1. USE, Vse. 1

To teach us; How much we owe to God & Christ; who hath provided Bread for our Soules; as the Egypti­ans did to God for that Gen: 50. 20. For by this he saves ma­ny Soules alive: God was oft magnified for the Manna he sent for the Israellites when they were ready to [Page 8] perish for hunger: This is more Mercy: Therefore, that, Iohn. 3. 16. God so loved the World; So, as cannot be immitated; So, as cannot be exprest; So, as cannot be conceived.

This Mercy farther appeares; If we Consider, that (which also this Doctrine teacheth us) it cost God and Christ somewhat before they helped Soules; Christ must be bread; That is not his up & doing it; But much must he doe and indure, before he was fited for it; As Bread doth before it become Bread; Therefore, we are the more bound to Him for his undertaking the Worke of Our Redemption: And to God the Father, For Giving Him to that Worke; If a King should ap­point his Sonne, and his Sonne undertake, to save Traytors, onely by comming to the Prison & fetching them out, it were worthy of much Thankes; But much more, when the Sonne, by much paines and cost, shall doe it; Ioseph procured Bread for Egypt, But Cbrist was made Bread.

2. USE, 2

For Incouragement to Such as droope in the Sence of their Misery, and want of Life; I may say to such of you, as be amazed with the Sence of your Misery by Sinne; As Iacob to his Sonnes, Gen. 42. 1. 2. Why doe ye looke one upon another? Behold I have heard that there is Corne in Egypt &c. Whatever you want, whether Gods Favour, Or Image, The Life of Comfort, Or of Grace, despaire not; For God hath provided Bread for you; I, and ye need not be affraid to come to this Bread, and take it; For he loves to have People eate of Him; as will clearely appeare by this, which also followes from this Point, Viz: That Christ Came from Heaven for this [Page 9] End, To recover Sinners out of their Misery, And to helpe them to live; For that is the End of Bread; It is not directly for any other use; It is so of Christs Comming, Math. 18. 11. For the Sonne of Man is come to save that which was lost: Iohn. 3. 17. For God sent not his Sonne into the World to condemne the World. but that the World through Him might be saved: And Chap. 12. 47. I came not to judge the World, but to Save the World: Therefore they that feele their need of him, need not feare Comming to Him, or question his helping of them: It was the End of His Comming, and the Use God cheifly put Him to: Therefore he will not be averse from it; Hence it was in that, Math. 18. 11. Having told them that this was the End of His Comming, to Save; He, by a Parable shewes them what Ioy it was to Him to save any one; How can He but joy in making good the End of his Comming? Therefore, they that droope in a Sence of their Mise­ry, and dare not goe to Christ for helpe, doe not knowe Christ, Nor the Mistery of his Incarnation, Nor the End of his Comming; That it was to Releive the Afflicted; Learne it now therefore, and come confi­dently to Him for Helpe; He cannot but with all readi­nes entertaine thee, and the Opertunity of making good the End of his Comming; Therefore in Scripture, Christ was greedy of any opertunity to releive a dis­tressed Soule; And did not quench the smoaking flax &c. Math. 20, most meeke, and gentle, and easily intreated; therefore a Dove sate on him, in His first Instalement into his Office; This is a maine thing, that is taught in the Gospel; and may be observed through the whole Sto­ry; that Christ with abundance of gentlencs & willingnes, en­tertained & incouraged all that in sincerity came to him for helpe; Feare not then Christs rejecting thee, [Page 10] so thou have a right desire to him, but presse him, if he seeme to deny thee, as the Woman did Marke. 7, 27. 28. Let not want of Life, or Weakenes hinder thee, for he came to helpe such; as bread is for the empty and weake, Therefore say ye as Moses, Exod. 16. 15. 16. This is the bread which the Lord hath given you to eate &c.

3. USE. Vse. 3

To teach us, how much we should esteeme & prize Christ, and Labour for Him; even as hunger starved people doe for Bread; Israell desired a cruell Bondage for Breads sake, Exod. 16. 3. the Egyptian bondage frō which they were freed; And they Ioh. 6. 24 26. How did they follow Christ, from one Coaste to another, for Loaves? What did Egypt doe for Bread-Corne, (not Bread, nor fitted to their hands) Gen: 41. 55. They cryed to Pharaoh for bread; And Cap. 47. 14. They parted with all their Mony for bread; And Ver. 17. They parted with all their Cattle; And Ver. 20. They parted with their Land; And Ver. 23. They sould Themselves; Would ye so doe for Christ, ye should have him, Isay. 55. 1. Ho every one that thirsteth, come yee to the waters, and he that hath no mony: come ye, buy & eate, yea, come; buy wine & milke without mony, and without price; and why should ye not, since He is Bread, not bread corne, but ready fitted to your hands? How did all Nations flock to Egypt, Gen: 41. 57. Because Bread Corne was there? And why, flock ye not to Christ, since He is the Bread of Life? Doe ye not manefestly give him the lye, who calls Himselfe Bread? And yee who so much care for Bread (as if ye call it to mind) ye did lately in the Famine; yet prize not, not care to get Him: Though it may seeme, not desirable, as Bread oft doth to Children, therefore when it is given them, [Page 11] they cast it away, Yet consider, the case of your Soules, hunger-starved; And He; the Bread of Life.

That I may quicken ye up to prize & esteeme Christ Christ is better thē any bread in many perticulers more, Consider, in how many Perticulers, He is better then any other Bread.

1 1. Other Bread onely supports Life, it doth not give Life, (as ye all knowe) But Christ is a Bread that gives Life to them that be dead, and therefore is called the Bread of Life, Iohn. 6. 53. 54. 57.

2 2. Other Bread preserves Life but for a while; Gen: 3. Eate it till thou turne to dust, It doth but repreive as it were till an other Sessiōs; It Corrupts, and keepes not the Body from Corrupting; But this Bread, gives Eternall Life. Iohn. 6. 50. 51. This is the Bread which com­meth downe from Heaven, that a man may eate thereof, and not dye; But live for ever; Therefore, Christ by this Ar­gument perswades them to prefer this before other meate, Iohn. 6. 27. Labour not for the meate which perisheth, but for that meate which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Sonne of man shall give unto you:

3 3. Other Bread helpes but the Body in Point of Life, and but in an earthly Life; But this helps the Soule & Body, and that in a Spirituall Life.

4 4 Other Bread, is not enough to Life, but with that there must be other things, even in this sence is that true Man lives not by bread alone, Therefore ye have Sampson, not complaining of danger of Death, for want of Bread, but Water; But this Bread is Allsuffici­ent; It alayes Hunger & Thirst both, (as is in the Text) Yea, Its Wine, Milke, & fat Things, Esay. 55.

5 5. Other Bread may be kept from you, or tooke from you when you need it, and usually is ratest to be had, when we most neede it, as in Famine; As Ponds [Page 12] which be full in Winter, when we need no Water, but dry in Summer, when Water is most needed; But this Bread, None can keepe, nor take away, Its Ever free & plentifully to be had.

6 6. Other Bread, oft costs deare, and is not every ones Mony, (as in Dearths) But the Price of This (as ye shall fee heerafter) is onely the Receiving it, the Comming, Taking, and Eating, (as its in our Text) and Its free for any, without restraint or limitation of Persons.

7 7. Other Bread may possibly have somewhat found in its roome that may serve Nature, though not all so well; But this Bread, can onely helpe our Soules, None else can but this, as ye heard in opening the Doc­trine. So that without this, There is no Life to be had; Now Considering all these Super-excellencyes in Christ, Why should ye not prize Him, and labour for Him more then for Bread? remember what you did for bread in the dearth, and doe more for Christ.

