Of Faith — Sermon 3

(ROM. 1:17)For by it the righteousnesse of God is revealed from Faith to Faith: As it is written, The just shall live by Faith.

The last point that we delivered out of these words, was this, that

Faith is that by which we are made partakers of the righteousnesse of Christ.

We come now to the Vses of it.

And first of all, if it be by faith onely by which we are made partakers of that righteousnesse that saueth us, the first consectary that we will draw from hence is this, That we should learne to come to CHRIST with an empty hand, and not to bee discouraged for any want that we finde in our selues, nor for the greatnesse of our sinnes; we should not bee discouraged for the want of a perfect degree of repentance and godly sorrow, or for the want of whatsoeuer good worke you think is requisite to salvation, for, my beloved, you must know that this is the nature of faith, that it does its worke best alone; and faith is so farre from requiring any thing in the partie that shall have CHRIST, that necessarily he must let goe all things else, otherwise he cannot believe: and this is a point necessarily to be considered: for every man is apt to conceiue and think that it is impossible that GOD should accept him, vnlesse there bee something in him why GOD should regard him: If he finde himself to be exceeding ungodly, he thinkes that CHRIST will neuer looke after him.

And againe, if he have nothing at all to give, if he have nothing to bring with him in his hand, he thinkes that he shall have no pardon: But you see that faith requires nothing in the first apprehension of CHRIST, if a man bee neuer so ungodly, it is all one, the promise notwithstanding is made to him.

Againe, Why should you looke for righteousnesse in your selues? The worke of faith (and it has nothing else to doe) is to take that righteousnesse of Christ, that is none of your own: so that there is nothing else at all required; for all that faith has to doe, is onely to take from Christ that righteousnesse that we want our selues: so that I say there is no reason why any man should bee discouraged in his first comming, for any want that he findes in himself, or for any condition that he is in, because faith onely is that that makes us partakers of a righteousnesse to justify us, because we our selues have it not. I say, faith is so farre from requiring any thing to be added to it, to helpe it in the act of iustifying, that of necessity it excludes all things else: for faith has this double quality, not onely to lay hold of Christ offered, but to empty a man of all things else whatsoeuer. As for example, Faith is not onely the believing of a truth which is delivered, from the authority of him that does deliver it; but it is a resting upon Christ, a casting of our selues upon him. Now when a man leanes upon any other thing, he stands not upon his own legges, he stands not upon his own bottome; for if he did, he could not properly be said to leane. If a man trust and depend upon another, he prouides not for himself, but he that so lookes to himself, that he prouide so as to make himself safe if another should faile him, so farre he trusts himself; so that, beloved, if you trust CHRIST, it is of necessity required that you must bee vnbottomed of your selues, you must altogether leane upon him, you must cast your selues wholly upon him: For faith has such an attracting vertue in it, that it fils the heart with CHRIST. Now it cannot fill the heart with CHRIST, vnlesse the heart be emptyed first. Therefore I say, faith has a double quality, not onely to take, but to empty; and they are reciprocall, the one cannot be without the other.

Hence it is that we say, faith ingrafts a man, a man cannot be ingraft into a new stocke vnlesse he bee quite cut off from the former roote; therefore faith driues a man out of himself, and makes him nothing in himself, so that when he comes to lay hold on the promise of GOD, he lookes at no quality or excellencie of his own, he lookes at no fitnesse nor worthinesse in himself, but he comes with a hand and a heart altogether empty: So that when a man comes to beseech GOD to receive him to mercie, and to grant him a Pardon of his sinnes, when he comes to take hold of the righteousnesse of CHRIST for his justification, if he think that there is any little worthinesse in him, or that there be no fault in him at all, and from from there shall think that GOD will receive him, this man is not fit to come to Christ, he must be wholly emptied of himself, and then God will speake peace to him.

But you will aske, What is that that faith does empty a man of?

Faith emptieth a man of two things:First, of all opinion of righteousnesse in himself. Secondly, of all opinion of strength and ability to helpe himself: for if either of these remaine in the heart, a man cannot receive CHRIST.

First, I say, a man must be emptied of all opinion of worthinesse in himself, of all conceipt that he has the least righteousnesse in himself; therefore when the yong man came to CHRIST, and CHRIST told him that he must keepe the Law, and he said he had done all those things from his youth, CHRIST knew that he was not yet fit, therefore, says he, Goe and sell all that you have: Christs end was nothing else but to discouer to him his own vnworthinesse. If you wilt be perfect, (says CHRIST) take this tryall, Canst you be content to let your wealth goe, to follow me? Canst you be content to suffer persecution? This showed that he was not perfect, but that he was still a sinfull man; this was the way to prepare him for Christ, this course we see CHRIST alwaies tooke: we see it expressed in the Parable of the Publican and of the Pharise, the Publican went away justified, because he was wholly emptyed of all conceipt and opinion of worth in himself.

