is no mud at all but now Satan never comes to us but he finds matter enough and ground enough to work upon there is a great deal of mud at the bottom therefore he prevails on us when he comes But that is one end that he may teach us to expect temptations he himself was tempted then certainly much more must we expect to be tempted Secondly Jesus Christ was tempted that he might know how to compassionate us in our temptations Thirdly He was tempted that he might take out the sting the poison the venom of every temptation that though we be sorely assaulted by Satan yet we may not be conquered by Satan That that David speaks to Saul Psal 188.13 Thou hast thrust sore at me that I might fall but the Lord helped me The like may Believers say of Satan Thou hast thrust sore at me if it were possible to thrust me into hell but the Lord is my helper nay God can so order it when Satan thrusts his forest darts at us he can ward off the blow or at least so order the temptation that it shall kill our sins and not hurt our souls As I have read a story of one Pareus Jason who was conflicting with his adversary when his adversary thought to have run him through with his sword God did so order it that it did open an imposthumation which all Physicians could not heal so that instead of killing of him he preserved his life so God can so order it when Satan is thrusting sorely at us with his temptations they shall kill our sins but shall not hurt our souls So then the words being opened to you the way to the Doctrine is made plain which is this Doct. Christs temptations and his sufferings for us stir up in his heart a tender compassion to succour us in our temptations and in our fufferings That which God commands Israel is suitable to this Exod. 23.9 Also thou shalt not oppress a stranger for ye know the heart of a stranger seeing ye were strangers in the land of Egypt So the Lord Jesus Christ knows the hearts of tempted ones and knows how to pity tempted ones because he himself was tempted That which the Apostle speaks 2 Cor. 1.4 God comforteth us in all our tribulation that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble by the comfort wherewith we our selves are comforted of God I may apply it thus The Lord Jesus Christ knows how to succour us to comfort us to support us in our temptations with the same spirit that he had in his sufferings and in his temptations though his temptations were so great that he himself needed an Angel to come and comfort him For the better explication of this point there are two Quaeries that would be satisfied First Why Christs sufferings and temptations stir up in his heart such tender compassion towards us to succour and relieve us in our temptations and sufferings Secondly How the Lord Jesus Christ does succour and relieve poor tempted ones in their distrsses and sufferings For the first Why does Christs sufferings and temptations stir up in his heart such tender compassions towards us I answer The reason is plainly this because the Lord Jesus Christ his suffering in our Nature makes him not only a merciful God but a merciful Man also the Lord Jesus Christ as he is God equal with the Father to all Eternity so his mercies are from everlasting to everlasting Psal 103.17 But now his sufferings in our flesh makes him not only a merciful God but a merciful man also a merciful Mediator between God and man so he hath not only beams of Majesty but bowels of mercy his sufferings made him a merciful High-priest that is touched with the sense of our infirmities as you read Heb. 4.15 for says he We have not an High priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but was in all points tempted like as we are yet without sin The Lord Jesus Christ suffered all our natural infirmities though he did not suffer our sinful infirmities He was tempted in all things like unto us yet without sin a merciful High-priest he is and this is that that makes him so tender-hearted to the sufferings and infirmities of his People Oh what bowels of compassion hath Jesus Christ towards the souls of poor People Mat. 9.36 the Text says When he saw the multitude he was moved with compassion on them because they fainted and were scattered abroad as sheep having no shepheard His bowels did earn towards them as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies he had compassion on their souls because they wanted those that might instruct them in the way of life and happiness And what compassion had he on the bodies of poor ones that waited on his Doctrine Mat. 15.32 Then Jesus called his disciples to him and said I have compassion on the multitude because they have continued with me now three days and have nothing to eat and I will not send them away sasting lest they faint in the way And what compassion had he towards the poor Widow that had lost her only son and they were now carrying him to the Grave the Text says he had compassion on her his Bowels did earn towards the poor Widow therefore he touched the Coffin and raised him up again Luke 7.13 Look as a Child-bearing woman that hath felt the bitter pangs and pains of Child-birth hath more compassion towards a woman in that distress than a barren woman that never felt those pangs and sorrows or as a man that hath been sorely afflicted with the Gout or Stone pitianother man that is afflicted with the same disease more than one that never felt the torment of that disease and as it is storied of Queen Elizabeth when she past once through an Hospital where she saw many poor Orphans and Fatherless and helpless Children Oh says she I was once an Orphan a poor helpless creature when I was shut up in prison therefore says she I have tasted of the sufferings of Orphans and I cannot but be merciful to Orphans and as it is said of Luther That he was a rare and and excellent man in comforting afflicted consciences those that were tempted and afflicted why because he himself was exercised with temptations for three years together so here the Lord Jesus Christ is a most rare and excellent Comforter a Physician good at all diseases especially at binding up broken hearts and comforting tempted souls why because he himself had experience of the sting and venom of temptations but some may say the Lord Jesus Christ is now in heaven hath he not left the bowels that he had on earth I answer No the Text says Isa 63.9 In all their afflictions he was afflicted and the Angel of his presence saved them in his love and in his pitty he redeemed them and he bare them and carried them all the days of old Act. 9.4 the Lord Christ cryes
last verse For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted he is able to succour them that are tempted p. 116 Fear of losing Salvation the way to obtain it on Heb. 4.1 Let us therefore fear lest a Promise being left us of entring into his Rest any of you should seem to come short of it p. 139 The persevering Saint shall be the Crowned Saint on Rev. 3.11 Behold I come quickly hold fast that which thou hast that no man take thy Crown p. 185 Mercy despised and God provokd thereby on Psal 106.24 Yea They despised the pleasant Land and believed not his Word p. 218 Christs Preciousness on 1 Pet. 2.7 Unto you therefore which believe he is precious p. 269 The Necessity of Humiliation on Acts 16.29 30 Then he called for a Light and sprang in and came trembling and fell down before Paul and Silas c. p. 330 Christ the Bread of Life on John 6.35 I am the Bread of Life c. p. 360 Christs true Disciples Doers of Gods Will c. on John 7.17 If any man will do his Will he shall know of the Doctrine whether it be of God or whether I speak of my self p. 383 These two Books of Mr. Tho. Brooks are lately Printed for and to be sold by Dorman Newman at the Kings Arms in the Poultrey A Golden Key to open hidden Treasures or several great Points which refer to the Saints Blessedness and their future Happiness with the Resolution of several important Questions c. Paradise opened or the Secret Mysteries and Rarities of Divine Love of infinite Wisdom and of Wonderful Counsel laid open for Publick View Also the Covenant of Grace and the high and glorious Transactions of the Father and the Son in the Covenant of Redemption Opened and improved at large c. Believers Mortification of sin by the Spirit or Gospel-Holiness advanced by the Power of the Holy Ghost in the hearts of the Faithful Whereunto is added the Authors three last Sermons on Gen. 3.5 By the Learned and Pious Mr. Alexander Carmichael formerly of Scotland and late Preacher of the Gospel in London Published by his own Copy The Crown and Glory of a Christian consisting of a sound Conversion and a Well-ordered Conversion Mr. Wadsworth's Legacy being his serious Exhortation to a Holy Life Also his Funeral Sermon Sayings and Elogy MANS PETITION AND GODS COMPASSION A SERMON Preach'd Septemb. 6. 1657. Psalm CXXXVIII 3. In the day when I cryed thou answeredst me and strengthened me with strength in my soul THis Psalm for the kind of it is Eucharistical a Thanksgiving-Psalm The occasion of penning this Psalm in the judgment of Interpreters was this Davids establishment in the Kingdom after that he had been hunted like a Partridg upon the Mountains driven from his own Country and banished into a Wilderness and pursued like a Traitor when after all these dangers and fears and snares and opposition that he met with from Saul and from his bloody and implacable enemies God had now setled him in the Kingdom brought his hope into his hand and had lifted up his head above his adversaries and had trodden his enemies under his feet now what he had won by prayer he wears with thankfulness I will praise thee says he in the foregoing verses with my whole heart I will worship towards thy holy Temple and praise thy name for thy loving-kindness and for thy truth for thy loving-kindness in promising and for thy truth in performing for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name In the 2d verse it is a dark sentence at the first view but as a judicious Expositor upon the place well observes the words may be thus read and will better agree with the Hebrew Thou hast magnified thy name above all things in thy word that is in fulfilling thy word thou hast magnified thy name above all things in that thou hast fulfilled thy word what thou freely promisedst thou hast faithfully performed what thou hast spoken with thy mouth thou hast fulfilled with thy hand for which thy name is wonderfully to be magnified The name of God is that whereby God