The tryal & triumph of faith: or, An exposition of the history of Christs dispossessing of the daughter of the woman of Canaan Delivered in sermons; in which are opened, the victory of faith; the condition of those that are tempted; the excellency of Jesus Christ and free-grace; and some speciall grounds and principles of libertinisme and antinomian errors, discovered by Samuel Rutherfurd, professor of divinity in the University of St. Andrews. Published by authority.

SERMON XIV. (Book 14)

* 1.1LOst sheep] Lost, is either understood of the common condition of all men, and so be∣cause all are the Hieres of wrath, Eph. 2. All have sinned, and commeth short of the glory of God, Rom. 3.23. and so are lost: But the Scri∣pture intituleth men by that which they are in their own esteem, as Mat. 9.13. I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to Repen∣tance: this may seem to hold forth that there be some sinners, and some not sinners, but righ∣teous, whereas none are righteous that sinneth not, Rom. 3.10. But God giveth to men the title which they give themselves, and so lost here, is such as are lost in their own esteem; for Christs intention in comming in the flesh, and dying is to seek and to save the lost, Luk. 19.10 In this sense, Mat. 9.13. and 1 Tim. 1.15. Christ came to save sinners, otherwise, all the house

of Israel are lost, Jer. 50.6. My people have been lost sheep, Ezek. 3.4. Neither have ye sought that which was lost: Nor is this to be meant of the lost considered, as redemption is purchased, in this notion, Christ died for his enemies, Rom. 5.10. the just for the unjust, 1 Pet. 3.18. and so for the lost: But we are here lead to this,* 1.2 that these at whose salvation Christ hath a speciall ayme, and whom he actu••ally converteth are first sinners, And lost in their own eyes, as is clear, Mat. 9.13. 1 Tim. 1.15. Luk. 19.10. It is one thing to be lost, and a sinner, and another th••ng to be self-lost, as many are loaden who are not weary, and yet none are w••ary, but they be loaden. 1. All that Christ converteth are self-sinners too, but Christ converteth not all sinners. Hence Christ actually calleth and s••veth but those who are such and so prepared;* 1.3 now there is a prepara∣tion of order, and a preparation of deserving: I cannot say, there are preparations in the con∣verted▪ by way of deserving. Christ calleth not sinners because, or for, that they are sinners in their own sense, For he hath mercy on whom he will. 2. Nor are their preparations in the con∣verted to which conversion is promised as a free reward of grace, which may be called morall preparations, there is no such promise in the word as this: Whosoever are wearied and lost in their own eyes, they shall be converted: yea 3. Its hard to affirm that all who are prepared

with these preparations of order are infallibly converted; its like Judas, Cain, reputed them∣selves sinners, and had some law-work in their heart, and yet were never converted. But Gods ordinary way, is to bring men into Christ being first self lost, and self-condemned, and that upon these grounds that proveth Gods way of work∣ing to be successive: 1. Because conversion is a rationall work,* 1.4 and the Gospel is a morall in∣strument of conversion, therefore Christ here openeth a veine ere he give Physick; he first cutteth and then cureth, for though in the mo∣ment of formall conversion, men be patients, and can neither prevent Christ, nor co-operate with Christ, yet the whole work about conversion is not done in a moment; for men are not con∣verted as the Lillies grow, which do not labour nor spin; there be some pangs in the new birth; nor are men converted as Simon carried Christs crosse, altogether against their will; they do hear and read the word freely: nor are men converted beside their knowledge, as Ca∣japhas prophecied: nor are we to think with En∣thusiasts, that God doth all with one immediate rapt, as the Sun in its rise inlighteneth the air. The Gospel worketh morally as doth the Law; Reasons work not in a moment, as fire flaughts in the air: Christ putteth souls to weigh the bargain, to consider the field and the pearle, and then buy it: 2. Christs saving and calling the lost, is a new creation as well as a generation:

A childe is not born in one day; saving Grace is not Physick that worketh the cure while the sick man is sleeping: Christ casteth the mettall in the fire ere he form the Vessell of mercy; he must cast down old work, ere he lay the new foundation: 3. Conversion is a Gospel bles∣sing,* 1.5 and so must be wrought in a way suitable to the scope of the Gospel: Now the speciall intent of the Gospel is to bring men to put a high and rich price upon Christ, and this is one Gospel-offer: What thinkest thou of so excel∣lent a one as Christ? What wouldst thou part with? What wouldst thou do or suffer for Christ? Now men cannot prize Christ, who have not found the terrors of the Law: So Paul finding himself the chief of sinners, and in that case saved, 1 Tim. 1.15. Must hug and embrace Christ, and burst out in a Psalm, v. 17. Now to the King eternall, immortall, invisible, the onely wise God, be honour and glory for ever, & ever: Amen. A sight of the Gallows, of the Ax, rai∣seth in the condemned mans heart, high thoghts of the Grace of a Pardoning Prince; to be a Tenant of Free-Grace is so sweet a free-holding that it must put a high Rate on Free Grace. 4. The Clay-organs and faculties of the soul wor∣king by them,* 1.6 cannot bear the too great vio∣lence of Legall terrors; for in reviving the Spi∣rit, Isa. 57.16. If he should let out all his wrath, the souls should fail that he has made: Nor can they bear that God let out all his strength of

love in one moment; rough or violent dealing should break Chrystall Glasses: Christ should break the needle, when he soweth a heart to himself, if he should put to all his strength; too swift motion of wheels may break the Mill; Christ must drive softly for a sight of the fourth part of the fire of Hell, and a sight of one cham∣ber or one window of heaven is enough at once.

