works to God when we do in an holy and humble manner discover them and make them known unto him present them and lay them open before him This is one way of Commitment This it agrees very well with that Translation of the Words which renders it by Revealing ar the Septuagint and some others following them Revela Domino opera tua Taking the word in the Hebrew Text to be Gal from Galah which signifies Rvelate This it hath a good sense in it and such as is very pertinent to our present purpose in hand where when we are bid to commit our works to God it seems to carry this meaning with it amongst others besides that we should commend them to him and acquaint him with them and which also belongs hereunto desire his Counsel and Direction and Help and Assistance of us in them This is suitable to that of the Apostle in Philip. 4.6 Be careful for nothing but in every thing by prayer and supplication let your requests be made known unto God We should still upon any work to be done by us or any business of special importance which does belong unto us have our recourse and addresses to the Lord. As Hezekiah when he had received a Letter from Senacherib wherein he was especially concerned he went and spread it before the Lord Esay 37.14 And Hezekiah received the letter from the hand of the messenger and read it and Hezekiah went up unta the house of the Lord and spread it before the Lord. The like should we do also in all the matters which are of moment to us go and open them and present them to him This is required of us not so much in reference to God as if he for his particular stood in need of our information and to be acquainted with our condition as at present ignorant of it No there is no such matter in it our Saviour himself has put that out of question in Matth. 6.8 Your Father knoweth what things ye have need of before ye ask him But when we are bid to reveal our works to him it is to be supposed especially upon these two Considerations First For own Accommodation in regard of our necessities therefore commend our works to him that so he may direct and assist us in them who without his help and counsel are very likely to err and miscarry and go by the worst When we do things of our own head we do commonly prejudice our selves in the doing of them But when we betake our selves to him for his Advice we have him near at hand to direct us and to be assistant unto us And this readiness of his it is implyed in the very Phrase and Expression itself Commit thy works unto the Lord and Make known thy requests unto him As who should say there is nothing more upon the point required of us when we have once presented our Petition he is presently near unto us to answer it and to give us the content of it Secondly As this revealing and laying open and commending of our Works and Conditions to God is required of us for our own Accommodation so likewise as a piece of Respect and Observance to God himself and to maintain our Communion with him Friends though they do not always simply stand in need of one another's counsel and help yet where there is at any time special intimacy betwixt them they will acquaint one another with their mutual Condition out of respect and the Laws of Friendship it self which has freedom and openness in it and does abhor reservedness of words even so should it also be betwixt God and us we should commit and commend our works to him as our Friend and our special Acquaintance And herein we shall now walk answerably to his Carriage and Dealings towards us I know Abraham saith God and shall I hide from him the thing that I will do Gen. 18.17 Surely the Lord will do nothing but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets Amos 3.7 The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him and he will shew them his Covenant Ps 25.14 God makes known his Works to us though not in that manner of Revelation as to the Prophets of old yet by certain hints which he gives us of his Providence many times in the World And accordingly does it become us likewise to make known our Works to him that so we may not seem to neglect him or to be disreguardful of him but to acknowledge his interest in us and our observance and dependance upon him upon all occasions And so much of the first Particular wherein this Committing of our Works does consist and whereby it may be explained namely in a way of simple Commendation and laying open of our Condition to him Secondly We commit our Works to God in a way of Humble Resignation and casting of our Affairs upon him And this it suits very well with another reading of the Hebrew Word in the Text which gives it by the expression of Gol from Galal that signifies Convolvere and so it is as much as Roll or Devolve thy works upon the Lord. And according to this notion of the word it seems to be a Metaphor taken from such kind of persons who having some heavy burthen upon them which is too hard for them to bear do exuriate and ease themselves of it by throwing it upon some Stranger 's shoulders This is that which is here required of us in reference to God Cast thy burthen upon the Lord Psal 55.22 In the Latitude of which Phrase and Expression there seems to be included these three following Particulars to be practised by us First Sensus oneris vel difficultatis That we have some sense and apprehension in our selves of the difficulty and burdensomeness of those Works which are upon us that we do not make lighter of them than becomes us to do but understand the weightiness of them This is implyed in this word of Devolving