is known thy name is wonderfully magnified in fulfilling thy word nay thy name is magnified above all things that is the meaning of the phrase For the proof and evidence of this truth That God is wonderfully to be magnified for fulfilling his promise for making good his word to his Servant for the proof of this David brings in his own experience to set seal thereto in the words of the Text for says he In the day when I cryed to thee thou answeredst me and strengthenedst me with strength in my soul So then in this verse you may take notice of these two particulars First You have Gods free favour and gracious dealing with David in the day of his fears and of his straits in these words In the day when I cryed thou answeredst me Secondly You have the evidence or proof of this free favour of God towards him in an experience that he had of it for says he Thou strengthenedst me with strength in my soul and accordingly there are these two points of doctrine that may be fairly deduced from this Text. Doct. 1. That the Lord is ready to answer the Prayers of his poor servants when they cry unto him Doct. 2. It is one gracious way of answering our Prayers when God does strengthen us with spiritual strength when he gives us strength in our souls I begin with the first The Lord is very ready to hear and answer the prayers of his poor servants when they cry unto him For the proof of this point I could bring you a whole cloud of witnesses out of the book of God but I will content my self with three or four That in the 107 Psalm Then they cryed unto the Lord in their trouble and he delivered them out of their distresses and it is four times repeated in that one Psalm for the confirmation of our faith because we are so backward to believe the truth of it and he gives four instances of men that were brought into great straits and still when they cryed unto the Lord the Lord delivered them out of their distresses and remarkable is that Scripture Isa 30.19 For the people shall dwell in Zion at Jerusalem thou shalt weep no more he will be very gracious unto thee at the voice of thy cry when he shall hear it he shall answer thee Mark he will be very gracious to thee at the voice of thy cry you shall see the experience of it in two of Gods Saints and Servants that had tasted of Gods goodness in this particular and have set it down for our encouragement one was the Prophet Jeremy in the Dungeon Lam. 3.55 56 I called upon thy name O Lord out of the low Dungeon thou hast heard my voice hide not thine ear at my breathing at my cry God had an ear for his very breathing The other example
Tryals that are to be endured You have often heard and you will know it at one time or other you will not believe us but you will believe one day your own experience That through many Afflictions you must enter into the kingdom of God And 2 Tim. 3.12 Yea and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution They must look for persecution in one kind or other And in the world you shall have tribulation saith our Saviour You must look for it says he if you be my disciples John 16.33 And says Luther If thou beest not a Cross-bearing Christian thou art no Christian indeed How is it possible now for a man to climb this rocky way if he hath not strength for the way to Heaven is like the way that Jonathan and his Armour-bearer had in climbing up a great Rock a sharp rock was on the one side and a sharp rock was on the other side 1 Sam. 14.4 How is it possible for a man to climb up this rocky way if he have not some considerable strength If Stephen for example had not had a great measure of strength how could he have lookt upon his persecutors so chearfully in the midst of all their threatnings when they were ready to stone him yet then they beheld his face as if it had been the face of an Angel Acts 6.15 And if Saint Paul had not had considerable strength how could he have have said True the holy Ghost witnesseth that bonds and afflictions wait for me in every place in every City where ever I go but none of these things move me neither count I my life dear unto my self so that I might finish my course with joy and the Ministry which I have received of the Lord Jesus to testifie the Gospel of the grace of God Acts 20.23 24. What a gallant answer was that which one made to Valentinian the Arrian Emperour that threatned him with Bonds Imprisonment Banishment and death Tush says he Let him scare children with such Bug-bears as these he cannot scare me with them he may take away my life but he cannot take away my love to the truth Here was a strong Christian Now I say if a man have not a considerable strength how can he be able to bear all the afflictions that he may meet with Can you drink of the cup says our Saviour that I shall drink of and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with Matth. 20.22 He speaks there of the baptism of blood Can you be baptized with this bloody baptism can you be content to suffer for my sake Thirdly You have need of a great deal of strength in your souls in regard of the enemies that are to be encountred with spiritual enemies dangerous enemies deadly implacable enemies For example now One of the greatest Enemies you have to encounter with is an invisible enemy namely that Judas which you and I have in our hearts the cursed corruption in our Natures that works us more mischief than either the World or the Devil nay then all the Devils in Hell can do You see the whole world in a manner is subdued by this cursed enemy called Sin the whole World almost is brought into bondage to it and it is an enemy that you and I can never be rid of until our bodies drop down into the dust Then you have a flattering and bewitching World and the lusts and pleasures of it are its baits those baits and allurements of it do so Lime-twigg the soul it is not able to mount up oh how many are bewitched by it to their own destruction Demas hath forsaken me having loved this present World and he loves it because it is present What is the reason of all the Apostacy and Back-sliding and falling from the Profession and Principles and Practice of Godliness but only the love of this present world Men love the world because it is present they prefer a present possession before a future expectation Christs promise is for the future You shall be happy hereafter but say they the world pays down upon the nail You shall have it in hand not in hope says the world If you can but lye swear and cog and flatter and temporize and turn with every wind saith the world you shall have this preserment Now this is that which takes with many men the World is such an enemy while it kisses it kills the World like Dalilah while it dandles you upon its lap it betrays you to Satan How many are there at this day that will sacrifice the peace of a good conscience they will forsake and lose God and Christ and heaven and happiness and all rather than they will part with their present enjoyments Oh that such would consider the pleasures of sin are but for a season but the punishments for sin are for ever Again You have Satan to encounter with who is an implacable enemy a roaring Lion that walks about seeking whom he may devour and the dint of all his malice is against those that desire to walk most strictly most uprightly before God for the greater part of the world I mean them that are unregenerate those that are rockt asleep in the Cradle of security he never troubles them When the strong man armed keeps his Palace all his goods are in peace Satan never molests them these are his own houshold under his own power but the dint of all his malice is against those that have given up their names to Jesus Christ and the more holy and heavenly-minded and unblameable you desire to be in your Conversations the greater will be his rage and enmity against you Fourthly Another Enemy you have to encounter with and that is Death the last enemy that shall be destroyed which is called the King of fears and the fear of Kings of all terribles the most terrible as the Philosopher calls it Now you have all these enemies to conquer and how can you look the King of terrors in the face if you have not this spiritual strength Fifthly You have need of a great deal of strength in regard of the danger of Apostacy that must be prevented Oh great exceeding great greater than I am able to tell you is the danger of Apostacy Oh that I could speak it with all earnestness that if it might be you might take heed of it Those that turn aside to their crooked ways the Lord shall lead them forth with the workers of iniquity Oh they are lost and undone for ever Psalm 125.5 And if any man draws back saith God my soul shall have no pleasure in him A dreadful Scripture which may make Apostates quake and tremble God takes no pleasure in such as draw back and it had been better for a man never to have known the ways of God than having known them to turn aside from the holy commandment It s better to be an Atheist a Pagan a Turk an Insidel any thing rather than an Apostate