1. Its not enough to be fitted for the Phy∣sick,* 1.7 and not for the Physitian: The weary and laden are fit to be eased, but not fitted for Christ the Physitian▪ except they come to him and be∣lieve: Faith is a thing very suitable for Christ: Ho, every one that thirsteth, ••ome ye to the wa∣ters, and he that hath no money, come buy and eat, Isa. 55.1. It is true, in regard of all good deserving, moving God to have mercy on one, rather then another: Jerusalem and all con∣verted are dying in their blood, and no eye pit∣tying them, Ez. 16.6, 8. And therefore are none discouraged to come because of their wretched estate; that is to say, we cannot come, we have no money: But Christ inviteth these which have no money, & though Christ seem to exclude the woman from mercy, yet Christ in wisdom holdeth forth the promise here in that latitude of Free-Grace; while as he saith, he came for the lost sheep; that there is room for the woman, and all believing Gentiles to come in, and lay hold on the Covenant; Sense of wretchednesse and unbelief representeth Christ

as too narrow, and contracteth and abridgeth the Promises, as if there were no place for thee, because thou art thus and thus sinfull.

Obj. 1. The King putteth forth a generall Proclamation to all Theeves:* 1.8 Oh (saith one) but he may mean others but not me; Why? he means Theeves in generall, he accepteth none: why shouldst thou say not me, Christ belongeth to sinners as sinners, he receiveth sinners as sin∣ners,* 1.9 yea he ascended on high to give gifts to the rebellious, therefore there's no qualification re∣quired in men, that believeth in Christ, no nor doth unbelief debar a man from Christ, it only excludeth him from the experimentall know∣ledge that Christ is his. Ans. 1. Its true, the Gospel excepteth no man from Pardon, and all that heareth the Gospel are to be wearied and loaden, and to receive Christ by faith, as if God intended to save them: But the Promises of the Gospel are not simply Universall; as if God in∣tended and purposed, that all and every one should be actually redeemed & saved in Christ, as Arminians teach, and so God accepteth in his own hidden Decree, not a few, though he reveal not in the Gospel who they are, yet he revealeth in the Gospel the generall, that Ma∣ny are called, but few are chosen:* 1.10 And I grant there's no ground for any one man not to be∣lieve upon this ground, because some are repro∣bated from Eternity, and it may be I am one of those, for the contrary is as sure Logick; many

are chosen to life Eternal, & it may be that I am one of those. 2. It is most untrue, that Christ be∣longeth to siners as siners, for then Christ shuld belong to all unbelievers, how obstinate so ever, even to those that sin against the Holy Ghost. Nay, Christ belongeth only to sinners elected to glory, as elected to glory in regard of Gods gra∣cious purpose, and he belongeth only to belie∣ving sinners as believing, in regard of actuall Union with Christ, Eph. 3.17. Gal. 2.20. 3. Its false, that sinners as sinners doth receive Christ, for so Judas and all sinners should re∣ceive Christ: Now the Scripture sheweth that Believers only receive him, Joh. 1.12. Gal. 2.20. Eph. 3.17. 4. Its false that sinners as sinners believe in Christ. This way of Libertines is a broad way for Sorcerers, Theeves, Murtherers, Paricides, Idolaters, remaining in that damnable state to believe; whereas sinners as such, sinners thus and thus qualified, are to believe; that is humbled, wearied, and self-condemned sinners only are to believe, and come to Christ. Its true, all sinners are obliged to believe; but to believe after the order of Free-Grace; that is, that they be first self-lost and sick, and then be saved by the Physitian.

I cannot but here mention some damnable er∣rors of Libertines,* 1.11 contrary to this Truth of Christ; as this, That the spirit acts most in the Saints, when they endeavour least. 1. It may be by accident and through our abuse, who

