of the mouth of Jesus Christ his word it hath a double yea a contrary operation being both a killing and a qâ—ickning word Both these doth the Lord in a literal sense The Lord killeth and maketh alive saith Hannah in her song 1 Sam. 2. 6. And both these doth the Lord Jesus in a Spiritual sense and that by his word So the Apostle setteth forth the two-fold property of it 2 Cor. 3. 6. The letter killeth but the Spirit giveth life The letter The letter of the Law which is litera occidens a killing letter in as much as it requireth part from man which in his now corrupted estate he is no wayes able to perform and so is a sword at his heart giving him a deadly wound Whence it is that is called in the verses following 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Ministerie or Ministration of death vers 7. and in the 9 th verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Ministration of condemnation Because it layeth men under the sentence of eternal condemnation Such is the Ministery of the Law But now the Spirit and the Ministery thereof in the preaching of the Gospel that giveth life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it quickneth maketh alive First putting a new life into a dead soul raising it up from the death of sin to the life of holinesse to the life of grace here and glory hereafter Whence it is called by the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word of life Phil. 2. 16. And then reviving and chearing it with the sweet promises thereof Thy word hath quickned me saith David Psal. 119. 50. Thus hath the Word like a two edged sword a double and contrary operation upon the soul. And so it hath to prosecute this point yet a a little further both upon different subjects and upon the same First In different subjects or persons it hath a different opperation So it hath upon beleevers and unbeleevers Elect ones and Reprobates Working upon both but in different yea contrary waies This the same Apostle setteth forth most clearly in the chapter there foregoing 2 Cor. 2. 15 16 For we saith he speaking of himself and other Gospel Ministers are unto God a sweet savour of Christ in them that are saved and in them that perish Their service in preaching of the word is acceptable unto God through Christ though it do not produce the same effect in those that hear them but have a contrary work according as it needeth with different subjects So it followeth To the one we are a savour of death unto death and to the other the savour of life unto life Such contrary smels and savours there are in nature as Grotius notes upon it some poysonous and deadly as of those Lakes Avernus and Asphalties others again so recreating and refreshing that being put to the nose they will revive the spirits of a fainting person And of such a contrary operation is the sword in the preaching of it Meeting with persons of different dispositions it is to the one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the one a sweet savour a savour of life So is it to Gods Elect to whom believing it it is made the power of God to their salvation as the same Apostle elsewhere saith of it Rom. 1. 16. A savour of life unto life quickening them up as I said before to the life of grace here and glory hereafter But on the other hand to unbelivers it becometh a savour of death unto death A deadly savour Not that the Gospel is so of it self being in its own nature as I said even now the word of life but accidentally it becometh so to them through their rejecting of it Now it is to them not onely an occasion but a cause of their just and greater condemnation Even as it is with the Proclamation of a Prince which he maketh to his rebellious subjects wherein he maketh offer not onely of pardon but of grace and favour to those that will lay down their armes and forthwith come in shewing themselves loyal and obedient but on the other hand threatneth extremity of punishment to those that shall yet stand out This Proclamation with the same breath breatheth both life and death Life to those which will hearken to it which is the proper end and intent of proclaiming it but death to those that oppose themselves against it Even so it is with the Evangelicall Proclamation the Doctrine of the Gospel it preacheth life and death after the same manner Life to penitent believers who readily accept the offers of grace and mercy there tendered Death to obstinate and rebellious sinners who reject them Thus is Iesus Christ who is the proper subject of the Gospel according to Simeons Prophesie at his Birth Luk. 2. 34. Behold saith he this childe is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel Even as the same Star as our new Annotators glosseth upon it is at the same time both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both morning Star and evening Star To some the morning Star bringing the light and day to them To others the evening Star bringing darknesse and night Thus is the Lord Iesus that Star of Jacob being held forth in the Gospell to some those that believe on him he is what he calls himsel Rev. 22. 16. The bright morning Star bringing to them the light and day of Grace here and Glorie hereafter But to others such as reject him will not receive him as their Saviour and Lord as the evening Star bringing to them a night of everlasting darknesse Such is the different and contrary operation of the word upon different persons 2. And in the second place such is the operation of it in and upon the same Persons A different nay a contrary operation So it hath in and upon Gods Elect upon all true believers of whom it may be said not onely that they were dead and are alive This my sonne was dead and is alive again saith the Father of his Prodigall sonne being returned home Luke 15. 24. And you hath he quickned who were dead in trespasses and sins saith Paul of his believing Ephesians Eph. 2. 1. But also that they are dead and alive both at the same time So that the Apostle tels his Romanes Rom. 6. 11. Likewise reckon ye your selves to be dead indeed unto sin but alive unto God And both these they are the effects of the word Which first killeth them which it may be said to do two wayes First by showing them their naturall state which is a state of death Such effect it had in and upon the Apostle as he sets it forth Rom. 7. 9. I was alive without the Law once but when the â—ommandment came sin revived I died Whil'st he was a Pharisee he thought well and highly of himself that he was in a happy condition he apprehended himself to be in perfect health as