and they that shall put their hands to the Plow and look back are not fit for the Kingdom of God Oh great is the danger of Apostacy but now without some considerable strength you will not be kept from failing and those failings will turn to fallings and those fallings to fallings away and at last falling into everlasting destruction Now these fallings and fallings away do usually follow this want of spiritual strength not being strengthened with strength in our souls But may be you will say to me What course must we take that we may get this spiritual strength in our souls I answer briefly make use of these rules and helps First Be very sensible of your weakness and infirmity be humble be base in your own eyes be nothing in your selves that you may be able to say In Jesus Christ have I righteousness and strength Isa 45.24 It was a sweet Meditation of Saint Augustin Lord I will be weak in my self that I may be strong in thee And the Apostle hath such a phrase For when I am weak then am I strong 2 Cor. 12.10 that is when I am most weak in my self then am I most strong in a Saviour Secondly If you would have this strength in your souls be acting the Grace which you have received already for action increaseth strength and strength will help action forwards the more you are doing duty the more will you gather strength to do duty It was the Motto of an eminent Divine in this Nation now with God The way to Holiness lyes in the works of Holiness so the way to get spiritual strength lyes in doing the work you have to do with that strength you have use strength and you shall have more strength Thirdly If you would have strength in your souls grow especially in corroborating and strengthening Graces What are those strengthning Graces 1. Faith that is a very strengthning Grace you read of the strength of Faith Abraham was strong in Faith and that made him do great things that he could against hope believe in hope that is against hope of sense believe in hope of a promise Rom. 4.18 so be strong in Love Love to Jesus Christ Love is a very strengthening Grace Love is strong as death Cant. 8.6 7 Death you know is so strong that it hath conquered all men that ever were in the World never was there any Gyant so strong but could be conquered by Death there is no discharge in that War the meaning is this never any man encountred with Death that came off but Love is stronger than Death If thy heart be fired with Love to Jesus Christ it will carry you with a great deal of strength through all difficulties and sufferings with patience and perseverance 3. Again Get more sincerity Job 17.9 The righteous also shall hold on his way and he that hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger Oh the more sincere you are the more strong you are For example Wherein consists the strenth of a Pillar it is in the uprightness of it if it begins to bow and bend and be crooked then it falls but the uprightness of it is the strength of it 4. Joy Joy that is another strengthening Grace Nehem. 8.10 Neither be ye sorry for the joy of the Lord shall be your strength Oh the more inward joy in the Holy Ghost you have the more chearful you are the more strong you are grow in these strengthening Graces Fourthly Would you have this strength in your souls then take heed of rushing into any known sin for sin as it wounds the conscience it weakens the soul also sins against conscience are like a thief in the Candle which weakens our strength and wasts our joy Nothing weakned Sampson so much as his sporting with his Dalilah Never had he lost his strength had it not been for his running into that sin take heed therefore of sins against conscience Fifthly If you would have strength in your souls take heed of evil company shun them as a Pest-house for many times evil company weakens the soul more than any outward temptation Psal 119.115 Depart from me ye wicked for I will keep the Commandements of my God It is as if he should say he could never set about the work of Obedience so long as he kept company with the wicked Sixthly If you would have strength in your souls then get more intimate and bosom-communion with Jesus Christ every day for the truth is all our strength is from him I am able to do all things through Christ that strengtheneth me Phil. 4.13 The more you are acquainted with Christ the more will you have of this strength which David here in the Text speaks of Lastly If you would have this strength be much in prayer that is an excellent Scripture Psal 119.28 My soul melteth away for heaviness strengthen thou me according to thy word Oh the more we are in Prayer and Care and Watchfulness and Humility and Self-denial and in the exercise of Grace the more we shall find our spiritual strength increased then we shall experimentally say with David Thou hast strengthened me with strength in my soul LIGHT DISCOVERED AND MAN RECOVERED A SERMON Preach'd Augst 17. 1656. 2 Tim. 1.10 the latter part of the Verse And hath brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel THE Apostle in the beginning of this Chapter exhorting Timothy to a faithful discharge of his Ministerial Calling puts in this weighty caution in the 8 verse Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord nor of me his prisoner but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the Gospel according to the power of God that is be not ashamed of the Gospel that he calls there the Testimony of our Lord Jesus Though it may be thou maist meet with afflictions and oppositions in the profession of it yet seeing these afflictions are but sufferings for the Gospel-sake therefore bear them patiently it is better that thou shouldest suffer than that the Gospel should suffer This Caution or Exhortation the Apostle presses from an Argument drawn from the unspeakable benefit and advantage that comes streaming to us by the Gospel namely Eternal life and that the Apostle might be rightly understood he lays down the three causes of this Eternal life or Salvation First The principal and moving cause of this Salvation that is the Grace of God in the foregoing verse ver 9. Who hath saved us and called us with a holy calling not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began Secondly He lays down the meritorious cause of our salvation that is the Lord Jesus Christ who hath merited this salvation by dying for us in the middle part of the 10th verse who hath abolished death that is who hath taken away the sting and curse of Death Thirdly He lays down the instrumental cause of our salvation that is the
from Babylon and the comfort that is here proclaimed it is derived from a double Spring 1. From the Promulgation of the Gospel 2. From the coming of Jesus Christ in the Flesh who is the Marrow of the Gospel 1. From the Promulgation of the Gospel and that is amplified two ways from the Herald that Proclaims it and by the Place where it was proclaimed 1. By the Herald that proclaimed it namely John the Baptist called the voice of one crying in the wilderness Prepare ye the way of the Lord make straight in the desart a way for our God 2. It is amplified by the place where it should be proclaimed namely in Sion or Jerusalem in the 9th verse O Sion that bringest good tidings get thee up into the high Mountain O Jerusalem that bringest good tidings lift up thy voice with strength lift it up be not afraid say to the Cities of Judah behold your God Then Christs coming in the flesh that is described two ways 1. By his Terrour to his Enemies 2. By his mild carriage and behaviour towards his own People By his Terrour towards his Enemies in the foregoing verse the 10th ver Behold the Lord will come with a strong hand and his Arm shall rule for him behold his reward is with him and his work before him Then he is described here by his meek and mild carriage towards his People in the words I have read unto you He shall feed his flock like c. Let me first open the terms of the Text and then come to some points of Instruction He shall feed The Government of the Lord Jesus Christ in his Church and towards his Chosen is exprest by three names He is call'd a Ruler a Leader and a Shepherd He is called a Ruler 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Hebrew in Micah 5.2 But thou Beth-leem Ephratah though thou be little among the thousands of Judah yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be Ruler in Israel whose goings forth have been from of old from everlasting Now Jesus Christ rules three ways 1. By his Commanding-power 2. By his Compelling-power 3. By his Perswading-power He hath a Commanding-power All power is given to me in Heaven and Earth Matth. 18.35 He hath a Compelling-power Those mine enemies which would not that I should reign over them bring hither and slay them before me Luk. 19.27 Then he hath likewise a Perswading-power Gen. 9.27 God shall perswade Japhet and he shall dwell in the Tents of Shem. 2dly His Government is exprest by this Name He is a Leader to his people Now Christ is a Leader to his People three ways 1. By teaching of his people his very enemies did acknowledg it Mar. 12.14 We know thou teachest the way of God in truth He teacheth them by going before them in a way of good example John 13.15 I have given you an example that you should do as I have done He leads them likewise by drawing of them Cant. 1.4 Draw me we will run after thee Then as he is a Ruler and a Leader so he is a Shepherd his Government is comprised under this Name He shall feed his Flock like a Shepherd And here in the Text where under the name of Feeding is comprised all the necessary attendances and accommodations that conduce to the safety and welfare of the Flock such as providing of them Pasture and protecting of them from the danger and mischief of Wolves and Lyons and Beasts of Prey and likewise in preventing their stragling and wandring in the Wilderness And in curing of those Diseases that are incident to Sheep All these are meant by Feeding Oh the Richness and Compleatness of this precious Redeemer well may the Apostle say He is able to save to the utmost those that come to God by him And well may the Apostle say Christ is all and in all because he is both the Ruler Leader and Shepherd the Prince and Captain of our Salvation and Saviour and all He shall gather his Lambs with his Arms. The Lord Jesus Christ hath a tender care of all his Sheep that none of them be lost as he says in that Heavenly Prayer John 17.11 While I was with them in the world I kept them in thy Name those that thou gavest me I have kept and none of them is lost but the Son of Perdition that the Scripture might be fulfilled I but he hath the most tender and pitiful compassion towards those that are his Lambs that is young Beginners Babes in Christ those he gathers in his Arms so the Text tells us those he carries in his bosom that is he deals favourably with them those he cherishes with all indulgence He does not quench the smoaking flax nor break the bruised read Matth. 12.20 Then he gently leads those that are with young or those that give suck the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sigfies both either those that are with young or those that give suck The Prophet here in the Text alludes to the manner of Jacobs dealing with his Flocks See what a compassionate man that good man was as you may read Gen. 33.13 The flocks and the herds that are with young they are with me and if men should over-drive them but one day all the flocks would dye What a care had Jacob of all his flocks especially of those that were with young so the Lord Christ he gently leads those that are with young that is weak Christians such as are easily offended such as are dejected and discouraged such as are full of infirmities and imperfections he gently leads them that is he exercises a great deal of pity and patience and compassion and tenderness towards them In all their afflictions he is afflicted with them Isa 63.9 He hath Sympathizing Bowels towards those that are full of Infirmities his Bowels are troubled as it were for them Jer. 31.20 Is Ephraim a dear Son is he a pleasant Child for since I spake against him I do earnestly remember him still therefore my Bowels are troubled for him I will surely have mercy upon him saith the Lord So that here is gentleness in bearing with them and patience in suffering of them In a word the Lord Jesus Christ he is a meek a gentle a mild a compassionate Saviour that is the sum of the whole verse he is of a very sweet amiable pliable disposition As God hath fitted him with a Body so he hath fitted him with a Heart to be a merciful and compassionate Redeemer The words being thus opened there are two things in them especially presented to your view 1. Christs relation to his People 2dly His mild carriage towards them in that relation 1. Christs relation to his People that you have in these words He shall feed his flock like a Shepherd 2dly You have his Meek Mild and Gracious carriage towards them he does both Protect them and Feed them and Pity them and gathers them in his Arms and
