stroke upon us our affliction is so heavy as we know not how to bear it our selves truly it is wisdom then and a duty to call in help in great afflictions we are to request the prayers of others The Apostle gives this direction that such as were members of Churches that when they were afflicted they should send for the Elders of the Church and that they should pray for them James 5. 14 15. And the Lord he promiseth that he would give out healing in great afflictions we are to call in the help of others members of the Churches they ought to send for the Elders of the Church that in time of affliction they may pray for them Fourthly when we are nigh some great danger liable to danger either in the outward or inward man or to walk in some dangerous wayes or when we are by providence put upon such wayes as we may meet with shares and temptations where there is any danger then it lies upon us to call in the help of others So Esther 4. 16 17. she was in great danger there was a Law that whosoever went into the King and was not called must be put to death and the cause was so that she must go in to speak with the King though it should cost her her life and therefore she sendeth to Mordecai to gather the Jews that are present in Shushan and fast ye for me pray for me for it may cost me my life therefore I desire you to fast and pray for me Fifthly when the Lord calls his people to some great service some work that may be for his honour and glory So Esther when she was about some great work fast for me fast and pray and I will speak to the King Sixthly when the Lord doth seem to shut us up that we cannot pray our selves our condition may be so Sometimes through weakness we are not able and sometimes when the Lord withdraws his Spirit we are not able to pray our selves that our prayers are but like Hezekiahs like the chattering of a Crane or Swallow then in such cases it is a duty to send to others and call upon others when we cannot pray our selves Seventhly and lastly when the Lord seems to be angry with any people when the displeasure of the Lord waxes hot and heavy and we do not know how to bear it it is hard then to go to God as to a Father our selves and therefore then we had need call in others to our help When the wrath of the Lord was kindled against the children of Israel then Moses stept it then he cryed to God for them for they could not look to the Lord as to their Father the wrath of the Lord was hot and at that time it is our wisdom and a duty for poor souls to call in others that they may cry to the Lord in their behalf Matth. 15. 24. But he answered and said I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel SERMON X. YOU have heard of this womans faith and the first tryal of it Christ tries her faith by being silent and giving no answer unto her request it was a sore temptation that the son of David the merciful King should not open his mouth nor speak one word for the refreshment of a poor distressed creature When she poured out her complaint he answer'd her not a word that is a great temptation You have heard also how the Disciples stept in and besought Christ in her behalf they came and besought him that he would send her away with an answer with an answer of peace certainly that was their request But behold here is a second temptation here is a second trial of this womans faith Christ first tries her by being silent and now he tries her by speaking a hard word as it seems I am not sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel I am not sent Christ intimates that he had nothing to do with this woman it was besides his Commission I cannot do it saith Christ I must walk by rule I must observe my Fathers Commission I must do that work and that work only which I was sent for but now I was not sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel my work is to do good to a certain number of persons to shew mercy to a certain number of persons that are given me of my Father He calls them here sheep Christs sheep I am sent for their sakes and to do good to them though termed sheep Now the Scripture holds them forth to be such as were given him of his Father from Eternity all that are given to Christ are Christs sheep though they may not for the present have Christs mark upon them though Christ does not own them before the world yet he owns them before his Father all that belong to the election of grace they are Christs sheep and Christ saith he was sent to such I am not sent but to the lost sheep they are in a lost condition even that number of persons that are given to Christ they are lost in Adam and they have lost themselves by going on in the wayes of actual transgression they are in a miserable lost condition Christs sheep but Christ was sent to do good to them Christ was sent to save them The Son of man came to seek and to save them which were lost The lost sheep of the house of Israel The house of Israel may here be taken literally for the people of the Jews which are called the house of Israel Christ tells the Disciples and this woman that his Commission was to do good only to them I am not sent to others I am only sent to the lost sheep of the house of Israel my work is with the Jews I have nothing to do with the Gentiles No my work is to gather in the lost sheep of the house of Israel Quest But you will say how doth this agree with other Scriptures with those prophesies that concern the Messias our Lord Jesus Christ that when he came he should preach to the Gentiles and that God would give him to be a Covenant to the Gentiles Isaiah 42. 1 2 6. And in divers places there are prophesies that concern the Gentiles that when Christ came God would give him to be a light to the Gentiles as well as to the Jews why then doth Christ say he was not sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel Answ Christ spake first of all of his personal Ministry as he preacht himself in person and wrought miracles himself so he was sent unto the Jews his word was to them he was their Apostle their Minister so the Apostle to the Romans speaks Rom. 15. 8. Now I say that Jesus Christ was a Minister of the Circumcision for the truth of God to confirm the promise made unto the Fathers Christ was to preach in his own person to the Jews he was their
reason of mine affliction unto the Lord out of the belly of hell cryed I and thou heardest my voice He was so low in his own apprehension as was possible for him to be in the belly of hell And what did he do I cried to the Lord he applied himself to the Lord and spread his sad condition before the Lord and he did not loose his labour Thou Lord heardest me Now for the grounds of the Point That faith will teach a soul to go to Christ and make his complaint to Christ in all his affliction for faith discovers to a soul that all afflictions are from God the Lords hand is in all the crosses and troubles and whatsoever is matter of complaint the hand of God is in it Is there any evil in the city and I have not done it saith the Lord by the Prophet Amos Is there any evil of affliction that I have not brought upon a people As to the evil of sin that is not from God for that is no being that is a privation but as for affliction all the affliction that doth berall the children of men it is from the hand of God and upon this ground Eliphaz perswadeth Job to apply himself to God Job 5. 6 8. Affliction cometh not forth of the dust neither does trouble spring out of the ground I would speak unto God and unto God would I commit my cause Trouble doth not spring from the ground it is not from second causes whatsoever trouble the people of God meet withall â—any of the sons of men it springs not from the dust Whence then It is from the hand of God there is a secret wheel a great wheel of providence that sets all on work second causes cannot move if that great wheel does not move so then when this comes to be reallized to the soul as faith doth discover it because God hath spoken it that trouble is from God whether inward or outward therefore it will carry the soul unto God and make the soul apply it self to God and Christ alone Secondly Faith doth discover that as all afflictions are from God and makes the soul see the hand of God in every stroke so it doth discover that the end of all afflictions is to carry the soul to God that is the end of all afflictions to bring God and the soul nigher together God doth not love to have any of his people at a distance from him and therefore he sends forth affliction to bring them nigher to himself And therefore in Hosea 5. 15. I will go and return to my place till they acknowledge their offence and seek my face in their affliction they will seek me early He brings affliction for this very end that they may draw nigh to him And in chap. 6. 1. you may see the fruit of their affliction Come and let us return to the Lord for he hath torn and he will heal us he hath smitten and he will bind us up This is the fruit of their affliction they were brought nigher to God God will have his people injoy more communion with him dwell with him and make them more conformable to him more like to himself and therefore many times he layes great and sore afflictions upon them For when the Saints shall be in such a staâ—e and such a condition as nothing shall come betwixt God and them when they shall so dwell in God as never to goe out from God when there shall come no sin no corruption betwixt God and them then there shall be no more affliction then the Lord God shall wipe away teares from the faces of his people no more sorrow and sighing now the end is attained when they are gotten so nigh to God as nothing can come betwixt God and them Now when faith discovers this that it is the end of affliction to bring the soul nigher to God it puts the soul upon it in its affliction to return and apply it self to God alone Thirdly Faith will make a soul come to Christ and Christ alone in distress for faith doth discover that the help of the creature is in vain in time of distress it is faith that doth reallize to the soul the vanity of the creature and that the creature cannot help in the day of distress And therefore the Psalmist cries out Psal 60. 11. Help Lord for vain is the help of man Man cannot help and therefore he applies himself to God alone Help Lord for vain is the help of man Till the soul sees that vain is the help of the creature it will not in good earnest cry Help Lord faith shews the soul that in vain is salvation hoped for from the hils and from the multitude of mountains in vain is salvation hoped for from creatures from great men the highest of all There is many a poor soul can tell you by sad experience and say it by sad experience in vain have I sought help from men and cried to men and spread my complaints before men and therefore it is good for me to draw nigh to God for if you look upon all the sons of men you shall see how fruitless a thing it is for a poor soul in distress to apply it self to man and to go and pour out his complaints to man he may speak to such men as are not at all sensible of what he speaks he may tell a sad relation of his sufferings and burdens and yet not at all affect the heart of him that he speaks to There are some such men in the world nay very many that regard not the affliction of Joseph that are altogether insensible of the burden that lay upon other poor creatures that hath no compassion and cannot be affected It is said of Gallio that he cared for none of those things when as they made complaints of things of Religion he cared for none of those things and so when some come and make complaints of their burdens they care for none of those things And thus it was with Lazarus that lay at the rich mans gate it is very like he made many complaints shewed him his sorrow and sores but his heart was not at all affected the very dogs had more pitty upon him they came and licked his sores And so it is many times when we make our complaints to men they regard not Or secondly Sometimes when we make complaints to men though there be some pitty and some compassion in them and they will expresse it in good words yet very little help and assistance will many men afford they will seem to pitty and have compassion but there are some men that will do very little to the relief of a poor creature under distress that comes and makes complaints of his burdens The Apostle James speaks of some such chap. 2. 15 16. If a brother or sister be naked and destitute of daily food and one of you say unto him depart in peace be you warmed and filled notwithstanding
