The power of godliness is mainly seen in a mans submission unto the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 significat doctrinam Evangelicam instar typi cujusdam esse cui innitamur ut ejus figurae coÌ„formemur Beza Ita 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sumitur Heb. 8.5 Grot. A gracious heart is moulded to it as it was begotten by it Rom. 6.17 And the word is the Scepter of the providentiall as well as of the spiritual Kingdom the Lord rules all things by his word in the world as well as in the hearts of the Saints For as he hath stretched forth the expansum of the Heavens over the natural M. Tho. Goodwin Ep. Dedicat to the return of prayers Psal 149.9 Judicium scriptum intellige mandatur divinum quod iis arma haec pro libertate seu potius pro regno Christi propugnaâ—do amolificando induit Non suae rationis sed Dei jud cum scriptum exequi debent Jer. 1.10 Vendicat Deus summum imperium sermoni suo tantae est virtutis potentiae ut emineat supra omnes mortales nedum supra unam gentem Calv. Rev. 19.15.21 Verbum gladio comparatur propter vim pentrandi Heb. 4.12 propter vim nocendi Mat. 10.34 Glass Rhet. Sacr. p 397. Edvardus sextus Angliae Rex cum coronationis die tres gladii ei offerrentur in signum quod brium regnorum Monarcha esset respondit unum gladium adbuc deesse sc volumen saâ—rorum Bibliorum ille inquit gladius spiritus est omnibus his longe anteserendus Wolfius lect memoral cent 16. An. 1550. so he hath the expansum of the word over the rational world As appears by comparing Rom. 10.18 with Psal 19.23 Now as they rejoyce to see the word to run and be glorified in the souls of men when they believe which is Christs spiritual Kingdom so likewise when great things are accomplished by it in the world which is Christ providential Kingdom We see Psal 29. the great effects of the Word in the dispensations of providence in the world The word of the Lord is powerful it is full of majestie it breaketh the Cedars it maketh the mountaines to skip like a calf Lebanon and Syrion like a young unicorn c. Therefore in all the great changes that Christ makes in the world when he hath accomplished them all then his name is called the word of God Revel 19.13 And the sword by which he destroys his enemies is the sword that goes out of his mouth The Saints delight to see the word of God prosper and prevail Dan. 9.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He hath caused his word to arise when the word doth not lie despised but is exalted by the wonderful effects that are wrought by it the Saints receive therein abundance of satisfaction because they are the Rules of this word into which their hearts are moulded Not only as governing the spiritual but also the providential Kingdom 4. The power of godliness lies mainly in emptying a man of his own ends Sin lies mainly in ends and in that also doth the main of godliness lie Rom. 14.8 Now a man that is Gods servant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vobis tantum vestro commodo spectatis non quomodo mihi obsequamini sed tantum quomodo vestro morem geratis animo Yarnov must have no ends of his own As he must do his masters work so he must aym at his masters end or else he is his own servant his own will he doth and not his masters As it appears in the instance of Iehu and in their fasting Zach. 7.5 When you fasted did ye at all fast to me even to me did you not fast to your selves and eat and drink to your selves God owns nothing as a sacrifice unto him in which his end is not sought Now a man that hath no ends of his own how will he be pleased to see Gods ends prosper and to be effected and there is nothing makes a mans spirit bitter when Gods work is finished but when a man hath missed his end in it Hab. 2.1 I will stand upon my watch-Tower and see c. Every godly man hath a watch-Tower * Militis personam gerit consisto super munitionem id est verbum Dei à mea parte stat quo confido cui credo unde loquoâ— aliis praedico Si enim ille nutaverit qui verbi dux adservator esse debeat tum actum est vexillum succumbit vigil interemtus est Luth. Sâ—abo in specula mea id est in prophetiae meae sublimitate Jerom. Some understand it to be verbum Dei I will look into the word and observe there how God accomplisheth all things and brings them to pass and how his works are a fulfilling of his word But †Si quis propius expendat rationem Metaphorae facile intelliget speculam esse recessuÌ„ mentis ubi a mundo nos subducimus c. Si non statim apparuerit aliquid spei tamen non frangar animo neque deseram staioneâ— meam Calv. others understand it to be recessum mentis a mans own retiring thoughts and meditations the observations of a gracious heart The Saints by the word can discern what purposes and designs God hath upon the world and they observe how by his works he doth go on to effect and accomplish these designs Now to stand by Hoc sanctis Angelis gaudium affert quod diabolo regnum minuitur Deo verò regnum augetur vide quanta sit humana malitia iniquitas propter quoà Angeli benedicunt Deo laetantur homines murmurantes invidia flagrant Stella in loc 15.10 to retire a mans self and observe how in Gods workings thorough all the confusions of the world he doth accomplish his own purposes and that they are all turned about to bring to pass what he hath determined should be done thus to see Gods ends accomplished a Saint can exceedingly rejoyce in it This is the very joy of the Angels and Saints in Heaven and whosoever hath no ends of his own he must needs rejoyce to see God in his workings bring to pass his ends Vse 1 First It reproves all those that profess godliness and yet their wils are exceeding opposite unto the will of God and his dispensations in the world God works but they cannot approve it they would have it otherwise if it were in their power And this is a temper of Spirit that may befal a gratious man We see it did Jonah chap. 4. God had caused a gourd to spring up in a night and it was a present convenience unto Ionah for it was a shelter unto him from the Sun and he sate under the shadow of it this gourd the Lord smote by a worm at the root and it withered For this act of God Ionah is angry Non ignorat Deum loqui tamen non deponit animi serociam cum semel
modo Bestiae devincitur In dextra Vt pro virili pro Bestia propugnent in fronte ut omnibus palam sit cui deberetur obsequium Bright Allusum est ad morem veterem quo servi Dominorum in fronte milites Imperatoris sut nominibus in dextra inscribi solebant of the Beast in their right hand and do in a high degree maintain Popish Principles and Interests and yet never wear the mark in their foreheads All these things I look upon being done as good as things which God doth approve but if the persons do them not in obedience unto God but upon corrupt Principles and unto corrupt ends or if they degenerate into the same evils and build that which they before pretended to destroy God will have a time to call them unto an Accompt and reckon with them afterward Neither doth it follow that Jehu did not that which was right in the sight of the Lord against the House of Ahab because he doing it with an evill intention and barely for Politick Ends God did afterwards visit the blood of Jezerel upon the House of Jehu I am herein to look if the thing be good in it self and to the intention of my own spirit in doing it and I need not question but I shall be accepted and rewarded for doing that in obedience to God and in sincerity of heart for which another man who did it upon corrupt Principles and unto corrupt Ends shall be sure to be punished 3. When the Ends of God are carryed on and that not coeco impetu but professedly as the intention of the Actors It is true all ungodly men do accomplish * Finis operis operantis Isai 10.7 Si pro arbitrio suo scrvi dominis obtemperant nè in iis quidem in quibus obtemperaverint obsequuntur Quando enim servus ex domini jussis câ facit tantummodo quae vult facere jam non dominicam voluntatem implet sed suam Salv. de guber Dei l. 3. p. 79. Gods Ends even when they miss their own but they do not intend the End which they effect But when men profess they aim at Gods Ends and I have ground to hope that many of them do it in truth though corrupt Ends will creep into the hearts of the best men much more into Bodies and mixt multitudes of men yet it is my duty rather to wish well unto these and to joyn with them then with any other that act quite contrary to Gods Ends and the Designs which his Word tels us that he hath upon the World The Lords ends at this time are mainâ—y these two We may speak it for he haâ—h not seft us without a word â—s 〈…〉 of it 〈…〉 wil◠〈◊〉 Heaver and Earth 〈…〉 may 〈…〉 that are 〈…〉 〈…〉 abun 〈…〉 of the 〈…〉 of men 〈…〉 of States 〈…〉 only 〈◊〉 read of tw◠〈…〉 13. the Lord thereby 〈…〉 Aâ—â—â—christ according unto 〈…〉 Câ—aim that he makes 1. He 〈◊〉 a Temporal power and headship over Kings and Kingdoms And the Western Empire being by the Gothes 〈◊〉 broken the ten Kings receiving thâ—â— their power as Kings did with one â—onsent put themselves and their Kingdoms under the power of the Pope and so together with the ten Kings he makes up the first Beast there spoken of which is but the Image of the former Empire of Rome in the West set up by the Pope sc Imperium Romanum per Pontificem crectum stabâ—litum And that the German Empire was set up by him Bellarmin himself takes a great deal of pains to prove in three Books written of purpose de translatione Imperii Romani wherein he undertakes though with great favour to his own Party to manifest 1. Leonem Tertium solum aut praecipuum ac primarium authorem translationis Imperii fuisse eique Germanicam nationem Imperium acceptum referre debere that Leo the Third translated the Empire by his authority alone unto Carolus Magnus 2. That afterward Otho de Gente Saxonum was raised to the Empire by Pope John the Twelfth 3. That the seven Princes Electors of Germany were constituted by Pope Gregory the Fifth If Antichrist did take to himself such a power as to translate and conferr Kingdoms at his will it cannot seem strange that they should give their Kingdoms to the Beast who did receive them from him and that under a pretence of his being an Officer appointed by Christ unto that very End They gave to him therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rev. 17.13 their power of Arms and of Laws that in all the ten Kingdoms he enacted what Laws he would for the support of his own Authority so that Glossa de regulis juris hath this Rule Quando de eadem re contrariae inveniuntur leges Imperatoriae Pontificiae abrogatur lex Imperatoria per Pontificiam quia non poterat servari sine mortali peccato which the Emperors did being for the Popes greater security bound to him by an Oath of Allegiance and Fidelity as to their soveraign Lord. And I doubt not but its very easie unto men skilfull in the Laws to set forth what an influence the Pope hath had from time to time upon the Politique constitution of this Nation in framing or limiting them as was most for his own advantage many of which Laws remain unrepealed unto this day This therefore is that Beast upon which the Whore is said to sit Rev. 17.3 7 8. which was and is not and yet is sc the Roman Empire set up by the Pope as the Head of the ten Kings united into one Body under him as a learned man of late hath well observed Meretrix seu Anti-Christus huic Bestiae dicitur insiaere licet enim rei fundamenta quaedam jacta fuerint veteri Imperio in ruinam paulatim inclinante tamen potissimum ibi completum est cum imago haec Imperii Romani in Germania fuit excitata tum vere coepit Anti-christus huic Bestiae insidere ejus potentià ad stabiliendam suam tyrannidem abuti decreta sua per omnes Imperii partes firmare Imperatorum consilia pro arbitrio suo atque ad suam utilitatem moderari c. Robert Jans Dissertatio de vision cap. 13. 17. Apocal. p. 29. c. And all Powers erected by him and all laws made in favor of him or by his Authority the Lord will surely shake the Nations till he hath removed All these God will certainly shake that he may remove There are also many Inventions of men brought into the Ordinances and Institutions of Christ There is a smoak in the Temple Rev. 15.8 by which Interpreters commonly understand three things First The glorious presence of God in his Church owning his People during the time of the pouring out of the Vials for they make it an Allusion to the manifestation of the presence of God at the Dedication of the Tabernacle and the Temple Exod. 40.34 1 King 8.10 2. Chron. 5.13 So Mede
