Of Effectual Faith — Sermon 5

_1. THESS. 1:3._Remembring your effectuall Faith, &c.

THE first thing in which you shouldest vse Faith, is to comfort your selfe by it. Therefore consider, you that doubt of this, you that make question, (I speake to those that have the work wrought, whom the Holy Ghost has made to desire Christ above all things, I say) remember that God iustifieth the ungodly, and that you have nothing to doe, but to take him.

2. Remember that CHRIST is made righteousnesse to us, that no flesh might rejoice in his sight, but he that rejoices might rejoice in the Lord.

3. Remember that the pardon is generall. Looke to the promises of the Gospel; you shall finde them without all exception. To us a Sauiour is borne, to take away the sinnes of his people; he came to take away sinnes of all sorts. Now, when GOD has made no exception, why should we make any?

4. Consider that we have to doe with a GOD, who delights to show mercie, it is a thing that he is not weary of, it is naturall to him: And therefore as the eye is not wearie of seeing, nor the eare of hearing, because it is naturall to them, no more is GOD weary of showing mercie. In fact, he delights in it, Mic. 7:8. Who is a God like to you, taking away iniquities, delighting to show mercie, &c. Why so? Because mercy pleaseth him. That is, there is no worke that he is so much pleased in, as in showing mercy.

5. Consider you, that art in such a case, consider that his mercy is as large as any other attribute. Every man thinkes that this is no newes; what need you tell us that GOD is infinite in mercy? I say, this is a thing that you dost not consider: if you diddest, you wouldest not sticke upon it as you doest, If you diddest believe that GOD were as mercifull as he is; but we scant GOD according to our measure; we square Gods mercy according to our own thoughts. Every man measures Gods mercy, according to that which he can conceiue. He thinkes with himself, if a man commit one sinne, it might be forgiuen, but when his sinnes exceede, when they grow out of measure sinfull, when they are sinnes so circumstantiated, as we say, that they are out of measure sinfull, here a man stands at a stay: What is the reason of this? Because we draw a scantling of Gods mercy, according to our own conceits. Whereas, if we considered that his mercie were as large as any other attribute, then we would consider that it has no limits: and if it have no limits, then whatsoeuer your sinnes are, it is all one.

6. Dost you think that Christ came from heaven, and tooke flesh, and suffered death, to forgiue small sinnes? No, it was to forgiue the greatest; the worke is large enough to match with the greatest sinnes. These, and such like reasons you shouldest labour to bring to heart, that you mayest believe perfectly and throughly, and give not ouer till you have done it. Let not your faith trust in Christ by halues, but trust throughly. you shouldest come to this disjunction: If I bee out of the Couenant, why doe I believe at all? why doe I receive any comfort? If I bee in the Couenant, why doe I not believe perfectly? I say, give not ouer till you have brought your heart to a full assurance. Thus a man should doe that yet doubts whether his estate be good, whether CHRIST bee his, when he is his. For when a man is once in the Couenant, that the match is made betweene him and you, why doest you doubt? If you be in the Couenant once, doubt not then that a sinne or two, or daily failings, shall breake the Couenant betweene GOD and you, it is impossible. you must know that you often breakest the Couenant; but except there be a quite turning backe, except you altogether forsake GOD, except you leaue GOD, and chuse you a new Master, (this indeed breaketh the Couenant) otherwise, if it be but a failing, if it be but a sinne of infirmity, from day to day, when as yet you keepest GOD in your heart, you cleauest fast to him, you intendest to serve him, and not to forsake him and give him ouer; think not that those sinnes, although they be great, breake the Couenant. And therefore, Psal. 41:7. said the People of GOD there:Although these things be befalne us, yet have we not forgotten you, nor dealt falsely concerning your Couenant. Why; We have not turned backe; although we have failed, and done many things amisse, yet have we not dealt falsely concerning your Couenant. That is, we are not Hypocrites, our hearts are sincere.

How prove they that?

We have not turned backe from you, our feete have not gone out of your wayes. That is, we have not quite given ouer, as many men doe that make their pleasure their God, when they make their profit their God, when they diuorse themselves from GOD, then they breake the Couenant; but else it is not a breaking of the Couenant. Know therfore for your comfort, when you considerest this, sum them vp together, and see now whether you have put your seale to the truth of GOD, that he is true; that is, whether you believe the promise, whether you take and receive CHRIST: for that is it to put your seale to the truth of GOD: when you canst conclude that you have done that, then see if GOD has put his seale to you. There is a double seale:

One is, you are sealed by the Spirit; that is, there is a secret witnesse of the Spirit, the sealing of the Spirit to the day of Redemption; the hidden Mannah, the secret witnesse that GOD gives to every mans heart, as a priuie Seale that GOD sets on you,Grieve not the Spirit, by which you are sealed to the day of Redemption. Now there is another seale, which is more manifest then this; as in 2 Tim. 2:19.The foundation of GOD remains sure, and has this seale, The Lord knows who are his, and let every one that calls upon the Name of the Lord depart from iniquity. That is, there is another seale that GOD sets upon you, by which he enables you to depart from iniquity: This is a more open seale then the other. If you finde that you have put your seale to GOD, to his promise, and you findest againe that he has sealed you by the inward witnesse of his Spirit, and has sealed you likewise by the fruit of amendment of life, with enabling you to depart from iniquity; now what shouldst you doe then? Make no more question, take it for granted, that CHRIST belongs to you, and you to him; Trust perfectly to the grace revealed through Jesus Christ: A place that I have often named, 2 Pet. 1:13. Trust perfectly in the fauour; that is, in the free fauour, in the free promise revealed through Jesus Christ; that is, Doe not mince the matter, and say, it may be GOD will forgiue me, or it may be he will not; but doe it perfectly, let nothing be wanting, doe it perfectly, that your joy may bee full; if you doe it by halues, if you doe it but in part, you shalt have but imperfect joy.

The vse now that you shouldest make of Faith, is to see your joy may be full: if you be not certainely persuaded, you doest not vse your Faith as you oughtest. When you have done this once, when you have settled upon this conclusion, to say certainely CHRIST is mine, my sinnes are forgiuen; now come to the priuiledges, consider them, and go thorow them all: (I have named them heretofore upon another occasion:) and labour to comfort your selfe with them; labour to have your heart filled with joy; at the least, get so much comfort as may ouervalue any affliction in the World, that there may be a greater waight in the other Ballance, that though great afflictions doe befall you, yet you are not drowned, you are not swallowed vp of affliction, that your heart faints not; but set your faith aworke, that you mayest have so much joy, as that you mayest goe thorow it. And againe, get so much joy, as at least may ouertoppe any prosperity outward, any comfort that you mayest take in your friends, or in your wealth, or in those things that you findest your heart too much to cleaue to, that you settest them at too high a rate; set your Faith on worke, that your joy may be full, that you mayest not prize those so much, but that you mayest looke upon them as trifles, as matters of nothing, in comparison of the joy that is prepared for you in Heaven. Thus a man should vse faith; that is, in any affliction, that he doe not ouer-grieve; and that no outward comforts, whatsoeuer befall him, take not vp his joy too much.

Thus our faith should passe through all conditions, to vse the World as if we vsed it not: So, I say, set your Faith on worke. This is the first worke that faith should doe, to comfort a mans heart.

The second vse we should make of Faith, should be to guide and direct our lives; that is, we should vse Faith to be as the Rudder to the Ship, to turne our courses the right way upon all occasions in our conuersation: For that is the office of Faith, to guide a mans life. For as it is in a way, so it is in our life; there are many turnings, it is not only a strait way, but there are many turnings, and when a man comes to a place where there are two wayes to turne to, that he knowes not which way to goe, now Faith comes and teaches you what you shouldest doe. That is, there are many difficult cases in which a man knows not what to doe, he is amazed at them; It may be GOD will lead you through the way of the Philistims, through great persecutions, and troubles, which you must wrestle with: Now set your Faith aworke, fight the good fight of faith; that is, you must now ouercome, you must not balke the way of Religion, because of the troubles you meetest withall, but passe thorow the troubles, that you mayest keepe your way.

Againe, it may bee GOD will leade you through pleasant wayes, and not through the way of the Philistims, (as when the people came out of Egygt, the Lord led them not by the way of the Philistims.) If GOD give you peace and prosperity, now set Faith aworke, that this peace and prosperity that you have, that it soften not, that it loosen not the sinewes of your minde, that it dissolue not your strength: but keepe your faith, and hold your strength, that you be not drawne to sinne against GOD by such a condition. In all the turnings of a mans life, to be kept straight, a man must set his faith on worke. It may be GOD will give you peace for a time, take heed you sit not downe now and forget your iourney. As you must not turne to the left hand, so you must not turne to the right hand, but passe through all, that you mayest approve your selfe the servant of CHRIST in straites, in necessity, in tribulation, by the Armour of righteousnesse on the right hand and on the left; through honor and dishonour, by ill report and good report. That is, set Faith on worke, in all the variety of conditions, to keepe you in the right way, that you turne not out of it. It is faith that must doe it: For example, put the case you commest to Hesters condition; there was a turning of her minde, she had peace before, but when it comes to that, that she must venter her life for the Church, here she had vse of faith. And so for Abraham, God bade him offer his sonne, he was at rest a great while before, but now GOD tryes him what he will doe; here is a turning of his life, here was an Exigent, here was vse for his faith, he did it, faith turned him this way; Another man would have turned another way, that has not faith. So when GOD cals Moses, he was quiet before in Pharoahs Court: now he must goe to suffer affliction with the people of GOD, then what must he doe in such a case? The Text says, he did it by faith; by faith he forsooke the glory of Pharoahs Court, and chose rather to suffer afflictions with the people of GOD, then to enjoy the pleasure of sin for a season. There be many hundreds of such cases that befall continually. I say, you shouldst vse your faith now, that it should lead you in the right way, in all these difficult cases: for this is the vse of faith. See now another man that has not faith, take a false-hearted man, and say what you will to him when any such exigent comes, you shall neuer draw him from his wealth, from his friends, from his worldly credit, because he makes that his maine, his heart secretly trusts in that, he thinkes, if that be gone, he is as vndone; that is his God, therefore you shall neuer draw him from that, for he wants faith to make God his God. Come to another man, let him come into such an exigent, and you shall not pull him from God, he is his trust, he is his hope, and if he loseth Gods fauour, he loseth life and all; and therefore that is the difference in all the passages of things in their conuersation. This then is the second thing we should make of faith, to guide and direct us in our lives. But because this is generall, it may be it will not bee enough: I will come a little to Instances.