Thus approving themselves unto Christ let them then Commit themselves unto him commending themselves into this hand of his So did their Master dying he commended his Spirit into his Fathers hand Into thy hand I commend my Spirit Luk. 23. 46 And so let his servants do both living and dying commend themselves their lives their liberties their labours their all into the hand of this their Lord and Master by faith putting themselves into the hollow of that hand and lying down under the shadow of it Commit thy way unto the Lord saith David unto all Psal. 37. 5. And this let the Ministers of Christ do in a special manner Fourthly And thus committing themselves to him let them also submit unto him Taking notice that they are in his hand let them yeeld up themselves unto him to be disposed of by him according to his good will and pleasure So did the blessed Apostle St. Paul So long as his Lord and Master Christ might be glorified in him and by him he did not much weigh in what way it was whether by life or by death as he tells his Philippians Phil. 1. 20. And let their be the like minde in all the Ministers of Jesus Christ. In all things let them comply with his mind and will Being willing to go whether he calls or sends them like the Centurions souldiers and servants Mat. 8. 9. I say to one go and he goeth and to another come and he cometh c. And to do what he will have them Peter though he had fished all night and caught nothing yet neverthelesse at his Masters command he will let down the net Luk. 5. 5. And as doing so suffering for him I am ready not onely to be bound but also to die at Ierusalem for the name of the Lord Iesus saith Paul to the Disciples Act. 21. 13. And thus committing and submitting themselves to him let them now incourage themselves in him So did David in that great distresse of his when he knew not what to do he then Encouraged himself in the Lord his God 1 Sam. 30. 6. And this let all the faithful Ministers of Jesus Christ do Remembring that they are in his hand yea in his right hand which may serve as a grand Encouragement to bear up their hearts and spirits First Against the contempt of the world that mean estimation which the men of this world have of them and of their calling Let the world judge and think and speak of them as it will It is not this judgement which they are much to regard with me saith the Apostle It is a very small thing to be judged of you or of mans judgement 1 Cor. 4. 3. Whose judgement then was it that he regarded Why the judgement of his Lord and Master Christ so it followeth in the next verse He that judgeth me is the Lord. What then though the world have a low a meane base estimation of the Persons and calling of the Ministers of Christ So it had of Paul and the rest of the Apostles as he setteth it forth in the sequel of that Chapter We are made a spectacle unto the world and unto Angels and unto Men verse 9. We are made the filth of the world and are the off-scouring of all things v 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the very sweepage and dross the off all and shreds of the world Such a mean and base esteem had many in those times of Paul and his Collegues the blessed Apostles and other Primitive Ministers And it is but too apparent that such and no better is the esteem which many even among our selves have of them at this day whose tongues and pens speak what their thoughts are But let not this be regarded by the faithfull Mininisters of Christ. It is enough that their Lord and Master Christ thinks otherwise of them Let the world as it doth set them upon the left hand He hath taken them into his right hand and there he holdeth them thereby declaring both how near and dear they are to him near in Relation dear in Affection Euen as the Signet upon his right hand as the Lord saith of Eliakim Ier. 22. 24. or as the men of his right hand as the Psalmist saith of David Psalm 80. 17. his Benjamins the sons of his right hand as that word signiefith And secondly as against the contempt so against the Opposition which they meet withall in and from the world which oft time is not little Paul met with affronts more then a few Being to preach to the Deputie Sergius Paulus Elimas the Sorcerer withstood him Acts 13. 8. And elsewhere he tells us of his fighting with beasts at Ephesus 1 Cor. 15. 32. which some and not a few understand of bruitish bestiall savage and cruel bloody minded adversaries And such he sometimes conflicted with as appeareth from that request of his which he maketh to his Thessalonians 2 Thes. 3. 2. Where he desireth them to pray for him that among other things he might be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men And such conflicts the rest of the Apostles had frequent experience of finding that to be true which their Lord and Master had foretold them Matth. 10. that they were sent forth as sheep among Wolves verse 16. and that they should be hated of all men for his Names sake verse 22. because they were his servants his Ministers imployed in his service And what if the Ministers of Christ shall meet with the like at this day Which at not a few hands they already doe There being many who are desperately ingaged not onely against their Persons but against their Profession their Calling crying that down as useless and unnecessarie nay destructive and pernicious seeking by all wayes they can to extirpate and root it out But let not all this discourage the faithfull Ministers of Jesus Christ knowing that they are in his hand not in the hand of man If so there were just cause to fear their standing But in the hand of Iesus Christ and that in his Right hand which is both a gracious and a powerfull a sure and safe Custodie and Protection And who is it then that shall take them out of his hand Neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand saith our Saviour concerning his sheep John 18. 20. And if not the sheep surely then not the shepherds He that hath such a vigilant eye over the one will not be regardlesse of the other Pan curatoves oviumque Magistros Yea then let men and devils do their worst yet let not them fear That was Davids resolution which he took up upon this very ground Psalme 56. 6 4. In God have I put my trust I will not fear what flesh can doe unto me Such is the Arme of man how long how strong how potent soever it be yet it is but an Arm of flesh as the Prophet tells it Jer. 17. 5. Flesh not Spirit as the Prophet Isaiah saith of