which God hath given to the Saints to study in this state of distance till they come to behold his face the book of nature and the book of Scripture and there are three things the Saints have mainly to do in this life 1. To obey his precepts 2 To beleive his promises 3 To submit to his providences The Angels in heaven behold his face in glory which is to them Cognitio meridiana as the Schoolmen speak yet they study the word and the works of God and know much of the will of God by them Unto Angels and principalities and powers is made known by the Church the manifold wisdom of God Ephes 3.10 They are indeed present in our assemblies and therefore women are exhorted to have power upon their heads because of the Angels 1 Cor. 11.17 They do not come to our assemblies to be instructed by any of our ordinances for they know much more then any of the Saints do We know in part and prophesie in part but by the Church is meant By the works of God toward the Church and his severall dispensations therein And this is their Cognitio vespertina the knowledg which they get by their own experience and observation of the works of God in the world but especially toward the Church 2. This Will manifested being the rule of duty the Saints ought neither to speak nor act against it 1. A man must not speak against the will of Gods as manifested First not against his commanding will a man must not dispute any command of God for God only is the Lord of his own law and therfore every thought and reasoning of ours must be brought into subjection thereunto 2 Cor. 10 5. Here an implicite faith is only necessary to obey when a man sees no reason for it Therefore the Apostle condemns those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â— Tim. 6.5 perverse disputings of the commands of God by men of torrupt minds destitute of the truth Not against the effecting will of God when God hath done any work â—nd therein manifested his will we must not speak against it Levit. 10. â— Aaron held his peace And David â—ept silence because it was the Lords doâ—ng Hab. 2. last Zach. 2. last Be â—lent oh all flesh before the Lord. It is â—poken of the effecting will of God in the Churches deliverance The Lorâ— will inherit Judah his portion in the holy land and again chuse Ierusalemâ— Against this there was like to be 〈◊〉 great deal of reasoning and murmuâ—ring and that from the Saints aâ— well as from the enemies but thâ— Lord puts it to silence when he wâ—â— do the work do not dispute do noâ— rail do noit reason againstit 3. Noâ— against the permitting will of God if he will suffer the Caldeans to plundâ— Iob of his substance and Satan to bâ—reave him of his children and givâ— him power over the winds to thâ— end yea if he will give him powâ—â— over his body so as to smite him wiâ— plague-sores for the same word 〈◊〉 used that is used of Hezechias sicknesâ— which by the medicine of a bunch 〈◊〉 green figs is guessed by interpreteâ— to be a plague-sore yet he must 〈◊〉 reply against it not speak a woâ— but with thankfulness submit unâ—â— the will of God as manifested thereiâ— If God will suffer Shimei to curse Dâ—vid he must not so much as say Wâ—â— hast thou done so 2 Sam. 16.10 therebe a messenger of Satan to buffet Paul so as he must fight it out with a champion sent from hell immediately and if the Lord will have it to continue upon him and will not grant his prayer for the removing of it he must not speak against it but sit down and say Thy grace is sufficient for me 2. As the Saints must not speak against the will of God when it is manifested so they must not act against it We have in Scripture three famous instances hereof First when the Lord had declared his will that he would give up Jerusalem and the King thereof into the hands of the King of Babylon Now the will of God is manifested may they not use all lawfull means for their defence and stand it out to the last man they can but be delivered into his hands at last but when the will of God is made known Zedekiah must not oppose but he must go forth to the King of Babylon yield up himself give up his City and then the promise is Thou shalt live thou and thy house Ier. 38.17 18. verses 2. The Lord had manifested his will for the destruction of the house of Ahab that wicked and idolatrous family Jehosaphat joyns with Ahab in a War that he might contrary to the revealed will of God preserve him and his house from ruine 2 Chron. 19 2. the Lord sends a prophet to reprove him Shouldest thou help the ungodly and love them that hate the Lord therefore is wrath upon thee from the Lord for he will rise up against the house of evill doers and against the help of them that work iniquity If his will be manifested to destroy a family let not the best men interpose and act against the will of God as manifested for they will be so farr from recovering it that they will perish with it proud helpers shall stoop before him 3. When the Lord is accomplishing his own great work against Babylon Mystery Babylon the great the mother of harlots against all humane inventions under all forms the worship of God as taught by the precepts of men and when the will of God is manifested by the pouring out of severall vials after all this the kings of the earth shall be gathered together to the great battell at Armageddon for Antichrists restitution and establishment Rev. 16.16 This gathering together and rallying their scattered troops is their sin and shall be their snare and ruine For if the will of God be manifested it will be the down-fall of all that come in to joyn with them in ways of opposition against it 3. The grounds of this doctrine are these Reas 1. The will of God hath a majesty and a soveraingty goes with it for he is the great the only potentate King of Kings and Lord of Lords none governs by will as an absolute monarch but himself And therefore Austin commends those Princes as happy men qui potestatem suam divinae majestati famulam faciunt And if there be a soveraignty then every disobedience unto this will and every opposition against it whether in word or action is rebellion 1. Sam. 15.23 There is a rebellion against God because his will hath a soveraignty in it and his law is a royall law Therefore the Lord cals the Babylonians who were a disobedient people the land of rebels Jer. 50.21 For to speak or act against the will of God as manifested is a rebellion against the Lord. Ier. 28.16 The Lord saith I will put an iron yoke upon the neck of these nations and they
Hebrews 2 7 146  16 81 11 25 228  26 ibid. 12 23 30 13 18 64 James 1 18 81 2 19 49 3 13 168. See margent 4 15 140 See marg in p. 141. 1 Peter 2 2 22 3 15 15 2 Peter 1 19 20 2 2 149 1 John 5 19 219 Jude 0 11 326 Revelation 1 13 267. 268 6 12 192 11 1 295  15 162  19 188 13  183  2 193  3. 8 185  16 181   See mar 15 7 111  8 186 16 1 190  8 ibid.  9 293 17 3 161  13 184  17 33 19 13 107  14 112 A TREATISE Shewing the subordination of the will of MAN unto the will of GOD. Acts 21.14 And when he would not be perswaded we ceased saying the will of the Lord be done CHRISTS going forth in the Gospel is compared unto the Lightning which cometh out of the East and shineth unto the West Luc. 17.24 That is 1. Repentè suddainly unexpectedly when there was the saddest and darkest night upon the world when the world in wisdome knew not God 1 Cor. 1.21 then did the Light of the glorious Gospel break forth 2. Celeritèr swiftly the Gospel did pass through the world with incredible speed as Lightning out of a Cloud as an Arrow out of a Bow Rev. 6.2 Psal 45.5 that they were subjected to it ere they were aware 3. Vniversaliter generally the Lightning is not seen in one place only but it inlightens the whole heavens so it was with the Gospel it spred over the whole world Rom. 10.18 4. Irresistibiliter irresistibly it s observed of the Lightning Aristâ—dâ— Meteor it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is of a kind of spiritual nature of which there is no resistance if it meet with a subject that yields it will insensibly pierce it without prejudice but if with a subject that opposeth it will melt it so it is with the Gospel the word of the Kingdom wheresoever the light of it shines forth A very glorious accomplishment of this Scripture we have set before us in this book of Acts which contains the labour and travels the sufferings and successes of those blessed Instruments which the Lord did first employ to spread the savour of his knowledge in every place But Paul being the most eminent instrument and as it were a chosen shaft in the Lords hand Esay 49.2 1 Cor. 15.10 for he laboured more abundantly then they all therefore in this book chiefly his Preachings Travels and Sufferings are recorded concerning whom looking upon that as a Motto spiritus Pauli exemplum Ministri before I come to the words of the Text I cannot pass by four things which I find by Chrysost observed First De laudibus Pauli 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. his spirit he describes in two things 1. He feared nothing but sin to displease God and to dishonour him was only terrible unto him 2. He prized nothing in comparison of the love of Christ and Communion with him he chose rather the lowest condition with his love then the most eminent condition without it to see his face was his heaven and it was even hell to him to be deprived thereof Secondly His sufferings for Christ were his pleasures his delights he could take pleasure in infirmities 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the more he did suffer the more was his spirit inlarged unto suffering and he came out of every tryall with a new resolution and readiness of mind unto suffering when we have escaped a danger we commonly resolve to take the more care for time to come and so by every cross our fear is encreased but Paul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by every cross his courage was raised and he came off from suffering with a new desire and readiness to suffer again Thirdly the aym and bent of his spirit was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not only to offer up himself body and soul as a living sacrifice but his constant aym and daily labour was to offer up to God the whole world as a sacrifice and therefore laboured in the conversion of so many severall Nations unto God preaching the Gospel where Christ was not named Fourthly for his labour he was unwearâ—ed in it for the happy accomplishment of that end he was abundant in the work of the Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he went over the greatest part of the world as if he had wings and laboured without cessation as if he forgat whether he were in the body setting no bounds to his labour but his life This glorious instrument in the hand of the Spirit was in an eminent manner guided by the Spirit in all his wayes carrying him to those places where he had any service to imploy him in and when the work was done by the guidance of the same Spirit he was removed to another place Sometimes the Lord sends him from Ierusalem that he might bear his name before the Gentiles Act. 22.18 and sometimes the Spirit forbids him to preach the Gospel in Asia and when he did assay to preach the Gospel in Bithinia the Spirit suffered him not Acts 16.6 7. Then he hath a vision Acts 16.9 in which a man of Macedonia saith come down and help us Thus he spent his dayes in planting and confirming the Churches At this time by the direction of the same Spirit he was engaged to go to Jerusalem Behold now I go bound in the Spirit Non levitate vel temeritate quadam motus eò proficiscor sed fortiter à spiritu sancto impulsus acsi vinculis quibusdam injectis cò traherer Sicut per vincula iniquitatis spiritualis peccati captivitas notatur Glass Rhet. sacr p. 414. Spiritus validè me impellit sicut nubes aguÌ„tur vento ut ei alligatae videantur A lap in loc Acts 20.22 That is by speciall direction from the Spirit à Spiritu impulsam as if the Spirit went with me thither and I were bound up with the same Spirit As watry vapours bound up in the Clouds are carryed about with them so was Paul bound up in the Spirit who is the Prorex in the government of Christ and hath an eye to the affairs of his Kingdom all the world over This Spirit having clearly revealed Gods mind unto the Apostle concerning this service and by a strong impulse subdued his heart thereunto he is therefore said to go bound in the Spirit to whatsoever service or suffering the Lord would call him But this instinct and motion of the Spirit met with great opposition First when he came to Tyre he met with certain Disciples that did say to him by the Spirit Fratribus istis quid futurum sit Dominus revelavit interea vero quid postulet vocatio Pauli nesciunt non eo usque extenditur doni mensura c. Cal. 1 King 13.18 Facilis
