excellency and the riches of Christ. Eph. 1.18.19 opened Obiect Ans. No man can so see the riches of Christ as to be affected with them withâ—ut the helpe of the Spirit 1 Cor. 2.12 opened Ioh. 14.21 opened Ier. 31 33. opened 3 By assuring vs that these things are ours This also must be wrought by the Spirit The testimony of the Spirit wrought two waies 1 By clearing the promises 2 By an immediate voice Ioh. 16.29 Isa. 57.19 opened All arguments without the Spirit preuaile not Eph. 1.19 opened Act. 2.39 Luk. 14.23 opened That men are compelled to come in what it implies What is implyed by drawing Ioh. 6.44 opened How the Holy Ghost draweth Cant. 1.4 Eph. 1.18 4 Why God will accept no faith but that which is effectuall 1 Because else it is not faith because it is dead Similes 2 Because such faith hath no loue Rom. 8.28 3 Because the Deuils haue such a faith 4 Because it workes no mortification 5 Because else Christ should lose the end of his comming into the world 6 Good workes are the way to saluation Eph. 2.10 Rom. 2.6 Mat. 26.35 39. Vse 1. To try our faith whether it be sound Simile Iam. 2.14 Simile Exod. 34.6.7 Obiect Ans. Fiue arguments of Saint Iames against worklesse faith Note Vse 2. To judge our conditions by the efficacy of our faith Not to beleeue all that say they haue faith nor all that say they haue none Act of faith double Simile A man may haue faith though he want feeling Of those that say they haue faith but haue not Simile Psal. 119.7 Vse 3. To iustifie the Doctrine of good workes against the Papists slanders Difference betweene vs and Papists in the Doctrine of iustification Obiect Ans. Iustification double Rom. 4. Note Simile Answ. Faith made perfect by works what Simile 3 Obiect Ans. What meant by these words Faith without workes is dead 4 Obiect Ans. Why good works are required seeing they iustifie not Rom. 6.1 2. 1 They euidence our right in Christ. 2 God rewards according to our works 1 Pet. 1.15 3 Good workes necessary though not to iustification Different rise of good works in Papists and vs. An hypocrite cannot doe things out of loue to God 2 Cor. 13.2 Vse 3. To labour to grow in faith and assurance What course to take in weaknesse of grace Simile Labouring to strengthen faith of much vse 1 In getting assurance of pardon after sin is committed 2 In conflict with strong lusts 3 In want of graces How Ministers should build Simile Simile Vse 4. To looke to faith in our search Two wayes to increase assurance Simile Vse 5. To learne to iudge aright of our workes Iames 2.22 God accepts our workes no further then he findes faith in them Mat. 15.26 27. Heb. 11. God accepts the gift for the giuer To doe a thing by faith what Godlinesse what Heb. 11.6 Rom. 13. We must reckon common actions in our callings to be good workes Vse 6. To try if we haue faith 1 Triall A secret perswasion of the Spirit Reu. 2 17. Hidden Mannah White stone what it signifieth Gods manner of working faith Alike trouble of Spirit in conuersion not necessary to all and why Simile Soft voice what 1 Part of the soft voice a clearing of the promise Though the promises are neere vnlesse God cleere them we see them not Luk. 24. 2 Part of the soft voice the immediate testimony of Gods Spirit Rom. 8. Obiect Ans. How to know the testimony of the Spirit from a delusion How faith is wrought Whence longing after Christ comes Ioh. 19. How to know whether faith be wrought in vs. A beast cannot reflect vpon his actions as a man can How to know that the promise is cleared to vs. Rom. 8. The match betweene Christ and the soule reciprocall Fiue signes of effectuall faith 1. Signe True faith purifieth the heart Acts 15.9 Acts 26.18 Faith and repentance put together in the Scripture why True faith hath repentance Faith what it is Obedience Heb. 8.8 A Couenant what Generall reformation Christ dwels in the heart as the soule in the body Gal. 2.20 Isay 57.13.18 opened Simile How to know if Christ dwell in the heart Acts 8.37 opened Baptisme what Taking Christ deceitfully To take Christ with the whole heart what Act. 2â— 17 18. To turne to God what Faith and the desire of satisfying lusts cannot stand together Ier. 3. Men deceiued in the definition of faith Try faith as we doe other things Similes Digression for application to the Sacrament Rules of examination before and after the Sacrament Where Christ dwels indeed he giues power against sinne Phil. 4.12 To be guilty of the body blood of Christ what Quest. Answ. 2 Signe A Spirit of Prayer Spirit of adoption what Gal. 4.6 The Spirit of adoption maketh vs 1 Earnest in Prayer 2 Bold and confident Obiect Ans. True Prayer what Rom. 8. Prayer double The voice of Gods Spirit in vs what Quest. Ans. How to know the voyce of Gods Spirit in our prayers Wicked men come to God as a stranger the Saints as to a friend Hosea 7.14 opened Eph 3.7 3. Signe of faith Peace Rom. 5.1 Obiect Ans. Exod. 14. Psal. 3. 2 A twofold peace The third marke of faith it brings peace Phil. 4.6 opened Mat. 6. Ioh. 3.12 Gen. 24.7 4. Signe of effectual faith To hold out in cleauing to Christ. To hold out implyeth 3. things 1 To cleaue constantly to Christ. which noâ—e can doe that take Christ 1 Out of mis-information 2 Out of feare 3 Out of loue to his and not to him 4 Out of slender and slight grounds 2 To take no denyall 3 To be content to waite Hab. 2. Iam. 1. 5. Signe of effectuall faith the concomitants of it which are 4. 1 Loue. 2 Pet. 1.8 Gal. 5. 1 Cor. 13. Obiect Ans. Quest. Ans. Tryals of loue 2 Hope 3 Ioy. Rom. 15.13 1 Pet. 1.8 Obiect Heb. 6. Ans. Tryals of ioy Rom. 5.3 1 Pet. 1.8 Simile Heb. 6. opened 4 Humility Isay. 6. Vse To act and exercise Faith or to set it on Worke. Obiect Ans. Simile Simile Rom. 2. Heb. 11. Quest. Ans. How to vse Faith 1 In comforting our selues Gal. 3. opened Ioh. 16. Simile Considerations to helpe Faith in comforting the Soule Micha 7.8 Psal. 41.7 Quest. Ans. Eph. 4. 2 Tim. 2.19 2 Pet. 1.13 2 Vse of faith to guide and order our liues Simile Instances of faith guiding a man in difficult cases 1 Instance Ioh. 12.12 2 Instance 3 Instance 4 Instance Ier. 42. Ier. 42. 43. Obiect Ans. Ier. 26. 5 Instance Acts 6. 6 Instance Quest. Ans. 7 Instance 8 Instance Quest. Ans. 1 Tim. 4.10 Quest. Ans. To trust in GOD what Quest. 2 Cor. 1.10 opened Answ. Zeph. 3.12 Quest. Answ. 1 Tim. 1.5 2 Chro. 14.11 Quest. Ans. Obiect Answ. 2 Kings 5. Hester 6. Obiect Answ. 1. Isay 7. Isay 9. Answ. 2. Consisting of 3. parts Obiect Ans.
yet I had a good meaning I intended it at that time well that is not enough If thou hadst faith thou wouldest doe it indeed doe not say I had a good meaning for if thou hadst faith it would not onely worke a good meaning in thee but it would worke power in thee to doe this that thou wouldest be able to mortifie these affections it would worke a reall and an effectuall change in thee Consider how faith doth it faith takes CHRIST when you haue taken CHRIST as soone as euer you haue him he sends his Spirit into your hearts and the Spirit is able to doe all this and doth as Saint Paul saith when hee had CHRIST once I am able to doe all things through Christ that strengthens mee So certainely when thou hast CHRIST as thou commest to take the elements of Bread and Wine if thou hadst taken him indeed thou wouldst be strengthned to doe all things thou wouldst finde thy heart able to doe this thou shouldest finde a change in thy heart that thou wouldst doe it without difficulty thou wouldest finde thy selfe turned and changed thou wouldst haue new affections and a new life And if thou doe not finde this know that thou hast nothing to doe with the Sacrament know it before-hand and know that thou hast had warning giuen thee that thou receiuest vnworthily and art guilty of the body and blood of CHRIST that is thou committest such a sinne as those did that killed CHRIST What was their sinne that killed him They despised him they mocked him they knew him not to be CHRIST they made no account of him their greatest worke in killing him was they despised him they mocked him So thou commest and art bold with him here it is a despising of CHRIST If thou didst reuerence him if thou didst feare him if thou didst tremble at him if thou didst know him to be such a one as he is thou wouldst not be bold to doe it And therfore if thou wilt venture vpon small grounds to goe on in sinne and yet come and receiue the Sacrament the Apostle saith thou art guilty of the body and blood of Christ that is thou committest a sinne of that nature and therefore looke to it Secondly if thou wouldst know whether thy faith be true or no consider whether thou hast this consequent of it the Spirit of Prayer for wheresoeuer there is a Spirit of faith there is also a Spirit of prayer that is marke it and you shall see the reason why I deliuer this to be a signe of faith Faith you know is wrought in vs by the Spirit of Adoption Now what is the Spirit of Adoption but the Spirit that tels you that ye are sonnes as in Gal. 4.6 So many as are sonnes receiue the Spirit of sonnes Now whensoeuer the Spirit tels a man he is a sonne that is workes faith in his heart the second thing that the Spirit doth it teacheth him to pray and therefore those words are added that you cry Abba Father that is the Spirit neuer doth the one but it doth the other if it be the testimony of the Spirit And therefore this is the second signe If thou haue such a perswasion that the Spirit haue spoken to thee if thou wouldest know whether this be a delusion or no thou shalt know it by this If thou haue the Spirit it will make thee able to cry Abba Father it will make thee able to doe two things First it will make thee able to cry that they shall be earnest prayers which thou makest thy prayers shall be feruent they were cold before thou camest to performe lip-labour thou camest to doe the duty to performe it perhaps euery day but alas what prayer was it This shall make thee cry But againe which is the maine not onely so but thou shalt speake to him as to a Father that is thou shalt goe to GOD and looke vpon him as one doth vpon a Father as one lookes vpon one whose loue he is sure of of whose fauour he doubts not one that hee knowes is readie to heare his requests It may bee thou hast prayed before but not to him as to a Father all the while that is the worke of the Spirit if it euer giue thee testimony of thy sonneship it will make thee pray feruently and it will make thee pray to God as to a Father that is to be made able to pray But you will say euery body can pray Is that such a signe is that such a distinguishing marke and character to bee able to pray My brethren be not deceiued in it you must know that prayer is not a worke of the memory or a worke of the wit A man that hath a good wit or a ready invention or a voluble tongue may make an excellent praier in his owne esteeme and in the esteeme of others but this is not to pray Prayer is the worke of a sanctified heart it it the worke of GODS Spirit There is a double prayer Rom. 8. there is one praier which is the voice of our owne spirit there is a second praier which is the voice of Gods Spirit in vs that is when the Holy Ghost hath so sanctified the heart when hee hath put it into such a whole-frame of grace that the heart comes to speake as it is quickned as it is acted and moued from GODS Spirit Now saith the Text there God knows the voice of his own Spirit for that makes requests according to his will he heares that prayer But now the prayers which are made by the voice of our owne spirit he knowes not the meaning of them that is he heares them not he hearkens not to them Consider whether thy prayer be such or no consider whether thy prayer bee the voyce of Gods Spirit in thee But thou wilt say How should I know that Thou shalt know it by this as I said before Dost thou come to him as to a Father Another man prayes to GOD it may be all his life but hee comes to him as to a stranger yea sometimes he may be very earnest when it is no prayer but when he is put to an exigent he may be earnest as a Thiefe is earnest with the Judge to spare him there may be much earnestnesse although this may bee farre off from prayer But canst thou come to GOD as to a friend Canst thou come to him as to one whose fauour thou art assured of Canst thou come to him as to a Father Except thou canst doe this know that he regardeth not thy prayers And this me thinkes now when we consider we should not deferre our repentance and thinke with our selues I will repent when I am sicke I will goe to GOD in the time of extremity Well it may be thou maist doe it but alas canst thou come to speake to God now as to a friend when
banishment where hee lived well enough and enjoyed all things hee wanted nothing but had as much as hee could desire yet saith he what doth all this availe me so long as I may not see the Kings face It was but his craftinesse Yet thus much we may observe out of it that this is the property of love that till a man see the face of God that is till he enjoy a neare and close communion with God untill he can have the love of God witnessed to his soule hee cares for nothing in the world besides As you have it in 2 Chron. 7.14 you have that condition put in If my people saith he when they are in distresse shall humble themselves and seeke my face then I will doe thus and thus As if he should say it may be they may seeke libertie when they are in captivitie it may be they may seeke health when they are in sicknesse it may be they may seeke deliverance from enemies under whom they are enthralled but that is not the condition that I put them upon but if they humble themselves and seeke my face then I will heare in heaven c. So I say now if you will trie whether you love the Lord Iesus or no consider whether you seeke his face that is whether you seeke grace or no whether nothing in the world can content you but his favour For it is the property of one that is truly sanctified mercie alone will not content him but hee will have grace as well as mercy Another man that loveth not the Lord it is true it may be hee is pinched with the sense of his sinnes but let him have mercy it is enough hee thinkes but now take a man that hath his heart right towards God except he have grace it contents him not for that is the property and nature of true love that it careth for no wages all that it desires is the love of the party that what it doth may be acknowledged and accepted and there is a great difference in that You know a nurse doth much unto the childe as well as the mother and it may be more but notwithstanding the nurse never doth it but when she is hired but the mother doth it for nothing and she doth it more abundantly because she doth it out of love and it is wages enough to her that she hath done it because shee loves her childe So I say if you love the Lord Iesus it is not wages that you seeke but if you may have the light of his countenance to shine on you if you may have his favour if you may have opportunitie to doe him service in your place it is enough for you you care not for the present wages nor for future Therefore herein you may know the nature of your love the rightnesse and ingenuity of it if it be so that all that you doe is out of love to the Lord and if you can content your selves with love againe from God it is a signe that you love the Lord Iesus Againe to proceed if you love the Lord Iesus you will also love his appearance as you have it in 2 Tim. 4.8 A crowne of righteousnesse is laid up for me and as many as love the appearance of Iesus Christ and in Heb. 9. ult Hee was offered for the sinnes of many and shall appeare the second time to such as looke for him c. For whom was he offered and to whom shall he appeare To as many as looke for his comming againe So in 2 Pet. 3.13 What manner of men saith the Apostle ought we to be in all godlinesse