worshippeth that which others doe where he liveth but whether it be God or an Idol that he understands not The Athenians had an Altar dedicated To the unknown God Act. 17.23 and Paul with much zeal doth reprove this their superstition and Idolatry telling them they were out of the way to heaven yea the more devout and zealous a man is for that worship he understandeth not the more swift he runneth in the way to hell so then where ignorance is It 's all one whether Christ or Mahomet be worshiped whether an Image or the true God So truly doth Seneca observe of the common people Eunt qua itur non qua eundem est They do and go not whither they ought but whither they see others before them yea by this means men come to worship the devil in stead of God Oh terrible and heavy aggravation Thou that thinkest thou dost worship God yet by thy ignorance going on in Idolatry dost worship the devils Thus Jeroboam is said to set up calves to the devil 2 Chron. 11.15 the people little thought so and so those that would be at the Idolaters Feasts they did partake of the cup of the Lord and of deuils 1 Cor. 10. Now although it be true that thou art brought up in that Religion where the true God is worshiped yet this is all one to thee who hath no knowledge of God or Christ for if it had been to Moloch to Baal or Ashtaroth had it been to Mahomet or to Images and Idols in every high way thou wouldst have done that as well as this for any true knowledge or understanding thou hast O pray then that God would give thee true knowledge As it is thus for the generality of Gods worship so in more special manner ignorance doth wholly overthrow praier unto God which is more necessary then food or raiment and is a duty to be performed to God every day Now saith the Apostle Heb. 11.1 He that cometh to God must beleeve that he is and that he is a rewarder of those that seek him but how can this be when a man by ignorance is in a confused chaos Oh that ignorant people would attend to this They say they pray yea they hope to be saved by their good praiers when alas thou that knowest nothing of God or Christ canst not pray at all Thou never didst pray acceptably to God all thy life time If a Parrot be taught to say the Lords Praier shall that be accounted a praier and is there not many that pray Gods Name may be hallowed his Kingdom may come and yet understand not at all the sence of their praier Thus in Popery they do sinfully nourish people in their ignorant praiers for seeing their praiers are in Latine it 's all one whether they pray good matter or blasphemy The Apostle 1 Cor. 14. doth expresly argue against praying in an unknown tongue saying for himself He will pray in the spirit and with understanding also What terrour then doth this proclaim ignorant people pray they cannot they do not no not when they pray If that Question should be put to them which Philip put to the Eunuch Vnderstandest thou what thou readest So Understandest thou what thou praiest Were they able to say one word of knowledge to you We may cry out Be astonished O Heavens and the Earth at the ignorance and blindenesse of many people and yet nothing will provoke them to get knowledge 3. We cannot do that great and necessary duty which is the substance of all Gods command viz. to love him with all our heart with all our soul and might neither the consequents of this love which is to desire after him to delight and rejoyce in the light of his countenance without knowledge for what a man knoweth not he cannot love Ignota nulla cupido Let ignorant people by this see the great gulf that is between them and heaven Thou canst not love God nor desire him as long as thou dost not know him so neither can you fear God if you know not his infinite Majesty the greatnesse of his power and his hatred against sinne What makes men so desperately wicked to commit sinne without any fear or trembling They know not God Hence is that frequent expression in Scripture when God saith he will bring such and such punishments Then they shall know that I am God 4. Those that serve God ought to be full of fervency and zeal For all duties without zeal are like a Sacrifice without fire a Bird without wings a Messenger without feet Now all zeal without knowledge is refused by God They have a zeal but not according to knowledge Rom. 10.2 Ignorant people may be very zealous as those that offered their children to Moloch That did cut and lance themselves in calling upon Baal but this fire of zeal was like that of hell calidus and not lucidus hot but not light Vse If Eternal life be to know God then this is eternal death not to know God This is eternal damnation to be ignorant of him It was Gods promise that all should know him from the greatest to the least Jer. 31.34 but how few finde the fruit of this promise How many Families how many persons are there who do all they do to the unknown God yet these hope to be saved yet these say They have a good heart when nothing can be good while ignorance is predominate neither a good faith or good love or good duties or a good heart and as ignorance is damnable of it self so much more when it is where the means of knowledge are where the Sun shineth where the Ministry is instructing Oh what wo and woe again will befall such men SERMON XV. More Reasons of the Necessity of Divine Knowledge And the Causes of Ignorance JOH 17.3 And this is Eternal Life to know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent THe Doctrine observed was that without the knowledge of God and Christ there cannot be any eternal life obtained The first ground or reason of this was from those several duties that are required of us towards God which without some knowledge could never be acceptably performed The second ground shall be from those duties we owe to Christ And herein damnable ignorance will farre sooner possesse us then in the former for there are some common notions and dictates about a god which made Tertullian cry out O animam naturaliter Christianam But in respect of Christ we have not the least implanted notion about him so that the doctrine of Christ is far more supernatural then that about God for the hoti quod si Deus is I discovered by natural light but who he is and how to be worshiped this is meerly supernatural but concerning Christ both the quod sit and the quid sit That there is a Christ and what he is are both by divine manifestation So that whatsoever we have of Christ it must only be
upon it that it is sure to have Oh that Unbelief and distrust should ever overwhelm any Godly soul Doth not the Apostle triumph and say Who can lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect Rom. 2. It 's Christ that died Though the divine nature could not suffer yet he that suffered was God as well as man and so it is to be accounted of infinite worth This is more then the Obedience of Men and Angels put together 2. It is of infinite worth in respect of the gracious readinesse and willingnesse of him who did utter it Christ received grace into his humane nature without measure and so this being the gracious offering of him who was God and man it must have necessary acceptance 3. It had infinite worth in respect of the thing uttered which was no lesse then the precious body and bloud of Christ himself he thought not those preparatory sufferings and agonies enough but he consummates all by his Death Oh then let not the trembling sinner fear the insufficiency of the ransome doubt not whether every farthing be paid Say not though such sins may be discharged yet can this that I have committed Can the bloud of Christ cover this sinne as well as others Secondly Consider that though Christ offered up himself as a Sacrifice yet the application of it must be in such a way that God hath appointed It 's not enough that there is a potion which will cure all diseases but it must be taken in that way which the Physician doth prescribe and thus though Christ offered up himself to reconcile God to man yet this is not done till by faith it be received As the bloud of thâ— Sacrifice was to be sprinkled with hysop Thus the bloud of Christ ere it doth wash away our sins must by Faith be sprinkled upon the soul and therefore it 's not altogether here as it is when a man is indebted and lying in prison one comes and paieth the debt for him This man is released without any more a do There is no further thing required but the setting of him at lâ—berty for though Christ hath thus offerrd up himself for the pardon of sinnes yet the Father hath made such an appointment that this price should reach to none but those that beleeve and therefore this Doctrine doth not give the least security to any man to sinne for though Christ died yet his bloud may do thee no good Thou maist lie roaring in hell to all Eternity for all this because thou art not one who doth partake of this death Know the godly themselves while unconverted and abiding in their sinnes have not that actuall benefit of Justification which cometh effectually by Christs Death Thirdly Hence Christs bloud is not only cleansing and washing away the guilt of sinne but the filth of it The Apostle Tit. 3. said that he died to redeem us a peculiar people to himself zealous of good works So that there is none can pleade the justifying efficacy of Christs Death that have not also the sanctifying efficacy of it as it followeth in the Text That they might be sanctified and this will pull up by the very roots all that carnal confidence that most have That come to Christs Death as unto a common Sanctuary It 's true I am a grievous sinner but Christ died Christ was made a Sacrifice but what is this to thee who wallowest in thy filthy lusts Thou art full of thy noisome sinnes and if Christs Death did belong to thee it would wash thee it would purifie thee Do not think Christs bloud can be sprinkled on thee for the pardon of sinne and not for the washing away the filth of it This is the ruine of thousands they divide Christ and separate one effect of his death from another Fourthly Though Christ did but once offer up himself yet the vertue and power of it doth abide for ever It 's not necessary that Christ should be alwaies dying therefore he is said to be a Priest for ever yea this Death of Christ did extend to all the Godly that lived before his Sufferings Abel Abraham and all in the Old Testament had no other Sacrifice to please God with but this It is noted by a Learned man that therefore Cains Sacrifice was not accepted because he did not as Abel offer such a propitiatory Sacrifice as was a Type of Christ but rested in his own duties and works yea it 's thought God by covering Adams nakednesse with skins of Beasts did thereby teach Christs Righteousnesse Look then upon the bloud of Christ as powerfully working as if to day he had been crucified It works as a morall Cause by Covenant and agreement with the Father and therefore it doth as strongly work as ever Fifthly It 's continually useful and necessary seeing we renew sinnes daily and therefore run into new infirmities constantly therefore it behoveth us to apply this medicine continually If a man had been a hundred times stung by Serpents he was as often to look upon the exalted Serpent to be healed if therefore we fall into the mire daily we need washing as often if we get noisomenesse upon us this bloud must daily clense us and certainly we may all say with Peter Not my feet but my whole body also Let that be washed Doth not every part of us get some new pollution Are not hearts affections and mindes constantly polluted If so we cannot be a moment without the application of it as often as we breathe we need the Sprinkling of Christs bloud Sixthly We are to Consider the certain successe and prevalency of it No sooner did the Messengers say Vriah was dead but Davids anger was removed When the destroying Angel seeth this bloud he will passe by if Moses his praier could so much prevail with God that he saith Let me alone and Lot was so accepted that the Angel cannot destroy Sodom till he be removed Then how powerful and prevalent must Christs bloud be Seventhly This Sacrifice is that which Christ presents to his Father The Socinians wold have Christ performing his Priestly Office only in Heaven but it 's plain he did it on earth only what he once did he constantly presents to his Father and the minding of God with this is a farre more efficacious thing then that of the Rainbow God when he beholds this will not again drown the world and when he looketh on Christ will not condemn the humbled sinner Therefore Christ is described Rev. 10. with a Rainbow upon his head to signifie as some think the pacificatory vertue that is in Christ Eighthly The purity of the Sacrifice is not to be forgotten He is called the pure and spotlesse Lamb 1 Pet. 1.19 As it behoved us to have a Priest without sinne So a Sacrifice without any defect otherwise that Sacrifice would have needed another and so there would have been no end Therefore though all we can offer which is ours
then the hour of his mercy The night is not so long as the day Isa 54.7 8. and Mat. 24. Christ speaking of the calamity which should fall on the Jews he saith For the Elects sake those daies shall he shortned the meaning is that whereas those publique calamities might have been greatly prolonged if we regard second causes God out of compassion to his people did shorten them Secondly Are they the hours of grace and Gods mercy then 1. Be thankfull to him he might make it alwaies a day of blasphemy of reproach and rebuke unto thee but he causeth a comfortable day to shine upon thee but 2. Do thou improve the day of grace and Gods mercy Oh say this is Gods hour this is mine hour what I will do for my soul what I will lay up for Eternity must be now done or never Oh remember it 's but an hour but a day and this will quickly passe away In what despair and torment will many wish for these hours again SERMON V. Of the Nature and Manifestations of that Glory which Christ praied for and is invested with And how comfortable it is to all his Members JOH 17.1 Glorifie thy Sonne that thy Sonne also may glorifie thee WE take the words as they lie in order The two former Arguments to enforce Christs Petition have been dispatched We come now to the Petition it self Glorifie thy Sonne and here it will be at first objected How Christ who is also God can be glorified It may seem that he can no more need glory being the fountain of it then the Sunne light or the Sea water To open this Consider First That to glorifie is taken two waies in the Scripture 1 By any testimony of words or otherwise to acknowledge the greatness and honour of another and in this sence only are we said to glorifie God for we cannot indeed adde any thing to his glory he is essentially glorious though there bad never been any creature to acknowledge it only we manifest and celebrate that glory which God had before Thus gloria is said to be clara notitia 2. To glorifie is by reall exhibition and vouchsafing of honour and glory to those who had it not already and thus God glorifieth us Whom he justifieth he glorifieth Rom. 8. 1 Joh. 2. Those that honour me viz. by declaration or manifestation God will honour by reall exhibition Now if we look on Christ as God having the same honour with him then when he praieth God would glorifie him it must be only in manifestation That whereas he had been in outward appearance the meanest of men now God would manifest that he was the naturall Sonne of God But this is not all In the next place we may say Christ hath a twofold glory 1. That which was essentiall and eternall which he had from the beginning with God for being God he could not really be divested of that glory 2. There is his Mediatory glory That which he hath not as God but as Mediatour This God bestowed upon him after he had been in the state of humiliation for after all that debasement and misery he willingly undertook God did exalt him to glory and gave him a name above all principalities and powers yea giving all power in heaven and earth to him The government of the whole Church and a command over all Ordinances and duties therein to blesse and give successe to them of which the Scripture speaketh often 3. It hath been greatly disputed Whether this glory and exaltation was by Christ truly merited at Gods hands whether from his sufferings he merited at Gods hand all that glory he speaks of All confesse he did not merit to himself the hypostatical Union nor his habituall grace or the happinesse of his soul because no merit could precede these only this is disputed Whether all that honour and glory which accrewed to him after his birth and before and after his death he did truly merit at Gods hand by his active and passive obedience Some not only of the Papists but of the Orthodox as Zanchy contend he did truly merit this though here he praieth for it Others as resolutely deny it because Christ had no respect to him but to us only in this work of redemption Others think it is but rashnesse and curiosity to busie our selves in the Point but I have spoken to this more fully in the doctrine of Justification and shall ere we come to the end of this Chapter more particularly consider the Socinian errours in this Point This is plain the Scripture affirmeth God hath appointed such an order that first he must suffer and then enter into glory as Phil. 2.8 Luk 24.26 Rom. 5.9 Here is an order but whether it be of meer antecedency or causality and merit that is not expresly said I shall not trouble you in it it 's enough that we see God did answer this Petition he praieth for and that in every respect to the highest degree Father glorifie thy Sonne Obs That it was the holy and wise will of God the Father to exalt and glorifie Christ Gods great purpose from all Eternity was to give honour and glory to Christ Indeed Christ while he was here on the earth had some beamlings of this glory some irradiations now and then Joh. 12.28 Therefore the Father told Christ he had both glorified his Name and would glorifie it Gods purpose to glorifie Christ was above that purpose to glorifie men for they are but members and he is the head yea some say this design to glorifie Christ is so immutable and absolutely intended by God that though man had not fallen yet they say Christ would have been incarnated and exalted by the Father But if we consult with Scripture we have no other reason there assigned of Christs coming into the flesh but of saving sinners Now lest it should be thought that while we preach of Christs glory this is nothing to us and what comfort or profit is that to us to hear that Christ in his own person is invested with such glory you must know that this redounds to our profit and advantage much every way For 1. Christs glorification is a plain demonstration of his Conquest over all our Enemies For had death and the grave or the Prince of this world been prevailing over him still he could not have been glorified and so that would have been true he did not save himself and therefore could not save others Therefore it 's a most comfortable saying and worthy of all acceptation to hear that Christ is glorified for this proclaimeth to all that no enemy could have any power over him that all our adversaries are vanquisht That our David hath killed the Goliah so then hear this Truth with comfort with attention it concerneth all the godly It 's blessed news to hear Christ is glorified for then thy sinnes thy guilt thy death and every thing thou fearest is conquered If any of
