A Dead Faith anatomised  
A DISCOURSE ON The Nature, and the Danger, With the Deadly Symptoms OF A Dead Faith In those Who profess the Faith of Christ.  
By SAMUEL-MATHER, Pastor of the Church at Windsor, in the Colony of Connecticut.  Hoc est Retia Salutis Expandere. 
BOSTON in New England, Printed by Bartholomew Green, and John Allen.  
1697.   

This Book belongs to The NEW-ENGLAND-Library, Begun to be collected by THOMAS PRINCE, upon his entering Harvard-College, July 6. 1703; and was given by said Prince to remain therein forever   

Preface.  
THAT Great Preacher of the Gospel, and Insatiable Admirer of the Lord Jesus Christ, our Apostle Paul, in all his Writings, but especially in the Epistle, which he wrote unto the Romans,[ which was by Melancthon well called, The Protestants Confession of Faith,] as well as his Epistle to the Galatians, does abundantly maintain this Article of our Faith, That a man is not Justified by the works of the Law, but by the Faith of Jesus Christ. Justifying Faith is a Receiving of, and a Relying on, the Gift of Righteousness from God, by our Lord Jesus Christ; or, the Consent of a Distressed Soul, to be Justified, by Gods Graciously Imputing unto him, the Obedience which the Lord Jesus Christ, as our Surety, yielded unto God, on the behalf of His Elect. This Faith doth Justify a Sinner, not ●… s it is a Work; but Organically & Relatively; In●… smuch as it is the Instrument, by which a man ●… pprehends the Righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ, as freely tendered unto the Sinner in the Gospel; Tis only in this Regard, that Faith, & no Grace, but this Faith, has the Honour to Justify us. This is the Good old way, of arriving unto Rest; and, Aliter qui Vadit, cadit.  
But every Jewe● has a Counterfeit. And, How shall a man know, that his Faith in the Righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ, for his Justification, is not a Counterfeit?  
To answer that Case, the Blessed Apostle James, under the Inspirations of the Almighty, declares unto us, the Marks of a Justifying Faith; and those Marks are, the Works which it perpetually disposes the Believer unto.  
Now among the Admonitions of the Apostle to this purpose, there is a special Remark due to that, in Jam. 2. 20. Wilt thou know, O vain man, that Faith without works is Dead?  
The Reader will presently observe in this Remarkable passage; both the Character of the Faith, which does not produce and promote Good Works, in the man that hath it: It is a Dead Faith; it will be of no use unto the man in whom it is; it can do nothing for him: and then, the Character of the Man who has this Faith; He is a vain man; he seems, and he boasts, to have, what he hath not; and he flatters himself with Hopes that never shall be made Good unto him. So that, we are now Assured, A Workless Faith is a Worthless Faith.  
Paul, who Professedly handles the Doctrine of Justification, does plainly assert, That no man living is Justified by Works, but a man is levied only by Faith. James does nevertheless assert, That a man is Justified by Works, and a man is not Justified by Faith only. And yet, however some of the Ancients, as well as Luther, stumbled at this Appearance of Contradiction, the Assertions do not Contradict one another at all. Paul treats of our Justification before God, and the Right unto Everlasting Life, therein granted unto us, which is only by Faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. James treats of that which may manifest our Justification unto men, that See & Hear, our Profession of our Faith; and here Works are significant. The Conscience of a man, may be distressed with a twofold Accusation.  
First, A man may be Accused of Iniquity; It may be said, Thou hast broken the Law, and thereby wronged the Name, of God, and the terrible penalty of that Law, now belongs unto thee. The Answer to this Accusation is to be, My Lord Jesus Christ has fully obeyed the will of God, and suffered the penalty due to me for my Disobedience; and I do by Faith depend on this Righteousness of my Lord Jesus Christ, for my Acceptance with God for ever.  
Secondly, A man may be Accused of Hypocrisy; It may be said, Thou Talkest of thy Faith; but is it not mere Talk? How canst thou prove, that thy Faith is any more, than what is in the very Devils themselves? The Answer to this Accusation is, The works of a Sanctified man, which I am doing every Day, are the Proof of my Faith. According hereunto it is asserted by Paul, That a man is Justified alone by Faith: but it is asserted by James, That a man is not Justified by a Faith which is alone. The Question discoursed by Paul is, How a Guilty Person may come to be Acquitted by the Lord, from all the Guilt that lies upon him? The Answer to this Question, is, Not by any Works of our own, but only by the Righteousness of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is, on our part, only by Faith applied unto us. The Question discoursed by James, is, Whether a man pretending to Faith in the Righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ, shall be saved, though he continue without the works of an Holy Life, agreeable thereunto? The Answer to this Question is, No, Such a man has no Saving Faith at all. And that James is to be taken in that sense, is evident from This: He does insist upon the Instance of Abraham; and yet Abraham was a Justified man, Thirty years, before those Works, which are said here to Justify him. Upon the whole then, we see Paul and James, Reconciled, or, indeed, never contrdicting. And we are Advised after all; Tis a Vanity in any man to Profess, that he has a True Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, if his Faith be not Fruitful in those Good Works, which may Justify the mans Profession.  
There are Two very Important Cases, about which the Thoughts of every Christian, cannot but be Exercised; and we will here bestow some of our Thoughts thereupon.  
The first Case which a Christian, must Consider, if he would be a Christian, is,  
What are those Good Works, which a True Faith, will Quicken & Incline the Believer unto?  
Now we may thus conceive of them; Good Works, are Sincere essays to observe the Law of God. Our God hath given us a Rule of Life, in that which we call, The Moral Law. None of our Works are Perfectly Good, if in any point they fall short of that Rule. But none of our Works do Perfectly come up to the Rule, as long as we are lodged in this Body which is to Dy. The Best men alive, when they look upon the Best Works of their Lives, may cry out, with one of the Ancients, Terret me tota vita mea, nam apparet mihi, aut Peccatum, aut tota Sterilitas; The Sinfulness, and Barranness, of all my Life, strikes me with a Deadly Terror of Soul! Nevertheless, there are Sincere Essays towards Perfection, which all Believers are Conscientiously making every Day. Now these essays are Good, in the Merciful Reckoning of God, our Father in our Lord Jesus Christ. Tho' none of our Sincere essays at Well-doing are such Good works as to Justify us, before that Thrice Holy God, who is of Purer eyes than to behold Evil, & whose Pure Eyes yet behold in our Good Works, a world of Evil: Yet our Sincere essays are pleasing unto our God, who by His Good Spirit has Excited them, & Assisted them; and, Whose workmanship we are, Created in Christ Jesus unto Good works, which God hath before ordained, that we should walk in them. Such Good Works, as our Prayers, are, as tis said, in Prov. 15. 8. The Delight of the Lord; and such Good Works, as our Alms, are, as tis said, in Heb. 13. 16. The Sacrifices where-with God is well pleased.  
But now, to speak strictly, Good Works must have these Four Ingredients to render them such.  
First; The Matter of our Works must be, according to the Law of God, or, His Will Revealed in His Word. The Prophet could say, in Mic. 6. 8. He hath shewed thee, O man, the thing that is Good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to Do Justice, and to Love Mercy, and to walk Humbly with thy God. Good Works must be such, as the Lord hath shown to us, that He hath Required of us. They are no Good Works, whereof our God may say, Who hath required ' em? Works of Piety, are Good Works; for we have the Word of our God for them; as in Psal. 92. 1. It is a Good Thing to give Thanks unto the Lord. Works of Charity are Good Works; for we have the word of our God for them; as in Heb. 13. 16. To Do Good, and to Communicate, forget not. No works are Good, but such as are contained in the Two Tables of the Ten Commandments; the Commandments of Love to God, and of Love to Man.  
But unto the Constitution of Good Works, it is not enough, that the matter of what we do, be according to the Law of God. Men may do Works that shall be Good for the matter of them, and yet, Every work of their Hands be unclean, saith the Lord. ploughing is Lawful, and Praying is Lawful; and yet these works may be sinful in the Doer of them. Wherefore,  
Secondly, The Manner of our Works, must be Right, as well as the Matter of them. A man may incur the Wrath of God, by his Good Works, if he do them not in any manner according to the Law, as they should be done. We find, in 1 Chron. 15. 13. The Lord our God is offended at those who Seek Him not after the due Order. No mere External Actions are to be Esteemed Good Works; there must Internal Cautions go along with them; else they are but the matter of Good Works, without the Form. Good Works must be done with Regular Circumstances, if they would be called, Good.  
Thirdly, The Design of our Works must be Right, as well as the manner of them. The Design which the Law of God has assigned for our Good Works, is, That the Great God, may be acknowledged, and magnified, and glorified: And the Gospel of God, coming in, has assigned a further Design for them; namely, To express our Gratitude unto our Lord-Redeemer, for His Redeeming of us. Thus 'tis Enjoined, in 1 Cor. 10. 30. Whatever ye do, do all to the Glory of God. An Evil Intention will utterly spoil any Good Works, tho' they were otherwise never so Good. And a merely Selfish Intention is an Evil one. Good Works must all be done, with an Eye, to the Honour of God, and the Service of Christ, before any Temporal Advantage to Self: else the Best Sacrifices are but an Abomination.  
Fourthly, Good Works must proceed from a Good Principle; or otherwise they will have no Real Goodness in them. Waters that Flow from a bitter and a poisoned Fountain, can't be Good. A Good Heart, Like a Good Fountain, must be the Principle, from whence Good Works are to flow. We are  told, in Mat. 12. 35. A Good man, out of the Good Treasure of the Heart, bringeth forth Good Things. A Good Principle within, is a Good Treasure of the Heart. Works done merely from a Principle of Slavish Fear, or Fleshly Love, are not Good, tho' they be never so Good. There must be a Principle of Respect unto God in Christ, wooing us unto all our Good Works, or else they are Stark nought. Yea, the Spirit of our Lord Jesus Christ, must be in us, as a Vital Principle, for our Good Works, or else they are Dead Works, every one of them. Hence, no Good Works were ever done by any one Unregenerate man, since the World began; for every Unregenerate man is destitute of the Principle, which is to be acted in them: the most Splendid Works of the Unregenerate, are but( as Austin called them) Splendid Sins before the Lord.  
And now there is a Second Case which a Christian has to consider, that so he may be stirred up, and helped on, to do those Good Works by which he may approve himself indeed a Christian.  
Where Lies the Necessity of Good Works, in a Justified Belsever, to justify the Faith, which he is a Professor of?  
Now we do know this; That our Good Works are not Antecedently necessary unto our Justification before the God of Heaven. For Good Works cannot be done by any man, until he be Justified. Until a man be United unto the Lord Jesus Christ, who is our Life, he is a Dead man: and what Good Works can a Dead man do? This is a thing Livelily Preached unto us, by our Lord Himself, in the fifteenth Chapter of John; The mouth of the Lord hath spoken it. Hence that common saying of Austin, Bona Opera sequuntur Justificatum, non praecedunt Justificandum. No, nor is Faith itself, As doing of Good Works, that which Entitles us unto the Righteousness of our Lord Jesus Christ, for our Justification; 'Tis Faith, only As it lays Hold on the Righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ, for the chief of Sinners, that Justifies us; And until this be done, we cannot be carried forth unto any Good Works at all.  
But then, Good Works, are consequently necessary upon our Justification. 'Tis indeed said, That God Justifies the Ungodly; but then, He does not Leave them Ungodly when He hath Justified them. Well, And where Lies the Necessity? Truly, if we would not be vain men, we must Know such Things as these.  
First, Wilt thou know, O man? That it is in the very Nature of a Justifying Faith, to put a man upon the Doing of Good Works. Faith is a Purifier of the Heart:[ Acts 15. 9.] and so, it cannot but be a Purifier of the Life. The same Faith, which Embraces the Lord Jesus Christ, as a Priest, for Atonement,( and As doing this, it Justifies!) Embraces Him also, as a Prophet, & as a King: Now this Prophet will Instruct, & this King will enjoin, our doing of Good Works for ever. A Justifying Faith, Receives Christ the Sacrificer, and the Intercessor; and in that Notion, it Justifies: But is this all? No, it also, according to Col. 2. 6. Receives Christ the Lord. Now Good Works are by that Lord Required. 'Tis no True Faith, which any man hath, if it be not for a whole Christ. The Devil said unto our Lord Jesus Christ, What have we to do with thee, Thou Holy One? If a man would be concerned with our Lord Jesus Christ, only as a Merciful One, and a Gracious One, and not likewise as an Holy One, that man has no more Faith than a Devil! Justifying Faith is a three, which cannot but have the Good Fruits of Good Works growing upon it. It is the Holy Spirit of God, that Creates, and that Bestows, a Justifying Faith, wherever i● is; and that Holy Spirit cannot suffer any Soul, in which He dwells, to be wholly Remiss about the Good Works which are agreeable unto His Holiness.  
Briefly; 'Tis in the very Nature of a Saving Faith to be a Working Faith. The Scriptures of Truth, assure us, in Gal. 5. 6. Faith works, by Love. It was well said, therefore by John Hus, Ubi Bona Opera non apparent ad extra, ibi Fides non est ad intra: Faith is not within, if Good Works are not without. Faith must become visible, and( as hath been sometimes said) Incarnate, by Good Works upon it.  
Again; Wilt thou know, O man? That Good works are no Small part of the Great Salvation, which is the Hope and claim of all the Justified. Our Lord Jesus Christ hath Redeemed us by His Blood; What for? We are informed, in Tit. 2. ●… 4. To purify unto Himself, a peculiar People, zealous ●… f Good works. The following words, Let no man despise thee, Calvin thinks them spoken to the Peo●… le, because People often don't care to Hear of ●… his; but it is a Thing to be spoken with all Au●… hority. A main Thing, Bought for us by the Righteousness of our Lord Jesus Christ, is, that we may be made Happy, by our Enjoying a Resem●… lance of that Righteousness, in our own doing of Good works, wherein we shall be conformed unto His example. The Doing of Good works, is one main Thing, in that Blessedness, which our Lord ●… esus Christ hath purchased for us, in His being made a Curse on our behalf: And a man has no True Faith in him, until he be thus persuaded! Very grand is the mistake of men, about Salvation: Salvation is not merely our Fruition of the Good Things reserved for us, in the unseen and future state; but Salvation lies also in our Performance of Good works leading thereunto. Our Captivity to the Devil, is that from which we are in our Salvation rescued: and that Captivity keeps a man from doing of Good works. For a man to be set at Liberty from the Devil, and so to do those Good works, which are contrary to the Works of the Devil, This, This is our Salvation. A mans being made Able and Willing to Do Good works, like the Good Angels of Heaven, This is the Salvation, which Faith does make out after; Tis the End of our Faith, and the Salvation of our Soul.  
Furthermore; Wilt thou know, O man? That the Commandment of Heaven hath made Good works incumbent on every man on Earth. Tis true, when we are in our Lord Jesus Christ, we are not under a Covenant of works. Our own doing of Good works, is not now, the Condition of our Entering into Life. But still, the Covenant of Grace does not Release us, from all Obligation, to do those Good works, which once were the Terms of our Entering into Life; the Language of it is that in Rom. 3. 31. Do we then make voided the Law through Faith? God forbid: Yea, we Establish the Law. Because we are under the Covenant of Grace, are we not still obliged unto all that Holiness, all that Watchfulness, all that Exactness, which was demanded in the Old Covenant? God forbid! Yea, we do still so Establish the Law, that if we fail in any one thing, tis our Sin, it should be our Grief, it will be our shane; and we must, with Contrition of Heart, make our Confession, That we come short of our Duty. Indeed, because we cannot but continually Transgress, and, In many things we offend all, therefore the New-Covenant has provided a Remedy for us: Tis only the Good works of our Lord Jesus Christ Reputed Ours, that cause us to stand as without Fault before the Throne of God. But we must own it still, as a Fault in us, a Fault worthy of Death, whenever we miss of doing any Thing, that is demanded as a Duty, in the Old Covenant: There is a Sin, in Every Transgression of the Law; a Sin to be Confessed, bewailed, Abhorred. Yea, and our Lord Jesus Christ in the Gospel, doth, How often? Repeat those Precepts; in Math. 5. 16. Let your Light so shine before men, that they may see your Good works: and in Tit. 3. 8. This is a Faithful saying, That they which have Believed in God, should be careful of Good works: and in 1 Joh. 2. 1. These Things writ I unto you, that ye do not Sin.  
Moreover; Wilt thou know, O man? That without Good works we are Abominably & Inexcusably Ungrateful unto our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath done so many kind works for us? The Evangelical Reason for our Good works, is, That we may show our Thankfulness unto Him, Who has Loved us, and given Himself for us; unto Him, Who has Loved us, and washed away our Sins, in His own Blood. If a man have the least Grain of True Faith in him, he will make that Enquiry before our Lord Jesus Christ, in Psal. 116. 12. What shall I render to the Lord, for all His Benefits? Now the Reply that Faith makes to this Enquiry, is the same that our Lord Himself makes; Let those Good works be done, which may adorn the Doctrine of God the Saviour! It was argued, in Rom. 12. 1. I beseech you Brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your Bodies, a Living Sacrifice, Holy, Acceptable to God, which is your Reasonable Service. Even so, All the Return, which our Lord Jesus Christ expects from us, for all His Mercies, is, That we Devote ourselves unto the Service of our Lord: And Faith says, That this is a Thing infinitely Reasonable. Where Faith has been infused into the Heart of any man, there is no Motive unto Good Works more powerful than this upon him. If he could think, I sha●l escape Hell, yea, I shall merit Heaven, by my good works! This were not such a powerful motive to good works, for an Heart that has Faith in it, as to think, I shall by my good works Glorify, my Blessed Lord Jesus Christ, who has done so much for me! That man has no Faith in him, on whom this motive has not a very constraining operation. For us to be without good works, would be an horrible Reproach unto the Lord Jesus Christ, as if He were, A Patron of Sin, and as if He were a God that had pleasure in wickedness, and evil might dwell with Him. Now a True Faith wil● never let a man be so wicked as thus to Reproach the Lord. Foolish and Unwise are all they, that thus requited the Lord!  
Finally, Wilt thou know, O man? That an Heart set for the Doing of Good Works, is a Qualification, and a Preparation of them that shall Inherit the recompenses of Everlasting Life. There is no passing into the most Holy Heavens, without being, as 'tis expressed in Col. 1 12. Made meet to be Partakers of the Inheritance of the Saints in Light. All the Partakers of the Heavenly Inheritance, are doing of Good Works therein for ever; they do nothing but Good works there throughout Eternal Ages. Now, except a man have an Heart for Good works[ in Conversion, Mat. 18. 3.] given unto him, he is not meet for that Inheritance, whereinto there Enters nothing that shall Defile. The Good works which our weekly Sabbath is to be filled withal, make it very wearisome unto an Unrenewed Soul: they say, What a weariness is it? When the Sanctification of the Lords Day, was lately Urged upon a grave Ceremonious Clergyman, he replied, What? Would you have a man be upon the Rack, a whole Day together? Truly, The Eternal Sabbath, which our Glorious Jesus carrieth all His People into, Men will be weary of it, it will be a Rack unto them, they won't be suited in it, if they should not have an Heart for Good works inspired into them; none but those that are thus pure in Heart, will be fit for the Beatifick Sight of the most Holy God. Our God must work us for that self-same thing,[ 2 Cor. 5. 5.] or, else the Thing would be distasteful unto us: now, 'tis by a Spirit for Good works, that. He does work us up hereunto. And He hath warned us, in Heb. 12. 14. Wiihout Holiness, no man shall see the Lord. Tho' we shall not go to Heaven For our Good works, we cannot go to Heaven without them.  
Now what should be the Result of our Thoughts upon these Two Cases thus offered, but This?  
