see Brethren together in Vnity All very lovely and amiable c. That which is written without upon the â—alls of your Porch let it be especially ingraven upon the Tables of your Hearts viz. Concordila nutrit Amorem What 's Heaven hereafter but a dwelling together in Vnity Let us begin it and Anticipate it to our selves by dwelling so here These words here in the Text as they lie before us in this present Psalm they seem to be uttered not onely Dogmatically but Narratively not onely as of somewhat to be but as of somewhat which was so indeed in the event And answerably let me beg of you that it may be applyed to your particular persons and your particular Societyes that it may be said occasionally from the seeing and observing of you Behold how good and how pleasant a thing it is in good earnest for Brethren to dwell together in Vnity And you should do it so much the rather as your Example will be ready and likely to provoke many others besides to the like Conversation God having honoured your selves to be the prime and chief Company of the City that which is herein done by you will have an influence upon all other Societies who by your love and concord and Unity and Christian agreement will unite in love amongst themselves And thus it shall indeed prove according to the words of the Text. Like the precious Ointment which was poured upon the head of Aaron and ran down upon the skirts of his Garments or like the dew of Hermon and that descended upon the Mountains of Sion where the Lord will command his Blessing even life for ever more So much may serve for this time and for this Text. SERMON XXVII Psal 139.18 When I awake I am still with thee It is the Great advantage of a Christian which he has above other men that he has his Friends alwayes about him And if the fault be not his own need never to be absent from them In the Friendship and converse of the world we use to say Friends must part and those which have the delight and satisfaction in one anothers Society they must be content to leave it and to be taken off from it But this is the Priviledge of a Believer that undertakes Communion with God that it is possible for him alwayes with Him Again in Humane Converse and Society we know it is ordinary for Friends to dream that they are in Company with one another But when they awake they are a great way off But a Christian that converses with God and has his thoughts fasten'd upon Him When he awakes he is still with him which is that which is here exhibited to us in the Example of the Prophet David THe Explication of this Text in hand does very much depend upon the true and right Notion of one main and principal Term which is considerable in it And that is the word awake which does admit of a Various Interpretation and may be taken especially three manner of wayes In the Natural sense In the Moral sense and in the Mystical First Awaking is sometimes yea most commonly taken in the Natural signification for the recovery from Bodily sleep as Gen. 28.16 it is said of Jacob that he awoke out of his sleep And the like is said also of Sampson in Judg. 16.14 That he awaked in the like manner Secondly Awaking is sometimes also taken Morally as it signifies a recovery from sin Thus it is frequently taken in Scripture as Eph. 5.14 Awake thou that sleepest and stand up from the Dead and Christ shall give the light 1 Cor. 15.34 Awake to righteousness and sin not And in Rom. 13.11 And that knowing the time that now it is high time to awake out of sleep for now is our salvation nearer then when we believed And 2 Tim. 2.26 That they may recover themselves out of the snare of the Divel that they may awake Thirdly Awaking is sometimes also taken in a Mystical signification for the recovery out of a state of Affliction and especially out of a state of Death Thus our Saviour of Lazarus Joh. 11.11 Our friend Lazarus sleepeth but I go that I may awaken him out of sleep which though the Disciples understood of Natural rest as it is there signified yet Jesus meant it of his death as it is there also exprest As Death is a kind of Sleep so is the Resurrection a kind of awaking inanswerableness unto it now we may take this word here in the Text in either of these significations but I shall chiefly fasten upon the former as that which is most genuine and proper and with that will I now begin by taking it in the Natural signification When I awake sayes David that is when I cease from sleep and bodily rest I am still with thee Now there are two things which this holy man does here especially intimate and declare unto us The one is his Disposition and the other is his Priviledge His Disposition in order to Duty and what was required of him And his Priviledge in order to reward and what was vouchsafed unto him we may look upon either of them First Take it as to his Disposition and so there is this in it That it is the care and Indeavour of a Good and Gracius heart when he awakes to be still with God When I awake I am still with thee It is Davids Profession of himself as a Representative of all other good Men. Now it is requisite we should explain what is meant by being with God and how far forth a Christian when he awakes is said to be with him There is some Obscurity both in the Time design'd as also in the state it self which is fasten'd upon it How it is said When I awake And how it is said I am still with thee First For the Time Designed When I awake This may be taken two manner of wayes Hypothetically or Emphatically First It may be taken Hypothetically or Indifferently When I awake that is when I am not asleep and so hindred by the necessities of Nature As if he had said thus There is no time that I doe not injoy thee but when I doe not injoy my self And so it sounds as much as this That a good Christian is continually with God upon all occasions A Godly man is careful to be with God in every performance and in every condition Quando is as much as Quandocunque When that is whensoever A Christian whatever he is doing that is not sinful he is still with God In Solitariness in Company in the Duties of Religion in the works of his Calling yea in his seasonable Refreshments and Recreations when he awakes he is still with God And this again according to a twofold Explication First Dispositive in regard of his Habitual inclination Look as it is with Lovers who bear a strong Affection to each other they are said to be with one another wheresoever they are Anima non est