all opposition all persecution the worst that Gods people can meet withall in the world nay their very sins and failings and infirmities shall work together for good the infinite wise God will make advantage of all that all that they meet withall shall tend to the furtherance of his work to the bringing about his purpose All shall work together for good yea for the best good though they see it not for the present but wait to the end and by that time God hath done with his people put all together and you shall see that all things shall work together for good nay we know it by experience we have found that God hath brought good out of the greatest evill and out of the greatest affliction And this is to those who are called according to his purpose Eightly There is another ground of comfort which ariseth from the Doctrine of election which is this that The Lord will shorten all the dayes of tribulation which they meet withall here in the world the dayes of affliction and dayes of tribulation shall be shortned for the Elects sake and it is a great refreshment and comfort that God will shorten all the dayes of darkness dayes of tribulation they shall be shortned for the Elects sake all their winter dayes shall be shor dayes dark dayes short dayes there is an eternity of light a coming a day that shall have no end the Sun shall never set but as for the dayes of darkness of sorrow affliction and tribulation the Lord in mercy will shorten them See what is said Matth. 24. 21 22. For then shall be great Tribulation such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time no nor ever shall be and except those dayes should be shortened there should no flesh be saved but for the Elects sake those dayes shall be shortned But for the Elects sake all the dayes of publick calamity shall be shortned dark dayes sad dayes such a sad day as the Jewes saw when Jerusalem was taken by Titus it is spoken first of that dark and sad day to the Jewes when so many millions of them perished such tribulation as never was and if the Lord should not shorten those dayes no flesh should be saved that is not one of them would have been left alive upon the earth those dayes were so dark and so sore but for the Elects sake those dayes of tribulation were shortned And so all the dayes of calamity that Gods people meet withall those dayes of distress yea dayes of publick calamity and the dayes of their particular afflictions yea every dark day the Lord will shorten the Lord in mercy will shorten the dayes of their affliction and that is a great comfort to them that though their dayes of affliction be very grievous the Lord in mercy will make their affliction dayes to be but short In the ninth place there is this comfort that doth flow from the knowledge of our election that the Lord will certainly avenge the cause of his people The Lord doth take notice and he will avenge all the wrongs that any of his elect people doth meet withall in the World See Luke 18. 6 7. And the Lord said heare what the unjust Judge saith and shall not God avenge his own elect which cry day and night unto him though he beare long with them I tell you that he will avenge them speedily I tell you saith Christ that he will avenge their cause and all their wrongs and injuries that they meet withall in the World In the tenth and last place there is this ground of comfort that the Lords people those whom he loves from eternity they shall never fall away from him never be plucked out of his hand it is an impossible thing that they should perish This is a mighty ground of strong consolation which they rob poor souls of that doe plead for conditionall election the condition to be performed by the creature it is alwayes at uncertainties to the end of a mans life whether he shall continue and persevere or no. But now the Doctrine of free and absolute and immutable election doth afford this ground of comfort and the knowledge of our being in Gods election doth assure us of this that not any of Christs Sheep shall perish they shall never be drawne off from Christ never be drawn off from following Christ their Shepherd from laying him as the foundation of their life and happinesse Oh! what need have we to get such a ground of comfort in these back-sliding times when so many that make a profession doe swerve from their profession and make shipwrack of their profession of faith But notwithstanding saith the Apostle the foundation of God standeth sure having this seal the Lord knoweth those that are his Though never so many that make a profession fall away yet the foundation of the Lord stand sure and therefore in Math. 24. 24. See what Christ saith for there shall arise false Christs and false Prophets and shall shew great signes and wonders insomuch that if it were possible they shall deceive the very elect Christ speaketh of the latter dayes a prophesie of our times that there should arise some that should doe great wonders and be false Christs that shall indeavour to take men off from looking to the true Christ that was crucified at Jerusalem and is risen againe false Christs that shall put you upon it to looke to a Christ within you and they shall come in such a way if it were possible that they should deceive the very Elect but is it not possible that the people of the Lords Election should fall finally they may fall for a time we know not what sinfull practises Gods people may fall into if the Lord leaves them and what errour in judgment if the Lord leaves them but it is not possible that they should be drawne away for ever for the Lord will bring them back againe to the right Christ it is not possible that they should fall away totally and finally for the mighty power of God is ingaged for their security You are kept by the mighty power of God through faith unto salvation If it were in our own hand it were not possible that we should be kept we meet with so much from within from an unbeleeving heart and so much from without but you are kept by the mighty power of God through faith to salvation My Father holds you saith Christ and I hold you and no man can pluck them out of my Fathers hand And so you see the third particular that this doctrine of election doth administer many grounds of strong consolation and great refreshment to the people of God I come now to the fourth particular propounded and that is this That notwithstanding this Doctrine doth administer so much ground of comfort yet The Lords people may meet with many temptations about the Doctrine of Election They may meet with many temptations both
a Devil And the Argument she uses to move Christ besides her own necessity and the misery of her child it was his own free-grace and mercy Have mercy upon me O Lord thou son of David my daughter is grievously vexed with a Devil Have mercy upon me the affliction of her child was upon her she does not say have mercy upon my child but upon me and she pleads mercy and free-grace have mercy upon me not her own worthiness no but have mercy upon me Secondly We have the tryal of her faith her faith is tryed three several times and three several wayes the Lord Christ doth try her faith that so it may appear more shining First Christ doth try her faith by keeping silent giving her no answer she cries aloud Lord have mercy on me but Christ doth not so much as open his lips to give her any incouragement but he is silent and that was a mighty tryall that when she should cry so loud that Christ should say nothing to her it was a mighty tryall to this womans faith Secondly Christ tryes her faith by giving of her a seeming denial in the 24. verse He answered and said I am not sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel as if he should say it is beside my arrant to have any thing to do with this woman of Canaan I am sent to the Jews in the first place it was a seeming denial of Christ And it was the greater tryall because Christ did not only seem to deny her request but to deny the request of the Disciples for in the 23. ver The Disciples of Christ came and besought him Oh this was a tryal of her faith she might have said I have cryed and there is no hope and the Disciples they have besought him for me but Christ doth not answer but deny her request and deny the Disciples request what hope was left then Thirdly The faith of this woman is tried in the 26. verse where Christ doth object to her her own unworthiness and vnfitness that he should have any thing to do with her he answered and said it is not meet that I should cast the childrens bread to dogs And oh what a tryall of faith was this Christ doth not only deny her but seems to upbraid her with her unworthiness she was of the Nation of the Canaanites and they were of the Jews accounted as Dogs they were cast out and were without the Covenant and without God in the world it is not meet said Christ I cannot do it to take the childrens bread and give it to dogs this was a mighty tryal Now in the third place let us consider the behaviour of this woman under these tryals how did her faith bear up under these tryals That is declared unto us First of all when Christ gives her no answer yet still she continues crying after him there is the behaviour of this womans faith under that tryal Though Christ give her no answer she gives not over her request though Christ was silent and would not open his mouth to give her one word yet she continues crying the Disciples say as much Lord send her away say they for she crieth Secondly And for her deportment under her second tryal she came and worshipped and said Lord help and so she continues still in duty and is found waiting upon the Lord in an humble posture she falls down and worships she worships Christ and continues in prayer Lord help Thirdly The behaviour of this woman under the third tryal she meets withall is in the 27. vers and she said Truth Lord yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their Masters table When Christ tells her that he must not take the childrens bread and cast it to dogs see how her faith now works and though this seem the greatest discouragement yet her faith doth make an excellent improvement of it and from this discouragement her faith takes â—ice and waxeth stronger and stronger Truth Lord yet the dogs eat of the crumbs that fall from their Masters table she grants all that Christ said she grants the proposition and application of it she grants that she was no better then a dog and yet her faith makes an improvement of that which seems to be the greatest discouragement she fetcheth an argument from thence if I be a dog let me have the crumbs if a dog thy dog and I will not away from thy feet but let me have crumbs that fall from the childrens table So you have the carriage of this woman under her several tryals Fourthly You have the victory of her faith in the 28. verse O woman great is thy faith be it unto thee as thou wilt and her daughter was made whole The heart of Christ seems to be taken mightily with the faith of this woman and therefore Christ stands and wonders that there should be such a faith in a Canaanitish woman O woman great is thy faith be it unto thee even as thou wilt I do not only grant the mercy thou askest but even what thou wilt thou hast overcome me with thy faith Be it unto thee as thou wilt and her daughter was made whole that hour So that you see the history of this woman of Canaan oâ—ened to you I shall not enter into it now but as I said before dwell upon the borders of it And at this time I shall consider what is written in the 21. verse Jesus went thence and departed into the coast of Tyre and Sidon 1. We shall consider from whence Christ went when he came into these parts 2. And what was the occasion of Christs going away 3. And then consider what this place was that Christ came to where Christ wrought this wonder this miracle 1. He went from thence from the parts of Judea which were near to Jerusalem for in the beginning of the Chapter you read that Christ was there in some place where many of the Scribes from Jerusalem came to him as in the first verse 2. What was the occasion of Christs departure from these parts of Judea that were near to Jerusalem Why did Christ leave these parts and leave that people The occasion is intimated because they opposed Christ they cavelled against him against the person of Christ against the truths of Christ against the disciples of Christ and against the way of Christ the Scribes and Pharisees were filled with enmity against Christ and the way of Christ and therefore Christ departs from them and goes into the coast of Tyre and Sidon But more particularly that which was the cause of Christs removing from this people it was because they set up their own traditions they set up their own inventions and made them equal with the Command of God nay they made their own inventions and traditions above the Commandement of God which was a mighty provocation to Jesus Christ if you read the beginning of the Chapter you shall see