carries them in his Bosom and gently Leads them and accordingly there are these two Points of Doctrine that are most eminently and clearly held forth in the Text. Doct. 1. That Jesus Christ is that Blessed Shepherd that is able both to feed and protect his People here and to give them eternal Life hereafter Doct. 2. That the Lord Jesus Christ in his carriage towards his People hath a tender respect to their Infirmities I begin with the first Doctrine The Lord Jesus Christ is that blessed Shepherd that is abundantly able to feed and protect his People here and to give them eternal life hereafter For the proof of this Doctrine take two or three Scriptures in Joh. 10.11 I am the good Shepherd the good Shepherd giveth his life for the Sheep and in Heb. 13.20 He is called the great Shepherd of the Sheep Now the God of peace that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus that great Shepherd of the Sheep through the blood of the everlasting Covenant c. And he is called the Shepherd and Bishop of our souls in 1 Pet. 2.20 For ye were as sheep going astray but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of our souls so that doubtless Jesus Christ is the most blessed the best the greatest the sweetest Shepherd that ever was as will appear by these four reasons First Because he hath the greatest care over them Secondly Because he hath the greatest love to his Sheep Thirdly Beeause he hath the greatest power that ever Shepherd had Fourthly Because he hath the greatest reward for them that can possibly be bestowed First Jesus Christ hath the greatest care over his Sheep for he seeks them when they are lost I come says he to seek and to save those which were lost Luk. 1.9 20 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost And he gathers them from the ends of the world he fetches them from all corners of the earth there is not one of his sheep that is not one that belongs to the election of grace but in what place soever he be though among Pagans Heathens and Infidels of what condition soever he be whether high or low rich or poor noble or ignoble of what calling or employment soever As some will be ready to complain and say I am lockt up under a Calling I would be better if my Calling would let me I but there is not one of Christs sheep that belongs to the election of Grace though he be lockt up under a Calling but the Lord Jesus Christ will seek him out in what condition or Calling soever he be That 's the first reason He hath the greatest care over his sheep to gather them into his Fold 2dly Because he hath the greatest love to his sheep such love as the like was never heard of Greater love hath no man than this that a man lay down his life for his friend John 15.13 There cannot be greater love manifested than this but such love hath the Lord Jesus Christ he hath laid down his life that good Shepherd laid down his life for his sheep as in the forenamed place John 10.11 I am the good Shepherd the good Shepherd giveth his life for the sheep You know Jacob sheweth a great deal of love to his sheep in that as he tells you he was in the day-time parched with heat the drought consumed him and in the night-time pinched with frost and he broke his sleep many times to watch his sheep Gen. 31.40 My sleep says he departed from mine eyes That was great love but David shewed greater love to his Flocks Psal 78.70 he followed the Ewes great with young when God took him from the Sheepfolds to wield the Scepter And he shewed yet greater love to his Flock as he tells you in 1 Sam. 17.34 35 And David said unto Saul Thy servant kept his Fathers sheep and there came a Lion and a Bear and took a Lamb out of the stock and I went out after him smote him delivered it out of his mouth and when he arose against me I caught him by his beard and smote him and slew him thy servant slew both the Lion and the Bear David ventured very far he ventured his life for one Lamb of the Flock but Jesus Christ that blessed Shepherd did not only venture his life but he laid down his life for his sheep and he did not venture to grapple with an ordinary Lion but with that roaring Lion that walks about seeking whom he may devour Nay he did not only wrestle with that roaring Lion but with all the powers of darkness he wrestled with principalities and powers Nay he wrestled with the wrath of a sin-revenging God and all that he might save his poor sheep therefore never was there such a loving Shepherd as the Lord Jesus Christ That 's the second reason Thirdly He hath the greatest power and ability that ever Shepherd had for this is extraordinary that he makes all the sheep he hath all his sheep are the workmanship of his hands Psalm 100.3 Know ye that the Lord he is God it is he that hath made us and not we our selves we are his people and the sheep of his pasture He hath that power that he can do whatsoever pleaseth him in heaven and in earth All power in heaven and carth is given to him Matth. 26.18 He hath that power that he is able to deliver his sheep from the gates of hell He hath said that the gates of hell shall not prevail against them Matth. 16.18 He hath that power that he can do that for his sheep that all the world and all the Princes in the world cannot do for them and therefore he must needs be the best Shepherd That 's the third reason Fourthly He hath the greatest reward also to bestow upon every one of his sheep Alas his sheep give nothing to him My goodness does not extend to thee Psalm 16.2 We can bestow nothing upon this blessed Shepherd he hath no need of any thing we have I but he bestows a very rich portion upon his sheep a glorious reward he feeds them he cloaths them he protects them here in this world and gives them eternal life hereafter First This blessed Shepherd feeds all his sheep he feeds them first by his Word and then by his Sacraments He feeds them by his Word by sending his Messengers as under-Shepherds to feed his Flock It is a Gospel-promise that in Jer. 3.15 I will give you Pastors according to my own heart which shall feed you with knowledg and understanding And it was one end of our Saviours ascention into Heaven and a great blessing we have by it he ascended into heaven that he might give gists unto men Ephes 4.8 11 12 13 verses Wherefore he saith when he ascended up on high he led captivity captive and gave gifts unto men and he gave some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and
in thy name Thus if you follow this Shepherd hear and obey him then all the sweetness and marrow of this Doctrine belongs to you The Lord write these things upon our hearts and draw us nearer and nearer to him that we may say he feeds us and cloaths us and gives us eternal life So much for the first point of Doctrine drawn from the first part of that Christs Relation to his People CHRIST'S PROVISION FOR MANS DIRECTION Isaiah XL. 11. He shall feed his Flock like a Shepherd he shall gather his Lambs with his Arms and carry them in his bosom and shall gently lead those that are with young 2. Doct. JEsus Christ in his carriage to his People hath a tender respect to their infirmities For the proof of this Point I shall give you but one place of Scripture and it is so full that I shall need no more Ezek. 34.19 It is spoken of our blessed Saviour says our Saviour I will seek that which was lost and bring again that which was driven away and will bind up that which was broken and will strengthen that which was sick There are four sorts of Persons mentioned there that have a great deal of need of Christs care and compassion and of his tender indulgence towards them First Some there are that are lost Sheep not finally or totally lost but lost in their own apprehension in their own sense and feeling as David complains in Psalm 119.176 I have gone astray like a lost sheep Now these our Blessed Saviour will seek he will recover them by his Word and Spirit though in their own apprehensions they think themselves lost dead damned and undone yet notwithstanding he will seek them and bring them into his Fold again Secondly Others there are that are driven away and that is a further degree of Misery Satan hath not only gotten them out of the Fold but when they are got out they wander more and more they are driven more and more from Jesus Christ by Satans subtilty and his temptations Now says our Saviour those which are driven away I will bring them again Thirdly Some are in a further degree of Misery they are broken broken with discouragements they are ready to say There is no hope no mercy belongs to such sinners as they are and these are in a worse condition than the former for a sheep may be lost and driven from the Fold but if that be all he may return but if the sheep have broken a Leg though he hear the voice of the Shepherd he cannot help himself his Leg is broken and he cannot come at the call of the Shepherd So some are so broken with discouragements that though they hear the voice of Christ they are ready to say No mercy belongs to us Now says Christ these will I bind up again and restore that Comfort that will quiet their hearts and speak peace to them Fourthly Others are sick and that is yet a further degree of misery when a poor sheep doth not only wander and is driven away and hath a broken leg discouraged with temptations but hath some kind of sickness of spirit seized on him so that he saith his soul abhors all manner of meat as David describes a man in such a condition says he his soul abhors all manner of meat and they are brought to the very gates of death Psalm 107 18. This is the saddest condition of all but says Christ these are such that I will strengthen If you would know the reason why Christ hath such a tender respect to his Peoples infirmities I will give you these Three The First is drawn from that gracious Disposition that is in him He is a Saviour of a very meek mild tender and compassionate heart this appears by those Names and Titles that sets forth the sweetness of our Saviours disposition in Scripture he compares himself to a Father to a Physician to a Husband To a Father Heb. 2.13 it is the speech of Christ Behold I and the Children which God hath given me And again he compares him to a Physician Matth. 