purpose Such as those they should account themselves not Owners merely but Stewards whom God hath betrusted with such Opportunities as whereby others might be the better for them This is that which they should be so much more effectually perswaded unto from the Examples which are set before them The Commemoration of our several Benefactors is not onely an acknowledgment of the good things which have been done by them but also a Provocation to our selves likewise to do the same or the like as God inables us from the Consideration of their Example going before us As those who are accountable to God not for Rules onely but also for Examples And to Incourage us so much the more herein let us Consider that there is nothing lost by it What ever is done in this kind it is not cast away but Sown and accordingly it shall have a Plentiful Crop and Harvest returned for it God will be in no man's Debt whosoeve he be but whosoever layes out any thing in Obedience to his Commandement he shall receive a full Recompence of it in the accomplishment also of his promise Lastly Ther 's another Remembrance which we may yet further make of God to this Purpose It is God that gives thee power to get Wealth and it is God that gives thee power to loose it and to want it and to be content to be without it The power of Patience and the power of Contentment is of God And indeed it is as Great a Power which is as requisite to the one as to the other to this as to that To be able to say with Holy Job The Lord giveth and the Lord takeeth Blessed be the name of the Lord to be so far sensible of the Reality of all these things here below as of the Reality of better things above to be willing to descend and to come down from a Great Estate without murmuring without Repining without Impatience and Discontent This is also the Gift of God St. Paul had learn'd to want as well as to abound Ther 's an art and Mistery in that also Which is much both to be desired and imbraced And accordingly as any do by Faith waite upon Him for it shall they have this Benefit and Experience of it And so I have done also with the Second General part of the Text as with the whole Text it self Thou shalt Remember the Lord c. SERMON III. Deuter. 11.12 A Land which the Lord thy God careth for The Eyes of the Lord thy God are upon it from the beginning of the Year even to the End of the Year It is a part of the Geat love and kindness of God towards his People not onely to be careful to provide good things forthem but also to give them some assurance of the Goodness of those things which he provides before he bestows them That so they may have them as it were in Hope before in Injoyment and in Expectation before in Fruition Partly thereby to Incourage them in the Customes of their present Obedience And partly thereby also to Satisfy them in the meanness of their present Condition And this is that which we may observe to have to do here in this present Scripture with the People of Israel in reserence to the Land of Canaan which he had provided for them and promised to bring them unto He raises their Hearts and Spirits and Affections and desires after it by giving them beforehand a Comfortable Description of it And this Text which I have now read unto you is a part of this Description Being an Account which is given by Moses of this Land of Promise not onely as the Proper Inheritance of the Children of Isarel but also as a Tipe and Figure of the whole Church of God in all Ages and Generations of the World c. THis Text which we have now before us is an Account which is given by Moses of the Land of Canaan that Land which was a long time promised and at last bestowed upon the Children of Israel not onely as their proper Inheritance but also as a Tipe and Figure of the whole Church of God in all Ages and Generations of the World So that what was true of that Considered in the Literal sense is true of this also in the Mystical and Spiritual Which is that which we shall now principally take notice of at this present time Forasmuch as the bare Letters of it contains in it either very little or no matter at all or at the best that which is but short and Impertinent It is here represented to us under the Notion of a Double Advantage which may serve to make up to us the parts of the Text. First From the Interst which it hath in God's Affection The Land which the Lord thy God careth for Secondly From the Interest which it hath in God's Inspection The Eyes of the Lord thy God are always upon it from c. This is Considerable in the Church of God and such a Land wherein the Church does at any time Continue and Reside We begin with the first of these Parts Namely the Interest which such a Land as this is hath in Gods Affections The Land which the Lord thy God careth for This is true not onely of the Land of Canaan which then was and Considered in the proper sense of it but also of any other