shews that afflictions are from the Lord and shews that all afflictions are for that end to carry the soul higher unto God and shews that all the help of the creature is vain and shews that there is an infinite supply of grace and mercy all-sufficiency of grace in God and Christ to relieve at all times and in all straits these discoveries that faith makes will carry the soul to Christ and make the soul apply it self to Christ and cry to him and spread his complaints before him in time of great distress A word or two by way of Application First of all If it be so that faith carry the soul to God and Christ alone in time of distres what shall we think then when men by their affliction and in their affliction are carried further off from God And yet so it is with many their afflictions set them at a greater distance from Christ many a man is hardened by his affliction and so set at a greater distance from God by that trouble and distresse he hath upon him afflictions drive many a man from God make him run away from God run any where then unto God there is many will run to the creature and their eye is not to the Lord the holy One of Israel they run to the creature to comfort them run to the world and run into the way of their lust but apply not themselves to the Lord in the day of their distress You know that Ahaziah ran to the Devil when he was in distress so far was he from running nigh to God in distress that he run to the Devil himself he sends to the gods of the Nations to know whether he should recover or not This is a discovery that there is no seed of faith in such a soul for where there is faith but in the seed of it the least seed of faith it will make a soul at least to be looking to Christ and crying after Christ in the day of distress it will at least cry unto Christ though there may be many workings of corruption and temptations and many distempers of spirit may be bubling up in time of affliction yet faith will carry the soul to look towards Christ and cry after him as Jonah did when he was in the belly of hell I said I am cast out of thy sight yet will I look toward thy holy temple He applies himself to Christ And so a gracious heart will be looking to Christ and the more faith the more it will look and the louder it will-cry But secondly Let it be a word of exhortation O that it might provoke us all to deal more with God and Christ in the time of our affliction and distress O that we might cry more to him and pour out our complaints more to him as this poor woman did she comes and cries O Lord thou son of David Poor souls are apt to look to the creature in the day of distress and think such and such creatures can comfort Surely my bed shall comfort me and my couch give me ease sayes Job but he found no such matter and so we are apt to say of this and that creature I will go and make my complaint to him he will give me some refreshment poor souls are very apt under their burdens to go up down and scatter their complaints Ah but they take not the right course of going to Christ and crying to him and pouring out the complaints of their souls before him and therefore it is that when they goe to men they meet with little satisfaction and little relief and comfort and their spirits are filled with discontent and dissatisfaction when as they meet with such men sometimes as have no compassion at all in them and sometimes meet with good words and no more and sometimes meet with such as pitty them but have no power and sometimes meet with some that will aggravate the affliction and just it is with God it should be so when we will not look to the Rock O that such disappointments might reach us to look to the Lord we have thought that this creature might ease but we have met with disappointments O that these disappointments might teach us to go to Christ as this woman And thus the poor man did for his son that he would cast out the unclean spirit I went said he to thy Disciples and they tryed to cast out the unclean spirit but could not and then he comes to Christ I have been with thy Disciples and they could not cast out the unclean spirit but thou canst do it and Christ did do it And O that these disappointments might teach us to goe more to Christ and make our complaints more to him in time of distress Quest But you will say What may we not go to our friends is it not lawful to go to men when we are under pressures and burdens either of the outward or inward man and to such and such as may relieve us may we not apply our selves to them Answ I answer yes We may apply our selves to men but take heed we do it in Gods way I say under burdens and distresses either outward or inward we may apply our selves to men but take heed we doe it in Gods way Quest But you will say How shall we know we do it in Gods way Answ I answer first of all when you do it as an Ordinance of God when we make use of the advice and help of others and go to others as to an Ordinance of God then we are not out of Gods way when we do it in obedience to the Will and Commandement of God and Christ when one that is wounded in spirit shall apply himself to those that are godly that hath the mind of Christ in obedience to the command of Christ Confess your sins one to another and pray one for another Now if out of obedience to Christ I go and confess my sins to one that is godly and desire him to pray for me when we apply our selves to men as an Ordinance of God then we are in Gods way Secondly When we shall keep the eye of our souls upon God alone for help when we apply our selves to men for any help and yet shall keep our eye upon God and look upon God as the great moving cause look upon God as the fountain of all relief and comfort and shall look upon the creature only as Gods Instrument this is but a pipe and an empty one too if God do not fill it when as the eye is thus upon God and eye God as principal in all that comfort and relief that we expect and look upon the creature as the means then we may apply our selves to the creature and not out of Gods way And a man may know whether he keeps his eye upon God when as he does apply himself to the creature thus Are your expectations from the creature or from God If a mans eye
he day of great afflictions First It carries the heart to God thorough Christ and makes its complaint unto him it doth not cry out against God but as it cries unto God so it runs unto the Lord thorough Christ and pours out his complaints before him So David Psal 142. 1 2. I cryed unto the Lord with my voice unto the Lord did I make my supplication I poured out my complaint before him The flesh cries out of his burden yea sinful flesh it complains many times not only of his burden but of God himself Ah but the spirit that cries unted God Job 35. 9. By reason of the multitude of oppressions they make the oppressed to cry They cry out by reason of the arme of the mighty v. 10. But none saith where is God nâ—â—â—maker he reproves the sons of men They are apâ—â—to cry but it is the cry of the flesh they cry out of the arme of the mighty but they do not go to God None say where is God that giveth songs in the night season The spirit in the saddest condition goes to God through Christ Secondly The cry of the spirit it doth make a man to cry out as well of sin as of affliction it will make a man to cry out more of sin then of affliction the flesh is not sensible of the burden of sin Ah but where the spirit of the Lord is it will make a man cry out most of all of the burden of sin if God should take away affliction and not take aâ— way corruption this would be little refreshment to him O miserable man that I am as you have the Apostle cry which was the cry of the spirit Rom. 7. the latter end O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord He was more sensible of the body of sin then of any affliction that lay upon him Thirdly The cry of the Spirit it will make the soul cry more after God himself then after any mercy or deliverance that it may injoy God that it may have the presence of God and communion with God that it may be made like to God a gracious heart it cries thus after God yea in the day of affliction when the burden is heavy a gracious heart desires more to injoy God then to be free from his affliction See how the Psalmist doth express himself in Psal 63. 1. O God thou art my God early will I seek thee my soul thirsteth for thee in a dry and thirsty land where no water is David was now in a state of banishment it is like he met with sore afflictions ah but the cry of his soul was after God my soul thirsteth for thee and longeth for thee Fourthly The cry of the spirit it is a cry of faith it cries in faith and cries in hope the flesh cries in despair many times but the spirit cries and believes when it cries it takes hold of God and follows after him follows God crying though God go away See what is said Psal 89. 26. the promise is made to Davids son Christ He shall cry unto me thou art my father my God and the rock of my salvation He shall cry unto me 〈◊〉 but he shall cry in faith when he cries he shall say Thou art my Father and my rock And so the Church Isaiah 26. she cries out with a great cry and it is in faith doubtless thou art our Father And so Psal 119. when as David cryed he trusted he took hold of God and hoped in his mercy 145 146 147. ver though he was in a great affliction and there was great cause to cry yet his cry was the cry of faith and he hoped in the Word of the Lord for the accomplishment of the Word of the Lord. Fifthly As the cry of the spirit is the cry of faith so it is a fervent cry that cry that the Lord doth raise up by his spirit in the day of affliction it is a fervent cry it is no cold nor lazy cry but a strong cry Jesus Christ in the dayes of his flesh put up strong cries and the Apostle James he speaks of the fervent prayer of Gods people I am 5. The fervent effectual prayer of the righteous prevaileth much When the Spirit of prayer doth set all the faculties of the soul a work to look after God and take hold of God â—hen it takes hold of God and will not let him go and cry out as the Church Awake thou arme of the Lord as in the dayes of old when it will take no rest it self and give God no rest till the Lord comes in a way of grace that is the prayer that is spoken of Isai 62. 6 7 8. that prayer that is accompanied with holy fervency is the cry of the spirit Sixthly and lastly The cry of the spirit is such a cry as will not easily be silent though it meet with no answer from the Lord though it meet with a denial as this woman of Canaan she meets with many discouragements he gave her no answer at first still she goes on to cry her cry was a cry that was raised by the spirit of the Lord the flesh may put a man upon it to cry to the Lord for a season but if the Lord does not come in the flesh grows weary now the cry of the spirit is a constant cry that will not give over but will wait upon the Lord till such time as he shall send from heaven to save Thus you see what the cry of the flesh is and what the cry of the spirit Secondly Now the Saints in all Ages in the dayes of their affliction have been stirred up to cry with their spirits unto the Lord and the greater their afflictions have been the more they have cried unto the Lord So it was with Moses he was in a great strait when as he was before the red Sea and then Moses cryed in spirit God made use of that strait to stir up the cry of the Spirit in Moses And so when Jacob was in a great strait he cryed more earnestly then ever he had done when as his brother came to meet him with an Army of men he saw nothing but death and destruction he applied himself to the Lord and cried mightily It is said in Hosea 12. 4. speaking of Jacob He wept and he made supplication And so you know David in Psal 14â— cryed and it was when his spirit was over whelmed and no man to pity him then he cryed unto the Lord. And you know our Lord Jesus to give you no more instances in the dayes of his affliction he cried louder then ever That place Heb. 7. 7. In the dayes of his flesh he offered up prayers and supplications with strong cries and teares unto him that was able to save him from death and was heard in that he feared And the Evangelist Luke doth take notice that as Christs
Fourthly Parents love their children aright when as they are much praying for their children presenting their children to the Lord and praying for them crying to the Lord in their behalf for the blessing of the Lord upon them when they are very instant with God that he would take away the guilt of original sin that is upon their children and the guilt of actual transgressions that are found upon their children Job every day took a sacrifice and sacrificed for his Sons and Daughters he prayed for them he was careful that sin might not lie upon them Oh that was spiritual love that was found in Job it was of a right stamp he was careful that the guilt of sin might not lie upon them and therefore he every day offered a sacrifice to the Lord. And the woman of Canaan she cries in the behalf of her child she comes to Christ and cries to him for her child And so when Parents go to Christ for their children when under bodily Infirmities go to Christ for them and when under spiritual Infirmities go to Christ for them pleading with Christ for them then do Parents love their children aright Fifthly when Parents are careful to educate their children for God when they are careful that God may be honoured by their children that their children may be instructed so as to honour God when they desire and endeavour to prevent all dishonour that may be done to God by their children to reprove them and to rebuke them and not to be so indulgent as old Eli was which proved to be the ruine of the whole family I say when Parents are careful that God may not be dishonoured but labour that their children may be instrumental for God and they do seek the Lord for this thing and do deal with them upon this account and are careful to instruct them and to lay before them the mind of God and careful so to dispose of them as God may be served by them when this is the care of Parents this is a discovery that their love is not only natural affection but spiritual grace and their natural affection is set right by their faith which the Lord is pleased to bestow upon them For the Application First Take notice what a mercy it is that God hath planted such Natural affections in the hearts of Parents it is a great mercy it is that which is little taken notice of but it is that which we and all in the world have cause to bless God for that parents yea those that are evil can do so much good for their children give out of the good things which they have to their children there is much of the wisdom and goodness of God in it that Parents should do so much for their children when they doe not deserve it it is long before it can deserve any thing nay when grown up there