fuit ad credendum ignoto Prophetae inexcusabilis erat quia dimisit certum adhaesit incerto Cajet in loc that he should not go to Jerusalem The Spirit of Prophesie was not then ceased in the Church therefore I conceive with Calvin they did not barely pretend the Spirit but that he did many times speak by them though in this they followed their own spirit The Lord in this trying the Apostle as he did the young Prophet coming from Iudah to Bethel and was by the like pretended Message from God deluded and overcome But the Apostle cleaves close to the Commandment that he had received and is not by this suggestion diverted or turned out of the way Secondly Then coming to Cesarea Quem Dorothaeus ait unum fuisse è 72. Discipulis Christi Qui famem su◠Claudio praedixit quae etiam accidit c. he met with a Prophet who came down from Judea named Agabus and he told Paul that when he came to Ierusalem the Iews should binde him and deliver him up to the Gentiles He well knew both the rage of the Jews and the malice of the Gentiles if he once fell into their hands Act. 11.28 Luk. 10.19 yet this doth not turn him out of the way of Duty If he must walk upon Serpents and Scorpions difficulties discourage him not but raise up his spirit to higher resolutions Periculum est par animo Alexandri Job 17.19 The righteous holds on his way Thirdly Now follows the last but the greatest temptation which took most impression upon his tender heart Paul walked in a high degree of love to the Brethren willing in every thing to satisfie them wherein he might not dishonour or displease Christ For as the way of glorifying the Father is in his Son and of glorifying his Son is in his Spirit So a high way of honouring the Spirit is in the Saints Now when he came to Cesarea his Friends and Companions in travel Sopater Aristarchus c. cap. 20.4 together with the Inhabitants of the place besought him that for the glory of God and the sake of the Churches he would not go up to Ierusalem to venture himself on so eminent a danger upon whom the good of the Churches did so much depend Thus even godly men may disswade from Duty out of self respects and that is a great temptation For as the Lord is loth to deny the requests of his people so are the Saints for the same spirit works in their hearts also This melts the heart of Paul and yet elevates his grace and quickens his resolution for Christ and Duty Their intreaties divert him not from his purpose and he goes forth as the Sun shining in his strength And Pauls Grace thus acting draws out their Grace also There is a Sympathy in Graces as well as in Instruments touch one string in one and the same string in another will sound Pauls resolution draws out their submission And when he would not be perswaded they said The will of the Lord be done From this Context six special Truths are to be observed 1. That the best men meet with variety of diversions in the best services 2. There may be great snares laid in the best men and the best means Who would have feared any thing in a Prophet or suspected any thing in a Saint Satan hath his devices 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 2.11 and he had need be a discerning Christian that shall be able to discover them 3. A godly man must deny his best friends rather then the least motion of the Spirit Luk. 14.26 He must hate Father and Mother that will be Christs Disciple 4. An upright heart is resolute and is not by difficulty turned out of the way of Duty Cant. 8.6 The love of Christ is the Flame of Jah and the less fewel it hath the hotter it burns It s only base Kitchen-fire that is put out when the fewel is with-drawn which is not maintained by an heavenly influence 5. The soul is then in a good temper when that which diverts others and turns them out of the way of Duty doth the more strongly engage it drawing forth to higher and more glorious actings 6. It is a good sign when Grace acting in others doth draw forth acts of Grace in us also as Iron sharpens Iron and one stick kindles another And so much for the occasion of the words In the Text are two things mainly to be considered 1. A gracious submission of their will unto Gods will Before they knew what the will of the Lord was they would have had their own will to have taken place for that is the great contention in the world whether God's will or our will shall stand But when they saw the Command that he had received from God and the impression that it had taken upon him then they conclude Surely it is the will of the Lord and it must stand and our wils shall stoop thereunto 2. A blessed quietness and calmness of spirit following upon this submission Will the Lord have Paul to go up to Jerusalem and by the malice of the Jews there deliver him unto the wils of the Gentiles if he suffer under them and thereby we and the rest of the Churches be deprived of so great a mercy it is not for us to dispute with God let his will be done So much is intimated in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as will appear when it shall be afterwards explained First From the submission of their wils unto the will of the Lord ariseth this Observation Doct. The power of Grace consists mainly in the submission and conformity of our will unto God's will This I propound the rather to let you see that in absoluto facili stat aeternitas Hilar. de Trin◠10. jurta finem The things that absolutely concern eternity are short and brought into a narrow compass If we look to most of the controversies of the present Age they are but out-works things upon which godly men do not live for in those all the Saints agree that differ most in Forms and Externals wheresoever Grace is it saith Sinc summo bono nil bonum there is nothing good without regeneration And sad it is to see men that live upon the same Truths for the main and expect an Interest in the same Inheritance that they should be at such distances as they are for things circumstantial yea even to side with others barely for Opinion sake whose principles in the main they abhor and whose ends they fear It was good to me when Christians could meet together Fast and Pray together delight themselves in the image and approaches of God each to other feeding their souls with nourishing Truths and not puzling their judgements and tickling their Fancies with nice and unpractical curiosities It was good counsel that of Nazianzen whose honour was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Orat. 29. §. 14.
what would please God and what was agreeable to their wils then to his most just and holy will 4. Nothing can be a Rule of Duty to the Creature but this because this will is onely good Voluntas Dei bona est quia nobis utilia praecipit accepta est quia Deo grata praecipit perfecta quia nihil superaddi debet Glass meditat in Epist part 1 p. 35â— Rom. 12.2 Proving what the good and the acceptable will of God is Truth and goodness in all the Creatures do consist in a Conformity to something without and above themselves As therefore in intellectu divino est primum verum so in voluntate Divina est summum bonum The understanding of God is the Rule of Truth and the will of God the Rule of goodness God doth will nothing because it is good but it is therefore good because he wils it I cannot therefore approve of that distinction which some of the Schoolmen give there are quaedam volita quia bona quaedam bona quia volita Because if any thing be willed of God because it is good then it is antecedently good to the will of God which is the only cause Rule of goodness There can therefore be no Rule of Duty to the creature but that which is good there is nothing Originally good but the will of God therefore in a conformity thereunto all goodness in the creature doth consist and by it it is to be measured Thirdly The will of God as far as it concerns mans Duty is manifested and made known which will appear by these five particulars 1. This the Lord himself affirms Mica 6.8 He hath shewed thee O man what is good and what doth the Lord requre of thee but to do justly and to love mercy and to walk humby with thy God The Original word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath the same root with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies a Captain or a Leader so that the Lord hath set forth his word as our Leader the guide of our way Therefore it s called a Lanthorn unto our Feet and a light unto our pathes Ps 119.105 And a light shining in a dark place 2 Pet. 1.19 Because it shews a man how to walk in the way that is called holy 2. Luk. 16.29 Vt in Republica ignorantia juris neminem excusat ita nec in Ecclesia Daven de Judice c. 11. It could not be a Rule to us unless it were promulgated and made known Our Divines affirm against the unwritten Traditions of the Papists norma debet esse nota omnibus promulgata or else we could never be blamed for the transgression of that Law that was never revealed to us We make not the secret will of God the Rule of Duty neither is a man an offender because he doth not act according to Gods secret will Deut. 29.29 Deus apud se secrâ—ta continet quae scire nostra nihil interest neque expedit Calv. for secret things belong unto the Lord our God but those things that are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever that we may do them They never belong to us to do them untill they be revealed That known Instance of * Aliquando bonâ voluntate homo vulâ— aliquid quod Deus non vult tanquam si bonus Filius Patrem velit vivere quem Deus bona voluntate vult mori Rursus fieri potest ut hoc velit homo mala voluntate quod Deus vult bona velut si malus Filius velit Patrem mori volit hoc â—tiam Deus Ille vult quod non vult Deus isle vero vult quod vult Dâ—us tamâ—n â—onae voluntati Dei pietas illius potius consonat quamvis aliud volentâ—sâ—q am bujus idem volentis impietas Enchirid. ad Laurent c. 101. Augustine makes this manifest A sick Father had two Sons one prays for his Fathers life in Duty the other wishes his death to enjoy his Lands the Lord had decreed that he should die yet he that prayed according to the secret will of God sinned therein whereas the other praying according to the will of Gods precept is accepted though it were contrary to the secret will of God We have a higher instance in Abraham praying for the conversion of Ishmael O that Ishmael might live in thy sight though it were contrary unto the will of Gods purpose for he intended that the Son of the Bond-woman should be cast on t and not be Heir with the Son of the Free-woman Yet it being according to the will of his precept he did his Duty and was accepted in it 3. It cannot be obedience unless the Rule of it be made known Obedience must be voluntary and the will cannot consent to any thing but what the understanding dictates to be the Rule of Duty It must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 reasonable service Rom. 12.2 Rationalis est cultus de quo rationem reddere possumus which it cannot be unless the Rule thereof be first made known Some do expound that word by the 1 Pet. 2.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we render the milk of the Word Ita Basiâ—ius rationalâ—m cultum opponit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 appositè satis licet noâ—â—â—a Bezaevidetur according to that acceptation that which is translated reasonable Service may be rendered Word Service This is the happiness of the Saints that in matter of Duty they are not left to ambiguous Disputes doubtful inquiries to say who shall ascend up into Heaven or who shall descend into the deep but the word is nigh them in their mouth and in their heart They know what is the Rule of Duty and when they walk before God unto well pleasing Rom. 10.8 4. Christ came from the bosome of the Father to reveal unto man the Rule of Duty He had a Law written in his heart in his creation but that is utterly obliterated there remans not not one true principle of holiness and Duty therefore * Pilius in finu patris esse dicitur in aeterna generatione in arctissima unitate in ardentâ—ssima dâ—lectione in secretissimorum communicatione Glass Rhet. sacr p. 119. the only begotten Son who is in the bosome of the Father he hath declared him Joh. 1.18 The bosome is the seat of secrets as well as of love and to reveal these secrets to open that sealed Book is a great part of Christs prophetical Office And the Spirit hath undertaken also to lead us into all truth to bring these Revelations of Christ unto our remembrance Joh. 16.13 which is not to be limited unto the Apostles only Fateor hunc locum non ita solos Apostolos spectare quin ad alios etiam fideles pastores possit extendi Deducuntur in omnem veritatem non absolutè sed in omnem veritatem necessariam Daven de Judice p. 98. Ephes 5.15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sylburg but