Scripture you must beleeve those things to be the portion of every unreformed sinner O what a vast difference will there be between thy pleasures here and eternal torments hereafter and not to have a drop of ease in all thy misery 3. This eternal death as it hath fulnesse of torment so likewise Eternity For heaven and hell have no period There is no time set when the fire of hell shall go out called therefore unquenchable fire So that these two properties easelesse and endlesse might startle and amaze every ungodly man Why wilt thou buy these eternal torments at so dear a rate for a moments pleasure to have everlasting woe So that here are two Eternities before thee an Eternity of happinesse an Eternity of misery Sinne saith and the devil saith taste of the honey of sinne God saith There is eternal gall for this Now which wilt thou beleeve either sinne tempting or God threatning Was not Eve at first undone because she would hearken to the devil against God What fruit or profit had Judas for thirty peeces procuring to himself eternal horrour and trembling Thus you have seen eternal life in the contrary to it We have been upon the Mount of Blessing and upon the Mount of Cursing If good things will not allure let dreadfull things astonish and terrifie Only you must know the grand difference between eternal life and eternal death in the manner of coming to it So you see in the Text it 's given by Christ and it 's called the gift of God but eternal death comes by desert It 's the wages of sinne Rom. 6. ult Our sinnes deserve hell but our graces do not heaven and whereas it might be thought an unjust thing in God for a transient sinne to inflict eternal torments yet that is no wonder For 1. We see amongst men that Malefactors for a crime committed by them which was acted in a very short time do yet suffer death which as to this world is their eternal destruction they can never come back to live here again 2. All sinne being committed against God who is of infinite glory hath thereby an infinite guilt and so deserveth eternal damnation Hence it is that Dâ—vines say Omne peccator punitur citra condignum Even hell it self is not a punishment adequate to the nature of sinne for Gods honour is more worth then ever our sufferings can make up again And lastly There is no injustice because all those torments can never make any satisfaction For hence it is that thy misery is eternal because thou canst not pay the utmost farthing Thou art never able to discharge the debt therefore thou must for ever lie in prison Thus there is justice in every mans damnation and there is only mercy in every mans salvation For 1. Those graces and good works thou dost have no proportion to this Eternal and glorious reward The Apostle did not account his suffering which seem to be the most efficacious for salvation any whit comparable to that eternal weight of glory If a man should have the whole world given him for lifting up a straw that is not so great a disproportion as to give heaven for Martyrdom the highest act of love to God And 2. It 's only of grace because he who giveth the Crown giveth us legs and strength to runne in the race Coronat dona sua non merita nostra so that we are so farre from meriting by good works that the more we do the more we are beholding to the grace of God Vse Of Invitation Who is there of you that hath heard of the nature and properties of this eternall life that is not brought in love with it Who is there that hath heard of this pearl that will not sell all throw away every sinne to enjoy it If there were nothing but this it might work on thee Hast thou any lust that will be equivalent to eternall life that will be in stead of that to theâ— What wilt thou do when a mortall disease hath surprized thee thy friends weeping thy children crying and thou dying Will these lusts then help call to them and see if they can give thee eternall life What wilt thou be worse then Balaam he wished Oh that I might dye the death of the righteous and his later end might be like his And shall there be not so much as a desire as a sigh though if there be no more if thy life be not the righteous mans life thy death cannot be his SERMON XIII Weighty Considerations upon Eternity JOH 17.2 That to as many as thou hast given him he should give Eternall Life ETernall Life is the glorious gift mentioned in the Text and though I was concluding this verse yet the consideration of this glorious matter shall make me once more endeavour throughly to possess your hearts therewith It was the fault of one of the Kings of Israel that he did not strike arrows often enough to the ground 2 King 13.19 for then he should have obtained more victories It shall therefore be my endeavour if possible that the arrows of this truth may be stricken often even through and through your hearts And that I may further quicken you hereunto consider these particulars as so many effectuall conclusions upon this subject And first The chief and most principall and necessary question which every one should seriously propound ought to be that Luk. 18.18 What shall I do to inherit eternall life Not indeed upon such a corrupt opinion as he did who thought by his own works meerly to obtain this eternall life No that cannot be it 's the gift of God and when we have done all this eternall life is of grace not merit but in a right sense viz. what way ought we to walk in what is to be done that at last we may not eternally perish This I say is a most noble and necessary question if this were more studied and practised it would advantage the soul ten thousand times more then other unnecessary and impertinent disputations The best method in morall Philosophy is to begin first with the end because that is the chiefest there must be first a knowledge and desire of that Now all Divinity agreeth with morall Philosophy in this it 's wholly practicall The first thing then in your thoughts and meditations should be What is that end for which I was made how may I obtain that eternall life for which I came into this world Oh why are we busie in unnecessary things for what end and purpose were you made Was it to heap up wealth To satisfie the lusts and pleasures of the flesh No it was at last to injoy this eternall life The Heathen did well call man the orizon of time and eternity for in respect of his body he partaketh of time in respect of his soul eternity So then the chief and more excellent part of thee that which makes thee differ from a beast it is that
be so wellcome Had the Prodigall not met with husks and extream hardship he would not have resolved to go back to his Father again Think and practise these things so wilt thou be greatly affected with eternity And to encourage thee herein consider the blessed effects which a lively meditation of eternity accompanied with a firm faith will put thee upon For first Who so hath this eternity set upon his heart he will not be immoderatly and inordinatly desirous after these things below As the beams of the sunne will put out the fire so will the thoughts and affections about eternall things overcome temporall The Apostle 1 Cor. 7. presseth all upon an hard duty To marry as if we married not to buy as if we bought not Why so because the time here is short eternity is coming upon us And thus those holy Patriarchs mentioned Heb. 11. they accounted themselves pilgrims and strangers and they sought a City to come not built with hands Thou complainest thy heart is so full of deadnesse dulnesse so full of the world the cares and distractions thereof devour thee up there is nothing will help thee against this temptation then often thoughts and affections about eternity 2. As the thoughts of eternall life will thus moderate our affections so it will work in us 〈◊〉 longing for and hasting of the coming of Christ who then will bestow this eternall life upon us We wonder how Paul should be lifted up above all these earthly comforts as to desire to depart and to be with Christ Phil. 1. It seemeth very difficult to us that any hasten in their praiers and desires Christs coming but all this is because our hearts are not as full of hope and expectation of eternall life as theirs were Alas many of us know no better and so cannot desire any better then what may be had in this world and therefore the thoughts of death and the coming of Christ are unwelcome to us Whereas to The godly it 's the coming of the bridegroom and they are to lift up their heads with joy when that approaches Matth. 26. Let then that godly soul which doth so complain that it loveth life too dearly and feareth death too immoderately let that be strengthened and comforted with the sure hopes of this eternall life If an heavenly frame of heart were powerfull in us this very world would be a wildernesse it would be tedious to us to be kept so long from that home we have in heaven The Saints have a rest provided for them and who doth not desire to be at his rest Oh blame your selves more that you have not Davids exclamation and now Lord what long I for truly my soul waiteth for thee As the heart panteth after the water brooks so doth my soul after thee O God Psal 42.1 David spake this but of enjoying God in the Ordinances in this life Oh but how greatly must the soul be inflamed for the life to come 3. Powerful thoughts of Eternity will quiet and wonderfully calm the soul under any afflictions and troubles No such antidote as this Paul abundantly witnesseth that we account not the light afflictions of this life comparable to that eternal weight of glory 2 Cor. 4. so this Eternity made him not value or regard any temporary affliction It was this that made the Martyrs joyfully take the spoiling of their goods and the losse of their lives Thus in every affliction and exercise if sanctified to thee how sweetly and joyfully maist thou dwell in heaven while thou art on earth Thou maist be in heaven every day even while thy condition is beset with many troubles It 's thy sinne and unbelief if thou makest thy house a prison Thy self a torment to thy self if thou set faith on work about this Eternity it will put thee into heaven before thou comest to possesse it Eternal Life will give thee a better body a better house a better heart oh this Eternal life it 's the health of our bones the light of our countenance a continual Feast and a perpetual cordial Hence the godly even in this life are said to have Eternal life because of the right they have to it and partly because they have the beginnings and first fruits of it upon their souls Vse of Admonition Take this Subject more into your thoughts how many roving thoughts hast thou but if placed on Eternity it would be great profit How many thoughts hast thou unbeleeving disquieting and troubling if fixed on Eternity they would all vanish especially let the wicked man turn from all sinne saying There is an Eternity If it were only death that would not so much trouble thee but it 's Eternity after Death SERMON XIV The Necessity of Divine Knowledge And Arraignment of Ignorance JOH 17.3 And this is life eternall that they might know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent IN the Verse before we had the great priviledge vouchsafed viz. eternall Life and the Subject to whom viz. Those that are given to Christ In this Verse our Saviour informeth of the manner or way how we may come to it For to speak of eternal life and not direct to the enjoying of it is to see Canaan but to want a pillar of fire to guide to it and although our Saviour had described such as should inherit eternal life yet because it 's a secret written in Gods Book which no man can reade who are given by the Father to Christ and who not Therefore it 's necessary we should be told the way and that is done in the Text. In the words you have then affirmed the way to this happinesse This is eternal life this will make you have eternal life None can ever attain it that take not this course for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may either relate to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or else after the manner of the Hebrews be put absolutely for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This phrase is like John 12.58 Now therein Consider 1. The way or duty enjoyned 2. The object of it The duty is To know Among other distinctions this is very obvious in Scripture to speak of a twofold knowledge 1. That which is meerly speculative and apprehensive If ye know these things happy are you if ye do them Joh. 13.17 2. Which is practicall and operative for it 's a known Rule that among the Hebrews Words of Knowledge are put for all the affections and effects that use to follow such Knowledge Thus God is said to know the way of the righteous Psa 1. That is so to know as to approve and preserve the righteous and in this sence To know the true God is taken so to know as to do all those things that are commanded by him and the reason why the Scripture comprehends all under knowledge is because this is the Introduction and gate to all practicall piety Although to know here is more particularly taken for beleeving for
by the Revelation of God and in this respect though most people may have some generall apprehensions about God yet about Christ they have none at all unlesse by hear-say It behoveth us therefore who are called Christians to know what that Christ is whom we worship and trust in for salvation and the great ignorance of Christ is present death He is the door he is the truth the way and the life Joh. 14.6 All that misse of him are carried violently to death and destruction For 1. Where this ignorance of Christ is there cannot be any historical faith which is the least degree of faith that can be and where there is no historical faith there cannot be any justifying for how can a man trust in Christ for salvation whom he doth not beleeve to be so that historical or as some call it dogmaticall faith whereby we beleeve that there was a Christ both God and man is the first stone that must be laid in our Christian building and without this we have not so much as learned the Alphabet of our Religion yet this is the case of thousands that have no explicit formal faith in this fundamental Point I grant they have a traditional forme whereby they say they beleeve in Christ but they have no expresse faith concerning the person and natures of Christ Now that traditional form is not a reasonable worship of God as the Scripture expresseth it Rom. 12. where we are commanded to give up our selves as reasonable sacrifices But here men are as bruit beasts in respect of any expresse formal faith insomuch that hundreds of people if they be asked what they beleeve concerning Christ they cannot give any knowing or expresse answer Oh how near are such foolish and stupid persons to the very brink of hellâ— and if you should say If it be Faith then it cannot be knowledge Vbi rides non est fides and by all faith and knowledge are opposed but that is to be handled afterwards viz. how that Faith doth necessarily require knowledge and yet there is some kinde of knowledge that Faith is opposite unto for the present we conclude that where there is not some knowledge of Christ there cannot be so much as a bare historical faith They have no faith that have no knowledge I know whom I have beleeved saith Paul 2 Tim. 1.12 2. Where grosse Ignorance is if there cannot be historical Faith about Christ much lesse can there be saving and justifying Faith a fiducial relying and resting of the soul upon him as the Mediatour appointed by God The Scripture doth often speak that we are justified by faith Rom. 5.1 that we have remission of sinnes through Faith in Christs bloud Rom. 3.25 So that Justification and Faith are inseparably joyned together but where ignorance of Christ is there cannot be any of this saving faith for can any man trust in that which he doth not know of yea though such ignorant men say they trust in Christ yet because they know not Christ these are but traditional and customary words They speak falsly and say they do not know what Philosophers say there is actio hominis and actio humana an humane action is that which comes expresly or impliedly from reason but actio hominis is that which is done by a man but not as a man as the moving of the foot or lifting up a straw which came from the imagination meerly So truly we may say there is actio Christiani and actio Christiani a Christian action is that which comes from knowledge and faith either directly or indirectly but that is an action of one that is a Christian in name and profession only that doth such actions as others doe but not from any knowledge or faith within only from custome and meer tradition if then knowledge be in all the historicall and justifying acts of Faith where shall the stupid and ignorant man appear 3. The grosse ignorant man cannot admire blesse and praise God for Jesus Christ the Medtatour This is evident he that knoweth not the nature office and use of Christ what he was and why he came into the world what was that which he did for us it 's impossible he should ever be affected with the love of God or with the love of Christ This made the Apostle pray that they might know the breadth and depth of the love of God through Christ Eph. 3. For without this knowledge all Gods love and Christs love is disregarded We reade of Pauls divine raptures and holy extasies because of Christ I desire to know nothing but Jesus Christ and him crucified 2 Cor. 2.2 It is impossible in a lively manner to know this divine truth of God the Fathers love in sending his only begotten Sonne to die for us and not break out in heavenly praises and admirations but the blinde ignorant man seeth nothing of this admirable mystery As he said it fell out ill with Artificers when ignorant men judged of their works Thus certainly God loseth much of his glory-Christ much of his honour when ignorant men only speak of this Doctrine As Christ Joh. 4. said to the woman of Samaria If thou hadst known who it is speaketh to thee thou wouldest have asked for the water of Life So here if thou hadst known what is in this love of God and Christ if thy heart did meditate and study on it thou wouldst be more affected and enlarged in thy affections to Christ 4. Where grosse Ignorance is of Christ there cannot be any improving of him for all these blessed effects to which he is appointed by God Christ is of God unto us wisedom righteousnesse and sanctification 1 Cor. 1. Of his Fulnesse we all receive grace for grace Joh. 3. But the ignorant and unwise man cannot make any advantage of this The ignorant man knoweth not the vertue and good use may be made of such herbs as grow in the field but the wise Artist doth Solomon asketh Why is a price put into the hands of a Fool seeing he knoweth not how to make use of it If the man in the Parable that found a Pearl had not known it to be a Pearl he would not have sold all to have bought it So then let there be never so much fulnesse and sufficiency in Christ yet he is a Fountain sealed up and a garden enclosed to the ignorant man and this must necessarily exclude such from heaven because in Christ is all our salvation whatsoever conduceth to our happinesse is bound up in him now the ignorant man not knowing this treasure must needs perish in his sinnes 5. Where a man is ignorant of Christ he must needs be in a damnable condition because thereby he is also ignorant of himself he knoweth not his own sinfulnesse and misery and so cannot desire a remedy These two are necessarily known together or unknown Christ the Physician and sinne a desperate disease Christ a Saviour and the sinner that is lost But the