to the estate of his soul. But the commandment coming the Law being brought home to his conscience now he died he felt this word as a sword wounding him to the heart giving a deadly wound to that his fals perswasion and making him to see himself a dead man in a state of sinne and death And such operation the Word hath upon all those whom God intendeth to manifest his grace upon They are in this sense first killed And then again the Body of sin is killed in them So as whilest they are dead as to themselves so they are also dead unto sinne as both Paul and Peter say of all regenerate persons Rom. 6. 2. 1 Pet. 2. 24. the Body of sinne having received a deadly wound in them which is also done by the Word which Iesus Christ maketh use of as his Sword to slay this old man with as his instrument in the mortifying of sinfull corruption And so again in quickning them in making them alive unto God and unto righteousnesse This is the able work of Jesus Christ who is the principall efficient in it The Sonne quickneth whom he will saith he of himself John 5. 21 But how doth he doe it why by his Voyce his Word So he explaineth himself verse 25. Verily I say unto you the houre is coming and now is when the dead shall hear the voyce of the Sonne of God and they that hear it shall live Thus did Christ quicken Lazarus body by his Voyce by his Word He cried with a loud voice Lazarus come forth Iohn 11. 43 And thus shall he quicken the dead bodies of all men at the last day The houre is coming in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his Voyce and shall come forth Iohn 5 28 His voice not the voyce of Christ himself immediately but of his Angel sounding the Trumpet at his command so the Apostle explains it 1 Thes 4 16 The Lord himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout with the voyce of an Arch-angel and the Trumpe of God The Archangel having received the watch word from Christ so the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Grotius observes upon it is there rendred by Tertullian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in jussu he soundeth the Trumpet whereby they dead shall be raised from their graves And by alike means it is that dead souls are raised from the grave of sin by the voyce of Christ the trumpet of his word at his command sounded by the Angels of the Churches the Ministers of the Gospel Thus hath the word different and contrary operations as upon different so in and upon the same persons And upon this account it may fitly be represented as here it is by a two edged sword Thus you have seen the three first particulars moralized and opened unto you There is yet one behind which is no lesse considerable then any of the former And that is the sheathe from whence this sword is drawn which is here said to be the mouth of this Son of man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Out of his mouth went a sharpe two edged sword And so doth the word out of the mouth of Iesus Christ And that both Law and Gospel which are as I told you â—like the two edges of this sword Both these we shall find going out of the same mouth the mouth of Iesus Christ. So did the Law at Mount Sina He it was who there spake if not immediately by himself yet by his Angel This is he saith Stephen speaking of Moses who was with the Angel which spake to him in Mount Sina Act. 7 38. What Angel Why as it commonly looked upon the Angel of the Covenant the Lord Christ. This is he who then spake on earth as the Apostle hath it Heb. 12. 25. Whose voyce then shoke the earth as it followeth viz. at the giving of the Law Thus the Law came out of the mouth of Christ. And so doth the Gospel He it was that spake and by his Prophets under the Old Testament As he spake by the mouth of his holy Prophets which have been since the world began saith Zacharias in his song Luk. 1. 70. It was not so much they as the Spirit of Christ in them which signified to them and by them what they foresaw and foretold as Saint Peter hath it 1 Pet. l. 11. And he it was that spake to and in and by his Apostles under the New Testament Paul blameth his Corinthians some of them for questioning seeking a proof of Christ speaking in him 2 Cor. 13. 3. And so he still speaketh in and by his Ministers who speaking in his name and delivering his mind are as it were his mouth Thou shalt be as my mouth saith the Lord to the Prophet Ieremy Jer. 15. 19. And thereupon it was that what the Prophets promised or threatned from God they tell the people the mouth of the Lord had spoken it Isai. 1. 26. 40. 5. c. viz. by them And as the Ministers of Christ are his mouth so the word spoken by them is his word the word of Christ. Let the word of Christ dwell in you saith the Apostle to his Collossians Col. 3. 16. And thus is this two edged sword said to go forth of the mouth of Iesus Christ. That which now remains is Application Which let it still be directed as the former first to Ministers then to People For the former Ministers Let them here see what sword it is that they are to make use of First But one sword It is looked upon as an impertinent Reply which some of the Apostles returned to their Lord and Master when notwithstanding what wars and weapons he had spoke to them of they tell him Ecce duo gladii Lord behold here are two swords Luk. 22. 38. And so much their masters reply imports who said unto them It is enough Thereby giving them to take notice that it was not bodily arms which he meant for so considering the enemies which they should have to encounter with many thousand swords had been too few But it was a wider Inference which that Bishop of Rome made from hence who laid this as a ground of that change which he made a double sword the Secular and Spiritual both to be welded by his hand This Son of man whose vicar that man of sin stiles himself shewing himself to Saint Iohn as the great Protector of the Churches appears but with one single sword Though a two edged sword yet but one sword Giving the Angels of the Churches his Ministers to take notice that they are to lay claime to no more But one sword And Secondly Let that be Gladius oris the sword of the mouth not of the hand not the secular sword leave that to the Magistrate into whose hand God hath put it But Spiritual Such are the weapons of their warfare as the Apostle will tell them 2 Cor. 10. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