4. USE. Vse. 4

To teach us, That Christ is onely for hungry Soules Such as be sensible throughly of their Misery by Sinne and so Pant after a Remedy; For, therefore he is called Bread, because Its onely for the hungry: God hath pro­vided him onely for such (as ye heard before from, Luke 5. 31 32.) as the Table is spread for the empty, not for the full; For indeed none else desire, prize, or will receive him; pleasant food is slighted by the full (even the hony combe) much more this, which is hard of digestion, and very grosse to Flesh & Blouds pallat & eye: Therefore, observe in Scripture, who they were that so Prized Christ; they were Soules, hunger [Page 13] bitten with the sence of their spirituall Misery: And, who did slight him? Who were they to whome God never gave him? the Pharisees & blind People, who were not hungry after a spirituall Mercy, as not being throughly sensible of a spirituall Misery: And this is the very reason, why Christ is so litle regarded in the World; When one lookes in the Scripture and sees what Excellent Things are spoke of Christ; and on the longing desires, the Saints of old had after Christ, and their abundant joy in Christ; and looke now how slightly & by how few he is esteemed; one would thinke that which is writ of them is fabulous; or they were foolish, or our Christ is not the same Christ; or why should he then be longed for; and now, being co­me and offred is despised? But he ere is the truth of it; He is Bread, and they were hungry; But now most are full; Full with their Sinnes, their Honours, Profits, Con­tents of this World; and therefore care not for Christ; And mervaile at the hunger bitten Soules, which keepe such a doe for Christ; But let all such knowe, that Christ is not as yet for them; God never prepared, appointed, or sent him, for such, but for the hungry; as the Shew­bread was not for David himselfe but in case of great hunger, Math. 12. 3. 4.

If God had immediatly & suddenly conveyed Christ to sinnfull Soules, then might he have been injoyed by you, without being first hungry; But since he gives him as Bread, you must so take him; that is first being hungry; This is the reason why many eate this Bread, Christ, and be never the better, because they eate him without hunger first; and soe digest him not; but fill their Sou­les with crudy Humors, Security, Presumption, &c. which kill the Soule: Let an hungry Soule eate of this [Page 14] Bread; it exceedingly strengthens him to all Obedi­ence, filling the Soule with good Nourishment & Spi­rits, of Love, Peace, Hope, Joy: But if any that be not hungry doe eate of Christ; that is, apply him; He is to them, but as the foode to the Angells who were without stomacks Gen 18 8. they see [...] eate, but eate not, and so were never the better for it though the foode was good. Hence the Soules of People be so starveling like, though they oft injoy large Meales of this Bread, (Viz: the Word oft preacht, Sacraments oft administred) because, wanting Stomacks they onely seeme to eate, but eate not. If therefore, ye How to get a hun­ger, after Christ. would be the better for Christ, ye must get an Hunger, which that ye may the better doe.

1 1. Disgorge your Soules of that Surfet of Sinne & earthly Vanityes, which ye have taken in; By Consi­dering the vanity & hurtfullnes of them.

2 2. Get a strong Appetite to Christ; Which is done, Partly by drinking downe the Vineger of the Law, eating the sower Hearbs; By the Law laboring to see your Sinnfullnes & Misery thereby; And partly by looking into the Gospel, and Christs Beauty, and Desirable­nes; as Eve by Considering the Fruite, was drawne to take & eate it: But I will not presse this, because I have lately done it, and shewed you how farr you must be Humbled & the Signes & Meanes of it: All that I now say is this:

That as it was with the bitter Water in another sence, So is it with Christ; If they that hunger, take & eate him, they are saved by Him; If they that hunger not, medle with Him, It is their bane & ruine: There­fore thinke not those Preachers your enemyes, who la­bor to humble you by pressing on you the Law, and your [Page 15] miserable Estate by Nature, for it is but to make you hungry, and so fit for Christ, the Bread of Life; We are your Pastors & Nurses, and must seeke to get you Stomacks, that ye may eate, and not tread under foote this spirituall foode; therefore, thus, and for this end to seeke to humble you, is a part of our Duty & Love to you; should Preachers onely preach Christ to you, it would but delude you, for till you be hungry, God will not give him, nor will ye accept him, because He is Bread.

Thus much for the First Thing in the Text; The Description of Christ; as the sufficient Remedy of Mans Misery.

USES.

Vse. 1 First Vse, may serve for Instruction, in Three Perti­culers. Instructiō.

1 1. To shew us in the Generall what to observe in Mans Salvation, Viz: Free Grace, Certainty, and that God is All in All, in Itt; These (as ye heard in the Reasons of the Point) are manifested aboundantly in Gods re­quiring no other Meanes of getting Christ, and Salva­tion by Christ, but onely Beleeving: Therefore let us see these in God his saving of People; This is indeed the sweetnes of the Gospel, and that which makes it so much glorifie God & incourage miserable Man; that it assures us, all Happynes is to be had in Christ, for receiving it.

2 2. To shew their Error, that labour most for Plea­sure, Wealth, Honour, Content &c. Whereas these neither are Meanes, nor are required by God, for our getting Christ & Salvation: Therefore folly it is to la­bour for them more, then to Beleeve.

3 3. To shew the Errors, both, Of Papists, who seeke Salvation by Workes also, and not by Faith onely; and so make it neither Free Grace & Gift, nor sure; nor shutt Man out from all beasting. And also, the Error of many among us (even that have some good thing in them) who, to the end they may get Christ & Salvation, la­bour most for Humiliation, or for Holynes, and least of all, to Come to Christ, & beleeve on Him; wheras onely Faith is the Meanes, and All that God requires for our obtaining Christ & Salvation.

There are Two Snares, which the Devill sets for People.

One is, when they hope to be saved by Christ, and [Page 24] [...] [Page 25] [...] [Page 26] [...] [Page 27] [...] [Page 28] never looke to be humbled, nor to be sanctified; (thus the Profane are caught) which is a most silly thing, to thinke that any can be Saved, that be not regene­rated & sanctified; or to thinke that one can beleeve, & not hate all Sinne, & study all Holynes, or that any one can be brought to Heaven by Christ, and not to Holy­nes first; It was a good speech of Francis Spira, lying in the distresse of Spirit; I will not (saith he) detract from the Gospel, it is most true, that by Faith in Christ, we be onely saved, but yet, take heede of resting on Faith, and neglecting the Workes of Faith, Faith requires not that we be Christians in word onely; Beleeve me (qouth he) who have fully tryed the matter; and therefore he much commended to them, the Epistles of Peter, which presse Sanctity & Chastity &c. This was good Counsell, and very usefull against this Snare, by which Satan intangles the most of People, who rest in a Conceite that they beleeve, and never care for the Workes of Faith; but the Error of this hath been opened before.

There is an other Error, which is a second Snare of Sa­tan; Viz: To labour for Humiliation, Mortification, Holynes & Obedience, and not to labour to Beleeve; this is the Snare in which many well disposed People are caught: And the Error of it appeares by this Doctrine; Because there is no other Meanes required by God for our obtaining Christ & Salvation, but onely Faith: In­deed some measure of Humiliation must be had, be­fore we can beleeve (as ye have heard before) Viz: So much as may make one hunger after Christ, and be willing to receive Him on any Conditions; But when thus much is obtayned; (which is, when there is a serious labour after Mortification, and all Obedience) Yet then to labour for more Humiliation, or Holynes, and [Page 29] not first & cheifly to labour to beleeve in Christ; this is a great error; for there is noe other meanes to get Christ & Salvation but Faith; So that all the other Labour is in vaine, and for that, which never can bring Christ or Salvation; (as if a Man that desires to bring his dead Freind to Life, should onely labour to bring him to the acts of Life (as to speake walke &c.) and not to the onely Meanes of Life: to have his Soule joyned againe to his Body) and that Satan knowes, and therefore putts them on it, to make them spend time & paynes to noe purpose; To such therefore, I may say, as Elisha in an other case, to the Syrians; 2. Kings. 6 19. This is not the Way; Ye seeke Salvation and Christ, but by farther measure of Humiliation, (hav­ing enough allready to make you willing) or by Holy­nes, you can not get them; there is but one Way, one Thing that God requires, and that is, to Beleeve; There­fore as Christ said to Martha in an other case; Luke. 10. 41. 42. Ye are carefull about many things, but one thing is ne­cessary Viz: to Come to Christ, and Beleeve in him; to Entertaine him, and Give up your Selves to Him in all his Offices; doe this and you shall be saved; When this is done, then shall ye be able to attaine Mortification and Victory over your Lusts Sanctification & Ability to Duty, and not before, These be the Fruites & Effects of Beleeving; and you must Beleeve, before you can have these; As the Woman must be marryed to the Man, before shee can have lawfull Children by him; And the Science must be ingrafted into the Tree, before it can beare Fruite: Were it not a simple thing, for a Woman to expect Children Legitimate by a Man and then shee would marry him; Or to expect that a Science should first beare Fruite by the Sap of a [Page 30] Stock, and then ye would ingraft it to it; Or to expect that a Roome should be first inlightned, and warmed in the cold Winter, and thē ye would bring in a Can­dle & Fire; As absurd is it, to expect first to be Sanctified and then to Beleeve in Christ; For Faith in Christ, is the Cause, of all Mortification & Holynes; It is Christ that sanctifies People, Heb. 2. 11. And of His Grace conveyes to us, Iohn. 1. 16. and he never doth it, but by our Faith in Him; (for it is by Faith that He lives in us & dwells in us, as ye have heard) Holynes is the Meanes by which Christ after he is beleeved in, brings them that beleeve in Him, to Salvation:

