if I have not those strong and earnest desires I answer yet keep not off from Prayer for 1. Good desires must be asked of God for it is said he prepareth the Heart 2. Such desires as we have must be expressed and that is the way to encrease them and to quicken us more A sincere Heart that would serve God with his best findeth more in a duty than he could expect and by Praying gets more of the fervency and Ardours of praying as a Bell may be long a raising but when it is up it jangleth not as it did at first 3. Those cold Affections which we have are killed by disuse and turning away from God therefore go to him to get thy heart warmed II. Of the second Consideration If he prayed for this Transfiguration Observe That God often answereth his People in the very time while they are praying Isa. 58. 9. When they call I will answer and when they cry he shall say Hear I am This hath been the course of Gods dealing with the Prayer makers all along Abel Gen. 4. 4. God had respect to it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 set his offering on fire Daniel prayeth and saith he Dan. 9. 21. While I was speaking in Prayer the Angel Gabriel was sent unto me And he said at the beginning of thy supplications the commandment came forth While many of the Disciples were gathered together praying God sent Peter to them Acts 12. 12 13. While Cornelius was in the Act of Prayer at the ninth hour of the day which was the Hour of Prayer he saw in a Vision the Angel of God Acts 10. 3. to 9th ver while Peter went up to the house top to pray then he had the Heavenly Vision so when Paul was in Prayer Ananias was sent to him Acts 9. 11. Behold he Prayeth and then God taketh care of him so Acts 4. 31. When they had prayed the house was shaken and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost Thus God delighteth to Honour his own Ordinance and to reward the waiting soul that is frequent and constant in this way of waiting upon God which should encourage us to be more frequent and serious in this work You shall see how in the very Act of Prayer God hath 1. Averted Iudgments 2. Bestowed Mercies and Favours 1. He hath put a stop to Judgments Psal. 99. 6 7 8. Moses and Aaron among the priests and Samuel among them that call upon his Name They called upon the Lord and he answered them he spake unto them in the cloudy pillar they kept his testimonies and the ordinance that he gave them Thou answerest them Oh Lord our God thou wast a God that forgavest them though thou tookest Vengeance of their Inventions The drift of the Psalmist in this place is to shew by eminent Instances of Holy Men that were most notable for Prayer how they have stopped Judgments when they begun to be executed Moses at his Prayer God was propitiated after the provocation of the Golden Calf for it is said Exod. 32. 11. Moses besought the Lord his God Verse 14. The Lord repented of the evil which he thought to do The second Aarons making an Atonement for the People whereby the Plague was staid Numb 16. 46. Take a Censer quickly for wrath is begun And Verse 48. presently the Plague was staid upon Samuels prayer the Philistines were discomfited when they were over-running Israel 1 Sam. 7. 5. with 9 10. ver With every one of these God was pleased to talk and commune as a Friend such Honour was God pleased to put on these his Faithful Servants and when the people had provoked God and Gods wrath was already gone out against them for their crying sins their prayers were so effectual as to divert the plagues and obtain Remission 2. So powerful also are they for obtaining Blessings Elijah Iam. 5. 17 18. though a man of like passions with us yet he could lock Heaven and open it at his pleasure 1 King 18. 42 45. The Rain came as soon as Elijah put himself into a zealous posture to obtain it Often success hath overtaken the prayer and the Blessing has been gotten before the supplication hath been ended Isaac went out to meet with God to meditate or pray and he espied Rebecca afar off Isa. 65. 24. Before they call I will answer and whilst they are yet speaking I will hear Oh therefore let us not entertain hard thoughts of God as if he did not regard our suites and requests and prayer were a lost Labour II. I come now to the Transfiguration it self as it is here propounded and explained Doct. That one necessary and solemn Act of Christs Mediation and Manifestation to the World was his Transfiguration before competent Witnesses This was one solemn Act and part of Christs Manifestation to the World for we have the Record of it here and it was necessary for Christ doth nothing in vain and here are competent Witnesses three persons of eminent Holiness before whom all this was done and they were Eye-witnesses of his Majesty and Ear-witnesses of the Oracle which they heard from Heaven or the Voice from the excellent Glory I shall open First The Nature of this Transfiguration Secondly The Ends of it First The Nature of this Transfiguration It was a Glorious Alteration in the Appearance and Qualities of his Body not a substantial Alteration in the Substance of it It was not a change wrought in the Essential form and substance of Christ's Body but onely the outward form was changed being more full of Glory and Majesty then it used to be or appeared to be Two things are to be handled 1. How it differed from his Body at another time whilst he Conversed here on Earth 2. How this change differed from the State of his Body as it is now in Glory 1. How his Body now Transfigured differed from his Body at other times during his Conversing with Men. Though the fulness of