be risen with Christ seek those things that are above and set your affections upon them Oh this is a great matter when not only our minde and tongue but our affections are set on things above The Affections are like wings to the bird like fire among the Elements it assimilates and turneth every thing into fire Thus where the beleever affectionately remembers he is not of the world he cryeth out as the Maid ready to be ravished under all inordinate and worldly thoughts What do you come to overwhelm me for He runneth away as Joseph from his Mistresse how can I do this and sinne against God The Apostle speaks in the Name of all Beleevers Phil. 3.20 Our Conversation is in Heaven Thus as the Sunne in Heaven though the Beams of it shine upon Dunghils and noisome Jakes yet it 's not defiled So the Godly though they live in a noisome sinful and wicked world yet they are not stained therewith because their Conversation is in Heaven and as the Bird as long as she soars on high is out of all danger from the snares and gins of the Fowler Thus the Childe of God as long as his thoughts and his affections are kept above and are out of reach they receive no defilement from these things below Oh then let the Beleever remember he is not of this world and this will inflame him it will be a fiery Chariot to carry him up into Heaven But because to be heavenly-minded is a general and particular things do most inform and affect Singularia sunt quae pungunt Let us branch it out in particulars and shew you wherein a Godly man remembring he is not of the world doth expresse his heavenly Conversation and that emptieth it self into these streams First He mortifieth and moderateth his heart and affections even to lawfull things 1 Cor. 7. The time is short Those that marry must be as if they married not Grace doth alter the pallat of Nature so that like old Barzillai they take not that delight which once they had in the comforts of the world Nature is content with few things but Grace with the one necessary thing which is God himself If then thy heart be like a water overrunning the banks and so be muddied stop thy self and remember thou art not of this world and therefore thou darest not over-love or over-desire or go beyond thy bounds Thou hast indeed these mercies but as if thou hadst them not Truly this is an excellent discovery of an heavenly heart when this Ivy doth not so cleave to thee as to consume thee When thou canst so eat drink and enjoy all earthly and worldly Comforts that yet thou do not distemper and disease thy soul Secondly An Heavenly Heart is in these worldly things when they are made but the secondary and the lesse principall They are the Stars not the Sun This our Saviour makes a fundamentall qualification to every Disciple He that loveth Father or Mother more then me is not worthy of me Matth. 10.37 The Godly man therefore hath Christ lying nearest to his heart There must be nothing above him equall to him as David expresseth this predominancy often Whom have I in Heaven but thee And My Soul breaketh for the longing it hath to thee at all times And God was his Portion The Light of his Countenance was better then Life and all Earthly Comfort If therefore thou remembrest thou art not of this world Earthly things shall be admitted only to the Court of the Temple not to thy heart which is the Holy of Holies They are kept at the bottome of the Hill not suffered to come up to the Mount There is no man if not truly regenerated though never so great in parts and expressions of Religion that giveth Christ the better part of his Soul That gives the Superiority to him As in the Sacrifices of old all the fat was to be burnt unto God Oh then awaken thy self in this matter if thou art not of the world then God and Christ are in the uppermost room of thy heart They are more unto thee then ten thousand Creatures To say thou arâ— no prophane person no wicked person is a poor and a small matter But art thou one to whom Christ is more then Wealth then honour and all Greatnesse Thirdly The man that remembers he is not of the world dareth not sinne against God to obtain the greatest advantages here below This doth necessarily follow from the former For if once he be so heavenly as to love God and Christ better then all then he will do nothing that he may lose them He will not be so foolish as to take Dirt and to lose Gold Hence those Hearers that had the Cares of the world choaking the good Seed and those Apostates that fell off in Persecution all these did serve Mammon and not God for when it comes to this here is an offer and choice either I must lose God or this worldly advantage If thou wilt take the present world and leave Christ this cannot stand with an Heavenly heart I do not speak of some particular passages for the Flesh sometimes overcometh the Spirit but of an habituall and constant course Therefore it was a full discovery that Moses was not of the world when he chose the Reproaches of Christ rather then all the Treasures of Egypt This an earthly heart would never have done Fourthly The man that remembers he is not of the world desires not neither rejoyceth in worldly things any further then thereby he is made more serviceable to God and instrumental te his glory All these earthly things they are Talents and we are called Stewards Now the Steward looks not upon the money and Rents he receiveth as his he rejoyceth not in them as his own He is to improve all for the best to his Masters use Thus the heavenly Christian doth This Health This Life These parts These Comforts they are none of mine I am but a Steward I must give an account what improvement I have made of them This is a notable discovery of thy heavenlinesse when thou art thus affected Fifthly He that Considers he is not of this world his Heavenly-mindednesse is discovered in that though he be in the midst of all these businesses yet he labours to keep his heart holy and fervent His Shop doth not dead his heart his worldly affairs do not dull the Edge of his Spirit but he can delight in God call him Father be fervent and effectuall in Duties Not but that the most Heavenly man which is findes and complaineth of much deadnesse and dullnesse They can be affected with worldly things but not Heavenly onely they are sensible and complain of this dead heart That as they mourn over a dead Friend a dead Childe so they do over a dead heart onely herein they strive and labour that no worldly thing may any whit abate their Affections to God That they
heed of spiritual wantonesse and luxury to make the Bible the argument of thy opinions or notions thereby to get applause and esteem No thou are to prize it for the spiritual effects of it That it cureth thee of thy blindenesse spiritualizeth thee against thy carnality quickens thee against thy formality 2. We are to prize it for the necessity of it because that containeth the words of eternal life we cannot think a thought or step a step without the guidance of it This is able to make thee wise to salvation 2 Tim. 3.15 A man cannot have any wise thought or purpose towards heaven but by this This made Job as you heard prize it more then his necessary food for the soul needeth this bread of life as much as the body doth material bread If we set up any other principle to walk by but this we run our selves into the mouth of hell 3. For the usefulnesse of it The Scripture is profitable for instruction exhortation and to make a man perfect for every good work 2 Tim. 3. There is no sin to be avoided no duty to be done but the Word of God will direct thee therein There is no temptation so subtle but this will discover it If at any time thou art unprepared and indisposed for such or such a duty thou hast no heart to pray no spirit to beleeve on the promise Come to this and it will quicken thee for it's eyesalve to thy blindenesse It 's an hammer against thy corruptions It 's fire to consume thy drosse It 's oyl for thy wounds It 's a Catholicon an universal Shop of all spiritual medicines The rich man the poor man the husband the wife all may learn from hence what to do 4. The preciousnesse and dignity of it The Word of God is full of heavenly and supernatural excellency especially the Gospel or the will of God revealed for the salvation of man Oh how welcome must these glad tidings be to the troubled sinner that hath received the sentence of condemnation upon his soul Christ with his benefits discovered are the onely treasure to a tender broken heart The Scriptures they are the Mine wherein this treasure is to be found They are the Field wherein this pearl is hid To you that beleeve Christ is precious 1 Pet. 2.7 and it must needs be so for he is the Mediatour between God and them he hath fulnesse for all their wants and necessities He is made wisedome righteousnesse and sanctification 1 Cor. 1. It 's not what they are but what Christ is Lastly They keep the Word who persevere in it notwithstanding all the temptations and difficulties It 's both against the flesh and the devil for any man to keep Christs Word and how many have begun well but at last have given over to their great destruction Therefore John saith If ye continue in my word and Mat. 13. The good ground is said to hold fast the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word signifieth so to hold as that many are striving to take it out of our hearts again and they are said to bring forth fruit in patience because there is great contrariety and opposition unto Gods Word if possible the fowls of the air will take away this seed as soon as it is sown The Apostle James speaks of a forgetful hearer Jam. 1.24 and therefore would have us abide looking into the glasse of the Word Oh take we heed that we be not in the number of those whose latter end is worse then the beginning Take heed it be not said They are turned out or gone from us because they were not of us Vse of Instruction what they may judge of themselves who though living long under the means of grace finde the Word hath no place in their hearts their lives their conversation proclaim to all that they care not for Gods Word Oh what a sad Symptome is this of thy obstinate incurable condition oh men to be mourned over as dead and buried in the grave of sin If ye were of God you would hear his Word It 's said of many they did not hear the Word of God because it was of the Lord to destroy them O take heed this be not true of thee Vse of Exhortation to the godly keep close to Gods Word let your thoughts your affections your actions be according to that you never wound your consciences you never bring woe to your selves you never are at a distance from God but when you go astray from this rule Keep to this as in an Ark be in all your relations by it live by it die by it you are like a tree planted by the water-side while attending to this and if you keep the Word of God Gods Word will keep you 1. In the hour of temptation that you sin not 2. At the hour of death that you sink not It will be a tree of life to you that we through the Scriptures might have consolation The Word that was your rule will now be your comfort it will speak nothing but consolation to thee It will be more then all friends all comforters whatsoever 3. It is everlasting it will abide for ever the consolations of it will be eternal SERMON XXXIV Of Growth in Grace The Duty Necessity and Glory of it JOH 17.7 Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee OUR Saviour doth still relate those commendable considerations that were in his Disciples that thereby God should hear his praier for them It was not for worldly wicked sinners but such as knew and obeyed him that he praied for This is the more to endear them to God Now as before he had commended them for their obedience so here for their faith in him as a Mediatour and this faith is necessary to all Christian obedience For without it a man by his Legal righteousnesse becomes a confident presumer trusting in his works that he doth or else despaireth Seeing it impossible that ever he should attain to such a righteousnesse that is required Therefore when we have done all and got up to the very pinacle of grace we are in matter of Justification to leave our obedience and fly to faith so then we have the disciples Faith in Christ as a Mediatour described and commended 1. By one main particular act which doth synecdochically contain the whole They have known By the next Verse it appeareth that beleeving and knowing are all one 2. There is the Object of their faith which is twofold 1. All things that the Father had given Christ 2. That they were of him the sence is They knew whatsoever Christ had it was given him of the Father and that he had these things from him to be a Mediatour Here then you see what an acceptable thing it is to God to beleeve in Christ as sent by him The poor humbled sinner he trembleth and doubteth whether he may come to this Mediatour or no
least so difficult as that phrase imports Do they not say David by his Fall did wholly shake off all grace branch and root and yet there was no such difficulty to that How easily did one sinne draw on another So that it would have been absurd to have said that Bathsheba who was meerly passive at first did so strongly tempt David that if it were possible he would have fallen into Adultery And if further you say The godly may fall into fundamentall errours though Elected Even the disciples did not beleeve Christs Resurrection and his spiritual Office as a Messiah We answer they may a while but God will graciously recover them These Vipers shall not stick upon them till they die Though they have swallowed these deadly things yet they shall at last vomit them up As God though he suffered Christs body to be dead and buried in the grave yet he would not let it see corruption Thus it is here Though the Godly may erre dangerously and fall fouly yet they shall not see corruption Lastly It is answered that the Elect before their conversion may lie in all sinne and be deceived by all kinde of errours Therefore there cannot be any strength from this because Elected But the Reply is easie By elect are meant such who do not only partake of that mercy but such who finde the effects of this upon their soul Elected and converted And that this is included is plain because it is said If it be possible to deceive even the Elect Now he is said to be deceived that was in the right and Truth it 's improper to say They shall deceive such as are already in a plain deceived way So that this necessarily inferreth That it is meant of Elected persons who finde the mighty power of this upon their hearts Argum. 2 A Second Argument is from the Covenant of grace and Gods sure mercies which are made to such and this makes them stand like Mount Zion yea firmer for at the day of Judgemnt that shall be shaken but these will go safe thorow the fiery Triall This Magna Charta of which you have several branches or promises every where is clearly laid down Jer. 32.39 30. God there promiseth first the Conversion of his people He will write his Law in their inward parts and then he promiseth Perseverance He will put his Fear in their hearts that they shall not depart from him God there promiseth he will never turn from them and he will so graciously affect their hearts as they shall never turn from him and this Covenant the Prophet cals an Everlasting Covenant it shall last above the Sunne and Moon it shall not be like the former Covenant that was broken and indeed it must needs continue for it promiseth all those qualifications which may enable to persevere and perseverance it self For whereas it may be thought Gods own Children may through carelesse negligent and slothful walking undo themselves God saith He will put his fear in their hearts as being the special Antidote against Apostasie fot Blessed is he that feareth alwaies Prov. 28.14 It 's a blessed thing not to be in a doubtfull perplexing fear that is a cursed hellish thing the portion of Cain and Judas but in a filiall godly Fear as Joseph was when he said How can I do this and sinne against God Now sinne can never come in at the Gate while Fear is the Porter Therefore above all things God saith He will put his Fear in their hearts and this promise is spoken so peremptorily and absolutely that it 's an absurd thing with the Arminians to suppose some condition on mans part that it may be made good as if God indeed were ready to put his fear in their hearts for his part nothing shall be wanting only they must not put a stop to his munificence for this is as if God had said I will give you a will to fear me if you will I will make you to will if you will or I will make you to persevere if you will persevere I will make you that you shall never depart from me if ye will not depart from me What a ridiculous and absurd sence would hereby be put upon this Glorious Promise The Arminians doe to evade this powerfull Argument Say This was made to the whole body of the Jews in their Captivity and are busie in finding out subtle Reasons That it was never made good and are off and on like Noahs Dove not knowing where to set their Feet Whereas the Apostle in Hebr. 10.16 17. doth very plainly apply it as the Covenant of Grace to all Beleevers Argum. 3 3. A Third Argument shall be From the Mediatour of this Covenant or the way to ratifie and confirm these Gracious Promises which are from the first to the last that we shall have Everlasting Glory from Predestination to Glorification and that is by Christs bloud So that Christ is become their Mediatour their Head and they his Members The Covenant is confirmed by the Death of Christ and the Sacraments are visible Seals to confirme this 2 Corinth 2.20 All the Promises of God are in Christ Yea and Amen There is not Yea and Nay but a sure infallibility in them Hence this Priesthood of Christ and our Blessing in him as Abrahams Seed is said to have a Promise and an Oath to confirm it Hebr. 6.18 That by two Immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lye we might have strong Consolation Christ then by his Bloud purchased these Priviledges for us he obtained by his Death our Salvation and his Priesthood for this purpose was confirmed by an Oath How then can we ever think or imagine that they should perish who have such preservation and Security provided for them Indeed we see the Angels and Adam though full of Grace to Apostatize and the Godly man though weak in Grace and surrounded with many Temptations yet safely preserved but the Reason is plain They have a Mediatour of this New Covenant who by his Death will certainly bring them to Glory for if this were not so but all depended upon mans indifferent power Christ might have died and not one man have been saved who cannot but detest and abhorre such a thought that by the Arminian Position Christ might have suffered and endured all those Agonies and not one be saved all might have been in vain but the Scripture speaks otherwise Isaiah 53.11 The work of the Lord shall prosper in his Hand He shall see his Seed and the Travell of his Soul and shall be satisfied Christ would not have been satisfied in his Soul had he not seen the Fruit and Event of his Agonies and Sufferings and that such persons were saved for whom he died Argum. 4 4. A Fourth Argument is taken From Christs peculiar Praier and Intercession for their Preservation And thus the Argument runnes Those for whom Christ offered up a Mediatory Praier and earnestly begged and entreated that they might
Casuists But then there is a Scandal given or scandalum Pusillorum when those who appear for Religion do such things as are indeed inconsistent with holinesse that can never be made good by the Scripture and of such it is that our Saviour saith Wo be to him by whom offences come Mat. 18.7 Whosoever shall offend one of these little ones it had been better a Millstone were hung about his neck and he thrown into the sea For although it be also a sinne in any man to be prejudiced and alienated from Godlinesse because of the sinnes of those that professe it neither will that be an excuse to them yet because such put a stumbling block in the way therefore is the transgression great Distinguish then between such as through their wilfull obstinacy will be offended and from such who are so through weaknesse and a reall occasion given 4. Such is the enmity of man to what is good that he is glad to have any occasion to blame the Truth with whenas indeed they should mourn and grieve to see any failings amongst those that are religious they rather rejoyce in the discovery of such and they think this is a good reason for their Impiety Why should they come out from the common waies of the world Do not many of those that are so forward do thus and thus And therefore they hope they shall do as well as any other The Apostle seeing this wicked disposition in the world speaks notably to the godly 1 Pet. 3.16 To walk with such a good Conscience that whereas the world will speak against them as evil doers they may be ashamed So 1 Pet. 2.12 These things premised Let us consider the unreasonablenesse and sinfullnesse of condemning Religion for some hypocrites therein For 1. Dost thou not as well see many are sincere and walk unblameably Doth not thy own heart tell thee that thou hast no just cause to speak against them Dost thou not sometimes wish thy Soul might do as well as theirs Dost thou not with Balaam wish thou mightst die the Death of such Righteous persons Shall not the Graces and holinesse of Eleven Apostles more confirm thee then the wickednesse of one Judas offend thee Consider then how unreasonable thou art that dost only minde the weak places of the Wall not â—he strong Thou speakest of many that for gain and secret lusts have fallen off from God but how many thousands of godly sincere men can we tell thee of who because they feared God were neither terrified by threats nor yet seduced by allurements to deny Christ Though a Judas did betray him yet â—here are Millions of Martyrs who have valiantly died in the Confession of him 2. We are not to live by Examples but by Precepts It 's an Old Rule We are to consider what the Scripture requires and commands If that enjoyn a life separated and singular to the wickednesse of the world If that bid thee run not into the same excesse of Riot with them such a strict way and profession thou art bound to follow Though all that go before thee be hypocrites and that go with thee Though all the Apostles had been like Judas yet Christs Truth had still been to be embraced Therefore not mens lives but the Scripture is to be ouâ— Rule If all men prove Hypocrites or Apostates yet we are bound to keep close to the Word Let God be true and every man a Lyar It 's true the life and conversation of others in sincerity and uprightnesse may be a great inducement to holiness therfore the Scripture often cals for a life of light and holinesse that others may be won thereby but yet every one ought to have such an inward assurance both of the Truth of God and his Grace upon his heart that what Peter said presumptuously they are to acknowledge as a duty Though all men should forsake Christ yet he would not It 's not upon men that we are to build either our faith or our godlinesse but though all men should prove devils and there were none in the world but one man that would own Christ thou wert to joyn with him 3. If we should condemn Religion for the falshood of some we were to condemn all the waies of Religion and all parties in the world and so to turn direct Athiests for look upon all the severall waies and parties that are in the world Are there not some that are a reproach to them that the wiser and more sober persons in that way will not own Wonder not then if the Apostle say of some that they are spots in their Feasts Jude 12. And Rom. 2. that they are such by whom the Name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles This hath and will be It is impossible saith our Saviour but there will be offences viz considering the corruptions and sinfull inclinations of men but if you will own no Religion wherein an Hypocrite may come in you must do as Constantine bad the Novatian erect a Ladder and go himself only into heaven Even in heaven it self there were as we may say Judasses for what were those Apostate Angels that did not abide in the Truth but left their first habitation but betraiers of all that glory and honour that was due to God Know then that to throw away Religion because of the hypocrisie of some few is to run the broad way into Athiesm 5. It is not only sinful but very dangerous to thy own soul when thou art prejudiced or leavest the true way upon such grounds Thou dost not hurt them but thou wrongest thy own soul Those Disciples Joh. 6. that took offence at Christs Preaching they did not despise Christ so much as they damned their souls for saith Peter then whither shall we go for thou hast Eternal Life So then for thee to take up prejudices and objections against Christs way because of some mens miscarriages is to be a self-murderer wilt thou destroy thy own soul and throw thy self into one extremity because others may in another way undo themselves Oh know it is an heavy judgement upon thee when thou meetest with stumbling-blocks Those whom God loveth he giveth a better heart unto them Christ himself Luk. 1. 1 Pet. 2.7 To those that beleeve is indeed precious but a stone of stumbling and a Rock of offence unto those that do not beleeve Oh then be afraid lest this be the beginning of Gods judgement upon thee to be so prejudiced and offended by mis representations that thou shalt never have an heart to love God and his way Think not to do them a despight thou art the greatest Enemy to thy own soul 6. If any under the pretence of Religion do act their iniquities quarrell not at Religion it self for that condemneth such waies Neither do those that fear God own such for their members yea where Gods Order is put in practise they cast such from them as a dishonour to God and a reproach to that holy calling
things from us he dealeth plainly with us What sufferings troubles persecutions What difficulties and hardship we shall meet with in the way to heaven he tels us afore-hand of them The devil and the world they come with their pleasures for the present they tell us not how bitter they will be at the latter end But the Lord Christ he informeth us of the worst that may fall out 2. From this prediction we should arm our selves against all temptations whatsoever Being fore-warned we should be fore-armed Oh how blessed is that man who under the greatest affliction can say This I knew before It is not strange to me the Scripture gave me warning of it and hath furnished me with all due qualifications thereunto 3. From the evil fore-told being accomplished assure thy self also the good promised shall be fulfilled As the Scripture proveth true in all the troubles and miseries it speaks of so it will be as true in all the comforts honour and happines it speaks of This is our sinfull narrowness of heart we many times look to that evil threatned not to the good promised Oh we say Now all those texts I feared are fulfilled in me not remembring that all the promises shall also be accomplished What shall the Scripture be true in one part and not in the other Shall it be true to a wicked man and not true to a godly man Are they not called The sure promises of God As therefore thou art to prepare for all that hardship and difficulties which will be in the way of godliness so do thou as assuredly expect and look for all those joyes that peace and happiness which the same word of God affords to thee SERMON LXXIV Of the Scripture JOHN 17.12 But the Sonne of Perdition that the Scripture might be fulfilled A Second Doctrine from the reason alleadged in the Text That the Scripture might be fulfilled shall be That whatsoever the Scripture saith is sure to be made good Our Saviour saith Matth. 5. It 's surer then the heaven and earth and that every tittle of it is more enduring then the Heavens themselves It 's of great consequence to establish you in this point For if the Scripture be true and will be made good in every particular then the godly may lift up their heads with joy and the wicked bow down with fear and trembling To open this Consider the expression That the Scripture may be fulfilled The word of God is called the Scripture which is as much as the written Word The word of God in respect of the accidental communicating of it may be divided into that which is Traditum or Scriptum that which was immediately delivered either by God himself or inspired into the Prophets to be communicated to the Church or else that which was commanded to be written and so to be a perpetual standing Rule according to which the Church should walk in soever shall come to passe And herein it will infallibly prove true for as we read of many predictions of old they were accomplished at that time and in that manner as God had fore-told so we may justly conclude for the future that it will be in the like manner Whatsoever God hath fore-told by the Scripture concerning a day of Judgement and the everlasting torments of the damned that there shall be a Resurrection of the body and that every one shall give an account for what hath been done here Expect it and believe it as surely as if it were already done Oh what a deal of security and boldness is there in sinners because they believe not this Did they think they heard the sound of the Trump of the last day ringing in their ears Arise and come to judgement What holy fear and trembling would possess them whereas because they live for the present in jollity and so many years the world and all things have continued as they were therefore they think there will never be any change such were those mockers Peter speaks of 2 Pet. 3. saying Where is the day of his coming Know then that all those places of Scripture which speak of such a dreadfull time will one day be fulfilled never think that those Texts will fall to the ground thy lusts will prove a lie thy pleasures a lie to thee but Gods word will abide for ever Thirdly We have the promising part of the Scripture The Land of Canaan did not more richly flow with milk and honey then the Scriptures abound with all kinde of promises both for this life and that to come This heaven is full of such glorious starres The Apostle 2 Pet. 1.4 cals them precious promises precious both in respect of the things promised and also of the certainty and truth of them There is the grand promise of all the Charter of the Covenant of Grace I will be their God and they shall be my people and this is subdivided into many particulars so that there is not a good thing to be desired nor an evil thing to be avoided but we have a promise for it and certainly if the word and promise of a great man in place and power be able to refresh the heart of an indigent man how much more must the promise of the Almighty and holy God revive those that depend on it All the children of God are with Isaac called the children of the promise Gal. 4.28 so that they are the children of the promise efficiently as it was the meer promise of God that gave them a supernatural being all humane power being as impotent for that purpose as Sarahs womb was to conceive and further They are the children of the promise as I may say objectively because they live on that and are nourished by it and as they say in naturals so it is true in spirituals Ex eisdem constamus è quibus nutrimur The procreating and conserving causes are of the same nature hence we may read of the godly looking up to Gods promise in all their difficulties Psal 77.8 and when God stirreth up himself to do good to his people it 's because he remembers his holy promise Insomuch that heaven and salvation it self is called The hope of the promise Act. 26.6 Though therefore the people of God have not all the good things they desire in present possession yet they have them in promise and Gods truth is bond and security enough A man that hath not his estate at command yet if he have it in sure bonds and good security looks upon himself as a rich man Oh then the unbelief and vile doubtings of thy heart Are all the promises of God of no repute with thee Are they of no credit Should they not as much assure thee as if every thing were accomplished already Hence as the Scripture when it speaketh of a future thing useth the present tense to shew the certainty of it as the learned instance in many places so should the faith of a godly man turn the future
if the Apostle 1 Tim. 3.5 say of every creature for nourishment it is sanctified by Praier when yet the creatures have in themselves a naturall strength to nourish how much more is this to be seen in the means of grace which work not by inherent but instituted efficacy altogether If therefore we would have our preaching and your hearing doe any good be powerfull to an heavenly alteration and change then look up with your eyes to heaven It 's from God that this must do me good It 's from God that this must teach my heart In vain is a Teacher without if there be not also a Teacher within 1 Cor. 3. You see the Apostle there taking beleevers off from all Ministers and Instruments and to rest on Jesus Christ They are necessary but as Ministers by whom we do beleeve not as authours of our faith Let us consider Why Praier is thus necessary in the use of all other means And First From God in these respects 1. He is the sole author and fountain of all grace It 's not the gifts or parts of Men and Angels that remove the stone of the heart that can make the withered dry bones to live again unlesse the Spirit of God breathe upon us Jam. 1. Every good and perfect gift is said to come from above That as the naturall Philosophers say The Sun and Stars are the cause of all the life and perfection which is in these things below insomuch that without them all things would be destroyed This is much more true in heavenly and supernaturall effects therefore he is called the God of all grace and the God of all consolations 2 Cor. 1.3 There is no godlinesse no comfort can stream in the heart but from this Fountain we lie like so many lumps of earth like so many noisome Lazarusses in the grave till God bid us Come forth So then to have any doctrine or truth enter into thy heart to have the Ministry effectuall and powerful to thee is of greater consequence then thou art aware of There must be much strugling and striving with God ere thou canst behold him in his glory in the Ordinances Thou must be Jacob ere thou canst be Israel as an Ancient said Wonder not if you see men living in the same lusts and roving in their former excesse of riot though the clouds drop upon them daily yet they are a barren wildernesse Alas all the rain in the world would not make the Earth spring forth and encrease had not God at first commanded the earth to doe so and certainly if God can by his Word make the dull dead earth so glorious that Solomon is in his greatest state not like the glory thereof how much rather can he make a heavy dull earthly carnall people glorious and admirable in variety of graces he can make them a Paradise who were a parched heath Praier therefore is necessary because God onely hath the command over all Ordinances to blesse as he pleaseth 2. On Gods part we are therefore to pray that so all the glory and praise in every thing may redound to him so 1 Cor. 1. that he who glorieth may glory in God only Hence it is that as in the Old Testament we reade of many good women and they were most of them barren to humble them and that they might see it was not their goodnesse but Gods glory and power to give them children So it is here God many times causeth not the best and choicest Ministers to be fruitfull in conversion of others to be able to say Behold I and the Children which thou hast given me that hereby all the glory may be attributed to God onely 3. Therefore after all doctrinall Instructions is Praier to be used because God in anger many times for mens sins doth blast the Word to them doth not give them a tender and an understanding heart Oh then how much is he to be sought to that hath the key of all mens hearts that openeth and none can shut that shutteth and none can open Rev. 3.7 Observe that expression it denoteth Gods absolute Soveraignty that all the devils in hell and all the wicked Instruments in the world are not able to hinder the good effect that God hath appointed such a Sermon or such a Ministry to produce What then though we sow all the day long though we exhort entreat and beseech yet if God be angry with thee and will let thee alone in thy sins thou shalt die and be damned in thy obstinacy and unbelief Though Solomon with all his wisedom were here to perswade thee thou wouldst be wilful in thy iniquities The seeing eye and the hearing ear are both said to be the gift of God Pro. 20.12 and what a terrible expression is that to the Israelites where after all the miracles and wonderfull works that God had done before them it 's said God had not given them an heart to understand till that day Deut. 19.4 and famous is that place Isa 6. thrice repeated in the New Testament of blinding their eyes and hardening their hearts lest they should understand and be converted Who then is there but must necessarily conclude that God is earnestly to be praied unto lest he be left to a spirit of slumber and giddinesse lest God sware in his wrath that no preaching shall ever do thee good How did Paul rejoice to be at Ephesus because an effectual and large door was opened to him 1 Cor. 16 9 It was opened by God the Ministers themselves nor the people had not ability to doe it Thus on Gods part we have cause to pray Secondly If we consider the nature of all Preaching and what kinde of cause the Word is of conversion that will also compell to Praier It 's disputed among Divines what kinde of causality the Preaching of the Word hath in regenerating of men I shall not now lanch into that deep Ocean but two waies are wholly to be denied 1. The Preaching of the Word doth not convert necessarily as the Fire doth necessarily burn the Sun doth necessarily shine No for then wheresoever the Word is preached all their eyes would be opened all their hearts softened that hear it but experience doth wofully confute this We see Christ who preached as one having authority and no man ever spake like him yet he threw in his Net and catched few fish yea we doe not reade of so many converted by his Ministry as by some of the Apostles 2. As it doth not work necessarily so neither as a natural cause that hath inward power to produce its effects As the fire hath an inherent strength to burn the Earth an inherent power to bring forth fruit or as a two edged Sword pierceth For though the Word be compared to it yet 3. This efficacy is only by Institution according to the command and good pleasure of God Of it self it worketh no more then Exhortations to a
dead man but when cloathed with divine authority then it beateth down every thing that opposeth it self If then we are bound to pray to God that he would make naturall causes though with so much inherent pronenesse to cause their effects as that our bread may nourish us our cloaths may warm us how much rather when there is no such naturall efficiency If man lives not by bread alone but by every word proceeding out of Gods mouth much lesse is man converted enlightned or regenerated by Preaching of the Word only without the power of God manifested from heaven Yet oh the security the sencelesnesse of most people herein They do not earnestly contend in praier with God before they come hither What earnest wrastlings and strivings hast thou had with God to day that thy soul might be put into an heavenly travell and Christ be formed in thee This is the true reason why you heare your selves into damnation and we preach you into greater and greater spirituall judgements daily because few are diligent in praying for a blessing upon that which shall be delivered to them In the third place After doctrinal Instruction there is great need of praier to God because of the utter insufficiency and inability that is in every man to what is good Such is the contrariety and enmity in every mans heart against Truth preached that we had need pray and pray again that God would open our eyes and soften our hearts The Scripture in severall places doth describe mans Impotency and his utter aversenesse to what is holy He is a Tyger a Lion a wilde Bear he is a meer briar and bramble There cannot be any good wrought in him till God make dead men to rise out of their sinnes We doe not hear Sermons as the Heathens did their morall Orations for they had some imbred strength to doe those things that were civilly good but when we have to doe with supernatural things there all must be planted in us There is nothing in us to love or embrace it yea whatsoever we are think or will it all riseth up in rebellion against God and certainly if the godly themselves though endowed already with an heavenly life do yet earnestly pray that God would open their eyes Psa 119. That he would quicken them and make them to grow up in an higher stature how much more do men destitute of Gods Spirit need this help yea we may take notice Eph. 6.18 that when the childe of God is fully compleated with the whole Armour of God he hath his helmet his shield his brestplate upon him yet he must not trust to this but after all this he is to pray alwaies with all praier and supplication So that you see in all holy exercises we are to be as the little childe who leaneth only upon his Father we are like the Fowl when we have drunk down a little presently to lift up our heads to heaven that it may work on us Vse of Instruction From this order of Christs learn we in Preaching and you in hearing what we ought to do know it must be Praier that will sanctifie every Sermon According as thou hast laid up Praier beforehand so do thou expect to speed What a wofull thing will it be if God make this Heaven brasse and iron these helps of salvation furtherances to damnation and all because thou dost not carefully seek to him Canst thou pray in other things and not here Is not every Sermon of eternall consequence Is not heaven or hell delivered at this time why then are we such stupid blocks as not to lay fast hold on God and say I will not let thee go till thou givest me a blessing It 's taken up as a sad Question Why in these latter daies the Word preached makes no more wonderfull works At first Propagation of the Gospel so many fish were caught in the Net that it was ready to break And at the first Reformation out of Popery the Kingdom of God suffered violence but now he that is prophane is prophane still the blinde are blinde still the proud proud still What is the matter Is not the Word of God as powerfull as ever Is not the Lords arm as strong as ever Yes but the zeal of people is grown cold There are not such fervent praiers such high esteems of the means of grace Men do not besiege Heaven giving God no rest day or night till he come with salvation into their souls and truly the Spirit of praier is a sure fore-runner of spirituall mercies to be bestowed Optat dare qui mandat orare when God will blesse the Word and Ministery to thee he will stir up thy appetite make thee hungry and thirsty fill thee with daily pantings after his grace And thus much of the order I proceed to the gesture used in praier He lifted up his eyes to heaven In the Scripture we reade of severall gestures in praier one of the Publican clean contrary He cast his eyes upon the earth and that did arise from the great and reall sence he had of his unworthinesse and of the multitude of sins that were upon him but yet that which is most commendable and indeed most natural is to lift up the eyes to Heaven the place of Gods speciall presence though he be also every where for the eye in this case should be the demonstration of the heart Cor in oculis that if it were possible we would both in soul and body while praying be lifted up into heaven Now how our Saviour who was God as well as man could pray and what kinde of Praier this was will hereafter be cleared From this gesture Observe That all our Praiers should come from a spiritual and heavenly heart It 's the very definition of praier that it 's Elevatio mentis ad Deum The lifting up of the minde and of the whole soul to God To pray is a farre more difficult and noble exercise then most are aware of It 's not the running over a few words like a Parrot but the soul is then to be on the Mount of Transfiguration There must be many things meeting together ere thy praier be an heavenly Praier It 's good to set this home for praier is the universall Instrument of all thy good if that be blunted or unprofitable all is marred If a poor man that liveth by his handy labour hath marred his tools that he cannot work by them how shall he subsist Praier is the Key to open heaven if that be empty and unprofitable how canst thou be replenished You ask and pray and have not Jam. 4.2 No sins are removed no spirituall mercies are bestowed on thee and all because thy praier is not heavenly Now these things make an heavenly Praier 1. It 's necessary the Spirit of God do enable and move the soul to this duty Rom. 8. It is the Spirit of God that helpeth against our infirmities and enableth us with
groans unutterable The heart is but as so much dull earth till the Spirit of God inflame thee Thy praier is a body without a soul if there be words but not Gods Spirit in the heart But oh what shall we then think of most mens praiers that have nothing but custome and formality in them No wonder if these be birds without wings Messengers without feet good for nothing at all Thou saiest thy praiers and thou hast thy praiers but oh consider the Spirit of God must move upon thy heart else thou art onely a worm crawling on the ground 2. An heavenly Praier must have an heavenly heart that which pants after and delights in heavenly things but Ps 4.6 Many say Who will shew us any good Every one can pray for earthly and temporall good things for health strength peace and outward plenty but few with David Lift thou up the light of thy countenance In the Lords Praier we are first to pray for those spirituall things that relate to Gods glory before we are to ask for our temporall comforts yea while we pray for temporall mercies we are to do it in a heavenly manner for this end that we may be more instrumental to Gods glory and be brought nearer to him Difficile est erare quia difficile est desiderare said Aquinas It is a very hard thing to desire heavenly things and therefore as hard to pray for them how happy then is it when the matter praied for and the frame of the heart are both heavenly Now like Christ he is gone up to the Mount and praieth alone he is above all earthly things alone with God himself 3. That Praier is heavenly when the heart and affections are purified and sanctified fit for the enjoyment of God In praier we have an immediate approach unto and fellowship with God There cannot be greater honour vouchsafed unto a creature then to be admitted to pray to him but who is sufficient for this duty The Heathens did often presse this that God was to be worshiped prae mente but the Apostle more divinely 1 Tim. 2.8 Lifting up holy or pure hands Mat. 6. Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God A sore eye with corrupt humours is not fit to look on a bright object and truly in all our praiers we should think nothing so comely as to have heavenly hearts for heavenly work If the godly mans conversation even in buying selling and all other lawfull emploiments is to be heavenly much more in praier then there should be Sabbatum mentis the rest of the Soul there should be no distractions no debasings of it by earthly affections we should have a garden readily dressed for the Spouse to walk in If Christs body was to be in a Sepulchre where none ever lay btfore how much rather will whole Christ abide in a clean heart The devil would not come into his Lodgings but because they were swept and ready garnished for him how much rather will Christ expect that the soul should be in an holy and heavenly manner fitted for to enjoy him 4. An heavenly Praier is When it stirreth and moveth the heart to more love and delight in heavenly things Praier is not to be only heavenly in its nature but in its effects By praying holily we are made more holy It 's like exercise to the body which makes it more strong and active It 's the rich Ship that brings in glorious returns from God Heavenly Praier leaveth an heavenly frame it keepeth a soul in longings after God As Moses who had been in Gods presence his face did shine with great lustre Thus the soul that is heavenly in Praier to God leaveth an excellent and spiritual lustre upon all his actions his conferences his conversation speaks the mighty glory of this praier oh what godly man may not fall down with shame and confusion to think how far short he comes of this heavenly praier Vse of Instruction in two things 1. How hard it is to pray indeed You may say of the dull Formalist that hath bare words and no heart he praieth but it is as unprofitable as a body without life Oh that the God of grace would work this in you that he would pour the Spirit of praier and supplication upon you I know nothing wherein people are more to be instructed and rectified then in this particular They have good praiers and they say good praiers as they speak but understand nothing at all about an heavenly praier 2. Why it is that after many publique and private praiers thousands of people live in the same wickednesse they did Who would not think their sinnes would make them give over praying or praying their sins how can this fire and Ice stand together The reason is they are not heavenly praiers neither private or family praiers do raise thee up like Elijahs fiery Chariot You ask and receive not because you ask amisse He doth not say you ask mala but male you do not pray for unlawfull things only you pray not in a right manner Oh then say the decay of all my godlinesse all my comforts arise from my decay in praier Pray heavenly and all will be heavenly and on the other side meer dead and customary praier leaveth a man in a destitute estate he may pray in that manner all his life and yet receive nothing at Gods hand Think and meditate of this more say the beginning of all my spirituall consumption is in my lean empty praiers SERMON II. The transcendent Excellency and Efficacy of Christs Praier in respect of the matter and nature thereof as being Mediatory his Person and Relation c. held forth as a ground of unspeakable comfort to Beleevers JOH 17.1 These words spake Jesus and lift up his eyes to heaven and said Father THE Introduction hath already been dispatched which contained the Order and Method of Christs Praier as also his gesture We now come to the praier it self he said Father c. To open this Consider That Praier is of two sorts Either 1. Mentall which is only in the soul and spirit for God being a Spirit and omniscient knoweth all the thoughts and desires of the heart Thus Angels and the spirits of just men perfected in heaven do pray The souls under the Altar cried for an holy avenging on their enemies Rev. 6.9 Or else there is 2. a vocall Praier when our desires are manifested by outward signs of words and thus Christs praier here is a vocall praier neither may such kinde of praying be thought needlesse for we do not use words as if God needed these signs in which sence Eliah derided Baals Priests bidding them cry aloud it may be Baal was asleep or in a journey 1 King 8.27 but hereby to excite and stir up our affections for the soul and body do mutually help each other and partly because we are to glorifie God with our body and with our soul