But the Pharise was not justified, (not because he was not a iuster man then the Publican, for he was in outward performances better then he; but) because he had an opinion of his own righteousnesse, he was conceited of a worthinesse in himself, therefore he went home not justified.

What was it that excluded the Iewes? was it not an opinion of something they had of their own?

The Laodiceans, they thought they were rich and increased, and wanted nothing, therefore they neuer came to buy of CHRIST. That which a man thinkes he has already of his own, he will neuer bee at the cost to buy; therefore that is the first thing that a man must doe, he must think himself of no worth at all, he must be empty of all opinion and conceit of his own excellency.

But this is not all, although a man be persuaded of this, that he has no worthinesse in himself, yet if he think he is able to helpe himself, and can stand alone without GOD, he will not come to take CHRIST; and therfore this further is required, that a man see that he has no ability to helpe himself, that all his redemption must come from CHRIST: for if you aske many men whether they have any opinion of worth in themselves, they will be ready to answer, No. What then is the reason that they come not to CHRIST? It is because they are in health and prosperity, and they can doe it soone enough hereafter, they can yet for the present subsist without Christ; but when GOD shall show a mans heart to himself, when GOD shows a man his danger, and shows it him as a present, and how vnable he is to helpe himself out of danger, then a man will have no rest till he have Christ. Therefore you shall see both these required, 1 Cor. 1:30. CHRIST must be to us wisdome, righteousnesse, sanctification, and redemption too. First, if a man think that there is any thing in him, either wisdome, righteousnesse, or sanctification, that excludes him, for he will rejoice in himself: and that concernes the first condition required, to be empty of all opinion of worth.

But yet if a man think that he is able to stand safe and secure for a time, that he is able to be a Buckler to himself, that he has somewhat wherevnto he may leane, and does not see that CHRIST must be his redemption also, he will not come at CHRIST.

That which kept the Prodigall sonne away, it was not an opinion of any worth in himself, but because he thought he could live without his father, he had his portion in his own hands, and at his own disposing; and he would not come home to his Father, till he could live of himself no longer: so that, though we have an opinion of no worth in our selues, yet if we conceiue or think that we can live without CHRIST, we will not care for him.

This was the fault of those that were inuited to the marriage, they refused to come, not because they thought that themselves were of worth, but they were persuaded that they needed not those things to which they were inuited. Therefore, I say, these two things must be done, a man must be emptied of all opinion of worth in himself.

And secondly, of all ability in himself to helpe himself, and when faith has done both these, then it brings a man to CHRIST, when a man sees that there is nothing in him why GOD should regard him, and that he cannot stand longer, nor be in safety longer then CHRIST helps him, and speakes peace to him, now a man is fit to take hold upon CHRIST: and therefore we must learne to come to CHRIST with an empty heart.

Many men complaine that they would believe, but they want that sorrow that they should have, they want that repentance that they would have, they think they are not yet fit, therefore they dare not apply the promises.

To these we say now, that there is a double kinde of complaint.

One is, when a man lookes upon these things, as upon things that make him fit, which if he have, he thinkes GOD will respect him; and if he have not, he thinkes that GOD will not looke after him. If your complaint be thus, it is sinfull; for in this you seekest something in your selfe.

But if a mans complaint be this, that he is not yet awaked enough, that he is not yet sensible enough of his sinnes, the doctrine of the remission of his sinnes, and free Justification does not affect him as it should. Indeed, here is just cause of complaint; for these things are necessary before you can come to take CHRIST. Therefore that place in Mat. 10:11. will explaine this, and answer an objection that may be made against it, when the Apostles were sent out to preach the Gospel, when they came to any house, they were bidden to Enquire who were worthy; If any man be worthy (says CHRIST) your peace shall come upon him: but if he be not worthy, shake off the dust, &c. A man would think by this that there were some worthinesse required in the partie that comes to CHRIST, and that before he can apply the first promise of Justification.