We are to be advised, first of all; That we do not Expect, to be Justified by our Good works, or to Do any Good works until we are Justified, in our Believing on the Lord Jesus Christ. It is of no little Importance unto us, That our Good works have their due place in our Divinity: and many Treatises of such Divinity as the English Nations has been of later years Defiled and Abused withal, have not only been Ineffectual to procure those Good Works, which they have pretended for, but also been really prejudicial thereunto, for their want of This. We must Beware how we go to patch up a Righteousness of our own, out of those Good works whereto God may Enable us, or do like them, who in Rom. 10. 3. Being ignorant of Gods Righteousness, and going about to establish their own Righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the Righteousness of God. There is not a more fatal Rock for the shipwreck of a Soul, than this! When Sinners are Awakened, with the Apprehensions of the Divine Vengeance pursuing of them, for their Sins, this is the First Thing that they usually betake themselves unto: They fly First unto the Good Works of a Reformation in their faulty Lives. No, O vain man; Wilt thou Know? Thy First Flight should be unto the Lord Jesus Christ, for His Righteousness to be conferred upon the most Loathsome Sinner out of Hell; and that thou mayst, Be found in Him, not having thy own Righteousness, which is of the Law, but that which is thro' the Faith of Christ, the Righteousness which is of God by Faith. 'Tis a vain Imagination that thou mayst not Believe on the Righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ, for thy Justification, until by doing of Good works thou art made Fit for the Imputation of that Righteousness. Many say, indeed they would Lay Hold on the Lord Jesus Christ, and on His Righteousness, but they dare not, because they are not Fit for Him. Alas, this also is but another and a finer strain, to set up our own Righteousness. How, Not Fit? The wretched circumstances of thy Soul, that make thee say, Not Fit, are thy very Fitness. We must come to our Lord Jesus Christ For those things, which the preposterous Hearts of men would come unto Him, With. It is an Error for men to venture their Everlasting Interest upon the Lord Jesus Christ, under this Encouragement, That they have attained unto such and such Godly Dispositions, as will Recommend us unto Him; We must go to Him, and His Righteousness, and venture to cast ourselves upon it, as Recommended by nothing, but our own Horrible misery, thereunto. Certainly, It will never make Sincere Converts, to talk of Rapping off mens Fingers from catching Hold of Christ, before they are fit for Him. 'Tis our Catching Hold of Him, that must make us Fit for Him, and for every Good work! We shall do Good Works when we have come utterly without them, unto the Lord Jesus Christ, first, for a share in the Righteousness of the Good Works which He did for us, and then, for the Assistance to Do Good Works ourselves, in a measure Like unto them. Well, and when we have Done our Good Works, we must after all, Remember this, That we are to Renounce them all; Renounce all Dependence on them for the purchase of the Divine Favour unto us. When some  told our Dying Herbert, the many Good works which he had been doing in his Life, he only said, Good Works, if sprinkled with the Blood of Christ! It is the Blood of Christ, and not our Good works, that must be of any value with us. They that Build their Faith on their Good works, Build on a Sandy Foundation: The Primitive Christians were sound in this Article; ( Justin Martyr will clear it:) That we are Justified only by a wonderful Commutation between our Lord and us, He taking our Guiltiness, and we having His Righteousness: 'Tis well declared by Cyprian, Non aspernatur Dei Filius carnem hoins endure, ut cum peccare ipse non posset, aliena peccata portaret. Immortalitate interim posita, fieri se mortalem patitur, ut Innocens pro Nocentium Salute Perimatur: 'Tis well declared by Theodoret, who Expounding that passage in the Psalms, I restored that which I took not away, applies it unto our Lord Jesus Christ. q. d. Others robbed God of His Glory, but I( says our Lord) have restored it again; the Sins by which twas ' done, they were mine by Imputation, tho' never mine by Inhoerency. The Protestant Reformers were so full in this Article, That they did not scruple to say, Amisso Articulo Justificationis, simul amissa est tota Doctrina Christiana; and as they lived and died in the judgement of that Martyr, whose Expiring words, were, Behold, a marvelous Exchange, my Lord has my Guiltiness, and I have His Righteousness! thus, they have generally ever since been clear in it, until some of Late, have darkened the Truth, under pretence of preserving the Interests of Holiness; Albeit, as our Incomparable own, says, I am not satisfied, that any of those, who at present oppose this Doctrine, do in Holiness and Righteousness, and the Exercise of all Christian Graces, surpass those who in the Last Ages, both in this and other Nations, firmly adhaered unto it. Yea, some of the Papists themselves, have been under such Convictions, as have compelled them to Subscribe unto this Article; especially, when the Approaches of Death, have given them with a Lively Sense to feel themselves going to appear before the judgement-seat of God. Ernestus, the Arch-bishop of Magdeburgh, when he was near his Death, was comforted by a Minorite, who  told him, That the merit of his Good works, would make sure a place in Heaven for him; whereupon the Dying man cried out, Nullo modo, I will by no means trust unto the merit of any Good works, done by any man whatever, but the Good works of Christ are sufficient for me! Bellarmine himself, who had Lived so blamelessly, that he was not conscious of his ever having once  told a lie, and when he came to Auricular Confession he could find nothing to mention, without Looking back so far as his Childhood, yet when his Death was arresting him, he durst no more trust unto the merit of his Good works, but would have that clause inserted in his Will, That he desired the Lord ●● Receive him, Non ut oestimator meriti, said ut Largitor veniae; Not on Merit, but in Mercy!  
But we are in the next place to be Advised, That having first Believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, that we may be Justified, we do then Abound in those Good works, which are the proper and Genuine Symptoms of Believers; those Good works, which the Oracles of Heaven call, The Fruits of Righteousness. We should, as the Apostle speaks, in 1 Cor. 15. 58. Always abound in the work of the Lord. The Bible has no Good words any where, for those Antinomian Wretches, with whom Good works are despised & neglected: It spits nothing but Sulphureous Fire, in the Faces of those Libertines! If we are destitute of Good works, we have none but a Dead Faith, and a Dead ●aith will very little befriend a Dead Soul. To have no Good works then, is a woeful Thing: and, the Praemonition is, in Math. 3. 10. Every three which bringeth not forth Good Fruit, is hewn down, & cast into the Fire: What then will be the Wo, how woeful will be the Doom of those that are full of Evil works, and bring forth much of that Evil Fruit, which grows on the Vine of Sodom, & in the Field of Gomorrah? Sad will it be for us to perish among Unbelievers, after we have seemed mightily to Believe; & after a fair show of our Faith, to be damned among, The workers of Iniquity. Surely, If we would with the Joy of Faith, be Satisfied, that the Seal of the Holy Spirit, which we seem to have, when we Entertain our Assurance, That the Righteousness of God, which is by the Faith of Jesus Christ is upon us, is not a Cheat, a shame, a Self-deluding Enthusiasm, it becomes us, with a Constant Zeal for Good works, to Exercise ourselves, at keeping a Conscience voided of Offence towards God and man. It becomes us, to Ponder, How much we Owe unto our Lord Jesus Christ, and Study, How to Serve the Lord that has Bought us; & with Good works always to be at work for Him. It becomes us, to forethink, How little Time we have to be Working in, how near we are to the Time where there can be no Working, and to Do as many Good works, as we can in our Time; yea, to call ourselves unto a Daily Account, with unspeakable Trouble, if we have let one Day pass without many of them. It becomes us even to raise our Civil and Natural, as well as Religious works, unto the Dignity of Good works, by the most Frequent, most Explicit, & most Ennobling Dedications of all our Works, unto the Lord. So, it will not be long before we rest from our Labours, but our Works will follow us.  
These Things being so, 'tis a Great Service unto the Souls of men, to supply them, with Rules of Trial, by which they may Examine themselves, as well concerning their Faith, as concerning the Good works, which they pretend unto. Now, to accommodate his Neighbours with such Rules of Trial, the Reverend Author of the Ensuing Discourse, has permitted their Desires to be gratified in the Publication of it. The Discourse is what was delivered unto a Popular Auditory, for which cause, the Reader must not wonder, if he find somewhat of Inculcation in it: he will seek in such a Discourse, Non Scientiam, said Saporem; and no doubt, he will find what he seeks. But such was the Savour which it left upon the minds of the Hearers, when it was delivered, as that the Notes thereof are here come abroad, for them to Ruminate, yet more thoroughly upon that, wherein they have already found themselves not a little Edified. The Author is known, throughout the Churches of the famous and happy Colony, to none of the least whereof he hath for many years been a faithful Pastor; Known, for his Piety, Gravity, and Usefulness, more than any Recommendations of mine can render him: and my Relation to him, will easily excuse me as well as his Modesty forbid me, for saying any more. Nor have I any thing further to add, but my Hearty Prayers, That these Good Works of this Worthy Person, may be so Profitable among the People of God, in this Wilderness, as may fully answer the Holy Designs, of him that has thus offered unto the Service of the Tabernacle.  
Cotton madder.   

A Dead Faith anatomised  James 2. 20. But wilt thou know, O Vain Man, that Faith without Works is Dead? 
THE Apostle Paul had abundantly taught( as appears in divers of his Epistles) that man is Justified by Faith alone, without Works: See Rom. 3. 28. Therefore we conclude, that a man is Justified by Faith, without the deeds of the Law. Gal. 2. 16. Knowing that a man is not Justified, by the Works of the Law, but by the Faith of Jesus Christ. This Doctrine did this Apostle much insist upon, especially in the Epistles, but now mentioned: neither did any of the Apostles of Christ teach otherwise, or contrary thereunto: howbeit, it seems there were some, that made an ill use of this Doctrine, as also they did of some other things, in Pauls Epistles. See 2 Pet. 3. 16. Some be like there were then that did turn the Grace of God into Wantonness, thinking to be Saved by Faith( not knowing indeed what Faith is) and so to Live a loose and careless Life:( and thus it is with many, in these our times, wherein the Gospel hath been so abundantly Published, and with so much perspicuity and clearness.) These, and such like persons, this Apostle James rebuketh, and endeavoureth to rectify. He had  told them in verse 17. that Faith without Works is dead: in this 20th. verse, he inculcateth, and presseth the same Doctrine again; and he sheweth,  
1. That there is such a thing as a Dead Faith: this is plainly implied in the words.  
2. He sheweth what this Dead Faith is, viz. a Faith without Works: such a Faith as hath not Good Works to be the fruits thereof: that Faith which doth not bring forth good fruit, is a Dead Faith, and hence can be no evidence of Life in that Soul, where it is found.  
3 He calleth him a vain man, that would, from any thing that had been taught, by any of the Holy Apostles, gather any other conclusion.  
4. He affectionately expostulates the case with such, in those words, but wilt thou know, &c. q d. wilt thou understand, and be convinced? it is easy to see the Error here, unless men be willingly and wilfully ignorant: wilt thou know, &c. it is true, we red of some that hold fast deceit, and refuse to return. Jer. 8. 5. and many such there be in our days also.  
But the point of Doctrine is this: viz.  

DOCTRINE.  
That there is such a thing as a Dead Faith, with which some under the Gospel do deceive themselves.   
They think that they have Faith, or do Believe, and that they shall be Saved, but in the issue they are disappointed, and ashamed of their hopes; and how fearful is it, when so it is! See Heb. 10. 31. Psal. 119. 116. Such are at last lead forth with Workers of Iniquity, as Psal. 125. ult. and to them will Christ profess, and say, I never knew you: depart from me, &c. as Math. 7. 23. A Dead Faith is a deadly thing: A Soul-ruining thing. A true, a Living Faith Saveth; but this we speak of is contrary, it ruins and undoth men, because it deceiveth them: and yet this is all the Faith that many have, who yet think that they have something that will stand by them.  
The first thing that I shall do, in handling this point, is to show in general, That there is such a thing as a Dead Faith; a Faith that is not a true Saving Faith, and yet the Scripture calls it a Faith, a Believing.  
1. See the verse before the Text: Thou Believest that there is one God, thou dost well; the Devils also believe and tremble. The Heathens say that there are many Gods: thou art no Heathen; it is well, so far; yet remember the Devils believe too, and tremble: So then, a man may believe, and be affencted also, with what he doth believe, and yet his Faith, for all that, be no other than a Dead Faith, tho' you should see a man to believe and tremble; or, to believe and rejoice, as Mat. 13. 20. this proves not his Eaith to be a lively, or a Living Faith. 1 Pet. 1. 3. there is a lively hope, or a living hope, or an enlivening hope, under which, Faith is included, from whence this Hope ariseth: for hope is( as it were) the Daughter of Faith: So on the other hand, there is a Dead Faith, yea, where there is much affection stirring, as will more appear, by and by: when persons find their affections much moved towards Spiritual Things, they are apt to be taken with it, and to conclude that there is some true Grace in them, but alas, it often times proves otherwise: a multitude of Sacrifices will not prove true Grace to be. Isa. 1. 11. so neither will abundance of affections prove a mans Faith to be a lively or a living Faith: In this case, it is not so much the quantity, as the kind or quality that is to be considered. Certainly they miss it much, that think, that true Grace differs from that which we call common Grace, only in degree: Let common affections, such as be often found in Unsound Professors, be enlarged never so much, this will not alter a mans Estate God ward; he may be a deeper, and a more profound Hypocrite, but this will not make a man sincere; for that which is nought can never come to be good by increasing: hast thou affections God-ward, so had they. Isa. 58. 2. consider then, not so much how great they be, as whether they be of the right kind, or sort: a little true Gold will be accepted, when a heap of Counters will be rejected wholly, as Coin that will not pass at all. Eph. 4. 24. we red of True Holiness, or, Holiness of Truth: So there is True Love, &c. a little of it is better than Gold; but abundance of affections may be towards Spiritual Things, and yet no Truth; no Spiritual Life; it is a Dead Soul still; and abiding as it is, will be a Damned Soul too, e're long.  
2. See Joh. 2. 23, 24. Many believed in his Name, but Jesus Christ knew them, and would not trust himself with them: Mark it, it is said, Many believed in his Name. Why did not Christ commit himself to them? the reason was, he knew all men; and he knew that their Faith was but a Dead Faith, and would not hold, and abide the Furnace: for as Gold is tried in the Furnace, so shall every mans Faith be tried, one time or other. 1 Pet. 1. 7. and happy are they, whose Faith on trial, is found unto praise, and honour, and glory, at the Appearing of Christ. Christ knew all men, and he knew that such as now Cried, Hosanna to the Son of David, would some of them e're long, cry, Crucify him, Crucify him, away with him: and truly, we may see something of this often, how common and frequent is it for such as for a season were much affencted, and taken with the Word of Christ( as it is called, Col. 3. 16.) in the public Dispensation of it, to turn quiter about, and quarrel with it; of such Paul complains, Gal. 4. 14, 15, 16. they received him as an Angel, they could have plucked out their Eyes for him once; yet now he was become their Enemy, for telling them the truth; the case was quiter altered with them: little do persons think, many times, what they shall be, and the reason is, they know not what they are at present. 2 King. 8. 12, 13. Hazael seemed at present to abhor the thoughts of doing such a great wickedness, as the Prophet foretold that he would do: Is thy Servant a dog, that he should do this great thing? Alas, he did not know his own heart, what a dog he was, what a furious beast he would prove in time. And thus it is with many, while yet they are under restraints, and feel not what cursed Hearts, and Natures they have; especially when under common Convictions, they cannot think, that they shall ever be, or do, as they see many others do: yet sometimes such as these come to be found among the worst of men: their Faith and Affections issue in the highest degrees of wickedness: tho' other some are still held under restraints, and they wear out all their time in Formality, and in an Unprofitable Profession of Religion.  
3. See Luk. 8. 13. where we red of some, That receive the Word with joy, and yet they have no root, and for a while believe, and yet fall away in a time of Temptation. Mark what is said of them: they Received the Word; they did not wholly reject it, as many others did; and they received it with joy too; and they believed for a season; and yet fell away in a time of Temptation; for they had no root; their Faith was a Dead Faith, whatever it seemed to be; thus i●… is with many under the Gospel, they are much affencted with the Word for a time, they hear i●… gladly, as also Herod sometime did. Mark 6. 20▪ and they show much love to it, as they did, Ezek 33. 31. and they believe the Word, but it is bu●… a Dead Faith; yet it may deceive not only themselves, but others too, seeing there is so much joy and affection with it: there are many that have been much taken with their own affections, and undone by them; they joy in their own joy, and at last ly down in sorrow; see Isa 50. ult. Walk in the light of your fire: do so a●… long as you will, and if it be never so long, ye●… the end will be to Ly down in Sorrow.  
4. See Act 8. 13. Simon believed, and was baptized, &c. yet verse 21, 23. see what is said o●… him; he was in the gull of bitterness, & in the bon●… of Iniquity: see how much he was wrought upon, it is said, he believed, the Word had some effect in him, and upon him: some entertainment the Word had with him; and he was baptized; now he makes a public Profession of the true Religion, and so to do, was in those days a great thing, as much as a mans life, and all he had in this World, was worth: also he continued with Phillip, and was much affencted with what he saw, he wondered it is said, &c. yet his heart was not right in the sight of God: in his own sight perhaps it was; and many precious ones did hope well of him, for a season: but he was in a miserable condition: he believed, but his Faith was a Dead Faith; and hence left him, in his sins still; and in them he perished, for ought appears to the contrary. Let us see one Instance more.  
5. See Psal. 106. 12, 13. compared with Psal. 78. 35, 37. for in both places he speaks of the same people, and it is said, They believed his Word, and sang his praise: but soon forgot his Works; they remembered that God was their Rock, and the High God their Redeemer; yet their heart was not right with him. And how are many wrought upon, when some Special Providence helps to set on the word; great Awakenings, and strange enlightenings they have; they Seek God, they inquire early after him; there is much Reformation, for they return, and these things work on unto a seeming good issue of Faith in Christ as their Redeemer; they remembered that the Lord was their Rock, and their Redeemer, and yet all is but a Dead Faith: thus it is with many.  
When Persons Conversions want due, and rightly expected Reformations, we judge their work was not a thorough work; and so when persons have had great Convictions, and have been in much trouble, and all dieth away, after a while, without any work of Faith at all, such cannot be in any good, or right way: but when much trouble for sin, and about a mans Estate, issues ●… n a work of Faith, and comfort from some Promise; we hope well of such many times, but if ●… t be,( as oft it is) but a Dead Faith, the condi●… ion is sad, and the end like to be misery for ever: If never so many Promises come to a mans mind, and if never so much Comfort arise ●… here-from; yet if a person do take comfort( as many do) and yet not take Christ, his comfort ●… hall be taken from him, some time or other: yea, if he take Christ also, as many do, after a ●… ort, yet if it be not by a Lively Faith,( and what that is we shall show) it profits him no●… hang: many will say, Lord, Lord, we have pro●… hesied in thy Name, and in thy Name have cast out Devils, &c. yet he will profess that he never knew ●… hem; and they must depart from him for ever: see Mat. 7. 21, 22. many think they have Christ, who yet indeed fall short of him: not knowing ●… im indeed, Whom to Know is Life Eternal, Joh. 17. 〈…〉. nor knowing the way to him, nor what it is to believe aright in him: they believe, but their Faith is a Dead Faith.  
The point being thus far confirmed, in the next place, we shall inquire more particularly, What this Dead Faith is, and Why it is so called; and we must endeavour to make some discovery of it, and to distinguish it from that which is a true Saving Justifying Faith: Now the Apostle tells us, that Faith without Works is dead: And the Enquiry may be, How may we understand that?  