Take the Answere Affirmatively 1. Would wee see the face of Christ looke into the glass of the Gospel Here may we behold it both safely and clearly So may we behold the Sun which shining in his strength being excellens sensibile cannot be looked upon without indangering of the eye yet in a glass we may see it and that as I said both clearely and safely And thus behold we this Mysticall Sun the face of Iesus Christ in this glass the glass of the Gospel Here it was that Paul saith of himself and other beleevers of his time that they beheld this face 2 Cor. 3. last But we all with open face as in a glass behold the glory of the Lord. And what Glass was this why the glass of the Gospell wherin Christians doe or may behold the glory of God shining in the face of Iesus Christ the glory of his mercy Iustice power goodness all manifested in by and through Christ And that with open face far more clearly then the Iewes did under the Lawe where this Mysterie of Christ was hid under the veile of Types and figures as the Arke was under its divers coverings And in this Glass behold we this Sun Here behold we the Mysterie of Iesus Christ as it is held forth unto us in the doctrine of the Gospel which acquaints us with his one Person two Natures three Offices His Incarnation Conception Birth Life Death Resurrection Ascension sitting at the right hand of his father As also with the many and great benefits which he hath obtained for us as Redemtion Iustification Adoption Sanctification Glorification And withall shewing us the way and meanes whereby we may come to be made partakers of them so setting before us the whole mysterie of Christ which it doth most clearly and fully Insomuch that there is not a line as I may say in this face which is not here drawn forth to the life All of us then if we would have a view of the face of this Son of man looke into this Glass studie the doctrine of the Gospell the Hystorie the mysterie of it 2 Waite upon Christ in his ordinances When the Parents of our Saviour had sought him three dayes at length they found him in the Temple Luk. 2. 46. And here this Son of man sheweth his face in the midest of the Candlesticks Would we see the face of Iesus Christ seek him in his Ordinances in his publike worship and service Here is the face of Christ to be seene as I shewed you Seeke his face saith the Psalmist in that forecited Text Psal. 105. 4. Speaking of the Arke of the Covenant where God manifested his presence The like doth the Lord Iesus now in the midst of his Ordinances his Word his Sacraments There doth Christ shew his face unto his people communicating himselfe to them that seeke him in a gratious manner Here then seek we his face and that as the Psalmist there hath it Evermore Being constant in this our attendance upon the Ordinances of Jesus Christ. That so we may see him see him in his Sanctuary as David saith he did Psal. 63. 1 2. O God thou aâ—t my God early will I seeke thee My soule thirsteth for thee c. To see thy power and thy glorie so as I have seene thee in the Sanctuarie Here had David seene more of God then elswhere in his Sanctuary in his Ordinances And would we have a sight of Iesus Christ so as to see his face seeke it in his Sanctuarie in his Ordinances Where content not our selves to heare of him but labour to see him with our owne eyes Yea to feele him 2. That is the second Particular So seeke the face of Jesus Christ that we may feele it or feele of it Not contenting our selves with a bare simple intuition a mere speculative knowledg of Iesus Christ but labour also for an Experimentall knowledg of him This is that superexcellent knowledg which the Apostle speaketh of Phil. 3. 8. I count all things loss for the excellency of the knowledg of Christ Iesus Tò 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 put for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that knowledg of Christ which is most excellent And what knowledg was that why not meerly a Contemplative but an Experimentall knowledg So he explains himselfe in the tenth verse That I may know him and the power of his resurrection 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Not onely to know by what power it was that Christ was raised from the dead as Grotius there so dilately expounds it but to know it in an experimentall way to feele the power and vertue of Christs Resurrection working the like effect in and upon himselfe in raising up him from the death of sin to the life of Grace here and Glory hereafter This is the Excellent knowledg of Iesus Christ. And this let every of us looke after Not contenting our selves with the bare beholding of this Sun to see the glare and shine of it but labour to feele that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that strength that vertue wherewith it shineth To finde and feele Iesus Christ unto us unto our soules as the Sun is to the Earth To finde and feele his gratious and efficacious presence with us putting forth his power and vertue in us exercising the like Operations upon us that the Sun doth upon the Earth What those operations are I have alreadie showen you Let me now reflect upon them minding you of them againe Exhorting you to endeavour to find and feele every of them in and upon your own soules 1. The first is Illummination Inlightning This was the Alpha the first worke in the first Creation God said let there be light and there was light Gen. 1. 3. And so it is in the second the new Creation New creatures must have a new light Upon the account whereof they are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sons or Children of light Luk 16. 8. 1. Thes. 5. 5. Having beene somtimes darkness now they are light in the Lord. Eph. 58. Being called out of darkness into a marveilous light 1. Pet. 2. 9. And see that every of you be such Being coâ—vinced what by nature you are not onely darke but even darkeness it selfe wholy in the darke as to what concerneth your eternall happiness seeke after a new light that you may be inlightned that you may see a light shine forth unto you This was the preparative to Peters inlargment The Angel of the Lord came upon him and a light shined in the prison Act. 12. 7. And so it was to Paules Conversion There shinned round about him a light from heaven Act. 9. 3. And the like course God taketh with all those whom he hath a gratious purpose towards to set them at libertie from the Captivity of Sin and Satan and to bring them home unto himselfe he causeth a light to shine forth unto them a light from heaven I meane a supernaturall light revealing and making known to them that which