The main power of sin lies in the will and therefore the main power of Grace must lie there also Ephe. 4.22 23. Sin and Grace must have the same subject the image of God and the image of the Devil Now it will appear that the main power of sin lies in the will because this of all faculties is most desperately shut against God and Christ Therefore in all ungenerate men the blame is still laid upon the will Mat. 23.37 I would have gathered you but you would not Joh 5.40 Psal 81.11 Jer. 44.16.17 Ye will not come to me that ye may have life Israel would none of me The Word that thou speakest to us in the name of the Lord we will not do but we will do whatsoever proceeds out of our own mouths And usually when the understanding is convinced and the conscience silenced yet the will holds out and therein the power of sin doth mainly consist If the will write its fiat for sin it carries it thorow the whole man if the will give Duty its non placet all the faculties are becalmed none of them acts for God while the will resists Act. 7.51 Therefore men are said to resist the holy Ghost For hardness is that a thing does not yield to the touch Forma duritiei est resistentia seu vis resistendi tactui ut plane non cedat vel difficulter cedat cum exploratio fit per contactum mediatum vel immediatum Wendel phy sic part 1. pag. 548. Durum est quod non cedit tactui the main hardness lies in the will the stone of the heart is there So Augustine confesseth of himself Cui rei ego suspirabam ligatus non ferro alieno sed mea ferrea voluntate Velle meum tenebat inimicus inde mihi catenam fecerat constrinxerat me Confess l. 8. cap. 5. that this was the great impediment in his conversion his conscience was convinced all his reasonings were answered yet the speaking of the will was noli modo I will but not now and so I remained saith he bound with the Iron Chains of my own will 5. The main work of the Spirit in the omnipotency of it lies in the will to subject it unto the will of God There is saith the Apostle an exceeding greatness of power Ephes 1.19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that works in them that beleive Populus erit maxime voluntarius liberatissimo ingenio praeditus quali summos principes esse decet And this power is mainly put forth upon the will Psal 110.3 Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is both in the abstract and in the plural Veri Christiani habent Christi ingenium ut ille sponte suâ patri obediebat c. Tar. in Psal passion Victorque volentes per populos dat jura c. Virgil de Aug. 1 Cor. 5.17 Eph. 2.10 oblationes voluntariae so rendred giving themselves to God as Free-will-offerings But this is an act of the Spirit in the day of his power when he puts forth that exceeding greatness of power upon the soul Now where the main work of the Spirit is there the power of his Grace is principally seen But that is mainly upon the will though there be a new creation in the whole man therefore the power of godliness is chiefly there 6. Godliness doth especially consist in a conformity of our will to the will of God because when this conformity shall be perfected then shall our Graces also be perfected We read Heb. 12.23 Of the souls of just men made perfect In Heaven there shall be a perfection of all the faculties but the glory of the Saints is expressed by this Math. 22.30 that they shall be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Angels of God in Heaven Now the glory of the Angels doth not consist so much in the perfection of their knowledge though they behold the face of God continually but in the perfect subjection of their wils Matth. 18.10 Therefore Christ doth not teach us to pray that we might know so much as the Angels but that we might do his will Matth. 6.10 Ad modum adimplendi voluntatem Divinam refertur scil promptè perfecte perpetuò Cajetan Splendidissimè celerrimè efficacissimè A lap 1 Cor. 13.12 as it is done in Heaven with the same readidiness and with the same subjection of will as they do going and coming like Lightning Ezek. 1.14 And when we come to Heaven though our knowledge shall be perfected for we shall know as we are known yet if there were a rising of will in the least degree against the will of God the soul were not made perfect And in this did the perfection of the Vaction of Christ consist 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sept. in Esay 9 6. Joh. 6.38 Joh. 4.34 1 Joh. 2.20 Psal 133.2 A Christo Christiani dicimur hâ—e unctionis sanctae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ps 45.7 Heb. 1.9 non â—nim titulum gerunt sine re sed qui dicuntur verè Christiani 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ctiam obtinent Glass 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 144. that as he was the Angel of the great Councel and knew perfectly the will of his Father so his will came freely and fully off unto it I come to do the will of him that sent me and to finish his work and it was his meat and drink so to do We partake with Christ in the same Vnction the Oyl poured upon him as the head ran down unto the hem of his garment that which was therefore the perfection of his Vnction must be also the perfection of ours That I may further open this truth to you there is a double distinction to be observed Voluntas Dei una tantuÌ„ est quia unus est Deus per suaÌ„ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 volens tamen diverso respectu multiplex est Zanch. de nat Dei l. 3. c. 4. q 3. First of the will of God Secondly of the will of man 1. The will of God here spoken of is threefold not that there are three wils in God for his will as himself is but one But there is a threefold consideration of the same will First Voluntas praecepti quam Deus velit fieri à nobis cujus objectuÌ„ Officium est voluntas Metaphoricè dicta There is his commanding will commonly called the will of his precept that which concerns mans duty which God would have us to do This is the good and the acceptable will which we must prove Rom. 12.1 2. This is the will of God even our Sanctification 1 Thes 4.3 Secondly Voluntas propositi quam Deus velit facere de nobis cujus objectuÌ„ eventus est Voluntas proprie dicta A. quin. p. 1. q. 19. a. 11. There is his effecting will what he himself will do in the actings of his providence and in the Government of
the World For he works all things according to the counsel of his own will Ephes 1.11 This also is in a great measure revealed unto us in the Promises and Prophecies written in the Scriptures of Truth But especially since Christ took the sealed Book out of his Fathers hand Zanch de nat Deâ— l 3. c. 4 â—einolds in Hose 14. p. 75. and loosed the Seals and opened the Book Rev. 5. Thereby declaring unto his people the several designs that he hath upon the World and for his Church until the time of the end Thirdly There is his permitting will Voluntas permittens est qua Deus vult malum fieri voluntate transeunte in rem permissam cujus objectum peccatum est which concerns all the evill actions of the Creatures which though they effect yet God doth permit They that crucified Christ did act according to Gods determinate Councel that is what his will had before determined to permit them to do Acts 2.23 When the Devil did seduce Ahab in his false Prophets Deus neque vult mala ficri neque vult mala non fieeri sed vult permittere mala fieri Aquin. p 1. q. 19. a. 9. Quod Deus non impedit ideo evenit quia non impedit si cut nihil boni potest esse aut fieri nisi Deo faciente ita nil mali potest caveri nisi Deo impediente Perk. ab eo dicitur voluntas generalis Twisse vindic l. 2. p. 127. 140 c. Aug. de civit Dei l. 11. c. 17. de grat lib. arbitr c. 20.21 he did it by the permitting will of God who said thou shalt perswade him and prevail go forth and do so When the ten Kings who make up one body with the Beast in reference to his Civil power did give their Kingdoms to the Beast it was to fulfil Gods will Rev. 17.17 It was their sin and hath been the great cause of all the sufferings that have befallen the ten Kingdoms ever since and yet there was an act of Gods permitting will therein for the accomplishment of the great designs that he had upon the World Now the power of Grace lies in a submission of the will of the Creature to Gods will in all these 2. The will of man which is to be subjected to this will of God is twofold First 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There is voluntas peccati The will of the flesh and of the minde Eph. 2.3 which is nothing else but the will of the Devil in the man Joh. 1.13 Ex voluntate carnes est ex propriis viribus intellectus voluntatis quae non nisi caro est h.e. corrupta for his lusts sinners do Joh. 8.44 This will of man standing wholly in opposition to the will of God and being at emnity and irreconciliable thereunto is utterly to be rejected and absolutely to be denyed Secondly There is Voluntas naturae which was in Christ when he said Ex voluntate viri h.e. ex conatibus desideriis extra Christum etiam illorum qui pro viris in mundo sc sapientissimi sanctissimi habentur Glass exegesis Evangelic part 1. p. 593. not my will but thy will be done The will of Nature sought his preservation and that is lawful so it be subordinated unto the will of God which is to be unto the creature the highest Rule of goodness Gods will is not to be co-ordinate unto any Though it be good in it self it is not to be set up equal with Gods will The supremacy is to be placed there alone I now come to speak distinctly unto each of these particulars First The power of Grace is mainly seen in the subjection of mans will unto the commanding will of God And so Grace in the will subjects it unto the will of God in these four Acts thereof 1. Consensus the consent of the will Consentire est cum aliis sentire in alterius sententiam descendere hoc voluntatis proprium est importat non solum determinationempassivam sed activam Ante consensum praecedit consilium c. Capreol l. 1. Sent. dist 1. q. 2. conclus 5. Aquin. 1. 2ae q. 15. a. 2.3 That is when the will of God is manifested as the Rule of Duty the will doth not stand up in a way of emnity and opposition against it but approves it as good and the Rule of goodness Thus it was in Christ Psal 40.8 I come to do thy will thy Law is in the midst of my bowels It was indeed a difficult service for he came to be a sacrifice and yet his will consented unto the will of God therein I lay down my life This commandment I have received from my Father Joh. 10.18 This submission also was in Paul I consent to the Law that it is good Rom. 7.12 Every unregenerate man when he doth the will of God Lex quamvis bona auget prohibendo desiderium malum per hoc fit non absolutionis adjutorium sed vinculum criminis Aug. de spirit lit cap. 4. Jam. 2.8 consents not to his will he wishes there was no such Law looks upon the ways of God as unequall his Commandments grievous This is a hard saying who can bear it The consent of their will fals not level with the Law as the Rule of Duty But when a mans will consents to the Law not only for the soeveraignty of it as it is a Royal Law but for the goodness of it I consent to the Law that it is good then is the will of man subjected unto the commanding will of God 2. Electio est finis mediorum 〈◊〉 finis poâ—a ur pro finc ultâ—â—o in communi de co non est dâ—liberatio ergo nec electio at si de fine ultimo in particulari ut Deus 〈◊〉 vâ—sin Dei de hoc datur deliberatio deinde electio Medina in 1. 2ae q 13. a. 3. Electio the choyce of the will having once consented unto the goodness of the Law the will doth chuse it as that which is best and best for him as the only way to happiness and the only Rule of life This act of submission Davids will puts forth Psal 119.30.173 I have chosen thy precepts The word in the Original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth signifie both examinavit elegit to try and examine and upon tryal to chuse Every man doth chuse what God he will serve and by what Rule he will walk The Lord will not force himself upon any man he doth deal with a reasonable creature in a Covenant way Deut. 26 17. Electio sequitur judicium quo aliquid reputatur meâ—â—us in ordine ad finem Aquin. 1. 2ae q. 13. a. 3. unto which the Election and the Consent of the Creature is essentially required The Lord doth not only give them a Law for that is an act of Soveraignty and binds whether the Creature consent or no but in
