Of Effectual Faith — Sermon 6

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

We have already answered one Objection, that God workes by meanes; we showed after what manner: Well, if this be so, (before we leaue the point) take heede you deceiue not your selues; you commonly say, GOD workes things by meanes: The saying is true, if your heart be not false: for it is true, he workes things by meanes; but if such meanes come in competition, (as GOD has not appointed, that which is vnlawfull for you to doe) if it come in competition with that which GOD has set apart, in such a case you must let such meanes goe, else you mayest vse that meanes, but it is the meanes alone, you shalt have no encouragement in the vse of them. If you have meanes, encourage not your selfe so much because of them, but because you have GOD for your friend; Let not the rich man rejoice in his riches, nor the strong man glory in his strength, or the wise man joy in his wisdom, Ier. 10. but let him that glorieth and rejoices,rejoice in the Lord. If they could doe a man good, we might rejoice in them: The Lord requires nothing but that which is reasonable; I dare be bold to declare it, that if the confidence in the strength of a man were able to doe him good, he might rejoice in it. Therefore we see in that place, he says, it comes of the Lord. As if he should say, We see by experience, when GOD will vse them as instruments, it is otherwise, then they doe that which of themselves they cannot; they doe it no farther then GOD blesseth them, for else they hurt, and doe no good to a man. Take heede therefore your heart bee not false, and deceiue not your selfe, that you mingle by-respects in the businesse; but vse the meanes, and depend and trust in God for the bringing it to passe; which you shalt know by this, if you draw neere to God; for that is a tryall, Ier. 17. Cursed is he that makes flesh his arme: This drawes the heart from GOD; you shall finde that noted in 1 Tim. 1:6. The Widdow that trusts in God prayeth day and night. Therefore when you have the best meanes, if you be not slacke in prayer, it argues your trust in GOD; when you goest to GOD, and striuest with him by prayer, and seekest not to the creature, to say your wealth, or riches, or the like, shall helpe you. So much for the answer to the first Objection.

Another thing that we are ready to object, is, But what if such a thing should come to passe? what if the evil that I fear should fall upon me? what if the businesse I goe about proceed not, which is of that moment, I am vndone, if it be not done?

Herein the heart of a man must be quiet.

First, It may be you are too hasty in this kinde; many times you thinkest in such cases, that you are without helpe and without hope, when it is not so: Know therfore, that a man may be under water and rise againe, he may sinke twice or three times before he be drowned; you mayest receive many foiles, many blowes, and yet not lose the victory. The best Saints have beene under 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 you fall into the particular ill, that the evil which you fearest, fall upon you, cast not away your confidence, GOD may helpe you, he 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 you, as low as you are. 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 has not resolution to beare the perplexity. Therefore in such a case, if you 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 says, 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 have a reward for it. It is not such a thing to lose the life, as men think it is: If we looke upon 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 deliver them, or no; but if he would not, they resolued to beare it, and so should we doe.

But, you will say, a man is not able to doe this.

If you diddest know the reason, it would move you. Therefore labour to worke your heart to consider, that all these worst things that befall you, may be good enough; and if you have not learned before, learne now: Marke what Paul says, We are afflicted, but not ouercome; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast downe, but we perish not; euer dying, but yet behold we live; sorry, and yet we rejoice. That is, there is somewhat that sustaines us in the worst dangers, somewhat that keepes us from sinking: And Paul, he is as good as his word; what he says 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, Fear not, Paul, I have much people there, when he sent him into Macedonia.

But you sayest, you have nothing to beare it.

Consider, whatsoeuer your case bee, If the thing doe so fall out, you 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 your name, which is so tender a thing, which is like to 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, he 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 honor: 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 have wings. It is true, riches have wings to flye to a man, if God bid them come, as well as they have wings to flye from a man, if GOD bid them leaue him.

Againe, what if such a man be your enemie? There is no man that is such an enemy but GOD can soone make him a friend, as we see in Jacob and Esau. Let the case be what it will: you know Iobs case, there was all extremity of misery upon him, that, if a man should looke upon him, he would think 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 he was scourged, and imprisoned, the troubles that he had within him: the care of all the Churches was upon 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, he was in a miserable case at Ziglag, he had lost his Wiues, and all that he had, he had no helpe, but [•] few (600.) men, and yet they would have stoned him too: this was nothing to him, when God had setled his spirit with comfort, he comforted himself in the LORD. So in any case, if God keepe a whole spirit in you, it is no matter.