what ever fire which of what ever materials it be made yet is it not so kindly so chearly so comfortable as that warmth which cometh from the Sun Nor yet is it so durable The warmth which a man receiveth from the fire in the winter season it is presently gone so as he returnes to his former temper againe nay is the colder after it and for it Truly so is it with the Consolations of this world they are fading vanishing though the heart may thereby be cheared for a time yet they afterwards leave it sad yea sadder then before especially where there hath beene any inordinacie in the use of them A truth which needeth no other proofe but the experience of those who solace and drown themselves in carnall pleasures when they have spent the day in them their hearts are often sad and melancolie in the evening the cause whereof is because they finde themselves gulled and deceived by them not meeting with what they expected finding onely a shadow where they looked for a substance But it is otherwise with the warmth of the Sun That as it is a kindly and comfortable so it is a lasting and durable warmth And such is that Consolation which a Christian hath in and from Iesus Christ. It is a sweete a substantiall a durable lasting everlasting Consolation That is Pauls Epithite 2 Thes. 2. 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Everlasting Consolation O let every of us seeke after this Consolation that we may but see the face of Iesus Christ shining upon us through the promises of the Gospell so as we may have assurance of our interest in him and his love to us being able upon good grounds to say with the blessed Apostle that We live by the faith of the Son of God who hath loved us and given himself for us Gal. 2. 20. this will be to us a spring of Consolation a comfort both in life and death I pass to the fourth and fifth particulars of which breifly 4. The Sun maketh plants and trees to fructifie And this benefit also seeke we from this Sun the Lord Iesus that by and through his spirit we may be made fruitfull in every good worke as the Apostle prayeth for his Colossians Col. 1. 10. This it is to walk worthy of the Lord as he there speaketh And hereby shall we evidence our union with Christ and interest in him our being in him and his being in us He that abideth in me and I in him the same bringeth forth much fruit saith our Saviour Ioh. 15. 5. This God expecteth at the hands of all those upon whome the name of Christ is called specially from those to whom Christ is more clearly revealed upon whome his face shineth in the preaching of the Gospel And that is our condition This Sun standeth over our heads See that our fructification be in some measure answerable to the meanes injoyed 5. Againe the Sun as you have heard purifieth the Ayre O that we may all of us finde and feele the like efficatious operation of this Sun of righteousness the Lord Iesus upon all our souls That his Spirit may be to us a purifing Sanctifing spirit purging and purifing our hearts from these sinfull and inordinate lusts â—mpure and corrupt affections which doe in any kindâ— anoy them This is the proper worke of â—he spirit of Iesus Christ which being a pure and holy spirit maketh the soule where it cometh a 〈◊〉 lodging for it selfe by clensing and purifing 〈◊〉 in measure from all spirituall anoyances O that we may all of us finde this blessed Operation That we may feele Jesus Christ thus coming to us by water Which he doth wherever he cometh by blood This is he that cometh by water and blood saith Saint Iohn 1. Ioh. 5. 6. washing away the filth of sin by his Spirit where he taketh away the guilt of it by his blood Every of us who would be assured of the one labour to finde and feele the other Thus seeke we the face of Iesus Christ that we may not onely see him but feele him feele him to us as the Sun as the Sun shining yea which is yet behind as the Sun shining in his strength Exercising those other Powerfull Operations upon us Of which breifly 1. Dissipating and dispelling of what ever mists of Ignorance or Infidelitie or inordinate feares which lye upon our soules Such mists the best of Gods Saints are here subject to Being somtimes exercised with feares and doubtings touching their spiritual and eternall condition Such a conflict we finde the holy Psalmist David or Asaph uncertaine whether under Psal. 77. Where we may hear him sadly complaining of Gods casting him off verse 7. and of the failing of his promise verse 8. of his forgeting to be gratious unto him and shutting up his tender mercies in anger against him verse 9. And Heman the like Psal. 88. 14. Where we may heare him after the like manner expostulating the matter with God Lord why castest thou off my soule why hidest thou thy face from me A good man under a sad desertion And such temptations are the dearest of Gods Saints subject to which lye as mists upon their soules clouding and darkning of them bringing them into and holding them in a disconsolate condition Now for the dissipating and dispelling of these look we up unto Jesus Christ by faith earnestly begging that he would shew us his face causing it to shine forth to us as the Sun in its strength clearing up unto us the evidences of his love and favour towards us Confirming in us our faith This is the boon which the father of that Demoniack beggeth from our Saviour Mark 9. 24 Lord I beleeve helpe mine unbeleife And the Disciples put up the like request Luk. 17. 5. Lord increase our faith And thus feeling the infirmitie and weakness of that grace in our selves seeke we the Confirmation and Augmentation of it from Iesus Christ that by the cleare revealing and manifesting himself to us he would dispell all mists of Infidelitie Secondly Thawing and melting our frozen hearts not suffering them to lye under any sinfull obduracie but bringing them to and keepe them in a melting relenting frame and temper making them truly tender as Iosia's heart is sayed to be 2 Chro. 34. 27. So as they may alwayes be ready and willing to yield to what ever impressions the Spirit by the word shall make upon them Thirdly And lastly warming and heating of them with the sense and apprehention of his love so as with Mary we may feele our spirits rejoycing in God our Saviour joying in him in all estates and conditions doing what the prophet Habakkuk resolves upon Hab. 3. 17 18. Although the figtree shall not blossome neither shall fruit be in the vines c. Yet will I rejoyce in the Lord I will joy in the God of my salvation In all conditions when all other comforts faile yet there is matter enough of