a Covenant the consent of the Creature is necessarily included Burg. vin dic legis p 121. The terms of the Covenant are offered to him and subjected to his choyce Neither dare I embrace that Doctrine that Adams consent was not necessary unto the first Covenant because he was bound to accept what God did require for he was bound freely to consent to the terms of the Covenant as he was bound freely to obey the precepts of the Law but yet his consent did constitute a Covenant between God and him which else had remained a Law only That God did indent with Adam as a publike person the word is clear and that Adam knew upon what terms he stood or else he was ignorant of the nature of his Covenant which were dangerous to affirm and so did neither know the necessity of his obedience nor the danger of his fall Now when the soul doth chuse the will of God as best and best for him herein doth his subjection to the commanding will of God further consist 3. Intentio est in aliud tendere inde pertinet ad id quod movet ad finem est ergo actus voluntatis Aquin. 1. 2ae q 19. a. 7. Intentâ—o electio sunt idem motus fed in 〈◊〉 distinguuntur quod intentio primò sertur in finem deinde in media electio vero primò attingit medium deinde finem Medina 1. 2ae q. 12 a. 4. Psal 17.3 Acts 11.23 Intentio The intention of will The Law being consented to as good and chosen as best for us then the aym and the bent of the will is to walk in all things according to this Rule It is that which he intends in his whole course Paul proves the goodness of his conscience by this Heb. 13.18 That he was willing in all things to live honestly This was the constant intention and bent of his will and when the Saints do otherwise it is praeter intentionem for they are stedfastly purposed to keep his Precepts and with full purpose of heart they cleave to God when they fall they are overtaken Gal. 6.1 It is by way of surprize as that which they intended not I do that which I would not Rom. 7.19 Therefore the regenerate part which is born of God doth not sin It may be over-born by the flesh and led Captive but it consents not to it The bent and intention of the will is against it all the while Daven in col 1 10. Sufficit quod praecesserit illa intentio in habitu retineatur licet in singulis actibus non cogitetur c. Some of our Divines do distinguish between an habitual and an actual intention and they say though there cannot be always an actual intention of God and his glory yet there must be always an habitual a constant purpose of obeying God and submitting to his Law in every thing for the power of Grace cannot stand with a purpose of sinning 4. Imperium Homo non agit ex necessitate naturae sed liberè sc modò rationali hoc est modo imperii Ad imperium requiritur dictamen ultimum intellectus practici stante efficaciâ imperii voluntas liberè movetur Cumel de volunt p. 50. The power and the command of the will The will is the leading faculty it hath a strang ruling power over the man it commands all the faculties of the soul Imperio politico all the members of the body Imperio despotico It commands the understanding to search the memory to retain the affections which are as it were the ebbings and flowings of the will to go out towards those objects the will is set upon If the will move towards any object the eye looks the hand works the feet haste towards it with all manner of readiness and unweariedness because the will commands it We have all known how powerful the commands of the will were and how unwearied in ways of sin Mich. 7.7 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ad malum manus 〈◊〉 reddun sc aptaâ— peritas 〈◊〉 Merde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sept. when we did evil with both hands earnestly fulfilling the wills of the flesh and of the mind Therefore Rom. 7.5 Sin is compared to a Husband and the Soul to a Wife because the will of sin is the law of the soul And as it is in sin so t is in Grace also Grace being the Law of the mind Rom. 7.23 And the end of the Law is Obedience Now though Grace be in the whole soul yet the Commanding power of it is chiefly in the will For Grace doth act in the soul according to the nature of every faculty In the understanding searching into the will of God as the Rule of Duty in the memory laying up the Commandments as the greatest treasure I have hid thy Law in my heart In the affections also the soul goes out to it Oh how do I love thy Law thy precepts are my delight I hope in thy word I have rejoyced in thy Testimonies more then in all riches But the commanding power over all these comes from the will therefore the Law of the minde is mainly seated in that faculty which commands the man Now when this imperium of the will is exercised over the whole man for the Law of God bringeth all into subjection thereunto as the Rule of Duty then is mans will brought into a perfect and compleat subjection unto the will of God Vse If the power of godliness doth mainly consist in the subjection of our will to the commanding will of God This serves as an Exhortation mainly to place your Religion therein Godliness consists not in reasoning and Disputing but in willing and doing when there is much inquiry what the will of God is with a resolution of will not to do it that the Lord hates as they did in Jeremiah 42.5 6. The Lord be a true and a faithful witness between us say they to the Prophet If we do not according to all things for the which the Lord thy God shall send thee to us whether it be good or whether it be evil we will obey the voyce of the Lord our God and yet after so solemn calling God to witness upon their souls they say Jer. 44.16 The word that thou hast spoken unto to us in the name of the Lord we will not hearken to it but we will certainly do whatsoever goeth out of our own mouth To enquire what the will of God is as a Rule of Duty to no other end but with the greater obstinacy to oppose it and neglect it is the greater abomination and the Lord abhors it To enforce this Exhortation of subjecting our wils to the commanding will of God we may take these considerations 1. Consider The Commands of God are the highest testification of the soveraignty of God The Lord hath an absolute soveraignty over the Creatures He is the only Potentate King of Kings and Lord of Lords
the Spirit Gen. 9.27 The allurements of the Spirit Hos 2.14 The word in both places is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies to perswade or intice or blandiendo decipere to deceive one by fair words It is used sometimes in a good sometimes in an evil sence Sometimes for the allurements of Satan in ways of temptation though he doth meet with the will of man wholly determined by a principle of evil as it is in all unregenerate men yet to act this will he hath his perswasions and enticements Job 31.27 If my heart hath been secretly enticed Besides the determination of a mans will to sin there are allurements of Satan which act this will with more chearfulness and delight So it is with the Spirit of Christ he hath his secret perswasions and allurements which facilitate the work of the will which is in a great measure determined to good before hand Cant. 6.12 Or ever I was aware my soul set me in the Chariots of my willing people For so much the word that we render Amminadib doth signifie when the heart is caught up and stoln away after Christ fully and freely we know not how This is a further way that the Lord useth to make his people willing in the day of his power 4. By giving a man an experimental taste of the comfort peace sweetness and security that is in holiness and the ways thereof Therefore we read in Scripture of spiritual senses of the Saints They are said to have their senses exercised 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Quid est isle sensus spiritualis est spiritualis rerum divinarum expe rientia qua in nobis ipsis per gratiam Dei sentimus gustamus in corde nostro bonitatem amorem Dei ex qua quam vera certaque sit tota divina sapientia experimur Zanch. in Philip. Heb. 5.14 And the Apostle prays Phil. 1.9 That they may abound in all knowledge 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in all sence Experience is nothing else but the bringing of things to sence and thereby tryng the truth and goodness of them Therefore what we have brought to sense we call an experiment Spiritual experience therefore is a bringing of things to a spiritual sense And this is a very glorious work of the Spirit thereby bringing on the will to chuse the things of God and to go out to them more abundantly in which it hath formerly found so much sweetness and contentment And though there be a taste that unregenerate men have let into the soul by the common works of the Spirit tasting the good Word of God and the powers of the world to come Heb. 6.4 Yet this taste is but of the good things that come by them not of the goodness that is in them Now there is nothing in the world doth carry the bent of the will towards an object with greater eagerness then this that it hath tasted and knows what is in it and that the man is not deceived It is so in the ways of sin an experimental taste of the sweetness of it doth draw out the heart and engage the will much more then the bare notion and contemplation could do As Plutarch reports of the Gauls when they had once tasted the sweet Wine of Italy they were never satisfied till they had conquered Vini olei liquaminis exportatio lege Imperiali interdicta est ne Barbari gustu illecti promptiùs invaderent fines Romanorum Leg. 1. Cod. quae res exportari non debeant and possessed that Land where such excellent Vines grew And for that cause the Lord sent searchers before into the Land of Canaan that the people tasting the precious fruits of that good Land of which they had such clear and manifold promises they might be the more encouraged and quickned at the command of God to enter what hardships or oppositions soever they met withall in that enterprize The Historian therefore hath observed of the Inhabitants of Chyna Exteri in loca regni interiora non admittuntur Boterus in Catalogo Imperiorum tantum in oris maritimis conceditur commericum They admitted none to Trade in the heart of the Kingdom but onely upon their Borders and in maritine Towns least the goodness and riches of their Land being discovered should stir up in the Neighbour Nations a desire to invade them It is therefore generally made by Interpreters an impolitike vain-glory in Hezekiah to shew his Treasures unto the Embassadors of the King of Babylon 2 King 20.12.13 thereby to inflame their desires to become Masters and Owners both of his Land and of his Treasures which shortly after they did Whosoever he be whose heart doth rise against the Law of God and whose will doth not submit thereunto look up unto the Spirit of Christ for the putting forth of these acts upon the soul For the more or less the Spirit doth exercise these the more or less is the will brought into a conformity unto the will of Christ And this is the main ground of the differing degrees of Grace in the Saints which doth consist in a conformity of our will unto the will of God Quest Quest 2. It may be further said that there remains corruption in the best men and that in the will as well as in any of the other faculties The Law of the members comes forth from the will as well as the law of the minde A godly man finds in himself a twofold will that he cannot do the things he would Gal. 5.17 Godly men may sin presumptuously therefore David prays against it Psal 19.13 The word in the original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies à superbis so that presumptuous sins are made up of two things 1. They are sins against knowledge in which the will is engaged 't is sinning wilfully not ignorantly 2. When the Law of God opposes a man in this way of sinning and his heart doth rise against it through pride and contempt of the Authority of God And the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 keep back notes a proness thereunto in the best men if if they be not restrained by Grace They may sin with deliberation consent delight How then should a man know whether he doth sin with the whole consent of will How should a man discern that there is Grace in the will when there are constant risings and oppositions against the will of God How should a man be able to say my whole heart is not in it though I sleep yet my heart wakes how should a man be able to discern Grace in the will even then when there are the strongest actings of the will for sin Answ Answ It is true while we live here there will be a mixture of corruption in the will as well as in any other faculty For Grace and sin are mixed in the same soul as wine and water in the same cup there is no part of it perfect wine or perfect water Hereafter indeed the will