Suppose a man come to such a turning as those in John 12:12.Many of the chief Rulers beleeued in him, but they durst not confesse him, lest they should be cast out of the Synagogue. Put the case, that you be in such a case, as that you are brought now to such a tryall: Now, if your faith be such a faith as they had, that is a signe that you wantest faith indeed. Take two men, the one will be content to be cast out, he will confesse Christ, come what wil of it. Another man, when it comes to such a competition, that either he must be cast out of the Synagogue, or deny Christ, he will rather leaue that then the other, he will rather part with Christ, he will rather forsake him, & the confession of him, then indure such trouble.

So again, come to a matter of praise of men, to a matter of credit, whē a man sees that this is his condition in the place he lives in, and considers, If I serve GOD indeed, if I goe through in my profession, I see I must be contemned, I must be despised, I must be trampled upon, I see, I must be hated of all men, as our Sauiour Christ says, (for to be hated of some men, a man might beare it well enough) but to have all mens hands against him, to be excluded of all good company, (as they say) such a thing a man shall have much adoe to beare, to lose all his worldly credit, all his friends; but when it comes to such a case, one man is willing to beare these, because he trusts in GOD: I know whom I have trusted, says Paul: Therefore he was willing to vndergoe all shame, to indure imprisonment, to do any thing: another man does not trust in God, and therefore he will not indure he will leaue Religion, he will not doe the things that may breed this trouble, he will mince the matter, he will leaue that, that he may secure himself, and keepe his credit, that he has among men.

So againe, come to matter of commodity: Let matters of profit, or aduantage in the World for a mans estate be offered, see the different condition now of a man that has faith, and of a man that wants faith. See Saul, when he saw the fat Cattell, he tooke them, his faith was nothing but a notion: If he had beleeued in GOD, he would not have thought that the fat Cattell would have made him more happy, but because he saw them, and thought they would be aduantage to him, he saw them present, that was the thing he felt, he beleeued not the other, therefore he did that.

And so for Balaam; when the case comes, that eyther he must curse the people, or else forsake the wages of unrighteousness, surely he wil have respect to the wages of unrighteousness: that is, though Balaam made a faire show, he would doe any thing rather then to goe against Gods Commandements, and yet he had an eye to the other all the while, and GOD saw that he secretly looked to himself. So that, it may be, you makest profession, you makest a faire show, you wilt do much. Remember this, it may be, it is but a high flying: The Eagle, though she flye high, yet she has an eye to the prey below all the while: So many men, although they doe much, yet they have a secret eye to the prey; that is, they want faith, and therefore they regard these things too much. And when the time comes, that they must stoope to it, the time of tryall, when a man wants faith to magnifie other things, he ouervalueth those things, hauing nothing better to trust to. In such a case, Iudas his 30. pence was a great matter: Gehezi's change of rayment, and Achans wedge of Gold. I neede name no more examples. But take a man that has faith, and this is no difficulty to him, he will not only let goe that wealth which he has inordinately gotten, as Zacheus, but he will suffer the spoiling of his goods with joy, because he beleeues God, that he has in heaven a more induring substance. There is no Christian, no good man, but he would be content to gaine as well as you; what is the reason he takes it not? He beleues that by forsaking that, he shall have a more enduring substance in Heaven. There is no man would forsake any thing but for the better, and that is the reason we believe, and you dost not.