and enlightning mens understandings so farre as to see their sinful and damnable estate as also the absolute necessity of a remedy through Christ Thus Christ doth exceed the Sunne for though the Sunne give light to the world yet it doth not give eyes or ability to see but Christ doth not only make the bodily blinde to see and deaf to hear but those that are spiritually darkened in their understandings he makes them to know Christ he doth so teach that the soul cannot but learn it cannot refuse or gainsay O Lord I feel such light in my heart such evidence upon my conscience that I cannot hide this light any way But as those glorious apparitious of light which Paul had and others came with great amazement filled them with trembling and astonishment so doth Christs power upon the hearts of Beleevers Oh then enquire who are they where are they that have found Christs power thus upon their mindes and consciences How weak are books yea the best Book the Bible it self tâ—ll Christ take such a threatning or such a promise and set it home with power on thee This heavenly teaching and perswading Christ speaks of as to be wrought by his Spirit Joh. â—4 And it was wonderfull in the beginning of the Gospel yea in the first beginnings of Reformation out of Popery the glorious workings of Christ were admirable to this purpose Then Christ and the Ministry went along together No sooner did the Trumpet blow but the wals of Jericho fell down When Christ thus powerfully taught them they were quickly perswaded to leave their Idols and their lusts to follow him The first Reformers were so many divine Orpheus's that made the very beasts and trees to move the illiterate and stupid people to seek out for wisedom and heavenly understanding You may say then Why doth not Christ still come with the same power Why are not our Churches Christs Schools wherein every day he teacheth some or other many learn by the Minister but few are taught by Christ They do not know the truths as they are in Jesus There are many go to false causes But those impediments which indeed resist this Point are 1. The atheism and unbelief reigning every where so that we may take up that old complaint Lord Who will beleeue our report It 's said of some Christ could do no miracles there because of their unbelief Mar. 6.5 6. Not but that he had power but to shew what an obstacle unbelief was When they insulted over Christ at the Crosse Let him come down and save himself if he be the Sonne of God let him deliver him Heb. 4.2 Christ did not these things not because he wanted power but they were wicked so Christs power is not shortned It 's not because there is no Ministry but because the unbelief of man is great 2. Christ demonstrates not his power it may be because Customarinesse under the Word breeds contempt and negligence At the first mens affections are quick but when accustomed to the world all the excellency and livelinesse of it is taken away A blinde man upon the first recovery of sight would admire the Sunne but those that are used to it regard it not though so glorious a creature 3. The unthankefulnesse and unfruitfulnesse under the means of grace makes Christ deny his power When the people of Israel murmured at their Manna then God was provoked against them He punished the Heathens because they did not glorifie God according to their knowledge neither were thankfull how much more Christians for abusing the Light of the Gospel 4. Though there are not so many yet there are some few in most places that have found this mighty power of Christ on their souls Though there were not many raised out of the grave by Christ yet one Lazarus is enough to demonstrate the glorious power of Christ One in a Family one in a Town yea one in a whole Nation is enough to prove that Christ though now in heaven hath this power over men in the earth Let such then who have been thus taught so as no man no book could teach them give glory to Christ blesse Christ for good Sermons good Books especially the Word of God but above all that vertue cometh from Christ by these to heal thee Though the woman had touched the hem of Christs garments a thousand times yet if Christ had not caused vertue to come out of him she had not been cured so it is here SERMON VIII The Effects and Appearances of the Kingly Power and Dominion of Christ JOH 17.2 As thou hast given him power over all flesh WE are treating upon that main and necessary point in Religion Christs Power and Kingdom We have mentioned some effects or acts of this power We shall proceed to discover more And first Herein is his power over all flesh especially his Church seen that he is the authour and fountain of all the grace the godly have And this is a glorious demonstration of his power that not we our selves or any Angel in heaven can inspire one good thought mollifie and convert the heart adorn the soul with all kinde of graces but Christ only Joh. 1.16 Of his fulnesse we all receive grace for grace that is as some expound abundance and heaps of grace as it were or grace that is sutable and proportionable to that in Christ As the childe receiveth from the Father limb for limb Of his Fulnesse Christ then hath Fulnesse not only for himself but for us as the Sunne hath fulnesse of light for the whole world The Ocean Fulnesse of water for all the streams The Angels and Saints glorified in Heaven yea Adam in the state of integrity he had a Fulnesse of grace but it was limited and stinted in him only Christ received it without measure In Christ there is plenitudo fontis in Angels or Adam there was only plenitudo vasis as Divines expresse it Now this Fulnesse of Christ is for communication and our participation of â—t Therefore in other places he is compared to the Olive Tree from which the godly receive all their fatnesse Rom. 9. To the Vine Joh. 15. so that unlesse we are branches in him we can do nothing If than we should say Where is the power of Christ how is it manifested I answer look upon all the godly Are they able to mourn for sinne with a godly sorrow Are they able to beleeve in the promise Can they mortifie their lusts Herein is Christs glorious power seen I know this doth not so much affect us as outward extraordinary instances of Christs power in temporall things but certainly this is greater for as Moses and Joshua's deliverance of the people of Israel out of Egipt is nothing to that spiritual deliverance which Christ as Jesus vouchsafeth to his people in saving them from sin and hell yet no doubt an Israelite or Jew after the flesh would farre prize the former before the latter though the
restlesse till it fix there Take all the men in the world who have drunk deepest in the streams of these earthly comforts yet still they thirst There is a dropsie on them still they would have more and other objects They have a feavoriâ—h heat with them That makes them restlesse whereas when we come to Christ we shall finde rest to our souls and He that drinketh of this water shall never thirst more Jo. 4.14 so then we see what eternal life is it 's all the good that God is What good is in God that the beleever hath and how unreasonable is it to think that there is a better good then he If the Creator cannot satisfie can the Creature From hence it is that the godly do so long for this time of enjoying him I desire to depart saith Paul Phil. 2.23 The Church crieth for Christ to Come quickly Those Patriarchs looked on themselves as Pilgrims and desiring a better City then that of this world so then you can but judge of this happinesse by the footsteps by the drops of it If there be any attractive good in the creature it 's but a drop God the Fountain he is the Ocean Now in this object God enjoyed there are these remarkable properties of his goodnesse 1. He is the Vniversal good he is the bonum in qua omnia bona There cannot be any desirable perfection but it is in him The Creatures have their particular limited goodnesse health hath its wealth hath its learning its but now God is the Jehovah all beings are eminently in him As the Psalmist argueth He that made the eye shall not he see he that made the ear shall not he hear Psal 94.9 He then that makes this and that thing desirable is not he much more desirable Is there a ground to love Father Mother Wife or Children and not much rather to love God so that that Command Mat. 22. hath the greatest reason where God willeth to be loved with all the heart all the soul all the might for there is nothing hath any good which is the Object of love but it 's in God or from him There is none good but God saith Christ so then what are Stars to the Sunne The Starres cannot dispell the night only the light of the Sun can do that Thus only God and the light of his countenance can make the heart happy as having all things 2. That good which God is it is an unmixed sincere good He is so good that there is no trouble in him for that is the imperfection of all earthly good things as there is a drop of honey so there is a drop of gall Every Rose hath its thorn If God gives thee any mercy in this life yet still there is a sting as well as hony so that no condition no mercy hath every thing in it Though they have this yet they want another and hence Solomon who gave himself to finde out this Philosophers stone to obtain an happinesse if it could be in this world yet upon experience he giveth this Motto of every thing Vanity of vanities all is vanity Eccl. 1.1 But do the Saints in heaven who have had the experience of enjoying God passe such a sentence upon that happinesse in heaven Of this honey in the world we must not eat too much lest we surfet But there is fullnesse without nauseating There is replenishing and yet alwaies hungring God is as much desired after millions of years as at the first moment in heaven Hence this life is to be spent only in joy in praises and gladnesse of heart Oh that we could affect our hearts more with this eternal life it would be a great comfort in afflictions and a quick spur to all duties Lastly God who is thus the object of this Eternall life is the proper peculiar and convenient good No object is so sutable and adequate to the heart as he is howsoever morall Philosophers say good is the object of the will yet they say It 's not good in the generall or absolute but that which is proportionable and convenient The sick man desireth health because it 's the good proportionable to his wants so the tormented man ease Thus although it be true that since man is fallen and corrupted with sinne God is not proportionable or sutable to him Hence wicked men are said to hate God Exod. 20. yet take we man according to his Creation and the Image of God first planted in him and so God was his ultimate end in him only could he have full complacency and so as farre as we are regenerated and this holy Image restored in us Nothing can satisfie us but God We see David in many of his Psalmâ— he discovers severall extremities and necessities upon him yet the only cure is the light of his countenance Let God look graciously on him let him draw near to him and then the troublesome waves are presently quiet 2. This Eternall life doth positively consist in the beatifying the soul and the whole body sanctifying it so fully that now it can enjoy God For though God be never iâ— glorious an object yet till the soul be made perfect he cannot enjoy God No more then the Sunne which is primum visibile yet because of its dazling lustre the eye is too weak to behold it stedfastly Now in heaven the spirits of iust men are said to be made perfect and no corruptible thing can inherit the Kingdom of heaven This then this eternal life is seen in that the soul yea the whole man is â—o heavenly and holy so perfected in every thing that it 's made capable of all this happinesse The godly have communion and fellowship with God in this life now they are no more capable of this if not sanctified then a beast can converse with a man Hence because this sanctification is impotent we know in part we beleeve in part We see him but in a riddle not face to face but then shall we know him even as we are known of him 1 Cor. 13.12 It was a general received opinion as appeareth by severall examples in the Old Testament that if God made any glorious appearance to man he should presently die so Manaoh and others argued and whence rose that apprehension but because of the glorious Majesty of God and the vain weak frail nature of man Oh but in heaven where God is in all his glorious manifestation and we shall behold him continually yet there shall be no faintings no fears within us and all is because the Saints are then glorified and perfected in soul and body There 's not the least spot or wrinkle of sinne to put them to any shame or fear within 3. This Eternall Life consists in a quick and lively apprehension of this happinesse it hath without which happinesse could not be happinesse A man in a Lethargy though he liveth yet he is as good as dead because he perceiveth not his
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
It had been farre more easie to have been an abortive or that the womb had been thy sepulchre and grave then to live here and at last to dye thus eternally Shall Job and Jeremiah so passionately curse the time of their lives and wish there had been no day or sunne and only because of some temporall extremity which yet did not endure very long what outcries and wishes shall these have who are to dye eternally and yet shall never dye Job speaks of some that desire death Job 3.21 but cannot have it thus shall all those deprived of eternall life call to mountains and hils to cover them bite the tongue with madnesse and call for death to devour them but it cannot be Though Judas could make away himself out of this hell he had here yet he cannot out of the hell afterwards 7. Consider with thy self how unable thou art to bear any extream pain though it be but for a night or day what tossings and tumblings when it 's night wishing for day and when it 's day wishing for night Now if a moments pain be so grievous what is eternall If thou art not able to endure the sudden scorch of fire what then to be in everlasting fire Isa 33.14 Who amongst us shall dwell with the everlasting burnings Oh how should this meditation even swallow us up If we are not able to endure the rod how shall we the scorpion If the gout the stone be thus grievous what is everlasting torment Should not we judge him a mad man that to have one night of quiet rest and sweet sleep would all his life after be tormented with restlesse nights and terrifying dreams such folly is in all wicked men They to have this short life of pleasures and jollity which is but a dream will undo themselves for ever in this endlesse and easelesse wo Oh remember this eternity is so incomprehensible by thee that when thou hast thought and thought ten thousand millions of imaginary years yet it is to hold as long as at the first beginning Some have represented it thus Imagine say they that all that vast space which is between heaven and earth were full of sand and once in every thousand year no oftner a bird carry away one crum of it in her bill what a long while would it be ere this vast huge heap would be carried quite away yet if the damned in hell might have ease at the period of such a time though so infinitely long yet there would be some hope but now it 's everlasting fire it 's a fire that cannot be quenched but as long as God is God so long shall they be in their chains of darknesse God you heard was properly eternall because he had neither beginning or end therefore he was said by the Heathens to be a circle whose center was every where his circumference no where Hence the Heathens represented his eternity by a snake or a ring that hath no beginning or end The Romans built their Temples round and Pythagoras rule was when to worship turn thy self round Here they had confused notions about eternity but the Scripture doth most clearly affirm his eternity Now our life is eternall only because it shall have no end and so for the future it will abide for ever and never change What a great word is this never to change thy happinesse will never change thy misery will never change These things duly pondered will be of great use But thou wilt say this subject is indeed very necessary this eternity is a wonderfull and transcendent point oh that I could rise with it and walk with it how then shall I possesse my self with it how shall I be affected with it Do these things In the first place Exercise a firm and strong faith about it that there is such a thing This is a good and necessary foundation for as long as Atheism or unbelief is in thee and thou thinkest there is nothing after this life thou doubtest whether there be any such eternity or no as long as this wicked disposition is on thee there cannot be any good in thee Faith is the substance of things hoped for Heb. 11. so that this eternall life which is the great hope and expectation of the godly by faith is made really to subsist in the heart it doth as lively imbrace it as if it were already in eternity Oh then let a firm and divine assent over-rule thy heart say I do beleeve it more then any thing of sense or of reason more then that I breath or live For the Word of God is so punctuall and positive in afirming such a condition of eternity hereafter that faith must needs bear witnesse to it Now this Divine faith of such a thing would be like so many sparks of fire in our breast it would make us speak and live and do all for this eternity we do so certainly beleeve it And 2. Do not only beleeve but accustom thy self to frequent and serious meditations about it Meditation in the Word of God is made a blessed thing and certainly this is a duty though much neglected yet wonderfully necessary to set thy self to meditate and think over and over some main points of Scripture truth whereof this eternity is not the least Meditation is like the birds sitting upon her egges if she should not be constant upon them there would never be warmth enough to cause living young ones thus it is here It 's not a transient thought it 's not a sudden motion but it must be a constant serious meditation upon eternity certainly if thou wert carefull in this thou wouldst finde it raising up thy heart heating thy affections and making of thee earnestly desire this eternall life 3. Consider this that one great end why God hath thrown so many bitter roots in every thing here below why there are so many sad exercises and afflicting troubles it is to seek after eternall life Thou hast not perfect health thou hast not full content every day hath some evil or other and why is all this because eternall life should be desired by thee God seeth thy mouth cannot be brought off from sucking the breasts of the creatures therefore they are rubbed with wormwood to wean thee As God therefore suffered the Egyptians to afflict and oppresse the Israelites that so they might be weary of Egypt and long for Canaan thus it is here God makes this world a valley of tears and fears a valley of death there is no ground but some worm or other devoureth it and all this that thou shouldst long for an haven who art tossed in this restlesse sea of the world Look then upon all the afflictions pains miseries or whatsoever bitter thing it be that thou art to grapple with and say The Lord doth this to make me undervalue these things below it 's to make me esteem a better life If every thing were here as I would have it heaven would not
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
darknesse and light are all one to him Oh this is a precious and necessary effect of the knowledge of God when it makes a man cry out with Joseph though in the most secret temptation How can I do this and sinne against God Gen. 39.21 Those wicked men incouraged themselves in their wickednesse by this Doth the Lord see and is there knowledge in the most high Psal 73.11 And on the contrary he that truly knoweth God dareth not be wanton unjust dishonest because the eye of God is upon him wheresoever he is David is much affected with this omnipotence and omniscience of God Psal 139.2 4. Thou knowest my downsitting and uprising yea every thought thou knowest afarre off How could there be such works of darknesse such sinnes committed in secret that are not fit to be named but because men do not know God in a right and true manner By this we see there is little true knowledge of God in most towns most families because men live not as sensible of the just and revengefull eye of God beholding them alwaies 4. Where there is a saving knowledge of God there is a good and holy use made of all afflictions and miseries that fall upon them They know they are strokes from God and they come because of sinne that their end is to humble â—s and debase us under the hand of God and thus all the godly have done They have looked up to God and considered not so much the blow as the hand that gave it so Job The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away Job 1.21 not the Sabeans not the devil but the Lord but men that are ignorant of God they discover it in nothing more then in their afflictions they look only at second causes they minde only the help of inferiour instruments they fret they rage they are discontented and thus they think not of God nor their sinnes that have procured these Consider thy self therefore under any exercises and afflictions Is thy heart presently thinking of God dost thou search and enquire into the cause what sinnes of mine have thus offended God have deprived me of my good things I enjoyed this is in a saving way to know him Wo be to that man who like Ezechiel's pot hath boiled in the fire of affliction but his scum hath not gone off 5. A true knowledge of God and Christ will make a man readily suffer and lose all when it 's required and if at any time we are unwilling we love our wealth our life better it 's because we know not the excellency of Gods glory and what an unspeakable reward is laid up for those that deny themselves for him 2 Cor. 4. This made the Apostle say We account these light afflictions not comparable to the eternall weight of glory What made Moses choose the afflictions and reproaches of Christ Heb. 11. rather then the treasures of Egypt it was because by faith he saw him that was invisible The Martyrs were no fools though their enemies judged them so for they knew how great that God was whom they feared how able to reward them infinitely above their sufferings and therefore their greatest wisdom was to lose their lives that so they might save them It 's ignorance of God and Christ that makes us unwilling to bear the crosse he requireth of us In the next place let 's consider the ground why knowledge if not thus accompanied is ineffectuall And first Because knowledge in it self is only a perfection in the understanding and seeing that the whole heart is fully corrupted it must be universally healed else there cannot be any salvation I pray God ye be sanctified throughout in spirit soul and body 1 Thess 5.23 Yea this knowledge is but a morall perfection not a gracious As we see in the devils who have great abilities in their understanding And hence it is that a man may be very knowing and yet very vicious because this doth only dispell ignorance from the minde it doth not sanctifie the heart and affections to love and delight in what is good Knowledge is requisite to bring in grace yet knowledge meerly is not grace So that howsoever it be a necessary duty to get knowledge yet when that is obtained there is a greater work behinde in the cleansing and purifying of the heart Praevolat intellectus sed tardus sequitur affectus with the eye we may discern many miles off in a moment but our feet cannot so quickly go thither 2. Knowledge must have practise following because doing is the end and accomplishment of knowing It 's not knowing the rules of Hippocrates will bring health unlesse there be a practicall use of them Hence beleeving is called eating and drinking of Christ John 6. A man that is hungry though he know never so much of excellent meats yet that will not satisfie him unlesse he eat It 's a rule Scire malum non est malum so God he knoweth evil yet this knowledge is not evil so Scire beâ—â—um non est bonum Philosophers make this distinction between the understanding and the will the understanding draweth the object to it self but the will is drawn by the object to it so if I understand any thing I am not in a morall sense that I understand but if I will any thing or love any thing I am what I love Anima ubi amaâ— not ubi anima 3. Knowledge meerly speculative will not save because Religion lieth most in the affective part Knowledge is desired as a prerequisite but the power and sweetnesse of it lieth in the hearty imbracing of what we know Hence Divines say our eternall happinesse in heaven is initially and radically in the understanding but formally and compleatly in the will Oh then know that all the while Religion is but in thy head and thou hast it out of books and by hear-say thou hast but the shadow of it the substance and sweetnesse of it lieth in the cordiall imbracements and enjoying what we know 4. Knowledge without the effects of it is so farre from saving that it condemneth the more He that knew his masters will and did it not was beaten with more stripes Luk. 12.48 What makes the condemnation of those Christ preached to greater then of the Sodomites the worst of men but because they sinned against more knowledge Vse of Instruction How vain a thing it is to boast of knowledge and learning if an holy life doth not follow it As Absalom was hung by the hair of his head he gloried in so will the knowledge of thy head damn thee Austin said such knowing men go quick to hell oh there are too many such that have much knowledge but no grace that know the Scripture speaking against grosse sins yet they wallow in them The hottest flames in hell are for a knowing wicked man Vse of Exhortation to put all thy knowledge into practise If I know what faith is let me exercise faith If I know what Christ
death truly to say Lord I have glorified thee in my life I have finished all the work I was to do This Subject will be very profitable and necessary you cannot expect health and life alwaies in this world your time is running your daies are decaying you are hasting to the grave who knoweth how soon God will put a period to thy life in this world What then should be more in your hearts and thoughts then this Whether have I lived to Gods glory whether have I faithfully discharged the work put upon me It 's not riches wealth greatnesse or any earthly advantages will then do you good This or nothing will then be a reviving to you We have two pregnant examples for this 2 Kin. 20.3 When that sad message was brought to Hezekiah that he must set his house in order for he must die and not live What is a comfort and a cordial to him under this bitter news Remember O Lord that I have walked before thee With an upright heart and done what was good in thy sight Hezekiah had great outward prosperity he had many earthly delights as a King but see how every earthly comfort vanisheth away That he had served God in the uprightnesse of his heart comforted him more then all earthly honour or greatnesse The other Instance is in Paul 2 Tim. 4.7 I have fought a good fight I have finished my course a Crown of glory is laid up for me If all the glory of the world had been given Paul would it have comforted him like this Testimony of a godly conversation Oh how many dying men may say I have served the devil I have fullfilled his lusts and now I goe to my everlasting torments To quicken and affect you in this Point take notice of these Introductory particulars First That there is a day of Judgement when God will call every man to account We are not to live here as we list and to do all things without controul No God hath appointed a time when every man shall appear before him and he must give an account of all his time all his Talents all his actions all his thoughts of all things in this world that have been his The Scripture is very clear in this formidable Truth 2 Cor. 5. We must all appear before the Judgement Seat of Christ to give an account for what hath been done in the flesh Mat. 12.36 yea of every idle word we must give an account yea of every secret thing Eccl. 12.16 The Parable of the Talents Mat. 25.15 where the man with ten with five with two are called to give an account of their improvement doth evidently shew that there is no good thing we have let it be health wealth riches but we as Stewards must be reckoned with concerning the good improvement of them Oh beloved what an overwhelming consideration is this to think the time is coming when every thought every word every hour every day every opportunity every penny every thing I have had will be called for who can hear these things and not tremble Never think all thy sins are forgotten no the Scripture attributes a Book to God God writeth down every thing and those Books will be opened what manner of persons should we be who beleeve these things Rev. 20.11 Is it for you to live riotously to follow all vain pleasures and delights or not rather to pray and mourn and bethink your selves what is to be done at this time 2. Take notice That there is no man or woman though never so inconsiderable but they have their severall Talents They have their peculiar work to doe and their proper relations to serve God in There is none but they have their course to finish they have the work of God to do and therefore let no man think it may be for Magistrates for Ministers for great men for rich men to look to those things but not such inferiour persons as they No he that had but one Talent that is the least ability and opportunity to glorifie God yet because he was negligent he is called an unprofitable servant and is cast out where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth So then barrennesse and unprofitablenesse in our places and relations will be a damning sinne yet who considers this Do I promote the glory of God Is God honoured by me in my place and calling Do not I hide my talent in a Napkin Am I able to answer for my great neglect For thy health who can speak for that For time and many daies given to repent who can speak for that These things will be fire in your bones They will be thunder in your ears and arrows in your heart though for the present thou dost not matter them Thirdly Though it be the duty upon all thus to glorifie God and do our work commanded yet none is able to be perfect in this None ever lived that could challenge a Crown of glory for his perfect service Indeed Christ he being God and man did all these things without sinne therefore he was a full Mediatour for us God had nothing the Law had nothing to object against him but every meer man hath a woe belonging to his best life to his best duties if God judge him in strict justice· Hence David praieth that God would not enter into judgement with him that he would not mark every thing done amisse Why because in thy sight no flesh shall be justified Psa 143.2 So David doth not only exclude himself for he had murther and adultery and many other things amisse in his life but no flesh shall be justified None though preserved from such fals And Paul whom you have heard acknowledging the good fight he had fought and looking for a Crown of glory yet doth not challenge any perfection for at another time he accounts all things dung and drosse and would be found in Christ Phil. 3. having the righteousnesse by faith so that all doctrines of perfection and a possibility to be without sinne in this life are but the proud dreams of carnal men Therefore Fourthly No service or works that we have done are any waies meritorious or have any causal influence upon our Salvation It 's very hard to preach the necessity of all holy and good works and not presently to look on them as merits and causes of Salvation but we see the Scripture doth both and therefore we are to reconcile them in our practise To be zealous of good works yet to rely only on Christs merits It 's not my purpose here to give you several grounds why the best holy action we do comes short of all kinde of merit It 's enough to inform you Rom. 4. that beleeving and working are opposed and so works and grace and indeed to hold the fulnesse of Christs merits and yet to pleade our own is to think that the light of the Sun is not able to make perfect day unlesse we light a candle
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 〈◊〉
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
the like for us Heaven and eternal glory cannot be had without much working and suffering Rom. 8.17 If we suffer with him we shall also be glorified with him Hence are those commands and expressions Strive to enter in at the strait gate Mat. 7. Be in an agony The violent take the Kingdom of heaven That the righteous is scarcely saved Be not weary in well-doing because we shall have a recompence if we faint not Gal. 6.9 That implieth such labour and discouragements in the way to heaven that it is very hard not to faint not to be weary to give over all As the people of Israel in the wildernesse murmured and wished themselves in Egypt again because they found it so difficult to get into Canaan Hence Heaven is called a rest Heb. 4.9 There remains a rest What doth that imply but here in this world we are toiling and troubled and never have any rest but in heaven there is rest that also denoteth how sweet and excellent a place heaven is and how much we while in this world shold desire it and pray for it Whereas our desire to be in this world is as if a man should be willing to lie in a bed full of thorns pricking and gaâ—ling of him Thus hath God appointed a Fight before the Crown labour before our wages tempests and storms before the haven wearisomnesse before a rest Therefore in the 2d place Every Christian must up and be doing that doth expect Salvation Sluggishnesse and lazinesse will deprive of this glory Oh when such shall see themselves shut out of all happinesse and tormented for ever in those eternal flames then how will they cry out of their lukewarmnesse and unprofitablenesse what a terrible sentence is pronounced upon the unprofitable Servant Mat. 25.30 He is to be cast into utter darknesse where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth If Christ himself must first work and then look for a reward let not the Servant think to be above his Master We must not think to have heavenly glory as our Saviour saith Mat. 5. The Lillies of the Field have a greater glory then of Solomons yet they spin not they labour not No but the Scripture crieth out aloud to every one To work out his Salvation with fear and trembling Phil. 2.12 Oh then that the consideration that Christianity is a work No work no glory would make us shake off slothfulnesse and negligence Do not think God will provide heaven for thee as he did a Wife for Adam in a deep sleep he thought of nothing he took no care about any such thing They that say Let us eat and drink for to morrow we shall die little think of the way and the work God requireth before happinesse Those that like Dives fare deliciously every day that live in ease and security let them think this Calm will breed a great Storm as they say before Earthquakes there is a wonderful stilnesse and calmnesse So all their pleasure ease and delight is but the forerunner of unspeakable torments and misery 3. Hence we see That good works and an holy active life is not forbidden but commanded by the Scripture To preach Christ or faith or grace or the benefit of the Sacraments so as that a godly exact and diligent walking and working is excluded is to preach another Christ another Gospel then we have received Our Saviour by those Parables of divers talents as also of the foolish Virgins and of the unjust steward Mat. 25. of hiring Labourers into the Vineyard did hereby commend the necessity of working Paul fought a good fight and all the godly Worthies commended by him Heb. 11. had an active laborious faith and they are accounted blessed that die in the Lord Why because their works follow them Rev. 14.13 yea at the day of judgement that judicial processe will be according to the works we have done or we have not done for omission of duties though there be no commission of sinne the sentence of condemnation will be pronounced so that concerning this duty of working there have been errours on both sides sometimes Satan hath so prevailed as to perswade men against working to fancy a kinde of notional faith that will not purifie or clense the heart a painted fire that will not burn Sometimes again when he could not prevail that waies then he hath set up working to overthrow beleeving to make Christ and his grace ineffectuall Take we heed then that we split not our selves at either of these rocks but conform our selves to Christ who was never idle but like a careful Shepherd went up and down seeking the lost Sheep This is the devils great temptation to tempt thee not to work or if thou workest to puff thee up with confidence about it and so to make thee â—un in vain The Popish Doctrines they have so infected men about works teaching them to put confidence therein that it was an infinite mercy to the Church when the true doctrine about Christ and the grace of the Gospel beâ—aâ—e to be published and by reason of some expressions there arose up the Antinomians and others who cried down working as if that were to bring the Law in again for justification but both these misse the mark both the Pharisee with confidence in his works and the Publican without his works are excluded this place of glory 4. There is therefore a necessity for many considerations while we are in our journey to heaven that we should be working all which are good to be laid to heart that so we may avoid all unprofitablenesse and at last to be able to say and now my work is done O Father glorifie me The first is from the command and will of God Every Page in the Bible presseth doing Gods will yea we are to be stedfast immoveable alwaies abounding in the work of the Lord 1 Cor. 15. So that if there were no other motive to excite us the command of God might be greatly provoking He who hath a command and a Soveraignty over all That commands the very inanimate creatures and they obey how much rather should we yeeld obedience to his will and the rather because whatsoever work he commands as it is good in it self so it 's good to us It 's good in it self When the devil and sinne tempt to that which is evil thou presently givest up thy self and shall God require that which is good and thou refusest it Besides It 's good for thee as well as good in it self It 's a work thou wilt never repent of it will never be matter of grief to thee Whereas for all other works of the flesh and the devil they will prove thorns in thy side There will be a horrour upon thy Spirit for them making thee to cry out Oh that I had never done this or that sin is called dead works Heb. 6.1 because they argue a man dead and devoid of spirituall life and so they also carry to eternal
to the order of our matter That which is absolutely necessary is to be preferred before what is convenient only what relates to Gods glory and our salvation is farre to be preferred before any temporall good thing as we see by the direction in our Lords Praier and by Christs command Seek ye first the Kingdom of heaven Mat. 6.33 It 's disputed whether temporall mercies may be praied for or no it may seem a thing below the heavenly Spirit of a Christian but if it be lawful then it 's disputed how far whether absolutely or conditionally only and it 's resolved that because temporal mercies are not promised by God absolutely nor are they absolutely necessary to our salvation Therefore we may pray only with submission and subordination if it be Gods will and so farre as they may be a furtherance to our spiritual good 3. There must be an attention to the words we use in our prayer as well as to the matter That they be grave decent and comely That there be nothing of vanity affectation or irreverence Praier is a worship of God When Abraham was admitted to a discourse with God how greatly did he debase himself he was but dust and ashes Gen. 18.27 and who was he that he should speak to God Eccl. 5.2 There is a notable advice to look to our words when we have to do with God He is in heaven and thou on earth That is a vast distance and great disproportion Therefore let thy words be few The wiseman doth not there forbid a long praier for he himself made a very long one at the Dedication of the Temple and repeated this Petition very often Then hear thou in heaven and forgive and heal this people 1 Kin. 8. But that we should look to our words that they be not idle superfluous and vain a long praier in this sence may be said to have few words when the matter is pithy and the words pertinent as he said of a Book Non sunt longa c. That is not a long Book from which you cannot well take away any thing so that the length and shortnesse of a praier lieth not so much in the quantity of time as in the matter a praier held out for an hour without any savory matter or comely words is a long praier Look we then to the matter in the first place and then to words but if we look towards more then matter and make an eloquent oration to God rather then an humble supplication this is ridiculous and sinfull 4. We are to have our attention upon the obiect to whom we do pray and that to God himself What preparations and perfumings were there to come into Abashuerus his presence If the Majesty of an earthly King strike such terrour then what ought not the presence of so great a God so that a diligent attention to his greatness must greatly elevate and raise up the Spirit must unite and strengthen it to one object how can distraction and divisions enter into thy heart when it 's applying it self to such infinite greatnesse 5. We are to be attentive to all those concomitant graces without which Praier is like a Bird without wings or a rusty Key Zeal and fervency and faith in the promise and power of God are necessarily required for Without faith it 's impossible to please God Heb. 11. This is the life and soul of all There must be also heavenly mindednesse and a hatred of all sin otherwise we are not fit to have any communion with God Lastly We are to attend to the end we have in our Praier for lawful temporal things Jam. 4.7 You ask and have not because you ask amisse You ask to spend on your lusts and this is very difficult to ask health life and strength for no other end but thereby to glorifie God and promote his Kingdom Thus briefly because not principally intended to declare how great a matter it is to pray 3. Vocal praier or the use of the tongue in praier is not for information of God as if thereby we would discover to him that which he did not know before Nor if we use repetition in praier is it to move God as importunity may a Judge If it were so then no wonder if we did double and treble the same thing over and over again but partly because we consisting of a soul and body are thereby to glorifie God and honour him with both Hence not only the heart but the tongue is called upon to glorifie God and that is called the glory of a man Though some expound it of the soul and partly because the voice and exercise thereof doth stir up and move the affections there being a reciprocal efficacy one upon another and a circular causality Even as vapors make the clouds which distilling in rain do make vapors again so out of the heart come affectionate expressions in praier and these again do encrease heat in the heart These things premised let us consider When Repetitions or ingeminations of the same matter in Praier may be useful and necessary and we shall speak of such a vocal Praier as is publique wherein not only the Petitions but the edification of others is greatly to be respected for this you must know and it may serve for a fourth particular to preface this matter That in publique praier wherein many joyn together he that praieth is not only to attend to all the forementioned particulars but to them that are assembled also to consider what Petitions what confessions are fit for them to be stirred up unto and that is 1 Cor. 14. The reason why the Apostle so much pleadeth against praier among other duties in an unknown tongue because it will not edifie those that are conioyned with us and so some expound that I will pray in the Spirit that is for his own particular and I will pray in the understanding also that is in respect of others to advantage and benefit them so that in our publique whether as a Minister as a Master of a Family or otherwise We must consider the persons with us what they need what things most concern them and this is a particular way to affect them it being here as with a Sermon the closer it comes to the heart the more good it doth so with a praier the more any Petition closeth with another mans heart the more it doth affect him and enlarge him and therefore fit words and fit matter are especially to be attended unto in such publique praier where not only supplication but edification is intended Let us then consider when the ground of repetition and ingemination is good And 1. When the matter is so exceeding necessary that our hearts are deeply sensible of it As when a burthened soul lieth under the guilt of sinne sinne is like a Mountain upon him it gnaweth and devoureth within then to beg for pardon over and over again the soul cannot but do it The necessity
of it is so great that be cannot let it go as Psa 51. a Praier made by David when overwhelmed in his Spirit by the guilt of sinne How often doth he repeat though in different words a Petition for pardon That God would have mercy on him That he would wash him purge him and blot out his sinnes This he nameth twice for till he had obtained this pardon there was no living for him He could take no pleasure in houses friends yea in his kingdom and all outward prosperity so that the necessity of it makes him again and again repeat his praier for it and thus our Saviour when he was upon those agonies and extremities he praieth Father if it be possible let this cup passe away and the Text saith he went thrice and said the same words Mat. 26.44 Here the necessity of that Praier he praied for made him say the same words for as the same earth or the same Sun we are not weary of because of the necessity of it Thus neither is it to be accounted a vain tautology when again and again we pray for that without which we cannot be 2. When the matter is excellent then it may be repeated again because by often striking the same stroak at last the Instrument enters sometimes a sudden transient passage doth not touch the heart and so the excellency of it is not discerned but when once or twice it is spoken then it may affect It 's a Rule Pulchrasunt his dicenda we cannot see the worth of a Jewell at the first sight and hence it is that there are some sentences of choice and excellent vertue that our Saviour himself would use more then once Such as that Many are called but few are chosen and some Parables also are twice spoken to by our Saviour yea that Psalm which describeth the grievous pollution of every man by nature The Apostle Rom. 3. doth repeat at large it being such an excellent choice Truth that every one is to be affected with and till that foundation be laid there cannot be any esteem or prizing of Christ 3. When the affections are very fervent and zealous then it cannot but they will expresse the same thing again It 's not want of matter but height of affection and zeal that makes the tongue utter the same thing twice as Gal. 4.6 it 's said The Spirit of God is sent into our hearts whereby we cry Abba Father Here is an Ingemination we cry Father Father and why so the Spirit of God doth so kindle and inflame the heart that it 's so sweetly and passionately affected that as he said pro dulcedine vix labris expedire possit he is unwilling to let this hony out of his mouth As Peter when he was in the Transfiguration said It 's good to be here So the heart of a godly man thus filialized by the holy Ghost cannot but utter the same dear relation over and over It 's usuall with the Hebrews when they would expresse their earnest affection and desire to a thing to double it and when Esau was in that great extremity and desired Jacobs pottage he crieth out Give me of thy red pottage as it 's in the Original The heart that is strongly affected and zealously drawn out is not contented with once naming of that which he so much desireth so that commonly cold and customary praiers have no ingeminations 4. Repetition of the same matter may be when he would by faith perswade our heart of the certainty of the thing we pray for Thus that crying Abba Father did not only argue zeal but assurance and certainty They were so fully perswaded that they were bold to speak it again and again and so also it 's a Rule among the Hebrews to expresse the certainty of a thing by the ingemination of it Thus dying thou shalt die So when it 's said Amen and Amen that repetition is to shew their affection that they would have it so or that it is so and thus indeed those Petitions which God sets home with certainty upon the heart they are again and again mentioned The Lord will do them yea he hath done them Lastly There may be a repetition of some Petitions especially in publique Praier when the matter doth greatly concern us and so it 's such as we ought to be deeply affected with for as it is with Preaching that matter which doth greatly concern the hearer it 's lawful to mention it over and over again as the Apostle Peter did think fit to write the very same things which he had formerly delivered as also the Apostle Jude in his Epistle did So it is in publique praier such sinnes as we would have the Congregation sensible of in their confessions such duties as we would have them diligently perform it 's useful in praier to mention these more then once for how dull and distracted are our thoughts how hard and sencelesse are they So that like Moses his rock till we be stricken over and over again water cannot come forth like the Shunamites dead childe Till we be often rubbed over there cannot come any spiritual heat into us Do not then alwaies look for new matter but rather desire thy heart may be affected with that which is old sometimes It 's a great sinne in all that they endeavour not to have their hearts affected in publique praier in our Congregations we should all be like so many Jacobs wrastling with God We should be like so many Hezekiahs or Jonahs crying out of the Whales belly but oh how few when God takes notice doth he finde that have spiritual mourning hearts some sleeping some roving some weary and wishing it over But you will say though this indeed prove that sometimes a doubling of the same Petition may be usefull yet may there not be idle bablings and sinfull repetitions in the same Praier May there not be such Tautologies as may be offensive and distastful to a godly heart Yes certainly And this is expresly forbidden Mat. 6.7 a notable place Vse not vain repetitious 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Some derive it from that foolish man the Poet speaks of a Shepherd called Battus sub illis montibus inquit erant erant sub montibus illis Others more probably from the Hebrew word baetta that signifies to pour out froth a blatero and so Hesychius expounds it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 empty words of any sence or matter when there are many words and no true grave matter Therefore our Saviour cals it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 much speaking not that he condemneth long praiers but to make many words without sence or the affection of the heart Hesychius expounds it also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unseasonable and unbeseeming So that then are Repetitions forbidden by our Saviour 1. When they arise either from want of judgement to prepare good matter or a dry sencelesse heart For Praier is a stream and if there be not fulnesse in
be perswaded to do another thing In this case thou hast sinful and dishonourable thoughts of God Thou thinkest of him as a man like thy own self and the ground why such apprehensions are ungodly and unbeseeming the Majesty of God is because he is immutable and unchangeable in his nature There is no ground of change or alteration in him because there is no ignorance in his understanding he foreknoweth all things no mutability in hiâ— will therefore thy praiers though they are necessary and usefull yet they have no such influence upon God as to change his minde or to make him of unwilling willing 3. There are some things so absolutely promised that do not suppose any condition of Praier on our parts As the initiall workings of grace The beginningâ— of our conversion especially that promise Zech. 12 that God will pour on us the Spirit of praier and supplication The fullfilling of this promise cannot be by way of praier for it 's a promise to enable us to pray and so we could not make it self to be a condition for it self Indeed we may pray for the Spirit of praier but that is to be understood in regard of a further measure of this Spirit As we may exercise Faith in the promise for a further degree of Faith we may beleeve that God thereby may encrease our faith and make it more strong Thus the promise of sending Christ into the world and giving him to be a Saviour to his people doth not suppose our praier but rather praier is a gift from this We therefore pray viz. acceptably because we are united to Christ and have his Spirit dwelling in us Thus God also in the conversion of his people cometh in with his grace upon them before they desire or seek after him at least in a right manner I was found of those that sought me not said Christ Isa 65.1 Therefore this is not to be understood universally of every good thing that God hath promsed but for the most part of those things which do suppose us already godly and put into a capacity and spirituall ability of praier Then God will not do for us till we seek unto him As the Mother doth not expect the childe that cannot yet speak should ask for such a thing at her hands 5. God hath required Praier as a constant duty to be performed by all notwithstanding any purposes or promises made by him I say as a constant duty required of all and therefore that is an unjustifiable position of some That it 's not lawfull or a duty for wicked men to pray But when our Saviour speaks so universally Ask and ye shall have and Gods wrath is to be poured upon the Families of the earth because they call not upon God It 's plain it 's their sin that they do not pray and although God will not hear the Praier of sinners but it 's an abomination to God yet for all that it 's their duty to pray not indeed to pray sinfully not to keep up their sins and their praiers together but to empty themselves of their poison to lay aside their superfluity of naughtinesse and so to come with pure hearts and pure hands to God as David I will wash my hands in innocency so will I compasse thy Altar Psa 26.6 It 's therefore a duty enjoyned all and that indispensably to pray unto God Again I say It 's a constant duty required of all not as if there were to be no intermission but when the time and season doth require it as they are called constant Sacrifices which were offered every day though not all the day long and this overthroweth that opinion of some who think it no duty to pray unlesse when they feel some motion or impulse of the Spirit of God upon them so that if they are a day a moneth a year without this they will not pray This is not according to the Rule Again it 's a constant duty required of all Therefore it 's a presumptuous conceit of those who apprehend themselves above Petitions They will do nothing but sing praises to God and give him thanks as if they were Angels in heaven but as for Petitions and Confessions they are so perfect they are above them Why do not such men refuse to eat and drink saying they have such perfect bodies they need no sustenance Doth not Christ himself here importunately and fervently put up his Petitions to the Father 5. Though God will not perform the good things he promiseth without our praiers yet our Praiers are not meritorious They deserve not at Gods hand Though we cannot have the promised blessing without Praier yet not for our Praier Therefore it 's not only arrogant but an irrationall doctrine in Popery to assert Praier to be a meritorious work Doth the beggar deserve an alms because he asketh Who would not rather say that praier is a plain profession of our beggery emptinesse and utter impotency Thereby we proclaim that of our selves we are not able to procure the least mercy Therefore when we come to God take heed of trusting in Praier of idolizing thy duties It 's a sin we are prone too but as they say of clothes Pride of them is an extreme vanity because the very putting them on should put us in minde of our sin that made nakednesse a shame so our very praier should make us abhorre our selves and set up God as the only fountain of all hope and comfort if we could help our selves why pray we to him 6. Therefore it 's disputed whether God doth require Praier for the mercies sake or give the mercy for Praiers sake As for example God hath promised encrease of grace sanctification of all afflictions if we rightly pray to him Now the Question is whether he giveth this mercy for praier sake or not rather because he will give such a mercy therefore he enableth us to pray and certainly this latter way is the truth God gives us not the mercy because we pray but because he will vouchsafe such a mercy therefore he quickneth us up to pray The mercy is not referred to praier but praier to the mercy Therefore 7. As long as God keeps up our heart in a praying way so long there is hope of the accomplishment of the mercy we pray for Thou preparest the heart and hearest with the ear saith David Psa 10.17 Not but that in some temporal mercies the soul may be kept long in a praying waiting frame and yet the mercy it self be never given us but then it will be with us as with Paul My grace is sufficient for thee 2 Cor. 12. So that still God is good to thee though thou hast not that thou praiest for if a praying frame of heart be on thee on the other side it 's an heavy defection not to be able or willing to pray I speak not of a tempted Christian who praieth even while he saith he doth not he cannot pray but of those