Ghost is also requisite to Eternal Life appeareth in that we are baptized into his Name so that it 's a principle and Foundation to be instructed about the holy Ghost as well as the Father and the Sonne We reade that the Apostle doth in most of his Salutations pray for grace and peace from God the Father and the Lod Jesus Christ yet none may from thence gather the Spirit is excluded for 2 Cor. 1.13 14. There is the communion of the Spirit added to the love of God and the grace of Jesus Christ 3. You may demand If the Knowledge of those things be enough to eternall Life what then needs the Ministry or Preaching to a man that knoweth these If a man have these is he not above Ordinances and the Ministry This indeed some have arrogantly thought But 1. There is no man knoweth as much about God and Christ as may be known The Apostle that was lifted up to the third heavens yet he saith We know but in part 1 Cor. 13. If Paul then knew but in part what must others do We see the Angels themselves desire to have the Mystery of Christ made more known to them Eph. 3. so that it 's a foolish conceit to think thou knowest enough already for though our knowledge shall be perfected in heaven yet even there we cannot know God as much as he is known for the infinite object cannot be comprehended by a finite faculty 2. Suppose thou couldst not grow in knowledge which yet is impossible yet the Ministry is necessary for thy heart and affections The devils know more then any man but there will is obdurate and hardened in wickednesse So thou maist have great knowledge and understanding yet thy heart may need much quickening much mollifying and for this end the Ministry is appointed 3 If thou didst not finde a need of them either for understanding or heart which yet is more impossible then the former yet God having appointed such a way thou art only for obedience sake and to testifie thy submission to God to do it Christ needed not to be baptized for he wanted not the grace signified viz. remission of sinnes Yet to shew his obedience he did it Adam though created in a state of integrity yet had a command of triall to manifest his obedience and so though never so perfect yet thou canst not be exempted from obedience to Gods commands Vse of Instruction to the full self-righteous man that is not burthened and loaded with the sence of his sinnes whatsoever knowledge thou maist have yet thou canst not know any thing in a saving manner about Christ Till thou be affected with thy misery and the remedy thou art not yet a knowing man in Christs School or to those who labour and are greatly affected with their sinne They know sin They know the Law They know the terrors of an angry God but they know not Christ Consider how Paal was affected herein he knew nothing but Christ crucified 2 Cor. 2.2 All things were accounted dung and drosse for the excellency of this knowledge Phil. 3.8 Consider Eternal life is as well in knowing of Christ as in knowing of sin or what duties God requireth of thee SERMON XIX Sheweth how a Godly Life though it merit no good is a Ground of Comfort at the hour of Death JOH 17.4 I have glorified thee on Earth I have finished the work thou gavest me to do IN this Verse our Saviour addeth a new argument for that Petition mention mentioned v. 1. Glorifie me Why because I have glorified thee on earth I have finished my work Now his work is done he expects his reward These words our Saviour doth not speak out of ostentation and boasting but to shew the order God appointed that by his sufferings when perfected he should enter into glory In the words we have Christs profession of the end he intended in all things I have glorified thee on earth 2. The manner how or the means by which I have finished the work thou gavest me to do I have glorified thee though Christ as God had all divine glory due to him yet as Mediatour in the state of humiliation so he was inferiour to the Father and in this sence he did glorifie him To glorifie is either when really that glory is exhibited which was not before and so God glorifieth us or else when we celebrate acknowledge and declare that glory which is already possessed and thus we glorifie God For when we glorifie God we adde nothing to him we do not make him more glorious then he is indeed We cannot advantage him but our selves by serving of him as a man by seeing doth not profit the Sun but himself nor the thirsty Traveller by drinking refresh the Fountain but himself Christ then being by the state of humiliation made lower then God yea lower then Angels had this purity of intention in all that he did and all that he suffered to glorifie God Q. If you say Was not the redemption and salvation of these the Father gave him his end how then is the glory of God his end A. The Answer is the ultimate and chief end is Gods glory The proxime and immediate was the salvation of man and therefore in respect of the chief end this is the manner or the means of glorifying of God and this is intended when he saith He had finished his work 2. Consider the restriction or limitation of this glorifying of God from the place where I have glorified thee on earth That is mentioned because here only on the earth was he to be in a state of debasement here only he was to work in heaven he was to receive his glory The Schoolmen use to call a man while he was in this life the way to heaven viator and when he is possessed of glory they call him comprehensor Now they say That Christ was both viator and comprehensor together but if they mean that in this life he possessed all that glory which he should have in heaven that is false for we see him here praying for it and other places God promiseth it as a reward of his obedience and sufferings Indeed the humane nature of Christ was alwaies united personally to the godhead but there was a suspension of that glorious influance and happinesse while on the earth 3. Consider the time when Christ makes this profession at the end of his daies when he is to go out of this world This was the ground of his confidence in his Petition Now although we are not able in the same degree and perfection to say as he did yet for the main we ought to be like him in this when Death comes when our daies are to be finished to be able to say Lord we have glorified thee we have finished the work thou gavest us to do and of this particular I shall treat Obs That it is a blessed and most happy thing to be able at the time of
also There cannot be any more two meritorious causes of salvation then there can be two Suns in the Orb Christ will not have a copartner under any distinction whatsoever in the work of our Redemption As for the doctrine or thoughts of perfection let those be abandoned Let us walk humbly and lowly under our imperfections yet breathing after perfection Fifthly Because no works we do can be perfect hence at the end of our daies when we look over all our former life we may not put any trust or confidence in what we have done Paul that knew nothing by himself yet was not thereby justified The Pharisees are condemned for this that they trusted in their own righteousnesse yea the whole Nation of the Jews that they went about to establish their own righteousnesse and would not submit to the righteousnesse of Christ Rom. 10. Though self-righteousnesse be not a grosse scandalous sinne making men abominable and noâ—some in the world yet it is as damnable and as dangerous as those sins yea more damnable partly because it overthroweth all the principles of being cured None being more miserable then those who are so yet do not feel or think so This is like the Psalmists arrow that destroieth at mid-day and then partly because it doth so immediatly oppose Christ revealed as a Mediatour and Saviour for they that trust in their own righteousnesse are a Christ are a Saviour to themselves Lastly Though all this be true our godlinesse is no merit no ground of confidence yet a faithful zealous performing of those duties God hath required of us may as a sign and evidence wonderfully comfort and imbolden our hearts As the Rainbow is not a cause but a sign that God will never destroy the world more by water so this tendernesse and diligence of thine in all the waies of God are not a cause but a sure signe that Gods eternal love is placed on thee and that thou art in the number of those who are prepared for glory our rejoycing is this saith Paul the testimony of a good conscience 2 Cor. 1.12 and 1 Joh. 3.21 Hereby we are sure he heareth us if our hearts condemn us not Hezekiah and Paul did not mention their good life as a cause or means Neither did they put confidence in them only they took this as a comfortable signe they were in the favour of God and they looked upon these things as inseparable qualifications Even as Rahabs thred hanging out of the window was not a cause but a signe that she was in the number of those who were exempted from destruction and in this sence we maintain the doctrine That it 's a blessed thing at the end of our daies to have this testimony this cordial in our hearts Let us consider the grounds of this blessednesse 1. At the time of death all our earthly comforts they vanish away they continue with us no longer Now if thou think how rich thou hast been what pleasures and delights thou hast had this is so farre from comforting that it torments the more but a drop of this heavenly assurance of our endeavour to please God will be more precious then all the world Oh foolish people and unwise that do no more consider your latter end Can you but look on your body and say this face these arms this body will one day moulder in the dust Can you but look on your houses and habitations and say These dwellings will know me no more must every thing break thy heart thou lookest upon thy husband thy Children thy friends mourning by thee must there be such a sad and dolefull time and dost thou provide no comfort no hopes to encourage thee The Psalmist saith not as the horse and mule without understanding whose mouth must be held in by a Bridle Psa 31.9 Alas thou art worse here is a bridle put on thee to keep thee from rushing upon sinne any more and yet it will not stop thee If then all these earthly comforts will fail thee and thou shalt look back upon thy life and that torment thee that torture thee also thou art twice and thrice miserable 2. It 's a blessed thing to have this Testimony and Seal upon our hearts that we have glorified God and done his work because Conscience if ever is then awakened and the devil he is most busie to tempt and trouble He that formerly shewed only the pleasant bait of sinne will now manifest the hook He that before said you should not be damned now makes it necessary he that made pardon easie now makes it impossible and as the devil is thus a roaring Lion so conscience is a roaring witnesse within Thou hast stopt the mouth of it and muzled it a long time but now 't will speak and thou canst not make it quiet Indeed too many die like beasts rather then men They think not of their sinnes they consider not Eternity but drop into hell before they consider any thing but yet when death comes commonly there is some terrour and trembling upon the conscience and if ever any sinne did formerly sting it will then Oh then how blessed a thing is it to have such an argument in our mouths that shall quiet conscience and confound the devil when they tell thee there is no hope thou hast been an hypocrite thou canst bring this testimony out of thy bosome O Lord thou knowest though I was overtaken by many infirmities yet my heart was set to glorifie thee I was tender and careful to discharge all my work though I failed in many things this will make thee like Adamant and marble how much did the consciousnesse of the integrity which Job had strengthen him under those powerfull storms and blasts that fell upon him 3. It 's a blessed thing to be able to say thus upon just grounds because of the terrour of death to flesh and bloud We cannot be willing and ready to die all the while the worms of conscience are gnawing the soul before worms be gnawing the body When Simeon had seen Christ and taken him in his arms then he saith Lord let thy Servant depart in thy Peace Luk. 2. When Paul hath thus discharged his trust then I have fought a good fight and there is laid up for me a Crown of glory It hath been the case of many good men to have uncomfortable sicknesses and an uncomfortable death and what makes it sometimes so but want of this assurance this good testimony about themselves oh their life troubles them such sins and such barrenesse They know not what to do Their hearts are within them They think of death and their soul is troubled so that it 's a most desirable thing to have this in thy heart when thou art dying Oh thou thinkest Would I might have such a Minister such a Friend by me when I am dying I tell thee this is the best friend It was Augustus his wish that he might have an 〈◊〉
