth not pull up And Faith hath a great influence into this to preserve and establish the heart from falling It is said Wee are kept by the Power of God through Faith to Salvation 1 Pet. 1.5 1. Faith doth ingraft us and unite us to Christ makes us Members of Christ the Spouse of Christ and Christ will not lose either his Spouse or the least of his Members 2. Faith doth keep out the grand Enemy to this standing thus stedfastly and that 's Hypocrisie If a mans heart bee unsound let his shew and appearance be what it will bee all will come to nought as in Herod Judas c. If an Apple bee corrupt and rotten at heart though the rind and outside bee never so lovely and specious 't will not long last the corrupt inside will mar the fine outside in the end An Hypocrite is but an Apostata cased and an Apostata is but an Hypocrite uncased 3. Faith establishes the heart against fears of men the frowns and menaces of men 4. Faith will keep the heart constant to duty to the use of the Ordinances which are strong means to hold up the soul in Gods way 5. Faith makes a man jealous and watchful over his own heart of Declinings either in Action or in Affection It will not suffer a man to give way to the least coldness in love lukewarmnesse in zeal remisness in duty If any steal upon his heart hee is never quiet till hee have recovered his former heat 6. Faith doth maintain in the heart an holy fear of falling which is a great means to preserve from falling Jer. 32. I will put my fear in their hearts that they shall not depart from mee Such a Fear it keeps as may curb and keep under the flesh but not discourage and weaken the Spirit An industrious fear not a discouraging fear a faithful fear not a despairing fear A fear joyned with Faith and a Faith mingled with fear A man may bee fearful and faithful Fearful in himself faithful in Christ weak in himself strong in Christ There are four fears which Faith casts out 1. A servile and legal Fear 2. A distrustful Fear 3. A despairing and discouraging Fear 4. A careless Fear As security is fearless so sometimes Fear is careless if it bee excessive There are also four Fears which Faith retains 1. An aweful Fear Such a Fear as restrains from adventuring on occasions of sinning It is as bad Divinity to grant the occasion and deny the sin as it is Logick to grant the Premises and deny the conclusion The Nazarite was forbidden Wine and withal that hee must not taste the Kernel of the Grape least that might bee an occasion to draw on the other Wee have a sad example in Monicha Augustines Mother Shee looked on the Wine in the Cup from looking shee fell to liking from liking to tasting from tasting to sipping from that to drinking and so to Excesse Sins in Divinity are like absurdities in Philosophy Uno absurdo dato multa sequuntur One absurdity granted multitudes follow 2. Such a Fear as makes us to go out of our selves and lean and rely wholly on Christ A Fear of our selves of our own strength c. Alas What are wee to Adam to David to Solomon to Hezekiah Peter men of sweet and familiar acquaintance with God Yet see what Testimonies of mens frailties they left behind them And all this to teach us to maintain an holy Fear and Jelousy over our own selves that wee might go out of our selves and lean all upon Christ without whom wee cannot bee sure 3. An Industrious Fear Such a Fear as puts us upon all holy duties and means for our establishment to preserve us God promised to adde fifteen years to Hezekiahs life yet hee was to preserve this life and uphold it with food and dyet and other necessaries for life so God promised wee shall not fall yet wee must bee conscionable in the use of all good means whereby wee may stand otherwise wee tempt God and just it is with God to let us fall if wee neglect Prayer and the rest of his Ordinances appointed by him for our perseverane 4. A Jealous Fear over our own hearts They are deceitful and wee had need to bee jealous over them and watch Think not thy self so far at distance from any sin but thou mayest fall into it if God keep thee not Who could bee further from Drunkenness than Noah who was the only sober man in the drunken old World Who from Incest than Lot the only chaste man in Sodom Who from Murder than David Whose heart smote him for but cutting off the lap of Sauls garment Who from denying of Christ than was Peter who had rather dye with him than forsake him And therefore wee had need to bee jealous and watch over our own hearts There is no place so good but wee may offend in it As the Angels in Heaven Adam in Paradise There is no company so good but wee may sin in it As did Sarah in the Angels company Judas in Christs Thus let us maintain these holy Fears in our hearts and by that bee kept from falling Use of Examination Let this then put us upon the Tryal whether or no wee have Faith You see the Necessity of Faith in respect Of Justification Of Sanctification Of Salvation I have shewed you it was the great thing which God required to Justification and Salvation of a
sinner And you have seen the Excellency of this Grace laid down in many Glorious Priviledges and Royalties You have seen that God hath poured more honour upon the head of Faith than upon any other Grace Let all this perswade with us to put our selves upon the search and tryal whether wee have Faith or no. Put such a question as this to thy own soul Am I a Beleever yea or no Have I Faith yea or no It was a duty which the Apostle did commend to the Corinthians 2 Cor. 13.5 Examine your selves whether yee bee in the Faith prove your own selves And it is that which after this long discourse of Faith I would commend to you all That you would put your selves to the Tryal Examine whether you have Faith or no. Therefore hath God given us a faculty different from all Creatures whereby wee may reflect upon our selves Many there are who will winnow others but not sift themselves spel others but not read themselves searching others rather than themselves But let it bee your care every one to prove and examine himself The incouragement to this duty I will take from these two grounds 1. It is a thing possible to bee known whether you are Beleevers yea or no. 2. It is a thing necessary to bee known 1. It is a thing possible to bee known Hence have wee so many exhortations to examine and search If it were not possible to bee known in vain were these exhortations God doth not use to put us upon Impossibilities Though God in the Law may require that of a natural man which is impossible for him to do Rom. 8.3 because hee gave man once ability to do whatever is commanded yet in the Gospel Christ doth require nothing of the faithful which by Grace is not possible to bee done Possible then it is There is light enough in the Word if a man will bring his heart unto it and deal impartially with himself in the search whether hee hath Faith or no. The Papists indeed do say It is a thing impossible to know whether hee bee a Beleever or no. If men did know they did beleeve then they might be assured of their own Salvation But this say they no man can bee assured of A Position clean against Scripture Authority and Reason The Scripture is plain the Precepts of the Scripture plain 2 Cor. 13.5 Gal. 6.4 Let every man prove his own work Let every man examine himself They who are commanded to try may upon Tryal know whether they have Faith or no. But every man is commanded to try God in the Gospel doth not put us upon Impossibilities Besides the examples of Scripture are plain The Eunuch a new Convert when Philip told him hee might bee baptized if hee did beleeve answered I beleeve that Jesus Christ is the Son of God Act. 8.37 The like of the Father of the possessed Child when having but a weak Faith yet could say Lord I do beleeve Mar. 9.23 So Joh. 6.69 Wee beleeve and know that thou art the Christ the Son of the Living God Joh. 11.26 27. Beleevest thou this saith our Saviour to Martha there Shee answers Yea Lord I beleeve thou art that Christ that should come into the World Hence saith Augustine The Beleever seeth his own Faith whereby hee doth beleeve Again as soon as Faith is in us Vide fidelis ipsam fidem suam Ipsam fidem quando inest in nobis videmus in nobis Mentis nostrae fides nostra conspicua wee see it in us The mind is not ignorant of its own actions When it understands it knows it self to understand When it discourseth it knows it self to discourse When it desires it knows it self to desire To take away this act of the soul whereby a man reflecting upon himself and his own actions is able to know and judge of them were to destroy the Prerogative royal of an intellectual nature Now if the naked spirit of a man bee able to judge of his own actions here how much more the spirit of a man being helped by the Spirit of God 1 Cor. 2.12 If Faith it self bee a witness Hee that beleeveth hath the Witness in himself 1 John 5.10 How much more when the Witness of Gods Spirit joynes with us when the Spirit witnesseth what place is left for doubting If Faith it self bee a Light How much more Quando Spiritus testatur quaenam relinquatur ambiguitas Fides est lumen seipsum visibilem faciens when Gods Light comes in with ours The Light of the Spirit to the Light of our Spirit Besides How shall a man receive the comfort of his own Faith as Hezekiah did Isa 38.3 and Paul 2 Cor. 1.12 if it bee not possible for a man to evidence to himself that hee doth beleeve Is it possible for a man to know his vitious actions to his humiliation and not possible to know his vertuous actions to his consolation If it bee granted of the one why should it bee denyed of the other Indeed I will grant thus much though it bee possible yet it is exceeding difficult 1. In respect of the deceits 2. In respect of the doubts and mis-givings of our own hearts 1. In regard of the deceits of a mans own spirit The heart is deceitful above measure who can know it Jer. 17.9 And take heed lest the Light within you Or That Light you think to bee within you prove darkness They that are much vers'd with their own hearts do finde an Hell of deceit in them Mens hearts are like some pictures If you look on one side there 's an Angel but on the other a Devil There are depths of deceit in the hearts of men which makes the work exceeding difficult Every way of man is good in his own eyes There is a Generation of men saith Agur who are pure in their own eyes and yet are not washed from their filthiness Such deceits there are in the heart that if a man will take all of trust which comes up hee will surely bee deceived You see this in the Children of Israel Deut. 5.27 28. They said Whatever the Lord said unto them they would do it It is like they spake as they meant at that time But hee that searched the heart saw deeper into them than themselves into themselves Hee espied deceits to lye low which they were not perhaps aware of And therefore saith Oh! That there were such a heart in them that they might keep my Commandements alway Hee saw they wanted yet the Heart This was but self-deceiving I might instance also in Hazael when the Prophet told him what beastly cruelty hee should exercise toward the Children of Israel What! saith hee Is thy servant a Dog that hee should do such belluine and beastly cruelty It may bee hee spake what was uppermost hee spake as hee meant for the time hee was not aware nor did hee discern the deceit of his heart hee thought his heart to bee far from that now
which afterward hee fell into The like of the Israelites Jer. 42. throughout So that you see it is a matter of some difficulty And therefore the Apostle 2 Cor. 13.5 Bids us not only examine but prove Not only to examine and take the first evidence the heart gives in but to prove whether the evidence given in bee true It may bee you have examined your selves by the rules of the Word Your heart hath given in an evidence for you Why but prove if this evidence bee true see an evidence of that evidence As in Solomons Temple there was Light set against Light so here you must set Light against Light As for example Inquiry is made whether I have Faith or no. Answer is given in upon the scrutiny That I have Faith It is well But now prove this Why how Set Light against Light See an evidence of that evidence The Word saith Faith purifies the heart Act. 15.9 Faith sanctifies the heart Faith works by Love Gal. 5.6 Now then Is thy heart cleansed from filthiness Art thou sanctified c. The like in another Inquiry is made whether a man love God yea or no. It may bee the heart gives up this answer that hee doth love God Why but now prove it Hee that loves God keeps his Commandements Joh. 14.15 Hee that loves God will obey him will not displease him Hee who loves God will not sin And so in any other Thus you see though it bee possible yet it 's a matter of difficulty in regard of the deceits of our hearts And therefore wee are to take the more pains 2. It is difficult in regard of the doubts and mis-givings of our hearts And this at all times if Gods Spirit come not to witness with our spirits our own spirits will bee born down with doubts and mis-givings of our unbeleeving hearts and wee shall never know what our condition is Hence wee have these phrases Rom. 8.16 The Spirit doth witness with our spirits that wee are the Children of God I'ts not the witness of our own spirit that will answer all the doubts and objections of our hearts If Gods Spirit strike not in too and bear witness with us The like wee have 1 Joh. 5 6 7 8. And other places especially that of 1 Cor. 2. from 9. to the 13. verse where you shall see that it is a work of Gods own Spirit to settle the soul in the assurance of his good condition And as at all times so especially at three times It is exceeding difficult 1. In times of Humiliation 2. In times of Temptation 3. In times of Desertion 1. In times of Humiliation As some call evil good so thou calls good evill Now As some take the shadow for the substance so thou the substance for the shadow As some depend on false grounds so thou denyest the true As some feed and cherish matter of false comfort so thou feedest on matter of discouragement Some heat themselves by a painted fire Isa 50.11 and thou quenchest the sparks of Gods own kindling if the Spirit of God break not in at that time 2. In times of Temptation when Satan assaults a man tells him that all his Graces are false and counterfeit that hee is an Hypocrite And presents an Army of confirmations at once in an instant and so manages them that whatever evidences a man can think of to the contrary they are either taken away or seemingly confuted as fast as they are thought on In this case a man may bee ignorant of his Faith and Graces At such a time if a man inquire either the spirit of a man will bee silent and return no answer Or if it do return any it is a disturbed one If a man reflect back at such a time as this hee shall finde nothing but of Satans party to return him an answer 3. In time of Desertion when it may bee our Evidences bee hid in the dark the soul is in a mist and cannot read its own Faith The Glass can give no reflex except the Sun give light Nor a mans Graces appear to comfort him except God shine upon them As the Moon and Stars so our Graces do shine with a borrowed Light And unlesse God do shine secretly into our hearts irradiate and give light unto our Graces though they bee in esse in being in the heart yet not in cognosci in the apprehension they will not appear at all to comfort us In these cases the work is Difficult But what then Things must not bee left for Difficulties because they bee beset with Difficulties Difficulties must not put us off from Tryal but put us on to try more throughly Hee who saith there is a Lion in the way is not fit for Heaven They that feared the Giants were not fit for Canaan It is a sign of a base and degenerate spirit to desist in the pursuit of a good way because of Difficulties Though it bee difficult yet it is possible A thing it is that hath been attained in all ages of the World Others of Gods people have known and so mayest thou 2. It is not ony possible but necessary that you should know whether you bee Beleevers or no. It is Necessary 1. In respect of your Comforts 2. In respect of your more lively Obedience 1. It s necessary in respect of your Comforts What comfort can a soul have in this That Christ is a Saviour if hee know not hee is his Saviour And how shall hee know this except hee know that hee doth beleeve hee is the Saviour of them that beleeve only What comfort is it to know there 's pardon of sins if wee do not know that our sins bee pardoned And how shall wee know this except wee do know that wee beleeve They only that beleeve have their sins pardoned What comfort can wee have in the Merits Death and Blood of Christ what comfort in the Promises of the Gospel till wee know wee are Beleevers such to whom Christ and the Promises belong If a man did but once clear this How might hee run down all the Promises and fetch in comfort from them all why might the soul say Christ is mine his Blood is mine his Spirit is mine his Merits are mine his Righteousness is mine to justifie mee His Holiness is mine to sanctifie mee His Mercy is mine to save mee All is mine if I bee a Beleever Oh! Thou dost not know what wrong thou dost to thy soul in neglecting to clear and evidence this to thy self Why you will live without Comfort you will dye without Comfort My Brethren If you would not live without Comfort if you would not dye without Comfort labour to evidence this to your souls that you are Beleevers Oh! It would adde much to your Joy and Comfort to know this Many there are who live without comfort who lye upon the rack of fears and discouragements are in unsufferable troubles all their dayes Many who for want of clearing this to their
Light of it Men will not seek after the Physitian before they feel themselves to bee sick for ease till they bee prest with burdens for a Plaister before they bee wounded for heavenly Riches before sense of their spiritual beggery for inlargement and pardon before they bee in Prison for Mercy before they smart under the sense of Misery Nor for a Christ till the soul do finde a necessity in the want of Christ Hence the Law is said to bee our Schoolmaster to bring us to Christ And it is upon this ground among others because it doth discover sin to us and lash us and humble us for it And then wee are ready to go from Sinai to Sion from the Law of Moses accusing to the Gospel of Christ excusing from the Law condemning to the Gospel absolving 2. God doth discover to the soul the fulness and al-sufficiency of Christ Who is able to save to the uttermost them that come to God by him and Heb. 7.25 That there 's enough in him to justifie and save so vile a sinner as thou hast been Christ his Righteousness is an everlasting Righteousness such as an eternity of sinning is never able to expend and draw dry As our Faith can never out-grow the Righteousness of Christ so neither can our sins Rom. 1.17 It is said to bee A Righteousness revealed from Faith to Faith The more Faith not the less but the more Righteousness is revealed The broader the Eye of Faith the wider the Righteousness beheld As all the Faith in the World could never over-clasp the Righteousness of Christ So all the sins in the World are not able to non-plus or pose it As it cannot bee over-lookt or comprehended by any Faith So it cannot bee exhausted by any sins Both of these wee have set down Joh. 16.8 9 10. I will send the Spirit and hee shall convince the World of sin There is Humiliation Of Righteousness That is that there is A compleat and Al-sufficient Righteousness in mee That I am able to save to the utmost to pardon sin This God discovers Faith must have a bottom to rest on An Al-sufficient Saviour No man will throw his soul away 3. With the fulness God discovers the freeness of this Righteousness to all commers How willing God is to bestow Christ on you and how willing Christ is to bestow himself upon you Hence wee have such invitations Ho! Every one that thirsteth come yee to the Waters Isa 55.1 And Let him that is a thirst come Rev. 22.17 And Come to mee all yee that are weary and heavy laden Matth. 11.28 And Him that comes to mee I will by no means cast out Joh. 6.37 4. God stirs up the soul to pursue Christ with inlarged desires and earnest prayers kindles desires in the soul after him Oh! That God would bestow Christ on mee I see I am in misery I see I am a sinner Oh! That thou wouldest bestow Jesus Christ upon my poor soul As the poor pursued Hart doth pant after the Brooks of water So panteth such a soul after the Lord Jesus Now Christ upon any termes is desireable 5. Now God works the Grace of Faith in the soul whereby the soul doth draw nigh to Christ and throws it self into the arms of Christ embraceth him with all his might casts it self wholly on him for Life and Salvation Have you not seen how a tender Infant in the apprehension of danger runs into the arms of the Parent for succour so doth the soul pursued by the Law and affrighted by the apprehensions of Gods wrath flye into the bosome and armes of Christ for succour bespeaking him with all the termes of Love and Confidence My Lord My God My Hope My Fortress My Strength My Redeemer save mee else I perish Hide mee in the clefts of this Rock Pitty mee Succour mee Thou who art a Saviour Lord save mee Thou that art Mercy shew mee Mercy And here now begins the Life of a Christian though as yet hee feel little motion Strong is hee now in desiring though feeble in performing Resolved hee is by any means to stick to Christ yet not sensible of any union with him Hee admires the brightness of the Beams of his Mercy shining in the Gospel but feels little warmth of joy and comfort in his heart Hee hungers after the Word but feels little nourishment Here is the beginning of true Faith Now then would you know whether you have Faith try your selves Have you found that God hath thus wrought in you what hast thou been thus humbled in the sight and sense of sin deeply affected with the fulness and freeness of the Grace of God in Christ so as to raise up in thee those earnest longings and pantings after him so as thus to cast and venture thy soul upon him this useth to bee the manner and way of Gods working Faith in us by which wee may come to know whether this Faith bee wrought in us or no. 2. Some Evidences are taken from the Grace it self In which because Faith doth admit of degrees some having stronger Faith some weaker Though all of us have as it is in 2 Pet. 1.1 The like precious Faith the same Faith for kind yet all have not the same Faith for degrees In some it is strong in some it is weak Sincere in all All men are not of like age all Trees not of the like growth Wee read of a little Faith Oh yee of little Faith Faith though little Wee read of a great Faith Oh Woman great is thy Faith All Beleevers are not of the like stature in Christ Some are but Babes and some are grown men there 's a little Faith comparatively and there 's a great Faith Therefore lest I should unsure the weak in satisfying the strong I will here give you 1. Some Evidences of a weak Faith 2. Some Evidences of a strong Faith 1. The Evidences of true Faith though weak 1. The weakest Faith hath strong desires to close with Christ in the Termes of the Gospel Is willing to take Christ in the whole latitude and extent of Christ not only totum Christum but totum Christi Christ in all his Offices not only as a Priest but as a King to whom the soul is as willing to yeeld Subjection as to have Salvation from him as desirous to submit to his services as to injoy his Priviledges to do duty as to partake of his bounty to throw it self at the feet of Christ with strong desires though it may bee for the present but with weak assurance of Mercy from him Quest But who doth not thus desire Christ who is not willing to accept of Christ Answ It is impossible that any Unbeleeving man should desire Christ in the latitude and extent of Christ Hee may desire him for Salvation but not for Sanctification as a Priest but not as a King to rule and govern him to bring every thought into subjection to himself for happiness but not for holiness