troubled at the reproach he had in the world so neither was he lifted up with the glory and honour he had here and then partly in reference to his work done on earth for on earth he did his work in heaven he expects his reward I shall not handle this peculiarly as it relates to Christ but take in all the Children of God for herein Christ and all his members are alike In the midst of their afflictions and trials they are to support themselves with hope and pour forth earnest praiers for the glory God hath prepared for them So that the Observation is That all the Children of God like Christ himself are earnestly to pray for their glory with God above all earthly honour or glory Christ praied not with such imperfections as the godly do as is in time more largely to be shewed only both he and the godly agree in the matter praied for viz. glory in the generall though Christs glory is not of the same nature with theirs This glory is the center in which the several lines of their desires and praiers are to meet This should be the cordiall in all their temptations and exercises though poor here though miserable here though despised here yet my eye is fastened upon the glory hereafter oh that our Auditors were so spirituall as to be affected with this eternal Crown of glory for none but the heavenly and truly godly man can desire to hear of this The other sort of men had rather have their barly-corn then this Pearl Their Garlick then this Manna Their husks then this fatted Calf But to open this Doctrine there are three particulars implied in it 1. The nature of this glory 2. It 's earnestly to be praied for 3. It 's to be the comfort and support of the godly in this valley of tears and death Did we not expect glory to come we should look upon our selves as most miserable But of the first The nature of this glory and that is expressed first in the Text a glory with Gods own self and that doth imply these particulars 1. That it is a glory in the hand of God to dispose and give to him whom he pleaseth You see Christ himself beggeth for this at Gods hand None can violently invade this glory or break into those heavenly mansions whether God will or no all heavenly glory is with God who is therefore called the God of glory or glorious not only because he is glorious in himself but because he is the bountifull authour and dispenser of all glory as the Sunne is the Fountain of all light so then it 's not in the power of any earthly Potentate to make men thus glorious Though Ahashuerus could make Haman and Mordecai outwardly glorious yet for this heavenly glory the greatest powers of the world need it from God as well as the poorest beggar 2. It is a glory with God because he is the object of this glory In him it is that we have all our happinesse and glory Even in this life we are forbidden to glory in riches in honours and greatnesse but let him that glorieth glory in this that he knoweth God 1 Cor. 1.31 and then much more in heaven it is our glory that we enjoy God So that all the happinesse excellency and glory which is said to be in heaven is reductively in this that we are made partakers of God with God and in God is only glory and seeing that glory and our utmost happinesse are all one in this Point of what great concernment is it for every one to consider what that is in which he placeth his happinesse Dost thou not think thy self happy if thou hast the good things and the great things of this world Art thou not of the Serpents breed and not the womans seed in that thou lickest up the dust of the earth It is that that all men miscarry in They do not consider what that is which if obtained would make a man happy Whereas the Scripture is plain and clear informing that it is in having God for our God and then not only happy here but happy hereafter 3. In that this glory is said to be with God it implieth that it is such which God approveth of and liketh off It 's not an appearance of glory but true reall glory The Hebrew word Canod for glory signifieth weight As the Apostle distinguisheth between Circumcision of the Letter and the Spirit which latter he saith hath its praise of God and not of men Rom. 2. ult That is glorious before God so the glory in heaven hath its praise from God What will it avail to affect glory and praise from men when God will abhorre and dishonour will despise and curse thee That which is highly esteemed amongst men is abominable before God Luk. 18. Think it not enough to live so that thy self and others do applaud thee no though they be good men for God judgeth the heart Oh then again and again say Is this glory such as God accounts of Doth the Lord say this is happinesse that I have The rich man bid his soul take his ease but did God bid him do so also 4. This phrase doth imply the glory that is in heaven as oppositely to the work we do on earth This is that all the Children of God should look after a glory in heaven This made them long for and hasten the coming of Christ this made them judge themselves but Pilgrims here and so to seek out for a better City Take we heed then that we be not in the Number of those who minde earthly things that judge nothing glorious but what seems in this world full of greatness and admiration The state of men living here is a condition of misery and calamity which made Job say that man who is born of a woman is born for sorrow as the sparks fly upwards Job 5.7 So that we may say God makes this life so bitter that the glory in heaven may be sweeter Therefore he keeps us a while in this wildernesse that Canaan may be the more prized This is the nature of this glory as implied in that phrase with thy own self but there are other properties of it also that may raise our expectations after it As 1. It 's an everlasting and eternal glory There is no dust or ashes in heaven There is no mortality or corruptibility but every thing is then made like God to abide for ever The Scripture doth often mention this incorruptible Crown and eternal glory and certainly were we heavenly and holy this would greatly enlarge our hearts but these two things are wanting that would put us highly to esteem it There are few that have a spiritual nature Few are born of God and so seek after such a glorious priviledge What careth a Swine for the pearl no more doth a natural man for this heavenly glory he cals for that which may satisfie his
is insufficient to salvation Therefore it 's a pernicious assertion of Venator the Remonstrant that the Heathens they had the Light as it were of the Starres The Jews of the Moon The Christians of the Sunne and all might be saved by their respective Lights 4. God is manifested by the Scriptures in a common way of Light Many men by an Historicall faith beleeving the Scriptures must also beleeve a God for there is no such clear evidence any way as by that and thus we may judge of most Christians they know there is a God they beleeve him to be because the Word doth so fully affirm it Lastly There is a knowledge of God in a practicall obedient way so to know him as to fear him to obey his Commandments to walk humbly before him and to depend upon him and this is the manifestation or knowledge the truly godly only have and the number of these is very few so that if you set aside those who know God only upon a natural conscience or by education or by a general historical Faith The residue who know him by speciall illumination and sanctification are like the gleaning after harvest so that we may hence conclude that whatsoever parts learning understanding men have in Religion yet till inwardly sanctified they know not God They are wholly estranged from him They live without God in the world Eph. 2. God is not in their thoughts in their hearts neither have they any enjoyment of him Oh that we could make every Auditor sensible of this I live in the world I know much I have great acquaintance but yet am a stranger to God Now these following particulars will plainly discover that the godly only do truly know God R. 1 First Because though men have this speculative knowledge yet they do not love him and delight in him above all things It 's Gods command that we should love him with all our heart our minds and strength yea above Father Mother life and every thing that is dear Insomuch that the Scripture saith Whosoever loveth the world the love of the Father is not in him 1 Joh. 2.15 Now whence is it that we love these poor empty comforts more then God Is it not because we do not know God Had we clear manifestations of the goodnesse excellency and fulnesse that is in God our whole heart would be ravished with him As it is with the glorified Saints in heaven they have an immediate vision of God They behold him in this glorious beauty and hence it is that they cannot sinne The understanding seeth such infinite perfection in God that they abhorre all things that would divert from him As the eye dazled with the Beam-light of the Sun cannot behold any thing else As he that hath eaten honey findeth all things else unsavoury As the Saints in heaven do thus so the Saints on earth do in part and in some good measure They beholding the Image of God 2 Cor. 4. are transformed into the same Image The more we know God as revealed in the word the more our hearts pant after him as you see David often manifesting the breaking of his heart after God Well then by this you see that few know God if they did how could they leave the Ocean for a drop how could they part with God for every fading creature thy lusts thy sins are more then God in thy thoughts and affections Oh pray for a knowledge of God in Christ The blinde man doth not admire the glory of the Sunne because he cannot see it ignoti nulla cupido R. 2 2. No wicked man though never so great a Scholar knoweth God if he doe not fear him if he stands not in an holy awe and reverence of him who would not fear thee Isa 10. O thou King of Nations for to thee it appertaineth and sanctifie the Lord God let him be your dread Our Saviour likewise Fear not them that can kill the body Mat. 10.28 but I tell you whom you shall fear c. You see then that if we did rightly know God how pure and just he is how full of wrath and vengeance against impenitent sinners we would cry out with Joseph upon every temptation How can I do this and sinne against God I cannot I dare not Thus Paul Knowing the terrour of the Lord we perswade men 2 Cor. 5.11 Did men know the greatnesse and the terrour of God the power and Majesty he is cloathed with That no sinner though never so great can stand before him any more then the stubble before the fire That he can immediatly raise hellish torments in thy conscience That he can bid thee go out of this Church a trembling Cain a despairing Judas Did I say People know this God to be so great how could they riot it in all excesse as they do as our Saviour told the Woman Joh. 4. If thou hadst known who it is that asked water of thee thou wouldst have given him Had you or did you know that the God whom you offend all the day long is so great and terrible in Majesty it would have been a stop to all thy bold impieties but men know not God R. 3 3. Only the godly know God because they only are carefull to obey his Commandments and to walk in the way he requireth 1 Joh. 2. If we say we know him and keep not his Commandments we are lyars and abide not in the Truth Their knowledge of God and a carefull obedience to his commands cannot be separated The Apostle saith all others are but lyars and hypocrites Dost thou boast of knowledge and yet break his Sabbath wallow in the lusts of the flesh Thou art a lyar thou dost not know God Hence it followeth in my Text I have manifested thy Name to my Disciples and they have kept thy Word Oh then never talk of thy knowledge never speak of what thou readest or what thou understandest unlesse also thy obedience to Gods will be as manifest so that when we see any prophane wicked man indued with great parts you may say Lo there is such an one though he knoweth all Points in Religion though he knoweth every Chapter in the Bible yet he knoweth nothing of God for whereas God saith Be not drunk with wine c. and Wo be to those that are strong to drink yet every week if not every day he is drunk Though God saith Swear not at all yet some cannot speak without an Oath scarce Oh that these things might enter into you If you know God you would obey him you would say I dare not I must not do this or that God whom I know and serve commands the contrary Therefore the Prophet Hosea when he speaketh of much wickednesse in a Land swearing and whoring and injustice he saith There is no Knowledge of God in the Land Hos 4.1 Argum. 4 4. The godly man only knoweth God because he only hath these gracious effects of Gods grace upon his heart
no good Thou wilt die and perish though the Prophets have been amongst you R. 2 2. The end of the Ministery is to bring men to the knowledge of God in a saving way because of the nature and property of it which is wholly supernatural The Word is commanded to be preached not for any natural or civill ends but spirituall and supernaturall When they followed Christ because of the Loaves it was a low and unworthy motive It should have been because of their souls and because of the bread of life to feed their souls If thou regardest a Ministry or comest to hear for any other end but divine and supernatural If it be for custome or to keep up thy good repute amongst men this is to be carnall this is to be a worm and no Christian for God hath given these Officers to the Church and commanded a diligent dispensation therein for sublime and holy ends to enlighten thy minde to soften thy heart to spiritualize thy affections to reform thy life even to polish and preserve thee that thou maist be a stone of glory in the heavenly Jerusalem Say then thou dost nothing if this supernatural improvement be not made of it Thus also it is for the Preacher if he preach to shew his Learning to make himself admired to satisfie any corrupt end This is also low and unworthy Malo ut me reprehendant grammatici quam non intelligant populi yet oh how prone are corrupt and insincere motives to creep in few being able to say with Paul That they handle the Word of God sincerely as of God and in the presence of God Let then the nature of the work raise up our hearts it 's sublime and supernatural in its use It 's holy merchandizing or trading for mens souls and therefore so often called by that glorious Title R. 3 3. The Ministers of the Gospel are to urge this because of the dignity and excellency of the work To bring men to the saving knowledge of God is a noble emploiment a work for Angels to do The great Rulers and powers in the world they do but order the body and the outward man but this work is to enlighten the soul and to make it fit for the enjoyment of God This made Paul so often rejoyce in and blesse God that he had chosen him a vessel to make known the Name of God We are a sweet savour unto God saith the Apostle We are the precious Apothecaries that open the sweet box of the Gospel Hence it is that the Apostle exhorts people to honour and to have the Ministers of the Gospel in high esteem and why for their works sake 1 The. 5.13 Their teaching and guiding of you in the way to heaven is that great work for which you are to esteem them if to direct a Traveller that is farre out of the way into a ready path be so acceptable a work what is it then to inform people who are going securely and joyfully in the broad way to hell of the danger herein and to direct to the way of life If then it be so excellent minde this in the first place Oh say what a wretch am I who know the way to my own house but not to my long home I know how to buy and sell but I know not how to enjoy God R. 4 4. We are to insist on this end because of the difficulty and great opposition that is in the work For 1. The devil by his Instruments endeavours to keep men in darknesse All those black cloudy times which have been upon the Church brought in Idolatrous Superstition and prophanesse insomuch that the devil reigned almost within the Church as much as without his Kingdom was not more promoted by those without then those within No wonder then if such opposition hath alwaies been against times of light and times of Reformation because the bright shining of the Gospel doth immediatly destroy Satans dominion as when our Saviour sent his Apostles to preach he said he saw Satan fall from heaven like lighening Luk. 10.18 and who can bewail that Ignorance which did overflow in the time of Popery The Sun of the Gospel being then in a constant eclipse and howsoever learning of it self is either used well or ill as the Subject is who hath it yet in the general Learning is a special means to preserve and conveigh the true knowledge of God for the Apostle saith The unstable and unlearned wrest the Scriptures to their own destruction 2 Pet. 3.18 So that in some sence we may take up that allegory of Philo Sarah cannot have children without the help of Hagar i. e. The doctrine and knowledge of God is not propagated without the help of humane Learning especially the tongues and arts Therefore it 's required of the Minister of God that he should rebuke with all doctrine and to be able to convince the gainsayers and to divide the Word of God aright which can never be done without learning so that you see the difficulty of it in respect of the opposition 2. The difficulty doth arise in that the true doctrine and knowledge of God is hardly obtained for there must be constant study in the Word of God daily praier unto God to be led into the Truth There must be a godly use of all the means God hath appointed to get this knowledge Hence the Scripture doth foretell of such as shall arise even from the Church and shall speak perverse things men of corrupt mindes yea many shall bring in damnable heresies that they shall have much craft much seeming piety that if it were possible they would deceive the very Elect Mat. 26. So that you see how difficult it is even for the Ministers of the Gospel to finde out the Truth how many think they teach you the way to heaven and leade you to hell Doth not the Papist Doth not the Socinian Doth not every heretick say None teacheth with the true knowledge of God as they do yea and they may be strongly perswaded of this for the Apostle speaks of many that are delivered up to believe a lye 2 Thes 2.11 So that it 's of infinite concernment for people to have such guides that do not give them poyson in stead of food Would the Scripture have said Mar. 4.26 Take heed how you hear and what you hear if there had not been such danger in hearing 3. It 's difficult because of the hearers Every man naturally is so corrupt that he loveth error and will sooner close with any false doctrine then the true You see the Apostle complaining what applause the false Teachers had Oh saith he You suffer if a man smites you 2 Cor. 11.20 If a man wrong you that is if false Teachers were never so tyrannical though they did abuse them and kept them under yet they could like them well enough but they could not abide the Apostles carriage though his severity was mingled with much meeknesse and
thus it is alwaies any errour any false way is more pleasing to corrupt men then the truth and hence it hath many followers People will run out to see to gaze and hear some new thing If a man be a dwarf or a gyant every one will run to see him but not the man of ordinary stature Vse Is this the end of the Ministry of all our labour and preaching to bring you to the saving knowledge of God Oh then may we not take up the Prophets complaint That we labour in vain the bellows is burnt the lead is consumed but the reprobate silver is not purged away Jer. 6.27 Do not many Families and persons proclaim they know not God for in this it is seen that they call not upon God there are no Family-duties no worshiping of him whereas our houses should be like the Temple of the Lord they are slies of sin rather Christ is to come in flaming vengeance against those that know not God May not the Ministers of God cry with Isaiah Isa 6.5 Wo be to us we dwell among men of polluted lips and lives It 's a Wo to dwell there Isaiah was much affected with it SERMON XXXI That Gods People are not of though in this world Wherein is also shewed the vast difference between them and the men of the world JOH 17.5 I have manifested thy Name to those that thou gavest me out of the world THE next thing considerable is The description of the Subject about which Christ did thus imploy himself and they are set out 1. From their original descent and heavenly rise These God hath given Christ but of this we have already treated and shall say more before we come to the end of the Chapter it being often repeated 2. From the term from which they are given out of the world They are given to Christ out of the world The Scripture in this Chapter makes a distinction of being in the world and of the world The people of God even as Christ himself and his Kingdom are in the world but they are not of the world As a Stranger in a forreign Countrey he is in that Countrey but not of it he hath not the nature the Language nor doth he accustome himself to the fashion of that place Thus it is with the godly Though they are born and so live in the world yet their natures and affections and conversations are not worldly As the Fowls that were at first created out of the water yet did not continue there but flew up to heaven and continue for the most part there As clouds though of the earth yet are carried about after the motions of the heavens They are not then given out of the world so as if every good man were presently upon his godlinesse removed out of this earth to heaven but in respect of their nature affections and conversation localiter they are not but in respect of heart and affections in which sence Paul said he was crucified to the world and the world to him Gal. 6.14 Now you must know that the word world hath several significations in Scriptures Est mundus cujus Deus est creator est mundus cujus Deus est redemptor est mundus cujus Satan est seductor Sometimes it is taken for the whole Fabrick and Vniverse with the parts thereof as when the world is said to be made by God and Christ a Lamb slain from the beginning of the world Rev. 13.8 Sometimes it 's taken for the greater part of the world as they said all the world did run after Christ or the world said to be taxed by Augustus Luk. 2.1 Sometimes for the power riches pleasures and glory of the world but then most commonly fot the wicked men of the world Thus often by John The world hath not known thee if ye were of the world the world would love you and now wicked men are called the world because their whole heart and desires are fixed on worldly things No worms no Moles delighting more in earthly things then they do and therefore they are the Serpents seed which live on the dust of the earth And then they are called the world because they are the farre greater visible and more flourishing part of the world Alas take these that are godly and they are but a despicable and contemptible handful to those that ruffle it in the world Obs That the people of God they are called out of the world He that is truly godly is no more a man of this world as we say of a dying man he is not for this world his heart his thoughts his desires are quite taken off Thus the godly are said to be dead and crucified to the world Gal. 6.14 They have not those carnal worldly affections and dispositions as formerly and from hence the people of God are called Ecclesia the Church as much as persons called out of the world not bodily but in respect of their souls and hence the world and the Church is opposed 1 Cor. 5.10 The Fornicators of this world in opposition to the Church so that by this we see there is none in the Church of God but they should have renounced the waies customes and sinnes of the world To be a Christian and yet of the world is a contradiction as if we should say a black Sun yet how is the garden of God made a Wildernesse how is the Church become the world So much prophanesse wickednesse and carnal living as there is so much of the world there is Oh that men did consider what an holy obligation their Christianity brings upon them Art thou a Christian and yet the drunkard of the world the fornicator of the world the proud the earthly of the world this ought not to be no more then the Angel a worm no more then a Starre a clod of earth The Apostle cals those of the world without What have we to do to judge those that are without 1 Cor. 5 ult but those of the Church within Oh but how many â—â—eâ— within according to Christs Rule ought to be turned out of Christs sheepfold To illustrate this necessary Truth let us observe those demonstrations or discoveries whereby it may appear that the godly are not of the world And first This makes it manifest because they have not the Spirit of the world but of God 1 Cor. 2.12 Now what is the Spirit of the world even a judgement and wisedom to discern only worldly things to see the necessity of them the excellency of them To be wholly affected with them To meditate on them day and night But the godly they have received the Spirit of God whereby they savour and discern spiritual things They have hearts alwaies depending upon God and they have hearts wholly fixed and placed upon God They see incomparable excellency in heavenly things above all earthly They say with David My soul breaketh for the longing it hath to God at all times
because they were under an outward administration of grace when other Nations of the world were not so Lastly A people are his by Election and the gracious effects thereof and so only those that are the true Disciples of Christ are his and in this sence it 's said Thine they are and they have kept thy Word which cannot be understood of Judas for he perfidiously forsook Christ Doct. That the truly godly are Gods people in a peculiar manner They have an indeared propriety in God They may say with Dauid Psa 119.94 I am thine save me This propriety is the ground of all comfort of all boldnesse at the Throne of grace I am thine pardon me I am thine sanctifie me I am thine leave me not To open this Consider the distinction before premised That we may be said to be the Lords either generally by right of Creation and his absolute Soveraignty or 2. Peculiarly in a gracious manner In the former sence all mankinde is said to be in Gods hand as the clay in the hand of the Potter so that if God from wise and most righteous ends have chosen some and left others in their damnable estate if we cannot say that all are by Gods Election and Christs by the execution of it yet we have no cause to grudge or repine because all are Gods to dispose of at his pleasure For although his holy and righteous nature is the cause that he cannot do any thing that is evil or unjust yet the dominion and soveraignty he hath may make him dispose of all things as he pleaseth and if the Apostle in matters of Election and Reprobation doth urge this to stifle mans presumption how much more may it hold in inferiour things if God deny thee this or that mercy and giveth it to others who art thou O man that arguest against God We are his to be disposed of as he pleaseth But 2. That which we are now to speak to is the propriety and right God hath in some more then in others by his grace and meer love Alas the former propriety argueth no comfort the damned in hell yea the very devils may pleade the former Lord we are thine by creation and dominion but that is no ground of comfort only this latter is an unanswerable argument God himself cannot deny this when we can pray Lord we are thine by thy peculiar grace and purpose of love We did not of our selves become thus it was thy goodnesse to make us thy own It was free for thee to have done with us as thou pleasest but now we are thine it belongs to thee to save thy own Secondly This right and propriety is mutually reciprocal God is theirs and they are Gods only Gods propriety in them is the cause of their propriety in God You have not chosen me but I have chosen you saith Christ Joh. 15.16 So that this is very comfortable to observe that this right is mutuall God is their God and they are his people God challengeth them as his and they may claim God as theirs as you see the Covenant of grace runneth reciprocally I will be their God and they shall be my people Jer. 31.33 this is expressed under those similitudes of a Vine and a branch of an husband and a Wife The wife hath power over and right to her husband as well as the Husband to the Wife The Vine hath a relation to the branches as well as the branches to the Vine only as the good of the branch lieth in being in the Vine but the Vine doth not fetch succour from the branch So it 's here we are the Lords and the Lord is ours only the Lord hath no advantage nor hath he any good in that we are his but the cause of our happinesse is that he is ours so then let the people of God know that the ground and rise of all their spirituall advantage is because God hath a propriety in them not so much because they have a propriety in God It 's because God loveth them God will not loose what is his that they are preserved from sinne and hell Indeed till we be actually Gods by beleeving though we be his by Election yet we cannot make use of our Interest That is hidden and secret Paul though he was the Lords by Election before the foundations of the world yet till brought home till beleeving he cannot say the Lord is his Therefore till God be ours both by Election and the saving effects of it we cannot say I am my Beloveds and my Beloved is mine Cant. 2.16 Therefore Thirdly Our comfort and joy lieth in the discovery of our propriety and interest in God for though we be his yet if we beleeve it not it is as if we did not belong to him It 's said David encouraged himself in his God 1 Sam. 30.6 The evidence of his propriety was his encouragement and Paul acknowledgeth an appropiration when speaking of Christ he said Who loved me and gave himself for me Gal. 2.20 Hence it is that our Saviour upon his departure out of the world doth so fully inform his Disciples that he will be theirs still though he bodily leaveth them That the propriety and interest they have in him is not taken away Hence also it is that an elected man while unconverted can take no more comfort from God or his promise then a reprobate because as yet his propriety is not evidenced As yet there is no ground of any claim or holy boldnesse at the Throne of grace Therefore it 's a main duty of the people of God to study this Point above all viz. their propriety in God Am I the Lords or no It 's not impossible to finde out the truth of this though Satan and our hearts are very much tempting to the contrary there are few that can escape the storms and tempests that arise in this matter and quietly anchor their souls on God Fourthly There are two special and eminent causes of our being the Lords treasure and peculiar people The one is the Lords power and might the other his infinite grace and love That which is the Sun and giveth heat and warmth more especially is the mercy and love of God for we by sin though we could not make our selves no creatures of his so that he should not destroy or damn us yet we made our selves no children of his we cast our selves out of his favour of a loving Father we made him an enraged enemy and so accordingly we pulled down all vengeance upon our heads we forfeited every mercy we know not the least drop of comfort that belongs unto us but all the curses of God threatned in his Law this and no other could we expect we ere no more the Lords then the devils and damned in hell Therefore it was the meer goodnesse of God not to cast us off but to make us his a second time upon better Covenants of mercy so that if any soul comes
to know this that he is now the Lords he hath cause with astonishment and amazement to fall down and admite the grace of God we did not make our selves his we could not become his people of our own strength 2. There was the power of God also greatly discovered for seeing by sinne we become the devils and he had a right to us he is the god of the world and he rules in the hearts of those that are disobedient Eph. 2. seeing I say he is their Father and they are of him and his works they do it 's impossible we should be recovered out of his hands till God who is stronger then he sets us free As our Saviour implieth in that Parable when a strong man keepeth the house all things are quiet till a stronger then he cometh Luk. 11.22 It was not then in the power of Man or Angels to expedite himself out of that bondage and slavery till God did wonderfully shew his power and as it was not in their power so neither in their will or heart Though it be such an unspeakable happâ—nesse to be the Lords yet no man naturally is willing to this he had rather be the devils and sins then the Lords such cursed wickednesse is in every mans heart and such enemies are we to our selves Fifthly Though this expression be short Thine they are yet it comprehends very many precious and excellent particulars For we are the Lords upon several and various titles therefore are we sure to continue his It 's good the godly man should know how many waies he is the Lords that his heart may be enlarged upon every particular For 1. He is the Lords by Election from all Eternity Thou wast the Lords before thou wast born before thou hadst a being when thou couldst have no thoughts of thy self he had thoughts of thee The Scripture doth often Eph. 1. Rom. 9. comfort the people of God and quicken up their hearts with this particular and certainly it 's a deep and overwhelming Meditation Who am I Lord when in the womb of nothing or when born yet wallowing in my bloud thinking speaking and living against thee and thou didst from all Eternity know this yet didst choose me to eternal life Oh how many thousands are past by and I am chosen Was it not enough Lord not to have created me It might have been mercy not to have created me that so I might not have been damned but positively to appoint me before the foundation of the world to such unspeakable glory this is that which astonisheth me Oh my Soul and heart is too narrow if I had the hearts of all the men in the world they would be too little to conceive of this goodnesse 2. We are the Lords or Christs for I make this all one by way of redemption and conquest We are bought with no lesse a price then the precious bloud of Christ and as the Apostle urgeth are therefore no more our own 1 Cor. 6.20 Oh then consider how great a matter goeth to make thee the Lords ere this propriety could be attained how dear did it cost Christ he therefore became man and did undergo all those evils and reproaches that we might be his It cost him more to redeem us then to create us so that it 's no wonder if the people of God may look upon themselves as the Lords peculiar for there is a good reason They are bought at an high rate Neither sin or the devil or the world have done so much for thee Oh then what shamefull ingratitude is it to live to them and not to God 3. We are his new creature and a spiritual Creation Thus he is said to create us and we are said to be his Children born of him We are Gal. 2.10 called his â—orkmanship created to good works so that in this particular the people of God are ramarkably his They have his Image put upon them They have a diviâ—â— nature bestowed upon them It 's he that hath made us not we our selves even 〈◊〉 this sence Lev. 20.26 That ye should be mine severed from all other oh then know if there be no more in thee then what is in the world or what thou hast by nature thou art not yet the Lords Doth thy nature thy frame of heart discover an interest in God then thou maist take comfort there are many who desire to be the Lords by Redemption but not by Sanctification They would have Christs bloud theirs but not his Spirit 4. We are the Lords by Covenant and by Promise and this is no mean foundation of our propriety in him The Promise runneth I will be their God and they shall be my people Jer. 31.33 We have Gods Word as well as his work causing us to be his and in this sence God is said to be the God of Abraham and the God of his Faithfull Seed viz. by a gracious promise This is that which may bear up the heart how often do we by our sins and infirmities break off our propriety and lose our interest as much as lieth in us If there were no gracious promise of God that for his Names sake and words sake we shall be his then all those uncomfortable Arminian Positions would take place that we may be the Lords people to day and the devils slaves to morrow Thus our propriety would be mutable every hour and as our lives so our hopes and comforts would be like a vapour and a bubble but we are children of the promise Gal. 3. And as that gave Isaac life when the barren womb had no power so it 's the promise of God begins and continueth our spiritual life It 's for his truths sake that sin and Satan shall not quite overwhelm us and how comfortable is this to pleade Lord we are thine not by any merits of our own not by any gracious works of ours but by thy promise We do not beleeve love thee or persevere and therefore are thine but because we are thine therefore we beleeve and persevere 5. We are the Lords by several peculiar relations all which administer their peculiar comfort We are the Lords house in which he continually dwels and is present We are his Temple in a peculiar manner consecrated to him We are his branches and that denoteth our intimate Union with him as also our supply from him We are his Servants we are his Children we are his Wife we are the members of Christs body Oh these similitudes are full of worth they demonstrate not only the dignity but the blessednesse of his people and the rich supply of comfort and grace from him By these is signified that we are the Lords in his most indeared affections That no Father to a childe no husband to a Wife is as God to us Isa 43.1 I have called thee by Name thou art mine Vse 1 The practical Improvement of this is very great First It informeth us that besides the general acts of faith a
chearfully as we do a dear Friend Oh it 's not enough in a dull cold manner to think and hear of the promise but thou art to run and embrace it as one overjoyed as Simeon did Christ in his arms and then to think thou even hast enough This is fiducial recumbency on Christ a holy boldnesse in God as a Father and herein the people of God are many times to be blamed you receive the true doctrine of God to beleeve it his Commandments to obey them his threatnings you tremble under but the promises by strong acts of faith you do not embrace you do not take him for your Mediatour on whom you trust in the midst of all your infirmities and weaknesses yea you rather doubt whether you may or no lay hold on the promise you say of it as Peter to Christ Depart from me for I am a sinner you think Christ would be angry with you as that woman thought If you touch the promise Oh remember that the godly will keep the word of promise receive that as well as the command They know it 's a sin of an high nature to refuse God comforting as well as commanding yea in some respects it 's worse for when you sin against the command of God you sin against his Soverraignty but when against his promises you sin against his love and goodnesse That wherein he intends to get himself the greatest glory by oh then when Satan tempts and thy heart is cloudy Thou puts off the promise think how can I do this and sin against God If it were a command I could not refuse it and doth not the same God urge faith to the promise 2. To keep his word doth suppose that we keep it because it 's his Word Because that God commands it For no actions are holy till the motive be holy that draweth them out and this we told you is the reason why our Saviour saith They have kept thy Word and not mine They look upon him as the Mediatour sent by God Thus the Thessalonians are commended because they received the Word preached Not as the word of man but as of God This was the reason why God would not take the wise men of the world but contemptible Instruments by whom he wrought wonderful miracles that so our faith might not be built on the abilities or the wisedom of men and hence it is that the Disciples Matthew and others who left all and followed Christ did gloriously manifest their obedience to God as God It may fall out that the same things which God commands we may do as we see in Jehu Judas and others but then not upon the grounds that God commands them The Pharisee was commanded to fast and pray but not for vain-glory and humane applause Oh then if thou keep Gods Word look it be because it 's Gods Word Let not any sinful or corrupt ingredients of thy own mingle themselvs who wold not have thought that Judas for a long while kept Gods Word when he left all wrought Miracles and preached in the Name of Christ but he had an eye to the bag alwaies and that proved his undoing This will be a good touchstone to try thee 3. He keeps Gods Word that receiveth it with his whole heart and soul That thinketh it not enough to hear it to remember it to write it or repeat it but to have it implanted in his heart and thereby to turn all his heart and affections into it That he may be a living Bible or the Word of God in lively practise as the Apostle saith the Corinthians were his Epistle to be read and seen of all men 2 Cor. 3.2 so should you be the Bible to be read and seen of all men This is powerfully to be pressed on you That you be even the Bible of God to be read and seen of men This is the good and honest heart that retaineth the Word for if the Word be superficially received only it will nor transform the whole man into its likenesse The fire must have time and then it will make even the hardest coldest Iron like it This is represented by the Parable of the Leven Mat. 13.33 hid in three pecks of meal There must be time ere the Leven can diffuse it's power David expressed this well when he aid He had hid the Word of God in his heart Psa 119.11 Oh then if thou wouldst have this propriety in God see how close and inward this Word is received into thee If it be the bread of life it 's not enough to have it in the mouth no nor stomack but it must be digested and so made the very flesh and bloud of a man 4. They keep the Word of God who make it a rule for their lives that order their conversation accordingly for to hide it in the heart unlesse it be with David that you may not transgresse in your lives is not yet to attain to the due end If ye know these things happy are ye if ye do them Many have Scripture in their hearts and memory but not in their lives David made this use of it when he said It was a Lamp and light to his feet and then he exhorts the young man so to attend it Psa 119 9. and thereby to clense his waies The Apostle James cals it a glasse Jam. 1.23 and then you make use of it aright when you thereby wash out all those spots that are in thy life and curest all thy wrinkles and deformities look then to this Doth the Word of God in thy minde and heart break out into thy life Doth it take away the Leprosie there certainly there is no other effectuall means but this It 's the Word if any thing will forewarn thee of sin neither mercies or afflictions nor thy own resolves and purposes but the Word of God set home on the heart that can make an holy change and alteration 5. Then we keep the word of God when we have an high and choice esteem of it when we can take more delight in that because of the spirituall effects of it then in any worldly pleasures or contents as David doth so often profess and Job likewise more then the honey or honeycomb more then their appointed food Now the choice esteem of it must be 1. For the spiritual effects of it as David did because it did enlighten his minde forewarn him of sin quicken him up to his duty There may be a sinister and corrupt end made of Gods Word when we make it an argument only of dispute when we are diligent in it only to maintain opinions in which sence Luther said it was the Heretiques book or when men reade it only for the History of it or thereby to make notions and to draw out some pleasing things to fancy Alas the Word of God was not given for this no more then Manna was given to satisfie curiosity but to feed and nourish Oh then take
Motto which Solomon puts upon all these fading things here below shall likewise be set upon thy Religion and devotion Vanity of vanities all is vanity and vexatien of spirit It 's the promise that a godly man embraceth that he looketh after for even in holy actions truly so it 's not thy performance thy grace but the promise that bears thee out Therefore we are all said to be Children of the Promise Gal. 4.28 and heirs of the Promise and 2 Cor. 7.1 Having these Promises let us cleanse our selves If then thou art never so zealous though thou shouldst give thy body to the sire and have not a promise it would profit thee nothing Shouldst thou give away all thou hast Shouldst thou endure all hardship yet if thou hast no promise to this action thou art but a tinkling Cymbal Oh then let the people of God in all their acts of obedience minde the command for the lawfulnesse of them and the promise for the encouragement therunto if no command then no promise God will not water that plant or give encrease to it which he hath not planted And for this end Austin and others did condemn all those famous moral actions of the heathens as glittering sinnes because they had no promise belonging to them of Eternall life As they did them upon humane inferiour motived not supreme and divine so their recompence was but the cockleshels of this world not that weight of glory in heaven Thirdly Obedience must have a command because of the great corruption and pollution which is upon mans understanding so that it 's impossible it should ever choose or do that which is acceptable to God Rom. 8. They that are in the flesh cannot please God And the Heathens even those that were judged most learned yet were darkned in their Imagination Rom. 1. They became vain and the Apostle cals it their foolish hearts It is therefore a most absurd and insufferable indignity offered unto God for thee to take upon thee how thou wilt worship him how thou wilt serve him and for this it is that the Scripture so often complaineth that they went after the imagination of their own hearts So that by this you may judge of what little consequence those excuses are which some make for superstition That they were done out of pious Intentions and a fervent zeal for although such things may in some respects excuse a tanto yet not a toto Hence Vzziah though out of a good intention stopping the Ark not according to Gods order is stricken dead Paul persecuting the Church of God though out of zeal for he thought he was bound to do what he did yet was not thereby excused from being a blasphemer a persecutor and the greatest of sinners Nothing is to be added to Gods precepts Etiamsi vel bonum nobis videtur said Ambrose So that the right understanding of our deep pollution may justly make us afraid of any thing which is ours and hath not Gods command The Apostle Col. 3.2 condemneth even those things because not of God which yet had a shew of humility and great mortification Fourthly Obedience must have a command from the fulness and sufficiency of the Scripture It 's a perfect Rule Whosoever walketh according to this Rule Gal. 6.16 and David commends it for a Lanthorn and Light to his feet Psal 119. So that if our obedience might run out in such things where there is no word for it the Word would not be an adequate Rule It would be too narrow and then if once you grant a Rule besides that you go in infinitum yea we fall into manifest contradictions for how many times doth one mans spirit think that best which is contrary to another mans How comes that opposition in matter of Religion but that the word is not made the Rule but either there are reasons or lusts or temporal interests so that it 's necessary we have the Word for obedience else the Enthusiastical Revelations and Popish Traditions they will both pleade a good Title for acceptableness with God Lastly An Obedience must have a command because else we can never bear up our hearts in all the discouragements we meet with in doing Gods work What hardened the Prophets so that their foreheads were like brasse and iron but only this that they knew God had commended them and they went upon his message Shall Absalom use such an argument to the man when he had killed Ammon Be of good courage I have bid thee How much rather then when God commands 1 Cor. 15. Be stedfast immoveable in the work of the Lord knowing your labour was not in vain Let all the world oppose us when we know it's Gods command our hearts need not shrink within us Thus the Apostles Whether it 's better to obey God or man judge ye Act. 5.29 Vse 1. of Instruction Of how terrible and dreadful a judgement are they worthy of who are so farre from being obedient to Gods command that they live in open and professed disobedience to it if the most devotionall and Religious actions are refused by God for want of a command what shall become of those which are in plain opposition to it Such are all the works of the flesh Such are the works of most men when thou hast been wallowing in the mire of sin to which of Gods commands hast thou been obedient Nay sinne hath its command the devil hath his commands and thou givest up thy self a Servant to them Oh that the eyes of men shall not yet be opened nor their hearts yet mollified who is thy Father thy Master thy Lord Is it not the devil When God commands thee who is the Lord of Hosts who promiseth heaven and an eternal reward that God who hath all sharp arrows of vengeance in his quiver to shoot immediatly into thy heart That God though commanding thee thou refusest and the devil while he bids thee go and fullfill this lust and that lust immediatly thou goest That devil who deludes and deceiveth thee who is the known Enemy of thy soul and will be thy cruell tormentor to all Eternity Oh then lay it closer to heart I am under command either of God or the devil I am an obedient Servant to one or the other and thy works they quickly manifest it Vse 2 Vse 2. of Direction to people That they would be like those noble Bereans examine the ground of their faith and obedience Do not offer a Sacrifice without eyes Blinde obedience is contrary to that command offer up your selves a reasonable Sacrifice or a Sacrifice according to the Word as some expound Rom. 12 1. There are dangerous Syrens that would inâ—ice you out of this way we are apt to judge that a duty that most do not which God commands we think a multitude will dispense against a precept when yet Gods expresse charge is Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil Exod. 23.2 The very heathen could
God draweth him out to hate it and in duties good because it 's good doth move him Now the least sinne is sinne and we kill young Serpents as well as old ones and the least good is acceptable to God and he will reward it Reasons 4 Lastly In respect of the privative part of the punishment of sinne all are equall which is the losse of God and Heaven The least sinne depriveth of the happy Vision of God as well as the greatest so that in this sence we may say there is no little sinne no more then there is a little God and so likewise for the good of any duty The least shall have heaven as well as the greatest though not such degrees Even a cup of cold water doth not lose its reward Mat. 10.42 Vse To discover that Hypocrisie and falshood in many men some sins they avoid others again they embrace Is not all sinne poison Is there any good sinne Were thy heart sound those beloved and customary sins of thine could have no more welcome in thy heart then toads in thy bosome SERMON XXXVII Sheweth That Gods People are ready and willing in Obedience Whence it is that they are so Tending to rouse men up from dulnesse and Formality in Gods service JOH 17.8 For I have given them the words which thou gavest me and they have received them THere remaineth two things more considerable in the description of the Disciples Obedience The next thing to be considered is their readinesse and willingnesse implied in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They did not cavill or dispute They did not draw back or maliciously oppose but they were like melted wax ready to receive any impression like white paper whereon Gods Will and Law might be immediatly written and indeed if you observe the Disciples all along from their first call to this present time there appeared much readinesse in them Christ did no sooner speak the word commanding them to follow him but immediatly they leave all and obey though it was so much to their outward disadvantage though it was to fall in the Whales mouth yet they readily resign themselves and although sometimes they shewed dulnesse to beleeve and unwillingnesse in his service yet our Saviour excuseth it saying The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak and certainly had there not been a ready free spirit in the Disciples to take Christ above all and to cleave to him only they could never have devoured these troubles with so much patience as they did Obs That it 's a sure character and property of the children of God to be a willing ready people in obedience They are not as hypocrites kept from sinne by constraint meerly from a principle of fear within but Psa 110. They are willingnesses in the day of Gods power To explain this a little First There may be the presence of dulnesse and unwillingnesse sometimes in the Children of God but this is not reigning nor is it habitually consented to but resisted and with much agony praied against There is no garden but hath some of this weed in it No gold but some of this drosse No godly man but now and then hath wearisomnesse and unwillingnesse to holy duties seizing upon him Thus we reade the Church when Christ knocked at the door though he had stood all night and his locks were wet with the dew yet the Church out of a dull sluggish humour doth refuse to open to him Cant. 5.2 3. So Rev. 2. There the Church is reproved for suffering her graces to decay and that her duties were not filled up with fervency and solidity yea we may reade of the Church complaining of this slothfulnesse and coldnesse when she said Draw us and we will run after thee Cant. 1.4 And at another time Why hast thou hardened our hearts from thy fear Isa 63.17 So that it 's too manifest the people of God have much coldnesse and negligence in them What is that which fils their hearts with so many complaints but this what makes them so full of fears and doubts about their spiritual condition Is it not want of life vigour and willingnesse Oh they finde their hearts can take delight and be willingly drawn out in earthly affairs but they are like so many lumps of earth in heavenly things when yet there is farre more excellency worth and dignity in holy things then in all the whole world to draw out the heart so then let the godly for their comfort distinguish between the presence of unwillingnesse and the power of it Between unwillingnesse in the command and power over the soul and the reluctancy and striving against it The Apostle speaketh generally of sinne Let it not reign in your mortal bodies Rom. 7. Non dixit non sit sed ne regret This stumbling-block removed let us consider why the people of God must needs be so willing and ready in their obedience And first The sence of their guilt and all the misery sinne hath brought upon them puts them into a melting yeelding frame while mens hearts are hardened and they are not apprehensive of the damnable estate they are in while they are not in the fire of Gods displeasure they are stubborn and untractable but when they are kindely humbled for sin then they will do anything Thus Paul He that was mad in his oppositions against Christ no sooner did the Lord touch his heart with the sense of his sins but he crieth out Lord what wilt thou have me to do Thus David when the Lord had humbled him and used afflictions for his sinne see how humbly and obediently he speaks If he say he hath no delight in me behold here I am let him do what he pleaseth 2 Sam. 15.26 and the Church Mic. 7. I will hear the indignation of the Lord because I have sinned against him Nothing then will so humble and mollifie the heart to make a man do and be any thing as a deep sence of sinne Thus the cold hard Iron is put into the fire and it may be beaten into any shape Secondly As the sence of sinne so the sence of Gods goodnesse and grace in being reconciled notwithstanding all our provocations doth much more enlarge the heart to thankefulnesse and obedience The love of Christ saith Paul constraineth us We cannot hold we cannot keep in as you may see David upon the apprehension of Gods goodnesse to him resolving to take the cup of salvation and to praise God in the great Congregation Psa 116.13 Gospel grace doth not in a filiall spirit harden and make wanton but doth more soften and enflame to an active obedience This made Paul run like the Sunne in the Firmament You see it 's the grace of God which lieth kindling and warming of him This is like the Spirit in Ezechiels wheels the dejected unbeleeving soul is not so readily obedient An Evangelical frame of heart assured of Gods love carrieth out to filiall fruitful
