go and eat and drink with gladness with a merry heart it 's true the men of the World can be jovial in their Cups eating and drinking and carousing and none seem to be so merry and jovial as they are but they have no cause for it it is just like a Condemned person that may be jovial and eating and drinking and he know not how soon he may be called to Execution this is the case of every Man and Woman in the World if God do not accept of their Works But now saies Solomon Go thy way eat thy Bread with joy and drink thy wine with a merry heart for God now accepteth thy works 3. Is it not a desirable thing to have the Creatures ready to be serviceable and officious to a man or woman that there is never a Creature in the World but is ready to be Officious and Serviceable to him though possiby they may seem to be averse and contrary and cross to him yet they are all Serviceable and Officious to him to have every thing turn to good to a Man or Woman whatever any Creature do to him it turns all to his good though the Creature may intend otherwise The wicked men may intend to persecute and persecute them as Enemies but when a man or woman please God and his ways please God all his Enemies shall be made his Friends Proverbs 16.7 When a Mans ways please the Lord he maketh his Enemies to be at peace with him They shall be Friends to him they shall do Offices and services of Friendship and kindness to him though possibly against their wills all the creatures shall be officious and serviceable to them and they shall not be able to do them any hurt what a desirable thing is this 4. Is it not a desirable thing for a man or woman to have an audience of all their prayers in Heaven for God to be ready to hear our requests and petitions that we put up to him is not this a desirable thing You will say Oh that I were but sure that God did but hear any one Prayer that ever I made what a desirable thing is this now those whose ways are pleasing to the Lord God do hear their prayers They have access to the Throne of Grace with boldness to find grace and mercy to help in the time of need Heb. 4.16 and mark the Apostles expression in 1 John 3.22 And whatsoever we ask we receive of him Why so because we keep his Commandments and do those things that are pleasing in his sight If we be sure we do those things that are pleasing to God Now saies the Apostle we know that whatsoever we ask we receive of him we have now an audience of our prayers and petitions in Heaven Oh! what a desirable thing is this 5. Is it not a desirable thing for a man or woman to be a Favourite in the Court of Heaven to be in special favour with the King of Heaven you count it no small matter to be a Favourite in the Kings Court to be in favour with the King you count it a very desirable thing Truly to be a favourite in the Court of Heaven is much more desirable to be in favour with the great King of kings I tell you the favour of God in Heaven is as Life to a mans Soul David could say it that knew it by experience in Psalm 30.5 In thy favour is Life nay he adds a greater word than that in Psalm 63.3 Thy loving kindness is better than life There is nothing in the world to a Man better than life but to know that a man or Woman is in favour with God he hath that which is better than life Brethren and Friends there are but two great things that a Man or Woman should desire in this World which are the general and comprehensive of all things to be desired one is to enjoy peace with God and the favour of God here and the other is to enjoy the favour and see the face of God in Heaven hereafter What can a man desire more than to be at peace with God and have the favour of God whilst he live and then to know that he shall see and enjoy the face and presence of God for ever in Glory Here is as much as can be desired and these two things we should look after Now here is one of them To know that God is well pleased with a poor Creature now such a person is a Favourite of Heaven and he may be sure of it if he be in favour with God here then he shall see the face of God and enjoy the presence of God hereafter That is the 5th 6. And Lastly to add but that Is it not a desirable thing for a Man or Woman to be able to look Death in the face with comfort when Death comes to stare him in the face when he shall have a sentence of Death past upon him What would you then desire above all the things in this World what not a great Estate not this and that that you can think of in the World but Oh that I might have the Favour of God! and that I might know that God is well pleased with me c. Then a Man or Woman may look Death in the face and may draw near to God with a holy Boldness as I remember Hezekiah when he had the sentence of death upon him in Isa 38.3 Lord saies he Remember how I have walked before thee in Truth and with a perfect heart He could appeal to God that his ways were pleasing to him and now he could resign up his Soul to him though he was troubled that he had not finished the Work that he had to do in the World and so he could have desired to live longer and upon his prayer the Lord did reverse the sentence of Death that was upon him yet when he had the Sentence see how he took it Lord saies he remember how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart that is the things that he had been doing had been pleasing to the Lord So a Man or Woman whose ways pleased God whilst he lived in the World when he comes to die he may look Death in the face with comfort What a desirable thing then is it for a man or woman to please God in what he doth That is the Second thing propounded That to please God is a most Desirable thing 3. But in the Third place you will say what is that Faith whereby a man or woman comes to please God Truly it is Faith that is the principle and ground and Foundation whence a man and his Works and Services and Performances come to be pleasing to God A Man or Woman may be diligent in the performance of Duties and Services and yet God may not be pleased with them As for example take two persons that come and joyn together in prayer they pray the same Prayer or two Persons