peculiar To have praied for the Reprobate and such who did not nor ever would give themselves up to Obedience had been either to pray that God would alter his eternal purpose or else the course of his justice but seeing they were both given to him by the Father and did really discover the Fruits of this gift in their lives Therefore they were fit to be recommended in Praier So that the Text doth describe the Subjects of Christs Praier And again For whom he will not pray It 's like that terrible Separation of the Sheep on the right hand and the Goats on the left It 's horrenda Sententia as one Divine cals it What not pray for the world said another I pray God none of the world hear me Though this Text hath some thorns of Controversie especially about Universal Grace and Christs death for all men yet it likewise beareth excellent practicall matter· In the words let us Consider 1. The Description of those Christ praieth for 2. The opposition for whom he will not pray Those that he doth not pray for are the world who they are and the controversal matter therein is in time to be dispatched Those he praieth for are described 1. By that relative particle Them I pray for them 2. They are described by their Original descent Those thou gavest me for they are thine For the first part the Relative particle them viz They that have thus obeyed thus beleeved From whence in the general observe First That it 's very hopeful and a good encouragement to pray for those that are godly We may learn it from the example of Christ They are such and such persons therefore I pray for them Observ 2. That the people of God are under the fruit and benefit of Christs Praier Of the First It 's good and comfortable praying for those that discover the signs of Grace in them Thus Paul Pray for us for we trust we have a good Conscience Heb. 13.18 That he makes an Argument They should pray for him in his Apostolical work and emploiment because he did with all Truth and Faithfulnesse of Conscience labour therein and on the contrary when people were come to an high degree of wickednesse The Prophet is forbid to pray for that People Jeremy 7.16 17. To open this Point Consider this particular It 's not only our duty to pray for our selves but for others also Some are said to Question Whether it be lawfull to pray for any one man in particular because say they He that praieth in the due qualifications of speeding praier doth as effectually succeed in tbat Duty as if he had been praying for any particular But this can no waies hold It 's a Duty sometimes to pray in particular for some persons as the Disciples did for Peter when he was in prison And Paul many times desireth the praiers of the Church for his own particular A Praier poured out for some particular person may have more love fervency and faith in it then when for the general especially their particular necessities are then commended to God which would not be in the general This being cleared we go on to assert that fore-mentioned Position It 's the duty of godly men to pray for others Our Saviour doth suppose that in his Form of Praier Our Father and he extends this Mat. 5. even to our very Enemies that are Enemies for our godlinesse sake persecuting and reviling us and that though continuing in their wickednesse Thus Paul is thought to be converted by Stevens Praier while he was consenting to the stoning of that first Martyr Stephen was praying that God would remove the stone from Pauls heart yea the Apostle 1 Tim. 2.1 exhorts that supplications and praiers be put up for all men That is for all sorts of men as the distribution doth evidence yet this is no contrariety to Christs Example who would not pray for the world for certainly he would not so neither may we in that sence Therefore Secondly Though it be our duties to pray for others yet we may not in generall pray for those that are reprobated formalitè as they say For that praier could not be in Faith There is a twofold Faith required in our Praier 1. That it be according to Gods will a dogmatical Faith 2. A fiducial Faith that it be with confidence in Gods Promise and Power Now he that should pray for Reprobates as Reprobates could not pray in a dogmatical Faith for he did in effect desire that God would be mutable and changeable It 's as if we should pray that God would not create the world whenas he hath done it already yet this must be very warily understood For 1. We are to pray for any particular man though never so wicked unlesse sinning a sinne unto death because we cannot tell who is given by the Father to Christ and who not So that although to pray for all men that they might be saved is against dogmatical faith in Divinity yet there is no particular man that we may exclude 2. The Apostle 1 Joh. 5.16 speaketh of a sinne unto death that we are not to pray for one guilty of that This hath much troubled the Learned The Ancients they thought it was not an absolute prohibition of all to pray for such but only that eminent men might do it They thought for an ordinary Christian to pray for such sinners it would be high presumption As it 's not for every one in the Court to speak for some hainous offender but a special Favourite When God said Though Noah Job and Daniel Eze. 14.14 should pray for that people he would not hear them This implied that they were nearer to Gods ear and might prevail sooner then others Though this Exposition be old yet the Text seemeth to be absolutely prohibitive And so Austin said that if we knew who had sinned that unpardonable sinne against the holy Ghost we were no more to pray for him then for one damned in hell Now whether such a sinne as is unto death be ordinarily committed and what it is and whether we may know when such do commit it is worth the enquiring into but is greatly extravagant unto my matter 3. To speak exactly Gods Decree about Events is not the Rule of our Praier but his Word is And therefore though it should be revealed that God would not do such or such things yet it may be our duty to pray for them As Austin instanceth If it should be revealed that my Father must die of such a disease yet I might lawfully though with submission pray for his life because it 's my duty to use all means for my Fathers Life Thus though Nathan the Prophet had told David His Childe should die yet David humbleth himself and by fasting seeketh to God for his Childes life So it 's lawfull to pray that God would wholly mortifie sinne in us yet God will not do it in this life Thus
though this be greatly controverted yet there are places very probable 2 Cor. 3. God was in Christ reconciling the world viz. of Elect Thus Christ cals himself the bread of the world and the Lamb that takes away the sinnes of the world The doubt then is in what sence the world is here used And 1. It cannot be the world of the Elect for they are expresly praied for because given of the Father to Christ Neither can it be the world of wicked men meerly as so for many wicked men that are so now yet afterwards are converted as v. 23. That the world may know thou hast sent me that is those who for the present are of the world but afterwards are converted to Faith and Repentance It remaineth therefore by the world must be understood those that are not Elected the world of Reprobates And that this is the genuine Interpretation is plain because the world is opposed to that number of men who are given by the Father to Christ as the opposition manifesteth Not for the world but those thou hast given me Neither can it be evaded as some would I pray not for the world is in the same sence and for the same things as I do for Beleevers viz. perseverance and preservation from sinne because where the Text doth not limit or distinguish we must not And besides he praieth for those Elected persons that were as yet actually of the world that they might know and beleeve in Christ which praier the Reprobates did most need and therefore if Christ had praied at all for them it would have been for that which was most necessary The sence then thus explained observe That Christs Mediatory praier and so his Death is not for all the world but only some certain persons who are given by the Father to Christ Christs praier and Death is not intended for all and every particular man but for some only The Doctrine stands upon this bottome Those that Christ would not pray for he died not for neither was he a Mediatour for but not for the world would he pray onely some Elected by the Father Therefore neither did he die for such This Point is controversall and I have no Inclination to lanch in such deeps partly because plain practical matter is more profitable for the greater part that hear It 's bread and not a stone fish and not a Serpent you ask for and then partly the Question is of so vast a comprehension that not one hour or many is sufficient to leade you into the very porch of it much lesse all the secret rooms of it and then partly it hath been agitated by the choicest men of Learning that the former or latter Ages of the Churches ever had and therefore should be handled in a Scholastical succinct manner not popular and humiletical as our Sermons are These things I say do discourage but because the doctrine of Universal grace and redemption is a gangreen every where spreading and an Idoll which flesh and bloud doth adore and many specious pretences of Scripture are brought for it Give me leave to say something and because the controversie like Moses his face shineth gloriously and is so sublime that the common eye cannot endure to look on it I will put a Vail upon it and condescend to the meanest capacity as much as the nature of the Truth will bear and shall make way to clear and state the Doctrine by several Notandum's or particular Considerations which will be to the main Truth as John Baptist was to Christ And first Consider there is a necessary connexion between Christs praier or Intercession and his Death They are of an equal latitude and extent whom he praieth for he dieth for whom he dieth for he praieth for Rom. 8.34 Christs Death Resurrection and Intercession are all in a Chain together and applied to the same Subjects And indeed it must needs be so because Christs praier is one part of his Priestly office The oblation of himself as a Sacrifice for sinne was the other Christ then as the great high-Priest did partly pray and partly offer up himself in a Mediatory way for his people We might well therefore put both these in the Doctrine praier and his Death Though the Text speak but of praier because the one is necessarily joyned to the other and this Praier therefore is made upon the oblation of himself being to leave the world As for that Praier of Christ on the Crosse Father forgive them for they know not what they do It 's to be considered that seeing the Scripture saith he was heard in what he praied for therefore all those whom he intended in that Praier had the forgivenesse of their sinnes and we may be the rather induced so to think because he names only those that did they knew not what in crucifying of him Wherefore it 's thought those three thousand Jews converted by Peters Sermon were most of those for whom Christ praied on the Crosse For the Apostle chargeth this upon them that they had crucified the Lord of glory ignorantly 2. Though Christ in his praier and death had special love and regard to some of mankinde and not all yet there is no man that is damned can lay the blame any where but upon himself That Rule is of perpetual Truth O Israel thy destruction is of thy self Hos 13.9 And thus the Scripture doth every where make death and hell the wages of sinne Therefore if any would from this doctrine inferre such Conclusions That then a man is not to be found fault with No blame is to be laid upon him but upon non-Election or the particularity of Christs death We abhorre such consequences and say with Paul to some who gathered poison out of that honey-doctrine he preached God forbid Let not then thy heart cavill prophanely in this Point for there is no eminent doctrine in Religion but if a man let loose his carnal heart he may wrest wicked Conclusions from the best premises The true cause and ground of every mans damnation is because of Impenitency and hardnesse of heart in sinne with unbelief Neither may we or can we conceive a man able to say thus O Lord I was ready and prepared to beleeve and repent There was nothing of any good desires wanting in me only the death of Christ that was too much restrained to others but not to me and therefore not for my sinne but meerly for want of a latitude in Christs death I must perish Such an Imagination as this is a meer Chimera There never was or can be any person able to pleade so so that if you take this along with you that no such absurdities and blasphemies follow from Christs speciall love in his death and Intercession you have taken away the Gorgons head that useth to make it so terrible 3. It 's good to take notice of that ordinary distinction The Sufficiency and worth of Christs death in
call one Nation more then another Neither are means of Salvation inclosed in one Countrey more then another It may very well be called the whole world that Christ died for for commonly the Scripture comprehends all the men of the world under this division the Jew and the Gentile Hence there is that command Go preach the Gospel to every Creature that is to Gentiles as well as Jews Mat. 26. and certainly this seemeth to be the most genuine Reason why the Scripture speaks thus universally about Christs death Observe a notable place for this Rom. 11.15 where the casting aâ—ay of the Iew is said to be the reconciling of the world i. e. the Gentiles are taken in while the Jews are cast off so that the world there is opposed to the Nation of the Jews 3. As it 's used in opposition to the Jews so also to abate and confound the pride of the Iews who because the Messias was to come of them were apt to be puffed up with this priviledge and to envy or murmure that the Gentiles should be made partaker of this grace This our Saviour represented under the Parable of the Prodigal Son entertained at a Feast and the elder Brother murmuring at it Luk. 15.30 We see how hard a thing it was to bring the Jew off from those priviledges he enjoyed and the Righteousnesse of the Law so as to be beholding to Christs Righteousnesse only 4. This might be because when Christ came into the world few of the Iews were converted to Christ comparatively to the Gentiles For Rom. 11. you see the Apostle speaking of a Veil upon their eyes and that hardnesse of heart was come upon Israel and those former branches are said to be broken off that new ones may be grafted in Therefore it might well be said That Christ died for all and that he was a propitiation for the sinnes of the whole world because the Nations of the world of all parts did now come in and worship Christ whereas few of the Jews did receive him Therefore consider the time when those passages were written and then you will easily understand those Scriptures 5. Therefore the Scripture doth thus make an universal Proposition and Oblation of Christs death in the benefits of it because now no Nations or particular persons are excluded For although there be an Election of some onely and Christ had a special love in his death only to those that the Father had given him yet because who these individual persons are is not manifested by God Therefore the outward propounding of it is universall not excluding any Thus all the Invitations and commands are universal Christ cals all that are heavy laden all that thirst to come unto him And although it he true that many even where the Gospel is preached are given up to blinde eyes and hard hearts That the Gospel of Christ is a savour of death unto many yet we not knowing who are thus inwardly withered and cursed are to hope that to all those to whom the offer of the benefits of Christs death extends even to them the death of Christ it self reacheth and this may be thought the main reason why the Scripture useth such expressions about Christs death 6. It may use such expressions For although the greater part of the world are such that perish and Many are called but few are chosen Mat. 22. yet if we judge of those for whom Christ died absolutely in themselves they arise to a great number So that as Austin made two Cities the one of good Men and Angels built by God the other of wicked men and devils whose authour is the devil Thus according to the Scripture we may divide the world into two worlds the world of those that are to perish and the world of those that are to be saved The former is the greater part the latter the better part yet this better part is very numerous as appeareth by the many thousands in the Revelation that are said to be sealed so that we may not wonder if it be said Christ died for the world seeing the number of those he died for in all Ages have been so many Lastly No wonder if the Scripture useth such an indefinite expression because we see it doth in other things also when yet there is an acknowledged necessity by all that it might be restrained and speaking of Christ it 's said All flesh shall see the Salvation of God Luk. 3.6 Now it 's confirmed by experience that there were many in Christs time who yet did not see him either bodily or spiritually Thus Act. 2. I will powr my Spirit upon all flesh and their Sons and Daughters shall prophesie when yet all know they were but some that had those extraordinary gifts especially that famous Promise That all Nations of the earth should be blessed in Abraham is clear for our purpose For the Apostle Gal. 3. doth plainly limit it to the spirituall Seed of Abraham Thus you see that it 's no new thing to use expressions of universality when yet there is a necessity of restraining their sence We might also adde those places Mat. 3.5 Jerusalem and all Iudea are said to go to Christ and Mat. 9. the whole City is said to meet Iesus yea all the world is said to run after him Therefore it 's not the meer bare words but the coherence and other places must direct us herein Secondly Although we cannot say Christ had a special love intending his Death a ransome for all and every one yet it 's very plain that even the Reprobates and those who for their sinnes are eternally condemned do receive much good and benefit by his death Indeed in some respects their condemnation is the greater but that is their own sinne who wilfully refuse him and will not have him to be their Lord and King as Ioh. 3. This is the condemnation that Light is come into the world and men love darknesse rather then Light And again If I had not come unto them they had had no sinne Joh. 15.22 So that all those who live under Christs gracious offer as their sinne is greater so their condemnation will be greater it being better for them if there never had been a Christ or that he had not been crucified Though mens voluntary wickednesse make it thus yet several mercies do redound even to the Reprobate by Christs death 1. There is no man but may for his particular that liveth under the means of grace be encouraged to repent and to beleeve for his Salvation Every one may with a great deal of hope be encouraged to the duties of Repentance and humiliation Whereas you see God hath left the Apostate Angels as without remedy so without all hope It 's not said to any of them Repent and beleeve and so be saved Whereas there is no particular man but this is enjoyned him Therefore this very consideration that there is hope for any individual person that his case is not