Such a one cares but to have a pardon from him but not purging Glory but not Grace Such a one can say with David thus far Hide thy face from my sins But Create in mee a clean heart There hee leaves him Hee desires the end of a Christian but not his beginnings Extremâ— Christianorum desiderat non exordia 2. The desires of a wicked man of an Unbeleeving man after Christ they are transient not permanent desires which may bee in times of trouble in a storm cares not if hee have him as a shelter under some rack of conscience when hee lies on his sick-bed But these continue not No sooner the storm is blown over but the desire is gone Or in a passion when hee is in a good mood as Balaam desired to dye the death of the Righteous so hee after a Sermon c. 3 The desires of an Unbeleeving man are faint not strong and earnest desires They are but slight and superficial desires such as are put off with every thing They are not vehement and strong desires such as will not bee put off with any thing but with the thing desired like the desires of David after the Wells of Bethlehem Oh! That some would give mee to drink of the Waters of Bethlehem c. Like the desires of Christ Luk. 22.15 With desire have I desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer That is with strong desires not a single but a double Desire a desiring Desire Such may have some slight and superficial Desires but they are put off with every thing As the Mother puts a toy into the Childs hand and the desire to the breast is gone So here The Devil hee puts a matter of profit or pleasure into their hands and then all their desire is lost True Desire is strong Desire that will not bee satisfied but with the thing desired as Rachel for Children Give mee Children or else I dye so here Give mee Christ or else I dye The soul is ready to faint and mis-carry with the longings it hath after Christ 4. They are idle not industrious Desires The Desires of the sluggard who will not put his hand to the use of the means for obtaining of his Desire who will not Hear Read Pray c. Where on the contrary a vehement intention after Christ is joyned with a vehement intention after the use of means for the getting of Christ True Desires after Christ are ever joyned with honest indeavours for Christ Hee who desires with an honest heart will labour with an industrious spirit 2. Weak Faith though it cannot close with the Promise yet will it close with the Precept Though not with the Priviledges of a Christian yet with the services of a Christian Though it cannot share in the Comforts yet it will side with the Duties of a Christian Though it cannot clear it whether God hath given Christ to him yet it will yeeld up the soul to him Though it know not whether hee will receive it when it commeth yet it will come Though with Mary it cannot say My Saviour yet with Thomas it will say My Lord. It wants strength to throw it self into the arms of Christ to save it Oh! but yet it will cast it self at the feet of Christ to serve him Though it want the Light of Comfort and Consolation yet it will walk in the Light of command and Direction There 's not one duty through the latitude and extent of a Christians walking but the soul desires and indeavours to walk in it 3 Weak Faith is joyned with mourning and sorrow for the weakness of it What it wants in Apprehension it makes up in Humiliation There is want of Sense but not of Sighs like the man in the Gospel It 's said Hee spake with tears Lord I beleeve Help my unbelief Lord I cannot lay hold on thee Oh! That thou wouldest lay hold on mee I cannot apprehend thee do thou apprehend mee Fold mee up in the arms of that mercy that never unfolds close mee up in the armes of that love that shall never unclose An humble wanter is better than a proud injoyer An humble craver than a proud haver 4. Weak Faith is an unfeigned Faith 1 Tim. 1.5 Not a Counterfeit and Hypocritical Faith Such an one as never comes to God for Love but in a Storm for shelter Psal 78.34 35 36 37. When hee slew them then they sought him and inquired early after God They remembred God was their strength and the most High God their Redeemer But they flattered him with their mouth and d ssembled with him with their Tongue for their heart was not upright with him nor were they stedfast in his Covenant But such a one as comes to him out of Love desires nothing more than to injoy him to injoy Him rather than His. 5. Weak Faith is an holy Faith Jude vers 20. Build up one another in your holy Faith c. Such a Faith as is accompanied 1. With Holiness of Heart 2. With Holiness in Life 1. With Holiness of the Heart The soul is universally sanctified Quantum credimus Tantum amamus Tantum speramus There 's a Treasury of Grace There are all Graces though as yet in weakness So much Faith as there is so much Love so much Hope so much sorrow for sin They are like the Fountain and the Flood whereof the one ariseth no higher than the other Thus where there is Faith there is Sanctification Though Sanctification bee no Ingredient to Justification yet Faith and Sanctification Faith and the new Creature never went asunder There is a new Judgement of things a new Will to things New Desires and Affections New Principles New Purposes New Practices Old things are past away behold All things are become new 2. With Holiness in Life Though it cannot bring forth as strong fruits of Holiness yet it will bring forth fruits according to its strength A little Tree a young Tree may bring forth some good fruits though not in equal quantity to another of greater growth So hee that hath the meanest Faith hee lives an holy Life brings forth some good fruits though not so plentiful in good works as they whose Faith is come to a more perfect growth 6. Weak Faith doth not rest in weaknesse but labours after strength Weak Faith is a growing Faith Though it begins in weakness yet it grows to strength which growth is a character of all true Grace And therefore doth it thirst after the Ordinances as a new born Babe that it may grow thereby As the Word was the Breeder of it so it thirsteth after it to bee the Feeder As it was the Begetter of it for true Faith is the Daughter of the Ministry Faith comes by hearing Rom. 10. so it thirsts after it for nourishment 7. Weak Faith will cleave to Christ will not forgo nor forsake Christ for any thing What it wants in Apprehension it hath in Adhesion what it wants in Evidence
him but positively inflicting of his displeasure upon his soul yet all that Satan could do by himself all that hee could do by his friends who joyned with Satan in the battel could not make him unsay what his heart and the Spirit of God had so often said nothing shall make him to eat his own words Nothing shall cause him to deny his integrity The root of the matter was still in him and hee will live and dye with this in his heart with this in his mouth that notwithstanding all this God is his God God is his Father his heart hath been sincere before him And this was a strong Faith that would bee thus resolute in beleeving when hee had so much reason on the other side to bear him down 4. A strong Faith will trust in God in difficulties in difficult cases in exigents Here is the tryal of Trust It will trust in God 1. With small means 2. Without means 3. Against means 1. With small means Strong Beleevers know full well bee the means never so small if God bid them to bee effectual they shall do the work As Jeremy was drawn out of the Dungeon with old rotten Raggs so God can make use of weak and contemptible means to effect his own purposes to draw thee out of the Dungeon of affliction Faith knows God can help with few as well as with many with a small hand as well as with a great all is one to him It was that that Asa said to God when Zera the Ethyopian came against him with such a great hoast that hee seemed to bee but a Centry in the midst of a large circumference 2 Chron. 14.11 Lord it is nothing with thee to help with many or with few Help us Lord for wee trust upon thee and in thy name wee go out against this great multitude And the day was theirs But in another hee was overthrown when the difficulty was less because hee trusted not on the Lord. The like wee read of Jehoshaphat 2 Chron. 20.1 2 3 4. and many others 2. Strong Faith will trust in God without means Zeph. 3.12 I will leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and poor people a people stripped of all means and they shall trust in the name of the Lord. So 2 Cor. 1.10 11. Wee had the sentence of death in our selves wee saw no help no means and all this was That wee should not trust in our selves but in God which raiseth the dead 1 Tim. 5.5 Shee that is a Widdow in deed and desolate Trusts in God c. Thus you see strong Faith will trust in God in the absence of means when all means are wanting It knows God is able to do his purpose without as well as with means A strong Faith makes God all its confidence And therefore when all means fail when all props are taken away yet confidence is not Unbelief will trust God no further than it sees means to bring about the thing it desires You see the unbeleeving Noble Man when the Prophet Elisha told him in that great famine that the next day there should bee such great plenty What! saith hee If God could open the windows of Heaven how could this bee Though there were a famine on earth hee had no reason to think there was a dearth in Heaven God was able to do it his hand was not shortened But here it was Hee saw no means whereby this might bee effected and therefore hee could not beleeve it God may work wonders and yet in an ordinary way You see here in this Famine A wonder it was that they should have such plenty in so short a time And it was too big for the noble mans Faith to beleeve But yet you see it was a wonder wrought in an ordinary way The like you see in the Israelites Psal 78.19 20. Can God furnish a Table in the Wilderness Indeed hee smote the Rock and the waters gushed out But can hee provide flesh for his people also One would have thought that the former experience of Gods power should have satisfied them in this that they that granted the one could not have denyed the other that God was able to do that also But the former was over and here was a new strait they were in and they saw no means how it should bee effected therefore they could not beleeve it The like of Ahaz Isa 7.11 12. God told him that his enemies that were come against him should not prevail against him God would fight for him And that hee might bee certain of this hee bids him Ask a sign in Heaven or in the deep for the confirmation of his Faith But saith Ahaz I will not tempt God What 's that I will provide for my self I will not trust in the want of means I should tempt God in so doing And many such Ahazes wee have in the World They think to trust in God in the absence of means is to tempt God What say they doth God work wonders that hee should do this without means Why God can do wonders and yet in an ordinary way Thus strong Faith will trust without means God is not trusted at all if not trusted alone If wee take in any thing with God in our trust wee trust not God at all as wee ought When men are brought to the lowest strait they are nearest to the highest God And then will Faith work best when it works alone and then is God nearest to help when mans strength is small Mans extreamity is Gods opportunity The ancient Tragedians when things were brought to that pass that they saw no possibility of humane help they used to bring down some of their Gods Hence that Proverb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Not much unlike that Proverb among the Jews In the Mount of the Lord it shall bee seen 3. A strong Faith will trust against means in the opposition of all means Such know that hee that can help without means can help if hee please against all means Is any thing too hard for the Lord Thus Moses trusted in God when the Red Sea was before them the Egyptians behinde them and the Mountains on each side of them Fear not stand still behold the salvation of the Lord c. Thus David when the people would have stoned him The Text saith David comforted himself in the Lord his God Thus Daniel and the Three Children Abraham also both in the receiving and offering of his Son Isaac 5. Strong Faith is accompanied 1. With much Peace 2. With much Joy 1. VVith much Peace Strong Faith lives in the upper Region above all storms There 's much variety of weather here below now calms now storms but if a man were above there 's a continual serenity and clearness Strong Faith lives in Heaven above all storms and therefore there 's nothing but calmness and quiet Rom. 5.1 Being justified by Faith wee have Peace with God Isa 26.3 Thou wilt preserve him in perfect Peace whose mind
wee are ready to look above us who is higher richer not below us who is poorer But in spirituals wee look below us not above us behind us not before us how many come short of our measure not how many do out-strip us And therefore wee content our selves with that wee have But let us labour to forget all behind and to presse forward to the mark of the Rich calling of God in Christ Jesus as the Apostle did If thy Faith bee true it is of a growing Nature Now to all this I will adde some means 1. To get Faith 2. To increase Faith 1. Means for the begetting of Faith 1. Labour to keep close to Faith-begetting Ordinances These are 1. The Word 2. Prayer 1. Frequent the powerful and sincere preaching of the word of God a Faith-begetting-means Faith comes by hearing Rom. 10.17 True Faith is the Daughter of Mercy For this end God hath set up this Ordinance in the Church that it might bee a means for the begetting Faith in the hearts of unbeleeving men And God doth often in the opening of Scripture open our understandings that wee may beleeve Luk. 24.45 John 20.31 And in the hearing of the Word keep thy Ear open to hear what God saith by his Spirit in the Gospel Faith comes not by mercy of the Law but of the Gospel And in the Gospel dwell upon Faith-breeding-Promises Indeed all the Promises tend to beget Faith but especially such wherein the good Will of God and the Heart of God is discovered such wherein the freeness and richness of Gods Promises are discovered Promises are of two sorts 1. Either such as are conditional granted upon the performance of some duty in us As such as these Beleeve and thou shalt bee saved Repent and thy sins shall bee forgiven thee 2. Or such as are made and performed in meer Mercy such wherein God promises to give that condition which hee requires to the Promise Wee have not only promises of giving pardon and remission to the beleeving sinner but wee have promises of bestowing Faith upon the unbeleeving sinner There are some Promises wherein wee are to bring Faith to the Promise As here whoever beleeves shall bee saved And There are some Promises that wee must go unto for Faith Some that wee must bring Faith to and some that wee must go to for Faith as those free and absolute Promises I will take away your stony hearts and give you hearts of flesh And such wherein hee hath said Hee will work all our works in us and for us Oh! say some If I had but so much Repentance so much brokenness of heart if but so much love then I could beleeve Alas wee must not bring our penny to the Promise We must beleeve and then all the rest will come in The way to have a broken heart is to beleeve The way to repent the way to love God 2. The second Ordinance is Prayer Though none of this Faith bee in Heaven yet all Faith comes from Heaven It is the gift of God And therefore wee are to seek to him for it Wee may joyn our selves to Faith-begetting-means But it is God that must make the means effectual for the working of Faith It is a grace above the power of man and therefore requires the power of God to work it I say 1. It requires the Power of God Nay not only the Power but 2. It requires the greatness of his Power Nay 3. The excess of greatness of his Power Nay 4. The mightiness of that excess Yea and 5. The working of all this mighty Power As the Apostle shews Ephes 1.19 where wee have all those five particulars set down And therefore there is need of calling in for all the help of God all the power of God for the working of it It is the hardest thing in the World to cast a man out of himself to cut a man off his own stock to throw a man off his own foundation And when that is done it is as hard a work to bring this man over to Christ to make a man to lye full and flat upon the promise of Grace for mercy And therefore how much need is there of stirring up our hearts How much need of calling in for the strength of God by prayer This is the second Prayer is a fruit of Faith and yet prayer is a means for the begetting of Faith As the Spirit is a fruit of Prayer so prayer is a fruit of the Spirit As you see Luk. 11.13 compared with Rom. 8.15 In the one place the Spirit is said to bee the fruit of Prayer Hee will give his Spirit to them that ask him In the other Prayer is the fruit of the Spirit You have received the Spirit of adoption whereby you cry abba Father 3. Have much to do with Faith-begetting-Company Faith-begetting-conference Where thou shalt hear the discoveries how God hath wrought Faith in them and how God doth work Faith in the hearts of unbeleeving men Did not our hearts burn within us when hee talked with us by the way and when hee opened to us the Scriptures said those two Disciples after their conference with Christ travelling in company together to Emmaus Luk. 24.32 The like of Aquilla and Priscilla with Apollo Act. 18.26 4. Dwel much upon and cherish Faith-begetting-considerations which are 1. Thoughts of our selves 2. Thoughts of God Thoughts of our emptiness and thoughts of Gods fulness Considerations of our own misery and thoughts of his love and mercy Omnes post te currimus audientes quod nullum spernis peccatorem Bernard Think how God hath dealt with you and how God hath dealt with other sinners who have come to him Such were Manasses Mary Paul Wee all run after thee O Lord seeing thou despisest no sinners Thou despisedst not the weeping Mary the begging Canaanite Et si his peccatoribus veniam dâ—disti paratus es nobis si modo impetramur the intreating Publican the confessing Theef the Adulterous Woman the denying Disciple the persecuting Paul And if thou refused'st not those thou wilt not reject mee If thou pardonedst them thou wilt pardon mee if I beleeve in thee But in particular cherish these three thoughts 1. The consideration of thy own vileness and emptiness thy sin and misery by reason of sin And this will drive thee out of thy self 2. The consideration of the fulness riches and al-sufficiency of Christ who hath all fulness in him who is able to save to the utmost a bottome able to hold up any weight of sin 3. The consideration of the freeness of Christ and the Promise God keeps open house invites intreats beseecheth us to beleeve and come in Ho! Every one that thirsteth come yee to the Waters come buy yee that have no silver and eat Come buy Wine and Milk without mony c. Isa 55 1. And Hee that comes to mee saith Christ Joh. 6.37 I will by no means cast out Let him that
will come whoever hath a mind let him come Bee his sins what they will bee for nature for number for continuance yet come and finde acceptance Who is a God like unto thee That pardonest iniquity and passest by the transgressions of the Remnant of thy heritage Thou reteinest not anger for ever for thou delightest to shew mercy Mic. 7.18 There are two things when men are humbled which keep them off from beleeving either 1. A doubt of Gods Power Lord if thou canst 2. A doubt of his Will Lord if thou wilt 1. Some doubt of his Power Oh! Is God able to pardon such a sinner as I have been Can hee pardon so great so bloudy so crimson sins If they were but such or such I should not doubt But being so great how can God pardon 2. Others doubt of his Will They will bee ready to say They know there is a fulness of Power in God hee is able to forgive my sins let them bee what they will bee hee hath a Sea of Mercy able to drown Mountains as well as Mole-hills But alas I doubt of his Will whether hee will shew mercy to such a sinner And therefore if ever you would beleeve you must get an heart convinced of the 1. Fulness and al-sufficiency of Christ to pardon 2. And of the freeness and willingness of Christ to shew mercy to such as do beleeve Dwell upon such considerations as these are being means to beget Faith When men are once convinced of the fulness of God they will come over to him if withall they bee fully convinced of their own need It is possible for a man to beleeve this fulness in Christ and yet not bee able to clear his acceptance Wee read of the Lepers who seeing nothing but death in their condition 2 King 7.3 4 resolved not to stay there but to go over to the Camp of the Assyrians If they save us alive say they wee shall live and if they kill us wee can but dye And there were many reasons which might cause them to expect no better but death from them 1. They were Jews and so their enemies 2. They might bee suspected for Spies 3. If not yet they were Lepers good for no service such as might infect the whole Camp Yet seeing their Misery in want of bread and knowing that there was bread to bee had they resolved to adventure So if there were but a through discovery 1. Of our own Misery a conviction of that 2. Of the fulness and all-sufficiency of Christ it were possible so far to prevail with a man as to throw himself on Christ though hee bee not yet able to clear whether God will ever accept him But when wee take that other consideration in and do think of the sweetness and freeness of Gods love and mercy to accept of poor returning sinners what should then hinder but the soul should come over and beleeve in him And therefore if ever thou wouldest have Faith cherish these thoughts dwell much upon such considerations as these Men say they would beleeve but in the mean time they never cherish such thoughts and considerations as may beget Faith If there bee any thing in the Word which makes against them this they will harbor and cherish they will feed upon the Wormwood and the Gall but if there bee any thing to nourish and cherish Faith this they will suppress They have an ear open to hear what the Law what sin what Satan saith but none to hear what God saith in the Promise They will promote the Devils cause his arguments sharpen his weapons against themselves But they will silence the pleadings of Gods Spirit in them They will look upon the dark side of the Cloud not the light side The threatnings of the Law they will apply and set on with all their might But if Promises come they finde no acceptance with them They will nourish considerations of their sins their guilt their misery by reason of sin and aggravate it to the utmost but the thoughts of Gods Love of the freeness of his Mercy of the promises of pardoning sins these they reject My Brethren This is not the way to get Faith If ever you would beleeve you must study the freeness of Gods Mercy in Christ his willingness to pardon and forgive poor sinners if they come over to him 2. The second means for the strengthening of Faith are these 1. Make use of the Ordinances 1. The Word 2. The Sacraments 3. Prayer 1. The Word Wee say The same way things are begotten the same way they are nourished Corpora naturalia eodem modo quo generantur nutriuntur Faith is begotten by the Word and Faith is nourished by the Word It is both the Begetter and the Nourisher both the Breeder and the Feeder of Faith Rom. 15.4 1 Joh. 4. 2. The Sacraments which were instituted and set up for this end to increase your Faith God knew hee had to deal with unbeleeving persons and therefore hee doth not only give the Promise his Covenant and Oath for the confirmation of us but to all these hee annexed his Seal the Sacraments Mountains upon Mountains to confirm us A man would not desire so much of any honest man as God hath here condiscended to for the confirmation of our Faith One would have thought his bare word had been enough considering the Truth and sufficiency of the Person that spake it But hee hath given his Oath Nay but hee rested not there but his Seal too The Sacraments And therefore make use of them 3. Bee much in Prayer that God would strengthen and increase thy Faith Prayer is the fuel of Faith the food of Faith A man may as well live without meat as Faith without Prayer As the soul lives by Faith so Faith lives by Prayer Faith helps Prayer and Prayer helps Faith again As there is a Communion among the Ordinances every Ordinance doth help another The Word helps Prayer and Prayer helps the Word So there 's a Communion between Ordinances and Graces Faith helps Prayer and Prayer helps Faith Prayer cannot say of Faith I have no need of thee nor Faith of Prayer What need have I of thee As there is a mutual dependence of one Christian on another a means to nourish Communion as Christians help one another One may say Help my Zeal and I will increase thy knowledge strengthen my Faith and I will inflame or kindle thy affections so here There is a mutual dependence between Faith and Prayer Faith saith to Prayer Help mee to beleeve and I will help thee to pray And Prayer to Faith Help mee to pray and I will help thee to beleeve Such a Communion there is And therefore bee much in prayer for strength 4. Live much in the Heaven of the Promise Feed upon the freeness and sweetness and fatness of the Promise Delight your selves in fatness Let your way lye much above live much out of your selves This is your way A man
and see 4. Nathaniels desire to bee satisfied hee goeth out with him and that is the summe of the discourse between Philip and Nathaniel The second discourse is between Christ and Nathaniel from vers 47. ad finem In which you have five things observeable 1. Christs profession or commendation of him vers 47. Jesus saw Nathaniel comming to him and saith of him Behold an Israelite indeed in whom is no guile 2. Nathaniels reply ver 48. Whence knowest thou mee which may bee construed two wayes 1. Either by way of question being convinced that hee spake right and that hee discovered his heart to him hee demands how it came to pass that hee knew his spirit so right as though hee had said it is true I desire to walk uprightly and sincerely with God but how canst thou tell that how is this discovered to thee art thou able to judge of the heart none knoweth that but God only 2. Or the words may bee conceived as a blunt and more rude reply whence knowest thou mee you never saw mee before nor I you and how then can you give so high a commendation of one you are no more acquainted with And I take them in this last sense because hee came with such a prejudice against Christ ver 40. 3. Christs further and clearer manifestation of himself to him vers 48. Jesus answered before Philip called thee under the Fig-tree I saw thee as though hee had said I there saw enough to discothy sincerity I saw what there thou didst or because I saw thee when thou thoughtest none did thou mayest well think I know thy heart 4. Nathaniels noble confession or profession of Christ vers 49. Nathaniel said Rabbi thou art the Son of God thou art the King of Israel 5. We have Christs commendation of this act of his Faith v. 50. Jesus answered because I said I saw thee under the Fig-tree beleevest thou with a promise of future and fuller revelation thou shalt see greater things than these Here you see that Christ passeth by his failings which were 1. His prejudice against Christ because of the place can any good thing c. 2. His rude reply to Christ when he discovered himself to him whence knowest thou mee these Christ passeth by and falls into the commendation of his present act of Faith So gracious a Saviour wee have that when wee present him with our duties hee will not remember our infirmities Hee saith I will remember your sins no more viz. to object them against us to upbraid much less to condemn us for them Hee did not object agaâ—nst Manasseh his witchcrafts and idolatries nor against David his Murder and Adultery nor against Matthew that hee had been a Publican and an Oppressor nor against Zacheus that hee had been an Extortioner nor against Mary Magdalen that shee had been an Adulteresse nor here against Nathaniel his behaviour towards him when once the soul comes in hee receives it and remembers its sins no more but hides and covers them In the Text observe three general parts 1. An open commendation of Nathaniels Faith because I said c. 2. A silent reprehension of others unbelief Beleevest thou 3. A gracious promise of future and fuller Revelation thou shalt see greater c. In the first consider 1. The Person commending Christ 2. The Person commended Nathaniel 3. The thing for what his readiness to beleeve 4. The ground of his Faith because I said I saw thee under the Fig-tree beleevest thou as if hee had said doth so small a thing induce thee to beleeve I have wrought no miracles raised no dead c. I shall do greater things in the sight of others heal the sick give sight to the blinde cleanse the Lepers cast out Devils raise the dead and yet many of them will not beleeve For the promise of fuller Revelation the words are thou shalt see greater things than these which is promised Either as a reward of his former Faith or for the increase of his present Faith and in these words hee points at what after miracles hee would do Thus you see the parts of the Text laid open to you but there is one thing yet which is necessarily to bee unfolded in the Text before wee leave the general view of it which is the ground of his beleeving which was Christs saying that hee saw him under the Fig-tree The question is Quest How so small a thing as this saying that hee saw him under the Fig-tree could bee likely to produce so noble a confession and profession of Christ or make him to beleeve Ans Wee will not now speak of Gods working by it for so wee know nothing is so small but by his working in and by it may prove admirably efficacious as on the contrary if hee work not no thing though never so great otherwise and seemingly promising will bee able to do any thing as wee see in the Jews who although they saw his miracles such as none but a God could do yet they beleeved not Wee will consider the thing in it self and so I finde these two things in it which might draw out such a confession and make him put forth such an act of Faith Because I said unto thee I saw thee under the Fig-tree 1. It may bee hee was then taken up with the meditation of the Messiah who was to come for at this time their thoughts were all full of it Luk. 2.25.48 and so God might now suggest to him that hee would reveal him to him 2. Or it may bee out of evidence and conviction of the omnipresence of Christ that hee could see him under the Fig-tree Nathaniel thought that hee had been alone and no eye had seen him and therefore when such an evidence was brought to his spirit that Christ saw him yea not only his person and outward actions but his heart also hee was thereupon convinced of the divinity of Christ and so cryeth out Rabbi thou art the Son of God c. Quest 2. But you will say How did this discover that Christ was the Son of God or the divinity of Christ Ans Hee knew that corporally hee was not there and therefore although his eyes told him that Christ was a man yet in that when absent hee could see him under the Fig-tree it did discover and declare him to bee God But 2. I think this speech of Christ which was the ground of Nathaniels Faith had not only relation to his seeing of Nathaniels person but to some special peece of service which Nathaniel was then upon Either meditation prayer or the like which Christ saw and his heart in it as if Christ had said I saw not only thy person under the Fig-tree but also the workings of thy spirit there I saw in them the uprightness and sincerity of thy heart and the goings out of thy soul when thou wert there alone which brought such a conviction of the divinity of Christ with it that it made him