obedience Nothing is too much too great too dear to part with for so gracious a God This breedeth love and we know love is an active fire it cannot lie still but kindleth all that it cometh near Thirdly They are active and willing because of that sanctified renewed nature which they are partakers of They are said to have the divine Nature 1 Pet. 1.4 The Seed of God is said to abide in them 1 Joh. 1.3 And by this means they are carried out voluntarily to divine actions Thus in nature saith Aristotle which is the inward principle of motion or rest How readily do sparks fly upward The stones descend downward And thus it is here Those inward principles of Sanctification they do so new mold a man that now the will of God is his delight the Law of God is written in the inward man Nothing is so connatural and sutable to him as those things that are also pleasing to God Indeed for the unregenerated man it 's no wonder he must be haled and constrained to what he doth That he like the Mill cannot move any longer then the waters of affliction fall upon him for there wants a principle within but it is otherwise with those that are born again Their proper food their proper delight their all in all is to be doing the will of God as Christ professed Joh. 4. and David doth often acknowledge those indeared affections he had to the Word of God above Kingdomes and all other earthly advantages Fourthly They are a willing people because in their former time of unregeneracy they were so willing and ready to serve sin and Satan and were constantly obedient thereunto Now saith the Apostle As they had given themselves servants to sinne so now to righteousnesse Rom. 6.19 They readily set themselves as the word signifieth whensoever lust bad them go they did go Whatsoever was commanded there was ready obedience This by way of an holy revenge and to make a godly satisfaction They are the more serviceable to God They grudge the devil had so much time that so much of their choicest and best affections were lessened in time They therefore strive to redeem the time to recover all for God They shame themselves saying What was I willing and glad to doe the works of the devil and shall I not doe the Will of God Fifthly They are willing because they know no Obedience is accepted of with God unlesse it be willing It 's not thy faith thy humiliation thy zeal unlesse there be willingnesse and delight in it that God accepts of Isa 1.29 If ye be willing and obedient so God accepts of a willing minde Wo be to me saith Paul if I preach the Gospel and not willingly but of constraint 1 Cor. 9.6 Though he did preach it yet if not willingly there is a Woe to him Oh then it 's no wonder if the people of God are so glad and chearfull within them in the work of the Lord otherwise their work would lose their reward and they the Crown of Glory Think of this then when you finde the wheels of your Chariots move heavily Thou art happily thinking how to put off truth or duty or thou wishest it over say this unwillingnesse marreth all God will not aceept of a Sacrifice unlesse offered in fire Say upon all thy dead and formal duties these are not duties God looks not upon them as so Non operari non esse are all one before God in some respects Sixthly They must needs be a willing obedient people because of that eternall glorious reward which is promised to every holy duty What will put Wings to the soul if not this To think that God will assuredly put upon thee Robes of Immortality and glory for a duty though never so little for a cup of cold water who may not admire the vast disproportion that is between our work and Gods reward If the Apostle spake of the most extreme sufferings that could be in this life they were not worthy to be compared to that eternal weight of glory 2 Cor. 4 17. How much more is it true of those good works we do which are but little in quantity and defiled in quality Well therefore may they rejoyce and work righteousnesse Well may the godly labour even in the heat of the day with much gladnesse of heart for the recompence of thy reward doth exceed all proportion If the Kingdomes of the world should be given to a man for lifting up a straw it would not be so great a matter as when God and Heaven became thy reward for every holy duty No wonder if they are best when they are thus doing for how can they be better There is no such profitable and comfortable wotk as to be doing that of the Lords Lastly Even in the very duty it self though there were no heaven hereafter yet there is so much present comfort and joy attending it that it 's both work and meat and drink also Therefore we see how David was joyfully affected herein Who are we that we should be able to offer thus willingly He that doth Gods service willingly and fervently he hath present pay in hand The very sence and feeling that he doth it so readily doth afford great comfort to him Virtus est sibi ipsi praemium A godly duty is accompanied with honey and manna he would not do otherwise for all the world Oh then that wicked men who though they have some pleasure in sinne yet finde many wounds and torments within them would make an exchange in stead of drunkennesse put on temperance in stead of riot and wantonnesse live in all chastity Thou wouldest finde an heaven for a hell immediately Oh how wouldest thou bewail thy time that thou didst not leave these husks no sooner Oh what an enemy was I to my own soul when I lived in such lusts and neglected such holinesse Taste and see the difference while you have this sinful distempered palate upon you it 's no wonder if you love the Egyptian garlick above the heavenly Manna Vse of Instruction How lothsome and unacceptable all that Obedience is to God which comes from any other principle then a renewed spirit It 's the free and principal spirit David praied for Psa 51. he saw all obedience if constrained if forced by the judgements of God was condemned as hypocrisie Thus the Prophets complained of the Jews that in the time of their distresse and calamity they would pray to God They would fast and humble themselves but saith God Oh that there were such a heart within them Deut. 5.29 And hence it is that Repentance and contrition extorted by the fear of death and the judgements of God are not acceptable Whatsoever is done is by force and this mâ—y be even death to many that hear it for when art thou for any good duty When is thy heart or mouth for it but when some great judgements of God are abroads or
when some eminent calamity comes near unto thee Then thou cryest out of sinne then thou speakest well of godlinesse but all this is forced It 's a Land-floud It 's a Morning dew why didst thou not in thy prosperity shew forth willing affections to God Vse 2. of Direction To humble the people of God that though there be so eminent and pregnant Reasons for their willing obedience yet they should be so dead so heartlesse so full of excuses as they are Oh is not this the sinne of every godly man May he not cry out of his slothfulnesse and barrennesse Are the things of God and Heaven as operative and lively upon thee as the things of the earth Oh how hard is thy heart many times like the Mountains of Gilboa whereon no dew fals Oh how often do they keep the door shut even when Christ knocketh so that if you ask wherein may the people of God fear their ruine most It may be said In their unwillingnesse in their deadnesse and coldnesse Oh how many times are we not so much as capable of that excuse our Saviour gave the Disciples The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak for how often is thy flesh weak and thy Spirit unwilling also For these things Gods children have cause to have poverty and shame of spirit within them We come to the fourth and last observable particular viz. That these words are such as the Father gave Christ to communicate to his Disciples so that Christ himself did not take upon him any other doctrine or preach any other matter then what he had received Hence he did so often say The doctrine was not his but his Fathers Joh. 7.16 Neither did he speak of himself but what he heard the Father Obs That the Ministers of the Gospel are to preach that and only that which they have out of Gods Word As Paul said That which I have received of the Lord that I delivered unto you And the Prophets Introduction is commonly Thus saith the Lord If Pythagoras Disciples were satisfied with nothing but ipse dixit how much rather must the beleever whose Faith in the very nature of it doth relate to some word or Testimony Hence it is that they are called the Embassadors of God 2 Cor. 4. And such must not go a word from their Commission We are to be Conduits not Fountains The Word of God must exire per te non a te as Bernard It 's the good thing committed to our trust 2 Tim. 1.14 We must therefore give the same that is committed unto us we have received gold we must not deliver copper Thou art not author but custos Religionis not Res ingenii but doctrinae To open this Consider It 's first Their duty So that they will be found guilty of high crimes if they doe otherwise To mint false coin or to forge a mans will are hainous faults amongst men Thine is greater for thou counterfeitest Gods Truth yea thou putst a lye upon God thou attributest that to him which belongeth to thy folly The Apostle saith If it be a mans will or Covenant none may adde to it or disanull it Gal. 3.15 how much rather should this be so in Gods Word Oh then consider thou wilt be found guilty of high Treason against God if thou speakest any thing but his Truth 2. As it 's our duty so it 's our glory It 's the greatest honour we are capable of to have such divine Mysteries committed to us the Truths of God have onely Majesty in them they onely convince the Conscience and awe it They onely breed reverence and admiration so that although humane Learning and parts have a subservient excellency yet if the Word of God and the Truth of God be not principall there is no mastering of the Conscience and captivating of it Hence are those commands to attend to their doctrine 1 Tim. 3.13 15 16. and to give themselves to reading that so they may deliver only Gods will as it is revealed in Gods Word It 's their glory as well as their duty for the glory of a thing lieth in the excellency of its due and proper perfection The glory of a King is a higher thing then the glory of a Peasant and in another nature All arts and Offices have their peculiar Glory Logick in disputing well Rhetorick in speaking well and the Glory of Divinity lieth in divine Arguments and Motives so that those who preach onely humane or moral matter they goe below the Majesty of Divinity Those that study words and fancy-fall things that may tickle the ear these regard not the gravity of their office nor of their emploiment But as in the Ecclesiastical History the Heathen said all the while a Christian argued with reason he could answer him but when he brought forth the Authority of the Word Thus saith the Lord then he had no more to reply Thus it 's here all the while thou hast strains of wit and preachest like an humane Orator not as one speaking the Oracles of God Men will hear thee and applaud thee but they will retain their lusts still they thâ—nk thou art not in earnest That thou lookest more to an expression that may please then to an Argument that may wound the heart and conscience It 's therefore the glory of a Minister to be potent in divine Scripture Truths 3. It 's his comfort and safety as well as his glory His comfort because his own heart tels him he hath not dealt deceitfully he hath not purloined he hath not corrupted or mixed the Word of God to serve mens lusts and pleasures He did not like the False Prophet daub with untempered mortar Paul found this a great Testimony of Conscience to himself 2 Cor. 3.17 Thou wilt have more comfort in Preaching Gods Word powerfully then in all the applause of hearers for thine own subtle Inventions Now as it 's their comfort so it s their safety They are sure not to do hurt to their flock when they alwaies break of the Bread of Life they may be sure this will nourish but thy own thoughts are many times poison and destruction Lastly It 's most usefull and profitable For they are the Scriptures only that are able to make us wise to Salvation 1 Tim. 3. From this Brook we can only get stones that will kill the Goliah The Word of God is an Hammer and a Fire and a two-eged Sword so that although to the swelling proud fancy of the world it may seem dulnesse and plain simplicity yet to the good and honest heart it 's the power and wisedom of God Vse of Instruction To the Ministers of God how narrowly they are to look to their Commission To preach Scripture-Truths such as will endure a fiery Triall For the Apostle saith Every mans work must be tried and he that builds hay and stubble shall suffer losse and he himself with much ado shall be saved Vse of
Admonition To hearers for many times a vain people make vain unprofitable Preaching They have such wanton stomacks that they love nothing that is solid and sound give them words rattles and baby-clouts these things please them but to convince the Conscience to command the heart to make it tremble for sin that they cannot abide SERMON XXXVIII Of the Excellency and Necessity of Beleeving in Christ as a Mediatour That it is acceptable to God as well as Obedience to a Command Yet withall sheweth the difficulty of it and whence it comes to passe that the Children of God sensible of their sinnes are so hardly brought to beleeve As also why ungodly men think it so easie a thing JOH 17.8 And they have known surely that I came out from thee and they have beleeved that thou didst send me OUR Saviour commended their Obedience in the former part of this Verse Now he doth the like for their Faith For Obedience without faith is but a maimed and lame Sacrifice yea there cannot be any acceptation of our Obedience because of the imperfection of it unlesse Faith cover it in Christ and this our Saviour now undertakes that the Disciples were not as the Pharisees and Jews who trusted in the righteousnesse of their Obedience but when they had done all looked out for a Mediatour to stand between Gods perfection the Laws perfection and thine Imperfection Their Faith is commended by our Saviour 1. In the Acts. 2. The quality 3. The object of it The Acts are one of them large and comprehensive They have beleeved 2. More narrow and particular They have known Here you see that Faith is not a blinde ignorant assent but accompanied with a true and sure knowledge of that we beleeve Secondly There is the quality of their Faith They have known surely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which may be opposed either to hypocrisie or false ends They did unfeignedly upon true grounds beleeve not like those that are said to beleeve yet our Saviour would not commit himself to them because they sought the glory of men more then of God Joh. 2. or else it may be opposed to doubting and staggering as our Translators seem to go They did surely overcoming all unbelief and doubts that might oppose them Lastly Here is the object of their Faith viz. That Christ came from the Father as sent to be a Mediatour working salvation for those that did receive him They looked upon him not only in respect of his person God and man but also in relation to his office that he was the Jesus and the anointed one to save his people from their sinnes Whereas then we see our Saviour in many words commending this faith of theirs as a most special consideration in them and which would be very acceptable to God we may observe That Faith in Christ as a Mediatour is acceptable and well pleasing as well as Obedience to a command It 's not Gods will that a childe of his should be alwaies either thinking of sinne or obedience but also of beleeving or resting the soul upon Christ as in whom all fulnesse is and though when God only becomes well-pleased with us Joh. 6.29 when the people asked What they should do that they might do the works of God Christ answers This is the work of God that ye beleeve in him Faith is here called the work of God 1. Because it 's wrought by him We are not able of our selves to beleeve but in this sence it 's not meant here 2. By work of God is meant that which in a most eminent manner is acceptable to him that which he seemeth to delight in more then any other and that is faith and indeed the people of God they are hardly perswaded of this They doubt rather whether it be a duty at all Oh how long are they kept in the uncertain wilderness of tears and dejections ere they come to know the way of beleeving They still hope by something they do to be accepted so that to the humbled sinner there seemeth nothing more paradoxal and difficult Whereas we would think thus to beleeve in Christ and receive him as a Mediatour would be very easie for all None would keep off For it is to come and take comfort and ease and who will refuse this But it 's certain that the Children of God sensible of their sinnes are a long while ere they are fully directed into this way of beleeving They do not presently understand how well-pleasing it is to God that they should cast off their burthen on Christ That they should cover themselves with his robes and so come and appear before God The Grounds of such discouragements in Gods Children are 1. The real and bitter sence of their sinnes in the nature frequency and all aggravations of them So that while they are thus broken in heart nothing but sin sin doth present it self in the guilt thereof See it in David Psa 51. His sinnes were alwaies before him His murder his adultery these were ever in his eyes and what a work is it to bring him to a joyful spirit in the mercies of God The godly therefore being many times attent to their sins they are carefull that their repentance be reall bitter and deep enough and withall seeing sinnes rising up in their hearts after one another as one wave after another They grow wholly despondent and all their thoughts and Meditations are as if there were nothing but sinne to be thought upon Nothing but sin to be meditated on and this extremity of sorrow makes the ear deaf to Christ so that it refuseth like Rachel to be comforted Thus the Incestuous person when he did feel the bitternesse of his sin was in danger of being swallowed up with too much sorrow He thinketh not only the Priest and the Levite but even the good Samaritan will also passe him by and powr no Oyle in his wounds When one eye is intent downwards the other cannot look upwards When the heart is greatly grieved from one object it can hardly be prepared to receive comfort from another 2. There is an innate inbred principle of a Legal Justification or acceptation by works that we doe and this makes Faith in the Mediatour as a stranger as an absurd thing and indeed this is the main reason why all the godly finde it so hard to beleeve why they are so loth to be beholding to grace onely to resign every thing and to be saved by Christ meerly Even that inbred principle of being justified by what we do See how all they that come to Christ propound this What shall we do that we may be saved They look upon doing not beleeving Thus the Jews generally they sought to establish the righteousnesse of the Law and would not submit to the Righteousnesse of faith Rom. 10.3 Oh it is a great matter to humble and empty the heart of a man so as that he will submit to a Righteousnesse of Faith yea we
we are said to be in the Olive Tree viz. Christ and to receive of the fatnesse thereof by Faith Rom. 11. Thus all Beleevers they are branches in Christ the Vine Joh. 15. So that you see there is great reason why Faith in Christ as a Mediatour should be preserved because that enableth to all lively and active Obedience Heb. 11. You see it was Faith that put all those Worthies upon such notable Obedience And when Christ praied for Peter he praied that his Faith might not fail him Luk. 22.32 why not his courage and boldnesse but because Faith is the root of all So that in Christianity we by Faith in Christ come to be holy and then beleeve in Christ Per fidem venitur ad opera non per opera ad fidem Insomuch that it 's a grosse mistake in the people of God when they think to attain to such a degree of Repentance and mortification and then they would beleeve in Christ whereas by Faith in Christ and coming to him they would have strength to such duties Thou dost as if the branch separated from the Vine should think thereby to grow and flourish 5. Faith in Christ is so well pleasing to Christ because that only will put us upon such a life and conversation as is acceptable to him which is joy and thankefulnesse It 's very pleasing to God that those who are his would walk chearfully and thankfully that all the world may see it 's better to serve the Lord then sinne Hence you see the Psalmist so often calling upon the Righteous to rejoyce and be glad yea to shout for joy and in the New Testament Rejoyce and again I say rejoyce Hence it 's called Joy unspeakable and full of glory And for thankfulnesse we should have our hearts and mouths filled with praises Praise is comely for the upright Psa 33.1 It is very fit that he who is full of Gods love and his mercies should also be full of Thanks-giving In all things give thanks 1 Thes 5.18 So that you see joy and thankfulnesse should be the constant life of a Christian he cannot honour Christ or the Gospel more but how can these be unlesse there be faith in Christ Being justified by Faith we have peace with God Rom. 5.1 where there is no peace there is no joy no thankfulnesse and indeed all those bitrer briars and thorns which the godly have arise from that bitter root of unbelief Why is it that they go bowed down and none seem farther from comfort and thankfulnesse then they do but because they exercise not this faith in Christ It 's more pleasing to God to be filled with heavenly joy then tormenting doubts and this joy is the daughter of faith If then all these things be duely considered by the godly Convert he may be awakened and wonder how he indulged himself in such doubting fearing and unbeleeving thoughts he may cry out what glory have I rob'd Christ and the Gospel of What heretiques and Papists with their corrupt doctrines have done against Christ the same did my perplexing inflaming fears do I lived not as if I had received the Spirit of Adoption but of bondage and fear Thou wilt then finde the dark Cloud with Lightning and Thunder to passe away and the clear Sunshine to appear Thou that wast like the Disciples afraid of Christ as if he had been some formidable Spirit wilt then know what Christ is and how ready and willing to receive afflicted sinners Thou wilt then stand and wonder how could I be so injurious by my low and narrow thoughts of Christ Was it for a light matter that Christ should leave all his heavenly glory and come to endure all that reproach and misery for our sakes But we proceed to some Uses And Vse 1 First Is Faith in Christ as a Mediatour so acceptable to God even above all Obedience so that as he said in some sence he would have Obedience rather then Sacrifice so may we say in some respects He will have Faith rather then Obedience Then let it instruct us in the hainous and dangerous nature of that close secret and unperceivable sinne of trusting in our own Righteousnesse Let there be no secret depending upon thy good heart thy good life thy good duties for if contraries are known by contraries then as faith renouncing all we are and have to be found in Christ is of so great acceptance Then to rely upon any thing we do to have inward restings upon our own actions is a sinne highly offending God We can hardly commit a sinne worse The Publican in some respects is better then the Pharisee as those Diseases which are quickly discerned are more curable then those that are not discovered Ille morbus vix est sanabilis qui sanitatem imitatur Our Saviour found this untoward disposition in the Pharisees as that which was plainly their mortal disease had not this besotted and benummed them they had sooner set open the gates of their soul for the Prince of Glory to come The Apostle makes this desire and endeavour to set up their own Righteousnesse to be that which wholly undid them and our Saviour himself looks upon this as the root of all bitternesse and therefore laid the Axe to it when he told them They were such as justified themselves but what was highly esteemed amongst men was abomination before God Luk 18. So that not only prophane and grosse sins but the civil Pharisaical man who stands on his own bottome and feeleth not the absolute necessity of faith in Christ is in a perishing condition And because this undoeth thousands as well as grosse wickednesse Let us see whether we can pierce the Scales of this Leviathan whether we may remove this Mountain and throw it into the Sea of Repentance and humiliation The greatnesse therefore of this sinne is seen in the unperceivablenesse of it A man may with 〈◊〉 whole might trust in himself and yet think the clean contrary Paul said 〈…〉 alive once he was at hearts ease Rom 7. judged himself in a secure safe condition because of his spiritual estate but when his eyes were opened and he awakened by grace those things that were once a gain and a priviledge he accounted dung and drosse But Paul while in that Pharisaical Righteousnesse was as senceless of any such spiritual confidence in himself as any dead man of the greatest burden upon him Oh then what hopes have we to make such men see the black dungeon they are in and the cursed opposition they stand in to Christ For the principium is loesum Christ came not to call the Righteous but sinners to Repentance Mat. 9.13 The Righteous are such as the Pharisees who trusted in themselves thought all well with them Now such can never hunger and thirst after Christ They are full of themselves as they say in Philosophy the sensible Object put upon the sence hinders all sensation as in the eye or ear Thus it is
That there remaineth no hope for us then we may fly to Christ The Law saith Do this and live Do all things in the highest degree else you cannot live Now into what horrour and despair doth this put men till we come to hear that voice Beleeve in Christ who hath fullfilled the righteousnesse of the Law When therefore we preach the exactnesse of the Law and the severity of Gods Justice it is not that we should stay here Alas who can say It 's good to be here no They will cry out as the People of Israel did at the giving of the Law when there was so much terrour But our aim is that by this commotion and trouble upon you you might lay hold upon Christ We would burthen you that Christ might ease you 4. This Doctrine is indeed the very essence and marrow of the Gospel This is the glad tidings that when we of our selves were eternally undone Christ as a Mediatour reconcileth the offended God and offending sinner It was this that the very Angels though it did not so immediatly concern them sang for joy Glory be to God on high Good will to men and peace on the Earth Luk. 2.14 This is that which we finde the Apostle Paul so magnifying every where This is a faithfull saying and worthy of all acceptation 1 Tim. 1.15 Great is the Mystery of godlinesse God manifested in the flesh 1 Tim. 3 16. Oh then we should never be weary of this Subject It 's eyes to the blinde It 's meat to the hungry Clothes to the naked mercy to the sinner grace to the afflicted one This is the fatted Calf and the Robe for the distressed Prodigall Truly as he said he did not love to reade no not Tully because he did not finde the Name of Christ so should all Sermons and Subjects be dull and tedious that do not directly or indirectly mediately or immediately bring us to him All other Points are but accessary or preparatory this is the Substance It 's such an excellent Subject that the Angels desire to be informed more in it and take infinite delight in the knowledge of it 5. This is the more to be pressed because the devil in all ages hath laboured to obscure this doctrine above others Insomuch that Luther called this Articulus stantis cadentis Ecclesiae when the devil could neither overthrow the humane or divine nature of Christ by Heretikes Then he laboured to overthrow his Office of being a Mediatour That if there must be a Christ yet he might be a needlesse and uselesse one so that by this Point only we differ not onely from Jews and Pagans but all Heretiques and Papists The righteousnesse of Christ our Mediatour imputed to us is the Treasure in the Church only This Pearl is hid in this Field only The excellency therefore and dignity of this Point is seen by the devils opposition and his Instruments raised up to obscure and darken it And then on the other side God hath raised up choice Instruments in his Church to vindicate this Truth Luther of all Points was most affected with this and God prepared him for it by laying soul exercises and heart temptations upon him insomuch that he said he often wished he had never been a man Oh the trouble and darknesse that was upon his soul and he used all the Remedies prescribed in Popery to comfort himself but still his heart was as unquiet as ever till at last he was by studying in Scripture directed to beleeve in Christ the Mediatour and in particular to be cloathed with Christs righteousnesse in stead of his own and thus it is still the more spiritually tempted and exercised any man either Minister or private Christian is The more he walketh in darknesse and hath no light The more doth he come to prize and esteem this fulnesse in Christ None love this honey-comb but those who hunger after a righteousnesse that they cannot finde in themselves These particulars discover the necessity of pressing this often and often Therefore the second Use is to bring your hearts in rellish with this Doctrine Oh that thou wert such an Auditour that this Truth might breed a sweet pleasure in thy spiritual appetite If this be the Gospel If this be the glad Tidings If this be the Pearl and the Treasure be thou in the number of those that will part with all to be partakers of it But you will say How may we fit Subjects for this Truth how may we come to prize it more then the honey or the honey-comb Take these Directions 1. Feel sinne as a burden as a weight let it be more to thee then all temporal evils in the world for so Mat. 11. Come to me ye that are heavy laden and I will ease you David Psal 32. when his sinne was ready to overwhelm him then he crieth out Blessed is he to whom the Lord imputeth no sinne When Mary Magdalene hath her head and heart a Fountain of water because of her sins then she is greatly indeared in her affections to Christ Those love much to whom much is forgiven as our Saviour at large sheweth Luk. 7.46 If then thou art not perswaded of thy debts or if the thoughts of them do not afflict and grieve thee never think that Christ will be chief in thy heart Oh then begin here lay this for a Foundation saying All these precious Truths will be spilt like water upon the ground until I be of a broken contrite heart for sinne The Prodigall never regarded the bread and Fulnesse in his Fathers House till he comes to want even husks themselves Joab would not come to Absalom till all his Corn was fired Neither do we readily and willingly runne to Christ till God hath shot his arrow into us tiill he hath wounded us at the heart till we feel sinne the greatest burthen and that because God is dishonoured and provoked and indeed this may be a very good motive to Repentance and humiliation because there is such an excellent Remedy Thou needest not fear going into the depths of this water because Christ will preserve thee therein No wonder if a man not beleeving or acquainted with this Truth be afraid to think of his sinnes That with Luther he hates the word Repent for there is nothing but despair and hopelesnesse about sinne till this Truth be discovered Oh then be no longer afraid to have thy sinnes brought to thy minde Say not They are a greater burthen then can be born for had Cain beleeved in Christ Had Judas beleeved in Christ Their sick and wounded Souls had quickly been healed It 's not the greatnesse nor the multitude of thy sinnes It 's not the terrible aggravations of them may wholly overwhelm thee if so be thou dost but cast Anchor upon Christ 2. If you would have an high esteem of this Point labour for a spiritual heavenly heart For as Christ in his Mediation is wholly spirituall
all his offices and works are spiritual so it 's onely the spirituall and heavenly heart that can close with it There must be a proportion between the Object and the faculty or Subject Supernaturall will not agree with that which is naturall If therefore thou art carnall earthly and wholly minding worldly Comforts thou wilt preferre every Thistle before this Jewell To you that beleeve Christ is precious saith Peter 1 Peter 2.7 but to others he is not so Oh then if thy heart doe not leap for Joy within thee as John did in the womb at the Presence of Christ it 's because thy heart is carnall and sensuall Thou knowest no better good then what pleaseth sence It 's not because the matter is empty but because thy heart is empty of heaven What makes Paul desire to know nothing but Christ and him crucified Was it not the high spirituall Frame of his heart and it cannot be otherwise for Christ is all that an heavenly heart can desire He is the Way the Truth and the Life He is the Head and the Vine He is the true Bread that came down from Heaven He is made of God Wisedome Righteousnesse and Sanctification If then there were more Pauls Christ in his Mediatourship would be more magnified but the generall sort of people are like the Gadarenes they had rather that Christ should depart out of their Countrey then that they should lose their Swine Or like unto the Jews that desire to shew more favour to Barabbas then to Jesus 3. Would you be affected with this Truth then pray earnestly for the Spirit of Adoption and an Evangelicall Frame of heart An heart not under the Law in a well-explained sence but under Grace Pray that ye may be led by the Spirit of God and so be as Sonnes For by this means Christ will be all in all It 's our hard unbeleeving and distrustfull thoughts of God that makes us keep at such a distance from Christ and so neglect him who is the Peace-maker and Reconciler Whereas an Evangelical disposition would make us draw nigh to God as a Father in Christ It would remove the great Gulf that is in the way It takes away the partition Wall So that the longer we are kept in discouraging Fears the lesse Fellowship have we with the Father and the Sonne and so the lesse esteem and respect of him who is to create and work all this 4. Would you Rejoyce in this Truth Then Acquaint your selves with the Imperfection of your graces and the insufficiency that is in you even when you have done the best For by this means you will finde that every thing within faileth you Nothing will stand sure enough and thereby you will be necessitated to seek for a Mediatour without Thus Paul Rom. 7. when he discovered all that drosse within himself That when he would do good evil was present with him Yet what doth this drive him to at last I thank God through Jesus Christ And David upon the apprehension of what defects did cleave to him praieth That God would not enter into Judgement for then no flesh should be justified Psa 133. Not any one person in the world because he is flesh Oh there is little cause for any man to bear up his Head though he did ten Thousand times more then he did though he were a Gyant in Grace whereas now he is but a Dwarf because there is so much Imperfection in the best Duty that it needs pardon Not onely our sinnes but our Righteousnesse needs the Righteousnesse of Chtist as you see Paul acknowledged and the Church of old complained comparing them to a menstruous Cloth Isa 64.6 Oh then if thou wert setled in this thou wouldest cry out Christ he is all in all Vse 3. of Invitation Even to great and grievous sinners to bewail their Iniquities and to come in to Christ For even your case is not desperate Seeing we have such a Mediatour if Christ be truely apprehended what he is all our sinnes will be no more to him then the Earth to Heaven It 's a long while ere the Law hath its due efficacy upon many sinners They blesse themselves when God curseth them They acquit themselves when the Law condemneth them But when once their hearts are mastered and they feel the wounds of sinne whether they will or no Then it 's as hard to direct them to this Mediatour Then they think their sinnes greater not onely then they can bear but then Christ can or at least will bear Then the thoughts of the Multitude and bloudy aggravations of them are so great that they see no way but Hell and Damnation before them Oh let such consider what this Mediatour is who is sufficient to save to the uttermost That he is more able to justifie then the first Adam to condemn Let them remember how well-pleasing it is to throw our selves into the Arms of Christ That he will not in any wise cast out those that come to him That he will not break the bruised Reed nor quench the smoaking Flax. But you will say This Truth if preached publiquely will do more hurt then good For the Prophane ungodly Wretch he will go home in the hardnesse of his heart and when he can sinne no longer nor live no longer then he will say Oh it 's good to trust in the Mediatour But first Consider That there is an Order and Method in our Trusting in Christ It 's not the first Duty we are to set upon But as he that would get the Fruit of some Tree must first pull away the Briars or thorns that haply hang in the way So it is here Before thou art called to beleeve in him thou art called to Know thy Self and thy sinnes how wretched and damnable thy Estate is Unto what wrath and vengeance threatned by the Law thou art obnoxious Thou must be lost in thy own self ere Christ will finde thee and further thou art called to have strong desires even as hunger and thirst is after Christ above all worldly and earthly things so that none can bid thee beleeve and as for thy Repentance or thy love to thy sins that is no matter Christ will receive you howsoever And then Secondly As you cannot come to Christ but this Preparation must be made so neither can you keep him as yours but with a constant holy and earnest endeavour to all Godlinesse 2 Cor. 5.17 He that is in Christ is a New Creature and He that is Christs hath mortified the affections of sin Never think the Spirit of Christ will abide with willfull and obstinate wickednesse SERMON XLI Of Praying both for the Godly and the Wicked With the Reasons and Motives thereof JOH 17.9 I pray for them I pray not for the world IN this Verse we see the End why Christ so largely commended the Faith and Obedience of his Disciples It is to shew that they were such Subjects for whom his Praier was proper and
Neither soul or body shall escape him if thou continue his Be thou awakened out of thy desperate estate If thou art not Gods Inheritance thou art the devils possession and thy tongue thy eyes thy body thy whole life proclaimeth to whom thou dost belong 2. In being the Fathers as we are no longer Satans so neither the worlds or mens in the world Hence we are commanded not to be Servants to men 1 Cor. 7.13 or please men and to call none Father on earth Mat. 23.9 The sense of such commands is that we are not to put our hopes and trust in men not to give up our selves to their commands when contrary to God yet this is a sinne that all are prone unto It 's the Favour of men the power and greatnesse of men that swayeth us more then God Alas thou wert not created or redeemed or regenerated to make man thus a God unto thee Whence is it that our fear is a mans fear yea our Religion a mans Religion but because we are not yet delivered from mans thraldom so neither are we the worlds For our Saviour saith We are given out of the world to Chrict Why then are we so immoderate in our cares and affections about these things It 's not the world that is ours The Church was seen clothed with the Sunne and the Moon under her feet Rev. 12.1 God hath made the earth under us and Gold and Silver to be in the bowels thereof implying the low esteem we ought to have of them and that we look not on the world as a resting place but seek for heaven Lastly We are none of our own in being the Fathers Thus the Apostle We are none of our own Therefore we are to glorifie God both in soul and body 1 Cor. 6.20 Our Tongues our Body our Affections are not our own We may not love as we list nor desire as we list It 's thset and Sacriledge thus to steal from God Why should it be a wound in thy Conscience to detain that which is another mans and not rather that which is Gods My Son give me thy heart If sinne hath it If the world hath it these are not the right owners Remember whose thou art and this will keep thee solely and wholly for God These things premised let us now see How the Propriety we have in God is the cause of all our good And in the generall there is no temporall or spirituall good we have but our propriety in God is the Foundation of it If the Apostle argue that because he hath given us Christ how shall he not with him give us all things else Rom. 8. How much rather if God give us himself shall he not give us all things The marrow and whole substance of the Covenant of grace lieth in this That God will be our God and we shall be his People God doth not finde us but make us his and when so made then all good things are bestowed on us We will select some choice particulars and that two waies 1. Of those good things we have from God 2. Of those good things we have by approaching to good our active and passive good And first Pardon of sinne in which the Psalmist speaks our blessednesse to consist is given us because we are hiâ— Thus Heb. 8. when God promised to be the God of his People in the Covenant of Grace Then followeth the Forgivenesse of their sinnes And he will remember their Iniquities no more And this they must necessarily enjoy For Guilt of sinne separateth between God and the sinner it makes him at a distance and in a state of Enmity But this propriety takes away all Ground of Condemnation Rom. 8. Because they belong to God therefore they are pardoned Davids sinnes were fouler then Sauls But besides that David had a better heart then Saul David had a propriety in God and so had not Saul Oh the Encouragement that Gods Children have upon this account to pray for pardon It 's more in God then in thy Repentance or Tears That is the surest Refuge they have they are the Fathers Therefore 2. Because they have more choice and intimate Fellowship and Communion with the Father then the world They have the Light of his Countenance assurance of his Love They have the hidden Manna They have a peculiar Enjoyment of him which is more as David saith Psal 4. then the wicked men have when their Wine and Oyle encreaseth They are called Friends in opposition to Servants by Christ Joh. 15.15 And therefore are admitted into that presence and those heavenly Secrets which wicked men know not which made the Church repeat this so often She was her well beloveds and her well beloved was hers Cant. 6.3 And from this followeth that holy and heavenly Communion with Christ which the Church hath Oh if the world did but know what the Godly have from God Other meat Other Riches Other Comforts then they understand How would they lament their distance from God They have Husks onely when there is the fatted Calf in our Fathers House Insomuch that though the Godly have not the good things of this Life alwaies yet they have the good yea the better things of Heaven and Happinesse as a Viaticum in their Journey thither 3. Because they have a Propriety in Christ therefore they are protected and preserved The Eye of God is said to runne up and down the Earth to stand in the behalf of the upright in heart They are Gods Treasure and so his heart and love must be towards them I am thine save me saith David Psal 119.94 Propriety engageth God all Creatures look to their own yea they venture their lives to save their young ones The cruell and most wilde Creatures are fierce to defend their own Now at the Psalmist argueth He that made the Eye shall not be see He that planted the Ear shall not he hear Thus he that hath put into the nature of all creatures to protect their young ones Will not he do the like This Argument the Church useth when she saith Isaiah 63 9. We are thine and are called by thy Name Insomuch that there is a wonderfull expression in Zech. 2.8 He that toucheth you toucheth the Apple of my Eye How carefully hath nature defended that as being a precious and dear part in a man Yet thus God is pleased to account of those that are his And therefore he is said to be afflicted in all their afflictions Oh then that the Godly would improve this propriety more They fear this danger this Triall this Calamity Art thou not the Lords Will not he look to thee more then thou couldest thy self Thou art more his then thy own It 's indeed no such matter for thee to lose thy health thy Comforts thy Life but for God to lose his goods his Inheritance his Jewels would highly redound to his dishonour Therefore the Lord is said to know how to deliver those that are Righteous 2
world lieth in wickednesse the whole world None are exempted till called out of it by Grace All the humane Grecian power though so famous for wit and morall vertues is included herein and then it lieth in wickednesse this denoteth the habitual custome of sinne as also the impotency even to help it self It lieth in wickednesse there is also their contentednesse and delight as the Swine lieth in her mud And then in wickednesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a troublesome wickednesse that makes trouble and vexation to those that are not in the same excesse of wickednesse with them In the explaining of this concerning the danger of sinne to a Godly man in this world it will appear how difficult it is to them to passe by these Syrens how hard it is to refuse every temptation that stands like Solomons Whore tempting every passenger to come in How many had escaped those flames of hell and had been now partakers of the Robes of Glory had not this world been a Dalilah alwaies enticing them Not only the prophane man but the professour who seemed to give up his Name to Christ even the world hath undone him as will appear For First Consider the infecting and contagious sinfulnesse in the world How hardly can we breathe and live but we must suck in this pestilentiall air As those that live in an infected Pesthouse or such as abide in a noisome Hospitall they cannot but have the smell and the disease of the place so to live in this world which is wholly set on wickenesse it 's a wonder of wonders if we smell not of it savour not of it Therefore pure Religion Jam. 1.27 is said to keep a man unspotted from the world Vnspotted that implieth what a noisome dunghill or fllthy infecting place the world is Oh then with what care and fear should the people of God walk in this world Every hour every day thou art in danger of getting some spots and defilements upon thee Thou art not in Heaven or Paradise but in a place where the devil hath his Throne He ruleth in this world and therefore pray and watch depend upon Christ little dost thou think what mire thou maist fall in if the arm of grace support thee not Did not our Saviour say to his very Disciples that they should take heed of surfetting and drunkennesse that their hearts should not be overcharged with the cares of this world Luk. 21.34 Who would not have thought the Disciples farre enough from this sinne yet they must take heed If the green Tree may so easily take fire what will not the dry do Secondly As there is the world infecting so there is the world tempting and seducing even by lawful comforts It infects by sinne it seduceth by lawfull good things and herein is great danger to godly men their Houses Wives Children their health wealth and whatsoever is a worldly good These are apt to insnare and seduce our hearts So that the love care and joy about these things shuts out that love to God 1 Cor. 7. The Apostle tels us that those who marry must be as if they married not those that buy as if they bought not and those that use the world as not abusing it So that there is using of this world and abusing it using it when we make all these comfortable things we enjoy instrumental to Gods glory and our good but abusing it when we do use them too much So abuti the Latine word is used sometimes when the Waters overflow the Banks But who can stand under this Truth Who can endure this glorious Light Is not the world a tempting world though not an afflicting Thou dost not communicate with the wickednesse and grosse impieties the world lieth in but thy heart is over-charged and surfetted with affections to lawful things Thou over-lovest over-grievest Thy trade is a snare to thee Thy Wife thy Children are snares to thee they draw thee into this and that immoderate affection One of the Ancients saw in a Vision that the world was full of Snares Thus indeed it is Thou canst not be at home or abroad Thou canst not be in this or that condition but there is a Snare Even as the Bird cannot light upon the ground but the Fowler hath set a snare for her every where Oh then how well is it that not only we pray but Christ hath praied to keep us from the evil of all these things To have riches and sinne not To have health and sinne not To have mercies and offend not Know then that Egypt was not fuller of Frogs and Lice in every chamber in every hole then rhe world is of Temptation to sinne There is no mercy no relation no condition but it will draw out a world of sinne if thou watch not every Creature is a kinde of a devil Christ warrants that expression when he said to Peter Get thee behinde me Satan Mat. 16.23 When he tempted him from his duty Thou hast cause sometimes to say to the best comfort thou hast in the world Get thee behinde me Satan Thou savourest not the things of God Thirdly A godly mans danger ariseth from the deceitfulnesse of the world with the things thereof Thus Mat 13. it 's called the deceivablenesse of Riches And 1 Cor. 7. the world is said to have a fashion That as in the stage there are pleasing gestures and representations but they passe away immediately and you think you see Kings and Queens but there is no such matter Thus it is with the world it promiseth thee peace joy comfort Oh if thou hast it thou art ready to think thy self made but it proveth a Sodoms apple Ezechiels Roll sweet in the mouth but bitter in the belly Now because it hath such a present sweetnesse to allure whereas grace is for the present rather bitter therefore are the godly in so great danger There are sweet baits every where but dangerous hooks Judas thought his thirty peeces a sweet morsell but it proved wormwood and gall when it was devoured Achan thought the wedge of Gold a sweet bit and Gehezi Naamans Talents but alas it was gall though it had the colour of honey so that it 's very much if the godly man escape undoing himself Seeing there is so much deceivablenesse every where that which is real misery seems a desirable good That which is full of bitternesse yet appeareth as if altogether good So true is that Per fallacia mala itur and vera bona per fallacia bona itur and vera mala By seeming evils we come to reall good and by seeing God to real evil Fourthly The Godly man is in danger because of the sutablenesse of the worlds temptation with that corruption within So that he hath a dangerous Enemy about the Wals and a treacherous party within The world and his heart are in a Confederacy against the good of his soul so that thou canst not eat or drink or sleep in
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.