are many times contrary deserts and that yet the hearts of arents should be kept up towards their children as I said before there is a great deal of the wisdom and goodness of God in it for there is a great deal of evil thereby prevented a great deal of sin and cruelty that is prevented by the Lords giving of natural affection Oh admire the wisdom goodness of God in this Secondly Let Parents know that this is not enough to have natural affection and love to their children but oh that Parents would labour to love their children aright It is not enough to love them much to have great natural affections but let Parents labour to love their children aright labour so to love them as to love their souls to take care of their souls which is a thousand times more worth then the body labour to love them in obedience to God labour to eye the Covenant of God in loving your children be more in seeking the face of God in the behalf of your children Oh that Parents would look upon it as their duty to pray more for their children Oh look upon Abraham and let him be your pattern how did he cry to the Lord in the behalf of Ishmael it lies upon all Parents to go to God for their children yea for every one in particular Oh that such an one might live in thy sight Look upon the woman of Canaan how did she cry to Christ for her daughter oh Lord have mercy upon me Now let Parents go to Christ for their children oh go and cry for the souls of thy children as this woman did for the body of her daughter oh Lord I see such a corruption in such a child and such a lust in such a child oh that the Son of David would have mercy on them We should go to Christ for the souls of our children that Christ would cast out those corruptions that we see sprouting in our children Thirdly Oh that this might provoke us all to look after faith what need have Parents to labour for faith in Jesus Christ if it be but upon this account that you may love your children aright oh look to Christ for faith cry unto Christ to give you faith that so you may love your children aright There may be a great deal of natural affection in parents they may dote upon their children and undo their children and yet not love them aright for it is impossible that a man or woman that hath not faith to love children aright they cannot love their children aright till they have faith And to provoke all parents to look after faith upon this account of their children let me say this to you that faith will teach you to love your children impartially There is a great deal of partiality in natural affection and it runs out much to one child and neglects another ah but with spiritual love it is not so When Parents love their children aright it will teach to love their children more equally not to love one more then another unless they see more of God in one then another Again let me tell you that faith will make your work to your children easie there is a great deal of labour travel and pains as you have heard to bring forth children and a hard work to bring up children when brought forth but faith will make your work more easie when as God is eyed in it and so you are bringing up children for God when as you are loving and caring for children in obedience to God Oh this will make your work more easie And further let me tell you that faith will make your work more acceptable to God That work you are doing for children when it is done in faith is accepted if you love your children in faith the Lord will take it well at your hand and the Lord will reward all the labour service travel and pains that Fathers and Mothers do undergo for their children That instance you find in Scripture of Moses his Mother when Pharoahs daughter found Moses by providence she commits
to the lost sheep of the house of Israel Christ tells this woman that he cannot do it for her because it did not lie in his Commission to which he must be faithful he could not go beyond his Commission What may we learn from hence We may take notice of this Historical Proposition That our Lord Jesus Christ in all he did he acted by commission and kept his eye upon his commission which he was faithful unto The Scripture holds forth that he was sent of his Father the Father sent him and gave him a commandment what he should do and what he should speak And Jesus Christ he was very faithful in observing his commission he kept his eye upon the work that his Father had given him to do and in that work he was faithful In every thing that Jesus Christ acted he looked to his Fathers rule the commission that his Father had given him See John 5. 30. I can of my own self do nothing as I hear I judge and my Judgement in just because I seek not mine own will but the will of the Father which hath sent me And as in the matter of judging so in all other dispensations Christ was pleased to look to the will of his Father that sent him I came not to do my own will in that thing but the will of my Father And so in John 6. 38 39. For I came down from heaven not to do mine own will but the will of him that sent me and this is the Fathers will which hath sent me that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing but should raise it up again at the last day As in his works of judging so in his works of mercy Christ kept his eye upon his Fathers will he looked to his commission this is the Fathers will that I should lose none of them but that I should give life to them all and raise them up at the last day Yea in his very words in all Christ spake he kept his eye upon the rule and spake according to his Fathers will and commandment I speak not of my self but what I have heard of my Father John 8. 26. I spake to the world those things which I have heard of him John 12. 50. Even as the Father said unto me so I speak In all that Christ spake he kept his eye upon his Commission And as in all that Christ spake he kept his eye upon his commission so in all Christ did As the Father gave me commandment even so I do John 14. 31. still his eye was upon the commandment of his Father upon his commission And in obedience to that commission he lays down his life John 10. 15. And I lay down my life for the sheep Ver. 18. No man taketh it from me but I lay it down of my self I have power to lay it down and I have power to take it again this commandment have I received of my Father Yea in Christs motions this way and that way his going to one place and not to another his preaching in one place and not in another still he kept his eye upon the commission of his Father See Luke 4. 43. I must preach the Kingdom of God to other Cities also for therefore am I sent They would have kept Christ with them no saith he I must preach the Kingdom of God in other Cities in all that Christ did he kept his eye upon his Fathers commission he looked to his Fathers will and that was his rule to walk by And the ground of it is this because Christ was found in the form of a servant though he thought it no robbery to be equal with God yet he took upon him the form of a servant though the Son of God yet he was content to be a servant that he might bring about the great work of Redemption Therefore God calls him the righteous servant By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justifie many Isaiah 53. 11. And as Christ was a righteous servant a faithful servant so he kept his eye upon his commission Now if Christ had not done so if he had not acted all things according to the will of his Father he had not been a righteous servant but he was his Fathers righteous servant and therefore he evermore looked upon his commission what was his Fathers will and so he applyed himself to it And as in all other things so in this particular in the Text of preaching the Gospel and shewing mercy first to the Jews and not to the Gentiles I am not sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel I am sent to shew mercy to the house of Israel still he eyed that work that was committed to him because the promise was made to them the promise of the Messias it was first made to Abraham and his seed to that Nation that came out of the loins of Abraham And Christ came to confirm the promise that was made to Abraham and his Seed therefore in this thing he observed his Fathers order and his Fathers time though his Father had a design of mercy to the Gentiles yet he will shew mercy first to the Jews and then to the Gentiles So that the Jews first of all must have the offer and then the Gentiles shall have their time Christ eyed his Fathers will and time therefore he applies himself to that work But by way of Application First what cause have we who are of the stock of the Gentiles who live in this time and in this Generation to bless the Lord that we do live in that time when the partition-wall is taken down there was a time when the Jews only were the people of God and when Gods design was to shew mercy to them and there was a time when mercy seemed to be restrained from the Gentiles there was a time when Christ must not preach to the Gentiles so it was his commission then not to shew mercy to the Gentiles at that time Go not into any of the wayes of the Gentiles and into any of the Cities of Samaria enter not There was a time when the Gentiles were shut out from mercy when the word of life and salvation was restrained from them when the Lord gave this commission go not into the way of the Gentiles oh how are we beholden to free-grace that hath broken down this wall of partition that now since the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ there is no difference but now mercy is freely offered to the Gentiles as well as to the Jewes for the wall of partition is now broken down and of how should we admire the grace of God in it we that were out-casts of the Gentiles sinners of the Gentiles that the Lord should ever send to perswade us to dwell in the Tents of Shem we we might have dwelt in the barren wilderness every day and never have been called and that God should invite us to dwell in
save creatures in a wonderful mysterious way in such a mysterious way as men and Angels shall stand and wonder at to eternity now if God did chuse upon such a foresight or for faith or for holiness in the creature why there is no such great mysterie or wonder but for God to chuse freely when there was nothing to draw him to such an act yet then to chuse such poor creatures to everlasting salvation O! this is the wonder of the Gospel Yea thirdly God's choice cannot be upon any foresight of faith or works for the Scripture holds forth that God's choice is before our choice he chose us first and he loved us first see what Christ says John 15. 16. You have not chosen me but I have chosen you and ordained you that you should go and bring forth fruit You have not chosen me that is you have not chosen me first and so in 1 John 4. 19. We love him because he first loved us Now if God did chuse upon any foresight of faith or works then God did not love us first for if God did consider men as believers when he chose them why then if the soul believed before God chose it chose God first which is contrary to the Scripture Fourthly The Scripture holdeth forth that there is some that are Christ's sheep that are known to the Lord though not known to themselves and therefore it is God's free love to them to make them sheep but when they believe they shall know that they are sheep but they are sheep before they believe but when they believe they shall be known to be sheep John 10. 16. And other sheep I have which are not of this fold them also I must bring and they shall hear my voice and there shall be one fold and one Shepherd My Fathers love hath made them sheep and because they are sheep they shall hear my voice and shall believe in me Fiftly there is one argument more to confirm the truth If so be that God did chuse upon foreseen faith or works or because he saw that there was an ability in the creature to perform or not I say if Gods decree were a conditional decree then God saw that the creature were able or not able to perform the condition If the creature were not able to believe or to be holy then it were a vain Decree but if God saw that the creature were able to perform the condition this ability to believe and to be holy it must be either from the creature or from God if it were from the creature then it destroyes the Doctrine of Grace and brings in the Doctrine of Works and that sets up the Idol of Free-will which the Scripture beateth down and it lays the stress of the creatures salvation and happiness upon it self If God did chuse because he foresaw that the creature would be such and had a power in it self to believe and to obey this lays the stress of the creatures salvation upon it self But if it be said That God did intend to give the condition the creature is not able to believe of it self and be holy of it self ah but God did determine and decree to make such and such believe and to be holy and so he chose them upon that Now to that I say this comes to nothing to say God did decree to make such and such believers and to make them holy and upon that foreseeing they would be such chose them to life and salvation Why this is as much as to say God did first of all chuse them and then he gave them faith and holiness that he might chuse them for what is God's Decreeing to give faith and holiness but his chusing and setting apart the creature for his self for that is a part of the end for which God chose that it might be holy as well as happy and besides I shewed you before that faith is made to come after election therefore cannot go before election But it may be objected against this Doth not David say in Psal 4. 