9.12 But when Jesus heard that he said unto them They that be whole need not a Physician but they that be sick So likewise to a Husband Isa 54.5 For thy Maker is thy Husband the Lord of Hosts is his name Now of whom should Children expect pity and compassion but of their Father as a Father pitieth his own Children so is the Lord merciful to them that fear him Psalm 103.13 And of whom should a Patient expect help but of the Physician And of whom should a Wife expect pity but of her Husband band who knows how to give the Wife the honour of a mild Usage because he knows she is the weaker Vessel All these Relations of a Father a Physician a Husband and of a Shepherd they are most eminently in the Lord Jesus Christ That is one reason Secondly He hath a tender respect to our infirmities because he is a Merciful High-Priest toucht with the sense of our infirmities Heb. 4.15 For we have not a high Priest which cannot be toucht with the feeling of our infirmities but was in all points tempted like as we are yet without sin Heb. 2.18 For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted he is able to succour them that are tempted As God speaks to the Jews Exod. 23.9 Also thou shalt not oppress a stranger for ye know the heart of a stranger seeing ye were strangers in the Land of Egypt So the Lord Christ he knows the hearts of poor tempted broken bruised souls because he himself was tempted A Father you know because he is acquainted with the distempers of his Child more than a stranger is pities his Child more than a stranger doth So the Lord Christ he knows our frame he considers our temper Psalm 103.13 24 therefore he pities us more than strangers do that do not know our tempers he considers we are but dust and as the wind that passeth away therefore he suffers not his whole displeasure to fall upon us Psal 78.38 39. That 's the second reason he pities us and hath a tender respect to our infirmities because he is a merciful High Priest toucht with the sense of our infirmities Thirdly The Lord Jesus Christ hath a tender respect to the infirmities of his people because he loves and likes and means to cherish the beginings of grace in any one of his poor children he loves grace and he likes it and cherisheth it he looks more at the good in us which he means to cherish than at the bad in us which he means to abolish the Lord Christ looks at the very buddings and blossoms of grace in the soul those beginnings of grace are precious unto him therefore he says of a little grace as a man says of a tree that has but one cluster upon it Do not cut the tree it hath a blessing in it Isa 65.8 The Lord Christ will not destroy a cluster
nature he might be a merciful and faithful High-priest in things pertaining to God to make reconciliation for the sins of the people and that 's set down in Verse 17. And the ground of this Assertion the Apostle lays down in the words of the Text which I have now read unto you For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted he is able to succour them that are tempted So then the Text contains in it a singular benefit and advantage that believers have by Christs temptations namely a sanctified use of temptations and a gracious support under temptations For the clearing of this you must know all that ever our Lord and Saviour did here upon earth as Mediator was done not for himself alone but was done for us and for our good For example He took our flesh in the womb of a Virgin that he might sanctifie our nature He was born of a woman that he might sanctifie our birth He suffered in the flesh that he might sanctifie our sufferings He was buried in a grave that he might sweeten and perfume the grave that he might make the grave as a bed of spices He rose again from the dead that he might assure us that we shall be raised by his power 1 Cor. 6.14 And God hath both raised up the Lord and will also raise up us by his own power And he was tempted that he might be able to succour us when we are tempted Let me first open the words to you and then draw out the Doctrine I intend to pitch upon I shall dispatch this Text in one Sermon For in that he himself hath suffered The Lord Jesus Christ suffered indeed He was a great sufferer nay the greatest sufferer that you read of in the whole book of God He suffered in his Circumcision when he was but eight days old he condâ—scended to that painful Ceremony that painful Sacrament He suffered a painful pilgrimage for three and thirty years together and although he was heir of all things all the Kingdoms of the world were his yet he had not a house to hide his head in The foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head Mat. 8.20 He suffered by Satan when he was led into the Wilderness to be tempted for forty days together which was a greater abasement to the Son of God than if the greatest Empress in the world should be solicited in her chastity by the basest Scullion that ever was Oh how did Satan hurry the body of our dear Lord and Saviour first to the pinacle of the Temple then he hurried it to a Mountain and carried it from one place to another Oh that the precious body of Jesus Christ should be thus basely used by a Vassal by a cursed Fiend by a cursed creature So he suffered by Satan And he suffered by men he suffered the contradiction of sinners he suffered himself to be reviled scorned reproached blasphemeed when they said Say we not well Thou art a Samaritan and hast a Devil Joh. 8.48 And he is mad and hath a Devil why hear ye him Joh. 10.20 He suffered on the Cross a shameful painful and cursed death He suffered in his body but most of all he suffered in his soul when he said My soul is heavy unto death is girt about with death Joh. 12.27 Now is my soul troubled and what shall I say He speaks as if he had been non-plust My soul is so troubled says he that I know not what to say I know not what to do So you see the Lord Jesus Christ he suffered Further the Text says he suffered being tempted Jesus Christ you know was tempted by Satan for forty days together and he was tempted by his Enemies the Pharises they required a sign of him tempting of him Luk. 11.16 Then he was tempted by the Herodians when they came with that captious question Shall we give tribute to Caesar or shall we not Mat. 22.17 18. Christ answered them Why tempt ye me ye hypocrites He was temptted by one of his Disciples Peter says he to him Master spare thy self and do not go up to Jerusalem insomuch that Christ sharply reproved him and said to him Get thee behind me Satan thou art an offence unto me for thou savourest not the things that be of God but those that be of men Mat. 16.22 23. And he was tempted even by his own dear Father when his Father hid his face from him when he seemingly did forsake him when he cryed out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Mat. 27.46 So you see that our Saviour suffered and our Saviour was tempted And why was he tempted that he might succour them that are tempted saye the Text. Why may some say did the sufferings and temptations of Jesus Christ add any thing to his ability to succour his tempted Servants which he had not before To this I answer You must know he had an ability of Power which was irresistable he had an ability of Power as he was God but the Apostle speaks here of an ability of Compassion or of an ability of Experience as he was man as he says in the like case Heb. 5.8 He learned obedience by the things which he suffered How did he learn it he learnt it experimentally So here by his suffering and temptations he learnt to succour them that are tempted he learnt compassion by his temptations How did he learn compassion he learnt it experimentally for now he hath learned by experience to know the kinds of temptations to know the wounds that temptations make in the soul of a poor sinner and to know the proper means and medicines for the curing of temptations so that if you ask But why was the Lord Jesus Christ tempted I answer he was tempted for these three ends especially First That he might teach us this Lesson If Satan was so bold with him that was the dear Son of God he will be much more bold in tempting us poor creatures If he was so bold with the Master much more will he be bold with the Servants If he were so bold with the Captain of our salvation much more will he be bold with his Soldiers If he were so bold in tempting him who was the King of glory a pure and spotless Saviour a Lamb without spot and blemish in whose mouth could be found no guile 1 Pet. 2.22 Oh he will be much more bold with us that are poor sinful creatures that have such impure and defiled natures How abominable and filthy is man Job 15.16 When the Devil came to tempt our Lord and Saviour he found nothing in him he found no matter to work upon he found no corruption on which he might fasten his temptation Joh. 14.30 The Prince of this world cometh and hath nothing in me All the temptations of Satan upon our Saviour were but like the jogging of pure and clean water in a Chrystal glass where