confide in our indeavours and works,* 1.12 that Grace and the spirit will not flatter merits, which are too naturall to us; that God let a sweating wrestler who hath spent nights in Prayer, and is carefull in all means, and abundant in the work of the Lord: See and understand, that Free-Grace, not our indeavors, leadeth us on to Heaven: Better it is I be conscious to my self that I am Christs debtor, not debtor to my self. 2. That we see self to be wretched, and that self loveth to share and to divide the glory with Free-grace. 3. That Christ reserveth the flow∣ing of his tide, and the blowing of his wind to his own Free grace, Ioh. 3.8. And that Grace in its filling the sailes is not in the Sea-mans power. But this error is the Daughter of another more damnable: that is,* 1.13 That the activitie and effi∣cacy of Christs death, is to kill all activitie of Graces in his members, that Christ may be all in all. This I take to be the marrow of fleshly Libertinisme, that not only the Regenerate cannot sin; but they ought to sin that Grace may abound; and that Christ died for this end, that we should live in sin, the contrary of which is said, 1 Ioh. 3.8. That Christ died that he might destroy the works of the Devil, that is sin. Now the not stirring up of the Grace of Christ in us, is a grievous sin, 1 Tim. 4.14. 1 Cor. 15.10. Yea he, 1 Pet. 2.24. Bear our sins on the Tree that being dead to sins, should live unto righteous∣nesse, Rom. 6.4. That we should walk in newnes

of life,* 1.14 And Gal. 1.4. Christ gave himself for us, that he might deliver us from this present evill world, according to the will of God and our Fa∣ther. And 1 Pet. 1 18. We are not redeemed from our vain conversation received by tradition from our fathers, by any corruptible thing, &c. This maketh good that which is the up-shot of all the Antinomian-Doctrine, that Christ is so our sanctification, that there is neither Law nor Gospel which requireth of us that we be holy. Hence their fifth Errour;* 1.15 Here is a great stir about graces, and looking to hearts, but give me Christ, I seek not for graces, nor promises, nor sanctification, tell me not of meditation & duties, but tell me of Christ. So Christ hath not only suffered for us all that he should suffer, so as its sacriledge to adde to his sufferings our own; and the like sacriledge it is for us to be ho∣ly, and to adde any of our active holinesse to his active obedience. So Master Towne saith, All our obedience as its the work of the Spirit,* 1.16 its passive, and truly called the fruit of the spi∣rit, Gal. 5.22. and so its an entire work, and undefiled, every way correspondent to the mind of the efficient, and Author, which is the Law and Rule he worketh by:* 1.17 but as it is actively our obedience, so its very imperfect, and pollu∣ted: yea, simply considered, its a menstruous cloth and dung;* 1.18 and their 36. Error, is, All the activity of a believer is to act to sin; so we can do nothing but sin, and we are to do nothing, nay,

not obliged to pray, but when the Spirit moveth us, and that is the work of the Spirit: we are in it meer Patients: so Er. 4. saith,* 1.19 If Christ will let me sin, let him look to it, upon his ho∣nour be it. Indeed, it standeth upon the ho∣nour of him who has promised to keep us spot¦lesse untill the day of Christ, and Christ is so an ingaged Advocate to intercede for the Saints, when they sin, that the redeemed of the Lord fall not away, but be presented spotlesse before the Lord in the day of Christ: But what is all this to annull, 1. All action of grace, and to [ 1] sooth men up in a lazie dead faith? 2. To take [ 2] away all commandments of duties so frequent in the word of grace, which teacheth us to de∣ny all ungodlinesse, and to live soberly, righte∣ously, and godly in this present world: Tit. 1.11. 3. To make an opposition between Christ [ 3] and his grace, the fountain and the stream? Ioh. 1.16. Tit. 1.14. 1 Joh. 3.8.

Obj. If the actions of grace be all turned up∣on this axle-tree of Gods gracious will, what can I do, when I am indisposed to do good? Ans. If this be a rationall question, then is no man condemned, because he believeth not in the only begotten Son of God, contrary to Ioh. 3.18, 36. For Reprobates are finally indisposed to believe. 2. Indisposition is our sin that we should be humbled for, and Inke water cannot wash a blacked cloth, sin excuseth not sin.

Notes

• * 1.1

  In what sense Christ came to save the lost.
• * 1.2

  Those whom Christ immedi∣ately con∣verteth are first lost.
• * 1.3

  A two fold pre∣paration before conver∣ted.
• * 1.4

  Conver∣sion is done by succession of fore∣going pre¦parations proved by foure Reasons. Reas. 1
• * 1.5

  3. Rea.
• * 1.6

  4. Rea.
• * 1.7

  Sense of poverty fitteth for Christ.
• * 1.8

  Crisp. Ser. 7. pag. 208 209, 210. seq.
• * 1.9

  Sinners as sin∣ners, are not fit to receive Christ.
• * 1.10

  How Christ be¦longeth to sinners, under the notion of sinners.
• * 1.11

  Rise & Reign, &c. er∣ror, 33.
• * 1.12

  How the Spirit acts most in the Sts. when they en∣deavour least.
• * 1.13

  Error 43 The mar∣row of Liberti∣nisme, to neglect sanctifica¦tion, and wallow in fleshly lusts.
• * 1.14

  Christs death maketh us active in duties of holi∣nesse.
• * 1.15

  Vnsavo∣ry spee∣ches, Er. 5.
• * 1.16

  Towne Ans. to D. Tai∣lor, pag. 23.
• * 1.17

  Rise p. 7
• * 1.18

  Vnsavo∣ry spee∣ches, Er. ••. p. 19.
• * 1.19

  How Christ keepeth us from sin.