And so come to matter of safety and danger, and there you shall see what difference faith makes between men, how it turnes their course, when they come to such an exigent. See it in Saul, you know, he was commanded not to offer Sacrifice till Samuel came, GOD did put him to the tryall, The Philistims were upon him, the day of Battell drew neere, he saw the people shrinke away, Saul was put to it now, whether he would trust GOD for his safety or no: If Saul had had faith now, and had thought with himself, If I keepe the Commandement, is not GOD able to helpe me, what though the people shrinke away; cannot GOD doe as much with a few as with many? If he had beleeued, he would have done otherwise: But he did not believe, and therefore you see which way he turned.

The like we see in Ioram, Ier. 42. This was his case, he was the Captaine of t[•]ose that were left behinde in Captiuity; If he had stayed in Ierusalem, he had had nothing to defend him, there was pouerty and want of all things; if he went downe into Egypt, that was a safe Countrey, as farre as any one could see, it lay farre from all danger of War, there was plenty of all things, and he was a strong King, able to defend him; There comes Commandement from GOD, that he should keepe himself still in Ierusalem, and should not goe downe into Egypt: It is a place worth the reading, Ier. 42 & 43. Ioram, in this case, beleeued not that God would keepe him safe where he saw no meanes of [•]afety. Therefore, in that turning, you see what choice he made, which was his vtter vndoing; he went downe into Egypt, and there the Sword and the Famine followed him, that GOD might make him know, that it was not any outward condition that could keepe him safe, and that he was able to keepe him safe in another place, where there seemed to be more danger,

On the other side, take those that trust in God, in any such case, when they are brought to any such difficulty, they are willing to venter to put themselves upon GOD, to goe any whither, as Luther went to Wormes, they care not for any danger before them.

But some will say, it is true, if I had a Prophet sent to me, to tell me in such a case that I should be safe, I should trust on him.

Certainely, if you have not, yet if the cause be good, if it be a thing that GOD sets you aworke on, if you goe by a right rule, know, that in this case you have as true a promise of safety, that God will deale well with you, as if you haddest a Prophet sent immediately from God. Therfore I say to you in such a case as Luther said to Melancton, which was a good reason when Melancton began to faint: Luther being afarre off, wrote a Letter to him, and tells him, says he, if the Cause be not GODS, why doe not we give ouer? why doe we not shrinke? why doe we doe any thing? And If it be Gods Cause, why doe we shrinke? why go we not thorow? He needed no more but to know that it was Gods Cause: and after that, see how he exposed himself from time to time: and as no man was bolder then he, so no man had more comfort. It is with us in this case as it was with Ieremiah,Ier. 26. GOD bids him goe and speake his Word to the people, all his words, and tells him that the people would be ready to put him to death; and so they were, they said he should die, but yet he obeyed God, because the Lord sent him; and see what was the issue of it, GOD turned the matter, and saved him. This is faith, when a man comes in that case to set his faith aworke, that it may set him the right way that he is to goe in, which way he is to turne.

And so, put the case that GOD brings you to such a case, that you are in danger of prison in danger of death, in danger of the greatest crosse, of the greatest persecution and trouble, now one man consults with flesh, the other consults with the spirit, he sets faith awork to worke his worke for him: you see what Stephen did in such a case, and the reason of it,Acts 6. He was a man full of faith, and therfore he feared not what they could doe to him. See what Paul did, in such a case; you see what danger he was exposed to, but he consulted not with flesh and blood, but what did he? He set faith on worke, that it might guide him in all the way that he went, in all the turnings of his life.

And so, on the other side, for pleasure, there are two men that have pleasures propounded, the holiest man has the same nature that others have, they would take the same delight that others doe, as farre as they are naturall.

What is the reason then they doe not? why doe such men turne from all sinfull delights, and runne another course?

It is nothing but faith that enableth them to doe it. By faith Moses left Pharoahs Court, and the pleasures of sinne for a season, and chose aduersity with the people of GOD: that is, as if he should say, If you would know why Moses did this, it was faith that enabled him: that is, he beleeued, that if he had enjoyed those pleasures of sinne, he should have beene a loser by them, he should have fared the worse for them. Againe, he beleeued, that by his suffering aduersity with the people of God, he should gaine; it was onely faith that made him doe this. If you haddest faith, you wouldest forsake your pleasures, and live a more strict life, as the Saints doe. So that still you must keepe that conclusion, that you must set faith aworke in all the conclusions and passages of your life, for that is it that guides you in the right way.

