Ver. I, 2. x x with Chapter of St. MATTHEW. 5 groom as others did : Therefore it will be neceffary to thew that a common work may go far, and yet come fhort of bleffednefs : I (hall prove it by three reafons. r. Becaufe a common work may go far. 2. Though a common work may go far, yet 'tis not likely to hold out. 3. If it fhould hold out a confiant Profeffion, yet it will not be enough to qua- lifie us for the Kingdom of Glory, or heavenly baits and happinefs. I. A common work will go far : I take it for granted that there is a real com- mon work of Grace, as well as a real Ipecial work ; if you doubt it, I will inform you from Scripture, Heb. 6.4. compared with the 9th verfe, we read of fame that were enlightned, force that tafted of the good Word, and of the heavenly gift ; and elfewhere of force That had efcaped the pollutions of the World through the Know- ledge of 3efus Chri, z Pet. 2. zo. All this is real, the tatting the good word real, the enlightening real, the partaking of the heavenly gift real, the efcaping the pollutions of the World real ; but the Apoftle faith in the 9th verfe, We expect better things of you, and things that do accompany Salvation; or things that have neceffarily falvation in them, things that whofoever bath them Mall certainly be faved : The graces of Temporaries are for fubftance true, but flightly rooted ; there are the purities of Grace, or the borders of the Kingdom of Heaven, force flafh- es of light or dawnings of Grace, but the Day -ftar doth not arife in their hearts; many are enlightened, tafte the good word; have fame delight in the Promifes, tafted of the heavenly Gift, apprehend it tweet to have Communion with God in Chriff, and taft the powers of the World to come, feel tome tranfports of Soul when they hear of the hopes of eternal Life, and may be brought to force partial Reformation, but that which is wanting is a deep radication, or a more firm inherency of thefe Graces in the Soul, and an habitual predominancy of theme motions and affe &ions over all other inclinations : for 'till it be fo, we cannot do any great fervice for God, or endure any tryal for his fake. Sóm'etimes true grace is defcribed by its deep radication, yam. a. zi. 'tis called an ingrafted word, 'Cis not fopiething tyed on, but ingrafted, the root of the mattter is within and fome- times 'Cis defcribed by its efficacy, Rom. 6. i7. Te have obeyed from the Heart the form of Doctrine delivered to you. But more efpecially I (hall Phew you, that a common work may goe far with refpect to the three Theological Graces, Faith, Hope and Charity, mentioned by the Apoftle, t Cor. 13. 13. Now abideth. Faith, Hope and Love : And again, t Thef. 5, 8. But let us who are of the day be fober, putting on the Breaft -plate of Faith and Love, and for an Helmet the hope of Salvation : Now a common work may go ve- ry far in all thefe Graces of Faith, Hope and Love, as here the Virgins feemed to believe the coming of Chriff, and went forth to meet him. I. Therefore I (hall Phew you what they may do as to Faith ; I (hall Phew what the Grace is, and how far they may go along with it : The Scripture fpeaketh fo- much of Faith, that we need to know what it is. Faith in its peculiar refpect works towards Chrift and Heaven : But take it in its general latitude, 'cis a firm and cordial affent to all fuch things that are revealed by God, as revealed by him. Let us explain this, here is the Object, things revealed by God as revealed by him ; then the Aft, 'Cis an affent ; the Adjun &s, 'tis a firm and cordial affent. For the Object in this defcription I confider it materially and formally, all things revealed by God whatfoever. All things neceffary to Salvation, Faith apprehends them diftinfiy, other things implicitely, that is, knows them in their general princi- ple. Few Chriftians know all the Doctrines contained in the Chriftian Religion, but they believe them in the general ; But now things neceffary to Salvation, I muff diftinály know them, as thofe that are called Articles .of the Creed, the Lords Prayer, the ten Commandments. Faith is an Affent to, and built upon a die vine teftimony, without any other reafon; whether, as to things pall, prcfent, or to come ; things pail, as the Creation of the World, Heb. r r. 3. By Faith we un- derfland the Worlds were created by the Word of God : If a man fhould hold the Creation of the World upon force other reafon that feemeth cogent unto him, and, not upon the difcovery of it in the Word, certainly 'tis not Faith whatever it be, for Faith affents to whatfoever is revealed by God. So for things prefenr, that God fitteth in Heaven, and Chriff at his right hand ; Stephen faw it by Vill- on and Extafie, but every Believer feeth it by Faith, which is the evidence of things
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=