3. But know that the Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself and may we not object from thence against the absoluteness of God's Decree Answer Some indeed urge from hence that God considered men as godly when he set them apart but there is no such thing in the words for the Psalmist doth not speak of Gods chusing but he speaketh of the manifestation of God's decree and purpose to save now it is manifested by holiness whom God hath chosen and it comes to be known to others God doth not chuse them because they are holy but such as are holy they are evidenced to be such as God hath chosen and therefore he speaketh to others in v. 2. O ye sons of men How long will ye turn my glory into shame How long will ye love vanity and seek after leasing and then it follows v. 3. But know that the Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself Though a godly man be in affliction and you may think that God doth not love him because he is afflicted but know that if he be godly though in affliction God hath set him apart for himself so that this place doth not speak of God's decree but of the manifestation of God's decree Another objection is raised out of Ephes 1. 4. According as he hath chosen us in him In him Some argue from hence That we are chosen in Christ and there is no man in Christ but a believer no man is in Christ but he that hath faith and therefore God chuseth no man till he be a believer for we are chosen in him To this I answer first of all in him it may be understood he hath chosen us together with him as head and members are chosen together as foundation and other stones may be chosen together when a man is to build a house he may at once chuse the foundation stones and also divers other stones that he layes upon the building he doth not lay stones upon the foundation and then make choice of them no that they are laid upon the foundation doth argue he hath made choice of them Secondly In him that is Jesus Christ is the way and means of executing his Fathers Decree Jesus Christ he is the way by which God doth execute his purpose and his decree of bringing such and such souls unto blessedness God the Father will bring them by Christ he will bring them this way to life and salvation and no other way but by Christ Jesus he is the cause of the execution of God's Decree but not the cause why God will chuse such and such for Christ saith himself that there is a love that the Father himself hath toward his people the Father himself loveth his people from everlasting he loveth them the better for Christ's Intercession but saith Christ the Father himself loveth you so that there was love in the heart of the Father
Christ when God hath discovered the mysterie of Christ to thee and in some measure hath drawn thy heart and made thee to lye at the feet of Christ for life and salvation and for faith to believe in him be diligent to make the best improvement of Christ Improve Christ for holiness and sanctification if thou desirest to have Election made out to thee improve Christ for holiness The Apostle 2 Pet. 1. 5. exhorteth them to this Giving all diligence adde to your faith vertue and to vertue knowledge and to knowledge temperance and to temperance patience and to patience godliness and so he goes on and then follows at vers 10. Give all diligence to make your calling and election sure for if you do these things you shall never fall In this way give diligence to make your Election sure improve Christ for holiness for grace for strength for more strength be diligent in waiting upon the Lord for the carrying on the work of holiness let Christians endeavour to be continually in the exercise of grace and in the performance of every duty that the Lord calls them to adde grace to grace and wait upon Christ that one degree of grace may be added to another knowledge to knowledge faith to faith temperance to temperance truly it is in this way that God comes in with discoveries of electing love I do not say it is for your diligence and for your improvement of Christ and adding grace to grace but this is the way when the Lord doth enable his people to be thus faithful and diligent in the improvement of Christ and in the exercise of grace and performance of duty to God and man God comes in that way and giveth a soul a more clear discovery of his electing love Fourthly Desire the Lord to set a heavenly Byass upon your spirits if you desire to have your Election cleared and made sure take heed of an earthly heart and O! Look up to God earnestly that he would set a heavenly Byass upon your spirits that you may be able to say Our conversation is in heaven our heart is there from whence we look for a Saviour we groan to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven Truly Brethren if we look too much downward if we be grubling below and be writing upon the dust we shall hardly see what is written in heaven Though your names may be written in heaven O! the looking too much upon this world keepeth many a Christian from seeing his name written in heaven What pains will Astrologers and Star-gazers as the Scripture calls them take to see into the second heaven the starry heaven How often will they look up And how long will they look up to see as they pretend what is written there what is the language of the Stars And O! What a shame is it to Christians that we should look up no oftner and no longer into the third heaven that we may see our names written there Truly Brethren it is no easie matter for a Christian to see his name written in heaven though his name may be written there we shall hardly see it if our hearts be not much there and our conversations much there we use to say if children look off their Books they will never learn their Lessons well Truly if we look so much on the world and so little into heaven we shall hardly learn to read our names written in heaven But when as the Lord sees that his people are desirous to have their thoughts in heaven and their conversations in heaven the Lord will come and say to that soul well I see that thine eye is in heaven and thy heart in heaven know for thy comfort that thy name also is in heaven thy God is in heaven thy Christ is in heaven and thy portion is in heaven O! Beg of God that he would clap a heavenly byass upon your spirits Fifthly Take heed of sinning against the Lord take heed of giving way to any sin as you desire to have your election cleared up to you take heed of turning out into any crooked way Let not Christians give way to themselves nor allow themselves in any way of evil You know what the Apostle saith in 2 Tim. 2. 19. Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure having this Seal the Lord knoweth them that are his And let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity The Lord knoweth them that are his Ah! but would you know your selves to be in that number Take heed that you do not give way to any sin do not allow your selves in any way of sin be not found in any way of iniquity every sin that is allowed it will cast a blot upon your Evidence and you shall not be able to read it This is the first Use unto those that have not God's electing love cleared up to them there is a necessity that every soul should give all diligence to have their Election made sure it is matter of infinite concernment and you have been taught in what way to wait upon God to make your Election sure The second Use is to those that have attained to the knowledge of God's electing love And it calls upon them First To be Thankful Secondly To labour to walk worthy of so great a mercy First To be Thankful O consider that it is the free love and the free grace of God that did make the difference between you and others Is there not cause then of Thankfulness You were no better then the worst in the world no better then those that are cast out of God's sight into utter darkness there is as much evil in our hearts as in Judas his heart that betrayed Christ O! It is free grace that hath put a difference if God hath made known to you that he hath chosen you know that it is free grace that hath put the difference O! Rich grace free grace that God should take you and leave another as deserving as you O it is free grace And that we may be stirred up to Thankfulness consider that all the mercies that ever you do enjoy or hope for spring from this Electing love O! What cause have you to admire this love Electing love it was a fruitful wombe all your mercies lay in it your comforts they all spring from it if the Lord had not given you his love from eternity he had never given you Christ as he did he had not given you the knowledg of Christ All the mercies and comforts that you do enjoy do spring from this love if it had not been for this love you had never known what pardon of sin had been you had never known what peace with God had been what a mercy it is to be reconciled to God your present mercies they all lye in this womb of God's Electing love O! what an engagement is this to Thankfulness Secondly Walk worthy of this love Christians you that see your Interest in
unto thee into thy holy Temple When he was in this condition he prayed and he poured out his soul before the Lord. I shall only give you one instance more and that is of Christ himself when as he was in a sore affliction and his affliction accompanied with temptations then he prayed Luke 22. 39 40 41 42. And he came out and went as he was wont to the Mount of Olives and his Disciples also followed him And when he was at the place he said unto them Pray that ye enter not into temptation And he was withdrawn from them about a stones cast and kneeled down and prayed saying Father if thâ—â— be willing remove this cup from me Nevertheless not my Will but thine be done and at vers 44. it is said being in an Agony he prayed more earnestly His affliction doth increase and his temptations do increase and as they encrease so he cries the more earnestly to his Father Afflictions do not make Christ cease to worship no he worships the more and he cryeth the louder and prayeth the more earnestly Thirdly We shall consider the Grounds of the Point Why it is the duty of God's people to worship God in time of affliction and temptation First Because there is no affliction or temptation but it is from the Lord it is his Messenger it is of his sending we have to deal with God in it and it is fit that we should fall down and worship him when God sends affliction Isa 45. 7. I form the light and create darkness I make peace and create evil I the Lord do all these things It is not spoken of Natural darkness the darkness that is of the Ayre that was not created by God there is no creating cause withdrawing of light causeth darkness but God saith he creates darkness he creates Metaphorical darkness that darkness which he sends as an affliction to his own people I create it there is no darkness but that which is of the Lord 's forming and creating In the Creation of the world God said let there be light but God never said let there be darkness but now when God will afflict any of his people he creates darkness and there is no darkness till God say let there be darkness when God sayes let there be darkness in such a man's estate all his comforts shall wither when God says let there be darkness in such a man's family there shall be darkness for he can turn the Sun or Moon or Stars into darkness he can take away the head of the Family the children that are as the Stars of the Family if God speak the word though there be never so many in the family he can turn light into darkness and so when God sayes let there be darkness in such a man's spirit O then though it was comfortable before it will be as sad and as dark in the inward man even as it is with the Ayr at midnight darkness is of God's creating and therefore when-ever the Lord brings us into a state of darkness affliction and temptation either outward or inward it is time then to worship the Lord. Secondly We should then worship the Lord in time of affliction and temptation for it is the Lord only that can enable a man to bear temptation or affliction there is need I say that we should apply our selves to the Lord for he only can enable a poor creature to grapple with his affliction and temptation If the Lord help not the proudest helper in the world shall stoop and not be able to bear up a man under the least affliction especially when the affliction is accompanied with temptation and is wounding A wounded spirit who can bear It is only everlasting Armes that can support under such a condition surely therefore it is our duty in affliction and temptation to fall down and worship Thirdly The Lord only can give a sanctified 〈◊〉 of affliction he only can do us good by our manifold temptations affliction it self cannot profit sad experience shews it a man may have stroke after stroke and yet receive no profit no spiritual advantage I am the Lord thy God that teacheth thee to profit Isa 48. 17. God only can teach to profit Blessed is the man whom thou correctest and teachest Job 5. 