hear it my Soul shall weep in secret places for your Pride and mine Eyes shall weep sore and run down with Tears because the Lords Flock is carried away Captive If ye will not hear That indeed should be the work of the Ministers of the Gospel when they are Rejected Not to be Careless and say I have done my Work and what need I care But they should take it to Heart and Lament it as the greatest Affliction that can befal them yea more than any Affliction whatsoever That the Blessed Message that they are sent withal is Rejected by Wretched and Sinful Men. Secondly If God in Christ be sometimes Rejected all the Mercy of God in His Son we should not think much though our love and kindness towards others be many times Slighted and Disregarded Indeed there 's nothing goes more to any Ingenuous Heart than to have his love and kindness to be Disregarded But when we find our Hearts troubled at this O that such a one that I have done so much for and yet that he should deal thus with me Lay thine hand upon thy Heart and consider what God hath done for thee in Christ and how ill thou hast requited Him Is it so much for thee a poor Worm not to have thy Love and Kindness imbrac'd What is it then for the Infinite God not to have that Infinite Love and Mercy of His to the Children of Men not Imbraced but Rejected Thirdly Let 's learn from hence never to trust our own Hearts We think often had we such means as others have then we should not do as they do surely we should do better Men are very ready to trust their own Hearts and in the use of Means But let us learn from hence never to trust in our own Hearts or in the use of any Means God may send you Means and Reveal glorious Truths unto you yet it may so fall out that you may never come to be partakers of the good of those things It hath been so with many and you must look to your own Hearts Do not Bless your selves in this Through Gods Mercy the Lord hath sent us His Word plentifully and the Gospel comes to be Opened clearly among us That 's not enough what God hath done but look you into your own Hearts how you Imbrace it otherwise the Gospel may come among you and yet you never come to be Saved by it But this indeed is a sad Condition wheresoever it is Fourthly Further Gods Ministers are to Learn from hence not to be Discouraged They come and Preach and with an Expectation to prevail with the Hearts of People to draw them to Christ When they have been in their Studies labouring to find out some Truths of the Gospel and to sit it to the Hearts of their Auditors and have been Praying over it They come now with Expectation that some good may be done that some Soul may be drawn in to Christ yet perhaps find it quite otherwise and the People to sit Dead under it it may be Slight it Contemn it Scorn it Disobey it But they must not be I say Discouraged in this as if so be a strange thing had befallen them What art thou more than Jesus Christ thy Master What art thou more than Paul and other of the Apostles They have been rejected all in their Ministry and what art thou that thou canst not bear any Rejection Indeed it is the hardest thing to be Born by a Minister of the Gospel that possibly may be But consider That it is not a new thing for the Gospel to be Rejected I remember I have read of Melancthon he had such thoughts that when he began to Preach he should Convert all that heard him He thought there was so much Reason in what he Spake and so much Evidence and Power to prevail with the Hearts of People that he thought he should prevail with every one but he found it otherwise by Experience And though indeed when any Minister that is acquainted with the Glorious things of God and Christ come to open them to People they are ready to think such things will surely prevail with the Hearts of People but the Lord teaches him to know that the Blessing depends upon Himself That though the things be never so Excellent and Moving yet all will not do except the Lord comes in by His Almighty Power Fifthly Let all those with whom the Ministry of the Gospel doth prevail in any measure Bless God that makes such a difference between them and any others It is Preached unto many but doth them no good But the Lord hath Called thee out and it hath struck thy Heart converted thy Spirit Thou seest cause to stand and admire at the Glory of God in Christ and thou wonderest perhaps that all People are not taken with the Riches of the Glory of Gods Grace in Christ Well Bless God that hath made a difference between thee and others It may be in the same Family another Scorns it and Contemns it perhaps one that came out of the same Womb despises it and God hath taken thee and revealed Himself to thee it may be thy rich Neighbour Contemns it but God looks upon thee a poor Creature and makes Himself known to thee It may be a Learned Man he slights it and makes nothing of it and thou who art but a Babe hast those things Revealed Thou hast cause to thank God for it For Christ doth He thanks His Father for this thing That He should be pleased to pass by the Wise and great ones of the World and chuse Babes Mat. 11. 25. At that time Jesus Answered and said I thank thee O Father Lord of Heaven and Earth that thou hast hid these things from the Wise and Prudent and hist revealed them unto Babes Now this Scripture that I bring not only to shew you that God doth sometimes Reveal the great Mysteries of the Gospel to Babes and hide them from the Wise but as a Text to stir up your Hearts to Bless God if He hath done so for any of you Upon this ground Jesus Christ doth thank His Father for it then surely thou hast cause to thank God the Father for this great Mercy of His to put such a difference between thee and others For indeed it is one of the most glorious Works of God This Work of the Lord making known the Great and High Mysteries of the Gospel to poor weak ones when as the Great and Rich and Mighty and Learned of the World do not come to understand it It is one of the great Miracles by which the Lord doth Confirm the Gospel to be His own as great a Miracle as other Miracles that were Wrought by Christ And for that this is very observable that we have in the place where John sends to Christ to know whether He were the Messias or no. Now mark the Answer that Christ gives unto John's Messengers Jesus Answered and said unto them Go and
these things but to have the effectual working of these things upon the heart that 's not so easie To sanctifie Gods Name in the Fire Carnal hearts they have many poor things to help themselves in their Afflictions They say this It is my ill Fortune this befel me and another saith this This befals all Men one or other it 's common Others say thus We must we cannot help it and we must submit to it Another thinks thus Why I hope it will be over These are poor Reasonings to work upon the heart in the day of Affliction But now a gracious heart should get up higher above all these It is the Lord and there look into the Counsels of God and seek to know the Mind of God and to sanctifie the Name of God O Grace my Brethren hath many Excellencies in it but among other things this is not the least That it hath such a mighty Power to help Men in the day of their Affliction a mighty Power to sweeten the heart and to take away the sting and evil of all Afflictions and to carry the Soul on comfortably in the time of all Dangers and Trials O labour to have this wrought upon your hearts For by this you will manifest much Beauty in Grace much Excellency in Grace it will be a means to Convince all that are about you All those that profess Godliness should labour to behave themselves so as to do that that others cannot do in the time of Affliction They should then shew what Grace can do As David in another Case said to the King of Achish Thou shalt see what thy Servant can do So now in the