He that labours to ease his shoulders he has some sense and feeling of his burthen and so it becomes us to have for our own particular When God calls us to any special Service and puts us upon any eminent Employment which he would have us to be exercised in it is fit we should understand the length and breadth of it and be sensible of the difficulties which are in it And that upon several Considerations which I will but name unto you First That so by this means we may labour the more for Strength and Ability to the discharge of them He that knows not the weightiness of his Work will think any thing will serve the turn to perform it and not to be so careful and diligent about it Secondly That we may be the more humbled for our Failings and Neglects in it as coming short of that exactness and perfection which was required of us He that feels not the weight of his Work will not feel the burthen of his Sin
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
not in the things themselves driven further from salvation it self and the tendencies to it Jeshurun waxed fat and kicked Deut. 32.15 what are these now blessings No they are curses rather they are blessings turn'd into curses Mal. 2.2 And they make the condition of those which are in this case to be very sad and fearful The goodness of God should lead us to repentance and his mercy should provoke us to obedience and his love should constrain us to Duty and the better he is to us in his providence over us the better should we be to him in our observance of Him when we make another improvement of them so as to turn his grace into wantonness and to be so much the more confident in evil we go contrary to his gracious purpose and end in the blessing of them and doe not injoy them in love Lastly God blesses indeed when he blesses us with spiritual and eternal blessings in Grace and Glory The former Explications which I have given of this present phrase in the Text have refer'd to Temporal Blessings in regard of the manner of bestowing them These here now before us and which I speak of at this present time are of an higher strain and condition for the Nature and kinde of them This is true whether we take it in reference to whole Nations or else to particular Persons For whole Nations see Psal 144. ver ult where the Psalmist had reckon'd up many other blessings besides That our sons may be as plants grown up in their youth that our Daughters may be as corner stones c. That our Garners may be full affording all manner of store c. and plenty upon all with this conclusion Happy is that people that is in such a case yea happy is that people whose God is the Lord makes the last to referre to all the rest And so as for Nations so for Persons these are the Great Blessings of all as may appear by that acknowledgment of the Apostle in Eph. 1.3 Blessed be God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath blessed us with all Spiritual Blessings in Heavenly places in Christ We are ready to think with our selves that God never blesses us indeed but then when he bestows upon us a great measure of these outward Comforts The Corn and the Wine and the Oyl and such things as these yea but what Grace has he wrought in our Hearts what assurance of his love and favour towards us what hopes and beginnings of Heaven has he bestowed upon us These are Blessings indeed and such as are cheifly to be looked after by us and to be put into the prime of our desires and wishes which we make for our selves And thus we have seen the Explications of this phrase and Expression in this Text. Oh that thou wouldest bless me c. Now the Improvement of all this to our selves in a way of Application is accordingly with Jabez to indeavour our selves hereunto we should desire not onely that God would bless us but likewise that he would bless us indeed that blessing he would be sure to bless us and not onely give us blessings in shew but also in Reality For which purpose to use all good means and to be sure to be in such a posture and Condition as do tend hereunto The Scripture does sometimes hint unto us some Qualifications as Advantagious herein and promoting of us As to instance in one or two Obedience and the practise of Self-denyal This we may observe more Especially in Abraham who because he was willing to offer up his Son Isaac upon Gods Command God took it so well at his hands that he blest him and had never done blessing him as he expresses it of him in Genes 22.16.17 By my self have I Sworn saith the Lord that in blessing I will bless thee and Multiplying I will Multiply thee c. Because Abraham obeyed God God would bless Abraham Secondly Sincerity and Uprightness when we serve God indeed hee 'l bless us indeed when we give him the truth of our Performance he will give us the truth of his Blessings And there is no better way for us to procure and obtain the end then by practising and pursuing of the other This is that we should be careful of in the Duties and Exercise of Religion which we undertake 1 Joh. 3.18 My little Children let us not love in word neither in Tongue but in Deed and in Truth And so Thirdly Zeal and Fervency and Intention in that which we go about It is said of Elias that he prayed Earnestly He pray'd in Praying and as he pray'd in Praying so God blest in Blessing As he pray'd indeed so God blest him indeed This is the ready way to it and the course which is to be observed by us in all the Ordinances of Religion in particular in this now in hand The Sacrament of the Lords Supper Christ deals really with us in it