times prayeth God would direct and order his wayes This directive power is of consequence to us for without it we should throw our selves into every pit Fifthly The power of the Lord keeps us applicando by an efficacious applying of the means of grace to us For when we say God's power keeps us in grace that is not to be understood immediately as Angels in Heaven are kept but mediately by the Word and Ordinances Therefore the organical and instrumental cause of our conservation is the word of God as our Saviour afterwards prayeth God would sanctifie them by his truth his Word was truth So that this makes much for the advancement of Christs Ministery and the Gospel preached for by the lively working of these we come to stand fast These are the continual rubbings that keep heat in us These are the Cocks that crow to put us in minde of our sinnes These are the frequent alarms against our spirituall enemies that they surprize us not in our security Sixthly The power of God keeps us corroborando by strengthening and fortifying the powers of the Soul while they do work A man that is paralytical though he hath life in him yet cannot steadily and firmly move the parts of his body but they shake as if they did not belong to the body Thus even while the people of God are acting and working what is good they do it so remisly so faintly that did not the Lord confirm them all their duties would be very uncomfortable to them Hence Paul so often prayeth That God would strengthen and settle them that he would establish and build them on the work It 's a blessed thing to walk in the paths of godliness with an imboldened and confirmed heart Seventhly The power of God doth keep us suaviter alliciendo by putting strong consolations and sweet delights in our soul while we are doing his will Nehem. 8.10 The joy of the Lord is your strength We glory in tribulations when we are filled with joy As fear and unbelief make feeble knees and weak hands so joy and heavenly delight doth strengthen and confirm the soul What is that which makes Angels and Saints so inseparably adhere to God and that to all eternity never weary of him Is it not the infinite joy and delight they have in God So while God doth thus give us to taste and feel how good he is while we have an experiment of the preciousness of Christ upon our hearts we stand immovable like so many Rocks in the same place though never so many waves beat on us Eighthly Gods power keeps us from sinne reprimendo by repressing and curbing those reliques of sinne which are within us For from our own selves would arise such noisome lusts that would separate us from God even as from the earth arise such black vapours that hide the Sunne from it The Spirit of God therefore doth mortifie the body of sinne keeps this root from sprouting forth and is ready to crush the Cockatrice in her eggs Lastly The power of God doth keep us arcendo by driving away and keeping of the devil from us How strangely this roaring Lion is set upon us as a prey appeareth by that of our Saviour Luke 12. Satan hath desired to winnow you he would spare no godly man Therefore he is called the Tempter because all the day long it 's his work to seduce to sinne so that herein the necessity of Gods power appeareth Ephes 6. We wrastle with principalities and powers Thou art no fit match for them You see that Adam in the state of integrity was overcome by him It 's God then that keeps these roaring Lions tied up otherwise what could poor Sheep do to oppose so many Lions Vse of Instruction With what thankfulness and joy we should bless God at the close of every day Hast thou not been a Cain a Judas this day Bless God that kept thee Hast thou not by words or works broken thy Communion with God Oh acknowledge his goodnesse to thee Thou mightst have been tempted and seduced by sinne or Satan so that great wounds and gashes might have been made upon thy Conscience Oh say Lord I am amazed at thy power and grace in keeping of me The Godly are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the preserved ones and well may they be called so for did God withdraw his hand you should see them wallowing in filth and made like the vile ones upon the Earth Do not then presume on thy own strength but depend upon Gods power SERMON LVII Reasons proving the Necessity of Gods preserving his Children in Grace That God keeps them by Faith Also why and how Faith keeps them rather then other Graces JOH 17.11 Keep through thy Name those thou hast given me WE have heard how many waies God keeps even converted persons from falling into their first Chaos and confusion Let us Consider the Grounds Why there is such a Necessity of Gods preserving power that so we may be humbled in our selves and God exalted 1. We may be strongly convinced of the great necessity of Gods power in keeping of us by the Apostate Angels and lapsed Adam What can more forcibly teach us this Truth then their Apostacy Did not God create Angels full of Light and Glory like the Starres and yet the Apostle Jude saith They kept not their first habitation Did not also God create Adam after his own Image in Righteousnesse yet how quickly did he become a Prodigall and spent all You see here the most glorious of all Creatures furnished with a rich stock yet in a very little space proved Bankrupts and lost all Oh then what shall the godly man think of himself who hath not such strength of grace as they had And besides they had no corruption or principle of Rebellion within them to betray them as we have Who then is not compelled by this consideration to acknowledge the glorious right hand of God to uphold his Servants from falling every moment for in that all the Angels did not fall as well as some it is to be attributed to the meer confirming grace of God therefore they are called the Elect Angels 1 Tim. 5.21 God did by his power graciously confirm them in what was good and denied such help to those that revolted Oh then let the Godly Soul pray fervently Lord keep me daily Adam yea the glorious Angels could not keep themselves and shall I think my self secure Secondly Therefore need we the power of God to preserve us though furnished with inherent grace because grace abiding in us is but a Creature that needeth help and support as well as other Creatures Though Grace in us be the most glorious thing in the world and the Image of God yet being still a created being it needeth preservation from God So that as in our naturall life we live and breathe and move in God So it is much more in our Spirituall Life So that as our grace because of
the imperfection of it cannot justifie us or save us so neither from the weaknesse of it can it preserve Grace is not God neither hath it the power of God Obj And if you say That actuall help of grace whereby God keepeth us that is but a Creature and then that must need another help and so in infinitum as some Arminians urge I answer Grace inherent in us is by way of a permanent principle abiding in us and so needeth some to excite and quicken it but this actuall helping is by way of a transient principle moving but not continuing and so that doth not need a further help This is like the sharpening of the edge of the tools This is like the actuall Ejaculation of the Sun-beams which make Objects to be actually seen Take heed then of magnifying grace too much within us as in Popery when it is made our Righteousnesse whereby we are justified before God or when we judge this able of it self without further Auxiliaries of God to preserve us Thirdly Grace is necessary to keep us Because while we are in this Life we are yet but in the way We are not come to our Eternal home in Heaven where we shall be so confirmed that we shall not need such peculiar helps as now we do We are here still in the way Our Condition is compared to a warfare to a Wrestling and fighting We are but in the race we have not yet put on the Crown and therefore Gods assisting grace is alwaies necessary One reason the Orthodox give why we are justified by imputed Righteousnesse and not inherent why our inherent Righteousnesse is imperfect though God could make it perfect is because God thereby would make us humble and lowly in our selves But say the Adversaries if we were perfectly holy there would be no danger of pride no more then there is in those that are glorified To which it is answered That suppose a man were made perfect in this Life and were yet in viâ not in termino There would be as much danger of pride as there was in Adam and the Angels The Saints therefore glorified they are made perfect they are no more in the way They have overcome and so are made Pillars in the Temple of God that never shall be removed But it is not thus with the most holy man he is yet fighting sighing groaning and so needs daily custody Fourthly If we doe Consider those many Commands and Exhortations not to be high-minded but fear Rom. 11.20 To walk with fear and trembling These argue a necessity of dependance upon God The Apostle Rom. 11. bids a man take heed of boasting lest he fall for thou bearest not the Root but the Root thee Rom. 11.18 This is very pertinent Thou dost not keep God to thee but God keepeth thee to himself The branch gives not juyce to the Vine but the Vine to the branch The Arminians from such Exhortations would inferre the Apostasie of Saints but they are rather practicall and powerfull means whereby he doth preserve his people By these admonitions to take heed of falling they are enabled to stand Only by them we are advertised to look up unto God as being unable to establish our selves Fifthly The remainder of corruption within the Godly that is very active and working proveth the necessity of Gods gracious power Paul Rom. 7. complaineth of the lively power of this Law of sinne within him and that at all times and in all duties even so farre prevailing that it hindred him from doing the good he would Now then if we have such a powerfull Enemy within us if from our own hearts would arise lusts to destroy us who seeth not the necessity of Gods keeping of us Alas we live all the day in spiritual danger our Souls may be betraied every moment Did not God therefore keep us we needed no Enemy to destroy us but our selves Sixthly The malice and power of Satan continually assaulting of us proclaimeth the great necessity of Gods power He is the Tempter and he is a roaring Lyon to destroy The Devils are the principalities in high places and above all he is most set against the godly as Luk. 22. Now who could be secure in the midst of so many Legions of devils if Gods arm did not alwaies support us would not Satan have possessed the heart of Peter as much as he did Judas had not Gods power withstood him his Temptations are so sutable so subtlely managed so importunately urged that it must be a power from above that can overcome them They are called Satans darts and his fiery darts to shew how quickly and forcibly they can enter Ephes 6.16 Lastly That Gods gracious help is necessary every moment appeareth in the sad Fals and woful decaies of the truly Godly which could never have been had they not with Sampson deprived themselves of their strength how comes David in all that mire of Uncleannesse and Murder how comes he to be made indeed like one of the vile persons of the Earth as once Michol falsly upbraided but that God had withdrawn his present assistance and whatsoever sins or Fals you reade of in the Godly it was because the Lord was not a present help to them in that Temptation as when the Sun withdraweth his Light it must needs be dark or his heat it must be cold Vse of Exhortation to the godly to live by a depending Faith upon Gods gracious power onely in thy way to Heaven The way is so streight the oppositions so many Thy corruption so great that thou canst never come to the Journeys end unlesse God be with thee all the day long Shall men in outward temporall difficulties say as Jehosaphat did O Lord we know not what to do but our eyes are upon thee how much rather in all thy combats with sin and endeavours after holinesse maist thou cry out O Lord the work is so great the dangers so many that I know not what to do Wo be to me if the Lord let me alone to my self Therefore as the Church resolved so doe thou lay hold on God and do not let him go Wrestle and strive with God as Jacob not letting him alone till he blesse thee Say as Moses I will not go unlesse the Angel of thy presence go along with us and that thou maist doe this take heed First Of presumption and self-confidence They are the humble and self-debased whom God will help When I am weak then am I strong 2 Cor. 12.10 Paul exhorteth Timothy to be a spirituall Souldier and to get the heavenly armoury upon him yet he must be strong in the power of the Lord 2 Tim. 2.1 The like is said to all Christians Ephes 6.10 When Peter presumeth upon his own strength then Gods assistance doth forsake him Secondly Take heed of wilfull throwing thy self into the occasion of sinne For by this means thou temptest God whereby he forsakes thee Thou wilt runne into
rejoyce in other mens gifts and abilities with that success accompanying them as if they were our own As we see John did John's Disciples came with an envious spirit against Christ and said All men runne after him This was enough to leaven and sour John's heart but see his excellent temper I must decrease and he must increase John 3.30 he was willing that Christs light and glory should be exalted though it darkned and obscured his This is a good Reconciler and the latter is a tender forbearing of one another and suffering of one anothers weaknesses and a proneness to forgive others rashness if the stones of Jerusalem were thus polished and smoothed they would lie even and firm together A third Rule is Love to the publique good of the Church if this did reign in our hearts it would compose all differences The true mothers bowels would not suffer her to have the childe divided It must be selfish revenge that shall make two enemies desire to see the ship sink in which they are rather then they will agree to preserve it What self-denial was that in Jonah to give himself up to destruction rather then have the whole ship endangered Every one ought to say If I be the Jonah cast me out Among the Romans they had a Temple dedicated Jovi depositorio because there they would go and lay aside their mutual contentions before they entred into the Senate-house What a shame is it when many Heathens have laid aside their mutual quarrels for the common good and shall not the Ministers of the Gospel much more for the Churches safety A fourth Rule is Not to charge such consequences upon one anothers doctrine that are not natural and which they do abhorre This in doctrinal disputes hath been oil to the flame The Lutherans charge upon the Calvinists Doctrines about Predestination That they make God the autheur of sinne that they make him cruel and unjust worse then Pharaoh that commanded brick but gave no straw yea cruel like Nero who having a minde to put a vestal Virgin to death caused her to be ravished and then put her to death because she was ravished But the Calvinists detest and abhorre all such consequences and if they did see such conclusions did follow necessarily from their Doctrines they would publickly abjure them some gathered from Paul's preaching of free-grace that therefore men might sinne that grace might abound but Paul crieth God forbid at this and saith The damnation of such Logicians is just Rom. 3.18 Lastly So farre as men do agree with us in the fundamentals let them retain peace and concord The Apostle thus exhorts Phil. 3.16 Whereto we have already attained let us walk by the same rule It hath been Gods mercy that the Protestant Churches though differing in many opinions yet do not dissent in fundamentals For as for the Socinians I do not reckon them among the Protestants yea some place them not amongst Christians but as for other they keep the same foundation though some are purer Churches then others Now it 's a special preservative of charity to imbrace one another with hearty affections So farre therefore it 's an uncharitable and peevish thing in some Lutherans that will not call the Calvinists brethren or admit of reconciliation but professe they will rather do it with the Pope whom yet they maintain to be Antichrist Vse of Exhortation to run to the God of peace for to settle peace and truth The greater the mercy is and the more the devil doth oppose it the more do thou strive for it How many Unities doth the Apostle mention Ephes 4 And why then should we be many Blessed are peace-makers for they shall be called the Sons of God Mat. 5.9 SERMON LXI The great changes that even a Godly man is subject unto in respect of the having and losing those Sensible supports both outward and inward which God at some times vouchsafeth to them Also what those sensible Enjoyments are and why God doth so change the conditions of his People JOH 17.12 While I was with them in the world I kept them in thy Name WE have dispatched the prayer Christ put up for his Disciples We are now to consider other reasons and arguments he useth for his Petition Our Saviour expressed many before the Petition and some also after the Petition The words of the Text are brought in as a reason why he prayed for them now so solemnly and not before because formerly he had kept them in a visible manner by his corporall presence with them but now the manner of his presence being shortly to be changed he therefore commends them to God as if he should have said Holy Father ever since they became my Disciples I took a special charge of them the world was against them they could not keep themselves and I came as a Mediator appointed by thee to preserve them to eternal life which trust I have faithfully discharged and therefore seeing they have hitherto been kept let them not perish at last In this reason we may take notice 1. Of the Disciples mercy vouchsafed to them they were kept this implieth their own insufficiency and inability 2. The efficient cause of this I have kept them wherein also is implied his fidelity and diligence in that trust he took upon him as a Mediatour 3. The manner how In thy Name which mercy is illustrated from the circumstance of time While I was with â—â—em 2. Of place while I was with them in the world First of the circumstance of time and place While I was with them in the world he speaks as if for the present he were not with them but that is because his departure was immediatly at hand Now when our Saviour speaks in this manner while I was with them I kept them 1. You must not think as if Christ by his bodily leaving of them did also spiritually leave them No this would contradict that promise Mat. 28. where Christ said he would be with them to the end of the world he did not change his presence but the manner of his presence it was before corporall and visible now spirituall and invisible 2. In that Christ said While I was with them it 's necessarily inferred that Christ is not corporally present every where that his body is not every where though Christ be every where That is true of Christ in the concrete which cannot be verified of each nature As his Divine nature did not suffer so neither can his humane be every where 3. By this expression saith Austin upon the place we must not understand as if there were a vicissitude in the Fathers and Sons keeping of us as if the Son had kept them a while excluding the Father and now the Father was to keep them excluding the Sonne but the Father kept them even while Christ kept them and Christ will keep them after his departure while the Father keeps them but not in the same manner before there
was a corporal visible keeping but now spiritual 4. We are to avoid the Socinian reason given why Christ speaks thus in the Text It is saith he because Christ had not yet obtained that power and soveraignty to keep them after an invisible manner for they say Christ had not that Divine power and authority till it was given him after his resurrection then God gave him the universall dominion over all say they But our Saviour had sufficiently before shewed that what the Father did he also did Lastly When Christ saith Hitherto I have kept them in thy Name attributing the power of keeping them to the Father it is not as if he were not also God but he speaks here as Mediatour as in the form of a servant and an Embassadour doing all things in the Fathers Name Hence in other places he saith it 's not his doctrine but his Fathers and so he seeketh not his own glory but the Fathers Thus much for explication Whereas then our Saviour for a while was in a corporall sensible manner with them providing for them and protecting of them but at last is to leave them to greater hardship and stronger temptations Observe That though God may afford his people for a while many comfortable and sensible supports yet they must not look to enjoy them alwaies As the childe must not think alwaies to hang on the breast or to be dandled on the knee so neither must Gods children alwaies think to have comforts mercies and whatsoever their souls desire but they must expect changes and severall trials Hence the Apostle saith 1 Pet. 4.12 they are not to think any fiery triall strange The godly are to be prepared in the midst of their mercies that if God on a sudden raise the clean contrary this should not seem a new or an hard thing to them John 21.18 Christ tels Peter when he was young he went whither he would but in his old age another should girt him and carry him whither he would not In his younger years he had liberty and freedom but in his old age he should meet with bonds and imprisonments Thus God saith to many in thy younger years thou hadst health comforts but afterwards thou shalt have diseases pains and many sad afflictions To open this Doctrine let us consider what those visible supports are that God for a while may vouchsafe to his people And 1. They may have for a while many outward comforts and mercies They may abound in wealth in riches and honours â—o that they want nothing they may have an heaven here and then at last God gathers black clouds and so there are sudden storms and lightnings that spoil their sun-shine day It was thus with Job he tels us in what plenty honour and ease once he lived in but God had made a sad change upon him Even as Jonah had got a gourd whereby he defended himself from the scorching heat and he began to think himself now very well and presently God prepared worms to devour this defence Oh then if there be any of Gods children on whom he thus smiles they have riches when others are in the depth of poverty they have plenty when others are pinched with want remember all thy wealth is but like a little dust if God breath on it it is scattered away All these things runne on a wheel and that which is uppermost may quickly be lowest As the Grecians say There are no beggars but their ancestours have been Kings and no Kings but their ancestours have been beggars such a change and mutation are all these earthly things subject unto 2. Gods children may for a while enjoy many sweet consolations and have good assurance of Gods love and this is a speciall sensible support When David hath no cause to complain that God hid his face from him when he said his mountain was strong when he could bless God because he had forgiven his sinnes so that he could with heavenly boldness call him his Lord and his God all this while David was happy but this fair weather doth not last alwaies God hideth his face and then he is troubled then he crieth out Why art thou cast down and troubled within me O my soul It is a gross error to say assurance cannot be lost yea we may lose it by our careless and lazy walking and God may deprive us of it for wise and holy ends If then God gives thee these soul-sensible supports that thou knowest and feelest his love upon thy soul make much of this mercy faith of evidence will not be alwaies There will be a time when faith of adherence and dependance will be all in all 3. Then have the people of God carnall and sensible supports when they are preserved from the outward malice and persecutions of men so that they live honoured and prosperous lives here below Such a time Joseph had at last David Mordecai Esther and many others yea we see in Ahabs daies when there was such an hot persecution of Eliah the Prophet and other godly Prophets yet Obadiah a godly man lived in great favour with Ahab so that although the rage and malice of the world be prepared against every holy man yet for a while they may be the worlds darlings they may have the Kingdoms the Powers and the Honours of the world so that we may sometimes say in this respect the servant is above his Master Christs Disciple above Christ only let them know there may come a time and then God depriveth them of all these for their honours they have disgrace for their glory reproach It 's much if God lets them have the good things of this life and of the life to come 4. They may have a calm and serene time in respect of soul-temptations and spirituall exercises Paul had not alwaies these buffetings of Satan These spirituall temptations whether entring from the blackness of our own hearts or injected by Satan are very terrible and bitter they have made the godly weary of themselves Hence they are compared to darts and fiery darts Ephes 6.16 to shew how mortall and how piercing they are Now although God may many times give his people a quiet setled composed spirit yet this is not enduring but the storms do arise the ship begins to sink and they cry out that they perish 5. They may have the comfortable presence and corporall direction of wise holy and godly persons but at last God may take them away Thus a godly people may have the ministry of a faithfull Pastor while he is with them the flock is kept no wolves have been able to get into the fold Children and servants may have a godly Father and Master wives gracious and wise husbands now these while they were enjoyed were wonderfull supports Hence Elisha is called the horsemen and chariots of Israel When Chrysostom was banished the people said The sun might have been better taken out of the firmament Thus God hath given his
forsake him Now these things do especially provoke God to leave his people though not totally yet gradually and that both in respect of grace and consolations 1. When they resist the light of God shining upon them There is a natural light and a supernatural now to oppose this to walk against this is to provoke God to forsake us for thus such who enjoy the means of grace and have wonderfull workings upon their soul as Heb. 6. come to be left by detaining the truth in unrighteousness Therefore the Jews were delivered up to blindness and hardness of heart because seeing they would not see and hearing they would not hear and thus by proportion it is in a sanctified person 2. Vnthankefulness for those heavenly and glorious priviledges the effects of grace make us unworthy When God shall by such an arm as this is bring thee out of thy sinnes leaving thousands of others in their cursed and damnable estate and condition and thou dost no more rejoyce in thy Thanksgiving unto God this is to procure frowns and displeasure from God upon thee 3. To walk carelesly and slothfully when this Grace is received is endangering to lose all She that did not strive and stir up her self with Zeal is bid to take heed lest another get her Crown from her Rev. 2. He that was unprofitable and hideth his Talent shall have that taken away which he had The Church because of her great negligence and slothfulnesse lost Christ and with much trouble did at last obtain him again Therefore it 's said by Peter We are to give much diligence that we may make our Calling and our Election sure 2 Pet. 1.10 SERMON LXVI Of the Perseverance of the Saints JOH 17.12 I have kept them and none of them is perished but the Sonne of Perdition THe Doctrine observed was That none of those who are given by God to Christ shall perish To state and clear which Truth we have given in some particulars and some more are now to be added which if well digested will be so many Answers to those many Objections which are made against this Truth And First Consider That though we hold the Godly man will persevere to the End yet this is not to be attributed to his own power and strength but solely to Gods Help This Truth was maintained of old by Austin against the Pelagians who thought a man by his own power might overcome Temptations and persist constantly in what is good In his Book De bono perseverantiae and lib. de correptione gratiâ He makes it his great work to overthrow that proud and presumptuous doctrine and among other Arguments this is often urged That a man prayeth unto God for perseverance which would be absurd if it were in mans own power to give it and he also presseth another Argument of two having equal grace whether he mean true real sanctifying grace is controverted by the Learned Vossius saith he doth but others think not as Rivet He propounds this Question Why one doth persevere and not the other as we may instance why Peter and not Iudas who though he had not Sanctifying Grace yet had many good Gifts of Gods Spirit and none can give a dfference of this but by running to Gods grace confirming one and not the other So then as we see it was with the people of Israel in the Wildernesse travelling to Canaan their shoes and garments did not wax old or their bread moldy God miraculously preserving of it Thus in our way to Heaven God preserveth the Godly so that their Graces which otherwise would quickly perish and decay are yet kept lively and vigorous by him As in Physick there are Medicines to recover out of Diseases and then to preserve and keep health So there is the grace of God out of sinne and Grace to preserve us being thus recovered Hence Austin well observeth that expression Rom 11. I have left to my self seven thousand that have not bowed their knees to Baal It was God that had saved them from Idolatry he kept them from the common corrupt worship not they themselves and Rom. 14. the Apostle speaking of a weak Christian saith he shall be holden up for God is able to make him stand God is able not he himself This Truth that profound Doctor Bradwardine doth solidly maintain against Pelagians lib. 2. De Causâ Dei cap. 8 9 10. where he reproveth Lumbard the Master of Sentences for attributing perseverance to a mans Free-will desiring his Zeal may be excused because it is for Gods Truth In that Discourse he well sheweth how that when God hath infused Grace into a mans heart it is not as when the Husbandman hath prepared and fitted the ground and hath cast his Seed into it then he leaveth it that of its one self it may fructifie and bring forth Corn But as the Air when it is enlightened by the Sun-beams needeth the continuall presence of them so that if but for an hour light be withdrawn it is presently dark Thus if God should from the most holy men withdraw his gracious help but for a moment they would be immediatly plunged into all evil for if the Heavens that are so glorious Creatures and for their firm setling called the Firmament doe yet wholly stand by the Omnipotent power and Word of God how much rather must the eminent and dear Children of God be preserved in their supernaturall Life by the same Grace and divine might Hence 1 Chron. ult David praieth that what good there was for the present in the peoples hearts God would alwaies keep it in them Thus perseverance then is not the fruit of our own strength nor is it bestowed for any antecedent merits of our own but meerly from the grace and favour of God but of this more v. 15. 2. We are alwaies to distinguish between those that are in profession and appearance Godly and such who are indeed so No doubt but the Scripture giveth sundry and plain Instances of the Apostacy and Fall of many who for a while were eminent and admirable in their profession of Religion but yet for all this they were not such as were indeed rooted and grounded in Christ and this proposition will serve to answer many places that are brought to prove the perishing condition sometimes of those that had true grace as Heb. 6.4 5. where some are said to be enlightened and to have tasted the good Word of God and it 's supposed that they may fall away and never be restored again but howsoever the Arminians think there is an enumeration of the best things the godly may have and that none can go beyond those qualifications yet the Apostle plainly speaketh the contrary for when he had reckoned up these particulars yet he addeth I hope better things and things that accompany or hold salvation So then there were better things then these and there are things that hold Salvation that cannot be separated from them but such were not
these things named in the Text and further the Apostle chargeth these persons to whom he attributeth these priviledges that they were dull and slow that they needed to be taught the first principles By all which it appeareth that the godly ought to have better things then those mentioned Do not therefore gather the Apostasie of those that are truly godly because sometimes you see men of eminent parts and professions in Religion become degenerate and unsound for possibly these never had the Truth of grace and such also were those named by Peter 2 Pet. 2.20 where some are said to have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of Christ and yet were again entangled in their former lusts We grant that the Faith of Christ had so farre a powerfull operation upon them that they left off those pollutions they lived in whilst Heathens but yet that they were never changed at the very root and heart appearrth in that the Apostle cals them but washed Swine they had not changed their Swinish nature they were not made Sheep though they had an outward Reformation Now that all such though never so wonderfull for parts and duties if falling off never were truly principled with the work of grace in their souls appeareth by that eminent place 1 Joh. 2.19 They went from us because they were not of us If they had been of us they would have continued with us Here it is plain that whosoever is truly of the Church of God he will alwaies abide so Indeed when we see the fall of such who seemed such glorious Starres and such tall Cedars we ought in an holy manner to fear and tremble We that stand are to take heed lest we fall but this doth not prove the total Apostasie of those that do truely belong to God Mat. 13. He that did beleeve and receive the Word with joy did yet at last wither because he had not a good and honest heart Now when we say all these mentioned had not true Grace we do not mean they were grosse Hypocrites as if they did outwardly professe they beleeved but inwardly were the clean contrary No only we take an hypocrite in a large sence for one who hath some imperfect and inchoate works of Gods Spirit upon him which are like dispositions in a tendency unto true Grace as the Embryo to a Childe but yet they fall farre short of Sanctification They in their thoughts and hearts are reall and serious others apprehend them to be in the state of Grace but still though Virgins they are but Foolish Virgins They have not that Oyle which will serve when the Bridegroom cometh Terrible it is to hear this and oh what sharp goads should they be in our sides lest we never as yet have gone further then such persons Say it again unto thy self Am I not gone further then such and such persons 3. It is good to observe That even the Adversaries to this Truth do grant that God is able to confirm a man in grace so that he shall never fall They grant God doth establish the Angels in that happy condition that they shall never fall from it yea they will not contend but that de facto God did confirm some as the Apostles that they should never be separated from Christ Now if this be granted it will overthrow all those reasons that they bring to prove the perishing estate sometimes of the godly For thus they argue If a Godly man shall certainly be preserved to what purpose then are all Counsels and exhortations Why are they commanded to fear and to take heed lest they fall Do not all these Admonitions seem vain and absurd As if we should bid a man take heed he do not fly up into the air if he do he will fall Now if there be any absurdity in this will not all this hold as well in those Apostles whom they grant to be infallibly preserved to Eternal Life Though Christ told them Their Names were written in heaven That he went te prepare a place for them yet for all that he exhorts them to take heed of the least motions of sinne and abide in him though he promiseth they shall continue in him 4. Consider That of those who pleade for an Apostasie of the godly there is a destinction to be made Some go further then others some hold one way and not another As first Some hold that though men be Elected to Salvation yet they may perish because their Elect on is not absolute but conditionall supposing their perseverance and thus the Arminians but some Papists and the Lutherans they hold that no Elect man can ever perish for then God might be frustrated in his Councels which were absurd to think Others they say That men may have true grace for the present but yet not Elected They do not make true Faith proper to the Elect only but say many besides such have for the present true lively grace now with them The Elect man he cannot fall from his grace but the other may The Learned Vâ—ssius doth at large endeavour to make this the Opâ—nion of Austin as we told you Though some deny it and bring places that seem to evince the contrary whose Opinion soever it be it cannot be justified by the Scripture Lastly Others hold that a Godly man though Elected may for the present totally lose all his grace and not so much as any Sparks remain but then they say he will not alwaies abide thus he shall at last recover So that he shall not finally perish Now we cannot joyn with any of these Opinions but affirm the truly godly though never so weak yet shall certainly be preserved to happinesse so that though he may fall grievously yet the Spirit of God doth not wholly and finally forsake him 5. When we say that such as are given to Christ shall never perish this is to be understood of all and every one of them Not only such who have an high degree of Grace but even those that are babes such as are like the smoaking flax and bruised reed Where there is true grace though but like a grain of Mustard-seed yet that shall be so quâ—ckened and enlivened that it shall never goe out and this is of great Consolation to the godly who are apt to think that though some eminent Beleevers be carried on to happinesse yet such weak and frail things as they are shall never hold they cannot withstand any temptation they presently are ready to fall as soon as ever they are set on their feet but they are to know that the same divine protection and power is to all because they are Christs It is not because one hath more godlinesse then another but because all are in Christs hands A Childe in the Ark was as safe as any strong man so that our protection is not founded upon the measure of our grace but the truth of our grace That which is true grace will persevere Perseverance
doth not make it to be true but the Truth of it makes it to persevere So that where true Grace is there Perseverance will certainly follow as where the Sunne is there will be Sunne-beams Therefore that distinction though applauded by the Learned Vossius of a threefold Truth of Essence To which is opposed no Faith or a seigned Faith Truth of intension or degrees to which is opposed a weak and remisse Faith Truth of radication or perseverance to which is opposed a temporary abiding is well called by Amesius futilis destinctio a meer frothy distinction for the least degree of true grace hath perseverance annexed to it and the good ground and the bad are distinguished not only by their perseverance but by the very nature of the soil and therefore the good Ground only is called a good and honest heart so that we are not to say Grace if it be rooted but if it be true will be brought to Eternal Glory 6. Though the Godly shall surely be saved yet this doth not exclude a great deal of difficulty and many dangers in the way The Apostle saith The Righteous is scarcily saved 1 Pet. 4.18 which by consequence at least relateth to a spiritual â—alvation Hence the way to heaven is a streight and narrow way and they are to strive to enter in Luk. 13.24 It is compared to all the hard and difficult things as are It is called crucifying and mortifying of sinne It is often compared to fighting and conflicting Thus they are wrestling Jacobs ere they can obtain the Blessing many Iebusites and Enemies must be conquered ere they can possesse Canaan Lastly The Godly are not only to be preserved thus to Eternal Salvation but they are to be assured and perswaded of it So that two Priviledges God vouchsafeth 1. Their Perseverance 2. Their assurance and powerfull perswasion of this As Paul Rom. 8. I am perswaded neither things present or future shall separate us from the love of God in Christ As Paul doth not speak only of himself from some speciall Revelation he had but from such common Arguments that agree to all that are holy Not that this assurance is such an assurance is such an absolute one that though I walk in all prophanesse and drink down the deadly poison of sinne that it shall never hurt me but it 's a well-ordered assurance in the constant and diligent use of the means So that as we give all diligence to make our Election sure to us so commonly our assurance is It is true the most tender and exact godly ones as Iob and David are sometimes in desertions and cry out God hath forsaken them but ordinarily the more formal and carelesse we are in our approaches to God the more are our doubts and fears As in standing Pools croaking Frogs are generated By this Doctrine then or Perseverance we may see two Graces ought to be conjoyned which the Godly by their weaknesse make one oppose another They are to beleeve firmly on Gods promise and yet to be humble in themselves They are to rejoyce and yet with trembling when thy confidence devoureth an holy trembling then take heed of presumption When thy fear devoureth thy Faith and Joy then take heed of despair But as in nature there is the humidum and calidum radicale both which preserve life Or as to the heat of the heart there is the pericardium to cool it Thus in our way to heaven These are the two Mill-stones by which we are made pure bread And as in the Old Testament so here neither of them may be taken to pledge because one cannot work without the other SERMON LXVII Arguments proving That Every One that is in the State of Grace shall be preserved to Eternal Life JOH 17.11 Not one of them is perished WE have been delivering several particulars to state and clear this necessary Truth viz. That every one in the state of Grace the weak as well as the strong shall by a divine power be preserved to Eternal Life The next thing is to produce those Reasons and Arguments which will confirm it for when it shall appear to be Gods Truth and not mans bare Opinion then we may the more confidently rest on it Argum. 1 And the first Argument shall be from Gods Election Those whom God hath ordained from all Eternity to Everlasting Glory they shall never perish but such who have true grace though in the least degree God hath thus predestinated and appointed to happinesse So that this Argument stands firmer then Heaven and Earth for it 's built on Gods Election and it 's good to observe how the cause of all good and preservation from a perishing condition is reduced to this as the Original of all Mar. 13.22 The false Apostles are there said to seduce if it were possible the very Elect If it were possible therefore the Elect can never be seduced into a perishing estate if it be said that Elect is to be taken adjectively for as much as good and precious as the Septuagint sometimes useth the word in which all Israel is sometimes called Gods Elect Isa 45.4 Isa 65.9 This cannot stand for in the same Chapter v. 20. These Elect are said to be those whom God hath chosen So that the word is not to be taken adjectively as denoting some inward excellency but as a participle relating to Gods action The Elect whom God hath chosen If again it be said that the phrase if it be possible doth not denote an absolute impossibility but a great difficulty as in some other places it is used Neither will this serve the Arminians turn for though it be used so in some places yet unlesse they can prove it 's alwaies used so and therefore in this place they do nothing Now we say that we are not to depart from the literal meaning when there is no absurdity yea in this Text we are to stand to it because it is brought in by way of aggravation of the deceitful waies of False Teachers They were so insinuating so specious that had not the Elect a firmer ground then their own prudence and knowledge viz. Gods Election they would be undone so that Grotins his illustrations in his Exposition on Mat. 24. from Galen who useth this Proverb to expresse a pertinacious adherent man to his Opinion You may sooner unteach a man Moses and Christ or out of Austin when they can write in the water c. then they may perswade a Christian to forsake Christ are but fair paintings to his deformity The Scripture intends a full impossibility and not a difficulty because brought in to aggravate and indeed it would be frigid and jejune to make this the sence They shall come with such lying wonders that they shalt difficultly and very hardly seduce the Elect Besides the Arminian who holds that indifferency in a mans power that when all pre-requisites on Gods part are put yet he can will or not will cannot say it's difficult at