believe this yet many of you can live as securely as merrily and madly as if so be you should never drop down into the dust here now indeed is a notional Faith I but there is not a practical Faith it is one thing to believe a Truth notionally and another thing to believe it practically Fourthly Would you have Unbelief removed then Oh beg and beg earnestly that God would take away your hearts of stone and give you hearts of flesh let this be your Prayer every day Do you not remember how I opened that Text to you A new heart also will I give you and a new spirit will I put within you and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh and I will give you an heart of flesh Ezek. 36.26 What is a stony-heart but a sensless heart a heart sensless of sin and a heart fearless of wrath Now do but observe that unbelief and hardness of heart they still go together In Mark 16.14 Afterwards he appeared unto the eleven as they sate at meat and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart Our Saviour upbraids them for their unbelief and hardness of heart Why are you so backward to believe it is because of the hardness of your hearts Fifthly I beseech you to meditate often of the danger of Unbelief meditate often what will be the woful Effects and Issues of your Unbelief consider the Threatnings the Precepts and the Promises of the Almighty In John 8.24 I said therefore unto you that you shall die in your sins for if you believe not that I am he you shall die in your sins What die in sin Oh what greater curse can possibly be uttered To die in sin to rot in sin to come out of your graves in sin to be presented before your Judg in your sins John 3. ult He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him The wrath of God abideth on him If it were only for a few days it might be born I but it will be abiding and abiding and abiding to all Eternity the wrath of God will abide upon that Soul that does not believe In a word and so I have done As God speaks to the Prophet in another case They will not see but they shall see I apply it thus You that will not believe I promise you you shall believe you that will not believe savingly you shall believe desperately you that will not believe that God is so just so strict so severe you shall believe when you feel the wrath of the Almighty seizing upon you never to be removed you that will not believe now to the saving of your Souls you shall believe as the Devils to believe and tremble you then will believe the torments of Hell in that day when you feel them in that place where there is weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth It is better to believe these things now than believe them when you feel them The Lord work these things upon our hearts that this Soul-destroying sin may not be our ruin CHRISTS'S PRECIOUSNESS 1 PET. II. 7. Vnto you therefore which believe he is precious but unto them which are disobedient the stone which the builders disallowed the same is made the Head of the Corner THE holy Apostle that he might the better draw Christians to believe in Jesus Christ to love him embrace him and obey him as the Captain of their Salvation in the beginning of this Chapter commends to them both the Word of Christ and Christ himself who is the Kirnel and Substance of the Word he commends the Word of Christ to them in the first and second verses of this Chapter Wherefore laying aside all malice and all guile and hypocrisies and envies and evil speakings as new-born Babes desire the sincere milk of the Word that ye may grow thereby And he commends Jesus Christ himself to them two ways First By shewing what he is in himself Secondly By shewing what benefits Believers have by him First He shews what the Lord Jesus Christ is in himself in ver 4 To whom coming as to a living stone disallowed indeed of men but chosen of God and precious He is a living stone a stone that hath life in himself and a stone that gives life unto others For he that hath the Son hath life and he that hath not the Son hath not life 1 John 5.12 And not only a living stone but he is chosen of God and very precious the Pearl of the Gospel that precious only excellent one in comparison of whom all the Kingdoms of the World are but as a heap of dung But then as the Apostle commends him for what he is in himself so he commends Jesus Christ by what he hath done for all those that believe in him In the 5th ver Ye also as lively stones are built up a spiritual House an holy Priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ This invaluable benefit you shall have by him you shall not only be justified by him but you shall be sanctified you shall be made a holy Priesthood and all your services shall be made acceptable through him To confirm this weighty Truth the Apostle produces a Testimony out of the Prophet Isaiah Isa 28.16 Therefore saith the Lord God Behold I lay in Sion for a Foundation a stone a tryed stone a precious corner stone a sure foundation he that believeth shall not make haste Having thus confirmed this Doctrine he makes Application of it in this Verse and this Application is by way of Comfort to Believers and discomfort to those that believe not First It is a Doctrine that affords a great deal of comfort to Believers For says he to you that believe Jesus Christ is precious But it administers a great deal of discomfort to Unbelievers To them that are disobedient to them that hearken not to the voice of Christ for says the Apostle Though this Christ be despised by them yet he shall be infinitely advanced he is become the Head the Corner-stone and they notwithstanding their despising of him shall be everlastingly ruined for he will be to them a stumbling-stone and a rock of offence even to them which stumble at the Word being disobedient This is the Connexion or Context of these words with the former It is the first Branch of the Text here that I principally aim at in these words To you therefore that believe he is precious The words therefore hath reference unto the fore-going verse wherein the Apostle tells us that the Lord Jesus Christ is such a Foundation-stone such a Corner-stone such a rock of Salvation that whosoever believes in him shall not be confounded shall not be condemned For there is no condemnation to them that have a part and interest in him Rom. 8.1 Therefore saith the Apostle Certainly to you he must needs be
very precious As if he should say You have an infinite and an invaluable benefit by him therefore you have great reason so highly to prize him Vnto you that do believe that is that can rest and rely upon this Rock of Salvation that can pawn your Souls upon him that can close with him and cleave to him and obey him as your Prince and your Saviour Vnto you says the Apostle he is precious or he is a price and an honour for so the Original word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies he is not only precious but of infinite price he is not only honourable but honour it self in the Abstract for the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies both price and honour The words being thus opended afford these two Points of Doctrine which lie clear in the Text. Doct. 1. That the Lord Jesus Christ is infinitely precious in himself Doct. 2. As Jesus Christ is precious in himself so he is exceeding precious in the eyes of all Believers and most highly prized by them Doct. 1. That the Lord Jesus Christ is infinitely precious in himself He is called in the 4th verse of this Chapter A living-stone chosen of God and precious And in Isa 28.16 Therefore thus saith the Lord God behold I lay in Sion for a foundation a stone a tryed stone a precious Corner-stone a sure Foundation For the better understanding of this Point two things are to be opened First What it is to be Precious or what may be included in this Phrase precious Secondly How this may be applyed to Jesus Christ or wherein the preciousness of Jesus Christ consists First What is it to be precious What is included in this Phrase precious The Hebrew word signifies divers things I will name you but these five or six and every one of those significations are rightly applicable to the Lord Jesus Christ Sometimes the word precious is taken for bright and glorious Thus the Sun and the Moon are said to walk in brightness Job 31.26 If I beheld the Sun when it shined or the Moon walking in brightness Job there speaking of the Moon says it walks in brightness it walks as it were through the Heavens honourably it walks in a great deal of brightness and glory Thus the Lord Jesus Christ in this sense is precious because he is the glorious sun of Righteousness as he is called Mal. 4.2 Vnto you that fear my Name shall the sun of Righteousness arise with healing under his wings And he calls himself the bright Morning-Star in Rev. 22.16 I am the bright Morning-Star Again Secondly The word precious is taken sometimes for that that is scarce and rare to be had for that which is not bestowed upon all but upon some few persons Thus the Word of God in Samuel's time was said to be precious 1 Sam. 3.1 And the Word of the Lord was precious in those days there was no open Vision it was communicated but to a few And in this sense also the Lord Jesus Christ may be said to be precious because he is communicated but to a very few A little Flock Luke 12.32 A little little Flock as the word signifies a very little Flock in comparison of those that have no interest in him nor any benefit by him For not many wise men after the flesh not many Mighty not many Noble are called 1 Cor. 1.26 There are but few very few in comparison of the great multitude that have an interest in him in that regard he is precious Thirdly Sometimes the word precious is taken for that which is dear and costly So the Lord Jesus Christ is very dear to his Father the dearly beloved Son of his bosom and his blood is very costly it is called precious blood If the blood of all the Princes upon Earth had been spilt nay if all the Angels in Heaven had lost their lives it had not been comparable to one drop of the precious blood of Jesus Christ which is called the blood of God Acts 20.28 Take heed therefore unto your selves and to all the Flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made you Overseers to feed the Church of God which he hath purchased with his own blood Fourthly The word precious sometimes is taken for that which is pleasant and delightful Jer. 31.20 Is Ephraim my dear Son is he a pleasant Child There is the same word for precious called pleasant In this regard the Lord Jesus Christ may be called precious because he is so delightful to the Father Isa 42.1 Behold my servant whom I uphold mine Elect in whom my soul delighteth Fifthly That may be said to be precious that is of very great and invaluable use or that whereof we have an indispensable necessity Now in this sense also Jesus Christ is precious he is of infinite use to a Believer such indispensable need have we of him that without him we must perish everlastingly Except ye eat the flesh of Christ and drink his blood you have no life in you John 6.53 Lastly That is said to be precious which is honourable Since thou wast precious in my sight thou hast