Answ 1 It is a sure Evidence that a mans Faith is a Dead Faith, when it is without Works; or when it is alone: Indeed Works don't Justify us, they have no hand in that at all: it is Faith only that Justifies us, Rom. 3. 28. — A man i●… Justified by Faith without the deeds of the Law Rom. 5. 1. Therefore being Justified by Faith, & c●… yet it is also true, that that Faith which is alone is not a Justifying Faith: and therefore as Context, verse 18. show me thy faith without thy works, saith the Apostle. This is the miserabl●… delusion that many are held in, they believe( a●… they say) and they trust in Christ, and ther●… they rest themselves, but they take no due car●… of good works: ask them where their Faith is they do think they can tell you: but alas! wher●… are their Works? where is their Repentance, thei●… Sorrow and Mourning for Sin, where is thei●… Mortification of Corruptions? See Rom. 8. 13●… where is their daily Watch, and Warfare; thei●… Fighting, and Wrestling, of which the Scripture speaks? Where be their Tears, and Prayers, and cries, and Sighs and Groans Unutterable? these alas are not; and what saith our Apostle in this case? Wilt thou know, Oh! vain man, that Faith without Works is dead? hast thou Faith, show it by thy Works: it is in vain to talk of Faith without Works answerable: when persons profess, that they believe, and trust in Christ, but do not walk in any measure answerably, they deceive themselves; yet many such there be, They Profess to know God, but in works deny him. Tit. 1. ult. they say they believe in Christ, but their Conversation saith otherwise; and their secret Walk is otherwise; Oh! it is a Dead Faith, however such deceive their own hearts:  
2. It is not every kind, or sort of good works that will evidence a mans Faith not to be a dead faith: for they in Psal. 78. forenamed, sought God, they returned, they inquired early after God. Also Herod Mark 6. 20. heard John gladly, and did many things. So those in Isa. 58. 2. Sought him daily, and asked of him the Ordinances of Justice; they took delight in approaching unto God: yet were they not upright before God: there are many that are full of good works. Isa. 1. 11. They have a multitude of them; they are good for the matter of them: and yet God abhors them, because they proceed from no other than a Dead Faith. See at large, Isa. 1. 13, 14, 15. Surely they made great account of their Works, otherwise they would not have so abounded in them; yet the Lord did not accept them: nay, all was Iniquity, a Trouble to him, and he was weary to bear them. Some are full of good works,( as we may call them) and of good desires, and of good affections; and yet their Faith is nought, it is but a Dead Faith; and this is so plain from the fore-named Instances, as that there is no room to make any objection. And those good works,( as they seem to be) when preached into, are but dead works, tho' seemingly never so full of Life; and hence they are all as rotten, and unsound things. Heb. 6. 1. we red of dead works: and indeed all a mans works are such, until he come to a true Faith in Christ; his most affectionate Prayers, yea, his highest Reformations are but dead works; tho' a person afflict( not his Body only, but) his very Soul; yet God will take no knowledge of it. Isa. 58. 3. and how many be in such a case as this is, and how miserable are they, wretched, naked, and know it not. Rev. 3. 17.  
3. The works that the Apostle here speaks of are not such as are only Moral, but Evangelical, and in that sense good: Works Evangelically good, will evidence a true Faith, but no other works, how many, or how good soever they be: We shall therefore open this particular a little, and show when a persons works may be said to be Evangelically good: for I would not mention any thing to Enlighten our way, and then by mentioning a thing in general only, leave the matter in a manner as much in the dark as it was before.  
Two things then make our good works to be Evangelically Good.( 1.) They must be from: and( 2) Unto the Lord. And if they be the first, they will be the latter: we shall therefore chiefly consider the former, viz. whether our good works are from the Lord, and show what is the import, and meaning of that expression.— Now they are from him, when we aclowledge him, and deny ourselves in all we do: when so to do is the frame and disposition of our hearts: when there is that Principle in us, that Enableth us( through Divine Assistance) so to do; and disposeth our hearts to desire that we actually, and daily do it, tasting( at least at times) a precious sweetness in that way of living and doing, together with a dislike of the contrary in ourselves. See Isa. 26. 12. Lord( say they) thou hast wrought all our works for us, or in us. I Live, saith Paul, yet not I but Christ lives in me. Gal. 2. 20. Also see Gal. 5. 22, 23. All our good works are fruits of the Spirit; and God would have us own all our fruits to be from him: hence he tells us, Hos. 14. 8. From me is thy fruit found. So then if you think you have good works, consider whether you can deny yourselves in them, and aclowledge God in them all: Perhaps you say, I Live, but do you say also, yet not I but Christ, &c. If your works be from God( in that sense we are speaking of) God will own them, accept them & reward them: what is his own, he will aclowledge and reward it in us, though it be never so little, and never so much despised in our own eyes, or in the eyes of others. Zech. 4. 10. The day of small things is apt to be despised: yet what are( in some sense) small things, are sometimes great things: Poor Prayers as we count them, small performances, little weak things, are great things, when they are fruits of the Spirit; works of faith and love; and they will when we meet them again another day appear to be such, as we can hardly aclowledge them to have been ours: Math. 25. 37 — Lord when saw we thee an hungry: Lord, when did we Pray, and Love, and Believe in such manner, and perform such duties? & then shall all be opened, and made plain; and the Lord shall have the Glory of his own works, in his, and they the comfort for ever.  
But some may say, who is there that will not own all his Works to be of God, and deny himself in them? This may seem to be no great matter: did not the Pharisee do so. Luk. 18. 11. God, I thank thee, &c. he seems to aclowledge God, and his Grace, in what he was, and did, or had attained unto in Religion: and so it is with many still, who are yet unsound.  
Answ. 1. A verbal acknowledgement is an easy thing many times, and especially when a Good Education leads us to own the truth; many have a form of knowledge, and of the truth, being instructed, &c. Rom. 2. 18, 20. to speak good words, is no hard matter: this many can do in Praying, in Preaching, and in discourse with others, and have excellent Gifts indeed, who yet are Strangers to the thing that we are speaking of; and there be divers things that concur to it: it may be a man hath been well Educated, he hath lived where this truth hath been generally acknowledged by all; visibly opposed by none, and frequently inculcated; and hence he goes with the stream, he gives a common assent to the truth, and owns in words, That a man of himself, is Nothing that is good. Also common experience teaches persons something of this: there is hardly any man, that endeavours to do any thing in religious works, but he finds something of his inability to do what he should: unsound ones have some experience of themselves as well as others; and many go far, that yet fall short at last: this Paul knew; and hence that 1 Cor. 9. 27. a man may be able to teach others, and yet himself be a Cast away: Education, common experience, and industry meeting together, may, and doubtless doth carry many a man far, and make him see in somewhat, nay, much in Religion, when as he is but like them. Rev. 3. 1. Who had a name ●… o live, but were dead.  
2. A thorough sight of a mans own nothingness ●… s a great thing, and very far different from what ●… s in unsound ones. I shall endeavour to make ●… ome discovery of it.  
1. It is not only Notional, or Doctrinal, but it is Experimental also: a man doth not only hear it, or red it in some good book, but he doth also feel, and find it, as he said, Rom. 7. 21. I find then a Law, &c. how did he know that there was such a Law of Sin in him? such a sinful heart, and nature, why, saith he, I find it: he had bitter experience of it: he saw it not only in some book: but in his members, warring there, verse 23. he felt it in himself; and so must you feel your own Nothingness and Inability, or else you will never be thoroughly convinced of it, and suitably affencted with it. A man may hear it, and be affencted with it, but this goes but a little way; till a man comes to find, and feel, there will want deepness, Mat. 13. 5. as the Stony Ground did: when a man sees and feels, this will be something indeed.  
2. This knowledge and thorough conviction of a persons own Nothingness, uses not to come easily: a man is brought to it through much difficulty, and opposition: that which is easily gotten, is hardly good: Mat. 7. 14. but it may be you come lightly by your knowledge of yourselves; Oh! take heed that you be not deceived, as many, many be. Now I say, it is not easily obtained, and that upon divers accounts.  
1. In that the heart of man is Naturally so averse unto it: there is a marvelous opposition in mans carnal heart against it: it is impossible but that it must be an exceeding bitter, yea, a killing thing to a mans carnal heart to see his heart, so far forth as it is carnal; and every mans heart is so, in some degree at least, and most mens hearts are wholly and only carnal: 1 Cor. 3. 1. Such as are in Christ are yet carnal in some measure, but others are wholly. so: and hence some opposition against this knowledge, and the increase of it, will be found in the best; how much more in those that are yet Unbelievers, in whom as yet pride, ignorance, and security do reign, with divers other lusts, and corruptions? To illustrate this a little: Suppose a man Rich in this World; or suppose that he have but a little, and that which he hath, whatever it be, got with much labour, and difficulty, will such an one easily part with what he hath, and sit down upon a dunghill? or if a man hath thought himself to be Rich, at least worth something, if such an one come suddenly to see himself to have been deceived, and not worth one mite, how will it trouble him? especially, when he sees at present no way to recover what is lost; nay, sees that he can never do it. Such like is the case we are now speaking of. Some Ungodly Ones think, they are Rich in Spiritual Things. Rev. 3. 17. and whatever any may say, or think to the contrary, there is no secure, unconvinced Sinner, but what thinks he hath more than indeed he hath; most think they have ability to turn to God, and promise themselves that in their own time they will do it: and what Promises do they make in times of sickness, danger, when fears are upon them: Others please themselves in thinking that they be bad, yet not so bad, &c. and hence hope to deal with God about Pardon of Sin, and acceptance at an easy rate: however there is something in themselves, upon which they have a secret dependence, and reliance; and are not themselves ware how it is with them. Now for such an one to be strip'd of all, to suffer the loss of all, yea of those things which were once gain to him, as he speaks, Phil. 3. 7, 8. this will not be easy; nay, it will be a killing thing: for these things are a mans Life, until a better Way be discovered unto him. Rom. 7. 9. I was alive once,( that is in his own conceit,) but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I dyed. Consider then; Know you what it is to Dy? nay, to be Slain, as verse 11. — It slay me: Is it a light or small matter? Oh! when the real trial shall come, it will be found otherwise; nay, it may be, you know nothing of that LIFE that should be taken away; and so are alive still, as Paul once was, but indeed dead.  
2. In that persons will hardly believe, or be thoroughly convinced of their own Nothingness, until they have tried the matter; they will first try whether they can do nothing, before they will be convinced thoroughly that so it is indeed. Nothing but their own Experience will convince them, for what else can be supposed to do it? there is nothing in themselves to do it, until experience do it: there is something of the Law in all mens hearts, Rom. 2. 14. out not one tittle of this: man in his first estate was able to keep the Law of God; and he knows nothing but that he can do so still, save what he doth experience to the contrary. And very hardly will be believe his own experience in this matter; he will try, and try, and try again, and try the matter out to the utmost, before that he will indeed yield the case, and sit down humbled under that acknowledgement: viz. I am Nothing, I can do nothing that is good. It is true, the word shows it plainly, that we in ourselves are nothing; and that in us dwells no good thing: but the word in this thing is no more believed than in other things; and Ignorance, Atheism and Unbelief are ruling or reigning things, in every Unconverted mans heart. Hence tell a man what you will, and let him in words own what he will concerning his own Nothingness; yea, though he think he doth believe it; yet whensoever he shall be in good earnest about his Soul, by a powerful awakening, he will try what he can do, before he will yield, and fit down under the conviction before mentioned; he will work, and he will try; yea he will not be convinced, until he have wrought himself unto death, and then will be own himself to be a dead man; and then, and not till then, will God show him the way unto life: he must despair in himself, before he will, or can indeed believe in Christ. Now a man doth not easily come to take such pains, as we have been speaking of; it must be a great awakening to bring him to it; they must be hard driven that shall travail thus far, especially if we consider what opposition is in all mens hearts against any thing which is good, or tendeth thereunto: Sin within, and Satan without, will do their utmost to hinder: it is folly to expect any other.  
And further consider this: we say, persons will try what they can do, when awakened, before they will be convinced that they can do nothing: for how can it be otherwise? what shall a poor Sinner do? Shall he sit still, and ly quietly in his Sins? No, he shall not, he cannot: the terror of the Lord makes him afraid; there is no rest in his Soul now by reason of his sin, and the danger that he is in thereby: well then, shall he fall in with the way of the Gospel? He should indeed, but he cannot: for he is ignorant thereof, as they were. Rom. 20. 3. though he have heard much of it, yet he understands i●… not; though he think he doth, yet he doth not; nay, till God show it, he cannot know it, it is foolishness to him, 1 Cor. 2. 14. Hence the first thing a man doth naturally when awakened, is to seek to Save himself, and when he finds he cannot, he will despair in himself, and is so fa●… prepared for to hear of a new, and living way, o●… which nature knoweth nothing, though of the Law it knows something. So then, this knowledge of a mans nothingness doth not use to come easily.  
3. This knowledge of a mans self, and nothingness, is an heart affecting thing: it goes to a mans heart, when he is made to see his own heart, and to know himself: not only the head is enlightened, but the heart is much affencted also. There be many that have much knowledge in their heads, but they have hardened hearts; they have head knowledge, but they want heart knowledge. And hence that in Jer. 24. 7. I will give them an heart to know &c. But that which I am now to open, and show is this, viz. that this self knowledge, or knowledge of ones self is an heart affecting thing. And so it is, for( 1.) It fills a man with shane; when he comes to see himself, he is ashamed of himself: as he said when he saw and viewed his own, and others sinfulness. Ezr. 9. 6. O my God, I am ashamed, & blushy. And every new discovery of a mans own self to himself hath something of this Effect on him. In Rev. 3. 18— We red of the shane of a Persons Nakedness: when Persons are strip'd Naked, they are ashamed: and so it is much more, when Persons are made to see their own Spiritual Nakedness, or Nothingness, they will then be ashamed. Jer. 2. 26. A thief is ashamed when found, or discovered. So is a Person when he comes to have his own heart discovered to him; and he that never was ashamed of himself, never yet saw himself as he ought to see.( 2.) It abaseth a man, it lowereth and takes down a mans Spirit in him, which is naturally very high, and lifted up in him: it makes and keeps a man poor in Spirit, as Math. 5. 3. There are some such; but Persons do never come to be such, until they come to see themselves. See what Paul saith of himself. Eph. 3. 8. he calls himself, less than the least of all Saints: and it was no compliment; he speaks his heart in those words; and every one that sees himself aright can say after him, in some measure. But in Preparation work a man doth not see himself to be Little, but, Nothing, quiter Nothing that is good, and this wonderfully abaseth a man, and lays him very low, in his own eyes: and it is meet that he should be in his own eyes, what he is indeed: for why should he live in ignorance, & in self deceivings?( 3.) It even breaks the heart in a man, when he sees himself, and also the Evil that is in Sin. There is such a thing as a broken heart; though few ever feel it, and but a few understand what it is. Isa. 61. 1. And this sight breaks the heart; it doth not only ashame, and abase a man, but breaks the heart, or doth give a great stroke towards it; and this is a great thing: For( 1.) When the heart is indeed once broken, all the world cannot heal it again: Until the Blood of Christ be applied, there is no healing: If Christ don't heal, there is none else that can. Daubing, as the Prophet calls it Ezek. 13. 10. is indeed very dangerous. But in this case it avails nothing, when God wounds, and breaks the heart indeed, there is none that can heal, but he only that wounded: it is his work.( 2.) The Spirit failes, if the Lord dont step in and help. For both these, See Isa. 57. 15, 16. & 61. 1. Now then consider these things. Did you ever know, or feel what a broken heart is? if not, you never saw your own nothingness aright: and all your Good Works, are but an Abomination before the Lord, how many and good soever they be, or seem to be.  
4. This knowledge of a mans Nothingness, makes him to abhor his own Righteousnass, and to magnify that of Christ. That is, this ever follows there upon, when God will do good unto any: you have both these in that one place: See Phil. 3. 8.( 1.) He accounts all that he had before he knew Christ, as Loss; yea as Dung: his Good Works, his Prayers, his Tears, his good Desires, or what ever else he had of like nature, before he knew Christ: what doth he do with them all? he throws them all out upon the Dunghill; all is loss, and dross, and dung, in comparison of Christ, and the knowledge of him. Let such as red consider; Sirs, do you know what this means, to suffer loss, yea the loss of all things, yea of those things, which once were accounted gain, to account them loss, and dross? It may be these things are a Mystery unto you, and you know them not: you have no experience, and so, no understanding of them; consider the matter well ( 2.) He magnifies the Righteousness of Christ: that was glorious in his eyes: the Excellency of the Knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord. Oh! Consider; was the Righteousness of Christ, ever, the most glorious thing in your eye, that ever you saw; or didst ever admire, and wonder at it. He is wonderful, Isa. 9. 6. It is his Name; and as is his Name, so is He: not only in himself; but in some measure, in the eyes of those that are His. See also 1 Pet. 2. 7. To such as believe, he is precious: and unless when they slumber, and neglect him, he is more and more so, unto them.  
5. This knowledge of a mans own Nothingness, is a growing thing: it still increaseth; and a Christian still groweth( as one may say) a greater Nothing. You will say, perhaps, how can this be? when a man is brought to Nothing, he can go no further: there is not any thing beyond that. Answ. Yes, there is a further, a fuller, a clearer discovery, of that which he saw before: for in this life, there is nothing perfect. And consider it, there is no growth in Faith or in any good thing without a growth in this: wherefore let him that heareth consider it well: have you been growing in this thing? have you been growing less, and less since your first Conversion, and can you now say, more sensibly than ever, as he did, Phil. 3. 8. Who am less, than the least of all Saints?  
The next thing is to show, why this faith that hath not works, Evangelically good, to be the fruits of it, is called a Dead Faith, tho' it have with it, never so many affections and works, that are morally good? The reason is because all those works that are not Evangelically good, are but Dead works, though they may seem to be full of Life; and as the works are but Dead works, so the Faith is but a Dead Faith.  
Obj. But how can Fasting and Prayer, and Mourning and Reforming, and the like, be Dead works? and how may it appear that sometimes they are such? and how may we discover and discern it, when they be such?  
To all this I Answer, in the following Propositions.  
1. That such works are sometimes no better, no other than Dead works, may appear thus: viz. That God neither accepts the works, nor the Persons with whom they are found: this is the case many times: and see, what God saith of such works, Isa. 1. 13, 14, 15. He calleth them Vain, Iniquity, and Abomination; He saith, I cannot away with them; my Soul hateth them, they are a trouble to me, I am weary to bear them; and when you make many Prayers, I will not hear. Why doth the Lord speak thus of them? Oh! they were all Dead works; and hence as loathsome to him, as a Dead, rotten Carcase is unto us, and more also. By the way, Note, Oh! what disappointment will many meet with, who now think themselves Rich, as they did, Rev. 3. 17. And in the issue, all are but Dead works; their best works as a loathsome Carrion. See an other example, in Luk. 18. 11, 12, 14. He thought with himself( and thanks God for it too) that he was not as other men; & yet indeed he was Nothing; blind and naked; though he fasted twice in a week, and payed tithes of all that he had; though he was not as other men, yet God accepted him not: all his works were Dead works, otherwise surely he had had acceptance with God: who accepts of us, a little, so it be Sincere: Yea two mites, is accounted a great deal, if it be all we have; much more than the abundance of self-righteous Pharisees. The most lively, and affectionate Prayers, & performances of unsound, of unregenerate ones, are but Dead works: though at present Persons don't see, or think them to be such, yet indeed they are such, and will at last appear to be such: and how much so ever such may justify themselves; yet God knows their hearts: and oftentimes, that which is highly esteemed among men, is an abomination in the sight of God: as Luk. 16. 15.  