the Godhead dwelt in him always yet the state of his Body was disposed so as might best serve for the decency of Humane Conversation as the Sun in a Rainy Cloudy day is not seen but now as it might cover his Divine Nature it would break out in Vigor and Strength 1. It was not a Change or Alteration of the substance of the Body as if it were turned into a Spiritual Substance no it remained still a true Humane Mortal Body with the same Nature and Properties it had before onely it became bright and glorious 2. As the substance of the Body was not changed so the Natural Shape and Features were not changed otherwise how could it be known to be Christ the shape and Features were the same onely a new and wonderful splendor put upon them 3. This new and wonderful splendor was not in Imagination and Appearance onely but real and sensible If it had been in Imagination shew and Appearance it would make Christ like those Deceivers who would dazle
O full of subtilty and all mischief thou child of the devil thou enemy of all righteousness wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord Open Blasphemy must be abhorred and needeth not onely a Confutation but a Rebuke Besides it was an impudent demand of Satan to require Adoration from him to whom Adoration is due from every Creature to ask him to bow down before him to whom every knee must bow and therefore a bold temptation must have a peremptory Answer There is no mincing in such cases It is no way contrary to that Lenity that was in Christ and it teacheth us in such open cases of Blasphemy and downright sin not to parley with the Devil but to defie him 2. By way of Confutation for it is written thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serve Where observe 1. Christ answereth to the main point not to by matters He doth not dispute the devils title nor debate the reality of his promises to do this would tacitly imply a likeing of the temptation No but he disproveth the evil of the suggestion from this unclean and proud spirit A better answer could not be given unto the tempter So that herein we see the Wisdom of Christ which teacheth us to pass by impertinent matters and to speak expresly to the cause in hand in all our debates with Satan and his instruments 2. He citeth Scripture and thereby teacheth that the Word of God laid up in the heart and used pertinently will ward off the blows of every temptation This weapon Christ used all along with success and therefore it is well called the Sword of the spirit Eph. 6. 17. It is a sword and so a weapon both offensive and defensive Heb. 4. 12. The Word of God is quick and powerful sharper then any two edged sword piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit and of the joynts and marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart And a sword of the spirit because the spirit is the Author of it 2 Pet. 1. 21. Holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost he formed and fashioned this weapon for us and because its efficacy dependeth on the spirit who timously bringeth it to our remembrance and doth enliven the word and maketh it effectual Therefore it teacheth us to be much acquainted with the Lords written Word The timely calling to mind of a word in Scripture is better than all other Arguments a word forbidding or threatning such an evil Psal. 119. 11. Thy word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against thee pressing the practice of such a duty when we are slow of heart Psal. 119. 50. Thy word hath quickned me or a word speaking encouragement to the soul exercised with such a Cross Heb. 12. 5. Ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto Children my son despise not thou the chastening of the Lord nor faint when thou art rebuked of him Psal. 119. 92. Unless thy Law had been my delight I should then have perished in mine affliction still it breaketh the strength of the temptation whatsoever it be 3. The words are cited out of the book of Deuteronomy Indeed out of that book all Christs answers are taken which sheweth us the excellency of that book It was of great esteem among the Jews and it should be so among all Christians and it will be so of all that read it attentively The Church could not have wanted it 4. The places out of which it is cited are two Deut. 6. 13. Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God and serve him and swear by his name And again Deut. 10. 20. Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God and serve him and to him shalt thou cleave Christ according to the Septuagint thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serve 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 only which is emphatical seemeth to be added to the Text but it is necessarily implyed in the words of Moses for his Scope was to bind the people to the fear and worship of one God None was so wicked and prophane as to deny that God was to be feared and worshipped but many might think that either the Creatures or the gods of the Gentiles might be taken into fellowship of this Reverence and Adoration him is only him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is exclusive if 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were left out See the place Deut. 6. 13 14. Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God and serve him and shalt swear by his name ye shall not go after other gods of the gods of the people which are round about you And in other places it is exprest as 1 Sam. 7. 