Land together with it which is the Place and Residence of the Church and Ordinances and People of God This is Reductively and Interpretatively and Proportionably the Land which the Lord thy God careth for When it is said here that he careth for it this word Care it may admit of a threefold Explication First as a word of Respect He cares for it that is he regards it Secondly as a word of Providence He cares for it that is he looks after it and takes care for it Thirdly as a word of Solicitude He cares for it i. e. is Anxious about it First As a word of Respect The Church of God and such a Land where the Church resides God cares for it that is he regards it and has an Esteem for it It 's Precious and of great Account with him Therefore he is pleased sometimes in Scripture to put such names and Titles as these upon it which do import as much in it of his Portion and Inheritance and Jewels and peculiar Treasure c. Which are such things as in the Course of the World People do commonly care for and set an high value upon them This does God in reference to his Church The Lord Regards and Esteems his Church above all other Lands and Nations in the whole World besides Thus in Psal 132.13.14 The Lord hath chosen Zion he hath defended it for his Habitation This says he This is my Rest for ever Here will I dwell for I have desired it And so again Psal 87.2.3 The Lord loveth the Gates of Zion more then all the Dwellings of Jacob. Glorious things are
this Mercy and that we are inabled so to do it is that which every one cannot do even there where there is Mercy fitted and prepared and provided for him go praise God for that Thirdly That God accepts of this Hope from us and is so well pleased with it in us we have cause to praise him likewise for this to say the Lord be magnified as who rejoyces in the Prosperity so takes pleasure in the Graces of his Servants and that even at such times as he neglects the great thins of the World and in a sort despises them That the Bones of the mighty are oftentimes broken while they that stumbled are girt with strength as Hannah in her Song expresses it 1 Samuel 2.4 And so I have done with these words as in their absolute Consideration so in their Comparative and so with the whole Text it self The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear him in those that hope in his Mercy SERMON XXIX Prov. 3.17 Her wayes are wayes of Pleasantness and all her paths are Peace It is the Nature and Disposition of Artists and those which are of any Mystery or Profession as much as they can to extoll and advance that Profession which they are off and to Commend it to the Consideration of others As Paul of the Ministry of the Gentiles I magnifie mine own Office Rom. 11.13 Every one is ready to magnifie that way which he takes up to Himself above all others whatsover and this as it is observable in other things so amongst the rest especially in Religion and the wayes of Godliness Those which are the Professors of this they desire as much as may be to Commend it and set it forth to the view of other men Wisdom is justified of her Children as our Saviour tells us Thus we may observe it to be here in this Scripture which we have now before us in the Example of the wise man Solomon who being a Son of Wisdome and of special Wisdom especially that is Grace and Holiness and Religion which he here speaks off does in divers Chapters together applaud it and praise it all he can that so thereby he may invite others unto it IN these words we have described unto us the Excellency of Godliness and Religion in two particulars which may serve to make up unto us the parts of the Text. First From it's Pleasure and delight Her wayes are wayes of pleasantness Secondly From it's Tranquility and Quiet And all her paths are peace We begin First of all with the former to wit the description of Godliness from the pleasure and delight which is in it The wayes of Godliness and Religion are exceeding pleasing and delightful wayes they carry a great deal of sweetness and Contentment and pleasantness in them This is the point which is here exhibited unto us and it dâ—â—â— appear out of other places of Scripture likewise as Psal 36.8 David speaking of the Church and members of it sayes That they shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of Gods House and that he would make them to drink of the Rivers of his pleasures And Psal 118.15 The voyce of joy and Salvaton is sayd to be in the Tabernacles of the Righteousness So Psal 97.11 Light is sown for the Righteous and Gladness for the Vpright in Heart Esay 51.11 The redeemed of the Lord shall return and come with singing unto Zion and everlasting joy shall be upon their Head they shall obtain gladness and joy and Sorrow and Mourning shall flee away Esay 64.5 Thou meetest him that rejoyceth and worketh Righteousness where you see they are both joyned together And Galat. 