2. These works are dead works in regard of Spiritual Life, whatever there be of any other Life in them. In a true Christian there is a twofold Life.( 1.) That whereby he lives as a man.( 2.) That whereby he lives as a Christian, or as a sound Believer. Of this latter sort, there is nothing in Unconverted persons: see Gal. 2. 20. a man, as he is a man, can labour, and reason, and take pains; and he hath many natural affections, as of fear, love, delight, sorrow, &c. and these affections may be stirred, and moved( tho' as yet there be not true Grace) so as to set a man on to the doing of many things that are morally good, though there be no Spiritual Life: See Mark 6. 20. Herod heard the Word gladly, and did many things: and yet he was still Dead in his Sin. And yet this is all the Conversion which many have, and in which they rest: viz. through the power of common Convictions, they have their natural affections stirred up, and drawn forth, even towards things in themselves, spiritual, and good; & hence a great Change follows, both in the Conversation Outwardly, and in the Heart Inwardly, yet no Spiritual Life; another heart there is, and another man: as 1 Sam. 10. 6, 9. but not a New Heart, which is necessary unto Salvation, Ezek. 18. 31. there is nothing of that new man, of which we red, Eph. 4. 24. he that is thus wrought upon, is not a New, though another man: and though he walk on now, in a way not so manifestly filthy and vile; yet really and indeed, the end thereof is the ways of Death. as Prov. 14. 12. And this woeful privilege he hath, viz. he can go down to the pit, more quietly, and with less disturbance then otherwise he could. Some make it manifest what they are: Isa. 3. 9. 2 Tim. 5. 24. others( as it were) Steal down to Hell more quietly; others don't suspect them, and they themselves hope all is well, until a fearful disappointment. Let them see what must be thei●… Everlasting Condition.  
3. Spiritual Life is an effect of Creating Power: where this Life is, there is a new Creation, a new Creature, Eph. 4. 24. 2 Cor. 5. 17. If any man be in Christ, he is a New Creature, as we have already hinted; not the old one altered, and in many respects amended, but a New One. Wherefore consider this, it may be you are much, perhaps very much altered and amended, perhaps all round about, gaze upon the Change, and many rejoice to see it, but is there a New Creation; otherwise all thy works are but dead works; tho' never so good, and glorious in thine own eyes, or in the eyes of others: Oh! take heed, that you don't rest in Changes, though never so great, without a New Creation, which brings in not only another, but a New Life. And if any one say, but how shall we know whether there be in us, this New Creation, and so any Spiritual Life, or not? I answer, attend to and consider what followeth.  
This Spiritual Life, may be discovered, or inquired after, in considering these things.  
1. It is brought out of Death: i.e. e. where was nothing but Death, there is now Life; and the Soul is made sensible that it was once dead, if now it be alive, Eph. 2. 1. Ye were dead. That they were so is certain, but he speaks of it, as of a thing which they knew full well: you that never knew and felt your Spiritual Death, have none of this Spiritual Life: you have it may be had Convictions, and that many and great also; and you have been wounded much, but never slain, as Rom. 7. 11. you have found yourselves weak and feeble, and that of yourselves you could not do what you should, nor what( you think) you would; but you never found yourselves dead, quiter dead in Sin, and shut up under Sin. as Gal. 3. 22. if so, it is to be feared, that you are dead still: and whatever life, or religious liveliness be in you, yet that there is no Spiritual Life. And to open this a little further, consider these things.  
1. When a man sees himself dead in sin, as he must see, if good come unto him, it is by a Spirit of Conviction that he sees it: it is by a Light that powerfully breaks in upon the Soul: it is made to see, whether it will or no; there is now put forth a power irresistible, and hence comes a light unavoidable, shining into the heart; for could persons shut their eyes, and avoid this light, they would surely do it: but now, that which perhaps a person had heard, and red, full many a time, and knew it doctrinally, he now knows it otherwise: it is now( in some measure at least) plain, clear, evident unto him; in that there is both light and experience to show it; it is a thing both seen and felt, as Rom. 7. 10. I found to be unto death See verse 21, 23. I find, I see: he found and felt, and saw; so it is in this case; it may be you think you have seen, but if you have not found and felt your own deadness, the rest will profit little.  
2. When a man sees this his deadness aright, it may be truly said, that he sees what he did not see before. Now that the Spirit is come to convince a person, he sees that, and sees so, as all his hearing, reading, studying, could never show him, before the Spirit of Conviction came upon him: See Joh. 16. 8. it is the Spirit that convinceth of Sin; and so of our deadness in it: it may be, you think you have seen your own deadness: but I say, how came you to see it? is it by your own abilities, making improvement of means? or have you also had a Spirit of Conviction come upon you, to show it to you? is it a work of the Spirit? is it that which you did not once see, and could not have seen, had not a work of the Spirit shown it to you, nay would not have seen, had not a powerful work of the Spirit prevailed against all opposition against it; either from the corruption of the heart within, which make no little opposition; or from the Evil One without, who also hinders what he can? for as in other respects, so in this also, the God of this World doth blind men. 2 Cor. 44.  
3. When a man sees his Deadness aright, then that Life which he once had, or seemeth to have had, is taken away from him. Rom. 7. 9. I was alive once. i. e. in his own conceit. So is every natural man alive, as Paul was, what ever he saith to the contrary. Now then consider this, hath that Life that once you had been taken away? yea the things that were once gain to you, Phil. 3. 7. In Death there is a Privation of Life: what Life have you been deprived of? Paul saith, the Commandment came, sin revived, and I dyed: can you say so too?  
4. When a man comes to see himself not only sick & weak, but also Dead, he is wonderfully affencted with it. When he knew it only by hearsay, it did not so much affect him, but now he is much moved at it: and it is a time of great difficulty and distress with the Soul; and that upon divers accounts: For( 1.) A Person now hath lost all his former hopes: that is, his presumptuous, and self righteous hopes. He was full of them once, and had none other: but now they are gone, they are lost, they are cut off: as they said in another case, Ezek. 37. 11. Our Bones are dried, our hope is lost; we are cut off for our parts. The ground-work, and foundation of all former hopes faileth: A poor Creature thought that he was something that is good, or could do something, or get something: and he had light and slighty thoughts of Sin, and of God; he counted that he could easily deal with him, about his Salvation: but now he finds it far otherwise than he thought. And indeed all that Peace and Security which ungodly ones, and unsound Professors have, ariseth chiefly from, a secret Contempt of God, in their hearts, and slighty thoughts of sin. See Psal. 50 21. Thou thoughtest I was altogether such an one as thyself. Ungodly ones dont know God, and hence don't fear him aright: And whatever any of them pretend or think, Atheistical Principles are predominate, and reign in them.( 2.) It is a time of distress with the Soul now: because he sees his danger is real, present, great; and he sees no way of escape: all his own ways utterly fail him: and though there be a way of escape, yet he sees it not: God hath not yet discovered it to him. He is therefore in a sad case, in his own account and reckoning: he is going unto destruction; he is in the way of Death; he is under Wrath, and God is angry with him: and he sees no way of escape: and hence he cannot but be much affencted now.  
Lastly, A Person comes to find and feel his Deadness, by the irritation of Corruption; the stirring of it up. Rom. 7. 9. When the Commandment came, sin revived, and I dyed. Many Lusts that were not seen before, now appear and show themselves: so that a person finds himself to be such as once he little thought he was; and it is with him in this case, much like as it is with a sick man, that grows worse and worse, until he is qu●te Dead. He sees more and more of his own Sinfulness, until he see himself to be quiter dead, in trespasses and s●ns. O consider these things, and weigh them deeply in your secret thoughts: you( it may be) hope you have some Spiritual Life, but how came you by it? was it brought out of Death? when did you see, and feel yourselves quiter dead in sin? you perhaps think yourselves to be alive, but it may be, it is no otherwise then Paul was afore his Conversion. Rom. 7. 9. I was alive: how was that? he was brought up at the feet of one that was a Doctor of the Law: Yes, and he profited much in his own Religion: but it was with him, as now a days it is with many that have a good Educatin; he was a forward Professor indeed, but without a powerful, killing work of the Law; and what he did in Persecuting of the Church, he did it in his ignorance and in a zeal of God. See Phil. 3. 6. You have a work, it may be, unto much Conviction, and unto great awakenings, but not such as to show you THIS DEATH: and hence though you have been much wounded, yet you have recovered again to Security by false comfort: you never came to Dy, and so are Dead still; and your best works are Dead works, and how sad is that condition!  
2. Where this Spiritual Life is in any, there is a double life. This we have hinted at before. See it further opened now: from that place, Gal. 2. 20. — The life which I now live in the flesh. He now lived a life, which befoe he did not. So that where Spiritual Life is, there is a New Life, a double life. Mark, that I say not an other life only, but a new one: for in many unsound 〈◇〉▪ there is a very great Change; an other man, and an other lice, but not a new one. The distinction here is good, and founded upon the word of God, as hath been already shown. See 1 Sam. 6. 9. If a man be never so much, & so often changed, and that for the better too, all is nothing, as to Salvation, unless he become a New man, a New Creature; such, in the Apostles sense, 2 Cor. 5. 17. Many, and great Changes, some unsound ones meet with, and they live other lives than once they did, but yet still it is not a new life, which they live: it is the old life which they live still, though much altered in many things, from which alteration it is that we call it an other life.  
And concerning this New Life, this Spiritual Life; we may consider these few things, to make some further discovery of it, that we may know what we be, and what our faith is.  
1. It differs from the former religious Life; not in degree only but in kind: So it was with the Life that Paul said he now lived; before Conversion, he lived a sensitive, a rational life, as other men did; and he had a Religious Life too: touching the Righteousness of the Law, blameless: he was also zealous Phil. 3. 6. And so were they, Rom. 10. 2. But now he lived an other Life, such as he never did before: and this Life differed from the former, not only in degree, for then he had been only a greater Pharisee, and indeed a worse man than he was before: but this life differed in sort, or kind from what he had before. Now let such as hope consider this. You( it may be) have had the benefit, or advantage of a good Education, and have had Convictions also, by hearing and reading of the Word, and otherwise, and thereby have been brought on to some Profession, and Practise of Religion, without being born again; this is the case with many: but know that you must have a Religion of a new kind, or else perish in your old Religion, though you increase it, or add to it never so much, and it become never so fair and specious. You know, Men and Beasts are both of them Animals, living Creatures, yet they differ in kind, notwithstanding the other agreement. So much must your Religion differ from what it once was else it will prove to be of little worth, at last, even no more than that of the Pharisees.  
2. He that hath this new Life, he lives a Holy Life, without which no man shall see the Lord. Heb. 12. 14. he is Spiritually minded, he Walks after the Spirit. Rom. 8. 1, 4, 5, 6. he minds and seeks the things above; the things of another World, where Jesus Christ is. Col. 3. 1. Phil. 3. 19. he that minds Earthly Things, his end his destruction: this is the true Word of God. Joh. 17. 17. Thy Word ●… s Truth. Let men flatter, and deceive themselves now they will; if they do not live a holy life, and walk after the Spirit, they are in their Sins still; and their saith, if they pretend to any, is but a Dead Faith. It is true, this Spiritual Life may be much clouded, and the Operations of it much impedited, and hindered, but there it is; ●… t is not always easy to be discovered, as it is with a Child in the Womb, if it have Life, it will ●… ir, and be felt at times, though sometimes, and ●… n some cases, it may be not of a good while: ●… o it is in this case: and this Life may perhaps at some times be best discovered, by the opposition that is made against it; by that Lusting spoken of in Gal. 5. 17. of the Flesh against the Spirit: by that Warring. Rom. 7. 23. Some persons fear they have no Life, because they have that which is indeed a good evidence of Life: if there be any thing of the Spirit in us, the Flesh will Lust against it; and so also as that we cannot do the things which we would: if there be that Law of the mind spoken of, Rom. 7. 23. there will be found another Law warring, and bringing us into Captivity, unto the Law of Sin, which is in our members: and it is true also, that a Christian must not sit down under complaints, and give way to the inward workings of Corruptions, the issue of that will be sad; yet where a Lively Faith is, that Soul is full of sad and sorrowful complaints Paul was so, and who more than he? see Rom. 7. at large: and indeed, if there be no War, there is no Life of Grace; and he that will approve himself to be a Living Christian, must be in good earnest in this Warfare, and will have a sorrowful experience daily of what it is to be brought into Captivity. Oh! wretched man that I am: be saith not, that I was, but, that I am. Let those think of this, who go on in an easy way; neither Sin, nor Satan trouble them much: Formality may pass on easily; but the Power of Godliness will meet with the sorest Conflicts and Oppositions; for this strikes right down blows at Sin, and meets with answerable opposition: who had more Grace than Paul? and who more sensible of Opposition, than he? so that when, or when ever he would do good, any good thing, evil was present with him. Rom. 7. 21. thus it was with him, thus it is with others. And for this there is a cloud of Witnesses: may the number of them be increased daily!  
3. Where this Spiritual Life is, Christ lives in the Soul: Gal. 2. 20. Christ lives in me.— Oh! see here the privilege, the glory, and the happiness of a Child of God: and consider it; you it may be, have many duties, good desires and affections, and the like, in which you secretly trust: but consider, doth Christ live in you? doth he dwell, and rule in you? if not, you have no well grounded hope, Col. 1. 27. Christ in you the hope of Glory: If Christ be not in you, you have no well grounded hope of Glory. Consider it well; you have this in you, and that in you, and the other thing, it may be increased in Goods, as they said of themselves. Rev. 3. 17. common Convictions have brought you on to many things; well, but is Christ in you, or not? if he be not, e're long you will be ashamed of your hope.  
Now if Christ be in you, Then,  
1. You live a Life of self abasement: the more Christ lives, and rules in any one, the more mean, and low, little and not hang is such an one in his own eyes: who have had more of Christ in them than Paul had? none more; or for certain, he had very much: yet see what he saith of himself. 2 Cor. 12. 11. — I be nothing, Gal. 2. 20. I live, yet not I. Eph. 3. 8. — Who am less then the least of all Saints. When a man lives a self-righteous life, he exalts himself; all his abasements and humiliations, are in the issue, but his exaltation, and as a stepping ston to raise himself upon; the secret language of his heart is, I, I: I am this, and I am that, and I can do, and do do these and those things: But when Christ comes in to the Soul, there is a great change, then the language is still; Not I, not I! then Christ is all in all: a person desires to aclowledge him in all: and to set the Crown upon his head; and the Soul seeks itself, in abasing itself, and in exalting of the Lord Christ: and fain would do so, more, and better; and if this be not the frame of out hearts, and the Spirit of our Religion, we indeed may call it Christian, but the Lord will not call it as we do. Wherefore consider this; did you ever find any thing of this Change, of this new way of living; do you grow still less and less, and doth Christ grow greater & greater in your hearts as John said of Christ; he must increase, but 〈…〉 must decrease. Joh. 3. 30. and as verse 29. therein he would rejoice: know you what it is, thu●… to rejoice? did you ever feel any of this kind o●… joy? the Lord help you rightly to reflect upo●… yourselves, and to consider thereof.  
2. If Christ live in you, there will be a dyin●… unto the world. Gal. 2. 20. I am crucified with Christ crucified, unto sin, and unto the World. If Persons Love the World, and the things of it, as I Joh. 2. 15. Christ doth not live in them: in this case the word is plain, let persons look to themselves as well as they can. Also see Gal. 6. 14. If you be not Crucified unto the World, and that to you, you have as yet no saving acquaintance with the across of Christ. And yet we would have none of the Children of God discouraged: and therefore if any such object, and say, I can find but little or nothing of this dying unto the World, yea rather there seems to be much of the contrary. viz A heart much cleaving unto these things. I answer, yet it may be God is carrying on this work: you know there is pain upon the across, and so, it may be( 1) The Lord is embittering unto you, all these things, in which you have been too much seeking rest: it may be you have seldom had any outward Comfort, but you have had your across with it; yea the greatest Comforts, and Sweets, have had their bitters with them. All thy Roses have had their thorns; and( 2.) It may be God hath made you weary of the worldliness, and carnalness of your own hearts; and also shown unto you a better way of living; though you cannot come at it, at you would, yet you can account it precious, if you could attain it: and you say, Oh! how happy should I be, if I could live in a Spiritual Frame, and walk after the Spirit. as Rom. 8. 1. Now ask yourselves, what you would have, if you might have what you would; cannot you say as he did. Psal. 119. 30. I have chosen the way of truth. Perhaps you will say, I find a strong desire after the things of this World, and I doubt, I choose these things. Answ. But are there not times when it is otherwise; and hath not God shown unto you, a more excellent way? perhaps it is now a dark time, but consider what hath been; remember the times, of which you are ready to say, then it was better with me, than Now: had you never any sensible fellowship with the Father, and with his Son Christ Jesus? yea, doth not your judgement still stand for a Spiritual way of Living, though you cannot regulate, and command your affections as you would, but are daily brought into Captivity unto the Law of Sin, as he complains. Rom. 7. 23.  
3. If Christ live in you, he will sometimes manifest himself unto you. Joh. 14. 21. he will not be wholly a Stranger unto you, he will sometimes let you see something of his face, and some times more than at other times. Sometimes you shall sit down under his shadow, if not with great, yet with some delight at least. as Cant. 2. 3 and his Fruit shall be sweet unto your taste. Yea, he will bring you into his Banqueting House, though your Entertainment there may not be so full, and large, as some have experience of. And to op 〈…〉, consider these things.  
1. So●e●●mes he manifests himself to his by a sudden and sensible breaking in of light upon the Soul, 2 Cor. 4. 6. As in the first Creation, so in this second. God who Commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the Glory of God, in the face of Jesus Christ. This is sometimes sudden, it is e're a person is ware. As Cant. 6. 12. The Word of God is Light. 2 Pet. 1. 19. And one principal use of it, unto us, is to give us light: Even Spiritual light, and Spiritual discerning of Spiritual things. Psal. 19. 8. & 119. 130. It doth enlighten the eyes, and giveth light: and if it have not this effect in us; we have no real benefit by it: if thus it be hide to us, we are lost. 2 Cor. 4. 3, 4. But that which I show is, that the Lord can, & sometimes doth make the light of his word, suddenly and gloriously shine in upon the hearts of them that are his. Oh! how precious is a word, sometimes made to be unto a Child of God, which he hears or reads, or is made to come, into his mind! And he thinks he shall never forget such a word, and such a time. And many times, these breakings in of light are at such times, when they are least of all expected. And he that hath any taste of this, will desire more of this light, and enlightening. Thus he Psal. 119. 18. Open thou mine eyes that I may behold wondrous things out of thy Law. And all these Openings and enlightenings, come from above; they can in no wise be gotten, unless they be given. Jam. 1. 17. And doth any poor Soul that hath had them, fear they are of his own making? let him then, if he can make more. The Lord gives them, how, & when, & to whom, and in what degree, he pleaseth.  
2. Sometimes by a more gradual discovery of the way of the Gospel, whereby the Soul comes to see more clearly into it. This is sometimes, as the dawning of the day, by degrees, and hence less sensible unto them that have it; but yet hereby Christ is more known; and the Soul increaseth in Spiritual knowledge, or understanding, as it is called. Col. 1. 9. There is a notional knowledge of Spiritual things; and a Spiritual understanding; this is only found with true Believers. 1 Cor. 2. 14, 15. And some thing of it, with all such: and where it is, it shall be increased: and this should be much endeavoured by all such. 2 Pet. 3. ult. And this is that which the Apostle so much desireth for them, in Eph. 1. 17. By the improvement of Sanctified reason, called by the Apostle, the Spirit of Wisdom( for so I understand it) Christians grow into a further measure of the knowledge of God, and of his Son Christ Jesus, whom to know, is life eternal. Joh. 17. 3. And so are by degrees further rooted and built up in him, and more established in the faith. Compare Col. 2. & Verses 2, 7.  

USE. I.  