for their sinnes as being expiated by Christs Death but because by their unbelief they reject this actuall Reconciliation made for them so that all men have a generall Remission of their sinnes but those only have a speciall Remission that by Faith accept it But this also is rejected as absurd although it be observable that most of those places they bring for Universal Redemption speak of the act and so the Huberians keep more to the plain words then they do who pleade for universal grace Joh. 1.29 The Lamb that takes away the sins of the world 2 Cor. 5. God was in Christ reconciling the world speak of actual not potential or conditional Reconciliation and they themselves say universal redemption not redimibility 3. There are the Arminians and Remonstrants men of greater Learning and more refined understandings then the former and they hold Christ died for all in respect of Impetration not Application Christ died intending a Ransome for all if they beleeve but who should beleeve and who not doth not arise from Christs Death but comes partly from grace partly from free-will So that by this Position though Christ died yet not one man might be saved But this in the issue will be found derogatory to Christ and leaveth the greatest weight of our salvation upon merit 4. There are those that come nearer and are in the number of the Orthodox about Election Conversion Free-will and Perseverance in grace Only they hold Christs dying intentionally for all But how they can reconcile their Opinion with their other Tenents holding Christs universal love to all in his Death if they do beleeve and yet at the same time a special love to some to make them beleeve and not others is judged very difficult and also wholly unprofitable as to any duty or comfort The Doctrine whereof they think the more to establish by this opinion Lastly There are those who say Though Christs Death is in it self suffieient for all yet the purpose and intention of Christ was to give himself a ransome for some only with these I joyn as having Gods Truth on their side I wâ—ll briefly give you some grounds because others have largely handled it 1. Because we are said to be elected in Christ our Head So that Election though it be originally from the meer will of God yet we are chosen in Christ as the Mediatour If then Election be only of some as it 's plain Rom 9. then Christ died only for some For Christ is but the medium whereby Election doth bring about all the effects thereof Seeing therefore Election is only of some and that is in Christ as the medium Christ also must be for those only that are Elected 2. Out of the Text For whom Christ would not pray as a Mediatour he did not die Shall he give his bloud and will he not vouchsafe a praier his intercession and his oblation go together 3. Those for whom Christ died he did not only die for their salvation but grace to prepare and fit for it Tit. 2.15 he died to make us a peculiar people zealous of good works Now this must needs convince for we speak of dying for all and think only of salvation but Christs death was to obtain Faith and Repentance as the means to Salvation therefore we may as well say universal Faith and universal repentance as well as universal redemption 4. There cannot be a greater love then Christ to die for one and if he hath delivered up Christ for us how shall he not with him give us all things Rom. 8. Therefore to say Christ died for all and yet will not save all is to grant the greater and deny the lesse Vse of Instruction In stead of needlesse and impertinent disputes about Christs death for all do thou labour and apply thy self for a particular share in his death We know not who they are that are shut out but therefore we encourage and exhort every one Oh consider the sad consequences of having no share in his death Who shall accuse It 's Christ that died Christs death keepeth off all accusation and condemnation Oh then wo unto that man who is to answer all accusations and condemnations in his own Name and must justifie himself from the works he hath done It 's now a dispute in every mans mouth Every one will be arguing in this matter when alas the Question is of such a vast comprehension that it 's onely for learned moderate and sober men to handle SERMON XLV The Application of the former Subject Setting forth the Necessity of Faith and Repentance as to the Interesting us in Christ The Freenesse of Gods Love The Qualifications of those to whom Christs Death is made advantagious And also their Priviledges above all others JOH 17.9 I pray not for the world THe controversall part being dispatched so farre as was convenient in this place we now come to the practicall We leade you out of the Camp that ye may gather honey For you may ask To what purpose is all this Dâ—sputation What matter is it whether Christ had a speciall or an universal love in his Death I acknowledge it is very good to keep within the bounds of Sobriety and Piety and not to be so disputative about the universality of Christs Death as to be sollicitous whether we are in the number of those for whom he died for whether he died for all or for some If we repent not and beleeve there will be little comfort or advantage for us either way Vse 1 And therefore the first Vse shall be of Instruction to demonstrate the necessity of conversion and turning unto God from our sinnes for all men that pretend to any reason or piety howsoever they differ about Christs death yet agree in this that no man hath benefit by Christs death but such who cleanse themselves from their iniquities who renounce their former lusts that were like so many Lords quot vitia tot Domini And take Jesus Christ for their Lord and King There was scarce any Heretique ever so besotted as to preach Christ so died for all that it 's no matter whether ye repent or no whether you forsake your sins or no Christ died to save you No they agree in this though otherwise so different that no benefit of Christs death is actually applied to any man till by Faith and Repentance he be a qualified Subject so that the wicked man wallowing in his sins hath cause to tremble and quake under this Truth he may say Mihi nec seritur nec metitur Here is nothing makes for me in all these Opinions If I be Calvinist Arminian or any other way I cannot have any quietnesse or look for any comfort till I and my sins are divided Only that of Origens might give thee some ease if it could be true that all men and devils shall be saved at last after they have been a long while tormented in hell But this is so directly contrary to
more were Gods mercies Christ that gave them but drops before doth now bid them drink the whole cup of praise and Thanks-giving Now they are taken up to the Mount of Transfiguration They have not only clusters but the Vine it self Consolations abound now when never it may be before Thirdly The Lord Christ his care is seen even in the dangers and afflictions themselves and that divers waies 1. In not suffering them to be but when there is a necessity you are afflicted if need be 1 Pet. 1.6 That word is full of consolation Theâ—â— no affliction no triall but thou didst need it considering thy corruption â—hy dulnesse thy earthlinesse there was a necessity to have some affliction fall upon thee to humble thee and to make thee more enlivened Hence afflictions are compared to the cutting off the luxurious branches of the Vine Joh. 15. which is necessary Frosts and cold have their necessity and both mans body and the ground needs that as well as the Summer This made David say Out of very Faithfulnesse thou hast afflicted me Psa 119.75 And hence afflictions are attributed to Gods Love Whom he loveth he chasteneth Rev. 3. and all because the people of God could not be so fruitful and active if they were not thus chastened So then here is Christs care there shall not be any trouble but when necessary 2. As he wisely ordereth them to be so his great care and love is seen in the time and season when they are inflicted Afflictions will not in every season do good no more then the cutting down of trees or pruning of them is at any time to be done The Patient may dye by the unseasonable letting of bloud Therefore Christ sheweth his great care and love to take the opportune season to afflict and to exercise thee As God would not have mercy upon Epaphroditus presently but he lets him lie in danger it being thereby better both for him and Paul was thereby much afflicted Paul had the buffetings of Satan which did greatly humble him but when was the time after his Revelations And therefore that then it might not puff him above measure It was that he had those Thorns in his side so that Christ doth not onely regard the necessity but the fit time and season of all thy Troubles Even as Christ himself came in the fulnesse of time so doe all his chastisements if they should come sooner or later they would not do that good Paul praieth thrice yet could not remove those strong Temptations 1 Co. 12. 3. His love and care is seen in the nature and kinde of the affliction and trouble There are calamities of all sorts Now as it 's not all kinde of Physick that is for every disease so neither all kinde of calamities that are fit for every sinne Hezekiah gloried proudly in the Treasures he had and therefore God caused an Enemy to come and spoil him of them he might see by the afflictions what his sinne was David was too inordinately affected to Absalom and Adonijah and they became rebels to him and sore afflictions Oh it 's a great matter to observe the wisedom and goodnesse of God in ordering that kinde of affliction rather for thee then another Thou wast not thankful to God for thy health or serviceable to him therefore he afflicts thee with sicknesse The people of Israel were weary of Gods Service therefore God delivered them up to evil Lords and Masters that they should know what another service meant One Godly man lieth under one affliction and another under another Now if one had that which another hath he could never bear it it would be more then death to him so that the wisedome and love of Christ is to be admired in all say this very kinde of affliction and at this time comes from the love and care of Christ 4. As the kinde so the continuance God will not let it abide any longer then it doth his work These horse-leeches shall suck no longer then the corrupt bloud lasteth The devil shall throw some of you into prison ten daies Rev. 2.10 See there how God orders it first it 's but some of them and then into prison there is the kinde for ten daies there is the continuance which made the Psalmist say The rod of the wicked shall not alwaies rest upon the back of the Righteous Psal 125.3 It 's true the people of God have many times thought their deliverance too long Will the Lord cast off for ever Hath he forgotten to be gracious Thus they expostulate and complain but God at another time sâ—â—â—he would hasten it in due time Isa 60.22 and he cals it but a moment â—â—â—rein he had hid his face from them Isa 54.7 although it was seventy years So that the flesh saith one thing and the Spirit of God another Know then that thy exercise is for a continued or appointed time God hath set bounds to these waters and therefore be not discouraged under them Lastly The care and love of Christ is seen in working out a way and making an escape from thâ—m when it 's for their good and his glory There hath no temptation befallen you but out of which he will make a way to escape 1 Cor. 10 13. The Lord knoweth how to deliver those that are his The Artificer knoweth when to take his Gold out of the Fire The wise Physician knoweth when there is bloud let out enough Thus much more doth God know when thy afflictions have done the Errand he sent them about The Wisedom of God also can finde out a way to save thee out of them For he that could finde out a way to save thee from sinne and hell much rathar can he finde out a way to deliver thee from this or that temptation In the fourth general place Christs care and love is seen in sanctifying and fitting thy troubles that they shall be for thy spiritual benefit Whatsoever may be done to thy estate or life yet nothing shall hurt the soul Thus the Prophet This is the fruit of Iacobs trouble to purge away his sinne Isaiah 27.9 and Rom. 8. All things work to the good of them whom God loveth Christ that hath so loved thee would never let this or that come upon thee did he not intend to turn it for thy spirituall good This made David say Before he was afflicted he went astray Psal 119. And when both these go together Afflictions and Sanctification David cals it a Blessednesse not a misery Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest and teachest thy way Psal 94 12. If God teacheth thee by thy afflictions the bitternesse of sinne the duty of Faith and weanednesse of Spirit from the world Oh it 's a blessed sicknesse a blessed losse Thank God that ever he laid his hand upon thee Though it seemed grievous to flesh and thou wert apt to be impatient yet nothing under Heaven was better for thee Not that we are to pray for
Heb. 11. They that say such things declare they look for a better City Oh how apt are we to make the world our home To desire we might abide here alwaies To think of no other Happinesse or Blessednesse but what is in the Creatures but God by the Troubles therein doth convince us that there must be a better Condition then this We have no abiding place in this world we are here to day to morrow we may be gone and therefore we should be Diligent in Watching and Praying and preparing for our Masters Coming Oh what a Bridle would it be to our carnal Affections to remember we are but Sojourners and Strangers here To look upon thy Estate and Inheritance no otherwise then a Traveller doth upon the Goods in an Inne Reasons 3 Thirdly The Lord makes this world full of Enmity and Hatred against us That we might not symbolize with it or contract any of the guilt and pollution of it upon our Souls It is a Mercy that Wicked men are Scorpions and Serpents That they are Wolves and Lyons hereby thou art chased and affrighted from their Company and Society whereas if they were loving and pleasing thou wouldest be often with them and so sit in the Chair of the Scorner and come into the Assemblies of wicked men Is it not a Mercy to be kept from a Pest-house or a Place where Infectious Diseases are Thus God hath put such an Enmity and Contrariety between the Godly and the Wicked There is such a great Gulf and vast distance that Solomon saith The wicked is an abomination to the Righteous and the Righteous to the wicked Prov. 29.27 The Godly man can no more endure the wicked mans waies then the Wicked can abide a Godly mans waies Therefore blesse and praise God for this Enmity and opposition and make good and profitable use of it Reasons 4 Lastly The Lord doth it That Heaven and the Enjoyment of him to all Eternity may be more prized and better esteemed by us We must with Lot even be violently pulled out of this Sodom Oh our sinnefull and our unworthy Hearts that we should so delight to be tossed and hurried up and down in the Ocean and be afraid to come to the Haven That Death should be so unwelcome when it is the Passage to incomprehensible and immortall Glory What have not all thy Pains Afflictions and Grievances yet made thee long and thirst for Heaven Dost thou not think Here I am sighing crying diseased distressed when the Glorious Saints in Heaven are rejoycing Vse of Instruction To the people of God Not to be dejected but rather to be exceeding glad as our Saviour commands when the wicked world opposeth them for their Godlinesse and Uprightnesse For mark our Saviours Expression herein Matth. 5.20 It must be for Christs Sake and Righteousnesse Sake not for any wickednesse or ungodlinesse of thy own Doe not take the just reward of thy sinnes to be the glorious Consequents of holinesse But if it be because thou fearest God thou ownest God and his way thou standest up for his Truth and Godlinesse then leap and dance for Joy that God hath put so much honour upon thee Say with David I will be more vile still The Starres are never the lesse glorious though they have given them ugly Names of the Bear and the like So neither are the godly lesse Glorious though the world labours to besmear them with dirt a Jewell is a Jewell though soiled with dirt SERMON LIII The Exaltation of Christ improved for the joy of of all Beleevers JOH 17.11 And I come to thee THis is the Third distinct Argument in this Verse which Christ useth in his Petition for his Disciples Some indeed take it Exegeticall or Declarative of what he meant by saying He was no more in this world But others take the Particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ratiocinatively as a Reason why he is no more to be in the world because he is going to the Father This Argument implieth then that Christ by going out of the world doth not cease to be but that he goeth to the Father and there will be a potent Favourite in the Court of heaven for them Christ then speaking here of his Locall Motion we may in this as in all such Motions Consider 1. The term from which that is the world which is not to be understood as if he did depose and lay down his humane Nature or that he was not still present in an efficacious invisible manner but in respect of a bodily presence This place confutes Popish Transubstantiation and the Lutheran Vbiquity of Christs Body 2. There is the term to which to thee 3. The Via per quam the way by which and that is implied by his Death and Sufferings In the Greek it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in other places it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and once that is used absolutely The Sonne of man goeth c. Mat. 26.24 That is he dieth here there is contained much comfort to his Disciples that neither Christs Enemies or Death did overcome him but by Death he goeth to his Father and that for the great benefit and advantage of all true Believers Obs That Christ by Death went to his Father Here is much practicall Divinity in this Point We see our Saviour again and again instructed his Disciples about his He knew how much his Sufferings and Death would amaze them and shake their Faith he knew what a false principle they were possessed with viz that he would erect a temporall Glorious Kingdome Therefore that they might not be undone by these thoughts he tels them often both of his death and whither by that he was to go Ioh. 14.3 Our Saviour comforts their troubled hearts with this that he was going to the Father and that not meerly for his own glory and honour but also for their good Even as Ioseph was advanced in Pharaohs Court as well for the good of his Father and his brethren as for his own glory and by the way observe that our Saviour tels them That they knew whither he went and the way yet Thomas in the name of the rest saith Lord we know not whither thou goest Now you may ask Either Christ who is Truth it self spake not right or Thomas The answer is Both spake right for the Disciples knew in the general and confusedly but not distinctly or particularly or they knew it habitually but in time of temptation they did not put this knowledge forth By this we see the Godly may have that grace and that faith in them which yet they think is not there To open this Doctrine let us consider the several particulars that are enclosed in it First That it was appointed by God that the way whereby Christ should from this state of humiliation come to glory with him should be the way of ignominy reproach and death It behoved the Son of man to suffer and so enter into glory Luk.