3. If you prepare your hearts unto the Lord and serve him only The devil excepts not against this Interpretation as being fully convinced and silenced by it And it is a known story that this was the cause why the Pagans would not admit the God of the Jews as revealed in the Old Testament or Christ as revealed in the New to be an object of Adoration because he would be worshipped alone all other Deities excluded The gods of the Heathens were good-fellow-gods would admit partnership as common Whores are less jealous then the marryed Wife though their Lovers went to never so many besides themselves yet to them it was all one whensoever they returned to them and brought their Gifts and Offerings 5. In this place quoted by our Saviour there is imployed a distinction of inward and outward Worship Fear is for inward Worship serve is for outward Worship and the Profession of the same Fear in Moses is expounded Worship by Christ so Mat. 15. 9. compared with Isa. 29. 13. In vain do they Worship me teaching for Doctrines the Commandments of Men but in the Prophet it is their fear towards me is taught by the precepts of men He that worshippeth feareth and reverenceth what he worshippeth or else all his worship is but a complement and empty formality So that the Fear of God is that reverence and estimation that we have of God the serving of God is the necessary effect and fruit of it for service is an open Testimony of our reverence and worship In this place you have worship and service both which are due to God onely But that you may perceive the force of our Saviours Argument and also of this precept I shall a little dilate on the word service what the Scripture intendeth thereby Satan saith bow down and worship me Christ saith Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serve Under service Prayer and Thanksgiving is comprehended Isa. 44. 17. And the residue thereof he maketh a God even his graven Image and he falleth down unto it and worshippeth it and prayeth unto it and saith deliver me for thou art my God This is one of the external acts whereby the Idolater
that God is and that he ought to be worshipped It appeareth by our Saviours reasoning Iohn 4. 24. God is a spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in Truth He giveth directions about the manner of worship but supposeth it that he will be worshipped When God had proclaimed his name and manifested himself to Moses Exod. 34. 8. Moses made hast and bowed himself and worshipped It is the crime charged upon the Gentiles that when they knew God they glorified him not as God Rom. 1. 21. They knew a divine power but did not give him a worship at lest competent to his nature God pleadeth his right Mal. 1. 6. If I be a Father where is mine honour If I be a master where is my fear And God who is the common Parent and absolute Master of all must have both a Worship and Honour in which Reverence and Fear is mixed with Love and Joy So that if God be worship is certainly due to him They that have no worship are as if they had no God The Psalmist proveth Atheism by that Psal. 14. 1. The fool hath said in his heart there is no God and ver 4. They call not upon God The acknowledgement of a King doth imply subjection to his Laws so doth the acknowledgment of his God imply a necessity of worshipping him III. That both Worship and Service is due to God him shalt thou worship and him shalt thou serve The worship of God is both Internal and External The Internal consisteth in that Love and Reverence which we owe to him the External in those offices and duties by which our honour and respect to God is signified and expressed Both are necessary both believing with the heart and confession with the Mouth Rom. 10. 9 10. If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Iesus and shalt believe in thy heart that God raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved For with the heart man believeth unto Righteousness and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation The soul and life of our Worship and Godliness lyeth in our Faith Love Reverence and Delight in God above all other things the visible expression of it is in Invocation Thanksgiving Prayers and Sacraments and other Acts of outward Worship Now it is not enough that we own God with the Heart but we must own him with the Body also In the Heart serve the Lord with fear and rejoyce with trembling Psal. 2. 11. Such as will become the Greatness and Goodness of God with outward and bodily worship you must now own him in all those prescribed duties in which these Affections are acted The spirit must be in it and the body also There are two extreams some confine all their respect to God to bodily worship and external Forms Mat. 16. 8. This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth and honoureth me with their lips but their hearts are far from me They use the external Rites of worship but their Affections are no way suited to the God whom they Worship It is the Heart must be the principal and chief Agent in the business without which it is but the carcass of a duty without the life and the soul. The other Extream is that we are not called to an external bodily worship under the Gospel why did he then appoint the Ordinances of Preaching Prayer Singing of Psalmes Baptisme and the Lords Supper God that made the whole man body and soul must be worshipped of the whole man Therefore besides the inward Affections there must be external Actions whereby we express our Respect and Reverence to God IV. That both these Religious Worship and Service are due to God alone I prove it by these Arguments 1. Those things which are due to God as God are due to him alone and no Creature without Sacriledge can claim any part and fellowship in that Worship and Adoration neither can it be given to any Creature without Idolatry but now Religious worship and service is due to God as God he is thy Lord and worship thou him Psal. 45. 