Take a Plaster that is sharpe, if you lay it to a sore place, it will smart and grieve it, but lay it to the whole flesh, it is nothing: So it is with afflictions, when your soul is whole, it is like a whole shoulder; lay a heauie burthen upon a whole shoulder, and it goes away with it well enough: But if the soul 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 you mayest be happy in it. Why? The reason is in Rom. 8. Because, whatsoeuer it be, it shall not separate us from the love 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 you, shall not be able to make you miserable, you are a happy man notwithstanding, he shall not be able to hurt you, GOD loues you still, and loues you tenderly, you are deare to him at all times. Therefore whatsoeuer it is, it shall not separate you from the love of God in Christ: and when he could name no more, he names in generall; says 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 you, it may doe you good: for our nature is so rebellious, and so set upon 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 you with sicknesse, sharpe sicknesse, which is irksome to you; but know, that if that disease were taken from you, you knowest not what your heart would doe. Some men bee afflicted with enmity of others; you knowest not, if you wert friends with all men, how you shouldest be. you are afflicted in the world, in your wife, in your children, in your neighbours, in your name, in your estate, and though you think with your selfe, If I were free from this, I should be happy, I should bee humble, I should serve GOD the better; I say to you, you knowest not what you shouldest be: A mans minde does not know what it would be in another estate, onely he knows the present. If you haddest such and such circumstances, if you haddest wealth, if you haddest such crosses removed, if all things should goe well with you, Oh then you wouldest be happy: but you knowest not what you shouldest be. You know what the Prophet said to Hazael: (says he) Doest you know what you shalt be when you are King of Aram? you knowest how you are affected now, but you knowest not how you shalt be then, when you are a King, then you wilt be answerable to your state and condition. So much for the second Objection.

Thirdly, it will be objected; It is true, if GOD did hear my prayers, or if he did vsually hear the Prayers that the Saints make, that it were no more but seek and have, we would trust in GOD in difficult cases: But I finde by experience, that I pray, and he does not answer me: and it is not my experience onely, but it is the experience of others likewise; they pray, and GOD does not hear their prayers; what should sustaine me therfore now?

To this I answer; It is certaine that GOD alwayes heares your prayers, there is no doubt to be made of that; he is a God hearing prayers, and has made a promise, that when they come, he will hear them: Be assured therefore that he heares. But now to answer you.

First, there are many cases in which GOD heares not: as first, it may bee you askest amisse.

But you wilt say, My heart is right; and therefore I hope I aske not amisse.

Yes, though your heart be right, you maiest aske amisse, out of mistake, out of want of judgment; you must not think with your selfe, because your affection is strong to such a thing, therefore it is lawfull for you, and meete for you to have 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: you must think that God will not doe it in these cases. And therefore learne in such a case when you comest to GOD for outward things, or for the measure of grace, or for the present vse of grace (as you shall hear hereafter) it may be he answers you not; yet you 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 think our selues wise too, we think that we have some part of wisdome; but if we did believe that he were only wise, that is, if you diddest believe that none were wise but he, you wouldest be content toresigne your selfe to him, let him doe with you what he will, although you see no reason, yet you wouldest be content. Therefore when you commest to aske at Gods hands, you 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 have successe in it: you are onely wise, I am not able to judge: and therefore when we come to aske any thing of GOD, thus we should doe. Paul, when he comes to aske the mortification of his fleshly lusts, 2 Cor. 12. one would think he might have asked that absolutely, we cannot see how GOD should not hear that prayer, and yet in that case Paul was mistaken, GOD saw it was best to suffer that lust to continue upon him, and to contend with him; you shalt not be free from this strong temptation; for, says he, by this I will humble you, you shalt have a better grace then you shouldest have if that lust were taken away: when Paul saw that the continuance of that upon him, it humbled him more, that it brought more glory to God, that it showed Gods power in his weaknesse, he was content, he 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 Heaven, they thought it was a zealous request; but CHRIST tells them that they were deceiued, they knew not from what Spirit that request did come; If it had come from GODS Spirit, he would have heard it, but they were deceiued: So if you wouldest have GOD hear your prayer, know whether they come from Gods Spirit, whether your prayers be the voyce of your own 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 hear you, but it may be, you are not yet fit for the mercie, not because he does not hear your prayer, and tender you in that case you are in, but you ar[•] not yet fit, herein GOD deales with us as the Physician deales with his Patient; The Patient earnestly desires such and such things; The Physician wants not will to give them him, but he resolues to give them as soone as he is fit: and therefore he makes him stay till he have purged him, and made him fit for it, till he be fit for such a Cordiall, for such a Medicine, that it may not hurt him: it may be GOD staies you. 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 you fast and pray, and GOD doe not hear you, yet conclude not with your selfe, that you are not yet fit. There is somewhat more that must be done. Dauid, a man would think that he had beene fitted for the Kingdom before that time, but GOD deferred it until Dauid was humbled enough, till he was broken enough, till GOD had prouided a Kingdom, as he promised.

