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
Jew after the Spirit would farre esteem the latter Thus it is here No power or works are judged great but what are temporall visible and in civill outward things we are apt more to look upon Alexander the great or Constantine the great because of their civill power then Christ who is the King of Kings and Lords transcending all these but in a spirituall way 1 Tim. 6.15 Christ hath this magnificent Title King of Kings and Lord of Lords It 's observed by Drusius a Learned man that those Titles were usually given to the great Kings of Persia then which there were none assumed more to themselves then they did yet the Apostle attributeth this to Christ to inform us that as God hath exalted Christ above all earthly power so we should magnifie and glorifie him accordingly certainly if we Christians did put forth our faith and meditations about the greatnesse of this power it would work great joy and confidence in us It would work an holy fear and trembling The Apostle Eph. 1. Phil 2. Col. 1. is even transported with the expressions about it Now this power of Christ is no where more glorious then in sanctifying and preparing an holy people for himself To give them of the same Spirit with him They that were dead and noisome in sinne to make them live in holinesse and to adorn them with all the graces of his Spirit Oh then let not the people of God be dismaiâ—d or discouraged with the apprehension of their own weaknesse and impotency how can they love God bear afflictions die in hope and comfort Alas thou thinkest on thy own weaknesse and not Christs power Remember Of his Fulnesse thou art to receive A thirsty man need not doubt whether the whole Ocean hath water enough to revive him Christ we reade gave wonderful power to his Disciples and other beleevers to work miracles This amazed and astonished all the world but certainly this power of changing mens hearts and reforming their lives is farre above this To open the eyes of the minde is more then to give bodily sight to say Ephatha to the heart is more then to say so to the ear To raise from the death of sin is more then to command out of the grave Austin said To make a man holy is more then to create a world Conversion is not usually called a Miracle yet it 's a greater wonder then a Miracle Let that soul then which hath found Christ thus powerfull upon him admire the unsearchable greatnesse of his Christ wonder at it as the most admirable expression of Gods power to thee Secondly Christs power is seen in that he doth not only give grace but he is able to bestow all that glory and happinesse the Scripture promiseth Now the reward or fruit of grace is either that inward peace and joy of heart here or eternal happinesse hereafter both which are in Christs power and munificence It was alwaies a flower in the chiefest power to be able to remunerate those that did great service and this is part of Christs Jus Regale For the first the peace of conscience and joy which accompanieth well-doing is exceeding great insomuch that if there were no heaven hereafter yet godlinesse brings a present sweetnesse and delight with it It hath present pay Now all this peace and comfort especially between God and the soul is wrought by Christ only who is called the King of Peace Isa 9. yea our peace Eph. 2.14 because he reconcileth God and man If those Peace-makers be blessed that make man and man to agree how much more is he that brings God and man to agreement But this Christ worketh Alas the heart troubled for sinne rageth and is like an hell till Christ bids it be quiet and still Hence he promiseth to send the Comforter and it 's his Spirit which is sent into our hearts making us to cry Abba Father Gal. 4.6 Oh then let the grieved and perplexed soul through the guilt of sin that can finde no rest no ease go to him that hath power indeed to command these waves to be still See with what love and power Mat. 11.28 this is expressed Come to me ye that are heavy laden and I will ease you Christ will give ease See how imperiously he speaks Let your sinne be never so terrifying your conscience never so disquieted The devils never so much troubling and tempting of you yet I will give you ease You shall finde rest for your souls No earthly power in the world can say thus truly Therefore this is to direct the godly in their black temptations They cry out It cannot be I should have peace I should have joy There may as soon come fire out of water as peace and quietnesse out of my heart Oh remember this Text The power Christ hath over all flesh Is thine excepted Christ can ease and quiet every mans heart but thine Be ashamed to think thy weaknesse more then Christs power Thy guilt more then his consolations The other fruit of a godly life is Eternal happinesse and this Christ doth also bestow upon those that are his At the day of judgement we reade of him putting them into possession Come ye blessed of my Father inherite the Kingdom prepared for you Mat. 25. Heb. 5.9 he is called The authour of eternal salvation he cals himself the bread of life he that eateth on him shall never die more so that all that happinesse and blessednesse which is in the life to come is attributed unto Christ both the purchase and authour of it It 's he that will say Well done good and faithfull Servant enter thou into thy Masters joy For those Parables that speak of a great King employing his Servants in such work and then so abundantly rewarding of them is Christ This should be a great encouragement in Christs service What a glorious and powerful Master do ye serve one who is able to requite thee with eternal glory and everlasting happinesse If we suffer with him we shall reign with him Rom. 8.17 The greatnesse and bounty of the Master doth quicken the Servant Haman was glad of Ahashuerus his emploiment because he could put such honour upon him But oh how should our hearts be enflamed to work for Christ what cannot such a Master do for us Ask any thing in earth or heaven he can bestow it on thee How unworthy is it when we grudge at the work Christ requireth when we repine at the Crosse he would have us take up This is not to attend whom we serve how great our Master is what Treasuries he hath out of which he can bountifully reward us Thirdly Christs power is seen in that he can forgive and pardon sinne Which is acknowledged by all that God only can do it Mar. 2.7 You have this power of Christ particularly opposed by his enemies but vindicated by him and that he hath power to forgive sinnes he proveth by his power to work Miracles Not that
hast an Interest in Christs Death thou art not only dead to sinne but to the world God forbid that I should glory saith Paul but in the Crosse of Christ whereby the world is crucified to me and I to the world Gal. 6.14 Set your affections on things above not on things on the earth for ye are dead Col. 3.2 3. Therefore not onely grosse prophanesse doth exclude from a propriety in Christs Death but an immoderate frame of heart to these lawful things below Indeed if thy overflowing affections to these things be a burthen to thee and matter of daily conflict then it 's plain these immoderate affections are not in a quiet pacifical dominion over thee and so they are the evil thou wouldst not do And then these can never hurt non sensus but consensus nocet But if they do withall delight so possesse thy heart that they quite dead thee to God and heaven Thou sindest no rellish in heavenly things comparatively to the earthly Thou canst say contrary to David when thy Wine and Oyle encreaseth thou hast more joy then those that trust in God Psal 4. Then art thou to fear Christs Death and his Praier doth not as yet belong to thee Hence it is that the efficacy of Christs death is much discovered in the godly by this twofold Death it works on them a death to sinne and a death to the world Even his Resurrection manifests it self in quickning of us to all holinesse and seeking of those things that are above Let us then see by the effects that Christs Death belongs to thee 3. They that have an Interest in Christs Death they make that an example of all patience and humble Resignation 1 Pet. 2.21 24. Christs Death is not onely efficacious and meritorious but exemplary also So that if the Lord afflict us it is no more then what hath been done to his only Sonne already Though he were a Sonne yet he learned Obedience saith the Scripture by those sufferings Heb. 5 6. Now then behold Christ in all his sufferings when he was reviled reviled not again when he suffered threatned not What threatnings might not Christ have denounced against the Jews because they killed him who was the Prince of glory and so dear to his Father but he is like a Lamb that opens not his mouth before the shearer or the killer Oh then how should this shame us for our unruly passions for our impatient workings and commotions of soul Oh silence thy Soul saying Did Christ bear his