his Flesh is Meat indeed and his Blood is Drink indeed and accordingly should we be careful indeed to pertake of them that so we may be blest indeed in our application to them let us not content our selves with the mere shadow and shell and outside of Religion and Performances but take all the care we can for the Substance and Marrow of them and to receive that Benefit by them which is intended in them we should go from this Spiritual performance with more Spiritual strength then before with more Heart and Life and Comfort and Heavenly ingagement These are the Ends and proper Grounds of our Coming if we come as we should do not out of mere Custom and Fashion but out of Love and as sensible of the Benefits we should labour to perform these Holy Duties and all such as these are with more Eagerness and Intention of Spirit Pray in Praying and Hear in Hearing and Receive in Receiving that so God may Answer in Answering and Give in Giving and Bless in Blessing which is the sum and height of all One thing more before Heave this passage in the Consideration of it as a Prayer And that is the vehemency and intention which Jabez here Expresses in it It is not simply bless me but Oh that thou wouldest bless me for the greater Expression of his Affection and Earnestness in the thing desired And here observe two things more which are pertinent hereunto First The Person for whom Jabez was thus Earnest and importunate and that was for Himself That thou wouldest Bless me Secondly The matter in which Jabez was thus Earnest and importunate And that was the Blessing of him in his outward man as may appear by the particulars that follow which we shall come to in this place from which of these there is somewhat which we may observe to our selves First We see here how exceedingly Earnest and Sollicitous we are ready to be in our own particular Case and Condition when Jabez was here to pray for himself Oh
Condition of all created Comforts whatsoever But now the Lord God he is like the Sun which has light in Great Abundance and what it has it has onely in it self And this now makes very much for our Satisfaction and Contentment in Him yea and that in opposition also to the Creatures and that Comfort and Happiness which we expect from him when the Sun is once up there is no want or miss of the Stars and so where God will please to inlarge himself to the Soul of any poor Christian he has Enough and sufficency in that respect We know what is said of Heaven Revelat. 21.23 The City had no need of the Sun neither of the Moon to shine in it for the Glory of God did lighten it and the Lamb is the light thereof The same is true in a proportion even here in this present life according to Gods Gracious Importment of himself to any soul so is it better able to sustain under the want of other things But Secondly Seeing the Lord God is a Sun we should then hence learn to rejoyce in that light and Comfort which he does impart and which we receive from him We should still desire that the light of his Countenance may shine upon us more and more and nothing should be more greivous to us then the with drawing of this from us When the Sun is at any time darkned it causes sadness in the minds of men we see what a stir people make but about a common and ordinary Eclipse of the Sun in the Firmanent which is natural and certain and necessary and such as is Expected What Fancies possesses the minds of ignorant and simple persons in that regard and what sad and dismal Events they do project to themselves hereupon Oh but what is it then to have an Eclipse of this Sun in the Text which is here commended unto us for God Himself to hide his face from us and to carry himself strangely towards us and to desert us and leave us to our selves to cast us into dark Conditions of doubting and fear and distrustfulness and Horrour of Spirit this is that which is most sad and grievous of any thing else and so should be accounted by us especially those which has had any glimps and expressions of this his favour manifested unto them the more brightly that this Sun hath shown into any ones Heart the more does it concern them to be affected with the withdrawings of it and that as now the half of the Saints and Servants of God they know what belongs to such things as these are and understand what they mean These which are in their natural Condition which live in a state of continual Ignorance and Darkness they scoff and mock at such points as these are and think them to be altogether needless but those which are Savory Christians apprehend them and are sensible of them and lay them to Heart As an Eclipse it is a great deal more dreadful then an whole Night and yet a Night in it self considered simply is more then that It is more in regard of the darkness which is in a greater Degree and it is more in regard of the time which is of greater Continuance onely here 's the difference that an Eclipse we speak of the Sun it s always in the day which being a diversion from the common and ordinary course of it makes it so much the more to be observed even so it is here in this particular Take an Unregenerate Person with whom t is Night always and that knows no other Condition then that is this Sun it may be absent from him and he never regards it but now a Christian which is a Child of Light and a Child of the Day as the Apostle Paul expresses it We are not of the Light nor of Darkness 1 Thes 5.5 Such an one as this is to have the Sun though but for some time withdrawn from him it is very grievous and tedious to him Well we should