cry out Rabbi thou art the Son of God thou art the King of Israel thou who knowest the heart must needs bee God c. as if a man should say to his friend thou art one that art charitable mournest for thy sin and in case hee should answer but how know you that hee should reply did I not see such an act of charity which you did did I not see you mourn bitterly for sin at such a time c this in some resemblance commeth somewhat near to this instance but yet falleth short because wee judge of the outward act Christ here of the inward which manifested him to bee God omniscient the searcher of the heart c. Thus I have shewed you the coherence with the parts of the Text and have in part unfolded what might seem difficult and obscure in it Now there are some Doctrines which lye about the verge of the Text some from the person commending some from the person commended and some from the thing for which But I shall touch only upon those which arise from the main scope of the Text and they are two Doct. 1. That the eyes of Christ run through the whole World and behold the evil and the good Hee that saw Nathaniel under the Fig-tree seeth thee in all places in all companies c. to this purpose read Psal 139. Amos 9.2 3 4. Hee is totus oculus all eye to see and all hand to feel and finde out Hee who is to bee Judge of all the actions and waies of men must necessarily know them all Use 1. Say not then that God sees not say not that darkness shall cover thee esto quod nemo non tamen nullus though no man yet some eye seeth thee Use 2. This may bee comfort to the Saints Christ sees you under the Fig-tree sees you in a corner sees your persons your actions your spirits Hee sees your prayers hee sees your tears hee sees your afflictions your pressures Exod. 3.7 Hee hears your groans c. Use 3. This is terror to wicked men hee sees them too hee sees your malice against his Saints your vileness and abominable filthiness I saw you in such a place at such a time in such and such pollutions in which thou wouldest have been loath in which thou would have been confounded if men should then have seen thee From the commendation of Nathaniels Faith Observe Doct. 2. That such is the goodness of God that hee commends us for that which is his own Hee commends Nathaniel here for that Grace which hee had given him God works graces in us and then commends us for them hee gives us mony and then commends us for our riches hee makes us beautifull and then commends us for our beauty in which hee doth only beautifie his own beautie and love his own graces in us Hee doth here commend Nathaniels Faith which yet was only the Faith of his own powerfull working Hee commends David for his uprightness Hezekiah for his perfectness Moses for his meekness Cornelius for his devotion the Publican for his compunction the poor Widdow for her liberality and the Woman of Canaan for her Faith and importunity all which was only the work of his own Grace in them God will finde matter of love and liking in us from that which is his own hee can pass by ours and own his As a Father loveth his child for that which is of his own nature in him and so doth God in us Use 1. Then see what a sweet Saviour wee have who will pass by our imperfections and deformities and take notice of his own beauties in us Use 2. And accordingly wee should learn to look upon our selves as Christ doth though black in our selves yet beautiful in Christ although I would have you to own and to blush at your own defoâ—mities yet not so as to blinde your eyes from beholding Christs excellencies as in himself so in you by his grace take the shame of your own sins but let God have the honour of his own Graces by this you shall nourish your humility and yet not weaken your Faith you shall abhor your selves and yet extoll Gods free Grace But these are but by the way to which many others might bee added I will fall upon those which the Text doth more fully hold out and they are these 1. That slowness of Heart to beleeve is a temper of spirit very offensive to God this is hinted in the implied tacit reprehension of others whilst hee so commends Nathaniels forwardness 2. That God takes it well at our hands or it is very pleasing unto God when wee will beleeve in him upon small Revelation 3. That God will reveal great things to them who do so beleeve in him Thou shalt see greater things than these it is a promise of future and fuller manifestation to bee vouchsafed to him Wee shall begin with the first which is Doct. That slowness of heart to beleeve is a temper of spirit very offensive unto God I need not stand long to clear the truth of this Doctrin if you look into Joh. 1.50 that high commendation of Nathaniels Faith is a silent upbraiding of others for their slowness of heart to beleeve Because I said I saw thee under the Fig-tree beleevest thou It is as if hee had said for that without question is implied why I have done greater things in the sight of otheâ—s I have healed the sick opened the eyes of the blinde raised the dead cast out Devils and yet they have not beleeved And doth so small a manifestation work on thee Because I said I saw thee under the Fig-tree c. I have not raised thee from the dead implying hee had done it to others And hence hee is said to upbraid those Cities wherein his mighty works had been done because they beleeved not Mar. 16.14 And this was a great aggravation of their sin where so much had been done to perswade them to beleeve yet slow c. The like in Joh. 12.37 38. But though hee had done so many miracles before them yet they beleeved not on him that the saying of Esaiah might bee fulfilled who hath beleeved here was a great aggravation of their sin And upon this ground hee reproveth his Disciples Luk. 24.25 26. Oh fools and slow of heart to beleeve all that the Prophets have spoken ought not Christ to have suffered these things and to have entred into his glory c And how often doth hee upon the same ground rebuke his Disciples O yee of little Faith Mar. 9.19 O faithless Generation how long shall I bee with you how long shall I suffer you Implying it put Christ to the utmost of his patience to bear with them in their unbelief Which yet if you read the story you will finde it was no small work it was because they could not cast out the dumb spirit out of a man possessed which yet hee himself tells them afterward vers 29. that this was the
tremble stand and bee astonished stand and bee amazed Lord who is hee that shall bee saved May men do thus much and yet fall short of Heaven what will become of thee that dost nothing what will become of thee thou Drunkard what will become of thee thou Swearer thou prophane Person Worldling if it bee thus with the green Tree what will become of the dry Tree if it bee thus with them that appear to bee good what will become of them that appear to bee evil Thus you see the astonishing height which yet an unsound spirit may reach unto How much may bee done by a man and yet bee unsound here and fall short of Heaven hereafter So that now I shall trouble you but with one Doctrin And I beleeve before I have done it it will trouble you And that shall bee from the general the whole body of the Text together and it is this Doct. It is possible for a man to do much in the wayes of God even to abound in all outward Performances and yet bee false at the heart and yet have an unsound spirit here and miss of Heaven hereafter This Doctrin you see the Text speaks plainly To this I will adde but one Instance more which may prove the whole Doctrin and that you have Matth. 19.16 to 23. You read there of ones comming to Christ. A young man a rich man one who had great Possessions and a Ruler too as Luke expresseth it Luk. 18.18 All which was rare A young man a rich man a Ruler to come to Christ you shall read there his business also Hee came not to tempt him Non animo tentantis sed voto discentis to insnare him aothers did but to learn and be instructed by him And the thing hee desires to bee instructed in is not some frivolous trifling matter which others came to Christ withall But that which was the matter of his inquiry was a matter of eternal concernment viz. What hee might do that hee might bee saved that hee might inherit everlasting life Here was something here in this A young man a rich man a Ruler to come to Christ with desire to bee instructed how hee should come to eternal life You shall now hear Christs answer vers 17. If thou wilt enter into life keep the Commandements There was some special reason why Christ makes him such an answer for in Joh. 6.28 29. Christ answers the same question in another manner Quaerebat opera Christus ostendit mandata But Christ did here consider the quality of the Person who demanded Hee was a Work-monger and Christ puts him to working Christ gave him Physick sutable to his distemper Christ puts him to the Commandements that hee might convince him in that to bee imperfect wherein hee thought himself to bee perfect and would make that his foil which hee thought to bee his greatest glory Well Christ having put him upon the Commandements the young man demands which of the Commandements as if hee had said There is none of them but I have already done Christ you see puts him to the Moral Law Seeing hee will have Heaven and bee justified by Moses Moses shall bee his Judge and there rehearseth diverse Precepts of the second Table The young man you see makes answer in vers 20. All these things have I kept from my youth what lack I yet Hast thou any more to command Is there any more to bee done This was now much hee said If wee may beleeve him 1. Hee obeyed Hee was not only one who did know the Commandements but one who kept the Commandements 2. Hee obeyed universally not some but all All these things have I kept 3. Hee had obeyed constantly All these things have I kept from my youth And sure there was much of truth in what hee said For it is said upon this Christ looked upon him and loved him as Mark relates Mark 10.21 No question hee had obeyed the letter of the command there was none could detect him but Christ however hee failed in the Spirit of the command Hee did not break them in the outward action though hee did not keep them in the inward affection And yet for all this this man was unsound as hee discovers himself to bee afterward for all this this man fell short of Heaven And yet alas How far doth this man excel a thousand of us So that you see the Doctrin plain in the gross in the bulk scil That it is possible for a man to do much in the wayes of God and yet to be unsound at heart to abound in all outward Performances and yet to miss of Heaven in the end But wee 'l come to clear it to you in the Particulars And wee will follow this Method in these four Particulars 1. Wee will clear it to you in diverse instances from the word that it is possible so to do 2. Wee will shew how this may stand both 1. With Gods ends 2. With Satans ends 3. With mans own ends To do much to abound in duty and yet not to bee sincere 3. Wee will shew you the grounds whence it ariseth that a corrupt heart may abound in all outward Performances 4. Wee 'l shew you where the fault is how it comes to pass that all this may bee done and yet the heart still remain unsound In which I shall desire that they who are men and women of tender spirits would not presently make conclusions against themselves and by so doing gratifie Satan discourage their own souls grieve Gods Spirit and wound and weaken themselves in the wayes of Grace But hear all for I cannot say all at once and then spare not but come to conclusions with your selves I shall desire so to cast down the unsound as not to weaken the sincere And to bring in those that are without as not to cast down those that are within So to help the one as that withall I hurt not the other 1. For the first then Wee will clear it in some particulars that it is possible for a man to do much to go far in outward performances of duty and yet to bee rotten at heart c. 1. It is possible for a man to hear the word nay and hear it often nay and abound in hearing time after time Sabbath after Sabbath Nay and yet more to hear it with affection too and yet not to bee sincere 1. That hee may hear the Word This is plain and needs no proof 2. That hee may hear it often abound in hearing This you see here in the Text and Ezek. 33.31 32. where the people frequented to hear Ezekiel They did not only sometimes but they heard him often They did abound in hearing 3. They may not only hear and hear often but hear with affections Wee read of these four Affections which were stirred in the hearing of the Word and that in such who were unsound 1. The affection of wonder and astonishment which indeed is the
Mover of all the affections Mat. 7.28 When the people heard him they were astonished at his Doctrin The like wee read Mat. 13.54 Mar. 1.22 Mark 11.18 Luk. 4.22 All bare him witness and wondred at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth All wondred but All were not savingly wrought upon That is the first 2. They may hear it with affections of fear and trembling Thus you know Foelix heard Paul Act. 24.25 When Paul preached of Temperance and Righteousness and Judgement to come Foel x trembled It struck dread and fear into his heart It set him on trembling 3. They may hear the word with affections of delight and some kinde of love You see in the Text They did delight to know Gods waies and did delight in approaching to God And Ezek. 33.31 32. They come and sit before thee as my people They hear thy words and thou art to them as a very lovely song They hear thy words but they do them not With their mouth they shew much love but their heart goes after their Covetousness 4. They may hear the word with affection of Joy It is said of Herod Mark 6.20 That Herod feared and observed John and when hee heard him hee did many things and heard him gladly The like you have Matth. 13.20 The stony ground heard the word and anon with joy received it yet wanting root in the time of Persecution they fell away So you see the first particular cleared A man may hear the word hee may hear it often abound in hearing Hee may hear it with affections and yet his heart may bee unsound 2. A man may not only hear but pray too nay and make many prayers abound in praying Hee may pray in publick pray in private pray in the Church pray in his family pray in his closet which last commeth nearer to sincerity And may make strong cries Hee may pray with affections i. e. such affections as sense stirs up but not such affections as Faith stirs up such affections as are raised up by some present sting and smart some trouble and pressure of conscience though not with such affections as are raised up by Faith quickned by Gods sanctifying Spirit Affections of love and desire Nay and they may joyn fasting to Prayer nay further adde mourning to fasting And yet their hearts may bee unsound I cannot stand to clear all the Particulars The main I shall make to appear to you in two or three places Read Isa 1.15 When you stretch forth your hands I will hide mine eyes from you yea when you make many prayers when you multiply prayer adde prayer to prayer as the word imports Yet I will not hear your hands are full of blood i. e. you are unregenerate you are unsound in your spirits So that you see a great deal cleared in this A man may pray abound in praying multiply prayers c. And yet bee unsound And you may joyn fasting to prayer as you see in the next verse to my Text and in the example of the Scribes and Pharisees who prayed often and fasted often And you may joyn mourning to fasting Zach. 7.5 When you fasted and mourned in the fifth month even these seventy years did you at all fast to mee even to mee They served themselves not God in that action all those seventy years together Hos 7.14 and they have not cryed to mee with their hearts when they howled upon their beds they assemble themselves for Corn and Wine that 's the ground of their fasting and howling For they rebel against mee That 's the second Particular 3. A man may seem to bee humbled to mourn and weep for sin and yet bee unsound A man cannot mourn for sin as sin but his heart is sincere but a man may seem to mourn for sin and yet his heart not bee sincere Hee may mourn for sin clad with wrath for sin cloathed with Judgement and Displeasure for sin as it smels of Hell Fire and Brimstone for sin as it appears in its dooms-day attire So did Ahab so Judas There are Crocodile-tears There are false tears as well as false prayers As a broken heart doth not ever expresse it self in tears So tears are not ever the expression of a broken heart There are 1. Lachrymae Indignationis tears of Anger as was Esaus 2. Lachrymae Desperationis tears of Desperation such as of the damned in Hell 3. Lachrymae Compunctionis tears of Compassion such as were Christs for Jerusalem 4. Lachrymae Compunctionis tears of godly sorrow and Compunction Such tears they may expresse as sense and smart stirs up but not such as Faith and Love do raise up in the soul 4. A man may seem to do much walk in many wayes of duty go far in the outward shew of obedience the letter of command and yet his spirit bee unsound A man may do so much spin a thread so finely as they who have the most discerning spirit are not able to detect and discover him Hee may deceive the men of the world hee may deceive the Saints deceive the Devil hee may deceive himself Wee read of Zeuxes the Painter Hee drew Grapes so to the life that hee deceived the Birds they would come flying to them as though they had been real Grapes Dedalus hee made an Image by art that moved of it self insomuch that men beleeved it had been alive But Pigmalion made an Image so lively that hee deceived himself and taking the Picture for a Person fell in love with his own Picture So there are some who can spin so fine a thread limb out the picture of godliness so to the life that not only the men of the World but even the Saints who are of most discerning spirits nay and themselves may bee deceived and deluded 5. A man may cast up his vomit disgorge himself of all his former wayes his old lusts and sins hee may bee washed that is outwardly reformed in every thing hee may leave many sins and yet bee unsound You see this plain in 2 Pet. 2.20 21 22. And there is nothing more plain than that a man may leave sin and yet not hate sin Hee may leave sin either 1. Ex timore mali alicujus 1. Out of fear of evil 2. Ex taedio 2. Out of weariness of it 3. Ex amore mali alicujus oppositi 3. Out of love of some contrary sin 4. Ex deficientia organotum 4. Out of want of fit instrument and means to compass his sin 6. A man may accompanie himself with the People of God Saul may bee among the Prophets Judas Demas Simon-Magus among the Disciples and Apostles A man may get on Sheeps-cloathing accompany go in and out with the Sheep bee folded with the Sheep and yet bee no better than a Ravenous Wolf There are Tares as well as Wheat in Gods Field there is Chaff as well as Corn in Gods Floar bad Fishes as well as good in Gods net And unsound
destruction of Ahabs house Though hee cryes out Come see my Zeal for the Lord. However Gods ends were brought about also in the ruine of Ahabs posterity as hee had threatned So here Though it bee not the end of corrupt hearts in the doing of holy actions Prayer Preaching Exhortation c. to bring God any Glory to do good to others they have their own ends Yet still Gods work goes forward in it God hath his ends as well as they theirs God gets Glory as well as they credit God makes sin the Devil himself to serve his Glory Otherwise hee would not suffer nor Devil nor Sin to bee in the World So that hee makes them in aiming at themselves to bring about his Glory As an unsound spirit doth serve his turn of God so God again serves his turn of them hee is even with them God oftentimes useth such to bee instruments to do others good who are bad themselves to work upon others though they themselves remain unwrought upon to bee a Bridge to help others over To hold out the Lanthorne to others and go in the dark themselves As it often fareth with them who hold the Lanthorne they go most in the dark themselves they serve others direct and guide others in the night with their light not themselves So if God do not bring light into their hearts there are none who are more in darkness than such as hold out the light to others yet Another may receive good by that Sermon which the Preacher himself is never the better for another warmth by that prayer whereby hee himself that prayes is never the hotter And so in the rest And therefore it may stand with Gods ends that corrupt hearts should abound in duties 2. God suffers corrupt hearts to abound in duties to maintain an holy jealousy and watchfulness in the hearts of his own people Why will they reason if men may do thus much and yet bee unsound what need have wee then to bee jealous over our own hearts watchful over our spirits in the midst of our performances Oh! this will make a man jealous of himself with a godly jealousie not to trust too much to himself when hee 's at best when hee doth most abound in duties And this holy jealousie is of special use to keep us humble to make us watchful exact in our wayes to fense our hearts against Hypocrisie It was never known that a jealous heart was a false heart An holy jealousie over a mans spirit was never accompanied with an unsound spirit 3. A third End It is to make us see there is something in duty more than duty which sets a value upon duty and makes it of worth If all were sound who did duty wee should then think duty it self to bee all whereas now it makes us look after something else above duty This will make a man look to the Manner as well as to the Matter when wee see the Matter is nothing worth without the right Manner do accompany it This will force a mans heart above duty God never made Duty the end of Duty If all were sound that did Duty wee should rest upon a bare performance of Duty and look no higher But now seeing it is possible for a man to abound in Duty and yet bee unsound this will force a mans heart above the Duty 4. To tell us that there are other things to bee done of a Christian than meerly to pray hear c. If a man may do all and sink into Hell when hee hath done then sure there is more required of those that must bee saved All Religion doth not lye in a few Prayers Hearing of Sermons Though this must bee done they have not so much as a shew of goodness who neglect these yet there are other things to bee done too if ever wee would come to Heaven 5. God suffers corrupt hearts to abound in duty to make his people more sollicitous after surer more stable and proving evidences than these are If these anchors should alwayes hold men would never labour to cast out better If all that did dutie nay that did abound in duty had been sound wee should never have sought out for better evidences than these are Whereas this being discovered that a man may abound in duty and yet for all this bee unsound this will make a man to look out for better evidences A man that is bent for Heaven indeed will never suffer his soul to rest till hee hath gotten some such evidences as are incompatible to a man out of Christ Why will hee say May a man hear and go to Hell pray and perish do duty and yet bee damned at last Then these are not sufficient bottomes for mee to build the weight of my everlasting soul upon I must either get a better bottome surer evidences than these or both I and my prayers may sink together at last Whatever another man may do or have and yet bee unsound will not bee sufficient to him to clear that hee doing or having that is sound And this now fires them out of their formalities makes them look out for such evidences as do accompany salvation As the Apostle saith Heb. 6.9 2. As it may stand with Gods ends to the good so it may stand with Gods ends to the bad 1. His Merciful ends 2. His Judicial ends His Merciful ends to bring in those who belong to the Election of Grace making them often serviceable to these purposes His Judicial ends towards such as are Cast-awayes and that for the further strengthening of the prejudice and rooted dislike that wicked men have against the wayes of God Why will wicked men say others who have been as forward in profession as great Prayers and as great Hearers as you are they have proved unsound discovered themselves to bee Hypocrites and so are you and all the rest of you And thus you see it turns to them as an occasion of offence and further strengthening of their dislike of the wayes and people of God Men whose hearts are set against the wayes of God shall bee furnisht with matter enough to bring them into further dislike daily If you desire to have arguments against Gods wayes you shall have enough of them to your cost You shall bee furnisht with them but to your further hardening If you will keep a rooted dislike of the wayes of God you shall finde enough in the World to nourish it If you bee willing to bee offended you shall have offences enough to your further hardening If you bee willing to stumble at the wayes of God you shall have stumbling stones enough Christ himself who was the Corner stone Elect Precious yet to the Disobedient hee was a stone of stumbling and a rock of offence A stone as well for the Fall as for the rising of many in Israel 1 Pet. 2.8 Isa 8.14 Rom. 9.33 Luk. 2.34 Men that are willing to take offences shall have them Those who will bee blinde shall