It is therefore, a most preposterous, and wholy un­profitable way, for People to labour for Holynes, or Heaven, or Christ; and not first & cheifly to labor to Beleeve in Christ; The Right and onely Way is: being soe farr humbled, (as I said before) as to hunger after Christ, and be willing to have him on any Tearmes, thē to labour to Beleeve, and after that is done, to labour for Mortificatiō & Holynes, By, & From Christ to get it, Whome thou hast made Thine owne by Faith: Wherefore, I be­seech you see your Error, who will not beleeve, till first you have the Spirit quickning you, Grace strengthing you to Duty, and subduing Sinne in you, if you could thus find it in you, then you could beleeve and not else; This is the inverting Gods Order, and a way, that will never bring you to Christ, or Heaven.

Indeed (and I pray observe it) there is an Act of Faith; which cannot be had till this be had, and that Divines calls a reflect Act; where by a Soule beleeves that it doth beleeve: Before this can be, there must be Repentance, Holynes &c. This is a knowing that we have Faith; this is not the necessary Meanes to [Page 31] Salvation but to Assurance & Comfort; But there is an other Act of Faith, Viz. the direct Act; which is Beleev­ing; not a Beleeving that I doe Beleeve; but a Beleeving, and this must be, before we can repent, or have, or doe any good; this is the Meanes and onely Meanes to be saved.

Now consider the absurdity of your Error; before you labor to Beleeve, you labor to knowe you doe Be­leeve; you will be sure you doe Beleeve, before you will Beleeve, you labor for the Evidence of Faith, before you labor to have Faith it Selfe; you more and first, care for the Meanes of Assurance & Comfort, of your Sal­vation, then the Meanes of being Saved; And one maine Ground of your doing thus, is partly Pride, that ye will not have all groūd of Hope & Mercy to be in God, and none in your Selfe; For observe it, you will not goe that way, which makes you ground your Salvatiō onely on Christ, and not at all in your Selfe, but you must see somewhat in your Selfe, before you will beleeve; And partly it is not daring to venter your Soules on Gods bare Word, but you must see somewhat done by him in you, before you will credit him; For though He saith, that Whoever comes to Christ, and beleeves in Him, shall be Saved & Sanctified; yet you will not beleeve, till you find he hath sanctified you; and so dare not trust his Word; and therefore it is that the Scripture makes every Vnbeleever, to make God a Lyar; Consider that 1. Ioh. 5. 10 of Thomas Iohn. 20. 25. The Disciples said we have seene the Lord; But he said, except I shall see the print of the nayles, and put in my fingers I will not beleeve; then Verse. 29. Iesus said because thou hast seene me thou hast beleeved, blessed are they that have not seene me and yet have beleeved.

Yea farther: By this meanes: you hinder the shin­ing [Page 32] forth of Gods free Grace; For whilst that you will not First beleeve; but first will be able to doe somewhat, you make not Christ & Heaven a free Gift; nor can it be free Grace in God; and so not seeing Gods free Grace, ye doe not so magnifie Him as else you would; nor find such sweetenes in the Gospel, nor be so incouraged as ye might be; but sinke, perplexe, & wound your Soules by feares & discouragemēts, which indeede be groūd­les, Also, you hinder your owne Certainty & Assurāce; For whilst you ground your Beleeving on somewhat in your Selfe, and not onely on Gods free Promise & Word of Truth: It being grounded, (partly at the least) on your Selfe who change; it is uncertaine & chāgeable. By all this I beseech you see your Error, who being so much humbled as is requisite; labour for Humiliation, Holynes &c. and doe not first & cheifly labour to Be­leeve.

Objection. It may be Objected by some; But I have indeavored this Way as you teach, and have beleeved, and yet I find not Christ & Holynes follow after.

Answer. 1 I Answer, First it is not possible to Beleeve, in the least measure or degree, but Christ & Salvation must be had, because God hath absolutely promised it to Beleeving. And the Spirit & Sanctification must be had, for these be as inseperable as Light from the Sunne; but these things be not ever sensible to them that Beleeve.

1. Because, they doe not knowe & consider the first, least & weakest workes of Christ, in the beleeving Soule, but onely judge themselves by the more full & strong workings of Christ in the Soule; In trying the truth of Faith, take the weakest Evidences so they be sure, (though rest not there, for that, true Grace will never doe) as if a Man judgeth Life, onely by walk­ing, [Page 33] & eating, he may thinke a Man that sleepes is dead.

2. Because the Act of Faith is not strong enough to put forth it Selfe very sensibly, as the Acts of the Soule in a Swound; inasmuch as there is not a frequēt accustomed acting and exercising Faith, till by pract­ise the Heart is setled in it.

3. Because there is not a reflect Act, a Considering what it is to Beleeve, and that thou hast so done, and then a drawing the comfortable Conclusions to thy Selfe that flowe thence; and from Faith, a reasoning to quicken thee up; for Faith produceth its Effects by reasō ­ing; As thus, If Christ hath suffered in the flesh, then must I make the flesh suffer in me; If Christ rose againe, then must I rise to newnes of Life. If Christ loved me so as to give Him­selfe for me. Then shall not I love Him so as to give my Lusts for Him &c. Let these Things be observed, and there is none that doe in the least measure truly Beleeve, But they shall find Christ & Salvation made theirs.

2 Secondly I Answer; If thou hast indeavored to Be­leeve, and yet obtainest not Christ; It is not, because this is not the way, & the onely Way & Meanes to get Him; But because thou hast not Beleeved, thou hast not gon this Way, nor used this Meanes rightly: Therefore thou must not give over this Way, but labour to find it out, If there be many Pathes in a Feild and but one that leades to the House a Man is going to, and he have gon to the end of one Path, and finds not the House, It is a good reason why he should thinke that is not the right Path, and so seeke it out, but no reason why he should leave that Feild and betake himselfe to āother for in that Feild onely is the Path; So it is no reason that thou shouldst cease striving to Beleeve, and take to [Page 34] some other Course; but labour to find out what it is to Beleeve, and then care to doe that.

And as this Doctrine shewes their Error who labour to Repent, to be Holy &c. and not first to Beleeve. So it also shewes their Error; who finding a decay in their Soules of Grace; and an increase of Sinne; cease their Faith, and lay it aside and take to some other Course: Whereas, the onely way & meanes for them to reco­ver themselves, is to recover, strengthen & increase their Faith, for Faith is the onely Meanes to Christ & Sal­vation.