To this we answer, the worthinesse that is required here is nothing else but an ability to prize CHRIST, to set him at a high rate, to long after him, to hunger and thirst after his righteousnesse, your peace shall come upon such a man. That is, if there bee a broken-hearted man that lookes after CHRIST, whose heart yeranes after him, that he is able to prize him aright, he shall be accepted: but if they bee such men as will not receive you, such as will not set meat before you, such as will give you no respect, shake off the dust of your feete, &c. So that I say, such a complaint we may make, If we finde a want of desire after CHRIST; for that is required; but if we looke upon any thing as a qualification in our selues, such a worthinesse is not required, we must be driuen out of all conceit of it, or else we cannot take Christ. So much for the Vse, that seeing it is onely faith by which we lay hold of Christs righteousnesse, that then we have no reason to be discouraged, in respect of any want; in fact, we must finde a want of all things, before we can be made partakers of this righteousnesse.

Againe, secondly, if it bee by faith onely, by which we are made partakers of this righteousnesse, and by which we are saved, then we should learne hence to rejoice onely in GOD, and not to rejoice in our selues; for this is the very end why GOD has appointed this way of salvation: Eph. 1:6.For he has chosen us to the praise of the glory of his grace, in his Beloved. That is, that he might have the praise of the glory of his grace, as it is in Ephes. 2. Therefore it is of faith, and not by workes, that no man should boast of himself: 1 Cor. 1:30. Therefore CHRIST is made to us wisdome, righteousnesse, sanctification, and redemption, that no flesh should rejoice in it selfe. Now if that be GODS end, if that be his aime, why he will have us saved by faith, let not us disappoint him of his aime, let us not take from him the glory of his grace; but let us glory in the Lord.

This point we should especially looke to, not to rejoice in our selues, but in GOD: For, my beloved, we are all naturally exceeding apt to rejoice in our selues, we would faine finde some excellencie in our selues, every man is apt to reflect upon himself, and he would faine see some worth there that he might rejoice in; and if he be no body at all there, it is contrary to his nature to think that he shall be accepted: there is nothing in the world that we are so backward to as this. It was Adams fault in Paradise, whereas he should have trusted GOD, and have beene wholly dependant upon him for all, he would needes know good and evil, he would have something of his own; and this was it that lost him all, and brought the curse upon him, because he would not bee dependant.

Now in the Gospel, GOD comes by a second meanes of saving men, and in this the LORD would have the creature to have nothing in himself to glory in, but man is hardly brought to this, but exalts and lifts vp himself, and would faine have some worth and excellencie of his own; but as long as we doe thus, we cannot bee saved: that is the argument that is vsed Rom. 6:4. why Abraham was justified by faith; if there had beene any other way, Abraham had had in which to rejoice in himself: but faith excludes this rejoicing, and onely faith, we should, I say, learne to do this in good earnest, to see that there is no worth in our selues, to have CHRIST to be to us all in all: Col. 3:11. is an excellent place to this purpose, says the Apostle there, (in the matter of salvation) There is neither Iew nor Gentile, bond nor free, but Christ is all in all. That is, when we come to be justified before GOD, when we come to the matter of salvation, God lookes at nothing in a man, he lookes at no difference betweene man and man; one man is vertuous, another man is wicked; one man is a Iew, and has all those priuiledges; another man is a Gentile, an alien from the Common-wealth of Israel; one man is circumcised, another man is vncircumcised; but all this is nothing: Why? For CHRIST is all in all. Marke it: First, he is all; that is, there is nothing else required to justify: Indeed, if we were something, and he were not all, we might then looke at something besides; but he is all.

Againe, he is all in all: that is, goe thorow all things that you may think will helpe you to salvation, in all those things CHRIST is onely to be respected, and nothing but Christ, whatsoeuer is done without Christ, GOD regards it not; If you will doe any worke of your own to helpe your selues in salvation, if you will rest upon any priuiledges, Christ is not all in all; but Christ must be all in all in every thing: and if onely Christ be all, then we must come onely with faith; for it is faith onely that layes hold upon Christ.