foot daily increasing among us what do they presage If we know it not let our Saviour tell it us Mark 3. 24. If a Kingdom be divided against it self that Kingdome cannot stand And the naturalist will tell us â—o lesse Cor divisum mors est If the heart be divided the body cannot live Now then having thus approached to and looked upon this Nation what remains but that our eyes should move our hearts to pity and compassionate it to mourn over it Little else it is that private persons can do And this let them do Preces Lachrymae Prayers and tears are the Churches weapons which every one both may and ought to make use of And this let us as at other times so this day do All of us powring forth our souls before the Lord in an humble confession of our own sins and the sins of the Nation which have justly deserved what ever we either feel or fear begging it from him that he would graciously return unto us undertaking the Cure of this Sin-sick nation healing our breaches sanctifying and removing the judgements which lie upon us diverting those which further threaten us yet shewing us his salvation in carrying on that great and blessed work of Reformation in despite of all opposition from those accursed Balaamits whether Romes emissaries or others who seek and endeavour to frustrate it setting up the kingdome of his dear Son among us in a right way so making us yet a people to praise his name Thus have I done with the two first of these particulars The third is yet behind which my eye is principally upon which we have in the verse following VERSE XLII Saying If thou hadst known even thou at least in this thy day the things which belong unto thy peace A Most Affectionate and Pathetical Exclamation and therefore abrupt and defective Such oftimes are the speeches of men in Passion Specially in the passion of grief and sorrow wherein oftimes Vox faucibus haeret the tongue cleaveth to the roof of the mouth not able to expresse and utter what is in the breast Sorrow is a compression of the heart whereas joy doth dilate and open it grief doth compresse congeal and straighten it so as that which is within cannot readily get forth Hence is it that the expressions hereof are abrupt and broken And such is our Saviours here in the text His heart being full of grief and sorrow for the sin and misery of this people he expresseth himself in such an abrupt and broken way If thou hadst c. so leaving it with an Aposiopesis a Reticentia keeping in what should have made the sentence entire and full This defect is variously supplied by Expositors By some thus If thou hadst known c. Known so well as I thou wouldst have wept as well as I. By others thus If thou hadst known c. thou would not have done as thou hast done thou wouldst not have gone on to die and perish in thy sins By others thus If thou hadst known c. thou wouldst have hearkened to my counsel thou wouldst have been more studious of thy peace By Beza and Piscator with whom I choose to go along thus If thou hadst known c. Quam foelix esses beata How happie and blessed then mightst thou have been But this he leaveth out beaking off bruptly which he doth to intimate the greatnesse of his affection to shevv hovv earnestly he both vvished their good and bevvailed their misery If thou or O if thou as the former Translation hath it hadst known 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Behold here then the affection of a tender hearted Saviour towards an obstinate and unworthy people The people of the Jews a rebellious people A people that had deserved as ill at the hands of Iesus Christ as ever people did oâ— could have done They had abused his messengers his Ministers They had killed his Prophets and stoned those whom he sent unto them as he chargeth it upon them Matth. 22. 37. And they intended to do no lesse to himself They had already rejected him and all the offers of grace and mercy which he had made unto them So unvvorthy of all grace favour vvere they Yet see hovv he pitieth and compassionateth them hovv earnestly he wisheth their welfare hovv passionately he bevvails their misery Oh if thou c. Like affection shall vve find the Lord elsewhere expressing to this people breaking forth sometimes into such affectionate exclamations professing his earnest desire of their happinesse and welfare So he doth Deut. 5. 29. O that there were such an heart in them that they would fear me and keep my Commandements alwaies that it might go well with them and with their children for ever And again Deut. 32. 29. O that they were wise that they understood this that they would consider their latter end How should one chase a thousand c. elsewhere we find him bewailing their obstinacy and misery as Psal. 81. 13. O that my people had hearkened unto me and Israel had walked in my statutes I should soon have subdued their enemies c. And the like Isai. 48. 18. O that thou hadst hearkened to my Commandments then had thy peace been as the river c. Thus doth the Lord as it were bewail the obstinacy and lament the misery of that people wishing it had been otherwise with them So far is he then from taking pleasure in the death and destruction of poor sinners This do tyrants sometimes they take pleasure in their bloody executions feeding their eyes therewith as with pleasing spectacles But so doth not our God in the destruction of his creatures To this purpose that of the Prophet Ezekiel speaketh fully Ezek. 18. 31 32. Where the Lord bewayling the perversnesse of the people of the Iews in running on headlong to their own destruction he expostulateth the matter with them vers 31. Why will ye die O ye house of Israel then he professeth that he was not delighted iu their destruction or the destruction of any other vers 32. I have no pleasure in the death of him that dyeth No though wicked persons and so most worthy to die yet God taketh no pleasure in their death So he elsewhere explains it Ezek. 33. 11. As I live saith the Lord God I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked Object Why but doth not God will the death of the wicked Answ. True he willeth it but he taketh no pleasure in it He willeth it as an act of Iustice ordaining them to just condemnation for sin But he is not delighted in their destruction their misery Even as a just but merciful Judge he pronounceth the sentence of death upon a guiltie malefactor but it is with tears in his eyes God is delighted in mercy mercy pleaseth him as the Prophet hath it Micah 7. 18. but so doth not the misery of his creature Let it be taken notice of