2. USE. Vse. 2

For Exhortation, To exhort ye all to labour above all things, to Beleeve; that is, To entertaine Christ, and re­signe up your Selves to Christ in all his Offices to be saved through them: Mind this Worke most of all, for it is the all in all to your Salvation; Thus did Paul Phill. 3. 8. 9. Yea doubtles I count all things but losse for the excelency of the knowledg of Christ; and doe count all but Dunge that I may winne Christ; And be found in him, not having mine owne Righteousnes, which is of the Law, but that which is through the Faith of Christ: This is a worke I commend to you, and Command you in Gods Name: It is Gods Worke that which he most chargeth on you under the Gospel, Iohn. 6. 29. doe yee make it your cheife worke:

You that take up your Thoughts & Hearts most with the World, with the Honours, Pleasures, or Pro­fits thereof; I might exhort you to beleeve (for till you doe it you cannot be saved) but you are to farr off from Faith yet; You are to be exhorted to get Prepa­rations for Faith; your Hearts to be so affected by the Law, with a sight of your Sinnes, and Misery by it, [Page 35] that ye may be brought to thirst after Christ, and will­ing to entertaine him on any Conditions; Mind ye this above all, because without this, ye cannot come to Faith, that onely brings Christ & Salvatiō: This Worlds Honours, Pleasures, & Profits, cannot give you Christ nor Salvation, and why then shall they be prefered & minded & sought after more then Faith, and that Hu­miliation which fits for Faith?

But I will not addresse my Exhortation to you; But to Such as be humbled & troubled with their Sinnes, & Cry out, What shall we doe to be saved? To you I say, as Luke. 8. 50. Feare not, onely Beleeve: Yee have but one thing to doe, there is but one thing God requires of you, and you shall have Christ & Salvation: And that is to Beleeve: Oh doe it! this will certainly, bring you all you desire: Acts. 1 [...]. 3 [...]. What must I doe to be saved, Ver. 31. And they said beleeve on the Lord Iesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved; And although Peter prest them to Re­pent, as Acts. 2. 38. Yet that is, but as if he had said Be­leeve, Which in & by Repentance will shew forth it Selfe & worke in you; If ye feare Hell & desire Salva­tion, then Beleeve. This is the one & onely way, All other Things that be good, come after this; All other La­bour of thine, is in vaine till this be done; Therefore this is so called for, and prest in Scripture; It is charged on People by a Command. 1. Iohn. 3. 23. This is his Com­mandement: that we should beleeve on the Name of his Sonne Iesus Christ; And so is in that Call to Repent, Acts, 17. 30. for till they Beleeve, they cannot Repent; And it is required with the greatest reward promised, & threat annexed, Marke. 16. 16. He that beleeveth & is baptized shall be saved, but he that beleeveth not shall be damned.

To perswade you to this duty, Consider the evill of [Page 36] not Beleeving, And the Benifite of Beleeving.

The Evill of not Beleeving is very great; Its very Injurious to God, Christ, and your Selves.

To God; It makes him a Lyer, whereas Beleeving, setts to your Seale that God is true; therefore it is called a Iustifying of God, Luke 7. 29. 30. His truth & faithfullnes, And not Beleeving, is a condemning God, as not true & faithfull; You also wrong God in not obeying his Cōmand (which is to Beleeve) and in not regarding his Feaste: nor valueing his Dainties: which made him say they that did so should not tast of them; for he that beleeves not, is exprest by them that refused to come when the Supper was prepared Luke, the 14 And so ye wrong him in not receiving his Sonne (for that is Beleeving) when he proffers & sends him to you.

It also is Injurious to Christ; Its a slighting him, as if he were not worth the taking, It is a refusing to kisse Him, and to let him raigne over you, and a Hating Him, Luke. 19. 14. It is as much as to say he is not worth the taking up, he is not sufficient, or not free to helpe.

It is also Injurious to your owne Soules, Luke. 7. 30. against themselves (that is not beleeving they did wrong themselves, Iohn. 3. 19. It is The Condēnation; many Cōdem­natiōs ye have viz. Oathes, Lying &c. but this is The Cōdem­nation; Ye doe keepe your Selves frō Salvation, because this is the onely Meanes, & ye will not use it; Ye doe that, Acts, 13. 47. Judge your Selves unworthy, and make the Preachers of Christ be turned from you; And for you that by discouragmēts are kept frō Beleeving, ye keepe your Soules, from that pertaking of Christ, and his Benifites which ye might attaine to; And so also, such as doe beleeve but weakely, they wrong God, Christ, and themselves very much; as if their food which God [Page 37] provides were not good enough; as if Christ the Second Adam were not as good to helpe them, as the First Adam was to hurt them; and keepe themselves from that measure of Grace from Christ, which they might attaine to.

As the Evill of not Beleeving is great; So is the Be­nifite of Beleeving; Its as effectuall as doing was with Adam, With him it was, doe & live; Now it is Beleeve and Live: Not that God loves a fruitles Faith, but be­cause it is Faith that must helpe to doe, and that is bet­ter esteemed with God then doing, Rom. 4. 21. 22. Be­cause Faith brings Christs doing, which is Perfect, and Ours is not; Beleeving it is the very Key which opens Christ: in whom are unsearchable Riches, and gives enter­ance into Heaven: It is the Bucket by which we fetch Wa­ter from that Well of Life; And all that have this Key & Bucket, may take thence: And therefore it is, that many have noe Grace from Christ, because they have no Faith in Christ: And others have so little Grace, because they have so little Faith, for as we Beleeve, so is it unto us; Matb. 8. 13. It is the turning the Cock, which sets all a flowing from God, both Mercy & Grace; It is in the least degree, a sure Evidence of Heaven, gives Title to Christ, and all Promises, brings Iustification, Sanctification, and Salvation, affords Adoption & Sonnship, Iohn. 1. 12. Now then Considering the Evill of not Beleeving, and the Benifite of Faith, What canst thou doe that is of so much Consequence as to Beleeve.

To helpe thee to Beleeve: Observe these Di­rections. Helpes to Beleeve.

First labour to understand & be clearely convinced 1. Observe these Di­rections. of these Perticulers.

1 1. Christs Alsufficiency, to helpe thee to all things, need­full to Salvation.

2 2. Gods Offer, & tender of Christ to all People, where the Gospel comes, without respect, or limitatiō of Persons but onely of Conditions (which is the next Point to come in our Text.)

3 3. That God who offers him freely. Is most true & able, and most sincere & willing to give. what he offers.

4 4. That for the fitting us to have Christ, or before we doe seeke for him, God requires nothing, but so farr to see our Misery, as to desire Christ, and be willing to take Him on His owne Conditions, and that then we be fittest for obtaining Christ, when we see in our Selves nothing but emptines of all Good, and fullnes of Sinne & Misery.

5 5. That Beleeving brings Christ & all Grace, and must be the first thing we doe, to gett Christ or Grace. (which is the Point in hand)

6 6. That Christ readily imbraceth, and sweetly incourag­eth all; that attempt, & indeavour to beleeve in Him.

7 7. That the expresse Command of God, is upon All, where the Gospel comes, That they do beleeve; These are undoubted Truthes expresse in the Scripture, 2. Pract­ise these Things.

Secondly, Practise these Things.

1 1. Pray to God for helpe & grace to beleeve, for it is his gift.

2 2. Attend on the Preaching of the Gospel, Faith comes by hearing Rom. 10. 17.

3 3. Strive to it, sit not still, give not way to Doubtings, and Tentations, and Carnall reasonings, but reason from the above premised Propositions, and presse your owne Heart, with the Conclusions that must followe thence; Also ponder & consider of those Propositions, & resist all that furthers Doubting, & hinders Beleeving; Thus make it your worke & trade, to worke your Heart to it.

4 4. Bring your Selfe To venture upon that which the Word sets before you, even above Reason & Hope, and without Sence; studiously search out, what it is to Be­leeve, in the first & least act of it; and then doe that at a Venture, and commit your Soule to it, doing it, what ever riseth against it in your owne reason: And thus Faith begines.