best friends they come in too to lay more weight more guilt more burden on him Every Prayer every Duty which hee hath done with an unsound heart is now a burden a weight upon his spirit yea and weighes heavier than all the rest Here is trouble out of expected comfort which is the greatest trouble And take this with you and remember it Whatever you do in the wayes of God if comfort flow not from it trouble will one day rise out of it If it bee not a bottome for Faith Satan will use it as an argument for Despair when time serves I say that duty that is done and cannot minister comfort by the sincerity of the heart in doing of it will one day create discouragement and strengthen Despair Despair ariseth from that where comfort should but doth not arise But I am too long upon this This is the second ground why Satan doth not disturb such men 3. It may stand yet further with Satans ends and therefore hee doth not disturb them because hee hopes to have some further good of them another day Hee knows full well that they who will serve God for their own ends will serve the Devil for their own ends too when hee once out-bids God and exceeds him in his tenders It is an easy thing to make him the Devils Priest who is Mammons Chaplain You see Demas hee was unsound served God for By-ends for worldly respects And the Devil doth but out-bid God tender more for his service and hee presently forsakes God and cleaves to the World Hee forsook the Faith of Christ and turned to bee an Idol-Priest at Thessalonica as Dorotheus reports of him This is a sure Rule Hee who serves God for the World will serve the Devil for the World Hee who serves God for little will serve the Devil for more hee will easily bee brought upon higher tenders to change his Master I say men that have no minde to the Work nor love to the Master but the eye is only to the wages such men will quickly bee drawn upon greater offers to forsake their Master and their Work too and to joyn themselves to any where better wages may bee found And you must know There are no men whose service the Devil doth more desire than the service of such who have made profession And that upon diverse reasons 1. Hee knows They will bee the surest and most trusty servants to him of any None are more trusty souldiers than such who have forsaken the colours of the Lord and fled over to the Tents of Satan Such men hee never fears to loose again their Ears are boared in token of eternal subjection to this black Prince of darkness As wee say of the Angels If once they turn they never return There is no possibility of their repenting And this is one ground because their will hath sinned against such excellent clear and eminent light that they can never return again if all that light would not keep their desperate hearts from sinning it shall never prevail with them for returning when once they have sinned And God will never give a fuller a greater light and therefore they must needs bee fixt in their condition of sin So I may say of these in some degree They have sinned against so clear light such manifest evidence that if they turn sin wilfully Hardly do they return again It is no more but what the Apostle saith in that sixth and tenth to the Hebrews And therefore these must needs bee trusty servants to the Devil they are sure his They are his by choice And none surer his than they who are his by choice Now such men they have chosen him nay and not only chosen him but they have chosen him upon experience and dislike of their former Master If indeed a man should have chosen Satan before ever hee had tryed God then were there some hopes that his mind might bee altered hee might repent of his choice But when a man hath had a tryal of God and upon experience and dislike of God and his wayes chuseth Satan and the world these are sure Besides these men have sold themselves over to Satan Now none are more sure his than they who sell themselves over to him Indeed wee are all sold in Adam as the Apostle saith sold to sin But now when a man shall come and not only ratifie the bargain but make a new sale of himself This man is sure his It is not so much what the Father hath done but when the Son comes to age and shall ratifie what the Father hath done and make a new Sale Nay Satan doth not only know they are sure his but hee knows they will bee most usefull Instruments for him and by these things are they strengthened and prepared for his service and therefore hee will not disturb them Hee knows they will by this bee made better Engineers to work for him They will bee active instruments full of malice against God and his cause Who of all the Emperors was more mischievous than Julian who had once made profession of Christ Such men as these are set on fire of Hell Wee have a Proverb An English man Italianate Is a Devil Incarnate I may say the same A Professor Apostate Turns a Devil Incarnate There are none in the World have more of the Infernal Nature than they Their Head poisons their Heart poisons And the venome of Aspes is under their Tongue They are full of Hell There is some ingenuity in Nature fallen though never so bad But Nature once raised and after Devilized such men are all fury These are Satans Mogols Satans Champions the chiefest of that black band of Darkness Such men as these they have sinned away Light Conscience all natural remorse and tenderness And what can bee expected from them there is no mans sword more sharp and keen than theirs who have sharpened it upon the threshold of God No mans pen writes so bitterly against God his Cause and People than theirs who have dip'd their pen in the Blood of Conscience No man fails more desperately to Hell than such a man who hath made Shipwrack of Conscience And therefore seeing such men are so trusty so sure so active so malicious instruments when they are brought over to him and it is so easy a thing to bring them about no marvel if Satan will not disturb such men for a time but lets them go on till they bee fit for his work It will stand with the designs of his own Kingdome Thus I have shewed two things how it may stand 1. With Gods 2. With Satans ends 3. Now thirdly How it may stand with their own ends who having corrupt hearts yet should notwithstanding abound in duty 1. To answer the calls of Conscience Every man hath a Conscience And every mans Conscience doth call upon him for the performance of something And the further conscience is inlightened the further work it calls him out upon A man
inlightened cannot serve God so cheaply with quiet of Conscience as others who are not can Now there are some who are far convinced some who are further inlightened than others And conscience calls out upon them for more work to bee done And to answer the meer calls of Conscience a man far inlightened may do much in the wayes of God and yet his spirit bee unsound 2. To pacifie the quarrels to satisfie the gripes and gnawings of conscience It is usual with men under the pangs and stings of conscience To run to the springs of duty to the plaisters of prayers meerly for this end To get present ease and quiet to their burdened Consciences And they often compass their end by this means and get some present ease though not a setled and substantial Peace Such as their disturbance is such is their Peace As their disturbance was not spiritual for sin so their Peace it is not spiritual arising from a cure As conscience was wounded by walking to that common light and natural Principles in it So is it put in joynt again by walking answerable to them which works though but common and general yet being all their light discovers they may by the performance of them get some present ease though not a sound and setled Peace Wee read The Heathens had stings of Conscience when they sinned notoriously against the Light and Principles of Nature And wee read they had Peace and quiet when they observed those things which their light discovered to them As their Terrors did arise from Convictions of Conscience upon the doing of such things as were contrary to the Principles of Nature so their Peace did arise from the observance of such things as were agreeable to that common Light and Principles they had So it is here Their Conviction doth arise from some Common not saving Light 1. Because it discovers gross sins not secret sins 2. It discovers open sins not spiritual sins 3. It discovers no sin as sin in the Nature of it Some sins it discovers not at all And so their Peace doth arise from some common Performances some general works not special and saving And this is one end why some may abound in outward Performances to make themselves a Plaister of the ingredients of Prayers and Duties to heal their woundâ—d consciences I have sometimes thought that Conscience in this case is something like to the disease which they call the Wolf in the body If you feed not it they are wont to say It will feed upon you And therefore in this case it is said they used to give it flesh that so by feeding on that it might not gnaw upon them and by that means have some present ease though the cure bee not wrought So it is with Conscience When once the mouth of Conscience is opened if a man do not feed it it will devoure him And therefore men in this case do feed Conscience with duty which for present procures them ease though the cure bee not wrought And indeed to speak truth such men do not desire the cure They desire ease but not the cure Peace not Purging Quiet not Healing They would willingly bee rid of the pain but keep the Tooth of Trouble but keep the sin of the evil caused not of the evil causing The cure would bee as deadly to them as the wound to part with the sin as to indure the smart And therefore seeing there is a middle-way to bee gone that they may procure their present Peace and yet keep their sin They will go that way and labour to still the clamours of Conscience by bribing it with Duty feeding it with Prayers that so they may procure Peace and yet keep their sins Other ends there are which are more low than the former 1. For Ostentation and Pride of Gifts A corrupt heart may have the Gift of Prayer though not the Grace of Prayer yea and bee more eminent therein than they who have the Grace of Prayer They may exceed others in expressions who yet do exceed them in affections And for Pride Ostentation in Gifts A corrupt heart may abound in duties and performances 2. For Affection Credit esteem of the World That they may bee accounted holy men to have a Name they are living when yet they are dead men 3. For the advancement of their worldly designes By this craft they have all their gain It may bee this fills their shops fills their houses Quantas nobis divitias c. Godliness is great gain and some make a gain of godliness Now there are vile wretches who make God Religion holy duties to serve their own base ends who make them but a stalking-horse the better to pursue their own game their own gain Like Water-men who row one way but look another They row towards Heaven in outward works with the Oar of Religion but they look towards the World their own ends in heart Their eyes are after their gain Who will shew them any good Their feet are going toward Zoar with Lots Wife but their heart toward Sodome They serve God with their bodies but Mammon with their spirits 4. That by this means They might procure Gods blessing on them in this life Oh! think they if I do not pray God will not bless mee in my shop to day c. And therefore do it to procure Wealth Wee read the Sadduces who denyed that there was any Angel or Spirit or Resurrection and so by consequent all reward of any service after this life being thereupon demanded why they did then keep the Commandements they answered That it might go well with them in this life So there are some whose thoughts go no higher than that God would bless them God would bestow upon them these belly-blessings As they sell God for gain so they serve God for gain With these many other ends might bee laid down why a corrupt heart may abound in outward performances But thus much bee said for the second We have two other things to do more before wee come to Application 1. To shew you what are the grounds that a corrupt heart may so abound in outward performance 2. Where the fault is Or how it comes to pass that a man may do thus much in the wayes of God and yet bee unsound yet miss of Heaven at last Wee will begin with the first of these two which is the third thing propounded 3. What the grounds are whence it ariseth that a corrupt heart may abound in outward Performances 1. The first ground is Natural Conscience or that Inbred Light which is in the conscience of men by nature Every man hath a Conscience in him and this Conscience doth acknowledge that there is a God one who is Being of Beings Cause of Causes and not only so but thereupon that this God is to bee worshiped and served by the Creature Though Conscience cannot discover the True God or the True Worship yet it doth conclude there is a God
is moved but doth not move hee is carried about with weights as a Clock or Watch hee hath no inward Principle of life to move him A Clock you know doth move or rather is moved but it is not from any Principle of Life It is the weights which carry it about Take off them and the Clock stands still so here They are moved but not by any Principle of Life within There are two great weights which carry him about 1. Fear of Hell 2. A Hope of Heaven Which weights if you take off then hee stands still Thus I have at last done with the Doctrinal part That it is possible for a man to do much in the wayes of God and yet have an unsound spirit and fall short of Heaven at last I come now to Application 1. Use If a man may do thus much and yet fall short of Heaven What then shall become of them who do nothing If a man may pray and perish hear and go to Hell do duty and bee damned then what shall become of them who swear and blaspheme I know it is the ordinary vaunt of carnal and unregenerate men who have no taste nor savour of the things of God They will say I thank God though I pray not so many Prayers nor hear so many Sermons as others do yet my heart is as sincere as the best of them all Alas poor man Though it bee possible for a man to do all this and yet not bee sincere yet it is impossible a man should bee sincere if hee do them not These things may bee done without sincerity but sincerity cannot bee without these Sincerity lies in labouring not in loitering in working not in lazying Where the heart is sincere it will put a man upon working and will make a man to work with all his strength to abound in the work of the Lord to eye the Manner as well as the Matter the Circumstance as well as the Substance It will put a man upon Prayer and make a man pray fervently faithfully humbly It will put a man upon hearing c. And therefore thou art mistaken Though a man may do these duties and not bee sincere yet thou canst not bee sincere if thou dost them not Though hee may do these things and perish yet thou must pray hear do duty Otherwise thou shalt perish These things are Necessary 1. Necessitate Praecepti God hath commanded them 2. Necessitate Medii they are the way to life You must not look to come to the end if you do not walk in the way Object But you will say This discourageth us If a man may do thus much and yet fall short of Heaven then it is as good to sit still and do nothing Ans I must tell you this is a sign of a low spirit to argue after this manner Wee should argue thus Because I may do all this and yet not bee sincere Therefore I will labour to bee sincere in the doing of them These things must bee done though all that did them fell short of Heaven God commands these things to bee done and his will must stand out against all If all that hear read pray c. do fall short of Heaven yet thou must hear read pray upon account of obedience to God The fault it lies in the Persons not in the Duties in the Workmen not in the Work The fault is not in the Matter but in the Men and the Manner of performance And mans fault must not cause us to neglect our duty Wee have an expression Micah 1.7 Is the Spirit of the Lord streightened do not my words do good to them who walk uprightly As if the Prophet had said The fault is not in the Word but in you who are the hearers of it You hear and hear and yet get no good by hearing And will you charge God with that will you blame the Word Others get good and Gods Spirit is not streightned to you more than to others You would finde good as well as others if you came with honest hearts Do not my words do good to them who walk uprightly And what wee say of this wee say of other Ordinances The fault is not in Prayer nor in Fasting but it is in you You walk with corrupt hearts in Gods wayes And therefore you get no good by them You have a sad place but full for this purpose Hos 14. verse last the last words of the book hee shuts up the Prophesy with it Whoso is wise shall know these things for the wayes of the Lord are right and the just shall walk in them but the transgressors shall fall therein A good heart shall stand and walk in holy wayes but a bad heart a corrupt heart shall fall and perish in them An unsound spirit shall fall in the wayes of duty in the wayes of prayer in the wayes of profession 2. Use If it bee possible for a man to do much in the wayes of God and yet bee unsound yet miss of Heaven Then this may discover to us the sandiness and unsafeness of these bottomes to rest a mans soul upon How many thousands who have no better evidences for Heaven than the bare performance of duties They come to Church they hear the Word they pray c. And therefore they hope all is well My Brethren It is true If the bare performance of duties were sufficient evidences to conclude our good condition then whoever did abound most in these things they had the surest bottomes to rest upon But alas You see it is possible for a man to abound in duty and yet his heart bee unsound And therefore the doing of these things will not bee sufficient to evidence to your selves that your condition is good If these Anchors should ever hold you need not to beat out any better Anchors for your souls But seeing these do not hold out ever you had need seek out for better Else you may miscarry at last These may hold in a Calm when they are put to no stress but will bee sure to break in a storm You see the house built upon the Sand it stood well enough and the structure was fair the sandiness of the foundation was not discovered whiles there was a Calm But saith Christ When the Rain fell and the Winds blew and the Waves did beat when the Storm arose then was the sandiness of the foundation discovered the house fell for it was built upon the Sand. So here While you have a Calm while you are in health injoy peace c. These bottomes seem firm enough you do not discover the sandiness of these foundations But a Storm doth arise when you come upon your sick-beds when you come to the day of death then you shall see the unsoundness of your bottomes All your buildings your fair structures all your works and walkings upon this foundation will bee surely blown down they will never abide the tryal And therefore let mee stir you up you who are
these performances is it sound in prayer in hearing if not all this something is nothing If you break the string that goes through a set of Beads they all fall to the ground Sincerity is the string which goes through all our Prayers our Duties and Graces if that bee broken all is broken Sincerity is the Evidence of all our Evidences taken from below It is that which makes every duty glorious every breathing of the spirit sweet every groan weighty every drop of tears a pearl and precious in Gods esteem Sincerity is all in all It is all in all our Prayers all in all our tears all in all our services It is all to God that which God accounts all Sincerity is Gospel perfection And perfection is all Let us then examine our hearts you that abound most in all outward performances clear the soundness and sincerity of your hearts in them 1. Clear the sincerity of your hearts in your obedience in general 2. Clear the sincerity of your hearts in your performances in particular Wee shall now insist upon the last first And that is Clear the sincerity of your hearts in your performances in particular Wee will instance in these three especially which wee single out First in your Hearing Secondly in your Praying Thirdly in your Mourning for sin 1. Clear the sincerity of your hearts in hearing the Word Wee will give you these characters of a sincere heart in hearing the Word 1. A sincere heart desires sincere preaching Such preaching wherein his heart is ripped up his corruptions discovered the most quickening and soul-searching ministry such a ministry as doth most unravel his heart and rip up his soul You see this 1 Pet. 2.2 As new born babes desire the sincere milk of the Word the preaching of the Word and the sincere preaching of the Word not the Word as it is sophisticated poisoned adulterated by mans invention As the Apostles phrase is but the Word as it comes sincerely from the Fountain Such a man hee desires killing as well as comforting truths searching as well as healing truthes breaking as well as binding And indeed hee desires no comforting but in killing no comforting of his soul but in killing of his sins no healing but in searching no binding but in breaking An unsound heart if hee desire to hear yet it should bee such as would preach placentia speak peace daube with untempered Morter And if a Minister do once preach to the quick If hee once enter upon the discovery of them their hearts rise against the truth they rebel against the Word and such are no Ministers for them They will finde out one that they can live in sin and yet live in peace under his Ministry We read in the 42. of Jer. read it throughout the Chapter is worth your taking notice of Let mee intreat you to read it when you come home you shall see there the depth of a self-deceiving spirit You shall read there the Children of Israel desired Jeremy to inquire of the Lord what they should do and they would assuredly do it but their hearts deceived them You see there that they thought Jeremy would have brought them an answer from God agreeable to their own spirits They did not think that their will must have come up to Gods will but that Gods will would have come down to their will Well Jeremy goes to God and hee brings them a message from God which was clean cross to their lusts And then the venome of their spirits which before lay hid appeared they brake out into open rebellion against the Word of the Lord and spake plain Wee will not hear the Word of the Lord which thou hast told us So it is with many unsound spirits self-deceiving spirits before a Minister come into a Parish Oh then say they let us have a good Minister one that may do our souls good one that may bring a message to us from the Lord discover to us Gods will And few there are but do thus far agree but if once a Minister rip up their sins search their wounds that they may bee healed of them if once hee come to discover their corruptions and indeavour to take them off their unsound bottomes whereon if they live and dye they will perish Then they flye out against the light and him that holds it forth to them Away with such a man from the earth Wee will not hear the Word of the Lord spoken Whereas a sincere heart doth side with the Word with light to fight against and destroy his corruptions These men they side with their corruptions and lusts to fight against the truth to blow out the light and oppose the preaching of the Word A sincere heart doth hold up the Law against his lust Let my lusts perish rather than thy Law bee destroyed But a corrupt heart doth hold up his lust against the Law And saith in his heart Let the Law rather than my lust bee destroyed There is not one corruption which thou keepest with love and liking but thou wishest in thy heart that there were no such Law against it The Drunkard wisheth there were no such Law against his Drunkenness The unclean person would bee glad there were no Law against his uncleanness rather part with so much of Gods Nature which the Law is a beam of than part with his lust Hence it is truly said peccatum est Dei Cidium sin is Gods slaughter because sin strikes against the very being of God the purity and holiness of God Hee that would not bee as God is would hee glad if God were as hee is That is a certain rule that hee that will favour himself in any corruption would bee glad if God would favour him too That there were no Law against it or that there were a Law to countenance it or no Law to punish it That God were not against it that God were of his mind or that there were no God or no God to punish it c. 2. A sincere heart in hearing the Word 1. Is willing to receive the truth of God 2. Is willing to receive every truth of God 3. Is willing to receive it as the truth of God 1. Hee receives the truth not into his head only his understanding to know it but into his heart his affections to love it Hee doth not imprison it in the head but lets it go down into the heart And the whole soul is made the residence and place of truth Lord how I love thy Law contrary hereto is that 2 Thes 2.10 2. Hee is willing to receive every truth Speak Lord for thy Servant heareth Hee looks upon every word of God as good every truth of God as comming in the image of God and comming with the authority of God and there is ready entertainment for all as well those which make against him as those which make for him though a truth appear never so formidable that the receiving may cost a man death 2.