by a threefold adjunct 1. From his Authority and mission from the Father in those words He whom God hath sent 2. From his Fidelity in the discharge of that work he is employed in in those words He speaketh the words of God As a faithful Messenger from a King will act according to his commission so our Lord Jesus who was faithful to him that appointed him he speaks the Word of God and nothing else but the Word of God 3. Our Lord Jesus is described and set forth by his Ability and qualification for that work he was employed in this you have in those words For God giveth not the spirit by measure unto him The Spirit is given to Christ as Mediator without measure or above measure He whom God hath sent The word here translated sent comes of the same word that the Apostle doth Christ is the great Apostle the great Messenger of the Covenant whom all the Elect delight in Mal. 3.1 The Apostle and high Priest of our profession Heb. 3.1 John the Baptist and the other Prophets and so likewise the Apostles they were Gods Ministers and Ambassadors but our Lord Jesus he is Ambassadour extraordinary Men and Angels too Luke 1.18.19 â—ave been sent and employed by God but none of them were ever sent as Christ was to make reconciliation for iniquity and to bring in an everlasting righteousness This was he who was the brightness of the Fathers Glory and the express Image of God he only was able by himself to purge away sin neither was ever any other set about this work but he God never laid the help and salvation of his people upon any but that mighty one Doctrine 1. That Jesus Christ our Mediator was sent of the Father There is frequent mention made by our Saviour of his being sent of God To mention a few places John 17.3 And this is life eternal that they might know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent Vers 8 For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me and they have received them and have known surely that I came out from thee and they have believed that thou didst send me And again vers 21 That they also may be one in us that the world may believe that thou hast sent me Vers 25 O righteous Father the world hath not known thee but I have known thee and these have known that thou hast sent me 1. How shall we understand this Phrase That Christ was sent of the Father Sent of God! This is a great mystery which we shall not fully understand till we come to Heaven when Christ is said to be sent of God 't is to be understood principally and primarily of him as he is the Son of God and so he is said to come down from heaven John 3.13 To descend Eph. 4.9 But he being in that respect equal with God the Father Eternal Infinite Immense Omnipresent as the Father is it may be asked How the Lord Jesus is said to be sent of the Father Answ 1. The Lord Jesus may be said to be sent of the Father as Mediator in respect of the Covenant of Redemption between the Father and him for the salvation of the Elect for though Christ as God is equal with the Father yet with reference to the work of Redemption he is said to be his Elected one and Servant Isa 41.1 Behold my servant whom I uphold mine Elect in whom my soul delighteth 2. The Lord Jesus may be said to be sent of the Father in regard of his Incarnation so Gal. 4.4 5 But when the fulness of time was come God sent forth his son made of a woman made under the Law to redeem them that were under the Law Now brethren upon this account because the Father prepared him a body Heb. 10.5 He is said to send him to redeem us 3. The Lord Jesus may be said to be sent of the Father in regard of his commission him hath God the Father sealed John 6.37 Christ and no other is ordained of God an high Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedeck 2. How doth it appear that Jesus of Nazareth was the true Messiah he that was sent of God to be the Saviour according to the Promise made unto the Fathers Answ 1. By the miracles he wrought Nicodemus could say so much John 3.2 says he We know that thou art a teacher come from God for no man can do these miracles but he who is sent of God John 5.36 37 I have a greater witness then that of John for the works that my father hath given me to finish the same works bear witness of me And so when John Baptist sent unto Christ to know whether he was the Messiah saith our Saviour Go and shew him the things which you do hear and see the Blind receive their sight and the Lame walk the Leapers are cleansed 'T is true the Prophets and the Apostles wrought miracles but not by their own power and holiness but Christ wrought them by his own power 2. By his raising of himself from the dead As he is said to be raised by the Father so he is said to be raised from his own power John 2.20 21 Destroy saith he this temple speaking of his Body and I will raise it up in three days To these might be added many other demonstrations as that all the Notes and Characters of the Messiah mentioned in the Old Testament were fulfilled and accomplished in him Moreover every believer hath the witness in himself that Jesus is the Son of God 1 John 5.20 Their faith is not a meer historical faith or grounded upon what is commonly owned and professed where they live but the Spirit beareth witness to their hearts that Jesus of Nazareth is the Son of God the true Messiah that was to come into the World 3. The next thing is to shew you wherefore God sent his Son into the world The great business that Christ was sent into the world for was to save his people from their sins to save them that were given to him of the Father There were some particular persons given to Christ by name to be his people to be his sheep that he should take care of to bring to eternal life John 17.2 Thou hast given me power over all flesh that I should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given me 1 John 4.14 And we have seen and do testifie that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world that is his Elect of the world of mankind And so it was Prophesied of Christ Dan. 9.24 that he should make an end of sin and make reconciliation for iniquity and bring in an everlasting righteousness There was not one man in the world that was able to make reconciliation for his iniquity Christ was sent to do that There was none righteous no not one Christ was sent to bring in an everlasting righteousness to make his
personal union with the God-head the humane nature partakes of Grace and Gifts to its utmost capacity 2. It was necessary that Christ should be filled with the spirit in our nature that so he might be able to manage his work and office to perform his active and passive obedience and to be a Store-house and treasury of grace and consolation to his people that they may be supplied from him and of his fullness receive and grace for grace Application Use 1. Learn whence it is that a person may be enabled to speak holily and graciously It is said here that Christ spake the words of God and he brings in this for a reason for he received not the spirit by measure The more we have of the Spirit of God the more we shall speak the Words of God and though we can never have so much of the spirit as Jesus Christ had â—or spake the Words of God as he did yet set us â—ray that we may have the spirit and more and more of the spirit that we may in our measure â—peak the Words of God What is the reason â—hat our words are no more savory and spiritual â—ut unprofitable and vain too often 'T is beâ—use we have but a little of the spirit if we have the spirit at all in a sanctifying way And for those whose words are altogether carnal and vain nothing but prophane scurrilous unclean speeches come from them such may well think that they have not the Spirit of God He that hath the Spirit of God will endeavour in some measure to speak the Wordâ— of God for where the Spirit of God is given in a saving manner he sanctifies the heart and sanctifies the tongue and so causes their words to be gracious and