Thus much for the Second Thing in the Text: The Meanes by which this Bread of Life: The All suffici­ent Remedy of Mans misery may be obtained.

USE. Vse.

Incourag­ment. For speciall Incouragement to every one of you To [Page 45] come to Christ & beleeve in Him; I now in Gods Name, as his Messenger & Embassador; Tender & Offer Christ to every One of You, on these Tearmes, that ye Come to Him, Receive Him, Beleeve in Him, and assure you, that so doing, Ye shall be saved by Him: I tender Christ to you All, onely annexing these Two Cautions least ye should mistake or abuse this Doctrine: Cautions.

1 First, That none must meddle with Christ, but they who be willing to have him on His owne Tearmes Viz. To be Lord & King to them aswell as Preist.

2 Secondly, Whoever doe get Christ, they are surely Changed by Him, and made New Creatures.

These being premised; I doe this Day, Offer Iesus Christ to yee All, and assure yee He is to be had by you if ye Come to Him, Receive Him, Beleeve in Him; that is, If ye Entertaine Him, and give up your Selves to Him in all his Offices; upon these Tearmes, He may be had by any of you; It is most probable there be Some of You to whome God intends good; where He so freely sends his Gospel; Now let every one hope it is he. And indeavor to make it so; as men doe at a Dole: and let Heaven Suffer Violence.

Oh Receive Him then! Give up your Selves to Him in Covenant; Accept Him for your King, Preist, and Prophet; Resolve this Day, The Lord Jesus Christ, shall be my Prophet, I will in all Things la­bour to be Taught & Guided by Him; And he shall be my King; I will in all Things care to be Ruled by his Lawes: And he shall be my Preist; I will rest on Him for Attonement and Satisfaction to God-wards.

I must addresse my Selfe to Two Sorts of People among you.

1. To such of you as are Willing that Christ should raigne over you, but dare not, or cannot trust in Him for your Salvatiō; be ye incouraged, for there is none such but be wellcome to Christ, that is all he seekes, to raigne over you, it is all the tearmes he stands on, ye having granted him his owne Conditions, why should ye question his Mercy; This I say to you, 1. that if ye be made willing to give up your Selves to Christ in all things to be guided by him, and covet his Kingly Of­fice in your Soules, and study & seeke for Holynes, And 2. If ye find, that hope of Mercy, makes ye feare to offend, & care to please God in all things, and doth not make you presumptuous, secure & bold to Sinne; Then you may, and should apply Christ for Mercy, and ex­pect it from him; And doe it now, Now He is offered to you this Day, as a Preist to save you, & reconcile God to you, accept it, in that Office & put your trust in him, Is he not free for every one upon these tearmes, and why will you neglect so free Mercy? You have sinned against it hitherto, in doubting & questioning of it, Oh now sinne not any longer! but boldly venture thy selfe on Christ; feare not thy Wellcome, or being permitted to apply Christ, the free generall Pardon is given out; & sue it forth, whoever layes hold on Chrst must be saved: Christ puts this out of doubt: Iohn. 6. 37. He that comes I will in noe wise send away; Limitt not, where God hath not limitted; doe not shut out thy Selfe, where God hath not shut thee out; doe not inquire whether thou art chosen or no, but looke to the Gospel, in which Christ is freely tendered to every one on the tearmes of beleeving, and labour to beleeve; Therefore a­gainst all malitious suggestions of Satan, and against all carnall reasonings of thine owne Heart, boldly in­deavour [Page 47] to rely on Christs Merrit for thy Justification and so doing thou shalt be saved; Thus reason with your Selfe; Doth God freely offer Christ to save all that entertaine him, and requireth nothing but our accepting him, why then should not I venture my Soule on him, and rest Confident? How can the God of Truth but be as good as his Word? And if he be so, how can I but obtaine Salvation by Christ, if I trust in Christ? I would beleeve a Man whome I thought honest upon his word; and shall I not God, when I have his Word & Oath?

2. I am to speake to another sort of People; Viz: Such of you, as mind not Christ at all, or if you doe, yet not so much as to let him raigne over you, but are still bent on your Lusts, & your old & former Wayes; Yee are they, who yet mind some thing in the World, to much, and are not willing to entertaine Christ for your King; Be ye now exhorted to receive him, and let him raigne over you; He may be had upon these Tearmes even by you (for he is free for every one on these tearmes) therefore entertaine him, let the World & your Lusts goe, and choose Christ; Reason thus with your Selves; Is not the Love of the World enmity to God, so that He that is a friend to the World, must be Gods Enemy? The Things of the World they are but perishing, un­certaine, insufficient Helpers, & Comforters; And as for my Lustes & Wayes, are they not deceitfull, va­nishing, & damnable? Is not the Fruite of every Sinne, Shame; and the Wages Death? must I not leave them, & get Pardon for them, or goe to Hell? Why then shall I prefer the World & Sinne before Christ? And (as the Jewes in an other case) choose Barrabas a Murderer, and let Christ goe? At the Day of Judgment I shall need [Page 48] Christ; But how can I thinke, Christ will owne me heerafter, if I now will not owne him, and let him rule over me? Will he not one Day, bid me depart, and say He knowes me not, if I be a Worker of Iniquity? Wherefore since Christ is so free, that I may receive him as well as any other, so that I will but renounce all my sinnfull wayes, and give up my Selfe to Him; I will so doe: Whats the World & my Lusts to Heaven & Christ; which thus I may have?

Oh! that ye would be perswaded this Day, to aban­don the World & your Sinnes, and Entertaine Christ for your Lord & King; Doe it, when as you heare, that if you now accept Christ, ye shall be wellcomed; and though hitherto ye have been great Sinners; Yet now if ye abandon your Lusts, and embrace Christ; ye shall have him given, and all that is past freely forgiven: Oh! why will ye neglect so great Salvation? Doe not so, but doe this; Receive Christ; and now doe it; doe not defer the doing this, But now make this Covenant with Christ, even this Day, at this Time: Covenant in your Spirits with Christ; that you will accept Him in all his Offices to be yours, and give up your Selves to be his, and rest on him for your Salvation; Now I say doe it, whilst it is called too Day, and defer not; if now you will indeavor to doe it, Christ will helpe you forward; Incline to this happy worke, and the ministry of the Gospel shall promove & farther you; It is the Ministry of the Spirit, and not of the Letter; Gods Spirit accompanyes it, both to worke in you a Will to doe thus, and to Helpe them that are willing & doe indea­vor it; But if ye shall defer Christ; and excuse your not Comming, and put him off, ye can expect no o­ther returne but that, Luke. 14. 24. For I say unto you, [Page 49] that none of those men which were bidden shall tast of my Supper: and ye may well feare, it shall fare with you, as with the Israelites, who because They would not accept Gods offer & enter Canaan, when he tendred it, allthough a while after, they would have done it, and did indea­vor, yet God would never let them come into it: Where Gods Mercy is most free; he is usually most quick & severe; and they that may & will not goe free, are served, as the Servant that might, and would not. Deut. 15. 16. 17. No after Yeares of Jubile, could free them.

Remarkeable is the Speech of Francis Spira, (one of whome I told you before) when he languished un­der the torture of his Conscience, for preferring the World, before Christ: Oh saith he! that I could but hope in Gods Mercy; Oh! what would I give for one of those sweete Motions of Gods Spirit, to incline me, which I have had before & slighted; A pittifull Case; and yet the like and worse may yours be, if ye neglect or defer to take Christ, now that he is offered to you all; Therefore, if ye have any sence or apprehension of Things Spiri­tuall, Eternall & to Come, If ye have any feare of Hell, or desire of Heaven; If any respect or reverence to God who thus condescends & stoopes low, so as to Offer Christ & Salvation to you, and Invite you to come & take it; Be Exhorted to Come & Beleeve in Iesus Christ.

But if all this will not move you, then breifly Con­sider what the Lord saith in his Word; where Christ is offered, and not received; Oh! how fearefull is that Peoples State?