Now a naturall man, he will not have Christ to bee all, but himself will bee something; or if Christ be all in some things, he will not have Christ to be all in every thing, to have Christ to be his wisdome, his righteousnesse, his sanctification; to doe nothing but by Christ; to have Christ to be his redemption, not to be able to helpe himself without Christ, but that Christ must helpe him out of every trouble, and bestowe upon him every comfort, this, I say, is contrary to the nature of man: therefore we must bee thorowly emptyed of our selues in this matter of rejoicing, aswell as in the matter of taking: for in what measure any man sets any price upon himself, so farre as he has any opinion of himself that he is something, just so farre he detracts from Christ: but when a man boasts not of himself at all, such a man rejoices in GOD altogether, such a man will stand amazed at the height, and breadth, and length, and depth of the love of GOD; such a man will be able to see that there are unsearchable riches in Christ; such a man will be able to say with Paul, that he cares for nothing, he reckons all things dung, Phil. 3. I have all the priuiledges (says he) that other men have; I am a Jew, I am a Pharise; but I reckon all these things as dung; that is, I care for none of them, if I had an hundred more: It is true, I have beene as strict as any man; indeed, I went beyond others: for I was zealous in that course in which I was, yet I have beene taught thus much, that all these things are nothing, for GOD regards them not, he regards nothing but Christ and his righteousnes, therefore I looke not after these things, but that I may be found in him, not hauing mine own righteousnesse, but that righteousnesse that GOD accepteth, which is through faith in him. Therefore, my brethren, learne thus to rejoice in CHRIST, and in GOD, and not in your selues; this is the most excellent worke that we can performe, it is the worke of the Saints and Angels in Heaven, we should learne to come as neere them now as we can: In Reu. 7:11. they cryed with a loud voyce, saying, Salvation comes by our God, that sitteth upon the Throne, and by the Lambe; and therefore, praise, and wisdome, and glory be given to God for euermore; because salvation is from the Lord, and from the Lambe, and not from our selues at all: hence it is that they fell downe, and worshipped him; and for this cause they all cry, wisdome, and glory, and praise be to our GOD for euermore.

If salvation had beene from our selues, if we had done any thing to helpe our selues therein, there had not been ground of giving all praise and glory to GOD; and if this bee the worke of the Saints & Angels, we should labour to performe it as abundantly as we can now: and let us doe it in good earnest: for if men could be brought to this, to rejoice in GOD alone, their mouthes would bee filled with praise exceedingly, they would regard nothing else, and in the course of their lives they would make it euident to the world, that they were such as made no account of the World, so they might have CHRIST, they would be content with any condition: for Christ is all in all to them.

Thirdly, if it be by faith onely by which we are made partakers of the righteousnesse by which we are saved, then it should teach us to let other things goe, and principally to minde this matter, to labour to get faith, whatsoeuer become of other things; for it is that by which we have salvation.

The Papists, they teach that workes are the maine, and many things they prescribe that men must doe: our Doctrine is, you see, that faith onely is required: Indeed, many things follow upon faith, but faith is that you must onely labour for, and then the rest will follow upon it.

This Doctrine of ours, you shall finde that it is delivered cleerely in Gal. 5:5, 6.We waite, through the Spirit, for the hope of righteousnesse, which is through faith. That is, we looke for nothing from the Law, we regard no workes at all in the matter of justification; that which we looke for, is onely that righteousnes which is taken by faith: and why doe we so? For, says he, in Christ Jesus, neither circumcision is any thing, nor vncircumcision, but faith, &c. As if he should say, there is good reason why we should expect salvation onely by faith, because nothing else will helpe us in that worke, circumcision is nothing, nor vncircumcision is nothing: by those two he meanes all other things, that is, the hauing of all the priuiledges in the world, the doing of all the workes that can be done, faith is all in all; but it must be such a faith as workes by love; though it be by faith onely, yet it is not an idle faith: therefore you are especially to labour for faith.

There are many other excellencies that we are capable of, many morall vertues, such as Aristotle and Socrates have described; but without faith, GOD regards none of these: take one that is a wicked man, and take another, let him be neuer so vertuous, as Socrates, and Seneca, that were the strictest in morality of all the Heathen; in fact, take any man that lives in the Church, that lives the most strict and exact life, and yet is not justified by faith, God makes no difference betweene these men, the one is as neere to heaven as the other, GOD lookes upon them both with the same eye; for he regards nothing without faith. He that is the most prophane and ungodly, if he come with faith, he shall obtaine Christ; the other that has all other morall Vertues in the most exact manner, without faith, they shall doe him no good: therefore we are to seek for nothing in the matter of justification, but how we may be enabled to believe, we are principally to study this matter of faith.

Take such a one as Socrates, and such a one as Saint Paul, it may be Socrates might bee outwardly as temperate, and as patient, and be indued with as many excellencies, he might appeare in his carriage as strict as Saint Paul; but here is the great difference, The one does what he does of himself, and through himself, and for himself; the other does what he does of CHRIST, and through CHRIST, and for CHRIST: therefore faith mainely is requisite.

If we had all other excellencies, yet we shall finde this in them, that they doe alway give something to the creature.

Againe, if you goe neuer so farre in them, yet you shall finde that there is some imperfection in them.

But faith it emptieth the creature of all things, it leaueth nothing in a man, it makes him leane and rest only upon CHRIST, and upon his righteousnesse for salvation.

Againe, faith works in us a love to GOD: for, we hauing nothing in our selues, but all that we have being from him, we cannot but love him againe.