5.22 The fruit of the Spirit is joy Now this Truth it may be further amplyfied and made good to us in sundry particulars which do prove and confirm it unto us There is a great deal of pleasure in Religion in sundry respects Wee 'l take them in that order as they do offer and present themselves to our thoughts As First of all In the work of Grace and Regeneration wrought in the heart All the several Graces of the Spirit and the habits of Sanctification which are in us they do reflect very sweetly upon us and there is a great deal of delight and Contentment to the Soul which does see them in it self Take a man which is full of Lusts and Corruptions which bear sway in him and he is a loathsome and abominable Creature sometimes even in his own Apprehensions A wicked and ungodly man he is in some manner odious to himself and is overcome as I may say now and then even with his own stench like a man which is in filthy Rags and torn and uncomely Garments he does not like himself in them But now on the otherside a good Christian which has the Grace of the Spirit of God in him and the work of the New Creature in his Soul he is so far forth pleasing to himself Grace is a very sweet and odoriferous Qualification as it casts a sweet savor into the Nostrils of all others that stand by it so especially as I may say into the Nostrils of all those that partake of it That Soul which is indued with it is like one that has roll'd himself in a Bed of Spices who is all over sweet and delightful I might set it forth to you in all the resemblances of Comfort and Contentment look whatever it be which in the discovery and discerning of it does usually afford delight to our selves the same may be applyed to the Graces of Gods Spirit and the sanctifying Qualities which are in us not onely as odoures and sweet spices to the smell it 's pleasing to be sensible of them But likewise further as Treasures of Gold and Silver there are many which much delight in them The Rich man when he looks in to his Coffers how much contentment does he take in them even there where others deride him and laughed at him Populus mei sibilat c. Yea but now a Godly man recounting the Graces which are in him has more true comfort and content by far And that 's the First particular wherein Godliness proves so delightful In the work of Regeneration and the habits of the Spirit of God in us Secondly As there 's a sweetness in reflecting upon Grace in the having of it so especially in the Exercise of it Every Grace the more it is improveed carries a delight and pleasurableness in it in what kind soever Therefore the Psalmist tells us that in keeping of Gods Commandments there is great Reward Mark not onely for the keeping but in the keeping be-shomran Psal 19.11 There 's Praemium ante Praemium A reward before the reward even in the thing it self Sutable to the nature of the Grace is the Exhibition of the comfort yea the very Heathen and Moralists themselves so far forth as they exercised vertue and practised that natural goodness which was in them they had some kind of comfort and contentment
dispensations towards the Sons of Men and especially to his own people We have here intimated to us in this passage that care which God takes of his Church which he sometimes calls his Vineyard to provide all things necessary for it especially as are essential to it and within the compass of it self Means of Illumination and Instruction and means of Fructification and Increase and oftentimes does wonderfully work in his providence for it keeping it and defending it from enemies and preserving it from outward dangers and destruction that so this expression in the Text may be in a manner all one with that in another place Isa 5.4 What could I have done more unto my Vineyard that I have not done unto it And it agrees also with that in another in Isa 27.22 In that day sing ye unto her A Vineyard of Red Wine I the Lord do keep it I will water it every moment Lest any hurt it I will keep it night and day And so of Sion which is all one I will abundantly bless her provision I will satisfie her pâ—or with bread I will also cloath her Priests with salvation and her Saints shall shout aloud for joy in Psal 132.15 16. As for Israel which his here mentioned in the Text that particular People and Nation the Scripture does sufficiently inform us of the overflowings of God's kindness towards them in all kind of blessings This is a Point so far to be emproved as the truth of it is to be observed and taken notice of by all those who have a share in it in a way of due thankfulness and acknowledgment The more that God does for any people the more does he expect from them in a way of retribution to him Their thankfulness is to be answerable to his mercies and their obedience is to be answerable to their thankfulness and an expression of it It is that which God expects from them and accordingly they are not to be failing or defective in it when-ever they prove to be so they walk unsuitably to his dealings with them That 's the second Emphasis also of this expression as it hath with it the force of a remembrance or sensible intimation The Third is as it hath the force of a secret Gird or Exprobration Have I been a wilderness unto Israel that is Has not Israel been rather a wilderness to me And so it serves to represent to us the unfruitfulness oftentimes of God's people notwithstanding his manifold waterings and irrigations of them and expectations from them as not making answerable returns to his goodness towards them This is that which the Lord often complains of as we shall â—ind if we look into Scripture Thus in ver 21 of this present Chapter I had planted thee a noble Vine wholly a right seed how art thou turn'd into the degenerate plant of a strange Vine unto me And so Isa 5.4 Wherefore when I looked that my Vineyard should bring forth grapes brought it forth wild grapes I looked for judgment but behold oppression for righteousness but behold a cry This is that which oftentimes falls out thus to be From whence we may observe thus much that God's people are still behind-hand in their observances of him It is not he that is obnoxious to them but they rather to him It is is not he that is chargable with unfruitfulness or unprofitableness but rather they Therefore let them accordingly reflect and enter into themselves and consider how it is with them and be confounded and troubled for it It is the reason why God is pleased