afflictions no otherwise Did Christ refuse the bitter cup that was given him to drink Did he not say Not my will but thy will be done 4. He that hath advantage by Christs Death looks upon the bitternesse and uglinesse of sinne as being so foul that nothing but the bloud of Christ could wash it away The very thoughts of Christs Death presently makes him say Oh the cursed and foul nature of all sinne Neither men nor Angels could take away the spot of it but only Christs Death Wicked men therefore they are said to trample under feet the bloud of Christ Heb. 10. Because they have not those right precious thoughts about it as they ought to have Though the bloud of Christ speaks better things then that of Abel yet it doth in some respects speak more terrible things because by that we see how infinitely God is displeased with sinne how unsatisfied his justice was till such an atonement was made So that if we look into hell if we behold all the torments and miseries there it doth not so fully represent the foul guilt of sinne as Christ crucified on the Crosse sweating drops of bloud and crying out My God My God why hast thou forsaken me 5. They that shall have advantage by Christs Death they are infinitely affected with that love of God and Christ therein As you see in Paul That love of Christ giving himself for us sinners and enemies to be reconciled thereby to God Oh how mightily did it constrain Paul 2 Cor. 5.14 The love of Christ constraineth us holds us in an extasie working on us as the Spirit did on the Prophets in their illuminations and prophesies And why so Because we thus judge that if one died for all then were all dead To consider from what a dying damning estate Christs Death doth free us must needs be like fire burning and inflaming a man all over If we had not been desperately dead dead every way dead in sin dead in guilt dead in respect of all earthly hope Christ would not have died for us Oh then the unspeakable affections and enlargements which the Death of Christ works in those that have a propriety therein 6. They that have a propriety in Christs Death will resign all they have up unto Christ and now live no longer to themselves or to worldly motives but unto Christ Rom. 6.10 11. 1 Pet 2.24 so 1 Cor. 6.20 the Apostle urgeth because we are bought with a price therefore we are none of our own and we should glorifie God in soul and body He then that can claim a Title to Christs Death looks not upon his body his estate his health his parts the faculties and affections of his soul as his own his love is not his anger is not Oh how rare then are they who may urge this Argument Christ died Christ was crucified for me for unlesse thou art a redeemed man and that from thy self and all creatures in the world to live wholly to Christ and to resigne all up to him here is little hope for thee Observe then these qualifications and if upon true search they can be found in thee then proceed to make an application of all those glorious priviledges that come by Christs death Fear not let not the devil or thy own guilty heart keep thee off from tasting yea eating abundantly of this honey Hearken what Christ speaks to his Church concerning priviledges and gracious favours Cant. 5.1 Eat O Friends drink â—ea drink abundantly And 1. Those that can pleade Christs Death may also pleade his Resurrection Intercession and whatsoever glorious actions of his are done for his people If Christ died for thee he rose again for thee he interceded in heaven for thee When thou saiest he is an Advocate to pleade thy cause Rom 8. It 's Christ that died who is risen again so that the Death of Christ is the foundation of all his other gracious acts Hence it is that the remission of our sins is attributed to the shedding of his bloud The atonement of our iniquities is given unto his death because in it he did manifest the greatest obedience unto the will of God and the lowest humiliation of himself for us Phil. 2. If then thou hast a propriety in the death of Christ Christ hath done the utmost for thee even to die for thee You see that put him upon the greatest struglings and agonies if he would have refused in any thing it would
which relateth to eternity so that the first and the last thing thou hast to think on is how to come to this eternall life The Apostle useth an emphaticall word 1 Tim. 6.12 Lay hold on eternall life as a man that runneth in a race at the end thereof streacheth out himself to lay hold on the garland so that as he who runneth in a race neglects all the pleasant objects he runneth by and hath his eye only upon the prize Thus it ought to be with us neither riches honours friends or earthly advantages ought to be inordinately minded by us but eternall life that is the prize upon that our eye is to be after that we are to pray and strive But who may not blame himself and judge himself for neglect herein Oh how little is this eternall life in thy affections and hopes thy cares about thy body about thy estate will greatly condemn that sluggishness about eternall life 2. As this ought to be the great question we are to rise with and go to bed with so we must take the right way to answer it It 's not enough to make the question as Pilate did to Christ What truth was and never matter an answer but we are to be restlesse in our souls till we have a full answer till we know the way Now that we can only be instructed in from Gods Word John 6.68 Whither shall we go thou hast the words of eternall life The Scripture then is this Tree of Life the fruit thereof and the leaves likewise are for eternall healing Hence our Saviour in the next verse tels us what is the way to have this eternall life even by knowing of God and Jesus Christ As all the Heathens were in dark confused thoughts about immortallity so they were in Egyptian darknesse or like the blinde Sodomites groping and feeling for a way to it but could never get in Wouldst thou therefore be resolved in this How may I have this eternall life betake thy self then to the Scriptures make them thy counsellers do not attend to the waies of the world matter not what they say or what they do for that telleth thee the way to heaven is clean contrary to the manners and practises of the world If you do not rectifie your self by the Scripture and resolve to follow the light of this starre though you should hear many hundred Sermons of eternall life yet they would do you no good say then let me consider what way the Scripture would put me into my life I yet live is wholly repugnant to Gods Word whatsoever course that prescribeth though never so contrary to my lusts to my former practises yet I will gladly renounce all Do this and then expect eternall life 3. Consider this deeply that upon this little moment we have here depends all eternity Thou hast a short brittle life in this world and upon the good improvement of this depends all eternity Oh the searchings and turnings of heart this particular should make in you My everlasting condition that estate which is to be for ever and ever it wholly hangs upon this uncertain life It may be thou hast but a day an hour to live longer and all thy eternity depends on this Oh men foolish and unwise who will not lay these things more to heart God hath given us a candle to work by a short day we have to improve and if this passe over thy head then comes unchangeable eternity As at thy death thou art cast for eternall life or everlasting torments so it must be without ever any recovery or alteration Oh how precious should thy time be how dear should every day every hour be all this hath influence into eternity Well might the Apostle Ephes 5.16 command us to redeem the time Time is the most precious jewell in the world eternity depends on it and therefore wilt thou let thy lusts or wicked companions steal away this jewel that is more worth then all the world Oh let us so live every day every hour as those that say as I do now so will eternity be to me 4. Consider this that the most of men even called and injoying the means of grace shall misse of this eternall life What is a thunderbolt if this be not Luk. 13.24 There are few that enter into the strait gate and many are called but few chosen our Saviour used that apothegm more then once How formidable and dreadfull should these words many and few be unto us Many perish in the broad way few enter in the strait way What will make thee cast off presumption security and negligence if this do not The number of those who shall have this eternall life is very few a little flock they are comparatively to those many millions that are cast into everlasting flames Oh how long shall we hear these things and yet be void of all spirituall understanding If such an asseveration should be used concerning any temporall misery or calamity Many shall dye of the plague few shall escape Many shall be cut off by famine or the sword and a very few shall be preserved who would not fear lest he should be one of the