And so he did with Ioseph, and so with the people of Is[•]ael; they were kept long in bondage, they were long pressed, before they were fit to be delivered: GOD tendred his people then, he had no delight in their afflictions. And so we may see in the whole Booke of the Judges, how God suffered his people to be afflicted, to fit them for deliverance. So think with your selfe, you are not fitted yet; & if you wouldst go by a rule, see the rule, 1 Pet. 5:6. Humble your selues under his mighty hand that he may exalt you in due time. (Marke, whensoeuer God layes any affliction upon any man, his end is to humble him. And if the worke be done, he will performe that which he has promised, assoone as you are humbled, he will exalt you: therefore that word is added, he will exalt you in due time, not when you thinkest he will before-hand, for GOD is wise, and will doe it in due time, if he should defer it beyond the time when you are fitted, he should not doe it in due time, but beyond the time.

Againe, if he should send deliverance before you are fit, it were not in due time, it would come too soone: But assure your selfe, when your heart is humbled and weakned from the world, when your lusts are mortified, and when you are made spirituall and heavenly-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 save you, in the fittest time. Therefore I would say to you, whosoeuer you are, that suest to GOD for pleasure, for honor, it may be, to be relieued in your state, for health, for life, or for comfort; I say, GOD has made a promise, and it is impossible that he should faile in the performance of of it, as Salomon says, Prou. 22:4. Riches, and honor, and life shall he give; but to to whom? to him that is humble, and that fears the Lord. You must put in both the conditions. Many men fear the LORD, which are not humbled; and some men are humbled, but they have some secret way of wickednesse, in which they are induldent to themselves; but they must goe both together. Let a man be holy, that he may have no way of wickednesse in himself, and let him be humbled, or else GOD may bestow wealth on you, but if your heart be not holy, you wilt forget GOD in it. And if he give you health, if your heart be not humbled, you wilt be ready to vse it intemperately, you knowest not your own heart: but be assured, when you commest to God, he heares the requests that are made by his Spirit, that if you be prepared, he will not deny you, the promise is absolute, let the condition be fulfilled: for those are the words, The reward of humility, and the fear of God, is riches, and honor, and life: Except not these, when there is not the precedent preparation: for it is not best for you.

Thirdly, it may be GOD does it not because there is a defect in your prayer, he will have you pray more feruently, that condition is put in,Iam. 5. The prayer of the righteous auaileth much, if it be feruent. Indeed GOD might bestow blessings upon us for the meere asking, if we did but make our requests known; yet he is pleased to require that condition that our prayers be feruent, and he defers the giving of the blessing until we be quickned: and therfore he defers oft-times, to inhance, and to cause us to prize his blessings, (lightly come, lightly gone, as we vse to say.) Things that come easily, we willingly part with, but GOD will have us prize them high: and therefore we must begge them earnestly, he holds them backe to affect our appetites, to make us contend with him in prayer; or else why did he deferre to grant the Woman of Canaans request, why did he defer to give Jacob deliverance from his brother Esau? if he had done it in the beginning, Jacob 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 has given 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 have at your hands; and if you be not heard, goe and mend your prayers that you mayest mend your speeding; quicken your prayers, as you labourest to make your heart more righteous, that you mayest be fit. The prayers of the righteous preuaile much, if they be feruent: so pray more feruently.