1. They are in a more Speciall desperate subjection to Sinne then others; For Light is come into the World, and such Men Loved Darkenes, rather then Light, because their [Page 50] deedes are evill; Iohn. 3. 19. Christ, Who is set for the rising againe of many, is set also for the fall of others; Luke. 2. 34. 35. And for a signe which shall be spoken against, that the thoughts of many Hearts may be revealed; And heerein the Iniquity of Sinne is discovered.

2. They must Perish; you heard before, how they that were Invited, and Came not, should not tast of the Supper, Therefore 2. Thes. 1. 7. 8. The Lord Iesus shall be re­vealed from Heaven, with his mighty Angells, in flaming Fire, to take Vengance; But on whome? On them that knowe not God, and Obey not the Gospel of our Lord Iesus Christ. And the same Apostle tells us, If the Gospel be hid, it is to them that perish 2. Cor. 4. 3. Such shall call for Christ & Mercy, as Pro. 1. 24. &c. but shall be answer­ed, Him ye would not have; Such shall have in them as much feare of Christ, as of God, and as much danger from Christ, as from God; For Christ will be Wroth, and will certainely Have those his Enemyes, which would not that he should raigne over them, brought, & slaine, before Him, Luke. 19. 27. Christ the Lambe, will be wroth, and such shall be the day of his wrath, so great, & terrible, as that men shall say, who shall be able to stand? & therefore unbeleevers of all rankes, Kings, Great men of the Earth, Rich men, and the Cheife Captaines, Such as now dare looke Death in the Face, shall then Call to the Mountaines & Rockes to fall on them, to cover them from that Wrath, Revel. 6. 15. 16. 17. And how can Such want ruine, When the Gospel shall Iudge them; as Christ tells you it shall doe those who heare it and doe not beleeve, Iohn. 12. 47. 48. The Word that I have spoken, the same shall Iudge them at the Last Day:

And Such shall not onely perish, but Perish worse thē Others; The Gospel is a Savour of Death unto Death to them, [Page 51] 2. Cor. 2. 15. 16. They are dead allready, but shall dye worse; They are fallen in Adam, but shall fall far­ther Luke. 2. 34. Therefore that Place is very Conside­rable, Math. 10. 12. to. 16. And when ye come into an house, salute it. And if the house be worthy, let your peace come upon it, but if it be not worthy, let your peace returne to you. And whosoever shall not receive you, nor heare your wordes: when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet. Verily I say unto you; It shall be more tole­rable for the land of Sodome & Gomorrha in the day of Iudge­ment, then for that Citie.

Thus much for the third Thing in the Text; Viz: the Persons that may use these Meanes, and so obtaine Christ: Now the Last followes.

USES. Vses.

First, for Instruction & Comfort to all that truely be­leeve 1. For In­structiō & Comfort. in Christ (What it is truely to Beleeve? I opened in opening the Second Doctrine; where I shewed, It is not a [Page 65] groundles & slight Conceite that Christ dyed for us; but an entertayning & receiving Christ in all his Offices a full re­signing ones Selfe to Him; Covenanting to be ordered & Comfort for Beleevers in two perticulers guided by Him in all Things) to such heere is Instruction & Comfort; and that, In these Two Perticulers.

1 First, You that beleeve in Christ; shall never totally or finally fall away from God & Grace, so as wholly, or for ever to loose them; (a Comfortable Point in these dangerous seducing & declining Tymes) For he that once beleeves in Christ; saith Christ in my Text, shall never hunger nor thirst; that is, shall never be wholy without God & Grace, Christ & Happynes, (as ye have heard in opening of the Point) Therefore, whatever appearances there may be, through the Subtilty of carnall Reason & Satans Suggestions. Be thou assured, that having once beleeved in Christ, thou shalt never be wholly destitute of God & Grace; for then thou must hunger & thirst; which Christ saith, shall never be:

Neither is that of weight against this Cōmfortable Truth that Some object: So long as one beleeveth he shall never loose wholly God & Grace; But one that beleeveth may loose his Faith; and then loose God & Grace wholly: This I say; is of no weight; For, though one may loose the use of Faith for some tyme; Yet None that Beleeve, can ever wholly loose Faith, nor any other saving Grace, as hath been showed in the opening of this Point; and so as, he can never wholly loose Faith, so neither can he ever loose Christ or Grace; If the Covenant did run thus; That he that beleeves, so long as he beleeves, shall never fall away; But yet he might loose all Be­leeving, and so fall away; then were not that true; Isay. 55 3. For with Every Beleever God makes an E­verlasting Covenant; Even the Sure Mercyes of David; [Page 66] Now how were the Covenant Everlasting, or the Mer­cy Sure; if that he might wholy loose Faith, and so loose God, & all Grace? Surely that Place expresly teacheth That when any one Beleeveth; God makes with him a Covenant, that shall Last for Ever; and bestowes on him Mercy, that is Sure; and therefore he cannot be disappointed; He that once beleeves must be for ever Gods, and never so fall as to misse Heaven; For Christ hath pray­ed for All that beleeve, that They should be with him, & see his Glory, Iohn. 17. 20. 24.

The Sonnes of God (and so is every one that Beleev­eth, Iohn. 1. 12.) must be Like Christ, when He appeares at the Last Day, 1. Iohn. 3. r. 2. Therefore, He that beleeveth, must be saved, and can never wholy loose God or Grace; And therefore it is, that He that once Beleeves can never wholy loose his Faith, because to the end He may never loose God or Grace, God preserves Faith in him, and by that Faith preserves him in Grace & Favour with God, till he come to inherite Glory, 1. Pet. 1. 4. 5. Who are kept by the Power of God through Faith &c.

2 Secondly, You that beleeve in Christ; shall have All your desires alayed, All your wants supplyed, & your Soules satisfied fully in this Life: 1. Your sinfull desires to Sinne, & the Worlds Vanityes; these shall be alayed, by removing the Cause of them; Viz: Originall Corruption, the Vanity of your Minds & Hearts: Your Soules shall be purged from those ill Humors, which make you Hunger after this Trash; and shall be put in right frame, and you made to Hunger after good & wholsome Things; Viz: Gods Favour & Holynes, Gall. 5. 24. & Chap. 6. 14. Examine your Selves well, and ye shall find, that ye doe not so hunger after these Things as ye did, and be ye sure that ye shall doe it lesse & lesse, till at [Page 67] last, ye shall be quite freed from that vaine Desire: For those many Exhortations in Scripture, to Mortifie those Affections, and to Lay them downe; as Eph 4. 22. 23. 24. & Coll. 3. 2. 5. doe include Promises (upon your indeavor) that it shall be done; as may be gathered from Rom. 6. 12 14. where God promiseth that shall be, which he ex­horts to: Yea Gods Exhortations to Beleevers, are as his Word in Creation was, Operative. and working that which he Calls for, and Commands to be: Therefore doe ye but Exercise your Faith, and use the Meanes God hath appointed, and you shall have your sinnfull & trou­blesome Desires alayed.

2. So also, Your good & cōmendable Desires after Grace & Holynes; Those shall be satisfied; Christ will fill you as full as ye can desire, or contayne; Allready, ye have in you, the Store-house & Treasury of all Grace, the Spring is in you; Christ, in whome is all you neede, and therefore it is in him, that you may have it; He is yours, and from him ye may have whatever you neede doe but let downe the Bucket of Faith and drawe what Water ye desire; He will never with-hold any Grace yee thirst after, if ye trust in him, and use the meanes, Psal. 81. 10 He will fill the Mouth that is opened, and according to your hope in him, will he doe to you, he may defer you a while, to try the strength of your Desire, and of your Faith; but he will not with-hold ever, but satisfie your Desire; Yea, he cannot with hold; for what you seeke by Faith in Him, and in the use of His meanes, he must give you, His Promise & Office doe tye him to it; for He is your Spring of Grace to satisfie your thirsty Soules: And as a Mans owne Spring cannot with hold Wa­ter from him, when he comes to it, no more can Christ.