many And yet in these things many are as idle having ears they hear not and hearts they understand not 5. Desire to have such thoughts and resolutions now as if thou wert already in eternity For if the damned in hell that see no escape from those everlasting flames were asked what they thought of their sinne how they loved it would they not make miserable howlings it 's that which hath undone us oh that is the sting that enters into the very bowels that 's the scorpion which pierceth to the very heart Oh we mad men and void of all understanding who though forewarned of this and threatned about it yet regarded nothing beleeved nothing but now oh now after millions of years in this tormented place we are as unlikely to come out as at the first Think you they are not then altered and changed do they not cry out of those bitter sinnes which were once so sweet Should God give them leave to be here again upon the earth would they not repent in sackcloth and ashes would they not day and night mourn after God and his forgivenesse Oh that every wicked man who findes pleasure and delight in his sinnes would think and say Do the damned in hell judge it so Do they feel sinne so sweet And thus also desire to have the same inlarged affections and delight in God as those glorified Saints in heaven have Dost thou finde thy heart worldly unruly distempered say Do those in eternall life rejoyce no more have they no more enlivened flames of zeal for God then I have Thus to judge as those who are in eternity would be an excellent spurre to all piety 6. Remember this likewise that it 's farre better thou hadst never been born then to misse of this eternall life
the flesh which will cause great pain in the pulling out If therefore thou wouldst with much peace and joy make up thy account sit loose from all earthly things these are good but God is better to have God would be a gain to thee these are thorns and thorns in thy side they do not only choak our duty but our comforts 2. This will diminish thy comfort much though thou hast for the main been holy when too much formality and slothfulnesse hath been upon thee The want of zeal and fervency will greatly abate of thy joy Therefore the Apostle 1 Pet. 1. saith Give all diligence to make your calling sure as if he had said as long as you live slothfully and negligently you can never come to any assurance the more lazy and cold thou art the greater will thy fears and doubtings be Oh then let this be a goad in thy side to do what thou doest with all thy might love God serve God pray to God with all thy might I tell thee it will be a great grief and breaking of heart to think of all thy family duties and publique duties done in a meer customary way if thou doest them not as a dying man as a man going immediatly to give his account to God thou comest not up to thy duty Rev. 2. see how severe God is there to the Church I have something against thee because thy works are not perfect filled works They were good works but they were not filled with inward life and the substance of grace therefore he exhorts them to strengthen the things that were ready to die Oh then do thou pray that a constant fire may burn upon the altar of thy heart take heed of grievings and tormenting fears because thou wert so barren so superficiall and unhearty in the work of God though this will not break thy anchor yet it will tosse thy ship up and down very violently though it will not raze thy foundation yet it will cause great heartquakes and trembling within thee 3. This will much weaken though not quite destroy thy comfort when thou hast not been carefull and active to improve all the opportunities and prizes God put into thy hand To think this I might have done there was this excellent occasion and I neglected it These thoughts will be so many drops of gall in thy hony Therefore the Apostle presseth that duty to redeem the time Ephes 4.16 to take all the occasions and opportunities before thee We are commanded to learn of the unreasonable creatures that know their times and seasons Christs tears over Jerusalem Luk. 19.41 were because she did not know her day God doth give many gracious occasions which it may be will never be injoyed more Now as those that did not go out early to gather Manna could not have any afterwards though they would have laboured many hours and as those that did not step into the Pool while the Angel descended could not upon any terms have the benefit afterwards so it is here if thou take not the opportunity the season God offers it may never come again It 's true there is no man dying but may be greatly afflicted for mis-spent opportunities therefore you heard no man could put any confidence in the best improved life that can be only he is happy that hath lesse worms gnawing upon his conscience then others Oh then take this home with thee thou godly soul when Christ knocketh at the door there is an opportunity of doing or receiving good take heed with the Church thou do not make excuses and so make Christ depart thou maiest afterward search for him in the anguish of thy heart and not finde him 4. This will allay our comfortable account when though we have done the work of God yet we did it upon constraint and slavish fears not from filiall and voluntary principles As the heart hath been free and willing so commonly will thy joyes be When the people offered so willingly about the Temple how joyfull and glad is David blessing God Who are we that we should be able to offer thus willingly 1 Chron. 29.14 and Lord keep this alwaies in their hearts so that a ready willing minde God doth accept of and fils with consolation He hath not sowed sparingly and therefore shall not reap sparingly Wo is me saith Paul if I preach not the Gospell 1 Cor. 9.16 If I preach the Gospel willingly I have a reward but if not the dispensation of the Gospel is committed to me As if be had said If I preach the Gospel and do my duty from a ready willing minde I shall have an overflowing reward but if not there is a necessity laid upon me it is my duty I cannot put it off God will require his trust Oh then do not lose the comfort of all thy duties to do from constraint from fear because of a slavish conscience this will not produce that consolation which a voluntary free spirit will therefore as the Apostle spake concerning Ministers Heb. 3.17 people should obey them that they might give their account with joy and not with grief the same is to be applied by every one oh let me with delight and willingnesse do Gods work that I may lift up my head when death appeareth He that is haled to his duty will be haled to his account in neither will he have any joy I did such things indeed but it was meer fear of hell and torment I had no delight in God or approaches to him 5. Though we do the work God requireth yet so much insincerity and hypocrisie as there is so much will our comfort abate This I have done indeed this zeal this activity I had but it was not purely for God there were self-respects self-considerations and these will be so many thorns by thy roses if it had not been for such ingredients thy heart had been more serene and calm This was Pauls evidence not simply that he preached the Gospel but that he did it as of God and to God 2 Cor. 2. The Pharisees in all the duties they did could have no true comfort because their ends were nought Jehu and Judas these will give no comfortable account so that purity of intention and rectitude of aims will only comfort thee at thy death shouldst thou abound in the most Angelicall duties that are be admired of all yet if in all these things thou hast not been purely fixed thy hopes will fail insincerity is accompanied with sad doubts and uncertainties 6. Ignorance or a mistake in some things may make us give our account with great fear As 1. If we look for perfection in our lives being resolved like Rachel to mourn and take no comfort unless our life appear a garden to us without any weeds at all but that is reserved only for heaven If none might dye comfortably but he that hath lived perfectly then every man must go out of the world with despair