holy conversation looking for and hasting to the appearance of Christ c. So that it is certaine every man that loveth the Lord Iesus hee loves his appearance hee hasteneth to the comming of the Lord he lookes for his comming againe and it must needes be so in reason For if you love any you know you must needes love their presence will you professe that you are louing to any that when you heare of their comming towards you there is no newes more unacceptable to you If a woman had a husband in the East Indies and report of his comming home should be the worst newes that shee could heare shall wee thinke that such a woman loues her husband So if you did loue the Lord Iesus you would be glad to haue his appearance And Beloved seeing the Apostle hath chosen out this note why should not we presse it in our examination of our selues whereby wee may know whether wee loue the Lord Iesus or no whether wee desire to be with the Lord whether we can say as the Apostle Paul Wee desire to be at home and to be with the Lord If we examine the loue of men by this rule wee shall finde that there is exceeding little loue to the Lord Iesus men are so exceeding backward in desiring to be at home and to be with him and we may know that by our backwardnesse to be in the Lords presence upon earth Shall wee thinke that men are desirous to be in his presence in heauen and yet are so unwilling to draw neare to him upon earth But you will object Many of those that loue the Lord that are men truly sanctified yet are afraid of death and the newes of death is terrible to them and therefore surely this is a rare signe euen in those that haue faith and loue to desire the appearance of Iesus Christ I answer it is true there may be a backwardnesse even in the Saints but you must know upon what ground it is A spouse that is to marrie a husband no question but shee would be glad to be handsome and to be prepared for his comming and though shee may desire his companie exceedingly yet because things are not so readie as she would have them or for feare that he may finde that which may divert and turne away his eyes from delighting in her perhaps shee desires not his comming at that time There is a certaine negligence and unpreparednesse in mens hearts which breedes an unwillingnesse in them sometimes and makes them afraid of seeing the Lord and yet there may be a true and inward love after him Besides you know there is flesh as well as spirit and the spirituall part desires as Paul did to be at home and to be with the Lord and to enjoy his presence but that flesh that is in us is alwayes backward to it Therefore in Revel 14.13 Blessed are those that die in the Lord so saith the Spirit but so saith not the flesh the voice of the flesh is contrary to it but it is the voice of the spirit and the regenerate part that is in us So that this I may boldly say to you that every man that hath this faith and love wrought in him by the Spirit of God hee hath that in him which doth earnestly desire communion with
THE BREAST-PLATE OF FAITH AND LOVE A Treatise Wherein the ground and exercise of FAITH and LOVE as they are set upon Christ their Object and as they are expressed in Good Workes is explained Delivered In 18. Sermons upon three severall Texts By the late faithfull and worthy Minister of Iesus Christ IOHN PRESTON Dr. in Divinity Chaplaine in ordinary to his Maiesty Master of Emmanuel Colledge in Cambridge and sometimes Preacher of Lincolnes Inne But let us who are of the day be sober putting on the breastplate of Faith and Love 1 Thes 5.8 What will it profit my Brethren if a man say he have faith and hath not workes Can faith save him Iames 2.14 LONDON Printed by W. I. for Nicolas Bourne and are to be solde at the South Entrance of the Royall Exchange 1630 ILLVSTRISSIMO NOBILISSIMOQVE VIRO ROBERTO COMITI WARVVICENCI IOHANNIS PRESTONI S. T. D. ET COLLEGII IMMANVELIS Q. MAGISTRI CVIVS TVTELAE DVM IN VIVIS ESSET PRIMOGENITVM SVVM IN DISCIPLINAM ET LITERIS EXPOLIENDVM TRADIDIT POSTHVMORVM TRACTATVVM PARTEM DE NATVRA FIDEI EIVSQVE EFFICACIA DEQVE AMORE ET OPERIBVS BONIS DEVOTISSIMI TAM AVTHORIS DVM VIVERET QVAM IPSORVM QVI SVPERSVNT OBSEQVII TESTIMONIVM M. D. D. D. RICHARDVS SIBS IOHANNES DAVENPORT To the Christian Reader Christian Reader INnumerable are the sleights of Satan to hinder a Christian in his course towards Heaven by exciting the corruption of his own heart to disturbe him when he is about to doe any good or by discouraging him with inward terrours when he would solace himselfe with heavenly comforts or by disheartening him under the feares of sufferings when hee should be resolute in a good cause A type whereof were the Israelites whose servitude was redoubled when they turned themselves to forsake Aegypt Wherefore we have much neede of Christian fortitude according to that direction Watch ye stand fast quit your selves like men especially since Satan like a Serpentine Crocodile pursued is by resistance put to flight But as in warres which the Philistines knew well in putting their hope in Goliah the chiefe strength of the Souldiers lyeth in their Captaine so in spirituall conflicts all a Christians strength is in Christ and from him For before our conversion we were of no strength since our conversion we are not sufficient of our selves to think a good thought And to worke out from the Saints all selfe-confidence God by their falls teacheth them To rejoyce in the Lord Iesus and to have no confidence in the flesh Whatsoever Christ hath for us is made ours by Faith which is the hand of the soule enriching it by receiving Christ who is the treasure hid in the field and with him those unsearchable riches of grace which are revealed and offered in the Gospell Yea it is part of our spirituall armour That which was fabulously spoken of the race of Gyants is truly said of a Christian hee is borne with his armour upon him as soone as hee is regenerate hee is armed It s called a Breast-plate because it preserves the heart a long large shield as the word signifieth which is usefull to defend the whole man from all sorts of assaults Which part of spirituall armor and how it is to be managed is declared in the former part of the ensuing Treatise in ten Sermons Now as all rivers returne into the sea whence they came so the beleeving soule having received all from Christ returneth all to Christ. For thus the beleever reasoneth Was Gods undeserved unexpected love such to me that he spared not his onely begotten Sonne but gave him to die for mee It s but aequall that I should live to him die for him bring in my strength time gifts liberty all that I have all that I am in his service to his glory That affection whence these resolutions arise is called Love which so inclineth the soule that it moveth in a direct line towards that obiect wherein it expecteth contentment The soule is miserably deluded in pursuing the winde and in taking ayme at a flying fowle whilest it seekes happinesse in any creature which appeares in the restlesnesse of those irregular agitations and endlesse motions of the mindes of ambitious voluptuous and covetous persons whose frame of spirit is like the lower part of the elementary region the seate of windes tempests and earthquakes full of unquietnesse whilest the beleevers soule like that part towards heaven which is alwayes peaceable and still enioyeth true rest and ioy And indeed the perfection of our spirits cannot be but in union with the chiefe of spirits which communicateth his goodnesse to the creature according to its capacity This affection of Love as it reflecteth upon Christ being a fruit and effect of his love to us apprehended by faith is the subiect of the second part of the following Treatise in 7. Sermons The iudicious Authour out of a piercing insight into the methods of the Tempter knowing upon what rockes the faith of many suffers shipwracke that neither the weak Christian might lose the comfort of his faith through want of evidences nor the presumptuous rest upon a fancy in stead of faith nor the adversaries be emboldened to cast upon us by reason of this doctrine of Iustification by faith onely their wonted nicknames of Soli-fidians and Nulli-fidians throughout the whole Treatise and more especially in the last Sermon he discourseth of good Workes as they arise from faith and love This is the summe of the faithfull and fruitfull labours of this Reverend learned and godly Minister of the Gospell who whilest he lived was an example of the life of faith and love and of good workes to so many as were acquainted with his aequall and even walking in the wayes of God in the severall turnings and occasions of his life But it will be too much iniury to the godly Reader to be detained longer in the porch Wee now dismisse thee to the reading of this profitable worke beseeching God to increase faith and to perfect love in thy heart that thou maist be fruitfull in good workes Thine in our Lord Iesus Christ RICHARD SIBS IOHN DAVENPORT OF FAITH The first Sermon ROM 1.17 For by it the righteousnesse of God is reuealed from Faith to Faith As it is written The iust shall liue by Faith IN the words I haue read vnto you Paul tels them that he is not ashamed of the Gospell of CHRIST For it was a shame to him partly because the very substance of the Gospell was then persecution and partly because he was plaine in speech hee came not with excellency of words or mans wisedome and therefore you may obserue what adoe he had to defend himselfe in his Epistles to the Corinthians a wise people who partly hated and partly despised his manner of deliuery but saith hee I am not ashamed of it for it is the power of God to saluation it is that which being receiued will bring men to heauen being rejected
will shut men vp in Hell and therefore it is of no small moment He giues a reason in these words why it is the power of GOD to saluation For saith he by it the righteousnesse of God is reuealed That is the righteousnesse which is of GOD which only GOD accepts and by which alone men can be saued is reuealed by the Gospell and no other way But to what purpose is this reuealed if I know not how to come by it Many things are reuealed but how shall I know that they are mine Therefore he addes it is the power of God to saluation to euery one that beleeues As it is reuealed by the Gospell so something is to be done on our part as GOD manifests it exposes it and layes it open so you must receiue it by faith I but I haue not so strong a faith I cannot beleeue as I would and as I should Sayes he Faith hath degrees it is reuealed from faith to faith That is one receiues it in one degree and the same afterward receiues it in a greater degree and so forward All are alike iustified but there is difference in Faith some is stronger some is weaker which I will afterward shew at large The point to be gathered out of these words is this That Righteousnesse by which alone we can be saued now in the time of the Gospell is reuealed and offered to all that will take it When you heare this it may be at the very reading you may not haue such a conceit of the thiâ—g as you should haue but it is not a matter of light moment but an exceeding great thing to see the righteousnesse of GOD reuealed It is the great glorious mysterie of the Gospell which the Angels desire to pry into which made Paul in his Ministery so glorious which swallowed vp his thoughts that he could not tell how to expresse it that now in this last Age Christ hath reuealed through vs the vnsearchable Riches of his Grace that is Riches which I know not how to expresse Therefore hee prayes that God would open their eyes that they might comprehend with all the Saints the height and length and breadth of that Redemption which Christ hath wrought for them It is past a full comprehension yet he prayes that they may comprehend it in such a measure as is possible though there is a height and breadth and depth therein which could not be measured And this is it that is reuealed to the soules of men the scaping of Hell and death this free accesse to the Throne of Grace which none before had this liberty to be made sonnes of GOD an heyres of heauen yea Kings and Priests to GOD and making good of all promises and the entayling of them to our posterity and making them Yea and Amen All this I say is now reuealed which before was not 2. It is said to bee reuealed marke that partly because this of all other things was neuer written in the hearts of men The Morall Law was written therein but they had not the least inckling the least creuice of light to see this partly because it is now opened in a larger measure then it was heretofore in the times of the Prophets the doore was a little open before but now it is wide open and nothing is hid from the soules of men that is necessary for them to know Againe it is reuealed not onely in regard of the Preachers that make it knowne but likewise in regard of them that heare it for there is a greater measure of the Spirit of Reuelation dispensed vnder the Gospell Therefore Eph. 1.18 the Apostle prayes that the eyes of their vnderstanding might be opened that they might know what is the hope of their Calling and the riches of his glorious inheritance in the Saints For what is it to haue a light shining if their eyes be shut to whom it shines So the thing reuealed is the Righteousnesse of God And lastly it is that Righteousnesse by which alone men can be saued This is the maine point which that you may vnderstand I will open by answering these 6. Questions 1. How this righteousnesse of GOD or which is accepted of GOD saues 2. How it is offered to vs. 3. To whom it is offered 4. Vpon what qualifications 5. How it is made ours And lastly What is required of vs when we haue it These hang one on another but for memory sake I haue thus distinguished them First How doth it saue I answer 1. This righteousnes saues after the same manner that the vnrighteousnesse of Adam did condemne let vs set these two together and the thing will be plaine First as Adam was one man yet the common roote of all mankinde of whom all that are guilty of death and shall be damned must be borne so CHRIST the second Adam stands as a publike person and the Root of all that shall be ingrafted into and borne of him Secondly as Adams first vnrighteousnes the first sinne he committed is communicated to men and made theirs by imputation and not so onely but by inherencie also for it hath bred in them originall sinne After the same manner and by the same equity the righteousnesse that Christ wrought is made ours by imputation and this imputatiue righteousnesse of Christ worketh a righteousnesse which qualifies the person and is inherent in vs. Lastly as after this vnrighteousnes comes death which rules and raignes in vs bringing euery thing into subjection so that all the comforts men possesse are ouercome in some degree while we liue here all sicknesses and troubles and crosses being as so many skirmishes which Death hath with vs before the maine Battell comes So in CHRIST life raignes ouer all and brings all into subjection to him that is it brings all the troubles man sustaineth all the enemies he hath yea death and sinne into subjection by degrees in this life and after death perfectly There is a comparison made in Rom. 5.14 which you shall finde more fully to expresse and more largely to set this out then I haue done The first Adam was a figure of him that was to come and 1 Cor. 15.45 CHRIST is called the second Adam now you doe see the miserable fruit of Adams fall you see by lamentable experience what originall sinne is and how much it hath corrupted vs why then should you thinke it a strange thing that the righteousnesse of CHRIST should be imputed Againe Death you see raignes ouer all by one Why then will not you beleeue that life shall reigne ouer all men that is bring euery enemy of ours into subjection by the other For the righteousnesse of one saues as the vnrighteousnesse of the other condemnes Another expression I finde in 2 Cor. 5.21 As CHRIST was made sinne for vs who knew no sinne so are we made the righteousnesse of God in him That is though CHRIST was a man without sinne in himselfe