they be thus damnable yet many shall follow their pernicious waies There is no Heresie so deformed but many people will follow it and by this means the way of Truth shall be evil spoken of See this in our daies How greatly do the Papists blaspheme that holy Truth of God by which we are saved because of the many Sects and errours which sprung up amongst us They think this Argument enough if there were no other when they can say how violent is one Protestant against another condemning one another for Heretiques They all pleade the Spirit and yet are opposite to each other and certainly did not the Scripture forewarn us of such things it were enough to make the stoutest beleever sometimes at a stand but 1 Cor. 11. The Scripture saith there again There must be Heresies That necessity ariseth both in respect of mens corruptions and also in respect of Gods wise permission that so the approved and sound may be made manifest It 's no little part of a Christians wisedom in the overflowing of Heresies when men of several waies speciously pretend to Truth and Piety to know how to deport our selves and so to walk that we do not fall from our stedfastnesse Now there is not a surer Buckler to keep off these poisonous arrows from our breasts then to strengthen our selves with powerful Considerations out of the Scripture Thus it must be Thus it will be The Scripture again and again tels us of it men of great Eminency and repute may make shipwrack of their Faith and through deceivablenesse and subtle insinuations will draw many after them Wonder not at this when it comes to passe That is notable to this purpose Act. 20.29 30. Though Paul himself had instructed those Churches yet he tels them after his departure that Wolves would venture in amongst them what a sad change would this be But from whence should they come Even out of your selves will arise men Thus these Toads and Serpents would breed in Gods own Garden As the Leprosie of Heresie is thus a Scandall in Gods Church So the Apostacy and revolt of such as were once forward for the Truth To have them degenerate yea sometimes to become malicious Enemies against what they professed this is very hard Heb. 6. and 2 Pet. 2. mention is made of some who were endowed with eminent gifts and much outward Reformation yet they are supposed to fall away and so to fall as never to recover again Let it not then stumble thee if there be such who will for earthly advantages betray Christ after much love pretended to him That will sell Christ for silver Do not thou loath Religion for this Do not thou begin to say Are there any Religious even in this world Do not thou follow them thinking I may do as they do But rather tremble at such Instances considering how terrible their latter end will be 3. When for the profession of the Truth and Piety we finde our nearest friends and such as ought most to encourage us to set against us yea to betray us and to work our Deaths if it were possible though this be very hard to bear yet say as in the Text This is done that the Scripture may be fullfilled If Christ himself complain it was not an open enemy but thou my familiar friend we took sweet counsell together that did lift up his heel against him that is proudly contemptuously and bloudily set against me Do not thou expect a better condition then Christ thy Master especially attend to that place Mat. 10.34 35. Luk. 11.52 where the consequent of the Gospel preached is to set the nearest relation one against another so that for thy Godlinesse sake neither Father or Friend may own thee yea the wife of thy bosome will betray thee such things have fallen out in times of persecution and therefore be not offended at that which the Scripture hath foretold 4. That Antichrist should prosper and prevail even to the shedding of the bloud of so many thousand Martyrs and yet meet with no remarkable judgement would be an unanswerable Temptation had not the Scripture foretold it The Scripture informeth of a twofold Antichrist a doctrinall one such as John speaks of that denieth Christ to be come in the flesh and a politicall Antichrist or one that is chiefly so in respect of Church-Government who yet also shall be doctrinally Antichrist of whom Paul speaketh that he shall exalt himself above every thing that is called God and of which the Revelation makes often mention for although this Antichrist shall prevail and the greater part of the earth shall receive the mark of the beast yet at last the time will come when those joyfull Songs shall be sung that Babylon is fallen and the judgements of God are just who hath avenged himself upon the Beast Let not then Bellarmine glory in his temporal felicity as a mark of the Church Let him not say in such a daring manner If the Pope be Antichrist and the man of sinne aimed at in the Scripture Why have not horrible judgements from heaven overtaken him All this is easily answered The Scripture foretels he shall have a time and he must for a while make his garments red with the bloud of the Saints But as certainly as he doth this so also shall his perdition come as certainly Wonder not at this or be offended for the Scripture must be fulfilled 5. The manifold exercises and conflicts that Gods own Children have sometimes about the guilt of sinne and sometimes about the power of sinne makes them think there was none so in the world before Oh how shall they bear it there is no mans condition like theirs you cannot hear one reade of the like say they But do not all these troubles arise from ignorance in the Scripture Do ye not reade of David though sometimes on the Mount of Transfiguration yet at other times on the Mount of Calvary Is he not sometimes lifted up with the light of Gods Countenance and at other times so dejected and disquieted he knoweth not what to do And as for the power of Corruption abiding in us Doth not Paul Rom 7. cry out O miserable man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of Death and the Apostle Jam. 4.5 doth the Scripture speak in vain The spirit that is in us lusteth to envy Even in the Godly there is a strong provocation to envy one of the vilest sins and most contrary to the Spirit of Christ Seeing then the Scripture doth thus admonish us Let not the Children of God walk disconsolately Let them not say God hath forsaken them Let them still remember that the Scripture hath forewarned them of such things That the devil is a roaring Lion seeking whom he may devour 1 Pet. 5.6 Vse of Instruction Hath the Scripture by it's prediction forewarned against all possible offences that fall out then 1. See the truth and faithfulnes of Christ that hideth not the worst
tongue as the disease within is discovered by the Tongue The Apostle Jude v. 15. speaks of one end of Christs coming viz. to execute Judgement on men for all the hard speeches which ungodly sinners were guilty of David speaks of wicked mens tongues that they were like Rasors and sharp Swords men that breathe Hell Fire every time they speak This is a fruit of their hatred And Lastly It breaketh out into actions as that which consummateth all their wickednesse It was hatred killed all the holy Prophets crucified Christ and put to death so many Millions of Martyrs Before this hatred no good man no holy man could stand Obj. But you may ask How can a man hate a good man whom he knoweth to be good seeing it is ordinarily said No man can will evil because it is evil And to hate a good man because he is good implieth That the will can refuse and detest its proper Object The Answer is We are said to hate godly men as wicked men are said to hate God Now God as he is good and full of all lovelinesse so cannot be hated but as he hath that which a wicked man looks upon as evil to himself so he hateth him Thus as God is a holy God one that will not acquit a sinner that will render to every man according to his works So the wicked hate God In like manner the wicked man hateth a godly man because his Godlinesse is that which is contrary to him an evil to him It discovers thy naughtinesse It reproveth and rebuketh thy Impiety and upon this reason he hateth him yet the wicked man doth not only hate a Godly man but all things that belong to him and every thing a godly man loveth he hateth Godly Ordinances the means of Grace and all because a Godly man loveth them All Praying and preaching he hateth All godly Order and Government in the Church of God he hateth because these things are loved by a Godly man As love loveth not only the person but all things that belong to him so doth hatred the contrary In the next place Consider the Properties of this hatred 1. It is a Causelesse One There is no just and true ground of such bitternesse Hence our Saviour Joh. 15.20 21. applieth that of David to all the godly They have hated me without a cause Indeed if you doe regard the contrariety of wicked men to what is holy this is a necessary cause but it 's not a just cause for this indeed deserveth the clean contrary Had the Pharisees a Cause to crucifie Christ Had the Galatians a Cause to become Enemies to Paul Oh no Those thou hatest should be accounted of as Jewels by thee Those thou revilest and reproachest the delight of thy soul should be to them It is a causless hatred 2 It is an universal hatred For seeing he hateth a Godly man for his Godlinesse then he must needs hate it wheresoever he seeth it Indeed some Godly men either through the power and place they have or for other Reasons are not so subject to the effects of wicked mens hatred but the heart is full of poison and venome against the one as the other for he cannot be a good man whom wicked men do not hate one way or other Wo be to you when all men speak well of you This hating of Godlinesse is called hating of the Light Joh. 3.19 Now all Light is offensive to soar eyes Thus the Godly man liveth but he must have his portion Be afraid if wicked men love thee as seeing nothing of God in thee they think thee like one of themselves if I did my duty I should be more opposed 3. It is an implacable irreconcilable Hatred Gen. 3. There was at first an Enmity put between the devil and his Seed and the Woman and her Seed Though wicked men may sometimes flatter and applaud yet the sting is still in the heart Safety and opportunity would quickly make them vent their poison You see though Saul sometimes melted to David saying O my Son David thou art more Righteous then I I have sinned yet for all this David would nor tempt him nor go home with him The Sheep may not think the Wolf ever mindes good to her Therefore our Saviours advice is good but very strange Beware of men Mat. 10.17 He saith not Beware of Lions and Bears or Serpents but of men as if these were worse then all 4. It 's a cruell hatred who is able to reckon up the several kindes of torments that wicked men have invented to excruciate the godly with No death for Christ would satisfie the Jews but what was most ignominious and painful Heb. 11. Some were sawn asunder This was like that Command of Nero Ita feri ut se mori sentiat It 's known to all that reade Ecclesiasticall History what exquisite torments have been invented that the Martyrs might not simply die but die as many Deaths as they have parts of body Obj. But you will ask Whether every godly man is thus hated Though some may be yet are all Ans It 's the inward disposition of all wicked men to hate those that are godly but then the effects of it may be restrained sometimes for fear because those that are godly may be advanced to places of honour and power Though even then all wicked men have not been able to refrain David complaineth that Drunkards made Songs of him and when he was in his afflicted condition with what scorn and contempt did Shemei revile him So that if we respect the habitual inclination of the heart no godly man can be loved by a wicked man though there may be an outward restraint Again sometimes God may so work the hearts of wicked men that for some time and in some exigences they may love the godly and refresh them It 's Gods promise that when our waies please God even our enemies shall be friends with us Prov. 16.7 What a strange thing was that that when the Israelite was so transcendently hated by the Egyptian yet God should give them such favour that the Egyptians should lend them their Gold and their Jewels yea while all that multitude went away not so much as a dog to bark at them so that though the ordinary Rule be for the Godly man to be hated yet God may at some time preserve some Godly men from the strife of tongues he can change Esaus bloudy heart to melt towards Jacob and he can command Laban to speak kindely to him thus he promised Israel they should finde mercy in the eyes of them who led them captive 2. Though the world may hate godly men yet it 's not necessary that every godly man should be hated by every wicked man Those Godly men are most subject to hatred who by their Office and Calling set themselves most against vice Therefore godly Magistrates and godly Ministers are more exposed to hatred then private Christians for they are not
them Thou thinkest with thy self Oh when will the hand of the Lord be over Oh that this burthen were taken off and in the mean time praiest not watchest not lest this should any waies distemper thee and make thee sinful Vse 2. How foolish they are that wil run into any sinne so they may avoid danger That will bow their knees to Baal worship the golden Image ere they will venture any misery What saith our Saviour to such They that will thus save their lives shall lose them God frustrates their earthly Expectations and then Oh the wofull horrour sinne will leave upon them They will finde a wounded Spirit worse then any calamity in the world They will wish O that they had been wracked and tormented in their bodies so that they had never committed such sinnes as wrack and torment their Souls David when he had lost all heavenly joy and all his desirable things did perish could then tell you that sins guilt upon the Soul was worse then all the miseries and troubles that ever he did undergo SERMON LXXXVII That God hath determined a precise time to every particular man in the world how long he shall live JOHN 17.15 I pray not that thou shouldst take them out of the world c. THough we have gathered the full vintage of this Text yet there remain some gleanings of which we may say with the Prophet a blessing is in it Two remarkable truths there are implied the first in the Negative the second in the Positive part In the first in the Negative I pray not that thou shouldst take them out of the world We may observe That God hath the dominion and immediate disposing of our being and continuance in this world When his day is come when his Decree is expired then none can withstand when he commands to return to the dust from whence we came or shall say This night thy soul shall be taken away there cannot be any gainsaying This truth is the more to be regarded because it hath been doctrinally agitated by learned men Whether there be an immovable term of life in this world prefixed to every man and then practically it is of great concernment as is to be shewed But to explain this truth consider First That God hath not onely determined a general or specifical time for all in the world but an individual and peculiar for every man or woman a general term of life God hath provided so that none shall live beyond it No man ever lived a thousand years In the beginning of the world then men were longer lived but in Moses his time we see him affirming the ordinary bounds of a mans life to be threescore and ten Psa 90. For in the wilderness by their wickedness they brought short dayes upon themselves So that all creatures have a general term of life There is the maximum quod sic though some live longer then others Thus men have bounds in the general they cannot out-live But this is not enough God hath appointed to every individual man his continuance in the world so that it is God that taketh him out of the world when his time cometh 2. Though God hath thus appointed our continuance in the world so that in respect of his providence none could live longer or shorter yet if we respect second causes and speak according to them so we may truly say such might have continued longer in the world Hence wicked men are said not to live out half their dayes and Solomon saith Be not over-wicked Eccles 7.17 Why shouldst thou die before thy time Wicked men many times by their wickedness drunkennes and uncleanness kill themselves and sometimes provoke God to destroy them But though they are said not to live out half their dayes yet that is to be understood in respect of second causes not Gods appointment for so it was their whole dayes 3. Though God hath appointed the times of our abode or removal out of the world yet this decree and appointment is brought about in the use of means We are not to apprehend such a decree in God that we shall live such a time let us do what we will eat or not it 's no matter for the use of the means This is wretchedly to dishonour God for though Gods will doth not uncertainly depend upon thy will yet his appointment is with great sweetness and condescention to second causes both natural and rational so that they are moved by him according to their natures Therefore when Paul had a revelation That none in the ship with him should perish yet he tels them that unless they continued in the ship with him they should perish Act. 27.31 4. Therefore though God hath appointed the bounds of our life in this world yet he hath kept it secret from us he lets none know unless by special revelation the times of their death And therefore there is a duty imposed upon all that they use the means of life Thou shalt not kill reacheth first to a mans self and then to another Hence to live chearfully to use the help of the Physician are duties Christ said The sick need the Physician Mat. 9.12 as for secret things they belong to God The souldier knoweth not whether he shall conquer such an enemy scale such a wall yet because his General commands him he is ready to obey and thus though we cannot tell such means shall prolong our lives in the world yet Gods will cannot be neglected without great sin 5. God hath determined the time of our being in the world out of justice and wrath to the wicked out of mercy and wisdom to the godly It 's anger to the wicked for all the while they live they increase their sin they treasure up wrath so that it had been well for them if they had been cut off by death long before They live to make hell the hotter for them when they die But to the godly the time of their abode is limited in mercy The righteous is taken away from the evil to come Isa 57.1 The shepherd driveth his sheep to a refuge before the storm ariseth The jewels are safely put up when the house is in danger when Simeon had seen and imbraced Christ then he had liberty to depart The word is used in Scripture sometimes of those that are dismissed out of prison or are dispatched when their errand is done or freed from a flux or such disease that is upon them and certainly in these respects it may be applied when God taketh his out of the world it 's because they have finished this work and death freeth them from this world that was like a prison to them yea and now a stop is put to all those lusts that were like a bloody flux running from them so that the time when God takes his out of the world is from much wisdom and great mercy They shall not go sooner nor yet later then he willeth and thus many