Fourthly, it may be God heares you, 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 you see no reason why he should not hear you, yet it may be he will discouer to you, that the sum of all things being put together, you shalt see that it is not best for you 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, says he, and doe all that is in your heart: Dauid did not know what belonged to that businesse, because no man can judge of those things that GOD has appointed to bring to passe, a man cannot see round about all the corners of GODS prouidence, no man is able to see it: we 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 have returned by the way they came, but God saw a reason to turne them another way. Therfore be not hasty in your 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 your 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 known, I will not stand to presse them farrher: but now I come to the last Objection.

Last of all, you will be ready to say, It is true, I would trust in God, if he did alway show mercie for my sake, If I saw the Saints alwaies bring their enterprizes to passe, If I did see it still well with them that trust in him, but I finde it contrary for the most part: It is ill with them that trust in the Lord, and evil men prosper; and therefore what encouragement have I to trust in GOD in this manner as you exhort me to doe, when I am brought to such an exigent, to such a case that my life or my goods are in hazard, or my name, it is not my best way so to doe: I see by experience, that those that are wise men, politique men, and those that have the greatest meanes, they prosper, when as other men that fear GOD, doe not bring your deuices to passe.

I will answer this, and so will have done with the point.

First, I answer, it is true, that ill men ofttimes doe prosper, and that good men many times doe not succeede; I say, we will not deny it: for we see the Scripture is plentifull, Psal. 37.Fear not the man that bringeth his enterprizes to passe: where it is supposed that they doe so. In Ier. 12:1. Why doe the wicked prosper? where the Prophet sets out in particular how they prosper; he says, they grow and take roote, they spring, and bring forth fruit. And you know what Salomon says, who was a wise man, and looked through many euents that fall out under the Sunne:Eccles. 8:14. I have seene this venity, (says he) that where should have beene Iustice, there has beene wickednesse, and it has come to the just as to the wicked: I have seene the Battell has not beene to the strong, nor bread to the wise. And so he goes along, as you know well. He sets out in that Booke plentifully, that evil men may prosper long, and may exceedingly bring their enterprizes to passe.

Againe, on the other side, the Saints may not prosper, and that in those things which they doe according to Gods will. When Christ sent his Disciples ouer the Water, and bade them goe to the other side, yet they rowed all night, there w[•]s a great storme, that they could doe no good, so that they were in great jeopardy and danger, and yet it was his own appointment: So, I say, you mayest goe about a businesse, and yet finde such stormes, such contrary winds and waues, such streames running against you, that you mayest be exceedingly hazarded, though GOD himself set you on worke. When Paul went to Macedonia, you see GOD called him from another place, and bade him goe there: you shall not finde that Paul was the better vsed; in fact, you shall finde, that for the time, he seemed to doe lesse good there of any place, there were few that beleeued in GOD. And Peter, when he came to CHRIST on the water, he had a warrant for it, he did that which was a fruit of his faith, yet for all that he sunke, he beganne to sinke, till CHRIST put forth his hand, and was saine to helpe him. Therefore I say, you may goe about Gods businesse, and yet it may not prosper. Therefore we must set downe that conclusion; it is a great light to know that it is so. The Wiseman gives the reason of it, Eccles. 7:14. (Says he) you shalt finde great variety, you shalt finde some times, good times: and in the day of wealth, when you have it, rejoice.

Againe, another time afflictions will come, know that GOD has done this for some purpose: He has made this contrary to that, that you shouldst finde nothing after him. That is, that all the world may see that his wayes and his actions are past finding out. If God should deale alwayes after this manner, you might know where to have him in his wayes: If he should alwayes give affliction to sinners, a man might say, surely GOD will doe this: but it is not so, he has made this contrary to the other; that is, he takes different courses with men, he has made this contrary to that, that men should not finde the print of his footsteps: to say that GOD will certainely doe this another time. Therefore he addeth those words, which doe immediately follow, that none might finde out any thing after him: I have seene the just perish in his Iustice, and I have seene a wicked man goe on long in his malice. This God has done, that men might know to fear before him, that men might learne to cry out with Paul, Oh the depth of his wisdome, and understanding, and his wayes are past finding out; that men might tremble before GOD, and acknowledge his wisdome. But I come now to a particular answer: for it is a point worthy the answering, it is a point that will stand us in much stead, when we meete with many such objections as mans heart will have in that case. Therefore I answer particularly and briefely.