spiritual in some measure Therefore as we desire that our speech may be with grace holy and edifying pray for the spirit to be given unto us It is said of Christ that they wondered at the gracious words that proceeded from him he was full of the spirit and he spake the words of God O let us be much in prayer for the spirit to give us a mouth and wisdom upon all occasions pray that we may have the spirit to fill our hearts with holy thoughts and to fill our mouths with holy discourse Use 2. Learn from hâ—nce that when God calls to any work or service he is wont to give abilitiâ—â— and strength for that work Our Lord Jesuâ— was called to a great work to be performed iâ— our humane nature and you see here how hâ— was filled with the spirit and fitted for thaâ— work When God calls us to any work or service let us not look at the greatness of thâ— work to discourage us no but look principall at Gods calling you to it and if it be so thaâ— God calls us to the work he will give us of hâ— Spirit in some measure to strengthen us and help us When Moses died and Joshuah succeeded him he had great difficulties to go through in the work he was called to But saith the Lord fear not be not discouraged I will not fail thee nor forsake thee Therefore if you be assured that the Lord calls you to the work and service you are employed in fear not trust in the Lord keep in his way and he will give you strength he will stand by you and will not fail you nor forsake you Follow the Lord in your places and if sufferings come towards you the Lord will either put them by or he will support you and strengthen you with might by his spirit in the inward man Use 3. Learn from hence the excellency of Jesus Christ in that he is filled with the spirit Besides his infinite Glory as God you may see here what excellency is in him even as to his humane nature in that the Spirit is not given by measure unto him but beyond what is given to any other men or Angels Take a Saint and the Spirit and Grace of God in him adorns him in the eyes of others you will say there is such a one how full of love of wisdom of humility is he this makes him beautiful indeed But then how glorious should Christ be in our eyes both as to his God-head and as to the wisdom purity holiness and fullness of the spiâ—it in his humane nature In which respect even â—s the Son of man he is fairer then all the Chilâ—ren of men and then all the Angels in Heaven Suppose all the grace that is in all the Saints and Angels were abstracted and put all into one yet this is nothing to the fullness and grace that is in Christ There is wisdom love meekness and every grace in Christ that is compatible to his pure and holy nature without measure Use 4. Learn from hence to go to Christ for the spirit and grace in all our times of need He is filled with the spirit in our nature and as the Egyptians when they were ready to starve in the Famine and came to Pharoah he sent them to Joseph go to Joseph So go to Jesus there you may be supplied go to Jesus for the spirit to mortify our corruptions to quicken our graces to help us in all our duties and sufferings As Jacob said to his Sons Why stand ye looking one upon another there is Corn in Egypt go and fetch from thence that we may not perish So let believers go to Jesus Christ and fetch supplies of grace from him go to him as one that is able and willing to help his people in all their times of need Lastly We may learn from hence the ignorance and blasphemy of those that make a mock of the spirit and deride others as prizing the spirit whereas the excellency of Christ is set forth amongst other things by this that he was filled with the spirit 'T is true many may pretend to the spirit that have him not but therefore to make a mock of having the spirit is no less than blasphemy The Spirit is given to all Believers and he that hath not the Spirit of Christ is none of his not yet of his called ones The Believer is called the Spiritual man 1 Cor. 2.15 Some may pretend to be made partakers of Christ and yet be mistaken but he that shall mock people and use it as a Reproach to them that they believe in Christ and are Christians is a Blasphemer And so is he that shall use it as a Reproach to any That this is one that hath the Spirit Now I come to vers 35. The Father loveth the Son and hath given all things into his hand These words seem to hold forth the Reason of the former he had said before that God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him that is Christ And why so For the Father loveth the Son and hath given all things into his hand The Father loves the Elect Angels and loves Elect men but the Father loves the Son above all others
have dominion over the works of thy hand thou hast put all things under his feet all sheep and oxen yea and the beasts of the field the fowl of the air and the fish of the Sea 4. All things that do concern the ordering of the Churches here in this world are given and committed to Christ as Mediator What Officers shall be in his Churches what Discipline Government Censures Ordinances and Worship these things are not left to mens Inventions but all must be ordered as Christ hath appointed in the Word Mat. 28.18 19 20. And Jesus came and spake unto them saying All Power is given unto me in Heaven and in Earth Go ye therefore and teach all Nations baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded The very Apostles were limited that they should teach nothing to be observed in Spiritual matters but what Christ commanded and then much more all Church-Guides in these days for the Father hath given the Power of making Laws and Orders for his Church into Christs hand only No Power on Earth can add or take away from the Sacraments Censures Officers and Ordinances that Christ hath appointed for the Father hath given all things into his hand 5. All Providential Dispensations in this world are given into the hand of Christ all publick and private concernments Thou hast given him Power over all flesh Joh. 17.2 For the Father judgeth no man but hath committed all Judgment unto the Son Joh. 5.22 We must not understand these things as if God the Father had so put things into the hand of Christ as if he had not Power and Authority still over all but the meaning is that he hath given the management of all into Christ's hand as Mediator by way of Honour and Trust to order all for the Glory of God and for the Eternal Salvation of those whom he hath given him to be his Mystical Body And so I come to the Second thing to shew you Why or to what end the Father hath given all things into Christ's hands as Mediator 1. The Father hath done this for his own Glory Phil. 2.11 12. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him and given him a Name above every name That every tongue should confess that Christ is Lord to the Glory of God the Father 'T is for the Glory of God the Father that he hath laid help upon such a mighty One and set such a King upon his holy Hill of Sion 2. The Father hath done this for the Glory of Christ too That all men should honour the Son as they honour the Father Joh. 5.32 Wherefore when he brings in the first begotten into the world he saith Let all the Angels of God worship him Heb. 1.6 3. The Father hath done it for the Churches sake too for the Elects sake he hath given him to be the head over all things to the Church Ephes 1.22 to order all things for the accomplishing and perfecting their Salvation and to that end he hath the heart of man amongst other things given into his hand that Christ hath power as Mediator to make his people willing to close with him Psal 110.3 Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power Joh. 6.37 All that the Father giveth me shall come unto me Joh. 12.32 And I if I be lifted up from the earth will draw all men unto me Application Use 1. Seeing the Father hath given all things into Christ's hand then let us all come to Christ receive him believe in him And this is the very Use that Christ himself makes of this point Mat. 11.27 28. All things are delivered unto me of my Father And no man knoweth the Son but the Father Neither knoweth any man the Father but the Son and he to whomsoever he will reveal him Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest Seeing the Father hath given all into Christ's hand come unto him for whatsoever you want come to him for Pardon for Righteousness for peace of Conscience for Knowledg for Sanctification for all Joh. 6.27 Labour not for the meat that perishes but for that meat which endureth to everlasting Life which the Son of man shall give unto you for him hath God the Father sealed He hath Authority and Commission from the Father all things are given into his hand Him hath God the Father sealed therefore come unto him that you may have the meat that endureth to everlasting Life He hath the keys of Hell and of Death He is able to save to the uttermost He is able to rescue you from the very jaws of Hell therefore I say venture your Souls upon him The Father hath appointed him to be Prophet Priest and King come therefore unto him for all that you stand in need of Use 2. Seeing the Father hath given all into Christs hand let all submit to Jesus Christ Psal 2.12 Kiss the Son lest he be Angry and ye perish from the way We are all to do Homage to Christ to be subject to Christ and this is called a Kissing of the Son You read of those that did not bow the knee to Baal nor kissed him It is spoken of the People of God that would not owne Baal and the Idolaters that worshiped the Sun and the Moon because they could not reach them to kiss them therefore they kissed their hand in token of Homage and Subjection to them as is implyed in Job's words Chap. 31.26 27. So that this is one thing that is intended by this Phrase of Kissing the Son that we should do Homage unto him and be Subject unto him Therefore seeing all is given into Christs hand and he shall Judge the Quick and the Dead at his appearing and his Kingdom give dilligence that you may be found of him in Peace that you may be accepted in him as a Saviour and accepted of him as a Judge for we must all appear before the Judgment-Seat of Christ But may some say When we consider what a great Lord Jesus Christ is and that the Father hath made him the Judge of all and that he shall come in all the Glory of the Father with all his holy Angels and all must appear before his Judgment-Seat to give an account the thoughts of Christ begin to be terrible to us sinful guilty creatures we begin to say in our hearts How shall we be able to stand before this great Lord and Judge Answer Christ is a Priest as well as a King a Saviour as well as a Judge So that if you put your trust in him as a Mediator and be found in his Righteousness then you may be able to stand before him else not Therefore labour to know Christ in his Priestly Office and believe in him that you may be washed and made white in his Blood and that he may be the Lord your Righteousness then
wrath of God Can you endure to have the wrath of God to abide upon you Let me beseech one thing of you even for the Lord's sake and for your own Souls sake that when you come home that you would retire a little get alone and seriously ponder these words He that believeth not the Son shall not see Life but the wrath of God abideth on him Ask your own hearts whether you believe what is spoken here and that it shall be fulfilled upon all those that reject Christ And when you are alone put it upon your hearts to consider seriously what it is to have the wrath of God abide upon you what a miserable condition that will be If you had but a Sentence of Death passed upon you by a Judge of Assize how terrible is it to most men But then how dreadful will this be to you when the Lord shall say Depart from me ye Cursed when the Lord shall say that you shall never see Life but the wrath of God shall abide on you for ever Did you never see one under a deep sense and apprehension of Gods wrath O how such an one will cry out And yet it is but some drop or so that falls upon the Conscience here in this Life in comparison of Hell If you have not seen any under the sense of God's wrath consider what the Scripture saith of Cain and Judas what Terrours they were under and read the Story of Francis Spira there you may see what amazing astonishing Expressions and Wishes came from him under a sense of God's wrath lying upon him he was so tormented that but he was watched by his Friends and could not get opportunity he would have killed himself Yea and consider our Lord Jesus Christ who never had any sin inherent in him yet standing in the room of his People and having their sins imputed to him that by his Suffering in their stead Justice might be satisfied for Sin How he was filled with Astonishment and Grief under the wrath of God due to our sins Mat. 26.38 Then saith he unto them My Soul is exceeding sorrowful even unto death Luk. 22.44 And being in an Agony he prayed more earnestly and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground And he cried out upon the Cross My God my God why hast thou forsaken me We must not think that the Captain of our Salvation was thus sorrowful and sweat drops of Blood and cried out so vehemently for the fear and pain of bodily death which many Martyrs and other men have endured without any great disturbance but Christ bare that in his Sufferings that was ten Thousand times more dreadful he had the Iniquities of all his people at once laid upon him and so bare the wrath of God due unto them Our Lord Jesus Christ the Mighty One being God-man soon made Satisfaction for the sins of his people and so was acquitted and discharged and is now in the same Nature wherein he Suffered at the right hand of God But I pray consider If we bear the wrath of God our selves what shall we do You see it is no light matter it will be a burden too heavy for us to bear it will make us wish again and again that we had never been born And truely if we do not believe on the Son who hath born wrath for Sinners and who alone delivers from the wrath to come it must abide