and all his honour all the ioy and pleasure he can afford we shall haue all his wealth that is goe to the whole Vniuerse and see what there is profitable or comfortable to the sons of men and all that is ours whether it be Paul or Apollo or Cephas or the world or life or death or things present or things to come all is yours you are Christs and Christ is Gods all this is yours As for the things of the world if we take him once we haue all these would not a man desire all these Is not this a strong argument to moue a man to take Christ that all the Angels in Heauen all the excellent Ministers on the Earth that are next to Angels they are all his seruants God hath bestowed these gifts for his sake they are set aworke for the furthering of his saluation and the Angels you know are ministring Spirits sent forth for the good of the Elect for the World as the Apostle saith that is whatsoeuer is in the World all the good and all the euill in the world euen that euill doth him seruice the afflictions and persecutions and stormes driue him to his hauen aswell as faire gales euery thing scoures him doth him some good or other all in the world is his both life and death that is whatsoeuer belongs to this life or another all is for his seruice not that only but when death comes that a man thinks is the greatest enemy that there is no good in death yet that doth him good it heales our sins it is a meanes of happines in a word when the Apostle could say no more things present or things to come for a man should looke to both as heauen will not content him without the things of this life so the things of this life will not content him without Heauen but when there is both the minde is satisfied Now when a man considers what wealth he hath by Christ and againe that he shall haue all his honour now looke what honour Christ hath the same he hath by matching with him hauing him wee haue all things If a man could enter into a serious consideration of this to thinke that he is a King that he is an heyre of all things that all the promises doe belong to him doe but thinke with your selues if any of you should be raised from a meane ordinary condition to bee made an earthly Prince how would you bee affected with it would it not put other thoughts into you Why should you not beleeue spirituall priuiledges to be as reall Why should you not reioyce more in them they are more durable they are more excellent they haue all in them the other haue Indeede they are things that are not seene with the eye they are spirituall they are things that are enioyed and reserued for afterward but yet there is much for the present Learne to consider this and it would draw and moue you but because these things are looked on with a generall eye as matters of fancy and speculation they are looked on as things that are rather talked of we see no such thing we haue no feeling of them therefore wee doe not affect them but we should labour to beleeue this The Scripture often mentions and repeates this Yee are a Royall Priesthood Heyres with CHRIST Labour to come to this disjunction if these things be not so why doe you beleeue them at all if they be so why doe you not reioyce in them proportionable to these priuiledges And so for Joy at his right hand there are Joyes and pleasures for euermore And as it is so for eternity so the neerer wee draw to him in this life the more pleasure we haue for he is the God of all comfort the neerer we are to him the more comfort all the wayes of wisdome are wayes of pleasure because they leade neerer to GOD who is the cause of all comfort So that is the second thing to consider the good you shall haue by CHRIST when once you see how miserable you are without him and that you shall gaine so much by him Now in the third place there is one thing remaining How shall I haue him I may attempt it and goe without him I may seeke and be denyed and therefore in the third place you shall be sure to obtaine that is a great meanes to encourage vs to come vnto him when you see you shall not faile there is nothing can hinder on your part as you haue heard of in the precedent condition there is required but an earnest hunger and thirst after him he iustifies the vngodly and therefore nothing can hinder on your parts and therefore if any thing hinder it it must be on GODS part Now what is there on GODS part that hinders He hath promised and bound himselfe and he will not goe from his Word he will not deny himselfe and therefore when there is no hinderance on neither part then why doe you not beleeue If you will consider Christ and see how he describes himselfe in the Word if you looke vnto all those arguments that are propounded vnto vs therein to perswade vs you will make no question but if you are willing to come you are sure to receiue him you shall haue remission of all your sinnes If you consider first those speeches in Eâ—â—kiel I desire not the death of a sinner and Why will ye dye O ye house of Israel such expostulations are very frequent Oh that my people would returne and How often would I haue gathered you as the Henne gathereth her Chickens I say these are the speeches of GOD and GOD speakes as he meanes you shall finde by the manner and the fashion and the figure of the speeches that GOD desires it earnestly Why will ye dye O ye house of Israel by way of interrogations and Oh that my people would doe thus and thus Euen this GOD desires that a sinner would returne There is no action that God doth but he doth it willingly that he forgiues sinners that hee receiues those men that will come home vnto him You see in the Father of the Prodigall that doth expresse the disposition of GOD hee runnes to meete his Sonne hee was the forwarder of the two hee fals vpon him and kisseth him hee could not expresse his ioy for his comming home such is the disposition of GOD I take no delight as I â—â—ue saith the LORD in the death of a sinner but rather that he should liue And therefore when GOD saith it wee haue a surer Word you should better thinke of it vndoubtedly hee will receiue you to mercie Againe consider how Christ did in the daies of his flesh how he behaued himself then was he not exceeding gentle to all that came vnto him exceeding compassionate and pittifull ready to heale euery one ready to doe any thing that was requested of him that he denyed not any that was importunate with him
when there is more things reuealed to them and I take it this place will carry that the righteousnesse of GOD is reuealed from faith to faith that is the righteousnesse of CHRIST was reuealed in the time of the Law and the Prophets it was reuealed obscurely and there was a little saith among them to beleeue it was enough to saue them but when the time drew neerer there were greater reuelations as we know in the time of the Prophets their faith was great as there were more reuelations so there was more faith So I say it admits degrees in regard of the extent of reuelation as the Apostles when CHRIST was vpon the earth they had a degree of faith but when Christ ascended then there was more reuelations then they grew from faith to faith because they grew from reuelation to reuelation then the Spirit of God was sent into their hearts to reueale all things and to leade them into all truth you know they had abundance of reuelations afterwards So in this regard in regard of the extent faith receiues degrees not because the habit is increased but because the reuelations and objects are more And therefore that is the comfort of poore Christians those that are yet ignorant they may haue a true habit and as true a grace in the heart and though a man bee more conuersant in Scripture and knowes more then they he hath more reuelations and in that sense though he haue a greater faith then the other yet the other hath a like precious faith with him in regard of that grace So wee see how faith receiues degrees in these three respects Now last of all that faith that giues assurance that pacifieth and comforteth the heart which is nothing but a reflect act by which we know and are perswaded that wee haue taken CHRIST and that our sinnes are forgiuen this admits of degrees of proofe And here as the euidences of sanctification are more so is the assurance as the Apostle saith the Spirit witnesseth to our spirit he discouers good things to vs wee had neede of the light of the Spirit to iudge aright of the sincerity of the graces that wee haue we shall goe amisse else we shall not be able except wee haue the Spirit to helpe and assist vs and so wee grow from assurance to assurance Now for the second part that wee must grow in all these First as faith admits of degrees so we must labour to grow in all these degrees First labour to grow to a more full and firme assent by that meanes we shall draw neerer to CHRIST and receiue him in a greater measure Marke this very act of taking CHRIST that immediately iustifies but it is fed with assurance in the vnderstanding it is that which doth increase and strengthen and supply this action of the will in taking CHRIST So that the more strong assent the minde and vnderstanding of a man giues to those truths which concerne iustification deliuered in the Scripture the stronger his will is in taking Christ As in the Act of marriage a Woman takes such a one to bee her husband but yet there are degrees in the will one may take him with greater greedinesse with a more full perswasion that it is best for her with more loue and with more resolution So the stronger the assent is that we giue to the promises of GOD wherein he assures vs of the pardon of our sinnes wherein CHRIST is offered freely vnto vs the more we take CHRIST and so the vnion is greater betweene vs wee are linkt and knit together and married as it were in a greater degree Secondly in regard of difficulty which is the second thing wherein faith admits degrees when we beleeue hard things or easie things propounded with slender arguments Labour to grow in this for this is very profitable for you I will giue you but these two instances You know what Moses lost and what Abraham got Moses lost Canaan he lost the honour of carrying in the people he lost the honour of concluding his worke when hee had taken so much paines and all because he did not beleeue when he strooke the Rocke for want of faith Abraham now that beleeued things that were of a high of a difficult nature you see what hee got by it for this cause saith the LORD I will doe thus and thus because thou hast not spared thine onely Sonne which is repeated Rom. 4. Abraham being strong in faith gaue glory to GOD. And therefore you see Abraham is set aboue all men he is the Father of all the faithfull he is the head the top of those to whom GOD shewed mercie he shewed mercie to all for Abrahams sake Abraham Isaac and Iacob Abraham is first this did Abraham get for euer because he beleeued in God in so great a matter this you shall gaine if you will beleeue it will bring a great reward yea it will not onely bring a reward such as Abraham had but it will bring increase of the same faith God will reueale more to you and giue you more of his Spirit as he did to Nathaniel Beleeuest thou for this saith Christ thou shalt see greater things then these If we beleeue in difficult cases GOD will make vs with facility to beleeue them another time Thirdly for the multitude of reuelations for the extent of faith that way we should labour to be filled full of faith as Barnabas is said to be full of faith And how is that By studying the Word much for therein will GOD reueale this this is it that Paul magnifies so much in 2 Cor. 12. that which he gloried in he doth not name it in his owne person but saith I knew a man in CHRIST had such a reuelation he glories not in this that he had wealth or honour but in the multitude of reuelations that of all other might haue exalted Paul but he was wise he knew what he did when he was so apt to be exalted in that it seemes there was some extraordinary excellency in it Lastly labour to get full assurance the more assurance you haue the more loue Againe you shall doe the more worke when once we are assured that our labour shall not be in vaine in the Lord as 1 Cor. 15. vlt. it will make vs abound in the workes of the Lord. Againe it stablisheth a man in well doing he shall neuer hold out and be constant till he come to haue assurance that he shall not lose his reward I cannot stand on this point I will name the Vses that so I may not leaue the point vnfinished The first is a Vse of much comfort if there be such degrees in faith then let vs not be discouraged though we come not to the highest if we haue but a little yet since there are degrees this is enough to make vs partakers of the righteousnesse of CHRIST and of saluation The end of this is to comfort those which are apt to be
himselfe put not his hand to the worke no man is able to beleeue You may thinke when you see such generall propositions as these that Christ is offered to euery creature vnder heauen and that whosoeuer beleeueth shall be saued you may thinke I say that it is easie to bring this home in particular to say Surely this pardon belongs to mee My Brethren it is another thing for a man indeed to beleeue for him to take CHRIST so as to deny himselfe for him to take him so as to mortifie his lusts so as to take vp his crosse so as to obey CHRIST to follow him in all things this is a thing that no man is able to doe vnlesse GOD enable him to it with his almighty power For the heart of euery man by nature is so shut vp against CHRIST that it will giue no entrance to him he may stand and knocke long enough vnlesse GOD himselfe shake off the bolts and open the gates and breake open these euerlasting doores that the King of Glory may come in we will not admit him but keepe him out Euery man naturally hath a hard heart that cannot repent that cannot turne from sinne he will bee content perhaps to take Christ for a Sauiour but to take him so as to obey him and feare him so as to loue him this no man will doe or can doe vnlesse the Holy Ghost enable him But you will aske How doth the Holy Ghost doe it The Holy Ghost doth it by these three acts First by putting an efficacie into the Law and making that powerfull to worke on the heart to make a man poore in spirit that so he may be fit to receiue the Gospell For the Law though it be fit to humble a man yet it is no worke of sanctification If a man were able to doe any thing he were able to see the righteousnesse the Law requires and how far he is from it and to discerne the curse vpon the not doing of it and yet this he is not able to doe without the spirit of bondage the spirit of bondage must make the Law effectuall as well as the spirit of Adoption doth the Gospell That is except the LORD himselfe presse the Law on our hearts so as to cause it to make sinne appeare to vs wee that are the Ministers of GOD may discouer your sinnes we may shew you the rectitude required in the Law we may shew you the danger yet all will be to no purpose vnlesse God awaken you if he will set sinne vpon the conscience to worry a man to plucke him downe when GOD shall charge sinne on him that he shall feele the weight and burthen of it when he shall sharpen sinne and cause it to vse its sting this makes a man fit to receiue CHRIST otherwise if the sonnes of Thunder should speake to men if we should come in the spirit and power of Eliah nay if GOD himselfe should thunder from heauen all would