time of Affliction a gracious heart should put it to this Come let 's see what Grace can do And certainly this will be the way for removing of Afflictions sooner when the heart is brought thus to yield unto the Lord Wherefore that you may bring your hearts to this in the day of your Affliction labour in the constant Course of your Life to Converse much with God Those that walk with God according to the Text that you know I am upon and Converse much with God in the day of their Health why their hearts will in a kind of Natural-way work up to God in the time of Affliction then the Thoughts of God will be as suitable to thee as Fire is to Fire Fire ascends up to Fire because of the suitableness of the Fire that is here to that that is above Why so the heart will work up to God in a kind of Natural-way because God is so suitable to the heart the heart having so much Converse with God in the day of Prosperity And labour throughly to Convince your hearts of this thing That there is no Good in any Creature but only in the Reference that it hath to God There is no Good in Health in Liberty in your Names in your Lives in your Estates any further than they have some Reference to God the infinite first Good the chief and high Good It 's an easie matter in a way of Reason to Convince any one that this is a Truth But now to have this Principle indeed wrought upon your heart not only to say so in a way of Arguing but I account in my Soul of no good in any thing further than it hath reference to God As now I have for the present Health of Body Where doth the good of the Health of my Body lie It is That while I have Health I have Ability to serve God and be useful in the place where God hath set me I have an Estate Wherein lies the good of it It lies in this That by this I may be Instrumental for God more than others If I Live Wherein lies the good of Life Why that I may be useful to the Church in the way wherein God hath set me Now when the heart is principled in this then if God takes away my Health then it seems God hath no further use of my Health for the present but would rather Honour Himself in another way upon me why now there is no good in my Health And if God take away my Estate then he would rather Honour Himself in the exercise of my Humility and of my Patience If God takes away my Life then God will rather have His Honour from my Soul to joyn with Angels and Saints in Honouring of Him that way rather than in Imploying of me any further in this World Such a Principle as this is would mightily help the heart in the day of Affliction Certainly our Happiness doth not depend upon what we have here in this World The reason why the heart is so troubled in the time of Affliction it is because of this That Men and Women look upon their Happiness to consist in the enjoyment of these things O no thou Dishonourest the Name of Christ and thy holy Profession to think that thy Happiness should depend upon such poor things as these are Surely Jesus Christ hath not come to shed His Blood and to purchase Happiness for the Saints and when all comes too it should be so poor as to depend upon all the uncertainty that we have in this World No no thy Happiness lies hihger Thy Life is hid with Christ in God If a man hath a Jewel worth many Thousands and his House should be on Fire why though he loses the Lumber and Stuff in the House yet if he be sure the Jewel is safe he is quiet Now the Saints they may be sure that they are safe for Eternity and therefore it is not much what other things be Oh consider of these things and work them upon your hearts That 's the Second Point But a word or two of the other that is That that which seems ill to us may seem good to God It is the Lord let Him do what seemeth Him good Certainly for the present it did not seem very good to Ely If that Ely's judgement had been askt of those things Ely would have said that they had been very sad I but as I remember Luther once said when he was Condemn'd and Rail'd upon at Noremberg saith he There 's one thing Concluded at Noremberg and another thing Concluded in Heaven In Heaven there 's not the same Judgment of my Cause as at Noremberg And so it may be said concerning Affliction There 's one thing many times Concluded in my Wretched Weak Foolish and Unbelieveing Heart and another thing in Heaven One thing concluded in the world and in mens rumours and another thing in Heaven It 's some comfort to a man though he hears rumours abroad in the world if then he can have his own heart to contradict them If he had nothing else to think but this Well that that 's spoken in the World is one thing and that that I find in my heart is another that 's comfortable But this is greater comfort Thou art my portion saith my Soul saith the
I indeed am cast into a Dungeon but the Gospel will prevail all the persecutions of Wicked men all the scorn that is cast upon the Gospel by them shall not take away the edge and power and life of the Gospel but that shall continue as much as ever all the rage of Hell and Devils and Tyrants shall not take away the power of the Gospel Indeed they may restrain such and such men in the Preaching of it but after they are dead and rotten and roaring in Hell the Gospel shall prevail We find it so at this day ever since Christ came the Gospel hath been opposed by Ungodly men yet it doth remain in as much life and vigor and power as ever it did and I have no cause to question but it will prevail ere long more than ever it did in the World though its true sometimes we find Ministers Preach Sermon after Sermon and there are but few converted to the Gospel what shall we think that therefore in hath lost the power of it No Gods time is not come When the time of God shall come to call home those that belong to his Election of Grace it shall appear that the Gospel shall arise in power and glory and prevail in the World again therefore let 's never despair but that the Gospel will prevail in the World as at first when as there were but a few poor Fishermen to Preach it and all the World was enraged against it the Emperors and Princes of the Earth was enraged against it and yet these poor Fishermen did subdue a great part of the World by the power of the Gospel therefore let not us be discouraged for when Gods time is come it shall prevail in a glorious manner more than ever And so as it is with the Gospel so it should be with the Professors of it If God be dishonoured by other yet let not your edge be taken off but do you continue in the power and life and vigor as much as ever Now the second part which is the main that I intend and that is the dreadful threatning of those that do reject the Gospel only take this one point there are these Three First That where a people reject the Gospel God may justly take it away from them yea they are in danger to have it taken from them It shall return Secondly Such shall not have the blessing of the Gospel upon them this shall be their doom as they shall lose the Ministry of it so they shall be cast out from the blessing of it And then Thirdly which is yet the principal of all and that is That God will deal very quick with those that do reject the Gospel Your peace shall return no more ado there 's an end of them These are the Three things in this sentence against those that are not the Sons of Peace where the Gospel is preached But a little of the First we will leave the other First That where a people do reject it and that presently for so it is when you come to a House and offer it if they do not embrace it let your peace return again Christ here compares his Disciples unto Chapmen that should go and offer rich Wares they have Diamonds and Precious Stones things worth Thousands and they come perhaps to poor Country-people and open their Cabinet of Diamonds and Precious Stones and make offers to them but