all Labour and indeavour to have the fulness of this Metaphor made good and confirm'd unto us that God is a Sun that we may find him so for our own particulars and that influence which he has upon our Hearts as we shall have occasion to speak more anon and do nothing on our parts which may cause any Suspension or Intermission or Interruption of his favour and the sense of it to us We should be affraid not onely of an Eclipse of this Sun but also of any Cloudings of it by any Fogs or Mists or Damps which do at any time arise out of our Earthly and carnal Hearts we should study as near as may be that our Day it may be clear and bright and Sun-shine not onely to have some imperfect glimmerings and sparklings of Light to us but the Sun in its full strength and splender Our Graces glittering our Evidences sure our Consciences full of Comfort our Hearts in a full and constant apprehension of Gods love to us and inlarged in our love to him that so it may be with us which Solomon speaks of a Righteous person Prov. 4.18 The Path of the Just is as the shining Light that shineth more and more unto the perfect day And that 's the first part of the Resemblance whereby God is set forth unto us The Lord God is a Sun The second Resemblance is of a shield that is of another thing whereby God does set forth himself unto us and we have it in other places of Scripture we have it once before in this Psal the 9th vers of it Behold our God our Shield It was that which God promised to Abraham and upon that account exprest Himself to Him Fear not Abraham I am thy sheild and thine Exceeding great reward Gen. 15.1 So Psal 115.9.10 O Israel trust thou in the Lord he is their help and their shield And Prov. 30.5 Every word of God is pure he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him Under which expression we have signified unto us Gods Protection and Preservation of his People from those dangers which they are subject unto he will not onely be a Sun unto them to fill them with all Comfort but will likewise be a shield unto them to keep them from all Evil this is that which he is here in the second place set forth by as remarkable in him The Lord God is a sheild Indeed other things in Scripture are sometimes styled by this Name and that also in a Metaphoricall Acception as Magistrates they are called sheilds Psal 47.9 Cypri terrae The sheilds of the Earth which are said there do belong to God Forasmuch as it is their Place and Office to preserve and protect the Innocent from any wrong or injury which may be offered them therefore they are called shields unto them so likewise Faith is called a shield Eph. 6.16 Above all taking the sheild of Faith But all this is still in reference to this shield
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
and is confident Still to the same purpose and effect So which is also much at one with it Prov. 28.5 Evil men understand not judgment but they that seek the Lord understand all things And again Eccles 2.14 The wise man's eyes are in his head but the fool walketh in darkness It is true as concerning God's Judgments If we shall ask how this comes about that a Godly man hath this fore-sight in him we may take it thus First By the Dictates of the Word of God He fore-sees it from hence A Christian considers what God has threatned against such and such ways and sinful courses and finding those courses to be taken does hence conclude that such Judgments will in all likelihood follow upon them For God he is true to his Word and what he has threatned he will bring to pass As nothing shall fail of his Promises and of the good things which are foretold by him so not of his Threatnings neither We may conclude it and build upon it Secondly by the Observations of Prudence and the concurrence of one thing with another We may see what God will do hereafter by that which he hath done already and the comparing and laying of things together God does usually things in their Preparations before he does them in the things themselves And there are the Warnings of Judgment before the Accomplishments and Consummation of it Now a wise man he has regard to these which he takes notice of A good Christian he studies Providence he marks what God does in the World and for what end and purpose he does it and so thereby does satisfie himself as to the Expectation of it and it is no strange matter to him then when it comes For every thing which God does it has a Voice and Tongue in it and speaks somewhat or other to us by it if we will listen and give heed unto it This is that which the prudent man does He is an Observer and from thence a Fore-seer Thirdly By the Inward Hints and Suggestion of the Spirit of God it self There is a Spirit of Discerning which God does in these Cases bestow upon his Servants whereby they are able to say much to future things I know Abraham says God and shall I hide from him the thing that I will do speaking of the Destruction of Sodom Gen. 18.17 And the Lord will do nothing but he reveals his secrets to his Prophets Amos 3.7 It is true there are not now to be expected those direct and immediate Revelations which were to the Prophets in former times but yet there is somewhat answerable to them There are certain General Discoveries and Intimations of things at large so many of Gods servants even now as of what he will bring to pass in the world so as may tend to their preparation and qualification and predisposition for it Those which are much acquainted with God and are accustomed to Communion with him they have many an hint