Try yourselves whether your faith be a Dead faith, or no: I suppose you to have faith, to be believers, and to have hopes that your condition, God ward, is Good; and it may be you say you will trust in Christ, and whatever come of it, you will do so; and for all the World, I would not willingly stagger the hopes, and make sad the heart of the meanest of those that are indeed true Believers in Christ Jesus. Nevertheless( these times abounding with such as be but formal Professors) let us search and try the matter, and not lightly pass it over. And Consider,  
Trial. 1. It may be your trust in him ariseth from one, or all of these things: and so it is with many, and if so, with you? your faith is a Dead faith; and what ever else you be, you are yet in your sins.( 1) Perhaps it ariseth from ignorance of yourselves, and of sin, and of God &c. It will one day appear, that the very bottom and foundation or some mens faith, the Corner ston of it is laid in, and springs from ignorance of themselves, and of sin; and from secret, unseen, but a real Contempt of God, whom they seem to fear, and pretend to trust in: they trust in him, so did they, Mic. 3. 11. Not because they knew him, but rather because they knew him not. Oh! consider it, you say you trust in Christ, but it may be you never saw yourselves yet, nor the Plague of your own hearts. The Commandment never came, & sin never revived, as he speaks, Rom. 7. 9. It may be you never saw the evil of sin. You neither know God, nor have seen your ignorance of God. Now while a man is thus without a thorough Conviction, it may be a thing of no great difficulty for him, to trust in Christ; as he thinks: but when he comes to see himself, and the Law, his faith and trust will vanish; and he must begin again upon a new bottom: and now it appears that his former trust and faith, was nothing, but Presumption, rashness, folly, delusion: all which had its foundation laid, in a destructive, ruining ignorance of himself, and of that, holy, holy dreadful Majesty with whom we have to do, & who will by no means clear the guilty.( 2) Perhaps it ariseth only from an Historical, notional knowledge, of the way of the Gospel. It may be you have red, and heard much of this way, and seemed to fall in with it, and there you rest, but know nothing of the power of it, of the difficulties that be in it. See 1 Cor. 4. 20. The kingdom of God is not in word, but in power. 1 Thes. 1. 5. Our Gospel came, not in word only, but in power. The Law must come in power to kill us, that we may Live unto God, Gal. 2. 19. And so must the Gospel come in power too, or else we shall have no saving benefit by it. In power.( 1) To overcome the heart, that we may submit to it: for the heart is ever full of opposition to the way of the Gospel; and that upon divers accounts. 2 Cor. 10. 4, 5. Pulling down strong holds, casting down imaginations, or reasonings, and every high thing that exalts itself, &c.( 2) To affect the heart much; it is an affecting thing, when the Gospel comes in power, An excellent, and wonderful thing is in the way of the Gospel: in itself it is so, and to all that have a right understanding of it. Phil. 3. 8. Also it is powerful in melting the heart for, and turning of it from sin. Tit. 2. 11, 12.( 2) Perhaps your faith is a cover of, and a pillow for Spiritual sloth; and then it is surely a Dead faith. Sometimes persons being unsound, they are lazy and slothful; they will not watch, and war, and work, as they ought; they secretly mentain a Truce with their lusts, they will not be at pains to purge themselves, and to mortify their lusts; which yet they must do, or dy in them, and for them. Rom. 8. 13. Well, what rest can they have in that way, and how can they be quiet? Answ. They trust in Christ, as they say, and will venture themselves there, and this quiets them. Oh! Adulterous Generation! Do you make Christ a Pillow for sloth, a Patron of sin? It is no better: will ye fight against him with his own Weapons? Cry, Hail Master, and betray him? he knows how to discover, and to deal with such well enough; and will do it in due time; he will discover the guile and treachery of their own hearts to themselves, and to all the world. Ponder that place, 1 John 3. 3. He that hath this hope( which springs from a lively faith) purifies himself. But he that sits down in sloth, and loves his sin, hath a Dead faith. I say not, he that Complains of Spiritual slothfulness in himself: for what almost do many Godly ones complain of more? and they account that it is never better with them, then when they can get some power against it. How often doth the Psalmist beg, and pray, Quicken me: And see Psal. 119. 32. When thou shalt enlarge my heart, &c.  
Trial 2. If your Faith be not a Dead Faith, it will have fruits: even such as we red of. Rom. 6. 2. Fruits unto holiness: I shall instance in three things.( 1.) Repentance.( 2.) Mortification.( 3) Vivification. Now these are great points, and to open fully any one of them, requires a treatise by itself. I mention them only by way of trial, to discover whether our Faith be a Dead Faith or not. And therefore must pass over them briefly.  
Fruit 1. One fruit is Repentance; and this makes way for, and unto holiness of heart and light. Acts 11. 18. it is therefore called Repentance unto Life. Repentance( if it be true) and Faith go together. Mark 1. 15. Repent ye, and beeieve, &c. there is a Repentance preparatory, and antecedaneous unto Faith: and there is a Repentance that is a consequent, and a fruit of it. Now 'tis this Repentance of which I am to speak; and I shall consider these few things only, in speaking to which yet I may take in, some of those things 〈◇〉, which are preparatory to, tho' chiefly I shall speak of those things which follow Faith: the design of the whole is, to discover to us what our Faith is, whether a Dead Faith or not.( 1.) A sight of sin.( 2.) A sorrow for sin. And( 3) A shane, or self-abasement for it.( 4.) The main, or principal spring and rise of that sorrow or shane, viz. some Gospel consideration, something seen of Christ, and of the Gospel.  
1. There must be a sight of sin: until a man sees sin, he will never, he can never repent of it: and he must see it aright, e're he can repent of it aright: and to that end there must be an enlightening, and an opening of the eyes: a turning from darkness unto light, which is a main work, and fruit of the Ministry of the Word. Acts 26. 18. Mans natural state, is a state of darkness, blindness, ignorance, though he know it not, yet so it is: now when God will do good to any, He calleth them out of darkness into his marvelous light: but that which I show is, that when God will do good to any, by giving them Repentance unto life, he gives them a sight of sin: till they see it, they will not repent of it; and when they do see it, they will repent of it, and turn from it.  
Obj. But don't all men own themselves to be Sinners, and most men own themselves to be great Sinners too; what is this sight of sin, of which you speak?  
Answ. There are( among the rest) these three things in it, which I shall observe from that seventh of the Romans, where Paul sheweth how it was with him, when God came to do him good.( 1.) Such a sight as came from the coming of the Commandment, verse 9. the Commandment came. How? Why, it came with light, and was set on with power upon his heart: there is no thorough knowledge of ourselves, and of sin, without this. verse 7. I had not known sin, but by the Law: i.e. by its coming thus: for otherwise he knew the Law before, and Sin too; and thought he knew all that he had need to know: this is therefore to be considered; you say, you know, and see sin, but I ask, how did you come to see it? did the Commandment ever come with light, and power? hath the Word ever been a powerful, enlightening word unto your Souls? Psal. 19. 8. yea, hath there been such a sight, as could never have been obtained, by all reading, hearing studying, and use of means, without this work of which we speak?( 2) Such a sight as comes from the reviving of sin: sin revived saith Paul: the Commandment came, and sin revived: what is that? Answ. See verse 8. Without the Law, sin was dead: the Sin before that seemed to be dead, was now irritated, now it revives, it appears to be alive, and shows itself. You may understand it thus; I will open it in three things only, and briefly.  
1. There be all sorts of sin, there is every lust in the heart of every man: there is a mighty Host, and Army of Sins, and Lusts in the heart; and hence the heart is said to be full of evil. Eccles. 9. 3. and hence when he had a sight of himself in such renewed convictions as God saw meet to give him, he saw his Sins to be innumberable, even more than the hairs of his head: Psal. 40. 12. and so Paul, Rom. 7 8. saw in himself all manner of concupiscence; and it is frequent with persons under convictions, to say that they find in themselves all manner of sin: but that which I say is, whatever they see, every sin is there really, and they shall know it too, e're the Lord have done with them, if he mean to make thorough work with them.  
2. All these particular Lusts that be in the heart, do not always actually stir or work; they are like to Enemies that Ly Entrenched, all ready, upon the Watch word, or Alarm given, to show themselves, and to make a fierce assault, as occasion may be; whereas many of them Ly still, and stir not at all, or but little, of a long time together: much so it is here, in this case. All men are by nature, what any one is; Unclean, Drunkards, Murderers, and the like; all these, and all other sins are in them, they Ly Encamped, and Entrenched in the heart, all ready when a Temptation shall come, and restraints be removed, which are many, and various, and of which, I cannot now speak in particular; they will surely show themselves, as much as any other sins, which do stir, and work in the heart or life. Hazael will show himself to be a Dog, though at present he himself cannot think it. 2 King. 8. 13.  
3. When the Commandment comes, there is as it were a great Alarm given to Corruption, and hence there is a great stir in the Soul, as it were a rally, and up rising of Corruptions; and hence Paul saith, that when the Commandment came, it wrought in him: i.e. it did irritate, and stir up in him, all manner of Concupiscence, or Corruption. Sin was now,( if I may so express it) all up in Arms; when the Commandment came, it fell upon sin in good earnest to destroy it, and to root it out; and hence sin, did( as it were) stand up for its Life: it shewed itself, its strength, its rage unto the utmost; before this the Commandment did nothing to the purpose, it made no vigorous on set upon the Soul; the most it did, was to bring the Soul to some Outward Conformity to the Law, which Sin within might the more easily dispense with, because it might still live, and reign in the Soul, notwithstanding that: but when indeed the Commandment comes, the case is otherwise; sin perceives itself to be in real danger, itis very life and being is sorely struck at; and hence it will stir, work and show itself, even all that it can. Alas, what do many persons think of Sin! will it dy easily, and quietly leave its station, will it do nothing? and speak never a word for its life? are our Lusts such tame and seeble things? Oh! no Paul found it otherwise; and so shall any one that shall indeed put the matter upon trial: yea after Conversion, tho' sin, and formality may tolerably agree together; yet wherever th●… Power of Godliness, is in any good measure, there ensueth a sore war with Sin; and the more there is of the Power of Godliness, the more sore an●… close will the combat and Conflict be: who complains more, than that great Christian. Rom. 7. 23, 24. and in the foregoing verses? and why doth he thus complain? was it because he was weaker, and had less Grace? No, it was just the contrary. In a word, let us be sincere, and in good earnest with our Lusts, to destroy them, and we shall then have a very humbling, abasing experience of their strength and power in us: while in the mean while Formality may pass along in the world, and thorough all our religious performances much more quietly.  
3. It must be a killing sight of sin. See Rom. 7. 9, 10, 11, 13. Sin revived, and I dyed— I found to be unto death— and by it slay me-working death in me. Here is a heap of expressions, all of them showing the same thing in general; we must consider therefore the more deeply what may be the meaning of them. This then I say, this sight must be a killing sight, such as will slay a man: It slay me. When Paul saw himself full of all manner of Concupiscence; and when he saw sin appearing in its own colours; it had no vizard on, it did but look like itself; it did appear sin, verse 13. he immediately falleth down dead at the sight of it; it wrought death in him, it slay him. And note here, it is a great thing to dy, and it is more terrible still to be slain. Now to open this a little, this dying, killing, slaying, hath these things in it, besides what else might be name.  
1. it takes away from a person the life which once he thought he had, and in which he trusted; every man naturally thinks himself to be alive, though indeed he be dead in sins. Rom. 7. 9. I was alive once; i.e. in his own conceit: so are many: and they trust in this life, they lean, and live upon it, it is their confidence, and their rejoicing, they account it gain, as he speaks, Phil. 3. 7. and this many do, whatever they think, pretend, or profess to the contrary: now this Life is taken away, when a person comes to see himself, and his sin aright. Consider then these things, know you what this meaneth to have this life taken away? else you be alive still, as Paul before Conversion was: that is, in conce it alive, but dead indeed; and on some accounts in a worse condition, then many of those, who are yet far from Christ: you must dy, you must be slain, that so you may be quickened, and may Live unto God. Gal. 2. 19. mark what he saith, — I am dead▪ that I might live.▪ q d. It was needful that I should dy, that I might live: a man without this may indeed live unto himself, but not unto God, how religious, soever he may be, or seem to be.  
2. It leaves a man without the least ability, or hope to help himself: he saith, he findeth, and feeleth that he hath no ability to help himself, no more than a dead man hath: and he hath no hope in that matter; we say, as long as there is life, there is hope; but when a man is once dead, there is no hope: so it is here, while a man is alive in himself, he hath many self-righteous hopes; but when the Commandment comes, and sin revives, and he dyes, all these hopes are gone; and truly persons do not easily come to say there is no hope. Isa. 57. 10. Men indeed do easily own themselves, many times, to be wholly helpless in themselves, but when they come indeed to feel, and find it so, it is grievous, it is a killing thing to them, and cannot be otherwise; but I shall not enlarge in this point, yet a word of it; wherefore I say,  
3. It is a terrible thing unto the Soul to come unto this, as we have formerly, and but now also hinted; and that for these reasons.( 1.) The Soul is now under the deepest sense of Soul concerns, & highly engaged to seek for help; he cannot make a light thing of perishing, as many do, and as perhaps himself once long did; no, it is now unto him, as indeed it is in itself: a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. Heb. 10. 31. he cannot bear the thoughts of perishing for ever: he lies under a deep sense of a necessity of having help; he hath no rest because of sin, and his iniquities are an heavy burden, too heavy for him. Psal. 38. 3, 4. the Spirit is wounded, and he cannot bear it; a sense of wrath lies on him, so that now he can no more rest, and sleep as in dayes past.( 2.) All that he hath built, and learned upon, now faileth him: he would have done what they endeavoured. Rom 10 3. viz. have established his own righteousness. There is not one man among all Adams Posterity, that is not naturally very strongly inclined this way; but he sees now that he cannot do it; he cannot make his own way stand; he labours in vain; and instead of growing better, he complains that all is worse and worse, and therefore now knows not what to do, nor what course to take, nor which way to turn himself. Act. 2. 37. and then( 3) He sees no other way of help as yet: the right way he knows not. Isa. 59. 8. and as yet there is no judgement in his goings: all his own ways fail him; and hence he must needs be distressed; and a thorough sight of sin doth not come off lightly with any; though some have more grievous, and sorer travail than others have Oh! consider these things, it may be, you have not taken the first step towards Repentance, you have not had a thorough sight of sin: if so, the rest is wanting, and your Faith, but a Dead Faith.  
2. Another thing in this Repentance, which is a fruit of a lively Faith, is Sorrow for Sin; the Scripture abundantly makes mention of this; and often sets it forth in very high Expressions. See Ezek. 7 16. Where true Repentance is, there is a Mourning for sin. — All of them mourning, every one for his iniquity: and Zech 12. 10. They shall mourn, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitter ness. 2. Cor. 7. 9. ye sorrowed unto Repentance.  
3. Another thing in this Repentance is shane, and Abasement of Soul for Sin. See Rom. 6. 21. — Those things whereof ye are now ashamed. When God gives Repentance to a Person, he is ashamed of his former ways and courses; whether he walked in a way of grosser sinning, or in a way of Pharisaism, and self righteousness, as Paul once did, trusting in a blameless Life, as he calls it, Phil. 3. 6. When his eyes are opened, he will be ashamed of himself, his sin & folly, showing itself, in his former ways and courses. And of this sorrow and shane I shall say these things briefly; a little to open, and enlighten the things we are upon, as we go along.( 1.) This sorrow and abasement arises from an enlightening to show a man more of sin, than once he saw in himself; and to show him the evil that is in sin. First there must be an enlightening, Act. 26. 18. To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light. There must then be an enlightening, as also we have already hinted: and they have nothing of this enlightening, that know nothing of their own blindness and darkness, who never saw, felt and mourned under that: And this enlightening is to show a man more of himself, that once he did see: for this is certain, persons though they live under the light of the Gospel, yet they don't know how bad and vile they be, until God open their eyes, and cause them to know their abominations; which is usually by the work of the Ministry, Ezek. 16. 2. The Spirit working with the word; otherwise all is nothing: or the most that a person will attain, is an Historical knowledge of himself, and of his own vileness; and his Faith and Repentance will be answerable. Also the evil of sin( as we said) must be seen: sin must be seen in another manner, and look with another face, than once it ●id: it must appear sin, which it doth but to a ●●w, and become exceeding sinful. Rom. 7. 13. And ●hen a man will be ashamed and mourn, and not else.( 2.) This sorrow and mourning hath always a great mixture of hardness and pride of heart with it: for in nothing are we perfect in this life; and what is there almost that a humbled Soul complains of more, and desires to get rid of more, than of an hard, and a proud heart; and so much of this is sometimes seen, and felt, that a person fears there is nothing else. See Isa. 63. 17. This is certainly one part of a Christians work, and his Warfare is within his own heart, with the pride, hardness, unbrokenness, and other distempers thereof. Some Professors indeed find no hard work with their own hearts, they think they have all things, and have need of nothing; but these are indeed miserable, wretched, blind and naked, Rev. 3. 17. They indeed Pray for many things, but not from a sight and sense of their wants: they are only empty words, which they speak and the lord abhors their best Prayers.( 3.) This sorrow and abasement is a growing thing: if other Graces grow, this doth; and as this groweth so do all other: if a person don't grow in Humiliation and Repentance, he groweth not at all, so as indeed to increase with the increase of God. Now this growth in some, indeed is very little; as some men, so some Christians are very low in stature: and there are Winter seasons in many Christians lives, in which they grow but little, or not at all: yet in their general course they do grow. Joh. 15. 2. He purgeth them that they may bring forth more fruit. Now consider this; some say, they have Repented of sin; and hence sit down, as if all the difficulty were over, and they had no more to do: but if their work be right, it must continue, increase and grow. If your Repentance be all over, and done, it was never yet well begun: Alas you have deceived yourselves: think of it, while time lasteth.  
4. The main spring of this sorrow and abasement, is some Gospel Consideration: something of Christ, and the Grace of God in him. Tit. 2. 11, 12. What is that which effectually teacheth a person to deny his sin, and to repent of it? Truly nothing so much as this: viz. the Grace of God appearing. There be other things, but this is the main. See Ezek. 16. two last verses. Consider then what influences, and motives you are under? is it things Legal or Evangelical? is it Law or Gospel that chiefly moves you? you will say, how shall I know that? Answ.  
( 1.) Hath the light of the glorious Gospel. ever been made to shine in unto your hearts? To some it is hide. See 2 Cor. 4. 3, 4, 6. But God shines into the hearts of some to give light. Hath he ever shined into thy heart? Hath the light of the Gospel been unto thee, the most glorious light?  
( 2.) Do Gospel Considerations influence, and work on your hearts? it may be you can sometimes fear: but doth the Love of Christ ever constrain you. 2 Cor. 5. 14, 15. If you do live at all a Spiritual Life, you Live to him that dyed for you, and his Love constrains you: and indeed whatever we do in Religion, if it be not a fruit of Faith, and of Love;( for faith works by Love, Gal. 5. 6.) all is nothing; and whatever, and how much soever it be, the Lord accepts it not with any good will.  
Now here is a Knot that should be untied, as we go along lest we leave matters too dark. viz. Some think they have Love to Christ, when indeed they have none: and some fear they have none, when indeed they have much, at least some. A word of each.  
1. Some think they have much Love to Christ, but they have none in truth: or no true Love. for as we red of true holiness: or holiness of truth. Eph. 4. 24. So there is a true Love; and a Love that is not of truth; and the Love which many have to Christ is no better than that which they had of old, who one while cried, Hosanna to the Son of David; and alterward, Crucify him, Crucify him, away with him: or that of the young man that came running to Christ, with much zeal, and by and by, he turns his back on him; he went away sorrowful. So it is with many, they seem to have much Love for a season, but in time it withers, as Joh. 5. 35. The reason is, they never know Christ, nor themselves neither, not thoroughly: and hence it is with them, as with the stony ground. Matth. 13. 5, 20, 21. There wanted deepness of earth: thorowness of Conviction; and hence though the word were received with joy, yet all dureth but for a while; he hath no root in himself: no inward principle of Spiritual life & love; only the natural affections are raised, by the power of Convictions, and turned( in some sort) another way than formerly; but there being no Sanctifying change, in time, all turns again to the old Channel: or else a person contents himself with common love, and affections, instead of that which is Spiritual, and flows from a Sanctifying change in the Soul.  