not moue the heart of a man all would not awaken him to see his sinnes till God himselfe shake the heart To conuert the Gaâ—ler in Acts 16. the foundation of the Prison was shaken which was a resemblance of the shaking of his heart wee may as well shake the Earth as strike the heart of a sinner without the worke of GOD. For though the Law be a sword yet vnlesse GOD take that sword into his hand and strike therewithall himselfe it shall not be able to wound a sinner Therefore the first worke of the Holy Ghost is to awaken a sinner to set sinne vpon him that he may be fit to receiue CHRIST Secondly when this is done that the heart is thus prepared by the Spirit then the Holy Ghost shewes vs what we haue by CHRIST he shewes the vnsearchable riches of CHRIST what is the hope of our calling and the glorious inheritance prepared for the Saints and what is the exceeding greatnesse of his power in them that beleeue I say we neede the Spirit to shew these things But you will say a man may see these things without the helpe of the Spirit It is true in some manner you may but not in such a manner as shall affect you For there is a manner of seeing proper onely to the Saints and that is the proper worke of the Spirit in them when wee shall so see them as to be affected with them Otherwise you may reade the Scriptures a thousand times ouer you may vnderstand them yet you shall not bee affected with them till the Holy Ghost shew them vnto you This is the secret of GOD that he reuealeth to those whom he meaneth to saue that is when hee presents these spirituall things prepared for vs in Christ in such a manner as that we shall loue them and embrace them when we shall not only see the truth of them but the goodnesse of them when GOD shall not onely shew vs the aduantages we haue by Christ but the excellency of Christ so that we shall be in loue with his person as well as to be ready to receiue the priuiledges with him Now this is done by the Spirit 1. Cor. 2.12 Wee haue receiued the Spirit of GOD by which wee know the things that are giuen vs of GOD and they are reuealed to vs by the Spirit They are two or three times repeated in that Chapter as if he should haue said If you saw them no more then other men doe then naturall men doe you would bee no more affected with them then they are but when you haue the Spirit of GOD to shew you the things that are giuen you of GOD that is the thing that workes vpon you and affects you And so in Ioh. 14.21 saith CHRIST I will come to him and shew my selfe to him When CHRIST sheweth himselfe to a man it is another thing then when the Ministers shall shew him or the Scriptures nakedly read doe shew him for when Christ shall shew himselfe by his Spirit that shewing draweth a mans heart to long after him otherwise we may preach long enough and shew you that these spirituall things these priuiledges are prepared for you in Christ but it is the Holy Ghost that must write them in your hearts we can but write them in your heads Therefore the Lord taketh that as peculiar to himselfe I will write my Law in your hearts That is I will make you affected with the things that I shew you and this is the teaching of GOD. There is a teaching by men and a teaching by GOD that is when God shall enable a man to see things in good earnest otherwise it will be but as a man that sees a thing when his minde is vpon another matter so wee shall see and not see but when the Holy Ghost shall shew you these things you shall see indeed till then you may heare oft enough of these things but your hearts
loue to me nor of true respect to me you regard it not whatsoeuer it bee If it bee but a small thing if it be done out of loue you respect it So it is with GOD workes that come from faith and loue for those I reckon to be all one those he respects wondrously Therefore we should learne to iudge aright of our workes it will helpe vs against that position of the Papists and also against the common opinion of men Euery man thinkes that Almes-deeds doing good to the poore and doing glorious things c. that these are good workes when as common actions they exclude as if they were not good workes But it is not so we may doe the greatest workes of this nature and yet they may haue no excellency in them at all Againe the very ordinary workes of our Calling ordinary things to men ordinary seruice from day to day if it come from faith if it be done as to the Lord he accepts them and they are good workes indeed This vse we ought to make of it If GOD regard not any thing but faith we should not be deceiued in our workes which we doe Againe if faith be such a thing that no workes are accepted without it that no branch will grow except it come from this roote if there be no saluation without it if it be a thing that is most profitable for vs If thou sayest now How may I know whether I haue faith or no I may be deceiued in it When we hang so much vpon this peg we had neede be sure that it be strong and that it will hold vs. I will therefore make this present Vse in shewing what the signes of this faith and what the characters of it are that you may learne to iudge aright whether that faith that sets all the price vpon your workes be a right faith or no You may know it by this Where there is a true faith there is a secret perswasion wrought in the heart whereby GOD assures you that he is yours and you are his as you haue it Reu. 2.17 To him that ouercommeth will I giue that hidden Mannah and a white stone with a new name written in it that hee onely knowes that receiues it That is That is one thing by which ye shall know whether you haue true faith or no Haue you euer had any of that hidden Mannah that is Haue you had such a secret perswasion which hath beene as sweet as Mannah to you which you haue fed on as they fed on Mannah which giues you life as Mannah gaue life to them Onely hee sayes it is a hidden Mannah it lyes not abroad others see it not but it is Mannah that your hearts secretly feede on So that wouldst thou know whether thou haue faith Hath GOD giuen thee such a stone with a new name written in it that is the stone of absolution As the manner was among the Athenians among the old Grecians that the sentence of absolution was giuen by white stones as the sentence of condemnation was blacke stones So saith he GOD will giue him such a secret testimony that he is acquitted that when he is called in question as they were that they knew not whether they should dye or liue in that case if they had the white stone such a man was absolued So I say Hath GOD giuen thee such a stone with thy name vpon it Hath he giuen you such a stone as you know in the secret of your heart such as none knowes but God and your selfe that is Hath hee euer opened the clouds hath hee euer shewed himselfe to you hath he cast a good looke vpon you hath he made your hearts glad with the light of his countenance in his Beloued for such a secret worke there is of the Spirit by which GOD cheereth and comforteth the heart of a man that is his manner in working faith After the Law hath beene a Schoolemaster to a man after there hath beene such an inditement that he hath beene brought in question of his life when there hath beene a great storme then he comes into the heart as hee did into the Ship and all is quiet I say that is his manner he comes into the heart after such a manner and speakes peace to a man Haue you euer found this worke in your selues that after much trouble and disquiet within GOD hath spoken peace to you that he hath said to your soules I am thy saluation Not that that is absolutely required that there should be such a trouble going before For although it be true that he neuer speaks peace but when there hath gone some trouble but when there hath gone some conuincing of the spirit before which conuinceth a man of sinne yet this you must know that still the promise is made to the comming and not to the preparation And therefore if a man be at his journies end it is no matter how he came there If a man finde that he be in CHRIST and hath had such a testimonie from his Spirit though he haue not had such a worke of humiliation as perhaps he expects yet know that the promise is made to that And if you haue that which the promise is made vnto is not that sufficient It is true as I said you must haue it really you must haue it in good earnest there must goe alwayes a worke of humiliation before the testimony of the Spirit But mistake not that turbulent sorrow that violent disquiet of the minde goes not alwaies before For example Take two men the one is arrested and condemned brought to the poynt of death he makes account of nothing else A pardon comes to this man and hee is saued there was great trouble went before and hee was wondrously affected when the pardon came But now there is another man that is guilty of the same offence and hee knowes certainly that he shall be called in question and hee is sure to lose his life vnlesse his peace be made Now before this be acted before that indeed he be put in prison before that indeed he be condemned and before his head be brought to the blocke he is certified that a Pardon is come out for him This man knowes his estate as well as the other and he knowes that he had perished without a Pardon as well as the other and he makes as much account of his Pardon as the other and will not let it goe for his life as well as the other Now both these are pardoned both are sure of life but there is a different manner of doing it The one man was affected and much stirred before he was put into a wondrous afright before The other man is convinced of the danger he is in as well as he although he be not put to that extremity of sorrow though he be not brought to so neere an exigent as the other So if a man be
convinced of sinne if a man know in good earnest throughly what the danger is that he must perish if he haue not this Pardon Now I say if thou haue such a testimony build vpon it For it is true that GOD before hee comes in the soft voice he sends a Wind before that rends the Rockes downe that brings downe the Mountaines there so much as makes the way plaine before hee can come within the soft voice I say if the Mountaines be broken downe after what manner soeuer it be that is enough doe not stand on that Be sure of this that if there come a soft voice thou hast reason to beleeue that whatsoeuer preparations were before which are diuers for GOD workes sometimes after one manner sometimes after another But now what is this soft voice that I may a little further come to explaine that for certainely if he come in the soft voice that is the voice of the Gospel you are sure But what is it I take it to be this One thing is when there is a clearing of the promise for the voice is the very Gospell it selfe Now when wee preach the Gospell to men and open the promises of saluation and of life if God doe not joyne with vs now and cleare them to you by kindling a light within that you see the meaning of them except he I say doe thus joyne with vs you shall not be able to build vpon these promises Therefore that is one thing that God must doe For though it bee true the Word is neere you that you neede not goe vp to heauen nor downe to hell to fetch it for saith Moses the Word is neere you the promises are neere in your mouthes in the midst of you yet except God doe shew them as cleare as they be you cānot see them As when Iesus stood by Mary Magdalene he was neere enough but till her eyes were opened she saw him not So Hagar the Well was neere enough to her but till her eies were opened she could not see it So when wee preach these promises when we lay them open as neere as we can as neere as may be yet it must be the worke of the Spirit to see the promises to see them so as to beleeue them and to rest on them Therefore that is one part of this soft voice to open the Gospell vnto you There is another which is the immediate testimony of the Spirit spoken of in Rom. 8. This Spirit beareth witnesse with our spirits when God comes and by a secret testimony of the Spirit worketh such a perswasion in the heart that he is a Father that he is a friend that he is reconciled to vs. But you will say this may be a delusion Therefore you must haue both together know that they are neuer disjoyned GOD neuer giues the secret witnesse of his Spirit he neuer workes such a perswasion such an immediate testimony but it hath alwaies the testimony of the Word going with it bee sure to joyne them be sure thou doe not seuer them one from the other So that if you would know now whether you haue faith or no consider whether euer GOD hath spoken this to you or no whether euer hee hath wrought this worke in you For faith you must know is wrought in this manner The Spirit comes and shewes CHRIST to you and not onely shewes you his merits not only tels you that he will be a Sauiour not only tels you of a Kingdome that you shall haue by him but shewes you the beauty and excellencie of CHRIST it shewes you what grace is and makes you loue it and then hee shewes you mercy Out of this you come to long after CHRIST and to say I would I had him a man comes to loue him as the Spouse loues her Husband Now to this worke hee addes a second CHRIST comes and tels a man I will haue thee he comes and shewes himselfe he discouers himselfe to a man and speakes plainly as in that place wee haue often mentioned Iohn 19. and saith to him I am willing to marry thee When this is done on the Holy Ghosts part and we on our part come to resolue to take him now the match is made betweene vs and this is faith indeede when this worke is done a man may truely say This day is saluation come to mee Now thou art sure that all thy sinnes are forgiuen now faith is wrought in thy heart Therefore if thou wouldest know whether thou haue faith or no looke backe reflect vpon thine owne heart consider what actions haue passed thorow there for that is the next way to know what faith is to looke what actions haue passed thorow a mans heart a man may know what the actions of his soule are for that is the benefit of a reasonable soule that it is able to returne vpon it selfe to see what it hath done which the soule of a beast cannot doe Now let a man consider whether such a thing haue passed or no that is marke it whether on Christs part there hath beene such a cleering of the promise that thou art so built that if an Angell from Heauen should come and preach another Gospell if Paul himselfe should be liuing on the earth and should preach the contrary thou wouldest not beleeue him Dost thou see the Word so cleerely art thou so set vpon the Rocke as it were that thou canst say in good earnest as the Apostle said in Rom. 8. I know that neither principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor any thing in the world shall euer seperate me from the loue of God in Christ and that because I haue his sure Word Againe when thou hast such a secret impression of assurance from his Spirit which will not faile thee when thou findest this on GODS part and againe when thou findest this act on thy owne part when thou sayest I haue resolued to take him for a man may know what he hath done I haue resolued to take him for my husband I haue resolued to prefer him before all things in the world to be diuorsed from all things in the world and to cleaue to him This I know these acts haue passed on Gods part and this I haue done on my part when thou findest this wrought in thy selfe be assured there is faith wrought in thee when the Law hath beene a Schoolemaster to thee and when CHRIST hath spoken peace and when thou art built vpon him againe consider if this hath beene wrought This is the first meanes to try thy faith but because this may bee an ambiguous meanes a man may be deceiued in it therefore faith doth shew it selfe by many other effects And therefore we will adde to this which is the very thing wherein faith consists other signes and they are fiue in number First a man must know that there