17. When God's instruction and teaching go along with his correction that man is blessed that affliction shall be blessed Affliction it self cannot do it and therefore there is need that we should apply our selves to God Fourthly God only can remove the affliction and he only can rebuke the distemper and silence the temptation for certainly both affliction and temptation as I said before they are the Lord's messengers they are the Armies of the Lord of Hosts they go and they come at his command he gives out the word and he bids affliction to charge and it chargeth and if he bids it to retreat it shall retreat God only can deliver from affliction and from temptation therefore surely it is our duty to worship in affliction and temptation Fifthly It is the end of all afflictions and temptations to bring the soul nearer to God to drive the soul nigher God We are very prone to content our selves to live at a distance from God before I was afflicted I went astray saith David Psal 119. 67. Now the end of affliction and temptation is to fetch home the stragling sheep to bring God and the spirit nigher together therefore it is fit that we should fall down and worship for therein do we draw nigh to God when the soul falls down and worships God with Internal worship fear him love him trust him and submit to him and when it is pouring out its soul and lifting up the name of God speaking good words of the Almighty surely herein the soul draws nigh to God and so affliction attains its end Sixtly and lastly This is the way to ease and rest in our afflictions we cry out for ease and rest that is the thing we seek after the way to have ease and rest is to fall down and worship for by so doing the soul doth cast its burthen upon the Lord. When it doth thus fall down and worship with the worship of the Spirit fear and love and trust now the soul casteth its burden upon the Lord and his burden being left there it bringeth in unspeakable rest I say when the soul by inward worship hath gone to God and left his burden upon the Lord O! it bringeth in ease to the spirit whatever the affliction or temptation be Well then to Apply this in a word First What cause have we to be ashamed that we have come so far short of this Duty in the time of affliction or temptation We have been afflicted at one time or other who hath been free many of your souls have been exercised with temptations but O! What hath been the carriage of our spirits under them Have we fallen
down and worshipped with the worship of the Spirit Have we been putting forth acts of holy fear and reverence Have we been putting forth acts of love towards God Have we been exercising trust and affiance in the name of the Lord which is a strong Tower the righteous flee into it and are safe Have we made it our work to be submitting to the Lord to have our wills cast into the will of God to submit to God for kinde and for measure and for time O! How far do we come short of this our duty Have we been pouring forth our souls to God in afflicted conditions and tempted conditions Have we made it our work to cry the more earnestly being in an Agony as Christ did Have we spoken well of God at that time Have we not charged God foolishly and spoken unadvisedly with our lips Truly we have cause to be humbled every one either we have not known our duty or not minded our duty in the time of affliction and temptation Nay Instead of worshipping Have not we been dishonouring God in the time of affliction and temptation Have not we been distrusting murmuring repining entertaining hard thoughts of God speaking hard words against God Have we not neglected our duty and said what profit is there if I pray unto the Almighty Have we not thought that we have had to excuse from worship when the afflicting hand of God hath been upon us We have thought that affliction had been our excuse from our duty truly we may take up a sad complaint against our selves we are all guilty before the Lord and O that he would help us to see the evil of our hearts that hath past in the time of affliction and temptation But you will say when some afflictions are upon us alas we cannot pour out supplications to the Lord surely in time of affliction he doth not require it he will have mercy and not sacrifice But can our afflictions be worse then Jobs were Can it be greater then Jonahs he was in the belly of hell Can our afflictions and agonies be greater then Christ's were yet he prayed and prayed the more earnestly the more his afflictions and temptations encreased the more he prayed I know the Lord doth somtimes exercise his people with such conditions such weaknesses as they cannot be much in the performance of this external part of Worship they cannot be much in speaking unto God nor speaking well of God because of that weakness that is upon the outward man and if that be the only hinderance if the spirit be not in fault the Lord Jesus will make an excuse Christ doth tender his poor servants and children in such a condition when he sees the spirit is willing and the flesh weak they shall not need to excuse themselves Christ will But even then we are called upon to be much in giving to the Lord that inward worship of the spirit which may be given when we are in the weakest condition and the more we are hindred from the external part of worship the more should we be in the internal part of worship the more should the spirit be reverencing and loving and exercising acts of Faith and Affiance and the more submitting to the Lord and lying low this the Lord calls for from his people in the worst condition and we have cause to be humbled that we are not found in the performance of this duty in time of affliction or temptation Secondly If it be a duty to worship in time of affliction it is much more our duty to worship when the Lord is pleased to free us from affliction and from temptation if God looks for Worship from his people when under affliction and temptation then much more he looks for worship from his people when free from affliction and temptation This is a duty that lyes upon all Saints to be worshipping the Lord not only with Internal but External worship to take all opportunities of worshipping the Lord in publique and in our families in private to be pouring out supplications and to be speaking well of God is our duty if in sickness then much more in health and if in adversity much more in prosperity and if under temptation much more in the day of freedome when the hand of the Lord is not upon us it is our duty to take all opportunities and the best opportunities and the fittest opportunities both in our families and in publique Take heed that our incumbrances of the world doth not shut out our worship of God Pour out thine indignation upon the Heathen and the Families that call not upon thy name O that that Scripture were remembred Truly we are apt to complain when God lays his hand upon us and exercises us with affliction and temptation our complaint is that we cannot worship that is the grief and the burden that we cannot worship the Lord we are taken off from our duty if so we had more need to take those fairer advantages and opportunities of worshipping while the Lord is pleased to continue his course of mercy and goodness towards us Seek the Lord while he is near and call upon him while he may be found when afflictions come we cry out God is far from us and at a great distance and we know not how to apply our selves to him but examine and see whether this may not be the cause because we have not taken our opportunity while he was near we have neglected to worship him while we had strength and ability of body of pouring out our souls to God and speaking to God and no wonder the Lord doth take those opportunities from us and truly that proves a great burthen to many of Gods own people in the day of adversity when God brings them into affliction and exerciseth them with temptation and they see they cannot worship him in that external way O! that is their grief that they have not laid forth themselves in the worship of the Lord both publique and private while the Lord gave them space and opportunity and therefore as we desire not to lie under that pressure which will be exceeding heavie to God's own people take heed how we neglect worship either in our families or in publique or in both for if it be our duty to worship under affliction much more in health peace and strength To draw to a conclusion one word of Exhortation and so I end Brethren Let us look up to the Lord to teach us this lesson to make Impression of this Divine Truth upon our hearts there is a time a coming that every one of us may be put to the exercise of it and therefore look up to the Lord now to teach you that when affliction and remptation come we may through the Lord's strength be made able to fall down and worship both with Internal and External worship O! that God would make those examples of the Saints that were set before us prevalent with us to draw
us on to our duty you heard how Job worshipped and how Jonah worshipped and Christ worshipped in an Agony in the midst of affliction accompanied with great temptations O that we might look up to God to teach us this duty that we may be ready to fall down and worship as Job was when the evil tydings came that all was taken from him be falls down and worshipped and blesses the Name of God O! Know that we have need then to be pouring out our souls before the Lord and to be crying as this woman did Lord help if ever we had need to cry then Lord help when affliction is upon us especially accompanied with temptations men and Angels cannot help we had need to cry Lord help But you will say what is it that we should cry for to the Lord at such a time It is our duty to worship and to be pouring out supplications but what is it that God expects that his people should cry for in time of affliction and temptation Briefly thus We should cry That the Lord would discover the cause of that affliction and that tryal which the Lord doth exercise his people with Truly it is not without cause and therefore it is not without cause that God doth afflict us if need be you are in temptation it is not without cause and therefore it is our wisdom and duty to cry to the Lord that he would discover to us why it is thus with us to know what is his minde and will towards us what God aims at whether for correction or tryal or for exercise wait upon the Lord to know what is his end it is an addition to our affliction when as our way is hid and God's way towards us is hid and we know not what God intends therefore we should be much in this request fall down and worship him and desire the Lord to shew us the cause what is his end in this affliction this tryal and temptation Secondly Fall down and worship and pray that the Lord would take away the sting of affliction the sting is sin the sting of death is sin and the sting of all lesser deaths affliction is sin therefore pray that the Lord would take away the sting pray that he would not correct us in wrath and that he would not chasten us in his sore displeasure that was David's request Psal 6. 1. that the affliction might not be accompanied with the Lord's displeasure but that the face of the Lord may be towards us and the comforting presence of the Lord with us in affliction we should cry that the Lord would take away the sting and that his presence may be with us in affliction that he would not leave us in the fiery furnace alone but according to his promise would be with us when we go thorow the fire and water Thirdly We should cry That the Lord would make us willing to bear our affliction what-ever it be that he would make our spirits submissive to him that should be the great request of a gracious heart that the Lord would make our spirits submissive unto him O! What a gracious frame of spirit was David in when he was driven out from Jerusalem by his son Absalom 2 Sam. 15. 25. The Priests would have brought the Ark after him No saith he Carry back the Ark of God into the City If I shall finde favour in the eyes of the Lord he will bring me again and shew me both it and his habitation But if he thus say I have no delight in thee behold here am I let him do to me as seemeth good unto him Here was a gracious submissive frame of spirit under a great affliction if the Lord will use me no longer as an instrument and I must Reigne no longer let the Lord chuse what instrument he pleaseth and do with me what seemeth good unto him O! Beg that God would give us a submissive frame of heart that when the Lord leads us into any affliction we may be found submitting to the Will of God Fourthly We should beg of the Lord That He would strengthen us to bear our affliction that he would enable us to grapple with our Temptations and so to bear our affliction that we may be no dishonour to his Name so to bear our affliction as we may be to his praise Surely the least affliction will crush us if we have no other strength then our own we shall be soon crusht when under temptation O! We had need cry Lord help we had need cry that the Lord would put under everlasting Armes to bear up the spirit and to enable us so to carry it as we may be an honour to Christ Fiftly When we fall down and worship Beg that the Lord would give a sanctified use of the affliction or temptation whatsoever it be Our spirits should be breathing after a holy improvement of all God's dispensations especially these dispensations of great afflictions or temptations truly as you heard before it is not in affliction it self to do this we cannot profit by it if the Lord doth not teach and therefore we had need go to him and cry to him that he would give a sanctified use that he would make affliction attain its end that he would bore our ear to instruction and correction that we may hear the rod and him that hath appointed it that he would carry on his own work and would make use of this affliction for the subduing of our corrupt nature making us partakers of his Divine Nature Thus we should fall down and worship and beg that God would give us a sanctified use of all afflictions And know Brethren that we shall never have ease nor rest in our spirits till we be brought into this posture we shall be in a woful turmoyl and perplexity as Noahs Dove that found no rest till it came into the Ark so we shall finde no rest till God brings us into this frame bow the spirit and cause it to fall down and worship in time of affliction there will be no sanctified use of affliction never expect any good by affliction till God bring the spirit into this posture to fall down and worship as Job and Jonah and Christ did that is an argument that the affliction is working the right way when as the spirit is thus subdued to God now it is working for good certainly God will make a good end with that soul when it is brought thus to fall down and worship the Lord to fear and love and trust and submit to him and to pray and praise to speak to God and to speak well of God in time of affliction Now the Physick works kindly and the Lord is engaged by his word that this shall work together for good even all afflictions when it thus works you may have assurance of it that all shall work together for good God will make a good end as he did with Job and you may be sure that