First, though GOD doe so, yet remember that you must not judge any thing, till you see he have finished the worke: you wilt not judge a mans worke till he have done it: If a man goe about to build, judge not his worke till it bee done, because you seest not for what end many things are framed and made, wilt you therefore say that he is an vnskilfull builder? it were folly to doe so, but stay till he have finished worke, and then see how one part answers with another, and in what proportion. So in all the workes of GOD, if you see it goe well with those that are ill, and those that are good are afflicted, stay till you see GOD have finished his worke.

And therefore I say to you in this case, as Saint James says; Know you not what end the Lord made with Job? So marke what end the Lord makes, as with Job, so with all the Saints; know what is their ends. And otherwise take all the evil men, as Ieroboam and Saul, and see what end the LORD made with them; their prosperity was as a pleasant Dreame, which was soone gone; as the flower of the grasse upon the house top, which withereth: Looke to the end of things. I cannot stand on it.

Secondly, though the wicked prosper, yet their prosperity hurts them as much as affliction and aduersity does good to the godly, their prosperity slayeth them, whereas the afflictions of the other benefits them: if you finde this to be your case, that you prosper, and that you seest you goest on in sinne, you have no cause to rejoice in this; or if you seest other men prosper, think them not happy for this, it is out of mistake, It is the miserablest condition in the world; you know what GOD did to Hophni and Phineas, he did not afflict them, he let them goe long, he sent them no disease, he interrupted not their course: What was the reason? He had a purpose to destroy them.

So againe when you dost not succeede in your matters, but art crossed, yet so long as that will doe you good, what needest you care?

But, you will obiect, My afflictions are great, and many, and therefore how shall I beare them?

I will instruct you; I say you have neede of strong afflictions. Some Colts are so vntamed, they must needs be broken so some corruptions are so vnruly, that they will not be wrought out without great afflictions.

Againe, you needest many afflictions, because the corruptions of your heart are of diuers sorts, and if there were but one affliction, it would not serve the turne.

Againe, you have neede that afflictions should continue long, because sinne is very naturall; some are hidden, and long a breeding, and cannot easily be removed. Therefore what though your afflictions be so, as is is said Dan. 11:7. They shall fall by the Sword, by the Famine, by Captiuity many dayes. These were men of understanding, holy men, yet they had great afflictions of diuers sorts, Sword and Famine, such as James speakes of, and long afflictions for many dayes. Now all this was to doe them good, to try them, to purge them, to make them white. So when those afflictions are to doe you good, and their prosperity for their hurt, let this satisfie you.

Thirdly consider, that though they doe prosper, and godly men doe not so, yet their low estate, their imprisonment, their pouerty, their obscurity, the disgrace which they are under, this is better to them, then the honor, and the pompe, the titles and the riches that evil men have. I can but name these things. Psal. 37. A little that the righteous has, is better then the riches of many wicked. What is the meaning of that? That is, they have more comfort in that little, then the other have in their faire Pallaces, in their great states; you mayest have more comfort in a little, then they have in their abundance; you mayest have more comfort in obscurity, as Paul says, as not known, though a man be obscure, yet if he be known to GOD, and to mens consciences, he is of greater eminency then those that are in the highest place. So though you have poore possessions in outward things, though you be melancholique, and alwayes sorry, yet that little, that very condition is better to you then the outward condition is to the other.

Fourthly, in perillous times this is a great difference: for though a man have prosperity, yet certainely, a hard time will come, a time of sicknesse, and of temptation, and of death will befall us:Psal. 37. In perrilous times they shall be confounded: here is the difference: and they shall melt as fat: that is, In such a time their hearts shall faint, and such men have nothing to sustaine them; they shall be confounded in such a time, they shall not know what to doe.

But now you will say, What perrilous time is that, when GOD will deale so with them, you will say, in those perrilous times, for ought we see, the Sword deuoures one as well as another; certainely, it sweepes away one as well as another: Sicknesse, when it comes, it sweepes away one as well as another: And therefore in the perrilous time, I see no difference between the godly and the wicked.