to use such expressions as these to them that so thereby he might the better affect them and work upon them and convince them of their uneven carriage and behaviour towards him That whiles he loaded them with mercies they loaded him with provocations made him to serve with their sins and wearied him with their iniquities Isa 43.24 There are three things especially which do much aggravate the unfruitfulness of God's people First the mercies which they enjoy Secondly the means which they partake of Thirdly the expectations which are upon them and that even from God himself First the mercies which they enjoy This is that which God does very much stand upon and frequently urges all-along in Scripture that he has done thus and thus for them and yet they have made no more answerable returns unto him but rather the contrary This is a very great evil and so to be accounted for if mercy and kindness will not work upon us what will Despisest thou the riches of God's goodness c. says the Apostle Rom. 2.4 Secondly the means they partake of there is very much also in that seeing God has not been a wilderness to them they should not certainly be so to him But forasmuch as he affords them means of better improvement they should be careful to improve under those means We know what was said of Capernaum and Chorazin and Bethsaida that if the mighty works which had been done in them had been done in Sodom and Tyre and Sidon they would have repented long before in sackcloth and ashes therefore it should be easier for those places at the day of judgment than it should be for those Cities Matth. 11.22 Thirdly the expectations which are upon them and that even from God himself This is spoken after the manner of men and as the Lord after an humane manner expresses himself to them Not that God can properly be frustrated of his expectations or have any thing to fall out otherwise than as he thought it would do â—ut the meaning of it is this that there was occasion given to him to expect it from the connexion of things one with another and their subordination one to another and their contrary carriage was therefore an aggravation of their sin All this laid together serves to make us to look to our selves in this particular It is a sad thing for any to be under the upbraidings of the Almighty that he should have any thing against them which he might justly charge them with in a way of unworthy carriage or behaviour towards him as having not only reproach but danger in it They may charge him to be a Wilderness and a Land of Darkness to them and wrong him in so doing by doing it unjustly and without a cause but where-ever he charges them to be a Wilderness and a Land of Darkness to himself as he seems here to do in the Text after a tacit and implicit manner there is some cause and ground for it and where it is so it is there inexcusable And that 's also the third Emphasis of this expression as it hath the force of a Revelation or secret Exprobation Have I been a wilderness as my people have indeed been to me The Fourth and last is as it hath the force of an appeal and provocation as it were to themselves and their own consciences Have I been c. that is let Israel
compassionate to others in that condition Heb. 2.17 18. Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his Brethren that he might be a merciful and faithful High-Priest in things pertaining to God to make reconciliation for the sins of the people For in that himself hath suffered being tempted he is able to succour them that are tempted Thirdly God suffers his servants to be tempted for the honour of his own Grace in supporting them and keeping them up and for the confusion likewise of the enemy in his attempts upon them Satan here desired to have Peter and the rest of the Disciples and he promised himself very great matters in the having of them thought he should surely conquer them and have them for his own now would Christ therefore suffer him to assault them that he might come off with the greater reproach that when he had done all he could against them he might see at last how little he could prevail upon them Thus ye see it was in the case of Job the Lord triumphs as it were over Satan in that attempt Hast thou consider'd my servant Job that there is none like him upon the earth a perfect and an upright man c. As if he had said thou hast endeavoured Satan to do all that thou could'st to undo him but yet for all that it will not do he has still the better of thee and for all that holds his integrity This reason which we now mention for this dealing is exprest in the case of Paul why the Lord did not take away his temptation but rather gave him Grace sufficient against it For my strength is made perfect in weakness And the Apostle himself also so improves it in the words that follow Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in mine infirmities that the power of Christ may rest upon me 2 Cor. 12.9 Thus we see that there is cause why Christ should suffer his servants to be tempted as he did Peter c. The Use which we are to make of it is therefore to arm our selves against temptation as much as we can We should not promise our selves absolute freedom and immunity from it but be prepared for it We should as our Saviour elsewhere advises pray against it that we enter not into it but yet withal be provided against it and to this purpose get a stock of Grace that may then stand us in stead Let us not then have our Armour to get when our Enemy is coming upon us but be furnish'd afore-hand and remember that we trust not to any Grace which we have already received but be still labouring and striving for more We had need of more Grace