Providences there is some remembrance of God upon every mercy all those mercies that have been made thy portion which thou hast enjoyed since thou hadst a beeing wherefore are they but that thy soul might remember God Nay God hath written his name upon his judgments in the earth that he might be remembred wherefore God he doth work wonderfully that as his mercies are wonderful so his judgements are wonderful wherefore doth God do such great things in the earth Doubtless that he might be remembred that men may say Verily there is a reward for the righteous and a God that judgeth the earth Nay God hath set up Conscience in every mans soul and wherefore hath God set up Conscience in every man but that Conscience might put us in minde of God That every man's Conscience might speak for God that it might stand up and cry for God Remember God and Conscience doth cry and doth speak and men may hear the cries of Conscience if they will not stop their ears When men sin Remember saith Conscience that for all these things God will bring thee to judgement Nay further God hath engraven his Name upon his Ordinances and the great end is that he might be remembred This is the great end of the Ordinance of the Lord's Supper Do it in remembrance of me saith Christ and so every Ordinance the Word that is preached to you it is that you might remember God wherefore is Prayer and every Ordinance but that the sons of men might remember God He hath engraven some remembrance of himself upon all his Ordinances See then what cause there is that you should remember God seeing God hath done so much that he might be remembred Thirdly There is cause that the sons of men should remember God for God is their Creator Remember thy Creator Now God being our Creator it is but a just and equitable thing that thou shouldest remember God thy Creator thy being is from him thy life is from him thy soul is from him thy comforts are from him all thy enjoyments are from him thou hast not the least comfort in the world but what comes from God he being thy Creator it is but a just thing that thou shouldest remember him yea thy dependance is upon him as he is thy Creator thy life is not only from him but thy life is in his hand and thy soul is not only from him but thy soul is in his hand it is in his power to kill and to save to destroy both body and soul And if there be so great a dependance that man hath upon his Creator that not only thy comforts but thy breathing thy soul and thy eternity is in his hand there is good cause that thou shouldest remember thy Creator Fourthly There is good cause that we should remember God for while you remember God you remember your selves for all good comes to the creature by remembring God thy peace and thy rest thy comforts thy satisfaction and thy contentments thy establishment of heart thy hope for life for heaven for glory there is not any good thing that a creature can enjoy or hope to enjoy but it must come in by remembrance of God And while you remember God you remember your selves remembring God thou enjoyest God and enjoying God thou enjoyest all good whatsoever good reason then that thou shouldest remember him That 's the second particular Thirdly I shall shew you what advantage it is to man to remember God in youth First There is this great advantage for the most part that soul that remembers God betimes in its coming unto God he findes the easie and the ready way to God the longer a man forgets God the further he goes from God every day he is going from God and therefore it will be the harder task to come back again it is a harder task to cast over a great Account then to cast it up while lesser though in respect of God all things are alike and God can as easily forgive many transgressions as few he can wash away great sins as well as small but yet when poor creatures come to look towards God through their unskilfulness they make it a difficult thing to finde God and to return to God when they go a great way from him the greater account they have to cast up it proves so to man because of his unskilfulness though to God all things are alike So that the sooner men begin to look after God they finde an easier way to come to Christ they have some helps in nature that when a man is once turned to the Lord his natural abilities being sanctified become great helps so that young men have more advantage in respect that natural parts are more strong the Understanding and Memory and Reason the Senses Internal and External they are all more vigorous and these prove helps to a man when once the heart is sanctified and the sooner a man turns to God the more he hath of these helps Yea Christ is very ready to go out to meet such children and young men Are the hearts of young ones towards the Lord The heart of Christ is towards them and he is mightily taken with such and will go forth and meet them The young Progigal in the Gospel no sooner did he think of returning to his fathers house but his father ran out to meet him But you will say for ought we see young men meet with as much trouble as others and when they come to remember God they are afflicted as much as others and it proves hard to them as to others I answer If it be so hard when they do return to God in youth it would have been much more hard if they had stayed till old age and if they do meet with difficulties and temptations and it prove a hard way it is because that the Lord seeâ— it is good for a man to bear the yoke in his youth and I might add that the Lord will recompence all with abundance of grace and with the discoveries of himself That is the first advantage that young men have many times for the most part they finde the ready way to Christ Secondly They have this advantage The Lord for the most part doth discover more of himself to them that begin betimes to remember God then to those that begin more later Joel 2. 28. And it shall come to pass that I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh and your Sons and your Daughters shall Prophesie your old men shall dream dreams your young men shall see visions Let not old men grudge at God's dispensation it is mercy to them that they shall dream Dreams but the young men shall see Visions they shall have clearer discoveries of God and that is a great advantage Thirdly There is this advantage They that remember God betimes they have an opportunity of doing more for God then other men have for when men begin late it is work enough to get
Gods own people for there are many things that may evidence that this Duty is neglected by God's own people What is the Cause of all the dark and sad apprehensions of God to many of God's own people Why Because they have not remembred God What is the cause of all those distrustful thoughts that do arise in the hearts of God's own people That our hearts are ready to sainct within us That God is no more trusted for the things of this life and for the things of Eternity Why all these distrustful thoughts they spring from this root not remembring God when the Disciples did distrust Christ Matth. 16. 8 9 10. Why saith Christ O ye of little faith Why reason ye among your selves because ye have brought no broad Verse 9. Do ye not yet understand neither remember the five loaves of the five thousand and how many baskets ye took up Verse 10. Neither the seven loaves of the four thousand and how many baskets ye took up As if Christ had said to them if ye had remembred me and my power my works of providence my former goodness it were not possible that ye should have distrusted but in that ye have so little faith it is evident that ye do not remember me and what I have done Truly if at any time we distrust God for the fulfilling of any promise it is because we do not remember God we do not remember the faithfulness of God in fulfilling Promises we do not remember the former experiences we have had of the goodness of God and of the power of God O how much distrust is to be found in Gods own people And because there is so much distrust it is evident that there is little remembrance of God Nay further it appears that Gods own people are guilty of this sin of Forgetting God Because there is so much coldness and deadness in our hearts to God O how much deadness in heart and affection in the things of God What little Love What poor weak Breathings after God What little delight in the Lord Whence comes all this coldness of heart this forsaking of our first love It comes from this root because we do not Remember God we do not remember that he is altogether lovely and desireable we do not remember that his wayes are beautiful there is much deadness and coldness even in God's own people and therefore there is little remembrance of God Nay further It appears that God's own people are guilty of this sin because there is so little done for God by them and so much done against God so many failings so many breaches of Covenant so much scantness so many haltings and swervings in our walkings with God Whence is all this but because we do not remember God we do not remember what a God he is we do not remember the Rule that he hath given us to walk by we do not remember that he will be worshipped in Spirit and in Truth little is done for God and that discovers that God is little remembred Nay further How many vain thoughts lodge in the hearts of God's own people O! How do the current of their thoughts run out to vanity How many crooked thoughts How many fruitless unprofitable sinful thoughts How few of the precious thoughts of the heart are spent upon God And whence is this But because God is not remembred Nay further How little is God pursued after How little do we prize Communion with God How little delight in the presence of God How little do we seek after the Image of God and conformity to Christ Whence is all this but because we do not remember that the enjoying of God is the souls happiness and that the enjoying of Christ is the souls perfection so that by all this it appears that there is little remembrance of God even among God's own people And O what cause have we to take up a sad complaint against our selves and every one to smite upon his own breast that we should be so negligent of this Duty of remembring God O what hath God done for many of his people How many how dear how precious are the thoughts of God to his people Psal 40. 5. Many O Lord my God are thy wonderful works which thou hast done and thy thoughts which are to us-ward they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee If I would declare and speak of them they are more then can be numbred Now that God should spend his precious thoughts upon us and we spend so few of our choice thoughts upon God O what an ill requital is this O what hath God done that he might remember us He hath graven the names of his people upon the palms of his hands Isa 49. 16. Behold I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands For a man to be so careful to remember his friend as to cut his name upon his own flesh that is love indeed why God hath graven the names of his people upon the palms of his hands that so he might remember them Yea he hath taken upon him the relation of a Father and hath the bowels of a Mother Can a woman forget her sucking childe that she should not have compassion on the son of her wombe Yea they may forget yet will I not forget thee Now Brethren and Christian friends the consideration of God's remembring us should make us to be ashamed that we should think no more of him But you will say to me what is there in God that we should remember him The Spouse in her description of Christ saith of him that he is altogether lovely so I may say of God he is altogether worthy to be remembred in his Nature in his Essence in his glorious Eternal Being He is worthy to be remembred in all his Attributes his Wisdome his Power his Goodness and Loving Kindness his Faithfulness and his Truth his Omnisciency and Omnipresence He is worthy to be remembred in all his Works for God he hath done them for that end that he might be remembred both the works of Creation and works of Providence He is worthy to be remembred in his Word every word of the Lord is precious as gold that is purified seven times He is worthy to be remembred especially in his Son and O that we might spend more of the thoughts of our heart upon God as he hath revealed himself in his Son His Name is Glorious and worthy to be remembred Jehovah our Righteousness He is worthy to be remembred in his Love and Free grace in his Promises in his everlasting Covenant made with poor creatures in Christ we need not ask what is in God that we should remember him look where you will and there is not any thing in God but is worthy of remembrance and therefore O that the Lord would stir us up to this duty to remember the Lord to spend the precious thoughts of our hearts more upon him David is a pattern to all