they do not know the worth of them they will bid nothing for them Now when he sees that they reject and despise them saith he give me my Wares again and so he packs them up again and away he goes for saith he this is not a people that is fit for such things as these are so saith Christ you are such Chapmen I send you abroad with the most rich pearl of the Gospel to go and shew the excellency of it to people and to offer it to them and the truth is I require thus much of them that if they would have this Pearl they must sell all Now the Ministry of the Gospel comes and they are ignorant of this Pearl that they have brought this rich Commodity They can tell them indeed that here is an exceeding rich Pearl but this is the tenor that you must be content to part with all for this Pearl that is thus First you must actually lay down and renounce every beloved sin Secondly you must enter into Bond as it were with God that whensoever he calls for your Estates your Liberties your outward Peace and Comforts that you have in the World shall be at Gods dispose Thus you enter into Bond as in your dealing for Commodities when you see a great and rich Commodity you lay down somewhat for the present and give Bond for the rest to be paid when it shall be called for When you go to buy Pedling things there you lay down all at first and no entring into Bond but when it is a great Purchase then there is a little laid down for the present and entring into Bond for the rest Now certainly in this Bargain of the Merchant there is first a laying down for the present thy Lusts thy Sin as if the Soul should say O Lord let me have my part in Christ in this glorious Peace of the Gospel as for any wayes of sin that I have lived in heretofore Lord I renounce them and will not live in any way of known sin Lord grant me thy Grace to do it Indeed this is the way of the Hearts coming in at first I but saith God I will not only have thy sin renounc'd but thy Estate and Liberty and Life at my dispose and thou shalt enter into Bonds to lay down all yes Lord this is the very English of the Covenant The Soul seeing the glory of God in Christ saith the Soul Lord I will not only renounce my sin but Lord whatsoever I am whatsoever I have whatsoever I can do shall be at thy dispose and here I enter into Bond Lord that is I Covenant and Vow and bind my self by the strongest Bonds that a poor Creature possibly can do that whensoever thou shalt call for any of my Estate of my Liberty or my outward Comforts when thou shalt call for my Life Lord they shall be at thy dispose Now have you sold all have you thus bought the Pearl When we come to bring the Pearl of the Gospel to you have you embrac'd it O if our Ministry prevails this hath been the frame and working of your hearts but if not our Ministry hath not yet prevail'd with you but when your Hearts begins to work thus then our Ministry begins to work to purpose in your Souls But we may come to most People and open the Pearls of Christ and open the Ministry of Reconciliation and they will do neither of these Two neither lay down any thing for the present renounce no known Sin and as for Entring into Bond to have their
hath prospered me in my way and course in any kind now let me go to God and exercise Faith in his Word and seek unto him in prayer that I may have a sanctified use of all these things then that God hath granted to me In 1 Tim. 4. 4 5. Every Creature of God is good and nothing to be refused if it be received with thanksgiving for it is sanctified by the Word of God and Prayer A little to open this Scripture That the Creature is sanctified by prayer that I suppose is easie for you to understand that is when I have any good in any Creature then I am to seek to God by prayer for a sanctified use of it unto me But how is it sanctified by the Word Now that that the Apostle doth intend here in sanctifying by the Word is this that he would shew to us That a godly man hath another kind of interest in the Creature than another man hath saith he All things are good but how shall they be good to me How shall I know that they are good to me That must be by the Word saith he I cannot know that they are good to me that I have a sanctified use of them that is that all the comforts I have I do enjoy them in order to eternal life for then a thing is sanctified when it is consecrated as it were and made holy that is when it is made useful to the highest and last end As a place is sanctified when it is separated from other things for God so when the blessing of God is upon my estate to make it to be to his glory and my last good then it is sanctified Now how comes this This is by the Word of God for we by our fall have lost all our interest in the creature unto our outward comfort Now God indeed out of his bounty doth give to some men abundance here in this world I he gives them those things that are in themselves good I but how shall they come to be good to him that must be by the Word saith he that is God by the Word of his Gospel the Covenant that he hath made with his poor servants in Christ revealed in his Word it is that that gives the godly man a sanctified use of what he hath If he hath it in a natural way it may prove a curse to him if he hath it onely by Gods general providence by the command of God in his works of providence that is no sanctified use But now if a man comes to enjoy what he hath by the word of the promise by the word of the Gospel that reveals Christ unto us and our renewed interest unto all we do enjoy by Jesus Christ This is the Word that sanctifies all to us Most men look upon what they enjoy onely but in a way of general providence Now a gracious heart looks upon what he enjoys by the word of the Promise the word of the Covenant that gives him a sanctified use and through the power of this word he comes to know how to be full and use all his abundance in a right way so that the way he takes for the making use of his fulness it is when God blesses him presently to exercise faith in the Word in the Promise to look into the Covenant Godliness hath the promise of the things of this life and of that which is to come And so he comes to make use of the promise and improve it by faith and so comes to have a sanctified use and improvement of all the good things that he doth enjoy in this world Is not this a mystery to most rich men Doth it put them upon prayer more than before and upon the exercise of Faith in the Word more than before One that is godly never prayes more than when God doth prosper him in this world It is usual for men to pray much in times of affliction In their affliction they will seek me early I but that 's a sign of a carnal heart But now a godly man when God prospers him he sees cause to pray most then I it is for poor people to live by faith that have nothing in the world You will think it 's fit for them to believe and trust in God I but a godly man uses the more faith when he hath the most in the world That 's a good way in the mystery of knowing how to be full And then a Fifth way in the mystery of knowing how to be full is this A godly heart by his fulness growes to increase his humility growes sensible of his unworthiness by his fulness Now this is a way of mystery too It is a good thing for a man to have humility together with his fulness but to have humility by his fulness this is a very great mystery it 's a rare thing to see humble prosperity but to see a man humble by his prosperity this is rare indeed Affliction will humble men that 's true every one can understand that but how prosperity should humble men that 's very hard to understand I 'll give you a clear Scripture for this how prosperity will humble a gracious heart it 's in the 2 Sam. 7. 