Some wants ye shall have so long as ye live heere; [Page 68] but yet there shall be a satisfieing, & filling up, though not filled up; as the Child is growing, though not fully growen, till he comes to Age: And ye shall have that fullnes, & satisfaction; that is needfull & requisite for this Life, so much ye shall have: Therefore be Comforted; and sinke not under the sence of your wants; It is good to be sensible of spirituall wants, so as to seeke for supply; but it is folly & unbeleefe, to be discouraged under them, since that ye have in hand & doe possesse as your owne, that which is able & ready to supply them all, if you use the meanes, Viz: Christ & the Promises; Would not one thinke them Fooles, that complaine of Thirst, and had a Spring of there owne, at their Doore?

Yea farther Consider; that ye have actually all Full­nes; Viz: In Christ & the Promises; there is All Fullnes, what can you desire that is not there? and it is all yours; So that in your Substitute, Treasury, Srore house, Wardroope, there is actually all that you neede or de­sire, and it is all yours; For all is yours (as ye heard be­fore) 1. Cor. 3. 21. and therefore the Apostle speakes of Calvin on this Scrip­ture saith well: Si eges nō habes fidem, Si habes fidē non eges. Beleevers as possessing all things 2. Cor. 6. 10. & Iam. 2. 5. styles thē rich in faith; that is not ment of abundance of Faith, (as sometime the word is taken) but that by Faith they be Rich; So that every one that Beleeves is Rich by Be­leeving; therefore possest of abundance (else none are called Rich) for the present injoying all that is needfull; and Heires of a Kingdome; for in the Life to come ye shall have a Satisfaction of all your Desires: There ye shall have an absolute Fullnes; all sinnfull & worldly Desires shall be quite extinguisht; all Holynes & Hap­pynes shall be perfectly administred; there is nothing necessary or desirable for your Happynes, but ye shall [Page 69] enjoy it actually in the highest Degree; ye shall have your Wills to the full, no Want or Crosse in any Desire. God will say to you, as Herod to Herodias her Daughter Marke. 6. 22. 23. and better; not onely aske what you will to the Halfe of the Kingdome, but to the Whole, and it shall be granted you; Whatever Christ, Heaven, God can give, to fill you, you shall have so, far as you can receive. In a Word Ye shall be as Christ is 1. Iohn. 3. 2. So that if Christ is full, Ye shall be full; Wherefore be ye Comforted with these Things.

2. USE. Vse. 2

For Tryall; Ye may by this try, whether ye Beleeve or For Tryall no: If yee Beleeve: ye doe not hunger & thirst: Thou that art not thus alayed in thy Desires: Thou either dost not Beleeve; Or dost not exercise & use Faith, Or Cbrist saith not true: Ye that have gaping wide Desires after Sinne, that feed on Sinne as an hungry Man, and drinke downe Iniquity as Water; ye doe not beleeve: Ye that as fully admire, seeke, & delight in the Things of this World, as ye did formerly, and hunger & thirst cheifly after them, Ye Beleeve not: If your Desires, goe out constantly, in an inordinate Way, to any of these Worlds Contents; Its a Signe you have not Faith.

Hence also a Discovery may be made; Both concern­ing the Measure, and Exercise of Faith; The strōger your Faith is, the lesse is your hunger after the World and Sinne &c. and according as you exercise Faith; will be the alaye of your desires after such things; You want the exercise of Faith, who cannot supply your wants, as you feele them; For Faith if exercised will draw from Christ and the Promises such a fullnes as is convenient for this Life; It will shew you a Compleat fullnes in Christ [Page 70] as your owne; And where this is not, there Faith is weake, or not exercised as it ought to be.

3. USE. Vse. 3

Shall be for Exhortation to Beleeve; Because of the Be­nifite For Ex­hortation. that comes by it; This is Christs ayme in this Place: And this Vse belongs, First to such of you, as yet never Beleeved: Secondly to such as have, and doe in some measure Beleeve.

First to you that yet never Beleeved; That is never en­tertained 1. To Vn­beleevers. Christ in all his Offices, and never gave up your Selves to whole Christ, as to your King, Preist, & Pro­phet; But the most ye have done, is in a Generall manner to phansy Christ dyed for you, and you shall be saved by him; which is not true Faith, as ye heard before: You, therefore that yet never rightly beleeved; be ye perswaded to doe it, and that above all things: For why! what can doe you so much good as this? Is there any Thing in the World, can satisfie all your Desires? Sinne doth not; Sinning alayes the Desire of Sinne, no otherwise, then casting on Oyle doth alaye the Fire, it increaseth it; the more ye sinne, the more ye desire to sinne: It is like the administring Wine in a Dropsy, Riches satisfie not, Ezekiell. 7. 19. Eccle. 5. 10. He that loveth Silver shall not be satisfied with Silver, nor he that loveth abundance, with increase, he spake it that had fully tryed it, and therefore the more to be regarded, And as it holdeth in Riches, So likewise in Honour, Pleasure, or any Thing else, ye seeke after, and neg­lect Beleeving.

That which is reported of Alexander, is to be found in every ones Heart, which a Philosopher discovered in his, by this Questiō to him, When thou hast Conquered Greece [Page 71] what wilt thou doe? He answered, I will Conquer Asia and the whole World; When that is done what wilt thou doe? I will (saith he) wish for another World to Con­quer; thus unsatisfied was he by all his Honour: And thus is it with Men, both for Honour, Pleasure &c.

Our Soules are made to enjoy God, therefore Covet an Infinite & Eternall Good; which is ment by that Groping after God, Acts. 17. 27. Not that they seeke God as God, for so, that is true, Rom. 3. 11. There is none seeketh after God, but in that they seeke blindly after an Infi­nite & Eternall Good (which onely is God, though they thinke not so) they be said to grope or feele after God and therefore rest unsatisfied, in any finite or mortall good, reall or seeming: Our Soules are like the gape­ing Earth, full of Chinckes, and great Crannyes, which nothing in the World can fill & satisfie, but the Ocean or Showers of Heaven, God Him selfe; hence is that restlessnes that is in all Hearts: Whatever they have, even in this sence, they are tossed up & downe, as the Sea, and not quiet: For so long as the Soule is in Desire, it is in a restlessnes, & troublesome Motion. And hence it is there be such shiftings frō one thing to another, frō Coveteousnes to Prodigallity &c. (though ye never have the witt to shift from the Creature to God, for then ye would be satisfied) because in no­thing ye be satisfied: yea, and God oft lets you have your Desires, so much Wealth, Pleasure, or Honour, as ye seeke, and yet ye be not satisfied, that so ye may knowe, there is nothing can satisfie but God.

And this I assure you, if ye Beleeve not, (Marke it, for ye shall one Day remember, ye were told of it) ye shall ever hunger & thirst, and never be satisfied, and that is a great Misery: as He that beleeves shall never, so [Page 72] you that beleeve not, shall ever hunger & want, and never get Satisfaction, Pro. 13. 25. Therefore such a Condition is discribed in Scripture by them that la­bour in the Fire, and for Vanity, Habuc. 2. 13. That feede on Ashes, Esay. 44. 20. Follow the East Wind, Hosea. 12. 1. Labour wholly in Vaine; as Esay. 55. 2. Consi­der the Difference twixt them that Beleeve, and those who doe not Beleeve, Esay. 65. 13. Gods Servants, that is, Beleevers; shall have Ioy, because full Satisfaction; and so no hunger: Ye, that beleeve not, shall want, and so be ashamed, because ye have not got that ye sought:

In this Life, ye shall not be satisfied, and much lesse in Hell; there is Paena Damni, ye shall be punished with losse & want of what ye seeke: Dives; who was full of Honours & Riches, and enjoyed a fullnes of all out­ward Contentments, while he was in the World; yet this Dives, because he was not a Beleever, he thirsted after a dropp of Water; and could not have that Thirst alayed: There shall be continually Renisus Vo­luntatis, your wills shall ever incline unto this & that good which ye want, but shall ever desire, and never attaine to; It is a painefull thing, to hunger & thirst, and not to have to satisfie; the Poore knowe this: Oh! what is it thē to hūger & thirst, a Yeare together and never be satisfied? and what is it to doe so Ever? yet this, & all this is, & shall be your Case, who beleeve not in Christ; that is, doe not so receive him in All his Offices. as hath been opened.