upon us Think of these things between the Lord and your own Souls and let us call to one another and awaken one another and tell one another of the danger that we are in If this house where we are were set on fire and one were asleep here it were time to awaken them O! If you have Children Servants Acquaintance that are in an ignorant and prophane way call to them and endeavour to convince them of their sins and draw them to believe in Christ Quest But it may be some will say you press this believing in Christ very much and what is there in believing that those that believe should have Everlasting Life Answ There is nothing of Merit of Efficiency or Causality in our believing to free us from the wrath of God and to bring us to everlasting Life For everlasting Life is the Gift of God through Jesus Christ our Lord so that we do not set up Faith to have any part with Christ in the Glory of our Salvation But I pray consider it that Faith is that Grace whereby we lost Sinners being convinced of our Sins and having no hope of any help and relief in our selves do wholy betake our selves to Jesus the Mediator for our Salvation So that Christ is all and doth all and by Faith we receive and embrace Christ our Justifier And so hath the Lord ordained that by going out of our selves and receiving Christ the Mediator we have the Gift of Righteousness even the Righteousness of Christ imputed to us to the Justification of Life So that it is not Faith as a Work but Faith as a Hand or Instrument whereby we receive Christ the Saviour that justifies us in the sight of God Quest But how shall I come to believe on the Lord Jesus Answ 1. You must be convinced of Sin You must see that you are guilty before God that you cannot stand before the Holy Lord God But alas Mens hearts are so taken up with the Cares and Pleasures of the world and think so little of Eternity and the Judgment to come that it is in the thoughts of few how they shall be discharged from the guilt of their Sins and have everlasting Life 2. You must see that there is no help for you in your own personal Righteousness How can there when you have sinned already And all the Righteousness that you can perform in this Life is defective and full of Imperfections You must know that there must be a perfect Righteousness to justifie you 3. You must know that Christ is he that is Ordained of God to be the Saviour That you can be saved only by his Blood and Righteousness and so cast your self wholly upon him This Faith is the Gift of God No man can come to Christ except the Father which hath sent him draw him And though some may think this believing in Christ a notion a fancy or however a common or easy thing yet as it is a real thing wrought in the hearts of the Elect by the Spirit of God so it is no easy thing to believe truly on Christ when a sinner is convinced of the Greatness of God the Holiness of his Law the revenging Justice of God and his own guilt and filth it is a great work of God to fix and stay the heart upon the Lord Jesus Christ to deliver such a one from going down to the pit and bring the soul to everlasting Life Object I dare not come to Christ because I do not know I am Elected Answer You cannot
The Application 1. That by Nature we are spiritually dead You read of some that are dead whilst they live 1 Tim. 5.6 And saith Christ Let the dead bury the dead but follow thou me As the Body without the Soul is dead So we now being without Christ are dead men and women 1. We are dead men in regard of the Sentence of Death and Condemnation past upon us by the Law Gal. 3.10 Cursed is every one that continueth not in every thing that is Written in the Book of the Law to do it Rom. 5.12 By one man sin entred into the world and death by sin for that all have sinned All our first Father Adam's house are but dead men before the Lord we are all guilty before God Though we are not executed yet we are under the Sentence of Death by the Law and the Sentence of the Law will be executed at last if we be not pardoned in Christ 2. We are dead men as to the life of Grace and true Holiness Our best works are but dead works Heb. 9.14 The carnal mind is enmity against God for it is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be Though indeed before Conversion we may do things that are good for the matter yet we do nothing from a right principle and to a right end Joh. 15.5 Without me ye can do nothing Except we have Spiritual Sap and Life from Christ we can bring forth no true fruit but are like a dead and withered Branch that hath no life in it 2. What that Life is that Christ gives to dead Sinners 1. The Life of Justification When we are united to Christ the Sentence of Death by the Law is taken off We use to say that of a Malefactor when the Sentence of Death is passed upon him that he is a dead man But if once a Pardon come that makes him a living man then he cannot be executed Rom. 8.1 There is therefore now no Condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus There was a heavy Sentence of Condemnation passed upon us by the Law but now we are in Christ we are pardoned in Christ and now there is no Condemnation Now as Paul saith Gal. 2.20 I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me 2. We have from Christ the Life of Sanctification the life of Grace and Holiness too whereby the Soul hath a Spiritual Inclination and Disposition to act towards God according to that Hebr. 8.10 I will put my laws into their mind and write them in their hearts Ezek. 36.26 27. A new heart also will I give you and a new spirit will I put within you and I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you an heart of flesh And I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes The Preaching of the Life that Christ giveth is to them that perish foolishness Some are fit to make a mock at Life and Justification by the Blood and Righteousness of Christ And so likewise at Conversion at the infusing of Grace into the heart wherby we come to live unto God But as these things are plainly revealed in the Scripture so to them that believe these things are precious 3. Let us enquire what we are to understand here by the Voice of the Son of God 1. The Gospel may be called the voice of the Son of God as it is an Instrumental means to make dead Souls to live The Gospel is called The Word of Grace Acts 20.32 The Word of Christ Col. 3.16 The Word of Life Phil. 2.16 By the Dispensation and Preaching of the Gospel Christ conveyeth himself into our Souls The Letter the Law killeth seeing we are sinners the Law is the ministration of death to us 2 Cor. 6.7 It tells us we are dead men cursed men it revealeth the wrath of God due to us for our sins The Law through our default cannot give us Life because we have not a Righteousness that the Law requires in our selves But it is the Gospel that reveals to us the new way to Life that shews us an Attonement and Righteousness in another We can neither be justified by the Law nor be sanctified by it We cannot be justified by it because we cannot fulfil