not leave the ninety and nine and goeth into the mountains and seeketh that which is gone astray He goeth forth to seek the one sheep that is lost you being that one lost sheep and you looking upon your own condition to be lost and you are sensible that none is so lost as you he will leave the ninety and nine to seek you And therefore hear the glad tydings of your Shepherd he cometh forth to seek you be you willing to come to Christ and O! what joy will there be in heaven at your return Fourthly and lastly It lets us see and O that we might see the infinite riches of the grace of God in Christ to poor sinners O! here is grace indeed What rich mercy was that that sent out Jesus Christ to seek lost sheep O! that we might consider a little of the greatness of this grace of God the exceeding riches of it that the Lord should send forth his Son Jesus Christ to seek lost sheep O! consider what worthless creatures we were how unuseful and unprofitable both to God and man nay the Lord saw how little useful we should be afterward how little we are able to return to the Lord for this his great mercy yet the Lord sent forth his Son to seek you And consider that this was at such a time when we could never have returned to the Lord when we could never have found God though we had sought him we could not have found him if we had had any disposition to have sought after the Shepherd we could not have found him no by all our searching we could never have found him And then when it was so with us that we could not finde the way to go home again that he should send Jesus Christ to shew us the way that he makes by the Shepherd to lead the wandring sheep home O free grace If the Lord had sent forth the least Angel of heaven to have sought poor lost sinners it had been mercy but that God should not commit this work to his servants but give a Commission to his Son and make it his great work to seek poor lost sheep O great love nay when we could not finde God and when Angels could not have found us if they had sought us herein is the exceeding riches of grace Nay it was at such a time as the Lord might have sent his Justice to have found us out God might have sent the Avenger of blood after us the Lord might have set all our sins upon us to have found us out they might have followed us as so many Avengers of blood O that at such a time God should send Christ to finde us out after all our sinful wandrings from God! that he should make his Son to come and seek O infinite love And therefore let me speak to those that have received this grace Hath the Lord found out your souls Hath Jesus Christ found you out in your wandrings and through mercy brought you home to God Hath he brought home any poor soul to believe in Christ and to give up it self fully and for ever to Christ O! be thankful for this mercy and labour to walk worthy of it and study to know what is your duty now you that are Christ's sheep and were lost O! what is your duty Christ hath found you surely some duty you owe to Christ Why this is our duty It is our duty now to seek Christ to seek much faith in Christ if Christ hath sought us and took so much pains in seeking us that were not worth the seeking after O! how should we lay forth our selves to seek Christ Seek him every day seek much of Christ seek his face evermore seek more of Christ every day Christ sought us when we were not worthy and shall not we seek him who is infinitely worthy who is the desire of all Nations Again It is our duty to seek others Christ hath found us it is our duty to seek others to pity the sheep that are lost that for the present are in a lost estate and condition take some pains to seek them according to your Talent and opportunity O take pains to seek others Assoon as ever Christ found Andrew Andrew he findes Simon Peter O! Come saith he and see Christ I say if Christ hath found us let us labour to finde others labour to bring them to the knowledge of Jesus Christ the great Shepherd The Lord gave a Commandment Deut. 22. 1. That if any man saw his neighbours Oxe or Sheep go astray he should pity them he should not hide himself from them but he should pity the poor lost sheep and the lost Oxe Doth God take care for Oxen Doth Godtake care for Sheep That a poor lost Sheep be brought home to his Owner And that a poor lost Oxe be brought home to his Owner And doth not God take more care for poor lost souls And is it not a more acceptable work to bring home lost souls O pity poorlost souls tell them of Christ shew them the way to Christ and know that if you shall be an instrument in the Lord's hand to bring home a lost soul to Jesus Christ the Owner O it will be service very acceptable to God your Father Thirdly If Christ hath found us then we should lose no opportunity of honouring him Let us know that we are the Lord's we are not our own any longer but engaged to be the Lord's sought out by Christ and saved by Christ and brought from a wandring condition and lost in a wilderness and yet found by Christ in this wilderness condition O let us know that we are engaged for ever to be the Lord's therefore let not Christ's sheep lose any opportunity of doing service to Christ take heed that we do not lose any opportunity of being profitable to Christ bringing honour to Christ in our generation for that is expected by Christ the Shepherd So Paul did engage for Onesimus in the Epistle of Philemon Onesimus he was a poor run-away sheep Paul he findes Onesimus and he brings him home to Christ he was instrumental in his conversion and he sendeth him to his Master and he tells him that now he will be profitable before he was unprofitable but now he will be profitable to thee and to me and to Christ before unprofitable A sheep is of no use when lost but when it s found then it is profitable and so if the Lord hath found our souls O that we might do all we can to bring honour to Christ and lift up his name in this our generation for Christ hath sound us for that end Fourthly If Christ hath found us we should be content to lose all we have for him Let all go for Christ it matters not what we lose for Christ if Christ hath found us If God calls for our estates let that go if Christ hath found us we have that which is better then a great estate it had
been more sad if God had taken away our estates from us before he had found us but if the Lord hath found us though we lose the world there is good cause we should be content what God calls for let it go we should be willing to lose our estates our credit our name for Christ hath found us if we cannot walk with Christ and do the service Christ calls us to but we must lose estate and credit and name why let all go Christ found us and we should be willing to lose our lives for Christ and know that it shall not be lost but what a man loses for Christ it shall be restored him again And fiftly and lastly Let us take heed that we do not go out from Christ any more O! what an engagement lyeth upon us to keep close to Christ O! What pains did Christ take to seek us when wandring And what pains did Christ take to bring us home O! Take heed of wandring in the ways of sin for it is a dangerous way and therefore take heed that we be not found wandring let us labour to cleave to God and keep close to Christ let the sheep hear the voice of Christ and follow him where ever he goeth keep close to Christ in every Ordinance in every Truth take heed that we go not out from Christ for that will be sadder then all that hath gone before that lost sheep whom Christ hath found should go into the wilderness again dark wayes again and defile your elves again O! this will go to the heart of Christ and therefore Brethren what need have we to watch O! let us watch over our own hearts if Christ hath found us and brought us home to God O let us watch over our hearts and wayes that we go not out from Christ O let us watch and let us cry to the Lord that he would watch over us that we may not go out from him O! let us beg of him that he would put his holy fear into our hearts that is his promise O beg of the Lord that he would make good his Covenant that we may have that holy fear in our hearts that may keep us for ever from wandring and going out from Christ Matth. 15. 24. I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel SERMON XII HEre is a second Tryal of this womans Faith as I told you when I opened the words Christ had tryed her faith by his silence and now by his speaking a sad word I am not sent but to the lost Sheep c. Wherein he holds forth that there a certain number that he is sent unto a certain company that are given to him to be his sheep and that he can shew mercy only to such they only are in his Commission and he cannot go beyond his Commission they whose names are written in the book of life their names are written in Christ's Commission I am not sent but to the lost sheep Here is a great tryal of this womans faith and she is put upon it to make out her Election here is a tryal concerning her Election whether she did belong to God or no. So then the Doctrine is this That the Lord is pleased sometimes to exercise his people with many temptations about their Election That was the great tryal that this woman was now put upon In the opening of the point it will be needful to shew you First That there is an Election of God Secondly That this Election may be known it may be known who are elected Thirdly I shall shew you that this Doctrine it self it is full of sweetness and unspeakable comfort to God's people Fourthly I shall shew you that God's own people may meet with many Temptations both about the doctrine of Election and concerning their own election in particular First then That there is an election of God which is a glorious truth of the Gospel and it is needful that it should be known Let us enquire what election is It is an Act of God ' s good pleasure from eternity whereby he made choice of certain persons that he might make them holy and happy through Christ Jesus unto the glory of his own grace Take this as a description of Election where you have First The efficient cause that is God it is an act of God and you have the nature of this Act. 1. It was an act of his good pleasure 2. It was from eternity 1. It was an Act of his good pleasure there was no moving cause at all in the creature why God did love it and chuse it no impulsive cause was found out of God's own bowels nothing in the creature nothing out of himself it was an Act of good pleasure 2. And this was from eternity what ever was done in time it was purposed from eternity they are chosen before the foundation of the world blessed of my Father before the foundation of the world it was from eternity that God did thus chuse and set his love upon poor creatures You see the nature of it Thirdly In the description you have the Subjects of it who they were that God did chuse from eternity Why they were certain persons a certain number of persons that God set his love upon freely and amongst those sometimes in Scripture Christ is said to be the first that was chosen he was the head of them he was the foundation of the building therefore he is called chosen of God Disallowed indeed of men but chosen of God and precious 1 Pet. 2. 4. the Apostle saith of Christ he was a chosen precious foundation stone And as Christ was chosen to be Head so there was a certain number that were chosen to be his members a certain number known unto God that should fill up the body of Christ for God's Decree is not an uncertain nnumber or conditional proposition as some conceive that whosoever believes shall be saved some make no other decree of God but this that whosoever believes should be saved but he did not purpose any particular person but whosoever believe shall be saved Truly that decree is no decree if there were no other decree but so that whosoever believe should be saved and not decreed certain persons then it were possible that no man nor woman at all should be saved if God did not determine such and such persons but onely such as believe should be saved then I say there is a possibility that none at all should be saved it is true that is the way of the declaration of God's grace that whosoever believes is saved But fourthly We have further to consider what is the end of Election wherefore did God chuse certain persons There is a two-fold end First In respect of the creature Secondly in respect of God In respect of the creature this was God's end that such creatures should be made holy and happy that they should attain to eternal life which eternal