his tears confesseth all his confessions and prayes over all his Prayers And hee makes up the want of a duty with sighs the imperfection of a duty with tears Assure you selves God is as much honoured in your mourning for imperfections of a duty as hee is by your most perfect performance of it Blushing in Gods account is perfect beauty When a soul can blush and bee ashamed for the blemishes which are in its spiritual beauty God looks upon this soul as beautiful This is all wee can do to desire and mourn to aime at the highest in our desires and to mourn when wee fall short of what wee desire A Christian is made up of these two things desires and mournings Desires Oh that my heart were directed Oh that I could beleeve more love more prize more Oh that I were more agreeable to Gods Nature and Will c. and then comes in mournings O miserable man that I am c. Oh that my heart should bee so hard my spirit so dead my soul so cold in holy exercises And here is sincerity yea and here is the utmost wee can reach when wee come unto the utmost wee can attain in this life Vintores non Comprehensores here wee are but travailers towards our home not yet at home in our way not come to our rest And wee may well say it with our fellow travellers while Augustine cryes out I hate that which I am Odi quod sum non sum quod amo c. and love and desire that which I am not Oh wretched man that I am in whom the Cross of Christ hath not yet eaten out the poisonous and bitâ—â—â— taste of the first tree Another hee saith Lord I see and yet am blinde I will and yet rebel I hate and yet I love I follow and yet I fall I press forward yet I faint I wrestle yet I halt Well then let us make up the want of our beauty with a blush the imperfections of our duties with sighs and tears and then cast them all into the arms of Christ for acceptance If you convey a duty to him with tears hee will present it to his Father with blood hee will sprinkle it with his own blood mingle it with his own merits perfume it with his own odors as you read Revel 8.4 Whatever is offered by the spirit of Christ shall bee presented with the merits of Christ and though never so weak in him it shall finde acceptance hee hath made us accepted in the beloved Hee hath life enough to mingle with a dead Prayer hee hath warmth enough to adde to a cold Prayer hee hath holiness sufficient to adde to a duty full of sin Though as they come from us our duties smell rank of the flesh of sin and corruption yet being mingled with his odours with his incense they shall smell sweet in the nostrils of God This is one part of Christs mediation to put life to dead Prayers to purchase acceptance for performances which are but mean If wee and our duties were perfect wee did not stand in need of a Mediator Christ would lose one part of his office And therefore when the duty is done shew the sincerity of your hearts in mourning for the imperfections and cast all into the arms of Christ and live by Faith in confidence of acceptance Who hath made us accepted in the beloved not our persons only but our Prayers too 6. Character A heart sincere in Prayer is a praying heart That is a heart carried out with desire of the thing it prayes for Prayer is nothing else but an exposition of the soul or the soul in paraphrase the soul expressed the inside of the soul turned outward It is said of Hanna's Prayer 1 Sam. 1.15 that shee poured forth her soul shee expressed what her soul desired shewed the desires of her soul True Prayer is an earnest and inlarged desire for the obtaining and injoying of the things wee pray for Object But you will say then all our hearts are sincere for who is it that doth not desire the things hee prayes for Answ But my Brethren give mee leave a liâ—tle and I shall shew you this is not so strange a thing as you seem to make it I shall shew you that it is possible for a man to pray and not desire the things hee prayes for I will evidence this unto you in these three great Requests 1. In the desire of Grace 2. In the desire of subduing lusts 3. In the desire of Heaven 1. Grace 1. Thou prayest for Grace but thou dost not desire Grace in the beauty and extent of it Thou mayest desire common Graces as many Parents for their Children God give them Grace say thâ—â— but by that they mean no more than common graces that they may bee honest no Whores no Theeves c. for if once God change them and work Grace indeed in them there is none more hatefull to them of all their Children than such are I have heard of a desperate wretch that when hee came to dye hee gave good portions to all his Children save one and to him hee would give no more but twelve pence and being demanded what was the reason hee made answer hee was a Puritan I have heard him say saith this wretch that hee had a Promise to live on let us now see whether a Promise will maintain him Thus you may desire Grace common and general grace as many desire for their Children but spiritual and saving grace thou canst not desire thou hast no heart to that You shall hear what St. Augustine said of himself in his confessions after his conversion I prayed saith hee in my unregeneracy that God would give mee grace Da mihi continentiam Noli mudo Lord saith hee give mee chastity but saith hee my heart said not yet Lord not yet For I feared lest God would too quickly hear mee and cure mee of my incontinency which I would rather have fulfilled than extinguished And by this you may take the measure of your own spirits try your selves read your own hearts Grace in the. the next time you go to prayer You Pray for grace but see if you bee willing to have grace first in the extent of Grace all grace 1 Extent would the covetous man bee liberal would the Drunkard bee sober would the unclean person bee chast would the Proud man bee humble the Contentious man bee peaceable otherwise thou desires not grace in the extent 2 Power 2 Would you have grace 1 In the power of grace to live precisely and exactly before God What not to yeild to a word to a thought of sinne alas this they account damnable preciseness this they cannot close withall Go thy way Pray as often as thou wilt for grace assure thy self thou dost not desire grace in the extent and power of it if thou favourest any one corruption if thou wilt not live exactly and precisely in
such a one as makes conscience of every Command great or smal Every one comes from the same authority James 2.11 For hee that saith the one saith also the other And whatever hath the stamp of God the authority of Heaven upon it though it seem never so small hee dare not disobey it where there is a beam of Gods Majesty sitting upon the face of a command hee will submit to it Men you know will not refuse the Kings Coin though the peece bee never so small if the Kings impression bee on a penny it calls for acceptance as well as a piece so if the authority of God bee stamped upon the least command a sincere heart will yeeld subjection to it as well as the greatest Mat. 5.19 Hee who breaketh the least of these Commands shall bee the least c. Hee who stands with God for small things when hee will not forbear an Oath a cup a ragge for Christ how should you yeeld to the greater A man may do the smaller and yet neglect the greater As the Pharisees who tithed Mint and Cummin but the great things of the Law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 legis the love of God fear of God these are not regarded But hee who doth the greater will not neglect the smaller Thirdly Hee will obey God in affirmative Commands as well as negative Commands Hee doth not only look upon what God would not have him do but hee examines what God would have him do Dives was cast into Hell not for oppressing Lazarus but for not shewing mercy upon Lazarus not because hee took any thing from but because hee gave nothing to him There is many a mans Religion lies meerly upon negatives Hee is no swearer no drunkard no unclean person as the Pharisee hee oppresseth no man defrauds no man But if you ask him for the affirmative commands there hee is nothing art thou holy art thou humble art thou a beleever art thou a sanctifier of Gods day lovest thou God fearest thou God Alas these sins because they are minoris infamiae not so scandalous as the other are therefore hee makes them nullius culpae no sins at all these gnats hee can swallow without any straining at them c. 4. Hee will obey God in the Spirit of the Command as well as in the letter of the Command There is an intra and an extra in every Command of God One part of the Law binding the flesh the other part enjoyning the spirit You see how Christ sets it down Matth. 5.21 Thou shalt do no Murder there 's the letter of the Command Thou shall not bee angry with thy Brother without a cause there is the Spirit of the Command Thou shalt not commit Adultery there is the letter of the Command Thou shalt not look on a woman to lust after her there is the Spirit of the Command An unsound spirit looks no further than the bare letter of the Command that part which bindes the flesh or outward man only and if hee do but observe that in the gross hee thinks hee hath done well but now a sincere heart hee looks to the spirit of the Command and if hee do not observe that hee hath no peace if you keep the whole Law in the letter and give way to your selves to fail in any and do not sincerely indeavour to obey all according to the spirit your spirits are unsound Hee that will see God with comfort must not only obey the letter of the Command but must bring his heart to the sincere Obedience of the spirit of the Command 5. Hee will not only obey God only in the Matter but in the Manner not only in the substance but in the circumstance of the Command Hee is not only conscionable to obey God in what hee commands but his heart is wrought to a conscionableness in the Obedience An unsound heart looks no further than the substance of the Command if hee have but prayed if been at Church hee thinks all is well hee looks no further But now a sound spirit hee looks to the circumstance as well as the substance the manner as well as the matter of the command When hee prayes hee labours to pray fervently faithfully When hee hears hee will hear humbly fruitfully when hee obeyes hee desires to obey willingly chearfully c. Wee say bonum est ex integrâ causâ but malum ex quolibet defectu Take any action if either the Principle whence it doth arise bee not good that the action arise from corrupt Principles self-love carnal fears or if the purposes bee not good that the aims and ends bee carnal or if the circumstances bee not good it spoils the action If wee pray and pray not fervently if wee heat and hear not fruitfully if wee obey and obey not willingly if wee shew mercy and do it not chearfully if you sanctifie the Sabbath and not with delight all is worth nothing There are some circumstances accessory some necessary some wherein the being and some wherein but the well-being of a duty doth consist And if you abstract these from them the duty it is worth nothing Take away fervency and humility from Prayer take away faithfulness and fruitfulness from hearing take away willingness and delight from Obedience all is nothing worth So much for the first Character of sincere Obedience Universality 2. Character Sincere Obedience is such an Obedience Rightness of which doth 1. Come from a right spring 2. Is wrought by a right Rule 3. In a right manner 4. To a right end I put all together that I may not multiply too much 1. Sincere Obedience ariseth from a right spring 1. Spring a sound Obedience ariseth from sound Principles A soul renewed a soul universally sanctified and principled from above Such as the Principle is such is a mans Obedience dead Principles and but dead Obedience unsound Principles and unsound Obedience A mans actions can go no higher than his Principles There must bee a good tree before good fruit the person must bee good before the actions can bee good if there bee a crack in the person all is naught Now this sincere Principle which is the spirit of all our Obedience it is nothing else but an entire and spiritual frame of Grace and Holiness set up in the soul whereby a man is renewed and changed Which is called in Scripture a new Creation a writing of the Law in the heart Regeneration Renovation Resurrection from death to life and a forming Christ in the soul As it hath a respect to the heart the seat of these Principles it borrows five names It is called 1. A sound heart in opposition to an unsound a false spirit 2. A perfect heart in opposition to an Hypocritical spirit 3. And a single heart in opposition to a doubleness of spirit 4. An honest heart in opposition to a deceitful heart 5. A whole heart in opposition to a half a divided spirit which God hates And
where Obedience is sincere it ariseth from such a spirit A sound perfect c. spirit 2. As it comes from a right rise so hee walks by a right Rule in his Obedience and that 's the whole will of God revealed in his Word if God saith do hee doth if God saith do not hee will not do If hee have no command from Heaven hee stands still like a ship becalmed and wanting a wind hee will not stir Those things which are motives to others move not him But when a command comes his sails are filled he is carried on with strength in obedience to it Col. 4.12 Wee have the same metaphor Bee filled with all the will of the Lord let the will of God his command bee the only motive that carries you on in the service of God Thus you see it was with David he had respect to the Commandements he had not respect to the world to men to his own ends advantages which are the spring of others obedience but hee hath respect to the Command he eyes that hee will obey if there be a Command A Sincere heart doth not only do things good in themselves and such as God hath commanded but hee doth them because God hath Commanded them Gods preceps are the ground of his practise Psal 119.4 5. Thou hast commanded us to keep thy Precepts Oh that my ways were directed c. 3 He obeys after a right manner c. 4 He levels his actions to right ends As nothing below God is the spring of his obedience so nothing below God is the end of his obedience Gods grace is the spring Gods glory is the end of all his obedience An unsound heart hath base and unsound ends credit repute profit esteem or the like Hee now makes not the world his end no not the world to come the salvation of his soul the end of all his obedience Indeed this is a secondary a subservient a subordinate end but not the ultimate end the primary the universal end Gods glory is the Sea to which all his actions like so many rivers move and bend It is true I grant that other ends may creep into the performance of good actions and that not only lower but baser ends than this But wee are to distinguish between a mans setled and his suggested end a mans setled end may bee one thing yet his suggested end bee contrary God reckons according to the setled end the universal purpose and frame of his spirit and not according to suggested ends It is in this case as it may bee with a man that shoots at a mark hee aims aright at the mark but there may come a jog upon the elbow which may carry the arrow another way than hee intended Or as it is with a man that sets out to go to such a haven he sets out aright and steers aright by his compasse but the winds blow contrary and carry him whether hee would not But then as the Apostle If I do the thing I would not it is no more I but sinne It was Bernards case hee had set upon a good work and levels his action to the glory of God that was his aim his end but there were other ends suggested pride ostentation vain-glory which hee observing encounters them in this manner Abi hinc nec propter te incepi nec propter te desinam Abi hinc c. get hence avoid you were not the ground of my beginning this work nor will I for you conclude this work And it would bee our wisdome when a man hath set his heart aright in the beginning when hee hath set out aright if any other ends bee suggested to reject them in the like manner being neither the spring of the action nor the end of the action Obj. But you will say further Is it requisite for the clearing of the sincerity of our hearts that wee have a continuall eye to the glory of God in every action wee do Is there required such an actual intention of the spirit in every particular action c. that he should aim at Gods glory Ans For the Answer of this I must lay down this distinction There is first an actual Secondly An habitual aime and intention For the first of these An actual intention of the spirit in every particular action that a man doth to the glory of God It is utterly impossible in the state and condition of this life it is possible for Angels and glorified Saints to do it for they are in Gods vision and it is all their work in heaven but it is impossible for us to do it here below no it was not possible for Adam in his innoâ—ency to do it But now secondly There is an habitual inclination in us in every action we do to aim at Gods glory though there be not the actual intention of the spirit in every action we do It is with us as with a man travelling towards a town hee thinks in the morning to go to such a town such a place hee aims to bee at at night and therefore sets out towards it and though hee doth not think of this every step hee takes yet it s his purpose in his journey to rest there at night Or as it is with a man who comes to Church his end is to hear the word of God yet in every word he hears spoken he hath not the thought of his end upon his spirit but he is there by vertue of his first intention So here though in every particular there bee not an intention of spirit to level this or that to this end yet it is the drift and habitual scope of the spirit that Gods glory may bee the end of his actions Nay Thirdly Though wee are not able to do it in the actual intention yet it must bee our care to renew our habitual intention and as farre as wee can to draw up these habitual purposes into actual levellings of these and these particular actions to the glory of God There are some go further in this than others Assure your selves the nearer you come to an actual intention of spirit for Gods glory in particular acts the nearer you are the life of heaven How ever let us so renew our first thoughts habitual intentions as that wee may thereby keep in the right path the right way till wee come to our journies end at night So much intention a Travailer holds up as to keep him in the right way to keep him from going into by paths although not so much as shall make him in every step hee takes to think of his first intention the end of his journey So much for the second Character 3. Character 3. Sincere obedience is a fruitfull obedience It is a growing obedience hee contents not himself with the measures hee hath but labours after perfection Phil. 3. vers 12. to the 15. I have not yet attained nor am already perfect c. A sincere heart hee aims at
the top of all hee looks at the work it self hee propounds not to himself a shorter end than God would have him reach unto Gods end is his and that 's perfection hee desires conformity to the pattern in the mount to bee holy as God is holy perfect as c. An unsound heart hee bounds and stints himself at these and these measures and desires to go no further fulnesse of holinesse and perfection of grace is not his aim nor desire Hee may desire so much as may serve his own turns and ends no more so much as may serve his own advantages hee desires but cares for no more than hee can make use of in the way As the Physician who doth not desire excellency in the Science yet he will take in so much skill as may serve his turn and practice but hee cares not for more The like I might say of any other Artist whose spirit is not taken with the beauty of the things themselves yet he desires so much as may serve ends Even so an unsound spirit whose heart is nothing taken with the beauties of holinesse yet hee may desire so much as may serve his turns his secular advantages but hee will have no more A Trades-man will take in somewhat it may bee hee will not swear bloody oathes in the face of his customers this were to drive men away this could not stand with his ends if hee were such a one men would avoid him and therefore hee will take in so much as will serve his trade and no more these men desire the Talent not for the masters use but for their own use So in any other But now it is otherwise with a sincere heart his desire is to abound in holiness he sees so much beauty in God that he cannot be at rest till hee bee swallowed up with God made all like him hee sees so much excellency in Grace that nothing but perfection will satisfy him Nay and he doth not only make perfection his utmost end but hee labours after perfection with his utmost strength and endeavours And the ground of all this is because a sincere heart looks singly to God and therefore serves him with all his might while a mans heart is divided his strength is also divided That mans strength is not whole for God whose heart is not so But when God is made the one of a mans desires the one of a mans affections the one of a mans life and comfort then will hee bee the one of a mans endeavours too and a man desires to serve God with all his might Such men again give up themselves to the service of God Lord I am thine saith David and therefore will do his work with all their strength As there are none more strong in the Devils work than such as have sold themselves to it as it was said of Ahab hee sold himself hee gave over his whole heart to sin so there is none more industrious in Gods work than such as give themselves up to God such as pass over themselves by deed of gift to him When a man can once say truly with them in Isa 44.5 One shall say I am the Lords c. Then is his whole might laid out in the service of God Thus a sincere Obedience is a fruitful Obedience an abounding Obedience as God doth not stint his mercy to him so hee doth not his service to God If indeed mercy had been bounded to us wee had been undone if hee had said I will pardon some sins but not all or if hee had said I will pardon all I will justifie but not sanctifie or if hee had said I will do this c. but not c. Well there is the third Character 4. Character A sincere Obedience is a filial Obedience it is the Obedience of a son not of a slave it is voluntary evangelical free willing Obedience not a legal servile and forced Obedience It is set down as the Character in Psal 110.3 Thy people are a willing people devoted to his laws and service they are willing to hear Speak Lord for thy Sevant heareth they are willing to do Lord what wilt thou have mee to do Hence those breathings and aspirations of soul Oh! that my wayes c. There is no task too hard no imploiment too great They are willing to suffer too to go through good reports and bad reports through a Sea and through a Wilderness through the hottest services and strongest oppositions for Christ it is a chearful Obedience hee delights in the Law of God As it was said of Christ so it may bee said of him in some measure It was meat and drink to him to do his Fathers will duties they are medicines to unsound spirits but meat to him Hence David sets down this for a Character of a godly man Psal 1.2 His delight is in the Law of God and Paul speaks of himself that his delight was in the Law of God as concerning the inner man And David hath it up and down Psal 119. Lord how I love thy Law eccho like in Psal 40.8 I delight to do thy will thy Law is in my heart There was a Principle within him agreeable to the Precept without him As the eye delights in seeing the ear in hearing so the heart in obeying Actions of nature you know they are actions of delight So of the new nature But this must bee understood when the Principle within which should yeeld Obedience is not disturbed for as it is in nature though it bee a natural act and full of delight for the eye to see yet if the eye bee offended or hurt it will breed a tediousness in the eye to do its natural act and that in which formerly it did take so much delight So here though to obey and walk in Gods wayes bee acts most sutable to the new nature yet if the spiritual Principles within bee wounded and hurt it may breed some kinde of wearisomeness and unwillingness in the soul to obey for the time which may befal the dearest of Gods Children in diverse cases in these 7. 1. They may bee damped with carnal affections 2. They may bee tyred with the difficulty of the work 3. They may bee pulled back with the prevails of corruption 4. They may drive heavily under some vexing and lastâ—ng temptation 5. In case of the spirits withdrawment of himself which is either probational or penal 6. Or in the case of neglects of duty and communion with God 7. In case of some dangerous relapse into former sins Any of which may breed a kinde of weariness and unwillingness upon the soul yet at that time there is some willingness of the spirit when there is a reluctance of the flesh And the soul will do its former works though not with so much chearfulness as formerly yet with as much Obedience and serves God when hee hides himself And thus much shall now serve for this use of Tryal Wee will adde
