Vet.. 20. the z7th Chapter of St. J O H N. 299 Teaching, to exclude the outward Teaching; as if the external Word were but an empty found and noire, as the Libertine, in Calvin's Time. Faith confirmed by Read- ing, is ufually begotten by Hearing. 2. The üfe of the Word; It is our Warrant. What have we to (hew for our great Hopes by Chrift, but the Word ? It is our Excitement, a Means and Initrument to thew us God's Heart and our own, our natural Face, and the worth of Chrift, the Key which God ufeth and openeth our Hearts by : Miniftets are Chri(t's Spokefinen ; if we will not open the Ear, why thould God open the Heart ? 3. The Power of the Word is exceeding great. It is the Power of God to Salvation. The 6rft Gofpel- Sermon that ever was preached, after the pouring forth of the Spirit; had great fuccefs, AtXa 2.4t. The fame day there were added to the Church about three thoufand Soul,. It was a mighty thing that an Angel thould flay 185000 in one. Night in Senacherib's Haft : But it is eafier to kill fo many, than to convert one Soul : One Angel, by his meet natural ftrength, could kill fo Many armed Men, but all the An- gels in Heaven, if they thould join all their Forces together, could not convert one Soul. There were tingle Miracles of curing one Blind, or one Lame: Ay, but the Apoftle's Word could work three thoufand Miracles. t Cor. 3. 5. Who is Paul, and who is Apollo, but Militias by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every Man e Why Both God ufe the Word ? I Anfwer, Becaufe it pleafed him : t Cor. t. 21. It ?leafed God, by the foolif,nefs of Preaching, to fave them that believe. (t.) It is molt thimble to Man's Nature.: Man is made of Body and Soul, and God will deal with him both ways, by internal Grace, and external Exhortations. Man is a reafonable Creature, his Will is, not brutilh; God. will not offer Violence to the Principles of Humane Nature. Man is not only weak, but wicked ; there is Hatred as well as Impotency ; God will overcome both together by tweet Counfels, mixed with a mighty Force; he ufeth loch a Remedy as our Difeafe requireth ; the Gofpel is not only called the Power of God, but the Wifdom of God, r Cor. L. 24. There are ex- cellent Arguments which the Heart of Man could not have Nsind out. (a) It is agreeable to his own Counfels, to try the Reprobate by an outward Rule and Offer, wherein they have as much favour as the Ele& ; they (hall one day know, that a Prophet bath been among them, and fo ba left without excufe, Rom. I. 20. The Rain falleth on Rocks as well as Fields; the Sun fhineth to blind Men, as well as thofe that can fee. (3.) It commendeth his Grace to the Elea. Their Faith muff be afcribed to Grace. When others have the fame Means, the fame Voice and Exhortations, it is the peculiar Grace of God, that they come to underhand and believe. Whence is it that the Diffe- rence arifeth? that whereas wicked Men are by the Word refirained and made civil, (there being an ufe of wicked Men in the. World, as of a Hedg of Thorns about a Garden) they are by the fame Word converted and brought home to God ? It is from the Grace of God. Ufe. Examination. Is our Faith thus wrought ? Every one fhould look how he cometh by his Faith, by what Means. True Faith is begotten and grounded upon the Word; it is the ordinary means to work Faith. The Word will be continued, and a Miniltry to preach it, as long as there are any to be converted. The Gofpel alone revealeth that which may fatisfy our Neceffities, it giveth a bottom for Faith and particular Application, as being the Declaration of God's Will. It is the only Means fan &ified by Chrift for that End. John 17. 17. Sanctify them through thy Truth, thy Word is Truth. James t. i8. Of his own Will begat he us with the Word of Truth. The Condition of thofe is woful that want the Gofpel, or put it from them. A &s 13. 46. Seeing ye put it from you, and feedg your fives unworthy of Everlafiing Life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles. If Faith be of the right make, the Word will thew thee once thou hadft none, and that thou wert not able of thy felf to believe ; befeech the Lord to work it in thee. Pppp 2 SERM.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=