beleeue with all thy heart thou mayest be baptized So I say to men there is a kinde of taking Christ when a man takes him with some part of his heart when he resolueth I confesse it is good I haue a present disposition to it it will serue me for such a turne I am afraid of Hell it will deliuer me from that in such an exigent in such a crosse in such a trouble that will come vpon me it will free mee from that but this is not enough but if thou beleeue with all thy heart that is when thou hast summed and reckoned all together all reasons and all objections to and fro thou resoluest altogether to take him in all respects Againe when all thy heart shall come in that is when the vnderstanding of a man is fully perswaded of these promises that they are true and that it is best for him to take CHRIST if the perswasion be good and the will follow for that you may take for a sure rule there is no man that is fully perswaded and convinced euery way that such a thing is best but the will will follow If the mind be right the will will follow and if the will follow be sure the affections will follow For if a man wils a thing in good earnest and resolue I would haue it indeed then his desires will come and be earnest and if hee be in doubt feare will come and if any thing hinder anger will come and thrust away the impediments and if he get the thing there will be reioycing and so all the affections will follow and then certainely action and endeuour will follow There is no man that desires a thing earnestly but where the affections are strong and busie action and endeuour will be answerable Now if thou take CHRIST with all thy heart that there is no reseruation that it is not done by halues then thou mayest haue him and the fruites and all the priuiledges by him so as thou shalt be saued by him Consider whether this be done or no. When we preach faith you may see what it is in Acts 26.17 18. Marke what the message was that CHRIST sends to Paul nothing but to preach faith but what was that Saith hee to turne men from the power of Satan to God to turne men from darknesse to light That is to cause them to forsake their former wayes of darknesse that they haue beene ledde into by the Deuill and to turne them to GOD to seeke him So that then a man is said truely to beleeue when his heart is turned to GOD that is when a man before was giuen to this pleasure or to that pleasure and commodity his heart was wedded to it hee would haue an estate in this world and hee would haue credit in the world and he would haue place with men and he would be some-body in the flesh his heart was set on these things he would follow them Now faith is nothing but this wee come and tell you that Christ is offered if you will be content to let all these things goe and to turne your hearts to him that the whole bent of a mans minde is turned the contrary way and set vpon Christ this is faith indeede when there is this generall turning of a mans minde from these things Therefore know that faith in CHRIST and couetousnesse cannot stand together When thy mind goeth a whoring after thy wealth what hast thou to doe with CHRIST That is not to take CHRIST For to take CHRIST is to turne the minde from these things to seeke him Againe if thou wilt haue praise with men thou canst not beleeue and haue that too it is impossible And so for any pleasure for any lust dost thou thinke to follow thy pleasure to seeke that to satisfie thy flesh and to haue CHRIST No it is another kinde of taking and this is not done with that sleightnesse as they did Ieremy 3. You turned to me saith the LORD feignedly and not with all your hearts but it is to turne in good earnest to turne to GOD vpon sound ground therefore now let vs come to the examination of this Now if we were not mistaken in it there would be no question of this we thinke that faith is nothing but a perswasion that our sinnes are forgiuen a perswasion that the promises are true a perswasion that the Scripture is true a perswasion that CHRIST dyed for my sinnes And thence it is that men are apt to be deceiued in it If they tooke faith as it is in it selfe a marrying of our selues to CHRIST with all our heart and affections when hee hath giuen himselfe to vs as in marriage and we are giuen to him in doing this wee should neuer bee deceiued If thou wouldest know now if thy faith bee right examine it as thou wouldest examine another thing If you take Wine if you would know whether it be good Wine if you finde it flat and dead if you drinke it and it heates you not it warmes you not at the heart it quickens you not it reviues not your spirits you will say it is naught if it were good Wine it would doe this If you come to looke on Plants if you find there no fruite nor no leaues you say this Plant is dead So take a Iewell and when it comes to the Touch-stone or any way that you try it you say it is faire but it is a counterfeit Iewell it is a false Diamond or whatsoeuer it be If you come to take a dramme of Physicke if you take a Drugge if it doe not worke Take Leauen and put it into your Dough if it sower not the lumpe you say it is dead Leauen it is a counterfeit thing So I say If thou finde not in faith this effect this operation vpon thy heart that it workes not this generall change in thee that it fires not thy soule with loue to CHRIST if thou finde not life in it and that it bring forth such fruites if thou finde it not grow that it put another taste vpon the whole soule that it leauens it throughout know that thou art deceiued rest not in it cast it away get a right faith such as will not deceiue thee But I cannot stand vpon this This is the first signe of effectuall faith Before I come to the second thing know this by the way you that receiue the Sacrament That if you be vnworthy receiuers you cannot doe your selues a worse turne then to offer to come to the Sacrament without faith to prouoke GOD more to eate and drinke your owne damnation Now examine your selues by such rules as this If you haue changed your life If you haue receiued it heretofore and continue still in your sinnes If you say it is true I haue done it I haue returned againe to my gaming I haue returned againe to my swearing to my loosenesse to my company-keeping but
vnder the cloud for a great while but they were not destroyed they perished not So was Ioseph so was Dauid so were all Therefore put the case that thou fall into the particular ill that the euill which thou fearest fall vpon thee cast not away thy confidence GOD may helpe thee hee may come betweene the cup and the lip as often it is seene It is his vsuall manner to appeare in the Mount and not before It was a Prouerbe in Israel The LORD will be seene in the Mount not so much because it was a common speech but because it was commonly done it was a thing that GOD vsed to doe Therfore be not discouraged too soone GOD may helpe thee as low as thou art Suppose this doe come to passe as a mans heart will neuer be at rest till he suppose that which he would not be content should be so and hence comes disquiet in a mans heart if it do come he hath not resolution to beare the perplexity Therefore in such a case if thou suppose it will be so doe as Hester did resolue If I perish I perish The meaning is If I perish I shall not perish when she saith If I perish I perish she meanes not such a matter as we say in our common speech but if it will come to passe let it come to passe so Hester If I perish I perish She knew it was a good worke that she went about and she knew she should haue a reward for it It is not such a thing to lose the life as men thinke it is If wee looke vpon it with the eye of faith it is no such matter And so the three Children they care not what should become of them They knew not whether GOD would deliuer them or no but if hee would not they resolued to beare it and so should wee doe But you will say a man is not able to doe this If thou diddest know the reason it would moue thee Therefore labour to worke thy heart to consider that all these worst things that befall thee may be good enough and if thou haue not learned before learne now Marke what Paul saith We are afflicted but not ouercome persecuted but not forsaken cast downe but we perish not euer dying but yet behold we liue sorry and yet we reioyce That is there is somewhat that sustaines vs in the worst dangers somewhat that keepes vs from sinking And Paul he is as good as his word what he saith there we see by his carriage we see in what a manner he went thorow all all was nothing persecution was nothing but what he did in such a case he had GOD stood actually by him and said Feare not Paul I haue much people there when he sent him into Macedonia But thou sayest thou hast nothing to beare it Consider whatsoeuer thy case bee If the thing doe so fall out thou shouldest be ready to say this is not so desperate but it may bee helped it is not so heauy but it may bee borne it is not so miserable a case but it may be happy and lastly it is not so bad but it may be good for me First There is no case so desperate but it may be helped Put the case thy name which is so tender a thing which is like vnto glasse which if it be broke cannot be made vp againe Suppose it be broken all in pieces in the World GOD shall make it vp Ioseph his name could not be made vp againe and he cleared as innocent of all but GOD cleared him Dauid now by his great sinnes hee brake his good name so that now it was not an easie thing to heale Dauids name yet God did it abundantly and he dyed full of riches and honour It was forgotten as a thing that had neuer beene when he had gotten credit with GOD he got credit with men And so for pouerty It is not easie for a man to be rich riches haue wings It is true riches haue wings to flye to a man if God bid them come as well as they haue wings to flye from a man if GOD bid them leaue him Againe what if such a man be thine enemie There is no man that is such an enemy but GOD can soone make him a friend as we see in Iacob and Esau. Let the case be what it will you know Iobs case there was all extremity of misery vpon him that if a man should looke vpon him hee would thinke it impossible to helpe him yet you see what GOD did Againe I say it is not so heauy but it may be borne we see how Paul bore all his afflictions we see it in other instances which before we reckoned vp in 2 Cor. 11. See how he was stoned how hee was scourged and imprisoned the troubles that hee had within him the care of all the Churches was vpon him and who was afflicted and he did not burne It was to him as a fire to a man it scorched him and yet you shall see that he bore them in such a manner that if a man were to chuse Pauls comforts with his afflictions he should make a good choice to take the one with the other Paul in the presence of Nero is not daunted who was a wicked Tyrant So Dauid hee was in a miserable case at Ziglag he had lost his Wiues and all that he had he had no helpe but â— few 600. men and yet they would haue stoned him too this was nothing to him when God had setled his spirit with comfort he comforted himselfe in the LORD So in any case if God keepe a whole spirit in thee it is no matter Take a Plaster that is sharpe if you lay it to a sore place it will smart and grieue it but lay it to the whole flesh it is nothing So it is with afflictions when thy soule is whole it is like a whole shoulder lay a heauie burthen vpon a whole shoulder and it goes away with it well enough But if the soule and spirit be broken it is not fit to beare a crosse If GOD enable a man it is another thing then disease is nothing imprisonment is nothing and disgrace is nothing when GOD enables a man to beare it it is nothing therefore it is not so heauy but it may be borne Againe it is not so miserable but thou mayest be happy in it Why The reason is in Rom. 8. Because whatsoeuer it be it shall not separate vs from the loue of God in CHRIST neither principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come neither men nor deuils In such a case the Deuill with all his forces set against thee shall not be able to make thee miserable thou art a happy man notwithstanding hee shall not be able to hurt thee GOD loues thee still and loues thee tenderly thou art deare to him at all times Therefore whatsoeuer it is it shall not separate thee from the loue
of God in Christ and when he could name no more he names in generall saith he neither men nor Deuils nor any thing shall doe it Againe it is not so bad I say but it may be best for thee it may doe thee good for our nature is so rebellious and so set vpon things of this world that except God should take this course to worke a wearinesse in the World to mortifie our lusts if GOD should not take such courses our nature would bee ready to rebell therefore GOD dealeth so with men Sometimes he afflicts thee with sicknesse sharpe sicknesse which is irksome to thee but know that if that disease were taken from thee thou knowest not what thy heart would doe Some men bee afflicted with enmity of others thou knowest not if thou wert friends with all men how thou shouldest be Thou art afflicted in the world in thy wife in thy children in thy neighbours in thy name in thy estate and though thou thinke with thy selfe If I were free from this I should be happy I should bee humble I should serue GOD the better I say vnto thee thou knowest not what thou shouldest be A mans minde doth not know what it would be in another estate onely he knows the present If thou haddest such and such circumstances if thou haddest wealth if thou haddest such crosses remoued if all things should goe well with thee Oh then thou wouldest be happy but thou knowest not what thou shouldest be You know what the Prophet said to Hazael saith he Doest thou know what thou shalt be when thou art King of Aram Thou knowest how thou art affected now but thou knowest not how thou shalt be then when thou art a King then thou wilt be answerable to thy state and condition So much for the second Objection Thirdly it will be objected It is true if GOD did heare my prayers or if he did vsually heare the Prayers that the Saints make that it were no more but seeke and haue we would trust in GOD in difficult cases But I finde by experience that I pray and he doth not answer me and it is not my experience onely but it is the experience of others likewise they pray and GOD doth not heare their prayers what should sustaine me therfore now To this I answer It is certaine that GOD alwayes heares thy prayers there is no doubt to be made of that he is a God hearing prayers and hath made a promise that when they come hee will heare them Be assured therefore that he heares But now to answer thee First there are many cases wherein GOD heares not as first it may bee thou askest amisse But thou wilt say My heart is right and therefore I hope I aske not amisse Yes though thy heart be right thou maiest aske amisse out of mistake out of want of iudgement thou must not thinke with thy selfe because thy affection is strong to such a thing therefore it is lawfull for thee and meete for thee to haue it There are many things which a little childe asketh which are not meete for him a wise Father will not second his child in all that he affects and desires thou must thinke that God will not doe it in these cases And therefore learne in such a case when thou comest to GOD for outward things or for the measure of grace or for the present vse of grace as you shall heare hereafter it may be hee answers thee not yet thou must acknowledge GOD to bee onely wise If we could remember that in 1 Tim. 1.19 To the King onely wise be glory and