tendred to them which every one is not acquainted withal And that as in reference to Gods Judgments and Dispensations And that 's the First part of Spiritual Wisdom which is considerable in a Christian Namely this That to fore-see the evil in reference to it The Second is in reference to Activity or Practise And hides himself this must be joyned with the other or else it is in vain It is to no purpose for any one to fore-see evil and to rush into it for so it were no better for him than if he were wholly ignorant of it But upon fore-sight of it to avoid it This a Godly man does He improves his fore-sight and discovery of evil coming on to his own safegard and protection Thus t is said of Noah that being moved with fear he prepared an Ark He did not only fear and rest himself in that fear but his fear put him upon Preparation and Provision against the eminent danger or that which was fore-seen by him And so it is also with every good Christian As he has wisdom to preapprehend evil so he has care likewise to prevent it and keep it from himself This is signified in this expression of Hiding which implies an Indeavour to Escape the danger which is fore-seen It is that which we often meet withall in Scripture the Saints hiding of themselves against Time of Trouble especially in the Book of Psalms It is that which David makes mention of again and again of Gods Hiding of him and of his hiding himself with God we can hardly turn a leaf but we find it he makes mention of it upon all occasions Now this is that which is here also signified to be the property of every other Beleiver even to hide himself in such times as these are If we would know how this is done I answer in the Exercise of all such Graces as are pertinent hereunto As First of all Meekness and Humility that 's an Hiding-Grace A Grace which keeps men safe from a storm Proud and lofty Person they are liketrees exposed to wind and weather but the humble and lowly they are preserved as it is in Job 22.29 When men are cast down then they shall say There is lifting up And he shall save the humble person So Zeph. 2.3 Seek ye the Lord all ye meek of the Earth which have wrought his Judgement seek righteousness seek meekness it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the Lords anger The meek they are most likely to be hid of any other besides Secondly Repentance that 's another Hiding Grace The more we hide our sins the less we hide our selves but when by Confession and Humiliation before God we lay them open to him he covers them and our selves with them There 's no better way for any one to be kept in safety from any eminent evil than by repenting and turning to God with all his heart such as these they do receive special safeguard and protection from Him and shall be kept from Evil. Thirdly Faith that 's another Faith it shrowds it self under Gods wings and keeps it there A true Beliver betakes himself to Gods Attributes and finds a great deal of satisfaction from them his power and truth And God himself takes such an one into his protection How great is thy goodness which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee Thou shalt hide them in the secret af thy presence from the pride of man Thou shalt keep them in the secret of thy presence c. Psal 31.19 20. Fourthly Charity and Bounty to the poor That 's a Grace also which Hides He that hides his money he does not hide himself but he that distributes it and gives it abroad The Lord takes special care of such as those in time of trouble to secure them and protect them from evil And that also as the fruits of those mens prayers whom they are kind unto According to that in
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
the place before cited I was shapen in iniquity c. And so Paul he has respect to that likewise Rom. 7.24 O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death That is this corrupt nature in me which has all the lineaments of the Old man which it does extend it self unto This was that which the Apostle was so troubled with and so should we be likewise especially upon occasion of any corruption breaking forth in us we should have recourse hereunto That where sin takes its rise and beginning there Repentance may take its also If the streams be so foul and unsavoury what may we think of the Spring and Fountain which they issue from That 's one Improvement to be made of it Again We see here what cause we have to desire that God would change our Nature and bestow New Natures upon us while originally we are so desiled That God would give us a new heart and a new mind and put new principles into us which might work in the manner of a new Nature in us The more settled we are in corruption we should learn hence to be so much the more desirous to be strengthened and confirmed in grace But so much of that first patticular viz. The Inherence of sin it is Natural and such as the sinner does bring with him into the world like the skin and spots of the Leopard and the Ethiopian The Second is the Strangeness or Monstrousness of it it 's praeternatural as we have seen it in it's Generation so we may look upon it in it's Degeneration also It is such as turns the sinner into a nature far inferiour to him and worse than his own It alters the condition of a man's Country turns an Israelite into an Ethiopian and it alters the frame of a man's Being turns a man into a Leopard that is indeed into a very Beast These are the Resemblances whereby the Holy Ghost in Scripture laies forth sin before us thereby to make it the more odious to