18. The Lord there had told David of great things that he would do for him and spake to him of the honour that he had put upon him and that he would still put upon him and he would continue his House to be a great House and honourable like the great men of the earth Mark one would have thought that the heart of David should have been raised up when God told him not onely the great things that he had done but the great things he would do This would have pufft up a carnal heart But then mark in the 18 verse Then went King David in and sat before the Lord and he said who am I O Lord God and what is my house that thou hast brought me hitherto and this was yet a small thing in thy sight O Lord God but thou hast spoken also of thy servants house for a great while to come and is this the manner of men O Lord God and what can David say more unto tbee for thou Lord God knowest thy servant for thy words sake and according to thine own heart hast thou done all these great things to make thy servants know them wherefore thou art great O Lord God He doth not bless himself O God hath made me great but wherefore thou art great and what am I and what is my house and it is according to thine own heart and not according to any thing in me saith David The larger God was in telling of him the great things he had and should have the more humble was the heart of David O this is a good sign of true humility when you find your comings in to be more then heretofore as if you have had a great voyage many hundreds coming in of clear gain then for
out again You would be loath to see your Child held over the Water by another little Child or over a Fire but if a strong Man hath your Child in his Arms and holds it over the Water and you know him to be your loving Friend it troubles you not at all Why Because you know he hath strength enough to keep your Child from the Danger Why It 's the Lord that though He holds his Children over Fire or Water and brings them into Fear and Afflictions yet He hath Power enough not only to preserve them but to bring a great deal of Good out of all and therefore let Him do what seemeth Him good Tenthly It is the Lord therefore submit to Him for His Counsel must stand and His Work must go on there 's no striving with the Almighty Are we greater than He No Instead of striving let there be submitting and yielding Eleventhly Yea and further It is the Lord and therefore He is worthy that His Designs should be brought about though we should be ruined There is such infinite Excellency in this God as I say He is worthy to have his own Designs brought about and his own Will fulfilled though it be to our Ruins Doth God think man so excellent a Creature as that He shall give thousands of other Creatures for to help him with the loss of their own Lives And shall not we think the Lord to be Infinitely worthy if He have use of our Lives or Liberties or Names or any thing that He should not have all to bring about his Designs withal O he is worthy and therefore let Him do what seemeth Him good If so be he will raise up any building of his in our ruins we should be willing to be serviceable to God in it we should be willing to lie down and let all that we have go that may be any way serviceable to God in his designs for the Lord is worthy These Considerations may be very useful to help you in the day of Affliction to meditate of God and so to work your hearts to an humble submission but especially if you add this one more Twelfthly When you do not onely see him to be Jehovah the Lord but if you can see that you have any interest in him as that he is the Lord your God this is of mighty power to quiet the heart as if he be your God why then he is in Covenant with you and if he be in Covenant with you then he hath engaged all his Wisdom and all his Power and all his Mercy for to be working eternally for your good and that 's more than a meer consideration that it is the Lord and that he is above us and just and holy and that it is in vain not to submit unto Him But it is the Lord that is in Covenant with me and in that Covenant he hath engaged all his Power and Wisdom and Mercy and Goodness for me Did we but understand what the Covenant of God in Jesus Christ was that he hath taken his Servants into O then this thought It is the Lord in Covenant with me would be enough to enable us to resign up our selves wholly to his dispose Thirteenthly Yea 'T is the Lord that is our Father You know what Christ saith Shall I not drink the Cup that my Father giveth me to drink That was the Argument of Christ O that this were in all our thoughts at all times when any thing though it be never so grievous befals us Shall I not drink the Cup that my Father giveth me to drink Whatsoever it be if it comes out of a Fathers hand why let Him do what seemeth him good You know when Christ came to the Disciples walking upon the waters and the Disciples were afraid Be not afraid 't is I saith Christ They were troubled at it and thought that one came as an Enemy to do them hurt but be not afraid 't is I saith Christ So my Brethren we should look in all afflictions to see who it is that comes we apprehend an Enemy coming but now those that are godly they may look upon him that comes as God Be not afraid saith the Lord it is I It 's I that am reconcil'd to you in my Son Upon this the soul may with abundance of sweetness and comfort go to God in Prayer and open it self to God having an interest in him You know If a great Dog should come with full mouth upon one why indeed if so be that he that comes to a house be a thief he hath cause to fear but if he be a Child he can call to his Father the Master of the house Take off your Dog So when afflictions come to the wicked they come with open devouring mouth and they have cause to be afraid but those that have interest in God may go with freedom unto God in prayer and cry to the Lord to take off the dog the affliction to keep it that it should do them no hurt at least It is the Lord. Object I but you will say That though it be the Lord yet it 's this indeed that rather makes my affliction the greater to consider it comes from God The thought that it's God in it strikes terror because I am conscious of sin against God It is an affliction that comes for my sin and therefore I see the displeasure of God in it and this makes it more grievous I would rather bear any thing from a creature than to bear the displeasure of God in a creature that 's that that is the greatest stick of all and therefore every time I think it is the Lord it rather adds to mine affliction Answ To that I answer First It 's true many men that think that all is well between God and them in the time of their health and prosperity yet when affliction comes God appears to them and they look upon God as an Enemy this is dreadful It 's a fearful thing when God is a terror to a man in the day of Calamity You know what Jeremy saith Jer. 17. 17. Be not thou a terror to me O Lord for thou art my hope in the day of evil If the soul may have God to be the hope of it in the day of evil there 's no evil terrible but if God be a terror then too and write bitter things against the soul in the time of affliction that 's dreadful But yet suppose thou seest God even as an Enemy coming against thee yet the consideration that it is the Lord should make thee submit at least For it is time for thee then to submit if so be that God as an Enemy appears against thee It 's time for thee to make haste to make thy peace with God yea and thou hast the more cause to bless God that he hath not destroyed thee What dost thou apprehend God as an Enemy O then it 's infinite Mercy thou art not destroyed Certainly if He be an Enemy