through the sin of the people in the Captivity of Babylon and was afterwards sometimes supplyed until Christs time by a voyce from Heaven which the Hebrews did call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 These extraordinary ways of revealing the minde of God to his people are ceased but in the substance of them they remain We have still a high Priest over the House of God and he weares the Vrim and Thummim upon his Breast-plate which remains unto his holy Ones unto this day And with this high Priest we are to consult in all the difficulties and doubtful cases that we meet with in our way 6. If yet thy heart be doubtful be not over hasty in acting but having sought direction from God be willing to wait for a return Esay 30.18 For the Spirit is a free agent and will be as well waited for in the point of direction as of consolation Judicium significat quid tempus postulat quid conveniat personis circumstantiis Eccles 8.5.6 Joan. Coch. It may be the Lord will not give an answer presently but thy darkness shall continue as Pauls Thorn in the flesh after he had besought the Lord thrice He that believes in this case also makes not haste So blessed are those that wait for him Misericordiam exercet Deus juxta aequitatis leges Farer Thou shalt afterward be clear in that of which now thou doubtest and thou shalt act with quietness and comfort in that in which now thou canst not see thy way Which you are the rather to observe Spes longanimitatem unanimitatem charitas fides magnanimitatem operatur Bern. de ascent Dom. Serm. 5. Omne consilium in festinatione captum stultitia est Proverb Hebr. because what you do in haste without sufficient direction you may with Spira repent by leisure And so much for submission to the Commanding will of God We now come unto the second consideration of Gods will which is effecting and the observation is Doct. That the power of godliness is seen much in subjecting the will of man to the effecting will of God And herein we must speak unto these three things First The Rule of Gods acting is his own will Secondly That godliness in the Creature doth conform his will thereunto And wherein these acts of conformity do consist Thirdly The grounds or Arguments why our will ought in this also to be subjected unto the will of God 1. God works all things according to to the counsel of his own will Ephes 1.11 The will of his precept is the Rule of all our actions Decretum est vel providentiae sc de rerum omnium creatione conservatione gubernatione Vel decretū praede stinationis the will of his purpose the Rule of all his actions There is a double Decree of God First general which is the purpose of God for the ordering of all things For nothing comes to pass at an adventure Secondly special which is the purpose of God concerning men and Angels sc de ereaturarum rationalium statu aeterno Alting loc com part 1. p. 58. But there is nothing comes to pass but it fals under a Decree which being an act of his will this is the Rule of all the actions of God Psal 135.6 Whatever the Lord pleaseth that doth he in Heaven and in Earth in the Sea and in all deep places This effecting will of God doth extend First Unto Election and Reprobation Seeing we were all made of the same clay and yet one makes a vessel to honour and another unto dishonour When Jacob and Esau came out of the same loyns yet he saith though Esau was Jacobs Brother Dei beneplacitum est prima regula omnis justitiae moralis in Deo erga creaturas ut bonitatis misericordiae Rhaetorfort exercit p. 332. Electio proprie non est actus misericordiae nec reprobatio actus justitiae sed Dominii yet I loved Jacob Mal. 1.2 He will have mercy upon whom he will have mercy There is no resisting his will All is attributed unto the soveraignty thereof Rom. 9.18 Secondly unto Vocation and effectual calling when all men were alike born dead in trespasses and sins that some should be called out of the world that the Lord should catch * Heb. 2.16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est eos apprebendere qui in summo versantur discrimine eos injecta manu asserere Cameron Myroth after some when he let others go Heb. 2.16 the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies That the Lord should in this manner catch after some Gen. 17.21 Foedus Deinil aliud est quam divina declaratio de ratione percipiendi amoris Dei unione ac communione ipsius potiendi Coeceius de foedere testam Dei thes 1. §. 5. Si ad effectū plantationis Evangelii rigationis aspicitur aliud actum est cum eis quorum exteriores aures corporali voce pulsatae sunt aliud in iis quorum interiorem sensum Deus aperuit in quorum corde posuit fidei sundamentum dilectionisque fervorem Prosper ad Capitul Gallor cap. 5. when he lets others fall into perdition that he will establish the Covenant with Isaac but not with Ishmael though both in the Father had an equal Title to it it is only of his own will that he begets us Iam. 1.18 Ioh. 1.13 We are born not of bloods it is spoken of our new birth nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of the will of God 3. In giving of the meanes of Grace Eph. 2.14 If he will enclose the Church in the Garden of Iudah fence them about Lex Mosaicae instar septi erat quo populus Judaicus custodie batur paries intergerinus quo à Gentibus seperabatur Gloss Rhet. Sacr. pag. 388. In voce 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est Metonymia causam inimicitiae denotat ob quam Gentes ab Israelitis spernchantur Grot. in loc keep out all other people by a Partition Wall his name shall be only known amongst them but as for the Heathen they shall have no knowledge of his Law In Jury is God known and his Name is great in Israel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 verbum Sept. usitatissunum 1. Dissimulatienem denotat cum quis dissimulat quasi non videat Deut. 22.1 3 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Zach. 1.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. 2. contemptum Deut 3.26 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal 78.62 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Consule Grot. in loc Caryl in Job 3.4 To them he hath committed the Oracles of God Rom. 3.3 But for the Gentiles the times of that Ignorance he did winke at suffering all Nations to walk in their own ways Acts 17.30 And as for the calling of the Gentiles unto the fellowship of the Church it was a mystery hid in God from Ages and Generations which was the reason that the Jews did
that thou art engaged in Magna silentii laus est quo confessus est Aron justo Dei judicio extinctos esse ita se cohibitum fuisse ut cum Deo rixari non auderet Ad animum enim refertur ut Psal 39.3 Psal 62.1 Calv. in loc Ephes 2.12 Qui extra foedus est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est sine Deo à se culto à se amato eoque propitio nonbabet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 jus sibi vendicandi postulandi possidendi quod est filiorum Dei Coc. de foeder Testamento Dei. Thes 1. §. 7. prevail not let not thy heart rise against it Aaron had a great tryal Levit. 10.13 He lost two Sons by an immediate stroke of Gods hand in an act of sin and yet Aaron held his peace A higher tryal had Abraham O that Ishmael might live in thy sight The Lord answers my Covenant will I establish with Isaac Abraham knew that there was no salvation out of Covenant and that this Covenant should not be established with Ishmael and yet he sits down in silence under the hand of God If once the will of God be manifested the soul ought to acknowledge it It is the Lord let him do what seems him good This was the blessed temper of Ely when he heard of the miseries that should come upon his house I will cut off thine arm and the arm of thy fathers house and there shall not be an old man in thy house for ever 1 Sam. 2.31 Brachium ipsa materia cogit ut de fortitudine vitali sermonem esse intelligamus Cajet Descriptio est eripiendi sacerdotii quod illius familiae robur erat firmamentum dignitatem authoritatem tuam Pontificiam auseram c. P. Martyr A Lap. Se tantis opibus spoliatos prae dolore deficiant propter excitati animi dignitatem invidia contabescant and he that is left in thy house shall be to consume thy eyes and to greive thy heart yet he answers it is the Lord. 3. Exercise a weaned heart towards thy present enjoyments It may be thou hast lost an estate thy freinds fail thy hopes are faln God hath blown upon all the projects that thy heart did fancy to thy self for thy own advancement thy heart ought to be as a weaned * Significat se nullius rei esse sollicituÌ„ infantis instar quem mater lacte alere desut ille tamen à matris cura pendet sic se omnem eventum Deo committere c. Muis in loc child Psa 131.2 It s spoken in reference to his dependencies that as children look only to their mother they have no projects for themselves so it is with me I wait only upon God look unto him only Homines quaÌ„ par est sapere providi esse appetunt Calv. Men are prudent and provident creatures but my heart is taken off from the dug of all my former comforts my dependencies are upon an immediate providence for supply I project nothing for my self The poor leaves himself with thee Psal 10.14 So much the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth fignifie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Est ita quempiam relinquere ut eum juvare aut tueri prorsus dimisit Psa 22.1 Job 39.14 Ezech. 8 12. His verbis signific dandum esse tempus Providentiae ut pii homines curas in Dei finum rejiciant Deo igitur relinquit quisquis in ejus fidem se ita consert ut fidele depositorium esse persuasus maturum redemptionis tempus placide expectet Cal. a man puts himself out of his own protection into the hands of God with an exclusive resolution I will seek no farther I am willing to be in that condition in which he will set me take the provision the Lord will make for me If he will make me a Shepherd or a King my heart is ready Vis me pastorem ovium vis me Regem populorum ecce paratum est cor meum as Bernard brings in David so speaking of himself 4. Accept the punishment That is the expression Levit. 26.41 If their uncircumcised heart be humbled and they * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Significat consentit Psa 50.18 acceptavit Eccles 9.7 hinc 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 derivatur Avernar A Sept. reddit per 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 significat etiam placavit expiavit Esay 40.1 inde sensus est ad poenam tanquam meritam consentire ut propitiam utilem aequo grato animo ferre Videtur etiam subjicere studium placandi Deo alludit enim ad sacrificia quibus se Deo reconciliabant Calv. Esay 39.8 Lam. 3.22 Gen. 32.10 accept the punishment the word signifies to be well pleased with it to acknowledge it to be less then their iniquities deserve Ezra 9.13 As when the Lord threatned a grievous punishment upon the house of Hezechiah He accepts the punishment saying good is the Word of the Lord that there shall be truth and peace in my dayes And when they were in Babylon they acknowledge it is the Lords mercy that we are not consumed And if a man should accept it for himself I conceive it also a Duty to accept the punishment for others and not to have his spirit to rise with impatient frettings as if the Lord had dealt with others in a way of rigour and paid them beyond their deserts Surely there ought to be a complacency of soul in all the dealings of God towards our selves or others An humble heart is less then the least of all Gods mercies And a man should bless God that he is not brought into the lowest condition of men that he sees any creature below him As when the two Cardinals were riding to the a Luther in tertium praeceptum Ecce hanc bestiam bufonem intuitus tam eximiam creaturaÌ„ fecit â—e Deus nunquam gratias egi quod me quoque tam deformem bufonem non fecerit hoc est quod amarè fleo Councel of Constance they heard a man in the way weeping and wailing greatly asking him what he alled they found him looking upon an ugly Toad and his heart was melted with the consideration of this mercy that God had not made him such a creature who was made of the same clay with it Which made one of them cry out well said the Father Surgunt indocti rapiunt coelum nos cum doctrinis nostris volutamur in carne sanguine Aug. 5. Judge it to be best now the will of God is manifested or else thou dost prefer thy will above Gods will Blush at such an unworthy thought that when God hath declared what his will is thou shouldst think that if it had been thus it had been better for herein thou dost make thy will the Rule of goodness and dost prefer it unto the will of God Surely The b Psal 24.1 principes non cogitent se dominos esse terrarum