immortality we thinke our selues wise too wee thinke that we haue some part of wisdome but if we did beleeue that he were only wise that is if thou diddest beleeue that none were wise but he thou wouldest be content toresigne thy selfe vnto him let him doe with thee what he will although thou see no reason yet thou wouldest be content Therefore when thou commest to aske at Gods hands thou shouldest be ready to say thus LORD I see no reason why this should not be good and yet I may be deceiued I may be mistaken Therefore I will not aske it absolutely It may be the want of it is better for me then the enioying of it it may be to be crossed in it is better for me then to haue successe in it thou art onely wise I am not able to iudge and therefore when wee come to aske any thing of GOD thus wee should doe Paul when he comes to aske the mortification of his fleshly lusts 2 Cor. 12. one would thinke he might haue asked that absolutely we cannot see how GOD should not heare that prayer and yet in that case Paul was mistaken GOD saw it was best to suffer that lust to continue vpon him and to contend with him thou shalt not be free from this strong temptation for saith he by this I will humble thee thou shalt haue a better grace then thou shouldest haue if that lust were taken away when Paul saw that the continuance of that vpon him it humbled him more that it brought more glory to God that it shewed Gods power in his weaknesse he was content hee saw that he was deceiued before I say in such a case a man may be deceiued much more in outward things You know the Disciples when they came to aske fire to come downe from Heauen they thought it was a zealous request but CHRIST tels them that they were deceiued they knew not from what Spirit that request did come If it had come from GODS Spirit hee would haue heard it but they were deceiued So if thou wouldest haue GOD heare thy prayer know whether they come from Gods Spirit whether thy prayers be the voyce of thine owne spirit or of Gods Spirit if it be the voyce of GODS Spirit he heares it alwaies because it askes according to his will our spirits may aske that which is good but not that which is fit at this time Secondly he will heare thee but it may be thou art not yet fit for the mercie not because he doth not heare thy prayer and tender thee in that case thou art in but thou arâ— not yet fit herein GOD deales with vs as the Physician deales with his Patient The Patient earnestly desires such and such things The Physician wants not will to giue them him but he resolues to giue them as soone as he is fit and therefore he makes him stay till hee haue purged him and made him fit for it till hee be fit for such a Cordiall for such a Medicine that it may not hurt him it may be GOD staies thee So the men of Beniamin they were fitted when they had fasted and prayed three times when they had fasted once and twice they aduentured and preuailed not till the third time So GOD defers long What if thou fast and pray and GOD doe not heare
thee yet conclude not with thy selfe that thou art not yet fit There is somewhat more that must be done Dauid a man would thinke that he had beene fitted for the Kingdome before that time but GOD deferred it vntill Dauid was humbled enough till he was broken enough till GOD had prouided a Kingdome as he promised And so he did with Ioseph and so with the people of Isâ—ael they were kept long in bondage they were long pressed before they were fit to be deliuered GOD tendred his people then hee had no delight in their afflictions And so we may see in the whole Booke of the Iudges how God suffered his people to be afflicted to fit them for deliuerance So thinke with thy selfe thou art not fitted yet if thou wouldst go by a rule see the rule 1 Pet. 5.6 Humble your selues vnder his mighty hand that he may exalt you in due time Marke whensoeuer God layes any affliction vpon any man his end is to humble him And if the worke be done he will performe that which he hath promised assoone as thou art humbled he will exalt thee therefore that word is added he will exalt you in due time not when thou thinkest hee will before-hand for GOD is wise and will doe it in due time if he should defer it beyond the time when thou art fitted he should not doe it in due time but beyond the time Againe if he should send deliuerance before thou art fit it were not in due time it would come too soone But assure thy selfe when thy heart is humbled and weakned from the world when thy lusts are mortified and when thou art made spirituall and heauenly-minded by such afflictions be sure GOD will not deferre one iot he will come in the exactnesse of time that as it is said in the fulnesse of time his Sonne came so it is in the fulnesse of time before he will saue thee in the fittest time Therefore I would say to thee whosoeuer thou art that suest to GOD for pleasure for honour it may be to be relieued in thy state for health for life or for comfort I say GOD hath made a promise and it is impossible that he should faile in the performance of of it as Salomon saith Prou. 22.4 Riches and honour and life shall he giue but to to whom to him that is humble and that feareth the Lord. You must put in both the conditions Many men feare the LORD which are not humbled and some men are humbled but they haue some secret way of wickednesse wherein they are induldent to themselues but they must goe both together Let a man be holy that he may haue no way of wickednesse in himselfe and let him be humbled or else GOD may bestow wealth on thee but if thy heart be not holy thou wilt forget GOD in it And if he giue thee health if thy heart be not humbled thou wilt be ready to vse it intemperately thou knowest not thine owne heart but be assured when thou commest to God he heares the requests that are made by his Spirit that if thou be prepared he will not deny thee the promise is absolute let the condition be fulfilled for those are the words The reward of humility and the feare of God is riches and honour and life Except not these when there is not the precedent preparation for it is not best for thee Thirdly it may be GOD doth it not because there is a defect in thy prayer hee will haue thee pray more feruently that condition is put in Iam. 5. The prayer of the righteous auaileth much if it be feruent Indeede GOD might bestow blessings vpon vs for the meere asking if we did but make our requests knowne yet he is pleased to require that condition that our prayers be feruent and he defers the giuing of the blessing vntill we be quickned and therfore he defers oft-times to inhance and to cause vs to prize his blessings lightly come lightly gone as we vse to say Things that come easily we willingly part with but GOD will haue vs prize them high and therefore we must begge them earnestly he holds them backe to affect our appetites to make vs contend with him in prayer or else why did hee deferre to grant the Woman of Canaans request why did he defer to giue Iacob deliuerance from his brother Esau if he had done it in the beginning Iacob had not so wrastled he had not done that excellent duty of prayer all night When Hannah comes to aske a sonne of the Lord he hath giuen to many with lesse adoe but he would not grant it her till her spirit was troubled till she prayed earnestly with contention and violence that Ely thought she was drunke No said she but I am a woman troubled in spirit they must be earnest those prayers that God will haue at thy hands and if thou be not heard goe and mend thy prayers that thou mayest mend thy speeding quicken thy prayers as thou labourest to make thy heart more righteous that thou mayest be fit The prayers of the righteous preuaile much if they be feruent so pray more feruently Fourthly it may be God heares thee but it crosseth some other secret passage of his prouidence There are many things that GOD the great Gouernour of the world must bring together and though thou see no reason why he should not heare thee yet it may be hee will discouer vnto thee that the sum of all things being put together thou shalt see that it is not best for thee to be heard Dauid now when he comes to aske a request at Gods hands that he might build him a Temple it was a thing that he desired and he made no question but that it was according to Gods will and Nathan was of that opinion too Goe saith hee and doe all that is in thine heart Dauid did not know what belonged to that businesse because no man can iudge of those things that GOD hath appointed to bring to passe a man cannot see round about all the corners of GODS prouidence no man is able to see it wee see not the concurrence of things how one thing stands with another And therefore we ought not to looke in such cases to be heard as the Wisemen they thought it fit to haue returned by the way they came but God saw a reason to turne them another way Therfore be not hasty in thy requests but know that GOD is wise and will worke all for the best his glory must goe in all and one thing must be done that his end may be brought to passe in all Againe it may be God will grant thy request but for the manner and the meanes by which he will doe it and for the time it is in his own power But because these things are knowne I will not stand to presse them farrher but now I come to the last Objection Last of all you will be
desire long enough but how shall we be able to doe it I will tell you in a word and so conclude First you must pray for it it is a lovely suite when we come to the Lord and tell him that we desire to love him that we would faine doe it if we could and beseech him not to deny us that request that we know is according to his will doe you thinke that the Lord will refuse you in that case especially if you begge it importunately at his hands For if you object and say we have prayed and have not obtained it know that to love the Lord is a precious thing and therefore the Apostle reckons it so You will say How doth this prayer doe it I say that it doth it partly by obtaining at Gods hands for when you crie earnestly hee cannot denie you But as he did with the lame and the blinde when they were importunate hee never neglected any but healed them When you crie to the Lord and say I would faine love thee but I cannot will hee not be as willing to heale thy soule to give thee legges to runne after him and eyes to see him as he was to heale the lame and the blinde certainly he will not denie thee But besides that prayer doth it because it brings us to converse and to have communion with him by prayer wee are familiar with God by that meanes love growes betweene us as you know when you converse with men it is a means to get love Againe prayer doth it because when wee are much in calling upon God the Lord delights to shew himselfe to such a man yea at such a time for the most part as hee shewed himselfe to Christ when he was praying as he did to Moses and to Cornelius and others And againe prayer it exerciseth this love it blowes up the sparke of this love and makes a flame of it therefore much prayer begets much love If you would be abundant in love be fervent and frequent in this dutie of prayer pray much and you shall finde this effect of it it will beget love in you You will say prayer is a generall meanes for other things Why doe you put it as a peculiar meanes to get love The reason is because love in an especiall manner is a gift of the Spirit a fruite of the holie Ghost and it is true it must be a peculiar worke of the Spirit to beget love It is true faith comes by hearing and hearing begets faith it is done likewise by the Spirit but love is more peculiarly than other graces the gift of the holie Ghost And therefore 2 Thess. 4. saith the Apostle You are taught of God to love one another That is it is such a thing as God teacheth or else our teaching will never doe it that which he saith of love to the brethren we may say of the love of God the Lord hath put love into man man loves many times and knowes not why many times he hath reason that he should love and yet he cannot because it is a peculiar gift of God That naturall affection for a man to love his children all the world cannot doe it all the arguments in the world cannot perswade a man for if arguments could doe it we might perswade others to doe so but none can love so as the father doth his childe and why but because the Lord workes that in men So the love of God is a peculiar worke of the holy Ghost none are able to love Iesus but hee in whom the Lord hath wrought it in whom the holy Ghost hath planted this affection Therefore the way to get it is earnestly to pray to acknowledge the power of the holy Ghost to goe to him and say Lord I am not able to doe it this acknowledgement of the power of the holy Ghost is the way to prevaile Besides you know the power of God is so transcendent beyond the pitch of our nature that except the holy Ghost worke more than nature we shall never be brought together in agreeablenesse and sutablenesse wee are no more able to love the Lord than colde water is able to heate it selfe there must be somewhat to breede heate in that water so the holy Ghost must breed that fire of love in us it must be kindled from heaven or else we shall never have it Secondly another speciall meanes to enable you to love the Lord is to consider your owne condition to consider your sinnes what you are what hearts you have and what lives you have lead You will say how doth this beget love Yes this is a great meanes Mary loved much because much was forgiven her that is Mary Magdalen had great sense of her sinnes the Lord had opened her eyes to see what a one shee had beene what sinnes she had committed And because she had that sense of her sinnes her eyes were open to see her owne vilenesse thence it is saith he she loved much For when we are humble and poore in spirit when we are little in our owne eyes then the Lord will come and shew mercy on us when a man shall see his sinne and shall thinke with himselfe I am worthy to be destroyed I can expect nothing but death then the Lord shall come sodainly as it were and shall tell us you shall live and shall reconcile himselfe to us this will command love We shall never receive the Gospell as to love Christ till we come to poverty of spirit till we be thus humbled as in the first of Luke it is the speech of Mary My soule doth magnifie the Lord and why because he had respect to the poore estate of his handmaiden When she was little in her owne eyes and made no account of her selfe and thought not her selfe worthy to be looked after the Lord comes and takes her and vouchsafes her such an honour as to cause his owne Sonne to be borne of her now she could not holde but that was it that enflamed her heart with love to the Lord my soule doth magnifie the Lord because he had respect to the poore estate of his handmaid So wee see in David you never finde a greater expression of love in David than at that time when hee was most humbled when the Prophet came to him and tolde him what the Lord would doe for him that he would build him and house David begins to consider what he was what is David saith he What am I or what is my fathers house That is I am but a poore miserable man I am but thus borne what have I done that the Lord should respect me so farre If David had not beene so little and so vile in his owne eyes those great mercies had never so wrought on his heart And therefore I say the way to make us abundant in love is to consider our sinnes to be humbled to consider what