degrees and subjective perfection also yet Cursed is he that doth not continue therein Gal. 3.10 as you see Adam did not but Christ from the beginning to the end of his daies held it out yea his love did most appear at the later end for then was the greatest and hardest parts of his work to undergo but though in all that reproach contempt and scorn yet he was not weary he did not give over his work he did not fail or faint in the later end Thus Christ was our David fighting against Goliah and in his conquest we did overcome Lastly He so finished it that he hath left nothing to be done either by Angels or men in that way and kinde as he did Therefore all these doctrines that maintain free-will that hold the mediation and intercession of Saints in heaven that maintain merits and satisfactions all these blaspheam the sufficiency of Christ and say Christ hath not finished his work for either Christ was a totall and perfect Mediator or else a partiall if a totall and perfect then there needeth no more one Sun is sufficient all things added are superfluous if a partiall Mediatour then he did not finish his work then he did it by halves and so Angels and Men are to share with him in his glory It 's true they have many distinctions to mince the matter but these fig-leaves cannot cover Adams nakednesse and it 's made the sinful property of man fallen to seek out many inventions God made man upright but they have sought â—ut many inventions Eccl. 7.29 They have many colours and pretences many distinctions and excuses to cover their sins with But you will say If Christ hath done all and we are to doe nothing then what need we be diligent and zealous in the waies of godlinesse Sin or not sin it will be all one Christ hath done all therefore we may eat and drink and rise up to all excesse of riot No that is a Non sequitur For our duties are not required to that end which Christs was but yet they are necessarily commanded for other ends Though Christ did work and finish his work yet thou must work and endeavour to finish thy work too But how It 's good to understand this for here Popery and the true Religion part here they oppose one another We pleade the necessity the presence the command of good and holy works as well as they only we differ in the end They presse them for such an end as Christ did his work for us for merit for justification for our salvation This we say is to derogate from Christ This is to make Christ of no effect whosoever repents beleeveth doth any holy duty for this end is guilty of spiritual Idolatry he maketh another Christ to himself besides the true Christ but then there are other ends for which we do these duties partly because God hath commanded them as the way to walk in if ever we will be saved so that though our holy life deserve not heaven yet our wicked and ungodly life deserveth hell and then partly to glorifie God and to testifie our thankfulnesse and love to him yea there is an inseparable connexion between a man interested in Christ and a holy life as there is in the fire with heat and light In the next place Consider the properties of this work Christ â—â—â—nished And 1. It was a work of infinite value and worth whatsoever Christ did it had a transcendent excellency because he was God as well as man so that we are not to consider those works he did as of a meer man though never so holy but as one of a divine nature 2. They were Mediatory works all that he did and suffered tended to a propitiation and reconciliation with God so that as the nature of them was infinite so the end of them was precious and admirable what should man have done if Christ had not done thus 3. It was not only his work but our work Alas Christ was not obliged to these duties for his own sake but it was for our sake so that the godly with great affection may consider of these works of Christ for they concern thee They are our works both impetrativè they merit for us they procure good for us and imputativè we are made the righteousnesse of God as our sins were accounted his 4. The necessity of this working and working so perfectly and that doth appear from the justice of God and purity of the Law and partly from our impotency from the justice of God for that being infinite nothing could satisfie him but what was of infinite worth It would have been injustice in God to have given us heaven otherwise and then partly from the holinesse of the Law that admits of no works but perfect pure and holy Therefore to say God accepts of imperfect holinesse and accounts that as compleat which is not so is to attribute false judgement unto God and lastly our own impotency proclaimeth the necessity of Christs perfection for take us as we are in our selves so we are nothing but sin and a curse In stead of working Gods work we do the devils and take us as regenerated then though we be partakers of Gods grace yet the remnant of corruption within us doth staine and infect all that we do Lastly Here is the glorious visibility of Christs perfect working in his resurrection ascension and now sitting at the right hand of God in glory which could not have been had not Christ perfected his work for what is the reason the devils and damned in hell are detained to Eternity in those prisons of darknesse Is it not because of their insufficiency to perfect their sufferings to make them adequate to Gods justice to bring as great glory to God as ever sin did evil or dishonour In that therefore Christ hath overcome the grave and the bonds of death we have an infallible evidence of his perfect working Vse of Instruction how dangerous all those doctrines are which proclaim free-will merit under any notion whatsoever As they give that to man which belongs not to him so they take that from Christ which is due yet this is a most natural sin in all either in whole or in part to take off from Christ not to be beholding to him only God hath commanded us to come out of our sins by repentance and our own works by faith and the Apostle doth not only exclude sins but even working also from Abrahams Justification Rom. 4. There is a danger of being a Pharisee when thou ceasest being a Publican Vse 2. of great Consolation to the broken-hearted sinner This is the glad tidings of the Gospel to those who sit under the sentence of eternal death Christs works will abundantly answer all the temptations about thy own works Two things lie like two Mountains upon the godly The weakness of their graces and the strength of their corruptions If
death but these works of God they are living works partly because they proceed from a life of grace and partly because they will live for ever they will go to the grave with thee to heaven with thee they will never forsake thee 2. It 's our duty to work because God hath made them the necessary way to walk in if we will be saved Without holinesse no man shall see God Labour for the meat that perisheth not Hence if we consider every gracious work of patience love meeknesse we shall see blessednesse is promised to them Not that these justifie only the person justified cannot be without them They are the media ordinata ordained mean in the use whereof we are to arrive at eternal happinesse It 's faith only that receiveth Christ and his righteousnesse yet this faith cannot be separated from an holy walking It 's the eye only that seeth yet the eye cannot be separated from the other parts of the body and thus the Apostle doth immediatly oppose Rom. 4. beleeving working grace and works in respect of Justification yet he doth at the same time presse the Children of God to all holinesse and the fruits of righteousnesse 3. Working is necessary by way of gratitude and thankefulnesse to God and Christ If there were nothing else but this this might pour coals of fire upon thee for how many works of Gods grace hast thou been partaker of If Gods grace did not work all the day long for thee thou couldst not be a moment preserved out of hell and as for Christs working reade the History of his Life he was alwaies finishing the work of thy Redemption and Salvation he had nothing to do for himself all was in reference to thee Oh then how unworthy wilt thou shew thy self of all that love and kindenesse which God and Christ have done for thee If thou like the Sluggard let the Field of thy Soul grow full of briars and thorns Oh how can thy heart be so cold and slothful When thou considerest grace is working for thee all the day long if Christ had no more zealously and earnestly wrought my peace for me then I do perform his duties my soul had perished irrecoverably Lastly Therefore it 's necessary we should work Gods work because we have for a long time spent our selves in the Service of Satan and doing the works of the devil Oh this should be a perpetual goad in thy side this should be fire in thy bosome to consider that there was no hour no day no season but thou didst take the opportunity to satisfie thy lusts Thou never couldst have enough of sinne No thirsty man did more greedily swallow down water then thou didst sinne yea how active to draw on others to infect others with the same plague thou hadst I tell you this will lie heavy upon the godly soul If I were to live Methusalems age it would not be time enough to do God service for the dishonour I have put upon him Thy time is short and thou hast much to do because thou hast undone so much In the next place Consider That it 's lawful for the people of God in all the work they do for God to encourage themselves with this that there is an everlasting glory laid up for them Even as Christ had an eye to this glory so it 's lawful for us Thus Moses had an eye to the recompence of the reward Heb. 11. The godly Rom. 2. are said to be such as seek for immortality and glory Rom. 5.2 They rejoyce in hope of the glory of