us and to convince us of the sad estate of those wherein it is First I say It alters a mans Country causes a degeneration there and so is exprest Because men do oftentimes very much pride themselves in that and count it a glory to them to come of such a race and stock therefore does the Lord shew that sin does disparage them even in this particular insomuch as they do not deserve such an honour to be put upon them So that here now in this expression of the Ethiopian there seems to be a secret gird and exprobration and upbraiding of this people who had so far debased themselves by their miscarriages as that they had now lost the very name of the Country whereunto they did belong Here 's Ami turned into Lo-ami that is my people into not my people as it is in Hos 1.9 That which was a Noble-Vine and wholly a right-seed turned into the degenerate Plant of a strange Vine unto the Lord as it is also in Jer. 2.21 And this we shall likewise find in divers other places besides as in Ezek. 16.3 When God speaks of the Genealogy of that People he will not vouchsafe to call them by Abraham but rather by the Canaanites And in Isa 1.10 He does not express them by Judah and Jerusalem but by Gomorrah and Sodom Hear the Word of the Lord ye Rulers of Sodom and give ear unto the Law of our God ye people of Gomorrah To signifie thus much unto us that God makes no account of mens Countries where they make no account of their own waies and lives and conversations Judah is Sodom and Jerusalem is Gomorrah and Rome is Babylon and London is Rome where the sins of one place do prevail and abound in the other If the same Vices and Abominations be amongst us which are in Judah or Turky or Italy or any of those Countries we are Indians and Turks and Italians also our selves though the climate or the scituation of the soil be never so different yea and that also which is much to be observed a great deal worse Sinners when they are transplanted or transported from one Country into another they are worse in that Country which receives them than in that which conveys them The sins of Italy in England are so much the more Italian and an English-man Italianate we use to say is a Devil incarnate Thus does sin alter a mans Country makes an Israelite an Ethiopian and causes a degeneracy in him So again Secondly Does it also alter a man's nature and cause a degeneracy there likewise It gives a man the quality and disposition even of the beasts and brute creatures themselves And so does the Scripture again often represent it unto us setting forth more desperate sinners by such means as these are of Wolves and Tygers and Bulls and Bears and Vipers and Lions and Leopards To intimate thus much likewise unto us how far sin does unman us and take away our very reason and the glory of our nature from us as indeed it does transforms us into meer Swine themselves like Circe's Cup makes us like so many Tygers and wild creatures that run about in the Forrest And that as we may conceive of it especially in two particulars First As to matter of Understanding And Secondly as to matter of Affection sin-it does cause a brutishness in either of these For the Understanding first it does mightily besot that and take it away there where it prevails and so has been confest by those who have best understood it It is that which the Prophet David delivers in general concerning all That man being in honour and not understanding is like the beasts that perish in Psal 49.20 And it is that which he delivers in particular concerning himself when a temptation prevailed upon him So foolish was I and ignorant I was as a beast before thee And so in like manner the Wise man argues Surely I am more brutish than any man I have not the understanding of a man And then as for the Judgment so for the Affection sin it does inbrutish here it makes men cruel and savage like to beasts Homo homini Lupus one manâ—s a Wolf to another that is ready to destroy and devour There 's no such cruelty and fierceness like that of men where it does once prevail and take place in the heart with opportunity for the venting of it and putting it into execution Thus does sin even alter a man's nature And so ye have also the strangeness and monstrousness of it it degenerates and debases and puts the sinner far be low himself and makes him an Ethiopian and a Leopard The Third is the Multiplication of it It s various exprest here by the Leopards spots which are many and numerous and so it is likewise with sinners there are divers sorts and kinds of it It s a beast of divers colours and divers marks and spots which are upon it
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
nature of the Ministry is the same should be the temper of heart which is wrought by it those that hear much of Christ the Excellencies which are in him and the good that comes by him and the inclinations of his soul towards them it is a shame for them to be of any other than of a Christian spirit such as these they should be moulded and changed and transformed into the Truths themselves with which they are acquainted That 's the first object of his hearing to wit the voice of Christ in the Ministry The second is the voice of the spirit in the conscience This we have also in the Text where it is said the Spirit says Come namely the spirit in the heart of a Believer as we have already expounded it This it prompts a Christian to desire this coming of Christ now when it does so and when a Christian hears it to do so it behoves him presently to say Come And so there is this in it That