Againe, faith presenteth to God a perfect righteousnes, and therfore God only accepts it: for God must be just, and nothing can satisfie the Justice of GOD, but a righteousnes that is perfect, nothing can attaine a righteousnesse that is perfect, but onely faith, labour therefore to believe this, and to turne all your study and care how to get faith. My beloved, this is a thing that we are bound to preach to you; this is the sum of that Doctrine that CHRIST so often preached when he was upon the Earth, Believe, for the Kingdom of God is at hand: this is the sum of all the Doctrine of the Apostles, it was all they had to doe, to persuade men to believe: What was the sum of all Pauls Doctrine? We goe vp and downe, says he, from place to place, witnessing both to Iewes and Gentiles, &c. So it is our part, when we come to preach to you, when we come to dispense to you that which is for the nourishment of your souls, we must doe as those Stewards that set bread and salt upon the Table, whatsoeuer other dish there is; so we should alway preach Christ, and persuade you to believe in him, and stir you vp to turne the streame of your endeuours after the obtaining of that faith that takes this righteousnesse; the principall thing we are to look to, is, to see from what Fountaine that that we have comes; if a man have neuer so many vertues in him, if they arise not from this fountaine, if they spring not from this roote, they are nothing, GOD lookes upon them without acceptance or delight.

Againe, this is that that you are to doe in hearing, that which you are chiefly to looke after, is, how to get faith; and therfore if men will employ their strength and their endeuours, and busie themselves to attaine such and such vertues, it is but as the watering of the branches, and to let the roote alone; faith is the roote; that is, it is that that makes all acceptable to GOD: for what is the difference betweene Christianity and Morality, and without this, what is our preaching? We may gather welneere as good instructions to resist vice, ouf of Plutarch, and out of Seneca, as out of Pauls Epistles, but this differenceth it, that we preach CHRIST, and from Christ we deriue ability and strength to doe all things else, and that makes all else to be acceptable; so that this is it that you must looke after, to have CHRIST, to receive all from him, to doe all for him; for these are reciprocall, vnlesse you think you have all from CHRIST, you will neuer doe all for him; when we think CHRIST is alsufficient, we will be perfect with him againe.

But, by the way, in this you see not onely the difference betweene morall vertues, and those in a true Christian, which is godlinesse, that they come from different fountaines, and looke to different ends; but you see also the difference betweene those shows of strictnesse that are among the Papists, and that sincerity of life that we preach to you, which is an effect of this faith: for, if you marke it, you shall find that all that they doe, either is without Christ, or addes to Christ; they think they shall bee saved for doing such and such things, which prepare and fit them for salvation, they looke mainely to the workes of humbling the body, and doing many actions of mortification, but still Christ onely is not sought after in all this. But now looke to the Doctrine that we have delivered, it is CHRIST that we preach, it is faith that we preach to you. It is true, we preach those things too, we lay the same necessity upon you of doing good workes, we stirre you vp to holinesse of life, and mortification; but here is the difference, we deriue it all from Christ by faith, we say that faith does all.

Indeed when you have faith, if that faith be right, it will worke by love: here then you see the difference, we doe the same things, but we deriue all from a iustifying faith, laying hold upon CHRIST; and so love to him, and all other graces doe arise from this.

Againe, a fourth Vse of this point is this, If salvation be onely by faith, then we should learne hence to goe with boldnesse to GOD, to take the promises, and to reckon them sure to us. If something else had beene required on our part, we should then have gone with a great deale of doubting to GOD; but now, seeing there is nothing required, but only to goe and take it, this should make us to goe with boldnesse to the Throne of Grace, to come with assurance that we shall speed.

And therefore in the businesse of seeking to GOD for the remission of our sinnes, (which indeed is the greatest businesse that we have to doe) what greater comfort can there bee, then to have this assurance, that if we come to GOD for it, we shall not faile nor be deceiued of it?

For the present occasion of receiving the Sacrament: What is the end of the Sacrament, but to preach faith? The Sacrament preaches that to your outward senses, that we doe to your vnderstandings; it presenteth to the eye, that which we now preach to the eare: for what is the Couenant of GOD in the Gospel, but onely this? GOD offers Christ to you freely, as the Bread and Wine is given to you. To us a Sonne is given, &c.

Againe, we take him, and binde our selues to obey him, and to love him, to be to him alone, to marry him, to make him our Lord and our Husband. Now in the Sacrament both these are done: when the Bread and Wine are offered, they are but a resemblance of the offer of CHRIST. Indeed there is a blessing in it: for it is Gods Ordinance, it increaseth this grace of faith. And againe, there is a bond on our part, in which we tye our selues to obey CHRIST.