for the saving of that Grace we have already and especially the Grace of watchfulness and circumspection and of an holy fear But so much of this Passage in the Negative what our Saviour here does not pray for It is not for the preventing of Temptation which he did suffer and permit to befall the Apostle Peter The Second is the Positive part of it in the words of the Text That thy Faith may not fail Which words may be again consider'd of us two manner of ways First Simply and absolutely as they lye in themselves and so they do signify to us the safety of Peter's condition Secondly Respectively and dependantly in their connexion with the words going before and so they do signify to us the cause of Peter's safety First To take them Absolutely as they lye in themselves and so they do signify to us the safety of Peter's condition and together with him of all other Believers Their Faith it shall not fail Those who are true Believers they shall never wholly depart from the Faith but shall abide and continue stedfast to the end For the better opening of this present Point unto us we must know that there is a double Faith and so consequently a double sort of Believers There is the Doctrine of Faith and there 's the Grace of Faith There 's Faith as it lyes in the understanding and is a belief of the Truths of the Gospel And there is Faith as it is rooted in the heart and is a receiving and embracing of Christ Now it is not the former but the latter which is here chiefly intended The Papists that they may from hence prove that their Church cannot err which they will never evince from this Text they carry this Faith altogether to a Faith of Doctrine and so would infer That Peter as the Head of the Church should be infallible But besides the silliness of the inference they are much mistaken in the ground and supposition For the Faith which our Saviour here speaks of it is a Faith of Principles a saving justifying renewing and regenerating Faith whereby we are united to Christ as Members of his Mystical Body This is that which our Saviour here prayed for Peter that it should not fail in him Indeed it has a truth likewise of the other so far forth as it is included those which are born again as they are acquainted with all necessary Truths which God's Spirit does lead them into so they are likewise by the same gracious Spirit preserved in it But that which is mainly here intended is that Faith which lays hold upon Christ which though not excluding the former is more especially the Faith of God's Elect Tit. 1.9 And so Faith may here be taken by a Synecdoche for the whole work of the new creature in us This it is such as shall not fail and so is intimated to us in this Scripture and so in other places besides As Psal 125.1 They that trust in the Lord shall be as Mount Sion which cannot be moved but abideth for ever And Isa 6.13 He shall be like and Oak whose substance is in him whiles his leaves fall and the holy seed shall be the substance thereof c. This it may be made good unto us from sundry considerations First The nature of Grace it self which is an abiding Principle Faith is not a thing taken up as a man would take up some new fashion or custom but it is a thing rooted and incorporated in us and goes through the substance of us it spreads it self through the whole man and is as it were a new creature in us Therefore it is said of a regenerate person that he cannot commit sin namely the sin of Apostacy and that sin which is unto death because the seed of God remaineth in him 1 Joh. 3.9 Secondly The Covenant of Grace which is an everlasting Covenant Jer. 32.40 I will make an everlasting Covenant with them that I will never turn from them to do them good but I will put my fear into their hearts that they shall not depart from me Therefore Faith shall not fail because God himself does not fail who hath put this Faith into the hearts of his servants Thirdly The Spirit of Grace which is not only a Worker but an
the Nature of the Disciples condition upon supposal of Christs removal from them it was such as was sad and comfortless The second is the care of Christ for them in reference to this condition and this is exprest two manner of ways unto us First in the Negative that he would not leave them And secondly in the Affirmative that he would come unto them First for the Negative that he would not leave them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They were now within a little while likely to be very sad and comfortless as Children deprived of their Parents as I shewed before in an orphan-like and fatherless condition But Christ was resolved that he would not leave them or continue them still in it but would recover them out of it I will not leave you comfortless or I will not leave you fatherless This is that which he makes promise of to them The word Comfortless it does denote two things especially First a comfortless estate And secondly a comfortlesness of mind I will not leave you comfortless that is not in a comfortless condition And I will not leave you comfortless that is not in a comfortless frame and temper of heart First Take it as to condition or state which seems chiefly here to be intended this is that which Christ promises to his Disciples that he will not leave them thus and it is appliable to all other Believers where there are two things further considerable First what it is which Christ does not promise to his Disciples And secondly what it is which he does First what he does not And here he does not promise them that he will absolutely free and exempt them from a comfortless condition so as they shall never fall into it this he does not promise them It is