CXLV expository sermons upon the whole 17th chapter of the Gospel according to St.…

3. Thus they cannot think that it's so acceptable to believe in a Mediator, because it's chiefly their comfort and their good thereby; so that they look upon it as self-seeking and immoderately desiring their own good and peace, not as any ways tending to the glory of God: But we shall show you that Faith in the Mediator doth not only bring comfort and joy to us, but admirable glory to God, even more then Martyrdom, or the highest expressions of Obedience; Do not therefore tempt thy self, and be a Satan to thy own peace; What though thy comfort, thy salvation bound up in believing, yet if God will be honoured and glorified this way; Thou art rather joyfully to receive his grace then frowardly to dispute against it, so that if this believing be a self-seeking, it's such as God would have thee to do, and as he that will not eat or drink is guilty of bodily murder, so he that will not believe on Christ which is called eating and drinking, is guilty of soul-murder.

3. Thus they cannot think that it's so acceptable to beleeve in a Mediatour, because it's chiefly their comfort and their good thereby; so that they look upon it as self-seeking and immoderately desiring their own good and peace, not as any waies tending to the glory of God: But we shall shew you that Faith in the Mediatour doth not only bring comfort and joy to us, but admirable glory to God, even more then Martyrdom, or the highest expressions of Obedience; Do not therefore tempt thy self, and be a Satan to thy own peace; What though thy comfort, thy salvation bound up in beleeving, yet if God will be honoured and glorified this way; Thou art rather joyfully to receive his grace then frowardly to dispute against it, so that if this beleeving be a self-seeking, it's such as God would have thee to do, and as he that will not eat or drink is guilty of bodily murder, so he that will not beleeve on Christ which is called eating and drinking, is guilty of soul-murder.

4 This is strange and difficult to the godly a long while, because our justification and acceptation by him is wholly of supernatural Revelation; It's like the doctrine of the Trinity or of Christs Incarnation; As humane reason would never assent to such a Truth were it not for divine Revelation that overpowers all, so that all our sins are pardoned through Faith in Christs blood, is likewise of mere divine manifestation; For see what nature doth incline us unto in all the heathens when they had sinned, so as their Conscience condemned them, they went to some solemn sacrifice, or other extraordinary work, thinking thereby to pacify the wrath of God: Adam was created in a state of Righteousness, and so by his Obedience of works he was to be justified; And upon his fall it became impossible that any should be justified by what he did, unless sin could justify a man; Therefore when God discovered a Christ, and Justification by faith in him, This is new doctrine from heaven; Neither Men or Angels could have found out such a way, so that it's no wonder if man be thus averse to this Faith in the Promise, because it's a way that neither the state of Integrity or of man fallen was acquainted with, insomuch that a godly man in the sense of his sins, must bring such a faith in the Mediator as he doth in other mysterious supernatural objects of Faith, and his heart saith, It's unlikely such a sinner, such an offender should find mercy, say, O my Soul, Are not the other supernatural Points of Religion that I believe very unlikely also and incredible to flesh and blood?