than Paul did and yet death was Gain to him he should get much by it Why many things might make the death of Paul Gainful I remember the last time I spake to you I spoke about an Argument of the Victory over Death that we have by Christ I will not speak now of what then I spake to but meerly Confine my self for otherwise the Argument might be very large to shew the Gain of death to Believers But I 'll confine my self to the very thing that the Apostle speaks of here in this Chapter That he should be present with Christ Therefore now I 'll speak of the Gain of being with Christ Now I confess there are many things that might be opened The Communion of the Soul departed with Jesus Christ As First It shall be immediate the Souls of the Saints while they are in the Body they have Communion with Christ but it is Mediately by other things by Ordinances and Means whereby Christ conveys Himself to them but there they shall have Communion with Christ Immediately only Christ and the Soul together Now the more Immediate the Communion is with Christ it is the more pure Here we have some Communion with Christ but a great deal of Sin mixt together with it That that is immediately from the Fountain is more pure that that comes in the Streams hath Dirt mixed with it So that that we shall have with Christ immediately shall be pure we shall have Communion with Him and nothing else We shall have no mixtures at all of any evil in our own Spirits And then Secondly Immediate communion with Christ it is more Sweet As the more Pure so the more Sweet As now the Wine that comes immediately from the Grape it hath more Spirits and is more delightful than that that is poured from Vessel to Vessel That which we have here from Christ it is that that is poured from Vessel to Vessel but that which Souls departed have from Christ is immediate and so comes more Sweet As if the Child suck Milk from the Breast it is more sweet to the Child than the Milk in a Spoon That that we have from Christ here is Milk as it were from the Spoon but that that Souls have that are departed they suck from Christ immediately and so comes to be more sweet Thirdly And more especially we account that that comes Immediately to have more Love in it As that that a Friend gives by his own hand is better and more comfortable to us So that that comes from God Immediately it 's a great deal more sweet As now here while we Live in the World the more immediate a Mercy is the more sweet it is to a gracious Heart Indeed a Mercy that comes by second Causes it 's comfortable because God Over-rules all the Causes but when it can see God immediately in a Mercy the more immediate the Hand of God is here Though God doth not work so Immediately here as He will do afterwards but the more Immediate God is here the more sweet it is And therefore in a Judgment the more Immediate the Hand of God is the more Terrible as in the Plague So in a Mercy though every Mercy is sweet yet the more Immediate God is in a Mercy the more sweet it is And then O how sweet is all the Good that the Saints have immediately from Christ therefore it 's Gain to them And then Fourthly It 's more strong The first Rebound is more Powerfull than a second and the first Gushings out are more strong The Beams of the Sun when they are first Reflected than if you take a Glass and Reflect them again and again And so that that comes Gushing out as it were of the very Heart of God it 's more strong a great deal and there is greater Impressions upon the Heart by it than that that comes by second Causes Fifthly That that comes Immediate it comes without Labour The Soul draws it from Christ and is not put to so much Pain and Labour as now we are put to If we would have Communion with Jesus Christ we must stir up our selves to the Humbling of our Hearts to the Acting of our Faith to Exercise our Graces and put the Body to it If you would have any communion with Christ in Prayer it must put you to some Labour And so in the Word and Sacraments And the Labour of a Christian is very great But when we come to have Immediate communion with Christ it will be the flowings in of Christ to the Soul without any Labour at all Sixthly It shall be more full when we come to be United to the very Fountain it self there it will be more full than the Stream Certainly there is that Good and Excellency in Christ that is too much for any Creature in the World to convey Yea take all the Creatures in the World and Ordinances they are too scant to be able to convey the Good that is in Christ yea that Good that Christ takes delight to communicate to the Souls of His People And that 's the Reason that here we have but a little Why Because the Conduits are so Narrow and Small that there can be but a little let out through those Conduits but when the Soul is with Christ immediately then it hath the Fulness of the Lettings out of Gods Mercy There will be an Eminency of every sort of Good to every poor Christian I remember Jerom speaking of that Text Christ being All in all He makes this Interpretation of it saith he Christ is here but some to some but not all to all As for Instance saith he Here some Men have some Eminency of some particular Grace conveid to them and some other Eminency of some particular Grace As Moses had an Eminency of Meekness Abraham an Eminency of Faith Job an Eminency of Patience and Solomon an Eminency of Wisdom but saith he Where was there ever a Man Eminent in all Graces But then saith he Christ shall be All in all That is Christ shall convey all Grace to all His Saints that all the Saints shall have an Eminency and Fulness in all Grace whatsoever This will be an Excellent thing Surely it 's Gain then to Die for a gracious Heart where Christ shall be thus All in all to them to convey this Fulness of Good in all things unto them Those Saints that are the Meanest now whose Souls have the least degree of true Grace they shall have an Eminency of all Grace Wouldst not thou think thy self happy if thou hadst as much Faith as Abraham as much Meekness as Moses and as much Patience as Job and as much Insight into the Misteries of the Gospel as Paul Now hadst thou as much as all the Saints ever had were not that Gain Why now as soon as thy Soul is departed from the Body thou shalt have an Eminency in all Graces as much as all the Saints ever had since the beginning of the World
that you are not troubled How came you by that peace which you have had for these many years You have gone on quietly and the Terms between God and your Souls have not troubled you But I this day in the Name of God demand of you How came you to have this Peace How came God and your Souls to be Friends This I can tell you That there was a time that every one of you were Enemies to God If God hath Revealed any Truth in this Book this is a certain Truth That every one in this place was an Enemy to God Now then how you have made up your peace your had need look to it Certainly it must come by the Gospel or else it is a Delusion If so be that the Treaties between God and your Souls were not the Treaties of the Gospel that is the Gospel Revealing the great Counsels of God unto you about this and the Terms upon which He would be Reconciled and then your Souls sending up your Answer to God how you would be willing to accept of those Conditions that are propounded in the Gospel I put this to your Souls What Treaties hath there been between God and you Have you found the Ministry of the Gospel to be powerful upon you and to bring this Peace into you If it hath not come in this way I say it is but a Delusion and the great Work of Reconciliation between God and your Souls is to make up at this day But thus much for this First Point But Secondly Your Peace shall rest upon it Shall rest that is Whosoever Entertains it they shall not only have some sudden Apprehensions of those Excellent things that you bring unto them they shall not only have some flashie Comforts in those things and feel some present Sweetness in them but the good and the Blessing of that blessed Doctrine of peace it shall abide with them all the days of their lives and to all Eternity That 's the meaning Your Peace shall rest upon them So that this is our Point now That such as do Entertain the Gospel Now what the Entertainment is that is what it is to be a Son of Peace That was a great part of our Work the last Lords Day But if you be such Sons of Peace as was Opened to you I say the Lord will not only grant you present Apprehensions of the Glorious things of the Gospel and some present Sweetness but He will Cause the Blessing of it and the good things of it to abide upon your Spirits to continue there for your Eternal good Many upon the first Hearing of the Message of the Gospel upon the first Opening of that Blessed Doctrine have their Hearts taken and begin presently to be stirr'd and affected but we find by Experience that many times all is but a meer flash it all vanishes again The good of the Gospel they did apprehend doth not abide upon them As the stony ground in Mat. 13. 