not I will not make you or suffer you to be comfortless no but I will not leave you so this is the sum of that which he promises them Christ is pleased oftentimes to cast his Servants into very sad and comfortless conditions and to exercise them with very great troubles and afflictions whiles they are here in the world This is here to be supposed and taken for granted And there is very great cause and reason for him to do so That he may beat them and knock them off of themselves and shew them their own frailty and weakness and that he may teach them so much the more earnestly and affectionately to look after him and to seek for comfort and relaxation from him Therefore we should not wonder at it when at any time we find it to be so nor yet absolutely expect the contrary as being more than Christ ever promised or engaged himself for to his Servants He never said That they should never be comfortless no but that he would not leave them so I will not leave you comfortless That 's for that which he does not promise But secondly for what he does I will not leave you This again it does denote and implies two things in it First that he would not continue them in that sad condition in which they were And secondly that he would not desert them or disown them or relinquish them in it First Not leave them comfortless that is that he would not continue them and keep them still in it This is that which God has often promised to his people for their comfort in affliction that it should not lie continually upon them And so here Christ was absent but he was not absent always as we shall hear more afterwards All the troubles and afflictions of the Church and People of God they have a period at last put unto them He will not always chide neither will he keep his anger for ever Psal 103.9 He will not contend for ever neither will he be always wroth as it is also in Isa 57.16 His anger is but for a moment But secondly I will not leave you comfortless that is I will not desert you or disown you in your comfortless condition but even then will take care of you And as in your condition so also in your sensibleness and apprehensions of it in your comfortless frame and temper of spirit It holds good of both together That Christ will by no means forsake his people in either There 's nothing more common and ordinary here in the world than for those that are left fatherless to be left friendless those that are destitute and deprived of outward accommodations to be neglected and forsaken by men but with Christ now it is far otherwise The poor committeth himself to thee and thou art the helper of the fatherless Psal 10.24 And Hos 14.3 In thee the fatherless find mercy God does not forsake any persons for the meanness and lowness of their conditions but does therefore so much the rather regard them and looks after them and takes care of them as his proper charge To this purpose he is called the God that comforteth those that are cast down 2 Cor. 7.6 The reason of it is this namely the Royalty and Goodness that is in God that 's the ground of this Dispensation Base and low-spirited persons where they see any in good and prosperous conditions Oh! who is then for them but they hug them and embrace them and fawn upon them and make much of them but let them be at any time in distress and here they will not know them Yea but the Lord now he owns his Servants in their most desperate and dejected circumstances I am poor and needy yet the Lord thinketh on me says David Psal 40.17 And again Thou hast considered my trouble and known my soul in adversity Psal 31.7 He raises the poor out of the dust and the needy out of the dunghill c. Psal 113.7 The Use of this Point is to believe it and to observe it and to take notice of it and to lay it up against a time of need It is a very sweet and comfortable Truth if it be duly improv'd That Christ will not leave thee comfortless but will have a special care of them when no body else cares for them besides Oh thou afflicted tossed with tempests and not comforted says the Lord there to the Church Isa 54.11 Not comforted that is not by men I will do thus and thus for thee Therefore let us take heed of charging God foolishly as Sion there sometimes did The Lord hath forsaken me and my God hath forgotten me No he has not done so nor never will We should entertain good thoughts of God in this particular and be perswaded of his good-will to us It is useful both as to our own particular cases as also to the common case of the Church For this purpose let us learn to judge of Christ not always by his present carriage and behaviour towards us as according to outward appearance but judge of him by his Nature and sweet Disposition and judge of him by his promises and gracious intimations and discoveries of himself
the Election of Grace Now therefore come Lord Jesus and make way for thy last coming by this preparation Whiles the Church desires Christ would come she supposes other things as antecedent and preparatory hereunto before the full accomplishment of that coming and so in desiring his coming it self she does implicitly desire all those things which make way for it and which are sure to be there when he does come and such is this which we now speak of the hastening of the number of Converts and the bringing in the full number of the Elect. We are to take this Prayer in the full latitude and extent and comprehensiveness of it and so as including this in it amongst the rest which is in a special manner considerable of us as pertinent to this purpose Those that are good themselves they desire that as many others as may be may be good with them besides themselves and partake of the