11. Our worship and service is due to him not onely for his supereminent Excellency but because of our Creation Preservation and Redemption Therefore we must worship and serve him and him onely Isa. 42. 8. I am the Lord that is my name and my glory will I not give to another nor my praise to graven Images God challengeth it as Jehovah the great self-being from whom we have received Life and Breath and all things This Glory God will not suffer to be given to another And therefore the Apostle sheweth the wretched estate of the Galatians Chap. 4. 8. When ye knew not God ye did service to them that by nature are no Gods that is they worshipped for Gods those things which really were no Gods There is no kind of Religious worship or service under any name whatsoever to be given to any Creature but to God only for what is due to the Creator as Creator cannot be given to the Creature 2. The nature of Religious worship is such that it cannot be terminated on any Object but God for it is a profession of our Dependance and Subjection Now whatever invisible Power this worship is tendered unto must be Omniscient Omnipresent Omnipotent Omniscient who knowes the Thoughts Cogitations secret purposes of our heart which God alone doth 1 King 8. 39. Give unto every one according to his ways whose heart thou knowest for thou even thou onely knowest the hearts of all the children of Men. It is Gods Prerogative to know the inward motions and thoughts of the heart whether they be sincere or no in their professions of dependance and subjection So Omnipresent that he may be ready at hand to help us and relieve us Ier. 23. 23 24. Am I a God at hand and not a God afar of can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him saith the Lord do not I fill heaven and earth saith the Lord. The Palace of Heaven doth not so confine him and inclose him but that he is present every where by his essential presence and powerful and efficacious Providence Besides Omnipotent Psal. 57. 2. I will cry unto God most high unto God who performeth all things for me Alass what a cold formality were prayer if we should speak to those that know us not and who are not near to help us or have no sufficiency of power to help us Therefore these professions of dependance and subjection must be made to God alone 3. To give Religious Worship to the Creatures it is without command without promise and without Examples and therefore without any Faith in the Worshipper or acceptance of God Where is there any command or direction or approved example of this in Scripture God will accept onely what he commanded and without a promise it will be unprofitable to us and it is a superstitious Innovation of our own to devise any
Religious Worship for which there is no example at all whereby it may be recommended to us Certainly no Action can be commended to us as Godly which is not prescribed of God by whose Word and Institution every Action is sanctified which otherwise would be common and no Action can be profitable to us which God hath not promised to accept or hath accepted from his people But giving Religious worship to a Creature is of this Nature 4. It is against the express command of God the Threatning of Scripture and the Examples recorded in the Word Against express command of God both the first and second Commandments the one respecting the Object the other the Means That we must not serve other Gods nor go after them nor bow down unto them It is against the Threatnings of the Word in all those places where God is said to be a Iealous God God is said to put on jealousie as a cloke Isa. 59. 17. That is the upper and outmost Garment He will be known and plainly profess himself to be so So Exod. 34. 14. The Lord whose name is jealous is a jealous God Things are distinguished from the same kind by their Names as from different kinds by their Natures Now from the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God will be distinguished by his Jealousie that he will not endure any partners in his Worship It is against Examples Rev. 19. 10. and 22. 8. When I had heard and seen I fell down to worship before the feet of the Angel which shewed me these things And he said unto me see thou do it not c. the Argument is I am thy fellow-servant and of thy brethren the prophets and of them which keep the sayings of this book worship God USE 1. To condemn those who do not make conscience of the Worship of God There are an irreligious sort of Men that never call upon him in publick or in private in the Family or in the Closet but wholly forget the God that made them at whose expence they are maintained and kept Wherefore had you reasonable Souls but to praise honour and glorifie your Creator Surely if God be your God that is your Creator and Preserver the duty will presently fall upon you thou shalt worship the Lord thy God If you believe there is a God why do not you call upon him the neglect of his worship argueth doubting thoughts of his Being For if there be such a supream Lord to whom one day you must give an account how dare you live without him in the World all the Creatures glorifie him passively but you have a heart and a tongue to glorifie him actually Man is the mouth of the Creation to return to God the praise of all that Wisdom Goodness and Power which is seen in the things that are made Now you should make one among the