We see by degrees men were prepared to this Apostolical Office in the Church and Judas was one of these Now this was the highest pinacle of the Temple There was not a greater place of honour and trust then to be an Apostle they are called the pillars and the foundations Hence Paul begins his Epistle with this Title Paul an Apostle of Jesus Christ which is as great a glory saith Chrysostome as when any Officer under the Emperour writes himself next in place to the Emperour It would be impertinent at this time â—o expatiate in the dignity and excellency of the Apostolical-Office The Ancients said they were Pedes Christi oculi Dei and Ecclesiae mammae Christs feet Gods eyes and the Churches breasts These had infallibility in Doctrine had power to work miracles to expell devils to open and shut heaven as it were and yet the son of perdition is one of these Apostles Thirdly He had not only the Apostolical-Office but the gifts and qualifications of an Apostle He was one of those that returned with joy saying The very devils were subject to them He prophesied he wrought miracles he confessed and published the name of Christ he prayed he performed all the heavenly duties that others did neither do we reade of any neglect in his Apostolical-Office nor is he blamed for defects in any religious duty and certainly if he had been guilty of any such omissions the Apostles would have suspected him but we see when Christ said One should betray him they did no more suspect Judas then themselves Fourthly Christs carriage was as full of sweetness love and respect to him as full of comfort and encouragement to him as to the rest in an external dispensation When they returned from their spiritual circuit Rejoycing as you heard because the devils were subject to them our Saviour speaks indefinitely to them all Rejoyce not in this but because your names are written in heaven Luke 10.20 he speaks here as if Judas his name were written in heaven and Luke 22.30 Christ tels his twelve Apostles They should sit upon twelve Tribes judging Israel Little did men think that Judas would be cast out and one put in his room Now lay all these together and thereby will appear his eminency and esteem in Religion yet for all that he was a sonne of perdition for whereas Chrysostom and others from the fore-mentioned Texts would conclude that Judas was once a true godly man but afterwards fell from his grace that is contradictory to the Scripture as you have heard And when our Saviour condescended to that low humiliation of washing the Disciples feet mentioned onely by John so that the same Evangelist who doth relate in most perspicuous manner the sublimest things of Christ as appeareth Cap. 1. so he mentioneth this action which was of the lowest debasement now in washing of their feet Judas is not excepted Those hands of Christ which wrought so many miracles cured so many diseases bestowed so many blessings yet even these wash not the face or the hands but the feet the meanest part and that of Judas who was immediately to betray him But no wonder he layeth aside his garments and girded himself with a towel and poured water in a bason seeing he formerly laid aside the manifestation of his Divine Nature being in the form of a man and poured out his bloud for us yea it 's thought by many and those learned both by ancient and learned Writers though opposed also by many learned men that Christ gave Judas the Sacrament also Neither say they will this prove that scandalous men may be admitted to the Lords Supper because his sinne was as yet secret and not publick and although Christ as God knew him to be such a secret sinner yet Christ did not in his outward Office of the Ministry act according to the knowledge of God but as a Minister under God in his Office Whether Judas received or no the Lords Supper Those that affirm are many Those that deny are also many Raynardus the Jesuite Lib. cui Titulus vitae optimae finis pessimus at large quoteth the Authors of both sides Some make it a probleme and therefore condemn Prateolus as too rigid who noteth those with heresie that deny his communicating with the other Apostles in this Sacrament In the next place Though thus eminent yet consider these things to debase him 1. In all this eminency and profession of Christ he was an hypocrite he had no true love to Christ nor saving faith as John 6. where at the beginning of all Christ said One is a devil the present tense is not to be neglected and the text saith Even then he did not believe viz. in a saving manner Oh what cause of fear and trembling is this Who can hear of Judas that preacheth that worketh miracles that is often in duties with Christ yet he is not sincere and therefore you may observe that our Saviour in all his Sermons and Parables did press this as the summe of all to look we build upon a Rock to see that we dig deep in our building that we be good ground receiving the seed in a deep and honest heart No subject did our Saviour so much insist on as this when yet we would think in those dayes when Christs teaching and miracles were so visible and outward encouragements to profess him wholly wanting that none should follow him but upon sincere and upright grounds 2. In this time of his profession and communion with Christ he liveth in a secret sinne though the Apostles knew it not yet his own consceence could not but condemn him He was a thief saith the text Christ had many contributers to his sustenance and that was put in a common bag for the maintenance of himself and his Apostles Now Judas he carried the bag how this came about it 's disputed Whether he desired it or no or Whether it was put upon him as judged a fit and faithfull man the Scripture tels not Howsoever we see by this as is to be shewed That it 's a terrible thing to be in such a condition of life as is sutable to draw out the sinnes we are given unto but of that afterward Judas having this great opportunity he stealeth part of the treasury and keepeth part of it for himself What made him to do this whether because he was married and had a charge of children as some conjecture or whether because he had a covetous worldly heart as the Scripture seemeth to encline is controverted So that now Judas becomes a gross hypocrite for the very light of nature taught him not to impropriate that which was common to others he knew it was Christs goods not his own yea many learned Authors say This was not simple theft but sacriledge for what was given to Christ and his Ministry was to an holy use and therefore Judas was guilty of both and the grosseness of his hypocrisie is the more aggravated if
have been horrible impiety to have broken out against all the Apostles and Christ himself saying look what they are It 's as the Pharisees said a company of Impostors and Deceivers They are all for their own ends they are all covetous and though they pretend Religion yet they are bypocrites and though they condemn the grosse sinnes of the world yet in secret they can be as bad as any would not such a tongue shew that it was set on fire from hell that should belch out such things It 's then of special consequence to know that we are not to love the strictnesse of Religion the lesse nor are we to prejudice our selves against the way and persons of Godly men if sometimes amongst them there be such who made the pretence of holinesse a disguise to act their wickednesse in Think not the worse of the Apostles because a Judas was amongst them To bring this Truth home to your hearts Consider these things 1. There was never any such pure Society and company of holy men upon the Earth but there were also some Hypocrites and insincere men mingled amongst them Either wilfull convinced Hypocrites or else unsound men in the bottome and therefore when a Temptation came they discovered what they were It 's in vain to look for such a Church wherein all the members of it shall be perfect and pure In the Old Testament we reade of many eminent at least for a while in the Church of God but yet rotten at the Coar Saul was in a remarkable manner chosen by God to temporal government he pretends much zeal for Gods people and heartily himself to destroy the enemies of Israel yea the Spirit of prophesie came upon him but it became a Proverb Is Saul among the Prophets We were not to condemn the Prophets because a deceitfull bloudy Saul was amongst them Among the good Kings in the Old Testament David Hezekiah and Josiah We reade also of Jehu who for outward appearance did many glorious things of Reformation The Text saith He did all things that were in Gods heart yet for all that he was not with David a man after Gods own heart He was a Meteor not a fixed Starre he was a picture not a living man in Religion he was moved up and down as his carnal Interests did leade him Again as there were the good Prophets Isaiah and Jeremiah with many others so there were also the bad Prophets who came not in Gods Name who prophesied peace and sowed pillows under wicked mens elbows that they might sinne the more securely Should a man therefore have cried out against all the Prophets that they were a deceitfull self-seeking generation and that it was no matter what they said for they drave on their own designs to be Lords over all to obtain great things Thus it was of old and in the New-Testament-dispensation though their outward profession of the Truth was subject to many dangers insomuch that there was little encouragement to hypocrites we might justly think that if ever in those primitive daies all should have been upright but there were even then Foxes amongst the Sheep John 2. Our Saviour would not trust many that yet are said to beleeve Hence are these comparisons of the Church to the Floor wherein is chuff as well as wheat To the Field wherein are Tares as well as Wheat To the Drag net wherein are bad Fish as well as good Now will ye condemn a Field of Corn because of some Weeds in it Did not Paul complain that he was in danger of false Brethren and that many came creeping in to spy out their liberty to have an occasion to accuse them Did not Hymeneus and Philetus make shipwrack of all Did not Alexander the Copper-Smith withstand Paul and do him much hurt 2 Tim. 4.12 yet judicious Divines think that it was that Alexander mentioned in the Acts who had almost lost his life in his forward appearance for the Gospel make account then of that which our Saviour saith Mat. 18 7. It 's impossible but that offences must come there will be wofull scandals even in the Church of God but let not this make thee revolt 2. As there have been such unsound hypocrites alwaies in the Church so it is the great endeavour of the devil to tempt and to set on those that are most eminent to throw them in the mire for hereby he will promote his own kingdome The scandals and stumbling-blocks of men reputed of in the Church are the greatest advantage to the devil Luk. 22. Satan hath desired to winnow you As Goliah challenged the stoutest Israelite thinking by vanquishing of him to dismay all the rest Thus the devil if he can overcome an Apostle a Disciple then all the rest will easily yeeld The devil desired to winnow them more then all others Not only the high places in temporal respects but even in the Church are slippery and dangerous Those that are lifted above others in Religion in parts in esteem they are more in danger then ten thousand of other Christians for if they fall they draw more with them If a tall Tree fall it beats down all the shrubs under it If a pillar of the house fall it endangers all the buildings It is noted of the devil that he used the Serpent at first to entice Eve because that was more subtle then any other Creature of the Field and the devil still takes the same way The subtlelest and most notable Instruments he striveth to pervert them Men of the best parts the greatest learning the hottest zeal It is such as he looked after Thus in Antiquity many of the Heretiques were of great Learning plausible Eloquence subtle Insinuations specious Piety and thereby they did the more hurt Therefore the more reputed thou art in the Church of God know thy Condition to be the more dangerous The devil will never give over till one way or other he make thee a Scandall Let him that standeth take heed lest he fall 3. Men may through their corruptions actively take an occasion to speak against the waies of Religion or else there may be a passive occasion administred to them and we are greatly to distinguish between these two Divines call it Scandalum acceptum and Scandalum datum There are a generation of men so devilish and malicious that they will take an occasion to condemn the way of Religion even for good things for necessary duties or at least when they have no just occasion Thus our Saviour himself though never so holy so humble so godly in his doctrine and life yet the Pharisees took all occasion to calumniate him They say he wrought by the devil and called him a Friend to Publicans and Sinners There are some wretched men that do what you can they will be prejudiced against the Truth and Godlinesse They will look upon all the waies of Christ as so many deceits and impostures and this offence is called Scandalum Phariseorum by the
whereby we are called If Achan do secretly steal a wedge of gold when Joshua comes to know it he shall be troubled that troubled Israel and glory shall be given to God 1 Cor. 5. They are commanded to cast out from amongst them that wicked person and if any walk disorderly 2 Thes 3.14 Note that man and have no communion with him that he may be ashamed Such are a burthen a grief to those that are truly godly David can even weep Rivers of tears because of such That place is observable Joh. 13.21 Christ was troubled in Spirit and testified and said One of you shall betray me Judas was a trouble and a grief to Christs Spirit think not then that the truly godly own such any more then Job did the â—â—res upon his body or the Israelites did the Jebusites that were thorns and goads in their side Lastly Religion it self is the more to be prized for this sheweth the authority and command it hath over mens Consciences that none do ordinarily commit hainous trespasses but they are willing to put the vail of Religion upon them certainly this is so farre from disparaging that it rather advanceth Piety as being that which hath an universall Command every where men cannot commit iniquity before they blinde their eyes with some religious arguments The Pharisees made account they did all for the glory of God But you will say how cometh it about that any prove thus scandalous in the way of Religion Is not the way of it as comfortable and as blessed as it did at first promise Hath any thing that Christ said for our encouragement to follow him proved false Hath he deceived any so that they could say The Land of Canaan was not better then their old Egypt No in no wise only This is one great cause of mens miscarriage They take not up Religion at first upon pure and sincere motives It 's not from a renewed and regenerated principle within and therefore it being not from a good and sure foundation no wonder if at last all fall to the ground Our Saviour spake often to this Point as being indeed the summe of all What is that which perswadeth thee and prevaileth with thee to follow Christ Is it from an heavenly principle to an heavenly End Go on and God will be with thee But if some other carnal or insincere motive put thee on know that when the temptation comes thou wilt prove an offence Painting will melt away when it comes near the fire The un-rooted Tree will fall to the ground when the Windes shall shake it mightily SERMON LXXII Of the Sonne of Perdition JOHN 17.12 But the Sonne of Perdition I Shall at this time finish the good Observations from so bad an instance For as through the perfidiousness of this sonne of perdition though he intended it not God wrought the greatest salvation that could be insomuch that in this sense we may call his fact an happy sinne So through a divine consideration of this sad example we may receive the greatest good and with an holy skill turn this poison into nourishment for the sins and destructions of wicked men are written for our instruction as well as the good life and mercies of the godly As Abel though dead speaks â—o Judas though damned crieth to all to take warning from him Two Observations I shall briefly dispatch at this time The first whereas you see Judas thus hopefully and forwardly beginning leaving all with the other Apostles to follow Christ and that in a contemned persecuted manner yet at last dreadfully and finally to revolt from all Observe That unlesse men are carefull at first to look to their grounds and motives why they take upon them the profession of Christs way they will never hold out but one time or other forsake and revolt from all A sure and sound beginning will ever have a blessed and happy ending but when men upon slight and insincere motives look towards Christ at first such build upon the sand and their fall will be great Our Saviour spake many Parables especially that of the foolish builder and of the stony and thorny ground for this end that men should be well advised upon what terms they at first undertake for him Hence it is that when some voluntarily profered their service and obedience to Christ Christ presently informeth them of the difficulty of that work of the contrariety of it to flesh and blood that they had better never begin then afterwards to fall off hence he so solemnly bids them to remember Lots wife Luk. 17.32 and that he who hath put his hand to the plow and looks back is not fit for the kingdome of Heaven Seeing therefore this is often to be seen though it be very sad That many who have been once zealous and hopefull for Gods way yet afterwards decline totally and are not the men they were Let us consider what it is to set rightly at first upon the owning of Christ to lay a sure foundation at first And First Then are our beginnings hopefull when the Spirit of God in the Ministry or other means of grace did work upon us When it was not meer education under good Governours when it was not the acquaintance and company we had with those that feared God but some inward experimental work of Gods grace upon our own hearts Alas let a man be never so fervent so overtopping others and even to admiration shew himself in holinesse yet if it hath not been the work of Gods Spirit effectually moving upon his heart he is but like a Land-flood which though swelling high upon much rain yet when a drought comes will be presently dried up It 's not meer nature or externall restraint from sinnes or any sudden motions in our own spirit that will ever hold out We reade 2 Chron 24.22 of Joash who in his latter age did most wickedly degenerate when yet in his former times he was very forward in repairing the Temple of God and shewed more zeal to Gods glory then the Priests did But what was the ground Jehoiada the high Priest had a great hand over him he helped him to the Kingdom and engaged him to God several wayes but when this good man was dead he becomes a Wolf and puts Zachariah Jehoiada his sonne that had been such a kinde Uncle to him to death and that meerly because he reproved them for their sinnes So that though here was some external restraining of Joash yet there was no internal renovation by Gods Spirit Now I make a sure foundation to lie in these two The Spirits work by the Ministry in an ordinary way because one is the efficient and the other the subordinate and instrumental cause Hence our conversion our regeneration and spiritual begetting anew is constantly attributed to the Word preached as the ordinary cause and the Word preached is but as a dead letter without the Spirit Oh then runne to the fountain of thy owning of
be seen David saith At Gods right hand is fulnesse of joy Psa 16.11 If then the Soul have already fulnesse it doth not desire any other Object If a man have the Ocean he wants not the stream If a man have the Sun he needeth not the Candle Thus he that hath fulnesse of joy in God wanteth not the joy of other creatures Insomuch that he who hath this heavenly joy may be said to be in Heaven while he is here on earth No life comes so near to that of the glorified Saints in heaven as an holy life accompanied with this joy If there can be an heaven upon this Earth this is it This is the Mount of Transfiguration that changeth a mans heart and his countenance that makes him say It 's good to be here Oh what enemies are we to our selves Thou makest thy house thy chamber a prison yea an hell by thy distrustfull fears when every place would be an heaven 4. This Joy of Christ will exceedingly wean a mans heart from the world it will make him undervalue all these earthly things which the world so much admireth Psa 4.7 Thou hast put more gladnesse in my heart then in the time their Corn and Wine encreaseth If then the soul have more joy and gladnesse in Gods presence and in his favour then in all earthly contentments whatsoever no wonder if the heart he loose from the one and fixed upon the other As he that hath eaten honey findes an unsavoury taste in other things compartively or as he that hath stddfastly beheld the Sun is so dazeled with the lustre thereof that he cannot see other inferiour Objects Thus the heart that is once ravished with the sweetnesse and glory that is in God and Christ knoweth not how to stoop to these inferiour fading joys No man then sets so loose in heart from earthly Comforts as he that hath this heavenly joy Every thing tempts him to his losse Shall he lose his fatness and sweetnesse by embracing the Creatures 5. This Joy of Christ will facilitate all holy and religious actions They will make us think the time short and grudge the work of God is so soon over Your worldly joy is called pastime and thus is heavenly upon a better account When a man rejoyceth in the Sabbaths and cals them a delight then they do not as those worldly wretches in the Prophet Amos c. 8.5 say when will the time be over that we may be buying and selling There is nothing makes the duties of holinesse so burthensome to thee as want of joy if they were matter of delight thou wouldst with joy wish that the Sun would stand still be grieved to give over Isa 61.3 It 's called the Oyle of Joy as the Oyl makes the Wheel go speedily or the yoke easie so doth a joyfull heart The voluptuous man The worldly man thinks not the day or week long enough to enjoy his delights much lesse doth the godly man the time of enjoying of God Hence Eternity doth not glut the Saints in heaven and make them weary of God 6. This Christian Joy will bear up the heart above all afflictions and tribulations Thus Jam. 1. They are to account it all joy when they fall into tribulation and 1 Pet. 1.8 he speaketh of those who for the present were in heaviness through manifold temptations yet at that time did greatly rejoyce and that with joy unspeakable and full of glory They could glory over all their tribulations This joy you heard is compared to Oyl and that will alwaies keep us above the waters Oh how happy is it when thy Temptations do not devour thy joy but thy joy takes away the sting of thy Temptations This made the Martyrs and Confessors finde thorns grapes and thistles figs Oh we think that it 's impossible ever for such weak and infirm wretches as we are to go through such Tryals as the Godly have done but if we had their joy it would be no more to us then it was to them 7. Joy as it is participated in this life encreaseth more hungring and desire after the object we desire to have more of it still Take any Object of delight which we do not perfectly enjoy and oh how it quickens and stirs up the appetite to have more still for although perfect joy doth fully satiate the desire and extinguish all thirst because as Aquinas saith well Gaudium se habet ad desiderium sicut quies ad motum and so when the stone is come to the center it moveth no further yet because in this life we have not a perfect fruition of God only have some bunches of the Grapes of Canaan not Canaan it self Therefore the sweetnesse we have in God or Christ doth more stir up the desire after God as you see in David those inchoate enjoyments of God did make him restlesse and impatient for further Communion with him Hence David exhorteth to taste how good God is if once we had but an experimental sweetnesse of the Excellency of his love we should still be breathing after him as David Psal 119. My soul breaketh for the longing it hath to him at all times But especially the heavenly joy produceth this admirable effect so contrary to flesh and bloud that it makes a man look for the coming of Christ and hastening it in his praiers and desires as that which will compleat his joy Here sorrow and joy will be mixed together but there is pure and unmixed joy and that to all Eternity Oh what a wilderness what a place of banishment is this world to such a tempered heart This is the valley of Tears and that is the mountain of joys Now to all this may be Objected That it cannot be a Christians duty to be alwaies rejoycing for many times they lie under sad Temptations especially there are times and seasons when God cals to mourning Is any man afflicted let him pray Is any merry let him sing Psalms And Solomon of old said There is a time to weep and a time to laugh David also saith Psa 126.5 Such as sow in tears shall reap in joy which implieth a time of tears only To this Consider these things 1. It may not be denied but that there are some times wherein God doth in a peculiar manner call to the duty of mourning fasting and humiliation Insomuch that the Prophet Isay complaineth that when God called to mourning they went to their mirth and jollities Isa 21.12 And thus when God shall plainly afflict thee for any sins thou hast committed as David with the losse of his Childe for his Uncleanesse In such cases it is our duty to be humbled and to mourn under his hand But these humiliations and fastings lie in the abstinence of that natural and lawful joy we might take in the Creatures not in spiritual Joy In daies of humiliation it 's a duty to rejoyce in the Lord and such joy will like fire melt and thaw the heart This joy that
done It was a mystery to Nicodemus a master of Israel but it 's not only a mystery to natural men it 's that which they hated they cannot abide For Solomon saith Every mans way is clean in his own eyes Prov. 16.2 To come then to people and tell them you are all out of the way to Heaven There is nothing good in you unlesse you be new creatures even all new you cannot be saved new hearts new affections new thoughts Will not this be a two-edged sword in their hearts Shall they leave their former course Shall not they speed as well as others This is a Doctrine not to be born this is durus Sermo when indeed they are duri auditores and so let not the Word have that penetrating power it would 2. As it 's opposite to their natures so to their lives and conversations Ephes 2. Paul there describes what kinde of men the Ephesians were and that it might not be thought their peculiar wickednesse he saith They walked after the course of this world and therefore Rom. 12. The command is not to be conformed to the fashion of this world Can flesh and blood then endure that the Ministers of God should damn to hell The lives the manners the daily customs and practises that generally men live in When Moses did but in a fair way reprove two Israelites that were quarrelling how frowardly did they answer Who made thee a Judge over us Exod. 2.14 And so the Sodomites to Lot they judged it all Lordliness and domineering and is not the same stubbornnesse still reigning every where All reproofs all denunciations out of Gods Word are judged to be the pride the lordlinesse or the malice of the Minister Wonder not then if the faithfull preaching of Gods word meeteth with such violent opposition for they perswade a life a way directly contrary to what the world delights in 3. It 's opposite to that way of worship which men take up by natural reasonings The Prophets did not only reprove for morall impieties but Idolatry and superstitious Worship Who hath required these things at your hands And our Saviour his Doctrine was salt to the Pharisees it corroded and fretted their sore hearts he layeth the axe of his Ministry to the root of all their superstition and proveth that to be abominable which they did so highly advance before men Insomuch that Christs first coming into the world because of his severe Doctrine and reprehensions is Mal. 3. described to be as terrible as the day of Judgement Who shall abide the day of his coming And why Because he shall sit as a refiner to purge the house of Levi. Austin did much complain what a difficult matter it was to take off people from their superstitions and vain customs Veh tibi torrens moris humani quis resistet Certainly such will say no lesse to powerfull and faithfull Ministers then the devils to Christ Why art thou come to torment us before our time Again fourthly The preaching of the Word must be opposed because the powerfull obedience thereunto brings all calamity and persecution They shall be hated as well as the word is hated Now to be troubled reproached and despised is contrary to mens temper who loveth applause and glory Hence some though they are said to believe John 2. yet would not confesse Christ because they loved the praise of men more then of God And our Saviour saith How can ye beleeve who seek glory one of another Pride and love to be esteemed of in the world doth disdain all good preaching 5. The Word preached meeteth with opposition because the instruments are men subject to infirmities especially if faithfull So that though they do not hate them for their infirmities yea the more prophane and dissolute the Minister is they like it the better yet because the Apostle saith We have this treasure in earthen vessels they are men and not Angels therefore they quarrel and oppose Paul himself though an Apostle and giving mighty demonstrations of Gods Spirit in him yet he was despised and slandered though not so guilty of humane infirmities and that because he was faithfull Am I become an enemy because I tell you the truth Gal. 3. Oh this is it because we preach the truth because we meet with mens corruptions and cannot bear sin This is that which raiseth up malice Lastly The world hath not received the Spirit of God and therefore all the glorious and wise things of Christ are but foolishnesse and uselesse to them They have not that spiritual annointing they are not taught of God Hence it is that they rage and revile those things they know not or understand Therefore till God give them eye-salve and seeing eyes no other thing can be expected Vse of Instruction Wonder not if in all ages this be true the Word is purely preached and obeyed by some therefore the world hateth and rageth For what will a Tyger and a Wolf lay aside their natures Will the Devil cease to be a Devil But wo be to those that make Christ the foundation-stone to be a stone of stumbling and offence Woe to thee that findest light made darkness and life death to thee SERMON LXXXI Of Suffering for Christs Cause And how it engageth God to take care of such as so suffer Also the Duty of Ministers about Preaching Gods Truth JOH 17.14 I have given them thy Word and the world hath hated them c. A Second Observation may be That when the People of God suffer not for any Faults of their own but because they own God and professe his Truth This is a great obliging of God to take care of them For our Saviours Petition is founded upon this equitable and just Consideration The world hateth them But why Not for any wickednesse or injuries they have done but meerly because they have beleeved in thy Word If so be they had opposed and rejected the Word of God and had ordered their lives according to the course of this world They would have been the worlds darlings all men would have spoken well of them but now it was for Gods sake and his Gospels sake that they were thus maligned so that if we be hated in the world upon Christs account and because of Gods Interest we are sure to have his special care and protection To open this doctrine Consider these things First That it 's possible for those who acknowledge Christ to be hated and persecuted in the world not for their Christianity but for their other grosse impieties and if so then they cannot take that joy or expect that protection which God doth promise to his Therefore the Apostle Peter speaks excellently to this 1 Pet. 4.14 15 16. where having shewed how happy yea and how gâ—orious a thing it is to be reproached for Christs Name because the Spirit of Glory resteth upon them The world scorneth and despiseth them in their low estate but the Spirit of Glory resteth
on them he addeth a Caution Let none of you suffer as a Murderer as an evil doer as a busie body in other mens matters but as a Christian that is Let him look that he do not for any wickednesse of his justly procure civil punishments but only let him keep to his Christian profession and if that be all his fault then let him not be ashamed Therefore he addeth Let such an one commit himself to God as to a faithful Creator Why Creator But because God looketh upon such Sufferers as his Creatures it 's because of my Image shining in them I cannot be a faithfull Creator and not take care of them saith God To this purpose our Saviour often because it 's not the meer sufferings but the cause and motive that is all in all If ye be persecuted for my Names sake and for Righteousnosse sake This must be the ground else we cannot pleade the promise of assistance 2. As it 's possible for a Christian to suffer for his own iniquities so nothing is more ordinary in the world though a man do suffer meerly for Christs sake yet to charge other crimes upon him and to pretend other grounds of their malice against such then meer Christianity This is good to be observed for if the Persecutors say true there was never any holy man or faithful Servant of God suffered but they made the condemnation just and thought at least some of them that they did God good service as our Saviour Joh. 16.2 Were not the Prophets of old whose bloud was shed by Jerusalem traduced as busie-bodies as Troublers of Israel as publike enemies and in Christs time Though the Sun was not more free from spots then he from sinne or any miscarriage in his Ministry yet what accusations did they frame against him and Joh. 8. It was not for the good works they said they stoned him but for his blasphemies So Joh. 18. If this man were not a malefactor we would not have delivered him to thee The Martyrs also when so many thousand of them died willingly for Christ yet by their Enemies they were represented as the vilest of men So that as they did with their bodies put them in Beasts skins that so Lyons might devour them more greedily Thus they defamed them and laid heavy crimes to their charge that so they might have the more just ground to condemn them So that when a Christian suffers as a Christian and when as a busie-body must not be determined by their Enemies nor by the greater part of the world but by Gods Word for they think all zeal against sinne rashnesse and madnesse and all reproofs of wickednesse a busie-medling more then needs Gods Word therefore must be the Star to direct in this Thirdly It must be also granted That a man suffering for those things which are against Christ which are palpably contrary to his Doctrine yet may be so farre seduced as to think he suffers for Christ This is ordinary with all heretikes who have judged themselves Martyrs and made all their sufferings to be for God when yet they blaspheme God Doth not the Papist put his sufferings upon Christs score Doth not every Heretique entitle God to his Cause Do not the Socinians who yet with their whole might oppose the Deity of Christ prerend great obedience so and adoration of him as a constituted God We grant then that men may be horribly deluded in their sufferings They may give their bodies to be burnt and not have true and sound Faith They may be acted by an heretical spirit and yet endure great miseries as the Circumcelliones out of a mad contempt of Death would make men kill them But these also have not Christs promises belonging to them unlesse it be Gods Word indeed and truly so for which the world hateth them they are not within the Ark It 's true Even such who suffer in such deluded waies may have great comfort may finde much consolation within but it 's the devil that transformeth himself into an Angel of Light It 's such comfort as mad men have that laugh and are pleased in the midst of their misery for God will never give comfort but to his own Truths The Spirit of God is not a Comforter but where it first leadeth into the Truth Indeed the confidence and comforts many have died with in their errours have been a stumbling-block but this is to be ignorant of Satans devices and the potent operations of strong delusions upon mens souls It cannot be denied but that even the best Christians who are hated and do suffer in the world have yet many imperfections cleaving to them and do discover many infirmities of the flesh so that as none can be perfect in love of God or in any other grace so neither in enduring the hatred of the world oh how hard is that Rule of our Saviours Mat. 5. when men revile to be patient when men curse to blesse and to render all good for all evil These things do so transcend humane power that many miscarriages several indiscretions and many carnal fears are apt to interweave themselves Now when the matter or cause of our sufferings in Christs and for his Name and if the heart be mainly set for God and his honour though subject to weaknesses such may pleade Christs assistance for all that neither may they fear Christ will disown them because of such adhering infirmities Do we not see the Scripture commending some as eminent when yet at that very time there was some imperfection Abrahams Faith so highly commended Rom. 4. yet had some diffidence mixed with it Jobs Patience so greatly exalted yet had some impatience breaking out God then takes not notice of thy weaknesse but of thy Grace and the godly sufferer may comfort himself that though he hath imperfections yet it is not for them the world hateth him As Bradshaw that holy Martyr said Though he was a sinner and had many Infirmities yet his Enemies did not put him to death for them but for the quarrel of Christ which he had espoused and the Truths of Christ which he preferred above his own life The Grounds of Gods endearment to protect such as are hated for his Name sake are 1. Gods propriety and interest in such It 's not their lives or Liberties are aimed at so much as his Name his Glory his Truth Now God cannot but love what is his own and that infinitely Therefore it hath alwaies been the Custome of Gods people in their Praiers to make their trouble to be in reference to him What wilt thou do for thy great Name said Joshua c. 7.9 And David It 's time to work for men have made void thy Law So it 's thy Temple thy Altars they have polluted and hence God accounts all the malice and madnesse of men discovered against his people as done to him Saul Saul why persecutest thou me Act. 9 4. Could they do that to God which
retain the wicked inclination of the world minding only worldly things Now though the world be many times and it may be here taken for that Society of men that is Heathenish and doth not beleeve in Christ thus the Church and the world are opposed 1 Cor. 5.10 yet we may extend it further even to such as do outwardly professe Christ but in works do deny him as is more to be shewed 2. There is the act it self hate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word is in the preterperfect tense It hath hated them already though they had not much tormented it by their preaching but it would more hate them when Christ was removed and their preaching more universall It comprehends all times it hath it doth and it will hate them and hatred you heard was worse then anger being more fixed and permanent The cause of this is because They are not of the world for as love is to its like so hatred is to that which is unlike and contrary In the Scripture some Learned men say to hate is sometimes taken to love lesse not an absolute hatred but a respective love Mat. 6.24 He will love one and hate the other i. e. lesse love And for this end they bring that place Rom. 9.3 Jacob have I loved but Esau have I hated where they would expound hate of a lesse love but whatever may be said of the former place this latter will admit of no such Exposition as the Context will easily evidence 3. The Scripture speaks of a good hatred Rom. 7.15 That which I hate I do So we are commanded to hate our Father and Mother to hate our own lives Luk. 14.26 Joh. 12.25 for Christs sake David also said He hated them which hated God with a perfect hatred i. e. a full complete hatred he had no love at all to them that is in respect of their wickednesse and their incurable enmity against God though in other respects he pitied and loved them Lastly There is a wicked and evil hatred of which the Text speaks Obs That the wicked men of the world have and will alwaies hate those that are godly It hath been so of old and will be so to the last wicked man that breatheth No sooner were there a wicked man and a godly but this hatred broke out into all cruelty Cain hated Abel and why because his own works were nought and his brothers good 1 Joh. 3.12 No lesse will serve then the bloud of Sheep such cruell Wolves To open this Doctrine Consider these things First That there is a twofold hatred with the Schoolmen One is called Odium inimicitiae an hatred of enmity whereby a man wils evil to him because it 's his evil Even as amor amicitiae a will of friendship wils the good to a person loved because it is his good 2. There is another kinde of hatred which the ancient Schoolmen had no Name for it but afterwards it was called Odium abominationis or offensionis When a man is offended at and hateth such an object that is evil but not the person yea we may love him dearly Thus the Childe hateth the death of his Father Odio abominationis but loveth his Father yea because he loveth him therefore he hateth his death Now that hatred whereby the world hateth godly men is Odium inimicitiae it comes from an inward irreconcilable displacency to the godly it 's terminated upon their persons because they are such and therefore they are said to be of the devil representing his nature and are the Seed of the Serpent which hath an imbred enmity against man so that though never so much evil should befall the Godly Their goods spoiled their Names blasted yet as long as they live and because they still are alive the world will hate them Secondly The cause of their hatred may be reduced to two Heads 1. The contrariety that is between the nature and actions of the Godly So that they do not love any godly man no nor such as never had any commerce with them or medling with them There is an Odium naturale which ariseth from the nature of things Such an antipathy is often mentioned by Writers the Serpent that is young though never hurt by any man yet because they know them of such a stamp they cannot love them It being natural they cannot give any Reason Hoc tantum possum dicere non amo te You do not love him why did he ever weary you Did he ever speak to you No but yet he cannot love him so that as love consists in the consonancy and conveniency of the good thing loved Thus hatred is in the dissonancy and contrariety of that to us which we hate The 2d cause of hatred is Ignorance when men know not that Excellency and worth which is in such persons and the just cause of love which if we did we should quickly lay aside our hatred and truly in a great measure the world hateth because of their ignorance They know not what Godlinesse is nor what godly men are They know not their lives their aims their ends but judge of them as hypocrites proud and minding only self-ends and therefore their hatred encreaseth Thus the Apostle saith If they had known what Christ was they would never have crucified him 1 Cor. 2.8 and so they are said to speak evil of the things they know not Jude 10. Dost thou then rail and deride at godly men It 's thy blindenesse and folly Thou knowest not their close walking with God Thou understandest not the heavenly priviledges they enjoy Thou dost not conceive of their humiliation for their infirmities judging themselves before God worse then thou canst judge them Oh if thy eyes were open thou wouldst say these are the Servants of the most high God Oh that my latter end might be like one of theirs and of such men the world is not worthy Thirdly Consider the effects of this hatred and that is in three steps and degrees 1. An inward willing of all evil that may hurt them and that because it is evil To will a man some evil for his good may be lawfull as when David praieth Put them in fear O Lord that they may know themselves to be men Psa 9.20 Thus the Church of God may pray for afflictions upon those Enemies that are curable That by their afflictions they may repent and be humbled before God but hatred hath not this goodnesse It wils evil because it is evil and for evils sake It rejoyceth in the evil that befalleth a godly man as part of its own good and happinesse Thus it is with all wicked men they rejoyce as if some great good had befallen them when some great evil hath come upon the godly 2. Their hatred breaks out into all all hard censorious and uncharitable speeches all slanders and contumelies into cruell mockings as the Apostle cals them Heb. 11.36 The hatred in the heart will soon be seen in the