Now if any of you will offer to come, and yet have not given vp your selues to GOD in good earnest, you receive your own condemnation, you are diuorsed from CHRIST, and married to the World; and this is to receive the Sacrament vnworthily. The maine end of the Sacrament, is to increase faith, and salvation is ours by faith; therefore we should come with boldnesse, and lay hold upon the promises of it.

We should doe in this case as Ioab did, lay hold upon the hornes of the Altar; that is, take hold upon CHRIST, and remember that sure word of promise, To us a Sonne is given, to us a Child is borne. And, Let whosoeuer will, come and take of the waters of life freely. Goe thorow the whole Booke of GOD, all the promises therein are as so many grounds for faith to build upon; it is impossible that God should slay you, if you come and lay hold of the hornes of the Altar. If you will take Christ, and receive these promises, and rest on them, it is impossible but that God should performe them, he has bound himself to performe what he has said, in 1 Ioh. 1:9.If we acknowledge our sinnes, he is faithful and just to forgiue them: As if he were vniust and vnfaithfull if he should not doe it. His Oath is passed, he has added an Oath to his promise, that by 2. immutable witnesses it should stand firme.

We should doe in this case as Jacob did, after he had once a promise from GOD, when he meetes his brother Esau, Lord, (says he) you have promised to doe me good, therefore deliver me from the hand of my brother. So, when we have a promise, and GOD has said, He that will take CHRIST shall be saved, and CHRIST is freely given, and the pardon is generall, therefore what should hinder us? Vrge GOD upon his promise, wrastle with GOD, as Jacob did, and let him not goe without a blessing; wrastling implyes resisting, it is a signe GOD resisted him for a time: so, it may be, GOD will deny you a great while, yet continue you to seek him, let him not goe, he cannot deny you in the end, you shalt have the blessing at the last: we should learne thus to importune GOD; tell him, Lord, I have a sure promise, and you have made the pardon generall, and I am sure I come within the number of that Comission: Goe and preach the Gospel to every creature, goe and tell every man under heaven, that Christ is offered to him, he is freely given to him by GOD the Father, and there is nothing required of you, but that you marry him, nothing but to accept of him; here is a word sure enough, if there were nothing else but this. Therfore learne to doe in this as the Woman of Canaan did, though Christ denyed her, yet she would not give ouer: for she had this ground to build upon, that he was Jesus, he was the Sonne of Dauid, he was mercifull, and she had exceeding great neede of him, and therefore she would not give ouer; so, I say, hauing this ground for your faith, goe to GOD with boldnesse, and neuer give ouer; it is impossible (if you seek him in good earnest, with all your heart) but that he should receive you.

It is true indeed, he gives to some sooner then he does to others; with some he deales as he did with the Woman of Canan; to some he gives an answer quickly, some againe he defers longer, and he will put us to the tryall. CHRIST dealeth differently with his children, he does with us sometimes as the vniust Judge, he turnes the deafe eare to us, or like the man that was in bed with his children, and was vnwilling to rise; but what says the Text? Luk. 11:6. though he would not doe it for him as a friend, yet his importunity makes him rise and lend him: so you thinkst (it may be) GOD is not your friend, yet by your importunity he will rise at the last; therefore, though you finde GOD to be as an enemy, though he be neuer so backward to rise, yet give not ouer, I can assure you, as certainely as there is any truth in the Booke of GOD, you shalt be heard in the end, Heaven and Earth shall passe away before this sure Word shall perish. It is Gods manner to put men to the tryall, and it is his wisdome so to doe, otherwise, he would have many that would be forward at the first, that would fall off in the end.

It was Naomies wisdome to bid her Daughter Ruth goe backe to her kindred, but she would not, she stood it out: I will goe (says she) where you goest, and nothing but death shall part betweene me and you. When Naomi saw that she was stedfastly minded, she tooke her along with her. So, if GOD should receive men at the first, many men would come in, and take hold upon Christ, and make a profession of his Name, but they would not hold out to the end with him: But when CHRIST shall tell them, I have not so much as a place to lay my head in, if you wilt have me, you must deny your selfe, and take vp your Crosse, and you shalt finde a great deale of trouble, and suffer persecution; If a man now, notwithstanding this, will not be beaten off from Christ, but, though Christ turne the deafe eare to him for the present, and present to him all manner of difficulties, yet if he will, notwithstanding all this, be constant still in importuning God to have CHRIST, when GOD shall see that his mind is thus set, he will take him along with him, he will be your, and you shalt be his, his people shall be your people: this is it that knits the knot betweene you: My Beloved is mine, and I am his; his Word is passed for it, he has promised his consent, now if we will give ours, the match is made.