is as well King of Nations as King of Saints and his glory is as well seen in his providential as in his spiritual administrations So do the Saints see him with a spiritual eye even then when he doth arise to shake terribly the Earth Hab. 3.3 4. It s spoken of the Lords going forth for his people in their deliverance and for the destruction of their Enemies Manus pro actionibus quae manibus ut plurimuÌ„ perficiuntur 2 Sam. 22.17 Esay 20.2 Hag. 1.1 Glass Rhet. Sacr. p. 9. Cornu significat 1. Robur potentiam ita Calv. in hunc locum potentiam Metaphoricè per cornua designat sc splendorem hunc cum potentia conjunctum fuisse 2. Radium cornui sunilem rutilantem cornua radii sunt quales emittere solent cornua spendentia Drus Tarnov His brightness was as the light and he had horns coming out of his hands there was the hiding of his power By these hands of the Lord is meant his administrations dispensations and actions in the world the hand being the instrument of action therefore all things below are called the work of his hands Psal 8.6 The horns that come out of his hand are interpreted to be radii or splendores raies or beams of light which were as it were horns The same word is used of Moses Exod. Dicit potentiam ejus absconditam esse quia nolebat Deus promiscuè per totum orbem virtutem suaÌ„ palam facere sed peculiariter populo suo Quemadmodum dicitur Ps 31.19 magnitudinem bonitatis ejus absconditam esse solis fidelibus qui eum timent reverentur Calv. 34.29 His face did shine the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies horns and so the vulgar renders it quod cornuta esset facies ejus So that the Lord in all his dispensations was glorious His works had a lustre beams a brightness that went with them and yet there was the hiding of his power That is he doth so work by instruments and second causes that his hand is not seen but by a spiritual eye yet to him that hath such an eye the hand of the Lord is exceeding glorious There are horns come out of it but there is a latibulum potentiae in all the dispensations of God towards the men of the world Now to see horns in the hand of Christ to see him glorious in his administations even when his power is hid from the rest of the world under instruments and second causes this is the duty of all the Saints So doth the Church Isaiah 63.1 2. * Non agit de Christo patiente iram Dei placante sed de Christo Rege suos potentissime ab hostibus externis liberante contra cos defendente c. Tarnov exercit Bibli p 418. c. Who is he that comes from Edom with garments died from Bosrah glorious in his apparel c. To see the Lord cloathed with a Vesture dipt in blood and his name called the word of God Revel 19.13 His name was the Word of God * Antealudibrio pene habuit verbum Dei acsi tantum essent magnifica verba sed sub phiala septima mysterium Dei consummatuÌ„ erit tunc maximè florebit Divini verbi authoritas coÌ„stantissima ejus veritate in singulis perspecta Brig in loc from the beginning but then he was the Word revealing and discovering the promises and the truths of God but now he is the Word of God fulfilling and accomplishing of them A place parallel to it is Exod. 6.3 By the name Jehovah I was not known to them The Lord was known by the name Jehovah when he did give a being to the promises so Christ was then called the Word of God but then he did manifest himself to be Jehovah when he did fulfil these promises To see the Lord glorious in his administrations however they be cloathed by instruments and second causes to rejoyce in all appearances of Christ is our duty though they be terrible to the rest of the World Whatsoever †Amictus quidam gloriae Dei in ultione adversus hostes Metaphorâ ab Heröe armis induto in arenam adversus hostes descendente desumptâ Glass Rhet. Sacr. p. 160. Esay 63.1 apparrel he goes forth in he is infinitly glorious 9. When the will of God is manifested the soul should keep it self from all disquieting passions all unpleasingness of spirit whatsoever When I once see it is the will of God I will not grudge at it I will not mourn under it as if I would have it otherwise only I will mourn for my sin that hath been the cause of it This was Davids case for his child his heart was set upon him 2 Sam. 12.20.21 David acquiescit sententiae quaÌ„ definitivam facto ipso intellexit agnita voluntate Dei acquicscunt sancti Lavit se David ut ingrederetur Templum Dâ—mini ille percusserat non tamen euÌ„ habuit pro hoste suo sed accedâ—t eum adorat supplex c. Petr. Martyr and he prayed earnestly for him with fasting yet the child must die and assoon as he saw the will of the Lord was manifested he mourns no more but with a submissive spirit stoops under it A man should not continue the disquiet of his spirit when the will of God is manifested but with all meekness acknowledge his wisdom and submit to his will It is an evil that the Lord reproves in Samuel 1 Sam. 16.1 How long wilt thou mourn for Saul seeing I have rejected him that he should not raign over Israel The sentence of Sauls rejection was gone forth from the Lord and made manifest unto Samuel Vâ—detur quod illicitus fuit iste planctus nisi Samuel ignorasset reprobationem Saulis Pro hoc lugâ—hâ—t Samâ—â—l quia definiâ—â—at Deus eum abâ—icere noluissâ—t tamen Samuel quâ—d 〈◊〉 Saul Lititus tamen fuit quia lagebat solum ex quadam compassione ut patet de poenis damnatorum aeternaliter quia nulli licet pro â—is orare â—â—â—tum autem est pro illis dolere nihil orando Tostat in 1 Sam. 15.9.41 though he was not as yet removed from the Government of the Kingdom no not in many years after Now Samuel mourned for him because he was rejected of God but when the will of God was made manifest for him to disquiet and trouble himself therein as if all the future happiness of Israel depended upon this one man and that he did not rather look out Audiverat Samuel Domini sentenam de Saule exauctorando tamen non potest primo intuitu quinam id fiat animadvertere Agnoscens unctum Samuel Dei mandato non potest repentè reverentiam illi abjicere Non satis in peculiari hoc facto animadvertit quid à se Deus postuinret sc Deum ut agnosceret velle Saulis abrogare imperium quod dederat quia ipsius voci non obtemperasset Calv. homil in
the most miserable subjection that can befall him to be liable unto the unclean investings of such a wicked and malicious enemy That he should have such an immediate access to our spirits from day to day that we should wrestle with principalities and pewers for life concerning heavenly things and yet humbly to be content because it is the will of God that a man should lie under them and to wait Gods time for his deliverance and to say if the Lord will not deliver me all my dayes let his will be done There are some temptations that come upon the soul with a great deal of horror terribilia de fide horribilia de divinitate as Bernard speaks motions and injections to Blasphemy Atheism Self-murther As Luther saith he had such a temptation once came upon him with that impetuousness that he was forced for some hours to do nothing but repeat that commandment Thou shalt do no murther It may be the thorn in the flesh was an immediate messenger from hell sent unto Paul with some such violent temptation as this even the very motions that are in the damned souls in hell such as Spira had I would I were above God for I know he will not have mercy upon me 2 Cor. 12. It was some horrid temptation which was to be a cure of Pauls pride it was given him that he might not be lifted up through the multitude of Revelations Whereupon Austin breaks forth Quantum sit superbiae venenum quod non potest nisi veneno curari Now Paul was mightily awakened by this temptation he looked upon it as a terrible affliction as a thorn in the flesh that did hurt him and gall him from day to day and therefore he prayed thrice It expresseth both his frequency and his fervency But the Lord told him it was his will that he should lie under that temptation which permitting will of God being made manifest Paul must not slack to pray against it or to be afflicted with it and yet Paul must be content to lie under it so long as it was the will of God to suffer it to lie upon him Thirdly If the Lord will leave a man under the hands of wicked men to be content to let the Ploughers plough upon his back and make long furrows and from a Principle of Faith not to make haste Isa 28.16 Faith is commended from the excellent fruit of it it keeps the soul in a continual calm in a quiet condition that though a man earnestly desire deliverance whether for himself or for the Churches pray for it daily it pities him to see the stones of Zion to lie in the dust yet his bow with Josephs abides in strength his heart is not overcome by the continuance of the affliction so as to make him to take any evil course for his own or the Churches hasty deliverance but he is content to stay Gods time until the time of the word comes Psal 105. The Word of the Lord tried him While the Lord would have the oppression to lie on he will leave his people under the hands of their Adversaries till he hath wrought his own good work upon Sian he is content to stoop unto this permitting will of God and wait the Lords leisure for his deliverance Fourthly For a man to be earnest in prayer and yet submit unto the will of God if his prayer be delayed Christ tels us there is an importunity in prayer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a holy kind of impudence And St James saith there is a fervent prayer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an active and a working prayer There is a double importunity in prayer One from the Flesh when a man is very earnest for the thing he would have and cannot be content without it So many a man howls upon his bed for carn and wine and oyl Hos 7.14 from a principle of flesh there is many times a great deal of earnestness put into a man but there is an importunity that rises from duty that a man can be earnest in duty though he attain not the thing desired yet his importunity is held up and for all that he can be content to stay Gods time for the thing and yet pray as earnestly for it from a principle of duty as if it were granted It is a very difficult thing for a godly man to be able to do this in his whole course It was one of the great difficulties in Christianity that Luther found dilata sperare for to keep up his hope and hope will keep up a mans prayer even in the greatest delayes of God For a man to pray against sin against temptation to pray for deliverance of the Churches from the hands of ungodly men for the Lord to suffer sin to remain the temptation and persecution to continue and yet for a mans importunity in prayer to be held up when he is at the same time contented to submit unto the permtting will of God while the Lord will suffer sin and Satan continually to vex him it s a very high pitch of Grace and a great deal of curiosity there is in this to be able to cut at a thred and to be able to keep between these extreams Now it is the subjection of our will unto the permitting will of God that keep the heart within compass that it runs not out either of these wayes 4. What kind of acts of submission must there be in us unto the permitting will of God 1. There must be a deep apprehension of the Justice of God in his permitting will So it was in David though it was wicked in Shimei to curse the ruler of the people and some conceive even Paul confessed his errour therein when he said unto Annas the high Priest God shall smite thee thou painted wall I wist not or I considered not that he was the high Priest Sure it could not be that Paul being a Jew should not know him so to be But David looks not at the injustice of the Instrument but at the Justice of God in it The Lord hath said unto him Curse David and he did acknowledge in that Gods permitting will So doth Jeremiah chap. 12.1 Righteous art thou O Lord and just are thy judgements yet let me reasonwith thee why doth the wicked prosper And wherefore are they happy that deal treacherously God did suffer wicked men to prosper in a way of sinning it was an act of his permitting will which though Jeremiah understood not yet his will did submit to it as just because he did acknowledge the will of God to be the rule of Justice Secondly We must acknowledge his wisdom therein so doth David also the Lord will surely requite good for his cursing this day He knows how to turn sin to good and how to make advantage to the Saints by their worst temptations their greatest sufferings and their most dangerous fals He knows how to perfect his grace in their weakness and to temper the deadliest