wee are and to conceive from thence the kindnesse of the Lord you know how it affected Saul when hee came into the hands of David that he had power to kill him he considered what he had done to Dauid how he had used himselfe to him and he saw Dauids kindnesse againe to him but unexpected and undeserved it was it melted his heart it dissolved him into teares So the love of the Lord when we consider how we have behaved our selves to him and yet he hath offered us peace and yet he saith Returne and I will forgive you I say this would worke on the hardest heart And therefore consider your sinnes it is not enough to say I am a sinner perhaps you are ready to doe so But come to particular sinnes consider wherein you have offended the Lord say you have done thus and thus as Paul reasons with himselfe I was a blasphemer I was a persecuter an oppressour and yet the Lord had mercy on mee so be ready to say I have committed such and such sinnes it may be uncleannesse it may be Sabbath-breaking and swearing c. yet the Lord hath beene mercifull or willing to receive me to mercy as that place Ier. 3.1 If a mans wife play the harlot will hee returne to her No he will put her away and give her a Bill of Divorcement but you have done it and done it oft and with many lovers and yet returne againe to mee saith the Lord So I say when Christ shall come to you when you have committed such and such sinnes and the Lord shall say to you though you have done this though you have done it often yet returne again to me and I will receive you to mercie I say this should melt our hearts and cause us to love the Lord. I should come to the third that is to beseech the Lord to shew his owne selfe to you for indeede wee shall never come to love him till the Lord shew himselfe to us It is one thing when we preach him to you and it is another when the Lord shewes himselfe For as the Sunne is not seene but by his owne light there is no way in the world to see the Sunne all the candles all the torches cannot doe it except the Sunne shew it selfe So I say of the Lord all the Preachers in the world though they should speake with the tongues of Angels they were not able to shew the Lord Christ Iesus what hee is but if the Lord shew his owne selfe to you if he open the cloud and shew you his glory and the light of his countenance then you shall know the Lord after another manner than we can shew him to you with another knowledge more effectually And when you have seene him thus you shall love him without this you shall not love him And therefore pray the Lord to shew himselfe to you as it was Moses prayer Exod. 33 Shew me thy glory What is that That is Lord shew me thy excellency which is exceeding glorious You must thinke Moses asked not this in vaine it was for some purpose hee asked not meerely to satisfie his fancie for the Lord would not then have heard him But what did he aske it for Surely that he might love the Lord the more by knowing him better And when Moses came to aske it at the hands of the Lord he did assent he proclaimed that is hee revealed himselfe more than ever he did before So I say to every one of you if you be earnest with the Lord desire him to shew you his excellencie that you might love him more serve him more and feare him more he could deny you no more than he did Moses for you must thinke that this is no extraordinary thing for the Lord to shew himselfe That which hee did miraculously to Stephen when he opened the heavens and shewed himselfe to the outward view that hee doth ordinarily to the Saints hee shewes himselfe to their mindes and inward affections When wee preach at any time except the Lord shew himselfe to you at that time then our preaching is in vaine for the word that we speake is but a dead letter it will worke no more upon you than a dead thing that hath no efficacy But when the Spirit goes with the word and hee openeth to you the thing that we speake then it is effectuall Therefore Paul to the Ephesians when he had opened those great mysteries hee concludes with this The Lord give you the Spirit of wisedome and revelation to enlighten the eyes of your understanding that you may know what the hope of your calling is and what is the glorious inheritance of the Saints c. As if he should say when I have said all this it is nothing it will not doe it but he beseecheth the Lord to give them the Spirit of revelation and then it is done And so to conclude all when we have said all we can to move you to love the Lord it is all nothing except the Lord give you that Spirit of wisedome and revelation to open your eyes to see what is the exceeding greatnesse and excellency of his power FINIS THE THIRD SERMON GALLAT 5.6 For in Iesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision but Faith which worketh by Love OVT of these words we have formerly delivered this point to you that Whâ— soever loveth not is not in Christ. The last thing in the prosecution of this point was the meanes whereby this love is wrought in our hearts which we did not then finish notwithstanding we will not proceed in it at this time but rather alâ—â—r the matter and doe that which I did not then intend because there are many this day that are to receive the Sacrament and you know when we come to receive the Sacrament our chiefe businesse is to examine our selves Let every man examine himselfe and so let him eate of this bread and drinke of this cup. We have often pressed to you the necessitie of these two things First that you may not omit the Sacrament when it is administred in the Congregation whereof you are members for if they were to be cut off from the people that neglected the Passeover why should not this be accounted a greater sinne and to deserve a greater punishment to neglect the receiving of the Lords Supper which is come in the place of the Passeover and is farre beyond it First because it is more cleare and it is more cleare because the doctrine is more cleare for it doth more lively represent Christ now exhibited in the flesh than that which onely represented Christ which was then to come And secondly because the mercie that you are now to remember is your redemption from sinne and from hell a greater mercie than that which they were to remember in the Passeover which was their deliverance out of Egypt though that was not all therefore the neglecting of this must
wilt look upon other things as things that thou regardest not much thou wilt grieve for them as if thou grievedst not and rejoyce as if thou rejoycedst not thou wilt use the world as if thou usedst it not thy heart will be taken up about Christ and about the things that belong to the kingdome of God thy intentions will be set upon the things that belong to the service of God and thy owne salvation This is a thing by which you may plainly discerne the truth of your love examine therefore what it is upon which you bestow the maine and the top of your intentions Indeed my brethren the greatest things that the world hath are not worthy of the toppe and strength of our affections for they are but trifles Therefore if you love the Lord Iesus if you prize him aright and be righâ—ly affected towards him you will esteeme nothing great but the enjoying of his favour and nothing of worse consequent than the losse of it nothing will be of any great moment to you but onely sinne and grace sinne that displeaseth him and grace that brings you into favour with him as for other things you will looke upon them as trifles you will not put the strength of your mindes to any thing else this is the nature of love it is vehement toward the thing that it loveth Moreover it hath also this property of fire that it is still aspiring it is still enlarging it selfe still growing on assimulating and turning every thing into its owne nature it is overcomming and is not ready to be overcome Which propertie of fire is noted in that place I spake of in the morning Much water cannot quench it it is as strong as death Now death you know overcomes all so will love it will breake through all impediments Consider whether you finde this disposition in your selves that your hearts are still drawing nearer and nearer the Lord that they are still aspiring up towards heaven that you are still going onward and thriving in the worke of grace But that which of all other things will manifest most to us this affection of love it is those affections which depend on it you shall know it I say by the affections that hang upon it It is true that all the affections depend upon love but for this time I will instance but in two namely Anger and Feare Looke whatsoever it is that a man loveth where he findes any impediment in the prosecution of it hee is angry hee desires with as much earnestnesse to remoove that impediment as hee loves the thing Take any man even of the mildest disposition if in any thing that hee loveth much and intendeth much there be an intercurrent impediment that shall interrupt him he is angry though otherwise he be of a most meeke disposition For anger is but earnestnesse to remove the thing out of the way that hinders us whatsoever a man loveth hee is angry with the impediments that hinder him in it Come now and examine your love to the Lord by your anger that anger that proceedes from love to the Lord we call zeale will you professe that you love the Lord and yet your hearts are not moved when he is dishonoured Thinke with thy selfe when thou art wronged in thy name or some body miscalleth thee misreports of thee and prosecutes thee with evill speeches and revilings is not thy wrath kindled in thee against such a one Well if thou love the Lord Iesus as thy selfe as thou oughtest to love him above thy selfe why are not thy affections stirred in thee when thou hearest him dishonoured when thou knowest that his Name is ill spoken of If a man should take from thee thy wealth or any thing that is deare to thee if a man should come and violate thee with ill tearmes thou wouldest be angry with him and be ready to flie in the face of such an one If you be thus affected to the Lord and to his glory why doe you not doe the like for him You know David did the same Mine eyes gush out saith he with rivers of water because men keepe not thy Law Therefore know that if you finde not your hearts affected with the things that belong to God that there is no anger stirred up it is a sure argument that you love him not It is observable that is said of olde Ely 1 Sam. 4.3 when newes was brought him that the Israelites were fled that moved him not so much when it was tolde him morever that there was a great slaughter among the people that stirred him not neither when it was tolde him yet that his two sonnes Hophni and Phineas were slaine yet this did not so much affect him but when it was tolde him that the Arke of the Lord was taken the text noteth something more than ordinary that hee was so stirred with it that he fell from his seate it cost him his life Can you find this affection in your selves that you are not moved with the death of childreÌ„ so much or for the losse of your goods or for your owne particular discontents as when you shall heare that the glory is departed from Israel that religion suffers any eclipse in any place that the Gospell of Iesus Christ is hindred This is a thing that will try your love to the Lord. If you finde that you can heare of the desolation of the Churches and of the increase and growing of Poperie and yet you doe not take it to heart to be affected with it you doe not grieve for it it is a signe that you want love to the Lord. You know what is noted of them in Ierem. 36.24 when the King had done an abominable action that hee had cut the roll insunder that Ieremiah gave him and cast it into the fire that was upon the hearth before him it is sayd that those that were about him did not rent their clothes nor petition to him c. As if hee should say in this they discovered a wonderfull want of love to the Lord and to his cause that they were not moved with this dishonour that was offered to God and to his servant and to the cause of Religion at that time You know what disposition Paul had in this case Act. 17. He observed that the place where he was was given to Idolatry the text saith His spirit was stirred in him his zeale and his anger was kindled in his breast Therefore consider what your affections to the Lord are by this holy anger that is in you Moses you know was the meekest man vpon the earth and yet you know how he was mooved how his zeale was kindled in his breast when he saw the idolatry of the people In the next place consider your feare For if you love the Lord it will cause you to feare and tremble at his word and at his judgements for whom a man loves much he regards much and when a man regards
after an other manner he sees now an other beautie in God than ever he saw before hee sees an other excellencie in him for that knowledge he had of him before bredd not love But when a man is once within the Covenant the Lord will teach him such a knowledge of himselfe as withall will worke the love of him Such a knowledge you must have of the Lord and you may help your selves to love him by reasoning if ever you saw any excellencie in any man or in any creature it did help you to love that creature Thinke with your selves there is more in God that made that creature He that made the eye shall hee not see So he that wrought that excellency shall not he have it in himselfe in a greater measure Besides you may consider how the Lord hath described himselfe that hee is most wise most mercifull and full of kindness and gentlenes and abundant in truth as you know that description in Exod. 34. Go through all the vertues and excellencyes that are amiable if you looke in the Scripture you shall find them to be in the Lord. This serious consideration will help you to increase your knowledge of the Lord and by consequent your love of him So that if you would come to loue a man what is it that causeth you to love him but because by his speech and by his carriage and behaviour you come to have such an apprehension of his disposition he hath a minde thus framed thus qualified thus beautified When you conceiue such an Idea of him you love him So when you apprehend the Lord aright when you observe him as he is described in his word when you observe his doings when you consider his workes and learne from all these together a right apprehension of him I say when you have such an Idea of him such an opinion of him then the will followes the understanding and the affections then followes then you come to love him and to delight in him Therefore learne to know the Lord by his former carriage towardes your selves how kinde he hath beene how exceeding patient how exceeding readie to forgiue how much kindnesse he hath shewed how hath he in mercy remembred you though you have forgotten him how you haue recompenced him evill for good yet hee hath not broaken off the course of his mercie towards you Consider his dealing with you and learne by this to know the Lord and this will be a meanes to encrease in you the love of the Lord. This is not all there is another thing which is the second branch that I tolde you of that is to looke upon God as one sutable to you and to your disposition For if you should finde never so much excellencie in him if he be not agreeable to you you love him not A woman may see a man that she thinkes is very excellent in many respects yet he is not a fit husband for her It is the sutablenesse and agreeablenesse betweene God and our owne condition that causeth us to love him Therefore when you put these two together consider the Lords mercie and see that and looke on your selves as sinfull men needing that mercie when you see the Lord exceeding powerfull and looke on your selves as very weake needing that power when you looke on him as the Lord of life and see your selves subject to death and needing that life when you see your owne folly and his wisedome go through all in him and then againe looke upon the contrary weaknesse in your selves this is that which will make you apprehend God as