298 SERMONS upon Serm.34. come unto God by him. We mull make our Approaches to God for Supplies of Grace, in the confidence of his Merit. It is I great Fault in Chri(tians, that they 'do fo little think of. this ACt of Faith. We are bufy about applying Chrift to our felves. The great ufe of Chrift is in dealing with God. Heb. to. 19. Having therefore boldnefi, Brethren, to enter into the Holieft by the Blood of yefne. Every Prayer that you make with any Confidence and Liberty of Spirit, it colt Chrift his Hearts Blood. He knew that Guilt is fhy of God's Pretence; as the Malefa&or trembleth to come before the, Judg ; EpheC 3. 12. In whom we haveboldnefs, and accefi with Confidence, through the Faith of him. Surely the Apoftle fpeaketh de jure, not what is de falto. We have low and dark Thoughts, as if we had no fuch Liberty purchafed for us ; Ire4lofnv i y ws, we may be free with God. It is the Fruit of Chrift's Purchafe. Chrift's Name fignifieth much in Heaven: V.P. Can you thus believe in Chrift, take him out of God's Hand ? No, I cannon apply Chrift. I Anfwer; Yet difdaim, when you cannot apply ; Phil. 3. 9. And be found in him, not having my own Righteoufnefi which is after the Law, but that which is through the Faith of Chrifi, the Righteoufnefs which is of God through Faith. And apply your felves to Chrift, when you cannot apply Chrift to you ; that is, calk your felves upon Chrift. You have warrant enoughfrom the Word. There is an Adventure of Faith, when there is no Perfwafion of Intereft : 2 Titn. I. 12. 1 know whom I have he- lieved, and I am perfwaded, that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him a- gainft that day. The Venture is grounded on God's free offer of him to all Sorts : When we reft on him, becaufe we know he is ours, that is another thing, there is Truft, that is a Fruit of Propriety. 1 John 5. 13. Theft thing, have I written unto you that be- lieve an the Name of the Son of God,that ye may know that ye have eternal Lift, and that ye may believe on the Name of the Son of God. But the Adventure is grounded on the Offer, as a Child holds fact his Father in the Dark ; Mariners daft Anchor at Midnight. And ripen Faith more, all Faith draweth to particular Application. The loweft Degree, is a delre to lay hold on Chrift as our Saviour, this is the tendency and aim of the leafk Faith, though we do not leap into full affurance at firfi : As a Man that climbeth up to the top of the Tree, firft he catcheth hold of the lowefk Boughs, and fo by little and little, he windeth himfelf into the Tree till he cometh to the top. Secondly; The next thing is the Warrant or Inftrument, through their Word. It is not meant only of thofe that heard the Apoftles in Perfon ; by their Word is meant the Scrip- ture, which was not only preached by them at fiat, but written by them : as Paul faith, Rom. 2. 16. In the day when God ¡hall judg the Secrets of Men by lefts Chilli, according to myGofpel; that is, which I have publifhed and delivered to the Church in writing. John 15. 16. Te have not chofen me, but I have chofen you, and ordained you that you jhould go, and bring forth Fruit, and that your Fruit fhould remain. By their Fruit is meant, the publick Treafure of the Church, the Scriptures, and that remaineth in all Ages until Chrift come. As the Jews were Children of the Prophets, that never heard them, Au, 3. 2 5. So were we converted by their Word. Now I (hall handle the Neceffity, Life, and Power of the Word to work Faith. a. The Neceffity of the Word preached; it is the ordinary Means. It is a nice Di- fpute, whether God can work without it ? God can enlighten the World without the Sun. It is clear, ordinarily he doth not work without the Word ; we are bound, tho the Spirit is free. How ¡hall they believe on him of whom they have not heard z and how ¡ball they hear without a Preacher? Rom. to. 14. It is the means to convey Faith into the Hearts of the Elea; it is as neceffary to Faith, as Faith to Prayer, and Prayer to Salvation : It is a Means under a Prdñtife. You fee how neceffary it is ; they that vo- luntarily neglefi the Means, put a Scorn upon God's ln{litution. Men will fay, I can read at Home. Are you wifer than he? Men think, that of all other things, Preach- ing might belt be (pared; and of all Offices, Hearing is leafk neceffary. The Ear re- ceived the firlt Temptation, Sin and Mifery broke in that way, fo doth Life and Peace. The Happinefs of Heaven is expreffed by Seeing, the Happinefs in the Church by Hearing : This is our great Emploiment, to wait upon the Word preached; next to Chrift's Word, it is a great Benefit to have the Word written; next to the Word written, the Word preached : Chrift fent firfi Apofiles, then Pafiors and Teachers. God could have converted Paul without Amnia , taught the Eunuch without Philip, in- ftrulted Cornelius without Peter. Do not hearken to thofe that cry up an inward Teaching,
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