Againe, Take two men that have both children to prouide for, they have posterity to care for; the one man he reasons thus with himself; If I leaue them not as good a stock as I would, yet I shall leaue them Gods blessing, which is able to make them prosper; and though I should leaue them abundance, yet all that, without Gods blessing, will not be able to doe it. Therefore such a man will be indifferent for matter of estate, he will leaue a conueniency for them, if he can, but he takes no great care, he had rather lay vp faithful prayers in heaven, he had rather see them brought vp in the fear of GOD, for he trust GOD, and he thinkes that his blessing can do[•] it, without meanes; and he knows that great meanes, without Gods blessing, cannot doe it. But when another man is in this case, he lookes to that which is represented to his eyes: and therefore he will not have done till he have prouided such a portion for such a childe, till he have built him houses, till he have made them firme on every side, till he have added house to house; this is out of want of faith, he beleeues not: hence it is that these two runne a different course.

So againe, one man lookes to his businesse, he will not spend time to examine his heart, he will not spend time in prayer from day to day; he says, my businesse will goe at sixe and seuens, my businesse will not be done: when as another man, that has chosen Maries portion, is content to lose somewhat, he is content that many things should goe amisse, he is content to lose somewhat of his estate, he is content to let his businesse lye vndone, or not to be so well done, because he thinkes, to be busie in good workes, in prayer, and to have the fauour of GOD, is greater aduantage, he thinkes he has chosen the better part. Now it is faith that workes this difference. What should I doe? Why should I name any more Instances? You may name more to your selues, as you have faith, so it will guide you, it will turne you this way and that way in the turnings and passages of your life.

But now, because I am farre in the poynt, (and I see the time runnes fast away) before I leaue, I would not only show you what faith is able to doe, but I would worke you to this a little.

You will say then, What is it to trust in GOD? For that is the reason of all the difference, you see: Therefore, says Paul, 1 Tim. 4:10. We labour, and suffer rebuke, what is the reason? If you would know the cause, why we leade such a life, why we runne another course then others, why we live a painefull life in labour from day to day; but if a man had good wages, he might well doe that, we labour and suffer, and are rebuked, and have nothing but persecution for our paines; but, says he, we doe it, because we trust in the living God: therefore we labour, and suffer, and are rebuked, because we trust in the living GOD. I say, doe this, and you shalt be able to doe the same that Moses did, you shalt be able to doe the same that Paul did, the same that all the Saints have done. If I could but persuade you now to trust in God, to set your faith aworke thus farre, There is no man that heares me this day, that is in any other course then in the wayes of Religion and godlinesse, but he would turne his course: and therefore I will labour in this a little.

You will aske me then what it is to trust GOD?

I will show you a little what it is, because every man is ready to say, I trust in GOD, but I am not able to doe this that you say, when I come to such a hard turning. Deceiue not your selfe, this is to trust in God, namely, to be vnbottomed of your selfe, and of every creature, and so to leane upon GOD, that, if he faile you, you sinkest. There is many a man, that pretends he trusts in GOD; but he so trusts GOD, that withall he will prouide for himself: such a man says, GODS blessing is a good addition, but to have that for all, he will not, he will be sure he will be strong, he will make his Mountaine strong about him, and he will have the blessings of GOD too: for faith in the promises, he makes them good notions; but for things to trust to, to rest on, it is a thing he will not be persuaded to. Now this is not to trust in GOD. But this is to trust in him, when you doest so cast your selfe on him, that, if he should faile you, you wert vndone by it.

To exemplifie it to you: There was an action that Alexander the Great did, (I vse it, onely to express what I meane by trusting in GOD:) When he was sicke, there comes a friend that was alwaies close with him, that was a Physician, and he prepared him a Potion; but before the same came to him, there was a Letter delivered to him, to signifie to him, that that very Potion was poyson: when his friend came with his Potion in his hand, he takes the Letter that was sent to give him notice of the Treason, and drinkes off the Cup with one hand, and reaches the Letter with the other, so he dranke off the Cup before he showed the Letter. Here Alexander trusted him, if he had failed him, he had lost his life; he did not first show the Letter, and then hear his excuse for himself, but he showed that he trusted him. In such a case, if you be able to trust GOD, if you canst put your selfe upon him, if he faile the, you are vndone, in such a case; this is to trust in GOD.

To vse another expression, that you may know what it is.

There was a King of this Land, that sent his servant, a Generall of his Army, to spare a Citie: he had command under the Broad Seale, from the Councell, and from the Kings own hand, to doe it: and to disobey this Warrant was death: But withall, the King sent him a secret message that he should destroy the Citie, and to trust him to save his life. The party did so: The Broad-Seale and Commission was to spare the City, to sorbeare it, The secret charge was to destroy it: This he did, and trusted the King for his life; if he had fayled him, he had been destroyed. These similitudes show what it is to trust in GOD: If you be brought to such an exigent, if you wilt trust GOD in such a case, as wherin if he faile you, you are vndone; This is to trust GOD, not to seek his blessing so as to make that an addition, but to put all upon him. Therefore, that you may know that this is to trust in GOD, know, that except you doe it thus, GOD is not ready to answer you. Therfore commonly, he puts not forth his strength to deliver men, or to bestow upon them any great blessing, but when he has brought men to such an exigent. And because men will not trust in him commonly, while other props are taken away, (For we should trust in GOD in the middest of prosperity and happinesse, but because men will not doe it till then,) he strips them of all, that they may doe it; he brings a man to such a case, that he shall have nothing else to trust to.