another use and conclude Use of Exhortation Which hath four Branches 1. Branch 1. Get a sincere heart Otherwise all you do is worth nothing I speak unto you who do abound most in duties in performances you who pray who hear Oh! do you labour to get a sincere heart in the midst of your performances When you do any publick work look to your hearts beware of base ends base aims least they creep in and poison all your works Beware of a double eye an eye towards God and an eye toward your selves when in opposition Let it bee said of all you who put your hand to any publick works in these publick times as it was said of a Royal Commander that in all his actions hee placed ostentation behinde and conscience before him and sought not the reward of a good deed from fame but thought the deed it self done a sufficient reward Oh so do you And when you have to do with more private duties look to your hearts let your tongue and heart answer one another beware least your heart give your tongue the lye in speaking that your heart doth not desire I have shewed this may bee done Do you go labour that your heart may go with your tongue your affections may go hand in hand with all your expressions Nay rather let your expressions bee but as so many breathings from the like affections within so many streams issuing from a fountain and spring of affections within My Brethren this is the great thing I would press upon you The power of his Word and light of his Truth hath brought you I suppose to a form I hope few are among you but will seem to carry the outward face of Religion Few but will pray will hear will do duty Many favour Religion who have no savour of it It is my desire to exhort you who do much that you would not lose what you do do much and yet perish at last I tell thee if thou couldest heap up mountains of prayers if weep a Sea of tears if thou couldest macerate thy self with fasting and humbling thy self as many thousand years as the World hath stood minutes from the Creation yet without sincerity all this is nothing What the Apostle saith of charity I may say of sincerity if I speak with the tongues c. Wee read there shall many come to Christ at the last day and say have not wee preached have not wee prayed and prophesied fasted c They thought they had great wrong done them why should not Christ save them as well as any others why not accept of their works as well as of others and meaner than these too Why here was the ground and reason there was a want of sincerity they had but served themselves in serving him and therefore hee doth not own them Oh! then let mee exhort you all who are much in duties labour to get sincerity to accompany all You hear you pray c. get sincere hearts in hearing in praying c. The rather 1. Motive 1. Because sincerity sets a value and price upon the meanest work it makes the meanest action acceptable unto God Wee read Cant. 5.1 Christ is said to drink of the Milk as well as the Wine to eat of the Honey c. That is to accept of the meanest work and performance when there is sincerity to accompany it Milk c. A sigh a groan a tear a breathing of the spirit shall finde acceptance where the heart is upright which I told you cannot bee if there bee the love and liking of the least sin God delights more in the imperfect breathings of a sincere heart when there is not strength to bring forth an expression than hee doth in all the flourishes and glorious expressions of an unsound heart Sincerity makes the meanest works mighty with God it puts weight and value to all A work doth not make up the want of sincerity but sincerity vvill make up the want in a work as in Asah 1 King 15.14 hee vvill ovvn the vveakest duty if sincerity bee in it Hee vvill not refuse our vvorks as vvee do gold not because it vvants goodness but greatness hee vvill not reject them for vvant of grains if the gold bee good Hee hath a merciful allovvance for such vvorks vvhere the heart is sincere in the doing of them though the things done bee attended vvith many imperfections And that 's the first Motive 2. Motive 2. Because sincerity distinguisheth all our works from the works of others The day is comming vvhen the persons and vvorks of men shall bee distinguished one from another And as you vvould have your persons distinguished from others at the great day vvhen Christ shall come to separate the precious and the vile the Sheep from the Goats the good from the bad you vvould then bee glad to have your vvorks distinguished vvhen all the vvorks of men are to bee tryed and burned vvith fire to see whether they will indure tryal yea or no you would bee glad then to have something in your works to distinguish them from others that are to perish Why then if ever you would have that labour now to get Sincerity Sincerity will do this it will set such a stamp such a Character upon them as no false coin no work of any Hypocrite can have and therefore labour for it 3. Motive 3. Because otherwise all thy prayers thy tears thy duties all is lost and that is a sad case If a man had laid out much pains and cost about a work hee would bee sorry to lose all hee had done for want of a little more You have done much it may bee suffered much in the wayes of God would you not now lose all your former labours all your prayers all your tears your many sad hours spent in the wayes of godlinesse would you not lose all in conclusion Oh! labour to get a sincere heart if not you will assuredly lose the things you have wrought God will never own them Though the things bee materially good in themselves as what better than praying hearing c. yet if the heart bee not sincere in them God will never own them You see it in the first of Isaiah the works were good and such as God had commanded such as his soul delighted in yet wanting this sincerity all was nothing c. 4. Motive 4. Because sincerity is the chiefest thing God eyes in men the main thing which God now desires under the Gospel God looks not for a legal perfection from you in respect of legal actual universal personal Obedience hee desires sincerity and that under the Gospel is perfection 5. Motive 5. Sincerity will afford us comfort in the saddest times of our soul or body in our spiritual and temporal sorrows c. when other things cannot minister comfort when duties and prayers must stand afar off and are not able to reach forth any comfort to us yet sincerity can In the greatest darknesse of the soul
when the soul is compassed with thick darkness sincerity will open a Casement and thereby let light into the soul Psal 112.4 Unto the upright there ariseth light in darkness in the darkest whereas Hypocrisy is like painted windows keeps out light Sincerity will be like windows of Glass transparent let in light 6 Motive 6 Sincerity doth fence the heart against apostacy Partial and Total Wee will now come to the means to get a sincere heart Cure Hypocrisy Which is in which I shall indeavour to apply my self to the cure of an hypocrite But before I come to lay down the means of cure I must tell you this 1 It is a difficult cure 2 A painful cure 1 A difficult cure 1 Hard to cure It is one of the hardest cures are wrought upon the souls of men A cure seldome wrought Wee have heard of a bloody and Idolatrous Manasses an unclean Mary an oppressing Publican a persecuting Paul and many other fearful and great open and notorious sinners wrought upon brought to life But where have we read of the return of a Judas of a Simon Magus where do wee read of one example of such as have been grosse hypocrites who have afterward been savingly wrought upon I confesse it is all one with God to do the one as the other it is as easy with him to change the heart of an hypocrite as any other for infinite power and grace knows no difference but it is a thing not so usually done And though as easy in respect of God yet more difficult quoad nos And so I would have you understand me that the difficulty is in respect of us 1 It is hard to convince such a man that hee needs a cure 1 Hard to Convince you see it in Rev. 3. vers 16 17. God tells them they were luke-warm neither hot nor cold there was their distemper and yet you see what thoughts they had of themselves in the 17. vers Thou sayest thou art rich and increased in goods and hast need of nothing and knowest not that thou art wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked So you see it is hard to convince such a man Another man is easily convinced the very lives of them who are holy are convictions to his Conscience and if the word be held out he is ready to fall down as not able to stand up under the light and evidence of it In such men wee have a friend within them even their own natural consciences are on our side and ready to take part with us against themselves and fly in their own faces telling them such and such things ought not to bee done But now in the other neither the examples of holy men nor precepts of the word do so farre convince them for in outward appearance they walk as blamelesly as the best Nay and natural Conscience is also for them and being satisfied with some general performances of duty is ready to take part with them and to withstand any conviction that can bee alledged You see this in the Scribes and Pharisees they walked blamelesly in the general to the eyes of the world as you hearby his confession in opposition to the Publican and they fasted and prayed and did much and by that the mouth of conscience was stopped the quarrels of conscience were answered and you finde how hard it was for Christ himself to convince them They were so far from being convinced by his example that they thought themselves more strict than hee he did but they would not accompany themselves with sinners and therefore they gave ouâ—the was a wine bibber a glutton a friend of Publicans and for his doctrin this was so farre from convincing them that they thought their lives more strict than his precepts they were followers of the Law exact and rigid in legal observances and thought his doctrin too licentious too full of liberty for them So that is the first it is hard to convince them Hard to humble them 2 It is hard to humble them Humiliation follows conviction if hard to convince hard to humble Do wee denounce threatnings against sinners alas they are none of them these threatnings do not concern them but others for their parts they walk unblameably in the world It is not the mercyes nor the judgements the promises nor the threatnings the word nor the works of God which humble them In others there may be some natural tenderness some remorse of spirit when they hear of Gods judgements against sin But for this man it is not all the terrors of the Lord not all the humbling breaking discoverys of sin or judgement which fasten upon him to humble him No mans heart so hard as the Hypocrites hee hath not only a natural hardnesse but a contracted hardnesse nay a fortified and strengthened hardnesse his heart is fortified against all reproof against all the denunciations of wrath and judgement You have a taste of it in the Scribes and Pharisees You know they were Hypocrites hee who knew their hearts better than they knew their own tells them so And it was not all the miracles hee did in his life nor all the wonders which hee shewed at his death which could break and humble their hard hearts you see the Sun was darkned the earth quakes and trembles the vail of the Temple was rent the graves open the rocks cleave asunder yet all this doth not move their hard hearts Hard to reclaim them 3 It is hard to reclaim them for 1 The Devil hath got greater power in them than in others 2 The Forts of Sinne and Satan are more strengthned in them 3 The means of reclaiming lesse efficacious Hee is able to sit out Sermons and duties without any manner of working upon his spirit at all That which moves others moves not him which works upon the hearts of others doth leave his heart unwrought upon He is a man as I told you prayer-proof Sermon-proof and Ordinance-proof no Mercy no judgement no promise no threatning no word no works no prayer no Sacraments no physick no salve no counsell no advice no light of nature no light of example no private help no publick exhortation prevails with his heart hee 's a man in the fore-lorn hope his condition neer desperate Custome in the use of things doth take away the power of working You see in your bodies a little thing works upon the humors when you are not used to it whereas if accustomed to it a much greater will not stir the humors I have read that Mithridates by accustoming himself to eat Poyson at last durst venture upon poyson as meat nothing did hurt him The customable use of things takes away the power of working So it is here the custome of Ordinances in a formal way doth take away the power of working by them You see it in the Sacrament may bee when you came first to the Sacrament then Conscience had some natural tendernesse in
it and you came trembling to this Ordinance fearing lest you should prophane it and by that eat and drink your own Condemnation But now the custome of prophanation hath taken away the terror of prophaning this Ordinance now you come and tremble not So for the word time was when Conscience was green and tender that the word came with more majesty more authority on your spirits Every command came with power every threat came with trembling but now you can sit under the most powerful quickening convincing awaking dispensations of it and your souls never moved And hence is it that your custome with the Ordinances in a customary way takes off the life and power and workings of Ordinances As custome in sin doth harden the heart and makes the heart more difficult to bee wrought upon so custome in duty if it bee done in a formal customable way I would rather deal and should have more hopes of doing good to him who is openly prophane notoriously wicked than such a man who lyes soaking under Ordinances and goes on in a formal and customable performance of these dutys without any spirit or life in the doing of them Thus you see the first 't is a difficult cure 2 It is a painful cure It is a painful cure It will cost thee much pain many gripes and greifs many Prayers and tears much humiliation and sorrow before it can be wrought Nay t is a cure wrought by undoing all that thou hast done thou must unravel all unpray thy prayers undo thy services Thou must not go forward in the way wherein thou art but must come back all the way thou hast gone and go another way if ever thou come to heaven And this will cost a man some pain Suppose a man were going to some place and had gone much of his journey were now come as hee thought near his journeys end and one should come to him and tell him Sir you are clean out of the way you must go back again unride all this way you have come c. O! how irksome how hardly would this down with a man at the end of his journey especially the way being pleasant wherein hee was and full of delight but the other rough and foul in which hee was to go Alas would hee say is there no way but turning back is it not possible to strike over this is irksome Why so is it with a man here it may be thou hast set out for heaven and thou hast gone all thy life in a fair smooth way and art now come as thou thinkest even to the end of thy journey And will it not bee a hard thing for a man to turn back to begin in another way and that a straiter a rougher and a deeper way Why I tell thee this must bee done before ever thou come to heaven It is with a sound Christian and an Hypocrite as it is with two men at the top of two houses in a narrow street one would think that they could easily come to one another easily reach but the truth is hee must come down the height where hee is before hee can go up to him A grosse and open sinner is nearer to him than a formal hypocrite As Christ saith Easier for Publicans and Harlots c. And now judge is it not a very hard thing and difficult for a man to undoe all hee hath done to give up all for lost to come down from the height to which hee hath attained not without much pains To turn back that way wherein hee hath ridden with much difficulty This is a hard thing c. what flesh and blood can bear this So that it is not only a difficult but a painful cure 1 In respect of the medicines that are to bee applyed hard physick humbling lancing cutting dismembring cutting off right hands c. 2 In respect of the distemper wherewith these medicines are to encounter 3 In respect of the pains gripes griefs you must endure in the cure But this I cannot insist upon The truth is the cure is so painfull that your spirits would rather continue the disease than submit to the plaister But now though the cure be difficult 't is possible 't is easy with God though hard to us And if God have given thee a heart to desire a cure and a spirit willing to submit to any means may bee used it is a fair way towards the cure Well then to come to the cure it self Having searched thy spirit and upon diligent search discovered Hypocrisy Means of cure 1. Labour to convince thy heart of the evil and mischief of an unsound spirit It is a thing which makes thy person thy performance odious unto God hee hates thy person hee hates thy prayers as you see Isa 1.14 Your new Moons and your Sabbaths and your appointed feasts my soul hateth them which yet were high extraordinary services And now judge what a fearful thing it is to stand under the hatred of the great God of Heaven and Earth What dost thou think will bee the end of thee why you shall see Matth. 24. and the last Thou shalt bee cast into the lake which burnes with fire and brimstone and not only cast in but into the hottest place where there shall not bee a drop of water to a lake of fire For it is said of all other sinners that they shall have their portion with Hypocrites The Hypocrite shall have the largest portion hee is the top of that black crew of damned souls For the present thou losest all the good in Earth which others do injoy and for the future thou losest all the good in Heaven which others shall injoy Nay and thou gainest sorer sharper more unsupportable damnation than others shall have Thy duties thy prayers thy hearings which would have ministred comfort to thee if they had been right do now aggravate and increase thy torment being unsound Every Sermon Prayer Duty is but as another stick carried to that structure of fire to make it hotter and greater for thee because done with an unsound spirit 2. Consider there is a God 2. Means Atheisme is a great ground of Hypocrisy and there is no man more an Atheist than an Hypocrite Well then think there is a God I tell thee the very beleef of this would strike down many base ends which thou hast in thy service of him And think him to bee such a God as hee is That this God is an all-seeing God one who searcheth the heart who tryeth the reins One who knows the secret turnings and windings of thy deceitful soul Though thou mayest dissemble it with men bee one thing upon the stage another thing in the tyring house one thing in action another thing in heart and affection Yet thou canst not dissemble with God before whom thou liest open cut up to the back bone anatomized all thy internals are seen as the Word signifies in Heb. 4.13 This thought brought home and
suffered to lye upon thy spirit in serious consideration would e'ne half work the cure it would cure all gross Hypocrisy strike down all by-ends and base ends which thy spirit aims at in the doing of holy duties and vvould do much in the cure of close Hypocrites in the mending of false Principles an honest heart vvould not bee false to God though God should not see him hee loves God hee is the friend of God and you knovv a friend vvill bee true to his friend as vvell absent from him as present vvith him vvhen hee sees him not as vvell as vvhen his eyes are on him But I am not novv to deal vvith a true sincere heart I am laying dovvn means for the cure of a false heart and a great one this is Think and beleeve there is a God and this God an all-seeing God vvho knovvs thy heart and spirit And as hee is all eye to see so hee is all hand to punish thee if thy heart bee not sound vvith him 3. Means 3. Means of cure is Thou must bee nevv made the vvay to mend thee is to nevv make thee thou must bee all undone again taken in peeces and made up again before ever thou canst be better Some peecing and patching up vvill not serve the turn but thou must have a nevv making before thou bee better There is no mending the stream till there bee an healing of the fountain The fountain and spring within thee is infected and corrupted the heart is unsound and what can bee expected from an unclean heart but unclean acts from an unsound spirit but unsound services and therefore this must bee made new before ever you bee cured Thou must have a new Judgement for thou seest by a false light Thou must have a new will for this is corrupt Thou must have a new heart for this is desperately wicked I tell thee there is no mending thee but by new making thee You may go and patch up your selves but it is but like the putting of a new peece of cloth into an old garment it breaks out again and the rent will bee made worse 4. Means 4. Is Prayer which is instar omnium Oh! desire God with David to make thy heart sound in his Statutes sound in Prayer sound in hearing sound in obedience That all thou doest may arise from right Principles have a right rise go by a right rule and bee directed to a right end Pray that God would give thee sound Principles and sound purposes That that little measure of Grace hee implanteth in thee may bee accompanied with abundance of sincerity and truth of heart And having gotten a sincere heart let it bee your care to fence and guard your heart against Hypocrisy I will give you but one preservative which is this 1. Before you go upon any duty clear the sincerity of your hearts make your end as high as may bee Set out aright loose off well begin in God in Gods strength in Gods grace in Gods assistance A good beginning will make as good a close 2. When thou art upon the duty then look to thy heart suffer no base no by-ends to steal in to poison all thou doest Keep thine eye stedfast upon God in the doing of the duty Do the duty as if there were no men no hopes no fears no rewards in the World as if none but God and thou were in the World 3. Afterwards when the duty is done if there hath been any thing if God have quickened inlarged inflamed humbled thy heart give God all the glory Beware least it bee with thee as it was with Paul and his company that when a fire is kindled a viper come out of the heat Hath God kindled a fire in thy heart warmed inflamed thy spirit Oh! beware that a viper come not out of the heat a viper of pride of vain glory Know this they that seek Gods glory in the work will give God the glory when the work is done If then there have been any good let God inherit all the glory but if any evil take it to thy self for it came from thee and let it bee thy work to lament it to bee humbled for it And now this Rule will bee of special use There are four uses 1. This will fence thy heart guard and strengthen thy heart against Hypocrisy this will keep out Hypocrisy here is no place of entrance for it 2. It will keep down Hypocrisy for Hypocrisy gets no ground so long as it is seen and mourned for 3. This clears the heart in the main that thou art no Hypocrite though there may bee Hypocrisy in thee yet being seen fought against mourned for resisted it reigns not it shall not denominate thee an Hypocrite 4. It will clear thee of the sin of Hypocrisy God will never charge thee for that which thou chargest thy self withall hee will not impute that to thee which thou imputest to thy self That which is thy misery God will never impute to thee as sin Hypocrisy seen mourned for sighed under resisted fought and prayed against shall never bee a condemning Hypocrisy And so much shall now serve for the first branch of the exhortation with the motives to get sincerity with the remedies to cure Hypocrisy and preservatives against it Second Branch of the Exhortation is Having gotten Clear sincerity labour to clear this to your own souls that your hearts are sincere It is a thing possible to bee cleared a man may come to evidence to himself the sincerity of his own graces and gracious performances And it is a thing necessary to bee known in respect of your peace of your comfort So necessary that you can neither live with comfort nor dye with comfort unless you bee able in some measure to clear the sincerity of your hearts the integrity of your spirits And being a thing so necessary I will here lay down some Rules and directions for the better inabling of you to this present duty 1. Rule 1. Make a through and sound search deceits lye low Hypocrisy is spun of a fine thread and is not discerned without diligent search A false evidence is the fruit of a superficial search Though gross Hypocrisy is seen without search yet close Hypocrisy must bee narrowly searcht into otherwise you shall not bee able to discover it Here you must not only read over your selves in your actions but in your affections not only in your practises but also in your Principles Hypocrisy lyes low it is a root sin The heart of man is deceitful above measure saith the Lord who knows it Jer. 17.9 like a crested picture on the one side an Angel on the other a Devil And I must tell you that sin lyes at the bottome of a deceitful heart and therefore it will ask some pains to discover it It was a fair speech of the Children of Israel Deut. 5.29 Whatever the Lord shall say unto us wee will do And it may bee they meant
as they spake for the time they were not aware of deceit in their hearts But hee that saw further into them than they into themselves discovered deceit to lye at the bottome below which they were not aware of and therefore it follows O that there were such an heart in my people alas it is but a present pang of conscience there is no such heart in them So it was well spoken of Hazael 2 King 8.12 13. when Elisha told him what bloody cruelties hee should exercise towards Israel Is thy servant a Dog saith hee hee thought the Prophet did him a great deal of wrong what should ever hee exercise such beastly cruelty but hee saw not the bottome of his heart as was seen after in the next Chapter So it was well spoken by them in Jer. 42.6 7.20 21. When the Princes desired Jeremy to inquire of the Lord whether they should go and bound themselves with an oath to obey whithersoever God bade them go they would go But there was a deceit lay low they had a secret resolution to go into Egypt and thought God would have sent them thither and then they would have been taken for an obedient people But when the message came contrary they shewed the falseness and hollowness of their spirit and fall into flat contradiction against the word of the Lord. The word that thou hast spoken wee will not do And therefore seeing the heart is so exceedingly deceitfull there is great need of thorough search and tryal of our spirits If you take the first verdict the heart gives up you are likely to bee deceived and therefore wee are to observe the Apostles Rule 2 Cor. 13.5 to examine and prove that is not only to examine and so take the first Evidence the heart gives up but prove the Evidence whether it bee true or no. Deceits lye low As for example Enquiry is made whether I have Faith c. 2. Rule 2. Labour to acquaint thy self with the most sure and clearing Evidences of sincerity and try thy heart by them It may bee thou hearest the Word and perhaps with joy thou bewailest sin and perhaps with tears thou avoidest gross sins with care thou opposest common corruptions with zeal All these are comfortable signes but they are not infallible evidences of Grace For what is in all this which Ahab which Saul which Herod which Judas had not It is a great deal of wisdome in the tryal of our selves to bee acquainted with those sorts of evidences which are of a clearing nature of which I will give you two properties 1. Those Evidences which are clearing are such as the Word doth countenance What ever evidences the Word doth not countenance they are but the presumptions of our own heart and never give us comfort in life or death It is the book must cast us or clear us at the last day A second property of clearing evidences They must bee such as are universally reciprocal distinctive evidences That is such evidences as are incompatible with any whose hearts are not sincere and concomitant with them whose hearts are sincere They must bee such as are essential to a Christian as a Christian If there bee any who hath them and is not a Christian is not sincere or any who is a Christian sincere and hath them not they are not right They must bee such as do manifest every person in whom they are to bee sincere and do discover where ever they are not what ever shews they have they are not sincere I have told you formerly on another subject that what ever another man may do or have and yet not bee in Christ yet not bee sincere will never bee a sufficient evidence to mee that having or doing that I am sincere And by these two properties there will bee a great deal cast down from being clearing evidences if I had time to insist on them Thou prayes thou hears thou dost much in the ways of God but this will not bee enough to clear thy sincerity for I have shewed you that a man may do all this and more too yet not sincere and therefore these will bee no clearing evidences And therefore let us go by this rule examine what are those clearing evidences of your sincerity and examine your selves by them Obj. But how shall I know what are those heart-clearing evidences that so I may examine my self by them Answ I have shewed you some properties you see of evidences of this nature I have also cast down many from being sufficient to clear your sincerity Wee will now give you some which are clearing evidences 1 Some taken from the disposition of mourning Demonstrations of sincerity in 1. Mourning in part of Sin 1 An Hypocrite cannot mourn for all sin it may be hee may mourn for general for common and sensuall sinnes but not for close spiritual and secret sinnes his unbeleef his hypocrisy pride 2 An hypocrite cannot mourn for sin as sin for sin in its own nature but as clad with wrath and punishment Now then if God have given thee a heart to mourn for all sins and for sin as sin it is an evidence of thy sincerity 1 An hypocrite cannot mourn for the want of fulness of ordinances 2 Of Ordinances want 2 Nor can hee mourn for want of any Ordinance out of discovery of the beauty and excellency in them Now then if God give thee a heart to mourn for c. 3 An Hypocrite cannot mourn for sins of others 3 In sin of others nor 2 for the want of growth in himself If therefore God hath given thee such a heart c. thou must conclude thine own sincerity Sincerity of Desires 2 For matter of desires 1 He cannot desire the death of all sin hee hath some darling c. 2 Hee cannot desire the death of any sin as sin but for other respects If therefore God hath given thee a heart desirous to bee purged as well as pardoned that desires the death of all and of sin as sin c. Again in point of desire of grace 1 An Hypocrite doth not desire all grace there are some he would not own hee loves not universal exactnesse 2 Hee desires not any grace as grace in its own native beauty and excellency but at times death c. and then as a stalking horse If therefore God hath given thee a heart to desire and thrist after all grace exact conformity to God in all things and to desire grace as grace c. Of Affections 1 To God 3 For matters of affections 1 An Hypocrite cannot love God for himself 2 Hee cannot love God as God as in his own nature so contrary If therefore God hath given thee a heart to love him for himself c. To Sainâ—s 2 Again towards the Saints 1 An Hypocrite hee loves not all the Saints some hee may not all 2 Hee loves not the Saints as the Saints but for other respects If therefore God