same happiness that they do partake of Therefore come in reference to this for the Conversion of the Jews and for the accomplishment of the fulness of the Gentiles which whensoever thou meanest to come are both of them sure to be effected aforehand And then further which is also pertinent hereunto for the speedier meeting of all the Saints together which have ever been in the world from they very first beginning of it As Christians desire to have a full enjoyment of Christ himself which is the main and chiefest of all so they desire likewise to have an enjoyment one of another Now this is that which shall follow upon Christs coming there shall be a general and universal meeting and gathering together of all the Members of Christ in all ages and generations whatsoever He shall come to be glorified in his Saints and admired in all them that believe at that day 2 Thes 1.10 Christian friends they are now separated and scattered one from another some in this place fo the world and some in another some are yet remaining alive and others are taken away by death but then when Christ shall come to judgment they shall all meet and never part When they shall meet the Lord in the air they shall likewise meet one with another The ascending of Believers to Christ it shall not be personal only but collective in a body and community and in a way of mutual society and communication And so the Scripture it self seems to carry it as 2 Cor. 4.14 He which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus and shall present us with you With you not only as to your conditions but also as to your persons not only as to the likeness and participation of the same blessed state and heavenly life but likewise as to the enjoyment and possession of the same blessed place and heavenly communion we and you shall be present together And so in 2 Thes 2.1 We beseech you brethren by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and by our gathering together unto him Mark the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our own gathering together the one inferring the other When our Lord Jesus Christ shall once come all his Members shall be then gathered together both to him and one another Heb. 12.22 Tou are come unto Mount Sion the city of the living God c. This will be a blessed and glorious time when-ever it shall happen and his coming so much the more desirable and to be longed after in this particular Especially if we shall further add the circumstances and qualifications that shall attend it which shall be with al lthe sweetness and amiableness and loveliness that can possibly be imagined The Servants of God here in the world they do not meet many times when they do meet though they come together in their persons yet they do not always come together in their affections through the reliques of corruption which is in them and the imperfection of Grace There are oftentimes many jealousies and prejudices and censures and misconstructions amongst them which makes even the Communion of Saints it self to be less pleasing and acceptable But now when Christ himself shall come all these evils shall be taken away and removed there shall be a perfect accord and agreement and correspondency of one with another and a perfect delight and contentment and complacency of one in another And therefore in this regard also does the Church here say Come that is come to reconcile us and unite us and to make us friends one with another which here in this present world and before thou doest come we are so much averse to This is a third account of this Prayer and Petition here before us in this present Text. Fourthly For the execution of justice and vengeance upon wicked and ungodly men and especially such persons as do please themselves in their present impunity which grow bold and impudent in sinning occasionally from God's temporary indulgence and sparing of them who because judgment is not executed speedily therefore have their hearts fully set in them to do evil as the Preacher speaks which think they may speak what they list their tongues are their own and think they may do what they list and no body restrain them because that vengeance does not presently fall upon them Come and come in reference to those come to assert thy Soveraignty to manifest thy Power to make good thy Truth to testifie thy just Wrath and Indignation and severity against sin Come as thou hast threatned to do with ten thousand of thy Saints to execute judgment upon all and to convince all that are ungodly amongst men of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him as it is Jude 14 15. This is another reference which we may conceive of in this Word of Invitation The Church desires that Christ would come for the destruction of Antichrist and of all her implacable Adversaries and Enemies whatsoever This shall be effected when-ever Christ does come That wicked one and Man of sin with all his adherents for so we must take it the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming as the Apostle Paul tells us 2 Thes 2.8 and his coming is desirable for it The servants of God are thus far impatient in the delay of God's just executions and therefore hasten them and call for them and seem to be weary of Gods forbearance Thus Rev. 6.9 10 11. The souls under the Altar that were slain for the word of God and for the testimony that they held and they cryed with a loud voice How long O Lord holy and true doest thou not judg and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth and white robes were given to every one of them and it was said unto them That they should rest yet for a little season until their fellow servants also and