I answer, There is difference when the same affliction fals upon both. Looke in Ier. 24. you shall finde there, that both were carried away captiues, good men and bad men, the whole Chapter is spent in it; it is but a short Chapter: See there what is the difference there is in the same afflictions which fell to both: says he, There were two Baskets, the one was full of good Figs, the other was full of bad, which could not be eaten for badnesse, looke in the Text, you shall finde that both were carried away captiue, but here is the difference, they were carried both in an indifferent manner, (says he) you shall be carried captiue aswell as the other, the good Figs in the Basket, but I will know you, mine eyes shall be upon you to doe you good, and I will bring you backe in due season, and I will plant you in captiuity, and you shall grow; and I will build you, and you shall not be destroyed; and I will give you a heart to know me in that condition; and I will be your GOD, and you shall be my people: all this will I doe to you, although you be in the same affliction. And what will he doe to the other? They shall be carried in a Basket into captiuity, but, says the Lord, I will make you a reproach, I will make you a curse, I will make you a common talke, I will destroy you when you come into captiuity, with the Sword, with Famine, with Pestilence, mine eyes shall be on you for ill in such a case. So I say, the same Beesome of destruction may sweepe away both, the same Sword may deuoure both, the same disease may seaze upon both, there is no great difference outwardly in the same affliction; both may die, and is there not great difference in their death? both may be sicke, and is there not a great difference? In the one his heart is made glad and light in Gods countenance, in his Beloved; when as the other has nothing to hold him vp: The one has the consolation of the Spirit, the other wants it.

Againe, consider in affliction there is great difference, as you shall finde this difference betweene the condition of the Saints and others, although their outward condition seeme to be alike; The evil man stands in slippery places, and his condition is vncertaine, and it is a great miserie to be vncertaine, for a mans condition to be ready to be blowne downe with such a wind, he knowes not how long he shall continue and stand; so they stand in slippery places. The other, those that are built on Christ, are like the house built on the Rock, they are sure it shall be well with them.

Againe, afflictions that come to the wicked, they come suddenly. Therefore it is a thing proper to the wicked,Prou. 1:27. Their desolation shall come suddenly, and their destruction as a whirlewind: Why, is it not so with the godly? doe not they often perish by sudden death? does it not fall on them? doe not sudden changes come to them as well as to the others? No: Things are sudden, not from their suddennesse, but from the want of the preparation of the person that they fall upon: therefore GOD will not send affliction upon his children till he have prepared them; he will prepare them, and then it is no matter if they come suddenly, it is no matter though he strike them suddenly before they be aware; when he has fitted them, it comes not suddenly, Death comes not upon them as a snare: that is to be taken in a snare properly, when the Beast is taken in a snare by the Huntsman, or by the Fowler, who meanes their destruction; so afflictions come upon evil men as a snare, when as they are taken in an evil Net, Satan takes them there to destroy them eternally.

Againe, the afflictions of the godly are not so heauy to them, as the afflictions of the wicked are; GOD afflicts them in the branches, not in the roote; they drinke of the Cup, but not of the dregs; but as for the wicked, he smites them so, as that he smites them not the second time, that they roare for his wrath: Psal. 31:24. The godly, though he fall, yet shall he rise againe, he shall not be cast off, the Lord puts under his hand: That is, though the godly fall into affliction, yet he is not broken in the fall, GOD puts under his hand, he fals soft, he fals not so as to breake his necke, to be vndone; so there is that difference. So that, though GOD doe the same act to both, yet he does it to the one for love, to the other he does the same act for destruction. Like to a man that loppes Trees; there is a certaine season in the yeere, when if he loppe his Trees, they will be the better for it, if they be lopped in due season, they are the better; loppe them at another time, and they will wither: So God comes to the wicked man in the vnfittest time to him, a time when they looke not for him, a time that the wicked men fear least, then he comes just as a Thiefe does in the worst, and most dangerous time of all for the owner of the house, then comes the Thiefe, he pickes out that time: So GOD comes upon the wicked, and afflicts them when they are in peace and prosperity: take heede that he loppe you not at that time when you shalt wither to destruction, when you are not prepared. So the Scripture says, sudden destruction comes vpwicked men: So that suddennesse is when men are not prepared. And so when God says, will free the godly from sudden death, his meaning is, he will prepare him, and fit him for death. Put all these together, That the wicked bring their enterprizes to passe, that the godly are crossed and afflicted, that GOD has a speciall end in this, that death, affliction, and sicknesse come suddenly upon none but wicked men, and it will give satisfaction to any man. I should come now to presse the point, but the time is past, I cannot doe it. So much shall serve for the second Vse, for the answering of the Objections.