it We cannot be sanctified by it because it only commands us to obey but giveth no new strength now we have lost the Holiness we had in Adam 'T is the Gospel that reveals to us how we may be justified before God and may have the Image of God renewed upon us But to make us spiritually alive there must be more than a bare Declaration of the Gospel many hear the Gospel Preached many years and yet never hear the voice of the Son of God and Live Therefore here is more to be understood 2. By the voice of the Son of God is meant the Secret Efficacy and Power of the Spirit of Christ so put forth as to turn the heart to the Lord. As the Lord Jesus did say to Lazarus when he was Dead Lazarus come forth and at the same time put Life into him So when the set time is come for the conversion of any of the Elect people there goes forth such a Power of Christ as to put Spiritual Life into them Ministers may speak and spend their strength in calling to dead Souls to come forth but except the Lord put in with them so as to effect the work men will still abide in death Object Hearing presupposeth Life Therefore how is it said That they that hear the voice of the Son of God shall live Can they hear before they live Answer This hearing the voice of the Son of God and living Spiritually are both at the same time As Lazarus when Christ bad him come forth he heard and lived at the same time Christ speaking to the heart with such Power as to turn the heart to himself goes before Spiritual Life in order of Nature but not in order of Time Conversion is a work of Spiritual Creation and so is not like other things The Lord saith live and the Soul liveth 4. Let us enquire what the Lord works upon a man dead in trespasses and sins to make him live Spiritually I shall not stand to speak of what the Lord doth by way of Preparation for the Souls receiving Christ this must be supposed that the Lord doth set our sins in order before us convince us of Sin and of Judgment to come But the very thing by which we are translated from Death to Life is the Lords giving us his Spirit to unite us to Christ whereby we receive the Life of Justification and Sanctification from him The Lord gives the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation Ephes 1.17 God who commanded Light to shine out of Darkness hath shined in our hearts to give the light of the knowledg of the Glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 4.6 The Sinner was convinced of his lost estate before
perform those very duties that God requires and yet God may not smell a sweet savour in them take no delight nor complacency in them nor have no respect to them As now for example you know the Lord anointed Jehu to be King over Israel 2 Kings 9. You shall find when the Lord anointed him by his Prophet it was for this very end and purpose that he should go and Destroy all the House of Ahab and cut them all off well Jehu went and performed the work one would think this was pleasing to Godâ— for he did the very thing that God required and yet I pray look into Hosea 1.4 You shall see what a Testimony the Holy Ghost gives of Jehu concerning the Work he did And the Lord said unto the Prophet call his Name Jezreel for yet a little while and I will avenge the Blood of Jezreel upon the House of Jehu c. I will be avenged saies God for that Blood why did not Jehu do that which God did expresly require of him in cutting off the House of Ahab And yet saies the Lord I will be avenged for that Murder that Jehu Committed Why so Truly Jehu did not do it in that manner that was pleasing unto God for Jehu had his own ends in what he did he made account of cutting off the House of Ahab that his own Kingdom might be better established and therefore he still maintained the Calves that Jeroboam had set up and therefore saith the Lord I will avenge the Blood of Jezreel upon the House of Jehu And saies the Lord in Isaiah 1.13 14. When he speaks concerning the Sacrifices Offerings and Services which he himself had apppointed Bring no more vain Oblations Incense is an Abomination to me your new Moâ—â—is and Sabbaths and solemn Assemblies I cannot away with Why had not God expresly appointed these things yes yet saies God Your new Moons and appointed Feasts my Soul hateth they are a trouble to me I am weary to bear them and when you spread forth your hands saies God I will hide my Eyes and when you make many prayers I will not hear you Why were not these the things that God had required and commanded yet you see God was not pleased with them but now when the Lord doth look with a gracious respect upon a mans Services and performances and also doth graciously accept them with complacency and delight this is now to please the Lord by what we do Well this is the first thing you see what is meant by pleasing of God 2. Now then to come to the second That this pleasing of God is a very desirable thing it is of great concernment for a Man or Woman to please God What can a man or woman desire to do more in this World than to please God this indeed is implyed here in the Text he speaks of it as a thing very desirable Without Faith it is impossible to please God To do that which is so desirable if it were not desirable what should a man or woman need to care whether he please God or no but the Apostle speaks of it as a great thing without Faith it is impossible to please God Brethren when a man or woman doth perform a Duty or Service when he hath done it if he do not please God in it this is matter of very great sadness to such a Soul or it should be so you know how Cain took it he brought an Offering Genesis 4. of the fruits of the Ground unto God but God was not pleased with it God had respect to Abel and to his Offering but to Cain and his Offering God had not respect Well how did Cain take it He was not able to bear it his countenance fell Gods accepting of Abels offering and not Cains it went to the Heart of him his Countenance fell and thereupon he grew malicious against his Brother and at last he slew him it was such a dreadful thing to him that God should not accept of his Sacrifice as well as his Brothers And you shall see King Saul though but a wicked man yet when God did refuse to hear his Prayers and was not pleased with them saies he I am sore distressed in 1 Sam. 28.15 And he goes to a Witch who raised up as he thought Samuel to him and Saul answered I am sorely distressed the Philistines make War against me and God is departed from me and he answereth me no more neither by Prophets nor by Dreams c. I am sorely distressed And Brethren what is that which the people of God do so much desire in this world that they are Ambitious of it as the main thing of their desire in the World It is that they may please God see the Apostles expression 2 Cor. 5.9 Wherefore we Labour saies he the word signifies we are Ambitious it is an emphatical word we desire ambitiously we do earnestly endeavour as an ambitious man doth after Honour wherefore we Labour But the word is a stronger word we labour with might and main we