called to controle sin and stop the current of it as publike Officers are Therefore let all such as intend to be godly in discharge of their trust not matter the hatred of wicked men Lay that down for a foundation for as the shadow will accompany the Sun so will malice and backbiting the godly actions of holy men yet some are more hated then others Obadiah could live in Ahabs Court for all Jezabels malice when Elisha's Life was greedily sought for Therefore 3. In the hatred of the world God hath a special regard to his Children he laieth no more on them then they can bear The strong Christian God calleth to more dangerous combats All had not such oppositions as Paul had Some are like Vriah put in the forefront of the battel The devil shall cast some of you into prison Rev. 2.10 It 's but some of them Thus James was beheaded and Peter was imprisoned when the other Apostles were not touched God doth wisely order the affairs of this world even wicked mens tongues and hands are bound up and they are let loose as God pleaseth 4. Even amongst wicked men there is much difference Some are farre more bitter and cruell then others Some have more Conviction Some have better Natures Some are of a more noble disposition for although that Seed of Enmity be in all wicked men yet in some it 's more stifled or diverted then in others when Herodias sought the death of John Baptist Herod for a long time preserved him Thus as all weeds have not the like noxiousnesse so neither is every wicked man like to another Every one is not a Cain an Absalom a Nero or a bloudy Bonner But then Lastly Take heed that if thou hast not so much hatred of the world as other godly men have that it be not for want of godlinesse because thou art not so zealous against sin Thou art more complying with or conniving at the wickednesse of others This is to buy the worlds good word at a dear rate Thou hadst better all the world speak against thee then to have God and thy conscience accuse thee for not doing thy duty Vse of Exhortation to the godly Be not discouraged or weakened in thy duty for the malice of the world Let them rage and rave but do thou continue in thy service to God This fear of men and their malicious outrage hath made many a man wound his conscience and grievously dishonour God Oh but consider Am I afraid of a mans tongue that is mortall and shall I not much more tremble at Gods condemnation Can a man damn thee how many have had sad trouble at their Death They did not their duty for fear of displeasing men SERMON LXXXIII The Application of the fore-going Observation both to the Godly and the Wicked tending to Encourage and Rejoyce the one under all their Sufferings and Deterre and Reclaim the other from all their Oppositions JOHN 17.14 And the World hath hated them because they are not of the World THe Worlds hatred you have heard to be the godly mans Portion The one are Sheep the other Wolves I now proceed to shew What is the Duty of Christs Disciples under the worlds hatred For it 's no mean skill to take the poyson from these enemies and to make wholsom medicines of it as Physicians do about Vipers yea it 's one of the great miracles that Christ hath enabled all believers to perform For we reade when an Heathen suprized a Christian and beat him with much cruelty and with great scorn asking him What great wonder his Master Christ ever did The believer replies even this great miracle That though you use me thus cruelly I can heartily forgive you What then was spoken to the Disciples in an external temporal manner may be verified in a spiritual sense That they shall tread upon Serpents and if they drink any deadly thing it shall not hurt them And first Do the ungodly men of the world shoot their arrows against thee Let this make thee examine thy self Whether there be not some sinne thou art guilty of that hereby God would humble thee for The Hebrews call an enemy an observer because his malice puts him upon a diligent observing of all thy wayes and therefore if there be any wickednesse any failing to be sure he will reminde thee of it which made the Heathen say That he who would be good needeth either a faithfull friend or a better enemy It may be then those sins those failings that no friends no Sermons meet with thy enemy may inform thee of So that thou mayest say thy enemy hath been the best friend in the world yea his railing words have done thee more good then many Sermons Not that they intend good no more then the horse-leech but to satisfie their own lusts only thou by heavenly wisdome dost turn their evil into good but if so be that upon examination thou findest thy self free Yet Secondly Consider whether it be not for some other sinnes that such men are made adversaries against thee For you must know God hath a wise ordering of all mens hearts and tongues even in reference to thee and as David when Shimei railed on him said 2 Sam. 16. The Lord hath bid him So whatsoever wicked men do concerning thee thou must say The Lord hath bid him Now though David was not guilty of those sins Shimei reviled him with neither did the Lord bring him in distresse for his quarrel with Saul as Shimei thought yet David had other sins and other transgressions for which he might be afflicted and so looked upon Shimei as a scourge to humble him for them Therefore say Though the things laid to my charge be false yet there are other failings other infirmities that the world knoweth not of which God strikes at by this mans tongue or rather the devil in that man Thirdly Do wicked men hate thee Take our Saviours rule so contrary to flesh and blood Mat. 5.44 Love them that hate you pray for them that persecute you and in other places Be not overcome of evil but overcome evil with good Rom. 12.21 This is that peculiar lesson which the Christian Religion only teacheth Neither Aristotle or Tully thought it a duty but rather a simplicity not to be avenged upon enemies But the Scripture is much in pressing this duty and that as a special sign of grace wherein we shall as children of God represent our heavenly Father who makes the Sunne to shine upon the ungodly as well as the godly All the wicked men of the world they hate God as well as thee and it 's in his power to destroy them all immediately in a moment to send them to hell yet with what patience and loving kindness doth he bear such adversaries he gives them food raiment and manifold preservations so Christ even when we were enemies died for us which the Scripture makes a forcible argument for us to forgive others This is a
the Earth earthly And then 3. If it be taken for the wickednesse of it Then Christ was never so of the world Therefore here is a difference between Christ and his Disciples for though they were not now of the world yet once they were plunged in sinne and corrupted through pollutions as others were but Christ never was of the world in this sence Therefore in the last place the particle of similitude 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not of equality as if the Disciples were in every respect not of the world as Christ was but in some resemblance only The words thus explained two Doctrines arise Doct. 1 First The not being of the world is that which makes wicked men hate the Godly If there were sutablensse of Naturee and Manners then like would agree with like Hence 1 Joh 3.12 when the Apostle instanced in Cains murther of his Brother because his own works were evil he saith v. â—3 Marvell not if the world hate you Never wonder at that but rather if it should not hate you Our Saviour speaks notably of this to his Brethren Joh. 7.5 7. For they did not beleeve in him though so greatly acquainted with him and saw his Miracles The world cannot hate you but me it hateth because I testifie of it that the works thereof are evil It cannot hate you No wicked man can hate another viz. in respect of fundamental principles as a Godly man is hated It 's true wicked men may be at deadly fewd one with another but it is not from contrary principles of nature but from matter of profit and injuries or wrongs done As the Dogge doth not hate another yet for bones and other matters they will be ready to kill one another Though therefore Herod and Pilate cannot endure one another yet that opposition was upon carnal Interests it was not like that hatred which was to Christ Therefore when such Earthly Interests are removed they can heartily embrace one another but the wicked man can never love the Godly till his Nature he changed till he become godly also as the wolf can never love a sheep unlesse he be made a sheep To open this Let us Consider What it is not to be of the world And first It consists in Doctrine to be beleeved Such are not of the world who receive those hevenly Truths that the world cannot reach unto yea that it scorneth and derideth When Peter made that Solemn Confession That Christ was the Son of the Living God It was told him Flesh and bloud had not revealed this to him Mat. 16.16 There is a worldly Religion worldly Doctrines such as are sutable to the principles and Interests of the world and these are readily embraced The world loveth such Preachers and such Doctrines 1 Joh. 4. 4. The Apostle John speaking of the Antichristian Spirit that was coming into the world saith of such Teachers They are of the world therefore the world heareth them but we are of God and he that is not of God heareth us not Therefore there is a remarkable opposition 1 Cor. 2 12. between the Spirit of the world and the Spirit of God For by this only we come to know the things that God hath given us Then therefore are we not of the world when God shall so enlighten our mindes by Faith That we do assuredly beleeve those Truths God hath revealed in his Word that neither our corrupt Reasons nor our Education to the contrary nor the Opinions of the most men and great men in the world shall make us go contrary and certainly the Lives of men are so worldly because their Understanding is so We receive our Religion not as it 's revealed of God but as we can any waies turn it to our corrupt ends 2. Not to be of the world is to be Regenerated and born again To have another Nature then what we come with into the world another not substantially but qualitatively whereby we are said 1 Pet. 1.4 to be partakers of the divine Nature So that though at first made of the dust yet now we fly up to Heaven as the vapours though arising out of the Earth yet ascend up to Heaven and follow the motions thereof Joh. 3. and 2 Cor. 5.17 A man must be born again or from above and he is made a new Creature Old things are past away This is to be above the world not of the world and indeed seeing the Soul is not naturally of the world being created by God why shouldst thou voluntarily debase it and make it a Servant to every worldly Object to love the world To delight in the world To be ensnared by the world Oh pray for this Divine Nature beg for Regeneration for till this be done thou art all over earthly a worm is as good as thou art Thy Love thy heart thy thoughts thy all is nothing but earth 3. Not to be of the world is to have an Heavenly Conversation To live as one whose heart is with Christ already in Heaven It 's not enough to be once regenerated but the progresse of our Lives is to be spent on Heavenly motives and Considerations As the Fowls of the Heaven though they light upon the Ground to eat their meat yet immediatly fly up again Thus it is with the godly though they take the lawful comforts of this world yet their hearts are presently off ascending to God Thus the Apostle Our Conversation is in Heaven Phil. 3 20. And because we are risen with Christ we set our affections upon things above Col. 3.1 2. See our Lord Christ he was not of the world Did he not manifest it by his conversation when he made it his meat and drink to doe his Fathers Will when he was alwaies either praying to God or preaching to the people Oh then do thou endeavour after this life Though thou art in thy Family in thy Trade in thy Calling yet be not of the world because the choicest part of thy self is from God Thou canst say what are all these to the favour of God They are good to use but not to enjoy They are good sawce but not good meat a good Inne but not a good home 4. Not to be of the world is to partake of other joys other comforts then the world knoweth of and so to be exercised with other Temptations then the world understands with other joys Therefore it 's said It hath not entred into the heart of man to conceive of this 1 Cor. 2.9 It 's called Joy unspeakable in the holy Ghost 1 Pet. 1.8 David acknowledged God had put more joy in his heart then worldly men could have in all their abundance Psa 4. Alas what is thy carnal mirth and delight to that admirable and unspeakable joy which the godly finde in God This is a joy that will hold in tribulations and death it self when in such a Drought the wicked mans stream is quite dried up his temptations also are such as the world
accounts madnesse To be in spiritual desertions to have no sence of Gods favour to fear himself a damned Castaway to have no rest in his bones day or night To be assaulted with the devils buffetings to be filled with hideous thoughts These things the world also knoweth not and therefore they count them melancholy and mad Such as by their too much poring about Sermons and good Books put themselves out of their wits Lastly They are not of the world in respect of their Conversation Rom. 12. they are not conformed to the fashion of the world The one goeth Westward the other Eastward as it were Their words and language are different their actions are contrary What the Righteous man loveth the wicked abominateth and what the wicked loveth the godly man abhorreth Thus as they say of the heavens the primum mobile hath one motion of its own and the inferiour Orbes a contrary motion to that Thus the godly man he moveth one way toward heaven he presseth hard thither The wicked man he maketh as much haste to hell So as there were two strugling in the Mothers womb which encreased her pain Thus there are two striving upon the face of the world an Isaac and an Ismael a Jacob and an Esau the Seed of the Woman and the Seed of the Serpent This enmity will not be extinct in this life Vse of Exhortation to the godly Remember what ye are Not of the world Therefore take heed of worldly affections worldly hearts For where your treasure is there will your heart be also If it be in God in Heaven there the heart will be If in Earth and in earthly things there it will be You tremble at the commission of grosse and grievous sins you think hell it self would immediatly devour you upon such sins Be afraid of the world Let it not be a Dalilah to thee a Judas to thee by kissing thee to destroy thee Consider therefore God hath put gall into all worldly comforts therefore every creature every condition in the world hath a sting in it that thy soul should be more on God Thou canst never live quietly till above the werld In heaven only there are no storms no waves no disquietings and this life thou maist attain unto He that is not of the world The troubles of the world hurt not him the losses of the world grieve not him The vexations of the world disquiet not him But because we are still of the world in part we are not compleatly and perfectly out of disquietnesse Therefore in this life we remain in a combating conflicting way that heaven may be the sweeter Doct. 2 Obs 2. That it is the honour of Beleevers that they are like Christ They are not of the world as he is not What a glorious condescention was this that he who is the God of all the Earth and hath all things at his command yet be in the world hated scorned and at last crucified That it shall be no better with him then it was with us Hence our Saviour added this as I am of the world both for consolation and information Information that they should look for such hatred misery and trouble as they saw him grapling with such a contradiction of sinners as he sustained and then also for consolation They could not think much if the Disciple were not above the Master so could they expect to be more loved of God then he Could they think to walk more wisely and holily then he did It must needs bring much comfort when we shall Consider that it can never be so bad with us but it was worse with Christ Are we hated so he Did he seem forsaken of God So may we be To open this Consider That there is a twofold conformity and likenesse to Christ The first is active the second passive An active conformity consists in the Imitation of Christ and resembling him in our lives That as Christ lived so we endeavour to do Although there be some things wherein it 's impossible for us to imitate him as in his actions which he did as God yet in those things which he did as being under the Law we are to conform to him We are to be humbles meek and patient as he was We are to do Gods Will and to seek Gods glory as he did Let the same minde be in you saith the Apostle which was in Christ Phil. 2.5 Christs life and death was chiefly satisfactory and meritorious but secondarily it was exemplary being as a Copy to write after Thus Paul bids them be Followers of him as he was of Christ Phil 3.17 Heathens have prescribed to have some grave sober man in our mindes alwaies to think him present but behold a greater then all men even Christ himself Check thy self when impatient discontented repining at sufferings saying Did Christ do thus 2. There is a passive Conformity of which the Text speaks To be like him in his Sufferings To have the same hard measure in the world as he had Rom 8. We are said to be predestinate to be conformable unto Christ in this very particular What befell Christ God hath so ordered that it should befal us Not indeed for the same end for Christs Sufferings were not for himself or because he had sinned but to make an atonement to God for us But our sufferings are for our sins not to satisfie Gods justice but to humble us and to make us in some measure to feel how much Christ suffered for us what the wrath and anger of God was he endured for us This passive resemblance then unto Christ in his state of humiliation God hath ordained all beleevers unto That as it behoved Christ to suffer and so to enter into Glory Thus it doth behove every godly man through many Tribulations to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven As he had a Crown of Thorns before a Crown of Glory as he must drink of the Brook and then lift up his head so it must be with all his Disciples and this is matter of Comfort though otherwise grievous to flesh and bloud For 1. Hereby we see that we may be never the lesse loved of God though greatly afflicted in this world For was not Christ though dearly beloved of his Father yet delivered up to the cruell mockings and rage of men Did not he cry out My God why hast thou forsaken me We may reade but of one Sonne of God without sin but not of one without chastisement even Christ himself drank deep of that Cup Do not thou then doubt of thy Sonship or Interest in the Fathers love because of the present afflictions that are upon thee Christ was a man of sorrows and yet God from Heaven said This is my well beloved Son in whom I am well-pleased 2. There is matter of comfort because hereby we are ascertained of our Conquest over them That no tribulation shall separate God and us for Christ hath undergone these conflicts as
may cry out and say O Lord how gladly would I be enjoying of thee but that this world will not let me Truly these strivings and resistings of the world do very much argue thy spiritual and heavenly heart Sixthly The Heavenly Heart would not be alwaies in the conflicting part of Grace but in the triumphing part which is the more heavenly work for as one Starre differs from another So one part of Heavenly work is more excellent then another To grapple with Lusts to figâ—â— with sinne this is Heavenly work But to enjoy God to rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of Glory this is more Heavenly Now the Israelites did not so much desire the destroying of the Canaanites that they might be refreshing themselves with the Milk and Honey of the Land As the People of God groan to be above an earthly a proud heart lustful heart that they might enjoy the sweetnesse of grace Seventhly The Heavenly Heart considering it is not of this world doth therefore long for and hasten the Coming of Christ We are daily to pray that Christs Kingdom may come and the Godly are described by this Expectation Heb. 2.29 They look for and hasten the Coming of Christ 2 Pet. 3.12 The Church cryeth Come Lord Jesus Come quickly She praieth vehemently as if she could not stay till he did come That as Sisera's Wife stood looking out of the Window expecting her Lords Coming in Triumph Thus do the godly and therefore they are to lift up their Heads Mat. 24. Then their Winter is over and their Summer is come Then shall there be no more sinnes no more cares no more clogs nor troubles thou shalt take thy leave of all these Lastly He that is not of the world delights in such things that doe either beget or encrease spiritual and Heavenly Life Now all the holy Ordinances of God are appointed for this end Praier Preaching of the Word the solemn Assemblies holy conference all these things are like Wood to keep the Fire alwaies burning You may see the Expressions David useth about the Ordinances The Word was sweeter then the honey and the honey-comb In his Banishment there was no earthly thing troubled him so much as to be restrained and kept from the Solemn and Divine worship of God That heart must needs grow cold and dead that is not often enlivened by these it will quickly be like a barren Wildernesse if these Clouds drop not on it The same Word that begat thee unto a spirituall Life must encrease and continue thee therein In the second general place It 's good to reminde our selves often that we are not of the world hereby to presse our selves to a Non-conformity and Non-compliance with it Rom. 12. Be not conformed to the world but transformed in your minde We are not to love or delight in what the evil world doth We are not to do as they do Though it be the greater part and though a multitude go that way yea though all the world go in an evil way and though but one man yet thou wilt not symbolize with it And truly this we ought to presse upon our selves how often are we ready to say with that man concerning the Masse Eamus ad communem errorem Let us go to the common Errour Who will swim against the stream Who is like that River Alpheus that though it empty it self in the Sea yet keeps its own sweetnesse and is not infected with the saltnesse of that water Oh what a comfortable Testimony of grace is it to be such an one that the world neither by its flatteries or its frowns is able to put thee out of a good path Thirdly The frequent meditating on this that we are not of the world will make us admirably love and commend the Grace of God For whose heart will not move within him when he shall consider how many thousands of the world live and die in that worldly disposition yet God hath seperated me from it Yea how many of thy acquaintance of thy Kindred of thy near Friends are yet of the world and thou art not So that the experimental knowledge of this will fill thy heart and mouth with joy and praises God hath in this done more for thee then if he had given thee the whole world Fourthly The knowing and thinking this that they are not of the world will make them be content and patient under the afflictions and troubles they meet with in the world For seeing they are not of the world they matter not how it is with them Their happinesse and misery is not bound up in this Orb They are Pilgrims and Strangers and no wonder if such do not matter the accomodations they finde in the way If they come to an unfurnished Inne they will make a shift they will say it is but for a night and thus if we are not of the world though God lay this chastisement upon us though he raise up that trouble against us yet it 's but a night they are not of this Countrey and therefore cannot be undone here In the 2d place The often reflecting upon this that we are not of this world will bring much consolation For 1. Hereby God will take the more special care of us and vouchsafe the more powerful protection unto us We are not of the world Therefore under all the wrongs troubles and injuries of the world we are to look up unto God if God love his own Name he will do good to such who are serviceable to all his 2 Here is Consolation Because they have the fit qualification of theso who come under Christs Praier You see that which makes Christ so earnestly commend them io his Father is because they are not of the world The effectual fervent praier of a righteous man prevails much how much more will Christs praier 3. Here is Consolation That because we are not of the world therefore God will at last take us out of it to Eternal glory The godly are of heaven and heaven is their proper place That as it 's said of our body Dust thou art and to dust thou shalt return So of heaven thou art and to heaven thou shalt return Vse 1 Vse of Exhortation to the Children of God Art thou not of the world then dwell on this improve this do not make thy self like a worldling Are they proud passionate earthy envious Do thou abhor to be so Shall such a man as I make my self like the vile ones of the Earth Neither be thou daunted because the world revileth rageth and walketh contrary to thee Shall the Star leave its glory and come to be a clod of Earth Say with the Olive-Tree and Fig-Tree Shall I leave my fatnesse and become a bramble or a briar It 's the envy and malice of the world that sets against thee such soar eyes cannot abide any dazling lustre Vse 2 Vse 2. of Admonition to those wicked men that are
of the world not to think it strange if there are some who dare not run into the same excesse of Riot with them Do not complain of their rigidnesse and singularity that they have no good fellowship with them and so are not fit to live in the world How can two walk together except they be agreed vnlesse there were the same natures the same principles never think there can be the same hearts yea do thou by them be admonished and hasten out of this world by an heavenly change upon thee It 's no staying in this Sodom in this Babylon SERMON LXXXIX Of growth in Grace shewing that and how many wayes a Godly man may be more sanctified JOHN 17.17 Sanctifie them through thy Truth thy Word is Truth HItherto our Saviour hath pray'd for the preservation of his Disciples in this world from the evil thereof We now proceed to the second main general part of his Petition which is their Sanctification So that in this verse we are to take notice of the Matter it self prayed for Sanctifie 2. The Subject Them 3. The Instrumental cause Through thy truth 4. The Description or Explication of this Thy Word is Truth We will conjoyn the Matter prayed for and the Subject together Sanctifie them The word to sanctifie is of a large signification in the Scripture but to our purpose here are two principal ones First To sanctifie is often to consecrate and set apart to an holy use and thus many expound it that our Saviour doth by this prayer commend them unto God in their Ministerial labour That as the Priests of old were sanctified by many external Rites so are the Disciples in a spiritual manner by Christ at this time and this appeareth probable by the verse following As thou hast sent me into the world even so have I also sent them into the world This therefore is part of the meaning but I shall referre the considering of that notion to the next verse The second general and frequent use of the word is to make inwardly holy by renewing all the parts and abilities of the soul to walk in an holy manner and in this sense it is partly to be taken here because the Word of God is the instrumental cause of it And if you ask How could Christ pray for the sanctification of his Disciples who were already sanctified To this the Answer is easie That he prayeth for the continuance of and increase in sanctification That they may be more and more increasing in holinesse for no man is come so farre that he cannot go further he is not at the utmost of holinesse Hence we see the Scripture speaking of or supposing persons already godly doth yet exhort and command Sanctification still 1 Thess 5 23. I pray God sanctifie you wholly and preserve your whole spirit soul and body blamelesse Here those that are already sanctified yet are prayed for to have a further degree and deeper rooting of Sanctification So Ephes 4.23 24. There he writeth to such as are already converted That they be renewed in the spirit of their minde and that they put on the new man yea to these Disciples our Saviour speaketh Matth. 18.3 Except ye be converted c. By this you see That even those who are sanctified or converted may be more sanctified and converted more closely to God For although it be true That if Sanctification be strictly taken for the same with Regeneration then it 's the infusion of a supernaturall life at once So that as a man is born but once naturally so we may say he is regenerated and sanctified but once yet take it more largely for the improving and increasing of grace thus put into us then we are to be more converted and more sanctified daily and in this respect Sanctification is said to differ from Justification because the former doth admit of degrees and is more or lesse but so is not Justification Observ That whereas the Disciples though already sanctified and made holy yet are prayed for that they may be more sanctified We may gather That the most holy men that are are yet to be more holy It 's not enough to be once called or converted but we are to grow in grace As it is not enough for a childe to be borne but he must grow up to be a man Thus Revel 22.11 He that is holy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let him be holy still and 1 Cor. 7.1 Perfecting holinesse This is a very necessary point for our Saviour John 15. saith He chooseth us that we may bring forth more fruit Doest thou increase in thy faith in thy heavenly-mindednesse in thy zeal Thou canst blesse God when thou findest thy health and bodily strength better when thou findest thy estate increase and why then art thou not more desirous and rejoycing to see thy heart grow better to see thy soul more sanctified And indeed concerning the former things our Saviour saith Which of you by taking care can adde one cubit to his stature But here by fervent and constant prayers we may adde many cubits But to open this Doctrine Let us consider How many waies a godly man may be more sanctified and that is seen in several particulars First He may be more sanctified intensively by adding more and more degrees to the grace he hath received Our Love our Faith our Patience even all our Graces are capable of augmentation It 's not with us as with Christ who received the Spirit without measure so that Christ could not be more holy then he was he could not do any thing more obedientially to God then he did nor love God more then he did but we may all cry out with that man Lord I believe help my unbelief Lord I love help my want of love Therefore James 1.4 we are exhorted to let patience have her perfect work Even as Apelles upon all his Pictures would write Faciebat non fecit because he would still be perfecting it thus are we to all our graces Hence are those daily exhortations To grow in Grace Even a Paul even the tallest Gyants are to grow in Grace Paul saith He knoweth but in part 1 Cor. 13. and then he can but love in part and believe in part Oh then this is of great concernment to think that thy best graces may yet be made farre better Thy Grace is nothing to a Pauls and a Pauls is nothing to the Law or the Rule Look to it then and be as desirous to grow in Grace as ever thou wert to get into the state of Grace Secondly We may be more sanctified extensively in regard of the Objects about which our Graces are to be exercised and in respect of our Relations 1. There is an extension in respect of our Objects of Grace As we are bound to do better then we doe so to do more then we doe What godly man is there that can say he hath done all things God required
Art thou not guilty of many omissions of duties Thou hast not reproved mourned prayed for others Thou hast not done that spirituall and temporall good thou shouldst Paul excused the Philippians that they would have done good but they wanted an opportunity Phil. 4.16 But how many times have we an opportunity and we want hearts John could write to that pious Gaius his Host 3 John vers 2. to wish that his body may be in health even as his soul prospered What a glorious commendation was this It was better with his soule then his outward man Now wee cannot say thus of our selves because we are not diligent and industrious to doe more then we doe Certainly every godly man may be astonished when he shall consider how broad the Commandements of God are and how narrow his heart is growne in doing more then thou hast done 2. Thou mayest be sanctified extensively by the Relations that thou doest take upon thee when made an Husband a Wife a Minister a Magistrate here thy holinesse is to extend further God requireth more of thee and that godlinesse which would have served thee before will not now While the Apostles were private men they needed not that Sanctification which they were to have as Apostles Hence we see the Apostle diligently in his Epistles informing Husbands Wives Children and Servants of what they have to doe And certainly the grace of our Relations is an excellent evidence of our holinesse in the main If the Heathen could say He was not Bonus vir that was not Bonus civis not a good man that was not a good Citizen So may we say He is not a good Christian that is not a good Minister a good Magistrate a good Husband a good Servant The Apostle bids Archippus fulfill his Ministry And thus Ministers are exhorted to look to the flock over which God hath set them Oh then see if thou mayest not be greatly sanctified in thy Relations if they may not be filled with more Wisdome Patience and exemplarity of Conversation Alexander wept because there was no more Worlds he wanted work But to be sure thou hast more then ever thou canst turn unto Every Relation requires a new grace or a new exercise of grace So that here is no time for thee to sit down or to be still as if all thy enemies were conquered Thirdly We may be more sanctified in the deeper radication of Grace in our hearts It 's a Philosophicall Dispute Whether accidents are intensed by addition of degrees or a deeper radication of them in the subject We may conclude That grace in the heart is both wayes improved and for the rooting of it in the soul This is so great a matter that the temporary believer is in this respect as well as others mainly differenced from the true believer Though they had some root yet they had not root enough and the unwise builder did not dig deep enough for this therefore the Apostle prayeth even in reference to such as were already rooted in Christ that they may be more rooted Colos 2.7 Rooted and built up in him And to this purpose are all those Exhortations of being stedfast and immoveable of being strengthened stablished settled 1 Pet. 5 10. as there the Apostle prayeth remrkably There is no man hath laid so sure a foundatinn but he may make it more sure No man is so established but he may be more established Is it not a terrible thing to see the fall of many Cedars in Lebanon of many Starres from Heaven And why is all this They were never established deep enough they never took more root downwards like unwise builders they attended to make a glorious upper-room and stairs in the house but mattered not the foundation and certainly though the childe of God even of the lowest form be so farre rooted that he shall never fall away yet this establishment and stedfastness of his is not by his own power and strength it 's God that keeps him neither is it continued but in the constant daily exercise of holy means Oh then every day be indeavouring after this Lord grace is not rooted in me enough it 's too superficiall Oh that I could say I no longer live but Christ within me Oh that it were like leaven diffusing it's power over me the Promise is Jer. 31. I will write my Law in thine inwards parts in the midst of them So that grace shall be habituated in thee and sink as deep as ever original sin did in thee Fourthly We may be more sanctified Subjectively that is every part of the soul may be more throughly sanctified every day as in that place 1 Thess 5.23 Hence to the converted Ephesians the Apostle exhorts as you heard both a further renovation of the minde and of the will and affections Ephes 4.23 24. In the mind How greatly may we be more sanctified have more illumination more heavenly knowledge of God and Christ Thou art to grow in knowledge more and more Paul was once like a childe but he became a man The Apostle Heb. 6. doth severely reprove those that continued babes and were not carried on to further perfection It 's both a shame and a sinne that thou hast yet no more knowledge and heavenly understanding by the Ministry thou hast enjoyed so many years Again the minde is to be more sanctified by a more firm and solid faith the Apostle then directs That they should be stedfast and sound in the faith not tossed up and down with every winde of doctrine Their increase of faith may be both in the Objects believed though for the things necessary to salvation the knowledge of them by the Spirit of God is promised to every believer yet there the superstructions in Religion which according to the means we enjoy we are to believe Therefore the Apostle 1 Thess 3.10 sheweth his earnest prayer to come to the Thessalonians that he might perfect what was lacking in their faith which could not be meant in regard of foundations but superstructures not essentials but additionals Thus they are to grow in the doctrine of believing but then in the manner of believing that is the proper way for all to grow To believe more certainly more firmly more practically Therefore though the fundamentals of Religion cannot be augmented No necessary truth to salvation can be revealed which was not known before yet it may be more strongly and clearly believed And this is the end of all Authors that write against Heretiques of all sorts not to bring a new Religion into the world or new Articles of Faith but to cause a more clear and firm assent to those things which the subtilty of Heretiques had obscured Further Their mindes are to be more sanctified by holy thoughts heavenly-Meditation For what godly man doth not perceive vain thoughts creeping into his soul as the Froggs did into Pharaoh's Chamber whether he will or no and as for a fixed heavenly-Meditation it 's an
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
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
truth of Scripture Thus Christ John 8.40 told the Pharisees They thought to kill him because he told them the truth And Paul Gal. 4.16 Am I become your enemy because I tell you the truth The Ministers of this truth are compared to light that is offensive to sore eyes and salt that doth grieve and vex the wounded man Indeed truth if rightly considered is not grievous but to do otherwise then obey truth It 's not the threatning of hell and damnation that should be so grievous but the punishments themselves They cried out of our Saviour saying It was an hard speech of what he had spoken but it 's an harder thing to lie roaring in hell-flames to all eternity Vse Is the word of God thus Truth then be possessed and filled with it Let truth be in your mindes truth in your hearts truth in your lives Take heed of all errours and heresies they oppose the Doctrinal Truths of the Scripture Take heed of all prophaneness and impiety they oppose the practical Truths Oh remember if Gods word be truth then woe be to thee thou art in a lying way in a seduced and damnable way Only know it 's not enough to have a general knowledge of Scripture-Truths but endeavour after a particular practical discerning of them The Scripture cals it knowing the Truth as it is in Jesus Eph. 4.21 and the acknowledging of the truth after godlinesse Tit. 1.1 Tantum scimus quantum operamur We know no more in Gods account then we put in practice Take heed then of being in the number of those Rom. 1.18 who hold the Truth in unrighteousnesse Say as the Apostle in his Ministry 2 Cor. 13.18 So thou in thy whole particular conversation I can do nothing against the Truth but for it This would be a Preservative every way SERMON XCIV How requisite a sound minde and a holy life are to a Minister of the Gospel And of Christs peculiar love to and care of such JOH 17.18 As thou hast sent me into the world even so have I sent them into the world THis Verse begins a New Argument or Reason why the Apostles need Sanctification by the Truth It 's drawn not from the generall Consideration as they are Beleevers but from the particular Relation they were in commissionated with Office to preach the Truth of God Before I enter upon the words the Coherence of this Argument with the Petition doth deserve some Consideration though the particle of Connexion be not expressed yet it is to be supposed howsoever this followeth next in order upon that Petition and therefore there cannot be but Coherence of the matter I shall not trouble you with the Conjectures of Interpreters but pitch on that which is easily acknowledged to be very genuine and plain And first Whereas Sanctification by the Truth is desired for the Apostles because they were to be Officers in the Church and Ministers of the Gospel Whence Observe That Truth and Holinesse are requisite in the Ministers of the Gospel Sanctifie them by thy Truth Why because they are sent to preach the Gospel and they have thy Authority This is the reason why Christ though he called his Apostles immediatly from their worldly calling yet it was two years as Chemnitius in his Harmony computeth ere he sent them out to preach but kept them in his Family and under his Instruction that so they might attain both to true Doctrine and an holy Life This was represented Exod. 28.30 by the Vrim and Thummim which were to be on the Breastplate Light and Perfection sound Doctrine and Integrity of Life Hence the Apostle in the Qualification of Ministers requireth doctrinall abilities that he be apt to teach and can divide the Word of God aright as also many practical Qualifications for holy and unblamable life 1 Tim. 3.2 The Scripture compareth the Ministers of God to Stars and that both for their light and purity differing as Philosophers say from the substance of sublunary things 1. Let us Consider the Grounds why they are to be endowed with Truth and to have a sound minde And first From the Quality of the Office Their Office is to preach the Truth They are appointed to declare the Word of God and that only not humane Inventions not the thoughts of their own heart for if Christ himself avoucheth this that his doctrine was not his own but his that sent him and doth still referre all to the Father that sent him how much more ought the Ministers of God to declare what they reade and what they have received of God by the Scriptures not their own conceits Thus the Prophets of old began their Sermons with Thus saith the Lord and the Apostles begin their Epistles with their call and office Apostles and Servants of God Seeing therefore they have such an Office and Trust that requireth in the very Essentials of it nothing but Truth they ought earnestly to pray for it They are called the Light and the Salt of the Earth Now if the Light be dark all the body is dark If Salt hath lost his Seasoning it 's good for nothing By their Office they are to be the Ministers of Truth as Paul said I can do nothing against the Truth but for it 2 Corinth 13.8 This is a Minister after Gods own Heart that is thus qualified Secondly Truth is necessary if you do respect the subordination of their Office Christ hath not sent them to be Masters and Lords over mens Faith to propound their own Dictates and to anathematize such as do not immediatly obey No They have a Ministeriall not a Magisteriall Office for though in respect of the people they are Guides and Overseers and Shepheards yet in respect of God they are Ministers and Servants They are under Christ the Head and so must not deliver any thing but what they have received They may not make Articles of Faith they cannot appoint the worship of God They cannot institute new Sacraments It 's spiritual Treason in them to do this They are like the skillfull Gemmary that doth not make the Jewell only by his skill doth discover which is true or like Solomon that did not make the true Childe but by his Wisedom did manifest it So the Ministers of the Gospel though never so Learned never so holy yet they of their own authority cannot make any new Truth or new Ordinance Therefore they are compared to Embassadors that are bound up by their Commission To Stewards not Masters in the House The Scripture is called Gods Testament or Will Now the Lawyer may not adde or take away from it though he hath never so much skill and knowledge it would be sinful forgery in him to do so Thus Beloved we Ministers are bound up to Gods Word as that last Will he hath appointed how he will have his Church governed how it must beleeve how it must worship and it must be high Sacriledge to adde or detract from it Therefore if Scripture-Truths
Arguments seek for it at the Fathers hands Thus Psal 2. when God there declares his will of making him King over his Church and giving the Nations of the world for an Inheritance to him it 's said Ask of me and I will give thee Christ is to ask and pray for such things So that in this respect Christ praied even as all the Godly do though God hath appointed and promised to bestow such glorious things upon his penple yet it is by way of praier that they must be possessed of them God could give them otherwise Neither do our praiers or Christs Praiers make God alter or change his minde only praier is appointed by him as that medium whereby his purpose shall be brought to passe 4. Christ praied upon the same ground as he gave thanks Now we reade he praised God severall times yea they sang an Hymn to God Praier is divided into Petition and Thanks-giving If then Christ could give God praise by the same reason he might make Petition to him He praiseth God as the Father of such mercies his Soul was affected with and so he praieth to God for such things as he had not yet the full accomplishment of Lastly These main Reasons being laid down then we may adde Christ praied for our example also It 's wonder any should be so transported with pride as to think themselves above praier that they need not to pray when we see Christ himself diligent in this Duty So that as we are to learn of him and imitate the Zeal Patience and Love that was in him so we are the Religious Conversation also of Christ which was manifested in his fervent Praiers unto God upon all occasions yet though Christ did thus pray there was a great difference between Christs Praiers and ours For first If we speak absolutely of Christ as a person so he needed not to pray for being in that respect God as well as man Therefore he could have done all things the humane Nature desired without any humble Supplication unto the Father It was then in respect of his humane nature only and his voluntary Humiliation of himself otherwise being God as well as man He might have done all things by sole power and authority Indeed there are some who hold that Christ still in Heaven as man doth pray to God the Father properly and formally in respect of his Church and so understand those places where he is said to be an Advocate with the Father and where he is said still to make intercession for us not say they that he praieth in such a servile humbled manner as he did here on Earth yet they say it 's more then meer a representation of himself or will that the Father fulfill what he hath purchased It 's true and formall praying neither say they is this any more indecent and unbeseeming Christ as man in Heaven then praising of God which yet as man he doth Howsoever this be yet it 's sure that when he did pray on earth yet it was not with such an absolute necessity and indigency as any man or the whole Church doth pray for they cannot in any Consideration help themselves 2. Neither did Christ pray for any spiritual gracious mercies These are the chiefest matter of our praier insomuch that temporall things are praied for only with a submission unto Gods Will and so farre as they conduce to our spirituall good but Christ had already received the Spirit of God in so full measure that he could not pray for further Sanctification nor for a better heart or more communion with God then he had much lesse could he pray for such things as suppose a sinnefull Imperfection in the Subject So he did not or could not pray for the pardon of sinne which yet he taught the most holy that are to pray continually for neither could he pray for justifying Faith for although he had faith and confidence in God yet he had not justifying Faith which is the relying upon Christ for Righteousnesse Neither could he pray for the conquering and subduing of corruption seeing his pure Nature remained altogether spotlesse and free from the least stain or pollution Neither 3. Were Praiers to him as they are to us means to quicken up and excite the heart to make it more Heavenly and zealous Prayer in us doth quicken and excite a man and takes off the rust upon his Soul Christ was alwaies in contemplation and enjoyment of God and therefore he did not need praier to make his soul ascend higher to God Hence in the fourth place All the matter he could pray for in reference to himself was concerning his body and the further glorifying of that for seeing it pleased him to take our body upon him in all the natural defects and infirmities thereof sinne only excepted it was necessary that he should not alwaies be in such a passible mortal way but rise again to glory dominion and all honour Now this Christ praied for as being to be obtained by praier as well as his Sufferings He praied also for assistance and deliverance in those agonies he conflicted with But in respect of his praier for the Church So he praied for their Sanctification though not for his own he praied Peters Faith might not fail he praied God would not impute sinne to some of those who did crucifie him Though he needed not such Petitions yet we do and therefore in this respect Christ praied in which we cannot imitate him for he praied as he was to offer up himself a Sacrifice for our sinnes so it behoved him also to put up praier for his people Thus you have heard how Christ was capable of Praier though God Let us now Consider the comfortable advantage of these Praiers of Christs unto us And 1. See the love of Christ that he doth remember our good in his praiers as well as his own It is not enough to pray for his own Glory but he beggeth and prayeth for ours also Paul speaketh of it as his great affection and Love to some that he made mention alwaies of them in his Prayers he never praied for himself but for them also And thus we see Christ though ready to be offered up and to die such a tormented ignominious Death So that he might justly be taken up with Praier for himself only yet he doth the same time think of his Church and all that shall beleeve in him Oh what comfortable Refreshment and Encouragement should this be to the dejected and humbled Soul That Christ doth in his Prayer remember and consider of thee as well as his own Glorification 2. This Prayer of Christ is alwaies heard We many times pray and God doth deny us because as the Apostle James saith Chapt. 4. vers 4. We ask amisse or we ask not in Faith Now Christ had every thing concurrent that might make his Prayer successefull Therefore John 11.42 Christ there professeth God the Father heard him alwaies In