If it were doubtful whether we should have his consent, it were another case; but we have a sure Word for it, we should learne therefore to importune him.

Now when we have done this, when we are come with this boldnesse, and have laid hold upon CHRIST, then let us looke to the priuiledges, then let us take the pardon of our sinnes, adoption, and reconciliation, and all things else, only remember that condition of after-obedience, that though we may come freely, and come with this boldnesse, and though nothing be required, but that we take this Sonne of GOD that is offered, yet, I say, there is a condition of after-obedience, we must resolue to serve him, and to love him with all our heart, we must resolue to doe that that Ruth promiseth to Naomi, to live with him, and to be with him, and that his people shall be our people, &c.

But you will say, I am willing to doe this, to part from my lusts, and to be to CHRIST alone, but I am not able, my lusts are strong and preualent.

To this I answer, If you bee but willing, Christ desires no more: I would but aske you this, Suppose that you wert able to ouercome those lusts; take a man that is strongly given to good-fellowship, (as they call it) to company-keeping, that is given to fornication, to swearing, or whatsoeuer the sinne bee, take any preualent lust that is in any man that now hears me, I would aske him this Question; Put the case you wert able to get the victory ouer your lust, wouldst you be content to part with it, and to take CHRIST? If you sayest, No, I had rather enjoy the sweetnesse of my lusts still, Art you not now worthy to be condemned? But if you answer, I would, upon condition I were able to ouercome my lusts; I assure you, GOD will make you able, GOD requires no more but a willingnesse to come, and take CHRIST, the other is Gods worke.

I, but I have tryed, and have not found it so.

I answer, it cannot be, you have not yet solued to part with your lusts, you have not yet set downe this peremptory conclusion in your selfe, that you wilt forsake every thing that you may have CHRIST: If any man say he is willing to take CHRIST, and to part with the sweetnesse, and the pleasantnesse, and the profitablenesse that his lust brings to him, if he could get the victory, if he were freed from the sollicitations of them: Let me tell you, you must first resolue to take Christ upon his own conditions, and for the other, GOD has promised to doe that himself: 1. Cor. 8:9.God will confirme you, and keepe you blamelesse; for he is faithful that has called you to the fellowship of his Sonne. As if he should have said, Doe you think that GOD will call men to CHRIST, that he will beseech men to take his Sonne, will he call you to the fellowship of his Sonne, and will he not keepe you blameles? he has promised it, and sworn it, if he should not doe it, he should be vnfaithfull; when GOD calls you to come to Christ, he promiseth that the vertue of Christs death shall kill sinne in you, and that the vertue of Christs Resurrection shall raise you vp to newnesse of life; GOD has promised that he will give the Holy Ghost: for he neuer gives his Sonne to any, but he gives them the Spirit of his Sonne too. Now, He that has called you is faithful, and he will doe it. So that I say, if you wilt come in, (that is) if you wilt accept of CHRIST upon his conditions, it is certaine GOD will receive you; and if you find your selfe troubled with the violence of any lust, or of any temptation, presse upon GOD, vrge him with his Word and promise, that he would assist you by his own strength, that he would enable you to ouercome, that he would give you the Spirit of his Sonne, and resolue as Job, Though he kill me, yet will I trust in him: for I have a sure promise, Heaven and Earth shall passe, but not one tittle of his sure Word shall passe till it be fulfilled.

Now because this is a point of much moment, this laying hold upon the promises, and because it is a thing that is not easily done, therefore I will show you these two things.

The first is this, that the understanding must be rightly informed, what ground a man has to doe it; when a man comes to believe the forgiuenesse of his sinnes, let him not think, I have a persuasion that my sinnes are forgiuen, therefore they are forgiuen, but a man must labour to see the ground of it: for, a thing is not true because we are persuaded it is so; but the thing is first true, and then we believe it: GOD has first offered forgiuenesse of sinnes to you, and then you looke upon his Word, and so believe it; But, I say, when a man is persuaded in a confused manner, without any just ground, without a cleere knowledge of the progresse of faith, how it goes along, this is not right, this keeps many from assurance, because they are not cleerely instructed in it: For, to the end that faith may take hold of the promise, that it may be sure to us, we must conceiue of the right method, and that stands in these foure things.