been honourable and I have loved thee therefore I will give men for thee and people for thy life Isa 43.4 And as I told you even now the Original word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 siguifieth honour as well as price So the Lord Jesus Christ he is infinitely honourable honourable in himself all the Angels honour and admire him and he is an Honour to his Church and Chosen to all those that have a part and interest in him therefore he is said to be The glory of his people Israel Luke 2.32 A light to lighten the Gentiles and the glory of thy people Israel You see the first thing opened What it is to be precious Now the second thing for Explication is this How this Title precious may be applyed to Jesus Christ or wherein does the preciousness of Jesus Christ so much appear For answer to this You must know the preciousness of Jesus Christ does appear in these six Particulars First He is exceeding infinitely unconceivably precious in his Person God and Man united in one Person Co-essential with the Father that is having the same Essence and Substance with him in John 10.30 I and my Father are one And he is Co-equal with the Father He thought it no robery to be equal with God Pbil. 2.6 Being the brightness of his Fathers Glory and the express Image of his Person Heb. 1.3 Therefore he is infinitely precious in his Person Secondly As he is precious in his Person so is he precious in his Titles those rich and glorious Titles that are attributed to him For Example Isa 9.6 This is the name wherewith the Lord Jesus Christ is called Wonderful Counsellonr El the Mighty God the everlasting Father the Prince of Peace Pray mark with what a glorious Title he is called there The Mighty God How dare then any blasphemous Arrian or Atheist deny the Divinity
of the Lord Jesus Christ deny that he is God when this is one of the Titles wherewith he is called The Mighty God The Everlasting Father The Prince of Peace What glorious Titles are here So you shall read he is called his Fathers delight Isa 42.1 Behold my servant whom I uphold mine Elect in whom my sul delighteth And the Fathers bosom-friend John 1.18 No man hath seen God at any time save the only begotten Son which is in the bosom of the Father he hath declared him If the love of all the Parents in the World were concentred in one it were but as a drop of that infinite Ocean of Love that is between the Father and the Son Nay more he is called the Fathers Fellow Zech. 13.7 Awake O Sword against my Shepherd and against the man that is my Fellow saith the Lord of Hosts So likewise he is called The Head of the Church Eph. 5.23 and the Judg both of quick and dead Acts 10.42 In a word such is the Dignity of his Person such is the Excellency of his Merits such is the sweetness of his Graces such is the fulness of his Perfection that the Scripture does abundantly put those terms of honour upon the Lord Christ as sometimes comparing him to a Corner-stone because he does support us Ephes 2.20 Sometimes to A Vine because he does refresh us John 15.1 Sometimes unto a Physician because he does heal us Matth. 9.12 Sometimes to a Day-star because he does enlighten us Rev. 22.16 Sometimes to A Shepherd because he does lead us John 10. Sometimes to Manna or the Bread of life because he does feed us What glorious Titles are these that are given to Christ therefore he is precious in his Titles Thirdly As he is precious in his Titles so he is precious in his Offices in his Kingly Office in his Priestly Office and in his Prophetical Office First He is precious in his Kingly Office he calls himself The King of Kings and Lord of Lords Rev 19.16 The King of Kings He is such a King that conquers the enemies of our Salvation as Sin and Satan and Death and Hell and the World other Kings Rule over us but this King can only Rule in us My Kingdom is not of this world saith he The Kingdom of God is within you Lnke 17.21 This King can make Laws that can bind the Conscience he is such a King as hath all Power in Heaven and Earth committed to him Matth. 28.18 Again He is such a Priest as hath reconeiled us to God the Father and ever lives to make intercession for us who is touched with the feeling of our infirmities Col. 1.21 Heb. 7.25 Heb. 4.15 And he is such a Prophet as can perfectly instruct his Church others may preach to the ear but he hath his Pulpit in Heaven only that can preach to the heart other Preachers can open the Scriptures but it is Jesus Christ only that can open our understandings that we may understand the Scriptures Luke 24.45 Then opened he their underderstandings that they might understand the Scriptures O what glorious Offices are these Fourthly He is precious in his Ordinances For Example His Word is exceeding precious to all those that have tasted the sweetness of it how precious was it to David Psalm 119.72 The Law of thy Mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver How precious are Sabbaths to those that know how much of Heaven is wrapt up in the Sabbath Certainly these Sabbath-days are Market-days for our Souls wherein we may make provision for Eternity days wherein the Lord Jesus Christ many times communicates himself and much of his sweetness to those that wait upon him in holy Duties And how precious is the Ordinance of the Lords Supper wherein the Lord Christ makes us a feast of fat things a feast of Wines on the Lees of fat things full of Marrow Wines on the Lees well refined Isa 25. Wherein he gives his own flesh to eat his flesh that was crucified to satisfie Divine Justice and his own blood to drink that blood which only can quench the fire of Hell quench the fire of Gods anger which otherwise would have been burning and burning against us to all Eternity Fifthly As he is precious in his Ordinances so he is precious in his Prerogatives for he and he only is the Saviour of the World and besides him there was no other Saviour Acts 4.12 Neither is there salvation in any other for there is none other Name under Heaven given among men whereby we must be saved That is there is nothing can be named for it is but a Hebraism there is nothing can be named under Heaven whereby we can be saved but only the Name of Jesus Christ he had no Coadjutor or Helper in the work of our Redemption Isa 63.3 I have trodden the Wine-press alone and of the People there was none with me for I will tread them in mine anger and trample them in my fury and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments and I will stain all my rayment And as he is the only Saviour so he is the only Mediator too For there is one God and one Mediator between God and Man the Man Christ Jesus 1 Tim. 2.5 So he is the only Head of his Church Eph. 1.22 And hath put all things under his feet and gave him to be the Head over all things to the Church He only hath the Supremacy and Authority as being Omnipotent and Omnipresent one that is able to protect his people from all injuries one that is able to prevent all the plots and projects that are hatcht and invented against them he hath these Prerogatives that cannot be given to any Creature in Heaven or Earth but only unto him therefore he is precious in his Prerogatives Sixthly The Lord Christ is precious also in the purchase of his blood the purchase he made for us by his blood is a very precious purchase and the portion that he bestows on his Elect that he hath purchased for them is a precious portion so he is precious not only in regard of his Person but in regard of his Portion For Example the Redemption that he hath wrought for us by his blood is a precious Redemption a Redemption from Sin and Satan and Death and Hell In whom we have redemption through his blood the forgiveness of sins Ephes 1.7 Secondly The donation or bestowing of his Spirit it is a very precious gift that the Spirit of God should in his Name that is for his Merit be bestowed upon all those that do believe But the Comforter which is the Holy Ghost whom the Father will send in my Name he shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever I have said unto you John 14.26 O what a precious invaluable gift is it to have the Spirit of God given us to quicken us to draw us to Jesus Christ and to carry on the
Heaven the red leaf that was the blood of Jesus Christ the black leaf that was the torments of Hell You may look into Hell by contemplation and meditation that you may prevent Hell to all Eternity you may meditate upon the blood of Christ and steep as it were your souls in it by meditation it may be it may soften them It is said of the Goats blood when nothing can soften an Adamant the blood of Goats can the blood of Christ that can soften your hard hearts when nothing else can Thirdly A third thing you can do you can sorrow more and mourn more than you do there is none of you but can sorrow and mourn for outward losses loss of Friends as Husband and Wife or Child perhaps for the loss of a Horse what canst thou mourn for the loss of a Child and canst thou not mourn for the loss of a Soul when one Soul is worth all the Kingdoms in the World If any of you have lost a good Bargain or mist a good Market you can grieve for this O methinks you should mourn for this how many Market days have I lost for my Soul I have burnt out many a precious light and spent out my precious time and can you not mourn for the loss of such a Bargain as this is Suppose one of you should be sent for before a mighty Monarch and should be impeach'd of high Treason before him how would you tremble to appear before so mighty a King that hath power in his hands to cut you off instantly O you and I must appear before the great Judg of Heaven and Earth the King of Kings that knows all the sins and Treasons that ever we have committed and you should bless God if you are cast into fear and thereby be brought to mourn and grieve and sorrow for your sins Job 23.16 For God maketh my heart soft and the Almighty troubleth me that is soft by troubling of me Fourthly There is never a one of you but may leave gross and scandalous sins which I prove thus you can do it for fear of men and you may do it much more for fear of God A prophane Swearer if he be in the company of a Godly grave Minister he can refrain his mouth from vile talk he can forbear his Oaths and blasphemous Speeches and obscene expressions An Adulterer if a boy be but in the Room of seven years old he will forbear to act his uncleanness until the boy be out of the Room If you can forbear gross sins for fear of men much more can you do it