make it our very ambition that we may be accepted of him or that we may please God it is the highest degree of the desire of our Souls we are ambitious for that that we may please God and that God may be pleased with us and accept of our services But more particularly to shew you in some particulars what a desirable thing it is to be found pleasing of God and to have our services accepted of him As 1. Is it not a desirable thing for a Man or Woman to be reconciled to God and to have God reconciled to them and so to have peace with God Now when God comes to accept of a mans duties and services it is an Argument that God is reconciled to him and at peace with him for before reconciliation every Man and Woman in the World is an enemy unto God Now if any one should come and offer Service to you and you know he hath enmity in his mind against you you will not accept of any thing he does though he pretend never so fairly Now when God comes really to accept of a Mans services and performances it is an Argument God is at peace with him and is not that a most desirabe thing 2. Is it not a desirable thing for a man or woman to have libetty to make use of the creatures that God gives him with joyfulness of Heart that he may rejoice in what he doth make use of and partake of Now when a Man or Woman comes to know that his Services are accepted of God and that he hath pleased God in what he hath done truly then he may go his way as I remember Solomon speaks to that purpose Eccles 9.7 Go thy way eat thy Bread with joy and Drink thy drink with a merry heart for God now accepteth thy Work God is pleased with what you do Ay now you have cause to go and rejoyce in what you do enjoy now you may
yielded to them yet that doth not make it to be warrantable and lawful for us But in a word do we believe are we perswaded that whatsoever is not of Faith is sin If we be not fully perswaded of the lawfulness of a thing and yet do it it is sin And do we believe what the Text saith here That without faith it is impossible to please God Then if so be that we have not Faith to perswade us that such as do Preach are sent by Christ then I think we cannot act Faith in hearing the Word from them This is the first Direction about hearing in Faith namely that we be perswaded that those that we do hear be called and sent by Christ 2. A second Direction how to act Faith in hearing the Word is this namely we should be careful to remove all impediments that may hinder us in our hearing from enjoying the presence of Christ and our profiting by the Word for this is the work of Faith to put us upon the use of all lawful means to attain an end Faith will not expect the end but upon the use of means And so on the other side as it is the work of Faith to put us upon the use of means for the attaining of the end so to avoid all the impediments and hindrances that lye in the way to the attaining of the end when the Lord called Jacob to go to Bethel Gen. 35.1 2 3. that he might worship God there now Jacob that he might enjoy the Presence of God and Communion with God in Bethel in his drawing near to God there Jacob he removes impediments now he calls upon his houshold and all that were with him to put away the strange gods from among them and be clean says he and change your garments and let us arise and go up to Bethel and I will make an Alter unto God c. And so at Mount Sinai God gave order to Moses that the people should be sanctified and purified when they should come to draw near to God and God should draw near to them Exod. 19.10 11. And so now when we are to draw near to God in the hearing of his Word we are to be careful to remove all impediments that may hinder our profiting by our hearing and this is the work of Faith Faith doth set a Soul a work to endeavour to remove all impediments Now there are divers impediments to be removed which will certainly hinder our profiting by the Word I shall name some few special ones which the Scripture hints to us As First This is one Malice in the heart to have the heart possessed with Malice towards one or another this will hinder us from profiting by the Word The Apostle Peter therefore expresly calleth upon us in 1 Pet. 2.1 2. Wherefore laying aside all malice c. As new born babes desire the sincere milk of the word that ye may grow thereby As if he should say if you harbor malice in your hearts when you come to hear the Word you will not grow and profit by it if you entertain and allow malice in your hearts towards one another this malice may break out in the envy of the good and welfare of another and so the Apostle brings in that branch of malice envy and sometimes it breaks out in reviling and evil-speaking and therefore says the Apostle Lay aside all malice and envy and evil-speaking and so receive the sincere milk of the word that ye may grow thereby As in Prayer if I regard iniquity in my heart God will not hear my Prayer so in this case if we allow any sin in our hearts any malice towards one or another when we come to hear the Word God will not listen to us and we shall not profit by the Word this may be one cause why people hear so much and profit so little If so be they do allow malice and envy in their hearts and allow themselves to speak evil of others they cannot hear the Word to grow and profit by it no we are to exercise love in our drawing near to God love to God and love to the Word and love to the Saints and love to one another for if so be that we do not love them that we have seen or do see says the Apostle how can we be truly said to love God whom we have not seen 1 John 4.20 Therefore this is one thing Let us be careful to lay aside all malice and envy and evil-speaking if we do desire so to draw near to God in the hearing of the Word as to profit by it Secondly Another impediment that the Apostle hath in the same place of Peter is hypocrisy and guile this also must be laid aside or else we shall not receive the Word so as to grow and profit by it if we come to the hearing of the Word and do maintain guile and hypocrisy in our hearts and allow of it then we cannot profit or grow by the Word The Apostle Peter doth plainly hold forth that all guile and hypocrisy must be laid aside and so receive the Word as new born babes that ye may grow thereby Guile and hypocrisy doth hinder our profiting by the Word for this is now a kind of stumbling-block we draw near to God and have a stumbling-block in our hearts and says the Lord in Ezek. 14.7 If any man setteth up Idols in his heart and putteth the stumbling-block of his iniquity before his face and cometh to a prophet to enquire of him concerning me I the Lord will answer that man by my self Some do expound that place the word stumbling-block for the separating and withdrawing the heart from God Now there are two kinds of hypocrisy or guile that are to be laid aside in hearing the Word one is in respect of God the other is towards man the guile and hypocrisy towards God is this namely when as a man or woman doth seem to draw near to God in his worship attending upon his Word and yet notwithstanding the heart is not near God but afar off from him here is hypocrisy and dissimulation towards God This people says God draw near to me with their mouth and lips but their heart is far from me Isa 29.13 And so Christ tells the Scribes and Pharisees in Matt. 15.8 when as a man doth pretend to draw near to God as if he would know the Mind of God that he may do the Will of God and have no such intendment in his heart he comes to hear the Word what doth this hold forth but that he intends to do the word which he hears Now when the heart is not set to do the Will of God here is hypocrisy I remember Jeremiah speaks to that purpose in Jer. 52.20 For ye dissembled in your hearts says he when ye sent me unto the Lord your God saying pray for us unto the Lord our God and according to all that the Lord our God shall say to us we