the motions of God's Spirit in our hearts they should be always and out of hand received and entertained by us when he calls we should answer when he beckens we should come when he raises we should rise when he puts on we should run when he commands we should obey and submit and put in practise what he requires of us we should be careful not to give any repulse to any suggestion of God's Spirit unto our minds This has still been the care of the Saints and Servants of God to eccho back as it were upon God again according to his Applications of himself to them When God calls Samnel he answers Speak Lord thy servant heareth When God calls Abraham he says Here I am When God calls Paul he is presently obedient to the heavenly vision When God says to David Seek thou my face his heart presently answers Thy face Lord will I seek Psal 27.8 In all the intercourses and invitations of God to a gracious soul still he that heareth says Come and so he should do it is that which is here in the Text required of him Therefore let us for our particular take heed of doing otherwise It is a dangerous business for any one to resist the motions of Gods Spirit upon his heart or to delay the performance of them it is that which does very much provoke Gods wrath and indignation against him and cause him to withdraw himself from him as he hath sometimes threatened as Psal 81.12 My people would not hearken to my counsel and Israel would have none of me therefore I gave them up c. And again Prov. 1.24 Because I have called and ye have refused I have stretched out my hand and no man regardeth therefore I will laugh at your calamity I will mock when your fear cometh We should not think it a light or small matter to be guilty of such a sin as this is That 's the second object of this Hearing viz. The voice of the Spirit of Christ in the Conscience The third and last is the voice of the Spouse of Christ in the Church And this again is also in the Text the Spirit and the Bride say come as the Spirit in or to the Bride so the Bride by and from the Spirit It is the voice of the generality of Christians which are led by the Spirit of Christ in them thus to pray for the second coming of Christ and whosoever hears them doing so is to do so likewise Here 's the duty which lyes upon us for the following of good Examples and labouring to frame our selves to the temper and disposition of all vigilant and zealous Christians with whom we converse when we hear such gracious expressions and holy breathings coming from them we should endeavour that they may be in us likewise and should eccho as it were to them also Let him that hears others say come let him say come likewise himself As we must have an ear to hear what the Spirit says to the Churches so we must have an ear to hear what the Churches answer again to the Spirit and hearing the Heavenly words that are uttered by them conform to them in our own particular practise This we shall observe to have been sometime with the Daughters of Jerusalem in the Canticles when they heard the Spouse of Christ inquiring after her Beloved her self and longing for his coming to her they fall inquiring after him also and have the same affection occasionally wrought in them as we may see in that Book Whither is thy Beloved gone Oh thou fairest amongst women whither is thy Beloved turned aside that we may seek him with thee Cant. 6.1 It is a great advantage to light upon good company and the society of affectionate Christians who having first warmed their own hearts with the love of Christ and the meditation on it will be so much the readier to warm ours also occasionally from it And it is our duty to take occasion here from them in some manner to warm them our selves as those who are accountable to God for good patterns and presidents and examples which are afforded unto us and the speeches and actions and lives of others which are set before us We know how it was with Saul himself when he fell into the company of the Prophets and heard what came from them even he himself fell on Prophesying inso much as it came to a Proverb And how much rather then should those who are truly and really good be much quickened and in-livened from one another to such things as these are It is the great benefit this of the Communion of Saints which as it is a business which we all profess to believe so we should also all endeavour to promote and further both in our selves and others And so I have done with the first General Part of the Text viz. The provocation of desire or longing affection in those words Let him that heareth say come The second is the Invitation of access or seasonable Application in those And let him that is athirst come This is to be understood in a spiritual sense suitable to the scope and drift of the whole Discourse which is here presented unto us Christ directs his Invitation especially to thirsty persons and desires such of all others to come unto him Thus Isa 55.1 Ho every one that thirsteth come unto the waters c. And Joh. 7.37 Jesus stood and cried saying If any man thirst c. There are two things in thirst which are considerable as pertinent to this purpose the one is as it is a word of indigency and the other is as it is a word of appetite where there 's thirst there 's want of somewhat an where there 's thirst there 's desire of somewhat And so Christ does here graciously provide for his servants in each particular He supplys their wants by giving them that which they stand in need of and he fulfills their desires by giving them that which they are