Judgment there shall be appointed unto men different measures of punishment Now at that day our Saviour giveth them to take notice that it would go worse with them who had rejected the Gospel then with those that never heard of it though they lived more profanely then themselves did and the like he chargeth against Capernaum in the verses following And thou Capernaum which art exalted unto heaven lifted up above other places in this temporal condition i◠regard of wealth c. shalt be brought down to hell depressed and brought to the lowest degree of poverty aad misery So Grotius not amiss expounds both these expressions looking upon them as Proverbial phrases the one signifying the highest pitch of outward felicity which is called a lifting up to heaven the other the lowest degree of misery which is called a casting down to hell This the Prophet Isaiah speaking of Babylon Isai. 14. describeth the change of her condition in the like langvage How art thou fallen from heaven O Lucifer verse 12. Thou hast said in thine heart I will ascend into heaven I will exalt my self above the stars of God verse 13. Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell verse 15. And so Hanna in her song speaking of Gods various dispensations and dealings with the sons of men she saith that he bringeth down to the grave Sheol saith the Original ad infernum to Hell and lifteth up 1 Sam. 2. 6. In a like sense saith our Saviour here of Capernaum though she was lift up to heaven flourishing with all kind of outward prosperitie being a great Port Town not unlike unto this where we now are famous for fishing and other merchandize yet she should be brought down to hell brought to extremity of misery Which accordingly afterwards came to pass in the days of the Emperour Vespasian who over-ran the whole Countrey of Galilee spoiling that place amongst others And what was the cause of this so sad a change why her not answering the means afforded her so it there followeth verse 24. For if the mighty works which have been done in thee had been done in Sodom it would have remained unto this day In all likelihood they would have been converted thereby from their wicked wayes and so have escaped that judgment But I say unto you it shall be more tollerable for the land of Sodom in the day of Iudgment then for thee verse 24. Sodome a place of monstrous and most flagitious wickedness infamously famous for those three things Pride fulness of Bread and abundance of Idleness Ezek. 16. 49. besides many other horrid abominations which were therein it being a sink of uncleanness insomuch that God made it a spectacle of vengeance to all posterity destroying it with fire and brimstone from heaven Yet Capernaums portion of judgment at that day should be greater then hers And why so Inasmuch as she enjoyed those meanes which Sodom did not True there was a righteous Lot in Sodom whose Example might have had some influence upon them But in Capernaum was Christ himself preaching unto them and confirming his doctrine by miracles And this it was which aggravated Capernaums sin and so heightned her judgment Thus the more light the more means a people sin against the greater is their sin This is that our Saviour saith of the Iews John 15. 22. If I had not come and spoken unto them they had not had sin that is comparatively their sin had been nothing in comparison of what now it is Express to this purpose are those two known Texts of the Apostle to the Hebrews the former Heb. 2. 2 3. where comparing the times of the Law with those of the Gospel If saith he the word spoken by Angels the Law given upon mount Sina by the ministry of Angels as it is commonly expounded or any other message sent by the Angels as some conceive it was steadfast was of such force and authority that none who violated it escaped unpunished and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him that is the doctrine of salvation the Gospel which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word of Salvation Acts 13. 26. being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the way of Salvation Acts 16. 17. bringing so great salvation as no other way can even eternal salvation which was preached and published first by Christ himself then by his Apostles This doctrine being of such consequence and so clearly held forth it maketh the sin of those who shall not hearken to it to be more heinous then of those under the Law for which they must expect an answerable judgment Consonant hereunto is that other place Heb. 10. 28 29. He that despised Moses his Law died without mercy the crime being Capital and so declared by the Law it was not in the power whether of King or Senate to pardon it Of how much sorer punishment suppose ye shall be thought worthy who hath trodden under foot the son of God c. and hath done despite to the Spirit of Grace Thus sins against the Gospel are greater and more heinous then those against the Law The more light the more grace a man sinneth against the greater is his sin and the greater shall his punishment be R And it must needes be so as Calvin giveth the reason of it inasmuch as here is an addition of one sin which is greater then any of the rest viz. Sacrilega caelestis gratiae profanatiò a Sacrilegious profaning and abusing of the grace of God Of all Sins none more heinous none so heinous as this This is the Attribute which God is most tender of his Grace To have that sleighted disregarded trampsed under foote by a contemptuous disrespect this is a heinous addition to all former sins and offences As suppose a Malefactour standing guiltie of some capital crime and adjudged to dye should so far sleight the grace and favour of his Prince as to reject his pardon being tendred to him casting it away and trampling it under his feete so not accepting the benefit of it who but would looke upon this as a high aggravation of his former offenses and adjudging him most worthy to die and perish in that his wilfull contempt and refusall of mercy Thus standeth the case All the sonnes of men standing guilty before God by reason of Adams sin and their own and so obnoxious unto eternall death it hath pleased God out of his abundant grace and mercy to grant a pardon to all those who repenting of their sinns shall beleive on the name of his Son This pardon he holdeth forth in the preaching of the Gospel Now for any to sleight this Gospel and the offer of grace and mercie in it how can this be looked upon but as the highest contempt and greatest ingratitude against the