hear the Word we should attend upon it and hear it as the very Word of God as if God himself did speak from Heaven and so receive it Object But you will say What shall we receive every thing that is Preached by Ministers as the very Word of God Indeed if they were infallible we might but men are not infallable in their Preaching as the Apostles were they are but men and they may err and mistake sometimes now are we bound to receive every thing from them as if God himself did speak it Ministers also you will say may differ sometimes in their teaching one man is of one opinion and another man of another opinion what are we to receive whatever one and another speak as the very Word of God as if God spoke to us how can this be Answ For Answer to this briefly 1. I say therefore it doth concern Ministers of the Gospel to take very great heed that whatever they speak it be according to the Mind and Will of God to speak nothing of their own heads but what they have warrant for from the Word and therefore we should usually back what we hold forth to the people for matter of Doctrine to be believed or for matter to be practised from the Word of God we should be very careful of that so that we may be able to say as the Apostle did 1 Cor. 15.2 3. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received c. and so should we do And let me tell you I confess it hath been matter of some trouble to me fearing lest I should sometimes speak what I have not warrant for from the Lords mouth to hold forth according to his Will It hath made me sometimes to tell you plainly to wish that I were otherwise imployed and that the Lord might imploy those that might more fully declare and hold forth his Mind and Counsel to the people than possibly I may be able to do but this is that that lyes incumbent upon Ministers to be very careful to hold forth nothing but what they have warrant for from the Word of God But 2. Suppose what is held forth and delivered sometimes by Ministers be not expresly backed by the Word yet notwithstanding we should be very backward and slow to reject and despise what is held forth though we do not see at present what warrant there is for it in the Word possibly it may be according to the Mind of Christ in a consequential way it may be reduced from the Word And thus far further we should do we should be searching and inquiring whether those things be so or no like the Bereans in Acts 17.11 It is said that they were more noble than those in Thessalonica for they received the Word with all readiness of mind and searched into the Scriptures dayly to see whether those things were so or no. The Bereans when they heard Paul Preach something possibly that they did not so well apprehend to be grounded upon the Scriptures they did not thereupon slight and despise what they heard but here was matter of further inquiry for them they searched the Scriptures to see whether it was according to the Scriptures or no and they were commended for it so should we do if any thing be held forth that we cannot see for the present express warrant and ground for in the Scripture we should not slight it and cast it off but be searching into the Scriptures to see whether there may not be some ground and warrant for it This is the third Direction if we would hear the Word of God in Faith we must be careful to receive it as the very word of God Fourthly If we would hear the Word in Faith so as it may be to profit and edification we should so hear it as to make a particular application of it to our selves as spoken to us in particular mark it I pray here is the direction we should not only hear the Word and receive it as spoken by the Lord as if God himself should speak to us but take it as spoken to us particularly from the Lord every one should take it to himself as particularly spoken to me and to me in particular as they said to Job in Job 5.27 Lo this we have searched it so it is hear it and know it thou for thy good for thy good in particular And as Paul said in Acts 13.26 To you is the word of Salvation sent So to you and to every one in particular is this word sent and this is the very proper work of Faith to make a particular application of the Word that is spoken to its self This I say is the proper work of Faith for you know in Scripture the word of Command and the word of Promise lay in general now it is the very work and act of Faith to take the word that lies in common and general and apply it particularly to the Heart this is the very proper work of Faith or else Brethren the word will do us no good It will be just like a Table full of Meat the Meat will do us no good if it be not taken so long as it stands upon the Table it will do us no good if it be not taken and eaten down and applied particularly to us So in this Case so long as the Word lies only in the Scripture before us the word of Command or the word of Promise or whatever word it be if it lie before us as common and in general and there be no particular application of it it doth us no good at all we shall not profit by it but now when it comes particularly to be applied that God speaks this as a word of Command to me that this is my Duty and I must take it as if God did speak it particularly to me that which I am called to perform so if it be a word of Promise I should take it as spoken from the Lord to me the Lord calls me to accept of it and embrace it and Brethren though the Word of the Lord seems to lay in common yet it hath an eye upon every person that hears it it looks to every one just as a Picture if it be exactly drawn if there be a Hundred Persons in the Room the eye will be upon every one in the Room so the eye of the Word is upon every particular person that hears it and know it for your good that the Lord doth speak to everyone of us in particular when the Word is Preached and we should not say Well here was a word fit for such a one applying it to others and such a one was met with in the Word No no Brethren so long as we can apply the Word to others and not to our selves it will do us no good but this is our work and business when the Word is Preached in the Name of the Lord and according to the Will of God we