But on the other side, if ye will Beleeve in Christ; yee shall never hunger nor thirst, what would a hungry Man doe for this? will he not venter his Life? If ye will Beleeve, ye shall have a supply of all good things, and be as Deut. 33. 23. Satisfied with Favour, & full of the [Page 73] Blessing of the Lord. Ye neede not goe out as I may so say, but shall have of your owne, whatever you neede for Soule or Body: Ye may have outward Things, & yet want more, or loose them againe: But Beleeve, & ye shall have all Good, and never loose it: Ye desire Joy, Heere is the Way to Full Ioy; ye must have full fruition of all Good, and that is onely had by Beleeving: Your desires to Sinne shall be alayed; and new Desires given you, & satisfied; and that is all one, as if ye had them of Sinne, satisfied:

Therefore Consider what the Prodigall saith, Luke. 15. 17. 18. In my Fathers House is Bread enough; and I dye for Hunger: In God there is Fullnes enough of Satisfaction, and I am distracted through want of it: Reason then as the Prodigall did; Allas! I am heere, ready to famish, for want of Bread; How unsatisfied is my Soule? I follow after Wealth, Honours, & Plea­sures, and yet my Soule hungers & thirsts; Why should my Soule be famished heere; and perish heereafter? There is Bread enough in the Gospel; In Iesus Christ, I may have to supply all my wants, a Compleate Satisfaction: Why should not I renounce my Selfe; Forsake my Sinne; and Goe to Christ? I will goe to Him, and Beleeve in Him: How great a Benifite would it be to have Meate or Drinke that would alaye Hunger & Thirst for Ever? This is had by Faith: This Argument perswaded the Woman Iohn. 4. 14. 15. Let it perswade you.

Ye have heard in the former Doctrine; That Any one, what Person soever, may by Beleeving get Christ: God in his Gospel shutts out None, therefore be not kept from indeavoring to Beleeve by a Conceite, that such a Sinner as thou shalt not be accepted, for any that come are Wellcome; Labour thou thē to Beleeve: and know [Page 74] that on these Tearmes, Perfect Happynes, is offered thee; For it is that onely which can satisfie all Desires; and therefore, above all, Labour to Beleeve in Christ; If thou wilt not, thou refusest Perfect Happynes; and shalt have perfect Misery.

Secondly, This serves also for Exhortation, To You 2. To Be­leevers. that have Beleeved: Gett more Faith, and exercise Faith more, So shall your Wants be supplyed, and Desires satisfied, and this is the Way to have more freedome from sinnfull & worldly Desires, and to have your fill of Grace, God, & Happynes; you want so much, be­cause you actually beleeve so little; For Beleeving brings Satisfaction, and the more ye Beleeve, the more full Sa­tisfaction: Be allwayes then in the use & exercise of Faith, abound there with; Sathan above all things, la­bours to hinder your growth in Faith; because by that meanes he would keepe you in want; But learne you above all things, to labour to abound in Faith, for then shall you want nothing: Hence are there so many Exhortations & Prayers made by the Apostle in Scrip­ture for Beleevers abounding in Faith; For as they ex­ercise & increase in Faith, so all Fullnes is farther con­veyed to them:

Faith is as the Bucket, which let downe fetcheth Water; and the oftner you let it downe, the more Water you have; The Exercise of Faith is as the turn­ing of the Cock, which if turned, letts in Wa­ter; So Faith exercised, letts in all supply, and the more it is exercised, the greater is the supply; The more Faith, the more fullnes; If we want, the want is not from Christ, but from our want of the exercise of Faith: Exercise Faith then, and you will never be pincht with Hunger or Thirst, or be so perplext, as often [Page 75] ye are; But you shall enjoy a Heaven upon Earth; you shall have a sweete Influence of all Grace, as fast as your Soules can receive it; you shall enjoy the Spirit of God, and the Favour of God, and be fully satisfied; All Supplyes are to be had onely from Christ; and all to be had from Christ, onely by Beleeving.

Faith Exercised doth Three Things. Faith ex­ercised, doth 3 Things.

1 First, It Conveyes the Thing that is sought; Therefore so oft in Scripture, It is made the Instrument of Convey­ance of all Gods Blessings; By Faith Sarah received the promised Sonne: Heb 11. 11. So Gall. 3. 14. The Promise of the Spirit is received by Faith: It is Faith brings it: Therefore the Scripture makes Faith to Conveye the Par­done of Sinne, the healing Diseases: and whatever it be­leeves, Math. 8. 13. (as ye heard before) For, what­ever Faith layes hold on, it makes it thine owne, be it ever so much: And.

2 Secondly, Vntill it hath Brought & Conveyed the Thing, It gives Assurance that it shall be had, and so it gives Content & Satisfaction in some measure as if it were had; As it did to Abraham for his Isaac, Gen. 17. 17. it made him laugh, that is Ioy, (for it was another kind of laughing then Sarahs was; who laughed out of scorne of the thing spoken, as deeming it impos­sible & therefore was shee rebuked) I say, Faith made Abrahamlaugh; that is Ioy in the Assurance of the thing: And so it made Hanna quiet, and eased her of her per­plexity, 1. Sam. 1. 10. 18. upon Her praying, shee Beleeving was Satisfied, untill shee had it; For Faith exercised, doth assure the Soule, the Thing desired shall be had, in the best tyme & manner.

3 Thirdly, It presents all fullnes & desirablenes, as that which shall be in due tyme possessed, & enjoyed; [Page 76] It gives a glimps, of all that God hath Promised, or thou desirest; Faith leadeth thee to Heaven, and sheweth thee the many Mansions, the Crowne of Glory, the glorious Roabes, the immortall Inheritance, the Kingdome that shall never be shaken, whatever is to Come, Faith gives the sight of it before hand; looke as God did to Abrahā, Gen. 15. He shewed him that full Posterity, & Possession that in due tyme, he should have; So doth Faith; Heb. 11. 13. By faith they saw the things promised afarr off, & were perswaded of them, & embraced them (or saluted them) that is as things present and enjoyed by them.

Now Faith doing thus; the more it is; the more it doth thus; as Fire heating, the more the Fire is, the more it heates; and the more it is exercised, the more it doth thus: For it is with Faith, as it is with any Skill Power, or Habit; if it be not used & exercised; it doth nothing, he that hath it is never the better, there is no difference twixt him & another, that hath noe such thing: And this is the great folly of Beleevers that they grow not in, and exercise not their Faith; did they so, they could want no good thing: Therefore Consi­der, what Increase can yeild ye so much Benifite, as the Increase of your Faith? what Exercise can doe ye so much good, as the Exercise of your Faith? Therefore, above all things, mind this: Doe ye as Hab. 2. 4. Live by your Faith: Let that be it whereby ye doe All Things, and passe All Tyme, let it be in Continuall Action in you, on All Occasions: And I Assure you, Yee shall never Hunger nor Thirst; But be free from all the Pinches and Pangs, Perplexities, and Troubles, that now ye un­der goe.

Thus; Ye have had the Pith & Substance of this Text, In these Foure Doctrines.

1. That Christ is the Bread of Life; that is, The one­ly & alsufficient Remedy of Mans Misery.

2. That the all & onely Meanes appointed & required by God, for the obtaining this Christ; is Comming to him; that is, Beleeving on Him.

3. That Every Person without any limitation or seclu­ding, by Beleeving on Christ, may certainly obtaine Him.

4. That whoever Comes to Christ, or Beleeves in Christ, shall never hunger nor thirst; that is, shall have all his Wants supplyed, and his Soule fully satisfied.

I Conclude all, with that of