make it an opposition to Legall Customs For whereas the Priests of the Old Testament being to enter into the Sanctuary did not only first wash their hands and their feet but put on glorious Garments Thus say they Christ prayed that those Apostles whom he was commissionating to preach the Gospel over the whole world might be though not externally sanctified yet internally by a more plentifull and copious enjoyment of the holy Ghost But this is too much restrictive Others there are that understand it finally 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sanctifi◠them to the Truth that they may be fitted and furnished to publish it Others by truth understand Christ who is the essentiall Truth but the words following demonstrate what is meant by Truth even The word of God So that our Saviours purpose is to informe what is that saving Medium and instituted Organ of our Sanctification even The word of God From hence observe That the word of God made known to us is the instrument of God to our Sanctification It 's by this waters side that a godly man being like a tree planted doth bring forth much fruit Are any lusts too strong for thee Are any corruptions too powerfull This is a two-edged sword to be the death of them Art thou dull cold and lukewarm in matters of Religion This is the fire to inflame thee Art thou fainting and dejected with divers temptations This is the Apothecaries-shop that hath all kinde of refreshments for thee no disease but may be cured no doubt but may be answered Hence the Scripture is commended unto us 2 Tim. 3.16 for that which is profitable to instruction correction so as to make a man of God much more a private Christian perfect and thorowly furnished to every good work But this Point deserveth some Explication First We say the Word of God made known unto us is thus an instrument and this bringeth in the necessity of Officers in the Church who by their Gifts and Ministry are to interpret and publish the Word of God to us For if the Scriptures be kept in the Originall Tongue they are unknown to most people and so are like a Candle under a Bushell or like a Fountain sealed up God therefore who hath appointed his Word as a Rule hath also given gifts to men that there may be such who shall divide this Word aright and give his children fit meat in their due season So that if a man ignorant of the Tongues should have a Bible in Hebrew and Greek What good could he get by it till translated and interpreted This is like a veil upon the Scripture and therefore doth as much hinder our understanding as if we had a veil upon our hearts Hence it hath been the good Providence of God to raise up such able and willing men who have been ready to translate the Scripture into all kinde of Languages that so every Nation might have it in their known Tongue We say therefore the Word of God made known to us is thus powerfull Secondly We say it 's Instrumentall Now there is a two-fold Instrument as to our purpose both which meeting together the Word produceth it's compleat effects There is Gods Instrument that which he hath appointed on his part And then There is that which is Instrumentall on our part and that is Faith As in the fore-mentioned place of 2 Timothy 3.16 The Scriptures are able to make thee wise to salvation through faith So that as Christ who is the essentiall Word of God dwels in our hearts by faith Thus the Scriptures the revealed Word of God become effectuall to us by believing The Word did not profit the Israelites because not mingled with faith Heb. 4.6 So that as the Word of God is a necessary instrument on Gods part Thus faith is a necessary instrument on mans part Whensoever God causeth his Word to be published be thou ready to prepare a believing heart This is that which diffuseth the Word through the whole soul The Word is Bread but it 's faith that eats it and digests it No Sermon can ever doe thee the least good unlesse Faith write it down in thy heart Goe home believing such places of Scripture and this will antidote against sinne If humane Faith can turne a man wholly upside downe How much more may divine Faith Thirdly We say it 's Instrumentall therefore the Word of God preached is not the principall or the efficient No though we have ten thousand Teachers and they all like Angels yet truth could never sanctifie us unlesse God give a blessing to it and therefore you see here Christ prayeth to God that he would sanctifie them by his truth intimating That though they understood it never so clearly and remembred it never so firmly yet if God blesse it not to this sanctifying use they are like a Rock under much rain that never brings forth any fruit and in three particulars we must necessarily acknowledge Gods efficiency First Though men be never so expert and diligent in the Scripture yet if God blesse them not with a seeing eye and a spirituall understanding in stead of being sanctified by the Word they are through mis-interpretations corrupted Doth not the Apostle Peter tell of some who through their ignorance did wrest the Scripture to their perdition 2 Pet. 3.16 There are many Heretiques and erroneous persons who are full of Scripture will alledge many places of Gods Word but putting their corrupt glosses upon it it 's no more Gods truth but mans errour and therefore are not sanctified by it in which sense Luther called the Bible The Heretiques book because they would all confidently boast they grounded their opinions upon that Book when indeed it was upon their own corruptions Oh then besides frequent knowledge and excellent memory of the Scripture know a further thing is requisite even the Spirit of God to lead thee by this Rule into the truth else it is with the Scripture as it was with that pillar in the wilderness it was light to the Israelites to guide them but darkness to the Egyptians 2. The Word of God is not blessed to sanctifie our affections and reform our corruptions unlesse God come in as the principal cause As the Prophets servant could do no good in raising the dead childe till the Prophet his Master came so though thou take up the Scripture reade such a place an hundred times over against that very sinne thou livest in yet it doth not sanctifie till God set it home upon thee Nicodemus was grosly ignorant about the work of Regeneration yet no doubt being a Master in Israel he had often read that promise That God would take away an heart of stone and give an heart of flesh and doth not sad experience tell us of many that have great knowledge in Scripture yet they live prophanely and grosly It 's true such men are to look for greater condemnation then others
be full of blemishes yet when we present Christ by Faith then there is no fault to be found Lastly The vertue of this Sacrifice is to make us like Christ himself he thinketh it not enough to be King and Priest himself but he maketh us also Kings and Priests for ever We offer up Praiers and Praises to him and by him we conquer all our spiritual Enemies The devil and our lusts are subdued Such glory have all they that are partakers of this Sacrifice Vse of Terrour to all wicked and ungodly men who by their Unbelief and Prophanesse reject this Sacrifice The Apostle Heb. 10. cals it trampling upon the bloud of Christ and accounting it a prophane thing Oh how many thousand live that have no esteem and make no account of this Sacrifice Oh remember that this is the last and ultimate Sacrifice He that rejects this hath no more hope There remaineth no more oblation for sinne There is not another Christ or another Sacrifice if thou refuse this Vse 2. Of Encouragement to the Godly Come to this Fountain that is set open for Judah and Jerusalem to cleanse in Doe not say because Christ crucified is a stumbling block and foolishnesse to wicked men that therefore thou wilt disesteem him also There is no sore but this blood will heal and cure Oh let the blood of thy soul be stanched with this blood of Christ This blood speaks good and comfortable things better then that of Abel SERMON CI. Of Sanctification as the Effect of Christs Death Shewing That no man truly believeth in Christ for Justification that doth not also for Sanctification JOH 17.19 And for their sakes I sanctifie my self that they also may be sanctified through the Truth WE are now come to the end of Christs Sanctification which is two-fold the finis cui and cujus We shall put them both together for so they are conjoyned in the following clause That they might be sanctified through the Truth Wherein you have 1. The final Cause 2. The Manner of accomplishing it The final Cause That they might be sanctified and from this the Socinian would argue That Sanctification in the former clause was not meant of an oblation by way of Sacrifice because the same word is applied to the Apostles in the Text and they were not to be sacrificed for us To answer this First Some Expositours do expound it of their offering up of themselves by Martyrdom to confirm the truth for Paul professeth his willingnesse herein using the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phil. 2.15 which was used of some kinde of their Sacrifices but we need not runne to that it 's no new thing in Scripture to use the same word in one verse in different significations and it 's a Rule Talia sunt praedicata qualia permittuntur à subjectis The Apostles then needing not such a Sanctification as Christ applied to himself but that for which he prayed in the former verse We must understand it in the same sense as there It 's true by Sanctification some also will have Justification comprehended and so speak of an imputed Sanctification but we need not stretch the word violently but understand it first Of making inwardly holy and then consequently A setting apart and dedicating our selves wholly unto God by living unto him and thence observe That Christ died not only for our Justification but Sanctification also He made himself a Sacrifice not onely to remove the guilt of sinne but to remove and subdue the power of it not onely to make us happy but also holy Let us consider What is implied in this That Sanctification comes by Christs death And First We are to know that Christ is the Cause of our Sanctification several wayes partly efficiently for not only the Father and the Spirit but Christ himself also is the cause of all the holinesse we have and therefore he is called the life because he gives all supernatural life unto his and is compared to the vine Joh. 15. because as the branch separated from the Vine can bring forth no fruit so neither is a man able without Christ to do the least holy action he is also called the Head and John 1. Of his fulnesse we are all said to receive Thus as God in the course of nature is the authour of every natural gift therefore it 's said In him we live and move and have our being Act. 17.28 So in the way of grace Christ is the authour and finisher as of our faith so of every holy work in us The Author Heb. 12.2 and therefore we cannot so much as begin or meet Christ he must prevent us and the finisher for although we have begun yet we have not the same manutenency and powerfull preservation what we have begun to build would immediately fall to the ground Thus Christ is the Alpha and Omega of our spiritual life 2. Christ is the meritorious cause of our Sanctification and therefore not only remission of sin but holinesse and zeal is made the consequent of Christs death And the Apostle doth not only Rom. 7.8 shew that we are justified by Christ but also that the body of sinne is mortified thereby Thus Heb. 10. what Sanctification that Apostate had is attributed to the blood of Christ Christ then hath as efficaciously merited holinesse as happinesse He died to destroy the workes of the devil now our captivity to him was not onely in respect of guilt but that bondage and slavery we were in to all lusts and therefore those two benefits are like Castor and Pollux one cannot be without the other 3. Christ is in some large and improper sense called the formal cause of the good in us an assistant form not informing that is Christ received and applied by faith doth in a most inward and intimate manner live in us and thereby strengtheneth us so the Apostle Gal. 2.20 I no longer live but Christ in me Here you see Christ liveth in a godly man for by faith we are united unto him and thus Christ becomes our Head from whom we have all spiritual influx Now an head is a conjoyned and united cause made one with the body and thus is Christ and his Church and therefore is that similitude of an Head and the Body so often used 4 Christ is the final cause of our Sanctification that is we are made holy to this end both that we might shew forth the praises and glory of Christ as our Redeemer as also that we should live to him and set all our affections and desires upon him desiring with Paul To know nothing but Christ crucified 1 Cor. 2.1 Secondly In that by Christs death we are sanctified there is implied That we of our selves are very impure and unclean that we are like so many noisome dunghils For our being unsanctified doth imply 1. Our filthiness or uncleanness this is the state of every man till sanctified by Christ he is like an unclean leper his