What is the reason that Paul says, 2 Cor. 1. 10.We received the sentence of death, that we might learne not to trust in our selues, but in God that raiseth the dead?

GOD meant to deliver him, when he says he received the the sentence of death; that is, there was no helpe in the World, that he could see, in himself, or in any other creature; Now he was brought to trust in him, and then God answered him in his trust: so you shall finde,Zeph. 3:12. I will leaue among you men that are humble and poore people, and they shall trust in the Name of the Lord.

Why did not these trust in the Lord while they were rich?

Our nature is so backward, and so exceeding deceitfull, that we cannot till other helpes are gone. I will leaue among you a sort of poore people, and they shall trust in my Name. (As if he should say) When men are brought to that, that all other things are taken away, and till then they will not trust in him. Indeed, till then it is not trusting. And therefore in 1 Tim. 1:5.She that is a Widdow is left alone, and trusts in GOD. Till she be left alone, till the other props be taken away, a man cannot trust in GOD. Hence it is, that commonly when men are brought to the lowest, they are nerest to GOD, they have best accesse to him; because when they are brought to such an exigent, then a man will pray best; and when he prayes best, then he speedes best, then faith is set on worke, and it workes best when it is alone, when it is stripped of all other helpes. And therefore you shall finde in the Booke of GOD, when men were lowest, they had neerest accesse to GOD. [•]sa, when he was come against with many thousands, he trusted upon GOD, though he went against them with halfe the number, and God delivered him, because he prayed and sought to GOD, and saw that he was not able to doe any thing, he trusted in GOD. Another time, when Asa had forgotten GOD, when he was strong, when he thought himself more able, when he was to deale with one that had a weaker Armie a great deale, the King of Israel, he was ouerthrowne, and shut vp that he could not stirre, because he sent to the King of Aram for helpe. It is GODS manner to defer sending of helpe till a man be brought to the Mount, as he did with Abraham; he might have done it before; but, you know how he did with Abraham, he brought him to the last cast. And Dauid, he was brought to the very point of perishing by the hands of Saul, before he delivered him. And so he did with Jacob, Esau comes against him with foure hundred men, (with a full resolution to destroy him) before he would deliver him. It is GODS manner to doe thus. And so he did with Job, and other servants of his; his fashion is to doe so, to bring men to the very brow of the hill, till their feet be ready to slip, when they are even going, and then he delights to appeare and deliver them. Therefore, in such cases, trust GOD, put all upon GOD; that is, when GOD, in any turning of your life, brings you to such an exigent, that you seest all at the point to be lost, that you are at the point to be vtterly vndone, learne to trust in GOD in good earnest, and that shall guide you, and turne you the right way, when your flesh is ready to goe another way.

What was the reason that CHRIST, when he was on earth, would doe nothing except they beleeued in him?

When you have any thing to doe, if you believe in God, that will make him ready to helpe you, because then it is an acknowledging, and an attributing to his power. If he should doe it in another case, he should lose his labour, he should lose his glory, men would not be built vp in him by that which he did. Therefore, make vse of faith, set faith on worke, as I said. I should come to this now, to move you to trust in GOD in all cases. If I could persuade this, men would turne the courses of their lives, and would trust in him: for know, if you trust in GOD, he neuer failes any that trust in him, as Dauid says, in Psal. 37. I neuer saw the righteous for saken, &c. As if he should say, Aske all his servants, aske all men that euer have known him, all the men that have lived with him, that have finished their course with him; aske a servant of GOD, when he comes to dye, how GOD has dealt with him, whether he has fayled him all his life; I am persuaded that there is not a servant of GOD, but will say that he neuer failed him; and, if he were to leaue an exhortation behinde him, he would exhort others, from experience of his trust; It cannot be that GOD should faile you, if you rest upon him. Thinkest you that GOD can faile you, when he says himself so often, he will neuer faile you, nor those that trust in him? Will a man faile one that trusts in him? We vse to say, Oh I will not faile him, for he trusts in me; and doest you think that GOD will faile you in such a case? If GOD should faile men in such cases▪ there is no man that would seek him. But, that men should bee encouraged to serve him, he has promised, not onely, not to faile you, but he is abundant in truth, he will bee better then his word, he does what he sayeth, and more too: If you wouldest trust upon him in such a case, you shouldst finde that he will answer you.