20 21. But he that received the Seed into stony places the same is he that heareth the Word and anon with joy receiveth it Yet hath he not root in himself but endureth for a while He doth but continue a while he received it in a little way and that with joy He hath some present taste of the Sweetness of the Word he takes it in with joy but it doth not rest upon him it doth not abide in him The Seed doth not lie there so long as to Fructifie as to bring forth Fruit but comes to nothing as the Ears of Corn upon the House top they quickly are blasted and come to nothing Thus it is with many Hearers There were some that were the High-way ground and they were your ordinary Ignorant and prophane People the Word took no Impression upon them but it was presently taken away by the Fowls of the Air. But there were others that did seem to be affected with the Word of the Gospel to have it enter a little into their hearts their Spirits were taken with sudden Joy O it is a blessed Gospel that we hear this is a blessed Ministry indeed that we enjoy But mark it was but for a while The Seed of the Word it did but abide a little while it did not rest in them So in Luke 14. There upon the Preaching of Christ the Text saith in ver 15. That when one of them that sat at Meat with him heard these things he said unto him Blessed is he that shall eat Bread in the Kingdom of God When Christ had been Preaching unto them about the things of the Kingdom of God Mark There were some of His Auditors that were taken with His Preaching O blessed is he that shall have Communion with these things And yet you may observe by the very Words that follow after the Parable that Christ uses that even those that were thus affected and taken were such as prized their Oxen and Farms and other things above the Gospel and have that Doom pronounc'd upon them That those men that were bidden should not taste of the Supper And so in John 5. 35. It is spoken concerning John He was a burning and a shining Light and ye were willing for a season to rejoyce in his Light Mark John was an admirable Preacher he came as the Fore-runner of Christ and Preached Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand John did open the Kingdom of Heaven unto his Hearers and they were mightily taken with him But now Mark what the Text saith For a little time they did rejoyce in the Light but they did not continue And in John 8. There you have a notable place concerning Christs Preaching unto the Jews and Christ did Preach so as did take their Heart in some measure the Text saith that some of them did believe in ver 13. As He spake those words many believed on Him But Mark what Christ saith in ver 31. Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on Him If ye continue in my Word then are ye My Disciples indeed Mark Christ would not own them to be His Disciples though their Hearts were taken with what He Preached but upon these Terms If you continue in my Word Which is all one If the Word abide in you and you abide in the Word then are you my Disciples I beseech you observe it Christ doth not own a Man or Woman to be His Disciple meerly because of some sudden flashes of Affection because they are taken with the Word and perhaps are Convinced by the Word and stirred for a time I say Christ doth not own them to be Disciples except that His Word abide in them and they abide in the Word And in Gal. 4. you have a most excellent Text for this purpose The Apostle shews there that the Galatians were mightily taken with the Ministry of the Gospel at first when Paul came among them but it seems in great part it Vanished from them ver 15. saith Paul Where is
shall command your Children to observe to do all the words of this Law Mark it Why what 's the matter v. 47. For it is not a vain thing for you because it is your life It may be some of them when they heard Moses declaring the Law of God they would be ready to think it is a good Law and Moses doth well in telling of us the Law but there is no great consequence of it how our Hearts be taken with it O but saith Moses do not you come to hear the Law upon such tearms but set your Hearts upon what you hear Why because it is your life Much more cause have the Ministers of the Gospel thus to say when they come to preach Jesus Christ to a people Set your hearts to what is delivered When they come and say Peace be to this place to this People the Doctrine of the Gospel be preached to them O set your hearts to what is delivered Why for it is your life When you come to Hear a Sermon you should come so as to consider that your Life may lye upon that Sermon for ought you know and the rather look to it because the Lord with whom you have to deal is a great God and a God that will not be dallyed withal and trisled withal but if you disobey the Message of the Gospel the Lord may deal very quick with you and that let 's me into the Last Point which now we are to finish this Text in and that is this That those that shall not Entertain the Gospel the Lord will deal very quick with them Your Peace shall return again the Lord will not stand long about the matter I in the naming of the point have already spoken of a Scripture or two Now is the Axe lay'd to the root of the Trees when John Baptist came to Preach the Kingdom of God And that in the Last of Mark v. 16. Go and Preach saith Christ to his Disciples he that believes shall be Saved he that believes not shall be Damned The Lord Christ tells how quick the Lord will be with those that shall not entertain the Gospel and there are many Texts that are very full for this purpose and because it is a great Point and that it should strike much upon your Consciences therefore I will present it in the fulness of the Evidence of Scripture That place that you have in Matth. 10. it is just parallel to this in Luke 10. there where Christ sends his Apostles forth as he doth the 70. he gives the same Directions in effect but mark here Saint Matthew goes farther than Saint Luke Let your Peace Return to you and whosoever shall not receive you nor hear your words when you depart out of that House or City shake off the dust of your feet Verily I say unto you it shall be more tollerable for the Land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of Judgment than for that City See here the quickness of God with those that do reject the Gospel So in John 3. that is very famous for this in ver 18. He that believeth on him is not Condemned but he that believeth not is Condemned already You will say he is Condemned already because his Natural Condition is such that he is under Condemnation No but I take it the Scripture doth aim at something further He is not only Condemned by reason of his sins against the Law but he is condemned already because he hath not believed on the Name of the only Begotten Son of God How could he Believe in the Name of the Only Begotten Son of God before ever he heard it but here it is spoken of Light that is come into the World for so it follows in ver 19. And this is the Condemnation that light is come into the world and men love darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil That is when Christ shall come to be preached to any People and they will not believe presently there is a sentence of Condemnation that 's the meaning of the Text he is Condemned already the Lord is very quick with such And in Acts 17. 