The third thing to set faith on worke in, is to sanctifie you, to mortifie your lusts, to reuiue and strengthen you in the inward man, and to make it quicke in every good worke. This point I intended to handle at this time. Faith is exceeding effectuall to doe this. I will touch it but in one word, I will not hold you long. Set faith aworke to sanctifie your heart.

You will aske me, How shall I doe it?

Faith does it diuers wayes, I cannot goe thorow them: Set faith a worke, to believe the forgiuenesse of your sinnes, to believe the love of GOD towards you, to believe the promises, and you shalt finde that these will sanctifie your heart, this act of faith wil purifie your-heart. But how can that be? Because this shall turne your heart from your sinnes, to GOD: for there is no way to mortifie lusts, and to quicken your heart, but by causing you to delight in GOD. No man can have his heart weaned from sinne, diuorsed from sinne which he has beene wedded to all his life, except he find another Husband, in whom he may delight more. Now the more you beleeuest that God is your, the more you beleeuest that your sins are forgiuen, the more you canst set faith on worke to doe this, the more victory you shalt get ouer your sinnes, that is the nature of mans disposition, that still it desires that object that is amiable and pleasant. Now if you looke on GOD as a Judge, that will turne you away from him, that makes you continue stil in sin; but when you lookest upon him as upon one that loues you, as one that fauoureth you, as one that is your frend, that accepts you, this will winne your heart, this will cause a mans heart to turne from sinne, to turne from darknes to light, it will make him to leaue the wayes in which he delighted before, it will diuorse a mans heart from the sinne in which it has taken pleasure a long time, so that it shall neuer get the victory ouer it. Therefore the best way in such a case, is to set faith aworke to believe the forgiuenesse of sinnes; remember the promises of GOD, those promises you have heard often, that God will forgiue your sinnes, that he will pardon you, take these promises, and apply them; see GOD ready to forgiue, this will turne your heart from sinne, you shalt finde sinne dye and wither in you, and your heart to growe and bee quickned in grace: you know, that to get a loving heart, is to believe that GOD loues us, to believe that our sinnes are forgiuen. Now I say, there is nothing that weakneth sinne indeed, but to love GOD; whatsoeuer sinne is weakned by other meanes then by love to GOD, by turning the heart to him by repentance and mortification, that sinne lyeth hid, though it seeme no way to increase: this increaseth love, when we believe the promise of GOD, that he is ready to forgiue, that is effectuall for this purpose. When CHRIST came to Peter, and said to him, Louest you me? then, says he, feede my Sheepe. So after this manner, when you once beleeuest that GOD loues you, and canst bring your heart to love him againe, if now CHRIST should come to you, and say, Louest you me, who loved you, and gave my selfe for you? If you doest love me, disdaine such a thing which I hate, doe not such things as will grieve me; keepe my Commandements, keepe my Sabbaths; if you louest me, let not your conuersation be in wantonnesse, in strife and enuying; it you love me, labour to bring some glory to my Name, and to doe some good to mankinde; if you love me, be diligent in your Calling; if you love me, honor me, doe good to others, doe good to your selfe with it. Let a man goe thorow all the particulars of sinne, and he would abstaine from it, if he would set faith on worke this way to sanctifie his heart.

Againe, faith does it by ouercomming the World, that when a man is drawne, one of these two things drawes him, Either some offer of some great benefit, or some great evil which he is put in fear of: now when he lookes, and sees that GOD is able to keepe him when men doe their worst, and that he can give him a heavenly Kingdom, when he lookes to the promise, he is above the World.

Againe, he not onely ouercomes riches, but he makes aduantage of them; he not onely loues them as a slave, but he gets the victory ouer them, and he gets service from them. And so when men can make their recreations to serve their turnes for better purposes, when a man not onely ouercomes them, gets the victory of them, but makes them seruiceable, so a man make aduantage of the World.

Againe, when you wouldest have your sanctification increased, increase your faith. The more you beleeuest, the more the Spirit of Christ is conueyed into your heart. The stronger your faith is, the more the wind of grace, the sappe shall flow from CHRIST into your heart. As old Adams corruption, it is with the grace of CHRIST, when you commest neere, you are ingraft into the similitude of his death; that is, there comes a gift from him, he sends his Spirit into your heart, that does make you joy in him, that causes you to dye to sin, and to live to righteousnesse. This I thought to have opened: But so much shal serve for this time, and for this Text.

FINIS.