But you wilt say, I see not how he will doe it, the case is such a hard and difficult case.

you must know that there are strange passages in GODS prouidence, he is able to bring things to passe, though you know not how it should be. See his prouidence 2 Kings 5. The Woman there, the Shunamite, she beleeued the word that the Prophet had said, that there should bee seauen yeeres Famine, she left her Land and Countrey, this was an act of Faith, that made her doe this; See how this Woman beleeued now: she followed the direction of the Prophet, she did that which GOD appointed her to doe: see how GOD brought it to passe, that the servant of Elisha, Gehezi, should be there with the King, and that he should be telling the King of Israel of the great act of Elisha, That there should be such a concurrence of all things, that she should come just at that time, and no other, when the man of GOD was there, indeed, when he was telling of that very story, that then she should come in, and so she got her Land; or else it is likely that the Woman, hauing lived away so many yeeres, it is likely she had had a hard suite of it; but Gods prouidence brought these things together.

So againe, looke on Mordecai: It is a strange case: It was concluded, that he and all the Jewes should bee slaine: The Decree was gone out, there was nothing in the World, for ought he saw, that could hinder it; the very night before Hester was to come to the King to make her request; if it had beene but a night longer, perhaps it had failed: but that there might be a concurrence of all this, it is said in Hester 6. The King he could not sleepe that night, and when he could not sleepe, he might have called for another Booke then the Booke of the Chronicles; and when he had the Booke brought, he might have falne upon another place, and not upon that where Mordecai's act was record[•]d, but that there should bee a concurrence of all this in that very time. Is not GOD the same GOD? why should not we bee ready to trust in him still? Doe we not see the same daily? If his Workes were recorded and observed in our remembrance, certainely we should trust in GOD.

But, you will object, The LORD does every thing by meanes, he does not worke Wonders, he workes not Miracles now a dayes: And, when I see no meanes, I hope you will not have me to expect Miracles at GODS hands, to tempt him.

You must remember Ahaz his case, when GOD came to Ahaz, and told him by the Prophet Isaiah;Isai. chap. 7. That Aram and Remaliah's sonne, those two smoking Fire-brands, should not have their wils, should bee disappointed, that he would fight for him against them: Says the Prophet to him, Aske a signe of the Lord in the Heaven above, or in the Deepe below. No, says he, Ahaz will not tempt GOD. What is the meaning of that? That is, I will prouide for my selfe, I will not trust to his Word, I will looke to my selfe, I will prouide an Armie, I will not tempt GOD; That is, I will not goe about it without meanes, I will looke about me; And for such a signe as resting on that promise, If I should doe this, I should tempt GOD.

See heere is a faire excuse: Take heede of such excuses, say not, I shall tempt GOD. And know, that though there be not Miracles, yet GOD he workes wonders now a dayes, as well as then, his hand is not shortned; now he is the same GOD, he is as powerfull as he was. It is true now as it was in Dauids time, that wonderfull are your workes. And CHRIST now in the time of the Gospel, his Name is wonderfull. In Isai. 9.The gouernment is upon his shoulders, and his Name shall bee called wonderfull; that is, in the gouernment of his Church he does wonderfull things; that is, when a thing seemes to bee neuer so strong and well built, when the strength of the Enemy seemes to be neuer so great and inuincible, he is wonderfull to disappoint them.

Againe, when the strength of the Church seemes to be little, he can make that effectuall to doe great matters, it shall doe wonders: and therefore I say, GOD is able to doe wonderfull things now.

Now those very things which seeme wonders to men, are not Miracles, though they may be great workes.

That Wonder that Elisha said, that the next day things should bee so cheape, you see, that was reckoned so great a matter, yet it was done after an ordinary manner: There was but a false fear scattered in the Armie, and it was done. Therefore, he that workes wonders, he can doe the same now.

That deliverance which the Iewes had, it was a thing that may be done now.

So those wonders, those great acts which God did when men trusted in him, they are things which he does daily now.

Therefore to answer punctually, because men doe deceiue themselves in that, when we exhort them to trust in GOD, they say still, we must vse the meanes, I will give a threefold answer to it.

It is true that GOD vseth meanes, but they are meanes of his own prouiding, and not the meanes, many times, that you pitchest upon. For thus farre it is true, GOD does it not but by meanes; that is, he does things by second causes, he does them not by an immediate hand of his own, though he be able to doe it: But now what those causes are, you knowest not. Therefore this set downe, that GOD does it by meanes of his own, and not by those meanes you seest. It may bee you pitchest upon some particular meanes, and thinkest, surely it must be done by this: and because you seest no other, you thinkest, if that fayle, all is spoiled: But it is not so; GOD will not doe it by these, but GOD is so farre from doing it, that his vsuall course is, when men have pitched upon particular meanes, and think surely the businesse must bee brought to passe by this, or else all will faile; GOD many times vseth not that, but a meanes which you neuer thoughtest of.