worshippers of God An Heathen could say si essem luscinia c. Are you a Christian and have such advantages to know more of God And will you be dumb and tongue-tyed in his praises 2 To condemn the Idolatry of the Papists Synesius said that the Devil is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he rejoyceth in Idols Here we see what was the upshot of his Temptations even to bring men to worship and bow down before something that is not God Herein he was gratified by the Heathen Nations and no less by the Papists witness their worshipping of Images their Invocation of the Virgin Mary and other Saints the adoring before the Bread in the Eucharist c. I know they have many Evasions but yet the stain of Idolatry sticketh so close to them that all the water in the Sea will not wash them clean from it This Text clearly stareth them in the face Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serve Not Saints not Angels not Images c. They say Moses onely said and Christ repeateth it from him Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God but not onely so that the last clause is restrictive not the first but some worship may be given to the creature Civil we grant but not Religious and Worship is the most important word They distinguish of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the devil demanded of Christ onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fall down and worship me not as the supream Author of all Gods Gifts but as subordinate all these things are delivered unto me but then Christs words were not apposite to refute the Tempters Impudency Besides for the distinction of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the words are promiscuously used so their distinction of Absolute and Relative Worship besides that they are groundless they are unknown to the Vulgar who promiscuously give Worship to God Saints Images Relicts Some of the Learned of them have confessed this abuse and bewailed it Espencaeus a Sorbonist Are they well and godly brought up who being children of an hundred year old that is ancient Christians do no less attribute to the Saints and trust in them than to God himself and that God himself is harder to be pleased and intreated than they So George Cassander This false pernitious Opinion is too well known to have prevailed among the Vulgar while wicked men persevering in their naughtiness are perswaded that only by the Intercession of the Saints whom they have chosen to be their Patrons and worship with cold and prophane Ceremonies they have pardon and Grace prepared them with God which pernicious Opinion as much as was possible hath been confirmed by them by lying Miracles and other men not so evil have chosen certain Saints to be their Patrons and Helpers have put more confidence in their Merits and Intercession than in the Merits of Christ and have substituted into his place the Saints Virgin Mother Ludovicus Vives There are many Christians which worship Saints both Men and Women no otherwise than they worship God and I cannot see any difference between the opinion they had of their Saints and that the Gentiles had of their Gods Thus far he and yet Rome will not be purged 3. Use is to exhort us to worship and serve the Lord our God and him onely 1. Let us worship him Worship hath its rise and foundation in the heart of the worshipper and especially Religious worship which is given to the All-knowing God Therefore there must we begin we must have high thoughts and an high esteem of God Worship in the Heart is most seen in two things Love and Trust. Love Deut. 6. 5. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul and with all thy might We worship God when we give him such a Love as is superlative and transcendental far above the love that we give to any other thing that so our respect to other things may give way to our respect to God The other Affection whereby we express our esteem of God
chearfulness of countenance guilt and shame cast down the countenance but Righteousness and Wisdom embolden it more particularly in prayer as our confidence and joy in God is increased it bewrayeth it self in the countenance Psal. 34. 15. They looked unto him and were lightned and their faces were not ashamed they are revived and incouraged and come away from the Throne of Grace other manner of Persons then they came to it 3. That some kind of Transformation is wrought by prayer appeareth by these Considerations 1. That as God is glorious in himself so he maketh him that cometh to him partaker of his Glory For certainly all communion with God breedeth some Assimilation and likeness unto God it is clear in heavenly glory when we see him as he is we shall be like him 1 Iohn 3. 2. and it is clear also in our Communion with him in the Spirit for the Apostle telleth us that by beholding the Glory of the Lord as in a glass we are changed into the same Image from glory to glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord 2 Cor. 3. 18. not onely doth vision or immediate intuition produce this effect but also spiritual specular vision or a sight of God in the Ordinances produces a divine and God-like Nature inclining us to hate sin and love Righteousness the more we are above with God the more we are like him we see it in ordinary converse a man is as the company that he keepeth he that walketh with wise men shall be wise saith Solomon but a companion of fools shall be destroyed Prov. 13. 