30. a place famous And the Times of this Ignorance God winked at He saw and would not see as it were he overpast that but Now saith he that is Now when Christ comes to be Preached Now he Commandeth all men every where to Repeent as if he should say Look to your selves that you Repent now whatsoever you did before though you could prophane Sabbaths before look to your selves now though you were vain and superstitious and carnal take heed now to your selves as if the Holy Ghost should say The Lord is willing to pass by all that was before but for rejection of his Son look to that he will not pass by that so easily that One sin so easily as he will pass by all the other All the sins that men have Committed all their Lives before may more easily be past by than that one sin of Rejection of the offer of Grace by Jesus Christ Now he calls all men to Repentance And then a third Text is that in 2 Cor. 2. a Text that I made use of the last Day for another purpose For we are unto God a sweet Savour of Christ in them that are saved and in them that perish to the one we are the savour of Death unto Death What 's the meaning of that It is somewhat a strange phrase and expression we are the savour of death unto death Savour of death I take the meaning of the phrase to be thus he compares his Ministery that was the Ministry of the Gospel unto those things that had a mighty efficacy in them a strong vertue so strong as their very savour was enough either to kill or to make alive As there are some things so strong as the very sent of them can kill a man or even raise a man from a Sound so saith the Apostle our Ministry to sin is the savour of death unto death it is a deadly savour to them Thus you may see that the Ministry of the Word it hath a mighty quickness in it one way or other either from Heaven or Hell to Save or to Destroy And another Scripture we have in Heb. 4. there the Apostle speaking of the Word the Word of the Gospel for certainly that 's that that he speaks of v. 12. For the Word of God is quick and powerful and sharper than any two edged Sword piercing even to the dividing asunder of Soul and Spirit and of the Joynts and Marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the Heart The Word of the Gospel whensoever it comes to any Congregation it is no dull matter you may not look to sit dully under that but it is a quick Word it will either slay thy sin or slay thy Soul one of the two it must slay one and that quickly And in Heb. 6. there the Apostle compares
of Jesus Christ for all this Saith he Let me see the Travel of my Soul let me see the Ministry of the Gospel to work upon some Soul to make them to be Sons of Peace I have then what I have Travelled for I am satisfied I think this is even worth my Suffering I account my Sufferings well Answered I account my Blood well laid down that I might gain these Souls unto my self O what an Encouragement is here unto Souls to Imbrace the Gospel to be the Children of Peace And how should you seek unto God for your Children and Friends O that God would make His Gospel effectual to Beget them to be Sons of Peace You that are tender Mothers you should look upon your Children and think thus It may be the Lord hath some Thoughts of good unto this Child and when they come to hear the Word you should pray earnestly for them that the Lord would Speak a Word to their Souls And you should take as much Pains and as earnestly Pray that the Second Birth may be perfected as you did for the First Birth So it was with Austins Mother he saith She did take as much pains and shed as many Tears for the Conversion of his Soul as she did at his First Birth and so she obtain'd her Labour I put this to you that are Mothers you complain of your Children Have you Laboured as much for the Second Birth of your Children as your Labour was when you did Bear them in your Wombs It was so with that gracious Mother for her Son You have Sons it may be that are rather Sons of Belial now you should Strive with God in Prayer and Labour to the uttermost of your Power that they may be wrought upon by the Gospel to be made the Sons of Peace by it Sermon III. Luke 10. 6. And if the Son of Peace be there c. We Proceed NOw follows the Blessing upon those that shall be Entertainers of the Gospel that are the Sons of Peace Your Peace shall be upon them That is They shall have all the good of the Gospel to be theirs That 's the meaning For it was wont among the Jews to be the Expression of all kind of Good Peace be to you By the Name of Peace they did express all good So that your Peace shall abide upon them That is All the good of the Gospel that you carry to them shall be theirs So then from these words from the Blessing that is upon the right Entertainers of the Gospel here you have these Four Points First That those that Entertain the Gospel shall have the Peace of the Gospel Secondly That this is a great Mercy from God and the Portion of the Sons of Peace not only to have some sudden Apprehensions of the Excellency of the Gospel but to have the Good and the Blessing of the Gospel to abide upon them to rest upon them That 's the Second And then Thirdly That those that do Entertain the Gospel do bring a Blessing upon the places where they Live For so if you observe it and look into the Words you shall find that it is not said And if the Son of Peace be there your Peace shall rest upon him But if the Son of Peace be there that is in the House into which you come your Peace shall rest upon it Upon the House upon the Place where the Son of Peace is So that that 's the Third Point where there is any that do Imbrace the Gospel such a one doth bring a Blessing to the Place and the Family where he Lives Fourthly The Consideration of the great good that a Minister of God shall bring unto a Place in case he be Entertain'd is a mighty Encouragement to them in their Ministry Saith Christ Go your way and Preach perhaps you may meet with some Difficulties but this is your Errand that you are sent withal to Preach the Peace of the Gospel And this is the great good that you shall bring to all those that shall entertain your Message That if they be the Sons of peace and entertain you you shall be the Instrument to bring all the good of the Gospel upon them These are the Four Doctrinal Points clearly in this Blessing Your peace shall rest upon them It is the Second of these that I shall stick most on the First I confess is a large Point that 's this That whosoever Entertains the Gospel shall have the Blessing of the Gospel upon them the peace of the Gospel Your peace shall be upon them That which is here promised you have promised almost in the same words in the same case Mat. 10. 13. And if the House be worthy let your peace come upon it If it be worthy And in Gal. 6. 