2. There are some that have much Love, or at least true Love to Christ, that fear that they have none at all. Obj. How can this be? if a man have true Love, he may know it, one would think. Answ. No, not always: we can neither discern Christs Love to us, nor our Love to him, unless the Spirit of God, discover the same unto us. 1 Cor. 2. 12. We are said to receive the Spirit, that we may know the things that are freely given to us of God. So also those things that are freely wrought in us, will be all clouded & in darkness, unless the Spirit do enlighten our minds, and discover them unto us. See Rom. 8. 16. The Spirit itself bears witness with our Spirit. Our Spirit will, it can witness nothing to us, for our comfort, unless the Spirit of God join & witness together therewith: if this Spirit as to this work of it, be withdrawn( as many times it is) we are all in darkness, and have no light, though we fear God and obey him; there is no light sufficient to discover that to us, which indeed is in us. A persons love to Christ is always seen, and discerned by Christ, but not always by himself, yet we should seek to find it out in ourselves: and therefore as we pass along in our work, consider only these two things in this place.  
1. Have you seen Christ? if you have, you cannot but Love, and believe in him: and so e ' contra. Seen him? how is that? Answ. Not with bodily eyes: for when he was on earth, many saw him so, and perished for ever: and to see him now with out bodily eyes, would be like to confounded us, rather than profit us; however it is not to be expected by us. Not by hear-say, and report only: for so all see him under the Gospel: but have you seen him, by a work of the Spirit revealing Christ in you? Gal. 1. 15, 16. When it pleased God to reveal his Son in me, or to me. Christ is never seen, or known by any, how much soever they hear of him, till God reveal him. Now, if you have seen him, there is at least a latent, rooted Love to, and belief in him, which shall never utterly fail, but in due time appear, and at last be found unto Salvation. And if you have seen him, you have seen your Spiritual ignorance of him; and that ignorance that yet remains, is among your chief complaints.  
2. If you Love him, you will Love those that are his 1 Joh. 3. 14. And on this account, for that of him, that is in them: and he that doth not Love the people of God, doth not Love God himself 1 Joh. 4. 20. If we Love him, l we shall Love them that are his, because they are his: and they are one, as God and Christ are one. John 17. 11, 21. 22.  
2. The second fruit to be considered of( by way of trial) is Mortification of sin, or the purifying of the Soul from it, which is a fruit of faith. Acts 15. 9. Purifying their hearts by faith. The heart is never purified; and sin is never mortified, until faith come: and that always doth something this way, unless it be a Dead faith. Sin may be as it were stunned, and knocked on the head, by Convictions, and legal terrors, but is never mortified, until faith come, and then something is done indeed.  
Now, having mentioned this, as one thing to try ourselves by, we must clear and open the point, and endeavour to free it, ere we leave it, from whatsoever might cloud and darken it: And the difficulty is to show the difference between the effects of Legal terrors, and Common Convictions in restraining sin, and that of Faith in mortifying sin: and the difference between that effect which that faith which is yet indeed but a Dead faith may have upon sin, and that which a Lively faith hath in mortifying of sin.  
And first we shall consider the difference that is between Legal Terrors restraining Sin; and that of Faith in mortifying it. And here I premise this one thing: viz. that particular Lusts, by Legal Terrors, and common convictions, are many times, as it were benumbed, in a swoon, when not at all mortified; and here many deceive themselves; they find no present disposition, or inclination to their former lusts, but some aversation from them, and hence they think they are thoroughly reformed, and mortified, when as there is no such thing; they have only changed their way of sinning; as he that was a gross Sinner perhaps, is now a formal Professor, a self-righteous Sinner: Sin in him now runs out in another channel; he is as much a Sinner as ever, tho' in another way, and he sees it not.  
Now when sin is only stunned and benumbed with Legal Terrors, and forced as it were to pull in its head, and to shrink back into the deep, & dark corners of the heart, and so to find another vent, a more secret, and undiscovered passage. Then,  
1. A mans life in Religion is mercenary; all his Obedience is Legal, and Servile; not filial: such a persons Obedience is but an endeavouring to pay the debt of Satisfaction for Sin which he owes to God, and to pacify his anger, which he hopes to do, by a better walking then formerly; and though such persons do not profess so, yet really it is so, with them. And hence one of these things following, may be said of them: either( 1) They deceive themselves in thinking all is well with them, when it is not.( 2) They find that they cannot make their peace with God, and so return again to folly; or else( 3) Spend their time in a wearyish formality, and so perish for ever at last.—( 1) Some think they have paid their debt, by their repentings, and reformings, and other good works; and hence their minds are at rest, in some measure; but there comes an after reckoning at death, when it appears that their coin is not current: & what they trust to will not be accepted; the Lord abhors all that they have offered to him for payment; and hence they are cast into Hell, where they are for ever tormented; for they can never pay the debt.( 2) Some find that by all they do, they cannot make their peace with God; they are still running into arrearages: still God is provoked by them daily; and hence complain that their labour is in vain, that they serve an hard master. Mat 25. 24. that gathers where he had not sown; that requires obedience, but gives not strength answerable; and hence grow discouraged, and like the Israelites of old, finding the difficulties of the Wilderness, would return into Egypt again: so these forsake the Lord, and his Service, and return to their old ways again, or some other as bad: as the dog to his vomit. 2 Pet. 2. ult.( 3) Some wear out their time in a heartless, uncomfortable, and unprofitable attendance to the duties of Religion; they do hope, and fear much according as be the wainings or increase of their own righteousness, or legal performances: for the way of peace they have not known; and there is no judgement in their goings.  
But now the true believer, his obedience is filial: he goes to work, but not to pay his debt: for he hath seen that done already by another, or knows that if ever it be done, it must be by another; and hence the main spring of his obediebce, is Love to God, and his great Redeemer; his faith works by love. Gal. 5. 6. it will work, or set a man on work; but how? by love. 2 Cor. 5. 14. The love of Christ constrains us, saith the Apostle. This Faith then doth not set a man on work, to pay old debts, or new, which no man can do any thing of, either more or less: though many attempt it daily, who yet perhaps understand not what they do, and so undo themselves, but see not how, until it be too late.  
2. Then a mans hope and comfort is not like that of a true believers: What is the legal mans hope? Answ. That God will not cast him into Hell, hen he dyes. What is his comfort in this world? Answ. His comfort is partly that hope, and partly somew lust, or creature-comfort, that he feeds upon, and commits Spiritual Adul tery with every day, continually. What do these hopes stand on? What are they built on? Answ. His own Obedience and something in himself; and hence as he find things there, better or worse as he reckons, so his hopes are higher, or lower, they ebb or flow accordingly, as we have but now intimated. Well, how is it with the true believer, what are his hopes? Answ. That God is at peace with him throuh his Son, Christ Jesus: and also that he shall see, and enjoy him for ever, of which Inheritance he hath some earnest here; and hence hopes, and sometimes perhaps longs also for the full possession. Phil. 1. 23. Having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ, which is far better, than any thing, than all, than every thing that ius here in this World to be had Obj. But do all true believers find in themselves, this desire to be with Christ? Answ. No, unless it be at times? In some, the love of this World prevails, and that sadly, and that for a long time; one would hardly think, that there were any Grace in them: Others are almost always under clouds and darkness. Isa. 50. 10. they walk in darkness, and have no light; and hence dying is terrible unto them: but they have all that principle in them, which( if the actings of it were not one way or other obstructed in them) would show itself in such hopes and desires, as we have mentioned. But what is the true believers comfort here in this World, for the present, so far as he is, and acts like a believer, like himself? Answ. One main thing in which is lies, is this: viz. in what he can get and enjoy of God here: hence let his hopes stand never so fast, he can mourn for his want of getting more of God here; that he can find so little of him in his Ordinances, and Duties of his Worship: if the Lord be much, or long absent, he will lament after him; if he cannot see, as he hath seen in his Sanctuary; yea though he do dwell in his house, yet if there he cannot behold his beauty, he will complain, Cant 5. 6. my Beloved had withdrawn himself, and was gone,— my Soul failed when, &c. the Legallist mourns not if his hopes will bu●… stand: for his comfort lies in that, and in an Adulterous Communion with Creature comforts, and the vanities of this World: And if you ask, what the believers hope is built on? Answ. Christ, and Free Grace is the foundation of it. Col. 1. 27 Christ in you the hope of glory. 2 Thes. 2. penult. Good hope through grace. 1 Tim. 1. 1. Jesus Christ which is our hope. Nothing so hard, nothing so sweet, as to live on the free, rich Grace of God in Christ Jesus only; and nothing so pleasing unto God, as that we should do so; and hereby he hath more glory by us, then if we could present him a perfect Obedience of our own.  
3 When sin is only benumbed, &c. whatever convictions there have been, yet the Commandment never so came, as to make sin revive, and so as to work in a man, all manner of concupiscence, so as to make a man feel sin, in its strength▪ and dominion in him: for this would bring him to despair in himself, and spoil all his own righteousness, and self righteous hopes; and prepare him to seek a remedy, not in himself, but out o●… himself, in the Grace of God in Christ Jesus when discovered to him; and unto unprepared ones, it is not wont to be discovered. Luk. 3. 5. Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain, and hill shall be brought low;— and then, All flesh shall see the Salvation of God. It is through the Law that we are dead unto the Law. And the Law is our School master to bring us unto Christ. Gal. 2. 19. & 3. 24. we then must come under a work of the Law, that we may be prepared, for the light of the Gospel; itis shining into our hearts, which many wanting, whatever they profess, the Gospel is hide unto them; it shines not. 2 Cor. 4. 3. not as to the hear say of it, but as to the power, and saving efficacy of it.  
The next thing to be spoken to is this, viz. the difference between that effect which that faith, which is indeed but a Dead faith may have upon sin, and that which a Lively faith hath in mortifying of sin: for there is in some a work; not only merely legal, or rather, in that degree legal: for some legallists are more gross than others: but together with it, there is a Faith, though indeed, but a Dead faith, and even this faith hath in them, some effects on sin, to restrain it, though it never mortify it. Thus, I conceive it was with them, Psal. 78. 34, 35, 36. They sought him; and they returned, & inquired early after God: and not only so; but they remembered that God was their rock, and the high God, their Redeemer. What then is, and how may we discover the difference? In true faith there is Love; so in that which is yet but A Dead faith, there is A Love too, though not such a Love, as is in the former: we must then see, if we can make the difference, or show it, in some few things at least.  
1. Where this true love, or lively faith is, which purifies the heart, and engageth the Soul in mortifying of sin, there is an hatred to All sin. Psa. 119. 104 I hate every false way. In others there may be a falling out, with a sin, a quarrel with it for a season; as true Lovers may have their fallings out: but here is a real, and a rooted Hatred. Now it must needs be a great work whereby, & a great change wherein a person is brought to Hate that which he once Loved above all other things. To Hate those things which once he delighted in, and which were to him as a Right Eye, or a Right Hand; yea as his very self. Math. 16. 24. Let him deny himself. How impossible is this to every man, and how far is he from it, until a great work, and change be wrought in him? he may think he can do it, and doth do it, but if eer the matter come indeed to trial, he will find himself as far from it, as unable to do it, as a dead man from raising himself out of the Grave, and doing the works of the living. It is God only, by his mighty power, that can give life unto the Spiritually dead. Eph. 2. 1. 5. When ye were dead in sins. And where this hatred is, there are these things.( 1.) A sensible mixture of Love to that which a man hates: so that he loves what he hates, and bates What he loves, and abhors himself for that love he finds unto sin. Rom. 7. 15. What I hate that do I. And he not only did it, but there was also some love to it: for his hatred of sin was not perfect, though sincere. Phil. 3. 12. Not already perfect: no, not in any one point; he was yet carnal and sold under sin, as to the unregenerate part, vere 14. though as to the inward man, it was otherwise, as verse 22. As long as we have sin in us, we shall have some love to it: those then that think they have no love to sin, in them, do deceive themselves; they do not know themselves; and it is to be feared, that they have no true hatred.( 2.) A making out, in the use of means after, an utter abolition, and rooting out of sin: so that nothing will give the heart full rest, or content, while any thing of sin still remaineth. Outward comforts, inward affections, and enlargements, and assistances in duties, and such like are things in which many unfound ones rest. But he that Hateth all sin, will never rest, until it is All gone: yea the more help he hath against sin, and the more it dyes in him, he more he is set against it still: whereas it is contrary with others, that take up their stand, and make their rest in Reformation, without Mortification.  
2. This true, lively faith, which makes a person to seek to Mortify his sin; it sets him on work, as Gal. 5. 6. He will up, and be doing. That he may mortify his lust; he must work, Phil. 2. 12. And not only so, but it teaches him, as to work, so to look beyond all his own works, and doings and to own himself to be a poor Nothing else it is but( as I may call it) a legal faith. Pau●… did much, and so did Apollos too, yet neither of them were any thing, 1 Cor. 3. 5, 6, 7. So in this case, for a person to do much, and yet after all to say, I am nothing, as he did, 2 Cor. 12. 11. is a Mystery, which faith only teaches; and few know what it is, to be diligent in doing, and to rely only, on the power & grace of God in Christ for supply of all wants. We may have a general notion of this, but a lively sense and feeling of it, is both bitter and sweet, and an effect of a Lively faith only.  
Now it is true that an unsound Professor may do many things, as Herod did, Mark 6. 20. he may abound with Religious performances, as they Isa. 1. 11. had multitude of sacrifices, yet to no purpose: the Lord saith that he was full of them: So they Isa. 58. 2. Sought him daily. Yet there is this difference also, besides what hath been said.( 1.) Such as be unsound ones, usually rest in the External performance of dutis; and much farther from that they never go. But true faith teaches a man to look chiefly where God looks chiefly, viz. to the manner of performance, to the sincerity and uprightness of the heart in all duties. And hence what complaints do true believers many times make of Hypocrisy, and by ends in duties, of self seekings, and the like, which they cannot wholly lay aside & free themselves from? Something of this nature no doubt he found which brought forth that cry, Psal. 119. 80. Let my heart be sound in thy statutes, that I be not ashamed. A true Christians great work in all his religious Services, is with his own heart, that in all he may approve himself unto God.( 2.) Unsound ones do seek, and rest in themselves in all they do. Zech. 7. 5, 6. They did fast, and mourn &c. but saith God, did ye at all do it unto me, even unto me? they did aall for themselves. A sound believer hath respect to God, and the pleasing of him, and finds rest in this. Psal. 19. ult. Let the words of my mouth, and the meditations of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord my strength, and my Redeemer. q. d. if God accept me, if I may please him, it is well, it is enough; he hath been good to me, my Redeemer, and if I may but please him, that is the great thing that I seek. Here, understand aright.  
1. There is no man that can deny himself, so as not to seek himself more than he should: self will be rising up, but grace will snub and rebuk it, and say to it, get hence! and would have no more to do with it; as they said of their Idols. Hos. 14. 8. Self is the great Idol which almost all men, worship and serve.  
2. No man is bound not to ahve any Eye to himself at all, in what he doth. Heb. 11. 26. yet a gracious respect to God, should and doth influence every gracious Soul, in what he doth, in his Service. And many there be, I doubt not, that if called to it, would deny themselves, so as to forsake all for Christ, yea, to dy in his cause, however they have jealous, and low thoughts of themselves; and so it is with many that hold on in a steady way of obedience, attending conscientiously to all the ordinances of God, and known duties of his Worship; what they do, is in some measure from their good respect, and love to God, and his ways, who yet cannot say it of themselves, and not from servile fear only. And that appears thus.( 1) If it were from servile fear only, they would in time grow weary, of Gods ways, as many do. Mal. 1. 13. & Isa. 43. 22. it is true, there is often some, yea much servile fear in a Child of God, and there is also a weariness in Spiritual work; but then how is this complained of? do not they loathe themselves for it? are not they weary of that weariness? and God makes good that promise unto them. Isa. 40. ult. the meaning is, not that they shall find no weariness, or faintings at all, who wait on God, but that it shall not prevail so, but that as in the beginning of the verse, they shall renew their strength, and go on still. 2 Cor. 4. 1. — we faint not: but hold out still: so here; but as verse 16. they don't faint, because the inner man is renewed day by day. Yet David complained that his Soul fainted for Gods Salvation. Psal. 119. 81.( 2) If it were only from servile fear, a Form of Godliness would content them, they would not still be making after, and prising the Power of Godliness, in their own hearts, and lives, and in others too: yea, the Power of Godliness would be a thing unknown to them; as it is unto many: and there be these things in it. See Phil. 3. 13, 14.( 1) A forgetting the things that are behind, contrary to a resting in present attainments, as they did, Rev. 3. 17. who had enough, and need of nothing: as a man that runs in a race, he minds not what is behind him: and when a man forgets the things that are behind him, he sees a need to be doing still, and is desirous of getting more still, as well as of getting some at first: for what profit is it, to set out in a Race, if a person do not hold out, and go on in it?( 2) A clear conviction of a persons imperfections, and a sight of things yet before him, which are precious in his eyes; as more strength, and diligence in duties; more conformity unto the will of God; a further rest, and a fuller contentment, and satisfaction in God, as a mans portion. Psal. 16. 5. these are things before a man, and precious in his eyes, if the Power of Godliness be in him: Hence( 3.) There is a reaching after these things: a pressing on towards them: a person doth not only use means, but in them he seeks after these things: if the question be as to them of old, Joh. 1. 28. Whom seek ye? the answer will be as before; more of God, and more of Christ, &c. these are the things which they so much seek; to whom it may be said, as to them, in Mat. 28. 5. fear not, ye seek Jesus; and that they so did, appears in those sad complaints which tehy made, when Ordinances are, or seem to be, empty things to them; and him whom they seek, they do not there find. Oh! consider it; you attend means, but what seek ye? is it to pacify Conscience, and to satisfy Convictions only, and to patch up a self-righteous peace only; or is it Jesus that you seek, and more of him? Let your peace be, according as you find in these things.  
3. The third Fruit mentioned by way of trial;( for it is an Use of trial that we are upon) is Vivification, or a living, or a being alive unto God, as it is called. Rom. 6. 11. Gal. 2. 19. Now seeing there is such a thing as living unto God, or being alive unto God, and that it is, wherever true Faith is, as appears from the last name place, verses 19, 20. compared together; it concerns us to consider, whether we have any thing of this Living to God, or no. Let us then consider a few things, as briefly as we can, out of this last name Text, which may help us to discover whether we be alive to God, or not.  
1. A man must be dead unto the Law, before he can be alive unto God: he that is alive unto the Law, is alive unto himself, as Paul once was. Rom. 7. 9. and indeed such an one lives unto himself, while he seems most of all to e alive unto God; and the Lord abhors even the best, that is to be found with such a man: well then; a man must be dead unto the Law, be-fore he can, I say, can live unto God. Now this is a great thing, and it is a great work of God, to bring a person to it: viz. to be dead unto the Law, none but he that made Heaven and Earth, can do it: for consider,  
1. Every man naturally is alive unto the Law, as Paul saith he once was; and to take away life is a great thing, and makes a very great change, in what sense soever you understand it: it is great in respect of the change, that is made; and in respect of the reluctancy and opposition that is made against it: indeed there is a difference, some die more easily than others do. Now I say, that every man naturally, is alive unto the Law: i.e. he seeks life by the Law, as they did. Rom. 9. penult. many times persons don't know that they do thus; they may profess, and protest against it, and yet do it; and it is surely so with persons, when they have only a doctrinal knowledge of the way of the Gospel, but never saw any need of, or never came under a powerful work of the Spirit, to convince them of righteousness, as well as of sin: there is as much need of the one, as of the other: for if there be any difference( as I think there is, on divers accounts) we are more easily convinced of sin, then of the way of the Gospel: for we naturally know something of he Law, but of the Gospel, we know nothing by nature: and all the whole body of death in us, opposes it, unto the utmost; there is nothing in us, but as it is under the management and influence of Corruption, opposes the way of the Gospel, not only much, but unto the utmost, or as much as can be: it is far easier to convince a man, that he is a Sinner, and deserves to dy; than convince him, that he may be Saved by Faith in Christ Jesus: yet how many know nothing of the Plague of their own hearts in this matter!  