a nobis accipiendo sed omnia nobis promittendâ— Aug. because he hath ingaged himself to us by many great and precious Promises Gods Promises are ingagements upon him God hath made himself our Debter Not by receiving any thing from us but by promising all things to us God hath made many precious promises to us 1 Promises of Preservation Isa 33.16 Hee shall dwell on high his place of defence shall bee the munition of rocks bread shall bee given to him his waters shall bee sure A Promise than which I know none more full in the Book of God wherein all Objections that a fearful heart might raise are answered and taken away Let us view it over 1 Hee shall dwell on high If hee were among his enemies hee might bee in danger But hee shall dwel on high nay on heights as the Word is many Ascents many Heights above the reach of danger out of Gun-shot 2 But suppose they could raise up Mounts and come as high as hee yet they shall not hurt him Hee is in a place of defence 3 But what then His defence is not so strong but it may bee broken thorough No saith the Text that is impossible for his place of defence shall bee the Munitions of Rocks many Rocks and many Munitions of Rocks and therefore impregnable to guard him 4 Why but hee may bee starved out his supply will not alway last There is no plowing and sowing upon Rocks hee may bee famisht out No saith the Text. Bread shall bee given him Hee shall bee provided for 5 But what shall wee do for Water There is no Water to be had out of Rocks You see it was that which posed the Faith of Moses to fetch Water out of a Rock But saith the Text hee shall have Water too 6 Yea but his Water may be spent It will not alway last No saith the Text His Waters shall be sure never failing Waters sure Waters Again in the same Chapter vers 21. The Lord will bee to us a place of broad Rivers and streams wherein shall go no Gallie with Oares nor shall gallant ship pass thereby Shewing the defence God would bee to his People Hee will bee a Stream nay a River between us and our enemies And a broad River a River that cannot bee passed over Why but they may use Oares No saith the Lord Hee will bee a River wherein no Gally with Oares shall pass But a Ship may No nor gallant ship shall pass thereby for the Lord is our Judge the Lord is our Law-giver the Lord is our King hee will save us But what if any ship should attempt You shall see vers 23. God will untackle them Thy tacklings are loosed they could not well strengthen their Mast they could not spread the saile 2. And as hee hath made promises of Preservation from So hee hath made promises of Deliverance out of trouble Psal 34.19 Many are the troubles of the Righteous but the Lord delivereth him out of them all So Psal 50.15 Call upon mee in the time of trouble I will deliver thee So Psal 91.15 I will bee with him in trouble and will deliver him So Isa 54.17 No weapon formed against thee shall prosper And an excellent promise wee have Isa 43.3 4. I gave Egypt for thy ransome Ethiopia and Seba for thee God speaks here as the Lord and Possessor of the whole Earth Egypt was his and Ethiopia was his and both these hee gave for to redeem his Church The Church was in bondage and captivity you know in Egypt And God gave Egypt for her ransome And how because shee could not bee ransomed and delivered without the loss of Egypt Therefore God gave Egypt for her That is hee would rather lose all the Land of Egypt than his people should not bee ransomed hee would sink the whole Kingdome of Egypt if it stood betwixt his People and Deliverance And so it follows in the 4. vers I have loved thee therefore will I give men for thee and people for thy life As if hee had said I love thee thou art more dear to mee than all the World and I do not stick to give the lives of thousands to uphold thine Multitudes shall bee destroyed rather than thou shalt not bee preserved I love thee and therefore I will give men for thee Thus you see God is ingaged to do wonderful things for his Church because of his Promise That love which hath moved him to make these precious promises to us will never give him rest till it hath caused him to make good those promises which hee hath made 3. A third loving Ingagement which causes God to do wonders for his People is because they trust in him Trust is a kinde of Ingagement upon a man although hee had made no promise A man will not deceive another who reposeth his whole trust in him though hee were not ingaged by Promise There is a kinde of Ingagement in Trust it self And shall wee then think that God will when hee hath made so many precious promises to us This were the greatest deceit in the World a Soul-deceit If God should call us off from all other succours from other shelters and tell us that if wee will trust in him hee will bee our succour our security And should God fail the soul this were an undoing-deceit the greatest deceit in the World No my Brethren there was never man who laid up his confidence in God but hee found God to bee that to him which hee expected Faith ingageth all the Power all the Wisdome all the Mercy and Truth of God to help us And if the Power Wisdome c. of God can do wonders for thee God will then do wonders for thee if thou beleeve in him Beleeve saith Christ and thou shalt see the wondrous works of God 4. A fourth Ingagement which causeth God to do wonders for his People is because they seeke him Hee doth not say to the seed of Jacob seek yee mee in vain Hee hath stiled himself The God hearing prayers and bids us call upon him in the day of trouble and hee will hear The Prayers of Gods People they are as so many Ingagements upon God to move him to do for them Faith and Prayer will set All-God awork It will set the Power Wisdome Mercy of God a work for you Faith and Prayer will remove Mountains Nothing shall bee too hard for that people to do whose hearts and spirits God holds up to beleeve and to pray Bee it to thee even as thou wilt Luther having been in his study and earnest with the Lord about the business of the Church receiving a gracious answer hee comes down and cryes Wee have overcome the day is ours And so it fell out saith the story For the Church prevailed There is a kinde of Omnipotency in Faith and Prayer because these two set the Omnipotent God and the Omnipotency of the Power of the Omnipotent God to work for us And I beleeve
Deliverance then will God perform his whole work upon Zion and will punish the fruit of the proud Doer 7. When the glory of God is mightily concerned His worship his Truth his Cause Then is the time God will do wonders Though God will not do it for us yet hee will do it for his own Names sake Hee will not suffer his glory to bee polluted And this was the Argument Joshua had Josh 7.8 9. When Israel had sinned and God had delivered them up to their enemies hee pleads with God Lord what will become of thy great Name Though Israel deserve not that thou shouldest stand out for them yet let not thy glory suffer for their sin but let thy Name which is so much concerned draw thee out to relieve and help The like you have Isa 48.9 10 11. For my Names sake I will defer my anger and for my praise will I refrain for thee that I cut thee not off For my own sake even for my own sake will I do it For how should my Name bee polluted And I will not give my glory to another 2 King 18.35 Who are there among the Gods of the Countries that have delivered their Country out of my hand that the Lord should deliver Jerusalem out of my hand Here you see now was Gods Glory concerned and therefore to preserve his own Glory hee shews a wonder to help them And happy are they whose deliverance is joyned with Gods Glory Though God will not alway deliver for our sake yet will hee deliver for his Glory for his own Name-sake As hee tells them in Ezek. 36.32 Not for your sakes do I this saith the Lord God bee it known unto you bee ashamed and confounded for your own wayes Oh house of Israel But though hee would not do it for their sâ—kes yet hee did it for his own sake even for the Glory of his own Mercy as you see in that place 5. Quere 5. How shall wee know that God will work a wonder for us Wee are now in sad and distressed conditions and a wonder must bee wrought for the helping and relieving of us But whether God will work a wonder for us or no There is the great question This I am sure of If God do not work a wonder for us wee shall bee made a wonder Nay three Wonders to all Nations 1. Wee shall bee made a wonder of folly a wonder of madness Who because none else could therefore we would with our own hands ruine our selves Which should wee effect it would bee the grief of our friends the joy of our enemies the Popes Holy-day Germanies tears Irelands ruine Scotlands hazard and our own overthrow 2 Wee shall bee made a wonder of scorn a hissing and a by-word to all Nations That England that was Compendium Mundi Of which I may say as did the Historian of Ormus that if the whole World were a Ring England were the Diamond that England should ruine her self and with the foolish Woman in the Proveâ—bs pull down her house with her own hands 3 And a wonder of misery For all the World were not able to bring that misery upon us that wee shall bring upon our selves In which combustion if wee preserve our Jewels though wee lose the rest it 's well But wee may fear all will bee indangered if those who were the first movers of our trouble such who Viper-like would eat out the heart of their common Parent bee not taken away Well then The case is so with us As a wonder must bee done or wee shall bee made a wonder a wonder of folly scorn misery But whether or no God will now do wonders for us Here is the Question And I must confess there are many sad presages of evil amongst us many things which speak that God will rather make us a wonder than do a wonder for us 1 Grounds of Fear I will first give you the grounds of my Fears and then give you the grounds of my Hopes that God will not desert us at this time The Grounds of Fear are 1 Either Spiritual 2 Or Natural 1 Spiritual grounds of Fear 1 Spiritual and they are 1 The Universality of sin 2 The Impudency 3 The obstinacy of sin amongst us 1 Universality of sin 1 The Universality of sins All persons all places are fill'd with all kinds of sins The Land is full of Adulteries full of Oathes full of Oppression full of Injustice of Pride Prophanation of the Sabbath contempt of the Ordinances full of Drunkenness the whole land is defiled with blood Prince and People Magistrates and Ministers great and small poor and rich Wee are all defiled with sin Wee may take up the complaint of the Prophet Isa 1.6 from the sole of the foot even to the head there is no soundness in it but wounds and bruises and putrifying sores they have not been closed nor bound up nor mollified with ointment But there are four sins especially that threaten evil to us and those are such as do more immediately concern God and his worship 1 Idolatry 1 Idolatry 2 Prophanation of his Ordinances 3 Prophanation of his Sabbath 4 Contempt and abuse of his Ministers Any of which are enough to sink a Nation though guilty of no more 2. But secondly Adde unto this The impudency of sin 2 Impudency of sin Sin hath gotten a Whores-forehead without modesty or restraint Men are not ashamed to publish sin as Sodom and their iniquities like unto Gomorrah Not ashamed to swear to drink to prophane the Sabbath to contemn Ordinances Many are more ashamed to pray than others are to swear 3 And thirdly Adde to this The obstinacy of sin 3 Obstinacy of sin Sin is not only universal and impudent but it is grown obstinate stubborn and incorrigible Insomuch that neither Mercy nor Judgement Word nor Works Promises nor Threats will bee powerful to perswade with men Then indeed may sin bee said to bee incorrigible when it is grown too strong for that means God hath set up to keep it down When sin is too strong for the Ordinances and Offices God hath set up for the suppressing and keeping down of sin Then it is incorrigible Jer. 6. ult The Bellows are burnt The Prophets lungs consumed Besides these diverse others might bee named 1 Too much fleshly confidence 2 Our unanswerable walking to the means and mercies wee injoy 2 Natural grounds of Fear 2 Natural grounds of Fear 1. The great opposition of wicked men and unsound spirits against the indeavours of Reformation Too many there are who hate to bee reformed Old bottles will never brook with new Wine Nor will old hearts close with a spiritual way It is now with us as the Lord complained of Ephraim Hos 7.1 When I would have healed Israel then the iniquity of Ephraim was discovered All the while before their corruptions did lye a sleep they little thought there were any such spirits in them But when the
is the stage on which God will act all his Wonders and it cannot bee long before this frame bee dissolved and this stage bee taken down If Saint Johns time were the last hour surely ours are the last minute But yet God will not take down the stage till all hath been acted which hee hath ingaged himself to do for his Church Now I say God hath ingaged himself to destroy that man of sinne to make his Church glorious Read at your leasure how much God hath promised to do for his Church in Isa 60. throughout Glorious Promises which though they had a gradual accomplishment in the first Preaching of the Gospel yet not so fully as the Words there hold out which yet must bee made good and therefore it is yet to be expected Hitherto the Church hath been buried up under reproach scorn and persecution hitherto sufferings Prisons Fires stakes they have been the Portion of the Church As yet though we have had our Lucida intervalla our Respites and Breathings The Church of God hath been like Noahs Ark tossing and fluctuating upon the Billows and devouring waves of troubles and Persecutions And the Saints under the Altar the blood of the slain crys How long Lord holy and true though they say How long yet they say Holy and true They give God the glory of his truth and faithfulnesse Though hee defer the accomplishment of what he hath promised yet hee is true of his promise And hath God ingaged himself to make his Churches glorious and that before the end of all things And is the day so neer to an End And is God faithfull is hee true of his Promise why this may something perswade with us that notwithstanding the present oppositions and troubles God is now comming in with mercy and deliverance to his Church and People And God hath not left us without home-hopes that the work is begun That mighty Spirit of Prayer which God hath poured out upon his People That increase of light and knowledge the weakning of the man of sinne in those two Limbs whereon hee hath stood so strongly Germany and Spain that numerous increase of converts within these few years All which are fore-running signs of the Rising Condition of the Church God doth not use to beget Children to the Murderers nor to increase the number of his People to fatten the sword of the enemy Indeed when God hath intended to bring judgements upon a People Hee hath taken his People away hee hath lessened the number as hee tells us Isa 57.1 Hee takes them away from the evil to come but hee never increaseth them against judgements As the lessening presageth judgement so when he increaseth them it is a presage of mercy Every one that is now brought in every Convert we have is a Pledge to this Nation that God will nor destroy this Nation Nay it is an evidence that God will do great things for us Act. 7.17 It is said When the time of Promise drew nigh the people grew and multiplyed in Egypt Their growing was a sign of their rising their increase discovered the promised mercy was not far off And these are the hopeful signs that the day of the Churches redemption draws nigh and is even at the doors As Christ said of the fig-tree when you see the Fig-tree bud and put forth her leaves know that Summer is nigh So when you see these things you may know that the Churches Redemption is at hand God is risen upon his throne and will not sit down if our sins do not make him repent till hee have made his Church glorious in the earth And now having told you my thoughts and that which perswades with me to hope that God will do a wonder for us yet I must tell you again that you may not bee discouraged with the sad appearance of things that wee may suffer many throws many pangs much opposition and perhaps some bloud before these things God will save us From trouble by trouble He will bring us through a Sea and through the wildernesse unto Canaan Yet I will say as Joshuah did Numb 14.8 If the Lord hath any delight in us hee will bring us into this Land God seldome doth great things without great commotions Paul and Silas were not delivered out of Prison but by an Earthquake Though it bee grievous to see yet it is that wee fear And wee must not forsake a good cause because of opposition This were to leap out of the ship because the winds blow to bee impatient of the Ark because the billows rise to seek our safety in the midst of Danger This assure your selves Though Earth and hell should fight against you your safety lyes on Gods side in Gods cause and there is no safety elsewhere These things I suggest to you by way of Cautional advise that when you see these things you may not be troubled As Christ said to his Disciples These things I tell you before that when they do come to passe your hearts may not bee troubled So these things I tell you before that though God will deliver us from trouble yet it will bee by trouble though hee save us yet it shall bee by fire that when you see these things you may not bee troubled when you see storms to fall oppositions and troubles to arise you may not bee moved from your own stedfastness I tell you this is necessary advice a seasonable admonition to you lest the oppositions and seeming contrarieties of Gods proceedings should weaken your faith and move you from your own stedfastnesse The best of us are too apt to live by sense and not by faith by works and not by the Word by Gods outward appearances and proceedings of Providence and not by Promises And therefore out Faith doth wane or increase according as God doth let out or restrain himself in the ways of his Providence when God doth let out himself to succour and releeve his Church when wee see deliverance in the Promise and deliverance in his outward proceedings too then wee can believe but if God do any way restrain himself or his outward Proceedings do seem to walk contrary to his own Promises Though perhaps that bee the next way for the performance of his Promises As you see it was with Joseph with Israel in Egypt where the Promise spake one thing and Gods outward proceedings seemed to speak another In this case wee are ready to give up all and thus did David I shall one time or other perish by the hand of Saul and therefore wee should learn this lesson in some kinde to shut our eyes to the works of God and look upon the Word of God Not only to look upon the outward proceedings of Providence but upon the stability and truth of the promise and see the Word say Yea when the Works seem to say Nay and conclude because the Promise saith it shall bee though all secondary means whereby the Promise should bee performed say It
ears See what followes vers 7 8 13.14 Then the Earth shook and trembled The Lord thundred in the Heavens and the highest gave his voice Hailstones and coals of fire Hee sent out his arrows and scattered them hee shot out his lightenings and discomfitted them And an excellent place you have Isa 54.15 When the enemy shall come in like a flood the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him That is shall both defend from his violence and put him to flight And it is an observable phrase The Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard That is saith one The Spirit of Prayer is lift up When trouble and evil are threatned the enemie comes like a flood irresistably then the Spirit of the Lord stirring up Prayer in his peoples hearts shall lift up a standard against them bee your defence and chase them away When God doth intend to bestow great things on his People first hee gives them the Spirit of Prayer the Harbinger and Forerunner of mercy Jer. 3.19 But I said How shall I put thee among the Children and give thee a pleasant land As if hee had said I have purposes of mercy to thee I have thoughts of deliverance I think to bring thee into thy own land again and do wonders for thee But what way shall I go to effect and bring about this And I said thou shalt call mee my Father As if hee had said I have now bethought mee of a way I will poure a spirit of Prayer upon thee and thou shalt call mee Father and so I will put thee among my Children 3. Bee incouraged to hope as well as to pray Hope 3 Incouragement to hope in God Heb. 6.19 it is called the anchor of the soul sure and stedfast that takes sure hold and then breaks not in the greatest tempest at such an anchor wee may ride in the most overgrown storm They say Clement was cast into the Sea with an anchor fastened to him and could not drown wee shall not in the deepest Waters if wee bee fastened to this anchor for God delights in them who hope in his Mercy Psal 147.11 and whom God delights in enemies shall not delight over his mercy shall prevent their utterly undoing-misery Hope is the Daughter of Faith therefore when Faith hath brought forth the birth of Prayer let it bring forth the other Twin also of Hope And then also 4. To wait on God 4. Bee incouraged to wait For as long as we hope we will wait and no longer as long as you expect and hope your friend will come to you so long you will stay and wait for him but give over hoping once and then you will together give over waiting Hope hath two acts it expects that a Mercy will come and then it waits till it do come as it is confident of Gods goodness and truth that in his due time hee will shew mercy so it is conscious to its own duty and therefore humbly and patiently waits Gods leisure till that time come and this although many cross Providences and greatest dangers should come between yea in the way of thy Judgements O Lord have wee waited for thee saith the Church Isa 26.8 and well they may seeing by experience they ever finde that the Lord is good unto them that wait for him to the soul that seeketh him Lam. 3.25 And then when you have learned these lessons of trusting in God praying hoping and waiting on him Then you shall say with the Church Isa 25.9 Loe this is our God wee have waited for him and hee will save us This is the Lord wee have waited for him wee will rejoyce and bee joyful in his salvation There are many glorious wonders which God is now to do at the latter end of the World for his Church This time is reserved for a time of Wonders And who knows but this may bee one of the Wonders which God now doth for his Church at this time Could wee but remove 1. Our Unbeleef 2. Our Unthankfulness 3. Our Neglect of Duty 4. Our Unworthy Walking Could wee but 1. Beleeve more Strongly 2. Pray more Fervently 3. Live more Holily And God would do Wonders for us I tell you the way to ingage God to do Wonders for England is 1. To Beleeve more 2. To Pray more 3. To Reform more 1 Would you ingage God to do Wonders for England Beleeve Set Faith on work and you will work in the bowels of a Promise nay in the bowels of God pitch Faith upon God Let Faith have her full and perfect work And there is No Temptation so strong but Faith will conquer No Affliction so great but Faith will master No Prison so strait but Faith will open No Danger so great but Faith relieves us in No Misery so unsufferable but Faith will deliver us out Do but beleeve saith Christ and thou shalt see the wondrous works of God As if hee had said God will do no wonders John 6.4 if you will not beleeve Indeed God can do wonders as Christ said Hee could not do much because of their unbeleef Though unbelief take no Power no Wisdome from God For as the Apostle saith God is faithfull whether men beleeve or no So I may say God is Powerfull God is mercifull God â—â— Wise c. though wee beleeve not But though our unbelief do not weaken the Power of God yet it straitens and limits it Though it rob God of no mercy yet it robs us of all Though he hath mercy yet hath he none for us Well then that is the first Beleeve You have to deal with a God and this God is a God of Power and this God and this power is yours in Covenant And by vertue of that all for your good Let Faith now stirre Mark 9.23 If you can but beleeve all things are possible wonders are possible To Beleeve is difficult but to him that Beleeveth nothing is impossible If you had but faith as a grain of mustard-seed say to this mountain bee thou removed hence and bee cast into the sea and it shall bee done Though Faith bee but weak though but small A grain yet if it bee but lively if a grain of Mustard-seed Acris Fervida if it have Acrimonie and Vivacity in it as Mustard-seed hath one grain shall bee able to remove a mountain That is whatever may bee to the glory of God and the good of his Church be it never so difficult the least Faith if true Faith will effect it and bring it about You shall read in Heb. 11.33 what wonders Faith hath wrought It hath the same Power and the same God of power to deal with still Incouragements to Faith I have given you diverse in the former discourses from the Power from the love of God from all those former experiences that both ourselves and generations before have had of Gods goodnesse As I have shewed at large 2 Would you ingage God pray to