this When we understood that this was the mind and will of God that Paul should go up to Jerusalem our minds were quiet under that dispensation we spake no more against it they acted no more that they might turn Paul from it And in all these senses I conceive the word is here to be taken that their minds are quieted and calmed under the dispensations of God seeing the Lord would have it so therefore they do forbear either to speak or to act against it So that the Observations are three according to the word 's threefold acceptation Doct. 1. A mans heart being once truly and fully concluded under the will of God there doth follow in the soul a sweet peace and holy tranquillity of Spirit a great inward quietness of mind Doct. 2. The mind being thus quieted doth silence the tongue that a man dares not speak against such dispensations of God Doct. 3. The soul being thus sweetly calmed under the will of God dares not act in any thing tumultuously in a way of opposition So it was with these men here they held their peace they did forbear to disswade Paul or to do any thing that might hinder him from the enterprize which they saw it was the will of God he should undertake what difficulty or hardship soever he under-went in it or whatever the success of the work may be Doct. 1. An heart once truly and fully concluded under the will of God there doth follow an holy tranquillity a blessed quietness and serenity of mind In the handling of it I will shew you First That there is a quietness and tranquillity in the inward man which every heart is to labour for for serenity as well as sincerity in the inward parts Secondly That its the concluding of our will unto the will of God that is the only ground of this tranquillity of mind Thirdly What there is in this submission of our wils to Gods will that is a ground of this inward quietness Lastly the application hereof to our selves 1. That there is an holy quietness and tranquillity which every Saint is to labour for I say an holy quietness of mind For there is a sinful quietness which is a sin and the fruit of sin proceeding from senselesness and stupidity when mens hearts within them are as a stone like the dead sea moved at nothing when men dwell without care as the Prophet speaks Isa 47.8 and hear the Word of the Lord ye careless Daughters Isa 32.9 when men are not troubled or afflicted with any thing As there is an evil conscience which is pacatamala and that man is in the most danger of all being in judgement given over to a spirit of slumber so there is in the mind in respect of all the dealings of God a sinful quietness from a careless principle As there is a natural patience in some and a kind of natural meekness which is not a grace but a sin as all the natural vertues of the Heathen were And therefore Lipsius doth pray Da mihi patientiam Christianam So there is a natural quietness of spirit proceeding ever from carelesness and stupidity Some persons being of such a temper they can be troubled at nothing But this is not that quietness of an heart that must be grounded upon the subjection of our wils to Gods will and upon known rules of duty This David cals upon his soul for Psalm 116.7 Return unto thy rest oh my soul Which some expound of God who is indeed all in all to his people their resting their dwelling place But Mr Calvin takes rest here to be put pro tranquillo bene composito animi statu He had been in great affliction the sorrows of death had compassed him and the pains of hell took hold of him and there had followed in his soul great perplexity and unquietness he now cals off his soul from those unquiet motions and agitations of Spirit to return to rest to a calm quiet serene frame again This is a distemper of Spirit that David complains of Psalm 38.10 Circumivit cor meum my heart went up and down to and fro like a Merchant it was in a continual unquietness never setled or at a stay So Psalm 43.5 Why art thou cast down O my soul and why art thou disquieted within me The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth signifie fremuit tumultuatus est His Soul was in a tumult he had an uproar in his own spirit which Christ expresses Luke 12.29 by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Be you not as a Meteor which is not fastned in any orb but subject to various doubtfull and uncertain motions This is to live in careful suspense a Christian should labour for setled motions of Spirit as the fixed stars This is the frame of Spirit which is in the sight of God of great price 1 Pet. 3.4 Let there be what troubles there will below they shall not reach the soul to disquiet it though they may the outward condition yet the soul is kept as the upper region of the air alwayes serene without clouds This did Habakuck obtain Chap. 3.9 He maketh my feet like Hinds feet that is to walk with ease and fearlesness per montes per rupta though those wayes of difficulty would have distracted other men And he sets me upon high places that is Libere absque metu incedere in locis excelsis that be the difficulties what they will be yet he is as man that is set aloft out of Gunshot he doth not fear his mind is no more disquieted by it then he would be that is out of the reach of danger This is a qualification of spirit which every Christian should labour for and we see by this instance may be obtained that as the Saints in heaven whatsoever the Lord doth pleaseth them because their wils are moulded and framed into his will therefore they are not disquieted at any of his dealings so we should strive in our measure to attain such a frame of heart thereby to keep a constant calmness and serenity of Spirit whatever the dealings of God be toward us or in the world 2. When the soul of man is brought into a full and perfect subjection to the will of God then is there a constant quietness and tranquillity maintained in it which will appear by these demonstrations 1. Sin did invade the throne of God and sinful self having as it were deposed God in the soul now takes unto it the Godhead so that all the subjections that be due to God sinful self doth claim Men shall be lovers of their own selves 2 Tim. 3.3 Now the honour of God is that his will should rule in the world all things are created by his will Rev. 4. ult And by the same will all things must be governed Ephes 1.11 So long there fore as self is the God in the man so long an opposition will be maintained by self in the soul against God So far as self is
did the Lord Jesus even so father for so was thy good pleasure Direction 2. Secondly cease your lying be silent in that to put away lying saith the Apostle let every man speak truth to his neighbour not only the way of lying among men and whispering against their brethren that 's not the lying I now intend but there is a lying against the Lord put it away and what is that you will say Ier. 5.12 They believed the Lord and said it is not he take heed of that lying It s an evill to belie men and you will find it so one day take heed do not belie the Lord. Direct 3. Thirdly cease your mocking silence them too the assembly of mockers is the worst society of men you can fall into and the chair of the scorner is the worst seat you can sit down in Be no more mockers lest your bands be made strong Isa 28.22 Truly mocking proceeds from a high pitch of pride and pride goes immediatly before a fall Dir. 4. Fourthly silence your rayling reviling and bitter speeches David saith some mens tongues cut like a sharp rasor and that is a remarkable place Psal 73.9 They set their mouths against heaven and their tongues run through the world what is that their mouths against heaven that is saith a learned Interpreter when men speak proudly concerning God and the things of God the ways of God the works of God and the Saints of God they stretch their mouths against heaven and their tongues run through the world they have to do with all persons with all imployments all the world over their tongues walk Solomon I remember saith Pro. 14.3 in the mouth of the foolish is a rod of â—ride he never is without a rod. Its â—he pride of a fool that sets his tongue on work to scourge the persons and their actions that are wiser then himself Direct 5. Fifthly cease your boasting speak no more so proudly against God 1 Sam. 2.3 The very boasting of men glorying in an arm of flesh hath caused the Lord many times to let them to seek their own graves When Pharaoh once said I will pursue and overtake them and satisfie my lust upon them what follows then He hastens to make his own grave in the red sea Direct 6. Lastly in some kind let me say cease your praying when the will of God is manifested take heed let not your prayers stand in opposition to Gods will when once the Lord had discovered to Ieremiah that he would certainly deliver Ierusalem into the hands of the king of Babylon he did not dare to pray any more and so David till God manifested hiâ— will for the child he prayed but Davids prayer was ended when God will was manifested Pray consider whoever he be that goes and engageâ— in prayer against Gods revealed will he may both lose his own comfort and the sweetness of it that is the first admonition 2. Secondly be admonished not to act against it when God hath manifested his will neither be thou an assistant of those that act against the revealed will of God and to inforce it take these considerations for a close Mot. 1. First let your oppositions and contrary actings be what it will be when God hath manifested his will he will carry on the work if you make the greatest opposition that heaven or earth could make yet he will carry it on Isa 31.4 The Lord led them into captivity they call to Egypt for help but saith God their horses are flesh and not spirit you come out against me as a company of â—epherds against a young Lion that â—ath taken a lamb out of the flock â—ou cannot make him fasten his pace â—ake a noise but not come near Mot. 2. Secondly the more emiâ—ently the Lord hath manifested his â—ill the more evill there is in thy oppoâ—ition and the greater the hardness of â—y heart when Gods will is manifestâ—d signally and in an eminent way Consider I pray the Lord saith Pharaoh â—ould let the children of Israel go The Lord wrought severall wonders and â—gns in the land of Egypt to manifest is will eminently and yet Pharaoh esisted his will and acted against it his made it an act of greater stubbornâ—ss and hardness of heart Mot. 3. Thirdly it is the greatest â—udgment that can befall a man in his â—cting for God to be given over to enâ—age against the manifest will of God â—ts the devils plague though he know his is Gods will he shall be worsted 〈◊〉 it and hath experience of it from day to day though God frustrate hâ— designs never so often yet by aâ— by he hath great expectation froâ— every cloud that it will present rain Mot. 4. Fourthly you will ceâ—tainly in a way of opposition to Goâ— will meet with your destrucâ— on if thou art a godly man the wilt meet with judgment Isa 27. â— Who is it saith God that seâ— bryers and thorns in battle againâ— me When Gods will is manifesteâ— all opposition is but as bryers aâ—â— thorns in battel God will go througâ— and burn them at once and let 〈◊〉 tell you this the Lord hath said Aâ— iniquity shall stop her mouth Gâ—â— uses to stop ungodly mens moutâ— two waies somtimes by the holineâ— of the lives of his people and soâ— times by his own just judgment Mot. 5. And for a conclusion 〈◊〉 not act against the will of God forâ— you submit not to the will of God 〈◊〉 one thing the Lord will heighten thâ— judgment upon you in another If you will not submit to yokes of wood truly God will make you yokes of iron remember what he hath said and I conclude with that Hos 10.11 I passed over upon her fair neck he speaks it of Iudah and saith the Lord I will put a yoke upon her fair neck and Iudah shall plough and Iacob shall break the clods God will carry it on notwithstanding all your opposition and so much for this text We ceased saying the will of the Lord be done FINIS Bellarmine what he labours to prove concerning the German Empire p. 184. Book of Providence God hath as well as of life p. 141. Book double God hath given to the Saints p. 315 Business good there should be none which God hath on foot in the world but you should desire to have a hand in it p. 195. C. CArdinals two what they heard riding to the Council of Constance p. 95. Christs going forth in the Gospel what its compared unto pag. 1. Christ hath a double engagement lying upon him in reference to the kingdom of providence p. 148. Christ hath made his providential Kingdom subordinate unto his Spiritual Kingdom p. 150. Christ is called the Angel of Gods face p. 201. Chrysostom what he speaks of p. 134 135. Church by it what is meant p. 316. Chynaes Inhabitants what is observed of them pag. 60. Commands two difficult God gave to Abraham p. 272. Conformity to Gods permitting will exercises self-denial