16. As many as walk according to this Rule peace be upon him and upon the Israel of God That is he that submits to the Rule of the Gospel he shall have the peace of the Gospel The words in the Greek are To this Canon The Canon of the Gospel he shall have the peace of the Gospel As if Christ should say If there be any good in the Gospel if I have purchased any good by my Blood they shall have that Good and that Blessing Now to Open what the Benefit and Blessing of the Peace of the Gospel is I confess would be a large Argument And because I have else-where Opened the Doctrine of Reconciliation the Doctrine of the Peace of the Gospel I shall for the present here pass very briefly over it and give you a little of the Substance of it and then pass as soon as I can to the Second Point where we shall spend the greatest part of the time Your Peace shall be upon it What 's that You shall have the Peace of the Gospel O this is an inestimable Blessing indeed For the Peace of the Gospel It is First Peace with God Himself Whereas if they did understand themselves and know God they would know that they are Enemies unto God and that the Wrath of the Eternal God is out against them But if they come but to entertain your Message they shall be Reconciled unto this Infinite God the Wrath of the Infinite God shall be turn'd quite away from them so as they shall never be in danger of any one Spark of the Wrath of God to come out against them there shall be this Peace Whereas before they were in such a Condition as if they knew themselves and God the Presence of God would be terrible unto them But if they entertain your Message they shall come to be able to look upon that God that was an Infinite provoked Deity as a Friend they shall look upon His Face with joy they shall have free access unto His Presence as Children unto the presence of their Father Whereas before they had cause to fear every moment some dreadful fruit of the Wrath of God to pursue and sink them But now whatsoever
Judgments of God shall be abroad in the World they shall be in a secure Condition they shall be free from all they shall be built upon the Rock when Tempests and Storms shall be abroad to Sink others they shall not be stirred for they shall have peace with God Your Peace that is even peace with all Creatures they shall have the blessing of that peace too Whereas before all the Creatures of God were as the Hosts of God His Armies ready prepared to Avenge the Quarrel of God upon them Every Creature as it were crying unto God Lord send me Lord send me that I may strike this Sinner that I may strike this Blasphemer this unclean Wretch and this prophane Wretch and if God would but give Commission to any one Creature it would presently be their Destruction But upon their entertaining of your Message there shall be Peace between them and all Creatures so as no Creature in all the World shall ever be able to do them hurt Though they shall Live in the midst of an evil World yet this shall be their Condition That all good Creatures shall be made useful to them for good and there is no evil Creature shall ever be able to do the least evil to them And again They shall have a peace of Conscience whereas before their Consciences were ready to flie in their faces And they indeed sought many wayes and means to quiet their Consciences but could never get any true quiet of Conscience But upon their entertainment of your Message their Consciences shall be pacified in the Blood of the Messiah therefore bid them be of good comfort their Consciences shall be able to answer all Accusations that can be laid against them For so the Scripture tells us of the Answer of a good Conscience 1 Pet. 3. 21. Thus Let the Devil let Temptation charge upon one that is reconcil'd to God what they can A good Conscience through the Resurrection of Jesus Christ is able to answer all Accusations and Temptations This shall be the Peace that shall be upon them And Fourthly The Word of God shall be at Peace with them They shall have Interest in all the Promises that are in the Word of God the whole Word shall speak nothing but good unto them Whereas before the Word of God was full of Terror and came against them as their Enemy but now all that is in the Word shall be Peace unto them If the Son of Peace be there This is the Peace that you shall bring upon them Peace with God and with the Creatures and with their Consciences and with the Word And then O the Blessing that is upon all the Entertainers of the Gospel O the happy Condition that the Entertainers of the Gospel are in This my Brethren is the Reason why there are some that do prize the Gospel and their Hearts are so much upon it Do not blame them they find this good in it They find the Blessing of the Gospel upon them And therefore though you feel not the sweetness and good that there is in it and so neglect it their Souls feel it and they bless themselves in their God and bless the Lord that ever they heard of the Gospel Certainly There are many Thousands this day in Heaven Blessing God that ever they heard of the Gospel because of the Blessings that they do partake of by and through the Gospel Object You will say I but there are many that are the Sons of Peace and the Entertainers of the Gospel and yet they do not feel the Blessing of this Peace they are as much troubled as any are Answ To that I answer They have certainly that which is the Matter for Peace and their trouble comes for want of Understanding it Others have Matter for Terror and their peace comes for want of the knowledg of what Matter for Terror there is It 's true they have not for the present the full sense of this Blessing of peace though they have that which will bring it at last As for Instance When the blustering Tempestuous Winds do cease the Waves of the Sea do not presently cease from their tumultuous Working and Roaring and Noise and yet that which was the Cause of their Working that 's gone So here Those who Entertain the Gospel they presently upon the Entertaining of it have the Tempest over there is no more Tempest of the Wrath of God against them but yet there may be some Trouble in their Spirits but it will be allaid within a while because that which is the Reason of their Trouble that certainly is over And therefore a strong Argument here you have to Entertain this blessed Gospel that is sent among you When you hear it Preached you hear what it brings to you it brings all the Good that Christ hath purchased with His Blood This it offers to you And can the World offer to you as much as this comes to Can there be any thing to draw your Hearts away from it that shall be Equal with this Good Certainly This is the Peace that is Infinitely above all Earthly things What would not we do to purchase a good and sure Peace here in the Kingdom If we account a firm and sure peace to be so sweet would not we be willing to lay down our Lives Certainly That Man or Woman cannot be accounted to be a good Member of a Common-wealth that should not be willing to lay down their Lives in such times as these to purchase a sure and firm peace But now here the Gospel preaches to you another manner of Blessing than this outward Peace The Gospel holds forth unto you that peace that was purchased to you by the Blood of the Son of God It was such a Peace that Christ thought his own Blood not too dear to lay down for the purchase of this peace of the Gospel It is that Peace that passes all understanding a Soul peace an Everlasting peace and therefore you should come to hear the Gospel as the great Ordinance of God that is appointed by Him to bring this Glorious peace unto your Souls Do not come meerly to hear what a Man can say or to hear the Gifts and Abilities of a Man or to get a few new Notions and the like But when you come to attend upon the Gospel come I say unto it as the great Ordinance that is appointed by God to bring peace to the Souls of those that He doth intend Eternal good unto And this is to come in a right way and manner to the Preaching of the Gospel This I say is to have a right understanding of what Good there is in the Gospel And if any of your Souls have had a peace before you have come to a right understanding of the Gospel know that all that peace is Naught it will Undo you you will never have any good by it You have had peace in your own Spirits a great while and you bless God