one that is sutable as one that is agreeable to you and till you come to this you shall never love him and long after him till the heart namely is thus framed till a man is humbled till he comes to the sight of himselfe for as you must know God so you must know your selves before you can love him I say when a man comes to that hee begins to looke on God as upon one agreeable to him As take a man who is touched with the feare of his sinnes whose heart is broken who hath an apprehension of Gods wrath and of his owne unworthinesse such a man now will be satisfied with nothing in the world but the assurance of Gods love and his favour As you see in naturall things let a man be very weary the daintiest meate in the world whatsoever you give him will not heale him but he must have that which is fit for that particular defect nothing will helpe him but rest Againe let a man be hungry and faint for want of meate all the musicke the best ayre or whatsoever you can give him will doe him no good it must be meate that must helpe him If a man have a disease it is not sleepe it is not meate and drinke it must be a medicine that is fit for his disease So it is with the heart of man when his heart is so broken so humbled and touched with the sense of his sinnes that hee longs after nothing but remission nothing but the assurance of Gods favour the assurance of his love and kindnesse nothing will satisfie him but that it is so in naturall defects and so it is in the soule when the heart of a man is so fashioned that it lookes upon God as one agreeable to him and there is nothing else sutable but onely the Lord and his favour and his love that is required to breede this love in you towards him What is the reason else that it is said Hosea 5. ult When they are afflicted they will seeke mee diligently But because afflictions teach a man to know himselfe it teacheth him to know his owne weaknesse to see his owne sinne his owne impotency his owne unworthinesse and when he hath done this then he lookes upon God as one who onely is fit for him as one who is onely able to helpe him Affliction doth but discover what was there before For man is a weake and impotent creature made for the Lord he is nothing without the Lord it is the conjunction with God that makes him up onely he knowes not this he understands not this Therefore when God opens a mans eyes either by the immediate worke of his Spirit to teach him to know himselfe or by affliction then he comes to seeke after the Lord when they are afflicted they will seeke me diligently If thou shouldest have such an offer as was made to those Acts 2. Peter tells them there they should have remission of sinnes they should receive the gift of the holy Ghost if this had beene offered to them before they knew themselves before they had beene humbled and pricked at the heart as it is said they were would they have regarded such an offer as this No they would not although they had understood that offer never so well So I say though you know his name and his excellent attributes never so perfectly yet till
sett a worke to serve the Lord when he looks to the Lord when he inclines towards the Lord that is when the minde is set on worke to thinke on him to remember his glorious workes to have a right knowledge and opinion of him againe when the memory is set on worke to remember him and not to forget his benefits his statutes and his ordinances and so the rest of his faculties And therefore if we love the Lord wee will not doe this with our selves to thinke I love him and yet I will suffer my minde in the meane time to be exercised in contemplating of fornication not to thinke I loue the Lord and yet will suffer my memorie in the meane time to be recollecting injuries and breeding of them and recalling my pleasant sinnes that are formerly past that I should abhorre thou canst not loue him and doe this Againe thou must not say I love him and yet let thy affections runne after this and that but thy whole heart must be bestowed on him Thou must not thinke to loue him and to reserue thy affections for this or that particular thing that thou lovest inordinately but thou must bestow all these on the Lord. The second thing required in this love wherewith I will end is this that you love the Lord with all your might You will say what is the meaning of that to love the Lord with all my might and with all my strength For the understanding of this you must know that God hath given different might and different strength to men as a rich man hath more might than another for he can rule more and sway more and command more than a poore man can Againe a Magistrate he can restraine by his power and encourage men by his authority and winne them yea compell them by his example Againe a learned man that is of great parts that is of a stronger wit than another hee hath more might than another he is able to doe more than a man of weaker parts Now to love the Lord with all our might is to improve all the meanes we have all the strength all the ability that wee have above others to improve it so that we may serve the Lord with it more than others that even as thou exceedest any in these abilities so thou maist goe beyond them in serving the Lord This is to love the Lord with all thy might that is to love him so much more than a poore man to bestow more on him to doe more for him as thy riches make thee more able and more strong than another For thee to love him now as another man doth that hath lesse might the Lord will not take this love at thy hands but will say to thee as Landlords say to their Tenants when they bring them lesse rent than they should lesse than is due they will receive none for they say so much is due The Lord will require this that you love him with all your might If thou be a rich man if thou be a Magistrate if thou be a man of such and such opportunities to serve the Lord and doe but a little hee will not accept it at all thou must love the Lord with all thy might for God requires this at thy hands hee leaves it not arbitrary He saith To whom much is given of him much shall be required Hee saith not I leave it to him to doe more or lesse but I require it that is I will exact it according to the measure he hath received Therefore consider with thy selfe what meanes thou hast what power God hath put into thy hands what ability thou hast more than others When you send a servant to market as you give him a greater price as you put more money into his hands so you expect hee should bring home more than another that hath a lesse price put into his hands So the Lord doth with men hee sends men into the world as men are sent to a market hee gives a larger price to some to some hee gives five talents to some three to some two the Lord expects that they should bring home according to the price they have in their hands that is according to the might according to the strength and opportunity he hath given them For you must know that the Lord observes an exact difference betweene man and man It may be thou livest under better meanes than another thou hast had better education than another thou hast more knowledge in the wayes of God than another the Lord hath helped thee more by the inward suggestions of his Spirit than another he lookes that thou shouldest bring forth more fruite than another And so againe for all other abilities and advantages the Lord expects at our hands that we love him with all our might otherwise saith he you might have given my money to the exchangers and they would have made use of it Marke that in the Parable of the Talents for a man will be ready to say if I bestow some love on the Lord why should he exact require the utmost why doth he require so much at my hands Yes saith he if another had this might if another had this strength and this opportunity that thou hast hee would have done as exchangers doe hee would have brought it in with profit so if that ability were given to another he would make use of it And therefore thinke not much if he require it at thy hands for there is losse if he should not Therefore know that the Lord requires this at thy hands it may be thou art more composed and more disposed than another it is nothing for thee to abstaine from drinking to abstaine from swearing because thou art framed this way by naturall ingenuity and naturall temper that God hath given thee it is not that the Lord requires no more but that thou live soberly free from grosse sinnes No God lookes for more he requires of every man according to his strength and ability As you know a childe may runne and another man may walke the childe takes more paines the man lesse it the reward were to be given according to the endeavour the child should have it though he that walkes come to the goale before him A man that is weake may not doe so much as another that is strong and able to doe ten times as much worke as another man that is weake though thou doe more worke than he this is not accepted because hee lookes that every man should doe his utmost he requires that you should love him and serve him and set your selves to improve all your ability according to the might according to the Talent according to the price hee hath distributed and measured to you So much for this time FINIS THE SEVENTH SERMON GALAT. 5.6 For in Iesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision but Faith which worketh by Love THE last thing that wee entred upon was
his children to waite in it 2 122 Sanctification we must set faith on worke to increase it 2 212 How faith sanctifyeth the heart 2 213 Saved If Christ should not receive sinners none should be saved 1 113 Scriptures Scriptures beleeved in generall 2 34 Science Science 1 47 Sciences of two sorts 3 200 Seale Seale double 2 153 Security Security a cause of the pestilence 3 92 Security double Ibid. Seed How salvation is sure to all the seed 1 44 Season Season our workes must sute with it 3 209 Season what duties befit us in it Ibid. Selfe Self-crossing a signe of love to God 3 64 Why we must love God above our selves 3 166 Service Service to God and men different 3 154 Shew Difference betweene faith and a shew of holinesse 1 85 In prayer God sheweth himselfe to us 3 50 Gods shewing himselfe begets love 3 54 Shepheard Magistrates shepheards 3 78 Signe Signe in what cases God will give it 1 124 Sin Sinfull Sin the greatnesse of it 1 26 Sin the nature of it not altered by faith 1 59 Sin the efficacy of it taken away by faith 1 60 Sins most hainous Christ came to pardon 2 151 Sinfull love 3 10 Sin the consideration of it makes us love God 3 52 Sin delight in it and love of GOD cannot stand together 3 159 See Exelude Slippery Slippery places wicked men stand in 2 210 Sonne Sonne of GOD offereth his love to us 3 144 Soule Soule turned to GOD by faith 2 44 Soule needeth refreshing 3 114. Soule the adorning of it 3 173 Sound Sound heart hath good workes 3 193 Sorrow Sorrow for offending God a signe of love 3 116 Sorrow the want of it worse than the sin it selfe 3 117 Speake Love delights to speake of the party loved 3 75 Spirit Spirituall Spirit given more largely now than before 1 4 Spirit makes us love Christ. 2 50 Spirits testimony wrought two wayes 2 53 Spirit all arguments without it prevaile not 2 54 Spirits of men not alike troubled in conversion 2 86 Spirits immediate testimonie 2 89 Spirits testimony how to know it 2 90 Spirituall ioy 2 133 Spirit sound will beare affliction 2 191 Spirit the more we beleeve the more wee have of it 2 215 Spirituall love 3 11 Spirit is strong 3 187 Stranger Strangenesse Wicked men come to God as a stranger 2 106 Strangenes dissolveth love 3 105 Strength Faith takes away opinion of our owne strength 1 72 We daily want new strength 1 135 Strengthening of faith usefull 2 73. Study Study of a Christian. 3 142 Stone White stone what it signifieth 2 85 Successe Successe promised to good causes 2 163 Sudden Miseries come suddenly on the wicked 2 210 How things are said to be suddaine Ibid. Holy men may be suddainely transported to sinne 3 195 Sure How righteousnesse becomes sure 1 8 43 Sutable Looking on GOD as sutable to us breedes love 3 139 Suffering Suffering for Christ. 1 24 Suffering a fruite of love 3 77 Suffering a kinde of doing 3 77 Suffering a good worke 3 209 T. Taking Taking of Christ what 1 16 When we come to take Christ. 1 96 The efficacy of faith in taking Christ 2 41 What taking of Christ is effectuall 2 43 Taking Christ deceitfully 2 97 Taking Christ the way to salvation 3 5 Taught A Christian better taught than learned men wanting grace 3 197 Teaching Teaching of GOD what 2 12 Temptation Some cleave to Christ â—or want of temptations 2 25 Every man hath some particular temptation 2 65 Testimonie see Spirit Time Our time in GODS hands 2 182 GOD meetes with evill men in the worst time 2 211 Time a precious talent 3 113 Triall GOD puts men to tryall that they may holde out 1 9â— GOD gives no grace but hee hath tryalls for it 2 121 Trouble True ioy holds out in trouble 2 132 Trust. Trusting GOD. 2 116 Trusting GOD instances of it 2 117 Trusting in GOD what 2 168 When we are said to trust in GOD 2 171 Trusting GOD ingageth him to helpe us 2 17â— See Meanes Truth GOD abundant in truth 3 42 Turne Turning To turne to GOD what 2 99 How to use faith in the turnings of our life 2 156 V. Vaine Faith without workes is vaine 2 63 Vehement Love vehement as fire 3 89 Vertues Morall vertues GOD regards not without faith 1 82 Difference betweene faith and morall vertues 1 83 Virgins see Love Vnderstanding Faith wrought in the understanding 1 16 Vnderstanding what required in it touching faith 1 55 Vnderstanding 4 things in it touching the promise 1 95 Vnderstanding cleare makes faith effectuall 2 â—3 Vnderstanding what in it hinders love 3 108 Vneffectuall 5. Causes why faith is uneffectuall 2 6. Vngodly God iustifieth the ungodâ—y 2 149 Vnworthily To receive the Sacrament unworthily what 1 87 Two sorts receive the Sacrament unworthily 3 59 Voice Voice immediate 2 53 Voice soft what 2 88 Voice of the Spirit in us 2 105 Voice of Gods Spirit how to know it 2 106 Vprightnes Gods blessing according to our uprightnes 2 181 Vse Those that have faith are able to use it 2 139 How to use faith 2 142 Vse of grace increaseth it 3 204 Vile When a man is vile in his owne eyes 2 136 W. Wages Love desireth no wages 3 27 Walke To walke with GOD what 3 25 Warre True peace comes after warre 2 109 Way When wee looke on Gods wayes as contrary to us we hate him 3 132 See Good workes see Taking Waite True faith is content to waite 2 121 Instances of waiting 2 122 Weake Faith is weake for want of using 2 140 Love to God weakeneth sinne 2 214 Weake grace is grace 3 148 Will Willing Will faith wrought in it 1 16 Will must take Christ. 1 21 Will three things in it in taking Christ. 1 22 Those that are willing to take Christ how they are affected 1 32 Iustifying faith differeth from generall faith in the act of the will 1 49 Will what required in it touching faith 1 56 We must be willing to kill our lusts 1 92 Will the drawing of it to take the promises 1 101 Will how drawne 1 103 Will drawne by three meanes 1 104 Will what in it hinders love 3 108 Will taken for the deed when 3 201 Wee must be willing to suffer for Christ. 3 99 Wisedome Wisedome in three things 2 199 Property of wisedome 3 206 Wonders Wonders wrought now though no miracles 2 177 Worth Worthy To be worthy of Christ what 1.29 75 Faith take from a man all opinion of worth 1 71 Christ worthy of our love 3 34 Worship If Christ were not ready to pardon hee should not be worshipped 1 113 Worke Working Faith and opinion differ in their working 1 120 Working shewes a thing to bee effectuall 2 27 Working in doing and suffering 2 45 Good works the way to salvation 2 60 Worke-lesse faith five arguments against it 2 62 True