and understand with their hearts and bee converted and I should heal them Thus dealt God with that people justly punishing their wilful obstinacie by giving them up unto a reprobate sence to a spiritual blindnesse and obduracie In as much as they had first blinded themselves closing their own eies against the light Their eies they have closed so Saint Matthew hath it Matth 13 5. As also the Apostle Act. 28. 27. therefore God in his just judgment blindeth them They blinded themselves first they would not see therefore God in his justice blindeth them that they should not see So giving them up to spiritual blindnesse which as that Apostle tells us still resteth upon that people untill this day I would not brethren that yee should bee ignorant that blindnesse in part is happened to Israel untill the fulnesse of the Gentiles be come in Rom 11. 25. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Blindnesse or Hardnesse for the word signifieth both is happened in part unto the greatest part the generalitie of that Nation insomuch that they do not nay till the time appointed be come they shall not see the things which belong to their peace This is the reason which the same Apostle giveth why those of that Nation did not see what was so clearly held forth unto them in the preaching of the Gospel 2. Cor. 3. 14. Their mindes were blinded there was a veil upon their hearts as the next ver hath it God hath given them up in his just judgment for their contempt of the means of grace to a fearful exceration and obduration blinding their eies and hardning their hearts Thus the Lord is said to have done Pharaohs Exod. 4. 21. And the like is said of Sihon King of Heshbon that refused to let Israel passe by him Deuteronom 2. 30. The Lord thy God hardned his spirit and made his heart obstinate that he might deliver him into thy hand This hee did not onely by with-holding his grace from them but by delivering them up unto the perversnesse of their own spirits and to Satan to bee acted by him unto their ruine and destruction And after the like manner may God bee said to have hardned the hearts of this people the people of the Iewes not onely by with-holding his Spirit from them but also giving them up unto their own hearts lusts as the Psalmist hath it Psal. 81. 11 12. My people would not hearken unto my voice and Israel would none of mee So I gave them up to their own hearts lusts or as the margin readeth it to the hardnesse of their hearts and they walked in their own counsels and to the power of Satan to bee acted by him to bee blinded and hardned by him Yea even giving Commission to his Word to have such an accidental effect upon them even as the Sun hath upon the Clay to harden it So much wee may learn from that Text of the Prophet Isaiah cited by our Saviour Isaiah 6. ver 9 10. Where the Lord giving him his Commission to go unto that people hee bids him or rather foretelleth him what hee should do that hee should make their heart fat Make thou the heart of this people fat and make their ears heavie and shut their eies c. Now how should hee do this Why onely by preaching the Word to them But what then had the Word any such proper Operation of it self Not so neither had the Prophet any such intention in the preaching of it but through their obstinate tempers it become so to them an occasion of their further blinding and hardening God in his just judgment suffering and ordering that his Word should have such a direfull effect upon them as that they should grow worse and worse by it untill they should attain to that height of impenitencie as should bee irrecoverable This it is The Word will have it work one way or other beeing as the Apostle saith the savour of life or of death 2 Corinth 2 16. Where it doth not open and clear the eye it will close and blinde it Where it doth not soften the heart it will harden it And in this way and by this means doth God in his most righteous Judgment hide from the eyes of men the things which belong to their peace which they have refused to see To these I might adde his sending of False Teachers among them such as those the Prophet Ieremie speaketh of who cried unto the people Peace Peace where there was no peace Jeremiah 6 14. So lulling them asleep in carnall securitie that they shall not see what belongs to their peace in truth As also his sending of strong delusions that men should believe a lie because they have not received a love of the truth as the Apostle hath it 2 Thes. 2. 11. Sending a Spirit of Errour a lying spirit to them such as that was which seduced Ahab to his destruction 2 King 2. 22. These and many other wayes God hath to carry on this his most just and righteous design But herein I shall follow him no further That which hath been spoken may be sufficient for doctrinal Confirmation and Illustration What now remaines is Application Where in the first place set me design you to make a stand a little and look upon this Nation wherein we live as our Saviour did here upon this City Ierusalem and see whether there be any just cause to do what he did to weep over it mourn over it upon any such account Touching which let me first declare for my self that not having my Saviours eyes a prophetical eye as he had I dare not pronounce the like sentence upon this that he doth upon that viz. that the things which belong unto Englands peace are now hid from her eyes No as my prayers have been and shall be so my hopes yet are to the contrary that God will yet be merciful to this Nation and I want not some grounds to bottom these hopes upon But yet let me shew you what two just causes of fear may be apprehended that God hath a sad controversie with it In the declaring whereof I shall as far as I may parallel it with this City of Ierusalem which I shall do altogether upon a Religious account not medling at all with the Civil of these sad prognosticks I might reckon up diverse But I shall content my self to single out some of those which are most obvious Among which let the first and principal be our not seeing the thing which belonged to our peace in our day Where I shall not do what happily with too much evidence of truth I might descend to those particular times and seasons wherein mercy hath been held forth and offered unto this Nation in a more signal and remarkable manner Surely such Criticall daies England hath had and some of them within our mememorie seasons and opportunities which had they been laid hold of and improved as they might how happy might she have