God and Paul accounted all these sufferings but light in respect of that eternal weight of glory 2 Cor. 4.17 Indeed Gods glory is to be sought in the first place and then our glory so that it 's a shame if in all our doings and sufferings for God we are not full of joy because of that unspeakable glory apprehended by faith Faith makes it present as if we already were partakers of it So that whatsoever temptations and discouragements are in the work of the Lord this glory will abundantly make amends for it Are there reproaches and disgrace in the world All the while thou didst sin and the devils work thou hadst the love and good-will of the world but since thou hast betaken thy self to the service of God thou art the scoff and reproach of all O think of the glory God will crown thee with before all the world Again are all the works of God painful difficult and contrary to flesh and bloud thou must strive and wrastle much in praier be alwaies in a combat and conflict Remember this everlasting glory yea God therefore doth many times put his Children upon all exercises and sad temptations which make them ake at the very heart and all is to encrease their glory the more Thus Job thus Paul they had extraordinary trials that they might have extraordinary glory Furthermore is there self-denial required in Gods work Must thou part with thy pleasures with thy profit thy delights still remember this glory will make thee no loser for alas what proportion is there between these petty things thou leavest and those everlasting treasures God hath provided for thee In the sixth place That the glory of Gods people may be full he giveth them time and large opportunities of working for him and keeps thee in this world not for any earthly and outward advancement of thy self but to serve him in thy generation as it 's said David served God in his generation Act. 13.36 and God calleth Moses his servant Whatsoever thy relation thy place thy office be God hath appointed thee to work and therefore he prolongs thy life till thy work be done This is a comfortable consideration which all the godly may take that death shall not seize on them while thay have work to do for God and when that is finished then this summons to everlasting glory As for Infants this Truth reacheth not to them and if any like the Thief on the Crosse are called at the last hour and so are not able to work in the Vineyard yet even such have an habitual prepared heart for it if they had the opportunity But for others whose daies are prolonged they are thus to think with themselves I have this day this week longer to adde to my work God hath for me to doe Take heed of mispent time take heed of losing daies and weeks The night is coming when none can work Vse 1. How much comfort and joy the godly may take at the hour of death Their work is done now they have nothing but the Robes of glory to put on That fulnesse of glory they are immediatly to possesse should swallow up the fears of death and the love of the world With what joy should they cry out Farewell Friends Wife and Children welcome God welcome eternal glory Alas thou hast no glory here Thy body is a vile body thy soul a
faithfull for one as well as for many 2. All that Christ did it was not in reference to himself but for us All the Miracles he wrought it was for Beleevers he did them not for his glory and honour as he speaks about Lazarus his being dead Joh. 11. I was glad for your sakes because that Miracles might tend to their Confirmation in the Faith Thus Christ became obedient to the Law and fulfilled the righteousnesse thereof for our sakes Oh what an admirable overwhelming Point is this that all the labour and obedience which Christ performed of which he said It was meat and drink to do his Fathers will Joh. 4. That all this should not be for himself but in reference to us How may this fill our hearts and mouths with joy and confidence at the Throne of grace O Lord why did Christ fulfill all righteousnesse why did he perfectly obey the Law So that no fault should be found in him Was not all this for me Did he need this himself 3. His sufferings and rendring up himself as an atonement and Sacrifice upon the Crosse This also was wholly of God for us The Prophet Isaiah is affected with it He laid upon him the iniquities of us all and by his stripes we are healed Isa 53.5 Thus every where his death is said to be for us he died for us he gave himself for us and it must needs be so for in him was found nothing worthy of death There was no sin or guile found in him he was not under that Sentence pronounced upon Adam and his posterity And here again the people of God may lift up their heads wiih joy Christ died he became a Sacrifice to the justice of God not because of himself but of us Hence it 's said His bloud speaks better things then that of Abel Heb. 12.24 Abels bloud cried for vengeance this for mercy and if Abel though dead speaketh how much more must Christ who though dead is risen again May not this be an Axe laid to the root of all thy unbelief Shall the godly heart be any more bowed down when he shall remember all those Agonies which Christ did undergo were for us Shall thy sins be accounted great and Christs death not greater Go thou troubled and grieved Soul we will give thee leave to aggravate thy sins to the highest Let them be never so bloudy yea hadst thou committed more then thou hast done yea all that all the wicked men of the world have done Were all their sins thine yet here is the Red Sea to drown that great Egyptian host Oh that men could have as good cause to judge that they are ingrafted in Christ and are such to whom Christ belongs as they may conclude that if such Christs death doth overcome all their sins It was nothing In Christ but in thee that made him a Curse upon the Crosse 4. The fruits and benefits of Christs Mediation did not redound to him but to thee Justification and remission of sins Sanctification of our natures Victory over lusts assurance of Gods favour all these come by Christ but to those only for whom he was appointed a Saviour he needed none of these priviledges no more then the heavens where the Sun and Starres are do need rain Oh then set open the gates of thy Soul wide through faith that thou maist be satisfied and made happy with these mercies In this dead Lion thou maist finde much honey for thy self Oh Lord why are all these priviledges annexed to thy death Is it because thou hast any want or thou hast any need of them No but that my emptinesse may be filled my dark heart enlightened my naked soul covered Thus you see what is implied Secondly The second particular is That all this is of God the Father It 's his will and gracious appointment that Christ should do all these things for his They have known that all I have is of thee and thou hast sent me So the Apostle It pleased the Father that in Christ all fulnesse should dwell Col. 1.14 And here is admirable ground of hopes and confidence for it 's not against the Fathers will yea all this is of his gracious appointment that Christ should be thus a Mediatour for his Children Doubt not then whether the Father will accept of what Christ hath done or not Do not question whether he will receive thee in Christs Name for the Father hath manifested as great willingnesse for thy Salvation as the Son Say then Oh holy Father here is sure a wonderful way for my acceptance at the Throne of grace that I am astonished at it and it 's of thy goodnesse and grace that such a way is procured Oh what then can hinder but that I be justified The Father willing and the Son willing yea the Father loving Christ because he laid down his life for the Sheep Joh. 10.17 All this makes for the encouragement of the godly The third particular is That it 's the duty of all Gods Children to know and beleeve this fulnesse in Christ for them and to look upon Christ with all his benefits as for them Now faith thus fixed on Christ hath these either ingredient or concomitant acts and effects 1. There is a knowledge and a sound discovery of this sufficiency in Christ You see here knowing and beleeving put together Ignorance of this Point that all in Christ is for the beleever breedeth much dispondency and takes off the wheels of thy Chariots They look upon Christ as a Fountain sealed up as a garden enclosed They apprehend it 's not for every godly person to go and drink of this fountain unlesse attaining to such an high measure of grace Whereas a true knowledge of the end and use of Christ would quickly dispell all such black thoughts 2. To beleeve doth imply a relying and resting of the soul upon this fulnesse Christ with his righteousnesse is the center of his heart He trusts and puts his whole confidence in it He need go out no further to seek here is enough he fears no breaking no shaking as long as Christ will last and endure so long shall he As a man that treads on the firm ground he fears not as he that walks on slippery Ice Thus the godly man leaneth on a firm foundation but he that trusteth in his own righteousnesse or works melts as Ice before the Sunne 3. There is a full satisfaction of the soul in this beleeving So that it removeth all cares and fears Have I enough or no Is it sufficient to carry me out He is therefore said to save to the uttermost Heb. 5. and it 's called The riches of grace by Christ the unsearchable riches He therefore that beleeveth in Christ thus as sent of God he may say Return O my soul into thy Rest for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee what can satisfie if a Christ with all his benefits cannot