In such a case, it fares with us as it did with Naaman the Assyrian; when he comes to the Prophet of GOD, he thought before-hand, that the Prophet would have spoken some words, and have healed him; but he bids him goe and wash, which was a thing that he neuer thought of: So you many times thinkest of these meanes, you preconceiuest things in your own heart, you thinkest you are right, you thinkest it must needes be done this way, you seest no other meanes; but, it may be, GOD will not doe it this way, but he will doe it a way that you thinkest not of.

So Ioseph, when he was in fauour with Pharoah his Steward, one would think, that this should have beene the meanes of Iosephs aduancement, and of bringing to passe that promise; but this was not the meanes that GOD vsed.

Againe, when that Pharoah his chief Butler was delivered, one would think that that should have beene the meanes to have wrought his exaltation; but yet these were not, there fell a meanes that Ioseph thought not on▪ and so GOD does daily.

Many times, the thing that we most trust to, and put most confidence in, does faile and deceiue us, GOD dasheth in pieces such meanes, and vseth other meanes to helpe, that neuer came into our hearts to think of. Doe we not see it oftentimes?

Againe, that meanes which we think will not doe, oftentimes does it. Therefore say not, I trust in GOD, that he will doe it by meanes; for GOD delighteth to doe it by meanes.

Men are ready to say, Oh, if had such a Physician, or if I had such ayre, or such meanes, I should doe well enough: How doest you know that? It may be, GOD will not vse that.

So, those that are in distresse; Oh if I had such a man to comfort me! Why you knowest not whether that be the meanes that GOD will vse, or no. Therefore say not, because I see not meanes, therefore I will not trust in GOD. I say, GOD will doe it by meanes, but he vseth meanes of his own prouiding, and not of your seeking. This is the first answer to it.

The second answer: If you say, that GOD does it by meanes; yet remember, that it is his blessing or his curse, which makes those meanes on which you are fixed effectuall or ineffectuall. The greatest meanes, the fairest, the most specious, and most probable to bring things to passe; remember, that if GOD doe but say to that meanes, prosper not, (for that is the curse, when he bids a thing wither) you shalt not doe it.

Againe, If it be weaker, if GOD say to such a thing, goe and doe this businesse, it shall be able to bring it to passe: this is his blessing and his curse; you should learne to have these words, not onely in your mouthes, but to know the meaning of them; and not onely so, but to come to the practice; to say with your selues, when things are faire and probable, Except GOD bid this doe it, it shall not be effectuall, if he curse it, it shall wither.

Thirdly, remember this, That his blessing is dispensed, not according to your meanes, but according to the vprightnesse of your heart, according to your workes. One would think, when he has riches, then he should bring it to passe: but, says the Prophet, Psal. 62. Riches belong to the Lord, they come neither from the North nor from the South: And, when riches increase, set not your heart upon them: Says he, it is not riches that makes men happy; for that Objection will come in.

If I had riches, I should be able to doe this or that, they are the meanes to make a man happy, though happinesse consists not in them?

No, (says he) when riches increase, set not your hearts upon them. (As if he should say) If wealth would doe you good, I would give you leaue to set your hearts upon it: but it is not in wealth or riches to make a man poore or rich, but that comes of the Lord. But now comes in the Objection.

Indeed, but GOD does it by meanes, the Lord does it by riches.

No, GOD rewards men according to their workes, not according to their wealth. So that, when you trustest to the meanes, know that GOD blesseth you according to your workes, not according to the outward condition you are in. Thus we should learne to doe, when we say GOD does things by meanes, when a man sees the fairest meanes, yet, if you find that you have not prayed, you have not sought to GOD, you have no secret assurance of his blessing, think not that such a businesse will be done.

Againe, when the meanes are low, meane, and weake, yet, if you have sought him earnestly, if you have had a secret assurance of him, that he will be with you, let not your heart be discouraged; doe in this case, as Dauid did,Psal. 31. (says he) I heard the speaking against of great men, they sate and conspired against me, but I trusted in you, I said, my times are in your hands. (Marke:) When Dauid saw the greatest meanes vsed against him as might be, They were great men set against him, and many of them, they ioyned together, they tooke councell against him, he was not discouraged, but says, my times are in your hands. If my times were in their hands, they might make me miserable, I had reason to bee discouraged at that; but my times are in your hands: See if you canst say this on both sides. When great men ioyne for your wealth, say not now, I shall bee made a great man in the World; but say, My time is in Gods hand, it is not in their power to doe it.

Againe, when great men seek and consult against you, say not now, I shall be miserable, but consider your times are in GODS hands, it is not in their hands to doe it.

FINIS.