for fear of God If a boy can say his Lesson with a Rod certainly he can do it without a Rod if you can abstain from gross sins for fear certainly you can do it without You read of the hypocritical Pharisee he abstained from gross sins Luke 18 God I thank thee saith he I am not as other men are Extortioners Vnjust Adulterers c. Fifthly Though it is true a man in a state of Nature is dead in trespasses and sin yet then at that time he may do many good works works morally good works materially good he may fast and pray and give Alms therefore it is that Daniel speaks to Nebuchadnezzar Break off thy sins by righteousness and thine iniquities by shewing mercy to the poor Dan. 4.27 Certainly the Prophet Daniel would never have spoken so to him if it had not been in his power to do it The Apostle speaking of the Gentiles though they wanted the knowledg of the Law and had not the Law saith he Yet they did by Nature the things contained in the Law they were a Law to themselves which shews that the works of the Law are written in their hearts Rom. 2.13 14. They that are in an unregenerate estate they may pray they may make Conscience of praying in their Families though they cannot pray as they should yet they may pray as they are able they may fall down at the feet of God and say Lord I am a poor sinful wretch I cannot please thee praying or not praying thou hast promised to give the spirit of prayer to them that ask it Luke 11.13 If ye then being evil know how to give good gifts unto your children how much more shall your Heavenly Father give the holy Spirit to them that ask him Say Lord give me thy Spirit to break my hard heart take any way with me so my proud heart may be humbled and hard heart broken that I may welcom Jesus Christ to my Soul that I may believe in him and cast my Soul upon him So that Beloved I put you upon no more than you are able to do you may suffer the word of Exhortation you can ponder and weigh the Word in your own hearts you may sorrow and mourn for sin you may abstain from gross sins and you may do those works that are morally good do what you can do men are not damned because they can do no better but because they will do no better Matth. 23 O Jerusalem Jerusalem I would have gathered thee as a Hen her Chickens under her wings but ye would not If there were no will there would be no Hell saith St. Austin Do what you can set upon works of Holiness and Piety strive and put forth your strength to the uttermost endeavour of your Souls to get your hearts humbled to see sin and to sigh for it to grieve and groan for it lay your conditions to heart be feelingly apprehensive of that wrath that sin hath kindled of that Justice that sin hath provoked of that Mercy that sin hath abused of that vengeance and anger that sin hath deserved to be inflicted O were we but thus humbled we should have cause to bless God to all Eternity I shall close with one word to those that have been under a spirit of bondage that have been convinced awakened as this Jaylor was that have had their broken bones that have felt the burden of sin and it may be lie under that burden at this day O be you comforted it s better to be broken here than hereafter it is better to be convinced here than convinced hereafter it is better to be humbled here than for God to humble the Soul in Hell to all Eternity God will make thy Valley of Achor a Door of Hope Hos 2.15 Thou that art humbled now shalt be exalted and thou that mournest now shalt be comforted CHRIST THE Bread of Life John VI. 35. And Jesus said unto them I am the Bread of Life he that cometh unto me shall never hunger and he that believeth on me shall never thirst THis Chapter contains in it that admirable and Heavenly Sermon of our Saviour concerning the Bread of Life wherein you may take notice of three parts First The occasion of this Sermon that was the Peoples following of him because they did eat of the Loaves and were filled Verse 26. Secondly The Sermon it self and that is
Saviour Jesus Christ These two go together if you grow in grace certainly you shall grow in knowledg if you grow in obedience certainly your obedience shall encrease your knowledg in the mysteries of God For the Explication of the Doctrine two Queries there are that would be satisfied First How or in what respect our obedience shall encrease our knowledg Secondly How it comes to pass or what reason can be rendred why the obedient Christian shall know more of Gods will For the first How or in what respect our obedience shall encrease our knowledg He that obeys the will of God shall know more of his will How shall he know more I answer The knowledg of an obedient Christian shall be encreased in three respects First In regard of its Subject Secondly In regard of its Object Thirdly In regard of the Manner of it First The knowledg of an obedient Christian shall be encreased in the Subject of it or the Seat of it where it is placed as I may call it now the Seat of knowledg is the mind of man the intellectual part of man his intellectual faculty shall be enlarged by his obedience it shall be made more capable of receiving Heavenly truths than it was before God will enlarge that mans understanding whereas before he was but a Babe in knowledg and understanding now he shall be a grown man whereas before he could not digest Milk now he shall be able to digest strong Meat whereas before he was but faint and feeble in knowledg now he shall be strong like David Zech. 12.8 In that day shall the Lord defend the Inhabitants of Jerusalem and he that is feeble among them at that day shall be as David Secondly The knowledg of an obedient Christian shall be encreased and enlarged in the Object of it the Object I call those matters or things that are to be known such a one shall know more truths more mysteries of Godliness more of Gods secrets he shall have more manifestations of the Spirit of God revealed to him more discoveries of Truth from day to day it is that which God hath promised Isa 11.9 The Earth shall be full of the knowledg of the Lord as the waters cover the Sea The Prophet speaks of a larger measure of knowledg and further discoveries of truths than was wont to be made Thirdly The knowledg of an obedient Christian shall be encreased in regard of the Manner of knowledg he shall know the Truths of God in a better manner than he was wont to do How is that you will say I answer and shall give you an instance in five particulars First He shall know truths more inwardly Secondly He shall know truths more experimentally Thirdly He shall know truths more transformingly Fourthly He shall know truths more powerfully Fifthly He shall know truths more satisfyingly First An obedient Christian shall know truths more inwardly more feelingly than he was wont to do not only have a bare apprehension but such a knowledg as shall take an impression upon his heart and therefore this inward knowledg is compared to seeing and to tasting and to smelling First It is compared to Seeing Eph. 3.8 9 Vnto me who am less than the least of all Saints is this grace given that I should preach among the Gentiles the Vnsearchable Riches of Christ and to make all men see not only know but see what is the fellowship of the mysterie which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God who Created all things by Jesus Chuist The Italian Translation renders it that all men may see what was the dispensation of the Mysterie which was hid from the beginning of the World which God was pleased to hide in himself from the beginning of the World that all men may see I quote that Scripture to prove that inward Knowledg is compared to Seeing and Seeing is more than a bare Report according to that of Job Job 42.15 I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear but now mine eye seeth thee I abhor my self in dust and ashes Secondly This inward Knowledg is compared to Tasting 1 Pet. 2.3 If so be that ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious Tasting is more than Knowing and Tasting is more than Seeing If all the Orators in the World should describe what the sweetness of Honey is they could not do it so well as a man that tasts it Now the Soul comes to tast the sweetness that is in Jesus Christ Notional knowledg is one thing and Tasting knowledg is another thing they have a feeling experimental knowledg in their own hearts That is another Thirdly This inward Knowledg is compared not only to Seeing and Tasting but it is compared to Smelling also Isa 11.3 And the Spirit of the Lord shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord So the words are read but the Hebrew phrase carries it thus and so it is in the Margin of your Bibles The Spirit of the Lord shall make him of quick scent or smell in the fear of the Lord That is a man that is once taught by the Spirit of God that is taught of God as our Saviour useth the Phrase such a man shall scent and smell and savour and breathe out nothing but holiness As our Saviour it is said of him All thy garments smell of Myrrh and Aloes and Cassia Psalm 45.8 And because of the savour of thy good Ointments thy Name is as Ointment poured forth Cant. 1.3 Look as the Ointment that was poured on our Saviours head left such a scent or smell behind it that the whole house was filled with the savour of it John 12.3 So is it in this case a man that hath once received the Spirit of God and is taught by the Spirit of God such a man shall have such a sweet savour of the knowledg of God that it shall be able to diffuse it self to others 2 Cor. 2.14 The Apostle Saint Paul blesseth God for this that he caused them to triumph in Christ and made manifest the savour of his knowledg by them in every place And our Latin word for Wisdom Sapientia it hath its derivation from this it is a savoury Knowledg So that this inward Knowledg is more than bare apprehension it is you see compared to Seeing Touching and to Smelling Secondly He shall know truths more experimentally than he did before and this is that you read of John 4.42 It is the speech of the Samaritans to the woman that had left her Water-pot and went into the City of Samaria and declared to them of the City what she had heard and seen concerning Christ Now say they we believe not for thy sayings for we have heard him our selves and know that this indeed is the Christ the Saviour of the world And thus likewise did the Disciples make a Confession of Christ John 6.69 And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ the Son of the living God