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
be kept from sinne and all evil in our Afflictions and Troubles then from the afflictions themselves This is a speciall Truth for whose heart is not troubled about the Affliction more then the Sinne Whose heart is not more upon the passive evil he suffers then the active evil he doth Whose soul is made so spiritual that no vexation or pain and losse in body or Estate doth affect him so greatly as the sinful distempers and troubles of his soul doth But to open this Consider 1. That it's Gods special Gift and his power only that keeps his people from sinne in their afflictions For did not God sanctifie Did not God teach as well as chasten the Evil of Sinne and the Evil of Punishment would alwaies go together the time of our trouble and the time of our transgressions would never be separated When David could say That out of very Faithfulnesse God had afflicted him that before he was afflicted he went astray This was wholly from the Grace of God for how many in their distresse are like Ahaz that then did worse then ever before for certainly Afflictions to wicked men are like the fire or pouncings to ill and unsavoury Herbs the more they are medâ—ed with the more they stink As the damned in hell their Torments make them rage and blaspheme against God Thus it is with the wicked on the Earth their present troubles draw out their corruptions They are more impatient more discontented and never more evil then when they have the greatest cause to be exceeding good But to the Godly it is otherwise that light which burneth the wicked enliveneth the Godly as the fire in Nebuchadnezzars Furnace did lose the bonds that the Worthies were bound in and made them at Liberty when it consumed the ungodly Thus Afflictions many times set the Godly at Liberty from their sinnes loose their hearts more from the world but how comes this about it 's the meer Gift of God Did not God support as Christ did Peter in these waves we would presently be over-whelmed Oh then reflect on thy self Hath any trouble Have any Afflictions made thee more humble and more upright Hath Beleeving outed thee from the world and earthly things know that it's God that hath kept thee from the evil Secondly The Scripture speaks of it as a special favour when God will be with us in our Afflictions so that we shall not be left to Temptations Therefore we are constantly to pray Mat. 6.13 that God would deliver us from Temptation Now although prosperity and outward mercies are a Temptation yet the Scripture doth for the most part call Afflictions only Temptations because we are so hardly able to keep our Integrity and holinesse in them We can hardly overcome flesh and bloud or conquer our selfish Inclinations so as to lie humbly and with deep Resignation into Gods hand Oh then what great thoughts of heart should there be that such a Condition such a streight such an Affliction be not a Temptation to thee that God do not leave thee in it It 's a special mercy to be kept from a Temptation but a greater in it This is miraculous like those that were in the fire and yet not burnt There is not a more comfortable evidence of Gods love when thou shalâ—be bruised and broken with many afflictions and yet they are not able to stir up corruptions in thy heart Never forget to pray That as Temptations and Afflictions shall come on thee so Gods sutable Grace and tender Preservation may accompany thee Though Christ prayed thus for the Apostles to be kept from the evil yet Peter gradually though not totally or finally was left by God in his Temptation when he was surprised with fear how grievously doth he deny Christ with bitter curses and swearings Here Peter was not quite from evil though so farre as Christ prai'd for him he was preserved viz. that his faith might not fail Oh by this sad instance we see if God withdraw his Arm from us how dreadful our Estate would be That thou hast not blasphemed God and his Providence and charged God foolishly in thy streights blesse and praise God for it and remember that self confidence is the great sinne to provoke God to leave thee to the evil of temptations as we see in Peter and Hezekiah Take heed of going out of Gods arms of letting go his hand or provoking him any way Thirdly Afflictions and Tribulations do not of themselves make us holy but they work according to the subject exercised with them Indeed naturally to every man unregenerate they draw out corruption and sinne and Physick to an incurable disease doth but hasten Death and fire to wood and such like Combustibles doth not refine but consume The more a muddied Pool is stirred the more noisome it is and thus it would work even in a godly man did not grace live within him as well as sinne Yet even to a godly man it 's a very difficult thing not to have the waves of his heart rise high when these windes and tempests have blown upon them and for this reason it is that the more troubles are upon us the greater assistance and discoveries of grace we need and therefore there is more comfort in this praier of Christ then the heart can conceive Here is a provision made for thee in that which thou dost most want for if the least temptation the least Evil fall on thee if that fall upon thy heart it will presse thee to hell should not God support and sanctifie it a gnat will choak thee as well as a Camel God only moveth on these deeps and makes them fruitful In the next place Let us consider the Grounds and Reasons why it 's more blessed to have preservation from sin the evil of an affliction then from the affliction And First Because an Affliction is but a particular temporall Evil but Sinne is an infinite universall Evil Sicknesse depriveth of Health Poverty of Wealth and thus every Streight doth but oppose some temporall particular Good that is the Creatures Good But Sinne is an Universall Evil it depriveth of God and it divesteth of all Glory and Happinesse so that as Anselme said It ought to be our Resolution That if Hell were on one side and Sinne on the other we ought rather to choose Hell-Torments then Sinne and the Reason is because Sinne is an Offence and a Dishonour against God God is infinitely more then the Creature and his Glory and Honour is more worthy then all we are It 's better the whole World should be annihilated and destroyed and come to nothing in all its Comforts then that the least glimpse of the Glory of God should be Eclipsed Oh then whosoever had rather sinne then be afflicted he preferreth himself above God he preferreth himself above Christ and he sets up his own particular Safety and Security above Gods Glory Oh then that we could be more afraid of Sinne then we
and so is ready to infect and damn every one therein that may be amplified in the following verse And Vse 1 1. Hath God appointed the time of thy going out of the world then labour and work hard in his vineyard He continueth thee here till thou hast finisht that service he hath appointed thee for Thus our Saviour would not have his Disciples taken out of the world till they had seasoned and inlightned it with their good doctrine If therefore God continueth thy life in this world because he hath more service and work for thee to do then take heed thou art not idle and negligent Oh it will be very uncomfortable to thee to have the night come on thee and thou canst work no more when yet thy conscience shal accuse thee This I have not done and that I was to do Our Saviour saith Blessed is that servant whom his master when he cometh shall finde so doing Luk. 12.47 Should you send your servant upon matters of life and death thy childe or friend lieth a dying and he in the way fall asleep or go to idle games and pastimes how unsufferable would it be How greater will thy guilt be for thou art commanded to strive to enter in at the strait gate to take the kingdom of heaven by violence thy soul lieth at the stake thy happiness is ingaged yet for all this thou livest unprofitably and unfruitfully Oh think how sad thy account will be Thou must go out of the world thou canst not stay any longer and thou wilt cry out Oh give me more time Oh give me longer space my soul is not set in order I have not done this or that service for thee Vse 2 2. Doth God appoint us our time in the world then we are not to be sinfully dejected about the fears of death