2. He that is Dead unto the Law, hath experienced his own inability to perform, or keep the Law. It is not persons having heard, or having been  told, that will suffice thoroughly to convince them, of their inability to keep the Law: for they will not thoroughly believe it, until they have tried it, and have an Experimental knowledge of it. This we see by constant Experience; & it may be otherwise evidenced also: though persons have Lived all their dayes under the Gospel, and have had a good Education, and have gathered much head knowledge, yet when Convictions, and awakenings come upon them, the first thing that they do, is to seek Righteousness, as it were by the works of the Law. Some indeed have a notion, and also some experience, of their own inability to keep the Law; but yet for want of a thorough awakening, and thro' the prevailings of a Spirit of slothfulness, and averseness unto Spiritual work, they never make thorough trial and so never come to a thorough sight of themselves, and of their own Nothingness: they say Oh! they can do nothing of themselves! and that they find it so too: but it is no otherwise with them, than with a slothful Servant, that lifts a little at a heavy burden, and crys out, thyat he cannot stir, or move it, whereas he never put forth hi●… strength, to try what he can do; a cudgil or whip would make him do more, a great deal. So it is here, small awakenings, bring forth small endeavours, and leave persons alive unto the Law still. Consider this then, it may be thy Convictions of thy own nothingness are but what the slothful Servant hath; if so, thou must go to work again: and get thee to thy old fears and terrors, which were smothered, by one means or other, and dyed away too soon. There be many that dy in the birth; many whose Convictions issue in formality, refined self righteousness, and self deceiving.  
3. He that is dead unto the Law, is convinced of the evil and folly of seeking righteousness by it. He hath been made to see the pride and folly of his own heart in that matter, and is ashamed of it. Persons must be ashamed of their own ways, before they will come to God way. You that say, you never sought righteousness, as it were by works of the Law, you always knew better than to do so; you may do well to consider deeply whether you do not deceive yourselves. And this know for certain, that whatsoever your Religion, progress, & attainments therein be; you don't live to God, and your faith is but a Dead faith, if you be not Dead unto the Law; all you have( if it be much) will be found at last to be, no better, no other, than a fine spun thread of Pharisaism, and self delusion; and after all you have done, a fearful perdition, will be the issue.  
2. He that lives unto God, lives a Life of faith; or, the life that he now lives is by the faith of the Son of God, as he speaks, Gal. 2. 20. Not a Dead faith; but that of the Son of God. And where this faith comes and prevails in the Soul.  
1. It doth as it were Annihilate the Creature 2 Cor. 12. 11. It Empties a man, it( as it were) takes him off his own legs: it makes a man, in his highest attainments, to be nothing in his own eyes. So, in that second of Gal. I live, yet not I. This is a Mystery, I, and yet not I. Before faith comes, or before a man is humbled, he is A Great Something, in his own eyes, though indeed worse than Nothing. Rev. 3. 17. But when faith comes, he is both a real something, and a great nothing. And this, as I said, is a great Mystery; a piece of unintelligible nonsense to a carnal heart. 2 Cor. 3. 5. E're faith comes a mans self sufficiency is gone, and all his sufficiency is of God; he hath no sufficiency in himself, no, no not so much as to think a good thought.  
And in this Annihilation of the Creature, there are these things to be considered, besides what else might be name.  
1. A disappointment of Expectation, as to the way of living a Life of Religion. First, a man thinks he hath something of himself, and he will not easily think otherwise; and then he expects to have something given to him, whereby he may set up again, and live upon himself; but when the matter comes to trial, he finds that he must live upon another; and live( as we say) from hand to mouth: alleys Assistance, will not help him for this dayes work. He that could do all things Yesterday, can do nothing this day, unless he have Assistance from the same hand, which is Arbitrary, given or taken or denied, as he pleaseth from whom it is. And hence often arise great discouragements. A person saith, I thought ere now, I should have been able to do more, than, I find, I can: I am still vile, still a poor wretched Creature; I can do nothing, perform no duty, as I ought: yea the Children of God, are oft left to themselves, that they may know themselves, and where their dependence is. See 2 Chron. 32. 31. And in a Christians ordinary course, wonted Assistance may now and then be withdrawn, on the same account.  
2. An Abasement of Soul: A person is brought to be poor in Spirit: he hath a low esteem of himself. Eph. 3. 8. is exceeding vile in his own eyes. Job 40. 4. Faith indeed purifies the heart, but it also opens a persons eyes, so that he sees something of the sin that still dwells in them; and great Faith, and a little sight of that, will hardly consist together: sometimes, where true faith is, there is a great mixture of presumption, which makes faith seem to be much more, and greater than indeed it is.  
3. An Inward Contest, or Strife in the Soul respecting this Nothingness and Abasement; the unregenerate part reluctates, and opposes, this way of abasement; the now man closes with it, as the best way, as an excellent way. Phil. 3. 8. the knowledge of Christ, and the way of the Gospel, hath an Excellency in it. And the knowledge of ourselves, Christ, and of our own Nothingness go together: He that Exalteth Christ must debase himself; he that prizeth Christ, must deny and abhor himself: Self exalting, and Christ exalting, are inconsistent, in the power thereof.  
Now consider this; you that can easily exalt, and magnify Christ( as you think) verily you have cause to fear that you never knew what it was: you are utter strangers to a Life of Faith, Which though it be sweet, and precious, yet by reason of Corruption, and through Temptation, it is usually very difficult, especially at times.  
2. This Faith carries out the Soul unto God, and that in these three respects.( 1.) As looking to Him for all it wants.( 2) In acknowledging him, in All it hath.( 3.) In uniting the heart to God in Love.  
1. In Looking to Him for all it wants: Faith leads the Soul to Wisdoms Gates, to the posts of her door, and there it stands and knocks, and waits, as Prov. 8. 34. the heart will be stealing out, and turning aside to other doors, but when this is seen, the Soul rebukes itself for it, and is ashamed of its own folly. Now is it thus with you? whither go you for help? perhaps you you will say, I go to God alone? but do not you turn aside elsewhere sometimes: if you say no: you do not know your own hearts: and it is as if you should say, you have no unbelief, no self righteousness working, and prevailing in you; and who shall believe you in that? this sin, if any, dwells in you, and will carry you Captive, sometimes: But I say, Faith carries the Soul out of it self, unto God, in Christ Jesus, for supply of wants; and therefore in this respect it doth two things.( 1.) It shows the Soul its own emptiness.( 2.) Christs fullness, or all sufficiency.  
1. The Soul is made to see its own emptiness, and nothingness: It may be you will say, this you have seen, and do see this: but I say, consider, whether it be so indeed, or not: have you ever seen a need of Almighty Power to make you see it, to cause you to see it. Ezek. 16. 2. have you seen the enmity and opposition of your hearts against this sight of yourselves: Doctrinal Knowledge of Spiritual Things, is more easy, but Experimental Knowledge, and clear convictions, affect mens hearts, and break them to pieces; and there is much in the heart to oppose, and withstand the same.  
2. The Soul is shown, or made to see the Sufficiency of Christ Jesus: it could never see it, or believe it, if it were not shown, by a powerful work of the Spirit: yea, the heart of man makes strong opposition against the way of the Gospel, it hates the knowledge thereof. Prov. 1. 29. and the secret language and voice of the heart is, as Job 21. 14. we desire not the knowledge of thy ways. It is true, there is in the heart an enmity against God, and all of God; all his ways and Laws, and people; but especially against Christ, and a saving knowledge of him: and hence I say, there must be a mighty work of the Spirit, to show Christ, and his fitness, and sufficiency to Save Lost Sinners; and it is a glorious fight when see. Joh. 1. 14. We beholded his glory, the glory, &c. consider it then, hast thou ever seen the Glory of Jesus Christ? you have heard of him, red of him, spoken of him; but hath he been revealed to you, and have you seen him? Joh. 6. 40. you must see him, not with bodily eyes, for that would confounded you: and God must show him, else you cannot see him: and if you see him not, you cannot believe in him: Hence if the Gospel be hide( which sets him forth) it is to suh as be lost 2 Cor. 4. 3. and hence in verse sixth, God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God, in the face of Jesus Christ. Here mark; it is God that gives this light; it is he that shines in our hearts; and there must be an Almighty Power put forth, else to us the Gospel will be hide. He must command the Light, &c. else the God of this World will blind us, so as that, the Light of the Gospel of the glory of God( for so I red the words) shall not shine unto us, or in our hearts: in darkness we be by nature, and so abide, until he do powerfully call us into his marvelous light.  
2. In acknowledging him in all it hath: as the Soul receives all from God, by Faith: so Faith leads it, to aclowledge him in all it hath; as he said; I live, yet not I, but Christ lives in me; and again, else-where, he saith, he could do all things through Christ strengthening him: Still whatever he did, he ascribes all to Christ: so he, Psal. 144. 1, 2, 3. The Lord my strength, who teacheth my hands to war,— my goodness, &c. mark, how he ascribes all to God. Now this the believing Soul doth in some measure, and desires to do it more fully: it is a pleasure to a Believer to be doing for Christ, and when he hath done all, to be setting the Crown still upon the head of Christ; I, yet not I but Christ; it is the voice and language of Faith. Indeed to aclowledge Christ in all a person hath, or doth, in words only, is easy; but really and sensibly to do it, is difficult, and much averseness is in the heart of a man against it. Consider then, how you find it, do you acknowledge Christ in all? do you find it a hard thing so to do? do you bewail the contrary, and beg help against it? if you think it an easy thing, you know not what it is?  
3. In uniting the heart to God by love: Faith and Love always go together; they cannot be separated. 1 Tim. 1. 14. he that believes, he also ●… oves: as soon as a man hath a sight of Christ, he falls in love with him: he is altogether lovely: ●… s soon as the Grace of God that brings Salvation, doth appear unto the Soul, it doth unite the ●… earth unto him, by love. Eph. 6. 23. Peace be unto the brethren, and love with faith; he means an increase of love, and faith: and puts them together, because they are never separated; and hence he nurseth all that don't Love the Lord Jesus.  
Now,( as we go along) because that many a gracious Soul may be at a loss, and unable to find their love to Christ, and thereupon be discouraged; we shall mention some things, in which, it usually discovers itself, and may sometimes be found, when persons cannot look directly on it, and find, and feel those sensible workings of it in their Souls, which at some other times perhaps they can; and therefore tho●… they have it, they can't discern it.  
1. In a desire of fellowship, and communion with him in his ordinances, as Cant. 1. 1. Let him kiss me with &c. his Love is better than wine— this was a sign, and an evidence of Love in them, and so was that in verse fourth, Draw me &c. so here when the Soul desires Christ in his Ordinances, and breaths after, or accounts precious, the discoveries and manifestations of Christ unto the Soul, in hi●… Ordinances, this is better than wine; when though many will say, who will show us any good; yet the Soul joins with them that say, Lord, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us, Psal. 4. 6. And it is not Ordinances, and duties that will satisfy the Soul, but Christ in them; this is an evidence of Love. Cant. 3. 1. I sought him whom my sou●… loveth: that seeking sheweth love. You then tha●… wait on, and attend to these and those Ordinances, and duties of Gods Worship, what, or whom seek ye? is it, the Lord Jesus Christ? or is it some what else? if it be him you seek; it is from a likeance of, and a love to him.  
2. This love appears sometimes, in that they are so deeply sensible of it, when they see any wrong offered unto the Lord, his name, ways, ●… eople, or institutions, Psal. 69. 9. And that this ●… s from Love to God, and his ways, appears in ●… hat they are so ready to Condemn themselves, ●… s well as others: they are grieved at the evil ways of others, Psal. 119. 158. But they judge ●… hemselves as chief of sinners, abhor and loth them●… elves, especially at times. Job 42. 6.  
3. In their following after God, in all the ●… ayes that he hath appointed, Cant. 31. I sought HIM whom my soul loveth. I sought Him and ●… hat by night too, on her bed: this was an evi●… ence of Love. So when the Soul seeks God, ●… ot only in public duties, but also, where no eye ●… f man sees; and it is the Lord himself that is here sought; this is an evidence of much love ●… ometimes. I say not when much pains in duties 〈…〉 taken; for that may come from other causes, ●… ut when also CHRIST is sought for in them: ●… sal. 63. 8. His soul followed hard after God. ●… lothfulness in duties argues little, or no love; but when God is sought, and that diligently too, it is ●… n evidence of love: especially when not his favour only, but his holiness is sought for, to be partakers of that. Heb. 12. 10.   

USE. II.  
Of Exhortation and Direction.  
Take heed of resting in a Dead faith; and labour for a Lively faith. In other words, see that you accept the Offers of the Gospel, sincerely; or that you submit to, accept of Christ as offered in the Gospel: I use that word submit: the Apostle uses it. Rom. 10. 3. We cannot find a better word. You will say, how is Christ Offered 〈…〉 Answ. As a Prophet, as a Priest, as a King. Thes●… things, I shall briefly open, when first of all, 〈…〉 have premised these things.  
1. It is the Person of the Lord Christ that true faith closes with: it is Him that true faith look to. Isa. 45. 22. Look unto ME. HE is the Prop●…tiation: as many as received him, Joh. 1. 12. H●… is the portion of the Soul, and in Him it hope●… Lam. 3. 24. In Him the Soul doth acquiesce an●… rest. Psal. 73. 25. And hence the Counsel, an●… Direction here is this, viz. See that you don●… fall short of Christ himself; for nothing else b●… Christ himself, will stand you in any stead. Yo●… have it may be many things; as gifts, commo●… graces, affections, and enlargements, comfort and the like: but have you Christ himself? a●… you married unto him? have you closed wit●… him? He that hath the son hath life, and he that hath not the son, hath not life; for life is in the son. 1 Joh. 5. 11, 12. But it comes to none, but to such as receive him. If a woman be never so rich, he only hath hers, that hath her, or matcheth with her. Would you have Christs benefits( he is rich) than match with him; if you have him, you have all; miss of him, nd you have nothing, but conceit.  
If you say, how shall I know whether I have Christ or no? I Answ. As your Conviction is, such your faith is: as is the preparation work, such is the closing with Christ. It is a sure rule; and this is the reason, why we so much, and so often press for preparation work. The Soul must be prepared for Christ, before it can come to Christ, or close with Christ. See Luk. 3. 4, 5, 6. And there is more preparation needful, than many think for: it is a great work of God to prepare the Soul for Christ, which is naturally full of all enmity and opposition, against Christ: the heart being every way, on every side, straitly shut up, and fortified against Christ; and there are strong holds to be pulled down. Consider that place, 2 Cor. 10. 4, 5. Here then Consider whether you have seen Christ or not: for till a person see him, he cannot come to, or close with him, as Joh 6. 40. as we have already intimated. Persons do not use to match with a person, whom they have never seen; or if they do, it seldom proves well afterwards: so in this case: Christ must be seen, and then the Soul will love, and choose, and close with him: otherwise it may match indeed with him, after a sort, through common Convictions &c. but it will not prove well; in a time of trial and temptation, such an one will forsake Christ, and his cause: and thus many do, that do not openly Apostatise, yet their hearts are secretly withdrawn from him, and his works, and they inwardly cast off his yoke: and will not mortify their lusts, and purify themselves, as he is pure; as all true believers do, 1 Joh. 3. 3. Now if you have seen Christ, you have seen your ignorance of him. See Prov. 30. 2, 3. That light which discovers Christ unto the Soul, shows a person both his former, & yet abiding ignorance of him. 2 Cor. 4. 6. This light comes out of darkness.  
2. If you have seen him, it hath been a wonderful sight. Jesus Christ is a wonderful one; his name is wonderful. Isa 9. 6. And when he is seen, he appears so to be unto the Soul: he is so in himself, and will be so to his for ever. His Prayer for his was, that they might behold his glory. Joh. 17. 24. A little glimmering of which, here, at times, outbids all that the world hath to give; and makes us despise the one, and long for more of the other. See Rom. 8. 23. We have the first fruits, &c.  
3. When Christ is seen, it makes a person vile in his own eyes, Isa. 6. 5. When his eyes had seen the King, the Lord of Hosts, he crys out, I am unclean &c. The more any one knows of Christ, the viler he is in his own eyes: who ever knew more of Christ than Paul did? yet see what he saith of himself. See 1 Tim. 1. 15. — Chief of sinners. And Eph. 3. 8. Less than the least of all Saints. Hence several sorts of Persons may receive Conviction.  
1. Such as close with Christ only upon a notional historical knowledge of him: they have had, it may be great Convictions, and much inward trouble, about their own sinfulness, and guiltiness; and hence fly to and catch hold of Jesus Christ; and the bottom of all is( if they could see it) to Ease them in, and not to Save them from their sins: and this faith of theirs smothers their Convictions; and they are healed slightly; and cry peace, peace to themselves, when there is no peace. Consider what knowledge of Christ you have, is it more than may be obtained by common industry, without a Supernatural work of the Spirit of God? it is true; you may have great enlightenings, and yet fall short of Christ: such as hardly fall short of a miracle, Heb. 6. 5, 6. yea, you may work miracles, and yet perish for ever. As Matth. 7. 22. Wherefore consider further.  
2. Such as close with Promises, but not with Christ in them. Thus do many: there be precious Promises in the word; as to such as mourn; to such as hunger and thirst after righteousness &c. I am such an one, saith a person, and hence takes comfort, but takes not Christ. Perhaps you have red many Promises, and have had much comfort from them, but have you had Christ in them? Comfort without Christ, is but like a shadow without substance, or worse. Many there be that catch at, and take hold of Promises, that do miss of Christ, and hence have nothing, when they think they have all things. Rev. 3. 17. Among the rest that might be name, I shall mention one sort. viz. Such as look at peace more than holiness? Consider wherein is your rest? is it in peace and satisfying Convictions, or in conformity to the will of God? to be conformed thereto, is this glory, and happiness in your account? Christ came to Save his people from their sins, Matth. 1. 21. And to unlose, or destroy the work of the Devil in them, 1 Joh. 3. 8. To set men at liberty from sin, as well as to deliver them from wrath to come. Is he then, on that account dear, and precious unto you? And consider all that hath been said; and what is it, that you have closed with? is it Christ himself, or is it not? And I further add two things.  
If you close with, and love the Lord Christ himself.  
1. You will abhor yourselves; and there will be a continual contest with, and opposition against your own righteousness: you will still endeavour to be beating down that: as he Phil.: 3. 8, 9. and you will never wholly get clear of a self righteous principle, and the workings of it while you live; it will still be working, and making trouble one way or other, more or less when you would reject it, and think perhaps yo●… have, it will arise again, and be present. Rom. 7●… 21.  
2. If you Love him, you will Love what i●… his: his House. Psal. 26. 8. his Laws. Psal. 119 〈…〉 97. his People. 1 Joh. 3. 14. here note, that tru●… love springs out of a seen, felt enmity against God and all of God, which the Soul hath been greatly humbled, and abased for.  
3. If you Love him, you will Love his Holines, his Graces; and seek to keep all his Commandments: see Joh. 14. 21. he that hath m●… Commandments, and keeps them, he it is that lovet●… me. And there will be not only some outward conformity thereto; but more than that; as he said, Psal 119. 129. Thy Testimonies are wonderful, therefore doth my Soul keep them.  