20. now it is not imaginable that a man should converse often with God fervently seriously and not be more like him He that liveth in a Mill the dust will stick upon his clothes Man receiveth an insensible taint from his company he that liveth in a shop of Perfumes often handleth them is conversant among them carryeth away somewhat of the fragrancy of these good Ointments so by conversing with God we are made like him 2. Nearer we cannot come to God while we dwell in Flesh then by lifting up the heart to him in fervent prayer this is the intimate converse and familiarity of a loving soul with God therefore it is called a lifting up the heart to God he will not come down to us therefore we lift up the heart to him Lament 3. 41. Let us lift up our hearts with our hands to God in the Heavens so Psal. 25. 1. Unto thee O Lord do I lift up my soul and Psalm 86. 4. Rejoyce the soul of thy servant for unto thee do I lift up my soul so Psalm 143. 8. cause me to know the way wherein I should walk for I lift up my soul unto thee All these places shew that there can be no sincerity and seriousness in this Duty unless there be this Ascension of the soul to God it is an act of spiritual Friendship therefore called an acquainting our selves with God Iob 22. 21. now as acquaintance is kept up by frequent visits so prayer is called a giving God a visit Isa. 26. 16. In their trouble they have visited thee Well then here is the greatest intimacy we have with God In the word God speaks to us by a proxy and Ambassador another speaketh for him in the Lords Supper we are feasted at his cost and remember him but we are not admitted into his immediate presence as those that are feasted by the King in another room then he dineth in but prayer goeth up to God and speaketh to himself immediately and therefore this way of commerce must needs bring in much of God to the soul. 3. In fervent prayer we have a double advantage we get a sight of God and exercise strong love to God and both conduce to make us like God 1. We get a sight of God for in it if it be seriously performed we turn our back upon all other things that we may look to God as sitting upon the Throne governing all things by his power for his Glory By Faith we see the invisible one Heb. 11. 27. surely if we do not see God before the eye of our Faith when we pray to him we Worship an Idol not the true and living God who is and is a Rewarder of them that diligently seek him Our hearts should be shut up against the thoughts of any other thing and confined only to the object to whom we direct our Worship I reason thus if a Christian foreseeth the Lord before him in all his wayes and keepeth alwayes as in his eye and presence surely he should set the Lord before him in his Worship and in his prayers Psalm 16. 8. a good Christian doth always keep as in Gods eye and presence much more when he calleth upon his Name now every sight of God doth more affect and change the heart as none but the pure in heart see God so none see God but are most pure in heart there is a self-purifying in moral things purity of heart maketh way for the sight of God Mark 5. 8. so the sight of God maketh way for the purity of Heart Iohn Epist. 3. 11. He that doth evil hath not seen God a serious sight of God certainly worketh some change in us 2. In prayer a strong love to God is acted for it is the expression of our delight in him Iob 27. 10. Will he delight himself in the Almighty Will he alwayes call upon God Now we are changed into the likeness of him in whom we delight in Love transformeth and changeth us into the nature of what is loved there is the difference between the Mind and the Will the Mind draweth things to its-self but the Will followeth the things it chooseth and is drawn by them as the wax receiveth the impression of the Seal Carnal objects make us carnal and earthly things earthly and Heavenly things Heavenly and the love of God Godly Psal. 115. 8. They that make them are like unto them so are all they that put their trust in them stupid and senseless as Idols it secretly stamps the heart with what we like and esteem and admire 4. There are Agents in Prayer to help us to improve this advantage 1. The Humane Spirit 2. The New Nature And 3. The Spirit of God 1. The Humane Spirit or our Natural Faculty so that by our understandings we may work upon our Wills and Affections surely God maketh use of this for the Holy Ghost doth not work upon a man as upon a block and we are to rouze up our selves and to attend upon this work with the greatest seriousness imaginable The Prophet complains Isa. 64. 7. There is none that calleth upon thy name that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee without this it is but dead and cold work and if there be no more than this it is but dry litteral work not that fervent effectual prayer which will change the heart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iam. 5. 16. the