either naturally or violently either in an ordinary way or from the violence and persecution of others for the time of thy departure is in Gods hand No power in the world can send thee sooner to the grave then God hath decreed Many of the servants of God have greatly laboured under the fears of death especially in times of persecution and rage from adversaries How prone have men been to fear men more then God Now whence did all this arise but from want of faith that to God belong the issues of death Nothing can destroy thee sooner then God hath appointed What care did Herod take to kill Christ yet that could not be and so Pharaoh to destroy all the male-children of Israel yet one must be kept that would be a means to destroy Pharaoh Live then above the fear of death say My times are in Gods hand it 's not as man will but as God wils Vse 3 3. Do not wilfully abuse this Doctrine to sinfulnes contempt of means or neglect of duties for this poison many have suckt out of this flower they would not hold That God hath prefixed a term of life for this they think would overthrow all use of means all neglect of praier whereas this supposeth and establisheth them rather for God who hath appointed the end hath also appointed and commanded the means and suppose we could not reconcile Gods providence and mans liberty in the use of the means yet seeing the Scripture revealeth the one and commandeth the other it 's good for us to rest therein Vse 4 4. Be content under the hand of God that takes thy dearest relations out of the world Imitate Job The Lord hath given and the Lord hath taken Art thou the Judge of the world Art thou the preserver of men Why then dost thou murmur if God do what he pleaseth herein Vse 5 Lastly Let the jolly and wicked sinner know God hath appointed his day Thou shalt not be alwayes eating and drinking and making merry in this world Oh what a confounded man wilt thou be who hast no other hope or comfort but what is of the world SERMON LXXXVIII The Heavenly man much improved by much considering that he is not of this world JOH 17.14 They are not of the world even as I am not of the world OUR Saviour had immediatly before in the tenth Verse urged this Argument in his Praier for his Disciples and here we see within so little a space he repeateth it again Though therefore we have handled this already yet because it is repeated again and it is well observed that those things which our Saviour did more then once say they have some notable Excellency and deserve a second Consideration according to that old Rule Pulchra sunt bis dicenda And in the Hebrew there is often a Gemination of the Word for the more Efficacy and Certainty Because I say it 's thus repeated by our Saviour who had infinite Treasures of Wisedom within him who was the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and could not be streightned in words Therefore let us also have a second improving of it You see the Argument that it is twice repeated They are not of the world God is entreated to preserve them because they are not of the world even as Christ is not The Explication of this you have heard already Therefore I proceed to the Observation Obs That it 's good for the People of God often and often to meditate on this That they are not of the world This is a Truth that unlesse unfolded and drawn out We can never see the Excellency of it unlesse you rub and pounce this matter into powder you can never finde the sweetnesse of it if you do not as they did to the Sacrifice open it and cut it in peeces laying every part by it self methodicaly you cannot see the inward excellency of it The people of God are not of this world they are in it but not of it They are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sanctified and set apart from the common use of the world as in the Jews Pedagogy Vessels and Garments and Persons were set apart only for a sacred use Hence they are compared to Starres that shine in a dark night thus are they in a crooked Generation Phil. 2.15 As the Starres are not compounded of sublunary matter neither are they capable of such destructive alterations as sublunary and materiall things are So it should be with the Children of God Now there are two main Grounds and Reasons or Springs from whence the people of God should so often reflect upon this That they are not of the world And the one is of Instruction to duty The other is of Consolation and Comfort The due Meditation of this will abundantly instruct to duty in these particulars First It will make us heavenly-minded and take away that predominant earthlinesse in us which makes us incline downwards The â—one doth not more naturally fall to the ground then our Souls till regenerated move to earthly things Now the Apostle argueth to the People of God Col. 3.1 2 3. If ye
but yet how common is it for such who know and read the Word of God yet not to be reformed in their lives thereby Though they look in this glass yet they wash not those loathsome spots that are upon them conclude the Scriptures are not in their proper use to thee till they have reformed thee from such sins as thou didst formerly live in 3. The people of God though they have a spiritual life within them yet under desertions and temptations finde not the Word of God effectual for joy and consolations till God bring such texts and such promises close to their soul That we saith Paul through the Scriptures might have consolations 2 Cor. 1. And David doth often acknowledge That the word of God did comfort and revive him but let a godly man groaning under the guilt of sinne hear the sound of the Gospel a thousand times over yet he will remain like dried bones and a parched wilderness till God sanctifie it Oh how often have the people of God desired comfort and assurance read over the promises again and again gone to the Ministers of the Gospel to have oyl poured in their wounds yet not the Law but even the Gospel hath been made a dead letter till the Spirit of God doth comfort in and by it the Word then of God though instrumental yet is but instrumentall it 's not a principal Fourthly When we say it 's Instrumentall to Sanctification we are to distinguish of instrumental causes For there are Physical and Natural Instruments which work by an inherent and natural power and there are Moral Instruments which work by the sole institution and appointment of another Now the Word of God is not instrumental to Sanctification in the former but in the later way The Word doth not by any inherent vertue and efficacy in a natural manner purifie the heart but by Gods appointment and his voluntary co-operation when and where he will For if it did work thus naturally then wheresoever the Word is preached it would sanctifie it would heal As the fire whereever it is in one Countrey as well as in another it doth burn but experience doth confute this Are there not two hearing the Word of God the one is sanctified the other not At the same Sermon one is humbled made tender The other is more obstinate and hardened Whence comes all this diversity under the Word preached but because it is not a natural instrument Again If the word of God did convert and sanctifie naturally then the grace of God could not so much be amplified and magnified which yet the Scriptures do Though it be Gods goodness that the Sunne shineth the fire burneth yet we do not speak of it or call it his grace but if the Word of God ever touch and heat any mans heart if it ever reform his life this is the meer grace of God By which it appeareth That the Word of God is instrumental only by Gods institution and where he commands it to work there it works where he requireth it to break down all oppositions there it hurrieth all down before it Insomuch that sometimes the most unlikely and prophanest enemies to godliness they are changed by the Word and those that are very ingenuous and civilly disposed remain in a perverse opposition 5. When we say The Word of God is instrumentall to our Sanctification this is not to be opposed to those other causes which God hath appointed Grace is the efficient cause and Christ the meritorious cause onely this is the medium God who could convert immediately and reach home to our souls as he did to the Prophets by an immediate Revelation hath taken this way That as it 's the goodness of God in natural things though he be the first and universall cause and so could do all things immediately himself yet he hath ordained second causes who have their derived causality Thus it hath pleased God in the Government of his Church to use means and external helps the Word and Sacraments thereby to work grace when yet he could change the hearts of men immediately or communicate himself to his Church as he did once without Scriptures When therefore you hear many oppose the Scripture to the Spirit and the Ministry in the Church to Christs teaching this is absurd and tends to the division of those causes which God hath so wisely