We have shown that Christ himself is close●… with by a true Faith; now I add more particularly; in all his Offices he is closed with, or accepted of, otherwise we fall short of him a last.  
1. As a Prophet: Jesus Christ is a Prophet; an●… it is a precious consideration: it was foretold o●… him that he should be so. Deut. 18. 15. Acts 〈…〉 22. and he executeth this Office in revealing t●… his people the will of God, and their duty t●…wards him: this he doth, not only in his Wor●…( for so it is revealed unto multitudes of repr●…bates) but by a mighty work of his Spirit, in ●… hem that are his: else his Word would be as a ●… lasped or sealed book to them, and the Gospel be ●… id, as to any saving knowledge thereof; and so ●… n seeing, they should see and not perceive, which ●… s the woeful condition of many. Mat. 13. 14.  
I shall open this particular thus.  
1. We have the Will of God revealed to us, ●… n the Word of God: and the Word of God is ●… ompleat, and perfect; three is no need to have it ●… ltered, by adding to it, or taking from it. Prov. ●… 0. 5, 6. Rev. 22. 18, 19. so that if in any case we would know what our duty is, what we be, or what God would have us be, we must look into the Word of God. Isa. 8. 20. to the Law and Testimony: and if we will follow the guidance of the Word of God, we shall walk safely: in all our difficulties, temptations, dangers, we shall at last be more than conquerors; and he took that course, Psa. 119. 24. Kings use to have their Counsellors, and so had David; but above all, in all his difficulties, which were many, he sought his guidance in, and from the Word of God; his ●… estimonies were his Counsellors; and verse 105. ●… is word a Lamp to his feet, and a Light to his path.  
Hence all that do indeed believe, have a great ●… espect unto the Word of God: have they been ●… orn again? It is by the word of God. 1 Pet. 1. 23. 〈…〉 have begotten you through the Gospel, saith Paul unto them, in 1 Cor. 4. 15. And have they found th●… narrow way which Leads to Life, which few d●…find, Mat. 7. 14. It is the light of the gloriou●… Gospel of Christ, which shewed them the way and lead them by Christ, to God, whom they had lost, and were mere strangers to, when there was no judgement, or nothing right in their goings, but they made crooked paths unto themselves, not knowing the way of peace. Isa. 59. 8. and had wandered and wildered all their dayes, and perished for ever, had not the Word of Christ been a light unto their path: it is from the Word that they seek the mind, and will of Christ their Prophet: and it is by that, that he teaches them, that are his: it was by that, that he got understanding; and hence the Word was so sweet to his taste: Psal. 119. 103, 104. and hence that request, verse 133. Order my steps in thy Word. The best and sweetest life is when a persons steps are most of all ordered in, or according to Gods word: hence a true believer loves, and esteems much of Gods Word: as Psal. 119. 127, 128. Teach me the way of thy statutes, give me understanding, and I shallkeep thy Law; yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart: make me to go in the way of thy Commandments, for therein do I delight.  
Now then consider what esteem you have o●… the Word, by which Christ reveals his, and his Fathers Will unto his people? if you accept o●… him, as your Prophet, you will regard his Word and hence we inquire what esteem you have thereof? hear what he said, Job 23 12. I have esteemed the word of his mouth, more than my neces●… ry food. it may be you will say, I hope I love and prise, and esteem his word much more: but to some I may reply, how is it then that you look into it no more? that you medicate in it so little? perhaps you can let the Book of God ly by you day after day, and not so much as Look into it at all: others there be that do indeed red in it daily, by course, but improve it not; they labour not to find the power of it in their hearts: and when so, is it not a Dead Faith that such rest in; or in great measure a Religion of words without works, or such works as may evidence a Lively Faith? the matter should be considered by them, whom it doth concern.  
2. Christ reveals things to us by his Spirit, and hence we have the Promise of the Spirit, Joh. 16. 7. And we red of the Spirit of Wisdom, and of revelation. Eph. 1. 17. The word indeed is full of light. 2 Pet. 1. 19. It is a light thta shineth &c But the misery is, our minds are full of darkness: we walk in the thick, dark shades of our natural blindness, until God call us out of it: and though the light shine in the word, and in the dispensation of it, never so brightly, our darkness comprehendeth it not, as Joh. 1. 5. Hence we need the Spirit to enlighten; and a great work of the Spirit it is to Call us out of darkness, as the phrase is 1 Pet. 2. 9. It is a work of the Spirit to give us eyes: we have much light in the word, But alas we want Eyes: Sin and Satan, hath put out our Eyes, and blinded us. 2 Cor. 4 4. And it is the work of the Spirit to open the blind eyes. See Isa. 42. 7. And if your faith be right, it will led you to Christ for this: for the Spirit will never come unless he sand it.  
And of these that come to him, for this enlightening, these things may be said.  
1. They have seen their need of it: how else should they go to him, for his help? did you ever mourn under your darkness, and find a need of the Spirit to enlighten you? did you ever see yourselves to be in darkness, in the midst of light? do you know what that means, to see, and yet not to see? Matth. 13. 14. — Seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive. Did you ever see a need to know the things, that you knew before: to know Spiritually, what you know Doctrinally; there is a form of knowledge, and of the truth. Rom. 2. 20. And there is a Spiritual discerning of Spiritual things, Which no natural man hath. 1 Cor. 2. 14, 15. In haven, we shall see Christ with bodily eyes: Job 19. 27. But even there, there is a Spiritual fight of him, and of Spiritual things, something of which is here; and before Conversion there is nothing of it: but when it comes it is life eternal. Joh. 17. 3.  
They know something of the necessity thereof. There is not only some need, but a Great necessity thereof. He that walks in much darkness, will quickly come into much deadness; and formality of Spirit will grow upon him: and hence that request of Paul for them, in the forenamed, Eph. 1. 17. This light is indeed, in some sort, the life and strength of the Soul: where there is no light, there is no life, no strength. See Psal. 36. 9. With thee is the fountain of life, in thy light &c.  
2. They have tasted the sweetness of this light: it is a pleasant thing to behold the Sun: much more to have the light, which comes from the Son of God, the Sun of Righteousness. Mal. 4. 2. when soever he shall arise upon the Soul; for there is also healing in his wings, and such shall go forth, and grow up: if you would grow, labour for an increase of Spiritual Light.  
3. They have seen something of the enmity, and opposition of their hearts against the knowledge of the Truth, and the Light of the Gospel; the heart naturally is full of this enmity, and opposition. 2 Cor. 10. 4, 5. the true believer knows something of this, of those strong holds, of those reasonings, of those high things, which exalt themselves( in the Soul) against the Knowledge of God, and the things of God: and he sees the more a need, a necessity of Christ, of going to, and closing with him, for his help: mans natural frame is that in Prov. 1. 29. he hates life, but Christ teaches powerfully, commands the light to shine. 2 Cor. 4. 6.  
2. As a Priest: He is a Priest, and as such to be looked to, and closed with. Heb. 7. 17. 21. the Priests work was to Offer Gifts and Sacrifices for Sins. Heb. 5. 1. now Christ Offered up Himself. Heb. 7. 27. His design therein was to take away our sin. 1 Joh. 3. 5. and hence he is the Propitiation for our sin. 1 Joh. 2. 2.  
Christ Suffered for us, in our room, and stead: and for our Sin. 1 Pet. 2. 21, 24. — that also Suffered for us— his own self hear our sin— and chap. 3. 18. Christ also hath once Suffered for sins; and he hath fully satisfied for Sin, there is nothing left for us to do in that matter, if there were, he would not be a perfect Priest, if he needed any of our help: and hence I say, we must look to him, and to him only, for pardon of sin, and acceptance with God. Wherefore accept him and his righteousness, and Sufferings, and all is well: And this is the next thing that you are to be Exhorted to, and directed in.  
And here consider these things.  
1. Every man, one as well as another, is inclined naturally to seek righteousness, by the works of the Law, as they did. Rom. 9. 31, 32. and 10. 3. men are not at any time more addicted to their vile lusts, which they hardly part with, than unto this; how hard is it to bring persons off from their Lusts? and it is as hard, or more hard in some respects, to bring them off from their own rightteousness; it is( and on sundry accounts) of the two more hard to deny righteous self, then to deny sinful self: it is naturally so to any man, and to all men. Do you find it thus, o be you a stranger to these things? Consider further,  
2. If any man think he be not strongly inclined this way; it is because he doth not know himself, and because the matter never came in-deed to trial, in the Soul. Many there be that have a national knowledge of the way of the Gospel, and they seem to fall in readily with it, as the only way. But two things are to be considered, wherein they miss it.  
1. Those that thus fall in with the way of the Gospel, do indeed but abuse it, while they seem to close with it; they make it an Asylum, or Sanctuary, for them to shelter themselves in, while in the mean time, they live in Sin, and so fight against God, and( as one saith) they take the Light of the Gospel, to let them see by, to Sin the more securely; they secretly fight against God with his own weapons: a deep ditch of deceit it is, in which many lurk, and ly hide, until a dreadful day discover them. And here consider that nothing sets a man more against Sin, and strengtheners him in his Warfare, then a true discovery of the way of the Gospel. Tit. 2. 11, 12. the Grace of God teaches us to deny ungodliness.  
2. Such persons never had the matter brought to trial, in their own Souls: persons may think, that they can do this, or that, until the matter be brought to trial, and then they find it otherwise, than they thought: so here, the matter( in this point) was never brought to trial: i.e. e. they were never thoroughly convinced of Sin: of the strictness of the Law: their consciences( whatever convictions they have had) were never thoroughly enlightened, and awakened, they never knew what it was to have Sin revive in them, and to work death in them; as he speaks, Rom. 7. 9, 13. to take hold on them, as Psal. 40. 12. No, they would then know what he did mean, when he said, his heart did fail him, and he was not able to look up: before a mans eyes are opened to see himself, and his Sin, he can look up well enough, his heart don't fail him: but when Sin is seen, there is a great change: if God do not some way or other uphold him, he sinks into the lowest bottom of despair, And no man can help him.  
3. When persons make Objections against believing from their own sinfulness and vileness, it is from their ignorance of, and opposition against the way of the Gospel: it is not, because they are deeply humbled,( as some may think) but rather because they are not humbled enough; it is from their ignorance, and Spiritual Pride which still prevails in them: to believe, is an act of Obedience. 1 Joh. 3. 2, 3. this is his Commandment, that we believe; and what Humility is that which leads us to disobey the Commandment of God? you say, perhaps that you dare not believe, you dare not cast yourselves upon Jesus Christ, and you think you are much humbled; but the truth is, you are full of ignorance, and Spiritual Pride, and in danger of eternal ruin. See Mat 16. 16. Joh. 3. ult. the wrath of God abides upon you, while you abide in Unbelief: and abiding in that condition there is no hope, nor help for you.  
4. The way to have a Saviour is to accept him on free gift: and consider what should hinder your acceptance.( 1.) Are your sins many and great? Christ hath done enough to satisfy for them all. See Isa. 1. 18. & 55. 7, 8, 9. The number and greatness of your sins, should not in the least hinder you from coming to Christ: his Blood cleaneth from all sin. 1 Joh. 1. 7. All manner of sin. Matth. 31. You dishonour him, if you think otherwise; and submit not to the way of the Second Covenant, and see not the vileness of so doing: and wo to you if you do not see, and bewail it, before you go hence and appear in another world.( 2) Do you want a Righteousness to render you acceptable unto God? the righteousness of Christ, which is the righteousness of God. Rom. 10. 3. is a perfect righteousness, every way sufficient. Rev. 3. 18.( 3) Do you say, but I do and shall sin still. Answ. See 1 Joh. 2. 1, 2. If any man sin we have an Advocate with the father. One that is every way able to pled, and manage our case.( 4) You object, Oh! but I cannot come to, and believe on Jesus Christ. Answ. It is true; but consider what hinders you? The main thing is, you will not come to him Joh. 5. 40. Rev. 22. 17. Whosoever will let him come: The Spirit and the Bride, say come. God & Christ, and all that are friends to him, say, Come, and if you do not, it is because your Will is not bowed there unto; and from your Ignorance of Christ. Hence the Exhortation is, Come unto Jesus Christ. See Isa. 55. 1, 2. And here mind, first the invitation, Come, let him Come; arise then, and Come; behold he calls thee; even thee, whoever thou art: and then mind the terms propounded, against which no Objection can be made, except what proceeds from Pride, Ignorance of, and Enmity against the way of the Gospel, Come without Money, and without price: have you no worthiness, none at all? than come without: yea, so come, or you will never come, or not aright. And why do you spend your labour for that which is not bread, and which satisfieth not! The things of this world are such, and your own righteousness is such: you would fain make yourselves better, but you labour in vain, you can never do it: when will you see the fruitlesness, folly, and sinfulness of your own way? And if any obstinately stand out, they must perish: yea the Lord saith, let them perish; he will not pitty them. 1 Cor. 16. 22. Let them be Anathema Maranatha; it is just they should, and they must perish for ever and ever.  
3. Jesus Christ is a King, and a such to be submitted to, and is so, where true Faith is: and this submission also you are to be exhorted to, and directed in. Concerning which I will express myself thus.  
1. Jesus Christ is a King: as he is a Prophet and a Priest, so he is a King. Psal. 2. 6. Act. 17. 7. 1 Tim. 6. 14, 15. 1 Cor. 15. 25. He is the blessed, and only potentate, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, and he must reign: and let his Kingdom come.  
2. We must submit to his Government: he must rule us; dispense to us, dispose of us, and of all that doth concern us, as he will: and he that will be his disciple must deny himself, take up his across and follow him. Matth. 16. 24. This is difficult, and yet it must be done, and that daily, Luk. 9. 23. This submitting is in a low degree in some of the Children of God: but where there is nothing of it, three is no true faith. And he lives the sweetest life of all, that lives most in a a real resignation of himself, and of all his concerns, into the hands of Jesus Christ, submitting all unto the will, and wisdom of this King of Kings: and this is to be endeavoured by all that profess faith in Christ Jesus. To believe in him, and rebel against him, how do these agree? or to say, he shall be King, but yet not rule us: but we will direct him in his dealings with us, or with ours, or with the Church of God. It is certain that there are many that reject the Government of Christ, and hence whatever they pretend, their Faith is not right. And when I have opened this a little, you will further see what it is, that I exhort, and direct you to.  
1. Some do openly and manifestly reject the Government of Christ Jesus: they live in open rebellion against him. Isa. 3. 9. They practically say as Luk. 19. 14, 27 We will not have this man to reign over us; and he calls them his Enemies. Some do openly, and manifestly cast off his Government.( 1) Sometimes by living in sins of Commission.( 2) Sometimes by living in sins of Omission; when they will not attend to every known duty. Luk. 1. 6. They did Wal●… in all the Ordinancs, and Commandments of t●… Lord: when any known duty, or ordinance Christ is neglected, and men continue so to do how doth Christ rule in them; do not th●… cast off his yoke?  
2. Some do secretly cast off his Government; though they make an outward profession of Religion, and be outwardly conformable unto his Laws; yet inwardly they reject him, and cast off his Government. Thus do many, as.  
1. Such as live in any particular known sin, though it be secret: thus do many. 2 King. 17. 9. There is secret Drunkenness, and secret Uncleanness, and secret neglets of duties, and Closet work: now when persons live in secret sins, they do really though not manifestly cast off the yoke and Government of Chris. Eph. 5. 12. It is a shane to speak what some do in secret. And what some do actually, others do in their secret thoughts and cogitations: there is heart Adultery, and heart Murder, and heart Pride, and the like; little or nothing of which appears outwardly: but the day comes, when the bidden things of darkness, shall be brought to light, and the counsels of the heart made manifest. 1 Cor. 4. 5. And then it will be seen that many that now carry a fair face among men, are abominable Creatures.  
2. Such as are not at all kept at work with their own hearts day by day: these secretly cast off his Government: it appears thus; our great work every day is with our own hearts, ●… nd we must watch them, and keep them for Christ. He hath so commanded, Prov. 4. 23. The heart is the Temple of God in which he desires to dwell; and we must endeavour to keep it for him, least we prove treacherous and traitors. See 1 Cor. 3. 16, 17. We may talk of trusting in him, but we deceive ourselves; we have faith, but it is a Dead faith. It is in vain to cry, Hail Master, to make a fair Profession, while our hearts are in a manner only a possession of unclean, or vain things.  
3. Such as quarrel with crosses and afflictions. Amos 3. 6. no evil in the City, but the Lord hath done it; no across, but he hath sent it; it is his across; now when persons will not take up the across, but their hearts will break, before their wills will bow, how doth Christ now reign, and rule in their hearts? it is true, much unsubduedness is in some of the Children of God, even Jonah was very froward. ch. 4. 9. but when persons will not labour to ly under the will of Christ, & so to do is not precious to them; truly they cast off his Government, and may consider whether or not there is cause to fear that he will reject, and cast off them at last, as such as would not deny themselves, and submit to his across.  
4. Such as seem to submit themselves unto the will of Christ, but not by the power of Christ: what they do is by their own power, and ability: this is to bring in a foreign power secretly, and Christ is not King in that Soul, he doth not reign there. See 2 Thes. 1. 11, 12. He must work all, by his power, that he may be glorified. Now consider this; you say, you do this or that, and you submit to the will of God, but by what power? is it by the power of Christ? you will it may be, say, Yes: but I answer, consider it well: if it be, then the more you attain, the meaner and lesser you will be in your own eyes, as Paul that had attained unto much, yet saith, I am nothing. 2 Cor. 12. 11. do you find it thus? as I may say, gaining one way, and losing another, growing greater, and yet withal growing less? understand aright, and consider it.  
5. Such as seem to submit to Christ, but not out of respect, and love to Christ, but in all they do, they seek themselves, as they did. Zech. 7. 5, 6. did you do it unto me, even unto me.— So here, you red, you pray, you do many things, which Christ commands; did not Herod as much. Mark 6. 20 but if the Lord say at last, did you do it unto me, even unto me, that will be said, Again, some seem to submit under Crosses, and Afflictions, but sometimes it is rather hardness of heart, than submission; they cry not when he binds them; they despise the chastisement of the Lord; and then seem to submit: in other-some it is more from natural temper, than from Grace. And often there is no Submission, where there seem to be a great deal; and that which is a great trial to one man, is none at all to another.  
Now to close, and shut up all that I sall say on this Subject, consider only this word; viz. if your Faith be found at last to be a Dead Faith, it will be dreadful: for consider what else might be said.  
1. These few Sermons will be so many Witnesses against you that have heard them; they will rise up in judgement against you: He that Uttered them, and all they also that profited by them, shall appear in judgement against you; and perhaps these and those whom you now despise, shall one day be your Judges. 1 Cor. 6. 2.  
2. It shall then appear that you had means of Conviction: but you would not see that you held fast deceit, as they did. Jer. 8. 5. that you would not come unto the light; now it may be, you say, you are willing to see, but then it will appear, that you refused Conviction; and being evil, choose darkness rather than light, and indeed hated knowledge. Prov. 1. 29.  
3. Your Damnation will be the greater, your Hell the hotter, your punishment the heavier, and torment the more intolerable: you may now neglect Sabbaths, and make light of Sermons, and soon forget all Searching Truths; but there is a day coming, when persons shall be judged, according to what they have been, and done, and means of Grace which they have enjoyed ': it is good to think much of that great and dreadful day, and thereby be stirred up to labour for, and to make sure of, A Faith in Christ, which will not at last be found a Dead Faith; all such will be lead forth with Workers of Iniquity: as Psal. 125. ult. whose Faith is when tried, but a Dead Faith. Let your great care be to be Sound in the Faith, as the phrase is. Tit. 1. 13. and Examine yourselves daily, whether you be in the Faith; prove your own selves. 2 Cor. 13. 5. all we can do here, is little enough to prepare and provide for that one hour of Death; that time when we must go hence, and be no more seen in this World.   
FINIS.