true Sanctification as the Apostle speaks 1 John 2.19 They went from us because they were not of us As leaves fall from the Tree when they have no more of their wonted nourishment and this discovers the falshood of those who appear sanctified onely in some fits and upon some sad afflictions on them 4. Truth of Sanctification is discovered by the purity of our aims and ends They love God they obey him from such holy grounds as are suitable to the sanctified nature As the hungry man loveth his food because of his naturall desire to it Thus a sanctified man loveth and doeth that which is holy for holinesse sake 5. True Sanctification is growing and proficient every day more and more That which hath solid root doth not wither but ripens and flourisheth by the Sunne-beams The Apostles though already sanctified yet are still to be more sanctified and certainly such is the sweetnesse and peace which Sanctification brings that it 's no wonder if the heart be never satisfied but still crieth like the horsleech Give Give 6. True Sanctification will make a man diligently and fruitfully improve all the instituted means for the increase of it because the Spirit of God works holinesse Therefore he is fearfull to grieve it Because the Ministry is to make more holy therefore he prizeth it and labours to profit by it yea because afflictions are sent by God to sanctifie the heart therefore he is humble under them and prayeth more earnestly for the Sanctification of them then the removal of them 7. This Sanctification though inchoate and imperfect here yet shall be perfected hereafter in Heaven Christs prayer Christs Spirit Christs merit will at last obtain their compleat and ultimate effect which is full Sanctification in Heaven when there will be no more need to pray for further Sanctification Vse Hath Christ thus merited and pray'd for Sanctification Then know Christ hath done nothing to encourage prophane and ungodly men Christ died not neither is he a Redeemer or Saviour but to such who are made holy This may amaze and astonish all such as divide the effects of Christs death yea and divide Christ himselfe They look upon him as a Saviour but not as a Sanctifier They would have his blood to wash away the punishment of their sinnes but not the filth and pollution of them Oh let the ungodly know They set up an Idol-Christ There is no such Christ as pardoneth but sanctifieth not also Come then more earnestly to be healed of thy soul-pollution then they did of bodily diseases SERMON CII Sheweth Why Christ who could do all things yet put up Prayers What difference there is between his Prayers and ours And the great advantage Believers have by Christs Praiing for them JOH 17.20 Neither pray I for these alone c. HItherto our Saviour hath praied for his Apostles as they were Apostles But because many things in his Petition for them did aâ—so concern all Beleevers and lest it should be thought that none but the Apostles were the Object of his Praier he therefore comes to a third part in his Petition which relates to the Catholique Church even the whole number of those who in time by Gods Spirit shall be enabled to beleeve Christ doth represent in his Praier to God the weakest beleever as well as the most Eminent Apostle So that here begins the third principall part of this Chapter Now in this Context we may observe 1. The Object of Christs Praier 2. The Final Cause of it 3. The Reasons enforcing it The Object of the Praier is set down 1. By a Negative limitation Not for these alone 2. By a Posiâ—ive explication or description But for those who shall beleeve Through their word In the Negative limitation Consider Who it is that is here said to pray The Person is Christ God und man As for the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we need say no more to that only we are to adde a further Consideration about Christs Praying Seeing therefore that this is the last place wherein he mentioneth his praying I shall now supply what hath been defective in the consideration of this Point and so Observe That Christ though God yet as man did pray unto the Father as other men This Point about Christs Praying is worthy of our knowledge and right understanding For the Arians and Socinians did from hence argue that Christ was not God it being absurd they say for him to pray who could do what he pleased even as it 's absurd to say that God can pray seeing he is omnipotent and hath no Superiour Yea some of the Ancient Fathers have not spoken so soundly in this Point Hilary makes it to be but a kinde of holy simulation that Christ praied and generally it 's made a reason why he praied that he might give us an example But although this be one subordinate end yet there were other more principal ends 1. Therefore let us Consider upon what ground Christ did pray 2. The difference between his Praier and ours He praied then for himself and his Church 1. Because as man he was not omnipotent and so his humane will was not able to accomplish the things he desired for although as God he could do all things in which respect he wrought Miracles and did them not by Petition as the Apostles but by his own power and in his own Name yet as man so what he desired by his humane will by that he could not simply accomplish it so that in this respect it was that Christ as man did pray 2. As man Christ was subject to the Law of God and so was bound to give that worship and Religious Service to God which the Law did require so that when Christ praied he did it as fulfilling a duty he had voluntarily submitted unto Even as when he came to be baptized he told John it behoved him to fullfill all Righteousnesse Matth. 3.15 It was part of his Righteousnesse to be baptized because as man he was made a member of the Church Therefore Matth. 4. he brings that command of worshiping and serving God alone as reaching to him intimating he was bound by that Command as well as other men So Joh 4. he tels the Woman of Samaria We worship we know not what He puts himself in the Number of Worshipers So that Praier being part of Gods worship and a chief part of it no wonder if Christ was constant in it Hence we reade of spending nights in Praier yea in his Troubles his Prayers were accompanied with strong Cries and Agonies and the more they encreased the more earnestly he praied 3. He praied because though all things were due unto him yet by the Ordination of God he could not be partaker of them but by Praier So that though the Glorification of his body was due unto him from the beginning of his Incarnation yet he is to come to it by way of Prayer Hence in this Chapter he doth by many
but because it would be a perpetual usefull document he instanceth in those that are to come yea all the believers for the time past since the beginning of the world are not excluded from this Mediatory prayer while they needed it no more then from his death for Christs prayer as his death profuit antequum fuit it profited before it was because it was present to God from eternity in which sense he is said to be a Lamb slain from the beginning of the world Observ That such is Christs care and love to his that they are remembred in his prayer and death even before they had a being when thou couldst not pray for thy self nor any else yea from eternity Christs Mediatory love and purpose was set upon thee In particular this truth is full of consolations even as the Sea is of waters to those that are members of Christ Therefore to open this First Consider that when Christ here prayeth for all believers he doth not as we do When we pray for the whole Church of God or as some say The Angels and Saints in Heaven pray viz. in a general indistinct manner not descending to every particular individual person No but Christ in this prayer being God as well as man and so cloathed with Omnisciency did in this prayer know and attend to every particular believer that should in any age of the Church be born as distinctly and nominally as I may so say as when he told Peter I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not So that here is a great difference between Christs prayer for the universall Church and ours We cannot name the particular believers that shall be in every age but Christ did represent in this prayer every individual man and had as distinct knowledge of all believers as of the Apostles whom he knew man by man Secondly This must necessarily be so because though the execution and accomplishment of those benefits we receive by Christs prayer and his death be in time yet the Decree and purpose was from all Eternity Christ did not at this time of prayer or the hour of death beginne to will good to them No that love to them was eternal and of old Insomuch that we cannot say There ever was a time when God did not purpose these glorious things for them and therefore it is that the Scripture doth often call the godly to this consideration that his mercy and love to them was of old even before they ever had a being or the world either Ephes 1.4 He hath chosen us in him before the foundations of the world and that is remarkable 2 Tim. 1.9 where this grace of God is said to be given us in Jesus Christ before the world began It 's said to be actually given us before the world began either because God had decreed to do so or else because it is as certain as if it had been done already Oh then what lively consolations should this breed in a believers breast Gods gracious thoughts of mercy were of old to me when I was many thousands of years from having any being yet even then was I in Gods minde and love No wonder if all eternity be not long enough to bless and praise God for this eternal purpose of his Yet in the third place Though we are then chosen in Christ from Eternity yet take heed of that absurd Errour which holds Our sins are pardoned and our persons justified from Eternity To say That while a man is unconverted wallowing and tumbling in his lusts that his sinnes are pardoned and that he is as well loved of God before his conversion as after is to contradict the whole course of Scripture for though we be elected and thus predestinated from Eternity yet the Effects of this are not bestowed upon us till in time and in such a manner as God pleaseth Praedestinatio est amor Ordinativus not collativus as the Schools say It 's immanent in God not transient in us Therefore you see our Saviour supposeth such to be believers who shall be made partakers of his death He doth not promiscuously pray for all men he doth not commend to Gods love every man or woman but the believer onely So that we are to distinguish between the purpose of God and the gracious effects thereof otherwise we may as well say we are glorified from Eternity Fourthly Hence in that Christ doth thus determinately pray for every individual believer It 's a plain Argument that he is God as well as man For how could those things be as present to him which yet were many years to come if he was not God Act. 15.18 Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world Thus Christ being God as well as man to him was known the state and condition of every believer not only before he was born but before the world had a being Therefore from hence it may be properly gathered that even to the humane nature of Christ was revealed the number of those persons whose salvation he was to procure So that Christ as man as well as God knew who they were that should believe in him It 's true Omnisciency could not be communicated to the humane nature as the Orthodox maintain against the Lutherans neither was the knowledge of all things revealed to it but as the Sonne of man he knew not the day of Judgement when it should determinately be and the nescience of this was not any sin in him yet the revelation of this to his humane nature viz. who they were that he should die for seemeth to be more necessary even as Divines say The humane nature of Christ shall by revelation from the Divine at the day of Judgement know all the thoughts and secrets of mans heart that so he may be the great Judge of the world in both his Natures howsoever here is a clear argument that Christ is God as well as man and that his Godhead concurreth to the work of our Redemption Therefore fifthly It is not to be thought impossible that even all things that are to come should be thus present to Christ though it be to us For our knowledge is measured by time and there is not only a successive order in the objects we know but also in the acts of knowing But the measure of Gods knowledge is by eternity wherein all things do exist together So that though in themselves one object be after another yet in respect of God they are beheld with one intuitive act As a man with one cast of an eye from some high Tower doth behold many passengers going by one after another It 's true we can no more comprehend how these things are all at once open and naked to God then a Dwarf can reach the Pyramides yet for all that we are to believe what by reason we cannot comprehend Quid enim magis contra rationem quam ratione supra rationem transcendere said Bernard It 's enough
all its idolatry impiety and that it is indeed wholly at the will of the devil And this suggests a 2d Demonstration that the world doth not know God because the devil is the immediate Prince of it He that is called the Prince of darknesse is likewise said to be the god of this world This is fully expressed 2 Cor. 2.4 where the god of this world is said to blinde the mindes of them which believe not lest the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ should shine into them Therefore you have a notable description of the devils from the Soveraignty and power they have Eph 6.12 where they are called principalities and powers and rulers of the darknesse of this world how wofull then is the condition of the world of ungodly men who are thus made captive to the devils and are ensnared at their will That as they themselves are reserved in chains of darknesse so do they keep all their vassals they are chains of darknesse such as those who are in a dark dungeon and such as they cannot break neither have the wicked any desire to do it and therefore they never say to the devils chains as the ungodly do to Christs dominion Let us break his bonds asunder and cast his yoke away Psal 2. As long then as this strong one keeps the house for the whole world is his house no wonder if he make it like hell it self yea he makes the world by his ruling in it worse then hell in some sence for in hell he is tied up in some degree of torments but in the world he is let loose to infect and damn others though not without his torments 3. The world must needs be without all saving knowledge of God from the defect or absence of those causes which do alone cause saving knowledge So that as the world at first when it was a confused Chaos without form and void could not make a glorious light to appear upon it but that was Gods work whom the Apostle doth therefore describe as him that worketh darknesse out of light 2 Cor. 4 6. alluding to the work of grace which is now upon the world So neither is the world wallowing in its filth and thick darkness able to create the least light of saving knowledge but must for ever perish if God vouchsafe not his grace Now these causes are wanting which necessarily infer ignorance in the world Even as the absence of the Sun makes night 1. There is not the external Revelation and propounding of the doctrine to be believed unless God in much mercy send it Hence you may see that once in Judea only was the true knowledge of God and the whole world besides groped in more then Egyptian darkness and now though God hath commanded this light to shine over the whole world So that it is not limited to any one Nation yet a great part of the world still is heathenish So that they are darkned and become foolish in all their imaginations The denying of the Gospel is a greater misery then if the Sun should be denied to shine to such a people Now it 's God only that makes this light to shine in one place leaving the other in its darkness Even the Pelagians of old did acknowledge this grace of God necessary viz. a revelation and proposition of the object 2. Besides this external light the world wants that internal light of illumination without which the Gospel though never so gloriously preached is but like the Sun shining at noon day to a blinde man for this is made the work of Gods Spirit only Joh. 16.8 to reprove the world of sin and of righteousnesse Till the Spirit of God doth illuminate in both these the world doth not understand the horrible guilt and aggravation of sin the damnable estate and condition it is in thereby Neither doth it know what is that righteousnesse which only can justifie and where it is to be had so that the world even the wisest and most learned thereof are but like so many blinde moles digging constantly in the earth Neither affected with their disease or with the remedy till Gods Spirit doth wonderfully convince them and this is evidently seen in the Christian world For doth not the glorious light of the Gospel compasse men about yet they are like owles the blinder because of this light Insomuch that such blindenesse of minde is not amongst heathens as amongst impenitent and hardened Christians for besides the natural blindeness which they have common with heathens there is a judicial blindenesse that God smiteth them with for unfruitfullnesse and contempt of the Gospel Thus they are twice blinde as some are said to be twice dead Is it not matter of astonishment that a people living many years under constant and powerful preaching should yet he as brute beasts and understand nothing of their misery and the remedy Surely all this is because that judgement is come upon Israel even blindeness of minde and a veil upon their hearts 3. The world knoweth not God because it hath not that ultimate and compleat cause of all saving knowledge which is the spirit of regeneration and the work of a new creature upon their souls for till God give this heart of flesh and remove an heart of stone all the illumination and strongest convictions which men have upon them is not enough to make them know as they ought to know The Apostle Tit. 1.1 speaks of an acknowledgement of truth after godlines now that is only when a mans heart is mollified as well as his minde is enlightned It 's true the Scripture speaks of some 2 Pet. 2.20 who by the knowledge of God did escape the pollutions of the world but that was only in respect of external conversation for they were in their natures Swine still and not sheep It cannot then be that the world should know God and Christ as long as there is that corrupt enmity and spirit of rebellion and contrariety in it to what is holy Christ told Peter that it was not flesh and bloud which had revealed Mat 16.17 that glorious Confession of faith unto him If then the world be thus without the spirit of God enlightening and converting how then can it in any saving way acknowledge God Vse of Instruction Concerning the terrible condition of the perishing world whether within or without the Church yea it is most terrible to those who are the world really but the Church nominally You are shut out from the face of God and Christ You are without hope in the world Oh your greatnesse your pleasures will not avail to keep you from destruction This is Eternall life to know God and Jesus Christ This then is eternal death not to know him 2. That no knowledge of God or Christ which is not practical and saving deserveth the name of Christian knowledge The world though both by nature and supernatural revelation may know much of God yet because lying and living in