him wee have had many praying days They began for Ireland but may bee continued for England And oh That this day might be more successful than former days You that carry Irelands miseries Englands breaches and distractions in your bosomes send out armies of Prayers let your closets and the Churches bear witnesse of your sense of and sighs for the miseries And resolve to give God no rest till hee hath established Zion the joy and praise of the whole earth Ask and desire largely of God for his Church God hath a larger heart to give than you to begge Hee will suffer no creature to equall him in his love to his Church You shall not ask more than hee is willing to bestow Eph. 3.20 Hee is able to do exceeding-abundantly above all that we are able to ask or think and Jer. 33.3 Call unto mee and I will answer thee and shew thee mighty things which thou knowest not Well then let no Difficulty undermine your Faith no nor Discouragement put you off from seeking Jacob held up to pray notwithstanding all his discouragements Though hee wrestled in the night though hee was all alone though God told him hee would leave him though hee staid to his losse and God smote him in his thigh yet he held out to wrestle with God Hee that would prevail with God must not onely Pray but continue in Praying Jacob prayed all night David day and night Jonah three dayes and three nights Daniel 21 days and 21 nights Moses forty days and forty nights Though God delay though God defer though God deny yet hold out Break in upon Gods retireings urge God with his own Promises with his glory with his name with his truth with his worship c. All which are more pretious to him than a world I have told you that there shall be nothing Too hard for that People to do whose hearts and spirits God doth mightily hold up to seek him You know what wonders Prayer hath done It dryed up the Sea c. And wee have had experience of the fruit of Prayer more than any God did never honor Prayer more in any age than in our Generation It hath been the great Engine that hath carried all Gods purposes about Nothing hath been done without and nothing hath been done against prayer You may revolve in your thoughts the wonders God hath wrought within these three or four years for this Church and our neighbouring Nations Wee have prayed dead and prayed alive breathed life and death by prayer we have prayed into bonds and prayed out of bonds as Peter was When sin had drawn the sword prayer sheathed it again when sin had overspread us and covered us with a cloud of bloud Prayer dispelled and scattered this To God give the glory And you who have had experience of this before bee you quickned and incouraged to it again Be mighty with God Faith and Prayer will work wonders 3 Would you ingage God to do wonders for you adde a third ingagement and that is Reformation Supplication is nothing without Reformation The Arm of the Lord is not shortned that hee cannot save 3 Reformation nor is his ear heavy that hee cannot hear but your iniquities have separated between you and your God and your sins have hid his face from you that hee will not hear As if the Prophet had said God is as powerful and as merciful as ever hee was hee is as able to do wonders and as willing as ever he was And the reason why hee doth them not is Because your sinnes do separate betwixt you and your God your sins rob you of all the good You look upward to see whether God will help You look downward to see whether man can help But what is all this if you do not look inward to find out your sins and cast them away which hinder help you have that the reasâ—â— Judg. 10.10 11 12. God had oftentimes delivered them as hee tells them there and they were now again in new distresses and therefore cry to God But God tells them they had walked unworthy of former deliverances and therefore he would deliver them no more whereupon they go and confess their sinnes before God they humble themselves and reform their evil wayes and then saith the Text His soul was grieved for the misery they were in God did then deliver them Well this is our case wee have been a people who have injoyed many great mercies and deliverances but now we are in new straits Let us go and humble our selves but reform too else Gods soul may not be grieved for our miseries if wee still grieve him with our sins but When God sees us to be cruel to our sins hee will then bee merciful to our souls when he sees us to be grieved for our sins he will then be grieved for our miseries Reform your Families your Parishes your persons good and bad set ye upon the work of Reformation and God will not stick to do a wonder for us God is driving on the great design of his own glory It is our wisdome to take notice of it and in this way to further it and not to hinder it Oh then Reform T were a fearful thing that the Nation should perish because thou wilt not reform God will never bee merciful to that man who is merciful to his sins You read what the Prophet said to Ahab Because thou hast spared the man that was reserved to destruction therefore thy life shall go for his life Well then Hear the Nation Hear Religion hear all calling out upon you reform 1 Let the wicked reform 2 Let the Saints reform 1 You wicked ones do you reform Your profainness Oathes blasphemies uncleanness your contempt and hatred of Gods Truth Ordinances ways servants c. for else one sinner as Achan may make an halt in Israels march into Canaan and how much rather if the whole Camp be full of such 2 You Saints Bee reformed 1 Of your Pride 2 Of your Lukewarmnesse 3 Of your Formality 4 Of your Covetousnesse 5 Of your Vanity in your Speeches 6 Of your Unthankfulnesse for Gods mercies 7 Of your Unfruitfulness under means of Grace 8 Of your Censoriousnesse of your Brethren And this Land-Reformation would prevent a Land-Desolation when God sees us a repenting-People hee will be a â—â—â—enting-God when hee sees us in a Posture of Reformation he will be in the way of Preservation FINIS Books Printed and are to be sold by Thomas Parkhurst who Prints and sells this Book of Dr. Samuel Bolton at the Sign of the Three Crowns over against the Great Conduit at the lower end of Cheapside A Learned Commentary or Exposition upon the first Chapter of the second Epistle to the Corinthians by Dr. Richard Sibbs Published for publick good by Thomas Manton Folio Mr. John Cotton his Exposition on the first Epistle of John with Doctrines Reasons Uses Fol. There is newly come forth Mr. William Fenner his
Continuation of Christs Alarm to Drowsie Saints with a Treatise of Effectual Calling The Killing power of the Law The Spiritual Watch New Birth A Christians ingrafting into Christ A Treatise on the Sabbath which were never before Printed bound in one Volume Fol. and may bee had alone of them that have his other Works as well as bound with all his former Works which are now newly Printed in the same Volume with this Truth brought to light and discovered by time or an Historical Narration of the first fourteen years of King James in 4o. Hall against the Quakers with an Epistle to it of Mr. Zach. Crofton Minister of Buttolphs Algate The Journal or Diary of a thankful Christian wherein is contained Directions for the right method of keeping and using according to the Rules of Practice a Day-book of National and Publick personal and private passages of Gods Providence to help Christians to thankfulness and experience By John Beudle Minister of the Gospel at Barstone in Essex large 8o. Mr. Robinsons Christians Armor in large 8o. Book of Emblems with Latine and English Verses made upon Lights by Robert Farlie small 8o. Grace to the Humble as preparation to the Sacrament in five Sermons by Dr. John Preston The young mans Guide to Godliness by Wil. Perkins 12o. Picturae Louventes or Pictures drawn forth into Characters 12o. A most Excellent Treatise containing the way to seek Heavens Glory to flye Earths Vanity to fear Hells Horror with godly Prayers and the Bell-mans Summons 12º Johnsons Essaies expressed in sundry Exquisite Fancies The Key of Ordination or Ministerial power an Authoritative Separation of men to the work of the Ministry a Ministerial Priviledge by Aylmor Houghton 8o. The one thing Necessary By Mr. Tho. Watson Minister of Stephens Walbrook 89. Catechising Gods Ordinance or a short Treatise concerning that Ancient Approved Soul-edifying singularly necessary exercise of Catechising by Mr. Zach. Crofton Sion in the House of Mourning because of Sin and Suffering being an Exposition on the fifth Chapter of the Lamentation by D. S. Pastor of Vpingham in the County of Rutland Groans of the Spirit or the Trial of the Truth of Prayer handling these particulars what Prayer is How a man may know when hee prayeth in the Spirit How the sense of the Spirit in Prayer may bee attained How a man should-hold on in the Duty without the sense of the Spirit How they that want the Spirit of Prayer should labour for it A Handkercher for Parents Wet-eyes upon the death of their Children or Friends Errata In Sinfulness of sin pag. 23. line 45. read not p. 27. l. 41. after greatness 1. 10. p. 38. l. 4 addâ— he found his heart affected with the duty In the Loves of Christ p 5 l. 39. 1. John 17. p. 51. l. 4â— r. outwardâ— l. 44. for uttered r. Herod p. 53. l. 41. r. Mal. 3. 17. p. 57. l. 12. r. Ezek. 16. 11. l. 33. r. Phil. 2.5 p. 70. l. 45. adde or p. 71. margent r. sâ—rviret Royalties of Faith p. 53. l. 15 r fountain p. 61. l. 16. r. more p. 66. l. 29. r. inquire p. 135. margent r. videt p. 174. l. 10. r. the ministry Slowness of heart to beleeve p. 106. l. 29. r. vers 46. l. 52. r. discover p. 200. l. 6. r. into p. 218. r quickens p 221. l. 44 r. thou In the Treatise of Hypocrisie p. 263. l. last r. as others p. 277. l. last r. formally p. 336. l. 9. r. out he Directions to the Book-binder TAke notice that the Treatise of The Loves of Christ to his Spouse must come next after Sin the greatest Evil The Sheets are marked thus G H I K L M N And before the Treatise of The Nature and Royalties of Faith Next after F f of the second Alphabet follows M m of the second Alphabet There is nothing wanting
Christ is such a Rock as doth derive vertue and strength unto the structure and building Indeed a man may build a weak house upon a strong foundation and the house fall for all that because the rock is a dead thing and cannot impart any of its strength unto the structure But it is not so here Bee the building never so weak yet this Rock can hold it up because it diffuseth its strength into the building Hence 1 Pet. 2.4 5. Christ is called a living not a dead Rock A living stone To whom comming as to a living Stone wee also as lively-stones are built up a spiritual house Which shews the transformation of the building into the nature and firmnesse of the Rock Thus you see Faith is a soul-securing-grace It sets a man upon a soul-securing-bottome It makes God our security who is called The strong-God The mighty-God The Rock of Refuge A defense A Shield A Tower A Fort. An High-place Mich. 4.8 The Tower of his Flock The strong hold of the daughter of Sion A Covert from the storm Isay 32.1 2. Faith makes All-God our security It ingages all-God to be our security His Power And is not this able to secure us His Wisdome And will not this secure us His Truth And will not this secure us His Mercy And cannot all this secure us Hee who trusts in the Lord Mercy shall compasse him on every side Hee is hemm'd in with Mercy Or mercy imbraceth him on every side to secure him As trust doth compasse mercy so mercy doth compass trust As trust imbraceth mercy so mercy imbraceth trust It is not Faith it self that doth secure us But Faith doth make God our security It sets a man upon a soul-securing-bottome on a soul-securing-God on a soul-securing-Power on a soul-securing-Mercy Therefore needs must a Beleeving a Trusting-soul be secure 2. It instates the soul in soul-securing-promises The promises of preservation from trouble Promises of Deliverance out of trouble All the promises which God hath made of Security Faith instates the soul into them all Hee hath promised When wee passe through the waters he will be with us and the waters shall not overflow us When we pass through the fire the flame shall not kindle upon us Isa 43.2 Hee hath promised Hee will stand at our right hand and wee shall not bee moved Psal 16. He will never leave us neither forsake us Heb. 13.6 The Gates of Hell shall never prevail against us Mat. 16.18 Hee hath promised to bee a Tower a Rock a Refuge a Covert from a storm an hiding place in time of Danger c. And it is faith that doth instate us into these Soul-securing-Promises As there is no promise to us till wee beleeve so if once wee beleeve all the Promises are ours Look into the word of God and what promises soever there are made for securing the soul All these are thine 3. Faith doth instate us into soul-securing-Priviledges 1 It makes us the Sons and Daughters of God John 1.12 13 As man as received him to them hee gave power or priviledge to become the Sons of God Even to as many as beleeved in his name Gal. 3.26 You are the children of God by faith in Christ And will not a father secure his child 2. Faith makes us the Spouse of Christ the members of Christ It ingrafts us and unites us into him And will he not secure his members 3. It make us the inheritance of Christ Hee hath promised to bee a Tower to his Flock A strong-hold to the Daughters of Sion These are all soul-securing-priviledges And therefore beleeving souls shall be secure Oh! Then Would you bee secured from the evil-day would you bee secured in the evil day Labour for Faith This alone secures the soul It sets a man upon a soul-securing-bottome Instates a man in soul-securing-promises Gives him right to soul-securing-priviledges Abrogate fears Surrogate Faith Down with fears which betray the succour of the soul and set up beleeving Sixth Royalty 6 Faith is an heart-humbling Grace 6 Royalty of Faith It s a soul-humbling Grace Whether it bee a Legal or whether it be an Evangelical Faith it works humiliation The one a Legal humiliation and casting down The other an Evangelical-humiliation we shall in this cheifly deal with the first It is said of Ahab that he humbled himself put on sackcloath and went softly And this was the fruit and effect of his Legal-Faith whereby hee beleeved the truth and certainty of Gods Judgements denounced against him and his house The men of Nineveh when Jonah preached that sad Sermon Jonah 3.4 Yet forty days and Nineveh shall bee destroyed It is said They beleeved God That is The truth of that message which Jonah brought from God And it follows as an effect of this Faith They humbled themselves and proclaimed a fast and put on Sack-cloath and sate in ashes from the King upon the Throne to the meanest of them And my Brethren Faith hath a great influence into the work of self-humbling 1 It takes up self-humbling Considerations From God the justice of God the threatnings the curses God hath denounced against sin 2. Faith doth Realize all this to the Soul which God hath said against sin Faith doth not make these things more reall then they are but doth Realize things to the Soul not imaginary but real things which being lookt upon as reall things do humble This is the Reason why one when he hears of Gods threatnings denounced against Sin goes home and lyes in the dust is humbled and cast down as Josiah when hee read the book of the Law And another stands up out-faceth Hell and the curse He is never humbled nor cast down It is because the one he looks upon these things are reall and true the other hee looks upon them as fancies Imaginary things If men beleeved that all that evil which God hath threatned against Sin were true they could not drink down sinne as water nor eat the bread of Sin with such delight as they do If the swearer did beleeve there were a flying Rol gone out against him as Zachary saith If the Drunkard did see death in the Pot c. If I say wicked men beleeved the Reality and Truth of these things they could not go on so quietly in their wicked courses but would be humbled Hence the Apostle sets this down for the ground why the Preaching of the word was not profitable to them Because it was not mixed with Faith in them that heard it They did not beleeve what they heard and so neither the word of Terror nor the word of Comfort did profit them As the promises of God are not quickning raising comforting except there bee Faith so the Threats are not Killing humbling working if Faith be not there Wee may preach till our spirits fail and spend our labour in vain our strength and pains for nought if the things which God speaks and we preach be not beleeved If you
fellow-Graces When Faith hath had a good meal here all the Graces of Gods Spirit are bettered by it our Love Humility c. All are strengthened by it Now Faith feeds upon Christ 1. In the Word 2. In the Sacrament Christ is Bread 1. Spiritual Panis Spiritualis 2. Sacramental Panis Sacramentalis Christ is Spiritual Bread in the Word to beget and increase life Christ is Sacramental Bread in Eucharist to nourish and augment our Spiritual life in us The one is Christ in Ordinary Christ in the Word is the Dayly-Bread for Faith to feed upon The other is Christ Extraordinary for Festival Gaudy-dayes And in this order Faith feeds on Christ First Faith feeds upon Christ in the Word and then Secondly Faith feeds upon Christ in the Sacrament None feed on Christ in the Sacrament but they who have fed on Christ in the Word By the one wee have Union by the other Communion with Christ By the one ingraftment into Christ by the other we have nourishment from Christ Christus grandescit in Sanctis By the one Christ is formed in us by the other Christ grows up in us to a perfect man Faith thus feeds upon Christ who is the summe of all nourishing things who is the heart the staff of nourishment Hence hee is called Bread which is the staff of nourishment Christ is the heart of nourishment in the Word in the Sacraments in every Ordinance All which are but empty things convey no spiritual strength to us if wee feed not upon Christ in them If Christ do withdraw himself from the Ordinances If wee feed not upon Christ in them they will do us no good If wee feed not upon Christ in the Word the Word will not profit If wee feed not upon Christ in the Sacraments the Sacraments will not nourish Men may live out their dayes under the Ordinances come to the Word and to the Sacraments and yet when all is done bee like Pharaohs lean Kine never the fatter for all this food if they feed not upon Christ in them And it is suspitious when men live under such precious Ordinances and yet grow no more that surely they feed not on Christ Alas Could wee bee so barren in our Graces so lean in our lives seeing wee go in such rich Pastures and are fed with such precious dainties the Word and Sacraments if wee fed upon Christ in these No my Brethren this is the great reason why wee have such pined and starved souls This is the reason of all our weaknesses our spiritual faintings our declinings our consumptions under the Ordinances wee feed not upon the Spirits of nourishment wee feed not upon Christ in them Panem Domini non Panem Dominum Purum Elementum non est Alimentum wee let not Faith feed on Christ and so are not nourished Wee eat the Bread of the Lord but not the Bread which is the Lord wee feed upon the Elements not upon Christ It is true here The pure Elements are no nourishment If Christ run not through the Bread and Wine they nourish not Well then would you have your Soul nourished take your fill of these Soul-refreshing-Dainties whereby you may get strength Here drink your fill The best measure is no measure Bibite Inebriamini Feed upon the Promises feed upon Christ whereby you may bee nourished Feed on Christ daily Sometimes wee have such a Feast on Christ as in the strength of which with Elijah wee go many dayes God sometimes gives such abundance of Refreshments that the Soul goes cheerfully a long time But this is not Ordinary And therefore there is need of our Daily feeding upon Christ Christ must bee Daily-Bread for Faith to feed on And it must bee our Prayer for the Soul as well as for the Body Give us our Daily-Bread Bread for the Soul as well as Bread for the Body That Day wherein Christ hath not been fed on is a Declining-day Thirteenth Royalty 13. Faith is an Heart-Emptying-Grace 13. Royalty of Faith It s an Heart emptying-Grace There are two things which are the most natural acts of Faith 1. It empties a man of himself 2. It fills the Soul with Christ The Soul cannot bee fill'd with Christ whilest it is full of it self And therefore Faith doth first empty a man of himself cast a man out of himself and then fills the Soul with Christ Faith doth cut a man off his own stock the stock of Nature the stock of Death before it doth ingraft us into Christ the Stock of Life Faith doth strip a man of his own cloaths his own Garments which are too short to cover him before it puts on the Robes of Christ It throws us off from our own bottom whereon wee stand before it set a man upon another Foundation It makes a man poor in himself before it inrich him with Christ It empties a man of himself before it fill the Soul with Christ Now there are two things in general which Faith doth empty the Soul of 1. Of all Opinion of Righteousness in our selves 2. Of all Opinion of strength to help our selves 1. It doth empty the Soul of that windy conceit that Pharisaical Opinion of Righteousness in our selves Faith doth not empty a man of any Righteousness but of the false Opinion of Righteousness It doth not empty us of any worth in our selves there is none but of that fond conceit of worth in our selves Faith makes us see wee are worthless Creatures Rev. 3.17.18 Thou saiest I am rich and increased with goods I have need of nothing And knowest not that thou art wretched and miserable and poor and blinde and naked I counsel thee to buy of mee Cold that thou maiest bee rich c. My Brethren wee are all of us naturally full of our selves full of our selves full of the self of Pride full of the self of Love Self-love full of Self-conceits full of Self-sufficiency wee are apt to think highly to our selves Wee all hold of Adam in Capite wee are all full of Pride As Pride was the Fall of Adam so it would bee the ruine of us Wee think wee are Rich full need nothing As the Church did in the place afore quoted Rev. 3.17 18. Thus where Faith comes it empties a man of himself his Self-conceits it doth discover our selves to our selves makes us see our selves as wee lye weltring in blood in our own blood Ezek. 16.2 3 4 5 6. even in the Blood of Guilt and the Blood of Filth It puts down those Towering thoughts those Ayery imaginations those Mountainous conceits which men had of themselves It casts us out of our selves makes us Nothing in our selves makes us poor in our selves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the word is Mat. 5.3 Beggars in Spirit Poor Beggars It makes us miserable in our selves empty in our selves blind naked lost in our selves Faith makes us to see all this in our selves Faith makes us see in stead of Righteousness
there 's nothing but Sin in us in stead of beauty blackness in stead of comliness deformity It discovers there 's nothing but Damnation and Hell in us nothing but Hell in our parts Hell in our Principles Nay Hell in our prayers That not our persons only but our prayers stand in need of Christ that if hee save not our prayers as well as our persons our Prayers will damn us Faith is such a Grace as is raised up upon the ruines of our selves not the Substance but the Sin the ruine of our sinful selves the ruine of our self of Pride of Self-confidence self-sufficiency all which are thrown down before Faith bee raised As the Shipmans Fatal Star which they say is never seen but before wrack and death so Faith is never seen but before the wrack and death of sinful nature which hath one wrack by Faith but the Universal wrack by death And this is the first work and the mighty work of Faith which must bee done before wee come over to Christ As the Opinion of something in themselves was that which kept off the Jews from comming to Christ so it doth us And therefore Faith empties us of this Opinion makes us poor that so wee may bee fit to receive the Gospel The poor receive the Gospel The Gospel is but a merciful Hospital for the relief of the Poor Blind Naked Lame and lost sinners Here 's nothing for those who are Rich and Full and think they want nothing Faith empties the Soul of that Opinion of strength to help it self Though a man were convinced hee had nothing yet if hee have such a conceit as this That hee can help himself that hee is able to recover and winde himself out of that condition wherein hee is hee would then stand upon his own bottom bee a Buckler to himself and would never come over to Christ That which kept the Prodigal from his Father was not the Opinion of any worthiness in himself hee saw hee was poor and ready to famish but hee thought hee could recover himself live of himself without the help of a Father And this conceit kept him off So the Woman with the Bloody-Issue It was not her opinion that shee had no need of Christ which kept her off from comming to Christ but shee thought shee was able to purchase help out of her own store without going to him And even to the last penny shee conceited shee should have help when shee had spent all not before Then shee came And whilest a man hath a conceit that hee is able to work out his own Peace compass his own happiness Though hee bee poor yet conceits hee is able to inrich himself Though naked yet hee is able to weave a web of Righteousness to cloath himself Though in debt yet hee is able to make payment Though undone yet hee is able to recover himself I say so long as a man hath this conceit thinks hee hath any strength of his own to winde himself out of the misery into which hee sees himself to bee plunged so long hee will never come over to Christ This conceitedness will keep off the Soul from Christ Men you know will rather make use of their own gold than of others of their own cloaths than of others of their own friends than of others of their own power than of others Men will dig to the Clay as Pliny saith before they will go borrow water of their neighbours Such a spirit there is in man that hee will sound the bottome try the utmost what hee can do before hee will call in for anothers help But now when Faith comes and discovers us not only to bee miserable but unable to extricate our selves out of this misery not only to bee poor but unable to inrich our selves not only under the burden of sin but unable to cast off this burden not only indebted but unable to pay in prison but unable to come forth then will the soul hasten and come over to Christ Now this is that which Faith doth It doth not only empty a man of all opinion of Righteousness in the discovery of his misery but also it empties a man of all that opinion of strength to help himself out of this misery 1 Neither do 2 Nor suffer That hee can neither do nor suffer any thing to relieve himself That all his doings and sufferings are too short to help him That the state of nature is not only a state of misery but a state of impotency and utter disability to do any thing to help it self Hence the Apostle saith Rom. 5.6 8. That wee were not only sinners but without strength not able to help our selves out of this condition of sin Wee were dead in trespasses and sins So that wee were unable to do or if any thing yet dead works such as set us further in debt but wipe off no score Hence Christ saith Without mee yee can do nothing All our actions are so many Cyphers so many Nothings 1. Wee can do nothing to please God our best works but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Gift of an Enemy The Sacrifice of Fools They that are in the flesh cannot please God 2. Wee can do nothing which is truly really and substantially Good What Nathaniel spake doubtingly concerning Christ Joh. 1.46 Can there any good thing come out of Nazaret may preremptorily bee here affirmed No good can come out of an evil heart No good fruit from a bad root Do men gather Grapes of Thorns or Figs of Thistles Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean It 's impossible 3. Wee can do nothing to settle a sound and substantial Peace in our Consciences though wee skin them over for a time calm and still them for a time yet wee cannot work a sound cure nor settle a substantial Peace there 4. Wee can do nothing which may purchase any blessing or favour from God Non ex merito operis sed ex largitate donantis Though God reward the works of wicked men sometimes as hee did Ahab Jehu Nebuchadnezzar yet it is not That the works deserve a reward but because hee is a plentifull rewarder Thus Faith discovers the impotency and utter dis-ability to help our selves Hence wee are said 1. Not to bee able to think a good thought 2. Cor. 3.5 Not that wee are sufficient of our selves to think any thing as of our selves All our sufficiency is of God 2. Not to bee able to understand 1 Cor. 2.14 The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness to him nor can hee know them because they are spiritually discerned 3. Not able to will any thing that is good Phil. 2.13 God worketh the will and the deed of his own good pleasure 4. Not able to begin a good work Phil 1.6 Being confident of this very thing that hee that hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