joyned together The Spirit and the Scripture must not be opposed nor Christs teaching and the Ministers for that Rule is true here Quando duorum unum est propter aliud sunt ut unum Sixthly The Word thus made known is the ordinary means both of our beginning and increase in Sanctification Two things are couched in this particular 1. It 's the ordinary means so that what God may do in extraordinary cases is not for us to dispute but ordinarily there is no other way to beget and increase grace but this Neither may we say this is dishonourable to God to binde him to one way for it hath pleased himself to appoint the communication of his grace by the Word ordinarily so that as in naturall things he will give light to the world only by the Sunne though he could do otherwise Therefore the Sunne was not made till the fourth day to shew us that God could give light to the world without a Sunne Thus it is also in spiritual things though God could otherwise communicate his graces yet he hath pleased to appoint this ordinary way So that there is no expectation of the Spirit but in the Word as the Word can no wayes avail without the Spirit and it 's the goodness of God that he hath commanded all spirits to be tried by this Rule and if not conforming to it to reject them which could not be if the voice of the Spirit could be heard any other way but in and by the Scriptures we then are bound to come to this pool if we will have the divine moving not of an Angel but of the Spirit of God As the Israelite that would escape death was to keep within his doors and those within the Ark who would enjoy Gods Protection Thus must such keep within the bounds of the Scripture who expect Gods Spirit to guide them But although we are thus bound to expect Sanctification onely in this means yet we cannot say that God hath bound himself to work these effects alwayes for though he will not ordinarily dispense his grace but in this way yet he will not alwayes accompany this way yea it 's the savour of death to many 2 Cor. 2 16. Hence in the seventh place The word of God though it be ex se and quoad institutionem an instrument of Sanctification yet to some accidentally through their corruption it becomes an instrument of greater sinfulnesse and wickednesse So that commonly there are no greater sinners under Heaven then in the Church and in the Church none greater then where the best and
most powerfull means of grace are It was thus with the Jews Col. 6. who enjoyed besides the ordinary Ministry of their Priests the instructions of extraordinary Prophets and yet the truth of God did not sanctifie them But go saith God to the Prophet make their eyes blinde and their hearts hard and this our Saviour did apply to their posterity also who enjoyed Christ himself and saw all the wonderfull miracles he did This is a dreadfull and terrible thing to consider of when in stead of sanctifying God shall say Harden them blinde them and make them more wicked by the truth It 's not the Word worketh thus of it self but wicked hearers through their unbelief and unprofitableness provoke God to give them up to believe a lie and for the abuse of heavenly light they are given up to vile affections To many cursed sins which is a greater judgment then to be cast into the mouth of wilde beasts for they will only devoure the body but these will damn the soul Vse of Direction to all the people of God whose burden and grief it is that they have no more holiness who cry out like the horsleech It 's not enough and their souls refuse all comfort because they cannot climb up this hill to Heaven faster let such be directed to take the right way How willingly is the earthly man ready to hear how he may get more wealth and the languishing man how he may get more health and strength Why then shouldst not thou rejoyce to know which is the way to purifie the heart more Few know the divine efficacy of Gods Word but such who set themselves to get the vertue of it And that this may be instrumentall to your Sanctification In the first place Remember faith without which it can do no more good then excellent medicines if they be not applied set faith a work and then the word of God will powerfully work upon thee It 's with thee as thou believest Believe and those high mountains of lusts shall be thrown down 2. Bring an humble tender and trembling heart at the teaching of it Such an heart King Josias had and he is commended for it yea Ezra 9.4 it 's the character of the godly to tremble at his Word The hard heart no more then the hard Rock can receive the seed sown into it 3. It 's not enough to receive the Word of God at first but keep it there The Apostle Peter cals it the ingraffed Word the Word that turneth us into the nature of it that we are walking Bibles as great Schollers are called walking Libraries David said He had hid Gods word in his heart This is the leaven that will diffuse it self 4. Rest not in the bare hearing but joyn earnest and fervent prayer that the Spirit of God may teach inwardly while the Word doth outwardly Vse 2. Of Instruction How terrible a thing it is to see men grow more wicked and ungodly by how much the more plentifully they enjoy the Word that the Word should work contrary to it's nature upon thee that this light should put out thy eyes that this life should bring thee to death Oh the rivers of water that should run out of our eyes for this matter and yet is there any more common judgment then this Oh bewail and cry out for fear of it Lord every thing I take doth me more hurt SERMON XCII Of the Truth of the Scriptures JOH 17.17 Thy Word is Truth THis is a Description or Explication of what was meant by Truth Thy Word is Truth which is a Proposition Wherein you have 1. The Subject 2. The Predicate The Subject is described by its Name and Nature with the propriety thereof Thy Word The Word of God is sometimes called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and sometimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It 's called Gods Word because spoken by him and that two waies Either 1. Immediately when God himself spake as unto the Patriarchs of old Or 2. Mediately when he inspired the holy Prophets and made them to publish his Word It 's called at other times 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All Scripture is given by Inspiration 2 Tim. 3.16 So Search the Scriptures and in many other places This is a Description of Gods Word from the accidentall form of it as it is put into writing Sometimes God did govern his Church by his Word as revealed only Thus it was with the Church at first In this latter Age he guides it by the Scriptures only There is no other Word of God but what is written In Christs time there was both for there were the Books of the Old Testament and they were Gods written Word and what Christ while on the Earth did with his own mouth speak to the Church that was the Revealed Word and Will of God We reade not that Christ wrote any thing but once upon the Ground and what that was though there are many and severall Conjectures yet none can certainly tell But what Christ spake and did the Evangelists afterwards being guided infallibly by the divine Spirit of God did commit to Writing Object If then you ask What Word of God it is our Saviour doth here mean I answer Both the Word that was written the Scripâ—ures that were the Oracles of God committed to the Jews and that Word which he did manifest to his Disciples of which he had spoken ver 6. Some indeed by Word understand Christ and it 's true that Christ is the Essential Word of God and so also the Essential Truth but the Context doth evidence it that he speaks of the Revealed and Preached Word Now this is called Gods Word because whether immediately delivered by God or commanded to be written It 's still Gods Word Speaking and Writing are but accidentall to it It 's the same Essentiall Word as it is the same man though he alter his Garment and the same wine though put in divers Vessels The Word of God written ought with as much Faith and Reverence to be received as if God did immediately speak it from Heaven and though it seem incredible yet our Saviour confirmeth it Luke 16.31 that he who doth not beleeve the Scriptures the Word of God written would not beleeve though there were miraculous waies of publishing it In the next place we have the Predicate its Truth Interpreters judge this to be taken out of the Psalm 119.151 They are therefore said to be Truth not true in the Abstract to shew the Fulnesse and Universality of Truth in them Obs That the Word of God is Truth This Doctrine if beleeved may work wonderfull changes in the mindes and lives of men for Certainly the Foundation of all Heresie and Impiety is because Gods Word is not received as true In the Scripture it is often called the Word of Truth Colos 1.5 2 Timoth. 2.15 James 1.18 And sometimes Truth in the Abstract 1 Peter 1.22 2 Peter 2.2 To Open this Consider That it 's not my purpose