godly are sometimes raised up for the effecting of a particular mercy they stand in need of Lastly There is this Justifying or saving Faith which hath for it's proper object Christ crucified and so by resting upon him brings reconciliation with God and peace in the conscience It 's true some distinguish between justifying faith and saving as if all that faith which did justifie did not also save but that is built upon that dangerous foundation as if there might be Apostasie from the true faith Now whether this distinction be exact and in what sense it is to be made good I shall not here dispute but take it for a necessary truth Secondly When we say That faith justifieth as it resteth on Christ and receiveth him we do not deny or exclude assent to all other divine truth revealed in Gods word Justifying faith doth necessarily suppose historical or dogmatical faith So that although they be two distinct kinds of faith yet in a justified person all those acts of faith proceed from the same root and habit that principle of faith whereby I am inabled to rest on Christ makes me also firmly to assent to every truth of Gods word yea this dogmatical faith is the foundation of justifying and did men exercise stronger acts of historical faith it would much conduce to our justifying faith and strengthen that did we believe more firmly that Christ came to be a Mediatour then this would quicken up to peculiar confidence in him Therefore the devil hath temptations against both sometimes he assaulteth us in the matter to be believed and sometimes about our application of what we do believe Therefore we are not to oppose these special acts of faith against the general Thirdly This phrase of believing in Christ doth plainly denote a fiducial act of the will and heart as well as the assent of the understanding And this is greatly to be observed that we are not to look upon believing as a disposition to assent to the things of God as true but we do by believing incline the whole heart to trust and rest on Christ in whom we do believe It 's greatly disputed Whether this fiducial application or confidence be of the formal nature of faith or an effect and consequent only of it but I shall wave that at this time It 's plain that to believe in doth denote some cordial and fiducial motion of the soul to the object as it 's center and on that which gives us firm rest Hence faith is called receiving of Christ it 's said to be the eating of his flesh and drinking of his blood It 's called the imbracing of the promises and opposite to this believing is fear Luk. 8.50 and diffidence and wavering So that it 's plain faith hath a fiducial assent with it therefore it 's called believing with the whole heart Act 8.37 The heart believeth Rom. 10.9 as well as the understanding Fourthly Hence it is also That faith is made by some Divines not a simple but an aggregate or compounded habit that it is not in one faculty seated but in two that it is both in the minde and the will And howsoever some have argued against this as being contrary to all Philosophy for one habit to be in two faculties yet the most learned Schoolmen do confess it no absurdity for with some free-will is seated partly in the understanding and partly in the will as also prudence a moral vertue is partly in the minde and partly in the will and all do confesse That though to believe be an immediate act of the understanding yet to this there is required pia affectio in voluntate and indeed seeing as the Apostle saith there is a captivating of the understanding in it's carnal reasons when we do believe that cannot be without some prevalent power upon the will So that we are to look upon Faith as a compounded habit which doth partly work upon the minde by enlightning that and partly upon the will by enclining and strengthning that Fifthly The ground why justifying faith must needs comprehend both is Because that in the promises of the Scripture there is a two-fold object to move our faith for every promise hath in it that which is true and so it requireth assenting acts and then it hath that which is good and so it requireth fiducial and imbracing acts Wonder not then if faith extend it self to two distinct powers of the soul seeing it also reacheth to two distinct objects truth being the object of the understanding and good the object of the will The Apostle comprehends both in that speech 1 Tim. 1.15 This is a faithfull saying and worthy of all acceptation a faithfull saying there is the truth to be believed and worthy of all acceptation there is the good to be imbraced Therefore believing is not a bare speculative assenting to the truth but it is also a sweet quieting and composing of the heart to receive the good promised Hence it 's called receiving Joh. 1. and eating and drinking Joh. 6. it 's compared to the branches receiving moisture from the vine Joh. 15. Sixthly As the Scripture expresseth faith relating to the object believed not to the proposition so at other times it doth expresse the proposition Hence it hath often 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 put to it Doest thou believe that I am the Son of God or that I am sent from the Father This is a proposition to be believed but you must know that faith as it justifieth is not properly in that we believe such a proposition to be true viz. That Christ is God or that he will give eternal life to such as believe but the ens incomplexum that is Christ himself in his Person and Offices is the object of our justifying faith Therefore Christ himself is said to dwell in our hearts by faith Eph. 3. Even as the woman is married to the person of her husband and not to the articles of agreement upon marriage and this is that which makes faith to be so powerfull and noble in it's efficacy because Christ is hereby received in the soul who is the authour and fountain of all spiritual operations So that as when the Sun ariseth in our hemisphere it cannot but give light and heat so also when the Sun of righteousness ariseth in our hearts there is the Spirit of Christ also accompanying him in Sanctification and Mortification Seventhly To justifying faith there are these things required some whereof are antecedent and concomitant others essential and constitutive of it As 1. There must be some explicite knowledge of Christ and understanding of him in his Person and Offices Whether knowledge be an act included in the essence of faith or whether it be preparative and antecedent is disputed Howsoever it 's certain None can believe that doth not know the thing he believeth Henc◠it is that faith is so often in Scripture called knowledge It 's true indeed faith hath not
all in matter of Sanctification he comprehends all in love John 13.34 A new Commandment I give unto you that ye love one another A new Commandment not but that the duty was old onely envy and malice had so prevailed amongst the Jews that to love was a new thing as if it had not been a duty required before In John's Epistles it's called both new and old 1 John 2.8 And then again new because there are new motives and a new patern Love one another as I have loved you There was never such a Patern and President before so that it 's not every kinde of love and unity which will give content but that which is in the highest degree of unity it's added vers 35. By this shall all men know ye ' are my Disciples if ye love one another not if ye work miracles if ye cast out devils but if you cast out discord and variance and therefore there is not a greater scandal to Religion and holines then when those that do believe are as the Levites Concubine that was cut into many peeces Again Ch. 15.12 This is my Commandment that ye love one another as I have loved you This is Christs Commandment as if there were nothing else he required but this and as if this were not enough at verse 17. These things I command you that ye love one another as if he should have said If bare information will not do it if instruction will not do it I lay my command and charge upon you Secondly This Vnity and Love is a special means to bring the world to believe the truth and receive Christ So that what the preaching of the Word and Gifts yea miracles use to do that unity and agreement may do This is twice affirmed to be the consequent of unity vers 21. vers 23. That the world may believe thou hast sent me It 's a special way to convince all the enemies of the truth Thus Chap. 13.35 Men shall know ye are my Disciples if ye love one another and do we not see by experience That Papists Heretiques and all prophane men are confirmed in their wickednesse by nothing more then the differences and opinions of such who are godly Do they not by books and otherwise in derision say One Sect saith that hath the Spirit of God another saith that hath and yet both are contrary one to another Can the Spirit of God be contrary to it self Can it be a Spirit of truth in one and a Spirit of falshood in others Now although this be no good argument because the Spirit of God is communicated but in measure to the godly they know but in part and so they love but in part many errours and divisions we are prone unto yet this is a very great stumbling block and therefore woe be to that godly man who by his pride self-conceit or erroneous Doctrine shall bring such a scandal to Religion what if many perish in hell because of thy froward spirit It is true there ought to be zeal against errours and corruptions though in the godly You see when Peter did not walk right Paul resisted him to the face and would not give place to him or other false teachers no not for an hour Gal. 2.5 Mark that No not for an hour Some think let them alone they will recover themselves they will do no hurt truth needs not be afraid yet Paul was afraid that an hours forbearance might do hurt Therefore he addeth That the truth of the Gospel might continue amongst you as if an hours forbearance might hinder the continuance of truth so that we are to use Scripture-zeal and Scripture-means to convince even those that are godly when erring in Doctrine Therefore the Scripture doth not commend an unity and love so as to let all errours and prophanenesse alone but in that which is good unity in that which is truth and holinesse is that which Christ meaneth here in his prayer and where this is it 's very potent to winne all gain-sayers It 's admirable to mollifie the hearts of the opposers Hence it 's so often reported of the primitive Christians That they were daily with one accord together Therefore the Evangelist Luke records it at least five times so that if nothing else should make thee tender about causing any breaches in the Church of God this should thou dost as much as lieth in thee to hinder any man that knoweth thee ever to believe and to be converted Thirdly This Vnity is promised as a special part of the Covenant of Grace That very Covenant which promiseth to write the Law of God in our hearts and to put his fear in our inward parts that also promiseth unity at the same time Jer. 32.39 I will be their God and they shall be my people I will give them one heart and one way that they may fear me for ever Insomuch that it 's one main branch in the Covenant of Grace So Zech 14.9 In that day there shall be one Lord and his name one The meaning is They shall not worship many gods or serve in different wayes of worship but they shall be one To this purpose Ezekiel prophesieth Chap. 37.16 22. which is not to be limited to the Jews only but also to all the believing Gentiles Oh then in these times of differences and breaches amongst the godly What should we runne unto What should we plead in prayer but these promises O Lord to be thus divided to have Altar against Altar Church against Church Prophet against Prophet Is this to have one heart and one way But you may say If God hath thus promised it and Christ hath prayed for it who was heard of the Father in every thing How comes it about that the contrary appeareth This is to be answered in it's time Fourthly Vnity is necessary because hereby a serviceable and beneficiall helping of one another in spiritual things is preserved The people of God are compared to living stones built up together while the stones keep in the building they bear one another but if once removed it fals down They are compared to members in the body while they are joyned together There is a mutual ministration to each other but when divided from the body no part can receive any nourishment Thus it is here while the people of God are in union Oh the wonderfull help they are to one another they provoke one another they stirre up one anothers graces but take these coals from one another and then the fire goeth out And this may be the reason why our Saviour doth not mention the Sanctification and holinesse of believers but their unity because this is a special means to preserve and increase holinesse Two are better then one because of heat and of help saith the Wise-man Eccles 4.10 and so it 's in this work of Grace two are better then one to warm one another How may thy zeal help against anothers lukewarmnesse
that we may say as Musculus there is a good Schism and a bad Schism a good schism is when we divide malè unita things evilly joyned a bad when benè unita things well united 2. If there be many corruptions in government and administrations yet thou art not to make sinfull Breaches and Rents for these do plus perturbare infirmos bonos quam corrigere animosos malos as Austin well Therefore two things thou hast to do First As thy calling and relation is so to reprove and oppose the corruptions that abound Thus the Prophets of old and Christ with his Apostles they did with great Zeal rebuke the corruptions then prevailing and although carnal and Athiestical Politicians call this Schisme and Faction yet this is to condemn the generation of all the godly Prophets in their ages and to justifie Ahab as if not he but Elijah had indeed been the troubler of Israel 2. When you have thus done your Duty and still corruptions are suffered leave your Complaints with God who hath promised at last to take all scandals out of the Church and in the mean while patiently sigh and groan under that burthen for we may have a sinfull impatience in this kinde as Elijah in part had and those Disciples who would needs have fire immediatly consume the Samaritans because they would not receive Christ Lastly To prevent Schism in the Churches order take heed of pride ambition and seeking great things in the Church It 's reported that most of those who made the greatest Rents in the Church did it upon discontent missing of that preferment they looked for The spirit of Diotrephes who loved preheminencies made great divisions Even the Disciples began to quarrell with one another de primatu Who should be the chiefest Therefore doth our Saviour so often presse humility and enjoyn every one to become like a little Childe The last particular wherein divisions are amongst the godly is in their particular civil deportments and those are the quarrellings and wranglings the Apostle James speaks against Now to prevent these first remove the cause kill the Serpent in its Egge and that is the lust of the soul The Apostle asketh From whence comes jars and fightings Is it not from your Lusts James 4.1 There is warring within against your own souls first and then one with another Dry up this Fountain of lust and then the streams will quickly runne no more Now any kinde of lust unmortified is spark great enough to set the Church on fire a covetous lust when men are immoderately given to the world that causeth great discord As the Philistims and Isaac strived about the Well till at last Isaac came to a place which he called Rehoboth that is Rome Gen. 26.22 Thus here on earth we fall out about earthly things because the creature is too scant to give content to all but in heaven there will be room enough So a proud envious lust that breaks all Union insomuch that till there be a mortification of coveting within there will never be Union without We might mention the excellency of this Union to prevent heat but that hath been done already Let the Sum of all be as much as in us lieth to put this prayer of Christ into practise Peace is so great a matter that it 's called the peace of God and God is called the God of peace and Christ is called our peace seeing Christ praieth for it We see it 's not all the Sermons all the irenicall books can do any good till God give one heart Be importunate therefore with God and strive with him for this unspeakable mercy SERMON CXVII Of the Distinction of Persons and Vnity of Essence in the Deity against the Socinians JOHN 17.21 As thou Father art in me and I in thee THe second thing considerable in this Text is the Patern and Example of Vnity It 's not all kinde of unity he prayeth for but that which is the most absolute and perfect even such unity as is between the Father and Sonne Not as if this did denote equality but similitude only Because this patern was mentioned in the prayer for the Apostles unity I shall not repeat what then was delivered Only this must be acknowledged That there is a two-fold Interpretation of this being of the Father in the Son and the Son in the Father The Ancients they understand this of the Divine Nature as if the unity here spoken were homeousial But Calvin saith Huc eos abripuit contentio cum Arianis the heat of dispute with the Arians carried them off from the sense So that he giveth a second interpretation making the speech to be understood not of the son in respect of his Divine Nature but of his Mediatorship for by that he is made one with God the Father and one with us For whereas before Christs Mediatorship there was a miserable confusion and dissipation of mankinde God the Father against man and man against God Through Christ there is an happy unity obtained So that in Calvins judgement this unity is that of a Mediatour whereby Christ as Head of his Church being joyned to us doth thereby also joyn us to the Father In this sense also he explaineth that known place John 10. I and my Father are one Neither may we think as some have calumniated that Calvin doth Judaize or Arianize for though he deny this to be the sense of these places yet otherwise he doth firmly propugn the true Doctrine about Christs Divine Nature But there is no solid ground to make these interpretations distinct for one doth necessarily suppose the other Christ could not be our Mediatour and Head to make us one with the Father unlesse he were God and so of the same nature with the Father and therefore the unity of their Nature must be understood as the foundation So that we have in the words The distinctions of their Persons by their peculiar proprieties and the unity of their Nature Their personal proprieties are Father and Sonne The oneness of their Nature is in those words Thou in me and I in thee From whence observe That the Father and Sonne are two distinct Persons yet one in Nature and Essence I speak not of the holy Ghost which in other places is made the third person but of these two only because they alone are mentioned in the Text. To open this Consider some things in general and then what is implied in their peculiar relations 1. That God is absolutely known as God 2. Relatively as in these three Persons God absolutely considered may be known by the book of nature relatively only by the Scripture and revelation By the creatures we only can come to know that there is a God maker of all things but that this God is distinguished by three personal proprieties is not matter of investigation but faith only Therefore howsoever some learned men have endeavoured to illustrate this mystery from humane Philosophers especially
glory and therefore that state of happinesse is properly called a state of glory yet we have the first fruits of it here In part Christ doth invest us with his glory but this is nothing to what shall be hereafter Even in this life the things are so great That no eye hath seen neither hath it entered into the heart of a man to conceive How much more then will eternal glory surpass all our imaginations Should not then the consideration of this glorious portion we in part have and expect more fully make us walk comfortably be chearfull in our afflictions passe through this world with joy Certainly we put not forth our fixed contemplations on this glory if we did our hearts would scarce ever be taken off it Eudoxus was so affected with the glory of the Sunne that he thought he was born onely to behold it How much rather should we think it our duty all the day long to behold this glory As the Apostle 2 Cor. 4.17 professeth that all the afflictions he went through and he had many yet they were but light and but for a moment to that eternal weight of glory and what made him think so While we look not at the things which are not seen If then thy heart is at any time dejected disquieted oh think of this glory provided for thee it will make thy soul silence it's crying and mutterings immediately yea this will conquer the fear of death and make the thoughts of it lovely and welcome Fourthly Doth Christ give spiritual glory to his Then let this consume all love and desire of vain-glory and esteem of men This love of glory hath been and is the worm that eateth up the best fruit when lusts and sins have not been able to undo a man glory from the world hath Therefore our Saviour makes such a temper inconsistent with grace How can ye believe and seek glory of one another and seek not the honâ—ur which comes from God onely John 5.44 This vain-glory Chrysostom called The mother of hell and indeed How many religious duties doth it corrupt The Pharisees prayed and gave alms to be seen of men yea there is no external duty in Religion but this may put a man upon it But as love of Christ will kill the love of the world fear of God will overcome fear of man so a love to this spiritual glory will quickly out vain-glory It 's good to observe That though all other things in this world be vain man is vain beauty is vain wealth is vain yet custom of speech doth appropriate it only to glory calling it vain-glory Oh then remember there are more glorious things to affect and enlarge thy heart with then these applauses of the world Fifthly Doth Christ give his people glory Then let them faithfully do Christs work notwithstanding all the reproaches and scorns wicked men load them with David rejoyced in that he was despised and contemned while he danced before the Ark I will be more vile still saith he 2 Sam. 6.22 And thus the Apostles rejoyced they were accounted worthy to suffer for Christs sake It 's a great glory to lose thy glory for Christs work Oh this is that which makes men afraid boldly to venture in holy things they shall be censured they shall be contemned Remember that Scripture Those that honour me I will honour 1 Sam. 2.30 It 's a miserable slavery to live dependently upon the breath of others who many times do as children put a Garland upon one of their fellows heads and then laugh at him behinde his back so though they applaud thee to thy face yet secretly backbite thee Be therefore diligent to do Gods work and content thy self with the glory God bestoweth upon thee Doth a man running in a race regard the bird singing upon the tree Eye Christ more and man lesse The Moon that hath but a borrowed light is sometimes full sometimes at the wane never certain Thus a man that liveth upon the applause of others and not approving his conscience to God he is sometimes lifted up and then dejected down even as outward supplies come to him Sixthly Doth Christ give glory to his Then admire the bounty and freenesse of his grace Of all things we would think he would not communicate of his glory to us and indeed God saith He will not give glory to another neither will Christ give his Mediatory glory to others only in some passages of glory he is willing we should reign with him and be co-heirs with him This sheweth how much he loveth us For certainly no man is willing to have another co-partner with him in his glory yea how apt are we to envy the gifts and graces in others that may overshadow us but Christ giveth of his glory to us Lastly Doth Christ give glory to us Let us then glorifie him again Christ indeed he giveth glory to us really and inwardly but we only to him verbally and declaratively Let not the Heavens that are natural creatures exceed us They declare the glory of God and shew his handy-work and shalt not thou then in thy life in thy conversation declare the glory of Christ The title given to Church-officers 1 Cor. 8.23 is in some sense to be applied to all believers they are the glory of Christ SERMON CXXIV That Jesus Christ though God Co-equall with the Father had many things given him by the Father And how that can be JOH 17.22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them WE have treated of the nature of that glory which Christ giveth to all beleevers The next considerable is the description of the manner and way how Christ comes to have this glory and that is said to be by way of gift The glory which thou gavest me Now this seemeth very hard to understand how Christ being God could receive any thing for as God can have nothing given him so it should seem Christ neither could have any thing given him insomuch that this place with many others of the like fence is brought by the Socinians as an unanswerable Argument that Christ was not truly and essentially God for they heap up many places of Scripture where all that Christ hath is said to be given him and from hence conclude he cannot be God But the weakness of this will appear in further discovery of this Truth which that it may be more clearly understood Observe That Christ though God had many things given him of his Father The Fathers giving of many things to him doth not take off from his divine Nature This Truth will be profitable both to inform your judgement in that main Article of Religion and also is of that practical consequence Therefore to clear this Consider 1. That we may conceive of a two-fold giving that which is natural and necessary 2. that which is free and voluntary so that it might or might not be given for a naturall and necessary giving So Christ
is not the devil still suggesting this unto thee if thou be the Sonne of God then it would be thus and thus with thee Gods children never do as thou doest Now this temptation hath so farre prevailed by Satans instigation upon some of Gods people that they have wholly given over to pray that they dared not to presume to pray And why because God is not their Father they may no more pray then the damned in hell So that the godly man is left in a wofull desolate estate all the while this truth doth not reign in his heart that God is his Father 3. This perswasion of God being our Father is of so great consequence that the Spirit of God is sent on purpose into our hearts for this very work Gal. 4.6 Because ye are sons God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts crying Father So that as we remain blind and darkned in mind till the Spirit lead us into all truth that as we remain unholy and cleaving to our lusts till the Spirit sanctifie us so we do also remain in a doubting unbelieving and dejected disposition till God send this Spirit into our hearts so that when a man is humbled for sinne and feels the load of his transgressions it must be more then humane power yea or all the counsels and directions of the ablest Ministers that can inable such an one to call him Father Oh how often doth such a tempted soul say Oh that I could call him Father Oh that I could delight in him as a Father But now when this Spirit of Adoption cometh into our hearts see with what efficacy and power it cometh it maketh us to cry that denoteth earnestness vehemency and also confidence undauntedness notwithstanding the roaring cries of the devil and conscience to the contrary and thus it enableth us to cry Abba Father by way of ingemination implying that it is not once but twice yea often for indeed if the Spirit of God did not constantly thus keep up a filial frame every new failing would cast us back into a meer darknesse and confusion Therefore the Spirit of God hath this office of being a Comforter because we of our selves cannot sow that seed in our own souls 4. This is necessary because this only raiseth sweet comfortable and delightfull thoughts of God The relation of a Father is sweet and what a great difference is there between a childe praying to a tender father and a malefactor to a severe Judge David once said He remembred God and was troubled Certainly the more we think of God and his Attributes Omnipotent Wise Holy Righteous if not a Father the more terrible and dreadfull is the apprehension of him It 's necessary to have good endeared thoughts of God therefore the devils and the damned who are of the farthest distance from God they have hard and raging thoughts against him It being therefore necessary to keep up such thoughts in the soul as these Let God afflict smite destroy yet he is just and righteous yea and to be loved now this cannot be unless this faith is strongly carried out unto him as a Father 5. Perswasion of God as a Father is necessary because this only will produce faith and confidence in those that pray with such an assurance Now faith is the very soul and life of prayer He that prayeth believing shall receive and James exhorts Let him ask in faith nothing doubting Chap. 1. Our Saviour told the woman It should be according to her faith So that unbelief makes our prayers like a messenger without hands or feet and if so How shall we get our prayers animated with this grace Nothing conduceth more to this then the Meditation of God as a Father when this is assented to then it easily believeth God will do all necessary good for it such a Father will not give a stone to his childe when he asketh bread Thus Mat. 5. our Saviour maketh this an argument against all distracting fears and cares Your heavenly Father knoweth what you have need of Why is it that after prayer thy heart is as much troubled and disquieted as if the request had never been made known to God but only because faith did not reign and predominate in thy heart concerning Gods fatherly relation to thee 6. Perswasion of God as a Father is necessary because hereby the heart will be quickned to all those holy and filial dispositiâ—ns which ought to be in children If ye call him Father 1 Pet. 1.17 c. Passe your sojourning here with an holy fear The Scripture apprehension of a Father will not beget security and a licentious life but rather it will cause an holy reverence and a diligent attendance to avoid all those sins that may offend and provoke The Spirit of adoption is also a Spirit of Sanctification being born of God he doth not he cannot sin for how abominable and uneffectual would our prayers be if we should joyn prophaneness to those duties In stead of obtaining mercy we may justly expect that God would pour out greater wrath whereas a due and right apprehension of God as a Father will make a gracious and humble disposition in the soul Vse of Exhortation to the people of God that they strengthen and confirm this relation to them as much as may be Pray for that Spirit of Adoption which will inable thee to cry Abba Father Oh know that all the cause of thy disquietness distractions and diffidence of Spirit in thee ariseth from unbelief in this point If thou believe God is thy Father then sin is forgiven then no good thing will be denied thee This Father will treasure up for thee yea the properties of this Father are wonderfully quickning he is an omnipotent Father and so can do all things he is a compassionate Father and so will do all things he takes upon him both the bowels of Father and Mother also Parents have been hardned to their children as the Prophet observeth but God cannot be He is a wise Father and so ordereth every thing for the best This if duly considered would free thee from all distrustfull cares and thou wouldst learn from thy own childe to walk depending upon God casting all thy burden upon him because thou seest it taking no care what it shall eat or what it shall put on but resteth it self wholly upon it's Fathers care The second thing observable in the Text is The manner of Christs expression his Petition I will Father I will Some think this an expression not of prayer but of Christs just demand of his right to that which he had as God and therefore they think that whereas before he prayed as a man here he interposeth himself as God as thus Austin of old Omnipotenti patri se velle dixit omnipotens filius Others they make it an expression of prayer because in the former part the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used and thus Mark 10.35 when James and John
condemnation to him yea for all this apprehension of sinne in himself in the next Chapter what a glorious Chariot of confidence is Pauls soul lifted up to heaven in Doth he not challenge any adversary in the world to separate him from this love of God Do not therefore make the sense of sinne and the sense of Gods favour immediately opposite These Cautions being laid down let us take notice of the Helps and means to get and keep this favour of God in the sense of it upon our souls And 1. Be much in cherishing and nourishing the holy Spirit of God which useth to breathe and work in thy soul For seeing it 's plain that by Gods Spirit we are comforted and that it only doth seal and witness unto us Gods love that it's Gods Spirit which raiseth up the soul to call God Father That man can never have assurance that grieveth this Spirit that by any sinne chaseth it away As Spira rebelling against the light of Gods Spirit of whom yet judicious Divines give a charitable censure used this expression If I could but feel one drop of divine clemency and could but in the least manner perceive God to be propitious to me for even the very least would be enough I would not refuse to endure a thousand years or more in hell torments Oh therefore fix that Exhortation upon thy heart Eph. 4.30 Grieve not the holy Spirit of God whereby ye are sealed c. So that the most compendious way to walk in this light of Gods favour is to be much in prayer for the Spirit of God for as that only can subdue corruptions which are too strong for us Those primitive Christians which did rejoyce in tribulations and were endowed with joy unspeakable and full of glory it was because they were also at the same time full of the holy Ghost If thou be lead by the Spirit and walk in the Spirit thou shalt have the comforts of the Spirit Hence those great learned men who oppose this assurance they go no higher then Aristotles school and seem to know no further then the efficacy of moral vertues Thus they make not the Sun but the Moon to rule the day 2. Wouldst thou enjoy this sense of Gods favour Then take heed of all sinne especially such as waste the conscience and make a great gulf between thee and Gods favour It 's the constant Doctrine of the Scripture that Gods anger is because of sin that sin only withholds all good from us So that it 's impossible to keep the sense of Gods love and wallow in sin at the same time Mat. 5. Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God The eye diseased with corrupt humours cannot behold any comfortable object so neither is a man polluted with sin in a fit capacity for Gods love for those who thus taste of Gods goodness they are his favourites they are admitted into his secret presence Now as a great Monarch would not endure that a man in noisome and loathsom apparel and with the plague-sores upon him should be admitted into near familiarity with him so neither will God bid a prophane person draw nigh unto him Gods favour and a presumption in sinne cannot consist together When David had plunged himself into those foul sins you see what darkness did cover him immediately he complaineth for want of joy that God had hid his face that his bones were broken and what was it but sin that did throw his soul into this hot fiery furnace 3. Meditate much on Evangelical Truths and the Gospel-Doctrine that is delivered in Scripture For as it is the Law of God as revealed in the Scripture that makes a mans sin to appear out of measure sinful by that pure glass he seeth himself more monstrous and deformed a thousand times then ever he apprehended himself so by diligent inspection into and consideration of the glorious things of the Gospel we see a more easie and more probable way for assurance of Gods love then otherwise we would It 's not therefore the duty of Gods people to be only poring upon their sins to be alwayes applying the Law to themselves but they are also to behold the glorious riches of Gods grace in the Gospel Though Paul was often cast down with the sense of his sin judging himself the chiefest of all sinners and less then the least of all Saints yet this doth not drive him from Christ but rather the more to him hence none speaks so vigorously and cordially about Christ as Paul doth According to those objects we often meditate upon we are apt to be affected and even transformed into them If therefore we desire to know nothing but Jesus Christ crucified if we daily possesse our selves with the unspeakable love of Christ in dying for us if we often are caught up into this Paradise as it were this love like fire will cause sweet meltings and liquefactions of the soul and if the cold hard iron can by the fire be even assimulated unto it so that its natural coldness and untractableness is removed it doth not so much appear iron as fire no wonder if the gracious love of God plentifully poured out upon the soul doth make the soul full of unspeakable joy and consolations in the sense of it As therefore Abraham would not consider the dead womb of Sarah but the power and promise of God so neither do thou only consider the guilt and evil of thy soul but also the glorious promises and unsearchable riches of grace manifested in the Gospel The Apostle speaketh notably to this 2 Cor. 3.17 18. We all beholding as in a glasse the glory of the Lord viz. revealed in Christ by the Gospel are changed from glory to glory from grace to grace by the Spirit of God that as in heaven the beatifical vision of God doth fill the soul with all purity and joy Thus the beholding of him by faith as manifested in the Gospel doth produce lively and cordial refreshments of soul by the sense of his love 4. Consider that the apprehension and discovery of Gods love to thee is far more noble and comfortable then the discovery of thy love to God Thou mayest take far more joy in the sense of Gods love to thee then of thy love to God for Gods love to thee is the fountain and womb of all the mercies thou enjoyest were it not for Gods love to thee thy love to him would not advantage thee at all Again when thou discoverest thy love to God thou findest it clogged with many imperfections it may sad and grieve thee because of the defects adhering thereunto as well as encourage and comfort thee But the love of God apprehended is infinite and perfect there are no imperfections at all Gods love cannot be bettered and made a more noble and full love to thee Again thou needest Gods love but he doth not need thine he commands thee to love him not that he wants thy love
15 16 463 Acts. 17 23 91 17 27 585 20 27 424 26 22 388 Romans 1 21 92 1 17 174 6 19 206 9 5 99 10 2 77 12 1 456 12 10 431 1 Corinthians 1 14 115 1 2 516 2 17 424 3 8 563 6 20 257 6 7 587 8 4 5 90 8 2 94 11 19 389 15 22 44 15 47 435 2 Corinthians 2 15 348 4 6 606 5 16 334 11 20 17 Galatians 1 4 175 3 28 524 4 16 430 6 17 126 Ephesians 2 2 189 2 3 363 4 1 3 4 571 5 2 502 Philippians 2 10 28 2 2 407 2 15 514 3 1 401 3 20 454 3 9 549 4 18 502 Colossians 1 16 150 2 20 45 2 20 171 2 5 596 2 9 629 2 19 635 3 1 454 1 Thessalonians 2 13 478 2 Thessalonians 1 3 189 3 2 254 1 Timothy 1 16 532 4 16 484 5 10 424 6 20 424 6 2 526 2 Timothy 1 9 149 1 9 533 3 16 390 3 15 479 Hebrews 2 7 46 4 9 126 5 14 633 10 29 464 11 26 32 11 24 18 11 3 155 13 18 151 James 2 11 201 4 3 7 4 6 153 5 16 141 1 Peter 1 3 146 1 5 307 1 23 24 479 2 20 554 2 7 686 4 18 355 4 12 389 4 14 15   16. 421 2 Peter 1 6 273 3 17 316 3 12 456 1 John 2 20 513 2 2 278 2 19 360 3 8 344 3 19 552 5 16 230 3 John  2 460 Jude  3 316 Revelation 3 4 364 21 27 364 22 12 464 FINIS * Of the reason why Christ imposed on some new names see Casauâ— ad Annal. Exerc. 13. In his Apology pag. 8. To all Instructions and Consolations Praier is necessary for their good effect Reasons I. On Gods part 1. God is the sole fountain and authour of all grace 2. That all the praise may redound to him 3. Because God in anger many times doth blast the Word to men for their sins II. From the nature of Preaching and what kinde of cause the Word is of conversion 1. The Word converts not necessarily 2. Nor as a natural cause 3. It s efficacy is only by Gods Institution according to his command and good pleasure III. Because of mans inability to what is good Vse Doct. That all our praiers should come from a spiritual and heavenly heart The requisites to spiritual praier 1. The Spirits enabling and moving the soul to this duty 2. An heavenly heart 3. When the heart and affections are purified and made fit for the enjoyment of God 4. Heavenly praier moveth the heart to more love and delight in heavenly things Vse Why we should pray with the tongue In vocal praier there must be a threefold attention How Christ being God could pray Doct. That all the godly are under the benefit of Christs Mediatory praier I. The matter of Christs praier for his Children 1. All grace 2. Pardon of sin 3. 4. Glorification II. The nature of his praier by way of Mediation III. The dignity of the Person praying IV. His relation to God the Father Whether Christ was heard in every thing he praied for or no. V. Christs praier had all the qualifications requisite to acceptation VI. A condition or medium of good things Why Praier is needfull notwithstanding Gods knowledge and unchangeableness VII Christs praier sanctifieth our praiers Doct. Those praiers successefull that are put up to God as a Father To open this Consider 1. All by nature are in a state of enmity against God 2. The state of Sonship is purchased by Christ 3. We cannot call God Father but by the Spirit of Adoption What frame of heart this compellation Father may breed in every childe of God Why the Title Father so much prevails with God Vse Doct. That God doth appoint times and seasons for his great works I. In relation to Christ II. Gods other dispensations 1. A time is set for the Reformation of his Church 2. God lets wicked men have their time 3. A set time for judgement 4. The hour of every mans death is set 5. There is a remarkable set time of grace wherein God may be found 6. The times of the Churches troubles and deliverances are set Vse How Christ who is God can be glorified Whether Christ did merit glory for himself Doct. It was the holy and wise will of God to glorifie Christ Christs being invested with glory redounds to the advantage of his members 1. It 's a demonstration of his conquest over all our enemies 2. Because of rhat near relation that is between us 3. His glorification a cause of ours 4. In his glorified estaâ—e he is pleading for us 5. It encourageth us to lift up our hearts to heaven The nature of this glory which Christ praied for There were three degrees to it Wherein this glory of Christ doth consist Doct. We should desire comforts and advantages chiefly that God may be glorified I. Christ did so 1. In his humiliation 2. In his exaltation II. Much more should all men be affected more with Gods glory then their own good The goods of a godly man 1. Heavenly 2. Earthly The principles constituent of such a gracious disposition 1. He must be born again that can do it 2. He must have great love to God 3. And be mortified to the world Reasons 1. God doth all things for his own glory 2. From the nature of Gods glory and all earthly comforts respectively 3. Because of the greatnesse of Gods glory and the value of it 4. Else we are guilty of spirituall Idolatry Vse The Text vindicated against 1. The Arians 2. The Ubiquitarian Lutherans 3. Papists Doct. Observe these particulars to clear the nature of Christs power I. Christs dominion universal II. The administration of Christs power is by his Spirit III. Of Christs dominion over the consciences of men IV. The chief effects of Christs power are spirituall V. It is infinite power VI. It is arbitrary in the use of it In what particulars Christs dominion appears 1. In appointing a Ministry for the conversion of souls 2. In giving successe to the means of grace III. Enlightning the Understanding IV. V. The Fountain of Grace VI. The giver of glory VII Forgive and pardon sin VII The great Law-giver IX And supporter and comforter of his people X. The Judge of the world XI And the subduer of his and his Churches enemies Vse 2. Vse 3. Vse 4. Vse 5. Vse 6. Vse of Consolation Doct. That not all but some of mankinde are given by God the Father to Christ to be redeemed by him How warily the doctrine of predestination should be preached The Doctrine repeated Corollaries from hence I. From the Father giving 1. The Father is the original Fountain of all good 2. That the Father expects the salvation of those he hath given to Christ 3. No cause to doubt of Gods accepting of Christs Mediation 4. All that the Father gives to Christ shall