will put my words into his mouth and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him and whosoever will not hearken unto him I will require it of him Which cannot be understood of any other Prophet but Christ the Messiah for it is said Deut. 34. 10 11. There arose not a Prophet in Israel like unto Moses who knew the Lord face to face in all the miracles and wonders which the Lord sent him to do But the Messias doth match and overmatch him he was a Man as Moses was for the Promise was made on that occasion let me hear the Voice of the Lord God no more nor see this great Fire that we dye not saith God they have well spoken I will raise up a Prophet like unto thee from among their Brethren he must be a Law-giver as Moses but of a more perfect Law he must be such an One as should see God face to face he is of a Divine Nature approved to the World by Miracles Signs and Wonders As Moses was so Christ Moses divided the Sea as dry Land Christ walked upon it Moses healed the bitter Waters that were sick Christ raised the dead All the prejudice is that he changed the Law of Moses into the Rites and Institutes of the Christian Religion Answ. That was necessary the substance being once come that the Shadowes and Ceremonies should be abolished and besides these were proper and peculiar to one Nation in the World namely Iudaea the Exercise permitted but in one only place of that Country namely Ierusalem whither they were all to repair three times each year but the Messias Law was to be common to all men serves for all Countries Times Places Persons for he was to be the Light of the Gentiles as well as the Glory of his people Israel how should Nations so far distant from Ierusalem repair thrice every year or a Woman dwelling in England or America repair thither for purification after every Child-birth Lev. 12. When Moses delivered the Law to them Deut. 18. 15. The Lord thy God will raise thee up a Prophet like unto me unto him shalt thou hearken And the Prophets when they prophesie of his Law Isa. 2. 3. The Law shall go forth out of Sion and the word of God from Ierusalem Moses's Law was published from Sinai not from Sion but the preaching of the Gospel begun at Ierusalem and from thence was spread over all the World Again it is said Isa. 42. 4. The Isles shall wait for his Law that is the Maritime Countries I pursue it no farther now 2. To us Christians Our Religion is true Oh let us be true in the profession of it otherwise it will little help us in the day of our Accounts 2 Thes. 1. 8. Taking vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Iesus Christ. You stand upon the Vantage-ground but are not Taller in Stature than Heathens and Iews Disciples in Name not in Deed Ioh. 8. 31. If ye continue in my words then are ye my disciples indeed Christians of Letter not of the Spirit Oh Reverence Christ if Moses and Elias did him Homage When we have found Truth let us look after Life and having owned the true Religion express the Power of it II. The next thing we learn is the Necessity and Value of Christs Death For Moses and Elias insist upon his Decease at Ierusalem which quite contradicteth the Iewish deceit and establisheth the Christian Hope The Death of Christ for our Redemption is the great Article of the Christian Faith the thing foretold and prefigured by Law and Prophets Luk. 24. 44. and the ground of our Comfort and Peace Isa. 53. 4 5. Surely he hath born our griefs and carried our sorrows yet we did esteem him stricken smitten of God and afflicted But he was wounded for our Transgressions he was bruised for our Iniquities the chastisement of our Peace was upon him and with his stripes are we healed Let us Consider 1. The Notions by which Christs Death is set forth 2. The Necessity of it First The Notions by which Christs death is set forth Two solemn ones A Ransom And A Mediatorial Sacrifice 1. A Ransom 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. 20. 28. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Tim. 2. 6. Who gave himself a Ransom for all A Ransome is a Price given to a Judge or one that hath power of life and death for to save the life of one capitally Guilty or by Law bound to suffer death or some other evil and punishment This was our Case God was the supream Judge before whose Tribunal Man standeth guilty and liable to death but Christ interposed that we might be spared Iob 33. 24. deliver him from going down to the Pit for I have found a Ransom There is a Price or Recompence given in our stead 2. A Mediatorial Sacrifice Isa. 53. 3 When thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin Eph. 5. 2. Christ hath loved us and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour He hath undertook the Expiation of our sins and the propitiating of God Gods provoked Justice would not acquit the Controversie it had against us till it were appeased by a proper Sacrifice 1 Ioh. 2. 2. He is the propitiation for our sins Secondly The Necessity of it 1. The sins and guilty Fears of Mankind needeth such a Remedy we are naturally sensible that the punishment of death is deserved and due to us by the Law of God Rom. 1. 32. They which commit such things are worthy of death Now these Fears are not easily appeased Micah 6. 6 7. Wherewith shall I come before the Lord and bow my self before the high God shall I come before him with burnt-offerings with calves of a year old Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams or with ten thousands of rivers of Oyle Shall I give my first-horn for my transgression the fruit of my body for the sin of my seul Christ came and died to free us from them that we might serve God chearfully Heb. 2. 14 15. Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood he also himself took part of the same that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death that is the devil Heb. 9. 14. How much more shall the blood of Christ who through the eternal spirit offered himself without spot to God purge your consciences from dead works to serve the living God 2. The Glory of God requires it 1. To declare his Justice Rom. 3. 25 26. Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood to delare his Righteousness for the Remission of sins that are past through the forbearance of God To declare I say at this time his righteousness that he might be just and the justifier of him which believeth in Iesus If God will pardon sin there must be a fit means to