First, we must see our own condition, we must be sicke before we can seek to the Physician, we must see our selues to be condemned men, that there is nothing in us to helpe our selues; we must be broken in heart in some measure, we must see our selues to bee children of wrath, and then we will come and seek for a remedy; and that is,

By looking into the Booke of GOD, (and that is the second thing) and there I finde all the promises, CHRIST is there cleerely offered, onely with this condition required, that I must obey him, and serve him, and love him; so that that is the second thing, CHRIST is offered in the Scriptures to every one, and if you have him, you shall have a pardon of your sinnes with him; onely he is offered with condition of obedience: Well, when you see this cleerely, now you come to consider it, you begin to ponder this Word, whether it be so or no, a man begins to think, Is this a sure promise? and then he sees, that looke what certainety there is of the Scriptures in generall, there is the same certainety in these particular promises: so that with the same faith that a man is to believe the Word of GOD, with the same faith he is to believe this offer of CHRIST.

I, but is it sure to me?

Then a man lookes to the generality of the promise, that it is offered to all, none excepted, and therefore, says he, it is offered to me.

But will Christ doe to me as he has promised, is he powerfull and willing to doe it? Then a man lookes into the Word, and finds that he is Almighty, that he is able to make him the Sonne of God, that whatsoeuer Christ has by nature, he shall have it by matching with him: Indeed Christ has it immediately as he is the Sonne of GOD, but we have it mediately, as the Wife has the riches of her Husband. If a Woman marry the Kings Sonne, she has the same priuiledges, and the same inheritance that he has: so, whatsoeuer CHRIST has becomes ours: Paul, and Apollo, and all are CHRIST'S, the World is CHRIST'S, and all things present and to come are CHRIST'S, and they are all made ours. Now when this is well pondered, and we finde that we have a sure Word to confirme this,

Then, in the third place, we come and take him, and this no man will doe indeed, till he have well considered, as the saying is of marriage, that it is a bestowing of ones selfe upon such a one, so it is in this; every one therefore should consider before-hand, what it is to bestow himself upon CHRIST, and when this is done, that we have made the match, and bestowed our selues upon CHRIST, then,

In the next place, we come to see what we shall have by him, and then we come to make vse of all that CHRIST brings with him, reconciliation, and pardon of sinne, and all things else that he has, I have with him, I am the sonne of God, and I shall be sanctified; (for together with him I have his Spirit,) all my prayers shall be heard, all the promises in the Booke of GOD are mine; for In him they are all Indeed and Amen: as all the World is his, so it is all the wealth of a Christian after he has taken CHRIST. Now when this is distinctly propounded to us, and we conceiue it aright, it makes the way much more easie to us; but when we goe on in a confused manner, because the Gospel is not cleerely understood by us, hence it is that we labour much, and yet the thing is not done: therefore, my beloved, if you have a persuasion of the forgiuenesse of your sinnes, if it bee but a meere persuasion, it will alter exceedingly, it will goe and come in the time of temptation; but when you have a sure Word, when you have built your selues upon the Scriptures, it is not dependant upon your persuasion, but it is the Word that you rest upon: For fancie, and opinion, and persuasion, it will grow sometimes longer, and sometimes shorter, as the shaddow does, whereas the body of the thing is the same; but when your eye is upon the Word, when you rest upon that, then your persuasion will continue the same as the Word continues. Indeed, your comfort may be sometimes more, sometimes lesse; but when it is pitched upon the sure Word, that is it that will bring you comfort in the working of it, to observe the method and degrees of it. Indeed, my beloved, it is a point of another nature to believe then the world thinks of; therefore examine, and recall, and understand this Doctrine that we have now taught you distinctly, it will be worth all your labour, for the present you shall have a good conscience, and the assurance of Gods fauour, and when death comes, the right understanding of it will be worth all the world besides.

It is said of the second ground, that they fell away, because they had no roote in themselves: they had some root, but their faith was pitched upon a generall Doctrine, upon a generall persuasion, that has a kinde of roote, but it has no roote in it selfe: so many Christians goe farre, and they doe much, but they have no roote in themselves, that is, they doe not understand distinctly, and throughly, the grounds upon which their faith is built, they see not a sure ground for it in the Word of GOD, they know not how faith is built upon the [•]ure corner stone; for CHRIST is that sure corner stone, he that is built upon him shall neuer be ashamed, we should learne therefore not to give ouer till we be rooted and grounded. If a man should aske many peop[•]e, What is the reason that you are persuaded that your sinnes are forgiuen? (for you ought to build that upon an infallible ground) I[•] it be no more but because you are persuaded, it is nothing; but if you can say, My sinnes are forgiuen, because I have Christ, and he that has the Sonne has life, I have the sure Word of God for it, God cannot lye, he is Truth it selfe that has said it, and he has offered CHRIST to every creature under Heaven; then is the ground good, you maist take him boldly, being within that number.

So much for this time.

FINIS.